With some venues in Las Vegas requiring Covid shots to enter, casinos in New York state were conducting the “Shots and Slots” program to incentivize people to get the Coronavirus vaccination. And now, the state is expanding their vaccination mandate. The news that the city of New York will extend its vaccine mandate to casinos comes just days after another city did the same. You may recall that just last week the mayor of New Orleans issued a requirement for most indoor activities, including gambling. Harrah’s Casino New Orleans was the first casino to comply. As of August 18th, guests…

In a move that just about everyone saw coming, MGM Resorts vaccinations will be required in order to work for the company. Newly hired individuals who work for MGM on an hourly basis must show proof of a vaccination by August 30th. Salaried employees, whether newly hired or not, must show proof by October 15th. No details were provided about what actions may be taken if an employee does not get the vaccination or refuses to comply. However, it’s safe to assume that (at a minimum) they would not be scheduled to work at an MGM property or office. This…

In a press release from the American Gaming Association, we’ve learned that US gaming revenue reached $13.6 billion in the second quarter of this year, according to their Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. That’s a new industry record, shattering the old mark of $11.1 billion set back in 2019 (and tied earlier this year) by over 22%. With nearly $24.8 billion generated to date, 2021 is close to surpassing 2020 full-year revenue ($30 billion) and on track to overtake 2019 ($43.6 billion) as the highest-grossing year ever for commercial gaming revenue. “These first half results are truly remarkable. It is even more…

Amid the Delta variant surge of Coronavirus, many are wondering if Las Vegas Covid testing and vaccine proof will become a requirement at casinos. The Centers for Disease Control is reporting that Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans has become the first in the nation to require guests to show this proof before being allowed to enter. The property is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. However, the New Orleans decision comes amidst new vaccine requirements from the mayor. Those requirements also apply to indoor dining, bars, and other forms of indoor entertainment. Those who want access to those establishments will…

Despite Las Vegas casinos returning to full capacity, Nevada gaming revenue fell 3.3% in the month of June. The reporting of this fall coincides with the return of the new Coronavirus Delta variant which has been causing concerns of returning restrictions and the possibility of another Las Vegas casino closure. Despite this seemingly bad news, the fall in revenue may simply be a result of the record $1.23 billion set in May. With that in mind, a 3.3% drop still found that casinos in Sin City still managed to bring in $1.19 billion in June, according to figures provided by…

It may not be actual online gambling, but Treasure Island has entered an agreement to launch an online casino with social games. The games will be powered by the Gan’s GameSTACK software and integrated into the casino rewards program. Even though web based gambling is expanding all over the country, Nevada regulators have yet to give the green light to any online gambling in the state, outside of poker. A representative from Treasure Island stated that it is clear that the “…digital space will become more and more important in the future.” So, a partnership with GAN made sense for…