Happy New Year everyone! It’s a New Year, and a new list of news, promotions and events happening at New England Casinos in January 2019
New England Casinos January SECTIONS BELOW INCLUDE include:
NEWS, GAMBLING PROMOTIONS, SPECIAL EVENTS, FESTIVALS, AND ENTERTAINMENT
SPORTS BETTING ARRIVES IN NEW ENGLAND
Rhode Island, the smallest state in the country, became the eighth state to have sports betting as of November, 2018. Like horses at the starting gate, a huge line had formed and excitement built until at 3:00pm EST, the Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, Senate President Dominic Ruggerio and John Taylor, executive chairman of Twin River Worldwide Holdings Inc., placed the first sports wagering bets, marking the opening of the Twin River Casino Sports Book in Lincoln RI. The new Tiverton Casino and Hotel, Twin River Management Group’s other RI casino, opened their sports book in December.
So they could started ASAP and get ahead of other New England casinos, Twin River’s setup is temporary, called “Phase 1″ and is found in the third floor in the simulcast wagering area. This “Phase 1” area will be kept even after the main sports book is completed. The Main Sports Book will be overlooking the grassy remains of the once vibrant greyhound track.
According to Jeff Moony, Staff Writer at the Providence Journal, “Rhode Island will be poised to go online whenever lawmakers are ready. IGT and William Hill power Rhode Island sports wagering. IGT is behind the computer technology, while William Hill is setting the lines.”
Connecticut has approved sports betting, but won’t start implementation until the next legislative session. Massachusetts will consider sports betting next year. Data collection by the legislature and Massachusetts Gaming Commission may cause long delay, but MGM is lobbying for a quicker change to the legislation.
A Few Important Considerations include:
- The State of Rhode Island takes 51% of the sports betting revenue at the start
- 32% goes to IGT as vendor operations
- Only 17% of the revenue generated by sports betting goes to each casino – Twin River or Tiverton
- The Wicked Good Bar & Grill has been re-tooled to now be the SPORTSBOOK Bar & Grill, a dedicated sports betting venue with over 100 TVs, odds boards, comfortable seating areas, and a full bar and dining menu
- Bets are now allowed on pro sports and college games, but Rhode Island colleges are not available for wagering.
- Only pre-game betting is available. In-game betting will be only be ready when the mobile on-line wagering is in place, and that could be for quite a while.
Still No Third Connecticut Casino
Connecticut’s third casino, a joint project by the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, remains stagnant, and the likelihood of it happening seems slim at the close of 2018.
The tribes cleared the casino’s East Windsor site in the spring but never secured the key federal approvals they needed to start construction. A federal lawsuit, in which the tribes and the state sought to compel the U.S. Department of the Interior to grant the approvals, languished most of the year.
In October, a federal judge ruled that the state and the tribal operators of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun cannot legally force federal Indian gaming regulators to approve changes to revenue-sharing agreements that give the state a cut of slot machine revenue each year. The state receives 25 percent of slot machine revenue, which translates to hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
A proposal by state Sen. Cathy Osten to get an East Windsor casino built — legislation co-sponsored by much of our area’s local delegation — deserves serious consideration from the General Assembly and Gov.-elect Ned Lamont.
Osten proposes bypassing the U.S. Department of Interior. Interior’s refusal to sign off on current state legislation allowing an East Windsor casino to be jointly operated by the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes has stalled the plans. The foot-dragging by Interior appears politically motivated, with lawmakers from Nevada having lobbied the agency on behalf of MGM.
Litigation Dominates Encore Boston Harbor News
Massachusetts Gaming Commission officials say they would have begun an adjudicatory hearing on the licensing of Wynn Resorts Ltd. by now had it not been for a lawsuit filed by former Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn last month. State commissioners were scheduled to meet in a closed executive session to discuss the state’s legal strategy to fight the lawsuit Wynn filed in Clark County District Court. Wynn’s six-count lawsuit seeks to block the report’s release based on it containing or relying on Steve Wynn’s attorney-client privileged communications from Wynn Resorts’ six-year litigation against former business partner Kazuo Okada.
Meanwhile, Encore Boston Harbor on Wednesday afternoon tweeted that “reservations are coming later this year” to the $2.4 billion gaming resort now under construction in Everett — despite the fact that the approval process is far from complete.
Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun gaming company has said it is willing to buy out Wynn Resorts $2.5 billion Everett casino project. “The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has stated that it will conduct adjudicatory hearings as part of the Wynn Resorts suitability review, and make a determination with regards to the Region A license to operate a resort casino in Everett. Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria expressed opposition to a sale to Mohegan, the Herald reported, saying the Connecticut company was “not welcome to operate a casino in Everett.”
Controversy has surrounded this casino project. In September, Sterling Suffolk Racecourse has filed a lawsuit against Wynn alleging that the company cheated its way to being awarded the right to run Encore Boston Harbor in Everett. Sterling argues that the application for the license to run the casino in Revere — submitted by its partner, Mohegan Sun Casino — was superior to Wynn’s.
Have we reached the Saturation Point?
Connecticut studies, ironically made by MGM, suggested another casino in southwestern CT would be a plausible candidate for casino expansion, as Mohegan and Pequot tribes started plans for their joint casino near the border of MGM Springfield. In his article “Growing Gambling Facilities In The Northeast U.S.: Is There A Market For Them All? Elliott R. Morse provides tables of gaming progression in select casinos, including Wynn & MGM. The article implies that the survival of both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods is in jeopardy. Why? The old casino model of 80/20 – that’s 80% from gambling revenue and 20% from entertainment, dining, etc., – is changing to a more “integrated resort development” in new casinos. Both Wynn & MGM are building newer casinos in New England with that in mind.
However, this is the same story we’ve heard for years? When Maine added a second casino in Oxford. Massachusetts excluded the Brockton Southeast Gaming License due to the Wampanoag Casino in Taunton and the many stages of flux it was in. Two large casinos in Southeastern Mass. was considered too much by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
And, yet, Massachusetts in now looking into opening up that license again, since the “First Light” casino resort of the Wampanoags is close to receiving its last rights. MGM still wants open bidding in CT for it’s Bridgeport incentive. Sports betting in Rhode Island has opened another enthusiastic group of gamblers, making the pie now larger with additional gamblers.
Saturation? We’ll see. Revenues in recent months have declined in all but one casino in New England – Oxford Casino & Hotel. We will have to wait and see what 2019 will bring to the Northeast gambling action.
GAMBLING PROMOTIONS
FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO, Mashantucket CT
Escape to Paradise – WIN AN ATLANTIS GETAWAY. EARN POINTS DAILY TO WIN WEEKLY
DECEMBER 26 – FEBRUARY 7. Drawings will be held every Thursday at 7pm. Qualify
by simply playing your favorite game with your Foxwoods Rewards Card. For every two (2) Points earned, recieve one entry into the drawing.
National Cake Day – PIECE OF CAKE – January 27 • 4pm – 6pm • Great Cedar Concourse. Drawing • 6:15pm. Save room for dessert when you come to Foxwoods. Stop by the Celebration Zone on the Great Cedar Concourse to receive a chocolate cupcake!
Big Game Swipe to Win – SWIPE DAILY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN TICKETS TO THE BIG GAME. Swipe to Win • January 1 – 18. Activate Entries • January 19, 6am – 7pm. Drawing • January 19, 8pm
$2,000 Hot Seat – Tuesday, January 8 • 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Check in at any Foxwoods Rewards location. After checking in, play your favorite slots or table games with your Foxwoods Rewards Card. Every hour, the Prize Patrol will select 1 lucky $2,000 winner. Guests playing to the left and/or right of the winner will also win $100 Bonus Slot Play!
3x Tier Credits – SATURDAY, January 11th • BEGINNING AT 6AM – Tier up faster with TRIPLE TIER CREDITS. Earn TRIPLE TIER CREDITS on slots, table games, keno, bingo and race book.Not valid on poker play.
$25,000 Slot Tournament – January 26 • 2PM – 8PM • Spin Zone at Great Cedar Casino near the Fox Theater for your chance to win up to $10,000 cash. The TOP 50 scores will win prizes AND each session winner will receive a free gift!
Winter Deep Freeze Poker Challenge – $300,000 GUARANTEED!
ONGOING PROMOTIONS – SPECIAL MILITARY OFFERS & DISCOUNTS, High Hand Poker Frenzy, Young & Fun Days, 55+ Offers
HOLLYWOOD Casino, Hotel & Raceway, BANGOR ME
Poker Stay & Play – ACCUMULATE 6 HOURS OF CASH PLAY IN THE POKER ROOM AND RECEIVE A SPECIAL ROOM RATE. Sundays through Thursdays.
Early Bird – your chance to win Free SlotPlay based on your tier. January 19th from 1PM – 4PM we’ll call one winner every 10 minutes.
ONGOING PROMOS: QUEEN OF HEARTS PROGRESSIVE, BIRTHDAY BASH, Midweek Moolah, Jackpot Party, 50 PLUS REWARDS KIOSK – Every Sunday 1PM – 4PM,
MGM SPRINGFIELD, Springfield MA
Scratch It Rich – Swipe & Win. Receive one additional swipe for every 350 slot points or 500 tier credits from table play daily. All points earned on slot machines will be multiplied 2x. $80,000 Saturday Drawings. Finale Drawing is January 26. Be one of five winners at 10:00 p.m. for a chance at the Grand Prize of $5,000 FREEPLAY!
$1M Blackjack Tournament – On January 7, 14, 21 and 28, beginning at 10:00 a.m. each day, M life Rewards members can win up to $5,000 in promotional chips, plus have the chance at claiming the million dollar prize on January 28.
$20k Slot Tournament – On January 29 – 30, play for a share of $20,000 in FREEPLAY®. Registration is from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day and the tournament play begins at 10:00 a.m. The top 20 score holders from both days will be announced in the Ballroom area on January 30 at 6:00 p.m. for a chance to win their share of $20,000!
ONGOING PROMOS: WINNING WINSDAYS, MILITARY and VETERANS PROGRAM, SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
MOHEGAN SUN Resort Casino, Uncasville CT
ANCHORS AWEIGH GIVEAWAY – Daily until Friday, February 1st 2019. Win the grand prize of a complimentary cruise for two in the exclusive MSC Yacht Club aboard any MSC Cruises ship sailing in Northern Europe or the Mediterranean.
STATUS POINT MAYHEM – Friday, January 4th. Boost with Status Point multipliers. Play your favorite slots from 6:00am – Midnight and earn at least DOUBLE Status Points. The multiplier will randomly change throughout the day – earning you anywhere from 2X – 5X Status Points! Each multiplier is guaranteed to occur at least twice!
BLAKE SHELTON SLOT LAUNCH – Friday, January 18th at 1:00pm. Casino of the Sky Near Riverview Garage Entrance. Be one of the first 200 Momentum members to experience our Blake Shelton Video Slots for FREE.
TRIPLE STATUS POINTS DAYS – January 20th.
Double Momentum Dollars & Double Status points – January 25th
STATUS POINT BOOSTER DAYS IN JANUARY – Weekly everyThursday until January 31st, 2019. Earn 50% MORE STATUS POINTS while playing your favorite slots, table games and wagers placed in the Race Book.This also includes both stadium gaming and the Poker Room.
ONGOING PROMOTIONS – TURN 21 AT MOHEGAN SUN, FOREVER YOUNG WEDNESDAYS
OXFORD CASINO & Hotel, Oxford ME
The Great 250K Giveaway – Earn entries 10X faster on SUNDAYS – Every 50 Tier points will earn you an extra entry!
Thursday Dinner Buffet – Earn 500 tier points between 5:00am and 7:00pm to get a FREE Thursday Dinner buffet
ONGOING PROMOTIONS: 2018 Birthday Bash, Fat Stacks of Cash, SATURDAY – Super 6, SUNDAY – 16X Multiplier TUESDAY – 15X Multiplier, WEDNESDAY – 15X Multiplier and Seniors Day, THURSDAY – Missile Madness, Every Thursday. 3:00pm – 8:00pm and – Free Lunch Buffet (100 pts earned), FRIDAY – Mega High 5 , Prime Rib Buffet, Weekend Breakfast Buffets
Plainridge Park Casino & Raceway
PROSPECTORS PLUNGE – Wednesdays in January, Win up to $500 in Free SlotPlay every hour during our Prospectors Plunge Bonus Slot Tournaments. Complete the Bonus Spins within 15 minutes after the top of the hour. The Top 10 High Scores will be awarded Free SlotPlay Prizes.
CROCK-POT GIVEAWAY – Earn 500 tier points on January 27 to claim a Crock-Pot in the Promo Zone! One per Marquee Rewards account. 11AM – 4PM
ONGOING PROMOTIONS – 50+ REWARDS, P OF DIAMONDS
Twin River Casino & Hotel
$270,000 Cash Sweepstakes – WIN: Friday, January 4, 11, 18 & 25, 1pm – 9pm
Saturday, January 5, 12, 19 & 26, 1pm – 9pm. 4 Winners every 1/2 hour could win $500 in CASH.
CASINO EVENTS
January 5 – Reality Fighting at Mohegan Sun Arena, 7:00PM
January 6 – Pajama Party Brunch. 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM (first Sunday Jan 6 – April 7). Throw on your cutest/sexiest PJ’s and party at Centrale Fox Tower with drinks and a DJ. Tix = $20 General Admission – Includes choice of Mimosa or Bellini toast at noon. $45 VIP
January 6, 11:00am – The Original Wedding Expo. Enjoy food, cocktails, and so much more. Fashion Show at 2pm. at Twin River Event Center
January 17 – 20 – 50TH HARTFORD BOAT SHOW AT MOHEGAN SUN at Earth Expo & Convention Center, Mohegan Sun
January 19 – CES MMA, 2:00pm, at Twin River Event Center
January 19 – ESports Beanpot Overwatch Community Invitational; Rutgers VS Northeastern at Mohegan Sun Arena, 12:00PM
January 19 – BLACK WOLVES VS. GEORGIA SWARM, NLL Lacrosse at Mohegan Sun Arena, 7:00PM
January 24 – 27 –Sun Food And Wine Fest at Mohegan Sun Arena
January 26 – STAR BOXING PRESENTS SLUGFEST AT THE SUN at Mohegan Sun Arena, 7:30PM
January 27 – BLACK WOLVES VS. BUFFALO BANDITS, NLL Lacrosse at Mohegan Sun Arena, 6:00PM
January 27-28 – AHL All-Star Classic, at Mass Mutual Center, MGM Springfield
ENTERTAINMENT
January 4 – Carlos Mencia at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods, 8:00PM
January 6 – Psychic Medium Matt Fraser at Premier Ballroom, Foxwoods, 2:00PM
January 11 – Scott Rogowsky Live! An Evening of Trivia & Comedy at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods, 8:00PM
January 12 – Dancing With the Stars! – A Night To Remember at Mohegan Sun Arena, 7:30PM
January 12 – Vic DiBitetto at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods, 7:30 & 10:30PM
January 12 – Moms of Comedy: Kerri Louise, Christine Hurley & Kelly MacFarland at The Loft, Plainridge Park, 8:00PM
January 13 – Dancing With the Stars! – A Night To Remember at Mohegan Sun Arena, 7:30PM
January 18 – Amazing Johnathan at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods, 8:00PM
January 18 – A$AP ROCKY at Mohegan Sun Arena, 8:00PM
January 18 – Jess Hilarious at Aria Ballroom, MGM Springfield, 8:00PM
January 19 – DeRay Davis at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods, 8:00PM
January 20 – BOWZER’S ROCK N’ DOO-WOP PARTY VOLUME XVIII at Mohegan Sun Arena, 3:00PM
January 25 – Bert Kreischer at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods, 8:00 & 10:45PM
January 25 – The Whispers & Johnny Gill at Twin River Event Center, 7:00pm
January 26 – Friends! The Musical Parody at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods, 8:00PM
January 27 – Friends! The Musical Parody at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods, 7:00PM
January 31 – YOUNG THE GIANT at Mohegan Sun Arena, 8:00PM
February 1 – Sarah Brightman: Hymn Live In Concert at the Grand Theater, Foxwoods, 8:00PM
February 2 – Toni Braxton • As Long As I Live Tour at the Grand Theater, Foxwoods, 8:00PM
OTHER CASINO ENTERTAINMENT VENUES include:
- The Wolf Den, Mohegan Sun – Located in the center of the action, in Casino of the Earth, offers full beverage service, a state-of-the-art sound system, intimate seating and top performances by headliners. For complete schedule, click HERE.
- Hollywood Bangor now offers two venues for live weekend music – 99 Hops House & the Sound Stage. Click Here for schedule. Summer Concert Series at the Darling Waterfront Pavillion is walking distance from Bangor Hollywood Casino
- Newport Grand offers Free shows by Tribute bands almost every weekend. Click HERE for schedule.
- Twin River Casino Lighthouse Lounge – right in the middle of the downstairs casino. Shipyard Pub – Upstairs in Non-smoking.
- Tiverton Casino – Center Bar
- Plainridge Park Casino – the Revolution Lounge offers entertainment on the weekends
- MGM Springfield – Commonwealth Bar & Lounge
- Foxwoods – Atrium Lounge – Live bands on the weekend, specialty cocktails and great time.
Visiting New England’s Casinos?
Curious about casino expansion in our region? Then there’s only one place to go – visit us at NETimeGambling! For specific casino details, visit the websites of all seven casinos: Connecticut – Foxwoods Resort/Casino and Mohegan Sun Resort/Casino; Rhode Island – Tiverton Casino Hotel and Twin River Hotel/Casino; Massachusetts – Plainridge Park Casino & Raceway, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor (opening Fall 2019); Maine – Oxford Casino and Hollywood Bangor Hotel, Casino & Raceway.
“NETimeGambling is a non-monetized blog created for my personal interest and passion in the gambling industry – its history, and its ongoing evolution – mixed with my love for New England. Come share my passion and visit us.”
After directing middle school chorus and middle school drama for 41 years, and I will be retiring this year to pursue travel with my wife and to further expand my interest in the gambling industry, which I been fascinated by for over twenty years. The goal of NETimeGambling is to provide a service and resource for any recreational gambler visiting New England’s expanding casino market and interested in gambling tips, news and advice.
Follow us on twitter at @NETimeGambling, and on Facebook at NEtimegambling. Come join the New England Casinos facebook group and chat about experiences at our 8 New England Casinos, soon to be 9 in 2019. Feel free to enhance our community with your gambling experiences, casino loyalty programs, resort experiences and thoughts concerning New England’s expansion.
