1979 stories by Steve Bittenbender
Trump Administration Announces COVID-19 Reopening Guidelines, When Casinos Can Restart Remains Uncertain
President Trump on Thursday evening outlined guidelines states can use to implement a phased reopening, as the United States begins the recovery phase of the COVID-19 crisis in earnest. While the coronavirus has led to an unprecedented shutdown of the country, the...
Montana Lawmakers Score Big Win, As Small Gaming Taverns Qualify for PPP Loans
Few gaming states celebrated Tuesday’s announcement by the US Department of Treasury that officially expanded the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan initiatives for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. However, Montana’s gaming establishments certainly had reason to...
West Virginia Records Show Political Betting Approved, Then Rescinded, One Day After Initial Proposal
An open records request by a West Virginia newspaper shows that state lottery officials did indeed initially approve letting the sportsbooks offer political betting earlier this month before backtracking just hours later. The Parkersburg News and Sentinel obtained emails from the West...
Virginia Gov. Northam Wants Unregulated ‘Gray Machines’ to Fund $150 Million COVID-19 Relief
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam wants the state to hold off on banning unregulated gaming machines, and instead use the devices to provide a temporary revenue source for COVID-19 relief. If the General Assembly concurs, then the games of skill, also known as...
Maryland Officials Establish COVID-19 Testing Site at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore
Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore has been transformed from a thoroughbred track to a COVID-19 testing area for the residents living in the neighborhoods surrounding the historic venue. The drive-through testing, which started Friday, comes as the area is considered a hot...
Affinity Gaming, Four Winds Casinos Set Furloughs For Nearly 2,600 Workers Combined
Two more casino companies have announced plans to furlough workers, as the COVID-19 shutdown continues with affected businesses uncertain when they will be able to resume normal activity. Affinity Gaming sent a Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification (WARN) Act notice to the...
Nevada Rep. Amodei Calls Out SBA for Barring Small Casinos from Loans, ‘Gut Punch’ Says Iowa Gaming CEO
A Nevada congressman unloaded on the US Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Monday evening after the Secretary told reporters a couple hours earlier that a critical COVID-19 small business relief program would not be changed to help casinos....
Washington State Pandemic Order Sees Church Cancel Drive-In Easter Sunday Service at Tribal Casino Lot
A Tacoma, Wash., area church announced Saturday it canceled a planned “drive-in” Easter Sunday service at a nearby casino because of, at least in part, to a COVID-19 order issued by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Rather than having people gather in their...
Texas Law Enforcement Clamps Down On Illegal Gaming, Dallas PD Seizes $49K in Two Days
Police in Dallas Saturday seized a total of 10 illegal gaming machines at two businesses as part of that city’s ongoing effort to remove the devices in the Texas metropolis. The actions come as law enforcement officers in the state have stepped...
El Paso Raiders? Questions Swirl About Allegiant Stadium Construction
Friday was abuzz with rumors surrounding ongoing construction at Allegiant Stadium, the nearly $2 billion venue that is scheduled to open this summer and serve as the home for the Las Vegas Raiders. Reports circulated online that construction had stopped temporarily because...
