Featured Articles Archive - Page 291

Daughter of Dennis Gomes shines spotlight on late father in new book

ATLANTIC CITY -- The late Dennis Gomes had a colorful and Hall of Fame-worthy 40 years in the gaming industry.He operated more than a dozen casinos in Las Vegas and on the Boardwalk from the mid-1980s until his sudden passing at age 68 in February 2012.Many of those endeavors played out vividly in the public arena.Gomes’ daughter Danielle Gomes is now shining the spotlight on her father’s career as a Nevada gaming agent in the 1970s.Her book, “Hit Me!: Fighting the Las Vegas Mob by the Numbers,” will be released this week.The backstory is widely known.Dennis Gomes, an accountant who had visions of joining the FBI, became the youngest-ever chief of the Gaming Control Board’s Audit Division in 1971, at age 27...read more

Ameristar Casino sees profits, revenues decline

LAS VEGAS -- Regional gaming operator Ameristar Casinos, Inc. said a decline in revenues and profits in the first quarter was due to economic factors and new competition in several markets.Las Vegas-based Ameristar, which is being acquired by rival Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc...read more

New Nevada online poker site deals out 100,000th hand

LAS VEGAS -- Ultimate Poker has registered thousands of users from every U.S. state and 20 countries.That’s in just 72 hours.By Thursday evening, the website dealt its 100,000th hand of poker.Around 10 p.m., Ultimate Poker had 50 poker tables with action.“I would say we were the largest poker room in the state at that hour,” Ultimate Gaming CEO Tobin Prior said Friday.Company officials said the launch of Ultimate Poker, the nation’s first legally regulated pay-to-play online gaming website, has exceeded expectations.Ultimate Poker Chairman Tom Breitling didn’t want to reveal official numbers for the website’s first few days, which can only accept wagers from gamblers playing on computers or mobile devices located within Nevada’s borders.Breitling has shared the information with Nevada gaming regulators.He did say Ultimate Poker is collecting revenue through a rake — the percentage of wagers removed from each pot by the house...read more

Quarterly results offer IGT chief degree of vindication

LAS VEGAS -- There are victory laps and then there are VICTORY LAPS.IGT - International Game Technology Chief Executive Officer Patti Hart took the latter last month.The slot machine manufacturer, which has corporate headquarters in Las Vegas and Reno, grew profits 26 percent to $78.2 million and revenues by more than 11 percent to $600 million during the second quarter, exceeding analysts’ predictions.IGT said sales of replacement slot machines grew 68 percent during the quarter ended March 31...read more

What happens to doubles and splits when dealers have blackjacks?

Question: At blackjack, you might split pairs, then double down on one or more of the hands when the dealer has an ace or 10 showing. This means you might have multiple bets on the table. If the dealer doesn’t check in advance for a blackjack and ends up getting one, you only lose some of this...read more

Macau gaming revenues increase 13.2 percent in April

Macau gaming revenues grew 13.2 percent during April for the market’s fourth straight double-digit increase this year.The Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau said Thursday the region’s casinos collected more than $3.5 billion from gamblers in April...read more

MGM Resorts tops analysts, reports best quarter since 2008

LAS VEGAS -- A single penny turned out to be the difference between MGM Resorts International’s first profitable quarterly earnings since 2008 and another net loss.The Strip casino giant surprised Wall Street Thursday with a net profit of $6.5 million, or earnings per share of 1 cent, for the quarter that ended March 31.The figure might not seem earth-shattering...read more

Convicted slot cheat gets Black Book nomination

LAS VEGAS -- A convicted slot machine cheat on Thursday became the first nominee in almost four years to Nevada’s Excluded Person List, commonly referred to as the Black Book.The Nevada State Gaming Control Board Gaming Commission unanimously nominated Roderick William Dee II for inclusion on the list, which makes it a felony for that person to enter a Nevada casino...read more

Deal Me In: Mega this and Mega that

Dear Mark: My question concerns the big progressive slots, like the Wheel of Fortune and Megabucks. They are in casinos -- large and small -- in many states. Is each machine programmed to the same payout amount, or "looseness," or would a machine in a small, locals' casino, be more likely to pay off? Also, are ALL the machines, all over the country, tied in together, or is it state by state? Victoria W.Both Megabucks and the Wheel of Fortune are a statewide network of progressive slot carousels that are linked together to produce those humongous jackpots...read more

Regulators tentatively OK Pinnacle buyout of rival Ameristar

LAS VEGAS -- Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.’s planned $2.8 billion buyout of regional gaming rival Ameristar Casinos, Inc. was tentatively approved by Nevada gaming regulators Wednesday despite federal antitrust authorities still having to completely sign off on the deal.The Nevada State Gaming Control Board Gaming Commission took roughly 45 minutes to approve the merger in which Pinnacle would emerge more than double in size and controlling 17 gaming properties plus one resort complex currently under construction.Pinnacle, which has its corporate headquarters in Las Vegas, is acquiring two casinos in the Northern Nevada community of Jackpot near state’s border with Idaho as part of the transaction.If the Nevada Gaming Commission signs off on the control board’s recommendation on May 16, the deal would have its first regulatory approval of the nine states when the Pinnacle and Ameristar operate.Pinnacle CEO Anthony Sanfilippo said the company has made preliminary presentations on the transaction to several other states...read more