Inside Gaming: Strip hotel-casino offers deep discounts on rooms for Black Friday

Fontainebleau hotel-casino will offer up to 35 percent off room rates, a complimentary resort fee, and a $50 daily food-and-beverage credit as part of its Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Travel Tuesday promotion.

Bookings will be available Nov. 17 through Dec. 2 for stays between Nov. 22 and April 30, 2027.

Fontainebleau Rewards members will receive up to 35 percent off, plus two complimentary tickets to the resort’s Hall of Excellence. Nonmembers will receive 30 percent off room rates and the daily $50 food and beverage credit.

Stays must be between one and seven nights. The offer is subject to availability, with blackout dates and other restrictions applying.

Rio unveils renovated sportsbook

The Rio hotel-casino has unveiled a newly renovated race and sportsbook powered by William Hill.

The 3,400-square-foot sportsbook features all-new screens, an upgraded sound system and upgraded seating for more than 100. The adjacent 1,400-square-foot fully renovated sportsbook bar features additional seating for more than 70, expanded bar-top gaming options and a new oval screen above the bar.

The book offers expanded wagering options through 12 William Hill self-service betting kiosks and eight racing carrels with individually controlled screens. The reimagined book features large, reconfigurable LED displays and two VIP lounge areas with sectional seating and dedicated TVs.

“The reopening of our renovated sportsbook by William Hill marks another exciting milestone in the ongoing evolution of Rio,” Rio president Rod Turlan said in a statement. “We set out to create a modern, high-energy environment where fans can enjoy cutting-edge viewing technology, elevated comfort and exceptional service.

“From the dynamic LED displays and dedicated VIP lounge areas to the completely renovated bar, every detail was intentionally designed to deliver an unforgettable experience for our guests.”

New seating, carpeting and wall finishes refresh the sportsbook from floor to ceiling.

“William Hill remains an important part of our business in Nevada, and we’re proud to work with our partners at Rio on this renovated race and sportsbook,” said Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, in a statement. “This space stays true to what fans expect from William Hill while giving them a more modern, comfortable setting to enjoy both.”

William Hill US, part of Caesars Entertainment’s sports wagering portfolio, is Nevada’s largest sportsbook operator with more than 110 race and sportsbook locations statewide and the William Hill Nevada mobile app.

Macquarie: Gaming earnings mixed, estimates trimmed for 2027

Gaming companies delivered mixed third-quarter results, with regional casino operators generally meeting expectations while large casino companies and online gaming operators fell short, according to a Macquarie Equity Research report.

The Nov. 8 report said large-cap operators missed analyst EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) estimates by an average of 8 percent, while online gaming companies posted an average miss of 84 percent. Regional operators were largely in line with expectations.

Macquarie analysts also lowered their 2027 EBITDA estimates by 5 percent for both large-cap and online operators and 1 percent for regional companies, citing a more cautious outlook despite generally stable operating trends.

Among large-cap operators, Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts saw their shares outperform underlying earnings revisions over the past month. The group gained an average of 6 percent, compared with flat performance for regional casino stocks and a 6 percent decline among online gaming companies.

Analysts said Las Vegas operators reported better-than-feared results, citing continued strength in group and convention business, premium customers and the upcoming event calendar. Regional operators also described stable gaming trends and resilient core customers.

MGM National Harbor names new president, COO

MGM Resorts International has named longtime company executive Chris Gumiela president and chief operating officer of MGM National Harbor hotel-casino in Maryland.

Gumiela succeeds Melonie Johnson, who retired, and returns to the property after serving as its vice president of marketing from 2017 to 2020. He most recently was senior vice president of interactive operations for MGM Resorts.

Gumiela joined MGM in 2006 through its management associate program and has more than 20 years of experience in casino operations and management.

His appointment comes as plans advance for the $1.4 billion Sphere National Harbor, a 6,000-seat immersive entertainment venue planned on 14 acres immediately north of the casino. The project recently secured up to $215 million in public financing.

The venue is expected to connect to MGM National Harbor, which generated more than $823 million in gaming revenue in 2025 and annually ranks among the highest-grossing properties outside Nevada.

Election affected gaming

Voters in three states rejected expansion in gambling in last week’s election, including a bid in Nebraska that would have enabled mobile betting on sports.

Nebraska voters had approved casino gambling at the state’s racetracks in 2020, but sports bets have to be bet in person.

Tax Relief Nebraska backed two measures that both needed to be passed in order to establish mobile wagering in the state.

Both measures failed by around 55 percent to 45 percent margins.

DraftKings and FanDuel, two nationally operated sports-betting operations, each donated $10.4 million toward passage of the two initiatives.

Elsewhere, voters in Indiana and Virginia rejected gambling measures.

Voters in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties in northeast Indiana rejected a referendum that would have allowed a casino operator to seek a new license in that part of the state.

Opposition ranged from 58.7 percent to 64.6 percent in those counties against passage.

Meanwhile, voters in Amherst County, Virginia, and the town of Pulaski rejected measures on pari-mutuel wagering at satellite facilities.

The votes prevent Churchill Downs, which operates eight Rosie’s Gaming Emporium locations in Virginia, from opening new ones in either community.

Contact Todd Dewey at [email protected]. Follow @tdewey33 on X.

Contact David Danzis at [email protected] or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at [email protected] or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.