What effect the Pennsylvania Gaming Expansion will have on Atlantic City

The thought of Pennsylvania's Gaming expansion has the attention of the mid Atlantic region. The reasons are obvious. Operators within the Commonwealth will have additional options along with new competitors to choose from. Neighboring states like New York, Ohio and West Virginia will look harder at I Gaming as a way to keep their residents from coming to Pennsylvania for gaming related activities.

The effect on Atlantic City was considered minimal and not a major concern. We disagree with that premise. This is the same ideology that occurred in 2004 when gaming was legalized in Pennsylvania.That was the last major year before the decline of revenue at the shore. Imagine a gaming patron that goes to AC now that lives in Pennsylvania. The patron can't play online on a New Jersey site. The customer can play online from home. This will result in fewer trips to the Garden State. It will decrease the spend and affect the bottom line of the shore brick and mortar site.

Increase competition requires attention and strategy to maintain market share. Failing to plan is planning to fail!

If you want intelligent ways to prepare for your online experience as an operator or a player, you can reach out to us.

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Pennsylvania Gaming Expansion: Will Taxes limit Interest in Online Gaming?

Pennsylvania Gaming Expansion has an extremely high rate of taxation for I Gaming. While the rate for table games and fantasy sports are moderate and in the teens, the legislature took a more aggressive posture with slot play. The tax on slots for casino operators is at 54%. While this matches the amount that brick and mortar facilities pay presently, it is high for a online situation. The initial thought is that will diminish interest in the product. 

Our take is a resounding no. It is too large an upside not to take part of. We will share one creative way that intelligent operators can find success in the I Gaming world. Look at the compact agreement that Delaware, New Jersey and Nevada have. They can share players and increase liquidity. Imagine the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania added to such an agreement. The monetary upside would be worth the cost of investment.

If you want more shrewd ways to build your online experience as an operator or a player, you can reach out to us.

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G2E 2017 Instagram Photos

                                 Here are 6 people to follow as you reflect on the G2E 2017.

Shekinah Hoffman- UNLV

Jan Jones Blackhurst- Caesars Palace

David Purdum - ESPN

Donna Vecere - Cooper Levenson

Jay Jabczynski - Rush Street Gaming

Bo Bernhard-UNLV

Over the next three weeks, we will cover the different facets of the Pennsylvania gaming expansion in detail.This would be a good time to follow me on Twitter or download my Smart Responsible Gaming app.

                                                                 Stay informed!

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Pennsylvania Gaming Expansion: How will it impact you

It is finally here. After over a year of debates and haggling, Pennsylvania passed their 2017 budget and included sweeping gaming legislation. They are the 4th state to have internet gaming. Pennsylvania also has extended the number of casinos allowable in the commonwealth. There can be up to 10 additional satellite casinos. The current operators will have the first bid to purchase one of these locations.

How will this impact you? The obvious is more job opportunities and positions that require middle management experience. This possibility is exciting to every gaming employee in the Mid Atlantic Region. Internet Gaming will change the entire landscape of how we do business.

We are excited and await 2018 with great anticipation. It will give us more to write about and increase the engagement with the audience. The expansion will challenge me professional to be more innovative and a stronger asset than I am presently. I encourage anyone that reads this to do the same.

Over the next three weeks, we will cover the different facets of the gaming expansion in detail.

This would be a good time to follow me on Twitter or download my Smart Responsible Gaming app.

                                                                 Stay informed!

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G2E Interview with Andre Barnabei: Part 2

These questions were design to show the personal side of Andre.

5). What book would you recommend as a motivational tool? "Rich Dad Poor Dad."

6). What is your favorite restaurant and what would you order? "La Tavola. I would order a selection from the homemade pasta."

7).If you had a choice of a concert ticket, who would you go see out of this group?  Bruno Mars. Beyoncé or Lady Gaga. Tell the reader why. "Definitely Bruno Mars. He came to Pittsburgh and I wanted to take my wife but the tickets sold out before I could order two!"

8). What advice would you give a college student that is looking a gaming as a career?  "What are you waiting for! Get in the door as quickly as possible. Consider a PT job while in school or focus on securing an internship. Once you have your foot in the door, do not be afraid to try multiple departments Take the opportunity seriously,build your skill set and develop positive business relationships along the way."

This link to part one of this interview is here.

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G2E interview with Andre Barnabei - Rivers Casino

Andre' Barnabei serves as the Vice President of Slot Operations for Rivers Casino. Barnabei has more than 19 years of Human Resources and Operations experience in the gaming industry. He has been with Rivers Casino for 10 years and spent the initial 8 as the VP of Human Resources. Barnabei has work for Harrah Philadelphia and Mountaineer Casino in West Virginia. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration & human resource management from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington Pa.

Andre' is attending G2E 2017 and agreed to answer a range of questions.

1). Describe your typical day?  "There is no typical day in the casino as every day bring new and exciting challenges. The only guarantee is that they will be guest interaction,team member interaction and business strategy discussions. The level of detail and involvement range  on a regular basis. I do my best each day to be home in time to be with my family prior to my children going to bed. Once they are settled in, I spend time with my wife, review some e-mail for work and watch TV."

2). What are you looking for when you attend the G2E?  "The next big thing! My goal is to keep our slot floor as refreshed as possible. Electronic Table games will surely be on the list of things to review closely."

3).You attended a pre G2E meeting in Atlantic City. Tell us what goes on prior to the conference in Las Vegas? "Multiple vendors conduct pre-G2E meetings which provide a more in depth personal review of their new software and hardware. It allows me the opportunity to better understand the vendors release schedule for their products but they always keep a few things back for the game show!"

4}. What are the differences between the gaming experience in a resort versus an urban market? 

"A big difference is the quanity regular guests. In an urban market, guests frequent the casino more often. Some of the urban guest have multiple trips per week. With that level of repeat customers. it is very important to find innovative ways to provide excellent guest service and to continue to refresh the gaming floor regularly."

Stay tune for Part two of this interview at the conclusion of the G2E.

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G2E countdown: The Players to Watch

In two weeks, the G2E 2017 will begin. We have decided that with so much information that you won't have time to network and have coffee with everyone. But there are a select group of people
and companies that always set trends and lead the way. We have chosen 5 that are listed in alphabetical order.

Calvin Ayre - The news coverage that they provide is totally comprehensive of the gaming conference.Rebecca Liggero gets interviews from innovative game makers and game changers in the casino industry.

Hard Rock Casino and Hotel - Hard Rock is making a big splash on the east coast with the opening of a 2000 room casino in Atlantic City in 2018. They announced that they will have a presence in the I gaming market in New Jersey sometime this year. Hard Rock is lookin to expand Atlantic City tourism market to week days. The brand is internationally known.

MGM - MGM is doing great numbers in Atlantic City at the Borgata and the National Harbor in Maryland. They continue to roll sevens as they enter and dominate major markets all over the world. They are currently looking at skill base gaming and e sports as a way to attract millennials.

Rush Street Gaming - Rush Street has shown a propensity for the urban market and has casinos in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago and Schenectady. A model for what gaming should look like in a large metropolis. Check out the link to the Pittsburgh Property.

UNLV- This is the top gaming institution in the United States. They provide direction from top industry leaders along with statistics that cover revenue and historical data. UNLV also meshes the operations of casinos with the business acumen of what works in other facets of hospitality.

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NFL and GTLivechat

We are about to start up again. This is the start of a new season and conversation on Twitter featuring NFL games. We focus on the prime time telecasts during the regular season on Thursday, Sunday and Monday Nights.  A  new feature this season will be the best 1PM match-up. You tell  us what  game you like at 1 and we will give our opinion. The opinion will range from selecting a side to suggesting a better match-up. We also do a recap of the headlines that affect the season such as injuries and personnel moves. If you love the NFL then you'll like us. Tell your friends. Invite them to join in. Go as far as to add the name or twitter handle to expand the conversation.

If anyone attends an NFL game then take a picture of the event or the tickets and post it on Instagram. We would like you to share those moments with us. We want to extend the engagement beyond our 140 characters. We want to make the audience international so we welcome #London and #Mexico football fans.

Always use the #GTLivechat at the end of each tweet or photo you post.

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G2E 2017: Why You and Your Gaming Organization can't afford not to attend

The G2E 2017 will start in less than one month. This is the largest and most renown gaming conference. We are attending and would strongly suggest it to you. We will offer three reasons.

The 1st is the network opportunities. You will connect with the top executives in the world and learn what they see as being the next big thing.

Greg Carlin,David Cordish and Jim Allen

Gamblit Gaming

The 2nd reason to come to the G2E is to expierence the tradeshow and exposition hall. Every new game,innovation and concepts is covered. In order to stay relevant, you have to know what vendors have to offer and determined if it is right for your clientele. Skill base games should be on everyone must see list.

Blaine Graboyes- CEO of GameCo

 

The 3rd is the educational seminars that have information about all facets of gaming. We are focusing on the hot topics of 2017. They are E sports, sports betting and I gaming. You can follow us as we live tweet from each of these modules. If you decide to attend after reading this post, let us know through social media and we will mention you.

See you in Vegas!

                                                         Have a great #LaborDay Weekend.
                                                   
  
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NFL Fantasy Preview and GTLivechat

Staring this week up to the NFL opener on Thursday Night Football, we will go around the league and look at the top fantasy players on each team. We will then look at the best in each division and

determined who the best players are. We welcome you to join in. You can do so by following me @Gamingguym on Twitter. #GTLivechat will feature this conversation about Football Fantasy starting tonight.

If you are in Nevada, you will like playing @usfantasy1. A lot of action for as little as $2.

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Responsible Gaming Week

This week is Responsible Gaming Week. The members of the AGA want to promote an environment that does not take advantage of the weakness of many that can not control the urge to wager and venture into addiction. They want to insure that minors and underage people are not part of any gaming institutions. Procedures that advocate these principles should be prominently displayed.

Pamphlets that tell patrons about the gamest offered and the odds of winning should be available upon request.

Guests will make an educated decision if all the facts are presented to them. We have a responsibility to engage with the patrons and have conversations about what is responsible gaming behavior. Tact and diplomacy are key components to having these discussions. We suggest that every team have someone that is capable of having an exchange  that is part of our corporate duty to all of our customers. Here are some activities that you can do with your management team.

Include questions on quiz in the EDR to be submitted in drum, with properly completed quizzes being entered into a prize drawing.

Distribute RG quizzes around property for employees to pick up and complete. Providing details on where to submit quiz for chance to win a prize.

Roving RGA quiz questions - Have supervisors or other property employees roam the floor and ask employees an RG- related question. If the employee answers it correctly, he/she may be given a prize on the spot. 



If you need further info contact  the AGA.

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The Resurgence of Atlantic City

Atlantic City is making a comeback. The interest in the Ten property from investors gives hope that the site,formerly known as Revel, could reopen in some capacity. This would increase the amount of hotel rooms in AC by at least 15% .This makes Atlantic City more appealing to conventions.

This news came on the heals of the announcement that Hard Rock is anticipating opening Memorial Day Weekend of 2018. The most anticipated move in Atlantic City since the opening of Revel.

This is a game changer property that will add excitement to the Boardwalk. The Hard Rock Brand will resonate with the AC market. Look at the beach concerts like Pink and Jimmy Buffett. Hard Rock can bring that same energy nightly. The potential is there to attract a younger customer.

Pink

MGM and Caesars have announced that they will partner on a project in Atlantic City. While no details were release, this is fantastic news. Two gaming industry giants together that will share a vision with an ocean view. We will provide more information in the coming weeks.

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NBA and the Legalization of Sports Betting

Adam Silver gave the most definitive statement to date about sports betting in the United States. He proclaim that "Sports Betting will be legal in a couple years." The reason is that it gives another level of engagement for the fans. It will heighten interest in a game that has international appeal and is 2nd in popularity only to NFL Football.  Sports betting would narrow the gap between the two leagues because of the stance Silver is taking.  He is a immensely popular leader and not afraid to take a position that is progressive.

What the league should do next is ask the other commissioners to join him. A unified front will gather public support. The leagues will make more money thru a new revenue stream that be solely based on the use of league trends and statistics. This info can be valuable to patrons that bet on games. A meeting with the AGA Geoff Freeman could start the conversation.

                                           
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Esports Video of the Week

Here is our pick for Esports Video of the Week. We selected this video because it gives a prediction of what the top games in Esports will be in 2017. Not sure if this will manifest but it a great way to engage an audience and provide info. We do this ourselves so the video reasonated with us.Here is the link.

We want to highlight the creator of the video. Go to https://freedomapps.com.au for other cool stuff.

Each week we pick a video that is entertaining and different. The goal is to expose more people to Esports. The next video will appear after the upcoming episode of  #Power and the premiere episode for this season, #GameofThrones.

This slick jacket can be found in the A.F.K. Store located in Italy.https://afkesportstore.com/

SmartResponsibleGaming

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DraftKings and the WNBA

DraftKings made headlines with the announcement that they will sponsor contests that feature WNBA players. This is another step to bring pro basketball toward the legalization of sports betting.

This helps the WNBA promote their players and bring attention to league. The exposure of WNBA is something we see the NBA has struggle to market effectively. The commercial that current NBA stars are participating in that support the women game is a good start. Watch the link of that promo here. We would like to see more WNBA highlights on NBA TV. Do a segment that is devoted to buzzer beaters. Any shot that is made at the end of the shot clock would get consideration.The moderator of the show could ask the fans to select that top one thru a twitter poll.

We also suggest a partnership with DraftKings that notes the top three fantasy WNBA players prior to their participation in any nationally televised game. This would heighten viewership and exponentially increase the fantasy action DraftKings is looking to generate. WNBA coverage is provided by ABC and ESPN.

Photos of the WNBA stars would  promote the league as well. They could range from risqué to glamour

Elena Delle Donne

Women’s basketball player Elena Delle Donne talks about what made her decide to pose naked for the magazine. “It took some convincing. My agent likes to make lists of pros and cons for me. But in the end, I really believe in athlete bodies being a powerful image in our culture and showing that there’s not just one type of female body. There are so many different variations, and we’re all powerful in our own way.”

.

Candace Parker

Maya Moore

                                        

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Sports Betting:It's Time

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear New Jersey's case that they be allowed to have sports betting. The timetable to hear the case is this fall with a decision being rendered at the end of the year or the spring of 2018. While it still a long shot that the court will rule in New Jersey's favor, this is the ray of optimism proponents of sports betting desire. The AGA has been extremely influential in letting the legislators in Washington know the ramifications of Sports Betting. A billion dollar industry that currently operates largely in an illegal market. The tax revenue for the states and federal government would be tremendous. The amount of job creation would range in the thousands.The revitalization of the economy in Atlantic City would turn the shore from a 3 month entity to a year round destination.

At least several other states are watching this development closely. They include Pennsylvania.

Nevada would welcome the lifting of the sports betting ban because they could expand their reach into other jurisdictions that would allow the use of a mobile app to wager on games. This could happen if you have an account set up with a casino located in Nevada. The public is already betting on games. The consensus is that this activity is more socially acceptable than recreational marijuana.Cannabis is currently legal in some states and being considered in others.

                                                                It's Time!


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SixersTalk & NBA Free Agency

The NBA took center stage this week with the signings and trade period that officially started on July 1. So many impactful deals all around the league. The Sixers were involved as they signed J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson. They improved their 3 point shooting and added a quality backup to their frontcount. Sixers can vie for a playoff position if Ben Simmons is the player he was when drafted number 1 last year. They also  need a healthy Joel Embiid that plays the majority of the games and at least 30 minutes a night. The eastern conference is very fluid due to roster moves by other teams. The Sixers could take advantage of this  if they gels together quickly.

J.J. Redick

The top NBA Free Agent moves so far involve Paul George,Gordon Haywood and Chris Paul.

Paul George going to OKC improves their chances of returning to the playoffs by 15%. They got their this past season largely due to Russell Westbrook's stellar year. Now that he has help, the win total will increase. OKC must sign George to a contract extension or they will be in this same situation next season.

Haywood and George switch conferences

Gordon Haywood is the perfect fix for Boston. He is what they coveted and gives them the player that makes them the 2nd best team in the East. They match up better with the Cavs The Celtics should vie for best record in the conference and should be the odd on favorite because they had that distinction last season without Haywood.

James Harden & Chris Paul

Chris Paul being traded to Houston signals that the Rockets were not going to stand pat and play second fiddle to the Warriors. If they make one more move and acquire a marquee frontcourt player,they become the projected 2nd seed in the West. Harden and Paul merit consideration for the best guard tandem in the league. The Rockets  leap over the Spurs and distance themselves from Memphis and Dallas.

Team to watch: Minnesota, with the addition of Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson, will improve their roster by 20% and become more sound defensively. They have a great chance to make the playoffs and have the athletes to guard multiple positions.

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Esports Video of the Week

Here is our selection for the #Esports Video of the week.  This is a great video because it looks at the camaraderie associated with esports. The link is here. We found it on Twitter. It is from https://twitter.com/g5taz.

Each week we pick a video that is entertaining and engaging. The goal is to expose more people to Esports. The next video will appear after the 3rd episode of  #Power.

                                                      Have a fantastic #4thofJuly

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NBA Awards 2017

The NBA continues to be the most innovative of each of the major sports leagues. It was a stroke of genius to have each of the awards for the 2017 season issued on the same night. In past seasons ,he awards were given during the playoffs. The playoffs are news worthy enough without the announcement of Defensive Player of the year and the Most Improved Player. When you add the star power of  Drake  as the host, make these announcements 2 hours in prime time on TNT, you have a memorable event. Nicki Minaj did not disappoint with her performance.

The highlight of the night was the MVP award and the acceptance speech by Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook showed his humility in thanking his teammates and his family. Here is a glimpse of what he said to his younger brother. 

The surprise of the night was the Rookie of the Year award. While the Sixers Joel Embiid

and Dario Saric won the Rookie of the Month award 5 times during the season, the  voters

choose  Malcolm Brogdon from the Milwaukee Bucks.

Malcolm Brogdon

Draymond Green won Defensive Player of the Year.  Giannis Antetokounmpo won Most Improved Player.

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