Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana has once again secured its spot as the top-earning casino in the state, marking an impressive 25 consecutive months at the pinnacle of the Indiana Gaming Commission’s (IGC) revenue charts.

Matt Schuffert Credits Diverse Factors for Hard Rock Casino’s Impressive November Win

According to data released on December 12 by the IGC, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana reported a substantial win of $37.2 million in November, showcasing a notable 5.1% increase compared to the same period in 2022 when it raked in $35.4 million.

The Gary-based gaming, dining, and entertainment destination not only maintained its stronghold but also contributed significantly to the state’s overall casino win, accounting for nearly 20% of the $190.8 million total revenue for November 2023.

Matt Schuffert, president of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, attributed the ongoing success to a combination of factors, reported The Times of Northwest Indiana.

Schuffert remarked that the continued growth, driven by a robust entertainment calendar, new gaming products, and seasonal food and beverage menus, is truly remarkable.

Hard Rock’s dominance extended beyond the slot machines, where it boasted a state-leading play totaling $253.6 million and a win of $25.8 million. This performance surpassed the figures from November 2022, where the casino recorded $23.3 million in slot wins on $235.5 million in play.

Notably, the Gary casino also led the state in table game play, primarily baccarat, with an impressive $48.6 million, securing the top spot in table wins with $11.4 million. 

To put this achievement into perspective, more money was wagered at Hard Rock’s table games in November than the combined tables of the three other Northwest Indiana casinos, totaling $40.6 million.

Horseshoe Casino Faces 11.3% Drop in November, Losing Former Leadership in Indiana

In contrast, the state’s former earnings leader, Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, experienced a decline, ranking third in the state with $22.8 million in win — a notable 11.3% decrease from November 2022. Other major players, such as Ameristar Casino in East Chicago and Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, also saw declines of 13.3% and 3%, respectively.

Meanwhile, the popularity of sports wagering among Hoosiers reached new heights, with the statewide online and retail sports wagering handle reaching $513.7 million in November, compared to $452.3 million in the same period in 2022. As the year draws to a close, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana remains optimistic, with plans to conclude 2023 on a high note, featuring a free New Year’s Eve concert on their Hard Rock Café stage headlined by Sugar Ray.

The post Hard Rock Casino Maintains Dominance in Indiana’s Gambling Scene appeared first on Keno Wizard.

A Spanish police officer has been sentenced for embezzling money to gamble. The man will now serve a five-month suspended prison sentence and a 10-month disqualification period.

The incident happened in 2020 when the man and his team cracked down on an illegal drug operation. At the scene, the officer and his colleagues seized bags of marijuana and almost $10,000 in cash.

Instead of safeguarding the cash found at the scene, the officer decided to appropriate it when his colleagues were not looking. Eight hours later, the man proceeded to treat himself at a local casino with the money he embezzled. To make matters worse, the police officer hit a streak of losses, eventually returning home with none of the cash he had hoped to earn. 

The police later asked the man to return the seized items. After he handed only the drugs, his suspicious colleagues reported the incident, leading to an investigation into the matter. In the end, the police officer’s crime came to light.

The man was able to return the money, which, luckily for him, was a major mitigating factor, leading to a much lighter sentence. As a result, he was only handed a suspended sentence. However, the prosecution can still try to appeal the decision.

More Recent Criminal Activities in the Gambling Sector

In other news, Binance Holdings, the world’s largest crypto exchange, admitted to violating anti-money laundering regulations in the United States. The company intentionally focused on profits, neglecting its AML responsibilities. As a result of its guilty plea, Binance will have to pay $4 billion to resolve the investigation.

Changpeng Zhao, the company’s founder and chief executive officer, resigned from his position as a result of the case. 

Elsewhere, a fatal shooting occurred at Osage Casino & Hotel in the United States where an alleged car and credit card thief tried to escape from the police. According to reports from local news outlets, the man was fatally shot by a bystander while he was trying to escape with a car and dragging a police officer who had been trying to stop him across the pavement.

The identities of the deceased person and the shooter are yet to be revealed as of the time of this writing.

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Starting June 1, the fresh Crown corporation will be responsible for supervising all gaming-related activities with the purpose of implementing more cohesive and better-streamlined strategies. 

While players themselves might not notice any immediate changes in regard to Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan’s (LGS) activity, the province’s minister of parks, culture, and sport Laura Ross believes the LGS is likely to make a difference in the industry. 

She explained that the decision to bring together Lotteries and Gaming came as a result of online gaming triggering the need to strengthen and improve the gaming regulation and the gambling world as a whole in Saskatchewan. 

The New Crown Corporation to Observe Gaming Policies & Management 

According to the new changes, Lotteries will no longer be a part of the Ministry of Parks, Culture, and Sport. Officially, the Crown came to be by way of Orders in Council starting June 1, 2023. Ross explained the role of the fresh commercial corporation as overseeing “the gaming policy and management in the province”.

Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation will, therefore, no longer act as a designated subsidiary of Crown Corporation. At the same time, the LGS will be included as a designated subsidiary of Crown Corporation. 

As an immediate effect, Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation will be replaced by Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan while fully complying with all securities and categories of securities according to the respective Order. Moreover, SaskGaming will turn into a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lotteries and Gaming of Saskatchewan.

PlayNow Is Saskatchewan’s Only Legal Online Betting Platform 

The same minister also emphasized that British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC)’s PlayNow was the sole online betting service acting legally in the province at the moment, further explaining that the rest of the currently operating betting services and sportsbooks were in a “gray” area in terms of regulations.

Ross added that it was mandatory to encourage people to opt for the PlayNow website, “the only legal site” in Saskatchewan since gambling was officially introduced in Canada. In January, BCLC announced it would benefit from an additional boost for the PlayNow.com brand via OpenBet in the same province.

In March, when the new legislation welcoming the new Crown was announced, the minister responsible for all major Crowns, Don Morgan, explained that the LGS would enable them to keep up with the fast-evolving gaming scene. 

At the same time, Morgan explained that they would hold on to the unique character of enjoying a plethora of different operators in the region, with names like SaskGaming, Sask.Lotteries and SIGA mentioned by the minister. 

The Crown’s maximum debt limit has been capped at $130 million while Regina will be the head office of the newly founded LGS. 

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