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☆ Penn lays off about 100 employees as it focuses on ESPNBet growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Contessa Brewer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Penn Entertainment will lay off about 100 employees as it focuses on growth for ESPNBet. "This led us to temporarily set aside any potential organizational changes that would typically follow a major acquisition." Penn went on to say it's embarking on a new phase of growth in its interactive business, which include ESPNBet, a $2 billion branding partnership with Disney's ESPN. Penn's release of new ESPNBet features this fall during football season should meaningfully improve its product, Jonas said, and a focus on costs indicate the company's commitment to seeing its investment yield results. Truist has a buy rating on Penn and a price target of $25.

Persons: Jay Snowden, theScore, Snowden, Penn, it's, Barry Jonas, Jonas, Truist Organizations: ESPN, Penn Entertainment, ESPNBet, PENN, CNBC, Disney's ESPN, Donerail, Penn, ESPN Bet Locations: New York

☆ Why ESPN's rival to FanDuel and DraftKings is flailing — and how it could make a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-28 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Tiara White | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The app, ESPN Bet, made early strides in the first few months, gaining ground through promotions and marketing that leveraged ESPN's popular personalities. Even Fanatics, the industry's other major recent disrupter, hasn't made much of a dent in DraftKings' and FanDuel's dominance. As of March, ESPN Bet had captured about 4% of the online-sports-betting market by gross gaming revenue, per Bank of America's analysis, though its share has been higher in states like Pennsylvania. How ESPN Bet can make a comebackPenn could still be successful if it improves its product and spends less money on acquiring new customers, the analysts said. Jonas said if Boyd acquires Penn, it would be a sizable shift in strategy for their management, team, and board.

Persons: —, FanDuel, Dan Wasiolek, Will Wyatt, Penn's, Jay Snowden's, Boyd, Penn, ESPN Bet's, hasn't, it's, Barry Jonas, Scott Van Pelt, Stephen A . Smith, ESPN Bet, Penn doesn't, Jonas, EKG, Snowden, Wasiolek, they'll Organizations: Service, ESPN, Penn Entertainment, Business, ESPN Bet, Morningstar, Donerail Group, Barstool Sports, Penn, Reuters, Boyd Gaming, Truist Securities, Barstool, ESPN Bet's, NFL, Management Locations: Barstool, Penn, Pennsylvania, Eilers

☆ Why ESPN's sports-betting app is falling behind — and how it could make a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-28 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Tiara White | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The future of ESPN's sports-betting app is now in question amid mounting losses and an activist investor push at partner Penn Entertainment that has prompted sale rumors. The app, ESPN Bet, made early strides in the first few months, gaining ground through promotions and marketing that leveraged ESPN's popular personalities. As of March, ESPN Bet had captured about 4% of the online-sports-betting market by gross gaming revenue, per Bank of America's analysis, though its share has been higher in states like Pennsylvania. "Testers liked ESPN Bet's UX and minty aesthetic but felt the app lacked depth (particularly more extensive features)," EKG wrote in May. "Product is one thing, and I would say having expertise in how to target users effectively to lower your acquisition costs and your retention costs" is key for the ESPN Bet app to compete, Wasiolek said.

Casino resort operators have been earning record profits from a steady post-pandemic recovery in Las Vegas tourism. Caesars Entertainment (CZR.O), the second-biggest Las Vegas casino operator by number of employees, said the deal provides "meaningful wage increases" and aligns with plans to bring more union jobs to the Strip. Visits to the city in September were 4% lower than in the same period in 2019, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The city is gearing up for events including the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix this month, which is expected to draw thousands of tourists. TALKS WITH MGM, WYNN CONTINUETalks with casino operators MGM Resorts International (MGM.N) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN.O) are yet to yield an agreement ahead of Friday's deadline for a strike.

Persons: Steve Marcus, Ted Pappageorge, we've, Pappageorge, Erik Gordon, Daniel Busby, WYNN, William Hornbuckle, Wynn, Barry Jonas, Jonas, Shivansh Tiwary, Ananta Agarwal, Rod Nickel, Stephen Coates Organizations: Caesars Entertainment Corp, REUTERS, Las Vegas Sun, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Workers, Bartenders Unions, Culinary Union, Las, housekeepers, Las Vegas Convention, Visitors Authority, Las Vegas, Companies, University of Michigan, Paris Las Vegas, Caesars, MGM, MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts, Wynn, Vegas . Caesars, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, Las Vegas, Vegas, United States, Vegas ., Bengaluru, Doyinsola, New York

Casino-resort operators have been earning record profits from a steady post-pandemic recovery in tourism to Las Vegas. Visits to the city in August were just 7% lower than in the same period in 2019, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The city is also gearing up for major events including the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix this month, which is expected to draw more than 100,000 tourists. TALKS WITH MGM, WYNN CONTINUETalks with operators MGM Resorts International (MGM.N) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN.O) are yet to yield an agreement ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline for a strike. Caesars shares were up about 3% in early trading, while MGM and Wynn Resorts rose 1.6% and 0.5%, respectively.

Persons: Steve Marcus, Erik Gordon, WYNN, Barry Jonas, Shivansh Tiwary, Ananta Agarwal, Sriraj Kalluvila, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Caesars Entertainment Corp, REUTERS, Las Vegas Sun, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Workers, Bartenders Unions, Las, housekeepers, Las Vegas Convention, Visitors Authority, Las Vegas, Companies, University of Michigan, MGM, MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts, Wynn, Caesars, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, Las Vegas, Vegas, United States, Bengaluru

☆ Thousands of Las Vegas workers to picket MGM, Caesars casinos
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Doyinsola Oladipo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The New York-New York hotel and casino, an MGM Resorts casino, is seen in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 13, 2023. Union workers will picket in front of eight MGM and Caesars resort locations on Thursday. The unions met last week with MGM, Caesars and Wynn Resorts (WYNN.O) - the three largest private employers in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. In August, there were 7% fewer visitors to Las Vegas than in August 2019 before the pandemic.

Persons: Bridget Bennett, We're, Ted Pappageorge, Pappageorge, Barry Jonas, Doyinsola Oladipo, Maju Samuel, Cynthia Osterman 私 Organizations: MGM Resorts, REUTERS, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Workers, Bartenders Unions, Culinary Union, Union, MGM, Caesars, Unions, Wynn Resorts, Tourism Locations: York, New York, Las Vegas , Nevada, Vegas, United States, Las Vegas, Bengaluru

☆ Hospitality workers, Las Vegas casinos in crunch time for labor talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Doyinsola Oladipo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A press conference as members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 ahead of 2020 presidential election in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., February 13, 2020. Workers are negotiating for a new five-year contract to boost wages and benefits as tourism in Las Vegas recovers from depressed visitor levels during the pandemic. The Las Vegas unions are among the most powerful in the United States, covering workers that wait tables, clean hotel rooms and prepare food. Over 3.3 million people visited Las Vegas in August 2023, a 7% decrease from levels during the same period in 2019 before the pandemic, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. About 95% of hospitality workers voted on Sept. 26 to authorize a strike across 22 properties on the Las Vegas Strip.

Persons: Eric Thayer, Ted Pappageorge, Wynn, Pappageorge, they’d, Barry Jonas, Jonas, Doyinsola Oladipo, David Gaffen, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Culinary Workers Union Local, REUTERS, Vegas, MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, Workers, Las, Las Vegas Convention, Visitors Authority, MGM Resorts, Caesars, housekeepers, MGM, Wynn, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Las Vegas, United States, New York

☆ Truist downgrades Penn Entertainment, says uncertainty lingers over ESPN partnership
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Truist isn't sold on Penn Entertainment's partnership with ESPN. The company made headlines this week after announcing a deal with Disney's ESPN to relaunch its sports betting app as ESPN Bet . Penn shares rallied more than 9% on the news, marking their best day since June 24, 2022 — when they surged 12.7%. PENN 5D mountain Penn Entertainment shares surged after ESPN deal announcement But Truist analyst Barry Jonas said traders still need time to "digest" the news. Penn Entertainment stock has slipped nearly 9% from the start of the year.

Persons: Truist isn't, Penn, Barry Jonas, they're, Jonas, PENN mgmt, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Penn, ESPN, ESPN Bet, Bartstool, PENN, Penn Entertainment, Disney

☆ Truist upgrades DraftKings, says sports betting stock has clear path to profitability
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Truist is optimistic on DraftKings on the back of the company's second-quarter earnings. Jonas the company "showed us the money — a quicker and more visible path to profitability" with the report. "Following a Q2 inflection to profitability, we think DKNG's training wheels are off. Management has deftly navigated around numerous early threats, and we think the path to significant and sustainable profitability has become clearer," Jonas said in a Tuesday note. He noted that DraftKings has seen continued market share gains and appears to be narrowing the gap with its competitor FanDuel.

Persons: Barry Jonas, DraftKings, Jonas, FanDuel, —, Michael Bloom Organizations: Management Locations: Monday's, . Ohio

☆ Marriott enters licensing deal with MGM to boost presence in Las Vegas strip
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Doyinsola Oladipo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Logo of Marriott hotel is seen in Vienna, Austria April 9, 2018. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader/File Photo/File PhotoJuly 17 (Reuters) - Marriott International (MAR.O) said on Monday it entered a 20-year licensing agreement that will allow its loyalty members to earn and redeem existing points for booking stays at MGM Resorts International's (MGM.N) properties. The pair launched "MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy," which will allow members of the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program to earn and redeem points for stays at 17 MGM resorts across the United States and Canada. MGM's 40 million members will gain access to the Bonvoy loyalty program. Marriott will earn fees on total room revenue on the MGM Resorts that are part of the agreement, Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano said.

Persons: Heinz, Peter Bader, Marriott, Kate Xiao, Bill Hornbuckle, Bernstein's Xiao, Anthony Capuano, Barry Jonas, Aishwarya Nair, Shweta Agarwal, Will Dunham Organizations: REUTERS, Marriott, MGM Resorts, MGM, Cosmopolitan, Bernstein Hotels, Reuters, Truist Securities, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, United States, Canada, Las Vegas, Marriott's, Bengaluru, Doyinsola, New York

The largest property owner on the Las Vegas Strip is doubling down and taking full ownership of the MGM Grand Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay, which the deal values at $5.5 billion. VICI currently owns a 50.1% stake in the property, which it acquired when it bought MGM Growth properties in May. Strip casinos are seeing a 20% surge in revenue through October to $6.8 billion in gaming revenue from a year ago. "It's further evidence that Las Vegas remains amongst the most in-demand destinations in the world," said Rosemary Vassiliadis, Clark County's director of aviation. And hotel revenue in Las Vegas was up 51% in October compared with October 2019, before the pandemic, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

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