The Mystic Gambler

California Attorney General reportedly accepted several donations supporting his campaign in 2021, including from a casino that has been under scrutiny by his office.

The Bicycle Casino Donated $16K to AG Rob Bonta

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.

Licensing Complaint Goes Nowhere

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.

A casino tycoon in Malta who is one of the richest men in the country and also a murder suspect in a bombing that claimed the life of a journalist in 2017 was recently granted bail.

Yorgen Fenech Granted Bail by Judge

The famous journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia, was killed in a car bombing on October 16, 2017. Several years later, in 2019, Yorgen Fenech, a recognizable casino mogul and owner of Portomaso Casino and Qawra Oracle Casino in Malta, faced charges of conspiracy in the murder of Caruana Galizia.

The journalist was looking into millions of pages of leaked documents with details about offshore companies. Caruana Galizia’s research uncovered that 17 Black, a company Fenech operated, was about to pay millions to offshore companies of the former prime minister Joseph Muscat‘s chief aide, Keith Schembri. Also subject to payment was the country’s energy minister, Konrad Mizzi. Despite the discovery, Caruana Galizia didn’t reveal the truth as the car bombing claimed her life.

Now, five years after Fenech was charged on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, he was granted bail by Madam Justice Edwina Grima, Malta Independent reports. Over the last five years, the casino tycoon has made a number of bail requests, but all have been denied until the most recent one which received a green light on Friday.

The Casino Mogul Must Sign Into a Bail Book Every Day, Stay at a Designated Address

Under the bail conditions, Fenech must sign into a bail book at St Julian’s police station every single day. He is also required to reside at an address submitted to the court, will be assigned a probation officer and must not go out between 5 PM and 11 AM.

Not unexpectedly, Fenech is ordered not to get closer than 50 meters from an airport or the coast, while a law enforcement officer will be outside his home at all times. His documents will remain in the possession of the court, while he is also prohibited from reaching any witnesses in relation to the murder case.

Reportedly, Fenech’s aunt, Moira Fenech, will act as a guarantor for him, using her 15.45% stake in Tumas Group, the company where Fenech is a majority shareholder, as security. Additionally, the relatives of the deceased journalist will be issued a court protection order.

The Deceased Journalist’s Son Criticizes the Judicial System

Matthew Caruana Galizia, Daphne Caruana Galizia’s son, released a statement via Facebook, criticizing Malta’s prime minister and minister of justice for letting “killers being released on bail without any trial date in sight.” He wrote that while five years have passed, the country’s judicial system wasn’t fixed. “Failure after failure by the courts, it’s become increasingly clear whose side they’re on. The side of criminals and not regular people,” Matthew Caruana Galizia wrote.

In a separate post on social media, Daphne Caruana Galizia’s son explained that his statements were dismissed by Malta’s prime minister who claimed, “they’re political and not based in facts or logic.” The man pointed to the facts, explaining that while Fenech faces charges for five years, his trial is yet to take off. “Other families have been waiting almost 20 years. In some cases the accused have died of old age before trial. In the meantime, the government has done nothing to remedy the situation and proof of that is today’s news and the ongoing situation of many families,” Matthew Caruana Galizia added.

With brick-and-mortar casinos available across the United States, the growth of the land-based sector remains a complex, difficult and fluctuating process that varies from one market to the other. That’s the opinion of an expert analyst who recently argued that a one-size-fits-all growth trajectory for casinos across the country doesn’t apply.

A Range of Factors Impact Land-Based Casino Gambling Growth

Carlo Santarelli, an analyst with Deutsche Bank, who was recently quoted by CDC Gaming, explored the intricate connections between land-based casinos and the growth of the sector. In a recent investor note, the expert pointed to many factors that may hinder or propel the growth of land-based venues across the country. Such include legislative changes, competition, the expansion of online gambling and other meaningful factors.

Looking back a decade, Santarelli and fellow Deutsche Bank analysts identified 80 regional casinos that can be analyzed based on a specific criterion. Factors that determined the criteria included opening before 2013 and excluding casinos that have been affected by legal changes or competition.

Out of the 80 venues analyzed, the highest number of venues were in Iowa, a total of 16, followed by 14 in Louisiana, 13 in Missouri, 11 in Ohio, seven in Indiana, five in Pennsylvania as well as three each in Maryland, Michigan, West Virginia and Kansas. The analysis uncovered that a total of seven states recorded growth in land-based casino gambling since 2015. In contrast, the sector saw a significant decrease in four states.

Santarelli explained: “The domestic regional gaming environment is often discussed as a flat to slightly positive growth market, as measured by gross gaming revenue.” However, he argued that such a representation of the land-based vertical may be misleading in some cases.

Despite the Impact of Online Gambling, Several States Recorded Increase in Casino Revenue

Focusing on the impact of iGaming, the analyst recognized the cannibalization effect that affects land-based casino revenue. He pointed to 11 states where thanks to iGaming, a notable decrease of 9.7% in casino revenue was recorded over the last decade. The states where brick-and-mortar casino gambling was impacted by iGaming the worst were Pennsylvania, Michigan, as well as West Virginia.

On the bright side, revenue in several states marked a notable increase. The list includes Iowa, where land-based casino revenue soared by 20% over the last decade, followed by Missouri where it increased by 10%. Positive growth was observed in Kansas and Indiana, where casino revenue jumped by 2% in the last 10 years.

In contrast to those results, notable decreases have been recorded in a number of important gambling markets, including Pennsylvania. There, casino revenue marked a 12% dip, while Louisiana recorded a 17% decline in revenue. In Michigan, the revenue dipped by 7% over the last decade, while West Virginia casinos that have undergone analysis saw a decrease of 15% in revenue.

Undoubtedly, the expansion of online gambling may result in further changes to the current gambling landscape in the country. To help protect brick-and-mortar casinos from the negative impact of iGaming legalization, lawmakers in many states are considering tying online gambling licenses to racetracks or land-based casinos.

The College Township in Centre County, Pennsylvania, has commissioned a new study on the potential impact of an upcoming casino in the area. This follows an earlier report, which many said was biased.

College Township Will Commission a New Study

The College Township, located near the main campus of the Pennsylvania State University, is closely eyeing the casino project in the nearby Nittany Mall. The property would be located at the location of the former Macy’s department store at the shopping center, only a few miles away from the university.

The $100 million casino project, which is the brainchild of former PSU board of trustees member Ira Lubert, was stuck in regulatory limbo for several years but is now already underway. Lubert secured permission to open the casino in 2020, outbidding the Cordish Companies by pledging $10 million to the $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium.

Cordish eventually launched a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which awarded the permission. However, the court eventually sided with Lubert, greenlighting his Nittany Mall casino project.

The College Township Council is now looking for an independent party to compile a report on the impact the casino would have. The council would soon make its choice and initiate the review, which should be complete by the autumn of 2025.

The Study Will Determine the Property’s Impact

While the study will not have a direct impact on the casino construction, it will gauge the property’s potential impact amid concerns about its proximity to the university.

Although the Econsult previously compiled a report, in which it outlined potential benefits to College Township tourism, the Nittany Mall and nearby hotels, critics accused the study of being biased. Many insisted that the location of the casino could expose students to risks of gambling harm.

College Township’s task would be to confirm or refute these claims and project what the property’s effect on the economy and problem gambling in the area would be.

Pennsylvania Banned 26 People from Gambling Halls

Speaking of gambling harm in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board recently announced that it has added over two dozen people to the Commonwealth’s involuntary exclusion list. The list currently exceeds 1,269 people and includes people who have violated casino laws in the state.

A significant part of the people on the involuntary exclusion list includes people who have endangered their children by leaving them unattended while visiting casinos or other gaming venues. In this case, Pennsylvania banned 26 people, two of which left three minors, aged 5, 7 and 9 unattended at a vehicle at the Valley Forge Casino Resort while temperatures outside reached 80 degrees. Another person had left an 11-month-old child unattended for 45 minutes in temperatures of around 40 degrees.

A man who was arrested for the death of a person at a casino in Oklahoma last summer was recently released from custody.

Jury Finds the Suspect Not Guilty

The 20-year-old Gunter, Texas resident, identified with the initials A.L., was up for trial after a murder that took place at Choctaw Casino and Resort-Durant. Law enforcement arrested the man on June 9, 2024. On the next day, A.L. was charged with one count of first-degree murder for the suspected killing of a 51-year-old man identified with the initials P.W.

While initially, the suspect faced a murder charge, it was later reduced to manslaughter. The 20-year-old man, accused of killing the 51-year-old victim pleaded not guilty.

Earlier this week, a Bryan County jury found A.L. not guilty of manslaughter for the death that occurred at Choctaw Casino Durant’s parking garage, KTEN reports. While the murder suspect was previously held in a Bryan County Jail, following the jury’s verdict, a judge ordered the man to be released.

Information about the jury’s verdict remains scarce. It is unclear whether or not the 20-year-old suspect acted in self-defense. Whatever the case may be, if the suspect was convicted of murder, he would have faced a lengthy prison sentence.

A Violent Encounter Results in the Death of 51-Year-Old Man

In June last year, law enforcement responded to a call about a person stabbed in the face with a screwdriver at the parking garage of Choctaw Casino and Resort-Durant. A medic team arrived at the crime scene and tried treating the wounds of the 51-year-old victim. However, the victim passed away soon after that.

An investigation was launched into the bloody murder. CCTV footage reportedly showed the attacker and the victim being in the casino’s parking garage at the same time. According to the Choctaw Nation, the two knew each other before the violent encounter.

Reportedly, a surveillance recording captured the two men having a dispute. It is unclear what caused the dispute between the two but at some point, the victim and the 20-year-old started pushing each other.

In a brief moment, the brawl between the two men escalated. This is when, according to surveillance, the young man allegedly used a screwdriver to attack the 51-year-old victim. As noted, the wound turned out to be fatal as the man succumbed to his death despite the attempts of the medical team to save his life.

Iowa lawmakers are taking another look at the idea of a casino moratorium while talks about the planned $275 million Cedar Crossing Casino in Cedar Rapids heat up. 

Grassley Calls for Consensus on Casino Moratorium as Cedar Rapids Project Hangs in Balance

During an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS, House Speaker Pat Grassley stressed that lawmakers, the Senate, and Governor Kim Reynolds need to agree before voting on the measure. Representative Bobby Kaufmann intends to bring in a bill to stop new casino licenses until 2029. This could throw a wrench in the works for the Cedar Rapids project if it passes before the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) decides on the license in February 2025.

The Cedar Crossing Casino project developers already appealed to the IRGC to dismiss a petition from competitors opposing the license bid. While studies suggest the casino could generate $118 million annually, concerns remain over its potential to harm existing businesses and whether Iowa’s casino market has reached saturation.

Grassley recognized the need to act if the moratorium was to have an impact on the IRGC’s choice, but he pointed out that lawmaking takes time. He stressed the importance of working together across party lines, given the split among politicians on gambling matters. While warning against hurrying without consensus, Grassley remained hopeful about reaching an agreement on this hot topic.

Cedar Crossing Casino Faces Opposition Amid Promises of Economic Growth

The Cedar Crossing Casino project supported by Peninsula Pacific Entertainment and the Linn County Gaming Association (LCGA), has met opposition from existing casino operators. They have voiced worries about too many casinos in the area warning that a Cedar Rapids casino would cut into their earnings. These worries sound a lot like the reasons given when people tried and failed to open a Cedar Rapids casino in 2014 and 2017.

Despite pushback, the Cedar Crossing project enjoys widespread support from locals. Supporters, including Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell, claim the development could create more than 1,500 jobs, bring in $80 million in new money for Iowa, and provide significant funds to local charities. The developers have promised to give 8% of yearly earnings to non-profits, which is more than the 3% required by the state. This highlights the project’s potential to boost the economy and help the community.

The argument about the Cedar Crossing Casino shows the bigger issues in trying to balance growing the economy with keeping Iowa’s gambling market steady. Existing casinos worry about losing money, while people who back the new project say it could change Cedar Rapids for the better.

As the IRGC gets ready to decide in February, we still do not know what will happen with the Cedar Rapids casino. The bill proposal to pause new casino licenses for a few years makes things even more complicated.

A total of eight acres of land, known as the Ondola Allotment, located in Birchwood, Alaska, is expected to be the home of a new casino offering a range of gambling activities. The project would be built and run by Marnell Gaming, a recognizable casino developer based in Las Vegas and famous for its projects that include Caesar’s Palace and Bellagio.

Marnell Gaming joined forces with the Native Village of Eklutna, also known as the Eklutna Tribe, which has been trying to open a casino for more than 10 years. In September, the duo started preparation of the land for the casino. Now, construction has already started, local media report suggests.

Constructions and Machines Seen at the Proposed Casino Site

As announced by The Alaska Landmine, the building works for the Birchwood casino have already started with the arrival of heavy equipment, including trucks and excavators on site. Besides construction workers, security guards and other personnel were also seen on site as of Friday.

Required tools, including lights, trailers and heavy machines were also present at the site which is approximately a mile west of Birchwood. Reportedly, the fast-paced work at the planned site for the Eklutna Tribe’s casino comes ahead of the planned swearing-in ceremony for Donald Trump. After winning the Presidential Election in November, Trump is scheduled to swear in office on Monday, January 20, 2025.

The Casino Project Faces Opposition

Despite the ongoing work, the project faces opposition. Last month, Birchwood residents against the planned casino filed a lawsuit. In their legal claim, the opponents questioned the Eklutna Tribe’s tribal status. Don Mitchell, an attorney who represents the Birchwood residents explained that the Tribe’s president, Aaron Leggett, has said on numerous occasions that they plan to open the casino late this year.

However, Mitchell added: “The fact that they are doing this in the dead of night on Friday suggests to me that Anthony Marnell has been advised by his attorneys, or the attorneys for the Native Village of Eklutna, that their legal position is infirm, and that they may lose the lawsuit.” The attorney suggested that the casino developer and the Eklutna Tribe “apparently think they may improve their legal position by changing their position on the ground.”

For years, gambling on Native American lands in Alaska has been prohibited. That is under orders by the Department of the Interior (DOI), which didn’t permit gambling activities on such lands under the interpretation of the state’s laws.

However, in July, DOI’s Interim Solicitor, Robert Anderson, filed an opinion that focused on the status of tribal lands across Alaska. The Interim Solicitor concluded that Native allotments can be governed by tribal jurisdictions with the only exception being the case when the land is not owned by a Tribal member. This effectively paved the way for the development of the Eklutna Tribe’s casino which received approval from the National Indian Gaming Commission.