Gambling in the USA

Caesars seeks Carl Icahn’s help to find next CEO

Published

5 months ago

February 27, 2019

Niji Narayan

Caesars seeks Carl Icahn's help to find next CEO

Photo Source: onlinegambling.ca

Reading Time: 1 minute

Caesars Entertainment Corp. has sought the guidance of the billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn in their search for a new chief executive officer, reports Reuters. This is after the current Caesars CEO, Mark Frissora, announced his departure scheduled later this year.

Icahn has recently disclosed a 9.8 per cent stake on the company.

He has also asked Caesars to explore the possibility of a sale. Caesars responded by saying that the offers it had received for the company so far undervalued it and did not create enough value for shareholders.

Caesars emerged from bankruptcy in 2017 and has been able to shrink its debt load to $9.1 billion from the $25 billion it had when if first filed for bankruptcy protection.

While the company’s stock is down more than 30 per cent over the past 12 months, it has shown signs of recovery in recent weeks, climbing more than 10 per cent over the past three months and 36.5 per cent since the start of the year.

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Niji Narayan

Niji Narayan has been in the writing industry for well over a decade or so. He prides himself as one of the few survivors left in the world who have actually mastered the impossible art of copy editing. Niji graduated in Physics and obtained his Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism. He has always interested in sports writing and travel writing. He has written for numerous websites and his in-depth analytical articles top sports magazines like Cricket Today and Sports Today. He reports gaming industry headlines from all around the globe.

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Gambling in the USA

Legal Sports Betting Begins in New York Casinos

Published

19 hours ago

July 18, 2019

Niji Narayan

Legal Sports Betting Begins in New York Casinos

Photo Source: sportsnet.ca

Reading Time: 1 minute

New York Casinos have started legal sports betting. Bettors placed their first wagers on pro sports games following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a ban on the practice last May. Gamblers at the Rivers Casino near Schenectady plunked down bets on the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and tennis phenom Varvara Lepchenko.

“We’re going to get mobile sports betting before the middle of next year, it just has to be, because right now New Jersey is cleaning our clock when it comes to sports betting. I think New York should always be at the forefront of everything and right now we’re a little bit behind them,” Assemblyman Gary Pretlow said.

Sports betting is expected to raise millions of dollars as tax revenue. But proponents say the state is losing out on millions more because bets can only be placed at four upstate casinos rather than online and via mobile phone as is allowed in New Jersey.

Gambling in the USA

Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady Makes History with Opening of New Sportsbook Lounge

Published

21 hours ago

July 18, 2019

George Miller

Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady Makes History with Opening of New Sportsbook Lounge

(L to R) Rush Street Gaming Co-Founder and CEO, Greg Carlin; Schenectady, New York Mayor, Gary McCarthy; Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady General Manager, Justin Moore

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady officially launched legal sports betting in New York State with the opening of its new Rivers Sportsbook lounge.

“We’re so proud to be the first gaming operator in New York to take legal sports bets,” said Rivers Casino & Resort Acting General Manager Justin Moore. “Many people worked very hard to make legal sports wagering a reality in New York State, and we thank all of them for their tireless efforts and dedication. Sports fans and bettors from across the Capital Region and beyond will be thrilled with our new state-of-the-art Rivers Sportsbook lounge. We look forward to having them as guests at Rivers Casino & Resort and the City of Schenectady.”

Casino representatives, guests, and area dignitaries gathered at Rivers Casino today to cut the ribbon on the state’s first legal sports betting location. Opening Day of the sportsbook also included appearances by Super Bowl Champion and former New York Giants punter, Sean Landeta; Pro-Bowl safety and former New York Jet, Erik Coleman; and World Series MVP, New York Yankee great, Bucky Dent.

“We couldn’t be happier for our great community partner Rivers Casino & Resort,” said Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy. “It is indeed an historic day not just for the state of New York, but for the City of Schenectady. As Rivers Casino grows, so does its positive impact on our community. The opening of Rivers Sportsbook will surely attract even more guests to the property and to our great city. Looking ahead, we are also hopeful that our leaders in Albany will see how hard Rivers Casino is working to keep up with growing regional competition and recognize how important it is for them to address structural tax disadvantages in the market.”

The new Rivers Sportsbook, which was designed by DMAC Architecture of Chicago, is a luxury sports lounge and occupies just over 5,000 square feet. Club chairs and table seating accommodate approximately 80 guests and include five private booths with TV monitors – each accommodating up to 6 people. The lounge also includes18 individual VIP seats and 32 tabletop seats.

Rivers Sportsbook has an impressive state-of-the-art 53′ x 9′ LED video wall that anchors the sportsbook viewing area, along with 22 additional TV monitors. The sportsbook also includes 14 betting kiosks and 6 staffed betting windows to accommodate guests. Rivers Sportsbook is located directly off the casino’s main gaming floor – adjacent to Van Slyck’slounge.

Rivers Sportsbook will offer betting on a wide array of sporting events including professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, college sports and more. Bets are expected to include, but not be limited to, straight bets, parlays, totals, and in-game betting. Wagers can be placed at the betting counter with a live sportsbook writer during Rivers Sportsbook hours of operation or at a sports betting kiosk 24 hours a day.

Rivers Casino’s sports wagering supplier is Rush Street Interactive LLC (RSI), an award-winning gaming company that develops and operates real-money in-casino and online sportsbooks. Rush Street Interactive will bring the same high quality in-casino sportsbook solution to Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady as players in the state of Pennsylvania have been enjoying since 2018. RSI provides its in-casino sportsbook service to the top two performing retail sportsbooks in the state of Pennsylvania; Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia collectively account for over fifty-percent of all retail sportsbetting handle in the state since the market opened.

Recently recognized as the number one tourist destination in the Capital Region, the sportsbook lounge will complement the wonderful amenities already offered by Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady. Sports betters and fans alike will not only enjoy a world-class sports book, but they will also be able to experience top entertainment, premium dining, and The Landing Hotel – Rivers’ luxurious riverfront hotel.

The Rivers Sportsbook hours of operation will be Monday – Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.; and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., but are subject to change to accommodate athletic seasons.

There is a $5 minimum wager amount and all bets are cash only. Betting sheets with odds will be printed and available at Rivers Sportsbook. Must be 21 years of age or older to access the gaming floor and wager at Rivers Sportsbook.

ABOUT RIVERS CASINO & RESORT SCHENECTADY:
Located at the picturesque Mohawk Harbor near the heart of downtown Schenectady, Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady features 1,150 slots, 67 live table games and a 16-table poker room and a live, in-casino luxury sportsbook lounge.

The casino offers five distinctive restaurants—among them are Dukes Chophouse, Flipt, Johnny’s To-Go and Mian. Rivers features a multipurpose Event Center space, a lively entertainment lounge—Van Slyck’s, live music performances, free parking and daily promotions and giveaways.

The Landing Hotel is a 165-room, six-story boutique hotel with riverfront views located adjacent to the Event Center. Rivers, which opened in 2017, employs approximately 1,200 team members and has been voted a great place to work in Schenectady.

Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady is owned and operated by Rush Street Gaming and its affiliates. For more information, visit riverscasinoandresort.com

ABOUT RUSH STREET INTERACTIVE:
Rush Street Interactive (RSI) was founded by pioneers in the internet gaming industry with decades of collective experience in developing, supplying and operating online gaming sites. The Chicago-based business launched its first casino site, PlaySugarHouse.com in NJ, in September 2016 and made history in August 2018 as the first online operator in the United States to offer an integrated online sportsbook and casino. Rush Street Interactive is also the service provider of the sportsbooks at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. RSI made history once again by next launching Pennsylvania’s first online sportsbook, PlaySugarHouse.com, and on its heels followed that with a second online sportsbook site, BetRivers.com.

Additionally, RSI is the only U.S. gaming company to launch a regulated online sportsbook in Latin America. Rush Street Interactive is also the developer and operator of a leading social gaming platform that is currently deployed at Rush Street-affiliated casinos (Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Illinois and Rivers Casino and Resort in Schenectady, New York), as well as selected third party partners.

Rush Street Interactive was named “Mobile Operator of the Year” in North America at the EGR North America Awards 2019 and “American Operator of the Year” & “Casino Operator of the Year” by Gambling.com for their inaugural American Gambling Awards in 2019.

Source: Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady

Gambling in the USA

John James the New CEO and President of Foxwoods Resort Casino

Published

21 hours ago

July 18, 2019

George Miller

John James the New CEO and President of Foxwoods Resort Casino

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Resort Casino Veteran Brings Over 25 Years of Native American Gaming Leadership to Foxwoods

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council announces tribal gaming executive John J. James has been named the new President and CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino. James currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Morongo Casino Resort & Spa located in Cabazon, California and will be taking the helm at Foxwoods beginning August 12.

James succeeds Felix D. Rappaport, whose untimely death in June of 2018 led to Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler taking over as the resort’s interim CEO shortly thereafter. With over 25 years of highly successful Native American gaming resort operations experience, James is uniquely positioned to lead Foxwoods into its next evolution as the premier entertainment destination in the Northeast. His expertise and vision will help build on Foxwoods’ solid foundation and maximize the tremendous growth opportunities that lie ahead.

“Over the past decade, Foxwoods transformed the traditional gaming model through a relentless pursuit of guest-first experiences resulting in the only true all-encompassing resort destination,” said Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler. “With his proven track record for innovation, John is the right leader to continue that commitment to our guests, fulfill our vision and ignite our passion for delivering a resort that excites and surprises. John perfectly represents our team’s values and beliefs, and we are ready to drive the future of Foxwoods together.”

James’ deep expertise across key business units including finance, innovative marketing and award-winning design and development allows him to take a “whole-brained” approach to growth and profitability.

“Foxwoods is the premier destination in the Northeast and a pioneer in the tribal gaming community, and I’m thrilled to be joining their stellar team,” said James. “Over the past 27 years, Foxwoods and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation have built a world-class resort casino with an unparalleled array of offerings for guests, and I look forward to working with the entire team to continue fortifying Foxwoods’ position as one of North America’s premier resort destinations.”

Prior to joining Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, James was Chief Executive Officer for Gila River Gaming Enterprises, Inc. where he led the tribe’s three casinos in achieving the highest recorded earnings in the State of Arizona. He also held chief executive roles at Seminole Gaming, Inc. and Pechanga Resort and Casino. Additionally, James served as a Vice President and General Manager for various successful Station Casinos properties in Las Vegas.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, James attended the University of Nevada where he graduated from the accounting program. As he assumes his new role at Foxwoods, he and his wife Giselle will be relocating to Mystic, Connecticut.

About the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation:
The Mashantucket (Western) Pequot Tribal Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribe located at one of America’s oldest Indian reservations, Mashantucket, in Southeastern Connecticut. As pioneers of the Indian Gaming casino industry, the history of the Mashantucket Pequots reveals one of America’s greatest come-back stories, featured at the Tribe’s world renowned Mashantucket Pequot Museum. Today, the Tribe owns and operates one of the largest Integrated Resort Casino destinations in North America, Foxwoods Resort Casino, along with a variety of complementary businesses including a world-class golf course, luxury spa, Pequot Pharmaceutical Network, and Pequot Plus Health Benefit Services. As one of Connecticut’s highest revenue contributors and largest employers, the Mashantucket Pequots have provided the state more than $4 billion in slot revenue through a first-of-its-kind agreement, established in 1993. Likewise, the Tribe has contributed hundreds of millions in donations and sponsorships for the benefit of communities and tribes in need, locally and throughout the U.S.

About Foxwoods Resort Casino:
As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods Resort Casino offers guests a premier destination resort experience throughout its six world-class casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels featuring over 2,200 rooms; dining options for all tastes; luxurious spas; award-winning golf; state-of-the-art theaters; Tanger Outlet Mall; conference space for groups of all sizes; and free online casino games at FoxwoodsONLINE.com. There is always something new at Foxwoods, most recently the arrival of Foxwoods Extreme Adventures. Adventure knows no limit as guests can zipline, free fall, catapult or race around on a European-style indoor karting track. Foxwoods Resort Casino truly is The Wonder Of It All, providing a personalized and exciting escape for everyone. Foxwoods, opened in 1992, is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a detailed look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

Source: Foxwoods Resort Casino