496 stories by Larry Henry
Arkansas’ Oaklawn to Allow Some Spectators at Horse Track
The historic Oaklawn horse track in Arkansas is allowing a limited number of spectators to watch live races for the 2021 season. When the season opens Jan. 22, guests with a racing credential or reservation for that day’s races will be permitted...
Mobile Sports Betting in New York Won’t Hurt Nevada: Casino Experts
The plan by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to allow mobile sports betting in the Empire State won’t have a negative impact on Nevada casinos, gaming experts said. Josh Swissman, of Las Vegas-based The Strategy Organization, said the Nevada experience is...
Las Vegas Investor Tony Hsieh Honored With Zappos Building Wraps
Two large building wraps have gone up in downtown Las Vegas near the casino district to honor former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh. The Las Vegas investor died in November from injuries in a Connecticut house fire. The wraps at Zappos headquarters feature...
Dog Racing’s Demise in Florida Signals Slow End to Longtime Gambling Sport
Legal greyhound racing ended in Florida on New Year’s Eve. This comes more than two years after Sunshine State voters said they wanted to ban gambling on dog races. Some see this as a sign that the sport is dying nationwide. A...
Las Vegas NYE Crowds At Bellagio Should Assume COVID-19 Exposure: Health Expert
New Year’s Eve revelers who were at crowded places Thursday night should assume they were exposed to the coronavirus, a Nevada health official said. These places include the Las Vegas Strip. Caleb Cage, the state COVID-19 response director, told KTNV-TV that revelers...
Two Nevadans Who Influenced Casino Industry Died at End of 2020
Joe Neal and George Swarts, two Nevadans who helped shape and enforce gaming policy in Nevada, have died. A North Las Vegas Democrat and Nevada’s first Black state senator, Neal died on New Year’s Eve at a health care center in Henderson....
Pete Rose, Banished Baseball Star, Signs With Nevada Sports-Betting Service
Former Cincinnati Reds star Pete Rose, banished from baseball in a betting scandal more than three decades ago, has signed on as spokesman for a Nevada sports-handicapping service. This comes as legal sports betting is expanding across the country. Rose recently agreed...
Phyllis McGuire, a Casino Headliner and McGuire Sisters Vocalist, Dies in Las Vegas
Phyllis McGuire, a longtime casino showroom performer and lead singer for the popular McGuire Sisters trio, died Tuesday at her home in Las Vegas. She was 89. The cause of death was not immediately announced. The McGuire Sisters were daughters of an...
Dawn Wells, Star of ‘Gilligan’s Island’ and Casino Owner’s Daughter, Dies
Dawn Wells, star of the 1960s sitcom Gilligan’s Island and daughter of a Las Vegas casino owner, died this week of complications from COVID-19. Wells, who died Wednesday at age 82 in a Los Angeles nursing home, was closely associated with Nevada...
Judge Denies Early Release for Reputed Mafia Boss Over Prison COVID-19 Exposure
A judge this week denied reputed Mafia boss Peter Gotti’s request for an early release from prison. The 81-year-old brother of former Gambino leader John Gotti oversaw a criminal enterprise involved in racketeering, illegal gambling, and more, officials said. Manhattan Federal Judge...
