Gambling in the USA

Spectacle Entertainment and Hard Rock International Break Ground On $400 Million Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana

Published

6 years ago

January 13, 2020

Spectacle Entertainment and Hard Rock International announced the development and construction of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana at an official groundbreaking ceremony held on Thursday, Jan. 9. The ceremony was conducted at the construction site, located at 5400 West 29^th Ave. in Gary, and included state and local officials, Spectacle Entertainment and Hard Rock executives.

Concluding the ceremony, Executive Director of the Indiana Gaming Commission Sara Tait, Spectacle Entertainment Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rod Ratcliff and Chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida Marcellus Osceola planted shovels to commemorate the start of construction on Indiana’s first Hard Rock property. Various other officials, including Gary Mayor Jerome Prince and Hard Rock International Chief Operating Officer Jon Lucas joined the trio on stage.

The premier 200,000-square-foot entertainment complex is a joint venture between the two companies and will include six food venues, a sportsbook, a retail shop, a 2,000-seat showroom and more than 2,130 gaming positions. Phase two of the project will see the addition of a 200-plus-room hotel and a multi-level parking garage.

Guests of Honor at the ceremony were Tito, Jackie and Marlon Jackson, of the world-renowned Jackson family. The brothers began their career while residing in Gary and returned to the area as a group for the first time in fifty years. With hits like “I Want You Back” and “Never Can Say Goodbye,” The Jacksons are known as one of the most influential families in musical history.

Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is forecasting more than $20 million annually in tax revenue and payments to the City of Gary and surrounding communities. Approximately 1,000 construction jobs, with an emphasis to hire union labor, and an estimated additional 500 jobs are expected. With a location adjacent to the 80/94 Burr Street interchange and approximately 193,000 cars passing daily, the expectation is to become the leading entertainment destination for the entire Northern Indiana region.

Additionally, Spectacle Entertainment has a commitment to local investment with a pledge to work with minority and women owned businesses. Currently all 17 senior leaders at Spectacle’s Majestic Star Casino are board directors for local charitable and community organizations in Gary and the Northern Indiana region. The team has sponsored, participated and volunteered for multiple local events and programs throughout the year, with a plan to directly drive more than $500,000 in fundraising in 2020.

Ratcliff stated, “Breaking ground for Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is the start of an incredible partnership between Spectacle Entertainment, Hard Rock International and the City of Gary, Indiana. It is an honor to be here today and to see this dream become a reality. A lot of work has gone into this project, a lot of planning. I’m grateful to all those who played a part in it. There is no doubt this is a game changer for Gary, Indiana and the entire Northern Indiana region.”

Hard Rock has a presence in 76 countries and is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Spectacle Entertainment is confident the Hard Rock name will attract visitors throughout the region and beyond, maximize job creation, increase tax revenues, and greatly benefit the City of Gary and the State of Indiana.

“It’s an honor to partner with Spectacle Entertainment on this project, bringing the Hard Rock brand of world-class entertainment to Northern Indiana,” said Jon Lucas, Chief Operating Officer of Hard Rock International. “This property will be the premier casino destination in the region.”

Source: hardrock.com

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.