Gambling in the USA

Will Video Gambling at St. Charles entertainment establishments keep on track post April 1?

Published

6 years ago

March 2, 2018

Council to decide if video gambling will continue in St. Charles

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Whether video gambling at St. Charles entertainment establishments should keep on track post April 1 lies with the City Council, which will call the shots for the same next month.

St. Charles had a ban against video gambling – also called video gaming – until, October 2015. Simultaneously, Mayor Ray Rogina cast the deciding vote in favor of an ordinance lifting the halt after aldermen were hooked in their decision 5-5.

However, the City Council included a sunset clause in the ordinance adhering to which it will repeal automatically after 18 months – a trial period they needed for video gambling.

In association, Police Chief James Keegan said: On March 5, aldermen will take a preliminary vote during the Government Operations Committee on whether to rescind that automatic repeal and allow video gambling to persist after the end of April.

The City Council is expected to make its final decision March 19.

Fourth Ward Alderman Steven Gaugel opposed lifting the video gambling ban in 2015. But currently he has mixed feelings about the issue and hasn’t decided how he will vote in March.

“I feel it is in the best interest of the city of St. Charles to reduce our financial dependency with the state of Illinois, but I am unsure that pulling the plug on video gaming is the right answer for St. Charles today,” he said.

The state tax on video gambling proceeds is 30 percent, with one-sixth of that amount going to municipalities where the revenue was generated.

Gaugel noted that the city’s portion of Illinois’ video gambling tax from St. Charles is helping make up for the state’s recent reduction of local government distribution funds.

“The [tax] revenue generated from video gambling last year amounted to just under $100,000,” Gaugel said. “Without video gaming, and with the 10 percent reduction in LGDF revenue, the city would see an approximate $450,000 reduction in revenue annually.”

Gaugel also is considering the effect that eliminating video gambling could have on local commerce.

“Removing video gaming now has the potential to be detrimental to our businesses, and not only the businesses that have video gambling, but other businesses that potentially benefit from the increase in traffic,” Gaugel said.

Newest alderman considers issue

The city council’s newest alderman, Lora Vitek, also has not decided yet how she will vote next month. Vitek was elected in April 2017 to fill the 4th Ward aldermanic seat vacated by Jo Krieger, who voted against lifting the video gambling ban in 2015.

Since taking office, Vitek’s approach has been to wait and see what impact video gambling had on the community, its businesses and local crime, she said. So far, she has not seen any negative impact.

Keegan has not brought any violations of video gambling rules to the city’s attention within the last 10 months nor has he raised any concerns during his monthly activity reports, Vitek said. She added that other residents she has spoken to don’t notice the presence of video gambling in St. Charles unless they walk into an establishment where it is present.

“St. Charles is still the same St. Charles it was before video gaming,” Vitek said. “Video gaming has been positive for St. Charles businesses that have opted for gaming on their premises.”

St. Charles reports statistics

Under the 2009 Illinois Video Gaming Act, municipalities and counties can allow up to five gambling machines in establishments with liquor licenses, or they can ban them entirely in their jurisdictions.

The total number of video gambling machines at 13 licensed St. Charles establishments is about 60. One business, Alibi Bar and Grill, recently removed its five machines for lack of performance.

Several other St. Charles businesses including Onesti Entertainment Corp., which operates the Arcada Theatre, have applied to the Illinois Gaming Board for approval of video gaming licenses. If the state approves those applications, the establishments then may file for a gaming license with the city, Keegan said.

In one year starting in September 2016, people spent $24.8 million on legal video gambling in St. Charles and won $22.8 million at 14 locations, from Brown’s Chicken and Pasta to the St. Charles Moose, the city reported.

After taxes, businesses kept the remaining 70 percent of their video gambling proceeds – about $1.4 million for September 2016 through November 2017.

Moose cites video gambling benefits

The new revenue that video gambling generated in 2017 for the St. Charles

Moose from five video gambling machines – about $55,000 – has helped the organization to stay open and increase its charitable endeavors, said its treasurer, Jim Buenrostro.

The Moose has used its video gambling revenue to provide its hall free to nonprofit groups, such as the Boy Scouts and Casey’s Safe Haven for fundraisers and Lifeline for health screenings.

The video gambling revenue also is helping the Moose pay for hall improvements, such as replacing the HVAC unit on the roof.

“We were struggling before so that money is helping us to keep afloat,” Buenrostro said.

Concerns still exist

Concerns three years ago among St. Charles officials about video gambling included uncertainty that the state would disburse those tax dollars on a timely basis. Since the first video gambling revenue was generated in St. Charles in 2016, typically there has been a two-month lag in the monthly state tax disbursement to the city, Keegan said.

Second Ward Alderman Rita Payleitner has other concerns about video gambling, including its effect on families.

“This is not anecdotal, this is real,” Payleitner said. “The projections made when this came to pass now have St. Charles names and faces. Shame on us.”

She believes that no dollar amount brought in by video gambling to the city can justify the detriment brought to even one family in St. Charles.

“I’ve heard video gambling is the same as playing the lottery or a friendly game of poker,” Payleitner said. “Ignoring the social ills of, and science behind, the destructive addictive behavior caused by video gambling doesn’t make it less so.”

Payleitner voted against video gambling in 2015 and plans to do the same when aldermen vote on the issue in March.

“We must take great pride and responsibility for the decisions we make,” Payleitner said. “We must, at all costs, avoid any decisions that may cause harm.”

She said nearly $2 million was lost last year by people video gambling in St. Charles.

“If it’s truly disposable income being used, as has been argued, then I venture to imagine how much better those dollars could be spent.”

As for the city’s take of less than $100,000, Payleitner said, “Big deal – a far cry from the half million plus promised by video gambling proponents.”

Payleitner said she has yet to see the business improvements and plethora of new jobs some promised would result from video gambling.

She disagrees with people who believe video gambling is OK as long as St. Charles does not allow the signage and flashing lights often associated with it.

“If it is ‘so OK,’ why hide it, why not embrace it? Payleitner said. “This seems hypocritical to me.”

Source: kcchronicle.com

Gambling in the USA

Nebraska’s First Permanent Casino to Open in May in Columbus

Published

21 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nebraska’s first full-fledged, newly built and state-sanctioned gambling casino is slated to open in Columbus next month, marking a milestone in the state’s rollout of casino gambling.

The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission last Friday approved a target opening date of May 13 for Harrah’s Columbus.

“This is a big deal,” commission Chairman Dennis Lee said.

The state’s three other casinos are open, but in temporary facilities. According to construction schedules, all should be open by early next year.

“We’re definitely excited to open the first permanent casino in the state,” said Don Ostert, Harrah’s Columbus general manager.

The 17,000-square-foot casino floor will feature 400 slot machines and 11 live table games, including roulette and craps, Ostert said. It will feature a Brew Brothers restaurant and will offer Caesar’s sportsbook and racebook, Ostert said.

For racing fans, the complex will feature the state’s only 1-mile horse track, though racing isn’t scheduled to begin until August 16. By June, officials hope to have some horses out on the track to test the new surface.

Ostert said officials hope to draw customers from Norfolk and Grand Island, but also from Omaha and Lincoln.

Columbus Mayor James Bulkley said that, from the city’s standpoint, “we are very excited to see it get started and become part of the community.”

The developers incorporated some Columbus history into the casino, he said.

“The location where it is used to be called Wishbones, and it was a venue for years for entertainment, and so people recognize that name, and they have kept that name for the sports bar,” he said.

He expects the casino will draw from Omaha. Although driving to Columbus from downtown Omaha might take close to an hour and a half, the drive from west Omaha is more like an hour, he said.

“I can hit Elkhorn in a short hour today, which is now western Omaha,” he said.

In a few months, Omahans won’t have to leave town to visit a brand-new casino.

At Horsemen’s Park in Omaha, Warhorse Gaming officials are aiming to open their new casino in early August. It will open with 900 gaming positions, including table games and a Sweetwater Cafe.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 15-21

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Caesars Entertainment announced that the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app is accepting mobile sports bets at Harrah’s Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi. Sports fans 21 and older who are interested in wagering on sports via mobile devices can download the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app to register and deposit statewide but must be physically present on-property at Harrah’s Gulf Coast to wager.

The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has announced that FanDuel’s sports betting app and website has officially launched. This development will introduce FanDuel’s sports wagering platform to District residents and visitors, completely replacing the current GambetDC sports betting app and website.

eCOGRA has been officially authorised by the Secretaria De Prêmios e Apostas (SPA) to operate as a certifying entity for betting systems, live gaming studios and online games in Brazil. This announcement marks a significant milestone as eCOGRA continues to extend its international offering of iGaming testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services in regulated markets across the globe.

Jennifer Shatley, a recognised expert in the field and a highly sought speaker and advisor, has joined the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) as Executive Director. Shatley has had 25+ years worth of experience, working closely with the treatment community, academics, researchers, government bodies, state councils and gaming industry representatives to promote responsible gaming.

Odditt, a leading provider of innovative sports betting data, tools and analytics, has appointed Elaine Milardo as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). With over 25 years of experience in the data industry and key roles at DraftKings and Vistaprint, Elaine brings a wealth of expertise to Odditt’s growing team.

Partnerships

Trustly, the global leader in Open Banking Payments, and Light & Wonder, the leading cross-platform global games company, are bringing cashless, in-person deposits to casino floors with Light & Wonder’s cashless solution, RAPIDPLAY. Building on Trustly’s success with guaranteed payments in online sports betting and iGaming, Trustly will deliver the same seamless, quick and secure online payment experience to the physical casino floor.

Fintech company Sightline has entered into an exclusive partnership with compliance and anti-fraud technology solutions leader GeoComply to bolster the security and efficiency of digital transactions within the regulated gaming industry. Sightline will integrate GeoComply’s cutting-edge IDComply identity verification solution as well as GeoComply’s compliance-grade geolocation tools across its comprehensive suite of digital payment solutions for land-based casinos and online gaming operators.

BetMGM has announced a partnership with GameCode, a distinguished iGaming company focused on the North American market. The partnership includes the launch of Boom Boom Boom, HammerCash, Gold Gold Gold and Super3 series which are now live at BetMGM in Michigan and New Jersey through direct integration. BetMGM plans to offer GameCode’s full portfolio of games in all jurisdictions where the operator’s iGaming platform is live pending regulatory approvals.

SCCG Management has announced a joint venture investment with Numb3rs, an innovative all-in-one payment solution provider built for gaming operators. The partnership aims to transform the gaming sector by integrating Numb3rs’ proprietary tech stack, ECRYPT, into the marketplace, thereby offering a comprehensive suite of payment processing solutions.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 8-14

Published

2 weeks ago

April 15, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in North America and an Official Partner of Churchill Downs Inc., announced five time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and Grammy award-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo as the headlining performers at FanDuel’s inaugural Kentucky Derby Party. The exclusive, invite-only event will take place on Friday, May 3 at Paristown Arts and Entertainment District in Louisville, Kentucky from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

TPI, a leading provider of innovative player communication solutions for the casino industry, has appointed Joe Tingson as its new Vice President of Customer Success. With his unparalleled dedication to his customers, Joe will play a pivotal role as a leader for our digital Customer Success and Product teams.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, has announced plans for its new 33,000 square foot Atlanta Headquarters, which will be located in the Star Metals Building in Midtown Atlanta. The company plans to grow its workforce by 1000 new jobs over the next seven years, the economic impact of which will be $25M to the state of Georgia.

Century Casinos Inc. has announced that it opened its hotel in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, The Riverview. The Riverview is a 69 room, six-story building with 68,000 square feet that is adjacent to and connected with Century Casino Cape Girardeau. The project cost $30.5 million and was financed with cash on hand.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced the opening of Terre Haute Casino Resort in Terre Haute, Indiana. The $290 million investment includes a casino floor with 1000 slot machines, 36 table games, and a state-of-the-art sportsbook. The 400,000-square-foot entertainment venue also features regionally inspired bars and restaurants including: Four Cornered Steakhouse, Rockwood Bar & Grill, The Soda Shoppe, Crossroads Center Bar and High Limit Bar.

Bragg Gaming Group Inc., a global B2B gaming technology and content provider, announced that Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Ronen Kannor, has notified Bragg’s board of directors (Board) that he will resign from his position to pursue other career opportunities, effective June 3, 2024. The Company confirms that the search for a replacement CFO has commenced.

Partnerships

EQL Games has partnered with global aggregation leader and NeoGames company, Pariplay, to provide the Virginia Lottery, through an agreement with NeoPollard Interactive, with a series of eInstant iLottery games for their industry-leading digital platform.

JACK Entertainment LLC announced the selection of Konami Gaming Inc.’s SYNKROS to power industry-leading systems technology across its 1.5 million square feet of casino entertainment space. The Ohio-based gaming operator’s portfolio includes a combined 2600+ gaming machines and 85 table games at JACK Cleveland Casino in downtown Cleveland, and at JACK Thistledown Racino, located approximately 10 miles to the southeast.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that the company has reunited with the Atlanta Braves as the club’s Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner for the 2024 season. The partnership extends a longstanding relationship that dates back to 2020, with the two Atlanta-based companies continuing to work together on unique opportunities for their dedicated fans.