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The push for a specific date on a Las Vegas reopen has begun! Some casino operators want to open their doors in May, but Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman wants it done yesterday! But what would happen if we had a Las Vegas reopen tomorrow? We also cover news from Tribal Gaming as they deal with the Coronavirus closures, and say ‘thank you’ to an unlikely person.

Hello friends! And welcome to week six of this global lockdown, shelter-in-place, end of the world pandemic we’re calling the Coronavirus! And I must say, I’m a bit disappointed. I mean we were promised zombies for the apocalypse! Right? I mean where are all zombies? Americans are tired of being locked up like the Living Dead. Some of them are even protesting! In fact, even the mayor of Las Vegas has now said it’s time to nut up or shut up! And that is this week’s big story.

Yes the mayor wants Las Vegas reopened before it dies. She calls the closure of non-essential businesses “total insanity”. She wants tourism back. She wants the convention centers up and running. And she wants it now!

The governor of Nevada did not respond directly to the mayor’s comments. However, he said that the decision to reopen Las Vegas and the state would not be based on politics. And while I empathize with both positions here I must ask the question: What good would it do to reopen Las Vegas now?

First, there’s no guarantee that even if you did open up all of the businesses and all of the casinos that there would be some mad rush of players fighting to get in! In fact, a recent survey found that only 10% of casino players say that they’re going to go back as soon as they’re opened. The other 90% said they’re going to wait a little while and see how this pans out.

Second, whether you’re a tourist, a business traveler or a casino player very few people are actually traveling right now. What good would it do to reopen Las Vegas if no one’s willing to go there, no one’s willing to get on an airplane, and very few flights are even operating right now.

Third, imagine the impact if Vegas did open and became the epicenter for round two of this damn virus! With an incubation period of up to 14 days, and people traveling to and from Las Vegas all over the country, things could go from bad to total shit storm!

My friends, I know this sucks. I want Vegas to reopen! I have conventions coming up and filming I need to take care of! It’d be nice if we could circle a date on the calendar and point to it and say There! That’s it! But that’s not the case yet… Until that time comes be patient. Stay in your homes… watch a movie… subscribe to my YouTube channel… have some cocoa… spend time with family…

You know my friends I come out here every week and I try to make this show fun because that’s what I always believed gaming was supposed to be! It’s entertainment… it’s enjoyable. And if I make you laugh, great! If not, at least I make myself laugh… and that’s something, right?! Of course, not every story I cover on this program is happy. Last week we talked about the financial toll that the Coronavirus has taken on the gaming industry. And now this week, more sobering news.

It is estimated that tribal gaming across America has lost about $4.4 billion dollars since this Coronavirus closure. That’s money that would have gone into local taxes and salaries. That translates to roughly about 300,000 people that work for tribal gaming casinos that are now out of work.

Finally this week, and speaking of the undead, we’ve taken some shots at Sheldon Adelson on this show over the years. The multi billionaire owner of the Sands Corporation who, in all honesty, has done everything within his power to destroy online gambling in America. But now this.

We must give credit where credit is due, and during this crisis Mr. Adelson has actually decided to suspend the dividend payments for company shareholders while continuing to pay his company employees more than just about any other gambling company in Las Vegas. Additionally he volunteered his private jet to deliver two million surgical masks to front-line workers. So as difficult as this is to say… good job, Sheldon. I feel so dirty now… like I need to go wash my mouth out… with turpentine!

And so, my friends, the push to reopen Vegas has already begun… even if it is just a bit premature. Things will get better. Las Vegas will reopen… eventually. We just don’t know when yet! So until next time, remember cardio, seatbelts, and a little sunscreen never hurt anybody!

Many of us are waiting for Sin City to reopen, but when they do what Las Vegas Coronavirus changes can we expect? Some things will certainly change, like the way people check-in to hotels, rooms are sanitized and games are cleaned. But what about restaurants and nightclubs? What about big ticket shows? Those Coronavirus casino changes could hit everything from Uber to the hotel swimming pool!

Whether you’re a mother or whether you’re a brother, welcome to This Week in Gambling! And if you’re anything like me this whole shelter and place thing is getting pretty frustrating… even though I know we have to do it.

Last week we discussed WHEN casinos would reopen because eventually these restrictions will end and eventually people will want to travel again. If you’d like to see that video just follow this link. This week’s big story is about WHAT we can expect when the casinos do eventually reopen.

Undoubtedly one of the biggest Las Vegas Coronavirus changes will be that not every casino is going to make it through this down time… and I’m not just talking about Las Vegas. Casinos all across America are losing millions and millions of dollars every day. It’s estimated that Caesars corporation can survive this shutdown for about 8 months… MGM only about 9… Boyd Gaming about 10. The Sands corporation and Wynn can survive about 15 to 20 months…. but what about the peripheral industries affected by the Coronavirus?

Everyone who depends on the gaming industry from taxi drivers to airline workers is basically shut down right now. Think about the Uber drivers… the restaurant workers… and the people who put on all those extravagant shows! Oh, the Vegas show!s Yes, another big change could be an end to big venue attractions. Take for example Cirque de Soleil… just gone! And it’s not just the shows that are in danger. Other amenities at hotels where crowds gather, like nightclubs, buffets and pools.

I realize we’ve spoken almost exclusively about Las Vegas in this video because, after all, they are the biggest gaming destination in the country. But other casinos all across America are hurting as well. Penn National estimates they can survive only about 5 months of casino closures, While Red Rock says about a year.

Two of the biggest tribal casinos in America, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun ,both shut down last month and furloughed their employees… some of which have not been paid. But what about the hundreds and hundreds of other tribal gaming sites that might not be able to withstand a closure of several months? Hopefully there will be some federal aid money for that. Also El Dorado resorts… although the only thing I hear about them is that they’re still moving forward with their plans to merge with Caesars… and if that’s what they’re trying to do then well I guess that’s some good news!

But you know it’s alright… it’s okay… we’ll live to see another day! Because not all of the potential Las Vegas Coronavirus changes are necessarily bad! In fact, when we come back from the break we’ll discuss some of the tremendous opportunities that may exist for visitors that are brave enough to venture out!

You know, like I was saying before the break, not all of these potential changes coming to Las Vegas are necessarily a bad thing for visitors. In fact, even now we’re already seeing some huge discounts and great deals on hotel rooms and airfare… just remember that buying anything right now could be risky because we don’t know when all this pandemic, lock-down stuff is going to actually come to an end.

However, when things do get back to normal some analysts believe that we may see an end to those stupid hotel “Resort Fees”… You know those fees they use to advertise a lower rate that you’re really not getting, and then they add them on at the end when you go to checkout and jack up the price! Yeah… those! And we may see an end to hotel parking fees as well.

Another change that was taking place before the Coronavirus struck was hotel automation. I’ve actually gone to Las Vegas, checked into a hotel at a kiosk, stayed a week, checked out at the kiosk and never even spoken to anyone at the property! Moving forward I would expect to see even more kiosks and automation.

Also the way they clean your room, the elevators and all the gaming equipment will have to change… and I can say that with some confidence because I know if they don’t change it, ain’t nobody going back to their hotels or their casinos! Not you! Not me! Nobody! I would expect much stricter state regulations, probably in line with the CDC!

At the end of the day, my friends, just remember we’re all in this together. And even if things don’t get back to exactly the way they were, they will eventually get better. And if you’re in Las Vegas and you Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’ we’re just stayin’ alive!

Almost every casino in America is shut down right now, with millions of jobs on the line. Even the most popular gambling destination in America has seen every Las Vegas casinos closed until at least May... and possibly much longer. When could they reopen? And what are the dangers if they do?

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has ordered Vegas casinos closed along with all other gambling establishments in the state as part of a wider effort to slow the spread of novel Coronavirus. The order requires all casinos to shut down gaming devices, machines, tables, games and any other kit related to gaming activity, including bets made on sporting events. Players can still find sports betting at safe betting sites online. Vegas casinos closed now will remain that way for at least 30 days and will be enforced by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

In addition to the Vegas casinos closed, at least 97% of the country’s 524 tribal properties have also closed. The 16 properties that remain open are mostly small convenience locations. The combined 973 closed casinos represent 98% of all gaming properties in the country, affecting approximately 649,000 casino gaming employees – roughly the entire U.S. casino workforce, according to AGA.

Last week it was announced that a partnership between Rush Street and Scientific Games with bring new online games to the state of Pennsylvania. Popular titles from the Scientific portfolio will soon be available at both the BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com web casino sites.  

One of the most exciting titles to debut in Pennsylvania will be the 88 Fortunes slot, which combines Asian artwork and bonus features. 88 Fortunes is a fan favorite because of the bounty of winning opportunities it offers players, including four progressive levels with a Grand Jackpot possible.

American players living outside of Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Jersey and other regulated jurisdictions can still find legitimate online casinos by visiting a reputable directory such as Legitimate Casinos. They can help players finding the most legit online casinos that they are licensed and regulated with a certified software and responsible financial processor.

Scientific Games slots join an online casino catalog that now contains over 100 real-money slots, table games and video poker variants in Pennsylvania. In addition to fan-favorite casino slots, BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com feature online exclusive slots as well as progressive jackpot slots.

You can read more at Yogo Net.

Nearly a decade after the U.S. Department of Justice seized popular poker website domains on Black Friday, the founder of PokerStars has plead guilty to gambling charges. What lies ahead for him, plus sports betting news from Washington State, are also discussed.

With fewer televised poker tournaments and an increase in the number of people cutting their cable cord, many people are moving towards streaming platforms to consume their media. As a result, YouTube has emerged as one of the main sources for poker content.

Over the last several years, poker pros like Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen have generated a large and loyal fan base by filming poker vlogs and uploading them onto the giant social media platform. Video content became more plentiful as up-and-coming vloggers followed in their footsteps and streamers that were primarily playing tournaments on Twitch began producing content for YouTube as well.

Unfortunately for Texas Holdem real money fans, YouTube began removing poker videos from its platform in a seemingly random fashion. Regardless of subscriber count or the stakes being played in the video, content creators were getting strikes on their channel and in some cases, losing their entire channel without having broken any rules.

Jaime Staples, a partypoker sponsored pro with a popular Twitch channel began spearheading the issue in February.

According to the Canadian poker pro, there is a problem with the site’s algorithm that filters for content violating the terms of service. In a video that was pinned to the top of his Twitter feed, Staples said that there are a few employees in the gaming department of the company that understands poker and knows that the videos being flagged are indeed following the site’s regulations.

Staples is compiling data from all creators that have been affected by the site’s faulty algorithm. He opened an email address solely for poker YouTubers to send him all the relevant information about every video removal and every strike.

With a little help from the knowledgeable employees in the gaming department, Staples hopes that the data will result in an updated algorithm that doesn’t blackout poker content from the site.

Read more at Card Player.