Gambling in the USA
Mattress Mack, Brent Musburger Pick Houston To Win March Madness
Mattress Mack is back in action, wagering $1 million on his hometown Houston Cougars to win the men’s NCAA March Madness title this year. The Cougars (26-3) are ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press and USA Today polls.
Mattress Mack Crosses Louisiana Line To Bet
After sitting out this year’s Super Bowl, the Houston furniture store owner, whose name is Jim McIngvale, drove across the state line into Louisiana to place a bet on the Cougars (+750), using his Caesars Sportsbook app, according to Fox Sports. He stands to collect a payout of $8.5 million.
Sports betting is illegal in Texas. Lawmakers won’t be able to consider any bills to legalize it until the 2025 legislative session in Austin. Even then, McIngvale recently told Gambling.com he doubts the “fractured” Legislature will approve a measure to legalize sports betting in the nation’s second most-populated state. The most-populated state, California, also doesn’t have legal sports betting.
McIngvale told Gambling.com he doesn’t mind driving to Louisiana to place his bets. Sports betting is legal in Louisiana at casino sportsbooks and in most parishes on cellphone apps. Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city, is only about 100 miles form the Louisiana state line. That’s where McIngvale, known for multimillion-dollar wagers, placed his latest bet, banking on the Cougars.
“It was at the first rest stop across the Texas-Louisiana border, three-quarters of a mile into Louisiana. A very glamorous location to bet legally online,” McIngvale told Fox Sports.
VSiN’s Brent Musburger Sides With Mattress Mack
Big 12, March Madness Tournament Dates
The 2024 Big 12 basketball tournament, featuring some of the top teams in the nation, including Houston, runs from March 12-16 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
NCAA Men’s March Madness basketball tournament
- March 17: Selection Sunday
- March 19-20: First four
- March 21-22: First round
- March 28-29: Sweet 16
- March 30-31: Elite Eight
- April 6: Final Four in Glendale, Arizona
- April 8: NCAA championship game in Glendale, Arizona
10 Ten Gaming has announced the launch of SmilesCasino.com, a new social casino poised to transform social casino gaming.
Smiles Casino aims to offer an unparalleled free-to-play social gaming experience to users across the US via innovative technology, exceptional customer service, and exciting promotional offerings.
The proprietary platform is designed to be easily accessible for all users without the need to download or purchase, providing a thrilling Vegas-style experience from home or on the go.
“We are delighted to launch SmilesCasino.com and look forward to providing the ultimate social casino experience for our users. Smiles Casino transports users to a wonderland of fun and entertainment, while providing safe and secure gameplay in a responsible social gaming environment,” said Carly Sawers, Head of Marketing at 10 Ten Gaming.
Among the many features available on Smiles Casino, users receive a welcome bonus, daily complimentary coins, tailored promotions, a vibrant social media community, and outstanding customer support.
New games are added weekly to an already expansive portfolio of popular game titles spanning a multitude of genres.
The launch of Smiles Casino is the first step in 10 Ten Gaming’s vision to stand at the forefront of the social casino landscape in the US.
Missourians will get to vote on whether to authorize a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Backers of a casino in the popular tourist destination need to go to statewide voters to build the casino, because the Missouri Constitution only authorizes those gaming facilities on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft initially rejected putting the ballot item before voters, contending that the measure didn’t collect enough signatures in the required six out of eight congressional districts. Ashcroft found that the plan did receive the necessary signatures in five districts but fell short in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District.
Cole County Judge Daniel Green ruled on Friday that proponents of the casino ballot item did actually gather enough signatures in the 2nd District, which encompasses parts of St. Louis, St. Charles and Warren counties, and all of Franklin County. He then ordered Ashcroft to place the proposal on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Ashcroft spokesman JoDonn Chaney said the GOP statewide official does not plan on appealing Green’s ruling.
“During the initiative petition review process local election authorities were tasked with checking well over 1 million signatures,” Chaney said in an email. “From their reporting, the secretary of state’s office determined the Osage River Gaming petition was just short of the required signature count for ballot certification. After a challenge by the petitioner it was determined that enough additional signatures could be verified to place the petition on the November ballot.”
Backers of the plan to build the Lake of the Ozarks casino say the facility will spur 500 construction jobs and create 700 to 800 permanent jobs. State revenue from the casino would go toward education programs, with a specific emphasis on early child literacy efforts.
Missourians are also to vote on a measure legalizing sports betting, though opponents of that proposal filed a lawsuit contending that it didn’t get enough signatures in six out of eight districts.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new appointments. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Hard Rock Digital and Hard Rock Casino Rockford announced that Hard Rock Bet has been launched in Illinois, with its highly rated online sports betting app now live throughout the state and in-person wagering began on August 29 at Hard Rock Casino Rockford’s sportsbook. Hard Rock Bet recently launched its ‘Roll With Us’ fall campaign, welcoming players of all types to play on its easy-to-use app and online sportsbook by visiting HardRock.bet. New Illinois players can take advantage of Hard Rock Bet’s signup offer and receive $100 in Bonus Bets instantly following their first cash bet of at least $5. Hard Rock Bet offers pre-game, live betting, futures and multiple parlay options (including Same Game Parlays) as well as a free online rewards programme and engaging promotions.
Table Trac Inc. along with TransAct Technologies Incorporated, a global leader in software-driven technology and printing solutions, shared the results from the first six months of the SlotSUITE deployment. The floor-wide, single-wire printing solution, announced in December 2023, was recently implemented in a large regional casino in the American Southwest. SlotSUITE was developed through a partnership between CasinoTrac and TransAct Technologies. It integrates TransAct’s Epicentral SE with PromoTrac, CasinoTrac’s unified promotions administration and management system, using a single-wire solution that works on existing CasinoTrac gaming floor networks.
Related Companies/Oxford Properties Group and Wynn Resorts revealed new project details for the next phase of Hudson Yards, including new renderings and animations as well as additional testimonials of support. The $12 Billion total project proposal to build Hudson Yards West on top of the undeveloped western rail yards, is a once-in-a-generation commitment that, if approved by City and State officials, would provide significant quality-of-life improvements for the neighborhood and enormous economic opportunity for the entire city.
New Appointments
Rush Street Gaming announced that casino and hospitality veteran Cliff Ehrlich has joined the company as its chief operating officer. Ehrlich assumes the role of Rush Street COO from Bill Keena, a longtime company and industry leader, who plans to retire later this year. Ehrlich’s career began in marketing at the Catskills’ Pines Resort Hotel in the 80s and transitioned in the 90s to casino development and operations. In 1996, he became co-owner of the Monticello Raceway and helped recruit the Oneida Indian Nation to build a casino on the property. Since 2022, Ehrlich has been Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise’s chief operating officer, with oversight of four casinos, a resort destination hotel, travel plaza and food & beverage manufacturing.
Wanna.com, in August, announced the appointment of Chuck Bowling, former President and COO at MGM Resorts International, to its Board of Directors. With an impressive career overseeing prestigious properties such as the Mandalay Bay, Delano, Four Seasons Las Vegas and Luxor, Mr. Bowling brings a wealth of experience and strategic insight to the burgeoning enterprise. As Wanna.com prepares for its initial launch in approximately 25 to 30 states, Mr. Bowling’s extensive expertise in hospitality and gaming will be instrumental in guiding Wanna.com and Wanna Parlay, through this exciting phase of growth and development.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – August 26-September 1 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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