This Week in Gaming Review

 

 

Borgata Casino showed why they are the leader in Atlantic City gaming. This was evident this week with a article from Calvin Ayre that they are looking for another partner in the online gaming sector. They are presently aligned with Bwin Party. This news comes on the heels of proposed $50 million makeover which includes an ambitious outdoor pool complex, gigantic nightclub, an upscale eatery , casual food court and other refurbishments throughout the resort.  While most leaders rest on their laurels, Borgata takes the steps to stay ahead of the pack thru property reinvestment and brand stimulation.

 

 

 

A similar announcement came from Tropicana Atlantic City, which plans to invest $25 million in improvements throughout the property. Planned enhancements include renovations to 500 rooms in the Havana Tower incorporating new carpeting, spa-like bathrooms with walk-in showers, textured wall coverings and modern art.

 

"These renovations are not only attractive upgrades for Tropicana's guests, they are creating new employment opportunities at a crucial time in Atlantic City," said Tony Rodio, president and CEO of Tropicana Entertainment in a statement.

There are also plans to refresh the South Tower casino to match the North Tower's upscale feel and decor. Other casino improvements will be enhancements to the Asian gaming room Jade Palace as well as an new high-limit slot area. If I was going to stay in Atlantic City, I know my first two choices.

 

 

In the breaking news. Serena Williams lost in 3 sets in the Australian Open Women's Finals. She was

gracious in defeat with praise for her opponent. When you are use to winning you learn that a level of humility is part of the terrain.

 

This is the 1st day of the Philadelphia Auto Show. This afternoon is the NBA match between the Sixers and the world champion Golden State Warriors. Here is an NBA Preview of the contest. I will provide live tweets from the game.

 

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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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