The Wynn Las Vegas and Encore have become the first major Strip resorts to back away from the Vegas parking fees implemented last year. Wynn Resorts announced Thursday that it will no longer charge hotel guests for parking starting July 1 and will offer free self-parking and valet service to any patron who spends $50 or more, including food, shopping and gambling. For hotel guests, parking will be included in the $39 resort fee, which is not being raised, the company said. The Wynn and Encore share a parking garage. “Our guests choose to stay with us because of the…

Geoff Freeman is to step down from his role as AGA President and chief executive. Freeman has led the organisation since 2013 and has been one of the key figures in the successful battle to expand the sports betting market in the US. The Supreme Court last month voted to overturn the federal 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). PASPA had blocked more states from legalising full-service sports betting, but the ruling will allow states to individually regulate such activities. Last week, Delaware passed legislation to legalise sports wagering and yesterday (Tuesday) began accepting full sports wagers. Freeman…

New Jersey has advanced a bill to legalize sports betting but opted not to include integrity measures requested by professional sports leagues in the US. The National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) have rallied for bills to feature clause whereby the leagues receive a share of gambling revenue. The leagues have said that they require additional funding to expand their anti-corruption efforts now that the US sports betting market is expanding. States are now permitted to legalize sports betting after the Supreme Court voted to repeal the federal 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports…

The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 says it has reached a tentative agreement with MGM Las Vegas. The news was announced by the union – which covers half of the 50,000 employees threatening to strike in Las Vegas – in a tweet late Saturday. This comes after Friday’s announcement labour union and the other big casino employer threatened by the job action, Caesars Entertainment, was reached Friday afternoon. “BREAKING. We are pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached with @MGMResortsIntl ,” read the late-night announcement on Twitter. “The historic new 5-year contract covers approximately 24,000 workers at…

Top gaming officials from four ideologically different states combined forces to push for a set of sports betting priorities. Leaders from Nevada, Michigan, Massachusetts and Louisiana issued a statement criticizing integrity fees and advocating “reasonable” tax structures. They also back allowing states and tribes to set their own rules without federal intervention. “As experienced gaming regulators who are part of the U.S. State Gaming Regulators Forum, we would encourage jurisdictions to establish and implement regulatory models that are not only adaptive and successful, but that remain flexible enough to be sturdy, yet encourage innovation.” Different states will enact different rules…

US-based racing, gaming, and online entertainment company, Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced that it will be entering the online sports betting sector in the US through two new partnership agreements with SBTech and the Golden Nugget Atlantic City. The agreement between CDI and SBTech will see the later provide an online gaming platform including a consumer website, mobile apps, and back office systems. The aim of the partnership with SBTech is for CDI to enter the online gambling sectors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where online gambling and sports betting has already been approved. Mississippi will also be targeted…