WEEKLY FEATURE: Circa Resort Opens in Downtown Las Vegas

The first major casino development in Las Vegas’s downtown in 40 years opened this week: Circa Resort & Casino. It boasts the world’s largest sportsbook, six pools and cool...

Published November 2, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Embattled Crown Survives Shareholder Revolt

Three directors, included James Packer’s second in command, Guy Jalland (l.), were re-elected, but just barely, at a contentious annual meeting that also saw shareholders reject the board’s executive...

Published October 26, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: China Eyes Harsh New Penalties for Recruiting Gamblers

The change to the country’s criminal code, proposed as part of a nationwide crackdown on capital flight, looks like more bad news for the junkets and the lucrative VIP...

Published October 19, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Kentucky Supreme Court: Historical Horseracing Illegal

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled certain historical horseracing machines do not comply with parimutuel wagering standards. The unanimous decision reverses a lower court ruling in the long-running dispute between...

Published October 12, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Penn National Seeks $1 Billion Post-Barstool Opening

Penn National Gaming last week announced it would issue nearly $1 billion in new shares just days after its Barstool branded only sports book opened in Pennsylvania. Penn is...

Published september 28, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: New Jersey Shatters Sports Betting Record

New Jersey sports betting recorded handle of almost $668 million in August, breaking a U.S. record for a single month. The return of basketball, baseball and hockey spurred the...

Published september 21, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Sports Betting & Colleges Come Together

Sports betting company PointsBet has signed a gaming deal with the University of Colorado, the first such agreement between a sportsbook operator and a U.S. university. But it will...

Published september 14, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: William Hill US Buys CG Tech, Ponders Caesars Deal

William Hill US has received approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission to complete its purchase of troubled CG Technologies. In addition to inheriting access to lots of properties in...

Published september 7, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Mohegans Set 2022 Opening for South Korea IR

U.S. tribal casino operator Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has set a target of late 2022 to open its multibillion-dollar integrated resort, Inspire (l.), near Incheon International Airport. But the...

Published august 31, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: For Macau VIP, Danger Signs on the Road to Recovery

With a crackdown on online gambling in full throttle in China and relations with the U.S. plumbing new lows, it’s not looking good for the Macau’s VIP sector, which...

Published august 24, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Internet Giant IAC Buys Big Stake in MGM

How much potential does online media mogul Barry Diller (l.) see in online gaming? About $1 billion worth. That’s how much he ponied up for 12 percent of MGM...

Published august 17, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: For VICI, Caesars-Eldorado Deal Is Ace in the Hole

Real estate investment trust VICI Properties played a key role in the Caesars-Eldorado mega-merger, including the ownership of flagship Caesars Palace (l.). The deal means VICI, now a major...

Published august 10, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Judge Sides With Tribes In Oklahoma Dispute

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt lost a major legal battle as a U.S. District Court judge ruled tribal gaming compacts in the state did not expire January 1, but automatically...

Published August 3, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Oklahoma Supreme Court Rules Against Governor

Rulings by the U.S. and Oklahoma Supreme Courts are expected to have a major impact on gaming tribes in the state. The U.S. court, in a 5-4 decision, essentially...

Published July 27, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Eldorado Resorts Gets Final OK for Caesars Deal

The approval of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission was the last thing standing between Eldorado Resorts and its $17.3 billion purchase of Caesars Entertainment. Jersey regulators didn’t make...

Published July 20, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: More Pain to Come, With Permanent Layoffs

It’s clear the U.S. gaming industry will not rebound quickly or easily from the Covid-19 crisis, and that means more casino workers will lose their jobs. The first wave...

Published July 13, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Pritzker Signs Measure Lowering Chicago Casino Taxes

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (l.) has signed legislation to lower taxes on revenue from a proposed downtown Chicago casino. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had lobbied to reduce the “onerous”...

Published July 6, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Osaka Casino Timeline Unravels

Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui and Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura (l.)—who actually swapped jobs as part of their bid to bring an integrated resort to the prefecture—have put that plan on...

Published June 29, 2020

WEEKLY FEATURE: Casinos Are Back, But Are They Making Money?

Business has been better than anticipated at Nevada casinos, which reopened June 4 at half-capacity. But high rollers are largely absent, and conventioneers are nowhere in sight. Locals casinos...

Published June 22, 2020

Massachusetts Tribe Prevails In Trust Fight

A U.S. District judge has ruled for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Interior. The judge ruled that DOI erred when it found...

Published June 15, 2020