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!

Managing a Casino floor during Covid-19

Here is a glimpse of what the  responsibilities are now during a pandemic. This is a dramatic change from March 12th. The parameters are in place to insure a safe gaming environment.

The protocols for wearing a mask, sanitizing your hands and temperature checks before entering the

venue are adhered to. There is an occasional  reminder to be given regarding the mask covering the 

nose but the guests and employees are compliant when ask to do so.

The challenges that present themselves are in the areas of social distancing. The players that come

with a group or companion still stay together in close alignment while near the games or slot machines. While they are doing what  seems natural, they are not exercising social distancing. This requires that 

the management team must politely request that some degree of separation must be maintain, especially around the table games. This provides a level of comfort for the staff that is dealing to the patrons.

The limitation on occupancy makes scheduling games and deploying staff a creative process. You are now going with the demand for play as oppose to offering a full compliment of all the games. If three  people are requesting a baccarat game and one person is requesting Three Card Poker, I can tell you without hesitation the game I am opening first. Certain slot machines are not operable to make social distancing a mandate.

There is more area to cover during the work day because the gaming floor is more spread out. Pre Covid configurations were based on games being adjacent to each other. Plexiglass shields and visors are available at each game. This is for the safety of the employees and guests. 

How should you manage a casino floor during a pandemic?  You should follow all of the things I mentioned above. In addition, look to be innovative in how you connect with your guest. Use social media to let them know that you appreciate their business and that you want them to know that. Maintain a staffing level that allows for flexibility and gives you the ability to react to the unforeseen.

                   

                  Follow me for more insights on LinkedIn,Twitter Facebook and Instagram.

                  Here is my latest sports betting  & sports business article in Bettors Insider.

Sports Wagering and 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.

SugarHouse and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh collaborated with the direction of Rush Street Interactive to start a season long NFL Promotion that will have weekly prizes and a grand prize of $125,000 dollars. The is a fee of $150 per person to enter  with a limit of 25 entries per registrant. This contest is easy and should attract many sports bettors. You have to pick the games straight up and the person with the most wins is in the running for the money. For the weekly prizes, the tie breaker is the total points on the Monday Night Football Game. The second tie breaker is who submitted their entry first. For more details click here.

Parx Casino opened it's Sports Book as part of a 10 million dollar expansion on 8/9. It is a roomy 7400 square feet that includes a 156 foot media wall that can show up to 36 games at one time. There are 18 kiosks,200 seats and 3 VIP areas. 

The initial figures of the online gaming revenue in Pennsylvania are in. Here is the list of how each casino did. The 1st two months show a trend of more bets being placed on line than at the brick and mortar facilities. This replicates how bets are made in New Jersey. I anticipate that the percentage of online bets for Pennsylvania Sports Betting should approach 80% by the end of September. 

In Washington DC ,there will not be any sports betting to start the NFL season. There are still several issues involving logistics and regulations. The interest is high with several bars and small business owners making plans to apply for sports wagering permits that would allow for betting on site. The Monumental Sports and Entertainment appears to be targeting the spring of 2020 to have a venue ready that will include betting on sports and dining.

Iowa is the latest state to introduce sports betting. They will allow mobile gaming anywhere within state borders but to participate you must go to a casino to open an account. You have to register in person. There are several mobile platform providers that include William Hill and Caesars Interactive. Iowa has taken a smart approach by starting to take bets before the onslaught of NFL and College Football.

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  one of the top sites for sports betting and gambling.

Sports Wagering and 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. 

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released the figures that the Sports Books in Pennsylvania generated during the month of  January. SugarHouse Casino had the largest handle in the state. Parx Casino had the largest hold of all operators. For the entire breakdown go to PGCB.

Rivers Casino had the most signifigant addition to the Sports Betting  landscape on the East Coast with Jimmy Vaccaro. Mr. Vaccaro will be Director of Sports Relations for Rivers. This hire brings expertise and credibility to Rivers.

The Philadelphia Business Journal had the 2019 Book of Lists this week. The casinos were ranked by Sharon Oliver who compared total gross revenue. The top 3 were Parx Casino, Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa and SugarHouse Casino. Each of them have plans to expand their sports betting operations from temporary spaces to permanent dedicated area in 2019.  For the entire list contact the Philadelphia Business Journal and obtain the book.

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. 

Rivers Casino Pittsburgh hired Jimmy Vaccaro to join their team as Director of Sports Relations.This coincides with the recent opening of the sports betting operations. Mr. Vaccaro is highly respected in the area of Race and Sports Management. The retail end of the sports book will improve significantly by having his expertise .

In a independent raking, Ocean Resort Casino was selected as the best place to bet on Sports in Atlantic City. They were cited as having the best odd boards and TV's in the area. They received this ranking without the benefit of having kiosks to enhance the betting process. Get the entire ranking for New Jersey & Pennsylvania from Philly.com and Ed Barkowitz. Follow Ed on Twitter @edbarkowitz.

The operator that you should be watching is  PointsBet. They are taking wagers in New Jersey and have their eye on action in New York once sport betting is legalized there.  They made international headlines by refunding wagers that were placed on Saints in the NFL Conference Game. Great public relations move by Johnny Aitken and Seth Young. They were also the 1st Sports Book in New Jersey to take bets on the 2019 Academy Awards Oscars.

                                                     Enjoy the Super Bowl!

Sports and Business Wagering This Week

If you are looking for the latest in Sports and Business Wagering, you are at the right place. We plan to give you all of the trends and breaking developments that occurred. You will stay current on the hot topics that involve the operators and the people that like to bet on sports. Any state that is proposing Sports Betting will be highlighted. 

The NFL announced that it is partnering with Caesars Entertainment. Caesars will become the official casino that will have rights to NFL trademarks in the United States and the United Kingdom.  The trademarks can not be used in a Caesars Sports Book. The partnership is for casino gaming only.

The big bet of the week was made at Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City. Someone put down 300,000 on the Ravens during Wild Card Weekend. That bet was a loser! Four days later ,it was reported that Ocean is looking for a buyer less than a year after a grand opening. Sport Betting alone is not the cure all for a gaming operator. 

In Philly, the opening of the South Philadelphia Turf Club that is owned by Parx Casino, will increase the handle in Pennsylvania. The location is less than a mile from the sports stadium complex that serves as homes for the Phillies. Eagles, Flyers and Sixers. 

Two major players to watch in the casino industry are Kambi and Tangam.  Kambi provides the software and platform for sports betting at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia and the aforementioned Parx. Tangam provides data analysis that help make effective decisions for the casino floor. This information is critical and provides revenue generating suggestions in real time.

                                                  Enjoy the NFL games this weekend!

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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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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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 Interview with Greg Carlin - CEO of Rush Street Gaming

Chicago native Greg Carlin graduated from The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 1988. While attending Penn, he occasionally visited nearby Atlantic City, where he developed a lifelong interest in the casino industry.
As an investment banker, first at Lazard Freres and then at Bankers Trust Company, Mr. Carlin spent the early 1990s laying the foundation for a successful finance career. In 1995, he joined LAMB Partners, a diversified private investment firm led by Neil Bluhm.
In 1996, LAMB Partners teamed up with Hyatt Gaming, Inc. and formed Falls Management Company (FMC) to pursue an RFP to develop and operate a new integrated resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario. FMC was selected to develop and manage The Fallsview Casino Resort, which opened in 2004 and is currently the highest grossing casino in Canada. Mr. Carlin serves on both the board of directors and executive committee of FMC.
Soon thereafter, Mr. Carlin cofounded Rush Street Gaming, LLC, where he currently serves as CEO. Rush Street Gaming owns and operates two Rivers Casino properties in Des Plaines, Ill., and in Pittsburgh; plus SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. A fourth Rush Street property, Riverwalk Casino in Vicksburg, Miss., was sold to Churchill Downs in December 2012.

I was able to catch Greg for a series of questions prior to his G2E2015 appearance on the C-Suite Perspectives; CEO roundtable panel.

 

1). What are the challenges for the gaming industry?

 

“The proliferation of regional casinos has made over-saturation in certain markets one of the industry’s biggest challenges. However, there are still jurisdictions that are underserved.  Therefore, as an industry, operators will need to be more thoughtful about their capital allocation decisions relating to increases in supply.”

 

2). Generation Y or Millennials are not fascinated by our current offering as their parents were.

How can the gaming industry generate interest from this group?

 

“Attracting the next-generation gaming customer will hinge on technology, access and product.  They’re used to online, on-demand and entirely mobile solutions for most things, including, and especially, entertainment.  That means that the gaming industry needs to move our products online, on-demand and to mobile, as well as provide a more personalized experience at the casino.  There are also some interesting new casino gaming environments that are targeting millennials including Le Zone at Casino du Lac-Leamy in Quebec and Lavo Casino at the Palazzo in Las Vegas.”

 

3). Rush Street Gaming has evolved in 7 years from a new player in the gaming industry to a leader in several major markets. What was the vision that led to this?

 

“Our vision then and now was to create destination-style casinos for regional markets with a strong emphasis on contemporary architectural design and elevated customer experiences. Rush Street Gaming also prides itself on being a great place to work, a proud community partner and a strong economic engine.”

 

4). Rush Street Gaming has recently announced that they will open a new property in Schenectady, New York. What sold you on this area?

 

“When we first considered Schenectady, we immediately saw the potential for success in this underserved gaming market.  We also like the location at Mohawk Harbor, since we’ve had great success in other markets developing waterfront venues.  But, truly, it was the people of Schenectady that sold us. They’re extremely welcoming, very hard-working and so dedicated to this project.  We just felt an immediate kinship and connection with the community.”

 

5). What are your thoughts about I Gaming?

 

“It’s the future of our industry.  And it’s here.”

 

6). Three beautiful properties in Chicago, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Share one

highlight or feature about each of them?

 

 

“It’s difficult to choose only one for each. Rivers Casino in Des Plaines is the first casino in the world to earn LEED Gold Certification, and we are very proud of that.  I personally love the riverfront amphitheater at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, and the event center we’ve designed for SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia will be among the most sought-after venues in Philly when it’s completed later this year.”  

Greg is participating in the AGA roundtable at the G2E with Gavin Issacs and Mark Frissora on Wednesday, September 30, between 9:00 and 10:00 PDT.
 

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Online Gaming News in Pennsylvania

The past three weeks have been similar to  Fast and Furious 7 with all the activity involving online gaming. Pennsylvania has at least two additional bills that are related to internet gambling. One takes on the logistics involving registration and the exclusion of any holders of a Category 3 license. This would deny Valley Forge the opportunity to participate.

 

The new bills are also asking for a tax rate of 54%. This is  the same level that Pa. taxes slot play. This will not work in an online environment. New Jersey is making things work with a rate of 17.5%. That rate has the operators able to market the product and turn a profit. With the rate of 54%, there would not be internet gaming in New Jersey. Delaware taxes online slots at a rate of 43.6 percent and 29.4 percent for other games, including poker. The first $3.75 million per year has a 100 percent tax rate. They are not making any money.

Mark Lipparelli

Mark Lipparelli, Former Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, told a California House Committee that he felt the proper tax rate would be the high single digits and that any amount higher than the low teens would hurt the growth of regulated online gaming. Promotions are the drivers of internet wagering. They are limited when the profit margin is minimal. A rate of 12 to 15% is suitable. It could start at the low end and increase over a 4 year span.

 

I am sure that the compromise phase will come when the bills reach the floors of the House and Senate. Here are my three bullets of what can make this happen successfully and by 2016.

• Remove the registration at the property stipulation. That takes the convenience factor out of it. This also limits the operator to a locals only atmosphere.
• Set up the capacity for compacting agreements with any state that has online gaming. This would increase liquidity in Poker and Slots when tournaments are held. It would also drive more revenue to the participating states.
• Limit the amount of providers to casinos that are currently operating  in this state. They are stakeholders and would maintain the integrity of the online product. Allow at least one partner that is independent of the casino to buy into the platform of shared revenue, provided that partner can pass a review by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. This would increase marketing efforts. 

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