Gambling in the USA

Black Fire Innovation Highlights Opening of Debut Building at Harry Reid Research and Technology Park

Published

6 years ago

January 27, 2020

Research and innovation in Southern Nevada have taken a major step forward with the opening of the debut building at the UNLV Harry Reid Research and Technology Park in Las Vegas.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and a host of federal, state, and local officials joined leadership from Gardner Company, UNLV, and Caesars Entertainment to formally mark the completion of a building that will serve as a catalyst to unite business, stimulate research, and advance economic development efforts in Southern Nevada.

“The economic and academic benefits of the research park are strong. Black Fire Innovation will create opportunities for collaboration between industry and academia that simply aren’t possible on many college campuses today,” Governor Sisolak said.

The four-story, 111,000 square-foot innovation building is the first project completed by Gardner Company as part of a master-planned development envisioned by UNLV, the UNLV Research Foundation, and Gardner for the tech park.

“Gardner Company is immensely proud to commemorate the completion of Building One in the UNLV Tech Park. A campus of this magnitude will foster collaboration and innovation across businesses, UNLV students, innovators and entrepreneurs and will greatly help shape the research and innovation landscape here in Las Vegas and beyond. We are incredibly gracious for our partners and tenants who have allowed us to see our vision come to fruition,” Dan Stewart, partner and vice president of development at Gardner Company, said.

The centerpiece of the debut building is Black Fire Innovation, which brings UNLV and Caesars Entertainment, one of the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment providers, together in one space to advance current trends in hospitality and gaming technology. Black Fire is a technology hub where new gaming and hospitality concepts will be created and tested in a 43,000 square-foot innovation space that includes elements of mock hotel rooms, a casino floor and sportsbook, an esports studio, and virtual reality facilities.

“Black Fire Innovation, and the research park more broadly, exemplify the positive impact that can occur when the university and business community come together with a common goal. The park and its related partnerships provide a gateway for companies to enter our regional business ecosystem, which elevates our research potential, offers unparalleled opportunities for our students, and in turn strengthens our economy,” Zachary Miles, UNLV associate vice president for economic development and executive director of the UNLV Research Foundation, said.

Through partnerships like Black Fire Innovation, the tech park serves as a proving ground for new ideas that will expand Southern Nevada’s leadership role in hospitality and gaming. It’s also attracting the world’s leading technology companies, who want to have a presence in the region and partner with industry leaders from Caesars Entertainment and UNLV.

“Caesars Entertainment has been at the forefront of gaming and innovation for many years. Collaborating in partnership with UNLV, one of the nation’s top gaming research institutions, is the perfect recipe for success. Black Fire Innovation is unprecedented, bringing together top researchers and industry experts in a unique and dynamic environment that enables emerging student talent, technology partners and the community to work together. Caesars strives to provide the best possible guest experience, as technology evolves its exciting that these types of advancements could be conceived and perfected at Black Fire,” Caesars Entertainment CEO Tony Rodio said.

Detroit casinos

Detroit Casinos Report $118.87M in April Revenue

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

detroit-casinos-report-$118.87m-in-april-revenue

Detroit’s three commercial casinos reported $118.87 million in aggregate revenue (AGR) for April 2026. Table games and slots generated $118.03 million, while retail sports betting produced $837,397 in qualified adjusted gross receipts (QAGR).

April market shares were:

• MGM, 49%

• MotorCity, 29%

• Hollywood Casino at Greektown, 22%

Table Games and Slot Revenue

April 2026 table games and slot revenue increased 7.8% compared with April 2025 and 5.8% from March 2026. For the period January 1 through April 30, revenue was up by 1.4% year-over-year.

Casino-level results compared with April 2025 were:

• MGM: up 14.3% to $58.42 million

• MotorCity: up 3.2% to $34.13 million

• Hollywood Casino at Greektown: up 0.8% to $25.48 million

The casinos paid $9.6 million in state gaming taxes in April, compared with $8.9 million in April 2025. They also reported submitting $14.0 million in wagering taxes and development agreement payments to the City of Detroit.

Retail Sports Betting Revenue

Detroit casinos reported $8.74 million in total retail sports betting handle for April. Total gross receipts were $868,546. QAGR increased by $520,859 from April 2025 and 3.3% from March 2026.

April QAGR by casino:

• MGM: $78,681

• MotorCity: $234,997

• Hollywood Casino at Greektown: $523,719

The casinos paid $31,654 in state taxes and submitted $38,688 in wagering taxes to the City of Detroit based on April retail sports betting activity.

Fantasy Contests

For March 2026, fantasy contest operators reported $448,069 in adjusted revenues and paid $37,638 in taxes.

The post Detroit Casinos Report $118.87M in April Revenue appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

AGS

AGS hires three executives to expand slot sales strategy team

Published

3 days ago

May 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

ags-hires-three-executives-to-expand-slot-sales-strategy-team

AGS has appointed three gaming executives to expand its commercial slot sales strategy and operations team. John McColl joins as Senior Director of Slot Sales Strategy, Mark Morton as Vice President of Slot Sales Strategy, and Loren Rosenberg as Vice President of Commercial Slot Strategy & Operations.

“These hires represent a significant step forward in building a best-in-class commercial organization,” said Jackosn Floyd, Vice President of Slots at AGS. “John, Mark, and Loren have each demonstrated an ability to translate strategy into measurable results, and their leadership will help the team sharpen our focus on performance, efficiency, and delivering greater value across our slot portfolio.”

McColl will lead sales strategy and commercial opportunity, with a focus on expanding market share and driving revenue growth. AGS said he will build a data-driven approach to mapping the company’s total addressable market (TAM) to identify new opportunities. McColl has more than 30 years of experience across casino operations, gaming technology, and enterprise B2B sales, including roles at Gaming Analytics, Scientific Games / Bally Technologies, and Harrah’s Entertainment.

Morton will focus on customer synergy and strategic alignment, streamlining internal sales processes, and expanding enterprise sales opportunities, according to the company. He previously served as Senior Vice President at Marker Trax and Koin, where AGS said he led commercial strategy, pricing, and enterprise contract execution with operators including Boyd Gaming, Golden Entertainment, and Penn National.

Rosenberg will oversee commercial strategy and operations, with responsibility for maximizing value across AGS’ product portfolio and supporting commercial expansion. He brings nearly 20 years of experience across product, commercial and enterprise strategy roles, including senior leadership positions at Aristocrat and Everi. Rosenberg began his career at WMS, later acquired by Scientific Games, and has held roles across operations, strategy and commercial functions.

The post AGS hires three executives to expand slot sales strategy team appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

bingo

Plaza Hotel & Casino sets $250,000 Super Bingo event for July 3-5

Published

2 weeks ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

plaza-hotel-&-casino-sets-$250,000-super-bingo-event-for-july-3-5

Downtown Las Vegas property says the July Super Bingo will be its largest prize purse to date, with sessions on July 4-5.

Plaza Hotel & Casino will stage a $250,000 “Super Bingo” event in Las Vegas July 3-5, positioning it as a special edition tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. The operator said the prize pool is the largest in the series’ history.

“The Plaza will be celebrating its 55th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of our great country in July, so it is only fitting that we make our Super Bingo event that month our biggest and best ever,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “Our Super Bingo events have always drawn a packed crowd to our convention space, and we anticipate the July event to sell out quickly.”

According to the Plaza, Super Bingo draws nearly 1,000 attendees, including visitors traveling from Hawaii and Canada. For the July edition, bingo-only registration is set at $250 per person for gameplay on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5. The Plaza is also offering an optional five-night hotel package priced at $200 per person, with no resort fee, for check-in July 2 and check-out July 6.

The Plaza outlined the payout structure as 20 games paying $1,999 each day, plus a daily “super coverall” of $60,000, second place of $15,000, and third place of $10,020. The casino said prizes will be paid in cash and players must be present to win.

Outside of the special event, the Plaza said its bingo room runs six daily sessions at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and is located two floors above the main casino.

The post Plaza Hotel & Casino sets $250,000 Super Bingo event for July 3-5 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.