The indictment alleges that the Smalls both physically and emotionally abused their teenage daughter on multiple instances. Prosecutors allege that Mr. Small stuck his daughter with a broom multiple times on Jan. 13, 2024. A little more than a week earlier, the mayor is alleged to have thrown the girl down a flight of stairs.

“Marty and La’Quetta are a good mom and dad raising a teenage child,” said Ed Jacobs, the Smalls’ attorney. “They are totally innocent and will be totally exonerated.”

Small became mayor of the casino town in 2019 after Frank Gilliam resigned after he admitted to stealing $86K from a youth basketball program he founded called the Atlantic City Starz.

During his time in office, Small championed the effort to demolish the former Trump Plaza casino along the Boardwalk. Trump critics said the implosion marked a symbolic end to the former president’s time in Atlantic City.

Indictment Allegations

The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office has charged both Smalls with child endangerment. Persons found guilty of such a charge face between five and 10 years in prison and fines of up to $150K.

Atlantic City High School Principal Constance Days-Chapman had earlier been indicted for official misconduct on allegations that the Smalls’ daughter came to her to report the abuse she was suffering at home. Instead of relaying that information to law enforcement, Days-Chapman, a close friend of the Smalls, only told her boss about her daughter’s grumblings. Her lawyer says she’s innocent.

The indictment doesn’t include any reports of those allegations. Jacobs said in April that the pregnancy reports were an “egregious rumor.”

Much of the evidence used to indict the smalls came from videos that their daughter’s boyfriend captured on his iPad. In one clip, the mayor can be heard saying, “Don’t make me hurt you!”

AC Corruption?

Jacobs says Small won’t resign from his mayorship.

This indictment has absolutely nothing to do with Marty Small’s tenure as mayor,” Jacobs said. “There’s no charge of corruption or any official misconduct. Marty and La’Quetta Small don’t need the Atlantic County prosecutor’s Office meddling into a private family matter.”

Though it’s not official corruption, the Small indictment is yet another black eye on Atlantic City politics.

Since 1970, four Atlantic City mayors have been arrested on corruption charges. Those mayors committed an array of crimes from intimidating small business owners in exchange for financial kickbacks to utilizing the Mafia to bankroll their political campaigns.

The post Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and Wife Arrested on Child Endangerment Charges appeared first on Casino.org.

The state’s high court is slated to rule on an appeal from Cherokee Nation Entertainment challenging Issue 2. The referendum was certified in August by Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston for the November 5 ballot.

The Arkansas Supreme Court agreed to expedite its review of the Cherokee allegations since November 5 is fast approaching. Early voting in Missouri begins two weeks before Election Day.

The next round of briefs is due by September 26, and the court says it will issue its ruling soon after reviewing each side’s claims.

Lawsuit Allegations

In June, Cherokee Nation Entertainment was deemed the winner of the Pope County casino license after it was the only bidder that met the Arkansas Racing Commission’s (ARC) guidelines that submissions be accompanied by either a letter of support from Pope County Judge Ben Cross or a resolution of support from the Pope County Quorum Court. Pope County was designated for a commercial casino through a statewide referendum in 2018 that authorized gambling in four counties.

Pope County voters voted against the 2018 referendum. The county was one of only 11 among the 75 counties in the state that voted against the casino question.

The Cherokee Nation alleges that Local Voters in Charge violated a slew of canvassing laws in going about collecting signatures to put the gaming question before voters this fall. Through its own campaign, the Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee, the Cherokees allege that Local Voters in Charge paid canvassers based on the number of signatures they collected, provided faulty registration addresses for workers, and didn’t properly certify canvassing captains.

Referendum Likely to Prevail?

Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Randy Wright, the special master appointed to the case to expedite the high court’s review, wrote in his “Report and Findings of Fact” based on the preliminary briefs that much of the plaintiff’s allegations are meritless.

If the referendum is defeated or rejected by the Arkansas Supreme Court, Cherokee Nation Entertainment would be cleared to proceed with its $300 million project in Russellville called Legends Resort & Casino.

The casino plan calls for a gaming floor measuring 50K square feet with 1,200 slot machines, 32 live dealer table games, and a sportsbook. A 200-room hotel would be complemented by several restaurants and bars, 15K square feet of meeting and conference space, a resort pool, and an outdoor music venue.

Recent polling reveals that just 42% of likely voters said they’ll vote in favor of Issue 2, while 28% said they would vote against it, and 30% were undecided.

The post Arkansas Supreme Court Will Soon Rule on Pope County Casino Case appeared first on Casino.org.

Caesars has contributed $4 million to a committee called Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment. The campaign is working to encourage voters to oppose Amendment 2 during the November 5 election.

Retail licenses would cost $250K for five-year durations. Mobile licenses would cost $500K. Gross sportsbook revenue after promotional deductions would be subject to a 10% state tax.?

Caesars’ Opposition

Caesars operates three casinos in Missouri — Isle of Capri in Boonville, Horseshoe St. Louis, and Harrah’s Kansas City. It’s not customary for a major casino operator like Caesars to oppose efforts to expand gaming, but the company reportedly dislikes Amendment 2 because it would provide sports betting opportunities to too many competitors.

Caesars’ sports betting unit, Caesars Sportsbook, continues to trail DraftKings and FanDuel in terms of market share. Amendment 2 would allow those companies to enter the Show-Me State and, likely, assume control of Missouri’s sports betting industry.

Amendment 2 is a bad deal for Missouri. This deceptive measure was written by and for the financial benefit of its out-of-state corporate sponsors and funders,” said Brooke Foster, a spokesperson for Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment.

DraftKings and FanDuel, along with the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, and St. Louis Cardinals and Blues, funded the referendum campaign. They say the state is losing out on tens of millions of dollars each year by not allowing sports betting.

Winning for Missouri Education, the pro-sports betting campaign, is using education to rally support for Amendment 2. The referendum would mandate that most of the state tax proceeds from sports gambling go to K-12 public education.

Latest Polling

New polling from Emerson College/The Hill suggests the outcome of Amendment 2 will be razor-thin. With a margin of error of 3.3%, the poll found that 52% of likely voters in Missouri will vote in favor of the sports betting question.

About 25% of likely voters say they’ll vote against sports betting, and 23% said they were unsure.

“From their deceptive ads to the hypocritical name of their campaign committee, the Nevada-based company hopes Missourians never discover their true motives. The reality is that Caesars opposes Amendment 2 because they want a larger piece of the sports betting pie at the expense of Missouri classrooms,” Cardetti said.

The post Caesars Bankrolling Opposition Campaign to Missouri Sports Betting Referendum appeared first on Casino.org.

Details about the reworked Norfolk casino continue to come to light. The biggest development of late is that the Pamunkey Indian Tribe has attracted Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming to co-develop the resort.

Yarbrough has no experience building a casino but instead made his vast wealth through manufacturing gaming machines tailored for tribal venues. Yarbrough recently agreed to sell his 80% stake in the gaming partnership with the Pamunkey Tribe to Boyd.

Resort Details

Last week, the Norfolk City Council signed off on the amended casino agreement to include Boyd and remove Yarbrough. Boyd will now help the tribe raise capital to construct what’s expected to be an investment of more than $500 million to open a casino resort along the Elizabeth River adjacent to the city’s Harbor Park Minor League Baseball stadium.

The casino consortium has agreed to retain free parking for Amtrak customers. The resort’s 1,300-space parking garage will designate a minimum of 103 spaces for Amtrak riders.

During construction, Boyd and the tribe have also committed to providing a shuttle service for ticketed Amtrak passengers from a temporary parking area that’s yet to be determined.

The original plan was to purchase 13.5 acres but the resort site shrunk after the federal and state governments announced an infrastructure plan that will include constructing a 17-foot-high seawall along the riverbank. The project will result in reduced land.

Smoking Allowed

Virginia’s 2009 Clean Air Act banned indoor smoking in most workplaces and public settings. But, the statute provides exemptions for parimutuel racetracks and off-track betting parlors. The 2020 commercial gaming law grandfathered casinos into the smoking loophole, too.

As a result, casinos in Virginia can allow smoking anywhere. Boyd reps say smoking will be allowed in the forthcoming Norfolk casino.

We want to create an enjoyable environment for everyone, smokers and nonsmokers,” said Uri Clinton, executive vice president of Boyd Gaming. “Today’s technology allows for that to happen.”

The latest Norfolk casino blueprint suggests utilizing “best-in-class ventilation systems” to keep as much of the secondhand smoke out of supposedly nonsmoking areas. The CDC, however, says the only way to adequately protect casino workers and guests from secondhand smoke is to implement a floorwide smoke-free policy.

The post Norfolk Casino to Allow Indoor Tobacco Smoking, Retain Amtrak Parking appeared first on Casino.org.

State gaming regulators last week voted in favor of implementing a series of new limitations regarding how gaming operators market their businesses.

Effective immediately, gaming firms can no longer use language suggesting that a gambler can participate without risk. As such, wording like “risk-free” and “free bet” are banned.

College newspapers and online websites can no longer accept advertising from sportsbooks or casinos. Local restaurants and bars that house VGTs cannot directly advertise their gaming machines in college media.

Wagering and gambling logos are also banned from clothes and gifts that predominantly appeal to underage people.

Opt-Out Information Required

Under the new IGB advertising rules, all marketing communications sent to patrons and targeted consumers must include an “opt-out” option that’s readily displayed and accessible. The opt-out function should allow a consumer to easily remove themselves from future marketing.

As part of the IGB’s ongoing work to reassess existing rules and measure the effectiveness of gaming expansion implementation, the IGB amended the current advertising and marketing rules for sports wagering to include additional safeguards and requirements and also make those rules applicable for the first time to casino gambling and video gaming,” said IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter. “The new rules adopted today will provide uniform advertising regulation and standards across all Illinois’ gaming markets under IGB jurisdiction.”

Illinois is home to 15 casinos, 15 sportsbooks, and a network of more than 8,700 VGT establishments. The state’s gaming industry continues to expand with new brick-and-mortar casinos in Chicago and its suburbs. Bally’s plans to open its integrated resort casino in downtown Chicago in the fall of 2026.?

Wild Wild West

The sports betting industry has come under fire for its incessant advertising and concerns that many state gaming regulators haven’t implemented enough guardrails to protect consumers. Last week, a federal bill was introduced to Congress that seeks to rein in the ballooning industry.

US Rep. Paul Tonko (D-New York) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) are backing the Supporting Affordability & Fairness With Every Bet Act (SAFE Bet Act). The statute would direct sports betting states to adopt a series of regulatory conditions designed to better protect consumers.

The use of credit cards to fund an online sportsbook account would also become illegal on the national level. Tonko says sports betting ads have “reached intolerably dangerous levels” and it’s time for Congress to act to protect the public.

The post Illinois Adopts New Advertising Rules for Casinos, Sportsbooks, and VGTs appeared first on Casino.org.

xQc got his start in 2016 as a professional “Overwatch” player, a multiplayer first-person shooter game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. xQc’s esports career was marred by numerous controversies that resulted in several suspensions and led to his team’s dismissal in 2019.

Part of Lengyel’s Kick deal included mandatory online gambling streams, which xQc began doing soon after signing the lucrative contract. The 28-year-old on Monday disclosed to his millions of followers just how much he’s been gambling on the Stake iGaming platform.

Almost $3B Bet

Lengyel shared a screenshot of his Stake online gaming account showing that he’s bet almost $3 billion. He’s wagered $2,954,739,443.22 on a total of 1,138,753 bets — or an average of $2,594 per wager.

xQc has lost far more than he’s won, as his number of losses is shown to be 1,011,365 against 112,015 wins. The statistics include bets on slot machines, table games, and sports.

xQc’s followers pushed back on his sharing of his betting history. Many voiced allegations that he isn’t actually gambling with his own money but is instead being given credits by Stake to promote the platform.

He gets paid to use Stakes’ money to gamble and get others addicted to gambling,” read one response.

Stake is an online casino website and app that operates real money interactive gambling. The network primarily deals in cryptocurrencies.

Real-money online casino gambling is regulated only in Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Stake isn’t licensed in any of those jurisdictions.

xQc Unapologetic?

Kick is seemingly using xQc to promote its streaming service that competes with Twitch, and to convert esports players into gamblers on Stake. Scolded by some of his fans for promoting gambling and possibly gambling irresponsibly, xQc earlier this year told them to mind their own business.

Backwards-ass people thinking that an idiot aiming to entertain (me) rips away all free will from vulnerable individuals. Get a grip of your own life before fixing mine,” xQc wrote on Kick.

xQc is banned from all casinos in his native Quebec after regulators last year put him on the province’s exclusion list because of widespread allegations that he has a gambling problem. Last November, Lengyel was escorted out of a land-based Montreal casino after having a birthday dinner at the resort with his family.

xQc has since disclosed that he’s appealing his inclusion on the prohibited persons list.

The post Canadian Streamer xQc Claims He’s Gambled Nearly $3B on Stake appeared first on Casino.org.

The 2013 gaming bill created four upstate and three downstate licenses for slot machines and live dealer table games. Sports betting has since been included in the gaming privileges.

The casino package came with a 10-year moratorium on the downstate licenses being issued. The delay was designed to give the upstate properties time to solidify their customer bases without downstate competition.

The three downstate licenses are coveted opportunities, with the largest casino operators prepping bids. The resort developments, each with an upfront $500 million licensing fee, are expected to provide the state with critical tax revenue amid a shrinking taxpayer base and a desperate need to provide funding for major public transportation infrastructure upgrades.

Governor Dragging Process

State Sen. Joe Addabbo (D-Queens), who chairs his chamber’s Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee, sponsored legislation earlier this year to speed up the downstate casino licensing process. The measure, which he championed with Assemblyman Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon), sought to require that bids be submitted to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board by August 31 — far sooner than the board’s current deadline of June 27, 2025.

Addabbo told Spectrum News this week that he remains hopeful that Hochul will change her mind and realize that speeding up the process is in the state’s best interest. Along with generating an immediate influx of $1.5 billion for the state, critical money that could come in the aftermath of Hochul folding on the “congestion toll” that would have jacked up tolls into Manhattan, Addabbo says the casinos will create thousands of jobs.

These are great union jobs. We’re talking about each site having at least a thousand construction jobs. Post-construction, each of them [will have] 2,500,” Addabbo said.

Eleven bids remain for the three licenses. Though nothing is set in stone, it’s widely believed that two licenses are already spoken for with MGM Resorts’ Empire City Casino in Yonkers and Genting’s Resorts World New York City in Queens. Those racinos currently offer slot-like video lottery terminals and electronic table games.

Current Timeline

Unless Hochul reverses course to get on Addabbo and Pretlow’s timeline for the downstate casinos, the Gaming Facility Location Board expects to render its winners by Dec. 1, 2025.

Hard Rock is partnered with billionaire Steve Cohen on a proposal for an integrated resort at the New York Mets’ Citi Field in Queens. Mohegan is developing a scheme on the East Side near the United Nations Headquarters. Bally’s is pitching a casino at its golf course in the Bronx and a consortium led by the Chickasaw Nation has developed a bid for Coney Island.

The post New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Remains Uninterested in Expediting Casinos appeared first on Casino.org.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) revealed Monday that the nine Atlantic City casinos combined to win $294 million on their physical gaming floors in August. That’s a 4.9% year-over-year improvement, or about a $13.7 million increase.

Slot win climbed 5.3% to $221.6 million while tables won $72.4 million, a 3.8% increase. James Plousis, chair of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which oversees the DGE, said last month was the casinos’ best August in over a decade.

Monthly casino win finished the summer well, achieving its best August result in 10 years. Year-to-date casino win was relatively flat compared to last year, but it was still the second-best result in 11 years,” Plousis told Casino.org.

Through eight months, 2024 brick-and-mortar casino gaming revenue totaled more than $1.92 billion, a 0.2% decline from the same period in 2023. Both slot win ($1.42 billion) and table revenue ($495.2 million) were 0.2% lower.

iGaming, Sports Betting Growth

In-person casino gambling was flat through three quarters of 2024, but that wasn’t the case for online slots, interactive table games, and sports betting.

New Jersey’s iGaming sector continues to blossom, with internet gross gaming revenue (GGR) totaling more than $1.52 billion through eight months. The online win represents a 22.7% surge from 2023.

iGaming and sports betting were responsible for the state gaming industry expanding by 10.5% from January through August. 2024 marks the fastest that New Jersey GGR has eclipsed the $4 billion mark.

Overall business in Atlantic City remains stable, with operators gaining competitive advantage from a unique combination of impressive gaming options and first class in-person experiences. There is great opportunity for continued momentum in the fall season,” Plousis concluded.

Casino reps argue that the industry remains troubled as inflation and overall higher operating costs eat into their bottom lines. The DGE disclosed second-quarter reports last month that revealed that profits declined almost 2% despite a 1.3% increase in revenue.

iGaming Record

Online gamblers lost more money in August than they had in any month before, as the $198.3 million in iGaming GGR marks a new monthly record.

Internet slots and tables generated online win of $195.8 million. Online poker rake generated almost $2.4 million.

That brings total online gaming revenue in August 2024 to approximately $256 million, or $43 million less than what the physical casinos won.

The post Atlantic City Casinos Heat Up in August as Gaming Win Climbs Nearly Five Percent appeared first on Casino.org.

Wynn Resorts invested $2.6 billion to build an integrated resort casino in Everett. Encore Boston Harbor opened in June 2019 and has since become the top revenue-earning casino in the commonwealth.

Boston’s request for proposals (RFP) deadline is 11:59 pm EST this Wednesday, September 18. The city’s Office of Human Services will review the submissions and select a vendor to carry out the review. The winning bidder will be compensated no more than $177K for the contract that is to run from Oct. 15, 2024, to Oct. 15, 2025.

Study Focus

Jose Masso, the chief of the Human Services Office, says the focus of the casino study will be to determine if the existence of Encore Boston Harbor has shaped young people’s perception of and interest in gambling. The probe is also to conclude what sort of attitudes young people, defined as aged 14-25, have toward the Wynn complex.

A 2022 study commissioned by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) found that the state’s allowance of three casinos has normalized gambling for younger people. The Charlestown probe will seek to solidify those findings and develop ways to make sure such normalization doesn’t lead to higher rates of problem gambling.

What role can the City play in protecting youth from being harmed or exploited by gambling?” the RFP asks in the project summary.

The younger the age at which a person first gambles has been proven to correlate with greater severity of gambling problems later in life, the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health concluded in a March 2023 report.

Gambling Prevalence?

It’s been several decades since commercial casinos were largely confined to Nevada and Atlantic City. Today, more than half of the adult population in the Northeast lives within 25 miles of a casino.

“The review found that urban casinos are typically placed in low socio-economic communities with some existing gambling culture, socio-economic improvements are promised to existing disadvantaged communities prior to the adoption of casinos, but modest economic benefits realized in urban casino neighborhoods are unsustainable, and increased accessibility and availability of urban casinos due to proximity could increase casino participation, which in turn could potentially increase gambling-related problems,” O’Gilvie wrote in her report titled, “The Impact of Casino Proximity on Northeast Urban Communities.”

Boston’s RFP for the Encore study says the majority of patrons who visit the Wynn casino come from nearby communities, including Charlestown.

“As the casino works to make itself even more enticing and accessible, the impact this will have on young people is not well known,” the RFP concluded.

The post Boston to Study Encore Boston Harbor’s Impact on Nearby Youth appeared first on Casino.org.

State Rep. Matthew Hammett (R-Covington) last week introduced House Bill 41. The statute seeks to increase penalties associated with various gambling-related crimes.

The measure would specify that electronic bingo games and so-called skill games, as well as historical horse racing (HHR) machines and video lottery terminals, are illegal under the Alabama Code.

Under Hammett’s bill, penalties for those found guilty of subsequent gambling violations would face Class B felony punishments, which include two to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $30K or double the defendants’ monetary gains from their illegal gambling operations.

Gambling Referendum Fell Just Short

Alabama lawmakers earlier this year rejected by the narrowest of margins an effort to allow voters to decide if they wished to end the state’s prohibition on commercial gambling.

In early May, a special conference committee recommended to the Alabama Legislature that the state ask voters to authorize three tribal casinos with slot machines and table games, and seven racinos where only slots would be allowed. The committee additionally recommended that a state-run lottery be initiated.

For Alabamans to have a say, the gaming referendum bill needed three-fifths majority support in each legislative chamber. The House of Delegates met the threshold but the effort fell a vote shy in the Senate.

Whatever side you were on with the gambling bills last session, whether you were yes or no, everybody agreed there’s a problem in this state with illegal gambling,” Hammett told AL.com.

State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) was cited for the failure, as he was among the 15 “no” votes in the upper chamber. Albritton has been a longtime supporter of legalizing casinos but said he voted against the referendum because it didn’t allow the Poach Band of Creek Indians to pursue a commercial casino development on nonsovereign land. The federally recognized tribe runs a Class II tribal casino in Albritton’s Atmore.

Hammett was among the “no” votes to the gaming referendum in the House.?

Prosecutors Want Harsher Penalties

Hammett crafted HB 41 at the request of Covington County District Attorney Walt Merrell who says the state’s current penalty structure does little to thwart illegal gambling. Merrell opined that the misdemeanor penalties amount to a little more than a “slap on the wrist” and aren’t enough to scare off those considering engaging in illegal gambling.

Casino.org has, in recent years, reported on numerous incidences of law enforcement raiding illegal gambling operations.

The state subsequently charged a handful of individuals with felony burglary charges. The owners of the Selma operation were only charged with misdemeanors, as currently allowed by state law.

The post Alabama Bill Would Elevate Gambling Convictions to Felonies appeared first on Casino.org.

The state’s highest court ruled the lawsuit challenging the exemptions included in the 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act that allow tobacco use inside casinos and parimutuel wagering facilities “shall proceed in the ordinary course.” Plaintiffs argue that the 2006 loopholes violate casino workers’ rights to a safe workplace afforded to them under the New Jersey Constitution.

“Applicant’s request for emergency relief in the form of a temporary injunction is denied,” the application response signed by a clerk for Justice Anne Patterson read. “The matter does not warrant adjudication on short notice. The applicant’s appeal shall proceed in the ordinary course unless subsequently ordered accelerated by the Appellate Division.”

Case Continued

The UAW represents table game dealers and slot machine attendants at several Atlantic City casinos. CEASE began as a grassroots coalition of casino workers opposed to indoor smoking, but has since grown to become a powerful ally of the nationwide movement for clean indoor air.

The ANR has helped CEASE expand and organize chapters in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Kansas, Nevada, and Mississippi. Those states are among the 14 that allow cigarettes and cigars inside casinos.

In the Atlantic City casino lawsuit, Mercer County Judge Patrick Bartels ruled in August that the case should be dismissed. Bartels said the plaintiffs’ allegations that their rights to a safe workplace are being violated are meritless because the 2006 smoking law doesn’t impede their freedom to find employment in a smoke-free environment.

Legislative Solution?

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) remains supportive of eliminating the indoor casino smoking exemptions but wants the change to come through the legislature instead of the courts. New Jersey Republicans last week said they’d get a bill to the governor’s desk if Democrats, who control both legislative chambers, want to amend the 2006 smoking law.

Local 54 represents employees like food and beverage staff, housekeepers, and bellmen.

The New Jersey Supreme Court typically determines whether to grant a petition review within 30 days, meaning its decision regarding the UAW and CEASE appeal should be issued within the next two weeks.

The post New Jersey Supreme Court Rejects Emergency Request to Halt Casino Smoking appeared first on Casino.org.

Swift’s legions of so-called “Swifties” reportedly heeded her call to get out the vote for Harris. Vote.gov, the federal government’s official voter registration website, saw a surge in visitors in the immediate hours after Swift told her 574 million social media followers that she would be voting blue on November 5.

According to Tom Bonier, a senior advisor at TargetSmart, a campaign consultancy in Washington, DC, Vote.org has experienced a 400% to 500% increase in voter registration.

It’s really unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We’re calling it the ‘Swift Effect,'” Bonier told CBS News.

“Usually, you’ll see these increases and they kind of fade away, but in this case, we’ve seen it continue through the last two days,” Bonier continued. “We’re talking about nine to 10K people per hour [visiting Vote.org].”

Harris remains the 2024 betting front-runner with her implied odds hovering around 50-56%.

Will They Vote??

The Vote.org traffic came not only after Swift endorsed Harris, but also after the vice president and former President Donald Trump participated in their first — and likely only — debate. The rush of traffic to Vote.org could also include undecided voters who settled on who they’ll vote for after the more than 90-minute discourse. ?

With Harris overwhelmingly being deemed the winner of the debate, paired with Swift’s endorsement, the odds are likely good that the bulk of the Voter.org traffic is from new voters who wish to cast a ballot for the Democratic presidential candidate. Bonier says historical data shows that people who register to vote so close to Election Day turn out and vote.

“Dating back to 2020, people who registered this close to the election, over 80% of those new registrants actually turned out,” Bonier revealed. “So, it’s safe to say that not only are these voters registering but it’s likely that they’re going to come out.”

Trump went on to say he’s a fan of Brittany Mahomes, whose husband is Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes recently spoke publicly in support of Trump. Swift is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Previous Turnout?

The 2020 election saw a record number of votes cast to install Joe Biden as the 46th president. More than 158.4 million votes were counted, a 16% increase from the earlier record set in 2016 when Trump and Hillary Clinton fielded nearly 136.7 million votes.

2016 topped the previous record of 131.4 million votes in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected to his first term.

At political wagering exchange Smarkets, Trump’s implied odds of winning in November have dropped below 47%.

The post Taylor Swift Endorsement of VP Kamala Harris Delivers ‘Swift Effect’ appeared first on Casino.org.

The 2006 law banned indoor smoking in nearly all workplaces and public settings. However, state lawmakers nearly two decades ago provided exemptions to the tobacco ban for cigar lounges, horse racetracks, parimutuel wagering facilities, hotels, and motels where up to 20% of the guestrooms can be designated for smoking, and casinos with a minimum of 150 slot machines and 10 table games.

Attorneys with the United Auto Workers (UAW), whose members include table game dealers that are most exposed to secondhand smoke because of the 2006 casino loophole, said in the union’s appeal that the smoking law wrongly favors an industry.

Exclusion of casino workers from safety protections given to other workers is blatant favoritism for a powerful industry located in only one municipality in the State, precisely what the New Jersey Constitution prevents,” the UAW appeal read. “Plaintiffs submit that the State’s decision to allow gambling in Atlantic City did not make it a ‘law-free’ zone or render its workers and residents unprotected by New Jersey’s Constitution and laws.”

Atlantic City casinos can allow indoor smoking in up to 25% of their gaming areas.

Long Shot Appeal?

There are no rules requiring the casinos to physically separate their smoking areas from nonsmoking areas, and as a result, health officials say dangerous secondhand smoke lingers throughout the floors.

The New Jersey Supreme Court, however, isn’t ruling on whether the smoking allowance possibly threatens workers in nonsmoking areas with secondhand smoke exposure but whether the 2006 law was implemented improperly. In August, Mercer County Judge Patrick Bartels ruled that the 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act doesn’t violate employees’ rights to a safe workplace as defined under the state constitution because the law doesn’t prevent a casino worker from finding employment in a business where smoking isn’t allowed.

The New Jersey Supreme Court fields more than 1,000 appeals annually, but accepts only about 100 cases.

The Casino Association of New Jersey and Culinary Union Local 54, which oppose eliminating smoking, have joined the case as intervenors and are expected to submit their briefs in the coming days.

GOP Bailout?

If the New Jersey Supreme Court doesn’t accept the UAW casino smoking appeal, the only way to force the nine resorts in Atlantic City to go smoke-free would be through legislative action.

Murphy has also said that concerns raised by the casinos, including claims that a smoking ban would hurt revenue and lead to thousands of job cuts, should be considered.

The post Casino Smoking Opponents Argue That Workers’ Rights Are Being Violated appeared first on Casino.org.

The Laughlin, Nev, resort began informing state attorneys general and impacted consumers on September 5 that it had detected a data breach. Security personnel with the casino believe the hack occurred on July 24, 2024.

The unauthorized party allegedly gained access to customers’ sensitive information, including names and Social Security numbers.

Upon discovery, Riverside immediately engaged forensic specialists in cybersecurity and data privacy to investigate further. Through this investigation, Riverside determined that an unauthorized third party potentially accessed and acquired certain files during this incident,” Riverside Assistant General Manager Matthew Laughlin wrote in a notification letter sent to impacted customers.

“Data security is one of our highest priorities. Upon detecting this incident, we moved quickly to initiate an investigation,” Laughlin continued. “We promptly disabled all relevant accounts and worked with our third-party specialists to confirm the security of our environment.”

No Misconduct, Yet?

Laughlin, one of the late Don Laughlin’s adult grandchildren, said the resort hasn’t fielded any reports of the sensitive information stolen being used for illicit purposes. But, those who received the notification letter are encouraged to monitor their credit reports and scores for suspicious activity, and to inform their banks and financial institutions about their personal information being compromised.

The data breach includes residents from Nevada, Arizona, and California. Riverside sits along the Colorado River, which separates Nevada and Arizona. Laughlin is also just 10 miles northeast of the California border.

The hack’s repercussions extend to the East Coast where Riverside patrons residing as far away as Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont also received the data breach notification. Riverside is offering anyone impacted free credit monitoring services.

Riverside didn’t disclose whether a ransom was demanded and/or paid. MGM refused to pay one, which led to operational losses upward of $100 million. Caesars opted to pay a $15 million ransom to have its IT systems restored.

Riverside Story

Don Laughlin bought Nevada’s southern tip — then called South Pointe — in 1954 and built and opened Riverside in 1966. The original “resort” offered just eight motel rooms, half of which were occupied by Laughlin’s family, 12 slot machines, two table games, and an all-you-can-eat chicken dinner for 98 cents.

The Laughlin family continues to own Riverside. Don Laughlin died last October at the age of 92.

Laughlin wanted to name the remote Nevada town Riverside but the US Postal Service opted for Laughlin instead. Today, the town is home to several other casinos, including Harrah’s, Laughlin River Lodge, Golden Nugget, Edgewater, and Tropicana.

The post Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Casino Confirms Data Breach, 55K Customers Affected appeared first on Casino.org.

Tonko’s Supporting Affordability & Fairness With Every Bet Act (SAFE Bet Act) would require state gaming regulators to amend their sports betting rules to include a series of conditions. If passed and signed into law, the federal statute would require sportsbooks to limit bettors to no more than five deposits per 24 hours and conduct “affordability checks” on customers seeking to make large wagers.

Such checks would require bettors to prove that they have the financial resources to risk that amount of money. Sportsbooks would also be prohibited from allowing bettors to make deposits on credit cards.

The legislation additionally includes language prohibiting sportsbooks from utilizing artificial intelligence to craft promotions and bonuses for players based on their betting history. AI would also be banned from being used to produce microbetting odds and in-game lines.

Sin Industry Needs Sin Safeguards

Tonko, along with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) who will champion the SAFE Act in Congress’ upper chamber, both represent states where retail and online sports betting is legal. The two believe sports betting presents dangerous societal consequences and therefore should be more regulated than it currently is.

Tonko likened the affordability checks to a drunk person trying to purchase or consume more alcohol.

“For over six years, the U.S. sports betting industry has been working itself deeper and more directly into the lives of the American people. Now, every single solitary moment of every sporting event has become a betting opportunity,” Tonko said outside the Capitol.

Whether you’re scrolling on social media, driving down the highway past billboards, or listening to your favorite podcast or radio station, sports betting ads are there to prompt you with an endless cascade of flashy promotions,” Tonko continued. “This relationship between the gambling industry and sports has reached intolerably dangerous levels. It’s well past time for Congress to step up and make a difference.”

Blumenthal said he signed on to support the SAFE Bet Act on mental health and addiction concerns.

We’re not banning gambling. We’re banning practices that exploit and abuse people,” Blumenthal said. “We’re stopping the promotions, enticements, bonuses, and credits that target losers.”

“Let’s be very clear: the gambling industry methodically and relentlessly targets losers,” Blumenthal declared. “That’s where the money is.”

SAFE Bet Called Out

Tonko and Blumenthal said state governments have largely failed to implement adequate safeguards into their sports betting regulations. The American Gaming Association (AGA) was quick to disagree.

Today’s regulated sports wagering operators are contributing billions in state taxes across the U.S., protecting consumers from dangerous neighborhood bookies and illegal offshore websites, and working diligently with over 5,000 state and tribal regulators and other stakeholders to ensure a commitment to responsibility and positive play,” Chris Cylke, the AGA’s senior vice president of government relations, said in prepared remarks.

“Six years into legal sports betting, introducing heavy-handed federal prohibitions is a slap in the face to state legislatures and gaming regulators who have dedicated countless time and resources to developing thoughtful frameworks unique to their jurisdictions, and have continued to iterate as their marketplaces evolve,” Cylke added.

The post Federal Bill Seeks to Implement Sports Betting Guardrails appeared first on Casino.org.

While the Harris-Trump debate fell far short of the record 84 million people who tuned in for Trump’s first faceoff with Hillary Clinton in 2016, Tuesday easily bettered Trump’s June back-and-forth with President Joe Biden that drew in 51.3 million people. Tuesday was also short of the 73.1 million people who watched the first debate between Trump and Biden in 2020.

Political bettors believe Harris won the debate. As a result, her odds of winning the November 5 contest have shortened in days following the event.

Trump’s odds have lengthened from 53% before the debate to 49% as of this writing. Nearly $900 million has been bet on the Polymarket contest.

Costly Outcome

Along with Trump’s 2024 odds lengthening following what many called a bad night for the billionaire, his performance cost him considerable money, at least on paper.

Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ: DJT) tumbled in the aftermath of the Tuesday spectacle. The parent organization of Trump’s Truth Social media platform, which has plans to launch a streaming subscription service called TMTG+ that will air “non-woke” entertainment and conservative news programming, saw its stock price fall nearly 20% on Wednesday.

Trump owns about 60% of the company’s outstanding shares. DJT is down over 75% since its closing high of $66.22 on March 27. It’s now trading at around $16.

Trump’s media group returned the “DJT” ticker to Wall Street. The stock abbreviation was previously used when Trump took Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts public in 1995.

The DJT ticker was used until 2004 when the company went bankrupt. When Trump created a new gaming entity, Trump Entertainment Resorts, that same year, the company traded under the ticker TRMP.

Harris Favored

William Hill, one of the largest bookmakers in the United Kingdom, reported a flurry of bets on Harris in the debate aftermath. William Hill wasn’t alone, as numerous other high-street sportsbooks adjusted their election odds in Harris’ favor.

The national polling average as of September 12 has Harris at 47.9% to Trump at 46.7% support. The election, however, will come down to several key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

In Nevada, the largest union of casino workers is actively trying to get out the vote in Harris’ favor. The Culinary Union’s support of Harris isn’t exactly a surprise, as the union hasn’t endorsed a Republican for president in decades. The union had earlier endorsed Biden until he dropped out of the 2024 race.

The post Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s Presidential Debate Attracted 67M Viewers appeared first on Casino.org.

The Philippines is home to both commercial and government-held casinos. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation(PAGCOR) regulates commercial gaming resorts in Manila and in special freeport zones. The agency also runs casinos under the Casino Filipino brand.

Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte flip-flopped on his pledge to sell off PAGCOR’s casinos on grounds that their operations provided too critical of a tax benefit, specifically in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Duterte’s successor, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, has since resumed the central government’s mission to divest the casino portfolio.

Liquidation Delayed

Earlier this year, PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco said the agency would unload its nine casinos and 33 satellite branches before the end of the first quarter in 2026. This week, Tengco pushed back on that statement and revealed that the selloff won’t even start until sometime in 2026.

In the interim, PAGCOR is investing in modernizing its Casino Filipino properties, many of which are outdated and in need of upgrades. Tengco believes such an investment will make the venues more attractive to prospective buyers and result in richer sales.

As we prepare for the planned privatization of PAGCOR casinos, we intend to increase their value by modernizing our gaming facilities and equipment to make them more attractive to potential investors,” the PAGCOR chief said on Tuesday during his keynote address at Inside Asian Gaming’s Academy Summit at the Hilton Manila.

Tengco detailed that PAGCOR has ordered 3,341 new slot machines that are commonly found in the multibillion-dollar integrated resort casinos in Manila’s Entertainment City to be installed in Casino Filipino’s premier properties. The first batch of 1,968 terminals is expected to be delivered this week.

Tengco additionally said PAGCOR will mandate that buyers of the Casino Filipino properties will be required to maintain a minimum of 50% of the acquired venue’s workforce for a certain period. Those who are let go will be required to receive severance packages based on their length of employment.?

PAGCOR Casino Revenue

PAGCOR’s gaming operations pale in comparison to the integrated resorts in Manila.

In the second quarter, Casino Filipino locations generated gross gaming revenue of approximately PHP8.29 billion (US$147.5 million). During that same April through June period, Manila’s City of Dreams, Solaire, Okada, and Newport World Resorts produced GGR of PHP40.3 billion (US$717.1 million).

The influx of Chinese high rollers has Filipino gaming magnates bullish on the industry. This week, Travellers International Hotel Group and Alliance Global, the parent companies of Newport World Resorts, revealed their intentions to open casino resorts in Boracay and Cebu. ?

The post Philippines Casinos to Remain Under Government Control Until at Least 2026 appeared first on Casino.org.

Russel Edward Hester, 72, of Rutherfordton, this week entered a guilty plea on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. He faces up to 30 years in prison when he’s sentenced later this year.

Federal prosecutors say Hester regularly visited the Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, a nearly hour-long drive from Rutherfordton, and used government money to gamble.?

Government Gambling Card?

US Attorney Dena King of the Department of Justice’s Western District of North Carolina said Hester withdrew at least $374,807.10 at the tribal casino’s ATM through 192 transactions. The fraudulent transfers were made between December 2021 through October 2023.

Hester had control of the local ABC’s financial accounts and records since he was the manager of the liquor store for nearly 10 years. He admitted to using the government cash to fund his addiction to slot machines.

As store manager, Hester had access to, and control over, the Board’s financial accounts and records, wrote checks to pay bills, and was responsible for creating the budget each year. Hester was also responsible for providing all information needed for the annual independent third-party audit of the ABC store,” King wrote.

Casino records show that Hester won nearly $1.5 million playing the one-armed bandits. But instead of repaying the money he stole, Hester deposited the $1,469,368 into his personal accounts.

On one instance — July 4, 2023 — Hester withdrew $3,000 in cash on the ABC debit card and deposited the money into a slot. He later won a jackpot worth $18,350 and told casino staff he’d like to receive his winnings in the form of a check. He deposited the check into his personal account.

King said Hester falsified ABC’s financial records and provided fake bank account statements during the Alcohol Beverage Control’s annual audits in an unsuccessful attempt to conceal his actions.

The ABC store Hester managed and stole from is located at 441 S. Main St. ABC stores in North Carolina are to use their net profits to support local law enforcement and K-12 public education. The state has retained control of the selling of hard liquor bottles since 1937.

Casino Construction

Hester’s illegal activity occurred at the Catawba Nation’s temporary casino. The facility has about 1,000 slots and electronic gaming positions. The provisional gaming space added a dozen live dealer table games in June.

The resort is slated to open in early 2026.

The post North Carolina Man Who Won $1.5M at Casino Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges appeared first on Casino.org.

In recent years, legislation to close the smoking loophole afforded to casinos in Atlantic City and parimutuel wagering facilities garnered enough support to pass the New Jersey Legislature. A majority of lawmakers in both the Senate and General Assembly issued their backing to amend the 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act to exclude casinos and racetracks from allowing cigarettes and cigars.

GOP members now say they’ll rescue the smoking bills and get them across the finish line, and on to Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) desk.

Popular Legislation

Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-Warren) believes it’s time that casino workers are provided the same workplace protections as most other employees.

If Democrats are serious about protecting workers, Republicans are ready to help pass the bill,” said DiMaio. “We need legislative action, not excuses.”

Legislative action is likely the only recourse to end the indoor casino smoking allowance after state courts recently ruled that the 2006 law doesn’t violate worker protections afforded under the New Jersey Constitution. The lawsuit, filed by the United Auto Workers, a union that represents table game dealers at Bally’s, Caesars, and Tropicana, has been appealed to the state’s Supreme Court but its acceptance presumably faces long odds.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about doing what’s right for workers and their families,” DiMaio continued. “With significant bipartisan support, there’s no reason not to get this done.”

The casino industry says there is.

Despite higher revenue, Atlantic City casino profits collectively declined 1.7% in the second quarter. During the first half of the year, resort revenue was up 1.5% but profits dropped almost 5% year over year. Higher operating costs were blamed.?

Casino Workers Hopeful?

While UAW has fought to move smoking outside, the larger Atlantic City casino union — Unite Here Local 54 — has backed the industry and argued that a smoking ban would hurt the health of its members by eliminating jobs. A grassroots coalition of resort workers disagrees.

Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) has been campaigning for years to eliminate secondhand smoke. The group celebrated Republicans’ willingness to join their crusade.

“Clean air is a bipartisan issue, with both sides recognizing the urgent need to protect workers from secondhand smoke,” said Nicole Vitola, a co-founder of CEASE and a longtime casino dealer. “Now the legislature needs to put their words into long overdue action and vote on this immediately.”

The post New Jersey Republicans to Rescue Stalled Effort to Ban Atlantic City Casino Smoking appeared first on Casino.org.

Casino.org reported earlier this month that the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Norfolk’s preferred gaming developer that secured approval from local voters for a casino undertaking along the Elizabeth River during the November 2020 election, had brought in Boyd to help bring its long-delayed dreams to fruition. Those reports surfaced after updated planning documents were submitted to the Norfolk City Council showing Boyd’s involvement.

The development consortium confirmed the speculation this week after Norfolk officials approved a resolution amending the Pamunkey Tribe’s casino agreement. The resolution designates Boyd and the federally recognized tribe as partners in Golden Eagle Consulting II, LLC, the entity that Norfolk reached the original Development Agreement on Jan. 19, 2020.?

New Norfolk Casino Team

Golden Eagle was initially controlled by Jon Yarbrough, a billionaire who amassed his wealth by founding a leading manufacturer of gaming machines specifically made for tribal casinos. Yarbrough, estimated to be worth over $4 billion by Forbes, had been introduced to the Pamunkey Tribe by a colleague before Virginia lawmakers approved commercial gambling in five cities in 2020 and Norfolk was among the designees.

Since a tribal casino so close threatened to jeopardize the economic benefit of becoming a host city to a commercial casino, Norfolk went with the tribe and Yarbrough. The initial concept, a $500 million undertaking called HeadWaters Resort & Casino, has since suffered repeated setbacks due to an array of issues that Casino.org has covered extensively over the past four years.

Yarbrough is departing the project and selling his stake to Boyd, which planning documents suggest will be an 80% position in Golden Eagle. Robert Gray, the chief of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, says Boyd has the skillset to get the project not only started but finished.

In Boyd, we have found a partner with the national expertise, financial strength, and strong commitment to community,” said Gray. “Together, we will deliver on our tribe’s promise to develop an amazing casino and resort that will attract tourists to Norfolk, provide local residents with good-paying jobs, and generate significant economic benefits for both Norfolk and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Kevin Smith, president and CEO of Boyd Gaming, said the company’s interest was pegged because Norfolk “is one of the largest underserved gaming markets in the Mid-Atlantic region.” He added that the opportunity will allow Boyd to “further expand and diversify.”

Terms Unknown

The financial details of Boyd Gaming buying a majority stake in Golden Eagle weren’t immediately disclosed, though such information will likely come to light in the future since Boyd is a publicly traded company. The SEC requires public companies that undertake material acquisitions to disclose those acquisitions to the public.

The casino remains slated for a 13.5-acre site located next to the Harbor Park baseball stadium. ?

The post Norfolk Casino Development Confirms Boyd Gaming Involvement appeared first on Casino.org.

Soon after Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Green rejected the lawsuit challenging the referendum led by a political action committee called Winning for Missouri Education, a group emerged that says it will work to convince Missourians to vote against Amendment 2. The committee — Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment — says from now until November 5, the group will campaign against the sports betting question.

This deceptive measure was written by and for the financial benefit of its out-of-state corporate sponsors and funders,” said Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment spokesperson Brooke Foster. “We are building a broad coalition and are prepared to wage a vigorous campaign to educate voters across the state and ensure the measure is defeated. It’s a bad deal for Missouri.”

Amendment 2 would allow casinos to operate an in-person sportsbook and an online book. The referendum would also provide professional sports stadiums with retail and online sports betting privileges, and allow two online sportsbooks to be approved without being tethered to a casino or sports venue.?

Sports Betting Ad Debuts

While Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment is just getting up and running, the pro-sports betting lobby has already raised more than $6.5 million and produced its first advertisement.

Winning for Missouri Education has the financial support of Missouri’s professional sports franchises, including the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, MLB’s Kansas City Royals, MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals, and the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. The political campaign is also heavily funded by sports betting market leaders DraftKings and FanDuel.

This week, the campaign debuted its first 30-second commercial in support of legal sports gambling. The strategy is apparently to hype the educational benefits that regulated sportsbooks would bring the Show-Me State.

The referendum would constitutionally mandate that the first $5 million or 10%, whichever is greater, in tax proceeds go toward combatting problem gambling. The remaining benefit would go to support K-12 public education. ??

What Sports Betting Would Look Like in Missouri?

If a simple majority of voters back Amendment 2, each sportsbook’s gross revenue would be subject to a 10% tax. Retail licenses would cost $250K every five years. Mobile permits would cost $500K every five years.

State fiscal projections estimate that Missouri could receive nearly $29 million a year from regulated sports gambling, but the final benefit would depend largely on how many incentives the books issue. Sportsbooks have traditionally marketed heavily in newly launched sports betting states with an array of promotions geared toward signing up players.

The post Missouri Sports Betting Campaigns Begin Rallying Troops appeared first on Casino.org.

Polymarket, a decentralized wagering exchange that facilitates the buying and selling of shares of political outcomes, had Trump as the 2024 favorite before the debate. His stock was trading around 52 cents to Harris at 46 cents. Things have since changed.

Harris was poised on Tuesday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and spoke directly to the people. She baited her opponent into discussing the past, as the billionaire became visibly upset at times trying to defend his record and expose her and President Joe Biden’s.

Whatever prep the former casino billionaire did was a bust in the eyes of political bettors, who quickly moved their election positions to Harris.

Harris, Trump Neck and Neck

Trump has largely been the 2024 betting front-runner since his June debate with Biden, which led to the president announcing he wouldn’t seek a second term. Harris was the party’s hand-picked replacement, and so far, it’s a bet that’s paying off.

As Trump doubled down on his belief that the 2020 election was rigged and he was the rightful winner, the 2024 Polymarket contest moved in Harris’ favor. Another political wagering exchange, Betfair, reported a similar movement.

UK sportsbooks, where political betting is allowed, also shortened Harris’ line while lengthening Trump’s. William Hill now has Harris at 4/5 (-125), or implied odds of 55.56%. Trump is at 10/11 (-110), or an implied chance of 52.38%.

Before the debate, Trump was favored at -125 and Harris was the underdog at +110.

Do Debates Matter?

While most everyone in the US is very familiar with Trump, Tuesday’s debate gave Harris her first major chance to resonate with the American people after avoiding most media interview requests and shying away from the limelight over the past three and a half years as second in command to the commander-in-chief.

Odds, and presumably next week’s polls, will show a shift in Harris’ favor, but voters will have the final say on November 5.

The post Kamala Harris’ Odds Improve After 2024 Debate Against Donald Trump appeared first on Casino.org.

Tuesday night’s winning numbers were 1, 2, 16, 24, and 66, with the gold Mega Ball 6. The Mega Millions Consortium revealed Wednesday morning that a lucky play sold in Sugar Land, Texas, overcame the more than one in 302.57 million odds to win the rights to the jackpot.

The winning ticket was purchased at the Murphy USA gas station at 7750 Highway 90. The convenience store is roughly 20 miles southwest of Houston.

The winner can choose the full value of the advertised jackpot paid out over 30 years through an annuity or take a one-time cash sum worth $404.2 million.

Tuesday night’s $800 million jackpot ranks seventh in Mega Millions history and 13th in US lottery history. With the jackpot won, the Mega Millions jackpot resets to $20 million for its next drawing on Friday, September 13.?

Tax-Free Jackpot

Most Mega Millions and Powerball winners choose the cash option over the 30-year annuity. However, the Federal Reserve’s benchmark interest rate, which sets interest rates on the Treasury-backed bonds that Mega Millions and Powerball annuities are based, has made the decision a bit more complex.

If Tuesday night’s winner opts for the cash, their $404.2 million would be reduced by $149.5 million in federal taxes. That would leave the winner with an approximate payout of $254.6 million.

Along with overcoming the life-changing odds, the winner was also lucky in purchasing the Mega Millions ticket in Texas. The Lone Star State is one of only eight states that doesn’t tax lottery winnings as personal income, and therefore, doesn’t take a cut.

Tuesday’s jackpot was the first time that the Mega Millions top prize has been won since June 4 when a ticket sold in Illinois through the lottery’s mobile app won a $552 million payout. Mega Millions’ previous jackpot win came on March 26 when a player in New Jersey won $1.128 billion — the lottery’s fifth-richest jackpot ever — though that prize has yet to be redeemed.?

Tuesday Wins

Along with the jackpot, Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing produced more than 2.1 million winning tickets across all other prize tiers.

Forty-seven tickets matched the four white balls and Mega Ball to claim $10K each. Ten of those plays had the Megaplier to balloon their prize to $40K.

More than 1,300 tickets matched the four white balls for $500 a piece, with 255 including the Megaplier to push their award to $2,000. More than 1.36 million tickets matched the Mega Ball to win back their $2 bet, though 258,153 tickets included the Megaplier to net $6.

The post Mega Millions Jackpot Hits, $800M Winning Ticket Sold in Texas appeared first on Casino.org.

Jordan Mason is the Niners’ second-string running back behind Christian McCaffrey, one of the most electrifying players in the NFL who was named the Offensive Player of the Year in 2023.

After bet365 realized that McCaffrey wouldn’t play because of a nagging calf/Achilles injury, the sportsbook told bettors with action on Mason that their odds had been adjusted to -5000. The change meant a $100 winning bet went from paying out $90.91 to just $2.

Bet365 Makes Good, Kind Of?

Matt Williams, a sports betting analyst at VSiN Live, was the first to expose the bet365 odds adjustment for Mason’s performance.

Bet365 told Mason and others who took the Mason over/under at -110 that the adjustment was warranted because the original odds were offered in error.

We have identified that this selection was placed at incorrect odds and as such, in accordance with our rules, will be settled at the revised odds of -5000,” the bet365 communication read.

After Williams shared the sportsbook message to X and hundreds of angry bettors scolded the operation, bet365 issued a “settlement update.” Williams said his $110 bet was awarded $91.93, which was below the $100 he was rightfully owed on -110 odds. The comments on the bet365 settlement update were overwhelmingly negative.

“The only reason you’re agreeing to this is because you got called out publicly,” read one response on X.

There was no confusion, you all thought you could screw people over,” added another.

Williams likened the book’s explanation to a robber robbing a bank who later found out they were caught on camera.

“So they brought the money to the police station and said, ‘Sorry for any confusion.'”

Regulators Mum?

In July, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) ordered bet365 to pay $519,323.32 to bettors behind 199 winning wagers in which the sportsbook had post-adjusted its odds.

The DGE found additional regulatory deficiencies at bet365 last week when it revealed the book had taken bets on events that had already been completed. Bet365 agreed to settle the regulatory action with a $33K penalty.

Casino.org reached out to the DGE for comment regarding Monday night’s matter but didn’t hear back before publication. We will update the story if we receive a response.

The post Bet365 Faces More Backlash for Adjusting Odds After Bets Placed appeared first on Casino.org.

Founded in 1985 to bridge relationships between the Jewish community and Republican lawmakers, the RJC became a major political player more than a decade ago when Sheldon Adelson began pouring millions of dollars into the nonprofit’s political action committees. Adelson, who built The Venetian and Palazzo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, and who is credited for transforming China’s Macau into the world’s richest gambling hub, died in January 2021.

During the RJC Annual Leadership Summit at The Venetian in Las Vegas last week, Adelson said Trump is the Jewish community’s “best friend.”

RJC’s Unprecedented Spending?

With Adelson’s support, the RJC plans to spend a record $15 million this presidential election cycle to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris, with $10 million going to battlegrounds. The RJC believes Trump is an ally to the Jewish community while Harris has sympathized with anti-Semitic rhetoric.

“Kamala Harris embraces and defends the squad even after Ilhan Omar made disgusting anti-Semitic comments,” a narrator claims. “Harris joined the squad in sympathizing with anti-Semitic, anti-Israel protestors.”

The 30-second spot will begin airing in select markets during Tuesday night’s presidential debate between Harris and Trump. While the latest polling suggests Harris has a slight lead, political betting markets have Trump as the front-runner.

Understanding the gravity of this moment … this is, by far, the largest and most comprehensive effort to turn out the Jewish vote for President Donald J. Trump,” the RJC said.

Trump, at the urging of the Adelsons, relocated the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. For years, Sheldon Adelson lobbied that the embassy should be located there to recognize Jerusalem as the true capital of Israel.

“I’m a one-issue person. That issue is Israel,” Adelson, whose parents were Jewish immigrants, said in 2017. Adelson added that Palestine exists solely “to destroy Israel.”

Odd Relationship

While Adelson and the RJC work to reelect Trump, her newest business partner is doing just the opposite.

Adelson acquired a controlling stake in the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks last year from billionaire Mark Cuban. The “Shark Tank” star retained a 27% ownership position in the team and remains in charge of the franchise’s operations.

The tech tycoon says he’s offered to serve in the Harris administration, with it being his wish to head up the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The post Republican Jewish Coalition Announces Record Ad Buy to Support Donald Trump appeared first on Casino.org.

WMBD Radio obtained communications between Peoria Mayor Rita Ali and East Peoria Mayor John Kahl through a Freedom of Information Act request that provides insight into Peoria’s attempts to bring Boyd into its city limits.

I am most disappointed to learn that you and your fellow officials in Peoria are doing your best to force a business organization to relocate from a neighboring community to yours,” Kahl wrote Ali.

Both mayors declined to comment in response to the WMBD Radio report. Boyd Gaming officials also did not respond.

WMBD Radio added that Peoria recently presented Boyd with a proposal that includes numerous economic incentives should the company decide to invest in a land-based casino in the city.

Par-A-Dice is a riverboat with 202 hotel guestrooms, three restaurants and bars, and a 26,116-square-foot casino floor fitted with 550 slot machines, 18 live dealer table games, and a FanDuel Sportsbook.

Casino Clause

When Illinois legalized commercial riverboat gambling in 1990, Peoria and East Peoria partnered to bring one of the casino licenses to the Central Illinois region.

In 2019, in part of the state’s gambling expansion to include a downtown Chicago integrated resort and five smaller casinos in the Windy City suburbs, Illinois lawmakers said the current 10 riverboats could move inland with approval from the Illinois Gaming Board and a $250K fee.

Ali defended her city’s actions in her email reply to Kahl.

We are not trying to force relocation,” she told Kahl. “We came to believe that Boyd Gaming may be interested in expanding to include a land-based casino. We wanted to make sure they understood our signed agreement.”

Ali said Peoria objects to a brick-and-mortar casino in East Peoria because it “violates a trust.”

Riverboat Has Seen Better Days

Par-A-Dice could certainly use some reenergizing, as the riverboat has seen visitation and gaming revenue drop significantly over the past several years.

In 2017, the Boyd Gaming riverboat counted 776,176 admissions to the casino floor. Players lost more than $78.9 million that year, which generated local taxes exceeding $4.7 million.

In 2019, Par-A-Dice welcomed fewer than 700K guests who generated gross gaming revenue of $72.8 million. That delivered a local tax benefit of about $4.3 million.

In 2022, admissions tumbled to 432,334, with GGR totaling $60.7 million and local taxes of $3.5 million. Last year, the casino saw admissions improve to 441,762 and gaming revenue rise to almost $63.5 million.

Boyd Gaming acquired Par-A-Dice in April 1996 for $163 million. The sellers were the original group of local investors who built the riverboat casino and hotel that opened about three years earlier. Par-A-Dice was the second riverboat to open in Illinois following the Alton Belle, which is today the Argosy.

Illinois’ gaming law initially required riverboats to sail daily, but that condition was lifted in 1999.

The post Illinois City Reportedly Trying to Woo Boyd Gaming With Land-Based Casino Incentives appeared first on Casino.org.

The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma is trying to stop the referendum that would ask Arkansans to amend the state constitution to only allow the Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) to grant commercial casino licenses to counties that want them.

The Choctaw Nation is behind the Local Voters in Charge committee that submitted more than 160K signatures from registered voters to push the casino repeal to the 2024 ballot. The Choctaws are seeking to protect their tribal casinos in neighboring Oklahoma.?

Special Report Finds Few Discrepancies?

In June, the Cherokee Nation, doing business as Cherokee Nation Entertainment in Arkansas, was deemed the winner for the gaming license earmarked for Pope County. The tribe plans to build a $300 million destination called Legends Resort & Casino in Russellville.

Last month, Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston said Local Voters in Charge had met the 2024 referendum requirements and the casino question would go before voters. Thurston’s office validated more than 116K of the 160K signatures submitted.

The Cherokees consequently filed a lawsuit with the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Since time is critical, as Election Day is only 55 days away and early voting in Arkansas begins two weeks before November 5, the state Supreme Court agreed to expedite its review of the Cherokee lawsuit. The high court appointed Randy Wright, a judge in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court, to serve as a special master on the case.

On Monday, Wright released his “Master’s Report and Findings of Fact” that seemingly improved the odds of the Local Voters in Charge question remaining on the ballot.

Report Findings

Wright said the canvassing claims made by the Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee had little to no merit. The judge said there was no evidence that canvassers were compensated based on the number of signatures they collected.

The Petitioners … did not offer proof that Local Voters in Charge or its agents actually paid a canvasser based on the signatures he or she obtained,” Wright wrote.

However, Wright did say that signatures collected from nine canvassers should be disqualified because those agents provided incomplete or incorrect addresses when registering.

The number of signatures to be disqualified totaled 5,966. That still leaves the number of total valid signatures at 110,234 — far more than the 90,704 needed.

Additional briefs from each side are expected in response to Wright’s report in the coming weeks. The Arkansas Supreme Court will likely render its decision in mid-October.

The post Arkansas Casino Referendum Likely to Remain Following Special Master’s Report appeared first on Casino.org.

Tuesday night’s showdown comes 75 days after Trump exposed President Joe Biden during their June 27 debate that resulted in many Democratic leaders questioning the president’s mental fitness and ability to lead for another four years. Biden eventually succumbed to the political pressure mounted by his former boss, President Barack Obama, and US Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California), in deciding not to seek a second four-year term in the White House.

The second presidential debate of the 2024 season brings in a new Democratic candidate in Harris, who was picked to succeed Biden as the party’s leader. Harris is reportedly working hard on her debate preparation, as the VP has largely refrained from speaking off script in the leadup to her one-on-one with the billionaire who made much of his fortune in the gambling industry.

Debate Preview?

Tuesday’s primetime presidential debate will air at 9 pm EST from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC News will moderate the 90-minute event.

Pennsylvania is likely to be a key swing state in determining the Electoral College outcome. According to the most recent polling average in Pennsylvania, Harris has a 0.6-point lead there over Trump.

Political wagering exchange Polymarket has an abundance of contests on the Tuesday debate. A little more than 24 hours before the conversation is scheduled to begin, bettors on the decentralized exchange think Trump will command more speaking time, but polls will conclude that Harris won the evening.

As for Trump, bettors think he’ll call Harris the “border czar” but are split on him calling the vice president “Comrade Kamala,” a jab linking her to communist policies. Bettors think there’s a 66% chance Trump will say “fake news” and a nearly nine in 10 chance he’ll say “China” at least three times. The odds of Trump referencing Israel are at -900 (1/9), or a 90% chance.

Bettors don’t think Trump and Harris will shake hands to start or end the debate. “Yes” shares in that market are trading at just 27 cents. Shares of winning outcomes are redeemed at $1 each, minus platform fees.

2024 Odds

Polymarket odds as of September 9 for the 2024 election have Trump the betting front-runner, with his shares trading at implied odds of 52% to Harris at 46%. More than $844.9 million is riding on the November 5 outcome.

Harris is the underdog at 11/10 (+110). A winning $100 bet on that line would net $110.

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In April, Casino.org reported rumblings first revealed by LotteryGeeks.com that the Mega Millions Consortium was mulling a substantial ticket price surge.

The proposed changes to Mega Millions are scheduled for April 8, 2025.

Mega Changes?

While the Mega Millions Consortium is staying quiet on the rumored gameplay changes, the Texas Lottery’s proposed rule adjustments suggest the price for a basic ticket will increase from $2 to $5 next April.

The $1 add-on Megaplier is also set to terminate. The Megaplier allows tickets that won non-jackpot prizes to double, triple, quadruple, or quintuple their payout.

Along with drawing five white balls and a gold Mega Ball, the current Mega Millions drawings on Tuesday and Friday nights include a Megaplier draw that comes up on 2x, 3x, 4x, and 5x. The Megaplier pool of 15 balls includes five marked 2x, six 3x, three 4x, and one 5x.

States that offer the Just the Jackpot option, which provides players two chances to win the jackpot for $3 but no lower-tier prizes, is also slated to expire. The Just the Jackpot is presently offered in 14 states — Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The number of gold Mega Balls is set to be reduced from 25 to 24. That will slightly improve the players’ odds of one in 302.57 million in hitting the jackpot. The Mega Ball reduction would also improve the overall odds of winning a prize, as the gold ball is used in determining five lower-tier prizes.

The game changes are anticipated to generate increased interest by offering players the potential for larger jackpots, improved chances of winning through improved overall odds, improved chances of winning the jackpot prize through improved jackpot prize odds, and a new embedded multiplier feature that offers players the chance to increase non-jackpot prizes up to ten times,” the Texas Lottery explanation read.

The Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday, September 10, is an estimated $800 million. The one-time cash option is $401.8 million.

Mega Backlash

Powerball, Mega Millions’ primary competitor, could be the big winner if Mega Millions goes through with the aforementioned changes. Our April coverage of the proposed ticket price increase from $2 to $5, a 150% surge, generated stern feedback, with nearly all of the comments in opposition.

I play a ticket in every Mega Millions and Powerball drawing. I will no longer play Mega Millions if this is true,” commented Lou on the $5 rumors.

“Mega Millions is drunk with delusion thinking they can get away with a $5 basic price to play,” added Eddie.

“I would only pay $5 if the jackpot was over a billion,” said Bob. “This could actually save me money.”

The post Mega Millions to Increase Ticket Price, Ditch Megaplier and Just the Jackpot Options appeared first on Casino.org.

In September 2021, the Osaka Prefecture selected MGM as its casino resort development partner. After years of planning and the obtaining of necessary approvals, MGM and its local consortium were issued Japan’s first casino license in April 2023.

When MGM Resorts signed its development agreement with the Osaka prefecture and city governments, a condition was included to allow the company to back out of the deal under certain terms. MGM has reportedly canned the clause to signal its ongoing commitment to completing the more than $8 billion project.

Exit Terms

The Osaka casino development agreement with MGM Resorts allowed the Bellagio operator to withdraw from the project if tourism failed to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels, if financing was unable to be secured at fair terms, or if unexpected issues with the construction site on Yumeshima Island arose.

With MGM fully on board, construction is expected to be expedited. Work began on the JPY1.27 trillion (US$8.9 billion) scheme in December 2023.

MGM Osaka is slated to be a six-year construction endeavor. The integrated resort blueprint includes 2,500 hotel rooms across three distinct brands, 730K square feet of convention and meeting space, dozens of restaurants and bars, a theatre, and a shopping mall.

MGM hasn’t specified the scope of the casino, but the gaming floor is limited to 3% of the property’s overall indoor floor space under Japan’s 2018 gaming law.

Solid Foundation?

With MGM Resorts securing its Osaka plan, an unwavering pledge that originated nearly a decade ago, laborers are focused on strengthening the island worksite. Since December, workers have been drilling holes where steel beams will extend some 230 feet deep to reach bedrock.

Yumeshima Island was a former landfill that became a land reclamation project in the early 1990s. Yumeshima is to play an integral role in Osaka’s hosting of the 2025 World Expo.

Yumeshima is targeted to become a “smart resort city” by the city government that serves Osaka as a “global tourism hub.” The long-term development plan includes zones for business, tourism, and logistics, plus green space.

MGM told Asian gaming media outlet GGRAsia over the weekend that it continues to target a mid-2030 opening for MGM Osaka.

The post MGM Resorts Doubles Down on Japan Commitment, Strikes Termination Clause appeared first on Casino.org.

The Star Entertainment Group says it’s selling the leasehold interest in the former government administration building to Griffith University. The South Queensland school will refit the historic complex into a hub for its business, information technology, and law disciplines.

Star is selling the lease for AU$67.5 million (US$44.9 million) and will net roughly $60.7 million after settlement adjustments. The transaction is expected to close before the month’s end.

It has been a privilege for our company and team members to be the caretaker of the much-loved heritage building for almost thirty years. We are delighted to hand the baton to Griffith University, knowing the Treasury Building is in the safe hands of another proud Queenslander which respects its history as much as we have,” said Star Brisbane CEO Daniel Finch.

“As a neighbor just up the street at The Star Brisbane at Queen’s Wharf, it will be exciting to watch the story of the Treasury Building evolve, continuing to provide unique experiences and memories for future generations,” Finch added.

In Australia, a Crown leasehold provides a tenant “ownership” in a property over many years, generally in 99-year terms. The property, however, remains under the control of the Queensland Government.

Cash Needed

The Star is in need of quick cash as the group’s finances remain in disarray after investing AU$3.6 billion to relocate its Brisbane casino a block east to a new integrated resort. Star additionally remains the subject of suitability probes, with a second inquiry in New South Wales (NSW) recently concluding that the company remains unfit to possess a gaming license.

Star is reportedly in need of AU$300 million in short-term funding to keep its Queens Wharf operation along the Brisbane River afloat. Star is seeking tax breaks and other government relief, something it’s likely to receive because the government is unwilling to jeopardize thousands of jobs and the associated reduced economic activity that would result in The Star Brisbane closing.

The worst case scenario would be that they have to close their doors not long after opening them,” Queensland Premier Steven Miles said last week. “This is a fantastic asset for our city. It is a big job generator. It is a major attraction.”

Star owes its lenders AU$450 million. Its creditors are demanding that any new loans must come with government concessions.?

Gold Coast Appointment

Star announced Monday that it poached Mark Mackay away from rival Crown Resorts to lead its Gold Coast casino. The Star Gold Coast is located in Queensland’s Broadbeach.

Before joining Crown in 2017, Mackay was COO of The Star Gold Coast, which at the time was known as Jupiters Hotel and Casino.

The post Star Entertainment Sells Brisbane Treasury Building Lease After Shuttering Casino appeared first on Casino.org.

Mercer County Judge Patrick Bartels last month dismissed a lawsuit against the state that alleged New Jersey’s 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act that provided carveouts for indoor smoking at casinos and parimutuel wagering facilities violates employees’ rights to a safe workplace.

“It is past time to allow casinos the exclusive right to poison their workers for claimed profits,” said attorney Nancy Erika Smith, who filed the appeal on behalf of the UAW and CEASE.

The appeal seeks “emergent relief,” or an expedited review of the matter since the lawsuit claims personal health and worker safety is involved.

Judge Finds Law Constitutional?

Bartels ruled against the UAW and CEASE after concluding that the state’s smoking law doesn’t prevent a worker from seeking employment elsewhere.

“The act places no parameters on a casino worker’s ability to seek work in a smoke-free environment,” Bartels wrote in his ruling. “It cannot be said that the New Jersey Legislature’s actions in providing exceptions to the Smoke-Free Air Act restricts the casino workers’ right to pursue safety under the New Jersey Constitution.”

Attorneys defending the nine casinos in Atlantic City, which want to retain indoor smoking on claims that a smoking ban would cost revenue and jobs, argued that only the legislature can change the smoking law — not a judge.

Our elected officials struck what they believed was the most appropriate balance and have had the opportunity every year for 18 years since the act was passed to strike a different balance. If the Legislature changes its collective mind and decides to strike a different balance, then the law will change. If not, the law must stand, and plaintiffs’ complaint must be dismissed,” attorney Chris Porrino said on behalf the casinos.

Porrino added that the legislature’s justifications for including the casino smoking loopholes were understandable.

“The simple facts are that many people who gamble like to smoke. If the smoking exemption is stricken, jobs will be lost and employees will be out of work, medical, and other benefits,” Porrino said.

Odds Long

The Atlantic City casino smoking appeal faces long odds of being taken up in the New Jersey Supreme Court. The court in Trenton receives over 1,000 petitions each year but accepts only about 100 cases.

To be accepted, the petition must convince the court that the appellate judges made a legal error in deciding the case,” the New Jersey Supreme Court website explains.

New Jersey’s latest Health Assessment in 2022 found that about 10% of the adult population smokes cigarettes. That’s down from 17% in 2012.

The post Atlantic City Casino Smoking Lawsuit Appealed to New Jersey Supreme Court appeared first on Casino.org.

The Mega Millions drawing for Friday, Sept. 6, resulted in no jackpot winners. It marked the game’s 27th consecutive drawing without a ticket matching the six winning numbers.

Tuesday’s $800 million prize trails only seven Mega Millions jackpots won that were each in excess of 10 digits. At $800 million, the jackpot ranks as the 13th-richest in U.S. history.

Top Mega Millions Jackpots

• $1.602B — 8/8/2023 — 1-FL
• $1.537B — 10/23/2018 — 1-SC
• $1.348B — 1/13/2023 — 1-ME
• $1.337B — 7/29/2022 — 1-IL
• $1.128B — 3/26/2024 — 1-NJ
• $1.05B — 1/22/2021 — 1-MI
• $800M — 9/10/2024 — ?
• $656M — 3/30/2012 — 3-IL, KS, MD
• $648M — 12/17/2013 — 2-CA, GA
• $552M — 6/4/2024 — 1-IL

Friday Night Highlights

Though the jackpot dodged players on Friday, the night wasn’t a total loss, as six tickets matched all five white balls but not the gold Mega Ball to claim Mega Millions’ second-tier prize of $1 million. One of those gameplays purchased the optional $1 add-on Megaplier that doubled their win to $2 million after the Megaplier landed on 2x.

Forty-nine tickets matched four white balls and the gold Mega Ball to win $10,000. Ten of those plays had the Megaplier to double their prize to $20,000. More than 1,000 tickets hit four of the five white balls for $500 prizes, with 223 including the Megaplier.

In total, 1,699,484 tickets won a prize during the Friday drawing. Approximately 1.12 million of those tickets matched the Mega Ball to win back their $2 bet.?

Mega Millions Anniversary

Friday night marked the 28th anniversary of Mega Millions. Though the game originated as The Big Game when it was first drawn on Friday, Sept. 6, 1996, the interstate lottery operation has consistently run ever since.

The original six participating lotteries 28 years ago were Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Virginia. The Mega Millions logo with the gold Mega Ball displaying six stars represents the original six participating lotteries. Today, Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The game was most recently overhauled in October 2017 when the price to play was doubled to $2 and the number of Mega Balls was increased from 15 to 25. The number of white balls was reduced from 75 to 70, which led some to think that hitting the jackpot might be easier.

The opposite was true, as the jackpot’s odds lengthened from one in 258.89 million to one in 302.57 million.

The post Mega Millions Hits 28 Years, But Doesn’t Celebrate With Jackpot appeared first on Casino.org.

England-based bet365 operates iGaming and online sports betting across New Jersey through its partnership with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. In recently disclosed regulatory action, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) punished bet365 with a $33,000 settlement.

The state’s gaming administrator said the online sportsbook took bets on a mixed martial arts (MMA) match that had been contested a week earlier. Bet365 oddsmakers accidentally listed the replay of the match on their book. The sportsbook was also accused of accepting wagers on other prohibited sporting events.

Settlement Ratified

DGE Interim Director Mary Jo Flaherty, who has served in the role since the agency’s longtime Director David Rebuck retired in March after leading the gaming regulatory for nearly 13 years, said the MMA match and cited prohibited wagering events occurred between Feb. 3, 2022, through Jan. 23, 2023. Flaherty said that after seeing bet365 take “remedial action,” the DGE agreed to settle the shortcomings.

Having considered the Stipulation of Settlement which the parties executed and finding sufficient legal and factual support for the recommended penalty therein, I hearby order that the settlement be adopted and that a civil penalty in the amount of $33,000.00 be imposed upon bet365,” Flaherty wrote in her order.

The bet365 penalty will be deposited to the DGE’s Revenue Unit. The fine comes just weeks after bet365 was ordered to pay over a half-million dollars back to bettors after a DGE probe concluded that the sportsbook amended odds in the book’s favor after accepting nearly 200 wagers.

Bet365 argued that the initial odds were offered in error. The DGE said a sportsbook can only amend a facilitated wager with its approval.

“The failure of bet365’s internal software coupled with its manual trading errors caused its system to be unable to ensure the accuracy of its data feeds. These failures are both problematic as to bet365’s business ability to conduct online gaming and the integrity and reliability of its operational systems, and therefore unacceptable as they resulted in misleading wagering information that was relied upon by its patrons and ultimately led to incorrect payouts for numerous patrons,” the DGE wrote.

Ensuring Trust Paramount

As sports betting has spread to nearly 40 jurisdictions in the U.S., the industry has faced criticism this year for supposedly limiting bettors who win too often and preying on those who don’t.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, perhaps the most pro-active regulatory in the U.S., continues to investigate how its online sportsbooks decide when to limit customers. Sportsbooks have been hesitant to reveal their trade secrets, but a planned Q&A with licensees is slated for next month.

DraftKings later realized a programming error that made the interactive slot unwinnable.

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The 2024 Missouri sports betting ballot referendum scheduled for the Nov. 5 election remains in jeopardy.

Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Green could hand down his ruling at any moment after hearing testimony yesterday about whether a ballot referendum campaign submitted enough qualified signatures to place the sports betting question before voters.

Following Amendment 2 being moved to the 2024 ballot, a lawsuit was filed on allegations that Ashcroft’s office wrongly validated thousands of signatures. The plaintiffs additionally claimed that Ashcroft used an outdated congressional district map in determining the number of signatures needed in each congressional district.

Two Missouri residents brought the sports betting lawsuit.

Waiting Game?

Winning for Missouri Education is funded by DraftKings and FanDuel. The state’s four major professional sports franchises — the NFL Kansas City Chiefs, MLB Kansas City Royals, NHL St. Louis Blues, and MLB St. Louis Cardinals — have also helped finance the committee.

Ashcroft, who was defeated in the Republican Party’s 2024 gubernatorial primary, is accused of wrongly certifying at least 750 signatures in Missouri’s First Congressional District. Plaintiffs’ counsel brought in a handwriting expert who testified on Thursday that he had concerns about many signatures that Ashcroft’s office said were legitimate when compared to voting record signatures.

Tuesday is the deadline for Missouri ballots to be amended. Green rejected a motion to dismiss the lawsuit from attorneys representing Winning for Missouri Education but pledged to issue a speedy ruling in time for the election ballots to be amended if needed.

As of now, Missouri voters will be asked if they support allowing the state’s 13 riverboat casinos to operate retail sportsbooks and a single online skin each.

Recent polling on Amendment 2 shows the outcome could be razor-thin.

Referendum Redo?

Missourians are also set to decide if they want to expand riverboat gaming to the Osage River. Currently, gaming boats are restricted to the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

Osage River is seeking permission to build a riverboat resort and casino near the Bagnell Dam in Lake Ozark. ?

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Bilzerian is parting ways with his Las Vegas mansion in the gated Spring Valley neighborhood. The 5.2-acre, 40,000-square-foot Spanish Colonial-style estate features seven bedrooms, 14 baths, a 16-car garage, and an array of odd and quirky amenities fit for a hedonistic lifestyle.

At $25 million, Bilzerian’s estate is currently the costliest residential real estate listing in Nevada.

Trust Fund Baby Turned Poker Pro, Socialite, Philanderer

Bilzerian inherited a fortune from his father Paul, a corporate takeover specialist, who in 1989 was found guilty of securities law violations and ordered to pay more than $30 million in illegal profits to the SEC. It’s unclear how much the younger Bilzerian and his brother inherited.

Bilzerian claims the primary source of his wealth has been his successful gambling career, chiefly high-stakes poker. Many Las Vegas poker pros, most notably Doug Polk, have disputed those claims and allege that Bilzerian is simply a trust fund baby.

The Hendon Mob, the online poker database, puts Bilzerian’s all-time live cash earnings at just $36,626. Not exactly the kind of money that affords one a mansion in Las Vegas to complement his pads in Los Angeles, a private jet, and a luxury yacht.

Bilzerian claims he plays most often in private high-roller games that aren’t discussed publicly. His company, Ignite International Brands, also sells CBD oils, e-cigarettes, spirits, and apparel.

Bilzerian likely makes a nice living through his social media accounts, specifically Instagram, where he has 32 million followers.

That same year, Bilzerian was sued by a porn star after he threw her off a roof for a Hustler photoshoot. She landed short of the pool and broke her foot.

Anti-Israel Rhetoric?

Bilzerian more recently caused a stir after he seemingly made anti-Semitic remarks about the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

Bilzerian’s family roots trace back to Armenia, a West Asia country that supports Palestine. The Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire underwent systematic destruction from 1915 to 1917 when an estimated 600K to 1.5 million people were killed in what became known as the Armenian genocide.

The estate of Kirk Kerkorian, the founder of MGM Resorts, fulfilled his wishes six years after his death by producing a film recognizing the genocide. “The Promise” starred Academy Award-winning actor Christian Bale and was directed by Oscar-nominated Terry George.

The post Playboy Dan Bilzerian Lists Instagram-Worthy Las Vegas Mansion for $25M appeared first on Casino.org.

Sports betting is legal in 38 states and Washington, DC. The American Gaming Association (AGA) projects that US bettors will wager a record $35 billion on NFL games this year with regulated sportsbooks, though even more is likely to be bet through underground bookies and illegal offshore sportsbook websites.

The IRS encourages bettors to bet only with regulated operations in legal sports betting states. Those who don’t risk legal recourse, said the federal government agency responsible for collecting taxes.

Sports betting has grown exponentially in the past five years and is more common than ever. While online gambling is easily accessible, it’s not always legal,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco.

“As this year’s football season kicks off, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are continuing to monitor trends and using our expertise to root out criminal activity related to illegal gambling like money laundering and tax evasion,” Ficco added.

IRS Sports Betting Crackdown

In its notice urging taxpayers to play by the rules when it comes to sports betting, the IRS says it was behind exposing Ippei Mizuhara’s sports betting scandal earlier this year.

Mizuhara was the interpreter for Major League Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani. The tax agency said it worked with Homeland Security investigators to uncover Mizuhara’s illegal sports betting with an illegal bookmaking operation that resulted in the interpreter stealing almost $17 million from Ohtani.

The IRS isn’t only focusing on multimillion-dollar infractions. Any taxpayer who violates reporting requirements can face legal recourse.

Sports enthusiasts who are unsure about their tax obligations or have questions about reporting gambling income are encouraged to consult tax professionals or visit the official IRS website for guidance. Ignorance of the tax law does not exempt individuals from their responsibilities,” the notice read.

The IRS Criminal Investigation Unit has 20 field offices across the country. The agency is responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud. It’s the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code.

Tax Requirements

The IRS requires that gamblers report their winnings above certain thresholds on form W-2G. Nerdwallet, an online personal finance website that provides tax tips, says bettors who win $600 or more in a tax year must report the money as taxable income on their federal return.

Filers who fail to accurately report their sportsbook winnings risk criminal charges ranging from money laundering to tax evasion.

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Ira Lubert won the rights to a Category 4 casino license on Sept. 2, 2020, when he was the high bidder during an auction round conducted by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). Lubert submitted a bid of $10,000,101 that narrowly edged Baltimore-based Cordish Companies.

This week, Lubert, a 1973 Penn State graduate whose real estate firm, Lubert-Adler, has a deep portfolio in office, industrial, residential, retail, and hospitality across the nation, announced a $10 million gift to the Beaver Stadium Revitalization. The donation will result in the Lubert Family Welcome Center, a new “landmark space” at one of the stadium’s entrances. The renovation project is to be completed in 2027.

Coming to Penn State set me on a path that has led to professional success and personal fulfillment, and I am honored that the Lubert Family Welcome Center will offer a fresh, exciting first impression for future Penn Staters as they discover all that the university offers,” Lubert said.

The Penn State Board of Trustees approved a $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium in May. While most of the investment will be financed and no tuition money will be used, private donors continue to help reduce the amount of interest the school will pay by lessening the principal. With Lubert’s contribution, the renovation has now received $55 million in donations.

Nearby Casino Saga

The renovation of Beaver Stadium has faced significant scrutiny as the $700 million project comes as the school continues to try and reduce its costs by offering some employees buyout packages. Another high-profile controversy in Centre County is Lubert’s plan to open a casino.

Cordish raised allegations in litigation that Lubert violated bidding protocols by orchestrating an investment group that helped him fund the $10 million bid. Lubert’s investors, who were detailed later, were not eligible to bid since they didn’t hold “an ownership interest in a slot machine license” as Lubert did with his 3% stake in Rivers Casino Pittsburgh.

Cordish argued it should have been the only qualified bid that September, but the case, which made its way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, came down in Lubert’s favor. The state’s highest court in July upheld lower courts’ rulings in deciding that Lubert, while he might have organized an investment group to build the casino, had retained 100% control of SC Gaming OpCo, the entity he bid as, during the auction and subsequent remission of the $10 million fee.

PSU Steers Clear of Casino Controversy

After years of legal delays, Bally’s, which will operate the State College casino, told investors during its second-quarter earnings call that construction at the Nittany Mall is targeted for the first half of 2025.

Marcus Glover, the chief financial officer of Bally’s, said the company and Lubert’s team are “going through the process and obtaining the appropriate approvals.”

In July, Bally’s accepted a takeover from Soo Kim’s Standard General hedge fund. Bally’s has recently faced several credit downgrades, concerns about its financial outlook, and worries that the company could be overleveraged. ?

Kim has remained quiet about what Bally’s future might look like once he takes full control. Under Standard General, Bally’s is expected to direct much of its focus on its $2 billion Bally’s Chicago undertaking, and possibly, a new resort in Las Vegas. That could prompt the company to fold on smaller regional operations like the one coming to State College. ?

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No Mega Millions ticket has matched the five white balls and gold Mega Ball since June 4 when a ticket sold in Illinois claimed a $552 million jackpot. There have been 26 drawings since, with tens of millions of tickets sold, without a single one matching the night’s six winning numbers.

The one-time cash option is an estimated $366.3 million. Both amounts are before a federal tax of 37%, the top tax bracket, and possibly state income taxes.

The lump sum if chosen would immediately be reduced by $135.5 million to approximately $230.8 million.

Number Frequency?

Most Mega Millions and Powerball players use the quick pick function to select their ticket numbers. But data suggests you might improve your odds ever so slightly by taking the time to carefully pick your six numbers.

According to USA Mega, an online database that tracks Powerball and Mega Millions draws, wins, and lottery news, the white Mega Millions Nos. 3 and 10 are drawn more often than any other number in the 90-ball pool.

Based on 715 Mega Millions drawings dating back to Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017, the Nos. 3 and 10 were each drawn 67 times, or 9.37% of the total draws. No. 10 was most recently drawn on Aug. 30. No. 3 was last drawn on July 23.

The No. 17 has been drawn the next most at 64, or 8.95% of the time. Nos. 14 and 31 were drawn 62 times, or 8.67%, to rank tied for fourth.

The No. 24 Mega Ball has come up 36 times, or 5.03%, and the No. 18 Mega Ball was drawn 35 times, or 4.9%.

On the other end, the white No. 49 ball has been the unluckiest Mega Millions ball. The 49 has been pulled just 36 times, or 1.01%. Other unlucky white balls include Nos. 50, 35, 65, and 51. As for Mega Balls, No. 23 has been drawn the least at just 20 times or 2.8%.

For a full breakdown of the Mega Millions statistics, click here.

Lottery Probability

Some lottery players after examining the Mega Millions statistics might be inclined to pick the numbers that have been drawn the least in the thinking that those numbers are due. But mathematicians say there’s no science or strategy in picking lottery numbers.

Nick Kapoor, a mathematics professor at Connecticut’s Fairfield University, explains that nothing in the past or future affects an individual lottery drawing event. He says even utilizing the aforementioned Mega Millions chart showing which numbers are drawn more often improves one’s odds of winning the jackpot by 0.0001 to 0.00002%.

It’s still very, very improbable,” Kapoor said. ?

The post As Mega Millions Grows, Here Are the Most Commonly Drawn Numbers appeared first on Casino.org.

The AFL-CIO, or American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, represents both leading casino unions in Atlantic City. The United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9 represents Atlantic City table game dealers at the three aforementioned properties, while Unite Here Local 54 represents nongaming workers at all nine casinos in town.

UAW Region 9 Director Daniel Vicente Jr. revealed to NPR on Wednesday that the union’s New Jersey chapter will terminate its AFL-CIO membership after the national trade federation worked against its efforts to extinguish indoor casino smoking in Atlantic City.

I cannot express how furious our institution is at the New Jersey state-level AFL and the other unions that filed an injunction status against us,” Vicente said. “This is a moral, health, and safety issue.”

In April, the UAW helped casino workers file a lawsuit against the State of New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy (D), and NJ Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston challenging the state’s permittance of casino smoking in designated areas. The lawsuit alleged that casino workers’ rights to personal safety in the workplace were being violated.?

Union Bickering

While the UAW wants casino smoking banned to protect its table game union members, Unite Here doesn’t. Local 54 represents resort workers employed as housekeepers, servers, bartenders, kitchen staff, bellmen, and porters. The Unite Here chapter believes a smoking ban would lead to reduced gaming revenue and threaten some 3,000 jobs.

“A total smoking ban would place thousands of jobs at risk, endangering the wages, health, welfare benefits, and retirement benefits of Local 54 members and their families,” the union wrote in the Superior Court filing.

Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels ultimately ruled in the casinos’ favor on grounds that the state’s smoking carveout for casinos doesn’t violate workers’ protections under the New Jersey Constitution.

Vicente took issue with the AFL-CIO not supporting the UAW’s efforts to provide safe workplaces for its members.

That organization has been actively undermining our efforts to protect the health and safety of our members,” Vicente declared.

The AFL-CIO says on its website that it brings together 60 national and international unions to collectively bargain on behalf of their 12.5 million members for better pay and benefits, worker rights, workplace health and safety, and gender equality.

Casino Smoking Debate?

Anti-smoking opponents in New Jersey aren’t buying what Unite Here and the nine casinos are selling in claiming a tobacco ban would lead to gaming revenue declines. They point to nearby Philadelphia where Parx Casino just north of the city is the top gaming revenue generator among Pennsylvania’s 17-casino industry.

Unite Here Local 54 President Donna DeCaprio, who celebrated Bartels’ ruling, said the union “has been instrumental in creating a safer environment for both workers and customers” and “will continue to focus on solutions that both improve workers’ safety and protect their jobs.”

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