States Lose Shirts as Gamblers Cut Back

(NEWSER) - The many states hoping gambling will revive their troubled budgets are in for an unpleasant surprise, writes Nate Silver for Esquire. Gambling is supposed to be recession-proof, but that hasn’t been the case this time. "The year 2008 was the first time in history that total casino gaming revenues declined throughout the United States," writes Silver, of FiveThirtyEight.com fame. In Las Vegas, they were down a whopping 12%, and they’ve fallen another 15% this year. More»

Experts say casinos offer better odds, more fun

(NEWSER) - The fever over big lottery jackpots is cooling as huge payouts become more common, and lose their once-in-a-lifetime cachet. What's more, the growing casino scene is muscling in on the lotto's territory -- casinos offer a better chance of winning, in a more electric atmosphere than your local 7-Eleven. More»

Mardi Gras promotion at Gulfstream Casino aims to put big butts in the seats

(NEWSER) - It's Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, and the Gulfstream Park and Racing Casino in Florida is celebrating—what else?—fat people. In a promotion that's sure to make Michelle Obama cringe, the casino is offering players 10 cents in free slot machine credits for every pound they weigh. The casino will even have Krispy Kreme donuts on hand in case patrons want to bulk up a bit before their weigh-in, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. More»

Why go to all the trouble of buying a physical ticket?

(NEWSER) - Poker sites may be strictly verboten , but another kind of online gambling is starting to crop up: state lotteries. Minnesota has already begun selling lottery tickets online, even offering year-long subscriptions for its Powerball and Mega Millions games, USA Today reports. Several other states are considering following suit. A bill allowing online lotto sales has already passed a New Jersey Assembly committee, and another has been introduced in New York. More»

Winning craps player leaves $150K tip

(NEWSER) - The balance sheet of Atlantic City's Tropicana Casino has taken a pounding from a pair of high rollers who won more than $5 million each just 6 weeks apart. A blackjack player beat the casino for $5.8 million in April and a craps player won $5.3 million last week, leaving a $150,000 tip that was shared among dealers on duty that night, AP reports. Officials for the casino, bought out of bankruptcy last year by billionaire investor Carl Icahn, say they're sticking with their new emphasis on high-stakes table games play, despite the huge losses. More»