Gambling in the USA
Atlantic City In For An Icy First Quarter 2018, But Spring Brings Hope
For a while there it appeared Atlantic City had finally closed the book on its more than decade long downswing. 2017 marked the second consecutive year in which gaming revenue increased, and the first since 2006 that land-based revenue ticked upward, albeit by a razor-thin margin.
It was suspected that this positive trend would continue into 2018. So far it has not.
Due to inclement weather and a general lack of motivation to visit the boardwalk city, revenue has tumbled. This, despite the stellar performance of the stateâs regulated online casinos.
March doesnât bode much better for AC, as the eastern seaboard has been pummeled by winterâs wrath. But hope is on the horizon, and thereâs still reason to believe AC could squeak out a win in 2018.
Numbers paint a bleak picture
In January, Atlantic City revenue stumbled 10% year-on-year, which was followed by an 6.5% decrease in February. Factor out online gambling, which was up 17.1% for the first two months of the year, and revenue was down a rather dismal 12.7% for January and 8.9% last month.
Not a single land-based operator saw its year-on-year revenue increase, with four out of Atlantic Cityâs seven casinos suffering double-digit losses.
Caesars in particular got slammed, with land-based revenue dipping 23% and online gambling revenue down. Resorts did not fare particularly well either, as revenue fell 14.2% and online gambling revenue was relatively flat.
In fact the only casino that saw its revenue increase was Golden Nugget. The casinoâs land-based revenue is down 3.9% year-on-year, but thanks to its burgeoning online casino business, total revenue shot up 8.7%. More impressive still, online revenue accounted for 31.3% of the operatorâs total revenue, up from just 22.3% last year.
The industryâs poor performance in January ($184.3 million) was attributed mostly to inclement weather. Thatâs not an unfair assessment, as AC did suffer from below average temperatures and at least three days of heavy rain and snow. By contrast, January 2017 was exceptionally warm, with multiple days in the 50s and 60s.
Using the same justification for February holds less water, as temps were generally above average, soaring as high as 76 degrees on February 21. There was a hefty amount of rain, but little snow.
March is shaping up to a be another rough month for AC as precipitation amounts have already far exceeded the monthly average, thanks in part to several norâeasters slamming the east coast. There also wasnât much going on in terms of notable entertainment or promotions.
The bleeding might be cauterized somewhat by the presence of an extra weekend day this March as compared to last. Whether or not that will be enough for revenue to pull even or near-even is an open question.
Source: njonlinegambling.com
Gambling in the USA
Nebraskaâs First Permanent Casino to Open in May in Columbus
Nebraskaâs first full-fledged, newly built and state-sanctioned gambling casino is slated to open in Columbus next month, marking a milestone in the stateâs rollout of casino gambling.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission last Friday approved a target opening date of May 13 for Harrahâs Columbus.
âThis is a big deal,â commission Chairman Dennis Lee said.
The stateâs three other casinos are open, but in temporary facilities. According to construction schedules, all should be open by early next year.
âWeâre definitely excited to open the first permanent casino in the state,â said Don Ostert, Harrahâs 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 Caesarâs sportsbook and racebook, Ostert said.
For racing fans, the complex will feature the stateâs only 1-mile horse track, though racing isnât 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 cityâs standpoint, âwe are very excited to see it get started and become part of the community.â
The developers incorporated some Columbus history into the casino, he said.
âThe 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,â 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.
âI can hit Elkhorn in a short hour today, which is now western Omaha,â he said.
In a few months, Omahans wonât have to leave town to visit a brand-new casino.
At Horsemenâs 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 â April 15-21
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 Harrahâs 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 Harrahâs Gulf Coast to wager.
The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has announced that FanDuelâs sports betting app and website has officially launched. This development will introduce FanDuelâs 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 PrĂȘmios 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 Oddittâs 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 & Wonderâs cashless solution, RAPIDPLAY. Building on Trustlyâs 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 GeoComplyâs cutting-edge IDComply identity verification solution as well as GeoComplyâs 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 GameCodeâs full portfolio of games in all jurisdictions where the operatorâs 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 Numb3rsâ proprietary tech stack, ECRYPT, into the marketplace, thereby offering a comprehensive suite of payment processing solutions.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup â April 8-14
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
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 FanDuelâs 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 Braggâs 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.âs SYNKROS to power industry-leading systems technology across its 1.5 million square feet of casino entertainment space. The Ohio-based gaming operatorâs 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 clubâs 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.
-
Latest News5 days ago
THE UNIT APPOINTS ADAM NOBLE AS CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
-
Gaming5 days ago
The German Games Industry Association congratulates all winners of the German Computer Game Awards 2024
-
Baltics5 days ago
MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit Announces Final Agenda for 2024 Event
-
Africa5 days ago
NE Group powers 888bets launch in Angola
-
Latest News5 days ago
INSPIRED LAUNCHES VIRTUAL SPORTS WITH COMEON GROUP
-
Industry News5 days ago
Wazdan set to gain more ground at Casino Beats Summit Malta
-
Central Europe5 days ago
Apparat Gaming and edict egaming announce partnership
-
Cryptocurrency5 days ago
Payhound empowers LSports with a seamless solution to receive payments