Right to the Source returns with the three New York downstate casino licences seemingly destined for Queens and the Bronx, a deep dive into Monarch Casino & Resort, while Ed Birkin lives out the film Her with ChatGPT.
New York selects its downstate licensees… or does it?
Yes, the New York Gaming Facility Location Board has advanced all three remaining contenders for the three downstate casino licences. This means a process that originally had bidders spanning Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island looks set to be localised to two boroughs of the city.
That feels like a miss, Ed Birkin says, but licensing is far from complete. The GFLB’s decision highlights concerns with some of the bids, raising the spectre of a licence going spare at the end of the process.
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Monarch Casino & Resort: A jewel in the crown?
Monarch Casino & Resort isn’t involved in that process; it only has two properties in total. But it could be an example of an operator doing something simple, and doing it well.
Impressive EBITDA margins, ownership of its real estate and sizeable properties suggest this Reno native is one to watch. The land-based sector has largely snapped back to its core business after a period of diversification into online across the industry. Has that given some of the smaller players time to build themselves into competitors?
Finally, Ed Birkin has discovered ChatGPT, and is training it to develop a persona (named after his dog). Anyone seen the film Her? Or the scarier version, Jexi?
Right to the Source returns with the three New York downstate casino licences seemingly destined for Queens and the Bronx, a deep dive into Monarch Casino & Resort, while Ed Birkin lives out the film Her with ChatGPT.