Moneyline could help Gold Strike compete with the formidable rival closer to the population center of Memphis.įive years after completing a $38 million expansion that brought in slot machines, Southland Park Gaming & Racing now plans a $250 million expansion alongside its original dog racing track in West Memphis, Arkansas. With that day in mind, Gold Strike’s focus will remain on slots and table games, while Moneyline caters to sports fans looking for a different kind of sports bar experience. “There’ll probably come a day when it is much more available’’ Tsai said, referring to legalized sports wagering expanding across the United States. Plans also call for fans to eventually be able to wager from their phones while inside the building. Situated in the bar is a kiosk planned for taking horse racing bets and counters for wagering on organized sports. There’s also a single Topgolf video golf simulator for diners to play. More than 160 seats offer views of more than 50 television screens. ‘’It’s a different kind of customer,’’ Tsai said, noting sports fans who bet on games rarely indulge in the casino’s 1,100 slot machines.ĭesigned for sports fans, the new bar will contain no slots. The bar is intended to be a destination for sports fans who are not typical casino patrons. This area will be replaced, probably sometime in July, by the permanent Moneyline. Inside Gold Strike, sports bets are now made in temporary quarters. Last month, which included the NFL’s Super Bowl game, gamblers wagered $6.5 million on sports in Tunica’s casinos and $25.1 million statewide, the Mississippi Gaming Commission reported. First Jackpot, Fitzgerald's, Hollywood, Horseshoe and Sam's Town soon opened their own versions. Gold Strike was the first Tunica casino to do so. Mississippi let casinos take sports bets beginning last Aug. Supreme Court decision opened way for sports betting to spread out of Nevada, the only state where it had been legal, and there since 1949. Until then, sports fans will have to be content with wagering on sports in the seven states that now allow betting on games. When it comes, easy access to gaming might deter interest in Moneyline. Widespread gambling by sports fans out in the open is probably the future of sports. ![]() One prospect: sell player and game data to sites that stream information on TV for perusal by sports gamblers. Schoenfeld reported open gaming offers team owners new sources of money. ![]() Moreover, television networks and cable systems face declining viewership and have become reluctant to pay exorbitant sums for televising games. Not long ago many owners feared open gambling would expose players to game-fixing temptations. Now, professional athletes are so well compensated, the thinking goes, they are said to be above mischief that could ruin the integrity of their sport. It reflects a new attitude among team owners. Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner, came out in favor of this approach. cities.Įasy access to gaming would stimulate fan interest in the NBA and all other organized sports, and that interest would lift the market value of sports teams. In the New York Times last month, sports writer Bruce Schoenfeld pointed out Leonsis figures gambling kiosks someday could be as common as Starbucks in U.S. Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Wizards of the NBA and the Washington Capitals of the NHL, is a longtime proponent of the common and easy. Gambling advocates throughout the nation have urged professional sports owners to follow the lead of Europe and make gambling on games common and easy to do. ![]() Tunica casinos: With Roadhouse gaming ending, what's next for struggling flagship industry? Numerous as Starbucks Sports gambling is still a sideline in the 4,000-employee casino district, though it is a growing sideline amid an uncertain period for the industry. ![]() “March Madness is bringing in some, but it’s not a huge change in occupancy,” Tsai said.
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