The 8-1 vote by council members would give Richmond residents another chance to approve plans for a $500 million casino on the city’s south side. That’s after a similar ballot measure was narrowly defeated by voters in 2021.

Project supporters touted the wide-ranging plans from Black-focused media conglomerate Urban One and its partner, Churchill Downs. Their goal is to build a resort-style complex complete with hotel, spa, entertainment, fine dining, and other amenities. The project would be located in an area of the city that has seen little investment in recent years.

“It’s in a part of the city, believe it or not, that most people in Southside don’t go to every day, and I don’t think we talk about that enough. It’s in an area that will probably never see a half-billion-dollar investment, and that’s not to condemn that area, that’s simply to speak the truth,” City Council President Michael Jones said at Monday’s meeting. “That area will probably never see a half-billion dollar investment. So you take this deal. You take the deal every day and twice on Sunday … It is something that will revolutionize that part of the city.”

Investment Touted

Voters in 2021 rejected an earlier casino referendum 51% to 49%. But supporters said that campaign was plagued by misinformation and didn’t accurately convey the economic benefits and jobs the project would bring.

“Crime this and crime that. Those are just dog whistles,” he said.

Public Speaks Out

The council heard from members of the public both for and against the casino plan at Monday’s meeting. Debbie Rowe, a resident opposed to the casino, said it’s unfair for council members to attempt a redo of the 2021 referendum. “Our vote should stand,” she said at the meeting, adding that holding another casino vote would create “unnecessary friction in the city.” She contended leaders should be addressing more pressing concerns such as gun violence and homelessness.

Churchill Downs, the home of the annual Kentucky Derby, threw its weight behind the project after taking over for Peninsula Pacific Entertainment’s (P2E), Urban One’s original partner in the project.

Jason Sauer, a senior vice president at Churchill Downs, told council members that the company has pursued other successful partnerships with local companies. They are developing casinos in Chicago and Cincinnati, and the company is already working with a Richmond-based team on the newest proposal. “We look forward to a long partnership together,” he said.

Next Steps

The council’s endorsement of a new casino referendum was expected. But supporters must clear a few additional hurdles before the language is presented to voters in November.

Local courts and state regulators will have to sign off on the arrangement. Opponents of the Richmond casino project still hope to block progress this year through the state legislature. 

State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) has sought to block the Richmond vote to ease the path for a casino in Petersburg, Va., about 25 miles to the south. He said he hopes state legislators will pass a budget before their session expires July 1 that would include language blocking a new referendum, as happened last year.

No action is expected until after the state holds primary elections on June 20, where several key legislators face important races.

The post Richmond, Virginia Advances Casino Plan, Referendum on November Ballot appeared first on Casino.org.

The Big One for One Drop has not been held in Las Vegas since 2016, and not all since 2018.

The competition hopes to raise money for the One Drop Foundation. The organization is dedicated to ensuring sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for communities worldwide.

The Big One for One Drop is such an iconic tournament in the world of poker. We are honored to put on this incredible event in conjunction with the One Drop Foundation and Wynn Las Vegas,” WPT CEO Adam Pliska said in a statement. “The $1 million buy-in is a testament to the heights this industry can reach and the continuous evolution of the World Poker Tour.”

Six percent of each buy-in, or $60,000, will go directly to the charity, lower than the $111,111 donated from each buy-in in years past.

Biggest Prize in History

First staged in 2012, the Big One for One Drop was the brainchild of the Cirque de Soleil founder and high-stakes poker player Guy Laliberte, who also established the One Drop Foundation. Antonio Esfandiari won the inaugural event, beating a field of 48 to win an eye-watering $18.3 million, more than tripling his lifetime tournament winnings in one sitting.

The event was next won by Daniel Colman in 2014. He took down a $15.3 million first prize in 2014, defeating Daniel Negreanu heads-up.

Next, the event moved to Monte Carlo, known as the Big One for One Drop Extravaganza, an invitation-only event closed to professional players. The then-unknown Chinese-Canadian player, Elton Tsang, topped the field of wealthy amateurs, taking home €11,111,111 (then US$12.2 million).

A less exclusive iteration of the tournament returned to the WSOP in Las Vegas in 2018, where Justin Bonomo bested a 27-player field to take home $10 million.

‘Incredible Feeling’

This year’s event is expected to attract the usual mix of unbelievably wealthy amateurs and the world’s top high-stakes tournament players, most of whom will have sold large chunks of their action to afford the buy-in and mitigate personal financial risk.

“It is an incredible feeling to be able to have the support of WPT and Wynn to run our fifth edition of the Big One. … The magnitude of the buy-in, of the prize pool, but also of the funds that are directed to the crucial cause of access to safe water makes the Big One the event of all superlatives,” said a statement from Alexandre Meunier, One Drop Foundation’s  chief marketing and events officer.

The post Poker’s $1M Buy-in Big One for One Drop to Make Wynn Las Vegas Comeback appeared first on Casino.org.

The Maverick Gaming Poker Room will open in June, with more details of the grand opening expected to be announced soon, according to Jeremy Weinstein, CMO for Maverick.

The Trop’s poker room closed in September 2012 and was replaced by rows of bankable slot machines.

‘Black Friday’ Poker Room

The Tropicana hasn’t had a poker room since 2012. Its last was short-lived and ill-fated. With former WSOP champion Jamie Gold as its ambassador, it had the misfortune to open on April 15, 2011, a day known to poker players as “Black Friday.”

It was the day that the US Department of Justice indicted the three largest online poker sites serving US players for violating the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), effectively shutting down the online poker market.

In the short term, the cessation of online poker might have seemed like a good thing for a live poker room. But in reality, the online game feeds the live game by attracting more players and swelling tournament pools through online satellites.

Maverick CEO

Maverick currently owns four commercial casinos in Nevada and three in Colorado. The company began buying poker rooms in Washington state like they were going out of fashion after the Supreme Court defanged The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), the federal prohibition on sports betting.

When a judge ruled against him in February, Persson indicated he would fight the issue to the US Supreme Court.

The Tropicana is owned by the real estate investment trust Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc, while  Bally’s is the casino operator. The two companies recently signed a deal with MLB’s Oakland A’s to build a $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat baseball stadium on nine acres of land near the Tropicana, which will be demolished.

The post Tropicana Casino Las Vegas to Get Maverick Gaming Poker Room appeared first on Casino.org.

On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 341, the state’s moratorium for the next 20 years on granting new licenses for cardroom casinos.  The embargo was supported by more than 40 tribes and cardrooms in a rare moment of common ground between the state’s two competing gaming interests.

The previous moratorium was established by the 1997 Gambling Control Act, which was periodically extended by the legislature for the next quarter century. But lawmakers were deadlocked on extending it by another year at the end of last year’s session.

Susan Jensen, executive director of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), said she feared this would unleash “the prospect of unlimited cardroom gaming expansion without properly examining the impact this expansion will have on local communities.”

Perks for Small Cardrooms

The impasse in the legislature arose because the old moratorium restricted expansion for existing card clubs, as well as prohibiting the issue of licenses for new ones. Some lawmakers argued the restriction on existing clubs was depriving surrounding communities of extra tax dollars.

But AB 341 will allow existing licensed card rooms with fewer than 20 gaming tables to add up to 10 new ones over the next 20 years. They can add up to two in the first year, and up to two more every four years thereafter.

While tribal operators have fiercely resisted any kind of commercial gaming expansion, they figured this was better than the “unlimited card room expansion” foretold by CNIGA. And the card rooms were hardly thrilled with the idea of boundless competition either.

“I am happy to have brought the tribes and cardrooms together in a historic consensus that has resulted in the bipartisan AB 341 becoming law,” said Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), who introduced the bill and is Native American.

Ramos said the new moratorium would “help ensure the vitality of the gaming industry by allowing for measured cardroom growth without over-expansion over the next 20 years.”

California Games

Tribal operators have long complained that the card rooms violate tribal exclusivity on house-banked games like blackjack by offering so-called “California games.” These are versions of casino-style games that take a rake from each hand while allowing players to play in the dealer position, as in a poker game.

But the tribes claim California games are too close to the Class III casino versions, and therefore violate their gaming compacts and the state constitution.

It’s a sticking point that has long stymied the development of the gaming industry in California.

The post California Gov. Approves Cardroom Freeze as Tribes and Clubs Find Rare Consensus appeared first on Casino.org.

While jurors in Will County, Ill., 35 miles southwest of Chicago, agreed that Robert Watson was mentally ill, they rejected the public defenders’ argument that he was not guilty by reason of insanity.

That means Watson will have to serve his yet-to-be-determined prison sentence of between 20 and 100 years fully, although he will have access to mental health treatment behind bars.

Shocking Attack

Watson was arrested on March 25, 2019, at the Joliet Public Library, the day after he stabbed to death 76-year-old Emanuel “Sam” Burgarino, a sports bar owner from Wisconsin and a guest at the hotel.

During the two-week trial, the jury heard that Watson prowled the casino for two days, unchallenged by staff in the leadup to the shocking attack. Burgarino was knifed 26 times as his girlfriend waited for him on the gaming floor below.

The prosecution argued that he was faking mental illness to avoid the consequences of his crime.

‘Makes No Sense’

During closing arguments, Will Count public defender Shenonda Tisdale urged jurors to remember the security video from Harrah’s. This showed Watson clutching his blood-stained writing papers as he ran from the casino after the attack.

“He’s holding papers in his hands, more of (the) crazy thoughts … just none of it makes any sense,” she argued, as reported by Patch.com. “This just never should have happened.

There’s been no motive established. No money missing from Mr. Burgarino, and yet the state wants you to believe there was a motive when there was not,” she added.

Tisdale suggested Watson was delusional at the time of the killing and may have believed Burgarino was “some sort of spirit.”

Burgarino’s girlfriend, Denise Dixon, sued Harrah’s owner Caesars Entertainment for negligence in February 2021, arguing Harrah’s staff failed in their duty of care to protect Burgarino.

The case went to mediation. But as of June 2022, the parties had failed to agree on a settlement, according to court documents.

Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31.

The post Harrah’s Joliet Stranger-Killer Guilty of Murder appeared first on Casino.org.

Troy Kellett, 50, assaulted three casino patrons on three separate occasions at the Atlantis Resort in Reno, the Sands Casino in Reno, and the Nugget Casino in Sparks, according to the Washoe County DA’s Office.

He pleaded guilty Wednesday to battery with the use of a deadly weapon and battery resulting in substantial bodily harm.

On March 7, 2022, officers with the Reno Police Department responded to reports of an assault at the Atlantis Resort after a 60-year-old man was struck in the back of the head while gambling.

The casino’s security video showed an individual launching an unprovoked attack on the man before fleeing the casino. The victim was treated for lacerations to the back of the head that required surgical staples.

Second Attack

On March 12, police were called to the Sands after a 31-year-old man was hit in the back of the head with a 10-pound rock while playing a gaming machine. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he received stitches.

On this occasion, police identified Kellett as the perpetrator via surveillance video. The very next day, he struck again, bludgeoning a 42-year-old man with a rock in the bathroom of the Nugget.

The victim was taken to the Northern Nevada Medical Center to be treated for multiple skull fractures and an internal brain bleed.

Police located Kellett shortly after the incident. He attempted to flee but was arrested.

Previous Violent Incidents

At sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Brett Dieffenbach told a Washoe County Court judge that “Nothing short of the maximum possible sentence would serve to keep the community safe from further random acts of violence being perpetrated upon the citizens of Washoe County,” per a news release from the DA’s Office.

In November 2021, Kellett was arrested for approaching a woman from behind and hitting her over the head with a metal trash can lid, according to a bulletin from the Reno Police Department.

In 1995, Kellett spent time in prison after he and another man racially abused two Black men before attacking them with pool cues. He was charged with battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial injury.

The post Reno Casino Attacker Gets 40 Years for Injuring Strangers with Rocks appeared first on Casino.org.

Robert Watson allegedly stabbed 76-year-old Emmanuel “Sam” Burgarino 26 times in a hallway on the fifth floor before robbing him and leaving him to die. His lawyers contend he suffers from schizophrenia and was mentally incompetent at the time of the killing.

On Monday, the jury saw a security video from Harrahs that showed Watson prowling the property over two days without being questioned by casino staff, Patch.com reports.

Larry Ferguson, manager of surveillance at Harrah’s Casino Joliet, testified that Watson must have spent the night somewhere inside the casino as there was no footage that showed him exiting the building between midnight and 7 a.m.

‘Deserves Oscar’

On Tuesday, Dr. Monica Argumedo told the jury that if Watson was faking his mental illness, as prosecutors contended, he deserved an Oscar, Patch.com reported. Argumedo said Watson was admitted to a mental institution in 2013 after he climbed a water tower naked. He later told doctors that he had heard voices and threatened to jump from the tower because he “wanted to see God.”

Last week, at the start of his trial, Watson told the judge that he wanted to get rid of his public defense lawyer, Shenonda Tisdale, and denied he was insane.

“I did not kill the man at the casino,” Watson said. “My public defender is trying to get me to make an insanity plea.”

After the court was briefly adjourned so that Tisdale could consult with her client, Watson agreed to proceed with the insanity plea.

Civil Claim Stalled

Burgarino was visiting the casino with his girlfriend, Denise Dixon, when he was killed. Dixon, who had been waiting for him on the gaming floor, later sued operator Caesars Entertainment for negligence, arguing Harrah’s staff failed in their duty of care to protect Burgarino.

The case went to mediation, but as of June last year, no settlement had been reached, and the parties were “at an impasse,” according to court documents.

Watson was arrested the day after the murder in the Joliet Public Library, just two blocks from the casino. Police found Burgarino’s bloodstained cash in his backpack.

The post Harrah’s Joliet Accused Murderer Prowled Casino for Two Days, Court Hears appeared first on Casino.org.

AAA annually reviews more than 32K hotels and restaurants, with just 7% receiving a Four Diamond or higher rating. For hotels, 1,752 properties earned the AAA Four Diamond distinction for 2022.

A Four Diamond hotel must offer upscale amenities and distinctive fine dining. AAA inspectors also require a commitment to quality and consistent service to receive esteemed recognition.

Our luxurious accommodations and premier guest services are a defining feature of our property,” said Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland General Manager Ryan Eller. “The AAA Four Diamond rating recognizes our commitment to providing a best-in-class experience from the moment a guest enters the casino to the moment they check out of the hotel.”

Unannounced Inspections

For more than 80 years, AAA’s professional inspectors have been making unannounced visits to hotels for in-person evaluations. The reviews are tailored toward evaluating properties based on AAA member priorities such as cleanliness, property condition, service, and overall experience.

“AAA-inspected and approved hotels reflect a commitment to quality and consistency in the hospitality industry. Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland remains part of a prestigious group of luxury hotels to hold this rating that considers cleanliness, comfort, cuisine, and consistency,” read a release from The Cordish Companies, which operates the casino resort.

AAA Diamonds are earned through unscheduled hotel inspections. Live! had no knowledge of when the AAA inspectors would visit the resort to review its accommodations and associated amenities and services.

In February, Cordish Companies Chairman and CEO David Cordish hinted to the Baltimore Business Journal that a considerable expansion of the company’s Hanover resort will likely come in the near future.

Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland is one of numerous Four Diamond AAA casinos in the US, with most being located in Las Vegas. In Southern Nevada, Four Diamond AAA casino resorts include Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, The Mirage, Cosmopolitan, Resorts World, and Circa. Five Diamond casinos in Sin City include the Bellagio and Aria.

Resort Details

Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland features 310 guest rooms, including 52 suites.

As for the casino, Live! is equipped with 4,000 slot machines, 200 live dealer table games, and a FanDuel Sportsbook. The resort additionally offers a 75,000-square-foot concert and events space called The Hall.

Last year, Live! Casino was the second-richest casino in Maryland after MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, just outside the nation’s capital. In 2022, Live! generated more than $705.3 million gross gaming revenue from retail slots and table games. Only MGM’s Maryland casino won more money at $884.5 million.

The post Live! Casino Hotel Maryland Receives AAA Four Diamonds for Fifth Consecutive Year appeared first on Casino.org.

EARLIER: There were extensive delays Thursday morning for traffic heading to Harry Reid International Airport after a fatal three-car collision.

Las Vegas motorists will find that the southbound lanes on Paradise Road before the entrance to the Airport Connector are closed to traffic, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS. Multiple northbound lanes of Paradise Road were reported closed, too, Las Vegas TV station KSNV reported.

As of mid-morning, northbound Airport Connector traffic is being rerouted to Russell Road after the tunnel, according to KLAS. There was no time frame for when the roads would reopen to traffic.

The accident occurred at about 5:45 a.m. on Paradise Road, south of Russell Road. The crash led to one vehicle rolling over. Two other vehicles were involved.

The airport tweeted that drivers should “expect traffic delays for several hours. Utilize alternate routes and give extra time if heading to LAS.”

One Fatality

One man was declared dead at the accident scene. Police hadn’t released his identity as of Thursday morning. At least two other victims were transported to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center for treatment of their injuries.

Authorities didn’t have updated information on their conditions by mid-morning on Thursday.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers were on the scene throughout the morning while investigating the accident’s circumstances.

Being the only commercial airport in Las Vegas, the Harry Reid Airport traffic congestion may impact gamblers, tourists, convention attendees, and others driving or getting rides between the airport and hotels/casinos on the Las Vegas Strip or those casinos in downtown Las Vegas.

Prior Delays

Earlier this week, Harry Reid passengers using Southwest Airlines found several delayed flights and a few canceled flights on Tuesday. The brief glitch was blamed on an intermittent technology issue that impacted Las Vegas and much of the US.

At least 202 Southwest flights at the Las Vegas airport were delayed on Tuesday. Three flights at Harry Reid also were canceled, the flight tracking site FlightAware reported.

The post Harry Reid Airport Key Routes Closed to Motorists After Deadly Car Crash appeared first on Casino.org.

A local business in Tennessee has, for many years, shuttled residents to the tribal casino in adjacent North Carolina. The casino bus shuttle operates under the business entity “50 N Up Club.”

For $99, passengers are transported from Chattanooga to Harrah’s Cherokee, located about 140 miles away along US Route 74. The trip takes about three hours each way.

Passengers receive roundtrip “luxury transportation,” light onboard snacks, and $20 in free slot play.

The “50 N Up Club” has been departing from the local Chattanooga Walmart parking lot, located at 490 Greenway View, for many years. But a recent run of the casino service came with unexpected surprises when the bus returned to the Walmart parking lot the following day.

Harrah’s Cherokee is one of three tribal casinos in North Carolina. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians additionally owns Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River in Murphy, while the Catawba Nation owns and operates its Two Kings casino in Kings Mountain.

Harrah’s Cherokee is the largest of the three tribal casinos, with more than 3,000 slot machines, 160 table games, and a Caesars Sportsbook. The property additionally features more than 1,800 guest rooms.

Overnight Parking Limited

Walmart parking lots are favored destinations for many Americans making cross-country drives in their RVs and buses. But each Walmart determines its own rules for overnight parking, the company said.

For the Chattanooga Walmart, the parking lots are apparently not to be used for unattended overnight parking. WTVC reported Monday that it found signs in the Walmart parking lot warning that there is no truck or overnight truck parking.

No other signs warned about smaller vehicles being prohibited from parking overnight in the expansive lot. Some of the casino riders who had their cars towed said they have been parking overnight and taking the casino bus to Harrah’s Cherokee for more than two years.

Walmarts across the country typically allow overnight parking, but the retail giant says guests are to first obtain permission from the local property. The Chattanooga Walmart, unlike many other Walmart Supercenter locations, isn’t open 24/7, but instead, operates from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., seven days per week.

Costly Trip

Towing prices typically depend on the distance the vehicle is towed. American Tow & Recovery is about eight miles from the Walmart where the cars and trucks were towed from, with Google Maps showing it’s about a 20-minute trip across town.

Nerd Wallet, an online personal finance website, says the average cost of such a tow is about $100. That about doubles the cost of the 24-hour casino bus trip venture.

The post Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Bus Trip Results in Vehicle Tows for Dozens of Gamblers appeared first on Casino.org.

In a US District Court in Seattle, Jose Arrondondo-Valdez, 27, aka “Primo,” received a nine-year sentence on drug trafficking charges. Yvette Olguin, 40, was given 30 months in prison for money laundering conspiracy.

Arrondondo-Valdez was Valdez-Sanudo’s right-hand man, according to prosecutors. The pair were arrested together at the Snoqualmie Casino, east of Seattle, where they planned to confront a gang member who owed a drug debt. Investigators found three loaded guns, one equipped with a homemade silencer, inside their vehicle.

Courier Intercepted

In all, 11 members were indicted in December 2020 following a lengthy DEA wiretap investigation.

The first group member to be detained was a courier named Fausto Paz. He had been due to bring a shipment of meth to a compound where Valdez-Sanudo lived with Olguin in Arlington, but federal agents intercepted Wash. Paz as he crossed the Oregon-Washington border.

When the courier didn’t show, Valdez-Sanudo believed he had stolen the drugs and ordered him to be tortured, according to wiretap evidence.

When police searched Valdez-Sanudo’s compound, they found a vast haul of drugs buried underground. They also seized 10 firearms at the property.

Olguin Played ‘Key Role’

Prosecutors said Olguin was key to the operation of the drug trafficking organization by making hotel and travel arrangements, as well as working to launder cash through casinos and purchasing properties and high-end vehicles.

With today’s sentences, Mr. Arrondondo-Valdez and Ms. Olguin will spend significant amounts of time in federal custody as a result of their roles in this drug trafficking organization,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.

Other group members already convicted include Wayne Frisby, aka “Mac Wayne,” a legally blind rapper profiled in an Amazon Prime documentary. He received six years in prison in August 2022 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

The post Washington State Casinos Helped Drugs Gang Launder $1M appeared first on Casino.org.

The two were playing Four Card Keno video machines at the High Limit Bar when they both hit the jackpots. The wins were simultaneous, Las Vegas TV station KTNV reported.

We aren’t sure who has the bragging rights for the highest win, the husband or the wife, but one hit $87,240 and the other $13,048,” the casino said in a statement.

The exact total was $100,288. They were playing $1 hands.

Typically, Four Card Keno players select their numbers from the 80 numbers shown on the video screen. The numbers are drawn randomly by a hopper. Keno traces its origins to China. It’s played similarly to a lottery, and its rules are like Lotto.

One player populated the machine’s upper left corner at the Rampart Casino. The other player won with the lower right corner, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The winners were believed to be locals but declined to release their names.

This happened right here! "Husband, wife hit jackpots totaling over $100K at off-Strip Las Vegas casino." https://t.co/hNW4hZSx4E

— Rampart Casino (@RampartCasino) March 13, 2023

Caesars Palace Player Wins $100K in Video Poker

A mystery player hit a $100K jackpot playing video poker Thursday night at Caesars Palace Las Vegas. The lucky gambler got four aces, with the two clubs being the kicker.

The player was believed to be visiting Las Vegas from out of town and decided to play $125 hands when he/she hit the jackpot, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Caesars Palace is a Caesars Entertainment property.

Chumash Casino Resort Awards $50K Prize

A woman, identified as “Lisa B.,” won $50K in a Sunday night drawing at California’s Chumash Casino Resort. The lucky visitor from Oxnard, Calif., participated in the quarterly “Money Talks” drawing.

Lisa repeatedly used her player’s club card to improve her chances since November. She often plays slot machines and table games at the tribal casino.

Lisa was one of 30 winners during the weekend drawing. The total given out was $250K in cash and prizes.

Chumash Casino is located in Santa Ynez, about 125 miles northwest of Los Angeles. It’s owned and operated by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

The post Jackpot: Married Couple Wins on Adjacent Keno Machines at Rampart Casino appeared first on Casino.org.

The roads heading to the gaming property and the rest of the Tule River Reservation are impassable for most vehicles. That’s because of flooding and damaged pavement caused by the rash of recent storms throughout California.

Eagle Mountain Casino will be closed until further notice,” Neil Peyron, chairman of the Tule River Tribe, was quoted this weekend by California TV station KSEE. “The goal is trying to restore the road to a point where we can have regular vehicle traffic.”

As of now, the Tule River Indian Tribe of California’s priority is the safety of the tribal community. That includes providing access for emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire crews, as well as repair of the roadway, Peyron said.

Emergency Evacuation

Over the weekend, emergency crews evacuated workers and visitors to the Porterville, Calif. casino, owned and operated by the Tule River Tribe.

On Saturday, hail and heavy rain fell — and there were bursts of heavy lightning throughout the Central Valley, which includes the reservation and the nearby city of Fresno.

A new atmospheric river, which are long, narrow bands of moisture, was to hit California on Monday, CNN reported. That means heavy rain and more floods are expected in Central and Northern California, according to the National Weather Service.

Eagle Mountain Casino to Relocate on Reservation

Later this year, the tribe will likely open a new Eagle Mountain Casino on the Tule River Reservation. The project was given federal approval in 2019. Construction on the new complex began in April 2021. The new casino floor will include 1,750 slot machines and 20 table games.

The new site is about 17 miles from the current casino location. It’s on 40 acres, located near the Porterville Airport off Highway 65.

Eagle Mountain Casino’s current location has more than 1,200 slot machines, a poker room, and table games. The relocation will lead to hundreds of jobs to construct the new complex. After opening, some 300 full- and part-time jobs will be created.

The new casino site is more centrally located than the current complex, and the new casino’s design will feature Tule River culture in the building and gaming experience.

The existing casino will be turned into a multipurpose building including a school, tribal health clinic, tribal government offices, and possibly some food outlets and restaurants.

The post Eagle Mountain Casino Temporarily Closed By Damaged, Flooded Roads appeared first on Casino.org.

He made a $5 progressive bet, qualifying for a progressive payout. He had four of a kind earlier while playing Ultimate Texas Hold’em, winning a minor progressive. More than three hours later, Steven L. got a five-card royal flush in hearts. He was given a King and Jack. The flop was the Ace, Queen, and 10.

The mega jackpot totaled $1,018,643, according to Kansas TV station WIBW.

The casino recently offered a linked progressive on Ultimate Texas Hold’em & Mississippi Stud tables. It has led to 661 progressive wins, which total more than $3.9M.

Prairie Band Casino & Resort is located in Mayetta, Kansas. It’s 24 miles north of Topeka, and is owned by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

https://twitter.com/prairieband/status/1630582871122477056

Caesars Entertainment Wins

A player won $341,831 on a progressive royal flush while playing Mississippi Stud Poker at Harrah’s Laughlin Beach Resort over the weekend. She was identified as Megan of Olympia, Wash.

The win was announced on Monday via Harrah’s Laughlin’s Twitter feed. The Laughlin gaming property is located on the Colorado River, across from Arizona.

Another player won a $100K jackpot playing video poker over the weekend at a second Caesars Entertainment property, Caesars Palace Las Vegas. The mystery player was unidentified. Caesars Entertainment didn’t release details on the win.

Treasure at Treasure Island

There were also numerous winners at Las Vegas’ Treasure Island Hotel & Casino recently. Nine players, each from a different state, won jackpots totaling more than $10K each at Treasure Island, according to Las Vegas TV station KTNV.

• Allison, from California, won $18,625 on the Dragon Link Progressive. Anita from Tennessee received $10,970 on the Jinse Dao Dragon slot machine.
• Robin, from Utah, hit $42,911 on the Rakin’ Bacon Grand Progressive game.
• Donald, from Minnesota, won $37,560 on the Rakin Bacon machine at the location.
• Brandon, from Ohio, hit $12,500. He found his luck in the Top Dollar Triple Diamond game. Socorro of Washington State celebrated a win of $14,580. That player’s luck was found on the Dancing Drum Prosperity Grand.
• Paul, from Delaware, won $14,739 while playing the Shimmering Seven Revolution machine, while Frank from Illinois took home $10,539 after a win on the Bao Zhu Zhao Fu machine.
• Glenn, from Hawaii, won $14K after hitting each of seven numbers on a keno slot machine.

The post Jackpot: Kansas’ Prairie Band Casino Pays Out $1M to Lucky Player appeared first on Casino.org.

US District Judge Andrew Gordon made no judgment on the allegations contained in the lawsuit. But by granting it permission to represent a class, he paved the way for anyone who bought or owned the casino giant’s shares between Feb. 28, 2014, and Jan. 25, 2018, to join the case.

The suit names Wynn Resorts Ltd and several current and former executives, including former CEO Matt Maddox and current CEO Craig Scott Billings. It is one of several shareholder lawsuits filed in the wake of allegations against Wynn.

On Jan. 26, 2018, The Wall Street Journal published an article titled “Dozens of People Recount Pattern of Sexual Misconduct by Las Vegas Mogul Steve Wynn.” The story claimed that Wynn had coerced several Wynn Resorts employees to perform sex acts on him, and had paid a $7.5 million settlement to one who claimed she was pregnant with Wynn’s child.

Wynn, who resigned as chairman and CEO later that year, has always denied these allegations.

Share Prices Plummet 

On the day the article was published, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission announced a regulatory review of the company.

Wynn was building the $2.6 billion Encore Boston Harbor during the review, and investors feared its license was in jeopardy. After the article was published, other women also came forward to make allegations, causing the price to fall further, according to the lawsuit.

Ultimately, the company’s share price fell $20.31, or 10.12% in a day.

Massachusetts regulators fined Wynn Resorts $35 million for not disclosing the allegations and for the existence of the $7.5 million settlement, but allowed the company to keep its license.

‘Precipitous Decline’

“As a result of Defendants’ wrongful acts and omissions, and the precipitous decline in the market value of the Company’s securities, Plaintiffs and other Class members have suffered significant losses and damages,” the complaint stated. “[…] As the senior managers and/or directors of Wynn Resorts, the Individual Defendants had knowledge of the details of Wynn Resorts’ internal affairs.”

In his 27-page determination, Judge Gordon noted that a Wynn Resorts press release after publishing the WSJ article denied the allegations. But a subsequent “deluge of calls” to the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Las Vegas Metro Police about Wynn’s alleged behavior was “sufficiently tied to these denials to support an inference of price impact.”

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages, interest, legal fees, and other costs.

The post Wynn Resorts Shareholder Suit Over Sex Misconduct Claims Can Proceed appeared first on Casino.org.

Sara Jacqueline King was spotted by the casino’s sophisticated facial recognition technology despite ditching her usual Dior for a baseball cap pushed low over her face, along with yoga pants and a hoodie. She was removed from the premises by Wynn security staff, according to LAM.   

King was banned from the casino in November. That’s after management learned she was allegedly scamming fellow guests and staff members.

One alleged victim was a cocktail waitress who had scraped together $5,000 she wanted to invest in the glamorous and apparently successful King’s business.

‘Female Madoff’

This was King Family Lending LLC (KFL), a kind of high-end digital pawn shop. Customers could receive quick cash for collateral like jewelry, luxury cars, and other high-ticket items at a higher rate than regular loans.

Last month, a KFL investor, LDR International, sued King, alleging she had frittered away a $10,258,500 investment meant for third-party borrowers. She did so by moving “into the Wynn Las Vegas resort and hotel, liv[ing] there for six months, and gambl[ing] 24/7.”

King lived in a comped VIP suite only offered to customers prepared to gamble more than $300K in one day.

Her preferred games were slots. Her ex-husband, Kamran Pahlavi, told LA Magazine that she called herself “the slots whisperer” and claimed to have an unbeatable strategy. There is no “strategy” for traditional slots, let alone an unbeatable one.

Pahlavi, a great-nephew of the last Shah of Iran, said he left King, moved to Morocco, and filed for divorce when he learned he had been living with “the female Madoff” all these years.

FBI Interest

King claims she now has no money. Earlier this month, she had the chutzpah to ask LDR for more to regain what she had lost, according to the company’s lawsuit.

Despite this, she has been spotted gambling at Resorts World and several other Strip casinos, according to LAM.

LDR has referred its case to the FBI, and King’s other alleged victims are understood to be in contact with federal agents. The California Bar is reportedly investigating her for misconduct, and her business license to lend money has been revoked.

The post L.A. Lawyer Accused of $10M Fraud 86’d from Wynn Las Vegas After Gambling in Disguise appeared first on Casino.org.

The first payout wasn’t enough for the would-be double winner, who uses the nickname “Chicklet.” She still felt lucky after leaving the Berlin, Md. gaming property at about 1 a.m., so she went to Thirsty’s, a local convenience store in her hometown of Princess Anne, at about noon.

She approached the self-serve vending machine, where the pink-colored Extreme Cash game ticket caught her attention.

I just bought that scratch-off because it stood out to me, and pink is my favorite color,” Chicklet explained in a statement from the lottery.

She then returned to her nearby residence and scratched away the hidden numbers. They showed she had won $100K. That’s the top prize in the Extreme Cash game.

For her, the lottery jackpot was indeed “surreal,” she said.

Works 12-Hour Days

Chicklet is a nursing assistant and has extended hours on the job. She works 12-hour shifts. Some of the money will pay for more schooling, which will help advance her career. She is also the mother of four children. Among them is a son who now lives in China. She plans to use some of her lottery winnings to fly thousands of miles to see him more often.

She recalls wearing the same clothes when she purchased the lottery ticket at the casino. She now says that outfit is “lucky.”

Chicklet is the 60th $100K winner in the Extreme Cash game. She also is the game’s third top-prize winner in the last two weeks, the lottery announced on Wednesday.

Game Explained

To win the Extreme Cash game, players must match any of their numbers to one or more of the six winning numbers. They then win the prize shown for that number.

Thirsty’s will receive a $1,000 bonus for selling Chicklet the winning ticket.

There’s no word on what game she was playing at Ocean Downs Casino when she won $11K. The Churchill Downs Inc.-operated gaming property is about six miles west of the resort town of Ocean City, Md.

The post Double Jackpot: Maryland Woman Wins Lottery Game, Cash at Casino Within Hours of Each Other appeared first on Casino.org.

The Aria operator recently unveiled its “Daily Tier Status Accelerator” program. That allows visitors to its casino hotels to garner daily bonuses when specific milestones are reached during particular times of the day. Two of the more lavish milestones could help MGM patrons reach coveted gold and platinum in just two days, according to the operator.

Sapphire is the lowest level in MGM Rewards, and it takes 25K tier credits to get bumped to Pearl. From there, 75K points are needed to move to Gold, and Platinum requires 200K tier credits. The elite Noir level is invitation-only. Under the accelerator offering, guests will have to be mindful of when they’re attempting to earn tier credits.

Tier Credits earned are based on a single promotional day’s activity during the offer period. Each promotional day during the offer period begins at 6:00 am PT on a calendar day and ends at 5:59 am PT on the following calendar day (with the last promotional day starting on July 31, 2023 at 6:00 am PT) subject to certain exceptions related to hotel folio charges. All eligible Tier Credits earned during a promotional day qualify towards earning a bonus Tier Credit for that promotional day,” according to MGM.

Looked at differently, superstitious bettors who believe there’s something to the notion of playing slots or video poker into the wee hours of the morning won’t be rewarded for their efforts under the accelerator platform. They’ll simply earn tier credits as normal.

MGM Accelerator is Nice, Big Spending Still Required

MGM Rewards is one of the largest loyalty programs in the gaming industry. The operator’s deep portfolio of Las Vegas and regional casinos makes it easy for guests to earn tier credits nationwide.

Throw in earning 5,000 tier credits in one day, which rises to 6,250 with the accelerator, and it would still be a while (or expensive) to garner the 75K tier credits necessary to get MGM Rewards Gold status. The second accelerator offering lavishes 5,000 additional tier credits upon those who can earn 10K credits in a single day.

For the bold or well-heeled, earning 20K tier credits in a day commands an accelerator bonus of the same amount, meaning guests can get to Gold status in just two days if they can afford it. The Platinum accelerator is rewarding, though costly. MGM guests earning 40K tier credits daily receive a 60K credit bonus, meaning it would take just two days to reach the MGM Rewards Platinum.

MGM Rewards Accelerator Not Difficult or Cheap

While fully taking advantage of the accelerator program isn’t for the frugal, to be fair to MGM, the company does make it efficient for customers to give it at least a whirl.

“Earn Tier Credits for slots, video poker, and table games based on length of play, average bet, and game type. Earn 4 Tier Credits per dollar spent on your hotel stay, dining, spa and salon services, and entertainment.,” according to the operator.

The post MGM Unveils Daily Tier Status Booster Program appeared first on Casino.org.

Bryan Provencal, 46, a local restaurateur, told The Portsmouth Herald that his actions on the night of February 13 were completely out of character. He says he has no memory of the night in question and suspects he was drugged.

Provencal told The Herald that he met with friends at The Brook, formerly the Seabrook Greyhound Park, to celebrate his birthday. He claimed he only had to drink a single vodka and diet soda all night.

The last thing he remembers is going to the bathroom, where a feeling of intoxication overcame him. He believes he subsequently stumbled out of the toilet, possibly leading to the indecent exposure charge.

“That’s not my character,” Provencal said. “I can’t explain why that stuff happened. I think somebody attempted to rob me, maybe, put something in my drink, or I don’t know. I don’t do drugs.”

Exposing the Truth

Police were called to The Brook around 10:30 p.m. to respond to disturbance reports. According to Lt. Timothy Mone of the Seabrook Police Department, Provencal allegedly became disorderly after being asked to leave, assaulting staff and an unnamed customer.

He allegedly pulled down the front of his pants, exposing himself to casino patrons. Mone said witnesses also saw him pull the fire alarm, which automatically summoned emergency responders.

Provencal said he doesn’t believe he set off the alarm. But he thinks someone in his party may have done so. The assault charge stemmed from him “brushing past” a security guard, he added.

Memory Lapse

Provencal is a former member of Hampton Beach’s ZBA. He ran for a seat on the Board of Selectmen in 2020 and owns the town’s Pier restaurant. He is scheduled to be arraigned on April 12.

Anybody can get drugged. If this was my behavior, it would be happening all the time,” he told The Herald. “I can’t make excuses because I don’t remember being there. All I can say is, this isn’t how I normally act.”

Provencal said he has been visiting The Brook for 25 years without trouble.

The post Ex-Hampton Beach Official Allegedly Exposed Himself at The Brook Casino, Cops Say appeared first on Casino.org.

The man, Nersius Adonliel Artisani, 50, of Waterloo, Iowa, was arrested while still in the casino. He was charged with willful injury causing serious injury. His bail was set at $25K.

The incident began when the woman threw the drink at Artisani while the two were on the gaming floor. He then waited for her to exit the casino, and once outside, he allegedly assaulted her and kicked her when she was on the ground, police said.

The woman suffered a broken jaw, broken facial bones, missing teeth, and a cut on her ear, according to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier newspaper. She was initially taken to Iowa’s MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center before being transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City for specialized care.

Police didn’t release a motive for the dispute.

Man Allegedly Fed Dog Vodka in Laughlin

An Arizona man was arrested on Sunday after allegedly giving his small dog vodka, aspirin, and orange juice at the Harrah’s Del Rio Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, Nev.

The dog was lethargic and couldn’t walk after ingesting the mixture, Las Vegas TV station KSNV reported based on police reports.

The suspect, James Schulte, was charged with willful/malicious torture to kill a dog/cat/animal. He was booked at the Tucker Holding Facility before being transferred to the Clark County Detention Center, where he remained in custody on Wednesday.

Schulte said the dog had a seizure three weeks ago and claimed he was attempting to make it comfortable. Once the dog died, he planned to place it in a river so it could float to Mexico, the report said.

Poker Player Fatally Shot in Harlem

Bryan Cummings, 40, of New York City, was shot and later died on Tuesday while playing poker in a Harlem apartment. Cummings was hit in the torso, the New York Daily News reported. He was rushed to nearby Harlem Hospital, where he died a few hours later while undergoing treatment.

Before the shooting, Cummings got into a dispute with one or more of the other poker players in the apartment. There were a half-dozen people at the poker table at the time. Each was either in their 40s or 50s, the Daily News reported.

Cops in the apartment found a .9-mm shell casing.

Police don’t know what caused the dispute, nor do they know who fired the gun. Cummings was a member of the Bloods street gang, according to police.

The post Casino Crime Roundup: Iowa Casino Fight Leads to Hospitalization, Dog Drugged at Harrah’s Laughlin appeared first on Casino.org.

The lucky player was identified as “T. Quarles” of Brookhaven. The total hit was $1,111,759.20.

She wagered $3.75 on a Buffalo Grand game at the Natchez gaming property.

When asked about the win, Quarles said, “Give to others generously and the Lord will give back to you.” 

She went to the casino with some friends.

Tim Morrissey, the gaming property’s vice president and general manager, said winning is “all part of the thrill, you never know when you’ll hit it big,” the Natchez Democrat newspaper reported.

Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel is owned and operated by Saratoga Casino Holdings. It has more than 500 slots on the gaming floor, and many table games.

The gaming venue is along the Mississippi River, about 103 miles southeast of Jackson, Miss.

Bachelor Party Goer Wins $131K at Paris Las Vegas

Danial Platow of Wisconsin won $131,800 on a slot machine at the Paris Las Vegas casino on Saturday. He was in Las Vegas to attend his son’s bachelor party.

Platow was trying his luck on the slots at the Paris Las Vegas for about a half hour. Then he hit the jackpot at the Caesars Entertainment property.

The father of the groom will use the money to pay off bills and make donations to some charities. 

Legends Bay Mega Wheel Pays $250K to Retired Man

A local man recently won $250,000 at Legends Bay Casino in Sparks, Nev. He is the first winner of the gaming property’s Mega Wheel promotion.

He was identified as Genene Proffitt of Sparks. He was at the northern Nevada casino on February 18 and the win is very memorable for him.

For us, it will be life-changing,” Proffitt was quoted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I’m retired and we are on a fixed income, so we now have options — and the security we never dreamed we could have.”

The game at Legends Bay Casino is played on Fridays and Saturdays through March 25.

$103K Won at Filotimo Casino in Dover, N.H.

A Maine man won more than $100K at the Filotimo Casino and DraftKings Sportsbook at Dover Bowl last month.

He won $103,201 on a Scorchin’ Hot Ruby slot machine after a $3 bet.

The jackpot represents the initial big win at the charitable casino’s new slot machines.

The player, identified as “Ralph,” hails from Eliot, which is seven miles southeast of the casino.

The money will be used to pay off his son’s college loans, according to New Hampshire TV station WMUR.

The post Jackpot: Magnolia Bluffs Casino Slot Player Wins $1.1M in Mississippi appeared first on Casino.org.

Betting options are slated to become more abundant over the course of the year, as the state Gaming Commission issues at least two licenses for downstate casinos. It is widely expected that one will be at Empire City Casino in Yonkers (owned by MGM) and the other at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens (owned by Malaysia-based Genting).

As such, we’re giving them some ideas. That’s while imploring the State Gaming Commission to adopt some of the measures being proposed by Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow that we have reported on here.

The Tier One Companies

DraftKings Sportsbook: Please ease up on the make-your-own parlay rules. Earlier this NBA season, this writer was able to parlay a certain player getting a triple-double with another player getting a double-double. Now, those parlays are no longer allowed. The ready-made, same-game parlays are OK.  But they take the choices out of the hands of the gamblers who do their homework on this stuff.

FanDuel Sportsbook: This piece of advice goes for all nine of the NY books: offer something to existing customers. DK does it better with opt-ins that are available on a daily basis (today’s is a weeklong NBA pick ’em pool). FanDuel’s home page has only one offer — refer a friend, and both of you will get $50 in bonus bets. Memo to FD: everyone who wants to gamble in New York (and in many of your other markets) is already gambling. There is a limited pool of new customers available.

BetMGM: Please put a little public pressure on state legislators to issue the first two downstate casino licenses. This would allow BetMGM to open a sports betting lounge at the old Yonkers Raceway. Under current rules, the commercial casino license must be issued first before construction could begin on a sports betting parlor at Empire City Casino. Getting things done in New York doesn’t have to take forever. And video lottery terminals are no fun.

The Tier 2 Sportsbooks

Caesars Sportsbook: The ready-made parlay options and boosts are more extensive here than the ones at DraftKings and FanDuel. But the rewards options are too few and far between. Also, please hire a site designer who can make the sportsbook site easier to navigate. No scroll bar on the right side of the page? Really? It’s not that difficult.

PointsBet.com: We used to love the “Name a Bet” option because it worked, and we could get action on bets that we couldn’t find elsewhere. But that component has become nonfunctional in terms of getting a “Name a Bet” placed on the betting menu. Our last several attempts have failed. Also, why not make customer service agents available by phone, as they are in New Jersey? One of the books could do this unilaterally instead of waiting for the state to mandate it.

BetRivers.com: These folks seem to have some sharp traders setting their lines. It used to be the wagering lines at BetRivers were out of touch with reality, and thus good for the gambler. Over the past six months, that has changed. That’s good for the book, but not great for the gambler, as we pointed out in this article about Yankees future betting. Keep up the good stuff on social media.

Houston with the catch of the season and it's only February pic.twitter.com/y487Tm4GQx

— BetRivers Sportsbook (@BetRivers) February 26, 2023

The Tier Three Sportsbooks

WynnBet: Open the company wallet, please. Right now the best offer out there at WynnBet is to make a bet for $100 with odds -120 or greater and get a $5 free bet. Perhaps y’all haven’t heard, but $5 does not get you what it once did. Customer loyalty is built off of treating your customers better than the competition does. That is lacking here.

ResortsWorld Bet: We’re big fans of your poker room in Monticello, and its attached sportsbook, which is the place closest to New York City (excluding the Meadowlands) where someone can participate in the communal gambling experience. This company is owned by Genting, which also owns Aqueduct Racetrack and will likely be getting a downstate casino license. Offering a free hoodie in February was cool. Please offer something better in March.

BallyBet: Please offer futures markets. Y’all have been online since July, and we understand the whole Sinclair/ Diamond disaster and how it’s impacting regional sports networks. Still, that dysfunction shouldn’t bleed over into the sports gambling business. If things are that bleak, please try to find a way to sell your New York license to BetFanatics.

The post New York Sportsbook Changes Needed in 2023 – Opinion appeared first on Casino.org.

The move is part of the Macau government’s initiative to increase the number of foreign tourists in the gambling hub as opposed to visitors from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Launched around a week ago, the new segregated zone is situated off the main casino floor in an area formerly reserved for VIP gaming. A passport or travel document is required to enter.

Tax Breaks for Foreign Business

The zone at the LVS-owned property is likely to be the first of many within the gambling hub’s casinos. Macau’s recent retendering process, the first in 20 years, allowed it to overhaul its gaming regulations.

It won’t be compulsory for international visitors to use the zones – they will be permitted to gamble anywhere in the casino. But operators are incentivized to see that they do, perhaps by offering free bets or comps to tour groups and package vacationers.

It’s unclear just how many visitors are using the new zone. International flights into Macau are still limited because of the pandemic, despite an easing of restrictions in January.

Things could be looking up soon, however. The government announced recently that 12 international flight routes will open up beginning next month, including from Thailand and South Korea.

$15B Investment

Attracting more foreign visitors was a condition of Macau’s six casino giants’ new 10-year gaming permits. The Big Six have all pledged to invest nearly US$15 billion into Macau over the next decade.

The lion’s share of that – some $13.5 billion – will go on nongaming amenities designed to attract visitors from further afield.

This has long been a bugbear of the Central government in Beijing, which blames Macau’s gaming industry for encouraging money laundering and capital flight from the mainland. It has pressured the enclave to diversify its tourism sector.

The post Venetian Macao Opens Foreigner-Only Gaming Zone appeared first on Casino.org.

Leslie Stovall represented Kathryn Mayorga in the case. Mayorga, who waived her right to anonymity, claimed she was raped by the Portuguese national in his penthouse at the Palms Casino Resort in 2009.

But her complaint was dismissed in June last year after US District Judge Jennifer Dorsey determined Stovall had based the case on leaked, stolen records.

These were confidential and privileged conversations between Ronaldo and his lawyer that should not have been admitted as prosecution evidence, Dorsey wrote.

By relying on the documents, Stovall acted in bad faith, which “harmed Ronaldo,” and “lost Mayorga her opportunity to pursue the case,” Dorsey added.

Lawyer Personally Liable

Following the dismissal, Ronaldo’s lawyer, Peter Christiansen, asked Dorsey to make Stovall personally liable for the $626,000 the soccer player spent defending the lawsuit.

In documents filed to the US District Court for the District of Nevada last week, the judge granted the motion in principle. But she only awarded a little more than half of the requested amount because she said Ronaldo and his legal team could have shut the case down earlier.

Even at that early stage of the litigation, it was clear from a brief comparison of Mayorga’s complaint and the leaked documents that her allegations were rooted in the purloined materials,” she wrote. “But Ronaldo did not then seek case-terminating sanctions or to disqualify Stovall.

“He proceeded with discovery and waited more than a year to move to dismiss,” she added. “So Ronaldo shares at least part of the blame for this case dragging on for as long as it did….”

Football Leaks

The documents in question were allegedly stolen by the hacktivist Football Leaks website and published in October 2018 by German news outlet Der Spiegel.

They included a purported “information-gathering questionnaire” sent to Ronaldo by his lawyers shortly after the alleged incident. In the questionnaire, an individual referred to as “X,” who is alleged to be Ronaldo, appears to admit to engaging in nonconsensual sex with Mayorga.

In 2010, Mayorga signed a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) consenting to drop any claim against Ronaldo for a $375,000 settlement. Her lawsuit claimed she was “coerced” into signing the NDA by Ronaldo’s legal fixers at a time when she was “mentally incapacitated.”

Stovall and Mayorga have appealed the case.

The post Las Vegas Lawyer Ordered to Pay Ronaldo $335K Over Palms ‘Rape’ Claim appeared first on Casino.org.

David Jagolinzer was left slumped at the table for 16 minutes while the dealer continued to deal cards to other gamblers, according to the lawsuit. Meanwhile, Wynn security saw that something was wrong with him via the eye in the sky, but did not act, the suit claims.

In fact, far from rushing to offer emergency support, staff first began counting his gaming chips, according to the family’s attorneys.

Around 20 minutes after Jagolinzer suffered cardiac arrest, staff attempted to use a defibrillator on him. But the complaint claims they were not properly trained to use the device.

Family Needs to Know

“The family needs to know how and why casino security observes every player at a card table and will intervene if they think you are trying to cheat the house, but let David remain slumped over and unconscious on a gaming table while his brain was being deprived of oxygen,” Christian Morris, an attorney for the family, said in an email to The Las Vegas Review-Journal this week.

Jagolinzer, who was 48, died six months later from anoxic encephalopathy caused by the heart attack. This is where the brain is starved of oxygen after cessation of cerebral blood flow to brain tissue. The condition could have been avoided had he “obtained timely emergency medical treatment,” according to the lawsuit.

Jagolinzer was visiting Las Vegas to attend Mass Torts Made Perfect, an annual conference for plaintiff lawyers, and was staying at the Wynn.

The law firm in which he was a partner, the Ferraro Law Firm, said in a statement he was successful in obtaining hundreds of millions of dollars for his clients in trials and pretrial settlements.

Fighting for Justice

“David dedicated his life to helping those in need and always fighting for justice. There are no words to describe the trauma we endured as a family this last year losing him,” his family said in a statement. “His death was a devastating tragedy that could have been prevented.”

The lawsuit alleges wrongful death, negligence, negligence in security, and negligence in training and hiring.

Wynn Resorts said in a statement it would vigorously defend itself against the “false allegations” made in the lawsuit.

The post Wynn Las Vegas Sued Over Lawyer’s Death at Blackjack Table appeared first on Casino.org.

Tate, a British-American ex-champion kickboxer, has been called “the King of Toxic Masculinity” for multiple comments espousing misogyny, including that women should “bear responsibility” for being raped.

Nevertheless, “Top G,” as he likes to be known, has legions of impressionably young male followers who aspire to his ultra-masculine gangsta lifestyle, boasting more than 4.5 million followers on Twitter.

On December 30, the influencer was arrested in Bucharest, Romania, along with his younger brother, Tristan, and two Romanian citizens, for trafficking women into his adult webcam business under threat of violence. The Tates deny the charges.

Tate has said he moved to Romania because “corruption is far more accessible,” and it’s easier to evade rape charges there than in the West.

‘Hustler University’

Tate’s webcam business has been well documented, mainly by himself in his “Hustler University” videos, where he offers “business” tips on how to groom women for the porn industry. But his involvement with casinos is far sketchier.

“The story is there were three brothers, mafia guys, who owned 400 casinos throughout eastern Europe,” Tate says in one of his videos.

I came up with this plan, I went to them … ‘I’ll pay to open locations, so it costs you no money to be involved. I’ll give you a percentage of turnover, not profit,'” he added. “‘So even if it makes no money, you’re making money because it’s pure turnover. And I’ll open up directly next door to your number-one competitor in Romania. So, I’m going to go to war for you with my money.’”

Putting aside, for a moment, the fact that Tate perhaps unwisely publicly outed his business partners as mafia, it’s unclear exactly which casinos Tate owns and why he hasn’t used his social media reach to publicize them.

Tate has claimed to own 15 casinos that collectively make him $1 million per month.

Tate Confidential     

In a 2020 “Tate Confidential” video, the brothers are seen entering a casino, which appears to be part of Romania’s Las Vegas Games chain. Feeding money into the slots, Tate observes, “Because we own half of these places, we get half our money back.”

“We’ve opened some [expletive] casinos in partnership with one of the biggest and best brands in this whole country,” explained Tristan later in the video.

Love him or hate him – and there really is no middle ground here – many of Tate’s claims should be taken with a pinch of salt since he isn’t shy of making grandiose and highly suspect boasts about his wealth. After all, this is a man who claimed on a Twitch stream with Adin Ross, without apparent hyperbole, to being the “world’s first trillionaire.”

Should Tate’s case ultimately go to trial, prosecutors may shed more light on the real scope of his wealth and his business interests in Romania.

The post Andrew Tate: Does ‘Top G’ Really Own Casinos with the Mafia? appeared first on Casino.org.

Robert Watson was arrested on March 25, 2019, at the Joliet Public Library, the day after he is alleged to have stabbed to death 76-year-old Emanuel “Sam” Burgarino, a guest at the hotel.

Burgarino was knifed 26 times and robbed in a shocking attack.

At the time of his arrest, Watson was a transient with a violent history. His lawyers contend their client suffers from schizophrenia and was mentally incompetent at the time of the killing.

Trial Upcoming

The trial was scheduled to begin this week, but Will County Judge Dave Carlson granted a request by Watson’s lawyer, Shenonda Tisdale, to bump the trial to May 1, Patch.com reports. That’s because more time is needed for the defense to prepare for an insanity defense trial.

Watson was deemed fit to stand trial by a Will County jury in August 2020. That’s when Dr. Anna Stapleton testified for the prosecution that Watson appeared to be faking his mental illness.

Duty of Care

Burgarino, from Hales Corners, Wis., was visiting the casino with his fiancée. His alleged attacker was not a hotel guest, nor did he have a key or an assigned room.

Instead, he “suspiciously lurked and stalked patrons on Harrah’s property for hours—in plain view of the hotel staff—without checking in, gambling, or buying anything.” That’s according to a civil negligence lawsuit filed against the casino owner, Caesars Entertainment, by Burgarino’s fiancée, Denise Dixon.

Dixon argues in her suit that Harrah’s staff had a duty of care to protect their guests from Watson.

He was repeatedly caught on security cameras loitering around the venue. That’s while staff did nothing to investigate his presence or prevent the attack on Burgarino, Dixon claims.

At his 2020 competency hearing, jurors heard that Watson had lived in Wisconsin, Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, and Minnesota, according to Patch.com. Recently, he had stayed with his mother and then his grandmother. But both kicked him out. Jurors heard that on one occasion, he accused his mother of worshipping the devil.

In 2013, in Florida, police were called to see Watson standing naked on a roof, “wanting to kill himself.” He later told officers he had taken drugs and was hearing voices.

The post Harrah’s Joliet Alleged Stranger-Killer to Plead Insanity appeared first on Casino.org.

“The casino hotel I stayed at a few days ago went with blood-stained circuit board as its carpet pattern,” noted the opening poster, “Skittles_the_Dawn,” in the thread.

The post was accompanied by an image of a casino-hotel corridor with a geometric design across the floor and blood-red splotches that at times appear to seep out from under the doors of the rooms.

You staying at the Bates Motel or Overlook Hotel? If you see creepy twins RUN!” quipped one Redditor.

“This way they don’t have to clean up after real bloodstains! Life hack,” wrote another.

While the opening poster does not name the casino pictured, Casino.org has identified it as the Ameristar Kansas City. And we can confirm that the resort is not a scary place. It’s a family-friendly entertainment hub.

So, what is with the carpet?

The Casino Carpet Myth

There have long been rumors that casino carpets contain subliminal messages designed to keep you gambling. The carpets are busy and even “ugly” to ensure you keep your eyes on the table, according to one theory.

Some Redditors suggested this could be the secret behind Ameristar’s carpet, positing the bloodlike splotches could be designed to keep you on the gaming floor because you’re too scared to go back to your room.

Considering it’s a casino, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did research on everything that kept guests out of their rooms and encouraged them to be in the casino,” theorized one.

However, there is no real evidence for the “messages in the carpets” theory. Casino carpets are probably the way they are because colorful patterns help hide wear and tear from the often-intoxicated masses and the stains they generate – food, drink, and, yes, maybe even the odd spot of blood.

Bleeding Dye?

But one Redditor had perhaps the most plausible suggestion of all. This was neither a bad design nor was it an effort to conceal a crime or a mind-control experiment. It was merely a mistake that has yet to be rectified.

It looks more like portions of the ends of the rolled-up carpet were hit with some form of chemicals during the delivery, and the red dye bled out,” the poster suggested. “Contractors don’t care to mention it. They did their jobs and left. This is so bad there is no way it wasn’t a series of unfortunate events.”

And now you mention it, that’s kind of what it does look like.

Casino.org has reached out to the casino’s operator Boyd Gaming for comment.

The post What’s With Ameristar Kansas City’s ‘Bloodstain Design’ Carpet? appeared first on Casino.org.

The local permit is required to place a gambling venue at the planned location, a former grocery store called Shurfine.

The permit allows A.W. Rose Construction of Manchester, N.H. to “renovate the former grocery store and adjoining suite into (a) sports pub with charitable gaming,” the report said.

Shurfine Plaza was purchased for about $5 million by Manchester, N.H. developer Dick Anagnost last November. Anagnost is the manager of A.W. Rose Realty.

In 2019, Anagnost was given a charitable casino license from the New Hampshire Lottery Commission for the Conway site. The business is called the “Conway Poker Room and Casino, LLC.,” the report said.

Developer Runs Four Casinos

Anagnost currently runs charitable casinos in the New Hampshire towns of Keene, Manchester, Dover, and Lebanon. The operations raised $3,876,284 for New Hampshire nonprofits in 2022, the Sun said.

Under state law, a charitable casino must donate 35% of proceeds to charitable nonprofits under New Hampshire requirements.

“The business can only open if it has a charitable organization each night that is vetted by the state Attorney General’s office as a nonprofit 501 (3)-c,” John Eastman, Conway town manager, told the Sun.

The plan would be to be open three to four nights a week and each night to have a charitable operation they are gaming for.”

There’s a limit on what games are offered at the casino. In New Hampshire, local voters must approve sports betting or keno operations. Such forms of gambling were rejected four times in previous Conway town meetings.

Los Angeles-based gaming company Peninsula Pacific Entertainment is also involved in the project, the Sun reported.

The Conway Board of Selectmen will discuss the casino on February 21. Conway is located near the Maine-New Hampshire border.

Other Casino Projects

Other New Hampshire communities are also considering charitable casino proposals. In Lebanon, a gaming property was proposed at the site formerly housing Gerrish Honda.

A new charitable casino in Concord, N.H. was given conditional approval last month. The town’s Planning Board conditionally approved the project’s initial phase, which includes a 24,000-square-foot gaming room, and an 8,500-square-foot restaurant and brewpub.

The post Charitable Casino Plan for Empty Grocery Store Moves Forward in Conway, N.H. appeared first on Casino.org.

The victim met the two women on the casino floor at Caesars in the early hours of the morning. They offered to give him a neck massage for $100, according to an arrest report seen by The Las Vegas Review-Journal. He agreed but complained afterward the experience wasn’t worth $100.

The women then offered to go to his hotel room and put their breasts in the faces of his two friends, whom he had mentioned were asleep upstairs, according to the report. Again, the victim agreed that this would be a good idea.

Safe Cleaned Out

When they got to the suite, the victim remained briefly in the living room while the two women entered the bedroom where his friends were sleeping. Then he returned to the casino floor.

The women had taken a Rolex Submariner valued at $39K, a gold chain valued at $15K, $12K in cash, and $52K in casino chips, according to the report.

Security video showed the women entered the victims’ hotel room at 6:28 a.m. before exiting at 6:41 a.m.

‘Tropicana Nicole’

Police searched the phone number Durbin gave to the first victim and found it was linked to a CashApp account with the username “$TropicanaNicole.” A vice detective recognized the image in the profile as Durbin, who has been cited or arrested on suspicion of trespassing, prostitution, or loitering 20 times since 2015, according to Fox5 Las Vegas.

Eventually, the Mercedes returned to the property, and its two occupants were arrested. Inside the house, investigators found several firearms, $21,100 in Caesars gaming chips, and $31,600 in cash.

Weathersby was booked for possession of stolen goods and owning/possessing a gun by a prohibited person.

Durbin is due in court on April 27.

The post Caesars Palace Guests Robbed of $100K by Alleged Sex Worker, Police Say appeared first on Casino.org.

The Isle of Capri Casino Hotel in Boonville reopened late Tuesday afternoon, KMIZ, a local TV station, reported. Casino officials provided alerts on social media to keep customers informed on the progress being made.

“We apologize for the inconvenience this caused, and we want to thank you for your patience and wish you good luck,” the casino added in a Twitter post.

Once the water main broke, the city of Boonville Public Works Department sent a crew to the casino. The workers identified and solved the cause of the break “quickly,” the Twitter post added.

The casino is located on the Missouri River, about 103 miles east of Kansas City.

We are temporarily closed until further notice. We will post updates to our social media pages. Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/4axGrnWUDx

— Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Boonville (@IsleOfCapriBV) January 31, 2023

Rivers Casino Underwater

On January 14, a refrigeration pipe cracked at Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino, WTAE, a local TV station, reported. A green liquid then flooded the gaming floor. Puddles formed on the floor near slot machines, but players continued using the machines.

Eventually, the casino was forced to shutter for several hours while staff pumped away the liquid. Players were evacuated until work was completed.

It gives a whole other meaning to the Rivers Casino because that’s literally what it looks like, like a river of bubbles coming across the floor,” Samantha Brown, a casino spokesperson, was quoted by WTAE.

Last September, Indiana’s Belterra Casino Resort also was forced to close by a water main break. That gaming venue was evacuated, too. The Florence, Ind. casino was closed for about 12 hours, WDRB, a TV station, reported. Boyd Gaming spokesperson David Strow later explained that the water main break led to no pressure in the fire sprinkler system.

Resolving the Issue

The city of West Allis, Wis., posted online that completely repairing a water main can last between a few hours and a few days.

Variables that could impact the time to repair include how big the break is, where it is located, and where the main is located. If it is located deep in the ground or near other utility infrastructure, that likely will take more time because of the extra work involved.

Generally, repairs of this nature take between four and eight hours to remedy. Crews must shut valves and temporarily shut off the water supply while the main is fixed. After the work is done, crews will flush the main before it is connected to the water system, the West Allis website explained.

The post Missouri’s Isle of Capri Casino Temporarily Shutters After Water Main Break appeared first on Casino.org.

US District Judge Renee Bumb didn’t make a final judgment in the case on Monday. But she did issue a temporary restraining order that prevents the ban from being enforced pending resolution of litigation.

Last month, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed sweeping legislation designed to limit where you can carry a concealed handgun in the state. That was after the US Supreme Court ruling last summer that determined states’ laws demanding residents get licenses to carry concealed weapons in public places violated the constitution.

Murphy’s Law

Members of the gun lobby sued Murphy while his signature on the legislation was still wet, arguing the tightened controls infringed on their Second Amendment rights.

“This marks the beginning of the end for Governor Murphy’s blatantly unconstitutional new carry law, which is going down in flames,” Scott Bach, head of the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, a plaintiff in the case, said in a statement.

The Supreme Court decision allowed some leeway for states to restrict guns in “sensitive places.” But any such law must be “consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation,” according to SCOTUS.

Three weeks ago, Bumb blocked other sections of New Jersey’s new law in another case brought by separate plaintiffs. She determined that banning the carrying of guns in public libraries, museums, bars, and restaurants, and on private property without the owner’s permission, may not be consistent with US legal tradition, as described by SCOTUS.

A spokesperson for Murphy told Reuters the governor’s office would appeal both rulings and is “confident” of their reversal.

Guns Still Unwelcome at AC Casinos

New Jersey has some of the strictest gun laws in the US and the third-lowest rate of firearm deaths. Meanwhile, guns have always been banned at Atlantic City’s casino properties under the Casino Control Act, and that policy will remain in place despite Monday’s order.

Meanwhile, armed law enforcement officers are only permitted to enter casinos “in an emergency situation,” according to the regulations.

Casino.org has contacted the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for comment on Monday’s ruling.

The post Federal Judge Shoots Down New Jersey Gun Ban at Casinos, Beaches appeared first on Casino.org.

The 37-year-old New Castle, Del. man wasn’t named in the report from the Sanatoga Post, a regional news organization. Among the charges against him was disruptive behavior, the report added.

His January 8 actions on the gaming floor of the King of Prussia, Pa. casino were investigated by Pennsylvania State Police. The man was both “disruptive and uncooperative” during the incident, police said. He also was “cursing and refusing to leave.”

He was warned that he would be arrested, but he failed to calm down, police said.

Security Guard Nabbed

Valley Forge Casino has seen other recent incidents that led to police investigations. A 61-year-old casino security guard was charged after $200 was swiped. She reportedly faces theft and receiving stolen property counts.

The unnamed guard, who resides in Philadelphia, stole the envelope which contained the money, the Post reported. She put it in a pocket and left the casino, police revealed. State troopers later apprehended the guard.

She should have launched an investigation and stored the money securely as evidence. The incident took place on December 31, 2022.

Prior Crimes

In September, a player scooped up his losing bet at a table game before the dealer could collect it. The suspect then ran out of the gaming property.

Pennsylvania troopers were looking for the suspect as last year. The incident occurred on September 25.

The unidentified man put down $1,200 in casino cheques on the table. The wager was lost, and the dealer was about to collect the cheques when the man fled, according to MyChesco.com, a regional news site.

In addition, on September 3, police arrested an unnamed 36-year-old Philadelphia man for stealing a woman’s wallet at the casino. Inside the wallet was $400, according to the Post. The cash and wallet had been left in a purse, which was on a chair on the gaming floor. The Gucci wallet was valued at $200.

The suspect was arrested shortly after the theft. He was still at the casino when he was apprehended. The money and wallet were returned to the victim.

The post Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge Casino is Site of Disruptive Blackjack Player Arrest appeared first on Casino.org.

The motorist and hero cop both were treated at a local hospital over the weekend for injuries linked to the crash and fire.

The driver is expected to recover. Details on his injuries were not immediately known. The driver had lost consciousness, the Mirror, a UK-based news site, reported.

The unnamed officer, who is assigned to the LVMPD Convention Center Area Command, suffered smoke inhalation. He was examined by hospital staff as a precaution.

Praised as Heroes

Over the weekend, the cop and the good Samaritan were praised as heroes and credited for apparently saving the accident victim’s life. Neither were identified in initial reports.

Both worked with only seconds to spare before the vehicle went up in flames,” the LVMPD said on Twitter. “We are beyond thankful for the quick actions of our officer and the bystander for saving a life!”

As you can see in this video, both worked with only seconds to spare before the vehicle went up in flames.

The driver of the crashed vehicle was taken to the hospital.

Our officer was also taken to the hospital as a precaution. pic.twitter.com/OxW3TpCpGX

— LVMPD (@LVMPD) January 28, 2023

Just as the first officer arrived, smoke was coming from the car’s engine and spreading inside the vehicle. Flames were already under the car.

The officer apparently broke one of the car’s windows, and with the help of the passerby, pulled the trapped driver away from the vehicle.

A second officer soon arrived. The trio of rescuers carried the injured man further from the wildly expanding car fire.

A third LVMPD officer at the scene then grabbed a fire extinguisher and attempted to quell the flames, which soon engulfed the car. Local firefighters arrived and were able to extinguish the car fire.

The actions by the initial officer and passerby were praised on social media.

Fox News quoted a Twitter post which called the pair, “Heroes! This person was saved because 2 heroes were selfless! Thank you both! Such a close call!!”

“Wow, great job,” added another social media poster, Acuna Matata.

And Frank Troiano posted, “That cop deserves … [an] award for his bravery.”

The approximate 4:30 p.m. accident took place after the white sedan went out of control and crashed into a palm tree in the center median on the Las Vegas Strip, close to Siegfried and Roy Drive.

The car was traveling south on Las Vegas Boulevard. It was unclear what circumstances led to the accident.

Before the initial officer arrived, some passersby tried to assist the trapped motorist. After arriving, the officer warned them to move to safety as the smoke spread.

News about the rescue got national and international attention in articles over the weekend. Video of the rescue was posted on Twitter and widely reposted.

Traffic Delays

Casino-bound motorists faced delays on the traditionally busy Friday evening along the Strip. The accident tied up traffic while police investigated its cause.

The Venetian and Mirage casinos are located near the accident site.

The post Las Vegas Officer Rescues Strip Driver Seconds Before Car Burst Into Flames appeared first on Casino.org.

Duchess was first placed in the Las Vegas Strip casino’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat in 1990. Hard Rock International on Wednesday confirmed the dolphin’s passing. Details on her medical condition were not announced.

According to a statement from Mirage President Joe Lupo, Duchess was one of the five original dolphins that opened the Habitat in 1990.

I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Mirage animal care team and the veterinary experts who worked tirelessly to ensure Duchess was loved, received the highest-quality care, and was as comfortable as possible,” Lupo was quoted by KVVU, a local TV station.

Lupo recalled how Duchess “brought an unmeasurable amount of joy and happiness to the countless visitors and The Mirage family while at the Dolphin Habitat.”

Secret Garden Permanently Closed

In November, it was announced that Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat was permanently closing. The closure came as ownership of the property went from MGM Resorts International to the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The tribe owns the Hard Rock International brand. The gaming property is undergoing extensive renovations between now and 2025.

The property announced last year the attraction’s dolphins, white tigers, white lions, and leopards were to be cared for by “well-trained, highly respected animal care professionals and veterinary experts.”

The Secret Garden temporarily closed after the September death of one of the other dolphins, K2, who was 11 years old. The cause of death was suspected respiratory illness.

Two other dolphins at the attraction died earlier last year. One had a respiratory illness, and the other had a gastrointestinal disorder.

Since it first opened in 1990, 14 dolphins have died from various causes and at different ages at the popular Mirage attraction. Animal rights activists claim the number of dolphins that died at the Mirage was actually higher.

Animal Rights Activists’ Concerns

News about September’s closure was applauded by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

“Big cats belong in the jungle, not behind bars in a casino sideshow, and a desert is no place for a dolphin,” Brittany Peet, general counsel for captive animal law enforcement for the PETA foundation, said in a statement.

PETA is encouraging Hard Rock to usher in its new animal-free era by finding reputable new homes for the big cats and working to get the dolphins to a seaside sanctuary where they could have more natural lives in spacious habitats, far from the lights and noise of the Strip,” last year’s statement said.

A bottlenose dolphin typically lives about 28 or 29 years, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, citing data from the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Other data suggest they may have life expectancies of between 40 and 60 years.

The post Mirage’s Original Bottlenose Dolphin, ‘Duchess’, Dies at 48 appeared first on Casino.org.

George Martinez had “little to show for living a life subsidized by fraud,” Assistant US Attorney Jeremy Peña said, because he largely spent the money at local casinos. 

Martinez, 46, was a bureau chief of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department (NMTRD), leading a unit that examined questionable refunds. He pleaded guilty on Wednesday to more than 90 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft, which related to some questionable refunds of his own devising.

Concealed Transactions

From 2009 to 2018, Martinez created and issued numerous fraudulent tax refunds, funeling money into at least six different bank accounts that he himself controlled, according to prosecutors.

By altering social security numbers on tax returns and refunds, Martinez was able to process multiple payments under a single taxpayer’s Social Security number, while concealing the transactions within the NMTRD’s computer systems.

He used the Social Security numbers of 11 individuals, including his mother and twin brother. Seven were deceased, another had dementia, according to court documents.

He was very familiar with the types of refunds that would trigger a red flag by the automated software that would do audits,” Peña said at a Wednesday news conference. “And it was eventually after many years of doing the conduct that there was an internal review that reviewed those safeguards and found his activity.”

Following that review, in 2018, the department contacted the FBI. Martinez left his job shortly afterwards. He was arrested in March 2021.

“The services that the people of New Mexico deserve are funded by that system of tax collection and so we will aggressively protect your tax dollars from fraud, especially when driven by the greed of a corrupt government official,” said Alex Uballez, US Attorney for the District of New Mexico.

Safeguards Bolstered

The NMTRD believes it has since plugged the holes that allowed Martinez to game the system for so many years.

“The safeguards did improve, and that’s how he was eventually tripped up,” Peña said. “So, his patterns have been understood. The exact methods by which he was assigning refunds to himself are now well known. And they know what to look for.”

Martinez will be ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution to the state of New Mexico, as well as a $690,000 judgment.

The post New Mexico Tax Inspector Stole $1.2M from Public to Gamble appeared first on Casino.org.

William “Willie” Cammisano Jr., always denied having ties to Missouri’s premier mafia outfit, despite efforts by prosecutors to prove otherwise.

His father, William “Willie Rats” Cammisano Sr., led the organization from 1984 to 1988, with his son as his trusted lieutenant, according to 1980s court filings.

In 1989, Cammisano Jr. was convicted of obstruction of justice for threatening a witness in a federal murder investigation. During his trial, FBI agents testified he was a “made member” of the Kansas City mob. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

Illegal Sports Betting Ring

In the sentencing memorandum in that case, federal prosecutors, in calling for a maximum sentence, alleged Cammisano was involved in planting a bomb that killed another Kansas City mobster, Carl Spero, in January 1984.

They also suspected him of involvement in the fatal shooting of another gangster, Felix Ferina, nine months later. Cammisano was never charged with either of these crimes, and his sentence was shortened to three years on appeal.

In 2010, Cammisano was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. The term was for his involvement with an illegal online sports betting operation that generated $3.6 million over three years.

He was described by prosecutors as one of six “master agents” of the sportsbook, which used a toll-free 1-800 phone number and websites based in Costa Rica.

Skimming Casinos

The Kansas City Mob had interests in Las Vegas in the 1970s and 1980s, notably at the Tropicana, the Fremont, and the Stardust.

In 1984, bosses Anthony and Carl Civella were convicted of skimming profits from the casinos, paving the way for Cammisano Sr. to become acting boss during their incarceration.

Cammisano Jr. applied for bankruptcy in 2015, and his final years were plagued by ill health. After contracting COVID-19 in July 2020, he fell into a coma and suffered two strokes. His family launched a GoFundMe page to help pay for his round-the-clock care, which wasn’t covered by his health insurance.

“The family is deeply saddened in losing a great and beloved man to their family and graciously ask for all to be respectful of their privacy,” his family said in a statement to the Star on Wednesday.

The post Reputed Kansas City Mob Figure Banned from Nevada Casinos Dies of COVID-19 appeared first on Casino.org.

The Planning Board conditionally approved the project’s initial phase on Wednesday. That includes a 24,000-square-foot gaming room, and an 8,500-square-foot restaurant and brewpub.

One of nine residents speaking against the planned gaming venue was Mark Hounsell of Conway. He represented the Word of Life Christian Fellowship.

“Gambling affects cities and would serve as a magnet and draw a lot of people in,” Hounsell was quoted by the Concord Monitor, a local newspaper, about the project.

Community Problems Predicted

I don’t use words like ‘undesirable,’ but it does bring problems to the community like drug abuse, thievery, sex trafficking, prostitution, and it’s a business of robbing from the poor to pay for the habit.”

Another resident, Cathy Bernard, told board members she walks her dogs and hikes near the proposed casino.

“I’ve been in Concord for over 30 years, and this is an area where my kids did a lot of recreational things,” Bernard said. “I’m not sure the demographics of the city and the capital of the state of New Hampshire needs two gambling facilities inside of it.”

But supporters point out that the casino will add more than 250 jobs and attract visitors to the city. Also, as a charitable gaming operation, 35% of gross revenue from the casino will be donated to approved charities every 10 days.

Andy Sanborn, a former state senator and owner of Draft Sports Bar & Grill and the Concord Casino, a charitable gaming venue already operating in Concord, wants to build the 43,000-square-foot casino, bar, and hotel.

The casino floor would have room to seat 634. The restaurant and brewpub would have seating for about 150.

The hotel and an event center are part of a planned second phase.

Norman Roberge, treasurer of the Concord Lions Club, argued the casino will lead to more charitable donations that can be distributed to the community.

But there are concerns about the type of jobs generated by the casino.

Fisto Ndayishimiye, a community organizer, was quoted by the Monitor that “the vast majority of those jobs are minimum wage, and they’re not jobs that will lift people out of poverty.”

There were also concerns what may happen to Concord wetlands if the casino is built.

Plan Review Next Month

On February 15, an updated version of the proposal will be presented before the Planning Board. If final approval is granted, the casino will take about 18 months to build, WMUR, a local TV station, reported.

Concord is some 58 miles southeast of Lebanon, where another New Hampshire casino proposal is under review.

The post Concord, New Hampshire Casino Is Conditionally Approved Despite Concerns appeared first on Casino.org.

EARLIER: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was scrambling to correct a computer glitch early on Wednesday. The impacted system provides critical safety information to pilots. The malfunction may lead to the grounding of many US flights.

Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport was among the two airports highlighted in a CNN report on Wednesday morning about the computer system failure.

There is no predicted time for the system to be operating properly.

Nationally, some airlines released statements that their flights could be delayed. The trade association for US carriers, Airlines for America, said the glitch was “causing significant operational delays,” CNN reported.

“Operations across the National Airspace System are affected,” the FAA said in its own statement.

The FAA is experiencing an outage that is impacting the update of NOTAMS. All flights are unable to be released at this time,” the FAA added.

Cleared Update No. 2 for all stakeholders: ⁰⁰The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions system following an outage. ⁰⁰While some functions are beginning to come back on line, National Airspace System operations remain limited.

— The FAA (@FAANews) January 11, 2023

System Explained

The impacted computer system is called Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM). It provides information on flight hazards and real-time restrictions to pilots, ABC News reported.

As of 7:15 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the FAA announced that “some functions are beginning to come back online,” CNN quoted the government agency.

The FAA was repopulating the system as of about 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday. Passengers were encouraged to check with their airlines to see if flights are delayed.

Many visitors to Las Vegas casinos fly into the city or head back home via Harry Reid Airport.

Prior Delays

Wednesday’s glitch follows weather-related delays and cancellations at Harry Reid on Tuesday.

Hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled at the airport because of heavy rain. Some 323 flights were delayed on Tuesday afternoon, FlightAware data showed. Some 29 flights were canceled.

Delays and cancellations this week follow massive delays between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Thousands of passengers at Harry Reid Airport were delayed or stranded waiting for flights during the holiday weeks. The two-week period is traditionally a popular time to travel, only making the disruptions more severe.

Many stranded airline passengers last month opted to rent a car and drive to their destinations. That led to a scarcity of rental cars in many locations. Prices also escalated.

Southwest Airlines was highlighted for its large number of delayed or canceled flights at the end of last month.

Southwest is the dominant carrier at Harry Reid Airport. More than 17.2 million passengers flew into and out of Las Vegas on a Southwest plane between October 2021 and last September, according to US Bureau of Transportation Statistics data.

Airlines initially blamed the holiday delays on winter storms impacting much of the nation between Christmas and New Year’s Day. It was later revealed that other causes also led to the disruptions.

The post Harry Reid Airport Highlighted in Connection with National FAA Malfunction appeared first on Casino.org.

Personnel found her near a departure gate. She reportedly was found inside an animal carrier.

Penny was turned over to The Animal Foundation, a Las Vegas-based animal shelter. They cared for her. As of Friday, she had been placed with a new family.

She was wearing a collar that said “Penny,” the shelter said. The collar had a heart on it.

She is healthy and alert. She is sweet and playful, and she loved posing for photos,” Kelsey Pizzi, a spokesperson for The Animal Foundation, told Casino.org.

She did not have an implanted microchip. No one has come forward to reclaim her. Without a microchip or a tag that identifies an owner’s address, it becomes very difficult to identify who previously owned the dog.

Her breed is unknown, too. Pizzi explained that visual breed identification is often unreliable and inaccurate, even by trained veterinary professionals.

“We can confirm she’s really cute,” Pizzi said.

It is unknown whether any surveillance video at the airport showed who carried her into the terminal.

But the Las Vegas shelter was able to place her quickly. The Animal Foundation has many other animals available for adoption.

Airport Holiday Chaos

Last week, luggage was left for days in airports nationwide because of numerous flight cancellations. Some passengers did not even know where their luggage was located, NBC News reported.

It is unknown if that airline chaos had anything to do with finding Penny alone in the airport.

The flight delays and cancellations were blamed on the winter weather and other causes. More than 1 million US passengers were impacted, NBC reported. Many passengers were stranded for several days.

Southwest Airlines alone canceled more than 13,000 flights between December 22 and 29. The travel disruptions likely impacted visitors making their way to Las Vegas casinos during the holidays.

Harry Reid Airport had cautioned passengers to expect large crowds in terminals during the holiday period, especially with the delays.

Even without delayed or canceled flights, there are situations where family pets are flown to the wrong airport.

Dog Sent to Wrong Country

For instance, Madison and James Miller relocated recently from England to Tennessee.

But their dog, Bluebell, a five-year-old black Labrador mix, was accidentally flown to Saudi Arabia, NPR reported last month.

IAG Cargo, affiliated with British Airways, was responsible. The Millers paid about $2,100 for Bluebell’s initial flight. To get her to Tennessee, she was placed on three different international flights. The company covered the costs.

Bluebell is now in Tennessee with her family. But the owners say she was impacted by the three-day separation from her family. She has anxiety, too.

The post Harry Reid Airport Abandoned Puppy Called Penny Gets New Home appeared first on Casino.org.