Gambling in the USA
5 Ways Investors are Betting on a 2019 Gambling Boom
FN Media Group Presents Safehaven.com Market Commentary
In May 2018, the Court struck down a U.S. Federal law that prohibited legal sports gambling, ruling that it was unconstitutional. Sports gambling can now be authorized and regulated by the States, not by the Federal Government. And it’s triggered a potential sports gambling revolution. Mentioned in today’s commentary includes: MGM Resorts (NYSE:MGM), International Game Technology (NYSE:IGT), Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR), Millennial Esports Corp. (OTC:MLLLF).
In October, the state of New Jersey handled more than $250 million in bets, a 41% increase from the previous month. The Garden State is leading the way. Mississippi, Delaware, West Virginia, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island…the legal sports gambling world is growing by the day.
By 2022, sports fans around the world will be betting $1 trillion online every year. Profiting from this new industry doesn’t have to mean rolling the dice.
Here’s five stocks investors should watch because of the shift to legal sports gambling:
#1 MGM Resorts (NYSE:MGM)
Sports betting is small potatoes in Vegas: compared to blackjack earnings of $1.24 billion, legal sports betting only pulled in a paltry $329.1 million. But all that’s about to change, and major casino chain MGM Resorts (NYSE: MGM) is working to bring sports betting to the prime-time.
The biggest casino operator in the U.S. generates over $4 billion in revenue from Vegas alone. But it also has properties in Atlantic City, and just this year took over the Empire Casino in New York. It’s got a pretty sizable footprint in the sports betting world, raking in $114 million from sport betting on the Strip last year, 35% of the total.
With a market cap of $13.5 billion, MGM has some deep pockets. And its using that financial muscle to corner the sports betting world. It’s already launched sports betting at two Mississippi casinos, and became the “official gaming partner” of the NBA.
MGM Resorts has solidified deals with the biggest leagues in the country: basketball, hockey and professional baseball have all signed on to allow MGM to cross-promote the company’s casinos and sports betting app. So far, MGM can only handle bets for teams based in states where betting has been formerly legalized.
By far the biggest prize is the National Football League, and MGM has already got its foot in the door. With Pennsylvania about to embrace legal sports betting, both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers will be fair-game.
#2 Bragg (BRAG.V; BKDCF)
Bragg Gaming Group (BRAG.V; BKDCF), formerly Breaking Data Corp., has an audience of 31 million for its media property, Give Me Sport (GMS). Together with its online global gaming platform, Oryx Gaming, BRAGG has plans to leverage the Give Me Sport audience into the largest sports gaming customer base on earth. Online gambling can be incredibly profitable, with one study estimating the gross market at $46.7 billion in 2018 and $89 billion by 2025.
GMS has a Facebook page with 26 million active, fanatic users. For comparison, ESPN has only 19 million, and it’s a major media brand, worth $28 billion. Or Sky Bet, a property that was just sold for $5.7 billion, which had only 819,000 viewers.
BRAGG hopes to tap into its huge audience, using the Oryx Gaming services to launch a new sports-centric betting platform, Give Me Bet. When Give Me Bet goes live, it will incorporate Oryx Gaming tech with the GMS brand, to deliver a catered on-line sports betting experience specifically for BRAGG’s audience.
BRAGG has seen strong growth in its two major assets, Give Me Sports and Oryx. Just in the last year, Oryx has seen revenue growth of more than 400%. Monthly traffic in the UK for Give Me Sport has increased by 5 million, with revenue growing 30%. If BRAGG (BRAG.V; BKDCF) taps a reasonable number of its huge potential audience, its earnings from sports gambling could be enormous.
This little company could be one of the biggest success stories of 2019.
#3 International Game Technology (NYSE:IGT)
This company has had a rocky year, climbing to a one-year high of $31 before falling to $14 in November, to stabilize in early December at around $16.
With a market cap of $3.4 billion and 12,000 employees, IGT is a big firm with a big footprint: it manufactures more casino gaming platforms and slot machines than any other company out there. But times are changing, and IGT is branching out into sports betting.
IGT is a service provider, which means it doesn’t have to handle the risk of managing sportsbooks. All it needs to do is fulfill the needs of companies like MGM, constructing infrastructure that make the boom in sports betting possible. In 2017, IGT handled more than $12 billion in sports betting. That should make IGT a safe bet for investors looking to score on sports betting in 2019.
In July, IGT announced a deal with popular sports betting platform FanDuel. IGT will bring FanDuel’s services to its existing platforms in markets across fifteen states. IGT is about to roll out PlayShot, a new service for sports betters, which will utilize FanDuel’s consumer-facing waging system, sportsbook.fanduel.com.
FanDuel plans to leverage IGT’s tech and its solid reputation to build its brand into the legal world of sports betting. So, after a rocky year, it’s more than likely that IGT’s fortunes will pick up in 2019, along with the share price.
#4 Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD)
Boyd Gaming is one of the largest casino operators in the US, with 29 gaming properties in ten states. Like MGM, Boyd is positioning itself to be a major player in the emerging sports gambling sector.
This company has some unique experience from the Vegas Strip: for the last decade, Boyd Gaming has handled the biggest sportsbooks in Sin City. And now that sports betting is legal, it’s preparing to branch out into other regional markets.
The company just signed a deal with MGM Resorts, the casino chain that’s trying to corner the sports betting market. The two companies have agreed to share online and mobile gaming platforms, with MGM offering up its online poker and casino gaming apps for Boyd’s sportsbook, in 15 states. The “unprecedented” deal could mark the beginnings of a sports gambling empire, managed by MGM and Boyd.
Boyd’s got a new sports betting app, BConnected, that its rolled out in three casinos. And like IGT, it’s signed a deal with FanDuel, leasing out its gaming properties for FanDuel’s mobile and online sports betting platform.
The deal covers all states where Boyd holds gaming licenses, excluding Nevada, and builds off of Boyd’s deal with MGM.
#5 Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR)
One might not think a hotel chain would have much skin in the game, when it comes to sports gambling. But they’d be wrong. As one of the biggest hotel chains in the country, Marriott possesses marketing and rewards programs that casinos are eager to partner with. And as sports gambling grows around the country, sportsbooks holders like MGM and Boyd are going to want to partner with Marriott, to leverage the hotel chain’s customer base in order to rope in more business.
Marriott already has a sizable footprint in the casino world, with a licensing deal with JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa, as well as a number of casinos across the Caribbean. And in February 2018, the company announced plans to build a 4,000 room resort and casino, The Drew, in the heart of the Vegas Strip.
Marriott has suffered some bad press lately, taking a hit for a data breach scandal in December. But the stock is poised to bounce back, and could yield some excellent returns when sports gambling picks up and the national market grows and grows.
Other companies prepared to see huge growth as gaming takes off again:
Millennial Esports Corp. (OTCQB:MLLLF)
Millenial E-sports is a small company based in Toronto focusing on E-sports and E-gaming.
The Company doesn’t just focus on content creation and broadcasting, it also offers data analytics and execution tools.
In 2017, the company started providing analytics and business intelligence products for the e-gaming industry, and recently, the company has partnered with the likes of Aston Martin and McLaren but also with MotoGp and Formula E and has developed games for mobile platforms.
By. Meredith Taylor
Gambling in the USA
Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel Unveils Expanded Non-Smoking Gaming Floor

Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel has officially opened its newly expanded non-smoking gaming floor, marking a significant milestone in the property’s continued commitment to exceptional guest experiences.
Located adjacent to the hotel lobby, the new, larger non-smoking slot floor will feature nearly 400 of today’s most popular slot machines in a fresh, modern environment designed exclusively for non-smoking guests. This addition enhances the casino’s dedication to providing smoke-free gaming options in a luxury setting. For convenience and ease of access, non-smoking guests can also take advantage of the smoke-free entrance via the hotel’s valet parking.
This new space complements Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel’s existing fully enclosed, non-smoking slot area near Falls Buffet and Snoqualmie Café & Deli, offering guests even more choice and accessibility when it comes to their preferred gaming environment.
In addition to these gaming enhancements, all restaurants on property are 100% non-smoking, making Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel a premier destination for guests seeking an elevated, smoke-free entertainment and dining experience.
“We’re thrilled to offer our guests even more smoke-free options. The expansion of our non-smoking gaming floor reflects our ongoing efforts to listen to our guests and create an atmosphere that’s both exciting and comfortable for everyone,” said Mary Lou Patterson, CEO of Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel.
Gambling in the USA
Abbiati Casino Equipment and Hawkins Holdings Form Strategic Alliance to Expand Presence Across the Americas

Abbiati Casino Equipment, a globally recognised leader in premium casino equipment and technologies, announced a strategic partnership with Hawkins Holdings to strengthen its presence across North and South America. As part of this initiative, seasoned gaming executive Roger Hawkins has been appointed Brand Ambassador and Strategic Consultant for the Americas.
With more than 20 years of executive leadership in the global casino and gaming industry, Hawkins will spearhead the company’s efforts to expand its footprint throughout the Western Hemisphere. His role will include market development, strategic partnerships, regulatory positioning, and the promotion of Abbiati’s legacy of Italian innovation, craftsmanship, and integrity.
“This partnership is about more than market entry – it’s about building deeper awareness, driving product adoption, and reinforcing Abbiati’s commitment to quality across every pit and poker room in the hemisphere,” said Hawkins.
Giorgio Abbiati, CEO of Abbiati Casino Equipment, said: “We have proudly served clients in the Americas for many years, but the time is right to deepen our focus. Roger’s knowledge of our products and his insight into the market make him the ideal partner to lead this next phase.”
Gambling in the USA
Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort Rising in Kings Mountain as First Year of Construction is Completed

Significant construction has been completed during the first year of work on the $1 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain, N.C., a site off Interstate-85 only 35 miles from Charlotte and close to the South Carolina border.
Construction on all aspects of the project is in full swing, with the foundations for the casino complex and hotel completed several months ago, the casino complex at its full height and expanding horizontally, and steel continuing to rise for the 24-story, 385-room hotel. The hotel tower framing is now 10 stories high, with an additional floor being added nearly every week. At completion, the hotel will be connected to the casino complex.
The casino complex includes the introductory casino on the first level, three levels of covered parking, a back-of-house level and top level with the main casino floor and restaurants. The introductory casino, set to open in spring 2026, will include 1350 slot machines, 20 table games, a 40-seat restaurant, a bar, sports betting kiosks, and Lucky North Rewards desk.
The introductory casino will replace the current temporary (prelaunch) casino, which continues to grow in popularity as it nears its fourth anniversary on July 1.
The main casino complex is targeted to open in 2027. It will be about 2 million square feet and feature:
• 4300 slot machines
• 100 table games
• 11 dining outlets, including a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, marketplace with six venues, café, and grab-and-go outlet
• A players lounge
• 11 bars, including a center bar and sports bar
• A 2700-space parking garage built under the casino complex and 800 surface parking spaces
The project has created hundreds of construction jobs. Upon completion, the casino resort will employ an estimated 2200 regional residents and citizens of the Catawba Nation.
“This casino resort will be an economic game changer for Catawba citizens and a force to drive the economy of Cleveland County and the City of Kings Mountain. This project is a testament to our resilience, our commitment to self-sufficiency, and our determination to build a better future for ourselves and our future generations,” Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris said.
Harris noted the temporary casino is contributing to many community and charitable organizations in the region, and that will only increase as the full casino resort opens.
The project is being led by the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority under Vice President Trent Troxel, with Yates-Metcon as the construction general contractor; Delaware North as the gaming management, development and hospitality consultant; and SOSHNY Design architects.
“Once again, I want to thank the Cleveland County, City of Kings Mountain, federal and state leaders who have supported the Catawba Nation’s efforts develop the casino resort in its ancestral lands in North Carolina,” Harris said.
Work has also been completed on two key infrastructure projects for development of the permanent casino resort that were funded by the Catawba Nation: doubling the size of the Dixon School Road Bridge over I-85 near the casino entrance and installing new sewer lines near the casino.
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