Author: IGP Staff

Massachusetts Tribe Rejected by BIA

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, whose ancestors met the Pilgrims when they landed at Plymouth, received a letter from the Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Tara Sweeney (l.) saying the BIA could not find justification for putting their land in Taunton into trust. While there is still some legislation being proposed, the decision will negatively impact the tribe’s ability to build its First Light casino.

Parx Casino Applies for Pennsylvania Sports Book

Parx Casino has applied for a sports betting license in Pennsylvania, making it the second casino company to apply in the state. Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, owner of the casino, also applied to regulators for sports betting at the South Philadelphia Turf Club, an off-track betting facility. Penn National was the first casino company to apply for a sports betting license.

MGM Springfield Opening Exceeds Expectations

The much-awaited MGM Springfield opened over the Labor Day weekend, drawing more than 150,000 people during the three days. This greatly exceeded expectations, said the casino’s president, Michael Mathis (l.).

Mississippi Choctaws Open First Tribal Sports Book

On August 29, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians became the first tribe outside Nevada to offer sports betting, at its Golden Moon Hotel and Casino at the Pearl River Resort in Philadelphia, Mississippi (ribbon cutting at left). In-person betting will be offered at first, with kiosks and on-premise mobile wagering following within a few weeks.

R.I.’s Tiverton Casino Hotel Cuts Ribbon

Twin River Management Group over the weekend celebrated the grand opening of the new Tiverton Casino Hotel (l.). The opening coincided with the closing of the old Newport Grand, whose license was transferred.

West Virginia Sports Betting Starts Early

On Thursday, August 30, two days ahead of schedule, West Virginia became the fifth state offering legalized sports betting, as Hollywood Casino took its first sports wager—that West Virginia University football (l.) would win the National Championship. Sports bettors wagered $340,000 over the first full weekend of legalized sports betting, according to the state lottery

Arizona Attorney Says Sports Betting Would Require Compact Change

The existing Arizona tribal state gaming compacts create an almost insurmountable barrier to the state legislature creating a framework for legalizing sports betting says attorney Steve Hart (l.). Any such framework would violate the compacts and rob the state of much of the gaming revenue they pay, say experts in gaming and Indian law.

Casino Group Eyes Vacant Virginia Mall

Gambling is illegal in Virginia but that’s not stopping a group from lobbying to turn a vacant 450,000 square foot mall (l.) in Bristol into a casino resort. A sign on the property already reads, “We’re betting on Bristol!” Project officials said the venue could create 2,000 jobs and help plug the city’s budget deficit.

Eldorado Resorts and William Hill US Partner on Sports Betting

William Hill US will oversee sports betting operations for Eldorado Resorts under a new agreement giving the regional casino operator a 20 percent ownership of the bookmaker. The deal is seen as giving William Hill an even larger stake in the U.S. sports betting market where it already operates in five states, including more than 100 locations in Nevada. Eldorado has 21 casinos in 11 states, including Atlantic City’s Tropicana (l.).

Florida Court Rules Pre-Reveal Games Are Slots

A 3-judge appellate court panel recently ruled pre-reveal games are illegal slot machines because they include an element of chance. The ruling supports last year’s decision by a circuit court judge. The lawsuit was filed by the developer and vendor of the games after regulators forced two businesses to remove the machines.