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The 10 brick-and-mortar poker rooms in the state of Pennsylvania generated a combined $4.6 million in revenue last month, according to figures posted Friday by the state’s Gaming Control Board. …

Casino horse racing games have had a strange existence over the years. The games are popular, but only with a small segment of casino guests. Sigma Derby has achieved cult status, but there are only two machines still operating in Nevada casinos. You can still find the popular mechanical horse racing game at The D in downtown Las Vegas and MGM Grand on the Vegas Strip. The game is beloved but not quite as popular as Wheel of Fortune slot machines.

Konami Gaming is hoping to bring the cult status of Sigma Derby into more casinos with the release of a new mechanical horse racing game. Fortune Cup is a mechanical horse racing game for the 21st century. Following months of success being tested on the Las Vegas Strip at The Venetian and MGM Grand under Nevada’s New Innovation Beta program Fortune Cup is now live at the casino all around Las Vegas and will be released across North America.

Where to play Fortune Cup in Nevada

Fortune Cup is located in Las Vegas at the following casinos:

Vegas Strip:

• MGM Grand
• The Venetian

Off-Strip:

• The Orleans
• Red Rock Casino

Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, New York New York, and The D in downtown Las Vegas plan to install Fortune Cup before the end of February.

Fortune cup is a 21st-century game

Fortune Cup features a nine-foot-wide mechanical track with eight horses that travel freely and independently across the course. The horses flow smoothly around the track. There are 10 betting stations around each game. Unlike the 1980’s horse racing game, Sigma Derby, Fortune Cup has a track announcer and a giant video screen so passers-by can hear and see the action on the track if the seats are occupied.

The new horse racing game allows players to place bets on touchscreen stations that offer race statistics, horse odds, mystery progressive jackpots, and a variety of betting options including win, place, and quinella.

Fortune Cup also offers players USB chargers for mobile devices. The games also include card readers so that casino players club cards at each station. The touchscreens are dynamic and can even show the race if the game and giant screen above the track aren’t convenient.

Playing Fortune Cup

Since there are more betting options than older horse racing games, playing Fortune Cup might seem a bit confusing at first. Thankfully, the screens at each betting station are intuitive and offer help if needed.

Each Fortune Cup race lasts about 40 seconds. There are 40 seconds in between each race. This allows players can relax while the horses set up for the next race. This short break allows players to study the odds screen if that’s even helpful.

Gameplay is very smooth. What Fortune Cup makes up for with technology it loses in kitsch. The vintage Sigma Derby horse racing game is fun in part because of its age. It’s not possible to recreate the novelty of playing a casino game for a physical quarter. The bouncing horse movements can’t be recreated either. However, Fortune Cup offers more of everything that horse racing fans should enjoy in a casino game.

According to the Wizard of Odds, Fortune Cup has a return-to-player percentage between 81 percent and 84 percent depending on location and wagers made. This is a bad return and worse than penny slots in most casinos. That said, Fortune Cup isn’t a game for advantage gamblers. It’s simply a fun way to spend a few bucks in a casino if you’re looking for something different to play.

The post The Plastic Ponies Get A 21st-Century Upgrade With Fortune Cup appeared first on Play Nevada.

PokerStars Is Finally Bringing Its Turbo Series To New Jersey

The inaugural New Jersey Turbo Series runs for 11 days starting on Thursday, Feb. 22. It’ll be the NJ online poker site’s second large series of the young year.

The post PokerStars Is Finally Bringing Its Turbo Series To New Jersey appeared first on Online Poker Report.

Poker Night in America is expanding its broadcast reach with a new live TV show on the CBS Sports Network. The new show, Poker Night LIVE, will pit celebrities (including poker celebrities) against one another at The Gardens Casino in Los Angeles, California in front of a live TV audience.

The show will debut in the 10 p.m. time slot on CBS Sports Network on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

Initial plans have the show airing every Tuesday night at 10 p.m. for a period of 13 weeks.

“We’ve been re-imagining TV poker for the past four years, making it more fan friendly with famous faces and a fun atmosphere,” said Todd Anderson, President of Rush Street Productions, the parent company of Poker Night in America. “This is the latest exciting step as we continue to revolutionize how fans can watch poker. Anything can happen on live TV and probably will with a table filled with celebrities!  The viewers will be able to see and hear everything that’s happening, just as if they are another player sitting at the table.”

A slimmed down cash game

Part of the mainstream appeal of Poker Night In America (the show has been airing on CBS Sports since 2014) is the stakes the games are played for. Most weeks, the cash game is played at $25/$50 stakes; large enough to create some drama and anxiety, especially for the amateur players, and attract a mix of top-tier and up-and-coming professional players, but small enough to let the pros cut loose and have fun without worrying about their bankrolls.

According to the press release, the new celebrity-centric show will be played at even lower stakes, “so the stars can just have fun and let loose, with no worry about making mistakes.”

“This will be unlike any poker show currently on TV,” said Anderson. “Poker Night LIVE  will be more like a Hollywood home game brought directly into viewers homes with lots of interesting guests, lots of laughs and lots of live action.”

Poker Night is trying to craft different lineups

The main PNiA show, with its $25/$50 stakes, tended to only attract celebrity players or wealthy amateurs who were already poker enthusiasts. With a smaller buy-in, PNiA is trying to widen its celebrity and amateur net, targeting casual and novice players, who might not mind firing off four or five $1,000 buy-ins, but would think twice about doing the same at five to ten times the stakes.

PNiA is also hoping the new format will bring some different poker personalities to the table, like Joe Stapleton.

Stapleton is a familiar name in the poker world, as he commentates many poker shows, including PNiA, but the new format will see “Stapes” come out of the booth and sit down at the table.

“Stapes (Joe Stapleton) is a huge talent, and a blast to play poker with! With his comedic skills and vast experience at calling some of the most iconic poker hands of all time – we can’t wait to watch him mix it up with Celebs on Live TV,” explained Poker Night LIVE’s recently named Executive Producer Jonnie Kedj, known for his work on other shows including Celebrity Poker Showdown, the World Poker Tour® and the PokerStars® Big Game.

The general vibe of the new show seems to be similar to the old Celebrity Poker Showdown shows that used to air on Bravo, in that it’s less about the money changing hands and more about the exposure.

Depending on the stakes, instead of professional players, you might see more poker media members and poker TV personalities like Stapleton sign up to play on the show against some of the celebrities and professional players.

The post Poker Night In America Launching New Live Celebrity Focused TV Show In March appeared first on .

West Virginia’s Senate moved ahead with a sports betting bill Tuesday. In anticipation of a change to federal law that prohibits the activity, the state is just the latest to …

The prices for the Pennsylvania mini-casinos are down from the astronomical $50 million they opened at back in January. There is still demand above the minimum bid of $7.5 million though . The latest buyer, Sands Bethlehem, spent $9,885,000 to secure the fourth satellite license. The company selected a location near Hempfield, PA in Mercer County. However, there is a chance this location could cause some legal problems.

Sands site will compete with Mount Airy’s mini property

There are actually several Hempfields and Hempfield Townships in Pennsylvania. To be clear, the area Sands selected is the township in Mercer County. It is on the western end of the state, near Youngstown, OH.

If that description sounds familiar, it should. During the last auction, Mount Airy selected a similar site in New Castle, PA. The Mount Airy property is closer to Youngstown than the Sands site. However, both are just shy of two hours away from Cleveland, OH.

The Sands location is just over 30 miles from New Castle

If the sports betting law does change in Pennsylvania, the proximity of these sites to Ohio will become even more advantageous. Per the law, a Category 4 casino should be able to accept bets. So, the location near a populated sports town like Cleveland could bring in interested bettors. Especially since Ohio is one of the states who has not taken any legal action to allow wagering.

Is this location allowed though?

There is potential for controversy over this latest bid though. The law is very precise about where a Category 4 casino can go in relation to Category 1-3 casinos and opt-out municipalities. Where it is less clear is where a Category 4 casino can go in relation to another mini casino.

Per the auction rules provided by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), this is the only stipulation:

An affirmation that the proposed “Category 4 location” is notwithin any portion of a previous winning bidder’s “Category 4 location.” 4 Pa.C.S. §1305.1(B)(3)

Earlier in the rules, “location” is defined as the precise latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates the casinos provide. However, that is not where the casino will necessarily go. Bidders have to put their casino in a 25-mile range of the coordinates. Essentially, the location selected puts a pin at the center of a circle where the casino needs to go.

Problem is, the Sands Bethlehem location and the Mount Airy location now overlap. So, should the companies so choose, they could theoretically end up with casinos across the street from one another and still be in their respective circles.

The law is vague, so there is certainly a chance this overlap becomes an issue, especially if Mount Airy feels as though Sands is honing in on its area, which it paid more than twice as much for than Sands did for its satellite property.

Should Presque Isle Downs be worried?

There is a third party in the state who might be concerned about today’s auction too. Both sites are far from the boundary protecting the racino Presque Isle Downs in Erie, PA. Nonetheless, this is added competition for the casino, who relies on Ohio players for revenue.

All three properties are relatively equidistant from Cleveland. While Erie does have the natural attraction of the lake bearing the same name, Sands has the advantage when it comes to brand recognition. Sands Bethlehem trails only Parx Casino in revenue within Pennsylvania. Moreover, Sands is part of a global casino brand. The draw of the name and the linked rewards program that goes with it is certainly a boon.

Who is left in these auctions now?

With four licenses down and six to go, the field for available licenses is thin. Only Category 1 and 2 casinos are eligible to bid in this initial round.

The list of remaining eligible casinos is:

• Harrah’s Philadelphia
• The Meadows
• Mohegan Sun
• Parx
• Presque Isle Downs
• Rivers Casino
• SugarHouse Casino

Parx participated in previous auctions. Other than that, the other casinos are silent on if they are going to stake claim to a property or not.

The base price for a satellite casino license is $7.5 million. Should any of the properties want to add table games, that will cost an additional $2.5 million on top of the auction bid. Once there are no more initial auction bidders, the secondary auction begins. At that time, Category 3 properties can bid, as can Category 1 and 2 casinos that previously bid on a location.

The post Sands Bethlehem Mini Casino Site Raises Legal Questions About Location appeared first on Play Pennsylvania.

The country’s preeminent online poker advocacy group is going through some major changes. Now, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) says unless the public steps up to back the organization, it may not survive them.

The PPA sent out a press release Feb. 7 announcing longtime Executive Director John Pappas would be stepping down at the end of the month.

Vice President Rich Muny will take on the day-to-day responsibility of running the organization as PPA President. Pappas will remain on the board of directors and take on a role as a strategic advisor.

Pappas led the non-profit membership organization for more than a decade. PPA’s longest serving board member Linda Johnson described Pappas as a tremendous leader and true professional:

“Under his guidance, PPA has emerged as a policy advocacy and grassroots powerhouse in Washington D.C. and in state capitals across the country. For almost a decade, he has been the political voice and face of the poker community and regulated internet gaming advocates. He leaves the organization in a strong position to continue to ensure that consumer voices drive the internet gaming debate.”

How strong is the PPA?

However, just how strong a position Pappas is leaving the organization in is in question.

In the release, Pappas says there has never been greater momentum for internet gaming in the US than right now:

“Whether lawmakers are considering poker, casino gambling or even sports betting, a strong and organized grassroots effort will be critical to legislative success. I am proud of the work I have done with the PPA board of directors and the amazing PPA staff to bring us to this point. I will miss working for the poker community on a day-to-day basis, but I am confident that the PPA will continue its great work with Rich Muny at the helm.”

However, the PPA has been adjusting to a reduction in financial support from the internet gaming industry recently.

The PPA claims despite that, it was still instrumental in the legalization of Pennsylvania online gambling last year. However, it’s impossible to say if Pennsylvania would have passed online gambling legislation even without the PPA’s efforts.

Does the PPA deliver results?

The organization also claims to have made a significant impact advocating for all forms of poker and internet gaming.

There’s little doubt the PPA has made a strong push for online poker and internet gambling. The PAA has definitely worked with state governments and stakeholders. It has maintained a position as a voice for the poker community.

However, results have been few and far between. Just four states have passed bills legalizing online poker. The truth is they may have done so even without the PPA’s help.

The PPA is now also considering a shift in its advocacy efforts. In fact, it claims to be thinking about jumping on the sports betting bandwagon. If only to see if it can’t attach the push for online poker to a movement with significantly more momentum.

New Jersey‘s case against a federal ban on sports betting was heard by the US Supreme Court in December. A decision is expected in the coming months. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of New Jersey it could open up the right for states across the country to legalize sports betting. As many as 20 states have already passed or are considering passing legislation that would legalize sports betting if the federal ban is lifted.

Despite more than a decade of effort from the PPA, there has never been this much momentum behind online poker.

The PPA says it is perfectly positioned to expand into this area. Plus, it could help the organization gain potential new activists and donors. Additionally, it says getting behind sports betting might help ensure poker is included in legislative discussions.

The Poker Players Alliance plea

However, the organization also says it may not survive to see movement on any of it without the public’s help.

An update from Muny posted on the PPA website Feb. 16 claims this is a period of challenge.

It reiterates the point that the PPA has seen a significant reduction in donations from the internet gaming industry. Plus, it claims the PPA may be forced to shut down without the public’s help:

“We now find ourselves possibly shutting down right before what could be the biggest year for iPoker and iGaming yet. PPA cannot continue fighting for poker if we do not meet our fundraising goal of $25,000 by the end of March. With support from poker players and enthusiasts like you, we can easily make this goal.”

The plea ends claiming every dollar donated will go toward core operational expenses of the organization’s grassroots communications and advocacy.

The post Will The Poker Players Alliance Survive? Should It? appeared first on .