Category Archives: Casino

Pennsylvania reported a record $432.5 million in gambling revenue in November, up 48% from pre-pandemic numbers two years ago and the eighth straight month of elevated revenue following the widespread rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

Almost all of the growth over the last two years has been in new online forms of gaming, including such casino games as slots and blackjack, and also sports betting. Online gaming and sports betting were authorized under a 2017 expansion of Pennsylvanias gaming law.

Retail revenue from brick-and-mortar casinos slot machines, table games, and in-house sportsbooks was up only 3.6% since November 2019. Four new casinos have opened in the last two years, so the slightly larger revenue is now spread among 16 properties, including three mini-casinos, up from 12 casinos operating in 2019.

The opening last year of the Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia in the citys stadium district has apparently cannibalized customers from Harrahs Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester, Rivers Casino in Philadelphia, and to a lesser extent, Parx Casino in Bensalem.

Across Pennsylvania, slot machine revenue is down 2% from two years ago. But at Harrahs, slot revenue was down 32% from November 2019, and at Rivers Philadelphia, slot revenue sank by nearly 28%. At Parx, slot revenue was down 9% from November 2019.

Revenue from table games such as blackjack, roulette, poker, and craps, which is about half the money generated by slot machines, is up 11% statewide since 2019. But it fell 25% at Harrahs. Rivers Philadelphia and Parx reported increases in table games revenue in the last two years.

The scenario unfolding in Pennsylvania is not dissimilar to that in New Jersey, where total gaming revenues are up, but Atlantic City casino operators say the transition to internet gambling is mostly benefiting online gaming operators and sportsbooks. They say physical casino operations and their employees are suffering.

The New Jersey Legislature this week rushed through tax relief for the casinos that is awaiting a signature from Gov. Phil Murphy, who has indicated his support.

In Pennsylvania, in-person gaming at casinos accounted for 64% of total gaming revenue in November, down from a 91% share two years ago.

Casino revenue appears to have been impacted in several states where internet gambling is legalized Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and West Virginia, said Roger Gros, publisher of Global Gaming Business Magazine in Nevada. Michigan also launched internet gaming this year.

But Gros does not think that online gaming is entirely responsible for flat-lining casino revenue. Some casino customers may have not returned because of the coronavirus, he said. And younger gamblers whom casinos are trying to attract prefer table games over slot machines.

I dont think its really bad news for casinos because it really does diversify the revenue that they get, he said. If, God forbid, theres another pandemic lockdown, theyll still have revenue coming in through the online side.

The November gaming numbers also do not reflect any impact that the omicron variant may be having on casino traffic. Gros said Las Vegas hotel reservations for New Years Eve are strong. I dont think its impacting anybody so far, he said. People are just tired of it, and who knows what this omicron thing is doing when it comes to how severe it is.

The addition of online gaming has upended Pennsylvanias ranking of casinos by revenue source, which Parx Casino has led for years. Parx still generates the most revenue from brick-and-mortar operations.

But when online revenue is included, the list is topped by Hollywood Casino at Penn National, whose online gaming platform is operated by DraftKings, followed by Valley Forge Casino Resort, which has formed a partnership with FanDuel. DraftKings and FanDuel are the dominant sports-betting operators, and also offer casino gaming.

Most of the growth in Pennsylvanias gaming activity can trace its roots to the states sweeping gaming-expansion legislation in 2017, which created mini-casinos and allowed sports betting and betting online and on video terminals at truck stops. The credit-rating agency Moodys Investors Service said at the time that the new betting options were likely to cut into casino business.

While the state finances may benefit from this bill, it is less clear to what extent existing operators in the state will actually benefit, Moodys said in a 2017 report.

Indeed, Pennsylvanias state coffers have experienced robust growth in tax revenue from the upsurge in gaming. Pennsylvania generated $171.9 million in tax revenue in November from gaming, up 44% from pre-COVID November 2019.

In the last 12 months, Pennsylvania has captured $1.8 billion from gaming taxes, some of which is channeled to local governments.

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Pa. gaming revenue is on a roll, but not at the casinos - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Posted on: December 23, 2021, 11:31h.

Last updated on: December 23, 2021, 11:47h.

The Shinnecock Indian Nation on New Yorks Long Island revealed this week that it was one of the respondents to the states recent request for information (RFI). Thats regarding the potential issuing of three downtown commercial casino licenses.

Speaking with The Southampton Press, Shinnecock Tribal Chair Bryan Polite and Vice Chair Randy King confirmed that the tribe responded to the states RFI for the three unawarded commercial casino licenses that were authorized under New Yorks 2013 gaming expansion bill.

The RFI is to solicit information from parties interested in developing and/or operating a casino downstate. The 2013 gaming package authorized four upstate commercial casinos, and provided those facilities with a monopoly on slot machines and table games until 2023.

State officials are considering beginning the issuance of the three downstate casino licenses ahead of 2023 to allow the properties to open soon after the embargo ends.

The Shinnecock Indian Nation is located on the eastern end of Long Island. The tribe has been seeking to build a tribal casino for years on its sovereign land in order to assure its economic prosperity in the future.

The tribe is finally getting closer. Being a federally recognized tribe, the Shinnecock Nation does not need state or local approval to conduct Class II gaming on its lands.

The US Department of the Interiors Bureau of Indian Affairs has already accepted the tribes land into trust, which nearly clears the way for the Shinnecocks to build and operate bingo-based games. Final federal approval is pending an environmental impact report of the project.

The tribe wants to develop a bingo parlor just outside Southampton Village that would feature 1,000 video lottery terminals and a 30-table poker room. But for traditional slot machines and table games, the tribe must reach a Class III gaming compact with the state.

Polite and King say that was unattainable during former Gov. Andrew Cuomos (D) time in office. The tribal officials hope for a better outcome with sitting Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).

She seems focused on getting a lot of these things across the finish line, said Polite.

The tribal chair added that Cuomo was aggressive toward Indian territory and never operated in good faith.

Though the Shinnecock Nation replied to the New York casino RFI, the odds are long that the tribe will receive one of the three downstate commercial licenses. The Native American group is a small community with only around 1,200 tribal members.

Should the tribe pursue one of the three licenses, it will be going up against massive gaming companies that have multibillion-dollar market valuations. Notable RFI respondents include Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts, Ballys, and Hard Rock International.

Hard Rock, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, had agreed in 2020 to help the Shinnecock Indian Nation pursue their gaming dreams in Long Island. That partnership dissolved, however, as the Seminoles announced in February of this year that it will not have any involvement in the Shinnecock casino moving forward.

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Shinnecock Indian Nation Moving Forward with Tribal Casino on New York Long... - Casino.Org News

SCHENECTADY Withthe creation of three more New York casinos potentially on the horizon, state gambling regulators sought and received input on the issue: Thirty organizations, companies and people submitted comment.

New York voters in 2013 approved licensing of up to seven casinos off Indian land. The first four would be upstate, and no licenses downstate would be issued downstate until at least seven years after the first was issued upstate, to give the upstate casinos a chance to establish themselves.

The seven-year mark is in early 2023. The process of granting additional licenses beyond the first four would begin well before that, however, because of the length of time it would take. The state Gaming Commissions request for information is an early part of the process.

Among those responding were several casino operators, including Rush Street Gaming, the Illinois company that owns Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady as well as casinos in other states.

Neil Bluhm and Greg Carlin, chairman and CEO respectively of Rush Street, said they enthusiastically support issuance of the three downstate casino licenses and said the downstate market could easily accommodate all three.

They asked for Rush Street to have the opportunity to win one of the licenses, and held up the Schenectady casino as a model of a successful project. Rivers has had a major economic impact and has a workforce of nearly 1,000 that is 42% minority and 42% female, they said.

Rush Street Gaming is ready and equipped to bring the same collaborative approach to the development of a Downstate gaming facility that we used to transform a former brownfield site in the city of Schenectady into a thriving economic engine and a flourishing riverfront destination, Rush Streets submission read.

Also submitting comment from Schenectady was Philip Morris, CEO of Proctors, writing on behalf of the Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame.

When the first four casinos were being set up in New York state, the coalition was formed to protect performing arts venues from the potentially strong and/or unfair competition that would arise if the casinos added large-scale performance space.

The coalition has enjoyed good relations with the casinos in the nearly five years since then, Morris wrote, and the harm to theaters seen in states such as Connecticut and New Jersey did not occur in New York.

We urge the commission to continue to require consideration of local cultural impacts as part of the licensing process, Morris wrote.

Categories: Business, News

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Operator of Rivers Casino Schenectady hopes to build casino near NYC The Daily Gazette - The Daily Gazette

We all know that online casino games have become extremely popular, which means that their owners must make sure that their betting platforms are safe and secure. The thing is that such popularity caused fraudulent wagering websites. Moreover, the transactions are performed online, so there is a bigger number of Internet theft worldwide. That is why bettors are more concerned about the question of security, and one of the challenges that gambling providers are facing is the security of their websites. To keep yourself safe as a player, you can read best online casino reviews UK that address all the security issues.

There are a few things the gambling operators can do to secure an online casino, and you can figure out what they are further in this article.

The legitimacy of a betting platform must be ensured by the license a certain provider holds. From the licensing authority, it is possible to learn how high the quality of the gambling website is. The wagering website is required to abide by all the license granting authority standards to receive and keep the license.

Nowadays, there are a few trustworthy casino authorities, and they are:

If online casino providers want their customers to play on a trusted platform, then they tend to use up-to-date SSL encryption. This technology is utilized to keep the data safe; consequently, all the processes are secure. With the help of SSL encryption and a firewall, gambling websites make sure that all personal details remain private.

The KYC process is considered to be an essential step to make sure that both the parties are safe. The gambling websites must make sure that their customers go through the age verification and ID verification because they are required to comply with the authoritative bodies` rules. The gambling websites are regarded as the safest if they do their best to provide high-level security measures.

Thanks to blockchain technology, it is much safer these days to receive bonuses, make bets, and play games online. It also simplifies the payment process. Before this technology appeared, there were a lot of fraudulent gambling platforms, so many people lost their money. Blockchain brought cryptocurrency to betting websites, so the transaction process has become more transparent.

This technology makes punters` experience more real. However, user experience improvement is not the only great thing about it. A live dealership makes punters understand that the authenticity is there and maintains the gambling websites` reputation.

The correct providers will not only emphasize the quality of offered casino games, but they will also make use of a reliable source, which can be NetEnt, Arrow, Playtech, etc. When punters see that products released by these reputed providers are introduced on the website, they do not doubt its legitimacy. Therefore, they are sure that they will receive the money they win. These brands are both reputable and licensed, so online casinos do their best to have their games to maintain safe gaming.

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Tricks That Keep the Casino Safe - Fish Stripes

Aurlien Tchouamni will be one of the most coveted players in upcoming transfer windows, with the 22-year-old midfielder already a frequent target of countless rumors linking him with various top European sides, Chelsea included.

His current team, AS Monaco are of course aware of all this and will be setting their asking price accordingly if and when transfer speculation evolves into actual transfer activity. Just how high might that price be?

Well, as they say, if you have to ask, you cant afford it.

He is a complete midfielder, very fast and physically strong, he reminds me of Steven Gerrard. He is already a top player despite being only 22, but if we want to become a top club, then we should not sell him. We are an ambitious club...

However, well assess the situation at the end of the season. The player is under contract until 2024 and his transfer value is the one of a top player. Everything is expensive in Monte Carlo, lets say that Tchouamni is as expensive as the Grand Casino.

-Paul Mitchell; source: Tuttosport via Football Italia

Sounds a bit more than the 60m rumored before!

Do wonder which is higher, Bank of England money for Declan Rice or Grand Casino jackpot for Tchouamni? Place your bets!

Meanwhile, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has resurfaced in the AS Roma rumor mill recently, with Jos Mourinhos side apparently hoping to (dust themselves off and) try again (try again) after getting rebuffed in the summer. If at first you dont succeed...

This is the Serie A were talking about, so of course its a loan with a potential buy option that they are supposedly planning.

Good luck with that.

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Monacos Aurlien Tchouamni as expensive as the Grand Casino - We Ain't Got No History

Online casinos are popular betting websites visited by people who want to play slots or experience some of the best games with real dealers. Even though they are not regulated in most countries, people can access them using a VPN. Hence, these iGaming platforms have clients from all over the world.

Although most online betting operators that offer casino games provide similar services, there is always something that sets some brands apart. Thats why this article has included some of the interesting facts that differentiate online casinos.

Those who want to play slots, table games or live casino titles for real money have to choose their preferred online casino and create an account. Registering as a new client usually takes no more than a minute, but this isnt always the case. The 1xbets casino was ranked really higher by Silentbet, and after checking it, it was evident that this is one of the iGaming operators where you can actually open an account in a few seconds. Apart from the so-called one-click, this brand includes several other options you can use to register. They include your phone number, email or social media account.

Having access to more registration options is always a plus because you have the freedom to choose the one you like the most. While it is true that some of them require you to wait a few seconds to open an account because you dont need to provide any special information, you have to go through this process sooner or later. Every iGaming operator wants its users to verify their personal and account information to make a withdrawal.

Every online betting website uses a different design to set itself apart from others. The same applies to the sites layout, which is the second thing this article will cover.

Most online casinos prefer to create a menu button and include everything they offer. This allows punters to use a cleaner interface, but they have to select the menu every time they want to bet on something. After checking the 1xbet casino review from Silentbet, it became clear that some online betting companies have a different approach. Instead of having a menu button, this operator included all of its main betting sections (including the casino) on its homepage. Hence, those who want to access it can do that in a matter of seconds.

As you probably know, most of the leading iGaming operators dont create their own casino games. Instead, they use titles developed by some of the worlds most advanced casino software brands. Thats why the last thing that differentiates some online casinos is their list of software providers.

Some online casinos want to give their users access to as many games as possible, so they partner with more software suppliers. However, there are casino brands that specialize in things such as slots or poker. As a result, they only work with a couple of casino software suppliers.

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Small Things That Set Apart Some Online Casinos - Study Breaks

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 16, 2021 /CNW/ - Western Copper and Gold Corporation ("Western" or the "Company") (TSX: CWRN) (NYSE American: WRN), through its wholly owned subsidiary Casino Mining Corp. ("Casino"), is pleased to announce it has submitted to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board ("YESAB") Executive Committee an updated schedule for submission of an Environmental and Socio-economic Effects Statement ("ESE Statement") on its Casino project ("Project").

logo (CNW Group/Western Copper and Gold Corporation)

In the schedule, Casino indicates it expects to submit the ESE Statement in the second quarter of 2023. The ESE Statement submission is an important next step in the Panel Review process. Since 2016, when the Casino project was referred to Panel Review by the YESAB's Executive Committee, Casino has continued to advance the Project by engaging with potentially affected First Nations, completing a variety of Traditional Knowledge and environmental studies, conducting a number of drill campaigns, and finalizing a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the Project. The PEA includes important refinements to many Project components, including the tailings and waste management infrastructure, which incorporated improvements identified by the Best Available Tailings Technology Study ("BATT Study") completed in 2018 with participation by First Nations, YESAB and the Yukon Government as well as guidance from Casino's Independent Engineering Review Panel.

Dr. Paul West-Sells, Western's CEO, stated, "Development of the ESE Statement is an important and exciting step in the advancement of the Casino Project. Over the next 18 months, our team will be expanding our engagement and consultation efforts with First Nations, regulatory agencies, and stakeholders, and developing the ESE Statement in a way that reflects Yukoners' values."

ABOUT WESTERN COPPER AND GOLD CORPORATION

Story continues

Western Copper and Gold Corporation is developing the Casino Project, Canada's premier copper-gold mine in the Yukon Territory and one of the most economic greenfield copper-gold mining projects in the world.

The Company is committed to working collaboratively with our First Nations and local communities to progress the Casino project using internationally recognized responsible mining technologies and practices.

For more information, visit http://www.westerncopperandgold.com.

On behalf of the board,"Paul West-Sells" Dr. Paul West-SellsPresident and CEOWestern Copper and Gold Corporation

Cautionary Disclaimer Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning anticipated developments in Western's operations in future periods. Statements that are not historical fact are "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward looking information" as that term is defined in National Instrument 51-102 ("NI 51-102") of the Canadian Securities Administrators (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding perceived merit of properties; mineral reserve and resource estimates; capital expenditures; feasibility study results (including projected economic returns, operating costs, and capital costs in connection with the Casino Project); exploration results at the Company's property; budgets; permitting or other timelines; economic benefits from the mine and/or the access road; strategic plans; market price of precious and base metals; or other statements that are not statement of fact. In making the forward-looking statements herein, the Company has applied certain material assumptions including, but not limited to, the assumptions that the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, although evolving, will stabilize or at least not worsen; that the extent to which COVID-19 may impact the Company, including without limitation disruptions to the mobility of Company personnel, increased labour and transportation costs, and other related impacts, will not change in a materially adverse manner; that all regulatory approvals required to complete the Company's planned exploration and development activities will be received in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; that the Company is able to procure personnel, equipment and supplies required for its exploration and development activities in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis; and that general business conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner.

Forward-looking statements are statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and actual results, performance or achievements of Western and its subsidiaries may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks involved in fluctuations in gold, copper and other commodity prices and currency exchange rates; COVID-19 risks to employee health and safety and a slowdown or temporary suspension of operations in geographic locations impacted by an outbreak; uncertainties related to raising sufficient financing in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in Western's AIF and Form 40-F, and other information released by Western and filed with the applicable regulatory agencies.

Western's forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and Western does not assume, and expressly disclaims, any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Western Copper and Gold Corporation

Cision

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WESTERN COPPER AND GOLD UPDATES SCHEDULE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS STATEMENT SUBMISSION PROCESS FOR CASINO - Yahoo Finance

John Ravitz and Thomas Carey| Special to the USA TODAY Network

Empire City Casino reopens

Empire CityCasino in Yonkers reopened Sept. 21, 2020 after being closed since March due to the coronavirus shutdown.

Peter Carr, pcarr@lohud.com

New York is still firmly in the grips of a pandemic-induced economic crisis characterized by unacceptably high unemployment. According to the states Labor Department, over one million jobs have disappeared in New York because of the pandemic, and the unemployment rate still stands at 6.9% nearly double the pre-pandemic level of 3.8%. The governor and state legislators must do everything in their power to promote immediate job creation, particularly family-supporting jobs. One of the easiest steps the state can take is to create a quick pathway for awarding the remaining downstate gaming licenses.

In 2013, New York voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing up to seven full-scale casinos, but the legislature only permitted four licenses to be issued, and all of them upstate.

Recently the New York State Gaming Commission issued a Request for Information seeking input from companies, municipalities, and other stakeholders interested in a full-scale casino license downstate. While this is an important step, it does not guarantee the state will award the gaming licenses, nor does it ensure that the process will happen quickly enough to allow for the private economic investment and job creation New Yorkers need now to rebound from the COVID-19 recession.

Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts is the largest private employer in Yonkers and employs hundreds of Bronx residents. Allowing it to become a full-scale casino would create over 2,500 new jobs at the casino and generate an additional 10,000 indirect and induced jobs, driving over $1 billion in economic activity that will benefit local businesses throughout the region. Empire City Casino will also be an incubator for permanent workforce development in the region.

Allowing Empire City Casino to have a full-gaming license has broad support from local elected officials, including County Executive George Latimer, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and MountVernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard. It has the support of Bronx and Westchester state legislators, including the Chair of the Racing and Wagering Committee, Gary Pretlow. And it is backed by numerous local businesses, as well as labor and community groups who together have formed the alliance A Sure Bet for New Yorks Future, to advocate for immediate action in Albany.

So why are we still waiting on Albany to act? Is there opposition to expanding casino gaming? Well, there is no expansion necessary, as Empire City Casino already boasts the sixth largest casino floor in the country. A full-scale casino would simply allow video lottery terminals and computerized table games to be replaced by slot machines and live-dealer table games, each representing six new union jobs.

Does Albany think we dont need additional tax revenue for the state? Try telling that to parents with children in overburdened schools, or to hospitals and health care clinics still fighting the pandemic.

Are there fears of inflated revenue projections? While this may have happened in the past with new casino developments, Empire City Casino has a proven track record of success. It welcomes nine million visitors per year, more than the Statue of Liberty. In 2019 alone it generated $307 million in tax revenue for education.

It is plain and simple full recovery from the pandemic requires immediate action to create jobs. This is a no-brainer, and the governor and state legislators cannot afford to pass on it.

John Ravitz is the executive vice president and COO of the Business Council of Westchester.

Thomas Carey is the president of the Westchester Putnam Central Labor Body.

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All we want for the holidays are jobs: Empire City needs a full gaming license | Opinion - The Journal News

Drew Brees may have been all-in for locating a casino near Slidell, but the St. Tammany Parish voters were not at least the ones who participated in Saturdays referendum. Casino owners now have 60 days to decide whether to reopen their facility in Bossier City or surrender their license to the state.

Back in September, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board inserted the 60-day provision into the resolution allowing, if approved by parish voters, Pacific Peninsula Entertainment, called P2E, to move its license located in Bossier City to Lake Pontchartrain and to build a $329.2 million casino resort at the first exit off the Interstate 10 Twin Bridge. The resolution failed Saturday: 37,664 voted no and 22,031 voted yes, or 63% to 37%.

We want to put this license back into commerce, said Ronnie Johns, chair of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, which regulates the states 20 licenses for casinos in riverboats, at racetracks or on land.

Drew Brees encouraged St. Tammany residents to vote "yes" in December, when they will decide whether to allow Pacific Peninsula Entertainment

Johns added that hes giving the owners a few days to get their thoughts together. But the resolution started the clock on Sunday and the Board is meeting Thursday at the State Capitol.

Our license is a very valuable asset to both us and the state as a whole, and we look forward to working with the Gaming Control Board to examine the paths forward that are best for everyone involved, P2E spokesperson Jay Connaughton said Tuesday. There are multiple potential directions, the decision of what next is complicated and will likely take some time to dive into all the details and implications. Our goal is to utilize it to do good for everyone involved.

A few months ago when addressing what would happen if they lost, Pacific Peninsula Entertainments leader seemed willing to reopen Diamond Jacks Casino in Bossier City. We have explored and will continue to explore the opportunity to redevelop what exists there in the Diamond Jacks into a land-based facility and that is something wed move forward with, said Brent Stevens, P2Es founder and chair told the Gaming Control Board on Sept. 8.

Founded in 1999, the privately owned company, based in Richmond, Va., invests in and controls 14 regionally based casinos and six hotels around the country. The company bought controlling interest in Evangeline Downs, the storied thoroughbred horse track near Lafayette, and the Amelia Belle Casino, just south of U.S. Hwy. 90 in St. Mary Parish. In 2016, P2E bought Diamond Jacks riverboat casino out of bankruptcy.

Gambling regulators authorized moving a casino license from Bossier City to Slidell.

The Bossier facility had among the lowest revenues in the state. A Gaming Control Board study found that the Shreveport-Bossier City market was down 21 percent since 2007 due to competition from Oklahoma tribal casinos for Dallas-Fort Worth-area patrons. The study recommended moving a casino from northwest Louisiana to the more populous southeastern part of the state.

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In 2018, Stevens tried to move the license to land adjacent to the Tangipahoa River just south of Interstate 12. But the bill calling for the referendum failed to clear the Senate.

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic caused most businesses, including casinos, to suspend operations in March 2020 as a way to mitigate the spread of the highly contagious and often deadly virus.

P2E permanently shut down Diamond Jacks within hours of Gov. John Bel Edwards May 2020 order reopening casinos after the pandemic. About 350 employees were laid off, kitchen equipment, televisions and other assets were sold and a chain link fence was erected around property on the Red River.

Gaming Control Board resolution of 09/08/2021 allowing resolution on St. Tammany casino

The company, however, didnt inform the Gaming Control Board or the Louisiana State Police of its plans, said Ronnie Jones, who was chair of the board at the time. Jones said Tuesday he had considered taking legal action against P2E and had asked the Attorney General for an opinion on the matter. The Attorney General issued an opinion saying the license belongs to the state and casino must operate under the conditions set by the state.

By 2021, the company found allies in St. Tammany Parish and was able to secure the necessary legislation calling for a referendum. The Gaming Control board inserted into the resolution, the wording: or in the event of the negative vote of the majority of the voters in St. Tammany Parish in the local option election to be conducted on Nov. 13, 2021, to recommence gaming operations upon the vessel Mary Margaret within 60 days of the election.

Promoters of casino gambling on the western approach to the Mississippi Gulf Coast were surprised by ferocity of the anti-gambling vote in St. Tammany Parish. The company reported $5 million in contributions for the referendum campaign, bought land for $14 million, gave $100,000 for initial planning of a youth sports center, and donated $1 million for Hurricane Ida relief.

Thirty-two percent of conservative St. Tammanys 185,957 registered voters participated in Saturdays referendum and 63% of those voters said no. Only 15 of the parishs 170 precincts favored gambling.

Comprehensive Gaming Industry Analysis

A controversial proposal to move a casino boat to Slidell cleared its first hurdle Monday when a Senate committee chairman, whose wife is a lo

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After St. Tammany voters reject casino proposal, what happens next? Here are the options - The Advocate

Marylanders will be able to place sports wagers in five casinos by the end of 2021. After three casinos launched retail sports betting offerings last week, two more have plans to launch before the end of December.

Ocean Downs Casino (TwinSpires) plans to launch before the end of the week, and Hollywood Casino (Barstool Sportsbook) hopes to launch on Dec. 23. MGM National Harbor (BetMGM), Live! Casino (FanDuel), and Horseshoe Casino Baltimore (Caesars) all launched last week, signaling the start of legal sports betting in Maryland.

Off-track betting (OTB) facilities Riverboat-on-the-Potomac (PointsBet) and Long Shots plan to launch their retail sportsbook offerings in early 2022. Long Shots has yet to announce a partnership deal with a sportsbook operator, but that reveal is expected soon.

Located in Berlin, Md., Ocean Downs Casino plans to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch its retail sportsbook Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET. The site held a controlled demonstration on Tuesday, and the entitys second day of controlled demonstrations is Thursday. Assuming everything goes well, the casino will be ready to offer retail sports betting Friday.

Our first day went fairly well, Bobbi Sample, Ocean Downs Casinos general manager, said during Thursdays lottery commission meeting. Weve made a couple of adjustments, and were looking forward to a successful demonstration today and targeting to go live on Friday with the ribbon-cutting at 5:30.

Ocean Downs was awarded a license by the states Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) on Nov. 18, which was the same date MGM National Harbor, Live! Casino, and Horseshoe Casino received their respective licenses.

Hollywood Casino Perryville also received its license from the SWARC on Nov. 18, and the casino is nearly ready to launch its retail sports betting operation. Hollywood Casino plans to go through the final stages of the regulatory approval process early next week.

Our controlled demonstrations are Monday and Wednesday, Timothy Shea, vice president of operations at the casino, said during the lottery commission meeting. We hope with everything going well with regulatory approval that well go live on the 23rd. First quarter of 2022, well begin construction of our permanent sportsbook, which is Barstool Sportsbook.

The construction project for the permanent sportsbook is expected to take about a month to complete. Until then, customers can use the entitys temporary option.

Greenmount OTB, located in Hampstead, Md., cleared an initial regulatory hurdle Thursday morning as it aims to launch retail sports betting. Greenmount passed through a lottery qualification hearing, moving it in front of the SWARC, which will have an opportunity to award the facility a sports wagering license at its next meeting. As of Thursday, the SWARCs next meeting had yet to be scheduled.

We just want to thank the staff of the Maryland lottery for all their help, David Richardson, one of the owners of Greenmounts sports wagering facility, said at the lottery commission meeting. Were two little guys up in Carroll County, and navigating these waters have been challenging, and we definitely want to thank the staff for helping us get to where we are.

Greenmount has not yet announced a partnership with a sportsbook operator.

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Two More Maryland Casinos Ready To Launch Sports Betting - Sports Handle