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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G2E Women in Global Gaming: Interview with Wendy Hamilton - General Manager of SugarHouse Casino

Any conversation about the top Women in Global Gaming has to include Wendy Hamilton.
                                                       

 

Ms.Hamilton serves as the General Manager of SugarHouse HSP Gaming, L.P. (Alternate name, SugarHouse Casino). Prior to SugarHouse, Ms. Hamilton served as General Manager of Philadelphia Park Casino (now Parx Casino) in .Bensalem, PA where she was integral in planning the operational elements of the casino's grand opening and subsequent operations. She served with Harrah's Entertainment, starting as a Hotel Guest Service Representative and Assistant General Manager ... at Caesars Atlantic City. Outside of the casino, Hamilton serves on the board of the Police Athletic League and is an executive committee member for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

 

I was able to connect with Wendy as SugarHouse was celebrating it's fifth year anniversary. It's only fitting that 5 questions be appropriate  Here's Wendy!

1). 5 years of being one of the top places to work in Philadelphia. This is based on a poll by the Philadelphia Business Journal. What do you attribute this success to?

“We’re honored that our Team Members have voted SugarHouse Casino  a ‘Best Places to Work’ award in Philly each year since opening in 2010.  Creating and maintaining a great workplace has always been a top priority for us.  We want our Team Members to know that they are appreciated each and every day, because they truly are.  We celebrate their success often and provide recognition and rewards to acknowledge their many contributions." 

"It all starts with hiring the best people.”

 

                                                    

2). SugarHouse Casino is about to expand.  The first 5 years have featured a pattern of incremental growth.  What are the challenges in an expansion that will increase the amount of employees by 40%?

“The biggest challenge is that our market is increasingly saturated and highly competitive.  Our strategy is to expand our amenities and enhance guests’ experiences without generating excess gaming supply.  That’s why we’re introducing new restaurants like Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House, creating event space catered by the famous Gibsons Restaurant Group, adding a permanent poker room and building a seven-story parking garage.”

3). The association with the local professional sports teams, the Mummers Day Parade and Poker Night in America have provided  dividends to SugarHouse.   Do you see a transition from a regional casino to one with a national profile?

“It’s true that SugarHouse has earned national recognition, but our focus remains on Philadelphia and its surrounding geographic areas.  We are Philly’s casino, and we will continue concentrating on our hometown.”

4). Online Gaming is part of the conversation in Pennsylvania, New York and California.  Would it be on your wish list going forward?

“SugarHouse welcomes the additional opportunities that online gaming represents, and we hope that Pennsylvania will approve online gaming in the near future.”

 

Wendy at the opening of SugarHouse Casino

 

5). What are the 3 most rewarding things that you have experienced in the 1^st five years of your tenure at SugarHouse?

“Job creation, community support and economic impact.  Providing more than one thousand high-quality jobs for people who ‘bring it’ every single day is both an honor and a privilege.  Supporting Fishtown and our surrounding neighborhoods and being able to give back to the community we call home is huge.  And contributing to the economic vitality of Philadelphia and the commonwealth is enormously gratifying for us.”

 

If you liked this interview, you may enjoy reading my post featuring Greg Carlin; CEO of Rush Street Gaming. Rush Street Gaming includes SugarHouse Casino, Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.

 

              You can follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GamingguyM and Facebook
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