You are here: Home / Archives for Gambling News

Arkansas Supreme Court to Soon Rule on Pope County Casino Case

The Arkansas Supreme Court is expected to soon render its decision regarding a referendum seeking to repeal a commercial casino license earmarked for Pope County.

Arkansas Supreme Court Pope casino
The Arkansas Supreme Court will soon decide if a referendum that would repeal a casino in Pope County will go before voters. Two tribes in Oklahoma are behind the legal fight. (Image: Supreme Court of Arkansas)

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 Nov. 5 ballot.

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

The next round of briefs are due by Sept. 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 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.

However, 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.

Local Voters in Charge, a campaign funded by the Choctaw Nation, which is seeking to protect its tribal casinos in Eastern Oklahoma, wants to repeal the Pope casino concession. The campaign believes casinos should only be allowed in counties that want them.

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.

Wright’s review concluded that less than 6,000 signatures that Thurston’s office certified should be disqualified because of canvassing errors. That still leaves the total number of valid signatures at 110,234 — far more than the 90,704 needed to place the referendum on the 2024 ballot.

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 50,000 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, 15,000 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 to Soon Rule on Pope County Casino Case appeared first on Casino.org.

Filed Under: Gambling News Tagged With: , , , ,

Norfolk Casino to Allow Indoor Tobacco Smoking, Retain Amtrak Parking

The developers behind the Norfolk casino project say indoor smoking will be allowed in designated areas of the gaming floor. The group has also pledged to retain free parking for Amtrak train passengers.

Norfolk casino Amtrak Virginia
The developers of the Norfolk casino say free parking for Amtrak passengers will remain once the resort is completed. The casino will also allow indoor smoking in certain areas. (Image: Amtrak)

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.

The federally recognized tribe was previously partnered with Tennessee billionaire Jon Yarbrough for a tribal casino about 60 air miles north of Norfolk on sovereign land. After Virginia legalized casinos in five cities in 2020, with Norfolk among the designations, city officials struck a deal with the tribe for it to develop a commercial casino in the Hampton Roads city instead of a tribal undertaking.

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 Norfolk Amtrak station is located just south of Interstate 264 on the eastern edge of the baseball stadium’s parking lot. The casino’s development agreement with the city will see Boyd and the Pamunkey Tribe, operating as Golden Eagle Consulting II, LLC, acquire a little more than eight acres of the city-owned parking lot for $10 million.

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.

Filed Under: Gambling News Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Dana White ‘Clipped’ Caesars for $26M-$27M on Baccarat Earlier this Year

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White’s betting habits and stories are widely known in Las Vegas and beyond, but that legend appears to be growing as he recently acknowledged taking Caesars Palace for a big chunk of change earlier this year.

Dana White
UFC CEO Dana White. He said he won an estimated $27 million playing baccarat at Caesars Palace earlier this year. (Image: MMA Fighting)

On a recent episode of the “Full Send” podcast, the UFC boss estimated that between January and March, he won $26 million to $27 million playing baccarat at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip.

Caesars Palace…I clipped these guys for $1 million a night from, like, the first week of January all the way into March,” said White. “I beat these guys for like $26 million, $27 million.”

He added “Caesars is gangster” and is the place to play for high-level gamblers.

Caesars allows White to play $350,000 a hand — a limit extended to him and a small amount of other well-heeled clients. At that level, winning $1 million or more in a night is plausible. It’s also feasible that a bettor could lose substantial sums and White acknowledged there are nights when a bettor can get “wrecked” betting well into six figures per hand.

White Is a Longtime Caesars Fan

White’s methodology, which he reiterated on the “Full Send” podcast, is possibly irksome to some casino operators. If he wins three hands in a row, he takes his winnings and leaves.

That makes for a $1 million+ night for him and a loss of the same amount for the casino that he “victimized.” As a result, many Las Vegas casinos refuse to take White’s action and that’s why he’s long been devoted to Caesars and MGM Resorts International’s Bellagio. On the podcast, he said Caesars will allow him to bet $350,000 per hand while Bellagio will go as high as $400,000.

White, known for his outspoken demeanor, has previously levied criticism against some Las Vegas casinos for refusing to allow him to bet there. In another recent podcast, he called Wynn Las Vegas “a bunch of (slur referencing a female body part)” for not allowing him to wager there at his preferred limits.

Off the Strip, White is known to frequent Red Rock Resort in Summerlin, though he told “Full Send” he plays there at much lower limits because he’s that venue’s only client with the ability to play deep six figures per hand. Red Rock Resorts (NASDAQ:RRR) is controlled by Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who were early UFC Investors.

White Still Wants to Play $1 Million a Hand

Despite the fact that his biggest losing night was $8 million, White reiterated his longstanding goal of eventually betting a $1 million per hand.

“That’s my goal. That’s my goal in life before I die,” said White on the podcast.

He said under that dream scenario, he’d want a casino to extend to him $30 million in credit so he can play $1 million a hand, but he acknowledged no gaming venue anywhere in the world is likely to indulge him.

The post Dana White ‘Clipped’ Caesars for $26M-$27M on Baccarat Earlier this Year appeared first on Casino.org.

Filed Under: Gambling News Tagged With: , , , , ,

New Alabama Bill Targets Illegal Gambling with Harsher Penalties

Bill-would-increase-penalties-for-illegal-gambling-in-Alabama-possession-of-slot-machinesAlabama lawmakers are taking steps to strengthen their stance against illegal gambling through a new bill that proposes harsher penalties for those found in violation. The bill, introduced by Republican State Representative Matthew Hammett, seeks to address persistent issues with illegal gambling operations by upgrading penalties from misdemeanors to felonies. These changes are aimed at deterring repeat offenders and curbing illegal activities that have continued to thrive despite current laws.

Proposed Changes in Penalties

Under the current system, those involved in illegal gambling face misdemeanor charges, which come with a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a fine of up to $6,000. However, Rep. Hammett’s bill proposes to elevate these offenses to felony-level crimes. Specifically, promoting gambling would be reclassified as a Class C felony, carrying a possible sentence of one to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. For repeat offenders, the situation becomes even more severe, with a second violation resulting in a Class B felony, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of $30,000.

Hammett collaborated with Covington County District Attorney Walt Merrell in drafting this legislation. The need for stronger enforcement became apparent after Merrell observed that existing laws were not effective in stopping illegal gambling activities, such as the sale of scratch-off tickets in convenience stores. “I asked him what could be done,” Hammett said, and they worked together on crafting a proposal that would give law enforcement more power to address these problems.

Persistent Illegal Gambling Issues

Illegal gambling has long been a challenge for Alabama authorities. Despite ongoing efforts to shut down these operations, many venues continue to operate. Jefferson County, in particular, has seen electronic gambling halls reopen after being shut down, showing the limitations of current enforcement. Attorney General Steve Marshall has been actively involved in efforts to combat these illegal activities, but the relatively light penalties often allow offenders to return to business soon after facing charges.

Merrell noted that prosecuting illegal gambling cases is particularly challenging because the current laws do not impose harsh enough penalties to deter these activities. In many cases, the individuals running the operations are not the ones being prosecuted, and instead, it is low-level employees, such as store clerks, who end up facing legal action. “How do we hold store employees accountable when the real beneficiaries are those behind the scenes profiting from these illegal activities?” Merrell questioned, emphasizing that the bill seeks to target those truly responsible.

Clarifying Legal and Illegal Gambling

The proposed bill also aims to clarify what constitutes illegal gambling in Alabama, specifically addressing electronic gambling machines like those used in historical horse racing. These machines are currently in use at racetracks across the state, operating under laws that permit pari-mutuel wagering. Hammett emphasized that his bill is not intended to target racetracks or any legal gambling operations, explaining, “Our focus is on illegal activities, not operations that are running legally at tracks.”

Despite Hammett’s push for tougher enforcement, he has expressed personal opposition to gambling in any form. Merrell also voiced his disapproval, citing the negative effects gambling can have on communities. “Both legal and illegal forms of gambling increase poverty, drive up crime rates, and hurt local economies,” he said.

Hammett has pre-filed the bill, HB41, for the upcoming legislative session beginning on February 5, 2025. The legislation is designed to provide law enforcement and prosecutors with stronger tools to combat illegal gambling activities in the state. Discussions are expected to continue as lawmakers weigh the implications of the proposed changes.

Source:

House Bill 41, Alison Legislature.

The post New Alabama Bill Targets Illegal Gambling with Harsher Penalties appeared first on Casino News Daily.

Filed Under: Gambling News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pragmatic Play Strengthens Ontario Market Reach with Caesars Digital Launch

PRAGMATIC-PLAY-STRENGTHENS-ONTARIO-OFFERING-WITH-CAESARS-DIGITAL-ROLLOUTPragmatic Play has further extended its influence in the North American iGaming market by launching its captivating slots portfolio with Caesars Digital in Ontario. This strategic partnership will initially feature Pragmatic Play’s extensive range of slots on Caesars Palace Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, with the company’s live casino suite set to be rolled out in the near future.

The agreement also underscores Pragmatic Play’s strategy of expanding its product offering in regulated markets like Ontario. The company’s ability to continuously innovate and develop new content, while ensuring compliance with local regulations, has allowed it to gain traction quickly in Canada’s competitive market.

Lots of Surprises for Ontarian Players

The integration brings top-performing titles like Gates of Olympus and Sugar Rush to Ontario’s players, alongside newer offerings such as Forging Wilds and Mustang Gold Megaways. This collaboration is a testament to Pragmatic Play’s growing presence in Canada and highlights the strong demand for their innovative and engaging content.

Pragmatic Play’s Chief Operating Officer, Irina Cornides, emphasized the significance of the deal, stating:

“Caesars Sportsbook and Casino is a prestigious gaming and entertainment brand. Pragmatic Play’s partnership with them reinforces our commitment to delivering player-favourite content to the world’s leading casino operators.”

Echoing Cornides’ sentiments, Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital remarked that Pragmatic Play’s award-winning portfolio of gaming titles represents an exciting addition to the company’s fast developing platforms. Having in mind that ten studio’s games have already proven popular with players across Ontario, he’s positive that this deal will result in numerous benefits.

The partnership with Caesars Digital is just the latest in a series of successful collaborations that have helped Pragmatic Play strengthen its position in North America. In recent years, the company has made significant strides in expanding its reach, not only in Canada but also in the U.S. and Latin America.

Firm Position on Global Level

Pragmatic Play has become well-known for its ability to produce high-quality gaming content at a rapid pace. The company currently releases up to eight new slot titles per month, in addition to providing Live Casino and Bingo products. These offerings are available through a single API, making integration smooth for operators.

Looking ahead, Pragmatic Play’s continued expansion in Ontario and other regions is expected to drive further growth for the company. The partnership with Caesars Digital, a leading operator in North America, is a crucial component of this strategy. With both companies committed to providing high-quality gaming experiences, players can look forward to even more exciting developments in the near future.

At the beginning of the current month, the supplier attended GAT Showcase Bogotá in Colombia. Held at the Sheraton Bogota Hotel, this event gathered numerous iGaming professionals.

In second half of September, Pragmatic Play will take part in another GAT event, this time to be hosted in the Renaissance Santo Domingo Jaragua Hotel & Casino in the Dominican Republic. Welcoming more than 300 delegates, this event will be crowded with informative presentations on new regulations and innovations withing online platforms.

Source:

“Pragmatic Play Strengthens Ontario Offering with Caesars Digital Rollout”, pragmaticplay.com, September 10, 2024

The post Pragmatic Play Strengthens Ontario Market Reach with Caesars Digital Launch appeared first on Casino News Daily.

Filed Under: Gambling News Tagged With: , , , , , , ,