News

GMA quoted in the Las Vegas Review Journal

Fewer masks, more visitors: What to expect Memorial Day Weekend

by Bailey Schulz

This upcoming Memorial Day weekend could be the kick-start to a strong summer of tourism in Las Vegas.

The holiday is the first major travel event since mass vaccinations took off in the U.S. Industry watchers expect strong demand from visitors over the three-day-weekend – a stark contrast from last year’s Memorial Day, when casinos across the state were still shuttered.

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GMA quoted on USBets.com

Vaccination, Lifted Restrictions Setting Up A Hot Summer In Vegas

by Buck Wargo

Las Vegas is gearing up for one of its strongest summers in history, and if this past weekend is any indication, that’s just what the city is going to get.

The Centers for Disease Control announcement Thursday that vaccinated people can forgo masks in most indoor setting prompted Nevada regulators on Friday to loosen the mask-wearing requirement in casinos. Casino resorts, most of which were greenlighted to return to 100% of their capacity last week, saw huge crowds, including an influx of drive-in traffic from California and Las Vegas residents celebrating with family and friends to mark the apparent winding down of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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GMA quoted on USPoker.com

Legalization Update: A Look at US States Considering Regulated Online Poker

by Sean Chaffin

US online poker players have seen some big news in recent months.  Five states offer legal, regulated online poker and several others have made some moves toward legalization.

Illinois and Connecticut remain strong possibilities, but other have also at least shows some interest in the last few months.  Online poker is currently legal in:

-New Jersey

-Pennsylvania

-Nevada

-Delaware

-West Virginia

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GMA quoted on SportsHandle.com

Mobile Sports Betting, Betting on Local College Teams Stripped From Nebraska Sports Betting Bill

By Jill R. Dorson

A half page amendment that would ban mobile sports wagering and prohibit betting on in-state college teams created a firestorm on the floor of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature Thursday morning, complete with name calling and finger pointing.

The amendment to LB 561 strikes the section of the bill relating to geofencing and bans betting on University of Nebraska and other college teams.  The amendment, which passed 31-4, also altered what keno will look like in casinos.  The bill was then sent back to be engrossed by a vote of 39-3.  The amended bill, which would limit wagering to physical sportsbooks located at racinos, racetracks, and tribal casinos, will likely come up for a vote next week.

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GMA quoted in the Las Vegas Review Journal

Station, Caesars, MGM properties approved for 100 percent casino capacity

By Bailey Schulz

Three of the largest casino operators in Las Vegas can now run their casinos at full capacity.

MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment Inc. and Station Casinos are the latest companies to have gaming floor capacity and social distancing restrictions waived by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The Wednesday announcements mean an additional 24 casinos across the valley can now operate at full capacity, effective immediately.

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GMA quoted in the Las Vegas Review Journal

LVCVA calendar shows many conventions already booked for 2022

By Richard N. Velotta

It begins and ends with CES.

The massive consumer electronics show, sponsored by the Washington-based Consumer Electronics Association, will fill every convention hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Sands Expo and Convention Center and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in the first week of the 2022 calendar.

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GMA quoted in the Las Vegas Review Journal

MGM Resorts bringing back paid self-parking

By Bailey Schulz

One of the few perks to emerge from Las Vegas’ pandemic-related casino shutdowns – free parking – is on its way out.

Paid event parking at select MGM Resorts International properties is set to return this month, followed by the return of paid self-parking at all of the company’s Strip properties starting June 1. Locals will have free parking for the first three hours, a new policy from the company.

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GMA quoted in GGB News

Virgin LV to Add Pool, Restaurants, More

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, which opened on March 25, is planning to add new amenities including a pool, a beach club, a number of restaurants and a sportsbook.

Richard “Boz” Bosworth, president and CEO of the resort’s ownership group, told the Las Vegas Review Journal that hotel occupancy is “hovering below” 30 percent during the week rooms and up to 80 percent on weekends.

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GMA quoted on SportsHandle.com

Will Sports Betting Operators Besides Hard Rock Be Able to Find A Way Into Florida?

by Jill R. Dorson

In less than two weeks, Florida lawmakers will reconvene in a special session with the goal of approving a gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe and Gov. Ron DeSantis and passing legislation that builds a sports betting framework around that pact.

Just as there was an initial frenzy around the legalization of mobile sports betting in New York in April, so too has there been a frenzy in the industry about legal wagering in Florida.  But if Florida does legalize – and it would become the largest state to do so – it could very well create a monopoly, leaving sports bettors with no choices and, potentially, less attractive odds.

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GMA quoted in the Las Vegas Review Journal

Wynn, Encore casinos can operate at 100 percent capacity

by Bailey Schulz

Wynn Resorts Ltd.’s Las Vegas gaming floors have been given the green light to operate at full capacity, effective Monday.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board granted the Strip casino operator permission to amend its occupancy and physical distancing requirements after it showed that it had 88 percent of its employees vaccinated as of Saturday.

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