Areas of Expertise
85 stories by Lucas Thomas
Esports Grows — and Shows Growing Pains — During Tumultuous 2018
This was the year that esports video games went from being played in college dorm rooms and parents’ basements to a 30,000-square foot arena on the Las Vegas Strip. Esports made its move towards the mainstream and, in doing so, caught the...
Saints and Pelicans Each Partner With Harrah’s New Orleans Ahead of Lawmaker’s Attempt to Revive Failed Sports Betting Proposal
Sports betting is not legal in Louisiana, but that isn’t stopping New Orleans’ two major professional sports teams from partnering with one of the country’s largest casino operators. On Wednesday, the Saints of the National Football League (NFL) and Pelicans of the...
Macau Officials to Vote Tuesday on Bill That Would Prevent Casino Employees From Gambling
Macau casino workers might not have a place to gamble after Tuesday. That’s when the Chinese gambling region's Legislative Assembly will vote on a bill that would prevent any gaming employee from entering a casino during non-working hours. The vote will come...
The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas Raising Resort Fee After Offering Guests Free Parking
The backlash against Las Vegas Strip casinos for sneaky charges written in fine print has reached a breaking point, at least for one resort. Effective January 1, The Cosmopolitan will include parking among the services covered under its resort fee --- a...
NFL Completes U-Turn On Sports Betting As League Prepares To Seek Casino Sponsor
The National Football League (NFL) was never going to pioneer the bond between gaming entities and professional sports leagues, but the realization from the league and its owners that they could no longer ignore the financial benefits of legalized sports betting was...
New Jersey Approves Australian Company PointsBet for Online Operations in Affiliation with Meadowlands
PointsBet, an Australian company with a different take on sports betting, has been approved to operate online in the state of New Jersey by the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE). The company will operate in association with the Meadowlands Racetrack on a...
Sportsbooks Make Millions on Miami Miracle
At this point every NFL fan that has seen it. Down by five points with seven seconds remaining and 69 yards to travel for a game-winning touchdown, the Miami Dolphins were beyond desperate late in the fourth quarter of their game against...
Feds Raid Home of Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam One Week Before Scheduled Court Appearance for Casino Brawl
The tumultuous month in the life and times of Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam just got more interesting. The gaming resort city's embattled leader --- already facing backlash for his involvement in a November tussle outside the Golden Nugget casino that was caught...
L.A. Rams Beat Chiefs on Monday Night Football, Easily Breaks Record-High Point Total as Vegas Busts
The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams dueled to an instant classic on Monday Night Football, a game hyped as the best of the NFL season that still somehow exceeded expectations --- especially those of oddsmakers. The game featured a record tag...
Switzerland Legalized Online Gaming Kickoff Set for New Year’s Day
A law to regulate online gaming in Switzerland, passed by 73 percent of the country's voters back in June, is set to be implemented on January 1, 2019. In accordance with the new law that legalizes online gaming, Switzerland’s Federal Council will...