5 Gaming Predictions for 2021

The New Year is all of 4 days old. I decided to look into my crystal ball and make 5 bold predictions for gaming in 2021. Check back on December 31th and we can talk about how I did.

New York will authorize mobile betting. The amount of money New York is watching go from New York City into the Meadowlands is absurd. If you could bet on mobile device that would eliminate trips into New Jersey and Pennsylvania. There is a legislative push to approve mobile wagering. It will bring tax revenue. but not at the rate that will fix up the state deficit.  

The Media Blitz of Sports Betting Ads will exceed 2015   In 2015,FanDuel and DraftKings were trying to convince everybody that playing Daily Fantasy Football was not gambling. The opening week of football season those operators spent 27 million for 8,000 television spots. Fast forward to this year when every game will have references to wagering pre game and at the end of the each quarter or inning. Major market teams will emulate the Wizards and NBC Sports with sports wagering centric telecasts.

The rebirth of Las Vegas and Atlantic City will start on the 4th of July. That weekend will be a coming out party for all of the high rollers that have stayed away from the action since March 2020. This month will coincide with 26 weeks of vaccinations across the country. People that have not traveled or been to concerts and gambled, will be thrilled to have a get a way! The emphasis on a having the cleanest rooms, along with a social distance and mask required environment, will solidify the reservation. A lack of planning will stifle responses.

The 2021 Olympics will be the most watched event in history. It will be streamed, on cable, part of social media apps and part of NBC Sports Prime Time Evening coverage.  NBC & Twitter will collaborate on several live events. The global ramifications will have all of the major advertisers paying 1.25 Billion for sponsorships for the 2021 Tokyo Games. Watch out for several brands that you may not have heard of.

There will be a resurgent in radio listenership The satellite radio stations like Sirius and I Heart Radio will provide information and music to a new younger audience that wants to experience both. The amount of I Heart listeners grew to 8% of Americans with a global audience of 168 million people in 2019. Look for the number to push slightly over 10%. A partnership between I Heart and VSIN Sports was just announced. I see an alliance with epic growth opportunities. 

Regional shows will push local content to engage their audiences during morning drive times and evening commutes. The shows that will have the most success are ones that have entertaining guests and interactive audience engagement. Think 97.5 The Fanatic and you will have the recipe.

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Metro Report: Sports Betting in Washington DC, New York & Philly

Since the advent of Sports Betting the coverage of the New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia markets are essential to prognosticators. I would normally just focus on Las Vegas, Philly and Atlantic City but times have changed. So I will expand with my Gaming Guy News minutes into the 3 top cities on the East Coast.

Nets had their season opener on Tuesday Night. They defeated the Warriors 125-99.  Kyrie Irving had 26 points. Kevin Durant scored 22 and had 5 rebounds. The Warriors were led by Stephen Curry who scored 20 and had 10 assists. I see the Nets winning the division and having the best conference record. They should get a better test against the Celtics on Christmas Day.

The Sixers open tonight against the Wizards. The defense did not look formidable in the Wizards pre season games. The Sixers are favored by 7.5 and the total is 229. Joel Embiid looked sharp in his one preseason game. His prop bets total are 26.5 in points and 11.5 in rebounds. I am looking at the chemistry of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook. Great players can figure things out.  

Washington Football is still leading the division with 2 games left. Dwayne Haskins is starting as of this report. He will go against the Carolina Panthers. Panthers just held the the Packers to 3 points in the 2nd half of their game on Saturday. The extra day of rest will help them. Haskins threw 55 times against Seattle. Keep that in mind when you look at his projected attempts this week. Washington is favored by 2.5 and the total is 44.5.

Giants are in 2nd right now a game in back of Washington. The Giants can't score with Colt McCoy under center. He showed he can move the team but they are poor in the red zone. This week they play the Ravens. Ravens are playing lights out and are favored by 11. Total is 45. Lamar Jackson is playing at the MVP level of last season. Giant chance of winning the division is 16%.

Eagles and Cowboys will play with the loser being eliminated from contention. Jalen Hurts will make his 3rd consecutive start. Cowboys have won two straight. Both teams need to win and get help to make the final game of the season be meaningful. The Eagles are -2.5 and the total is 49.5.

Sport Business and Wagering News: Rivers Philadelphia posted strong numbers in November. The Sports Betting Handle was approximately 27.4 million with 70.8% generated online. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, the retail operation will be closed until after the New Year. I would anticipate the handle to increase with some of the retail play shifting over to mobile, 

Follow me on Twitter for conversations and watch my videos on Instagram. Merry Christmas!

Monday Motivation: The Return to Work Blueprint

So far, my Monday Motivation posts have been designed to help us stay the course thru COVID-19. Each one,for the past four weeks, has given concepts and suggestions as to what to we should do in the meantime. Now multiple states are planning some form of re-opening. The last phase in each anticipated re-opening are hotels,casinos and entertainment venues. Since that is the majority of my colleagues and followers, this Blueprint was crafted for the gaming. tourism and hotel industries.

We are fortunate that a large percentage of the aforementioned industries have employees that reside in states that are taking the "let the data determine the date" approach. They include Pennsylvania, New Jersey. New York, Nevada and Michigan. If the numbers of people infected does not get to a level  determined by the state as a green stage then there is no choice but to wait until the pandemic subsides.

So when we return to work, the Blueprint requires that the operators and owners of each organization have placed the ultimate value on the safety and well being of the employees that will be returning to the workplace. They will be the most valuable asset the companies have in helping the business return to pre COVID levels. There should be a meeting that informs everyone via phone, email or zoom as to what the strategic plan will be.

That plan must consist of testing of the staff so everyone can feel save interacting with each other. Step two will require a social distancing policy that must be adhered to without exception. It will include the requirement of wearing a mask to protect the staff and the guests from each other. Step 3 will mandate a dedication to having the cleanest work area conceivable. This will gain public confidence that all measures are being taken to insure safety. Step four has a compulsory level of contact tracing. If there is a reported case of a guest or employee being diagnose with Coronavirus, you can have a general idea as to who that person can in contact with. This will be a proactive method to keep the virus from spreading.

In order for the Blueprint to work, there will be changes to the Standard Operations Procedures (SOP). A level of flexibility must be inherent because of a natural tendency to do things the way we have previously. Unfortunately, we won't have the ability to do that initially. Every one must buy in! If we are practical and patient, we will be thriving and fiscally successful. Each organization will have to develop partnerships to move the business incrementally. I can go into more detail but that should be part of a formal conversation. I have some time now, as most of us do, to welcome such an exchange.

This is the moment where we see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you have missed some of my earlier posts on Monday Motivation, I have included two that will bring you to the level we are now.

                                           When this is over  and Casino Life after COVID 

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Sports and Wagering Business This Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents.

New York approved sports betting and started accepting wagers this week. The sites include Rivers Casino Schenectady and Tioga Downs. Resorts World Catskills and Del Lago will have the capacity to take bets and are expected to announce their plans soon. All wagers must be made in person. There is no mobile sport betting component at this time. They are prohibited from taking bets on New York State collegiate sports teams and any college sports events held within the state.

Washington DC is still finalizing it's sports betting regulations. Once they are complete, expect retailers to apply for Class B licenses that will allow kiosks and sports betting windows in bars and event venues that serve food and alcoholic beverages. Once the application process starts the retailers will be highlighted by name and location. The stipulation in DC is Class B license holder can not be within the proximity of  two blocks from a Class A holder.

New Hampshire legalized sports betting last week, joining Rhode Island as the second state in the New England region to add sports bets to the gaming menu. The residents of New Hampshire can not bet on New Hampshire based teams. They do have a provision for mobile betting.

I can not stress enough that the future of sports betting is in the mobile and tablet side of the business. Unless you have an outstanding venue there is no reason to come place a bet with you that beats the speed of the mobile app. If you are in a jurisdiction where mobile is not an option then innovation is critical to your success.

If you want me in real time you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates! You can also see my post on Bettors Insider , the Delaware Valley's top site for sports betting and gambling.

Sports Business and Wagering this Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents. 

Harrah's Philadelphia Casino open it's sports betting operation this week. This is a permanent facility and has 4,300 square footage of space. It has 45 large screens and 19 lounge seats. Harrah's has partnered with Scientific Games for the technological platform that will eventually include a mobile app offering. This is the 3rd casino in the Philadelphia area to offer sports wagering. The others are Sugarhouse and Parx.

The Super Bowl is approaching and is anticipated as one of the largest wagering events of 2019. More money will be wagered legally on this game than any other Super Bowl. This is not because of the match up but due to more states having sports betting. The handle would have been higher if New England were playing the Saints. The marquee match between Brady and Brees would have generated large prop action.

The states that are strongly considering adding sports betting next are New York and Maryland. Governor Cuomo is all in favor of New York having wagers on site at the casinos. Maryland wants to keep pace with the fast track legislation in Washington DC. How intelligent each of the sports betting operations are managed will determine success and profitability.

Sports Business and Wagering this Week

This is a new feature that will post every Friday. Starting today, we will give you the latest news about Sports Business and Wagering that occurred in that calendar week. This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents.

 
This week DC approved Sports Betting. While this market will be lucrative the restrictions on the use of mobile devices is a detrimental to everyone. This aspect of the legislation should be revisited.

Watch for any news about Sports Betting out of New York. With the amount of professional teams and population that have loyalty to them, this market will become the largest on the east coast. Poker play would get a huge shot in the arm as well.

Each of the increasing popular Sports Betting 101 Series will be part of this so you can have each post together. Since we add a new post to that series every week you will always see the previous 3 with this feature. We encourage you to follow and stay relevant.  

Things the Bettor needs to know
Why the bettor should wager with a legal operator
The Las Vegas Expierience

Happy Holidays!

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This Week in Gaming Review

The New York State Gaming Commission on Monday issued temporary permits to five fantasy sports operators, including industry giants DraftKings and FanDuel.  Governor Cuomo signed legislation to legalize Fantasy Sports Betting earlier this month. This is great for New York Football and Basketball fans.

Yahoo, Fantasy Draft and Draft also received temporary permits Monday. The companies were allowed to begin offering paid contests immediately. This is the 1st step toward sports betting. It will not be the last.

Glenn Straub. owner of the Revel Casino, now claims the property will have a soft Oct. 1 opening and be fully functioning by the end of December. The site is awaiting zoning and inspection by Atlantic City's L&I Department. There appears to be uncertainty about this.  Stay tuned for updates.

Governor Christie stated he is in favor of gaming expansion outside of Atlantic City. If this happens, casinos will be in North Jersey. This will not only affect AC but will hit some of  the Pennsylvania Casinos as well.  Mount Airy and Sands come to mind.  The proximity to the New Jersey border and the New York crowd are the respective reasons for both of these operators.

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                                                        27 days until #G2E2016

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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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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Gaming Mid Year Review 2015

In case you missed it, we have hit the halfway point of 2015. If you are into gaming entertainment,this has been 6 months of speculation throughout the industry.

Here are the highlights of 2015 with my bold predictions of what happens by the end of the year.

 

 

 

 

Casinos proposed in North Jersey with tax revenue going to Atlantic City. Prediction -No.

Governor Christie supports it. New Jersey has a 30% approval rate of him. They will reject

his initiative.

Atlantic City has the Pier and Revel reopening.  Prediction - The Pier reopens while Revel

does not. Bart Blatstein's track record in Philly shows he can develop a project and make it

appealing. Nothing definitive for Revel until 2016.

 

    

Pennsylvania gets online gaming this year. Prediction - No! The interest is there but the difference on the tax rate will morass the process. The budget for fiscal year 2015-16 will take center stage with taxation and educational expenses. Gaming will take a backseat.

 

 

California and New York will have online Poker. Prediction - No! Not enough support to sustain traction. They will revisit the issue in 2016 to beat a proposed federal ban.

Sports Betting will be approved outside of Nevada. Prediction - Yes. This is the year of acquising to popular opinion. A landmark Supreme Court ruling regarding marriage. The legalization of marijuana use for recreational and medicinal purposes is a further example of giving in to public demand and making a profit. Can you spell prohibition? Sports Betting is something that is accepted by the public and some of the professional sports leagues. Fantasy Sports wagering is just the precursor to allowing gambling on a live event. Once approved in New Jersey, Pennsylvania will lobby for it as well.

                           Share a comment if you choose. Have a wonderful Fourth of July!

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Online Gaming and Poker

New York has expressed interest in the online gaming market. Poker is gaining support from legislators and casino lobbyists. This is not surprising. The state of New York sees the opportunity to capitalize on a growing appetite for gaming.

Poker is an established community where skill out weighs luck. Unlike slots or other casino games, Poker players can largely determine their fate. The game is socially acceptable with conservatives and is extremely popular.

 

If  New York is successful, poker could be part of the online landscape by 2015-16. This would allow

more quantified data of how things are working in the states that current offer an online experience.

New Jersey,Nevada and Delaware are the three states where you can game online. When you factor states like California and Pennsylvania into the mix of possible online gaming jurisdictions, instant

liquidity is obtain. The compact agreement between Delaware and Nevada could be modeled and include other interested parties. This would be no different than playing a national lottery game like Mega Millions where wagers are taken all over. You can play Mega Millions in 44 states plus the District of Columbia and the U. S. Virgin Islands. The odds of winning are just more favorable.

 

The online experience is the future of gaming. Poker is just the easy lift to get things started. When gaming first expanded into Pennsylvania, the intention was to only allow slot play. Delaware and West Virginia  did the same thing. When West Virginia offered table games, Delaware and Pennsylvania followed suit. Once Poker is introduced, the landscape will open up to other casino offerings.

A winning hand!

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