Crews will begin construction work next month on a new casino that will replace Jokers Wild in Henderson, executives with Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming said during a third-quarter earnings call Thursday. The 450-slot casino is expected to open in early 2026 and plans to gradually ramp up its growth in line with the planned neighboring community of Cadence.
The following is a summary of gaming and casino news from Las Vegas and beyond.
Investors expect little change in third-quarter earnings calls
Fears of a big, deep gambling recession appear to have passed, a Wall Street gaming analyst said in a note to investors Wednesday. Truist Securities’ Barry Jonas said he expects gaming fundamentals to remain stable during upcoming earnings calls for operators, manufacturers and others in the industry.
“Strip operators continue to fight the ‘Peak Vegas’ narrative, while regional and local operators continue to fight flat, so we don’t expect any third quarter impressions to write about,” Jonas wrote. “In this environment, we believe narratives are shifting more toward (M&A) optionality.”
Mercedes F1 pop-up store on the Las Vegas Strip
F1 team Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS is opening a pop-up store inside the Aria hotel-casino on the Strip. The limited-time experience will begin on November 8 and run until November 24. It will be open 24 hours a day in the hotel lobby.
Mercedes’ pop-up event at Aria will feature F1 simulators, a VIP virtual reality garage tour with Lewis Hamilton, historic memorabilia and exclusive merchandise.
The 2024 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place between November 21 and 23.
Ballot Measures on Gambling
Four ballot measures will face voters in three states next Tuesday.
The biggest dispute involves whether Missouri would become the 39th state to approve legal sports betting. Also in Missouri, voters will be asked to consider a new casino license in Osage County, in central Missouri, along the Osage River.
In Colorado, voters will be asked to consider Proposition JJ, which would extend its policy of retaining any revenue generated by sports betting above $29 million for the Water Plan Implementation Cash Fund to fund state water projects.
In Arkansas, Issue 2 would repeal the 2018 Issue 4 vote that allowed casino gaming in Pope County in central Arkansas. In 2018, voters approved casino gaming in four counties, but only Pope County gaming would be affected by this year’s vote.
Aristocrat in the United Arab Emirates
Aristocrat Gaming, which has a large presence in Las Vegas, has become the first international slot machine and online technology company to receive a gaming-related provider license from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, the entity federal government that oversees commercial gambling activities in the United Arab Emirates.
The license was announced Monday.
Wynn Resorts Ltd. is in the process of building a $3.9 billion casino resort, Wynn Al Marjan Island, on 115 acres in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah at the Arabian Sea entrance to the Persian Gulf.
Bamboo on board
Southwest Airlines is transitioning to new cold cups and stir sticks for inflight beverage service that the airline says will eliminate single-use inflight service items by 2030.
The new cups are made from 93% non-plastic materials, with a pulp blend consisting of 75% bamboo and 25% paper and polyethylene coating. The stirring sticks are made from 100% certified birch wood.
In July, Southwest switched to 100% recycled napkins.
Smoking at Virginia casino operated by Boyd sparks outrage
Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming and the Pamunkey Indian Tribe will break ground on a new casino in Norfolk, Virginia, on Wednesday. Anti-smoking activists plan to use the event to highlight their concerns about the new casino being considered a smoking property.
Casino Employees Against Smoking’s Effects (CEASE) plans to hold a press conference and rally to show their opposition to the smoking policy.
“No worker should have to choose between their health and a paycheck, but that is exactly what will happen when this casino opens,” said Juana Wilson of CEASE VA. “Casinos are the only places in Virginia where smoking can still be done indoors, and casino workers are the most affected by that decision. “This casino has the potential to be a great addition to our vibrant downtown, but with 90% of potential guests non-smoking, this decision is short-sighted and outdated.”
