When the Hard Rock Casino transitions to Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas Tribal Gaming will officially arrive on The Strip. The developer of the Mohegan Sun, Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, will operate the casino pending approval by Nevada regulators. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. This is a first for Las Vegas. Mario Kontomerkos, CEO of Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, said aligning the Mohegan brand with Virgin will extend the property’s brands into a “legendary global entertainment capital”, adding that Mohegan’s participation in the project is a major milestone for all tribes. The Hard Rock will close in February for…

The Rio Casino sold for over $516 million. The Las Vegas-based venue has served as the home of the World Series of Poker since 2005. It was sold to a company controlled by a principal of real estate investment vehicle Imperial Companies, and the deal expected to conclude in the fourth quarter of this year. Caesars Entertainment will continue to operate the property for at least the next two years and pay rent of $45m per year. At the end of the two year period, Caesars may continue to operate the Rio or provide transition services to the buying company…

The 2018 Triple Crown winner failed a drug test weeks before the Kentucky Derby and should not have been allowed to race. The New York Times reported that Justify failed a drug test. That test was reviewed by the California Horse Racing Board which took almost a month to come back with the results. The board should have filed a public complaint but instead moved to drop the case against the horse and lighten the penalty for any horse with the substance found in their system. A failed drug test would usually mean disqualification and forfeiture of both the prize…

Lawmakers are resurrecting a plan to make Michigan sports betting a reality… possibly in time for the upcoming Super Bowl. Even though bills have had widespread support in the Legislature in the past, they were all vetoed by former Governor Rick Snyder who opposed expansion of gambling and feared a loss of revenue for the state lottery. State Representative Brandt Iden is hoping for a different outcome with a new governor in office. “My goal is to have this up and running by the Super Bowl. Casinos are moving forward because they know it’s going to come to fruition at some…

Less than two years after the Supreme Court opened the door for expanded regulation, Caesars sports books have expanded to seven states. The company is also the official supplier of odds information for ESPN and Turner Sports, which have broadcast studios at The LINQ Hotel & Experience and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas Strip. Since last August, Caesars has expanded its sports betting footprint from only Nevada to include New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Iowa, Indiana and New York, boasting 29 locations. More at YogoNet.

Buffalo Wild Wings partners with MGM Resorts International and its sports betting venture, Roar Digital, for a multi-year partnership – a first-of-its-kind alignment between a national sports bar and a gaming leader. In accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, the partnership will deliver sports gaming experiences at a national scale inside Buffalo Wild Wings through MGM’s digital gaming platform, BetMGM. In addition, the deal is expected to spawn collaborations inside MGM properties and sports books, including a new Buffalo Wild Wings sports bar slated to open at Mandalay Bay in 2020. Roar Digital is the 50/50 venture established in July 2018…