Category Archives: Gambling

Thursday marks the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court throwing out the federal ban on sports betting.

The legalization of sports gambling requires an important policy choice, but the choice is not ours to make, Justice Samuel Alito, a New Jersey native, said in the opinion of the court. Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own.

Gov. Phil Murphy welcomed the ruling and the state Legislature quickly moved to establish the sports betting industry in New Jersey.

Darren Rovell, the former ESPN and CNBC sports business analyst, now writes for The Action Network. In noting Thursdays sports betting anniversary, Rovell relayed a conversation he had with a professional sports bettor. In the story, the pro explained why New Jersey is better for sports bettors.

The same six or seven guys control Vegas sportsbooks and they all talk to each other. So we certainly couldnt show up placing our own bets. Many of them wouldnt take our money. We did too well. ... In New Jersey, theres none of that. You have 20 sportsbooks competing with each other, not talking to each other. I dont have to give other people my money. I can make 13 bets under $10,000 and still get more than $100,000 down.

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Even with a market more convenient for sports bettors, the industry is taking a bath because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Murphy ordered Atlantic Citys casinos closed in March. NJ Advance Medias Keith Sargeant reported last month on the losses suffered by the industry without any sports on which to bet.

In March, $181.9 million was wagered at New Jersey sportsbooks -- a drop of 63.2% from last month and down 51.2% from March 2019.

The trend downward continued in April, according to the Associated Press.

April was the cruelest month ever for Atlantic City casinos, as state earnings figures released Wednesday shattered a record in revenue declines that had been set just a month ago. The coronavirus outbreak pushed revenue at the seaside resorts nine casinos down nearly 69% in April from the same month a year earlier. ... All told, the casinos saw $82.6 million in revenue in April, almost all of it won online from gamblers who had few other legal options. Thats down from $265.4 million in April 2019.

MGM Resorts, owner of the Borgata, released on Tuesday the health and safety plan its casino properties will follow once state officials allow them to reopen. Among the highlights: no eating on the casino floor, contactless check-ins for hotel rooms and wearing a mask unless youre drinking while gambling.

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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.

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Why N.J. is a better bet than Las Vegas for sports gamblers - NJ.com

LANDIS A Landis business owner was charged Tuesday with offenses related to operating a gambling establishment after a monthlong investigation by the Rowan County Sheriffs Office.

Jack Lewis Faggart Jr., 59, of China Grove, was charged with two counts of operating/possessing a slot machine, permitting the use of a slot machine at a location under his management or control, possessing gaming machines that allowed the machines to exceed the limits of eight accumulated credits or replays and operating more than five video gaming machines.

Faggart, the owner of Snack Shack, was operating under the guise of being a convenience store/landscaping supply business in Landis, the sheriffs office said.

The sheriffs office served a search warrant April 16 at the business, located at 3125 North Cannon Blvd.

The search warrant was based on an undercover operation and citizen complaints that the business was a gambling establishment and also violating the governors stay-at-home order, according to the sheriffs office.

The investigation showed that the Snack Shack had 19 gambling machines, all slot machines, a news release said. These gaming machines operated with several types of software. Officials said 13 machines had money receivers and some still had currency in them. The machines allowed patrons to bet more than eight credits, which violates state law. The business allegedly was paying cash for winnings, another violation of state law.

During the search of the business, detectives seized six central processing units connected to gaming terminals, three motherboards, one server, documents and $11,343 in cash. Records showed that the gaming machines were taking in more than $10,000 per week and profiting multiple thousands of dollars per week, a news release said.

On Tuesday, April 28, additional search warrants were executed by the Rowan County Sheriffs Office at the Snack Shack and a second location. Investigators seized documents and an additional $13,920 in cash.

At the time of the execution of the search warrants on April 28, Faggart was also cited for violating the governors executive order.

Faggart was released on a written promise.

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Landis business owner charged with operating illegal gambling establishment - Salisbury Post - Salisbury Post

(Reuters) - Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) missed quarterly revenue estimates on Monday as it shuttered its casinos amid nationwide lockdowns to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

FILE PHOTO: The 550 foot-tall (167.6 m) High Roller observation wheel, the tallest in the world, is the centerpiece of the $550 million Linq project, a retail, dining and entertainment district by Caesars Entertainment Corp, in seen in Las Vegas, Nevada April 9, 2014. The wheel is. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus

The gambling industry, which counts on air travel and large groups of people in close proximity, is one of the hardest hit from the restrictions imposed to check the health crisis.

Our first-quarter performance reflects the significant revenue declines we experienced as a result of the closures and stable year-over-year labor costs in March, Chief Executive Officer Tony Rodio said in a statement.

He said the company was taking aggressive steps to strengthen its financial position, which included furloughing 90% of its employees in North America.

Caesars said almost all its casinos worldwide have been closed since March 17 and warned of an estimated daily cash burn of $9.3 million. As of March 31, it had more than $2.6 billion in liquidity.

SunTrust analyst Barry Jonas said investor focus is squarely on Caesars current cash burn rate and the phased property reopening strategy.

The company said it would implement a phased reopening of its properties in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Council Bluffs and Lake Tahoe.

In the first quarter, casino revenue fell 11.5% to $958 million. Net revenue fell 13.6% to $1.83 billion and missed analysts average estimate of $2.04 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

Net income attributable to Caesars was $189 million in quarter ended March 31 compared with a loss of $217 million a year earlier.

On a per share basis, its loss rose to 36 cents per share from 32 cents per share a year ago.

Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur

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Shut casinos hit Caesars as COVID-19 puts gambling industry in survival mode - Reuters

Marys Eat Shop, center, is seen at night. The Palace Hotel is at left. (Chuck Morrison Collection, Casper College Western History Center)

CASPER, Wyo. Hidden on hundreds of negatives in yellow Kodak boxes at the Casper College Western History Center are untold ghosts of the city captured decades ago.

The trove of images are from the collection of Chuck Morrison, who spent years working for the Casper Star-Tribune and its predecessors before retiring in the early-1970s. Over the past year, the centers archivist Vince Crolla has been methodically digitizing the pictures.

Among the latest Morrison images unearthed by Crolla are several shots of West B Street, where the non-ironically named Palace Hotel flophouse once stood. Marys Eat Shop was right next door for many years.

Article continues below...

Photos at night with hat-wearing figures silhouetted by streetlight give the block an ominous look.

Marys Eat Shop was operated by Mary Simms, who apparently operated another restaurant in Casper before this one called the Simms & Edwards Cafe, located at 232 West First Street. A story in a June, 1945 Casper Tribune-Herald paper featured Simms and her southern cooking shortly after she took over that establishment.

She eventually moved down to the Sandbar on 265 West B Street.

Simms and her restaurant were no strangers to the police. In October, 1954 she was arrested on bootlegging charges for selling liquor without a license, according to a Casper Tribune-Herald story. Its one of numerous times Simms was charged for the same offense. Another woman, who lived at the nearby Van Rooms, was arrested at the same time for prostitution.

In October, 1959, Simms was arrested and charged felonious assault after allegedly shooting her estranged husband, Tommy, in the back inside her cafe. He was released from the hospital a few days later and refused to sign a complaint.

In January 1961, 18 people were arrested at Marys Eat Shop in a gambling raid, according to a Casper Tribune-Herald article. In March, 1962, a newspaper article said she ended up in the hospital after wrecking her car while intoxicated.

In 1964 the city proposed a petition to abate Marys Eat Shop as a nuisance for numerous cases of prostitution.

The story of Marys Eat Shop ends in 1971, when the city seized the property after Simms failed to pay back taxes. The building was soon demolished.

In September, 1973, a legal notice from the administrator of Mary Simms McKahns estate listed her as deceased. The notice advised any heirs and all other persons known and unknown of the countys intent to quiet title against the Estate.

No obituary for Simms was found.

The area today is a parking lot for Casper City Hall.

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Backstory: Marys Eat Shop had bootlegging, gambling, prostitution and shooting on the menu - Oil City News

Wanted to run a successful business? There are some fantastic skills and lessons which you can be learned from gambling. This is the most excellent industry which will teach you the most amazing strategies, techniques, and knowledge that are used by professional gamblers while performing their role in the gamble. Keep in mind about the gambling skill and strategy, which can be helpful for any business. King Billy Australia always try to bring you informative articles therefore we have mentioned some of the most useable aspects in both industries. Follow them; it will surely be beneficial in your business.

Importance of the basics

Everybody wants to play in cash as quickly as possible, which is possible but not so easy. To become successful in business, you have to build your knowledge from lower to upwards. It is just like a gambling game where you have to observe the other player and try to learn from them you know more than you. It is a natural thing that there will always be someone who knows more than you. So whether in business or gambling, you should learn the essential first and start from the lower level.

Practice makes perfect

What do you think overnight success is achievable? No right? Success takes time to get you what you want. Without trying, you cant be the best because in business and in gambling, experience is the key. The more you practice something, the better you perform. There are people with unique talents whose luck makes them successful in a smart way, but the success comes when your hard work and practice pays you off.

Risk-Taking:

Every business has a risk factor, and most of the successful business is because they have taken certain risks to reach that height. They need people investing in the business. Condensing people to invest in the industry while you are new is what they are taking high risk. The same goes for gambling, where gamblers love to take high risks. Gamblers take the risk to win a gamble a high amount of money. You can take the example of online casinos where the gamblers take a high risk to gamble, and they feel a pleasure doing that and wins big amount.

Money management

Just like a businessmen gamblers also know the importance of establishing a budget and try to stick on which is a key for success. Correctly managing your money helps you to stay in the game. It is an essential thing you should know when to quit and when to rise. These are equally vital information to follow in both business and gambling.

Time management

Doing things at the right time is also a known quality in the leader. So that it is also essential to manage the right time when to do it and when it doesnt require. The most successful gambler is the one who knows how to manage his time. It controls the rhythm of the player so they understand when they can perform their best. The same goes for the business; it is not possible to maintain continuous success. You should get to know about the management of time and let your batteries get charge because it will help you in coming back strongly.

Analyzing Strength & Weaknesses

If you are willing to start a business, you will study the business first. You will understand the business strength and weakness. A business person needs to conduct a thoughtful evolution of companies strengths and weaknesses. This will help you in managing your team and making decisions effectively. This is to achieve the goal of the business. A gambler will research different betting sites while playing online casino. A gambler will analyze the strength and weaknesses of the online gambling platform. So that he can understand which platform suits him the best it is so that the player will be sure about the platform where he has less risk and high chances of winning.

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Gambling Skills and Strategies Applicable in the Business World - The Sports Bank

We are living in the dark ages of sports. Almost every major league has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, but at least Dana White wants to re-createMortal Kombat and Bloodsport by buying an island for UFC fights. He actually named it "Fight Island." Somebody call Sub Zero, Jean Claude Van Damme and the boys.

It's a damn shame, since May was supposed to be the holy month in Colorado for thirsty sports fans you know, the ones who are really bout that action, boss. Sports betting finally became legal here on May 1, and although the casinos are closed, you can still bet on your phone.

Without most sports currently happening, though, the start of legal sports betting in Colorado has been a quiet thud, which was a big disappointment for me. I watch sports constantly, but aside from the occasional small wager with friends on whether orange or red Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach after the Super Bowl, I hadn't bet on them. But with COVID-19 putting a damper on just about everything, I'm now game for just about anything.

The first weekend of May happened to be my birthday weekend, so I downloaded the DraftKings mobile app and gifted myself $100 of betting money. I started by placing $1 bets on soccer and basketball matches happening in countries like Nicaragua, where the government essentially said "Screw it" in the face of the coronavirus and the legitimacy of professional sports outcomes aren't always without scrutiny.

The $1 bets on soccer and basketball didn't turn out too well, as I mostly bet on underdogs to make the bets more interesting. Those underdogs turned out to be serious underdogs in certain cases, like when one of the Nicaraguan basketball teams I bet on to win ended up losing 91 to 31, a loss margin akin to an Olympic basketball game pitting the United States against Micronesia.

Not exactly the Nuggets and Avalanche playoff games i'd anticipated betting on.

I thought that having the vested interest of a $1 bet on these games might make the matches intriguing. But I didn't even end up watching them not that it would've been easy to and played Nintendo instead, tallying up my losses after the matches had finished.

Sports betting newb that I am, I somehow managed to place a combined bet on a Taiwanese baseball game, a Belarusian soccer match and the New York Jets winning the Super Bowl. This wasn't an intentional parlay, but me clicking on random bets and not realizing that I had connected them.

Although my bet on the Rakuten Monkeys worked out, my wager on FC Belshina Bobruisk didn't, so I won't get the bliss of cashing in on the Jets winning the Super Bowl in the upcoming season. Spoiler alert: I would've made $470 in profit from that one-dollar bet, which makes perfect sense, as my poor Jets have abysmal odds to win it all and have been the laughingstock of the NFL for years.

Staying loyal to the place I now call home, I also have a $1 bet on new Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy winning the the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. I'll get a whopping $15.50 in profit if he wins. No kidding this has probably been my smartest bet so far.

But while the first week of legal sports betting in Colorado was pretty boring, the real fun began this past weekend, when I bet on UFC and the impressive bouts the league offered on the evening of Saturday, May 9. We're talking pre-Fight Island UFC, as these fights happened at a venue in Florida, home of the way-too-brave.

Feeling confident since I was drinking Modelo (the official beer of the UFC), my $1 bets became $5 and $10 bets.

Again, I mostly placed bets on underdogs; I even placed a bet on a guy who got knocked out in twenty seconds. As my losses piled up, I was seriously considering dropping everything to seek out responsible gambling advice from Michael Jordan.

But then the tides turned when Justin Gaethje, a University of Northern Colorado grad, absolutely dominated his opponent, Tony Ferguson, in a championship bout. My bet on Gaethje helped me recoup most of my losses since the start of my betting spree. My $100 in betting money is now at $78.03 not bad for a first-timer betting on Nicaraguan basketball and Mortal Kombat LARPing.

There's still a bit more to look forward to this month, including additional UFC fights and Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning teaming up against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady for a charity golf match, also scheduled for Florida.

But life is much less vibrant without sports on TV. And betting on obscure sports leagues just isn't that much fun. Maybe I'll start betting on the weather, since that's so easy to predict in Colorado.

Conor McCormick-Cavanagh is a staff writer at Westword, where he covers a range of beats, including local politics, immigration and homelessness. He previously worked as a journalist in Tunisia and loves to talk New York sports.

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Sports Gambling in Colorado Not That Fun Without Sports | Westword - Westword

Handle19 is a relatively new player in the sports gambling industry. Started by Shane August, CEO of venture capital firm August Holding Corporation out of Virginia, the company has learned the hard way what happens when you go up against deep-pocketed operators in the business. In trying to secure licenses to operate a sportsbook in New Jersey and West Virginia, Handle19 was easily brushed aside by the bullies, but August didnt give up. When Washington, DC approved sports gambling, he showed up to apply for a license and finally succeeded where he had previously failed. Now, with license in hand, the company is hoping to become the first Class B-license holder in the district to launch a sportsbook, according to PlayUSA, and is going to open its operations this year, despite the lack of sports gambling action currently found because of the coronavirus.

COVID-19 may not have had a tremendous impact on Handle19s activities, but it did affect them. The retail sportsbook was going to be built in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in DC, but the site was changed just before the pandemic in favor of a location closer to Capitol Hill. As a result of social distancing requirements and stay-at-home orders, the ability to prepare the new facility has met with challenges that are only now being overcome.

More challenges lie ahead, too. Even after stay-at-home orders are lifted, the general sentiment among communities will remain one of extreme caution and lack of confidence to spend great amounts of time around others. A poll conducted by Reuters recently indicated that, once things return to normal, only around 27% of people plan on going anywhere that might have large groups of people. Another 40% dont plan on venturing out until a vaccine is found.

Still, Handle19 has fought hard to get to where it is today and isnt going to stop now, understanding that things will, eventually, return to normal. Thomas adds, I think every business is struggling with these questions of safety in dealing with a virus that we are constantly learning more about and for which much still remains unknown. This challenge is made even more difficult by the fact that we are planning for an opening that is set to occur four months from now when circumstances could be entirely different. That said, we are evaluating a whole host of safety protocols and will be developing policies to adhere to the recommendations of the relevant federal and local agencies, including the CDC and the District of Columbia Department of Health. We also plan to closely track what others in the hospitality and retail gaming industry are doing to learn what safety measures are effective at protecting patrons while limiting any adverse effect on the user experience.

Its only fitting that a gambling-related company gamble on its future. If the NFL season is delayed for any reason, Handle19 is going to find itself in a difficult situation as the odds of beginning to recuperate its investment go longer. However, if the gamble pays off, the winnings are going to be astronomical.

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Sportsbook Handle19 moves forward with gambling plans in DC - CalvinAyre.com

David Bluder has been a lot of things.

His limited bio at davidbluder.com lists banker, politician, business owner and investor. He also taught at the University of Iowa and has a business degree from Northern Iowa and an MBA from St. Ambrose.

And, yes, he also is the husband of longtime Iowa womens basketball coach Lisa Bluder.

Now you can call him author.

It took nine, nine-and-a-half years to crank out, Bluder said of The Great Gamble, which hit bookstores last month.

This thriller reveals the biggest secret in America, according to the publicity release from publisher Ice Cube Press. The book follows a young basketball recruit and how sports gambling changes the game.

It leads to a lot of things when you combine gambling and sports, Bluder said.

Writing the book was a long labor of love for the 60-year-old Bluder.

I enjoyed writing when I was in college, he said. I kind of decided this was a good time to do it.

The process was hard. Its a hard thing to do.

As hard as it was writing and staring at the piles and piles of piles of pages at times, he thoroughly enjoyed the process.

I loved writing, he said. An hour to two hours a day ... sitting down and cranking something out.

It was like you had another life.

So far, praise for the book has flowed. Former Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable called it an entertaining and educational story. Former Iowa womens basketball star Megan Gustafson said it was a book I couldnt seem to put down ... with plot twists around every corner, this book gives a close up look of when the high stakes of the sports world clashes with the dangers of gambling.

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Thats music to Bluders ears. He called himself a plot guy who knew from the beginning where he wanted this book to go.

But after attending writing workshops and getting advice from other writers, he learned how to develop characters and have conflicts. He changed the beginning 10 times and took things out and added things.

As stuff began to develop ... the plot got layers and layers, he said. I always knew where I wanted it to go. Then youd go a different direction and thats what was fun.

He said there are three different protagonists in The Great Gamble and the story takes readers across the United States, to Mexico and back, following two FBI agents on a classified operation into the gambling battlefield which is bleeding into the corrupt empire of athletics.

The books asks the question has fiction become reality?

When you combine gambling with sports, a lot of us have seen how detrimental it is, Bluder said. A lot of this stuff has been going on ... Its just outrageous.

Im never going to be able to watch sports the same way again.

Given his wife is a Division I womens basketball coach who deals often with recruiting, what did she think about this book that, at times, blurs the lines between fact and fiction.

She likes mysteries and thrillers, he said. She likes all that stuff.

Its pretty frightening.

And now Bluder has the bug. While finishing The Great Gamble, he started working on an international political thriller.

I want to go back to that, he said, adding hes put in two to two-and-a-half years. I want to do it, but I havent been able to do that.

Comments: (319) 368-8696; jr.ogden@thegazette.com

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David Bluder blurs the lines in basketball, gambling with new book - The Gazette

Dublin, May 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "The South African Gambling Industry in South Africa 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

South Africa's gambling industry reported mixed results last year. While the casino segment continued to generate the lion's share of total gross gambling revenue, its market share declined markedly as bingo, betting and limited payout machines became popular. Online gambling had been increasingly taking share from on-the-ground casinos and other betting outlets. Although casinos generated higher revenues than other forms of gambling, the National Lottery attracted the highest number of players.

Coronavirus: Horse racing and sports events have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely since the coronavirus outbreak, and totalisators, casinos, bingo halls and other gambling establishments have been closed until further notice. While the traditional gambling industry is facing unparalleled losses, online gambling sites have reported a surge in activity since the national lockdown came into effect on 27 March 2020. While online casinos worldwide have reported a sharp increase in gambling, as lockdown periods are extended and financial stresses intensify, analysts say that people may become increasingly hesitant to spend money on non-essential pastimes, such as gambling. There are also concerns about the slow resumption of business at casinos once the lockdown ends.

This report on the South African Gambling Industry includes comprehensive information on the sector and its subsectors including the lottery, casinos, limited payout machines, bingo and betting including betting on horse racing. There are profiles of 21 companies and national and provincial gambling boards in the sector. Profiled companies include major players such as Tsogo Sun, which completed the unbundling of its hotel division and Sun International, which announced plans to increase its holding in hotel and casino resort Sibaya. Others include Ithuba, which manages the lottery and Phumelela Gaming and Leisure, a major player in horse racing.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction

2. Description of the Industry2.1. Industry Value Chain2.2. Geographic Position

3. Size of the Industry

4. State of the Industry4.1. Local4.1.1. Corporate Actions4.1.2. Regulations4.1.3. Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development4.2. Continental4.3. International

5. Influencing Factors5.1. Economic Environment5.2. Illicit Gambling, Fraud and other Criminal Activities5.3. Regulatory Uncertainty5.4. Rising Operational Costs5.5. Technology, Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation5.6. Negative Social Consequences of Gambling5.7. Labour5.8. Environmental Concerns

6. Competition6.1. Barriers to Entry

7. SWOT Analysis

8. Outlook

9. Industry Associations

10. References10.1. Publications10.2. Websites

Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/jaqkvs

About ResearchAndMarkets.comResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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South African Gambling Industry Sees Major Impact Due to COVID-19 Outbreak and Restrictions - GlobeNewswire

When well-known gambling YouTuber Brian Christopher reached out to the Coeur dAlene Casino this month about streaming live video of him playing gaming machines at the first casino to reopen after nationwide pandemic-related closures, managers were hesitant.

The casino had never allowed anyone to film their experience inside, marketing director Yvette Matt said.

Luckily for Christopher, he had a track record with Matt from her previous job at the San Manuel Casino in California, which used his videos to promote new machines.

Allowing Christopher to film, Matt said, was a win-win, because Christopher was running out of content from several weeks of casino closures and the Coeur dAlene Casino wanted to educate people about its safety measures.

I feel its kind of like my duty to help support them during this time, said Christopher, who has 250,000 subscribers on his main YouTube channel and has reached out to dozens of casinos. I thought it would be a good opportunity to show everyone in the U.S. what its like to be in a casino right now.

I want to kind of put them at ease, Christopher, who is from Los Angeles, added during an interview. We can get through this together.

He started doing YouTube full time a few years ago in the months after videos he posted for fun of him playing slot machines in Las Vegas found a following. His viewership kept growing and now his channel sees more than a million views each week.

Its super rewarding to have a voice, to have a position to make a difference, Christopher said about his job as a YouTuber. Im very grateful that Im able to do something.

Christopher arrived at the Spokane International Airport Tuesday after testing negative for COVID-19 in California right before his trip. He then drove straight to the reservation casino in a car he rented.

It was beautiful scenery on my drive, Christopher said, adding that he wants to return and explore more of the outdoors.

Employees followed Christopher during his videos to ensure he held to his policy of just recording himself and the machines, not other people. Matt was with him to make sure he had correct information to give YouTube viewers about casino precautions.

His fans would say, Do you feel comfortable? Are you afraid to be out in a casino? Matt remembered. He was like, No, Im not afraid at all.

The casino reopened May 1 with strict social distancing and cleaning guidelines in place after maintaining wages and benefits for employees for weeks. The reservation and Benewah County have had no confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The facility quickly hit capacity during its first day back open and some waited in line for as long as 45 minutes to get inside due to strict limits on capacity. The casino has seen a lower volume of steady traffic since, Matt said.

Christopher made a point not to announce his travel plans, so hundreds of fans wouldnt travel to see him, as they usually do. He also said during videos that he wouldnt greet fans or take photos, though some people did recognize him at the casino.

Matt said she didnt think Christophers presence brought a noticeable increase in traffic while he was there.

In his first video, which was streamed by more than 4,000 people, Christopher described how his temperature was checked, the mask requirements and the hand-washing stations.

Its amazing to be back, he said during the video.

He also decided to donate to casino staff about $1,600 he raised from viewers who sent him money during two livestreams from Idaho. Funds from a third video went to COVID-19 research efforts, according to Christopher.

I think it was a pretty cool experience, and I would hope that maybe moving forward we work with him again, Matt said. Then we could actually do a promotion with him where we encourage people to come see us.

Christopher returned to Los Angeles on Saturday and plans to visit more casinos as they reopen in the coming weeks.

He said he reached out to Northern Quest Resort & Casino, which opened Tuesday and does not allow video on the gaming floor. He was turned down for a number of reasons, according to the facility.

Northern Quest, Coeur dAlene and Kalispel casinos are among 14 other casinos that have opened across the country in the last week, according to the American Gaming Association. They are the only facilities open on the West Coast.

Northern Quest has extremely limited marketing and advertising campaigns in internal markets only at this time, Julie Holland, a casino spokesperson said in an email. While we understand that Northern Quest is one of the only casinos currently open for business in the United States, we dont encourage cross-country travel.

Christopher said hes used to being turned down, as well as being the first person to film in a casino.

They are coming around to it because they are realizing the power of social media, he said.

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Were here, live in Idaho: Well-known gambling YouTuber streams experience at reopened CdA Casino - The Spokesman-Review