The big day has finally come. The iconic, longstanding fixture on the Las Vegas Strip, Mirage Hotel & Casino, will finally shut down today at 11 a.m. after the planned farewell ceremony, ending an era and writing the final chapter of the megaresort.

The closure, however, marks the start of a massive rebranding and transformation into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas.

The transition will also see former Mirage hotel guests and casino patrons benefit from exclusive deals from Treasure Island Hotel & Casino as a means of ensuring continuity for individuals affected by the closure.

$30 Free Slot/Table Games Credit, 35% Off Room Rates

Former Mirage hotel guests will benefit from special 2-for-1 cocktail vouchers at check-in, room discounts of up to 35%, and $50 pool cabana credits available Monday to Thursday. 

The offer will be available from April to October. The hotel hosts close to 3,000 guest rooms and also offers premium Cirque du Soleil entertainment via shows like Mystère. 

Guests can also enjoy a large selection of dining options, visit the nightlife venues and clubs, or benefit from comprehensive shopping experiences.

Former Mirage casino players will receive $30 to play slots for free or $30 to wager on their favorite table game, as long as they agree to register and join the Treasury Rewards Club.

Even more, the property which is also located on the Las Vegas Strip, will match the comp offer for all Mirage casino customers who present their player’s club offer.

Reservations beyond July 14, Canceled and Refunded

Hotel guests with reservations at The Mirage beyond July 14 will have their bookings automatically canceled and refunded. 

Guests who used third-party platforms or online travel agencies to make their bookings are recommended to get in touch with the operators for refunds or rebooking.

Tickets purchased for shows beyond July 14 will go through the same refund/cancellation regime. 

The new property, which was originally announced in May 2024, will feature a hotel spread across close to 700 feet shaped like a guitar. 

The transformation will be initiated as soon as The Mirage officially ceases operations, bringing significant changes in the local job market by doubling the number of job openings that are currently available at The Mirage and generating 2,500+ jobs in construction. 

Hard Rock will offer around $80 million in severance packages to those employees who have decided to stay at the property until the closure time.

The rebranding plans started as soon as Hard Rock International acquired The Mirage from MGM in 2022 for $1.07 billion.

The post Mirage Closes, Treasure Island Offers Deals to Ex-Guests & Players appeared first on Keno Wizard.

As the Cheltenham Festival approaches, bet365, a leading casino and betting operator, confirmed that it will once again offer Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB) markets for this year’s edition of the event.

NRNB is a simple concept whereby punters’ bets are voided if the horse they wagered on does not show up for any reason. This provides fans with an extra sense of security, allowing them to wager with confidence and get their money back if their selection doesn’t run in a race.

The company confirmed that its NRNB offer extends to the five Championship races at the Cheltenham Festival. This notably includes the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Cheltenham Festival is set to begin on March 12 and run through March 15, providing tons of excitement to fans of horse racing and bettors alike.

Who Experts Will Bet on?

Bet365 also teased that the Racing Post’s best pundits have already selected their bets. This includes Keith Melrose, Robbie Wilders and Phil Anderson who have already picked out selections for the five races.

Melrose, for example, trusts Burdett Road, Gentleman De Mee, Allaho, Teahupoo and L’Homme Presse to win the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, respectively.

Anderson, on the other hand, placed his bets on Not So Sleepy, Captain Guinness, Banbridge, Ahoy Senor and Hewick. Finally, Wilders’ tips went to Burdett Road, Gentleman De Mee, Fil Dor, Crambo and Gentlemansgame.

More information about the three experts’ tips is available on bet365’s news section.

Pat Cooney, a spokesperson for the operator, also commented on the upcoming festival, saying that some of the betting favorites include Constitution Hill, El Fabiolo and Galopin Des Champs. However, Cooney mentioned that there is also a lot of interest from people who think “outside the box.”

The spokesperson concluded that this is a part of what makes NRNB so exciting.

It’s always interesting to see where the money is after going NRNB, and this year is no exception!

Pat Cooney, spokesperson, bet365

In other news, bet365 recently posted its FY 2022/23 report, announcing higher revenues but higher losses too.

The post Bet365 Unveils NRNB Deals for Cheltenham Festival appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Rocky Mountain Gaming has signed definitive deals with Minter Holdings and G Investments, allowing it to acquire the operating assets of two major casino properties. The agreement, if approved by Colorado’s gambling regulator, would add Johnny Nolon’s Casino and Colorado Grande Casino to Rocky Mountain Gaming’s portfolio.

Johnny Nolon’s Casino is one of the original casinos in Cripple Creek. Acquiring it and the Colorado Grande Casino will allow Rocky Mountain Gaming to dominate the town’s legendary gaming district. The two properties the latter company set out to acquire have a total of 400 gaming devices and 7 hotel rooms. In addition, Colorado Grande Casino operates Maggie’s Restaurant on its premises.

For reference, both properties are managed by David Minter through Minter Holdings. Minter is the sole owner of Johnny Nolon and the majority owner of Colorado Grande’s operating assets.

Rocky Mountain Gaming is the brainchild of David D. Ross, Michael J. Gaughan III and Joseph J. Canfora and is a venture that allows them to explore gaming opportunities in the United States. The first two men have worked together for over three decades in senior management for a number of influential casino companies. Canfora, on the other hand, is a casino veteran with over four decades of experience in the gaming and hospitality industry.

Minter Is Optimistic about the Properties’ Future

Canfora commented on the new venture with Ross and Gaughan, saying that he was surprised when they first invited him to return to the Cripple Creek market. After he thought about it for a while, Canfora realized that Johnny Nolon’s and Colorado Grande present a unique opportunity to conserve the old Cripple Creek atmosphere local players love.

Ross also commented on the matter, saying that the local market has been growing fast thanks to companies like Golden Nugget. This has attracted new players to Cripple Creek, revitalizing the local industry. Ross concluded that his team hopes to capitalize on the influx of people and cater to the needs of players seeking loose slots and personal service.

David Minter also commented on the matter, saying that he is proud of Johnny Nolon’s Casino and Colorado Grande Casino’s progress over the past few years.

While other casinos were coming and going and changing owners, we were a constant in this town. I look forward to seeing what Rocky Mountain Gaming CC brings to these casinos I love so much.
David J. Minter

Speaking of Colorado, the state just published information about the performance of its sports betting industry.

The post Rocky Mountain Gaming Signs Deals to Acquire Two Cripple Creek Properties appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Since the US Supreme Court ruled against PASPA back in 2018, sports betting has been spreading to more US states. With PASPA out of the way, the legalization and regulation of the activity were put in the hands of lawmakers in each state, which resulted in a statewide expansion of the activity.

By now, sports betting is available in some form in more than thirty states, while some have legalized it but are yet to launch. Besides a fresh stream of tax revenue, legal sports betting helps reduce the share of the black market which brings benefits for the consumers. At the same time, legalizing the activity helped create sponsorship opportunities with colleges.

Late last month, the University of Maryland’s Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism and Howard Center for Investigative Journalism uncovered the results of a four-month investigation that probed sports betting on college campuses. Overall, 145 Division I public universities in states where sports betting is legal were surveyed as a part of the recent research. Surprisingly, only 23% of the universities confirmed they had sports betting policies in place.

Merrill College’s George Solomon chair in sports journalism and director of the Povich Center, Mark Hyman, explained that the study shares an invaluable insight into how universities respond to sports betting. “It also examines the complicated relationships between betting companies and some schools,” he explained. Finally, Hyman thanked the student journalists that participated in the study and helped deliver these unique insights.

Deals between Bookies and Colleges Are Not Transparent

The new investigative study uncovered a worrying trend. According to the research, universities joined forces with private companies which in turn engaged with sportsbooks. This effectively helped “shield” the agreements, which in reality are between the universities and the sports betting companies, from the public. Undoubtedly this is a worrying trend, considering that some sponsorship agreements include in-stadium branding, as well as other options for promotions.

“Anytime that you can’t be transparent about something you’re doing, it probably indicates that there are some issues. These colleges should be very concerned about the impact of gambling addiction among especially underage students.“

Keith Whyte, executive director at the National Council on Problem Gambling

The National Council on Problem Gambling’s executive director, Keith Whyte, commented on the topic in an interview for the Associated Press. He outlined that concerns are raised immediately given that an activity or a process isn’t transparent. Whyte also pointed out that colleges that have sponsorship deals with betting companies should be concerned about gambling addiction among students that are below the legal age for betting.

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