Jamie Sutton

For regional casino marketers, this article highlights the need to understand and engage with evolving community interests beyond traditional gaming. How can casinos leverage these shifts to build stronger local connections? #GamingTrends #CommunityEngagement #CasinoMarketing https://lnkd.in/g_2XuNQK

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Really looking forward to the national Indian Gaming convention in San Diego. We have an amazing panel about small markets and how to get entertainment Joe and I will be available for meetings. Call us on the cell 310-729-6650. Small casino markets: How do we make entertainment affordable? Smaller tribal casino markets face growing pressure to deliver compelling entertainment while managing limited budgets and regional demand. This session examines how tribes can develop affordable, high-impact entertainment strategies that drive visitation without overextending resources. Panelists discuss right-sizing talent, leveraging partnerships, using flexible venues, and aligning entertainment programming with market realities. The discussion focuses on practical approaches that support profitability, strengthen community engagement, and enhance the overall guest experience in smaller and rural tribal gaming markets. Moderator Kell Houston, President - Houston Productions Speakers Patrick Packineau, CEO - 4 Bears Casino and Lodge Benjamin Boren Pearl River Casino Billy Brill Dwp Mary Moon, Entertainment Manager - Tachi Palace Casino Resort

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MGM Resorts CEO admits company 'lost control' of narrative over eye-watering prices. How to keep a lid on vacation costs https://lnkd.in/ehQHe6_V #Travel #LasVegas #MGM #UndercoverJetsetter

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On November 20, the New Mexico Association of Indian Gaming Commissions is hosting their inaugural Licensing Roundtable at Isleta Resort and Casino in Albuquerque, NM. This roundtable will bring together licensing professionals, regulators and gaming commissions from across the state to discuss current trends, best practices, and collaborative approaches to strengthening tribal gaming oversight. It will also serve as an excellent opportunity to network and share insights with colleagues from New Mexico tribal regulatory agencies. #NMAIGC #TribalGaming #Licensing #Roundtable

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🚗 Industry Update: Events.com Acquires La Jolla Concours d'Elegance Events.com has acquired the prestigious La Jolla Concours d'Elegance, enhancing the event's infrastructure with improved ticketing, sponsorship, and marketing tools. The La Jolla Historical Society will continue its guiding role, ensuring the event's tradition and quality remain intact. Read more 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e2UAJaGh

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Reno casino CEO John Farahi charts a different course than industry peers on growth With limited growth opportunities, Monarch Casino CEO considers options for another property after successfully expanding to the Denver area. “I think the bar is extremely high. I don’t think management evaluates opportunities in the context of just getting bigger. I think they look for regulatorily stable markets with real growth potential and minimal competitive risks. The fact that in their history they have only done one deal [for Black Hawk] should speak volumes.” - Trusit Securities gaming analyst Barry Jonas #reno #colorado #nevada #gaming #gamingindustry #expansion https://lnkd.in/g6jwi5k5

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Cha-Ching no more?! Is Las Vegas Pricing Itself Out of Reach? The Hidden Impact of Casino Comps Las Vegas has long been the city of excitement — where entertainment, food, and gaming collide. But lately, there’s a growing sentiment among visitors: Vegas isn’t what it used to be. Room rates, dining costs, and even simple conveniences have soared. What used to be a fun, affordable weekend now feels like a luxury splurge. Ironically, part of this inflation comes from the very system designed to reward loyalty — casino comps. When “Free” Isn’t Really Free Many loyal players return to Vegas because of casino comps — complimentary credits for meals, shows, or hotel stays. These gamers aren’t necessarily wealthy; they’ve simply earned status through regular play. A gold-tier member might receive $1,000 worth of comps for a trip, using them to offset high expenses. But here’s the twist: casinos raise prices so those comps are used up faster — effectively reducing their value. The Price Ripple Effect To keep the system profitable, restaurants and hotels under casino groups increase their prices. Since pricing can’t differ between comped and regular guests, everyone ends up paying the inflated rates. This tactic exists globally, but in the U.S., with inflation already high, Vegas prices have spiraled out of control. Everyday items — from buffets to cocktails — now feel unreasonably expensive. The Unintended Consequence The result is a widening gap. Regular tourists feel priced out, casual visitors look elsewhere, and even loyal players realize their comps don’t stretch as far. Vegas may still shine bright, but the inclusive charm that once made it special — where anyone could have a good time — is fading beneath its own pricing strategy. The Bottom Line Las Vegas doesn’t need to lose its spirit to stay profitable. But if comps keep driving prices higher, the city risks alienating the very crowd that made it iconic — ordinary visitors seeking fun, not frustration. The house may still win, but increasingly, it feels like everyone else is losing. #CasinoManagement #HospitalityLeadership #GamingIndustry #ResortStrategy #EntertainmentBusiness #VegasEconomy #BusinessStrategy #CustomerExperience #RevenueManagement #TourismTrends #InflationImpact #BrandLoyalty #LeadershipInsights #HospitalityInnovation

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Most operators think "direct bookings" means social media posts and influencers. It's actually a completely different game. I was on a mastermind last week with 40 of our top RPM clients. Operators running a million, 10 million, 15 million in bookings. Hundreds of listings. Big teams. The number one question: How do we get more direct bookings? Here's the problem most of them are running into... They're all fighting over the same search traffic. OTA rankings. Google ads. SEO... the demand is finite. You're limited to whoever is already searching for your destination. Dustin Baker from HiddenGem Media has been solving this differently. His approach: stop competing for search traffic. Start creating discovery traffic. That means social media... but not the way most people do it. Most operators post a few photos, maybe hire an influencer, and hope something sticks. Dustin's team builds funnels. Social content drives people to an email signup, not a booking page. Then a nurture sequence does the heavy lifting... teaching people about the brand, sharing reviews, building trust. Weeks later, those emails show up in the PMS as bookings. One client with traditional homes in the Poconos went from $20K to $137K in direct bookings in the first month after starting this system. The other thing he said that hit hard: influencers are a dud nine out of 10 times. On the flip side, Meta ads are trackable, scalable, and outperform influencer collaborations in every measurable way. We're at 40-50% direct bookings with Freewyld. This conversation pushed my thinking on how to get further. Full episode in the comments. What's your direct booking % right now?

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Mesmerizing, new work from directors Alex Topaller & Dan Shapiro at AGGRESSIVE. "Riffing on the ‘multiply’ motif, Aggressive conjured up an array of visual illusions and tricks that elevated the initial brief. “That whole language of movement, vivid colour styling and mind-bending visual techniques became part of the brand’s identity,” explains director and co-founder Daniel Shapiro."

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🥁 Virginia’s Casinos Start 2026 With a Bang – January Revenues of $81 Million, up 12% YoY 🛫 Figures published by the Virginia Lottery show the state’s casinos increased revenues by 12% year-over-year, from $72 million in January 2025. 🎰 Slots generated $61 million, up 13% YoY from $53 million 🎲 Table games generated $20 million, up 7% YoY from $18 million 🥇Caesars Virginia led the pack with revenues of $30 million (+6% YoY) 🥈Rivers Casino Portsmouth came in second with $25 million (0% YoY) 🥉Hard Rock Bristol came in third with $19 million (+5% YoY) The two new entrants are also contributing to the totals: ⭐ Live! Petersburg (temporary facility) generated $4.7M in its partial opening month. ⭐The Interim Gaming Hall Norfolk, a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, contributed $1.1M in slots revenue. 🔗 Link to the report in the comments below 👇🏻

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Denver-based Splash Sports, a skill-based social sports gaming company, has raised $14.5 million in Series B funding led by Dream Ventures, with participation from EP Golf Ventures, Boston Seed Capital, Velvet Sea Ventures, Green Wave Ventures, and Evolution Partners. Led by CEO TJ Ross, the company plans to use the new capital to expand its product suite, scale marketing and partnerships, and strengthen its presence across the U.S. and Canada. Built from the acquisition of RunYourPool and OfficeFootballPool, Splash Sports enables fans to compete for real money across major leagues like the NFL, NCAAF, and NBA—differentiating itself from traditional fantasy or sportsbook models by letting fans run real-money contests in 44 states, D.C., and Canada. INVESTORS: Dream Ventures, EP Golf Ventures, Boston Seed, Velvet Sea Ventures, Green Wave Ventures & Evolution Partners ROUND: Series B AMOUNT: $14,500,000 HQ: #Denver #Colorado #VentureCapital #SplashSports #TJRoss #DreamVentures #EPGolfVentures #BostonSeed #VelvetSeaVentures #GreenWaveVentures #EvolutionPartners #TradedVC

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While experience-based upselling works, without a path to reduce debt, the financial story of AMC remains uncertain. Key Takeaways: - Revenue per attendee is up, driven by higher ticket prices, premium formats, and upselling. - AMC’s special formats strategy (IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and its own branded premium screens) continues to boost margins and differentiate the customer’s experience. - Attendance growth is still modest, but spend per attendee is at record levels, compensating for the slower recovery in overall moviegoing. - Despite operational gains, AMC’s high debt load remains a major pressure on net results.

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At SBJ’s AXS DRIVE, AEG President & CEO Dan Beckerman spoke about his view of open distribution and a non-exclusivity model for ticketing in the sports industry 🎟️ With 30 years in sports, entertainment and venue management, Beckerman cited the music industry, O2 Arena and AEG’s use of five ticketing platforms. He added that Crypto.com Arena has no exclusive ticketing partner, with the Lakers, Kings and Sparks using different platforms to expand fan reach and fill the building. https://ow.ly/ux9N50WXQhj

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