Casino Gambling Tips and Information
Politicians in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) are drafting a bill that could shut down the Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC) and give its regulatory authority to the Commonwealth Lottery Commission (CLC). This plan is part of a bigger push to boost gaming options in the area in online betting. [Read more…] about Northern Mariana Islands Considers Shutting Down Casino Commission
Wyoming’s plan to make online casino gaming legal hit a snag on February 3 when state lawmakers chose not to push the bill forward. [Read more…] about Wyoming’s Online Casino Bill Stalls as Lawmakers Decline to Advance It
Washington tribal operators are concerned about the proliferation of a prominent scam inviting players to gamble online. To make matters worse, some of these ads have impersonated existing operators, trying to pass their products as legal. [Read more…] about Washington Tribes Warn Players about Online Casino Scam
In a move that has sparked debate across the state, the Iowa House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday imposing a five-year moratorium on approving new casino licenses. The bill, which passed 68-31, effectively freezes the plans for a highly anticipated casino development in Cedar Rapids and could have substantial long-term effects on the region’s gambling sector. [Read more…] about Iowa House Passes Five-Year Ban on Casino Expansion
Wholesome stories about jackpot winners excite and inspire others to try their luck, be that the heart-warming story of a couple who won $7 million and vowed to use it to raise their family, educate themselves better or the jackpot winner in California who is seeking to get the other half of a $400 million prize after it failed to be claimed by the identical winner ticket.
Yet, there is also the story of a Colorado gambler who won $1,085,435.89 from a Centennial State casino playing the Dragon Link slot machine. The lucky soul was visiting the Monarch Casino Resort Spa in Black Hawk and landed a huge payday off a $50 bet, the casino itself said in a press statement.
The progressive jackpot was already reaching unprecedented levels when the anonymous gambler managed to bag the win and make headlines. The player won on January 23, so a little earlier before the property publicized the win.
This is the first time someone won as big a prize as that, the casino mused in its official release and said that it was the biggest win in the property’s 12-year history. Commenting on the latest achievement, Monarch Casino Resort Spa director of marketing, Erica Ferris, had this to say:
“Jackpots like these are extremely rare, and to see one happen, our gaming floor was quite the spectacle.”
Winning a $1-million jackpot may seem like an everyday thing in places such as Las Vegas, but Colorado has not really had a million-dollar winner from a progressive jackpot in over a decade, making it an exceptional event all the same.
The Monarch Casino Resort Spa in Blackhawk was renamed Riviera Black Hawk Casino in 2013. The previous record was set by one Colorado Springs resident, named Rebecca, who won $805,329 at the Wild Casino in 2017.
Big jackpots of around $500,000 have been won fairly frequently, given the Centennial State’s history with jackpots. In 2021, a player called Megan, and again at Wildwood Casino, won $568,319.
The casino also produced a third big winner in 2017 when a guy named Todd won $501,591. Well, the hottest new venue in town is now Monarch Casino Resort Spa, which will hold the jackpot record for what could be another ten years!
A total of three new downstate licenses will be up for grabs in New York. Previously, the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board confirmed a deadline of June 27, 2025, that all interested applicants need to file their bids by. Recognizable gaming and hospitality giants are exploring options for a casino license bid with the list including Las Vegas Sands.
The gaming company’s bid proposes the development of a casino and other amenities on the land near Nassau Coliseum. However, opponents of the project recently raised their concerns, warning the proposed development may negatively impact Nassau County. As announced by The Point, representatives of the Say NO to the Casino Civic Association recently spoke against the proposed casino project, warning that it may impact the County’s local environment and have economic, as well as social consequences.
Representatives of the Association included residents of Garden City, Baldwin, Manhasset and Uniondale, all united by concerns surrounding the proposed Sands casino project that seeks to use the land near Nassau Coliseum. The opponents of the casino bid acknowledged that while the casino floor itself would be 400,000 square feet, the overall development would incorporate 4 million square feet.
The massive hotel and casino, according to the Association representatives, would decrease the quality of the air in the area, primarily due to increased traffic. Pointing to the expected 10 million visitors that would be attracted by the casino, the opponents of the project claimed they would “choke” the traffic in the region.
Another concern raised by opponents of the project was that visitors to the casino wouldn’t spend money at local restaurants and Long Island shops but rather prefer the offerings at the resort. “I don’t see how this does not hurt businesses on Long Island,” George Krug, a Garden City resident, explained.
Equally as concerning would be the amount of water the project is going to use. Opponents of the Sands’ bid at Nassau Coliseum estimated that the casino resort would use water equivalent to what 2,000 homes would use on a daily basis. Other concerns raised by representatives of the Association claim the casino would decrease the property value in the region while at the same time increasing crime.
Baldwin resident Steve Rolston said the Association would support the development of the area but one that is “reasonable” and helps the town. “We don’t need desperately something like this,” he added.
Only recently, the gambling regulator announced it added two new members to the Gaming Facility Location Board. The announcement saw Greg Reimers and Marion Phillips III join the Board, growing the number of members to a total of five. The two executives will now collaborate with Board chair Vicki Been, Stuart Rabinowitz and Carlos Naudon. It is yet to be seen whether those appointments will help expedite the awarding of the casino licenses.
California Attorney General reportedly accepted several donations supporting his campaign in 2021, including from a casino that has been under scrutiny by his office.
As announced by the San Francisco Chronicle, Attorney General Rob Bonta accepted the maximum donation allowed per the state’s laws in 2021, $16,200 from several businesses, one of which happened to be facing an investigation. That is the case with the Bicycle Casino, which donated the maximum sum it could under the regulations at the time.
The $16,200 donation helped support Bonta’s campaign the same year and came in May 2021, several months after the Attorney General took office. Concerningly, the California Bureau of Gambling Control, which is a division of the AG’s office, was investigating the Bicycle Casino at the time of the donation.
The probe stemmed from allegations of money laundering against the cardroom. The authorities were analyzing records of the Bicycle Casino, reportedly uncovering an unidentified Chinese national had completed more than $100 million worth of cash transactions at the venue between January and July 2016.
Ultimately the investigation resulted in a $500,000 non-prosecution agreement between the state and the cardroom in November 2021. Under the non-prosecution agreement, the Bicycle Casino conceded that it failed to provide transactions regarding the particular high-roller player, an action that is in breach of the state’s anti-money laundering laws.
In an unexpected turn of events, the Bicycle Casino’s assets were later sold for more than $100 million. John Park, the famous casino tycoon, purchased the casino in April 2022 and rebranded it to Parkwest Bicycle Casino. Interestingly, John Park and Park West Casinos were also among the organizations that donated $16,200, to support Bonta in May 2021. In fact, since 2017, they have contributed to the AG’s races with $33,500 in donations.
After the announcement about the non-prosecution agreement in November 2021, the Attorney General announced it filed a licensing complaint against the cardroom in an effort to “protect the public.” Also named in the complaint were the Bicycle Casino related companies and its owner, Leo Chu. “The federal government has taken action against Bicycle, and now it’s time to hold the casino accountable for alleged violations of our state laws,” a statement from Bonta’s office released at the time revealed.
Surprisingly, the licensing complaint never picked up any traction. In October 2024, the complaint was dropped. The reason for the AG to withdraw the complaint with the state’s gambling regulator was that the cardroom changed its ownership since it was initially filed. A spokesperson for the AG’s Office explained at the time: “The previous owners-general partners, who were the subject of the federal non-prosecution agreement, no longer own the Bicycle.”
Earlier this month, the Sacramento Superior Court asked card rooms to supply surveillance footage. This marked the latest development in the ongoing lawsuit between the state’s card rooms and Native American Tribes over the offering of certain table games by the former.
