Gambling in the USA
Casinos Across the U.S. Continue to Close as COVID-19 Spreads
More and more casinos across the United States are closing their doors as the nation goes into shutdown following the coronavirus outbreak.
Over the past few days, the rapid spread of the virus has forced millions of citizens to quarantine themselves at home. Offices, hotels, and venues across the country have had to cease operations, unclear when they can open again. The country is facing an economic crisis as a result and the gambling industry could be one of the worst-hit.
Both Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International shuttered their Las Vegas casinos last week. However, full-time employees have been given assurances that salaries will continue to be paid during the period. The move follows recommendations from the CDC to limit public gatherings to no more than 10 people.
Speaking to CNBC, Vegas-based race and sports manager Duane Colucci of Rampart Casino highlighted the industry’s struggle to prepare for such a situation. “It’s so hard to fathom. You can’t prepare for something like this, especially in the race and sportsbook industry,” she said. She hopes that work-from-home regulations will be relaxed to allow casinos to take bets online.
On the east coast, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has closed all casinos, bars, and restaurants in Atlantic City, rendering the popular gambling hub a ghost town.
A move online
Online gambling has managed to continue through the struggles largely unaffected, with many digital casinos accepting US players around the world. Virtual horse racing also continues to operate online, along with certain sporting events in less-affected countries like Mexico and Russia.
Sportsbooks across the country have begun taking bets on all-and-everything in an attempt to pick up the slack. For example, the popular Costa Rican-based betting site Bovada has even been taking bets on the maximum temperature in various U.S. cities.
Sports betting sites like FanDuel and DraftKings are investigating new events on which to take bets. They both took some bizarre wagers on last week’s U.S political debate, including the amount and frequency of Trump’s tweets. Some other online betting sites have come up with some questionable solutions, like hosting simulated versions of real-life sports events that have been canceled.
Across the pond in the United Kingdom, physical casinos are also feeling the pinch. However, with the UK’s more favorable online gambling regulations, many are surviving through their online partner sites. eSports, where players compete entirely online, is another industry that has garnered increased popularity. Many sports betting sites are now enticing players to redirect their bets to eSports as a way to mitigate lost revenue on real-life sports.
A drain on savings
While online gambling might solve the problem of social distancing that COVID-19 presents, it doesn’t solve the problem of dwindling capital in most households. The longer that citizens are kept away from their work, the less likely they are to spend their savings on unnecessary activities. While gambling may be a favorite past-time for many, risky investments tend to reduce significantly during times of crisis.
The overall casino and gambling industry will struggle to survive this outbreak if the lockdown continues for too long. According to the UK paper The Guardian, around 35 companies are currently investigating a COVID-19 vaccine. However, it’s an arduous process that involves several critical testing phases in order to gain regulatory approval.
Annelies Wilder-Smith of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine believes a COVID-19 vaccine will take at least 18 months to develop, under the best possible conditions. During that time there is no telling how far the virus could spread and how devasting the effects on the economy could be.
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.
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.
Downtown Las Vegas property says the holiday weekend edition will be the largest prize purse in its monthly Super Bingo series.
Plaza Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas will hold a special $250,000 Super Bingo event July 3-5 to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, the company announced Tuesday. The Plaza said the July edition will feature the largest prize purse in the history of its monthly Super Bingo series.
“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 from across the US, including visitors from Hawaii and Canada. For the July event, bingo-only registration is priced at $250 per person for game play on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5, with an optional five-night hotel package offered at $200 per person, with no resort fee, for check-in Thursday, July 2 and check-out Monday, July 6.
The Plaza said the payout structure will include 20 games paying $1,999 each, plus a super coverall of $60,000, second place of $15,000 and third place of $10,020 each day. All prizes will be paid in cash and players must be present to win.
Beyond Super Bingo, 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 plans $250,000 Super Bingo event for July 3-5 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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