The unscheduled bout took place shortly after the two watched Friday’s Professional Fighters League (PFL) match in the casino’s Hard Rock Live arena.

Vettori, 30, of Italy, initially attempted to punch UFC light heavyweight Tuco Tokkos, according to a report from MMA Mania. Allen, 28, of South Carolina, and Vettori then got into a struggle and repeatedly threw punches, including a few blows to each other’s face.

Fell Onto Roulette Table

At one point, Vettori appears to have fallen onto a roulette table, according to news reports.

The violent outburst attracted a large crowd of onlookers, many of whom recorded the exchange on their cell phone cameras.

Neither of the fighters suffered significant injuries, according to news reports, and no arrests were made.

Here’s one summary of the night’s incident.

Vettori tried to swing at Tuco Tokkos and missed. Michael Johnson then moved everyone out of the way and then Brendan Allen stepped in and hit Vettori with a 1-2, which made him fall into a roulette table,” MMA Mania reported.

The fight later was commented on by Las Vegas-based UFC CEO Dana White, who said on X, it “had to be [the] fight of the night if it was at PFL.”

Later on Friday night, Vettori said in a social media post, “One armed Vettori is unbeaten. Ain’t never missing s**t.”

“Basically he gets popped right on the spot then hide behind his guys get popped again in the chaos then 10 people in between and I think its over they let him he rushes me get caught again in the end All of this one armed Proper sucker,” Vettori added.

Prior Bout Canceled

Allen and Vettori had been scheduled to fight at April’s UFC 240 before Vettori suffered an injury and had to cancel, MMA Junkie reported.

Instead of fighting Vettori, Allen fought Chris Curtis. Allen won by a split decision.

Vettori decided to lambast him in a social media post.

“Allen wtf u calling for the title man you look like dog s**t got rocked every single round and prayed you were getting the takedown just to hang in there. That s**t was embarrassing.”

The post MMA Fighters Brawl on Seminole Hard Rock Gaming Floor — Video appeared first on Casino.org.

Baltimore-based Cordish Companies is investing $270 million to overhaul the former Diamond Jacks riverboat into a land-based casino and resort. The former Diamond Jacks hotel is being renovated and upgraded to a more lavish environment, and Cordish wants the interior to vibe with Louisianans.

To assist in that mission, Cordish is calling on local artists to submit their artwork for consideration of placement inside the resort. The open call runs until 4 pm on September 13.

The casino is fielding concept submissions for original works. A release encouraged artists to present ideas that “convey the culture of the state.”

Cordish currently operates three casinos — Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland in Hanover, Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, and Live! Casino Pittsburg in Greensburg. Live! Louisiana is slated to open in the first quarter of 2025.

Local Partner?

Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is Cordish’s first renovation of a former casino. Diamond Jacks closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and fell into disrepair in the subsequent years as an array of entities mulled relocation and renovation plans.

The new land-based casino spans 47,000 square feet and will have more than 1,000 slot machines, 40 live dealer table games, and a sportsbook. The casino will be located east of the hotel just inland from where the Diamond Jacks riverboat rested in the Red River.

Cordish has pledged to embed its company and casino into the Bossier City community. Its call for artists’ work is a first step.

Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is dedicated to supporting the local community in the Shreveport-Bossier market,” said John Chaszar, executive vice president and general manager of Live! “This region has an impressive roster of talented artists, and we are excited to see how they convey the culture of the state and personify the essence of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana through their craft.”

To qualify to submit, artists must be located in Northwest Louisiana and have an active Region 7 account on Culturalyst, an online platform that connects artists and curators in Louisiana.

Live! Art Gallery?

Another component of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is a 25,000-square-foot Event Center. The facility, Cordish says, will be a “state-of-the-art, multipurpose venue for top-name entertainment, meetings, conventions, and nonprofit and social gatherings.”

The Live! Louisiana Event Center is where the 12 commissioned artists’ pieces will hang. The artwork will be displayed in the lobby area of the Event Center.

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The two victims, Kim Chambliss and her boyfriend, Val Delacruz, went out on August 1 for their monthly date night. It started off with dinner and some drinks before they went to try their luck on the casino floor.

“I hit and I got a jackpot,” Delacruz recently told Tampa TV station WTVT.

That night he broke out in a joyful dance. After collecting the payout, they decided to go home. They drove back to their Riverview, Fla. residence.

They didn’t realize two men had been watching them for about two hours at the casino and followed them as they drove the 14 miles back home.

When the couple got out of their car into the driveway, they were allegedly ambushed by two masked, armed robbers.

Shot in Legs

At least three gunshots rang out. Delacruz was wounded in both legs as he pleaded for his life. Chambliss was wounded in her calf. She began to yell for help as she made her way to the front porch. Delacruz crawled up to the porch to protect her.

The robbers continued their violent attack. One even covered a Ring doorbell camera to shield his identity.

The local sheriff’s office was alerted. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies quickly arrived and put a tourniquet on Delacruz. He credits them with saving his life.

“I lost so much blood, if they didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have made it,” Delacruz said.

Attempted Murder

Deputies later arrested two suspects in the case, Marcus Jenkins and Tristan Wright.

Jenkins was charged with attempted first-degree murder and other counts. Wright was charged with principal to attempted murder and other crimes. A third suspect is being sought.

If convicted on an attempted murder count, both defendants could face prison sentences.

The violence is still fresh in the victims’ memories.

Chambliss recalled how she heard gunfire. “I hear another gunshot and my first thought was they’ve killed him. I was hysterical, I screamed and cried.”

“I ran and I fell in the door and the other guy came out and shot me again for the third time in my left leg,” Delacruz added.

“I’m normally aware of my surroundings or would notice if someone was following me. But that night, we were in deep conversation,” Delacruz remembered.

Now, he has painful injuries and it’s hard for him to sleep. He must use a walker and one of his legs is in a cast. He can’t walk and healing may take six months or more.

Self-employed, he’s been unable to work. They organized a GoFundMe fundraiser. As of Wednesday, $3,360 was raised. The goal is $10K. The money will help with medical costs and other bills which have led to a “financial crisis.”

“I am a survivor of a senseless act of violence that changed my life forever,” Delacruz said on the GoFundMe page.

On August 02, I became a victim of a random robbery that resulted in me sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. The physical and emotional scars from that day will always remain with me.”

“We’re just average people … who are out having a good time, … who love each other and enjoying each other’s company. And to know that we didn’t even realize that people were following us every step of the way. It’s scary. It’s scary,” Chambliss said.

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The filings were made by 16 Minutes LLC, a Tennessee-based limited liability corporation that appears to be named as a reference to “15 minutes of fame.” Welch is from the Volunteer State and while some might argue her 15 minutes are up or expired some time ago, she’s milking it for all it’s worth as highlighted by trademark applications for comedy shows, condiments, gum, hats, mouthwash, sunflower seeds and shirts in addition to sports betting.

For those not in the pop culture know, Welch rose to internet stardom (or infamy) last month when in a man-on-the-street interview conducted in Nashville by the YouTube channel Tim & Dee TV, she made an onomatopoeia in reference to the release of saliva during a particular sexual act.

You gotta give ’em that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang,” said Welch in a response to a sexually charged question.

From there, “Hawk Tuah Girl” was born.

Will Hawk Tuah Girl Make Gaming Inroads?

It’s common for athletes and celebrities to file trademarks and patent applications and not make use of them upon award. That could be the case with Welch or she could continue capitalizing on her instant stardom and carve out a niche in the betting world.

“Bet On That Thang trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of sports betting services; Wagering services; Arranging of contests featuring casino gaming; Entertainment services, namely, casino gaming,” according to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

With football season fast approaching, Welch’s foray into sports betting, if it materializes, could prove well-timed.

Hawk Tuah Girl Already Has Loose Gaming Ties

Welch already has some ties to the gaming industry. Her first paid appearance following the now infamous June video occurred on July 8 at the Daer Dayclub at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. That venue is owned and operated by Hard Rock International, which is controlled by the Seminole Tribe.

She’s also used her new-found fame for good, leveraging fresh social media notoriety to call attention to animal shelters in the Nashville area.

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Each of the gambling joints was shuttered following Thursday’s court-ordered searches, according to Florida TV station WFTV.

The gaming dens not only were the sites of illegal gambling but were associated with robberies, shootings, and drug overdoses, authorities said.

Many of the players who gambled at the operations were on fixed or minimal incomes, including those who are senior citizens, authorities added.

One of the sites last year alone generated $37M in revenue from slot gambling, officials said. That led the owners to earn $5M in profit, WFTV reported.

Gambling Locations

The 11 illegal casinos were identified as being at:

• Preview Games, 2411 Enterprise Road, Orange City.
• Winner’s Circle, 1250 S. State Road 15A, DeLand.
• Cyber Monkey, 350 S. Spring Garden Ave., DeLand.

• Phoenix 3, 2500 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand.
• Comptrek, 2525 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand.
• Lucky Seven Arcade, 1720 S. U.S. Highway 17, Pierson.
• Spin-N-Win, 1464 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond Beach.
• Winners, 1468 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond Beach.
• Lucky Duck, 1376 N. Nova Road, Daytona Beach.
• Klix Arcade, 1101 Derbyshire Road, Daytona Beach.
• Jiffy, 986 S. Nova Road, Ormond Beach.

Three suspects were charged for running an illegal gambling house and another suspect was found to be wanted on a warrant for a parole violation.

The investigation was run by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Gaming Control Commission.

Throughout Volusia County, we have these illegal gambling houses that are popping up all over,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a statement. “It’s sort of like playing whack-a-mole: We’ll go in with a cease-and-desist order, they’ll temporarily shut down and then change locations and operate in a different venue.”

He said these illegal operations were “stealing” money from visitors, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Free Meals

To keep the patrons on site, the 11 gambling joints even gave players catered meals, so they didn’t have to take a break to get food, Chitwood revealed.

The inquiry into illegal gambling started two years ago. The gambling joints were investigated. Evidence was presented to a local judge who approved search warrants. The raids took place.

Last week’s raids, and ones taking place in the county during November, led to the seizure of more than $1.1M and the disabling of over 600 slot machines, according to the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office plans to continue to crack down on illegal gambling and related crimes.

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Cynthia Patel, from Dayton, Ohio, claims she purchased the Golden Nugget six months before it was raided by the police, The Palm Beach Post reports.

She argues the money belongs to the business that generated it, and she wants the 15^th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida to order the city to give it back.

Florida Crackdown

The Golden Nugget was targeted as part of a wave of raids against illegal slot machines at adult arcades across the state. Since the pandemic, there had been a marked increase in new arcades springing up in strip malls or in vacant stores.

Slot machines that give out cash or prizes are illegal in Florida outside the?Seminole Tribe’s?six reservations and certain pari-mutuel facilities in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

He was sentenced to 14 days’ time served and ordered to pay court fees of $900. The Golden Nugget’s manager, Nicholas Fiore, pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to eight days’ time served.

Case Called ‘Absurd’

City Attorney R. Max Lohman told The Post he was incredulous about Patel’s complaint. He described it as “highly suspect” because she had provided no evidence that she owned the arcade. He also labeled it “absurd,” as the cash had been confiscated because the business had been breaking the law.

The city filed to seize the money through?civil forfeiture, a legal process that permits authorities to commandeer property linked to crimes

If you make money selling cocaine, you don’t get the cocaine or the money back,” Lohman said. “In this case, the money is in fact the cocaine. The money wasn’t just the instrumentality of the crime. It is the crime.”

“While it is cash, it is contraband cash,” he added. “It is proceeds from an illegal operation.”

The case is scheduled to be heard by Circuit Judge Luis Delgado on August 23.

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Construction on the Grandstand Club and Pavilion is slated to start next month with the enhancements expected to be completed in advance of the 2025 Kentucky Derby. The announcement was made in conjunction with the gaming company’s second-quarter earnings release.

The renovation of the Grandstand Club will transform existing outdoor aluminum bleachers into a combination of 8,300 new comfortable seating varieties,” according to a statement. “Updated seating options will include covered and uncovered stadium-style seats as well as rail boxes along the dirt track’s outer rail that will offer a ‘trackside’ seating experience where guests will be able to closely watch horses break from the Kentucky Derby Starting Gate.”

The first floor of the Grandstand Club will feature bars, betting windows, and permanent concessions.

Churchill Continues Sprucing Up Iconic Track

Churchill Downs has already made investments in its namesake venue with new amenities at the iconic Kentucky track, including a new paddock, boosting attendance and revenue for the first leg of the Triple Crown.

It’s possible the grandstand and pavilion renovations will be EBITDA and revenue drivers for Churchill, particularly during the bustling Derby Week next May.

“The Grandstand Pavilion will create a more upscale social environment by converting the existing second-floor amenity area into a covered outdoor garden environment with new concessions, bars, and wagering windows,” added the gaming company in the press release. “Expansion to the second floor will create additional space for overall guest circulation and add an outdoor balcony for added dining seats. A new stately entrance to the Grandstand Pavilion will unify the surrounding exterior architecture.”

Churchill Downs Q2 Earnings Review

For the April through June period, Churchill Downs notched adjusted EBITDA of $444.8 million on revenue of $890.07 million, beating analysts’ estimates by 9% and 4%, respectively. EBITDA margins checked in at 49.9%.

Based on results/commentary, we think key upside drivers included 1) impressive initial results at Terre Haute, 2) lower racing costs & mis-modeled timing, and 3) ramping contribution from TwinSpires strategic ADW partnerships,” wrote Stifel analyst Jeffrey Stantial in a report out this evening.

Churchill repurchased $13 million worth of its stock during the quarter and has $179.9 million remaining on a previously announced buyback plan. The gaming company holds its quarterly conference call at 9 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday.

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On Wednesday, officials with The Cordish Companies, the developer behind the $270 million project, were joined by state and local dignitaries who helped the company celebrate the “Topping Off” of the resort’s new hotel entrance. ?

Today marks an incredibly special day for The Cordish Companies as we continue to expand our Live! brand in the Southeast region of the country with the development of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana,” said Rob Norton, president of Cordish Gaming. “With the first land-based casino in the market, Live! Casino & Hotel will be a transformative development that will bring a first-class gaming and entertainment experience to millions of visitors, create significant new jobs, and generate millions of dollars in economic benefits for the community for generations to come.”

Construction on the brand-new 47,000-square-foot land-based casino facility is underway, too. The forthcoming casino will house more than 1,000 slot machines, 40 live dealer table games, and a sportsbook. It’s being built just east of the hotel entrance.

Early 2025 Opening?

Cordish operates Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland near BWI airport in its home state and two casinos in Pennsylvania. The company hopes to build a casino in Virginia’s Petersburg should a successful local referendum regarding the project find adequate support in November.

Cordish, which also develops and operates mixed-use entertainment and retail complexes across the country, is embarking on its first redevelopment of a casino with its Bossier City undertaking. Cordish acquired the former Diamond Jacks riverboat casino and adjacent hotel last year.

Diamond Jacks was closed during the COVID-19 pandemic by Los Angeles-based Peninsula Pacific Entertainment. After unsuccessfully trying to relocate the state gaming license to the north of New Orleans, P2E sold Diamond Jacks and the gaming concession to Foundation Gaming, a Mississippi-based riverboat operator.

Foundation originally intended to redevelop Diamond Jacks before deciding to unload the property to Cordish for an undisclosed price.

Other project components include a 31-site RV park with concrete pads and full hookups, convention and meeting capabilities, and several new food and beverage outlets ranging from fast-casual to fine dining.?

Lofty Projections

Louisiana’s 19 land-based casinos, riverboats, and racinos last year generated gross gaming revenue (GGR) of nearly $2.7 billion. The growth of sports betting offset a decline in traditional slot and table win.

Cordish is betting big that the in-person market has room to grow. The Shreveport/Bossier region experienced retail GGR declines in 2022 and 2023. Live! Casino & Hotel is expected to re-energize the market.

Cordish is actively hiring an array of positions, including in hotel management, finance, marketing, human resources, IT, food and beverage, security, and casino operations.

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In a recent note to clients, Stifel analyst Jeffrey Stantial proclaimed Churchill Downs to be a catalyst-rich story with deleveraging among those sparks. He reiterated a “buy” rating on the shares with a $153 price target, which implies upside of 13.7% from the June 7 close. The operator is coming off a record-setting handle for the Kentucky Derby and Derby Week last month, which should provide ballast to second-quarter results.

Management highlighted the simultaneously announced extended broadcast rights agreement with NBC Sports, while growth in viewership (+13% Y/Y) and development projects help support CHDN’s targeted sponsorship strategy,” observed Stantial. Guest feedback on the debuted ~$200 million Paddock project has been overwhelming positive, while management reiterated it has an opportunity to optimize and yield up the space in 2025+.”

Churchill’s TwinSpires unit was a Derby beneficiary as the online betting entity garnered a handle of $92.1 on “the run for the roses,” easily besting the prior record of $75.5 million set last year.

Kentucky, Virginia Central to Churchill Downs Stock Thesis

While data indicate that Churchill’s newest historical horse racing (HHR) facility — the $90 million Derby City Gaming venue in the operator’s home city of Louisville – is off to a slow start, Kentucky and Virginia remain pivotal to the stock’s broader thesis.

“We note the Virginia governor recently vetoed a bill re-legalizing skill games, though expressing openness to negotiation with legislators – with higher tax rate and geographic exclusion zones around casino/HHR facilities likely the key sticking points,” added Stantial. “The potential casino project in Petersburg also remains a key focus for investors, with notable public opposition from unions and competitors.”

Even with the slow start by Derby City, Churchill management signaled to Stantial that overall same-store sales trends at its Kentucky gaming venues remain sturdy.

Exacta Deal Paying Dividends

Churchill shares could also benefit from the operator’s savvy deal-making, including the December 2022 $250 million deal for Exacta Systems, a Florida-based provider of HHR systems and gaming machines.

Exacta bolstered Churchill’s HHR exposure in its home state and Virginia as well as New Hampshire, which has been accretive to growth in its own right.

“Management reiterated plans to convert ~10% of KY floors to Exacta, while our back-of-envelope analysis suggests $15M+ of incremental annualized cost savings in VA alone reflecting healthy same-store growth and the addition of ‘The Rose’ (but before deployment of remaining HRM capacity),” concluded Stantial. “While still early, management sees opportunity to participate in international HHR growth as well as through Exacta.”

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The Queen Casino & Entertainment Inc., formerly CQ Holding Company, announced in April 2023 its plans to move the Belle of Baton Rouge riverboat to land. Queen Casino relocated its other Louisiana riverboat, The Queen Baton Rouge, to a new land-based facility last year through a $70 million investment.

“Building on the success of our landside move funding at The Queen Baton Rouge, we have agreed to provide funding for the hard costs related to Queen Casino & Entertainment’s landside move at the Belle. Queen Casino & Entertainment has proven its ability to leverage a fresh, new product to grow the overall gaming market, and we expect this project to follow a similar path,” said Peter Carlino, chairman and CEO of GLPI.

GLPI will own the physical property of the new Belle of Baton Rouge and lease its operations to Queen Casino Entertainment at a rate that will increase by 9% a year. Terms of the initial rent rate weren’t disclosed.?

Property Makeover

The planned Belle of Baton Rouge project is a larger undertaking than what GLPI and Queen Casino Entertainment undertook with The Queen Baton Rouge. Unlike The Queen, the Belle is not only a gaming venue, but additionally has a 250-room hotel.

The hotel has remained closed since 2020, but renovation work recently began on the guestrooms. The Belle additionally had several restaurants and bars in the property’s atrium, which is also being overhauled in part of the project’s makeover. ?

The Belle is located about a mile south of the Louisiana State Capitol along the Mississippi River. The casino property is less than two miles north of the Louisiana State University Campus.

Updating the casino’s hotel rooms is a safe bet, as Baton Rouge hotels regularly sell out during LSU Tigers home football games. Queen Entertainment execs say they’re bullish on the Baton Rouge market after realizing strong gaming revenue following the reopening of The Queen in its new brick-and-mortar home last August.

We are extremely pleased with The Queen’s performance since its grand reopening,” said Queen Casino & Entertainment CEO Terry Downey. “As we now turn our attention to the Belle, we look forward to realizing similar operational upside from this latest move landside.”

Downey says once the Belle project is complete, the company will market the two properties together.

Atrium Casino?

GLPI and Queen Casino Entertainment didn’t provide specifics on the Belle makeover, but company reps previously said that the property’s atrium would become the new home of the casino floor. Casino.org reported last year that the forthcoming Belle casino will house around 350 slot machines and a dozen live dealer table games.

GLPI says its casino tenants are responsible for all facility maintenance, insurance premiums, utilities, and property taxes.

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Last Wednesday, the tribal casino owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians that’s operated by Caesars Entertainment unveiled 25,000 square feet of additional gaming space. The casino floor expansion extends the resort’s gaming floor to a total of 75,000 square feet.

The added space allowed the casino to place 300 more slot machines and eight live dealer table games. Just hours after opening the expanded casino space, a lucky player won a $1,605 jackpot on a Double Double Bonus Poker machine.

A central bar with 22 seats with nine bartop video gaming machines was also incorporated.

We are ecstatic to reach this milestone in our expansion process and unveil the expanded gaming floor, which represents the culmination of months of hard work and dedication both from our internal team members and general contractor,” said Lumpy Lambert, general manager of Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. “Every detail of the casino floor expansion was selected to ensure memorable experiences and we are confident that our new amenities and offerings will exceed our guests’ expectations.”

A long-requested poker room has additionally commenced operations. The WSOP Room is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., and until 4 a.m. on the weekends.

The poker room is running cash games until July when weekly $80 No-Limit Hold’em tournaments will begin on Monday and Thursday nights.

Resort Overhaul

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is the sister property to the tribe’s larger casino resort, Harrah’s Cherokee, which is about an hour’s drive north in Cherokee. Opened in 2015, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River primarily targets gamblers in nearby Georgia and Tennessee where casino gambling remains nonexistent.

A full-service spa and salon and a 1,700-space parking garage are also in the works. The hotel tower will double the destination’s total room allotment. The forthcoming amenities are expected to be finished and open before the end of the year.

Tribal Sovereignty

Tribal leaders are likely breathing a sigh of relief this week after news from the Raleigh capital suggested that Republicans in the General Assembly are losing enthusiasm to pass legislation to authorize commercial casinos.

Berger has pledged not to reinitiate his casino push.

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In a new report to clients, Raymond James analyst RJ Milligan initiated coverage of Boyd Gaming (NYSE: BYD) and Penn Entertainment (NASDAQ: PENN) with “outperform” ratings, citing “compelling valuations. Underscoring how poorly those stocks have performed this year, Boyd is the best of the trio with a year-to-date loss of 11.74%.

Milligan expects the current quarter will be another trying period for Boyd, but added that recalibrated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and restructuring or rent costs (EBITDAR) expectations are priced into the shares and that the stock has the makings of a long-term value play.

Raymond James Bullish on Caesars

While Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR) is the second-largest operator on the Las Vegas Strip, it also boasts an expansive portfolio of regional casinos and recently added to that group with the launch of a Nebraska casino. In other words, Caesars could be vulnerable to issues in Las Vegas and in regional markets.

While there are headwinds in both Las Vegas and the Regionals, the stocks are pricing in significantly worse fundamentals vs. reality,” observed Milligan.

Specific to Caesars, the analyst believes the operator can alleviated pressures from two primary headwinds: high leverage and losses in its digital gaming unit. There’s growing consensus the company can reduce debt with improved free cash flow and by potentially selling lagging properties in some regional markets.

Milligan rates Caesars “strong buy” with a $55 price target of which $40 is derived from the land-based casino business and $15 from the digital unit. That forecast implies upside of 54.3% from today’s close.

Penn Entertainment Could Be Redemption Story

Down 36.74% year-to-date, Penn Entertainment is one of the clear duds among regional casino stocks in 2024, but much of that sour performance is attributable to analysts forecasting larger-than-expected losses for the operator’s ESPN Bet unit.

As Milligan noted, Penn shares currently reside at prices last seen in May 2020 when every casino in the country was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. He said the operator’s land-based regional casino is worth $21 a share and the digital unit is worth anywhere from $0 to $7. Assuming the interactive arm is worthless, $21 is still well above Penn’s closing price of $16.41 today.

“Based on the current share price, we believe the market is ascribing negative equity value for the interactive business and a meaningful management penalty box discount,” concluded the Raymond James analyst.

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On Monday, GBI agents raided the home of Michael Jerome Kessler Sr. The lottery official has been charged with bribery, allegedly for accepting kickbacks from stores in Henry County, Ga. That’s in return for approving their operations during official lottery inspections.

Kessler encouraged at least three stores with coin-operated amusement machines (COAMs) to each pay him $2,000, according to the GBI.

What are COAMs?

Georgia is a conservative state when it comes to gambling. There are no commercial or tribal casinos. While it has horse racetracks, parimutuel betting is illegal.

But in 1991, the state legislature legalized “skill-based games” in convenience stores, gas stations, and truck stops. These are slot-like gaming machines, including video poker, whose prizes were limited to non-cash merchandise.

They’re defined as “Class B COAMs,” as opposed to “Class A COAMS,” which cover traditional amusement machines like claw-grabbers and pinball.

The Class B COAMs were essentially unregulated, which meant it was relatively easy for their hosts to stretch the rules by offering cash payouts.

However, illegal cash payouts are ubiquitous because venues that offer them are more popular with players, thereby increasing each machine’s profitability. That could create a situation where a corrupt regulatory official could make some money by turning a blind eye to cash payouts.

Integrity ‘a Bedrock’

State Senator Emanuel Jones sits on the Georgia Lottery Commission and lives in Henry County. He said in a statement this week that integrity was “the bedrock of the lottery, and its mission.”

“Essentially, people are making bets. They’re gambling when they’re using machines across the state or when they are betting on any other activities that we allow in Georgia, and we don’t want a criminal element to seep into that,” Jones said.

A lottery spokesperson said “employees are held to the highest standard to ensure that we achieve our important mission of maximizing revenues for HOPE and Pre-K.”

Under the 2013 law, the companies that distribute COAMs and the venues that host them get 45 percent each of the proceeds, leaving 10 percent for the state, which goes towards Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K programs.

Of the $3 billion gambled on Class B COAMs last year, $2.1 billion was returned to players. The state’s cut of the remaining $900 million was $90 million, which some lawmakers say is not enough.

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Johns’ retirement will become effective June 30. Before then, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) is expected to name his successor.

Johns was appointed to the top gaming regulatory position in July 2021 by then-Gov. John Bel Edwards (D). Johns said he wasn’t asked to step down by Landry, who assumed the governor’s office in January, but is simply ready to spend more time with his wife Michelle.

I’m about to be 75 years old and Michelle and I have things we want to do,” Johns told USA Today. “This is a full-time job.”

Johns’ political career began in 1978 when he became a member of the Sulphur City Council. He was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1996 and became a state Senator in 2012. He served in the legislature’s upper chamber until being nominated to the LGCB.

Johns said he had a “bum leg” and couldn’t attend the session. The override was three votes shy in the Senate.

Louisiana lawmakers passed a similar permit-less concealed carry bill this year that Landry signed.

First Gaming Expansion in Decades

During his tenure running the agency that governs one of the country’s richest gaming states, Johns oversaw considerable change.

Casino sportsbooks began taking bets in October 2021, just months after Johns was sworn in, and online sports gambling platforms went live the following January.

Johns’ time at the LGCB also included overseeing more than $1 billion in investments in the state’s riverboats, some of which have become land-based properties.

Louisiana lawmakers passed legislation in 2018 allowing riverboats to move inland, so long as the new brick-and-mortar casinos remain within 1,200 feet of their original barges. The law came after several devasting hurricanes destroyed or greatly damaged the floating gaming vessels.

Johns’ LGCB supervised Caesars Entertainment’s more than $200 million investment to overhaul the Isle of Capri Lake Charles riverboat that was damaged by Hurricane Laura into a rebranded brick-and-mortar casino. The all-new Horseshoe Lake Charles Hotel & Casino, a 60,000-square-foot property, opened in late 2022.?

Live! Coming to Bossier City

More recently, Johns helped ensure that the state wouldn’t lose a casino after the future of the shuttered DiamondJacks riverboat was in peril. The Cordish Companies, a Baltimore developer of mixed-use developments and casino resorts, last fall agreed to take on the deteriorating property.

Johns said during a groundbreaking ceremony in December that the Cordish project ensures that the “Shreveport-Bossier gaming market has a bright future.”

Hopefully, Johns’ future after almost 40 years of elected office and public service is bright, too.

The post Louisiana’s Chief Gaming Regulator Ronnie Johns Retiring After 37 Years of State Service appeared first on Casino.org.

Caesars Entertainment is building an integrated resort casino on the site of the former Dan River Mills textile campus.

Caesars told the Danville City Council that an array of culprits are responsible. During site prep of the former textile mill, underground tunnels were discovered that compounded the difficulty in readying the ground for the casino and hotel. Ongoing inflation that’s driving higher labor and materials costs has also upped the resort’s ante.

Caesars Virginia is expected to be completed sometime before the year’s end.

Another casino being built in Virginia — Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol — has experienced similar budget rises. Hard Rock in February said its resort price had climbed from $300 million when it was announced in 2019 to approximately $550 million.

Local Agreement Amendments?

Caesars Entertainment’s disclosing of the escalating cost for its first casino in Virginia, which it’s building through a partnership with minority investor Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, came through the company’s request to amend its local agreement with the Danville City Council. Caesars is seeking local approval from the city to adjust its hiring commitments.

When Caesars signed the local development contract with the Danville City Council and Danville Industrial Development Authority, the casino operator agreed to hire a minimum of 1,300 permanent workers to run the resort’s operations. With costlier rates for employees and higher overhead pricing for goods, Caesars is asking to have that minimum staffing number reduced by more than 30% to 900 positions.

Since we began working on this project, the hospitality landscape has changed significantly,” Chris Albrecht, general manager of Caesars Virginia, told the Danville Register & Bee. “As our industry evolves, the employment range in the development agreement allows us the flexibility to operate a world-class resort in a way that leaves room for innovation, efficiency, and the exceptional experience we’ve promised to deliver in Danville.”

Caesars is also seeking permission to strip a 2,500-seat live entertainment plan from the project. Caesars reps say such events, if approved by the city, would instead be held in the multipurpose conference center that will complement the casino resort.

The amended agreement suggests increasing the conference space from 35,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet if the request is approved. The Danville City Council is scheduled to review the amendments on Tuesday.

Ongoing Changes

This isn’t the first time Caesars Virginia has undergone a significant design change.

Soon after Danville voters approved the casino referendum, Caesars hinted that its Virginia destination could have as many as 500 hotel guestrooms. The development agreement mandates the hotel include a minimum of 300 occupancies rated “four stars” or higher.

“Construction costs have skyrocketed. They are tweaking the design,” Larking said earlier this year.

The post Caesars Virginia Casino Development Cost Balloons to $750M appeared first on Casino.org.

The current legislation to start a lottery, tribal and commercial casinos, and sports betting faces an uncertain future in the Alabama Statehouse. Lawmakers are deeply divided, and when they return to Montgomery on April 2, they’ll have limited time to work out their differences. There are only 30 legislative days in a session, and there are only 12 remaining days of legislative ability to pass bills in this session that ends in May.

As time winds down, the House and Senate remain at odds over how much gambling each chamber is willing to accept.

Alabama State Rep. Sam Jones (D-Mobile) pointed to Senate changes to HB 151/152 that would bring lottery, multiple casinos, and sports betting to the state.

The Senate removed sports betting and casino gambling from its legislation.

“It is very frustrating to see what has happened,” said Rep. Jones, during an interview on the Alabama Politics This Week podcast. “We worked for 13 months to craft a very good bill and it was undermined in less that six days by the Senate. I honestly, at this point, don’t know where things go. I don’t think anyone does.”

As reported by Casino.org., a conference committee is a potential avenue for attempting to bridge the differences between the two bodies. A conference committee is when designated lawmakers from each chamber meet to work out disagreements and find compromises.

What’s in the Gambling Bills

House Bill 151 proposed an amendment to the state constitution, allowing an official state lottery, casino-style games conducted only in person at up to seven locally approved licensed gaming establishments, limited sports wagering, traditional raffles, and traditional paper bingo.

The Senate passed the measures with amendments removing all forms of gaming activity except a lottery, with some limited horse betting allowed at certain casinos.

The Senate also splits funds from the state lottery three ways between the education fund, the Department of Transportation, and the general fund. The changes were sent back to the House, where it awaits lawmakers’ attention on April 2.

Show Me the Money

Supporters of the gaming measures say Alabama loses more than $1.2 billion annually due to the lack of comprehensive gambling laws.

In Alabama, any gambling proposal would have to be approved by both three-fifths of lawmakers and a majority of voters.

Alabamians haven’t voted on gambling since a proposed lottery was rejected in 1999.

The post Lottery Jackpots Draw Attention to Stalled Alabama Gambling Legislation appeared first on Casino.org.

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board this week reported that February gross gaming revenue (GGR) from in-person slot machines and table games at the state’s riverboats, land-based casinos, and racetracks totaled more than $194.5 million. Compared with February 2023, last month’s win represented a 1% improvement.

The state’s 12 riverboats and three brick-and-mortar casinos won $166.8 million off gamblers, a 0.9% premium from a year ago. The state’s four racetracks that offer slots saw win climb 1.5% to $27.7 million.

Winners and Losers?

Harrah’s New Orleans, one of only three brick-and-mortar casinos in Louisiana, was among the biggest winners last month in terms of year-over-year increases. The downtown Big Easy casino saw its GGR rally more than 10% to $23.8 million, a gain of nearly $2.2 million.

The three casinos in Baton Rouge — the Belle, Queen, and L’Auberge — combined to win $22.8 million, a 10.7% surge from February 2023.

The Shreveport/Bossier market posted a slight 0.3% year-over-year revenue increase to $44.2 million. Margaritaville remained the top operator at $16.7 million.

The three New Orleans riverboats — Amelia Belle, Boomtown, and Treasure Chest — won 0.5% more money from players to escalate their win to $20.3 million.

At the tracks, Delta Downs grew slot hold almost 3% to $14.1 million. Louisiana Downs’ $4 million win was 10% higher. Evangeline Downs and the Fairgrounds experienced year-over-losses as they, respectively, won $6.1 million, down 1.1%, and $3.5 million, down 7%.

Riverboats’ Murky Future

Louisiana’s legacy gaming industry, or retail slots and table games, was one of only eight states that experienced a year-over-year commercial gaming revenue decline in 2023. While traditional gaming set revenue records in 15 states, Louisiana, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Michigan, Iowa, West Virginia, and Florida saw in-person play dwindle.

Though the Bayou State’s 2023 retail gaming revenue losses of approximately 2% were covered by online sports betting, the state’s longtime riverboats are treading water in unsettled market currents.

Cuban and Adelson are said to be working on a mixed-use development in Dallas that would include a new arena for the NBA team, accompanied by an integrated resort casino. For that to happen, Texas lawmakers would need to legalize Las Vegas-style gambling, something the GOP-controlled legislature has refused for decades.

Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands has spent millions of dollars lobbying Texas lawmakers. Casinos in the Lone Star State would likely devastate casinos in Lake Charles and Shreveport/Bossier, as the parking lots at those properties are constantly filled with vehicles sporting Texas license plates.

The post Louisiana Gaming Revenue Rebounds, February Win Climbs to $194.5M appeared first on Casino.org.

The suspects had followed the victim from Kentucky on Saturday night.

Williams was walking to his vehicle when he saw the armed duo and tried to run away.

Suspects Had Rifles

Williams was cornered in the garage by the two men who were holding rifles. He was repeatedly shot by the suspects before he collapsed and died on the garage’s upper deck.

Both the suspects, wearing masks and gloves, then fled from the crime scene.

One of the suspects fled in Williams’ 2013 Dodge Charger. As of this weekend, police had not yet released a description of the two suspects.

Williams had been tailed by the suspects for about 14 miles from a Saturday night concert in Louisville, according to Harrison County Sheriff Nick Smith.

Once they arrived at the casino lot, the two assailants parked their dark car and waited for Williams. Based on evidence and surveillance video reviewed by officers, Williams was “targeted, hunted down, and executed” by the suspects, Smith revealed.

There were witnesses at the crime scene who saw some of the incident. None were friends or relatives of Williams.

Police didn’t provide a motive for the deadly shooting, but believe it was an isolated event and that there’s no continuing threat to the public..

Sunday’s fatal shooting is the casino’s first homicide since it opened in 1998, Smith said.

Family Is Grieving

Williams is survived by his wife and a six-year-old daughter. Williams’ relatives broke the tragic news to his young daughter.

Authorities said they want to give the family “closure” and hope to make arrests in the case.

Relatives described Williams as a “good man” who would give others the shirt off his back. He lived “a very clean life,” relatives added.

“He did not deserve this,” Williams’ wife said at a recent press conference. “His daughter … [doesn’t] deserve this… He did not deserve to get gunned down like he did.”

The post Indiana Casino Fatal Shooting Suspects on the Loose appeared first on Casino.org.

The Alabama Senate has greatly amended a gaming package passed last month by the state House of Representatives.

The lower chamber in February approved a gaming package that seeks to authorize a state-run lottery, sports betting, and six commercial casinos. It would also allow the Poach Band of Creek Indians to pivot their electronic bingo-based gaming properties into Class III tribal casinos with Las Vegas-style slots and table games. The House gaming measure additionally would have allowed the state’s lone federally recognized tribe to pursue a fourth casino in the northern part of the state.

However, upon arrival in the upper chamber, Senate lawmakers have begun greatly amending the bills — officially House Bill 151 and 152.

Senate Shakedown ?

Alabama lawmakers have considered gaming bills nearly every legislative session since 1999, when voters rejected a ballot referendum to authorize a lottery. The state is one of the most restrictive gaming states, as Alabama remains free of commercial and Class III tribal casinos, sports betting, lottery gaming, and iGaming.

Many thought this might be the year proponents of bringing gambling to Alabama might finally secure a win. Gov. Kay Ivey (R) is among the supporters of legalizing casinos and a lottery. But much resistance appears to remain in the state Senate.

After fielding the gaming bills and directing the statutes to the Senate Tourism Committee, Senators have proposed vast changes to the House measures. The committee has yet to vote on HB 151/152.

The Senate’s revised constitutional amendment would permit pari-mutuel wagering, including slot-like historical horse racing machines, at existing and new horse racetracks and tracks that previously ran dog racing.

Senate leadership, including longtime gaming proponent Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), have suggested that there aren’t enough votes in the chamber to approve the House gaming package. For the package to move to voters, 21 Senate votes among the 34-member chamber are needed.

Special Election

The Senate’s adjustments additionally include removing the gaming question from the November presidential ballot in favor of holding a special election on the issue in September. That could be because of concerns that a gaming referendum would spur strong Democratic voter turnout.

Federal judges ruled that Alabama had unconstitutionally packed Black voters in its southern “Black Belt” — a term that originally referred to the Mobile County to Georgia border region’s rich, black soil — into its 7th Congressional District. The map redraw has dispersed Black voters into Republican strongholds, prompting concerns that the Alabama GOP could lose the 2nd congressional seat this November.

The post Alabama Senate Trims Gaming Bill, Strips Commercial Casinos, Sports Betting appeared first on Casino.org.

The victim had won about $20K while in the Monument Road gaming property on February 17. He left the casino floor and was walking toward his car. when the suspect approached him and “held a gun to his head and took $7,000 cash out of his right jacket pocket,” according to Action News Jax.

The robber then fled from the crime scene. Police identified him as Sean Evans, 21, after finding his cell phone on the pavement. He was arrested for the robbery last week.

No Injuries

No shots were fired during the incident and it appeared that no one was injured during the holdup.

It wasn’t clear if Evans began tailing the victim while he was on the gaming floor, or noticed him after he left the building.

The case was turned over to local prosecutors. If convicted, Evans could face many years in prison. But a plea deal is possible, too.

In a circumstance like this, where you’re 21-years-old, you’re subject to what’s known as the Youthful Offender Act, which allows a reduction in standard sentencing for an adult,” Dale Carson, a former Miami-Dade County police officer and ex FBI agent, explained to Action News Jax.

The victim was not identified by authorities.

Ask for Escort to Your Car

When asked about safety at the gaming property, one frequent visitor, Nic Malone, told Action News Jax, “It? definitely is a little scary, and if you have a lot of money on you, maybe you get an escort to the car or something, … They have security that’ll walk you to your car if you need it.”

Visitors also told Action News Jax they may rethink about leaving the property with cash stuffed in their pockets.

When asked for comment, a bestbet spokesperson said casino staff is cooperating with authorities who continue to investigate the robbery. The spokesperson declined to give details on the incident, but did confirm the robbery took place.

The post Accused Robber is Jailed After Stealing $7K From Florida Jackpot Winner appeared first on Casino.org.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission — which is responsible for issuing commercial and tribal online sports betting licenses and for regulating their operations — announced on Thursday that eight sportsbook operators have been greenlit to begin registering players. The approved books include bet365, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, FanDuel, and Underdog Sports.

Each operator, other than Caesars Sportsbook, is partnered with an in-state professional sports team or venue. Caesars Sportsbook qualified for an online sportsbook license through its partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ two Tribal casinos. Caesars Sportsbook has operated retail sports betting at Harrah’s Cherokee and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River since 2021.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission will allow the eight online sportsbook operators to commence operations at noon EST on March 11. The debut comes a day before the start of the Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball tournament, which involves the state’s beloved Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels.

The Caesars Sportsbook has a jump start on the other seven, as being tethered to a tribal casino the online operation was clear to begin accepting bets from bettors physically located at the two Cherokee casinos or on sovereign land owned by the tribe. Caesars told Casino.org?the first online bet was a $50 wager on the South Alabama Jaguars covering a 7.5-point spread against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks.

North Carolina Sports Betting

Each of the eight approved sportsbooks paid the state a $1 million licensing fee that’s good for five years. Renewals are set at an additional $1 million for a second five-year duration come 2029.

As of March 11, the online sportsbooks will be allowed to take bets on professional and college sports. The state will collect 18% of each book’s gross sports betting revenue.

The schools include Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Pembroke, and Wilmington, Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University.

North Carolina’s legislative fiscal analysts expect the state to receive $70 million annually after the state sports betting industry matures. After the school payouts, the remaining taxes will go to North Carolina’s Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council to provide sports-related grants for youth sports.

Player Props Allowed

Much to the chagrin of the NCAA, North Carolina’s sports betting regulations don’t prohibit player props involving college athletes.

Ohio adhered to Baker’s plea last month and ordered its retail and online sportsbooks to cease allowing such bets. With Ohio’s exit from college player props and North Carolina’s arrival, just five states and Washington, D.C., allow the wagers. Along with North Carolina, they are Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, and Wyoming.

The post North Carolina Sportsbooks Open, Caesars Begins Taking Online Bets appeared first on Casino.org.

House Bills 151 and 152 seek to initiate a ballot referendum asking residents several questions.

First is if they want to authorize as many as seven commercial casinos. That will allow the state’s three tribal casinos in Atmore, Montgomery, and Wetumpka — which currently can only offer electronic bingo machines — to become Class III gaming establishments with Las Vegas-like slots and live dealer table games.

The gaming package additionally includes provisions on sports betting and the formation of a state-run lottery that could participate in Powerball and Mega Millions.

For the legislative-initiated referendum effort to reach voters, the bills must garner supermajority support in each chamber. That means 21 votes in the 34-member Senate. The gaming package passed the House by a 70-32 vote.

Odds Set

Alabama has considered gaming bills in nearly every legislative session over the past 13 years. However, no issue has reached voters since 1999, when residents shot down a lottery referendum.

Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) told 1819 News, an Alabama news outlet, that he believes 2024 could be different.

I give it a 70-30 chance of passing,” Singleton said, suggesting the odds are around -233 or 3/7. “They [the House] sent us a bill that’s something we can work with.”

Not all of Singleton’s Senate colleagues agree. State Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville) says he’s personally aware of at least 19 “No” votes in the chamber.

Givhan says the gaming package is too much, too quick. He believes many Alabamians want the right to play lottery games, but aren’t overly enthusiastic about casinos.

“I don’t know how many people have come up to me and said, ‘I want a lottery. I don’t want casinos.’ This idea that we’ve got to do all these different things and expand gambling dramatically in order to get a lottery — which I think is bad public policy. But the people want it and all the states around us have it, and they haven’t gone down the toilet yet — I think that’s a possibility,” Givhan said.

“There are a lot of people [lawmakers] who are hard ‘no’s’ on casino gaming, but say ‘I’ll vote for a lottery,'” Givhan added.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed (R-Jasper) is one Republican who thinks handing the matter to voters might be best.

“We’ve had a lot of debate related [to gaming]. We got a piece of legislation from the House of Representatives. They worked diligently. I think you’re going to see legislation moving in the next couple of weeks. It’s an important topic.”

Mississippi, Louisiana Watching Closely

If Alabama legalizes casinos, the biggest losers could be casinos in neighboring Mississippi and nearby Louisiana.

Louisiana’s 15 riverboats reported GGR of approximately $1.76 billion in the state’s 2023 fiscal year that ended June 30, 2023. That was a 2% year-over-year decline.

The post Alabama Senators Set Odds on Casino, Lottery Package appeared first on Casino.org.

Full Pull Entertainment is bringing tractor and monster truck-pulling wagering to the masses with the debut of the Full Pull mobile betting application. Bettors who embrace traditional sports might scoff at the notion of tractor-pull betting. But data indicate this is a potentially underappreciated concept catering to a devoted fan base.

The tractor pull community is an audience of almost a million fans across the country, untapped by gaming. Fans sell out 60,000-seat arenas multiple nights in a row, and cash prizes for winners can total almost $300,000,” according to Full Pull.

The app currently offers free-to-play “pick ‘em” games and serves as a hub for fans to interact, access schedules, and research driver statistics. Real cash prizes are available with some of those fantasy games.

Conducive to Variety of Wagers

In its press release announcing the debut of betting on its mobile app, Full Pull didn’t detail the types of wagering it will offer on tractor and pulling competitions. Six are scheduled in rural parts of the U.S. from March 23 through July 19.

“The two main factors are the coefficient of friction and the wheel speed of the tractor. It is possible to calculate the maximum wheel speed limit to move the sled. But the ideal speed may vary, depending on the type of competition. It is important to consider the static and dynamic friction factors of the tires, as well as the clutch and engine torque,” according to a 2007 post on Physics Forums authored by user “Comp.Cobra.”

Full Pull doesn’t mention how it will assign odds for its events, or if that job will be outsourced to a traditional sportsbook operator or a gaming technology firm.

Tractor Betting Adds to Wagering

Some naysayers might be inclined to criticize the audience for tractor-pull betting and the competition’s highly specific regional appeal. Then again, NASCAR once endured such criticisms, and it’s one of the largest nonteam sports in the U.S. today.

Less than two years ago, Nevada regulators approved betting on Dana White’s Power Slap League. That’s slap boxing. Bottom line: the betting menu is growing and getting more unique, and tractor-pulling fits with that growth.

The post Tractor-Pull Betting May or May Not be Sexy, But It’s a Thing appeared first on Casino.org.

Legislation in Alabama to legalize commercial casinos and a state-run lottery cleared the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee on Wednesday. The committee vote moves the gaming expansion package to the full House of Representatives floor for a vote.

House Bill 151 and 152 have been paired together.

HB 152 would establish the Alabama Gaming Commission and give the nine-member agency regulatory authority over commercial gaming. The bill also defines casino licensing minimums and proposes tax rates on gross gaming revenues to be paid by licensees.

Since HB 151 seeks to initiate a statewide ballot referendum, the bill requires supermajority support in each chamber of the legislature. In the House, 63 votes in the 105-person House are needed, while 21 votes are required in the 34-person Senate.

Tide Turning?

Alabama lawmakers have historically opposed efforts to expand gaming in the Bible Belt state. But with recent polling suggesting that residents are ready to be asked again on a lottery and casino gaming, more lawmakers in Montgomery are getting behind the push.

In my opinion, this is the best piece of legislation put forward in a very long time to give the people the right to vote on if this is something they want in Alabama,” said Rep. Chris Blackshear (R-Phenix City), one of the gaming bills’ primary sponsors.

If it passes both chambers and fields a simple majority vote outcome in November, HB 151 would authorize up to seven commercial brick-and-mortar casinos. Permissible locations would include Greene, Houston, Lowndes, Macon, and Mobile counties, plus the City of Birmingham. The seventh commercial license would be reserved for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in the northern part of the state.

The state would conduct a competitive bid for the six opportunities, and preference would be given to companies and stakeholders that have worked with the state’s former greyhound racetracks or done business elsewhere in the Cotton State.

The amendment would encourage the governor to negotiate a Class III gaming compact with the Poarch Indians to transform their three bingo-based casinos into Las Vegas-style casinos. The Wind Creek properties in Atmore, Montgomery, and Wetumpka currently offer electronic bingo-based machines.

Tax Allocations

HB 152 provides a tax framework for where the casino and sports betting money would go.

Of the sports tax, 90% would go to the Gaming Trust Fund, with the remaining 10% distributed to host counties for law enforcement purposes.

“Once operational, receipts in the Gaming Trust Fund shall be appropriated by the Legislature in an independent supplemental bill for non-recurring, non-education purposes,” HB 152’s Fiscal Note explained.

The post Alabama Casino, Lottery Package Clears State House appeared first on Casino.org.

The operators, West Flagler Associates, and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp., contend the 2021 compact violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which prohibits off-reservation tribal gaming.

The State of Florida has taken a broad reading of this statute. It argues that all mobile betting transactions occur on Seminole land because that’s where the Tribe’s internet servers are based.

DOI ‘Got It Wrong’

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, whose Bureau of Indian Affairs must approve or deny state gaming compacts, allowed the deal to be approved under the provisions of IGRA in August 2021 – wrongly, according to the plaintiffs.

Lawyers for the card clubs wrote in their petition that there was nothing in federal law “that provides for gaming off Indian lands,” which the compact “clearly” did.

Instead, they claim, the point of the compact was to “provide a hook for dodging Florida’s constitutional requirement of a popular referendum to approve off-reservation sports betting.”

Since voters approved that constitutional amendment in 2018, matters of casino gaming expansion must be put to a public referendum for approval, which the compact wasn’t. That amendment was, ironically, backed by the Seminoles at the time.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue this line of reasoning allows Florida to “have its cake and eat it, too.”

They want SCOTUS to review a federal appellate court’s decision upholding the compact after it was initially declared null and void in the lower court.

Potential Repercussions

If the Supreme Court doesn’t take the case, it could have huge ramifications for online sports betting in other states where tribal mobile monopolies may be a viable option. These include California, where a future statewide mobile market would quickly become one of the biggest in the world.

This question is exceptionally important not just for the people of Florida, but for the nationwide precedent it will set for other state-tribal compacts if the Court of Appeals’ affirmative answer is left undisturbed — as an end-run not just around state-law prohibitions on gaming off tribal lands, but also around Congress’ limitation of IGRA’s federal imprimatur to gambling on tribal lands,” lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote.

In October 2023, SCOTUS declined to grant the plaintiffs’ request for a long-term stay on the appellate court ruling, leaving the Seminoles free to relaunch their sports betting app, which the Tribe did in November 2023.

The post US Supreme Court Asked to Torpedo Seminoles Sports Betting Deal appeared first on Casino.org.

Members of the state legislature in Montgomery this week were handed a draft of the gaming expansion package. The proposed statute includes the allowance of up to seven commercial brick-and-mortar casinos with slot machines, table games, and sports betting.

The bill would establish a state-run lottery and form a nine-person Alabama Gaming Commission.

The final say on gambling resides with the electorate. The forthcoming gaming package would only initiate a statewide ballot referendum asking residents to amend the Alabama Constitution to permit such gambling.

Gaming Package Specifics

The Alabama lawmakers crafting the gaming package include Reps. Andy Whitt (R-Madison), Chris Blackshear (R-Phenix City), and Sam Jones (D-Mobile). State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) plans to champion the measure in the upper chamber and appeared with the group during a Wednesday news conference.

We believe people deserve the right to vote on this issue,” said Whitt.

Whitt reasoned the bill would accomplish two things — rid out bad actors facilitating illegal gambling, while providing the state with a new tax stream. State projections suggest Alabama could receive between $802 million to more than $1 billion annually from casino and lottery gambling.

The group’s bill would tax gross gaming revenue won by casinos at 24% and levy a 17% tax on sportsbook income.

Poll Cited

In discussing their forthcoming gaming measure, the bill’s supporters said Alabamians want to weigh in on the controversial subject. The lawmakers cited a telephone survey of over 400 registered voters conducted last August that found strong support for a gaming referendum.

The poll concluded that more than nine in 10 support the Legislature allowing a casino and/or lottery referendum to be put on the November 2024 ballot. For that to happen, a gaming bill must garner a three-fifths supermajority in each legislative chamber. That means 63 votes in the 105-member House of Representatives and 21 votes in the 34-member Senate.

The Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP) is one such nonprofit. The organization is an interdenominational group that claims to be the state’s “moral advocates.” ALCAP believes casinos prey on vulnerable people, disrupt families, cause bankruptcies, and elevate crime.

“Predatory gambling is when state governments partner with powerful corporate gambling interests to use a commercialized business to exploit and defraud citizens and their communities,” Rev. Greg Davis, ALCAP president, said last month. “The allure of a permanent revenue source for the state — for education, care for the elderly, Medicaid expansion, etc. — would continually incentivize the state to turn our citizens into permanent habitual gamblers to keep up the funding for government services.”

Davis opined that while casinos might enrich state government pockets, gamblers, instead of becoming savers and investors, “become losers.”

The post Alabama Casino and Lottery Bill to be Introduced Next Week appeared first on Casino.org.

Caesars Entertainment, the company behind the $500 million project, held a topping-off ceremony for the hotel structure in January.

Caesars has been mum on explaining the room reduction. But Danville City Manager Ken Larking told the media recently that the change is due to construction costs.

It came down to costs and they have a budget,” Larking explained. “Like everyone else, they’ve got to stay within that budget.”

Inflation has greatly increased the costs of materials. Labor expenses have also surged in recent years.

“Construction costs have skyrocketed,” Larking continued. “They are tweaking [the design.] They’re focusing on other things, but in their estimates, it was best to reduce the number of rooms and save costs so that funding could go to other aspects of the project.”

Danville Details

Danville is one of five cities designated as a casino host city under state legislation passed in 2020. Caesars won a bidding war for the Danville casino opportunity and local voters formally signed off on the project during the 2020 election. Nearly seven in 10 voters backed the project.

Caesars additionally paid Danville a one-time, $15 million fee upon the successful referendum. Caesars will direct at least $5 million annually to the casino in local gaming taxes.

As for the casino, the plan remains unchanged, with an expected 1,300 slot machines, 85 live dealer table games, a World Series of Poker Room, and a Caesars Sportsbook.

Caesars has implemented Danville’s iconic “Three Sisters” smokestacks into the resort design to pay homage to the historic Dan River Mills factory complex where the casino is being built. The smokestacks have been a focal point of the region and Caesars funded their refurbishment conservation.

Temporary Casino Success

Caesars Virginia opened a temporary casino adjacent to its Danville construction site on May 15, 2023. Company officials have been pleased with the pavilion tent’s performance.

The state taxes gross casino win at 18%. The rate increases to 23% if a casino wins more than $200 million in a given year. The rate increases to 30% if a casino wins more than $400 million.

The post Caesars Virginia Trims Number of Hotel Rooms at Danville Resort appeared first on Casino.org.

Late Wednesday, the Florida State Senate scrapped plans to consider a bill that, if signed into law, would have allowed new gaming venues to be built without voters’ consent. Such legislation runs counter to an amendment to Florida’s constitution, overwhelmingly approved by the voters in 2018, that mandates voters must decide on gaming expansion.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach owner Jeffrey Soffer has been a backer of the Republican Party of Florida and some GOP officeholders in the state in hopes of bringing a gaming venue to the famed property.

Fontainebleau Miami Casino Looks Ill-Fated

Despite the iconic status of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach and Soffer’s efforts, polling confirms that Miami Beach residents don’t want a casino and are tired of the issue.

A Senate spokeswoman, Katie Betta, told the Miami Herald that SB 1054 didn’t have a path to passage. Senate Regulated Industries Chairman Joe Gruters told the publication that companion legislation in the Florida House wouldn’t pass.

It remains to be seen how long the South Florida casino is off the table or if Soffer will throw in the towel for good. Soffer and Trump National Doral, controlled by the Trump Organization, attempted to procure gaming licenses in 2021.

Interesting Timing

The state Senate declining to hear SB 1054 arrived just a day after Citadel founder Ken Griffin ripped the idea of gaming expansion in an op-ed published by the Herald.

Griffin, who moved his hedge fund to Miami from Chicago, said Florida doesn’t need more gaming venues. That’s because the state is already flourishing economically, led in part by South Florida.

In criticizing SB 1054 as an effort to sidestep voters, the billionaire financier added that new casino hotels in South Florida could have unwanted consequences, including adverse effects on residential real estate prices.

The post Fontainebleau Miami Casino Bill Appears Dead — for Now appeared first on Casino.org.

In a new op-ed for the Miami Herald, Griffin, whose hedge fund is one of the world’s largest, called new casino gaming expansion legislation before the Florida legislature a “threat to our shared prosperity.”

As Griffin noted, in 2018, Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative stating casino gaming expansion in the state must be confirmed by voters, not politicians. Senate Bill 1054 and House Bill 1127 currently before those chambers amount to legislative gimmickry aimed at “sidestepping voters,” opined the billionaire.

Griffin’s Unique Perspective

Though not mentioned in his piece for the Herald, Griffin has an interesting perspective on the issue of some jurisdictions turning to casinos to generate jobs and bolster government coffers.

For decades, Citadel was based in Chicago. But in 2022, Griffin decided to move the hedge fund to Miami after one of his employees was held up at gunpoint on their way to get coffee in the Windy City. Illinois, including Chicago, has increasingly turned to casinos to shore up the state’s ailing finances and those of some cities. It’s a gambit Griffin doesn’t support.

Too often, local casinos earn a majority of their profits from residents with gambling problems. This leads to broken lives, shattered families and higher crime rates in the community,” he wrote in the Herald. “One can see the damage across numerous metrics. For example, nearby home values are reduced by the opening of casinos, according to the National Association of Realtors.”

Griffin is a longtime donor to Republican candidates, putting him at odds with policymakers in deep blue Illinois. Crime and quality of life appeared to be the motivations for moving Citadel to Florida. In the process, Illinois lost one of its biggest individual payers of income tax, along with a slew of highly compensated Citadel staffers who moved to Miami.

Florida Alluring for Casinos

As the third-largest — and one of the fastest-growing states — Florida is undoubtedly compelling to casino operators.? That’s particularly in those areas in which the companies could potentially establish new gaming venues without butting heads with the Seminoles.

Some gaming companies may be shrewd enough to consider other parts of Florida. But ongoing attempts are to bring a casino resort to the Miami area. For example, Fontainebleau Miami Beach owner Jeffrey Soffer has donated heavily to Florida Republicans, though it’s widely known the residents of Miami Beach don’t want a casino.

“Allowing casinos to harm thriving communities and undermine Florida families is like willingly dumping toxic waste into the Everglades,” he concluded in the Herald. “Casinos are a bad bet for South Florida. We need to defeat this reckless legislation, defend our personal rights as voters, and protect Florida’s future.”

The post Citadel Founder Ken Griffin Says Casinos are a Losing Idea for Florida appeared first on Casino.org.

In-person sports wagering has been legal in the Magnolia State since 2018. But online betting remains outlawed over worries mobile bets could erode casino profits.

HB 774 would legalize mobile sports betting, but require bettors to use online services from existing casinos. Rep. Casey Eure (R – Saucier), House Gaming Committee chairman, is the bill’s primary sponsor.

The number one goal is to protect our brick-and-mortar buildings,” Eure said. “Every mobile sports wager will be tied to a brick-and-mortar building.”

Eure has been a key figure in moving sports betting regulations forward since the Mississippi Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force meeting last October. There are 26 casinos in Mississippi, according to the task force.

The current House proposal would require online sportsbooks like DraftKings or FanDuel to partner with a physical casino before customers can participate in mobile betting.

The 122-member House Chamber could vote on the measure this week.

Other Bills in Mobile Sports Arena

Eure’s is the third sports betting bill introduced in the Mississippi House of Representatives in the last two weeks. But it is the only one that’s garnered bipartisan support.

Eure’s HB 774 would place a 12% tax on sports wagers, with 4% going toward the local municipality where the sponsoring casino is located and 8% going to the state.

As reported in Casino.org, Mississippi casinos remain at odds with lawmakers and oppose an expansion of sports betting.

House Minority Leader Democratic Rep. Robert Johnson III (D-Natchez) is concerned about smaller casinos being choked out of the market, with larger casinos more quickly partnering with sports betting outfits.

How Much and How Soon

Eure estimates the “Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act” could generate between $25 million and $35 million in revenue during the first year if enacted. He believes changing the current laws would undercut the influence of illegal offshore sports betting platforms in Mississippi.

Once you legalize mobile sports betting, you do away with a lot of that illegal market,” Eure said.

In presenting his bill, Eure noted that illegal betting sites see about $64 billion in wagers yearly. Mississippi makes up 5% of that market, about $3 billion in illegal bets.

The American Gaming Association says mobile sports betting is legal in 29 states and Washington, D.C.

If the Mississippi House passes Eure’s proposal, the bill will move to the Senate. Consideration in the Senate includes a committee and a full vote on the Senate floor. If there are any amendments to the bill in any way, it would go back to the House for approval.

The post Mississippi Mobile Sports Betting Bill Advances appeared first on Casino.org.

It’s the second sports gambling bill filed in the chamber this month. The first measure, SB 172, advanced earlier this month. The difference is that SB 386, sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Buford), wouldn’t require a voter referendum to pass a constitutional amendment to allow sports betting.

Voters amended the constitution to allow a lottery in 1992.

“There is no constitutional amendment required because all the funds are going to the lottery to fund pre-K and HOPE,” said Dixon.

HOPE Scholarships are for students who achieve at least a “B” average in high school.

We believe this bill has brought a win for Georgia.” Said Nick Fernandez of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. The Chamber supports the plan along with Atlanta’s pro sports teams.

While the bill does have some bipartisan support, lawmakers stalled gaming expansion over constitutional amendment questions in 2023.

The Senate Rules Committee must now decide whether to put the legislation before the full Senate.

Constitution Requirement Debate Heats

Opponents warn SB 386 could be declared unconstitutional, saying voters in 1992 likely never believed they were authorizing sports betting when they approved the lottery.

“I don’t believe this end-around is going to work,” said Mike Griffin, a lobbyist for Georgia’s Southern Baptist churches.

Supporters believe sports betting would bring economic benefits, while opponents dismiss those claims with addiction concerns and oversized losses of personal money.

“The disastrous effects of problem gambling are well-known and well-documented,” said Mack Parnell, executive director of the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition.

Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky were the first three states in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to legalize sports gambling.

What’s in the Bill

The bill, called the “Georgia Lottery Game of Sports Betting Act,” is limited to online wagering only. The bill would tax gamblers’ winnings at 20%.

The state lottery would be allowed to hold a license and would be allowed to award seven sports betting licenses to operators through a public procurement process.

Georgia sports betting would be open to adults 21 and older.

The bill requires wagering to begin in the state no later than Jan. 31, 2025.

The post Georgia Sports Betting Bill Skips Constitutional Amendment appeared first on Casino.org.

Instead, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, the city’s selected gaming partner for the lone casino opportunity, said more time is needed to address concerns raised by local government officials. The tribe and its partner on the project, billionaire Jon Yarbrough, want to build a commercial casino resort on the banks of the Elizabeth River adjacent to Harbor Park.

The Pamunkey Tribe has continued to work diligently with its architecture and engineering teams to produce the additional design work necessary to address the direction provided by City Council,” Jay Smith, a spokesperson for the project, told Casino.org.

“Until that work is completed, we have asked for a continuance before the ARB. As soon as we are confident that the plans meet the needs of the City and Tribe, we will ask to be put on the ARB agenda,” Smith continued. “We know so many residents of Norfolk share our eagerness to open HeadWaters Resort & Casino, and once the design is completed, we will employ an aggressive construction schedule to bring this project to life.”

HeadWaters has undergone a slew of design overhauls since Norfolk voters signed off on the development through a local referendum during the November 2020 election. The ground remains unbroken more than three years later.

Seawall Setback

The latest design setback for the HeadWaters development was due to Norfolk’s $2.6 billion Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, which is to include the construction of a seawall near where the casino is to be built.

Norfolk has one of the highest rates of relative sea level rise (RSLR) among Atlantic coastal communities. Federal, state, and local officials say that puts the city at an elevated risk of flooding and damage from coastal storms such as nor’easters and hurricanes.

Part of the project includes a downtown floodwall. The 17-foot-high T-wall includes sturdy concrete walls shaped like an upside-down T to strengthen the river bank. The floodwall will span nearly eight miles along the Elizabeth’s north shore.

The latest rendering of the casino made public in December moved the resort slightly inland to accommodate the stormwater undertaking. The $500 million concept features a 300-room hotel with 18,000 square feet of event space. The casino spans 65,000 square feet with 1,000 slot machines, 25 table games, and a 180-seat sportsbook.

Resort amenities include several restaurants and bars, a spa, and a 1,200-space parking garage.

Norfolk’s 2020 gaming referendum gave the project five years to open. The November 2025 deadline is now seemingly quickly approaching.

City Demands One Construction Phase

The HeadWaters developers previously suggested building the resort in stages, with the casino first and the hotel and resort later. City officials rejected that plan because their host agreement with the tribe requires the resort to be built at once.

Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander said the tribe’s proposal to stagger the development “was unacceptable.”

Virginia lawmakers passed legislation in 2020 allowing five cities to consider casino projects. Along with Norfolk, voters in Portsmouth, Bristol, and Danville subsequently passed local referendums approving their city’s selected casino resort. Richmond was the only city to vote against a gaming development.

The post Norfolk Casino Needs More Time to Finalize Resort Blueprint appeared first on Casino.org.

The Alabama Legislature convenes for its 2024 session on Feb. 6. According to officials who spoke anonymously to 1819 News, a state news website, lawmakers will again seek to expand gaming in the Cotton State.

The gaming bill will seek to allow the state’s lone federally recognized Tribe — the Poarch Band of Creek Indians — to expand their three casinos in Atmore, Montgomery, and Wetumpka from Class II bingo facilities to Class III casinos with Las Vegas-style gambling. The legislation could potentially allow the Tribe to pursue new brick-and-mortar casinos in Birmingham and the counties of Macon, Greene, Lowndes, Houston, and Mobile.

Sports Betting, Lottery

Alabama lawmakers supportive of the gaming push also want to authorize in-person and online sports betting and authorize a state-run lottery.

Sports betting privileges would be provided to the Poarch Creek Indians, but also allow commercial operators to apply for online licenses. A newly formed state agency called the Alabama Gaming Commission would field applications and issue licenses, and then govern sportsbook operations.

The gaming package, the sources say, will also include a lottery component. Alabama is currently one of just a handful of states without a lottery.

The lawmakers’ forthcoming gaming bill would allocate tribal casino revenue payments and sports betting taxes to the state’s General Fund Budget. Lottery revenues would help support public education.

Path to Expansion

Alabama’s elected officials do not possess the power to singlehandedly authorize new forms of gaming. The Alabama Constitution prohibits all forms of commercial gambling.

For that to change, state voters would need to approve amending the legal framework document through a statewide ballot referendum. Only a simple majority outcome is needed for a referendum to pass.

A poll conducted in conjunction with Ivey’s gaming study found that more than seven in 10 likely voters strongly favored or somewhat favored the idea of establishing a lottery. The poll found that 63% of likely voters favored casino slot machines, and 61% favored table games. More than half lent their backing to online sports betting.

Casino backers say opponents who don’t want more gaming are wrong in their thinking. The casino supporters say the gaming bill would actually reduce gaming by seizing illegal gambling networks.

The legislation is to include new laws on illegal gambling penalties, raising the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony and significantly increasing financial penalties for those convicted.

The post Alabama Tribal Casino Bill to Include Sports Betting, State-Run Lottery appeared first on Casino.org.

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Sarasota) introduced House Bill 1417, which is focused on spending most of the revenue from gambling. Senate Bill 1638, introduced by Sen. Travis Hutson (R – 7th District), specified funding for environmental management and protections, including research.

Florida’s Senate President Kathleen Passidimo (R-Naples) told Senators in her opening remarks she supports gambling revenue to fund land acquisition and conservation.

Using these new revenues to acquire and manage conservations lands and invest in our clean water infrastructure will be a phenomenal return on investment for our state,” Passidimo said. “I hope the legislation will earn your support.”

House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) also backs the idea of using funds from gambling for conservation-related projects.

Florida Bill Funding

SB 1638 would use an “indeterminate” amount of revenue available from a gambling deal that Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) reached with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The gaming compact deal was struck in 2021.

On Nov. 1, 2023, the Seminole Tribe said it would launch retail sports betting at its casinos on Dec. 7, 2023.

As reported by Casino.org, the Hard Rock Bet app became available to eligible users in Florida on Dec. 5, 2023.

Under the compact, the tribe pledged to pay $2.5 billion to the state over the first five years and perhaps billions more during the three-decade deal.

?Florida’s Sole Betting App

The only legal sports betting app in the Sunshine State is Hard Rock Bet, which is available on iOS and Android. All other sports betting platforms licensed in other US states aren’t allowed.

The amount of money from sports wagering that would fund the environmental goals still needs to be negotiated.

The post Florida Lawmakers Eye Gambling Revenue to Fund Environment Initiates appeared first on Casino.org.

Recent campaign finance reports indicate groups with ties to the real estate developer donated more than $300K last year to political action committees (PACs). Those contribute to various Florida lawmakers’ campaigns. Some of those contributions were directed to nine Republicans who represent various parts of Miami-Dade County.

Those political donations came in advance of the Florida legislature, which is in session for just two months this year. They are hearing proposals that could finally open the door to long sought-after casino hotels in the Miami area.

Specifically, the bills say those with greyhound dog racing permits and authorization to conduct casino activities — such as Soffer’s Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach — should be allowed to relocate the operation of ‘all pari-mutuel wagering and gaming activities,’” reports Aaron Leibowitz and Ana Ceballos for the Miami Herald.

Soffer and Trump National Doral, which is controlled by the Trump Organization, attempted to procure gaming licenses in 2021. But those efforts faltered.

Miami Casinos Still Viewed as Long Shots

Along with New York, Miami Beach is arguably one of the most coveted, though untapped, casino markets in the U.S.

Miami Beach, which is incorporated separately from Miami, has officially banned casinos since 2017, indicating that changing that regulation could be costly and time-consuming.

Sowinski previously led the “Voters in Charge” group that pushed the Amendment 3 ballot initiative in the 2018 mid-term election. That amendment, which was passed with ease, requires that any casino gaming expansion in Florida be approved by voters.

Even if the Miami Beach casino effort were to make progress, it would likely draw the ire of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The parent of Hard Rock casinos has a grip on land-based gaming venues in the state, and the financial resources to stifle related expansion in which they are not involved.

Fontainebleau Miami Widespread Donations

Groups with ties to Fontainebleau and Big Easy Casino donated $50K to the Republican Party of Florida last September, and $25K last June to the Florida Senatorial Republican Campaign Committee.

Another $15K was contributed to Principled Moral Conservatism last September, a PAC controlled by a state representative whose district is in Miami-Dade County. Campaign finance data indicate entities with ties to Soffer also contributed $10K to another eight Republican-controlled PACs.

Soffer isn’t new to contributing to Florida political campaigns. Since he acquired the Big Easy Casino in 2018, he’s doled out $2.5 million in contributions to Sunshine State politicians, including GOP presidential candidate and Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The post Fontainebleau Miami Owner Hopes Political Donations Secure New Casino appeared first on Casino.org.

The Senate Regulated Industries Committee advanced Senate Bill 172 by an 8-4 vote. The measure now goes to the full Senate for more debate. SB 172 would allow sports betting in the Peach State with the aid of a constitutional amendment and set up a gaming commission to regulate the industry.

Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) is the bill’s sponsor and said he believes there will be a “push” from some constituents.

And I just think it may be time and I certainly wanted us to address the issue this year, list, decide it once and for all, and move on.”

In 2023, several bills failed that aimed to legalize sports betting, including online and in-person at sportsbook kiosks.

The 2024 legislative session is the sixth consecutive term with at least one bill aimed at gaming expansion on the docket in either chamber.

State of Play in Georgia

SB 172 doesn’t legalize sports betting on its own. Lawmakers must draft another proposed constitutional amendment, which would then require approval by two-thirds of the House and the Senate, and approval from Georgia voters.

Sen. Cowsert said an amendment is needed because Georgia voters approved a lottery in 1992 when sports bets could only be placed in-person in a Nevada casino.

“There’s no way that was contemplated when the voters allowed lotteries, in my opinion,” Cowsert said.

As reported previously by Casino.org, former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton wrote in an opinion last year that sports betting doesn’t require a constitutional amendment.

Proposals, Paths, and Opposition

After the former Chief Justice’s opinion, and the rejection of bills to legalize sports betting last year, the search for other paths toward legalized sports betting intensified.

State Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta) said in December he plans to introduce such legislation. Sen. Beach wants to bring three casino resorts, a pari-mutuel race track, and mobile sportsbooks to the state.

There are differing opinions on destinations for gambling proceeds. Many Democrats want sports betting to fund needs-based college scholarships. Many Republicans, on the other hand, oppose the passage of sports betting on moral grounds.

Currently, 38 states and the District of Columbia allow some form of sports betting.

The post Sports Betting in Georgia Sees 2024 Bring Another Push appeared first on Casino.org.

The suit, filed last Thursday, accuses 10 individuals and a dozen associated entities of looting the company of approximately $200 million before it collapsed into bankruptcy last year.

Lucky Bucks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in June 2023. The company declared more than $500 million in debt, citing increased competition, rising interest rates, an economic environment that decreased consumer use of slot machines, and an escalation of regulatory enforcement against the COAM industry in Georgia.

‘Illegal Dividends’

Lucky Bucks was rescued by its primary lenders, who have injected fresh capital and rebranded it as Arc Gaming and Technologies. Its Chapter 11 plan was approved by a Delaware bankruptcy court in July last year.

The new owners claim that Lucky Bucks’ founder and former owner, Anil Damani, and his team engaged in a scheme to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars from lenders and share the proceeds among themselves.

A state regulator prohibited Damani from being involved in the company’s operations in June 2020, according to the lawsuit.

In all, it names nine former high-ranking employees, one contractor, and a dozen associated entities. It accuses them of defrauding the company by diverting $200 million in “illegal dividends” before declaring bankruptcy.

Methods included redirecting contracts away from Lucky Bucks before selling them back at marked-up rates, and simply chiseling serial numbers off machines before selling them, the suit says.

‘Baseless Claims’

The plaintiffs also claim the defendants attempted to conceal their activities by communicating through an encrypted messaging app and by deleting files and business records from the company’s computers.

The alleged fraud was pieced together by the new management team’s investigators, who analyzed IT systems and conducted interviews with employees, according to the lawsuit.

Grubman added that his client looked forward to defeating the claims in court.

The post Lucky Bucks RICO Suit Filed Alleging $200M Fraud appeared first on Casino.org.

The public’s opposition to casinos — a study last year concluding that more than three in four North Carolinians oppose gaming expansion — and the unease surrounding the legislative effort to legalize them was recently made apparent by the four counties targeted for casinos receiving state funding for water and sewer infrastructure upgrades. Almost immediately after being allocated state money for the costly projects, rumors surfaced that the infrastructure enhancements were linked to the possible casinos.

Rockingham has been allocated $54.5 million for water and sewer upgrades. Nash is to receive $17 million and Anson is to receive $6 million for wastewater projects.

The money is part of $2 billion in state funding allocated for an array of infrastructure projects statewide.

Casinos Unrelated

Last year, North Carolina Sen. President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) pushed legislation to allow a commercial casino resort in the three aforementioned counties. Berger’s bill was developed in conjunction with The Cordish Companies, a Baltimore-based gaming and hospitality firm that runs three casinos in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Cordish executives have made a series of political contributions to Berger and several other powerful lawmakers in Raleigh.

Berger initially joined House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) in supporting the gaming undertaking. But Moore later backtracked his support after saying there wasn’t adequate backing in his chamber. That infuriated Berger, who was looking to provide his home county an economic spark after agreeing to compromise with Gov. Roy Cooper (D) on widening health care access through the state’s “Obamacare” program.

With Berger pledging to reintroduce a gaming bill this session, which begins January 17, county and local leaders say the infrastructure investments have long been in the works.

We’ve had to increase our infrastructure, water, and sewer to accommodate growth,” Lance Metzler, Rockingham county manager, told the Carolina Public Press. Metzler said the investments have been planned “for years.”

North Carolina requires the counties to bankroll their infrastructure projects and then submit invoices for the work performed to be reimbursed.

County Concedes Projects Would Aid Casino

While county leaders in Rockingham and Nash said the investments have nothing to do with gambling, Anson County Manager Leonard Sossamon conceded that the upgrades would allow a casino resort to be more easily constructed.

We don’t have the capacity to support something like a casino site and we want to enhance our water and sewage capacity,” Sossamon said.

Berger said last month that the casinos are much more than just gambling facilities. That’s why he refers to them as “rural entertainment districts.

“If you think it’s only about gaming, you say ‘casinos.’ But it wasn’t only about gaming. It was about addressing economic growth and economic development in rural areas,” Berger told Tim Boyum on his Spectrum News podcast, Tying It Together.

Berger said his fellow lawmakers have done a good job of promoting economic activity in the state’s cities. But “that is not something that has occurred evenly across the state.”

The post North Carolina Counties Say Infrastructure Upgrades Unrelated to Casinos appeared first on Casino.org.

Sports betting market leaders DraftKings and FanDuel highlight the group of seven that additionally includes BetMGM, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, bet365, and Underdog Sports. State lawmakers and Gov. Roy Cooper (D) legalized commercial sports gambling last June.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission, which is tasked with licensing and regulating the state’s newly expanded gaming industry, says it’ll need up to 90 days to review the online sports betting applications and issue licenses.

The law requires that such betting commence by June 15, 2024. But Cooper wants sportsbooks to begin taking bets in time for March Madness — the 2024 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

North Carolina is home to arguably the biggest rivalry in college basketball, with the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils blood enemies. The programs are respectively ranked No. 9 and No. 16 in the AP Top 25 poll. The blueblood programs are near perennial bracket entries.

Partnerships Align

North Carolina’s sports betting law requires sportsbook companies to partner with a professional sports team, venue, or one of two qualifying sports organizations — the PGA Tour and NASCAR.

The three remaining applicants did not publicly disclose their professional sports partners. Potential partners include the NFL Carolina Panthers, National Women’s Soccer League’s North Carolina Courage, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and NASCAR.

If approved, sportsbook firms will be allowed to operate in-person and online sports betting. Their retail facilities will only be permitted at the host stadium or venue of their partnered organization.

Each sportsbook license costs a one-time $1 million fee. Gross revenue will be subject to an 18% tax. The state will appropriate much of the tax benefit to support collegiate athletics at state universities. Thirteen schools will receive up to $300,000 annually from the gaming expansion:

• Appalachian State University
• East Carolina University
• Elizabeth City State University
• Fayetteville State University
• North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
• North Carolina Central University
• University of North Carolina at Asheville
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of North Carolina at Pembroke
• University of North Carolina at Wilmington
• Western Carolina University
• Winston-Salem State University

Along with the seven commercial sportsbook bids, Caesars Sportsbook is expected to apply as a licensed service provider to operate an online book on behalf of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Caesars operates the tribe’s two casinos in North Carolina — Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River.

For the tribe to gain online sports betting rights, Cooper must agree to amend the state’s Class III gaming compact to allow such gambling. The state is home to a third tribal casino in Kings Mountain called Catawba Two Kings Casino. The temporary casino is owned by the Catawba Indian Nation.

Can Underdogs Compete?

DraftKings and FanDuel dominate the U.S. sports betting landscape, with estimates suggesting they control as much as 75% of the industry. Their control led to a market consolidation last year, as many upstarts folded, including Fox Bet, WynnBet, and MaximBet.

Underdog and the others bidding in North Carolina believe 2024 could be the year when smaller sportsbooks begin cutting into DraftKings and FanDuel’s market share. ESPN Bet is Penn Entertainment’s $1.5 billion wager on the industry after agreeing to pay ESPN that amount to leverage the sports media brand into its sports betting business.

The post North Carolina Gets Seven Sportsbook Applications Ahead of Spring Launch appeared first on Casino.org.

Statewide GGR in November totaled approximately $185.1 million. The gaming money comes from the state’s 13 riverboat casinos, two land-based casinos, and four racetracks that offer slot machines.

November represented a 1.6% year-over-year increase and stopped the revenue bleeding compared with months from 2022.

The three-casino Lake Charles market, inclusive of the Golden Nugget, L’Auberge, and Horseshoe, led the way with GGR of nearly $56.7 million. The market that targets Houston saw gaming revenue climb more than 8%.

The five casinos in Shreveport/Bossier City — Boomtown, Bally’s, Horseshoe, Sam’s Town, and Margaritaville — won $44.5 million. That was a nearly 6% improvement.

In Baton Rouge, the Belle and L’Auberge, along with the newly opened Queen, a land-based property, won $20.6 million. That was flat from a year ago.

The four racinos, Delta Downs, Louisiana Downs, Evangeline Downs, and Fair Grounds, expanded their win by 1.5% to $23.8 million.

Sportsbooks Set Handle Record

Sports bettors were active last month in the Bayou State. Oddsmakers took nearly $356.5 million in bets, a record amount that easily eclipsed the previous all-time mark of $308.6 million set just in October.

Bettors fared well, as the LSU Tigers went 3-1 during the month and covered the spread in each game other than the team’s blowout loss to Alabama on November 4. Of the $356.5 million bet, oddsmakers kept just $19.4 million on a poor win rate of less than 6%.

The bulk of the record wagering, $322.9 million, was facilitated online. Parlay bets accounted for most of the net proceeds at about $13.7 million.

Third Brick-and-Mortar Casino Underway

In 2018, Louisiana lawmakers passed legislation to allow the state’s licensed riverboats to move inland, so long as their brick-and-mortar gaming remains within 1,200 feet (about a quarter of a mile) from the boats’ original barges.

Cordish is investing $270 million to construct a 47,000-square-foot casino with 1,000 slots and 40 table games. The budget includes the renovation of the 550-room hotel, pool, and fitness center.

Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chair Ronnie Johns said during the groundbreaking event that he believes Cordish’s Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana will help revitalize the entire Shreveport/Bossier City casino market.

The post Louisiana Casinos End Nine-Month Revenue Slide, Win $185M in November appeared first on Casino.org.