Gambling in the USA
Rush Street Gaming Promotes Two Employees to COO and CFO
Rush Street Gaming has promoted Bill Keena and Marc Arndt as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively.
“Bill Keena and Marc Arndt have been part of the Rush Street family for over a decade. Their unique combination of institutional history, operational expertise and financial acumen made them the ideal choices for COO and CFO. We’re delighted they’ve accepted these exciting new roles,” Tim Drehkoff, CEO of Rush Street Gaming, said.
Keena most recently served for three-plus years as general manager of Rivers Casino Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania’s market-leading casino. Under Keena’s leadership, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh set new performance precedents and successfully navigated pandemic shutdowns amid fluid health and safety measures. Rivers Casino Pittsburgh will open its new hotel later this year.
Keena’s winning track record for Rush Street began in 2011 when the company opened Rivers Casino in Des Plaines with Keena as general manager. The Chicago-area venue quickly became Illinois’ top-performing casino and has been so ever since. Rivers Casino Des Plaines just completed an $87 million expansion that added 78,000 square feet of gaming, event space, and other amenities.
Between his appointments as the top local executive for Rivers Casino in various markets, Keena served Rush Street Gaming as an enterprise-wide casino industry consultant.
Keena began his gaming career in 1988, after graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He joined Harrah’s finance department, where his responsibilities grew to include casino and hotel oversight as general manager of Harrah’s Laughlin, Nevada, and Harrah’s St. Louis, Missouri. Thereafter, he was promoted to regional president for Harrah’s, simultaneously overseeing four full-service casinos and resorts, two in Missouri and two in Iowa.
“Rush Street Gaming has been exemplary in developing a positive Team Member culture, strong community engagements and superior guest experiences. I’m looking forward to working alongside our tremendously talented and dedicated teams to continue their great momentum,” Keena said.
Arndt was the first Team Member to join Rivers Casino in Des Plaines prior to the property’s ribbon-cutting in 2011. He was instrumental in launching that operation and was closely involved in hiring key Team Members, contract negotiations and project management.
Today, Arndt oversees and manages the finance functions across all gaming operations including Rush Street’s land-based casinos and their affiliated entities. He has extensive experience in financial management, business leadership and corporate strategy.
Prior to joining Rush Street, Arndt was the CFO of Bethesda Home, a regional acute care nursing and rehabilitation center. Earlier, he was a director with Bridge Finance Group and focused on structuring, closing and managing senior secured debt, mezzanine debt and preferred equity.
“I’m excited about Rush Street’s tremendous growth over the past decade and proud of the team’s many accomplishments. We have strong and thoughtful leadership across the entire enterprise. I’m looking forward to continued collaboration and even more great things ahead,” Arndt said.
The appointments of Keena and Arndt are subject to approvals from jurisdictional gaming boards.
Compliance Updates
Arizona Department of Gaming Releases October Sports Betting Figures
Bettors in Arizona wagered approximately $791 million on sports in October of 2024, according to a new report by the Arizona Department of Gaming. This represents an approximate 22% increase when compared to October of 2023.
The state collected approximately $2.35 million in privilege fees in the month.
Gambling in the USA
Neosurf & Betting Hero to reveal results of their in-depth study into US online gambling and payment habits in exclusive two-part webinar series
Neosurf, the globally trusted provider of swift and secure cash-to-digital payment solutions, has announced it will be sharing the findings of a recent study into the online betting habits, preferences and frustrations of US players in an exclusive two-part webinar series beginning on January 14th.
Neosurf commissioned the research via Betting Hero – a leading US-based iGaming portal with expertise in casino, sports betting and DFS. The webinars will see Neosurf CEO Americas, Sue Page, Betting Hero’s Co-Founder and President, Jai Maw, and Senior Director of Product and Research, Ernie Ropas, dive into the report’s key findings and discuss what some of the more surprising results could mean for operators.
The survey, which featured respondents from New Jersey, Colorado and North Carolina, aimed to help operators and regulators within the gambling industry better understand the typical US bettor – how and why they bet, what tools they use to manage their budget and what Responsible Gaming means to them. The findings will be revealed in the webinars and used to identify areas where Neosurf’s products can help operators provide a better user experience.
The research highlighted several aspects of payments and responsible gaming that bettors felt could be improved. Problems with payments remain an issue – 52% of respondents said that they’d experienced payment issues in the past year, and with over 50% depositing and withdrawing multiple times each month, there is a significant cost impact to the operators.
Additionally, respondents indicated they’d be in favour of using a service that could share pre-verified ID information with operators, with ease of use for new payment methods and seamless integration across multiple platforms identified as important factors in their choosing and remaining loyal to a single sports betting platform.
Sue Page, Neosurf CEO Americas, said: “It was important to us to gain a more detailed insight into the US sports bettor. We wanted to talk to the players and ask questions that no one else is asking, and through our collaboration with Betting Hero I’m delighted that we now have a comprehensive piece of research.
“Offering valuable insights into player habits – how and why they bet, the ongoing pain points they’re experiencing with payments and their thoughts on Responsible Gaming—we’ll be taking a deep dive into the results of the survey in our two-part webinar series starting at 10:00 ET on January 14th, and we encourage all US-focused operators and regulators to join us.”
Gambling in the USA
Saracen Casino Resort Chooses QCI Chatalytics to Enhance Casino Operations with Integrated AI Solutions
Saracen Casino Resort has selected Quick Custom Intelligence’s (QCI) Chatalytics, an integrated AI-driven suite, to revolutionize its casino operations and elevate guest experiences. The QCI Chatalytics solution, which includes Slot Copilot, Player Copilot, Dashboard, and the Robot Button, leverages OpenAI integration to provide real-time insights and streamlined decision-making across the casino floor.
QCI Chatalytics offers a powerful blend of AI-powered tools designed to optimize both player and slot management. With Slot Copilot, operators gain enhanced capabilities for real-time slot performance monitoring, predictive analytics, and dynamic task assignment. Player Copilot delivers personalized player engagement by analyzing customer data to inform service decisions and reward recommendations. The Dashboard component offers an intuitive, real-time display of key metrics, enabling data-driven insights at a glance. Additionally, the innovative Robot Button automates routine processes, allowing staff to focus on higher-value tasks and improve overall efficiency.
Clayton Mason, Senior Director of Marketing of Saracen Casino Resort, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “Integrating QCI Chatalytics into our operations marks a significant step in our strategy to harness the power of AI. With advanced tools like the Robot button, Slot Copilot and Player Copilot, we can deliver a more tailored and efficient experience for our guests while gaining deeper insights into our gaming operations.”
Dr. Ralph Thomas, CEO of QCI, shared his vision for the collaboration: “We’re excited to bring the capabilities of QCI Chatalytics to Saracen Casino Resort. By integrating OpenAI technology, our solution provides unprecedented levels of automation and insight. We believe Chatalytics will play a crucial role in optimizing floor operations and enhancing guest satisfaction through real-time, data-driven decision-making.”
The QCI Chatalytics platform is part of Quick Custom Intelligence’s commitment to driving innovation in the gaming industry, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions to streamline operations and enhance the player experience.
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