This Week in Gaming Review

 

The 3rd week of 2016 featured outstanding news from Atlantic City.  Revel is reportedly going to reopen as a waterpark and a casino. The casino will be a smaller version of the previous model. Since they closed in September 2014,  the amount of rooms available at the shore decreased by 1400. That does not include the rooms lost by the closing of Showboat, Atlantic Club and Trump Plaza. While the occupancy rate has risen, the demand for a room will drive prices up as well. Not good for the consumer. The reopening will alleviate a part of that. No timetable was given.

 

The conversation about Online Gaming in Pennsylvania was revisited by State Rep John Payne. Payne is the current chair of the Gaming Oversight Committee. He predicted that some form of gaming outside of the brick and mortar casinos would be approved by July. This will double the amount of people that are playing currently. Good news for 888 and Caesars Interactive.

A hearing on Tuesday was held to talk about the possibility of sports betting. This would be in concert with a resolution introduced late last year urging the U.S. Congress to repeal a ban on sports betting. Pennsylvania is being proactive with the hearing of the proposal by New Jersey that request that wagering on games be allowed by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals. This hearing is scheduled for February 17. ESPN Chalk provided coverage of this hearing and cited the opinions the Commissioners of the NBA and MLB.

 

 

Finally, New York has New York will have another crack at online poker. Legislation that would regulate online poker sites in the Empire State was re-introduced this week. The measure was considered last year but didn’t gain any traction in Albany. The bill is from Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, who is pushing legislation along with Sen. Bonacic, who has yet to re-introduce his proposal. Both are at the helm of gaming and racing committees.  The amount of money projected in the 1st year of operation was estimated at 120 million. That is the same amount that Pennsylvania projected for the online gaming market 12 months after launch.

This news regarding Poker is cited from Cardplayer.com.

 

Last week, I went 2-2 with my NFL selections. My best bet was Seattle + 8.5 in a teaser. Today my best play is the over 47.5 in the Panthers and Cardinals game. Enjoy the games.

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This Week in Gaming Review

The 2nd week of 2016 provided statistics that made operators in Pennsylvania and New Jersey nothing less than ecstatic.  Pennsylvania posted record numbers last year to $3.17 billion, topping the previous high of $3.16 billion set in 2012. This information was released by the PGCB on Friday.

 

The four casinos in the Philadelphia area had $1.19 billion in revenue, up 3.9 percent form $1.14 billion the year before. Slots revenue was up 2.8 percent locally, while table games revenue gained 6.6 percent. The 4 Philly casinos include Parx, SugarHouse, Harrahs and Valley Forge. These outstanding numbers are a prelude to the Philly Live project that is expected to start construction within the next 11 months.

New Jersey Online Gaming hit a new monthly revenue high in December and full-year revenue improved by more than 20 percent. The Atlantic City leaders in December were Borgata and Caesars Interactive.

Borgata

According to figures released Wednesday by the Division of Gaming Enforcement, state-licensed online operators reported revenue of $14m in December, 6% more than November reported 13.2 million and 30.8% higher than December 2014’s total. The online casino vertical rose 39% year-on-year to $12m, while poker revenue fell 3.6% to just under $2m. For the year as a whole, the state’s online revenue came to $148.8m, 21% higher than 2014. Total online casino revenue in 2015 came to $125m, up one-third from 2014, while poker revenue fell 18% to $23.8 million. This is confirms that online gaming is trending in the right direction.

 

Governor Brian Sandoval

Lastly, Gov. Brian Sandoval officially reconvened the Nevada Gaming Policy Committee to discuss skill-based games and daily fantasy sports, among other issues.

According to a statement from his office, Sandoval signed an executive order to reconvene the 12-member committee, which includes the governor, select members of the legislature, a tribal representative, members of the public and other appointees, including gaming regulators and licensees.

"The industry is constantly changing as more states and countries enter into this increasingly competitive field, and I believe the changes we are witnessing demand the attention of Nevada’s policy leaders," Sandoval says in the statement.

According to the statement, "The objective of the Committee is to gather input from various constituencies, including the public, on gaming policy issues, for possible future consideration by Nevada’s Gaming Control Board and Gaming Commission, as appropriate."

The committee meet no later than March 15 and deliver non-binding recommendations before October. I am curious to see which licensees will be on the committee. I'll report that information in a future post.  I want to note that the Associated Press was the source of the Nevada related news. It was condense to fit this post.

 

 

I was 2-2 last week during NFL wildcard weekend with the best bet losing. Texans + 8.5 in a teaser.

This week my best bet is #Seattle + 8.5 in a teaser. Enjoy the games.

 

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This Week in Gaming Review

The 1st week of the year included more gaming news regarding Daily Fantasy Sports. The Attorney General of New York is amending his injunction against DraftKings and FanDuel.  The proceeding will now include restitution of any money losses by the players in New York and a fine of 5,000 for a each transaction. There will be a settlement before any of this transpires.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman

 

 

The CES 2016 was held in Las Vegas this week. The NBA on TNT hosted the pregame show from there.Technology, Virtual reality and Skill based games will change the landscape of how the gaming industry evolves over the next 5 years. Embrace the changes!

 

Consumer Electronics Show 2016

 

Rush Street Gaming has partnered with Matt Glantz to give his insight about Poker to the Poker Night in America series. This show is entering it's 3rd season. Glantz will assist in he development, programming and promotion of all poker related operations. This collaboration will be on display during any televised event at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and SugarHouse Casino.

Matt Glantz

 

 

             My best pick this week is Texans plus 9.5 as part of  a teaser. Game starts at 4:30 pm.
                                                  Enjoy +NFL Wildcard Weekend.


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My Top Gaming Interviews of 2015

Just in case you missed it, here are my top gaming interviews for 2015. I won't rank them. I'll let you decide that. But these were my favorites based on number of hits and the content. I considered how they resonate with my audience.

 

My post about Marketing and Online Gaming with views provided by Luisa Woods from Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City. The interview with ESPN top writer on gaming and sports betting.

The imaginations of Greg Carlin and Wendy Hamilton were on displayed in my post about Gaming in 2025.

Jessica Dawley

 

The combination of Poker and Jessica Dawley captivated readers when SugarHouse Casino hosted Poker Night in America. The interview with Scientific Games CEO Gavin Issacs gave insight on how

to connect with millenials.

 

 

#HappyNewYear

 

 

 

 

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This Week in Gaming Review

This week includes 3 reports that will change gaming landscape in the mid Atlantic area. One is the

order to curtail Daily Fantasy Sports operators from operating in New York immediately. FanDuel and DraftKings plan to appeal this ruling. As this post was being written, this report was received from ESPN. 

Not in New York!

The second is a referendum to expand gaming outside of Atlantic City. This will be on the ballot during the presidential election vote in November 2016. Meadowlands would be a strong possibility if gaming is allowed to extend to north New Jersey.

 

Pennsylvania is in the process of finalizing the budget for 2015-16.  Since they are overdue by 5 months, the legislators are looking for new revenue streams. One strong consideration is online gaming and the expansion of slots to airports.

Pennsylvania Gaming Oversight Committee

DraftKings and FanDuel were granted a temporary injunction and can continue to operate pending appeal.

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Fantasy Sports is not Sports Betting: The Myth that came True

Nevada regulators handed down a ruling that Fantasy Sport sites can not operate in the Silver State

without a license. NBC News reported this. FanDuel and DraftKings can no longer take action in the state where gambling on almost anything is legal. This comes one week after the employee of   DraftKings  hit on the FanDuel site for $350,000. They both have institute a ban that prohibits employees from playing. Does the ban prevent the employees from sharing information with friends? Hmm!

 

FanDuel vs. DraftKings

 

 

                                                                

 

 

 

                                                               

 

                                                                  The Myth

The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the subterfuge that the Greeks used to enter the city of Troy and win the war. After a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse  and hid a select force of men inside. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy. That night the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of night. The Greeks entered and destroyed the city of Troy, decisively ending the war. A "Trojan Horse" has come to mean any trick or stratagem that causes a target to invite a foe into a securely protected bastion or place. This passage was provided courtesy of Wikipedia.

 

                                      So how did the myth come true?

 

Daily Sports Fantasy is the millennial Trojan Horse. The American operators pretend that it not gambling under the auspice of the 2006 Internet Gambling Enforcement  Act. 9 years later, the public is swayed by conventional wisdom  that this is the substitute for legal action on a game because it  is  technically not gambling. The selection of players from multiple teams does not constitute a "real" contest. The states are the protected place. We are allowing an unregulated form of wagering.

                                             

                                  Fantasy Sports = Sports Betting?  Hmmm!

 

The advertising dollars spent to entice players are outrageous. It does seem to be working. The incident that happen with the employee did not lower the interest in wagering on either site. It did alert the government to look at regulating Daily Fantasy Sports. I see partnerships that extend beyond licensing agreements and commercials. Casinos and Racetracks could connect with a site like Yahoo and DraftPot to offer Fantasy Sports. They have the facilities and are regulated. The sites have the software. The states could sell licenses for a fee. Everybody Wins. Hmmmm!

 

 

 

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Gaming in 2025

My G2E question for 2015 is "What will Gaming look like in 2025?"  In the words of the late Yogi Berra, "The future ain't what it use to be." I asked several top gaming executives and decided to weigh in myself. My vision is at the end of the post. Share your comments if you choose as you share this post with your friends.

                                                                  Ladies first.

“Gaming in 2025 will likely be an enhanced, high-tech hybrid of what we see today.  The bricks-and-mortar casinos will continue evolving to stay on trend with design and architecture, while the games themselves will seamlessly blend on-property experience with on-demand, online options.   The hybrid model will require even more strategic marketing and operational creativity — yet another reason gaming is such a fast-paced and dynamic industry.  That’s why we love it.” 

                                        Wendy Hamilton - General Manager of SugarHouse Casino



 

“Ten years from now, regional casinos will be part of the entertainment infrastructure of every major metropolitan area. There will likely be robust online complements to nearly every casino brand and even more sophisticated technology driving the overall business forward.  That will create steady opportunities to reach new people and continue growing the industry.”

“We can be certain that gaming in 2025 will include online slots and table games as standard fare for all casinos. We also anticipate that sports betting will become a more common and integrated part of the overall gaming picture. Those changes will introduce a younger demographic to the industry overall, whose increasing importance will reshape all operations.”

 

 

Greg Carlin - CEO of Rush Street Gaming

“Ten years from now, regional casinos will be part of the entertainment infrastructure of every major metropolitan area. There will likely be robust online complements to nearly every casino brand and even more sophisticated technology driving the overall business forward.  That will create steady opportunities to reach new people and continue growing the industry.”

                          Craig Clark - General Manager of Rivers Casino Pittsburgh

 

"That’s an exciting opportunity! Ten years from now I think you’ll continue to see casinos and integrated casino resorts providing great entertainment to players. Casinos are not going away, and they are going to offer more entertainment than ever. The games and experiences will continue to evolve, bringing in interactivity, skill, social and new gesture technology. We have an advanced development team working on a lot of exciting concepts right now. I think you’ll see regulators working in closer partnership with operators and suppliers to bring new technology to market more quickly."

 "If I had a crystal ball, I would say that you’ll see online gaming integrated more closely with bricks-and-mortar casinos; mobile payments will be commonplace; multi-platform content and interstate casino progressives will be prevalent; and the effects of player and technology convergence will be quite evident. The year 2025 will be here before you know, and we have innovation teams across the globe already working on inventions for the next decade and beyond."

                       "And Greg Carlin is hailed as the new Steve Wynn!!!"

 

                                                  Gavin Issacs - CEO of Scientific Games

 

I think Gaming in 2025 is going to be a lot different then what I see now. The patrons will be much younger.They will come in groups and have night for socialization that will include dining, shows and gambling. In that order. Our floor will be reconfigured with more stadium style play.

Mobile device will be the method of choice for all players under 30. Our player then is between 15 and 20 now. They will be a section where you can play on your phone. In this area, players can also play games against each other.The casino floor will consist of the sophisticated and affluent player in secluded areas. That should constitute about 30% of our business. The rest will be the young millennial that wants nightlife in a safe environment. More emphasis on security and responsible gaming.

Gaming will have more transactions that are cashless. The amount of  Table games will increase along with skill base games.Games will have more interactive components than ever. They will be sports and fantasy betting kiosks. Television will have in game wagering for all players that have rooms reserved with a credit card. And when the players come in for nightlife, they'll dress like they are vying for the cover of GQ and Vogue on New Years Eve.        

                                                        Here's a glimpse!



Robert Mims aka The Gaming Guy

 

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