Author: Casino Connection Staff

Leadership Changes at Wynn Las Vegas

Posted on January 10, 2019 by -

Turmoil continued at Wynn Resorts last week as a new president was announced for the company’s two Las Vegas properties, Wynn and Encore.

CEO Matt Maddox announced that longtime Wynn Resorts executive Maurice Wooden is stepping down at the end of the year. Wooden has worked in many different roles for Mirage and then Wynn Resorts, and for the last five years was president of the Las Vegas properties.

Maddox wished Wooden well in announcing his successor.

“Replacing a leader who has dedicated so many years to one organization is never easy, and I believe it must be someone who understands our brand and shares our values,” he wrote in a note to Wynn employees. “I am pleased that Marilyn Spiegel will return to lead the team at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore. Our focus on guest experiences calls for someone who truly appreciates what Wynn means to our guests and employees. Marilyn not only shares that understanding, she helped to create it, having led Wynn Las Vegas from 2010 until 2013. Her deep experience in human resources and knowledge of what it takes to deliver the Wynn promise, make her the ideal person to lead Wynn Las Vegas into the future.”

Spiegel, formerly Marilyn Winn, had a long career at Harrah’s/Caesars Entertainment, directing its human resource department for many years, before taking over as a regional president overseeing several Las Vegas properties including Paris and Bally’s. She is married to banker and investor Tom Spiegel.

Sources tell GGB News that the board had first considered appointing former Mirage and MGM executive BobbyBaldwin before settling on Spiegel.

Also last week, Maddox announced that Wynn marketing head, Michael Weaver, would be named to a new position in the company, chief communications officer. Weaver will focus on the opening of Encore BostonHarbor as the company strives to get through an investigation of the misdeeds of former Chairman Steve Wynn and any involvement of the current company executives.

“Michel’s deep understanding of our brand and how we communicate it globally, his experience in media relations, and his work on the team that won the license for us in Massachusetts, make him the ideal person for this role,” said Maddox.

Replacing Weaver will be Scott Moore, who has marketing experience with brands such as Time Magazine, PBS and the Coca Cola Company and was most recently the chief operating officer at Augeo.

Both Moore and Spiegel will start on January 2.

Borgata Announces Construction of New Sports Book

Posted on January 10, 2019 by -

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa announced it will begin construction of a new venue that will integrate an entertaining bar experience with sports wagering. Adding more than $11 million in development to Borgata’s resort, the destination bar will make its anticipated debut this summer.

“Since Borgata arrived in the Atlantic City market more than 15 years ago, we have maintained a steadfast dedication to property growth and development, with our new concept exemplifying this objective,” said Marcus Glover, President & Chief Operating Officer for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. “We are proud to have been at the forefront of legalized sports betting in New Jersey and look forward to advancing our product with an innovative gaming and entertainment experience for our guests to enjoy.”

Borgata made history last June when it became the first Atlantic City casino to accept a legal sports wager under new sports betting regulations in New Jersey. The historic wager came just three days after NJ Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill passed unanimously by the State Legislature, creating a regulated environment where licensed casinos may establish legal sports books.

Since accepting that first inaugural bet, Borgata launched the playMGM NJ Sports mobile sports-betting app in New Jersey. In partnership with GVC Holdings, the playMGM NJ Sports app features a full range of U.S. and selected international sports with customers able to sign-up, deposit and withdraw cash directly from their mobile devices from any location in New Jersey.

As a part of MGM Resorts International, Borgata brings the wealth of that company’s sports book experience to its operation. MGM Resorts International possesses more than 25 years of sports wagering operations experience in Nevada, where the company’s resorts combine to write more than 4 million sports wagers each year with annual handle in excess of $1 billion. Strategic relationships like those announced with the NBA and WNBA, NHL, MLB, as well as the New York Jets, firmly establish MGM Resorts and playMGM as the market leader in partnerships with major professional sports leagues.

NFL Signs Sponsorship Deal with Caesars Entertainment

Posted on January 8, 2019 by -

The National Football League has for the first time signed a marketing deal with a casino company, announcing a sponsorship deal with Caesars Entertainment.

Financial terms of the deal were not released, but the Associated Press as well as other outlets reported it is worth $30 million a year over three years.

The sponsorship will begin with the upcoming NFL playoffs and gives Caesars exclusive rights to use NFL trademarks—including “Super Bowl”—in the U.S. and UK. Most gaming companies—as well as other businesses—have to avoid using “Super Bowl” in promotions, usually branding it the Big Game.

Under the deal, however, NFL trademarks will not appear in Caesars sportsbooks

“We couldn’t be more excited to work with one of the world’s largest gaming and entertainment companies,” Renie Anderson, senior vice president of NFL partnerships, sponsorship and consumer products, said in a press release announcing the deal. “Combining the NFL with Caesars’ expertise in world-class entertainment will provide our fans unique experiences both here in the United States and abroad.”

Caesars officials said the league and the casino will combine fan bases for promotions.

“All of us at Caesars Entertainment are thrilled to be the first-ever casino partner of the NFL, the most prominent sports league in North America,” Caesars Entertainment CEO Mark Frissora said in the release. “Combining the league’s 180 million fans with our 55 million Total Rewards loyalty program members will expose millions of people to the exclusive and exciting year-round opportunities at our properties.”

The move is a departure for the NFL which has long sought to disassociate itself from casino gambling and sports betting.

Still, the partnership only includes casino gaming and does not include “sports betting, daily fantasy or hotel/resorts,” according to the release. That restriction also applies to the seven NFL franchises that have partnerships with Caesars Entertainment—the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles, according to the release.

Recently the NBA, NHL and MLB have signed deals with MGM Resorts International that have been centered on sports betting. MGM sportsbooks will use official league data from those leagues for their sports betting operations. According to various reports, MGM was also seeking the sponsorship deal with the NFL.

The NFL-Caesars deal, however, does not include data sharing.

Caesars along with other casinos will also host elements of the 2020 draft in coordination with the city of Las Vegas.

Dancing with the Stars Live Comes to Atlantic City

Posted on January 3, 2019 by -

Get ready to experience the professional dancing, exquisite costumes and excitement seen live on ABC! Dancing with the Stars is coming to Borgata in Atlantic City on January 11, 2019!

Dancing with the Stars Live returns to the Borgata Event Center. The show’s professional dancers will take a break from coaching celebrity contestants with a new, two-act production promising to showcase all dance styles featured on the show, from classics like ballroom and jazz to more contemporary styles like modern dance and hip-hop. This will be a night to remember.

When: January 11, 2019 • 8 p.m.
Tickets: $59.00 – $99.00
Visit: www.theborgata.com

Flashback Friday Tribute Bands at Golden Nugget

Posted on January 3, 2019 by -

Grab your friends and step back in time for Flashback Friday at the Golden Nugget Atlantic City. Admission is free!

Head to the Showroom every Friday for a flash back in time with tribute bands from your favorite eras. Wear your favorite old tour t-shirts for prizes and each week enter the Air Guitar contest for a chance to win an electric guitar from Guitar Center in Mays Landing. Plus, sip on drink specials!

Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 9 p.m. 

January 4  – Countdown To Ecstasy – Steely Dan
January 11 – B Street – Bruce Springsteen 
January 18 – Wanted DOA – Bon Jovi
January 25 – Separate Ways The Band – Journey
February 1 – Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
February 8 – Mullett – Tribute to Hair Bands

Visit:  www.goldennugget.com

Extreme International Ice Racing

Posted on January 3, 2019 by -

For the first time ever, X-Treme International Ice Racing will speed into Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The event will be held Saturday, January 12 at 7:30 pm.

XiiR (Xtreme International Ice Racing) is a motorcycle racing tour…ON ICE! Man and machine going from 0-60mph in under 3 seconds riding Speedway bikes and quads that are modified to compete on an indoor ice arena. There are over 2000 metal studs added to the tires and there are NO BRAKES! What does that mean? PURE ADRENALINE! It is THE fastest sport on ice and one of the fastest sports in the world. The rush of so much power and speed on something as unpredictable as ice, has whipped audiences into a frenzy and gained new fans across the country.  Each year’s series continues to get better… drawing bigger crowds, more sponsors and riders from all over the globe.

Tickets: $7.00 – $15.00
Visit: www.boardwalkhall.com

All Stars of Hip Hop

Posted on January 3, 2019 by -

The 9th annual All-Stars of Hip Hop concert is coming to Atlantic City. This star-studed event returns to Boardwalk Hall Sunday, January 20 at 7:00 p.m.

The lineup includes Naughty By Nature, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Slick Rick, Whodini, Onyx, Nice & Smooth.

Tickets for the show start at $52 and are available at www1.ticketmaster.com  or by calling 888-228-4748, or at the Boardwalk Hall box office.

Doors open at 6 pm.                                                              

Feds Take Aim At iGaming & Sports Betting

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

Two new battlefronts have opened up in the federal government’s apparent determination to assert control from Washington over a burgeoning national market in legal sports betting.

In Congress, retiring Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, has reached across the aisle to join with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York in introducing a bill setting minimum standards for states legalizing sports betting and empowering the U.S. Attorney General’s Office to reject regulatory schemes that don’t measure up.

The “Sports Wagering Market Integrity Act of 2018” was immediately hailed by the National Football League and Major League Baseball as an important step in protecting their contests from the threat of gambling-related corruption amid an explosion of new state laws aimed at cashing in on a May ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court that nullified a decades-old federal ban on the industry. Seven states and the District of Columbia have already legalized sports betting in the months since the high court’s ruling, and several more have pre-filed authorizing measures for early 2019. Experts predict as many as 30 states will legalize in the next five years.

“The threats posed to the integrity of sporting contests cannot be confined within state borders,” said NFL executive Jocelyn Moore. “Without continued federal guidance and oversight, we are very concerned that sports leagues and state governments alone will not be able to fully protect the integrity of sporting contests and guard against the harms Congress has long recognized as being associated with sports betting.”

Major League Baseball concurred in a statement citing “a clear need for a set of consistent, nationwide integrity standards to protect the sports that millions of Americans love”.

Promptly condemning the bill as an “unprecedented and inappropriate expansion of federal involvement in the gaming industry,” the American Gaming Association, which represents the commercial casino industry in Washington, said, “This bill is the epitome of a solution in search of a problem.”

Sara Slane, the trade group’s senior vice president of public affairs, said the bill intrudes in areas that “can, and should, be decided by marketplace negotiations between private businesses and cooperative agreements among jurisdictions,” where “state and tribal regulators have decades of experience effectively overseeing gaming operations”.

The bill’s key provisions would allow online sports betting and betting on professional and college sports and the Olympics but not on other amateur sports. A non-profit National Sports Wagering Clearinghouse would be created to receive and share betting data and facilitate the monitoring of suspicious activities among operators, regulators, sports organizations and law enforcement. Finally, the bill would provide federal funding from betting taxes for programs to address problem gambling and would establish a nationwide self-exclusion list of admitted problem gamblers.

Significantly, the bill would not require bookmakers to pay royalties to sports leagues for their game data. But it does require the use of officially licensed league data at least until 2024

New Jersey CRDA Bets on ESports

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

The New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority will spend $700,000 over 18 months to promote eSports events at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall and at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

The events will be presented by Ingame Esports Inc., which has opened an Atlantic City office.

“It may sound odd to many of us, but thousands of people sit around and watch people play video games,” said CRDA Executive Director Matthew Doherty. “This may be the future of spectator sports.”

Ingame formed earlier this year, but the company has recruited people with extensive experience, co-founder Angela Bernhard Thomas told the Press of Atlantic City.

Thomas said she expects the company’s first event to focus on the fighting game community, but other events will include a summer event for college teams and an East Coast Athletic Conference eSports event.

Doherty said CRDA will determine which events to back with the funding.

“There are communities building stadiums for this,” said Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam, who is on the authority board. “These folks are paid as professional athletes just for pushing buttons. It’s something in my opinion that puts Atlantic City on the edge of something different and new.”

The commitment comes as the city’s Ocean Resort casino is holding an eSports event this month for the N3rd Street Gamers of Philadelphia—the CS:GO event of NSG’s Eastern Conference Championship with a $30,000 prize pool, according to the company website.

Atlantic City’s Ocean Resort Offers Miss America a Home

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

The Miss America Organization’s deal with the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority ended with this year’s contest and the pageant is now looking for a new home.

According to the Press of Atlantic City, the organization filed a request for proposal filed in September that said it is interviewing cities to host the next two years of the competition. The pageant is also exploring moving the pageant from Boardwalk Hall to other venues in the city, according to emails obtained by thepaper.

Enter Ocean Resort Casino owner Bruce Deifik who said he spoke with Miss America chairwoman Gretchen Carlson about offering hotel space and the casino’s Ovation Hall to the pageant.

“I need to know how many rooms they need, for how many nights, when they would need Ovation Hall—it’s the perfect setup for them. I would be happy to look at that if I have all the facts,” Deifik told the Press.

Ovation Hall has a 5,700-seat capacity. The request for proposal said the performance venue must contain a minimum of 3,000 seats with more than 5,000 preferred.

“We want to make sure that the group and the convention will really, absolutely help the growth and expansion of our small market,” Deifik said.

Deifik said Carlson did bring up the $4.325 million previously provided by the authority for the production, but said Ocean Resort would not be able to match that.

According to the request for proposal as outlined by the Press, the pageant requires that a host city provide hotel accommodations, venues for parties and receptions, adequate space for a parade and a performance venue for the three nights of preliminary competition and the televised final.

CRDA has been Miss America’s main sponsor since 2012 and subsidized the pageant $7.3 million over three years and then agreed to a $12 million contract, providing an annual $4.3 million under a three-year contract that expired after this year’s competition, the Press reported.

New Jersey’s Freehold Raceway Planning Sports Betting

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

Freehold Raceway in New Jersey will finally be jumping on the sports betting wagon at some point in 2019, track officials said.

New Jersey’s sports betting law allows both live sportsbooks at its racetracks as well as partnerships between the tracks and online sports books. Of the three operating tracks in the state, Monmouth Park in Oceanport New Jersey was the first facility in the state to open a sportsbook in June.

The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford New Jersey quickly followed suit and opened its own sports book. Both tracks have also partnered with online operators. FanDuel runs the Meadowlands operations and Monmouth Park is partnered with William Hill.

Freehold Raceway, however, was conspicuously silent on its plans to offer sports betting. Now, however, a report has surfaced that the track has been negotiating with gambling firms.

“We are in negotiations with vendors for both retail and online, and we hope to have a decision by the end of the month,” Christopher McErlean, a longtime vice president at Penn National—which co-owns the track along with Greenwood Racing—told NJ Online Gambling.

McErlean said the track is hoping one operator can run both the brick-and-mortar and online operations. He also said the track hopes to make a deal by the end of the year, but said the track isn’t rushing to be up and ready by the NFL playoffs. Any potential deal would still require licensing and the physical building of a facility at the nearly 200-year-old track, he told the website.

“We’ve been able to see how the landscape has lined up in New Jersey, and there is some advantage to a more measured approach,” McErlean said. “This is about playing the long game. New Jersey is turning into a very good marketplace, and I think our location is very well-positioned.”

Since opening in June, New Jersey’s various sportsbooks are closing in on $1 billion in handle.

“There is a lot of interest online, and competing there is expensive, but the numbers overall are solid,” McErlean said.

Penn National has just opened a sportsbook at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in November after opening a sportsbook at Charles Town Races in West Virginia in September. Five Penn National casinos in Mississippi also offer sports betting.

Vegas Wins 2020 NFL Draft

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

The National Football League will be holding its 2020 draft in Las Vegas, a move timed to coincide with the debut season of the Raiders as the casino capital’s home team.

Raiders owner Mark Davis professed himself “totally excited” with the decision, which was announced December 12 at the league’s annual winter meetings in Arlington, Texas.

“Bringing the Raiders to Las Vegas was more than just 10 football games a year,” Davis said. “When you bring the National Football League somewhere, they get a lot of ancillary benefits. The draft is one of them.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, “We look forward to working with the Raiders, Las Vegas officials and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to create an unforgettable week-long celebration of football for our fans, the incoming prospects and partners.”

The draft will be held before the expected opening of the team’s new $1.8 billion domed stadium, which is under construction just west of the southern end of the Strip. It’s reported, however, that the league plans to hold some type of event at or around stadium property during the three-day draft.

Las Vegas beat out Kansas City and Cleveland to win the event, which, like the Raiders’ 2017 decision to leave their long-time home in Oakland, Calif., is expected to generate sizable economic benefits citywide. The 2018 draft in Arlington generated a record $125.2 million in economic impact

Cordish Philly Buyout Approved

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has approved the buyout by Baltimore-based Cordish Companies of its partner in the Stadium Casino company, Bensalem-based Greenwood Gaming.

The approval makes Cordish the sole owner of the planned $700 million Live! casino, the second license pegged for the city of Philadelphia. Cordish officials say they have secured all the necessary permits, and construction on the hotel and casino in the heart of Philadelphia’s sports stadium district will begin soon.

The buyout of Stadium Casino also gives Cordish ownership of Stadium’s planned Category 4 satellite casino, which will occupy the space of the former Bon-Ton anchor department store at Westmoreland Mall in Western Pennsylvania. Construction of both facilities will occur simultaneously.

Hard Rock AC Names Maesano Senior Marketing VP

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City announced the appointment of Mario Maesano as the property’s new senior vice president of marketing. Maesano joins Hard Rock with decades of gaming experience and knowledge of the industry, where he will direct and oversee all marketing initiatives for the new hotel-casino.

Maesano has served in senior casino marketing positions for the majority of his career and has demonstrated record of exceeding revenue goals, opening luxury resorts, turning around underperforming properties and driving increased profit and market share.

Having previously served as senior vice president of marketing for Maryland Live! Casino, Maesano was responsible for leading the development, implementation and execution of the Maryland Live! marketing initiatives.

“As a New Jersey native with more than 27 years of experience in the hospitality and gaming industry, Mario Maesano is the perfect fit for the position of as senior vice president of marketing for this property,” said Jeffrey Hook, executive vice president of development and marketing, Hard Rock International. “He will play a key role in leading Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City’s expansion efforts in the continued development of this integrated resort.”

Maesano joins Hard Rock International alongside the recently appointed Hook, and Mark Birtha, the new president of the upcoming development Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain.

Washington D.C. Approves Sports Betting

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

The City Council of Washington D.C. has approved a sports betting bill that allows for online sports bets as well as live sportsbooks at the city’s main sports arenas.

The bill, called the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act, was introduced by Councilmember Jack Evans in September. It passed council 11 to 2. The vote makes the district the first jurisdiction without casino gambling to approve sports betting.

According to reports, Council passed emergency legislation which makes the law effective immediately and allows the D.C. Lottery to begin drawing up sports betting regulations. The permanent bill goes to Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is expected to sign it, and then must be submitted to Congress for review. Evans told reporters he believes betting could begin in the district by April.

The bill allows online wagering through the D.C. Lottery’s Intralot powered platform. However, the city’s major sports arenas would be able to sign partnerships to offer their own branded online platforms within two blocks of their facility.

The four venues approved for sports betting are FedEx Field, Nationals Park, Capital One Arena and Audi Field. About 60 other premises that currently offer lottery products are expected to apply for licenses, officials said.

Operators will be charged a 10 percent tax on gross wagering revenue and pay $250,000 for five-year licenses. Retailer licenses would cost $5,000 for two years.

The bill has drawn criticism for essentially granting a monopoly on online play to the district’s lottery.

Sara Slane, the AGA’s senior vice president of public affairs, welcomed the passing of the legislation, in particular the reasonable tax rate and the exclusion of any integrity or exclusive data fees, which had been considered during the legislative process.

However, she admitted deep concerns about the D.C. Lottery being granted an effective monopoly over mobile wagering.

“Predictably, this will result in less investment and innovation, to the detriment of consumers and the ability of a nascent legal marketplace to compete with the accessibility and convenience offered by many established illegal wagering operations,” Sara Slane, senior vice president of the American Gaming Association said in a press release. “AGA urges District policymakers to reevaluate the merits of this key aspect of their framework and allow greater competition in the future.”

Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards also said that the monopoly is a “disservice to fans, who don’t get the benefit of competition in the marketplace.”

According to a fiscal impact statement created by the D.C. Office of the Chief Financial Officer, sports betting is expected to generate revenue of more than $7.6m for the second half of 2019, then $26m in 2020, $28m in 2021, and $30m in 2022.

TheScore Media Company to Enter U.S. Sports Betting Market

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

A new player in New Jersey’s sports betting market is the media company behind theScore mobile sports information app, which has just signed a partnership with the operator of the state’s Monmouth Park Racetrack

The deal was announced for 15 years with an initial five-year period that can be extended for two more consecutive five-year periods at the discretion of theScore. Darbby Development LLC, which operates the track, would receive a portion of theScore’s sports betting revenue.

Online sports betting companies in New Jersey must partner with either a racetrack or casino approved for sports betting in the state. The deal is pending regulatory approval from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the New Jersey Racing Commission.

If the deal is approved, theScore would become the first media company to offer mobile and online sports betting in North America, the company said.

“Our approach to serving our viewers has always been open, authentic and honest” theScore founder and CEO John Levy told Forbes magazine. “We have always felt that sports wagering and betting was just one of the natural ways people engage with sports. Naturally, it was a part of everything we did. People are passionate about sports. Sports betting is just one facet of why and how they are passionate about it. Why wouldn’t we talk about it?”

TheScore began as a Canadian television network and entered the mobile app market in 2007. The company says it currently has 3.7 million active users. Levy said that he company, however, has always prepared for a move into sports betting.

“We always stay clean, never did anything we shouldn’t do, but always hoped that at some point, with the realization that people want to bet on sports in more places than just Las Vegas over a counter was going happen. And that’s exactly what happened when PASPA was repealed,” Levy told the magazine.

“We’ve been looking at this and studying this for a whole bunch of years,” he said. “This is not something that just sort of happened and we said ‘Hey, we should get into this’. This is in our DNA. Our user base across the states is huge and highly engaged.”

TheScore’s main app already provides betting information and the company recently introduced a “betting information” tab on their NFL section.

“We’ve been working for a while on how we can enhance our media offerings to support a legalized gaming environment, and we are going to continue to do that on the media app” Levy said. “In terms as to what those crossover points between the media and betting, we have lots of ideas and it will be exciting to roll those out in 2019.”

In another matter concerning Monmouth Park, the New Jersey State Senate passed a bill that would guarantee a five-year, $10 million annual purse subsidy for the racetrack.

Beginning in 2019, the bill would set aside $20 million per year out of the state’s general fund to be divided equally between the state’s Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries. Because Monmouth Park is the only operating Thoroughbred racetrack in the state, it would receive all of the thoroughbred allotment. The Meadowlands Racetrack and Freehold Raceway would split the harness racing subsidy.

The bill would replace an about $17 million subsidy to the industry which was discontinued under former Governor Chris Christie.

The bill now goes to the State Assembly.

The State senate also passed a bill that make people recovering from addiction eligible to work in casinos when they may have previously been denied positions because of criminal records with drug-related offenses.

The bill applies to persons convicted of drug offenses who are enrolled or completed state probationary programs for addiction recovery.

The bill also moves on to the State Assembly.

Finally, DraftKings, which offers online sports betting in the state through a partnership with Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, has now launched an online casino platform at its site. At present, the site only offers online blackjack, but other casino games are expected. DraftKings, however, is not expected to offer online poker.

Atlantic City’s Ocean Resort Banks on Concert Upgrade

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

When Ocean Resort—the former Revel Atlantic City—and Hard Rock Atlantic City—the former Trump Taj Mahal—opened in June on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, it was clear Hard Rock would be banking on live entertainment and concerts to bring in new customers.

Now Ocean Resort wants a piece of that strategy and has announced a deal with Bowery Presents/AEG for an exclusive booking agreement to bring concerts to the casino’s 4,400-seat Ovation Hall.

“We are excited about our partnership with The Bowery Presents/AEG,” said Bruce Deifik, chairman of AC Ocean Walk, LLC, the organization that operates the Ocean Resort Casino. “Being able to combine their experience and expertise in the world of entertainment with the extraordinary venue that is Ovation Hall will allow Ocean Resort Casino to offer our guests and visitors a superior experience.”

Shows already announced include the Monkees, Brian McKnight, Tom Segura, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Loggins and the Isley Brothers.

“The combination of the premier artists that we present along with the high-quality operation that Ocean Resort Casino provides will result in an unrivaled fan experience,” said The Bowery Presents/AEG partner Jim Glancy.

Ocean Resort has lagged behind in revenue in Atlantic City’s now nine casino market, but has seen some bright spots, such as in sports betting, where it operates the number one sportsbook in the city.

However, the casino did get some bad news when it was announced that a former manager of a nightclub on the property has sued the casino saying he was pushed out of a financial arrangement and unjustly terminated.

Joseph Morrissey, of Suffolk County, New York, filed a six-count civil lawsuit Dec. 6 in New York State Superior Court against the casino, according to the Press of Atlantic City.

Morrissey managed HQ2, the casino’s beach club and nightclub, from April to August and is seeking “an amount not less than $10 million,” according to the suit, for breach of contract, defamation/slander, unjust enrichment and detrimental release.

According to the Press, Morrissey claims he was hired to raise $10 million for the casino opening and, in return, was paid $50,000 and hired as manager of the nightclub.

Morrissey’s suit claims he was to be paid an annual salary of $200,000, to receive 30 percent of HQ2 profits and a 49 percent cut of any proceeds from the sale of the club. By mid-August, Morrissey claims the club had sales totaling nearly $2.3 million, of which he was not properly compensated. According to the court documents, Morrissey was repeatedly denied an accounting of the club’s sales.

Deifik said he was aware of the lawsuit, calling it frivolous and saying Morrissey is not credible, the Press reported.

Atlantic City Casino Revenue Up Again

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

Atlantic City’s casino revenue was up an impressive 20 percent in November compared to November of last year, with the city’s now nine casinos taking in $247.65 million compared to $206.4 million in 2017.

And again, the numbers were buoyed by a strong percentage increase in online gaming—up 30.7 percent over last year at $26.9 million—and about $11.5 million in sports betting revenue for the city.

The re-openings of Hard Rock Atlantic City and the Ocean Resort casino in June, however, continued to affect the bottom line of the seven casinos operating in November 2017. Only Resorts Atlantic City saw a revenue increase for the month, at about $16.4 million—a 10 percent increase.

“November was another strong month for the casino industry,” said James Plousis, chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission in a press release. “The stage is set for 2018 to be the third straight year of growth in Atlantic City.”

Total gaming revenue for the year is up 6.5 percent in Atlantic City compared to last year at about $2.6 billion, up from $2.45 billion. November marked the sixth consecutive month that casino revenue grew in the resort and the seventh month overall this year. However, gross operating profits in the industry were down 9.3 percent through September.

For November, the Borgata had revenue of $55.8 million, down 7.1%, followed by the Tropicana at $25.39 million down 3.9%. Harrah’s had $25.35 million in revenue down 10.9%.

Hard Rock reported $21.5 million in revenue, down $1.7 million from October and Ocean Resort earned $11.7 million, down $1.4 million from October.

Meanwhile online gaming and sports betting continued to be winners for the city and state, combining to add about $38.5 million in revenue. Online gaming was up an impressive 30.7 percent to $26.9 million.

Sports betting revenue was a reported $11.5 million last month in Atlantic City, with operators statewide—which includes sportsbooks run through the Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park racetrack– taking in more than $330 million in wagers.

Since being launched in mid-June, sports betting was generated $40.8 million in Atlantic City and $73.2 million statewide, with more than $928 million in wagers placed, according to an analysis by the Associated Press.

Among sports betting providers in November, Resorts Digital, which is partnered with DraftKings, took in $7.1 million in revenue to lead the state’s industry. The Meadowlands Racetrack, partnered with FanDuel, was close behind at $7 million. Ocean Resort was third at $2.8 million, and Monmouth Park Racetrack was fourth at $2.6 million. Both are partnered with William Hill.

The state received $2.4 million in sports betting taxes in November; since it began in mid-June, it has received nearly $8 million in such taxes, according to the AP.

Bets on football have dominated the state’s sports betting at about $328 million. The sportsbooks have held on to just under six percent of all bets in the state. New Jersey does not recognize bets as revenue until contests are finished and all winning bets have been paid.

Harrah’s Partners With Saints, Pelicans

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

Harrah’s New Orleans recently was designated as an Official Casino Partner of the National Football League’s New Orleans Saints and a Proud Casino Partner of the National Basketball Association’s New Orleans Pelicans. The multi-year partnership, starting next year, will allow Harrah’s to develop customized experiences, in-game features and a Saints branded area on property, plus be named an official post-game destination.

Saints and Pelicans President Dennis Lauscha said, “We are proud to align ourselves with a brand such as Harrah’s New Orleans Casino that is an industry leader not only nationally but on a local level as well. Located in the heart of Downtown New Orleans, Harrah’s vision for development and commitment to the city mirror that of the Saints and Pelicans and we could not be happier about this partnership.”

Harrah’s New Orleans Assistant General Manager Kathryn Jenkins added, “We have been entertaining guests and our community in New Orleans for almost 20 years. With this partnership Harrah’s continues our commitment to our local teams and becomes an essential part of the game day experience. From activations to memorable events, fans of the Black and Gold will be able to call Harrah’s New Orleans their game day headquarters.”

Caesars Entertainment Chief Experience Officer Michael Marino noted, “This announcement, along with our previous announced partnerships with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Baltimore Ravens, the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL, demonstrates Caesars’ strong commitment to the professional sports fan experience. New Orleans has a rich heritage in sports, and we are excited to further enhance the game day experience. We look forward to many exciting seasons.”

Both the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans are owned by the late Tom Benson’s wife, Gayle.

Other NFL teams that have advertising deals with casinos include the Cowboys, Ravens, Jets, Seahawks and Lions. The NFL also is said to be seeking an official casino partner, according to Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal.

PokerStars, FanDuel Partner With NBA

Posted on January 2, 2019 by -

The NBA is moving aggressively to line up betting partners.

Some are speculating that the recent partnership that was announced between the Stars Group, owner of PokerStars, and the NBA, signals another effort by PokerStars to wedge itself into the gaming market of California.

The partnership, whose financial details were not announced, is the first such agreement between the Stars Group and a professional sports league in the U.S.

The group will have access to NBA sports data and be able to use the official NBA branding on its sports betting menu.

Matt Primeaux, senior vice president of Strategy & Operations, USA at the Stars Group commented, “We are excited to partner with the NBA as we continue to execute on our U.S. strategy. This agreement enables us to use official NBA data and league marks (logos), providing a better experience to our customers, while working with the NBA to protect the integrity of games.”

“The Stars Group is an accomplished global online gaming leader and we are excited to work with them on their first U.S. sports league partnership,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, a spokesman for the NBA. “This dynamic partnership will be another way to create authentic fan engagement with league logos and official NBA betting data, while leveraging Stars’ global expertise to further optimize the fan experience.”

The arrangement is another indication of the fast growing U.S. sports betting market.

It is one face of a multi-faceted effort by the NBA and other leagues to get a piece of the sports betting action. An effort that has included the so-far unsuccessful effort to persuade states that have legalized sports betting to pay the leagues an “integrity fee,” to help battle corruption. It also includes making real time data available to a spectrum of sports betting brands in return for royalties.

The leagues can, of course, continue to try to collect a royalty from individual bookmakers.

The Stars Group is very well known outside of the U.S. It recently obtained a foothold in the U.S. in New Jersey. Partnering with the NBA opens up a much larger marketplace.

PokerStars had previously tried to get an entrée into the Golden State through the legalization of online poker. However, its association with several gaming tribes, and the extreme hostility of several other tribes toward PokerStars, has so far been enough to doom that effort. This has somewhat toxified the company’s reputation in the state, politically speaking, since opponents continually refer to the company as a “bad actor” because it did business with Americans wanting to bet online even thought that had been illegal in the U.S.

The state has four NBA franchises, more than another other state. According to Steve Stallings, chairman of California Nations Indian Gaming Association, which represents most gaming tribes, that’s not going to affect the political landscape very much.

Stallings told U.S. Bets: “Any time you have these large entities, who do enjoy some public support, there will be an attempt to lobby. I think people underestimate our robust gaming industry here in California. In addition to the tribes, you have the racetracks, you have the cardrooms. Sometimes our initiatives align, sometimes they don’t. For the most part, those three entities are going to have to be a part of the process.”

Stallings added, “When you see these outside groups come in, they aren’t always successful because there is a real tendency in California for things to be homegrown. I think that’s the one limitation, even though we do have sports franchises in California. Time will tell.”

California is the Holy Grail for any company wanting to get into sports betting or online poker since it has by far the largest population in the U.S., and as its officials never stop saying, the fifth largest economy in the world.

Last year Oxford Economics published a study that predicted the state could generate $2.3 billion in sports betting revenue, or seven times that of Nevada. That would dwarf the next largest sports betting markets: Texas and New York.

The state was a fierce battlefield for online poker for several years in a row, until that interest was put into the shadows this year by the lifting of the PASPA ban by the U.S. Supreme Court. Now nobody is talking about online poker, especially since states that allow it, including New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware, are not generating hoped for profits.

Rep. Adam Gray, a longtime advocate for both online poker and sports betting, introduced an online poker constitutional amendment last year in the legislature, but it went nowhere.

This year several gaming firms have indicated they may pursue a sports betting initiative for the 2020 ballot.

There is little support among gaming tribes for the initiative that the card clubs are proposing. There is a longstanding and bitter tribal, card club rivalry that is exemplified by the recent lawsuit by two gaming tribes accusing several card clubs of violating state law.

Stallings told U.S. Bets: “Our real conflict here in California is the expansion of gaming in the cardrooms. Most of the tribes are concerned about an almost full-casino feel in the cardrooms, when they are conducting, what we consider to be, illegal house-banked games].”

Stallings concluded that sports betting has the “same kind of implications as internet poker. If we can’t overcome major hurdles, then the advancement of any legislation, no matter who is behind it, if you don’t have all the tribes on board, is probably not going to happen in California. These landscape issues with the cardrooms have to be settled before we can see sports betting advance.”

Also, the NBA is expanding its 4-year-old fantasy sports partnership with FanDuel to include sports betting.

The multiyear deal designates FanDuel, which began offering traditional sports betting in 2018, as an authorized gaming operator of the NBA, with access to official league data and the right to use league trademarks and logos across its platforms.

FanDuel currently operates online sportsbooks in New Jersey and West Virginia.

“We expect there to be significant innovation around sports betting products in the U.S., and given the innovative partnership we’ve had with FanDuel around fantasy, we’re excited to extend the partnership to include sports betting,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, the league’s head of fantasy and gaming.

The strategy is being expanded internationally as well. Earlier this year, the league forged partnerships with France’s government-sponsored betting operator Francaise Des Jeux and Uruguay’s Supermatch.

More recently, a similar agreement was struck with Codere that sanctions the Spanish gaming multinational as the NBA’s official partner in Mexico, establishing a far-reaching relationship that provides Codere with access to official NBA betting data and branding across its land-based and digital sports betting offerings throughout Mexico with cross-promotion on the NBA’s online and social media platforms, including NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA Mexico.

The NBA’s relationship with FanDuel dates back to 2014 and at one time included an equity stake, which the league sold earlier this year when FanDuel entered the sports betting market.