Trends, News & Interesting Reads

Las Vegas sportsbooks bettors placed a record $150.58 million on Super Bowl bets but it wasn't all good news for the bookies. Oddsmakers almost universally named the Patriots as the favorites in almost every category but that's not how it played out on the field,. Eagles fans, including a mystery $3 million deposit, took most of the cash right out of the Las Vegas bookmakers' hands.

Those who were willing to take a chance on the underdog Eagles enjoyed a rewarding night while the books took home just $1.1 million – their smallest total profit since 2011 when the Green Bay Packers scored a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In 1987 the Supreme Court ruled that states that offered legalized gambling could not regulate gambling on Native American lands. Since that time numerous tribal governments have opened casinos. They look to casino gambling as a way to generate jobs in the often-remote areas and bring in needed funds.

Surveys of these casinos show that, by and large, the casinos haven't produced the desired results. The rate of tribal members who receive welfare hasn't decreased, unemployment rates remain high and significant numbers of reservation residents still live on land with no water or sewer intrastructure.

The US casino world continues to evolve and expand. What's one of the newest and brightest casinos on the scene?

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians recently announced that it is reviewing an expansion proposal that would enlarge its Casino Resort Spa facility.

The tribe has plans to add over three hundred new hotel rooms to the sort in addition to an additional  58,000 square feet of gaming space. The casino has been operating for 16 years and has already proved that it is a profitable venture for the tribe, bringing revenues and jobs to the region that's located approximately 2 hours east of downtown Los Angeles.

Elizabeth Cronan, the American Gaming Association's senior director of gaming policy explained the thoughts behind the code. "[Responsible gaming] is an everyday, year-round responsibility that we have to every player that walks through our doors and onto our casino floors….. We appreciate that this is an issue that must be top-of-mind industry-wide for all employees, from those who interact daily with consumers on the gaming floor to the senior executive leadership and the boards of directors."

Gambling is one of the oldest forms of entertainment in the world. Archaeologists and anthropologists have found evidence that demonstrates that people engaged in gaming events as early as the dawn of history -- playing stones and sticks have been found at cave sites and in excavations on almost every continent in the world.  

If you’re interested in working at a casino you should review your options and investigate the possibilities before you submit your job application.

Elon Musk, South African-born Canadian American investor, engineer, business magnate has successfully launched the Falcon Heavy into space, making this the most powerful operational rocket ever sent into space from earth.

The rocket launch is the first stage in Musk's plan to colonize Mars. Musk's plan involves building up a revenue stream using SpaceX's current fleet of reusable Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rockets. This, Musk says, will provide the funding needed to move on to build  Big F****g Rocket (BFR), SpaceX's most powerful rocket.

A long-running effort by the Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts to open a Class II electronic bingo hall on Martha’s Vineyard has highlighted a uniquely American situation. Native American tribes are given leniencies in regards to casino operations that aren’t provided to non-Indian casinos.

A case in point involves the efforts of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head on Martha’s Vineyard to open a new electronic bingo hall. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, together with the Aquinnah/Gay Head Community Association, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal to halt the establishment of the casino in Gay Head.

For many years Japanese travelers and businesspeople have formed a sizeable percentage of the gamblers at Australian, Singapore and Macau. Now the Japanese government is preparing to allow casinos to open in Japan and American casino operators are falling over themselves in their enthusiasm over the opportunity to enter this potentially lucrative new market.

The rush started with the Las Vegas Sands which brought British soccer star David Beckham and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh to Tokyo to promote the casino for Japan. MGM Resorts has also expressed interest in expanding their casino empire to Japanese shores. Both MGM and the Sands have indicated that they would be willing to invest as much as $10 billion in building casinos in Japan. Robert Goldstein, president and chief operating offer of the Las Vegas Sands, said in an interview that “We’ve been trying to come here for many years. It’s got huge appeal internationally…..It’s a very large gambling opportunity.”

The year 2018 is starting out with a bang for sports bettors with the Superbowl leading the way.

The February 4th Super Bowl match-up between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles has resulted in big wagering action for casinos and sportsbooks. The 2018 Super Bowl looks as though it will surpass the 2017 Super Bowl which recorded an all-time win high thanks to the mobile app that allows sports fans to place their bets right on their mobile device. .  

New Jersey is leading the nation in creating successful online gaming opportunities for NJ residents and visitors. Revenues for igaming activities have been growing steadily ever since New Jersey introduced Internet casino accessibility.

Casino observers are suggesting that lawmakers in other states take notice. In 2017 the revenues from online games in NJ grew by 30% over 2016, generating $221.3 million dollars. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement tracks these statistics which are being closely watched by other states that are searching for ways to make up growing budget deficits.