Daily Archives: August 27, 2022

When Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that she had selected the only North Side option for the citys first casino, she riled many aldermen, especially those who had hoped for a different location. But most Cook County residents, it turns out, are A-OK with her choice.

Time will tell whether Lightfoots casino pays off in jobs and economic growth, but new public opinion polling suggests that the casino has in some ways become a proxy for how residents view the Chicago area more broadly.

To gauge how those who live in the Chicago area feel about the proposed casino, The Harris Poll surveyed a representative sample of them about the project and the city. We found that support for the casino strongly corresponded with ones view of the Chicago area generally: Supporters of the North Side casino complex tend to be markedly more upbeat about the city than opponents.

Compared to supporters, casino critics are twice as likely to describe metro Chicago as struggling (32% to 16%). Two-thirds of casino supporters have a positive view of greater Chicago and believe that it is attracting new residents and businesses, while only 50% of critics say the same.

In this sense, how you view the casino depends on whether you see Chicagos glass as half full or half empty. If you are a booster, the casino represents a new opportunity and no surprise, people who live in the city itself more often view the venture favorably and you may be more likely to care about the specific payoff: money flowing into first responders chronically underfunded pension plans. But if youre a skeptic, the notion of a new casino brings with it the ills of gambling: corruption, dependence and decay.

Tellingly, both sides are glum about the South and West sides, with pluralities saying that these parts of the city are on their way down. Majorities of both groups described the North Side as being established, which raises questions about whether the casinos expected economic development might have done more for Chicago if Lightfoot had chosen one of the South Side sites on her list of finalists. But these could well be chicken-and-egg conundrums: Would the casino provide the spark for an ailing area or would neighborhood decay undercut the new establishment?

In any case, the top-line figures suggest that the mayor and her City Council allies did not hurt themselves politically in May by approving the Ballys plan to convert a 30-acre industrial site in River West into a $1.74 billion entertainment complex that, in addition to a gambling floor with 3,400 slot machines, includes a 500-room hotel, a 3,000-seat theater, six restaurants, a park and a Riverwalk extension.

When told about the scale of the project, as well as the fact that it is expected to pump $200 million annually into pensions for Chicago police and firefighters, 54% of representative adults polled in the online survey said that they support the casino, with 20% opposed and 26% neither for nor against it.

Here again, differences emerge among demographics groups. Those who live in the city itself, for example, more often support the project than those who live in the Cook County suburbs (56% to 51%). Theres an even wider gap between men and women in favoring the casino (61% to 48%).Support falls under 50% for adults with less than a high school education and rises to at least 60% for adults with household incomes of $100,000 and up.

Chicago certainly needs an economic boost, based on our survey. A plurality of area residents (34%) describe the city as declining. Many of those challenges are seen as happening in the South and West sides, but perhaps ominously, more than three-quarters of area residents believe that downtown Chicago has gotten more dangerous in the last year.

Still, two-thirds overall say they enjoy spending time downtown. Will that share rise if the 312 area code includes a casino? Ballys has submitted an application to the Illinois Gaming Board for a license and also still needs permission from the Chicago Plan Commission to move ahead. If everything goes to plan, the new complex wont open until 2026.

But Ballys plans to open an interim casino in the Medinah Temple in River North in 2023, so we should get an early sense of its impact.

How will it all turn out? Place your bets.

Will Johnson is CEO of The Harris Poll, a global public opinion, market research, and strategy firm.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

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Love Chicago? You likely give thumbs-up to the casino plan - Chicago Tribune

An exclusive sneak peek inside the Legends Bay Casino as Olympia Gaming puts the finishing touches on the property prior to its Aug. 30 opening.

Point to something anything inside the new Legends Bay Casino and Court Cardinal will have an interesting story about it.

That comfy-looking seat placed in front of a nearby slot machine? Thats a Gary Platt chair that Cardinal picked after sitting on every chair featured at a casino expo.

The tables inside one of the casinos restaurants? Those are raised exactly 28 inches from the floor, which happens to be the perfect height to match the accompanying chairs that are 18 inches high. The combination, by the way, is the sweet spot thats comfortable for a wide range of people, the Olympia Gaming regional president said.

More: Legends Bay Casino earns gaming commission approval, looking to hire nearly 300 workers

Even the carpet, whose swirling red, blue and tan patterns are reminiscent of agate crystal, has a tale behind it.

A thousand hours went into deciding on these casino carpets, which you want to be warm and inviting but also resist stains and have a good flow, Cardinal said.

Its the little things that you normally dont think about that have hours and hours spent on them.

Then again, when youre getting ready to open a $130 million casino the first new ground-up casino project in Reno-Sparks for more than two decades Cardinal says its crucial to be on top of everything. Whether it be the hiring of nearly 300 employees, the kind of food served in the various restaurants, or, yes, the carpet being used, Cardinal is keeping track of every little detail prior to Legends Bay Casinos Aug. 30 opening.

Court was even able to say exactly how many gaming machines are on the floor at Legends Bay Casino at the moment.

Six hundred sixty-five, Cardinal said without skipping a beat. I know because weve got topay taxes on every machine.

In and around the casino, the sight of employees putting various finishing touches on Legends Bay Casino is commonplace.

Several machines have panels open as technicians work on setting them up. Inside Dukes Steakhouse, new employees gather around a large counter surrounded by a wall of wine bottles to familiarize themselves with the menu.

Outside, a man stands on a raised platform while diligently cleaning the exterior glass. Just below, a couple of guards watch by the front door to ensure that only employees and authorized personnel enter the property. Security was beefed up after some members of the public wandered in to check out the casino.

Weve had a lot of requests from people wanting to see the property, Cardinal said.

All requests have been denied,however, as Legends Bay Casino hunkers down for the final stretch. Cardinal, who opened Olympia Gamings Casino Fandango in Carson City as well as a few other casinos, says hes quite aware of how busy the final days get before a facility finally opens its doors.

A lot of stuff is still getting wired up, Cardinal said. Were also doing a lot of training right now.

So far, Legends Bay Casino has been fortunate with filling all its vacant positions, according to Cardinal. Despite challenges posed by the Great Resignation, which has seen many businesses nationwide struggle to hire and keep employees since the pandemic, hiring has gone smoothly at the new Sparks casino.

Finding employees in Reno-Sparks was also a lot easier compared to Carson City, including hiring experienced workers coming from other casinos, Cardinal said. Costs, however, have definitely gone up.

Salaries across the board had to be raised in the last few years because of COVID, Cardinal said. But thats happening industrywide.

Cardinal smiles like a kid in a candy store as he walks down the floor and reaches a large machine.

The machine features a pair of slots set back to back, with the four vertical screens arcing in a giant half circle with several images of a buffalo a familiar mascot for slot aficionados. Cardinal called it the giant-giant Buffalo arch.

They dont build them anymore and we got the only one in Northern Nevada, Cardinal said.

Buffalo slots along with Lightning Link slots are two of the most popular machines in the market right now, according to Cardinal. Buffalo slots are especially popular among slot machine lovers due to their volatile nature. While it can be easy to quickly rack up a huge loss, its also easy to string together big wins, Cardinal said.

In addition to gaming machines, the Legends Bay Casino floor also has several tables for games like craps and poker. The casino does not have a poker room, however.

You need poker rooms when you have a large, out-of-town contingency and the large hotel-casinos can support that, Cardinal said. When youre a local casino, though, its not as profitable and you end up having the same eight guys in there.

Legends Bay Casino also scrapped plans for a buffet due to COVID concerns and rising food costs, opting to do an indoor food truck hall instead.

It still has a sportsbook, however, which is also the first one in Northern Nevada to be run by Las Vegas-based Circa Sports. Clients will be able to try out the sportsbook along with the rest of the propertys amenities when Legends Bay Casino opens in six days.

Although Cardinal has opened his share of casinos, its admittedly been 19 years since his last one, Casino Fandango in Carson City. The last few days are also some of the most crucial when opening a new casino.

There are always going to be bumps here and there, Cardinal said. You just have to figure them out and overcome them.

While walking through the casino floor, Cardinal took a breath in response to a comment about Legends Bay Casinos new casino smell.

Its the first one (in Reno-Sparks) in over 25 years so youre not going to have a lot of casinos with that new casino smell, Cardinal said with a laugh.

Jason Hidalgo covers businessand technology for the Reno Gazette Journal, and also reviews the latest video games. Follow him on Twitter @jasonhidalgo. Like this content?Support local journalism with anRGJ digital subscription.

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Here's a first look inside the new Legends Bay Casino in Sparks - Reno Gazette Journal

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) The Sky River Casino in Elk Grove opened its doors in August, becoming Sacramento Countys first tribal casino.

On the casinos opening day, there were long lines of cars full of people eager to check out the new 100,000-square-foot-facility.

The casino is located off Highway 99 on 1 Sky River Parkway in Elk Grove and features 2,000 slot machines, 80 tables, and 17 planned restaurants and bars.

The new casino was originally supposed to open in September, which at the time was considered ahead of schedule.

Sky River Casino is the closest gambling spot for residents in the city of Sacramento and its reach also includes West Sacramento, Arden-Arcade, Davis, and Rancho Cordova.

For people driving to Sky River from Sacramento, the distance is approximately 24 minutes or 17.9 miles.

As for other tribal casinos in the Sacramento region, here is how far youll have to drive from the city of Sacramento.

The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Wheatland opened its doors on October 2019 and has over 1,500 slot machines, 57 table games and 169 luxurious hotel rooms and suites.

Recently, the casino opened its new music and entertainment venue in June with Maroon 5 as the first performers. Since the venue made its debut with Maroon 5, the venue has hosted multiple music and comedy acts. The venue is also made to host MMA and boxing fights, charity events and trade shows.

The casino is located off Highway 65 on 3317 Forty Mile Road in Wheatland.

Thunder Valley, a 270,000-square-foot facility, in Lincoln has become a popular spot in the area, as its casino features 3,500 slot machines, 100 table games, a live poker room for tournaments, and a bingo room that holds up to 800 players.

For those who arent interested in gambling, Thunder Valley features a spa, 18 restaurants and bars including a poolside bar at its resort. Its hotel is 17 stories with 408 rooms including 40 suites.

Thunder Valley is located off Highway 65 on 1200 Athens Venue in Lincoln.

The Red Hawk Casino, located off Highway 50 at 1 Red Hawk Parkway in Placerville, features over 2,500 slots ranging from one penny to $25. The casino also features table games and multiple restaurants and bars.

Unlike other tribal casinos in the area, Red Hawk doesnt have a resort attached to its casino, but there are multiple hotels nearby, according to its website.

Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort, located at 12222 New York Ranch Road in Jackson in Amador County, features over 1,700 slot machines and 32 table games.

As for the casinos resort, Jackson Rancheria features 86 rooms and people can also stay overnight at its nearby RV park.

Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks in the Capay Valley in Yolo County. The casino originally opened as a bingo hall in the mid-1980s and has since become a 400,000-square-foot resort.

According to its website, Cache Creek has over 2,300 slot machines, multiple table games, and a lounge. Its resort features the Yocha Dehe Golf Club, which features 18 holes, a spa, pools along with 459 rooms and suites in its hotel.

The casino and resort is located of Highway 16 at 14455 CA-16 in Brooks.

Another casino in Amador County, Harrahs Northern California is located at 4640 Coal Mine Road in Ione.

The casino floor features 950 slot machines and 20 table games, but attendees will need to book a hotel nearby. According to the casinos website, there are multiple nearby hotels for an overnight stay.

For Caesars Reward members, you can earn redeem points at the Harrahs Northern California location.

There are also multiple non-tribal casinos in the Sacramento area. These facilities dont include slot machines.

Here is where theyre located:

Capitol Casino, 411 North Street, Sacramento, Ca 95811

Stones Gambling Hall, 6510 Antelope Road, Citrus Heights, Ca 95621

Parkwest Casino Lodi, 1800 South Cherokee Lane, Lodi, Ca 95240

Parkwest Casino Lotus, 6010 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, Ca, 95824

Parkwest Casino Cordova, 2801 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, Ca, 95670

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Casinos in the Sacramento area and how far they are - KTXL FOX 40 Sacramento

People wearing masks walk in front of Casino Lisboa, before its temporary closing, following the coronavirus outbreak in Macau, China February 4, 2020. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo

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HONG KONG, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Macau has fixed a limit of 6,000 gaming tables and 12,000 gaming machines for new casino operators early next year, as well as minimum income levels for each operator, the government in the world's biggest gambling hub said on Friday.

It is the first time authorities have set a formal cap on the numbers of tables and a minimum income requirement, as the government looks to tighten control of casino operators who raked in $36 billion in 2019, before COVID-19 disruptions.

With contracts set to expire at the end of the year, the territory's six licensed operators, Sands China (1928.HK), Wynn Macau (1128.HK), Galaxy Entertainment (0027.HK), MGM China (2282.HK), SJM Holdings (0880.HK), Melco Resorts have to rebid for their spots.

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The highly anticipated bidding process kicked off in July, when the government said global gaming operators could submit bids for new licenses from July 29 until September 14.

"The new gaming operation from early next year will ... cap the total amount of all gaming tables and gaming machines to ensure orderly and healthy development," the government said in a statement on its website.

Minimum annual gross income from each gaming table is set at 7 million patacas ($866,122) while the figure for each gaming machine is 300,000 patacas ($37,120), the government said.

Such figures of minimum gross revenue guarantee a minimum level of tax for the government, with the operator having to make up the gap if revenues fall short.

The rules aim to spur licensed companies to make good use of approved tables and machines, the government said.

A nominal cap on table games set by the government in 2012 allowed for compound annual growth of 3% on the number of tables available for all casinos.

By the end of 2021, Macau had a total of 6,198 gaming tables and 11,758 machines in operation. That was down from a high of 6,739 tables in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The rebidding takes place amid Macau's worst outbreak of COVID-19, which led to a 12-day closure of casinos in July. While they have re-opened, there is no business, as curbs are only being lifted slowly.

At a time when other gambling centres in the world are getting busy again, Macau's COVID-19 curbs are burning through about $600 million a month. The casinos are expected to have little to no income for months, analysts say. read more

($1=8.0820 patacas)

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Reporting by Farah Master and Twinnie Siu; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Clarence Fernandez

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Macau sets first formal cap on casino tables, income amid bidding war - Reuters

08:0427 Aug

The gunman in last weeks Oregon casino shooting that left a bystander wounded demanded $1,000,000 from the cashier and threatened to bathe everyone in blood according to court documents...

As we reported just a few days ago, an armed gunman robbed the Wildhorse Resort and Casino but was involved in a shootout as he made his escape.

Now it has been revealed that the 51-year-old suspect, named as Javier Francisco Vigil, told the cashier Im f*cking God...Im going to bathe everyone in blood, as he demanded $1million.

The gunman had an automatic pistol and two extra magazines of ammunition on his hip, wearing a white football jersey, a baseball cap, gloves and sunglasses, as he entered the casino in broad daylight.

Court documents from the FBI, reported by the Tri-City Herald newspaper, show that the cashier thought Vigil was joking when he walked straight to her desk and handed her a note demanding $1million.

Her laughter turned to fear, however, when Vigil pulled a gun and started making threats, although the cashier managed to press the emergency button as Vigil filled a bag with cash.

The cashier claims that Vigil, caught on camera as he robbed the cage, said:

Two minutes after entering the tribal casino, situated on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Vigil made his way to the exit with $69,068 in stolen cash.

However, he was faced with a Umatilla Tribal Police Department (UTPD) officer who was positioned behind his K-9 vehicle, and a shootout ensued during which Vigil and a bystander were both injured.

Local media reported that the responding officers vehicle had multiple bullet holes in it, including the front hood, front passenger tire and through the front passenger and driver side windows.

Vigil has reportedly claimed he intentionally shot an officers vehicle because he did not want to hurt the officer.

It is unclear as yet who shot the unidentified bystander, a Pendleton School District employee apparently there as part of a school event.

The FBI special agent whose report the court received says that by the time he arrived, Vigil was lying on the ground with a gunshot wound and a pistol and clear bag of unfolded cash lay next to him.

Vigil, who has a long history of burglary, theft, assault and resisting arrest or fleeing charges, has been denied bail by Federal Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo. A formal arraignment has been set for September 15th.

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Wildhorse Casino Gunman Demanded $1million and Threatened to Bathe Everyone in Blood - PokerTube

Im on a mission to find the best metaverse casino out there.

Bring me the top casino in the metaverse, post haste. One that has everything I want and could possibly need. From great games and bonuses to opportunities to make passive income from my wagers, I want it. And I want it now.

You might be thinking that my demands are unreasonable. Thats because they are. It takes time to compare the best and much patience. But thankfully, Ive done the leg work to deliver some excellent metaverse casinos you should try out.

Some of you will be thinking, What is the metaverse? And thats fine. Its probably best to establish a frame of reference for how it all works before diving in at the deep end.

When you have a basic idea of metaverse gambling, lets get down to business.

Should You Play at a Trusted Online Casino Instead?

How does the best metaverse casino compare with those online?

Ill stop short of giving you a defining answer to that question now. There is a lot to consider before we weigh up both sides of the coin. But I would also keep in mind that comparing thebest casinos in the metaverse to the leading online sites isnt easy.

There are the more obvious points to consider, of course. First, to play at any metaverse casino, you will need a virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) appliance. Its not as easy as just logging on through your phone or home computer.

Many are reluctant to say goodbye to online casinos for that reason alone.

Others will play in both worlds, and Ill share mytop metaverse casinos below, so you know where to explore. But if you have stumbled on this piece looking for the best casinos online, the following table lays out our leading recommendations.

#1

Welcome Bonus

240% up to $12,500

Deposit Method & Payout

Bitcoin (1-3 days)

Credit Cards (3-4 days)

Bank Wire (5 days)

#2

Welcome Bonus

280% up to $14,000

Deposit Method & Payout

Bitcoin (1-3 days)

Bank Wire (within 5 days)

Credit Cards (3-4 days)

Casinos in Decentraland

Decentraland is considered by many to be the home of the best metaverse casinos.

The platform hosts Decentral Games, a grid ofdecentralized applications (dApps) that run on its exclusive DG token. The network which encompasses these metaverse casino games is spearheaded by a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) where token holders can contribute to games and casinos on the platform.

There are two main gaming worlds to explore in Decentraland. These are ICE Poker and the standard metaverse casino experience. ICE Poker, as it happens, is widely considered the top casino in the metaverse.

Its not difficult to see why, given its groundbreaking and innovative approaches. Never mind the full range of games accessible to players. Everything from poker, roulette, blackjack, and slots is easily found inside a bright and encapsulating world of high-tech betting.

Decentral Games offers two different types of Metaverse gambling experiences: ICE Poker and an average Metaverse casino.

The ICE NFT token allows players to try their luck at several games while providing access to other challenges and competitions, with the DG token serving as the governance token. With these, players can use communityvotes to modify economic incentives and allocate fees that accrue in the Decentral Games treasury.

That all sounds very interesting. Of course, one thing you cant do at Decentraland is bet on live dealer casinos for real money. If thats something a little more to your liking, Id probably consider Bovada a better option.

The Sandbox Casinos

Another one of the best metaverse casino experiences you can find is the SandVegas Casino.

Admittedly, this world is still being developed. As such, it will take a while before it catches the eye of many players. The project is very ambitious, however, with the likes of Adidas and Snoop Dogg getting involved.

If youre looking forwhere to gamble in the metaverse, its worth keeping this one in mind.

Alongside various games such as slots, poker, and roulette, there is also a chance to make money and buy into a fractional ownership program.

If youre still wondering what the metaverse exactly is, this could all seem crazy.

I digress. The early-stage design looks promising. It allows players to immerse themselves in a world where they can kick back and enjoy games. Or listen to live DJ sets and grab a couple of cocktails while shooting the breeze with others.

Well, not real cocktails. I mean, we havent quite gotten that far with metaverse gambling. The same applies to real money. So, if playing blackjack with cash deposited from your card or e-wallet is how you like it, the chances are youll find this a little grating.

If thats the case, you could always explore the options over at Wild Casino.

EarnBet Casino

Since arriving on the block fairly recently, EarnBet has turned some heads.

Its already being touted as the best casino in the metaverse by some critics. And there appear to be many reasons for believing that. The design is nice and straightforward, encouraging players to buy into the project to see the faster progression.

Founded on the BET crypto token, EarnBet allows players to access a growing library of games with low house edges. More than that, you can further reduce house edges by taking with BET.

Some of the more attractive points of playing at one of thebest metaverse casinos online include.

These are very appealing factors. But not everyone will be interested in them, of course.

Some players will indeed want to play the best metaverse casino games for novelty purposes. Others will be looking to find a new home, with casinos like EarnBet obvious destinations. As for providing you with a 100% no-frills gambling experience? Nah.

In my opinion, excellent all-in-one betting sites online will take some beating. For that reason, casinos like Las Atlantis will continue to see new players looking to sample their burgeoning catalog of slots and other games.

Edgeless Casino

Its tough to ignore Edgeless.io when discussing thetop metaverse casinos.

Touted as the worlds first Ethereum-powered crypto casino, the site welcomes players of all backgrounds to try their luck in the metaverse realm. One aspect that might be of interest to safer gamblers is that they value a straightforward and completely honest approach to betting.

Edgeless is officially licensed by the Curacao Gaming Commission.

The company behind this site wants to set a precedent of complete frankness.

To be fair, they do just that. Not only do they publish their smart contract and Edgeless Casino bankroll, but you can also find details of every jackpot payout from the site. This is all readily available on the blockchain for players.

Edgeless utility coin is EDG and runs off the Ethereum blockchain. You can use the coin to bet on roulette, slots, jackpot games, and their Crash title.

You could give these guys a look if youre wondering where to play casino games in the metaverse. But if youre still not sold on the idea, El Royale Casino is a real money site with a vast library of casino games.

Comparing the Best Metaverse Casinos

I guess the best metaverse casino is the one that ticks all your boxes.

Subjectivity is at the heart of any comparison. That theory stands up to any criticism, in my opinion. What one person enjoys might be a mini sample of hell for the next person, and vice versa.

Important

To find the best casino in the metaverse, you should try as many as you can.

Who has time for that, though?

The main reason I shared my top four metaverse casino sites with you today was to help you with that process. Its much easier to list four of them and let you go away and try them out for yourself.

But as you will have noticed, I also provided you with some stellar alternatives in the form of top-class casinos and betting sites.

Now, if those alternative casinos are already known to you, perhaps its worth looking through a more extensive list. Who knows you could even find thebest US casino onlineby comparing them.

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Finding the Best Metaverse Casino - Where Should You Play? - Gambling Sites

"Wes Side" Wesley Fei won a house, while Eric Persson lost one during a memorable nine-hour Thursday night Hustler Casino Live stream that included dozens of six-figure pots.

The high-stakes cash game that started with a $50,000 minimum buy-in at $100/$200 stakes, but turned into a much bigger game with the blinds increasing, straddles on throughout most of the session, and many players adding on to their stacks.

Jean-Robert Bellande, making his debut appearance on Hustler Casino Live, was, to the surprise of no one, the most talkative player at the table, and also one of the most active. What appeared to be headed towards a brutal six-figure losing session for "JRB" turned into a massive victory thanks to a late heater deep into the night.

Alan Keating, who infamously lost $1.1 million in the historic "MrBeast Game" in May, showed up with a $500,000 stack, only to dust most of it off with his usual loose play before battling back to near-even before the stream ended at around 2:30 a.m. PT.

More than 16,000 were tuned in at any given time throughout the night, a stark contrast to rival Live at the Bike, which had over 600 concurrent viewers for the second straight night of "Phil Hellmuth Week."

"We murdered them. Like a crime scene with yellow tape and a coroner is needed," HCL co-owner Nick Vertucci told PokerNews of the battle for views this week against Live at the Bike.

Bellande's session started off by having his pocket aces cracked, a common occurrence it seems when he appears on a televised poker show. He didn't lose a ton of his $100,000 buy-in in that hand, but he did lose a heck of a lot more in the most memorable hand he played all night against Fei, who couldn't seem to lose a pot for hours.

With , Fei went for a limp-reraise to $33,000 and was called by the of Bellande. The flop came out and both players checked to see the on the turn. Action checked to "JRB," now with two pair, who bet out $40,000 and received a call from top pair.

The river was the , a brutal card for Bellande, who still moved all in for $86,000 and knew he was beat when "Wes Side" snap-called and then showed a better two pair to take down the $282,000 pot.

"Oh my god!" Bellande exclaimed as he angrily stood up from his seat.

That was an epic hand but perhaps not the best hand of the night. Late in the stream, Persson made the mistake of trying to bluff Keating, one of the loosest players around. And it cost him dearly.

On a flop of , Persson fired off a $20,000 bet with into a pot of around $30,000. There was no way that bet was going to get through, not with Keating, who just called, holding .

The turn was the , leaving Phil Hellmuth's newest rival drawing dead, but that didn't stop him from betting another $50,000. Keating made the call and then filled up on the river.

Persson was unable to take his foot off the gas and moved all in for $150,000. Keating snap-called and won the $478,000 pot, the largest of the day. The frustrating session came to a conclusion for Persson, who was steaming on the way out, understandable after dusting off over $600,000 over nine hours. Moments before that hand, he had lost a $443,000 pot when he bluffed into the pocket kings of the happy-go-lucky Ryusuke, who joined the table late.

Mikki Mase, a controversial poker player who claims he can beat baccarat, battled throughout most of the night and was actually up a bit for quite some time following a rough start. In the end, however, he couldn't fold top pair with a weak kicker and lost to the ace-kicker of Bellande in a six-figure pot that sent Mase to a disappointing exit.

That hand completely turned around Bellande's night as it finally put him up for what was an otherwise rough session. He'd go on to finish the stream with an impressive $210,000 profit. Fei, however, was the biggest winner on the day, and booked a $482,000 win when the cameras stopped rolling.

Ben, another player who joined the game late, finished with a $182,000 profit and only played for a couple of hours. J.R., an HCL high-stakes regular, quietly profited $67,000 before leaving early, leaving a seat open for others to enter the game.

Ryusuke, like Keating, took a small loss, while Mase and Persson were the biggest losers. Boxer Ryan Garcia, who has a 23-0 record in the ring, was knocked out early and lost his $100,000 stack.

On Friday night starting at 5 p.m. PT, Hustler Casino Live will wrap up High Stakes Week with a $200/$400 game with many of the same players, including Fei and Keating, seated at the table.

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Wesley Fei, JRB Win all the Money, Persson Torches Off $600K on HCL - PokerNews.com

Dutch state-owned operator Holland Casino shared Wednesday its financial results for the first half of the year. For the period ended June 30, the company reported total revenue of 353.4 million ($352.3 million). The revenue for H1 is more than the total recorded during the entirety of 2021 or 2020 when the business posted 304.2 million and 333.1 million, respectively.

Online gaming made up 23% of H1's total revenue with 82.8 million ($82.5 million). iGaming represents a fairly new vertical for Holland Casino, as it was legalized in the country in October last year.

The business also reported EBITDA of 40 million ($39.8 million). Meanwhile, its pre-tax profit was 8.2 million ($8.1 million). "This result was achieved despite the fact that we were still confronted with significant corona restrictions in the first two months of this year," the company noted in a press release.

Nol Leise, Holland Casino's Director of Operations, said: "Fortunately, our loyal guests have found Holland Casino again en masse. And our committed employees do everything they can to ensure that they have a great time at Holland Casino."

"We also see that our online guests continue to appreciate our offer despite the increasing competition," Leise continued. "We, therefore, expect a positive year for Holland Casino. Of course, that still depends on the Covid-19 developments in the autumn and how quickly we can have enough employees in the tight labor market. But these half-year figures again form a promising basis."

The operator also repaid 51.7 million ($51.5 million) worth of taxes that had been deferred due to the impact of the pandemic during the first half of the year. In total, the business had 313.4 million ($312.4 million) deferred.

Chief financial officer Ruud Bergervoet said the operator was currently set up to pay off the remainder in a maximum of 60 installments, but it was exploring paths to pay it back more quickly. Additionally, he highlighted the company is making a profit again and is "in good financial shape."

Among highlights for the period, in May the company announced that Petra de Ruiter will become the company's new CEO, as ofSeptember 1. She is currently Chief Operations Officer at Dutch airline Transavia and is set to replace Erwin van Lambaart in the role.

Moreover, subsequent to the period, in July the business signed a partnership with Evolution, thus granting the Holland Casino online playersfull access to NetEntandRed Tiger's gaming catalogs.

Also in July, the company extended its partnership with International Game Technology (IGT) by launching a new version of the Mega Millions wide area progressive (WAP) jackpot in the Netherlands.Players across the country now have access to Mega Millions WAP wins onIGTs newly deployed PeakSlant49 cabinet.

Earlier this month, Dutch casino signage specialist Signs4U completed the installation of IGT's Mega Millions WAP inall 14 Holland Casino locations. Each of the venues has a bank of six, eight, or ten slots surmounted by a sign that is designed and built using the latest flexible LED panels from Signs4U.

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Holland Casino returns to profit and posts $353M in revenue for H1, aided by new online gaming segment - Yogonet International

Resorts World Las Vegas has partnered with Q-SYS (opens in new tab) to create amazing experiences for patrons in their luxury suites, event spaces, and common areas. The Q-SYS Platform delivers a software-based solution that supports large-scale centralized processing comprised of over 2,000 end points throughout two towers, over 3,500 rooms, and multiple dining and event experiences, plus a massive casino floor. In addition, Q-SYS can easily accommodate growth plans and ever-changing requirements.

Powered by two Q-SYS Core 5200 Enterprise Cores, one for each hotel tower, the luxury suites offer twelve different room types with fully automated systems including AV distribution, ceiling loudspeakers, in-wall touch screen controls and environmental controls. To provide real-time visibility of each of these spaces, the One Touch Living integration team developed a series of custom Q-SYS I/O dashboards.

[QSC Brings Q-SYS Control to Google Meet Hardware Ecosystem] (opens in new tab)

Its a very powerful platform, said Corey Brushia, president, One Touch Living. I discovered I can use CSS to build out some really nice user interface dashboards, and theres so much that we can do with it.

The nightlife hub of the resort includes a nightclub, a dayclub, a social gaming and dining experience as well as an experiential dining venue, all of which must function independently, while also integrating with each other for special events. With a wide array of end users utilizing these spaces, control also needs to strike a balance between functionality and simplicity.

To deliver such a flexible, yet integrated event experience, integration company Solotech utilized the open architecture of Q-SYS to customize an overarching system and easily integrate third-party devices, while leveraging Q-SYS as the heart of the routing capabilities.

The Q-SYS Platform is incredibly inclusive of their third-party partners, so the diversity you can build in is by far one of the nicest things Ive ever had with any product, said Ben Baczenas, integration system designer at Solotech.

[InfoComm 2022 Impulses: Trends and Technologies Showcased in Las Vegas] (opens in new tab)

Encompassing the gaming floor, hotel lobbies, gaming salons, corridors, hallways, vestibules, elevators and more, these common areas are each part of a larger system, but each also have their own unique requirements. The software-based relationship between Q-SYS and Dante as a licensed feature allows for simple additions to the network, everything from Bluetooth audio to DJ inputs.

In addition, with an installation as large and variable as Resorts World Las Vegas, Q-SYS Open technology enabled the team to standardize regardless of the space type. Programmers can quickly conceptualize and adjust globally, while also providing the added benefit of allowing the in-house AV team to quickly master the system.

Q-SYS is the only truly network friendly audio, video and control platform, said Shane Snell, project manager, National Technology Associates. I dont think I design anything right now but Q-SYS.

[AV Network's top stories, product news, and expert insights] (opens in new tab)

Resorts World Las Vegas partnered with Technology West Group to implement a gigantic AV-over-IP network that comprised of over 2,000 Visionary Solution endpoints and 2,000 Q-SYS audio channels, encompassing almost every area of the property. With multiple plugins readily available, Visionary Solutions endpoints seamlessly integrate into Q-SYS making the combination an ideal partnership to act as the Resorts World Las Vegas network foundation.

The support is one of the greatest stories of Q-SYSits very rare now in the industry that you have a great product matched with great support, said Richard Reisig, vice president, technology West Group.

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From Luxury Suites to the Casino Floor, Q-SYS Delivers a Mass-Scale Experience on the Las Vegas Strip - AV Network