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Golden Entertainment, operator of The STRAT Hotel, Casino, and Tower on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, has made its transition to a privately-held company. In the move, Vici Properties acquired the real estate of seven of Golden’s casino resorts for $1.16 billion. Golden shareholders received .902 shares of Vici stock and $2.75… Read more »
Jail and a million bucks On November 13, 2023, poker player George Janssen disappeared. A month later, he was found, bloodied and hands bound, on the side of the road. And now he is going to prison. Last week, U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson sentenced Janssen to three years behind bars for financial institution… Read more »
Future is cloudy Two weeks ago, The Lodge Card Club in Austin, Texas was raided by law enforcement. Players were sent home, doors were closed, and assets were seized. And now it looks like those doors will remain shut for a long time. Though no criminal charges have been filed yet, Jason Levin, one of… Read more »
Fake accounts, fake companies A former employee of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pennsylvania has been charged with nine felonies for allegedly embezzling more than $700,000 from the casino. The investigation into 51-year-old Jennifer Petrillo began a year ago when casino management contacted the police about “discrepancies” in the casino’s bookkeeping… Read more »
One of the classic scenes in any television show or movie in which the characters visit a casino involves the old “raucous craps table crowd.” Inevitably, one of the main characters doesn’t really know how to play, but ends up being the shooter, the one to roll the dice. They get on a hot streak,… Read more »
Arizona going to the mattresses The state of Arizona has ratcheted up the legal battle against prediction market companies. On Tuesday, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed criminal charges against Kalshi for allegedly operating an unlicensed gambling business. “Kalshi may brand itself as a ‘prediction market,’ but what it’s actually doing is running an illegal… Read more »
Sometimes in poker, as in life, you can’t overthink a situation. When I was a student, my mom would tell me that I was unsure about an answer on a test, my first instinct was usually the right one. In a World Poker Tour livestream this week, perhaps a player by the name of “QQQ”… Read more »
Long-time North Las Vegas locals’ gambling spot Poker Palace closed in October of last year, losing the Vegas area yet another poker room. But it was quickly acquired by Truckee Gaming, which said it was committed to opening the doors once again. That “once again” looks like it is just a couple of months away,… Read more »
Casinos are always looking for ways to drive customers to their products. To achieve this goal, casinos have started tapping influencers – people on social media platforms promoting their talents in particular areas – in a symbiotic relationship that works well for both parties. This weekend at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in… Read more »
PointsBet dropped the ball The fallout continues from the wide-ranging basketball sports betting scandal of the past couple years, as the Canadian gambling regulator has proposed a five-day suspension of PointsBet’s license. On Thursday, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) accused PointsBet of allegedly failing to “properly monitor, detect, document and report suspicious… Read more »
Surprise remaster Poker Night at the Inventory was a game that nobody really asked for, but became a minor cult hit when Telltale Games released it in late 2010. The goofy Texas Hold’em sim involving characters from other video games was unserious and imperfect, but most importantly, it was fun. For five bucks, it was… Read more »
Gambling dressed as “social” The state of Washington has sued multiple gaming app companies for allegedly offering residents of the state illegal gambling games, raking in over $225 million in the process. Filed on Tuesday by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, the lawsuit’s two biggest targets are Aristocrat and Playtika, the latter of which operates… Read more »
Always in the last place you look Imagine winning $200 million, but losing out on an additional $200 million. Would you be more elated that you now had generational wealth or would you be more forlorn that you didn’t have double that amount? That’s the emotional push and pull that a California man is going… Read more »
We hardly knew ye Less than a year after reopening, the Planet Hollywood poker room in Las Vegas is closing once again. Over the weekend, YouTuber, poker player, and Planet Hollywood poker dealer “Vegas Poker Nomad,” also known as “El Diesel,” posted a video to break the news that the poker room’s last day will… Read more »
Said he has a gambling addiction The first person has been sentenced in the illegal sports betting case involving NBA players Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier. On Wednesday, Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall sentenced Timothy McCormack to two years in prison for his role in the scheme. McCormack won big money using insider information about the… Read more »
20 players, 17 schools The sports world is reeling, as federal prosecutors have announced that 26 people have been charged with crimes related to point-shaving in men’s college basketball games. Of those people, 20 are players who competed in basketball games in the 2023-2024 and/or 2024-2025 seasons for 17 schools. Four of them played in… Read more »
Pursuit of perfection While NFL teams were fighting for playoff spots and jockeying for seeding on the final weekend of the regular season, six groups were sweating millions of dollars in Circa Sports’ annual Circa Survivor contest. In the end, five entries made it through the competition unscathed, splitting the $18,718,000 prize pool to win… Read more »
Violated FLSA rules Pennsylvania’s Mount Airy Casino Resort has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by two ex-table game dealers. A total of 696 current and former casino employees are eligible for a share of at least $1,474,000. The entire settlement was for $2.3 million; the difference will go to lawyers, settlement administration, and… Read more »
Claim that government has overstepped Two months ago, NBA guard Terry Rozier was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with his alleged involvement in an illegal betting scheme. Now his legal team has filed a motion to dismiss the charges. Prosecutors have alleged that… Read more »
Earlier, more frequent injury reports Following discussions with teams and the league’s board of governors, the NBA has issued a memo to all teams outlining potential steps to reduce the negative impact sports betting has on games, players, and coaches. The talks come in the wake of gambling scandals involving the Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier… Read more »
Stacking wagers like matryoshka dolls In a ruling that may cause sportsbooks to be extra careful when posting betting markets, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission determined that DraftKings must pay a customer $934,137 in winnings that the company sought to reduce by about 90%. It was a unanimous decision, with the Commission ruling 5-0 in favor… Read more »
There’s always a trail Yet another basketball player has been permanently banned from participating in college athletics for violating NCAA gambling rules. On Wednesday, the NCAA announced that former University of San Francisco basketball player Marcus Williams knowingly provided information to a player at another school for betting purposes. After agreeing to a negotiated solution… Read more »
Raiders lose to Broncos, as expected As online poker was growing, one common refrain from players was, “It’s rigged!” With every bad beat or unlikely card, players were convinced that nothing was random and the poker site had it out for them. Now, with sports wagering continuing to expand across the United States, bettors become… Read more »
One man is dead and another is in custody after a shooting at MGM National Harbor casino in Oxon Hill, Maryland. According to the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD), 22-year-old Benjamin Williams has been charged with the murder of 23-year-old Darnell Hawkins, Jr. In a press release, the PGPD said that officers responded to… Read more »
Finish line in sight As expected, the five-person New York Gaming Facility Location Board has recommended that each of the three remaining applicants for full, resort-style casinos in New York City be granted licenses. The board advanced all three – Bally’s, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and Resorts World New York City – to the… Read more »
