GAMING NEWS

AZ Department Of Gaming Releases 1st Fantasy Sports Revenue Report For Last 3 Days In August

The Arizona Department of Gaming recently released the first revenue report for Fantasy Sports in the state of Arizona. This report covers the fantasy sports revenues from the last three days of August, which encompasses the first three days of legal fantasy sports operations in the state. Per rule, operators in the state must report figures from the preceding month to the Department on the 25th of each month. Then, the Department compiles, verifies, and corrects any submissions from operators to ensure all required fees have been paid to the state. After completing this process, the Department will report revenue on the 25th of the following month (or the following business day).

Operator Entry Fees Adjusted Revenue Privilege Fee

DraftKings $ 75,715.15 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 FanDuel $ 73,516.00 $ 7,137.95 $ 356.90 FFPC $ 25,835.00 $ 24,484.28 $ 1,224.21 Yahoo $ 608.25 $ 0.00 $ 0.00

TOTAL $ 175,674.40 $ 31,622.23 $ 1,581.11

Per the Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compact, Tribes with casinos contribute a percentage of their Class III gross gaming revenue to the state, cities, towns and counties. Currently, there are 24 Class III casinos in Arizona, which ADG regulates with Arizona tribes. Established by the Arizona State Legislature in 1995, ADG is the state regulatory agency for tribal gaming, racing and pari-mutuel/simulcast wagering, and unarmed combat sports. ADG also provides and supports education, prevention and treatment programs for people and families affected by problem gambling through its Division of Problem Gambling and 24-hour confidential helpline, 1.800.NEXT.STEP. Visit ADG on the web at Gaming.AZ.gov. $

BlueWater Resort & Casino “The Only Thing We Overlook Is The Colorado River!”

For an unmatched gaming getaway, BlueWater Resort & Casino in Parker, Arizona is a shore bet. In fact, this wildly popular destination is Arizona’s only gaming resort on the Colorado River. With 200 newly remodeled rooms and suites, all with stunning views of the river, BlueWater Resort & Casino offers you non-stop thrills and delights. Try your luck with the newest slots, video games and blackjack in a bright and spacious casino. Indulge in a wide variety of delectable dining options, from the River Willow Steakhouse, the area’s premier upscale restaurant serving steaks, chops and seafood, to the famed BlueWater Grille where you can choose from a full menu of mouthwatering dishes with irresistible prices. Craving a quick bite? Drop by the River Walk Deli for burgers, pizza, ice cream, Starbucks Coffee and more. For water sports, plunge into fun with their 100-slip marina and expansive beach on the banks of the shimmering Colorado. Looking for a spot for your RV? They have a large dry camping area just for you and adjacent to the casino is a full hook-up RV park. And just a hop, skip and jump from the casino there is also a 4-plex movie theatre. BlueWater Resort & Casino is also western Arizona’s home for live entertainment, starting with popular local performers in The Dig Lounge. Plans call for concerts to return soon to the resort’s outdoor Amphitheatre. Also, your safety is always a safe bet at BlueWater Resort & Casino. Check out their comprehensive precautions plus all the new rewarding events and promotions at BlueWaterFun.com, or call 1.888.243.3360. $

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Lends A Helping Hand To Pinal County’s Furry Friends City Of Chicago Receives Five Proposals For City’s First Integrated Casino-Resort

The HERO committee at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino hosted a variety of activities to raise awareness and support for Pinal County’s furry friends. Benefitting the Valley Humane Society of Pinal County, the events included a collection drive, dog adoptions and toy making. “Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino has a long-standing reputation for giving back to the community,” says HERO Committee Chair Barbara Achten. Whether it’s families in need or the animals who love them, we’re here to help.”

HERO is a team member-based volunteer program in which Harrah’s staff and their families make noteworthy and visible contributions to the community by donating their time, skills, expertise, and compassion to dozens of volunteer projects throughout the community. Celebrating more than 25 years in Maricopa, Arizona, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino is Arizona’s first and only tribal casino to have an international management partner. Harrah’s AkChin is also the only casino in Arizona that allows guests, through its Caesars Rewards program, to unlock benefits and other prizes that can be used worldwide at the entire Caesars’ family of casinos. Harrah’s Ak-Chin also boasts one of the two Bingo halls within the Caesars portfolio, continuing the proud heritage of William F. Harrah, who opened his first Bingo hall in Reno in 1937. In addition to Craps, Baccarat, slot machines, video poker, video Keno, statewide progressives and blackjack, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino guests can also enjoy a variety of dining options, including the Copper Cactus Grill, Chop, Block & Brew, Oak & Fork, Agave’s Restaurant and Dunkin’. Recently, bids were due on the City of Chicago’s request for proposal for its first integrated casino-resort. Five proposals were submitted for consideration in developing a world-class casino-resort and entertainment experience in Chicago with the goal of being awarded the city’s sole casino owner’s license. The selected proposal will have the exclusive opportunity to own and operate a casino-resort in the country’s third-largest metropolitan market. “We are thrilled to have received five high-caliber proposals from Bally’s Corporation; HR Chicago, LLC; Rivers Chicago at McCormick, LLC; and Rivers 78 Gaming, LLC,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “The submission of bid responses represents a major step toward the thoughtful development of a casino-resort that uplifts our businesses, employs and empowers our residents and encourages tourism. We look forward to the next phase of discussions to bring this world-class entertainment experience to our city.”

An initiative three decades in the making, the Chicago casino remains one of the country’s most attractive casino-resort development opportunities. Chicago is one of the world’s most dynamic cities and this license represents a once-in-ageneration opportunity for a casino operator in the heart of a major American city. The holder of the Chicago owner’s license has the opportunity to operate a temporary casino for up to 24 months (subject to a 12-month extension) and, thereafter, a permanent casino located in the City. Now that proposals have been received, a review committee made up of a cross-section of City departments will determine the recommended winning bidder. This recommendation will be made by the review committee to Mayor Lightfoot who will ultimately make the determination with City Council approval. $

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Promotes Samantha Gulick To Director Of Marketing Casino Del Sol’s Sportsbook SolSports Now Open

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, part of Caesars Entertainment and the state’s only tribal casino to have an international management partner, recently announced that Samantha Gulick has been promoted to Director of Marketing. In her new role, Gulick will oversee all marketing efforts including advertising, public relations and outreach strategies that drive traffic and build brand awareness for the casino and its food and beverage outlets. Gulick has been with Caesars Entertainment for more than seven years. Prior to joining Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino as its Database Marketing & Advertising Manager, Gulick worked as the Marketing Campaign Manager for Harrah’s & Horseshoe Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, Iowa and Harrah’s North Kansas City Hotel and Casino in Missouri, where she was responsible for all outbound digital and direct mail marketing campaigns. “Samantha has proven to be a very knowledgeable and capable leader,” said Michael Kintner, Senior Vice President and General Manager. “Her accomplishments speak to her abilities as an innovative and impactful leader and make her uniquely qualified to lead our marketing efforts.”

Gulick, a Chandler resident, has her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Bellevue University. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino features 529 luxurious resort and tower guestrooms, spa and fitness center, and an outdoor swimming pool with swim-up bar. For more information about Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, visit HarrahsAkChin.com. $ Tucson’s first retail sportsbook, SolSports at Casino Del Sol, opened to the public on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021 at 10 a.m. Guests now have the opportunity to watch and wager on a variety of professional and college sporting events at the new on-site sportsbook. “Our ability to offer sports wagering to our guests has been many years in the making, and we are elated to see our vision come to fruition with SolSports,” said Chairman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Peter Yucupicio. “This new gaming option will have a positive economic impact on our tribe and the state of Arizona.”

SolSports is located inside Casino Del Sol in the former Paradiso Lounge, next to the Bingo Hall. The spacious 4,000square-foot venue surrounds guests with more than 60 televisions including jumbo flat screens and a high-definition video wall to allow viewing from every angle. Guests can place a bet at any of the six live ticket writer counters or eight self-service betting kiosks. Accommodating more than 100 people with luxury seating, the sportsbook also features a full bar and food service with game day favorites like burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings and more. “Our team developed a truly fantastic environment for sports fans to enjoy all of the game day action, and we are thrilled to welcome Tucsonans to experience the excitement of in-person sports betting at SolSports,” said CEO of Casino Del Sol, Kimberly Van Amburg. Casino Del Sol is managing all sports betting activities as the sportsbook’s operator and bookmaker to deliver a signature, on-brand sports betting experience to guests. OpenSports, the industry’s leading sports betting technology from Scientific Games, is the platform powering SolSports. For more info about SolSports and to sign up for updates, visit SolSports.bet. For more info about Casino Del Sol, visit CasinoDelSol.com. $

Historic Legislation Passed After 13 Years Of Work Alongside Air Is Life Coalition And The Navajo Nation

After Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez recently signed legislation to make casinos and other public spaces completely smokefree, he said, “The Air is Life Act is a monumental achievement and bold step in the right direction to promote healthy living among our Navajo people. Secondhand smoke can cause health issues among nonsmokers, such as children and elders. Public health professionals have concluded that the only way to protect nonsmokers and vulnerable populations from secondhand smoke is to require smoke-free workplaces and public places. It is a fundamental right to protect our Navajo people’s right to breathe clean air.”

On October 19, the Navajo Nation Council voted 20-3 decisively to make casinos and other public spaces completely smokefree by passing the “Nilch’ éí Bee Ííná – Air is Life Act 2021.” Earlier this year, the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise casinos reopened with COVID-19 safety protocols in place including smokefree indoor policies. While these temporary measures were welcomed by advocates, the decision to permanently go smokefree in the four tribal casinos managed by the Navajo Nation as well as in other public spaces is a major milestone. More and more casinos nationwide are going smokefree, including Park MGM on the Las Vegas strip. At least 160 sovereign Tribal gaming venues have implemented 100% smokefree policies during COVID-19, nearly half of all states require commercial casinos to be smokefree indoors, and nearly 1,100 gaming properties do not permit smoking indoors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in March that smokefreee casino policies implemented over the last year have been a “silver lining” of the pandemic. $

Gila River Hotels & Casinos Vee Quiva & BetMGM Open PHX’s First In-Casino Sportsbook

After much anticipation, Phoenix’s first casino sportsbook opened at Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Vee Quiva, 15091 S. Komatke Lane, in Laveen, a suburb of Phoenix’s West Valley. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the official sportsbook opening and guests were able to place bets immediately. In August, BetMGM announced its partnerships with Gila River Hotels & Casinos and the Arizona Cardinals for retail and online sports betting, establishing its first relationships in the state of Arizona. BetMGM, a market-leading sports betting and digital gaming entertainment company, inspired and collaborated with Gila River Hotels & Casinos to open a custom built sportsbook at each of Gila River’s three properties (Vee Quiva, Wild Horse Pass and Lone Butte). All three Gila River sportsbooks will provide players with the opportunity to bet on all major sports in person. Vee Quiva’s BetMGM sportsbook boasts 25 large screen displays, a 12’x12’ media wall, and seating for over 100 guests. Guests can view games and events from all major U.S. and international sports. The sportsbook also features 20 betting kiosks and ticket writers to assist guests with placing bets. Kenneth Manuel, CEO of Gila River Hotels & Casinos, said the new sportsbooks align perfectly with Gila River’s sportscentric brand. “As Arizona’s Official Sports Headquarters, we take pride in bringing unique sports experiences to our valued guests,” Mr. Manuel said. “We’re excited to partner with BetMGM, The King of Sportsbooks, to deliver a diverse, engaging selection of betting options that are easy to transact, no matter if you’re a huge sports fan or you just want to check out the fun.” $