After 700 workers from Culinary Union Local 226 organized a strike against Virgin Hotels Las Vegas that lasted 48 hours, the standoff is now over. The strike, which started on May 10, aimed to put pressure on Virgin Hotels Las Vegas executives to sign a new five-year contract which will provide employees with better wages and bebefits.

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Employees Demand Fair Deal

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, and laundry and kitchen staff set up picket lines outside the company’s property located very near the Las Vegas Strip and previously known as Hard Rock Las Vegas, reported the Associated Press.

The union’s Secretary-Treasurer, Ted Pappageorge, said that Virgin Hotels Las Vegas employees hope that their strike will help fast-track the stalled negotiation process and a new agreement will be reached. Following the strike, talks will start again on May 14.

Prior to the strike, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas filed a complaint at the National Labor Relations Board against its employees stating that the union was not sincere in its negotiation efforts. Pappageorge countered the company’s claims defining them as mere corporate tactics.

The Virgin Hotels Las Vegas workers strike comes on the backdrop of a series of negotiations with various Las Vegas hospitality industry giants, which took place earlier this year. As other union members employed by Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino and Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, for example, achieved substantial wager increases for the next five years, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas employees were left behind. This prompted dissatisfaction among workers, which eventually led to the recent strike.

Workers Optimistic as Negotiations Continue

Ted Pappageorge commented that the contract with Virgin Hotels Las Vegas expired on June 1, 2023, making it almost a year since the company’s employees were left without a new one. This prolonged period without job security and better payment conditions on the backdrop of increased inflation and economic challenges is not to be tolerated, hence, the union resorted to strike measures.

The strike at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is relatively small in scale compared to previous strike action organized or planned by the Culinary Union. However, its impact was significant considering the property’s strategic location near both the Las Vegas Strip and the Las Vegas airport. As negotiations continue both the Culinary Union and its members are positive regarding a quick resolution in their favor providing them with fair wages and increased benefits.

The post Labor Dispute Resolved as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and Union Resume Talks appeared first on Keno Wizard.

New Jersey’s Supreme Court has ruled against Ocean Casino Resort, stating that the Atlantic City casino is not entitled to payouts from business interruption insurance for losses during the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite the operator’s claims, it has enjoyed positive financial results, successfully rebounding from the pandemic and maintaining its position as one of Atlantic City’s leading venues.

The Operator Failed to Present a Convincing Argument

The case involved Ocean Casino Resort’s claims against three insurance companies: AIG Specialty Insurance Co., American Guarantee & Liability Insurance Co., and Interstate Fire & Casualty Co. These insurers mostly denied payouts, asserting that the casino did not suffer direct physical loss or damage due to the virus. Ocean Casino Resort initially defeated an attempt by insurers to dismiss the case, but an appellate court later reversed that decision.

The New Jersey Supreme Court subsequently took on the case to settle the legal question of what constituted loss or damage. According to its unanimous decision, the company had to demonstrate a direct physical loss or damage to its property, rendering it unusable or uninhabitable. Since the aftermath of COVID-19 failed to meet this criteria, Ocean Casino was not eligible for a payout.

At most, it has alleged that it sustained a loss of business… because it was not permitted to use its property as it would otherwise have done.

New Jersey Supreme Court statement

This ruling aligns with decisions in various state and federal courts nationwide, which denied insurance claims related to business interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar cases involved movie theaters in California, a real estate firm in Los Angeles, hotels in Pennsylvania, and a law firm in New Jersey.

Atlantic City Has Largely Moved On from the Pandemic

Despite Ocean Casino Resort’s claims, the high-profile venue has mostly recovered from the pandemic and is enjoying an impressive resurgence. November 2023’s financial results revealed that the casino posted $48.1 million in total gaming revenue in October, up 52.6% compared to the same month in 2022. 

Even without the insurance funds, Ocean Casino Resort is well-positioned to capitalize on gambling’s growing popularity in the USA. The region has achieved an impressive balance between land-based and online operators, allowing physical venues to focus on bettors seeking a more comprehensive leisure experience, particularly the VIP crowd. 

The New Jersey Supreme Court’s decision can benefit the sector in the long term, reaffirming US regulators’ overall stance on this matter. It is high time operators moved on from the pandemic to focus on the future, seizing new opportunities and focusing on providing customers with the best possible experience.

The post NJ Supreme Court Rules against Ocean Casino Resort in COVID-19 Insurance Dispute appeared first on Keno Wizard.

For over 20 years now, the country’s gambling regulation has found itself at loggerheads with the United States’ gambling laws, which Antigua and Barbuda has insisted are discriminatory. The country even won a case with the World Trade Organization, as it was shut out of the United States gambling market and sought a $21 million annual compensation.

Time to Put Bad Blood Away

However, the money has not been coming, and the country now wants the US government to act as Antigua and Barbuda’s economic losses continue to mount. The country has reiterated an early stance that it is willing to seek and settle the dispute with mutual accord and on amicable terms, but it would need the US to engage in discussions and find a settlement.

The United States has responded that it is willing to work with Antigua and Barbuda but argued that such efforts must also come as part of a genuine effort to find a resolution. This has been ongoing for a while now, as the laws that are arguably hurting the Caribbean country’s economy were passed back in 2003.

The issue has festered ever since with no resolution in sight. The dispute centres on Antigua and Barbuda’s decision to build an internet licensing regime for gambling companies to offset declining tourism revenue, but eventually and perhaps rightly finding itself shut out of the United States because of laws about cross-border gambling and transference of data which is respected to this very day on the mainland.

Decision Long Overdue and Economy Hurting

Now, though, the Caribbean country is hoping to benefit from the elusive $21 million annual payments from the United States, partially leaning in on the World Trade Organization as a mediator. The international body has granted the country the right to use trade sanctions to recoup its losses, but this would not put the Caribbean nation in any better situation, as engaging in a quasi-trade war with the United States holds no benefits to its economy.

This is why the country has instead urged its much bigger neighbor to agree to the $21 million settlement. However, there seems to be a dissonance between what the United States can and is willing to offer and what the Caribbean country believes it should rightfully receive.

The latest appeals come at a time when the country’s economy continues to struggle feeling the pinch of the denied access from the United States.

The post Antigua and Barbuda Turns to US to Settle Gambling Dispute appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The workers, members of the powerful Culinary Workers Union, staged the protest to spotlight their ongoing contract negotiations with three major casino giants – MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts.

Las Vegas Workers Stage Peaceful Protest as Union Negotiations Intensify

The demonstration saw workers forming two separate circles, strategically positioning themselves in the middle of the bustling thoroughfare, reported the Associated Press. As the sun dipped below the horizon, police officers began the process of arresting around 58 protesters who had engaged in the act of civil disobedience, sitting peacefully in the street.

Yet Lieutenant Mark Lourenco, a spokesperson for the Las Vegas police, assured that the strike action was peaceful.

The Culinary Workers Union, representing approximately 60,000 members, has been negotiating contracts for about 40,000 of its members whose agreements recently expired. Their demands cover a range of issues, including pay raises and improved working conditions. Union spokesperson Bethany Khan stated that all members currently enjoy health insurance and earn an average of $26 per hour, including benefits.

The rally served as a precursor to a potential strike, with the union’s leaders emphasizing their preparedness to take more significant actions if negotiations fail to yield satisfactory results. Ted Pappageorge, the union’s secretary and treasurer, hinted at the possibility of thousands of workers walking off the job in the coming weeks if progress is not made at the bargaining table.

Las Vegas Workers Ready for Massive Walkout as Talks Stall

In the midst of the crowd wearing red shirts, Kimberly Dopler, an experienced cocktail server at Wynn Las Vegas, conveyed the collective determination of the workers. She stated that she hoped the companies would heed their demands and understand that they were serious, indicating their readiness to initiate a walkout.

The Culinary Workers Union, historically a formidable force in Nevada, has not staged a strike in over three decades. Their recent show of strength mirrors a nationwide trend of workers’ strikes, including those in Hollywood and the automotive industry, indicating a growing wave of labor activism across the United States.

Despite ongoing talks, little progress was made, leading to disruptions on the iconic Las Vegas Strip. The talks are set to resume with Caesars Entertainment on October 27, followed by talks with Wynn Resorts on October 30.In an additional shake-up of Sin City, Las Vegas recently grappled with a cybersecurity threat at MGM Resorts International, raising concerns about data security and operational disruptions within the hospitality sector.

The post Las Vegas Labor Dispute Escalates with Workers Arrested in Peaceful Protest appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The Press of Atlantic City reported that the Atlantic City gaming industry in New Jersey is facing a high-stakes legal battle over casino taxation. 

Atlantic City PILOT System Dispute Goes to Appeal

The dispute centers around the state’s property tax system, known as PILOT. The original system-based tax was due on three data points: gross gaming revenue, number of hotel rooms, and acreage, which included online gaming revenue. 

However, the casinos successfully lobbied to exclude online gaming from the program, citing the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on their business. A judge in Atlantic County ruled in August that the state’s legislation on PILOT had been advanced to assist an industry that was actually experiencing a resurgence and ordered a return to the original formula. The state is appealing the decision.

The amount at stake is at least $55 million, which would be split among Atlantic City, its school district and Atlantic County. Under the new regulations, Atlantic County estimates it would receive $19.3 million less over the last five years of the PILOT program, set to end in 2026, than it would have if the original formula had stayed in place. 

The state argues that the door was left open for legislators to change the PILOT formula, as a 2018 agreement with Atlantic County did not specify the formula as currently written. The county, in response, called this implausible. 

If the state’s interpretation prevails, it could have an adverse impact on some county-funded health programs, according to Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson.

Liberty & Prosperity 1776 Inc. Sues New Jersey Over PILOT Preferential Tax Treatment

In a separate legal action, conservative non-profit Liberty & Prosperity 1776 Inc. sued the state, arguing that the state constitution bars preferential tax treatment. The state is appealing against a ruling that the amended PILOT serves a public purpose. 

According to the state’s appeal, the new law diverts the Investment Alternative Tax revenue, which could have been left unused, to Atlantic City. This action is intended to prevent a detrimental tax increase for the industry.

An increasing share of online gaming revenue was not going to the casinos but to their tech partners, so legislators removed internet wagers from the formula, according to the state. However, the parent companies of Atlantic City casinos had been spending billions of dollars to acquire online gaming firms.

Should the state lose the legal battles, the gaming industry could face a return to higher tax bills. Atlantic County and the city are counting on the extra funds to boost services and their struggling economy.

The post Atlantic City Casino Tax Dispute Headed to State Appeals Court appeared first on Keno Wizard.