Featured Articles Archive - Page 403

Analyst says earthquake won't affect Macau, Singapore

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- A Wall Street researcher attempted to temper investors’ concerns surrounding how the tragic events last week in Japan might fall over into Macau and Singapore. Wells Fargo Securities gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli said the impact surrounding Japan’s horrific earthquake and tsunami shouldn’t be felt by gaming operations in Asia. In Macau, roughly 2 percent of visitation to the market comes from Japan...read more

Former Gaming Control Board member a PokerStars consultant

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Former Gaming Control Board member Randall Sayre wasn't at the Sawyer Building last week to critique his former employer.He was there to learn.Sayre watched intently from a corner of the packed hearing room as regulators said a deal between Caesars Entertainment Corp...read more

Sahara casino to shut down in May

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Michael McClendon, a poker room supervisor at the Sahara Hotel and Casino, wasn't surprised when he was called into a meeting at 7:30 a.m. with other employees and was told the nearly 60-year-old Strip resort would cease operations in May.McClendon, who recently celebrated 25 years at the casino, said the announcement Friday shouldn't have been unexpected.The Sahara ownership had made several cuts and other changes at the 1,720-room hotel-casino since taking over in 2007 in an effort to survive the recession."It's hard because we have a lot of people who have been here for a long time," said McClendon, 66, who plans to retire when the north Strip resort closes on May 16...read more

How do higher Odds multiples affect your chances at craps?

Proficient craps players know that taking or laying odds behind their Pass and Come or Don't Pass and Don't Come bets reduces the overall edge the casino has on the dough at risk. The reason is that the house gets 1.4 percent on the flat portions of the bets and nothing on the Odds...read more

Controversy overshadows record-setting PokerStars Sunday Million

PokerStars didn't have long to celebrate its record $11.8 million prize pool in the Sunday Million, with controversy erupting over sixth-place finisher 'zeurr.' 'zeurr' officially finished in sixth place, but claimed $518,204, the fourth-highest payout in the event, thanks to a nine-way deal made prior to the start of play at the final table.But a Dutch newspaper is reporting that 'zeurr' is actually 17-year-old Jimmy Jonker...read more

Deal Me In: Clanking of coins silenced

Dear Mark: Where I play, the slots machines only allow for a cash insert and ticket play. Do slots now play less when they changed over from coins to tickets? Mary G.Termed TITO, Mary, which is gamblese for ticket-in ticket-out technology that pays players in bar-coded tickets, is a voucher system developed by International Game Technology that has replaced coin-based models...read more

Nevada gaming revenue drops in January

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Something happened on the way to the Strip's economic recovery. Reality set in. Nevada gaming revenues fell less than 1 percent in January, according to figures released Thursday by the state Gaming Control Board. But more frustrating to gaming analysts was the 2.5 percent decline in Strip gaming revenues during the month, even with the busy New Year's Eve holiday and presence of several large conventions that helped boost visitor volume 8.6 percent. "Despite commentary from Strip operators indicating healthy (revenue per available room) growth driven by strong convention visitation, January's core table games and slot volume decline underscores the convention segment's lower propensity to gamble," Susquehanna International Group gaming analyst Rachael Rothman told investors. Statewide, casinos collected $877.4 million from gamblers, compared with $883.3 million collected in January 2010...read more

Nevada legislators consider regulating intrastate online poker

Nevada state lawmakers will soon be discussing the merits of intrastate online poker.According to a report in the Las Vegas Sun, Assembly Minority Whip William Horne will be introducing a bill that would license and regulate the online poker industry soon.If the bill is submitted for consideration, Nevada would become the fifth state in the U.S...read more

Adelson: Sands will spend $21 billion in Spain

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sheldon Adelson put a dollar figure on what the casino operator would spend to build a gaming destination in Spain. $21 billion. Adelson told the El Mundo newspaper in Madrid the project would be a mini-version of the Las Vegas Strip and would include roughly a dozen hotel-casinos. The newspaper said the cost would constitute Spain's largest-ever privately built investment. But there is a catch. Adelson said the Spanish government needs to ease labor rules "Spain is the ideal country for it," Adelson told El Mundo...read more

Las Vegas Sands making quiet push for Florida casinos

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- A proposal that could create five Las Vegas-style casinos in Florida's largest cities could lead to a $1 billion to $2 billion investment by Las Vegas Sands Corp., which is exploring a potential resort development in Miami.The casino operator has been working behind the scenes with Florida lawmakers on legislation that would create resorts with a hotel, gaming, convention space and other amenities.Florida media outlets said a bill is expected to be introduced in the state senate today when the Legislature convenes in its regular session...read more