Casino News: New Resorts, Big Business and Million-Dollar Wins Across America

The Casino Business Keeps Growing, but Profits Tell Their Own Story

America’s commercial gaming industry continues to bring in more money. The American Gaming Association’s September update reported that commercial gaming revenue increased 8.6% in July 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier. Traditional casino gaming accounted for $4.48 billion, up 3.1%. The broader industry figures also include sports betting and online casino gaming, so they should not be mistaken for money collected exclusively inside casino buildings.

The companies running those businesses have different stories to tell. MGM Resorts reported second-quarter consolidated revenue of $4.5 billion and net income attributable to the company of $292 million. Caesars Entertainment reported $3 billion in net revenue and a $62 million net loss for the same quarter. Those are companywide results, covering businesses beyond individual U.S. casino floors.

For anyone following the industry as a business, the distinction matters. Revenue measures what comes in; profit reflects what remains after the relevant expenses. A crowded casino and a healthy bottom line are two different things.

Tribal Casinos: A $46.2 Billion Business With Community Stakes

Native American casino enterprises remain a major force in the national market. In July, the National Indian Gaming Commission reported $46.2 billion in gross gaming revenue for fiscal 2025, an increase of 5.3%. Its audited figures covered 545 gaming establishments operated by 246 tribes across 29 states. Seven of the commission’s eight regions recorded growth.

Gross gaming revenue means wagers minus winnings returned to players, before operating expenses. For tribal governments, the money generated by gaming can help support public services, community investment and economic independence.

BELOIT, WISCONSIN

Ho-Chunk Prepares to Open Its Doors on October 23

One of the next major dates on the casino calendar belongs to Ho-Chunk Gaming Beloit. The casino is scheduled to open to the public at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 23, following an outdoor mini powwow with dancers and drummers from noon to 2 p.m. Beloit officials are preparing for increased traffic around the property as opening week approaches.

The casino is part of a $705 million development, with the hotel and conference center scheduled to follow in 2027. For southern Wisconsin, the opening adds a substantial new attraction near the Illinois border.

JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA

Boomtown’s $195 Million Plan to Move Ashore

The next chapter for Boomtown Casino & Hotel New Orleans could unfold on dry land. PENN Entertainment announced an approximately $195 million proposal on August 17 to move the riverboat’s casino operations into a new building on adjacent land and rename the property Hollywood Casino New Orleans.

The proposal calls for roughly 140,000 square feet of new development, about 875 slot machines, 45 table games, a sportsbook and several dining options. PENN is targeting 2029, subject to regulatory approval, and expects to vacate the boat when the replacement opens. It currently plans to retain the existing hotel. The appeal of the move is easy to understand: a purpose-built casino gives an operator room to arrange gaming, dining and entertainment without working around a vessel’s layout.

AURORA, ILLINOIS

A Riverboat Successor With Giada on the Guest List

Aurora has already made its move ashore. The $360 million Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora opened June 24, replacing the Fox River casino operation that dated to 1993. The new resort includes a 226-room hotel, more than 1,000 slot machines, more than 50 table games, a sportsbook, a wellness spa and an event center.

The food is part of the draw. Sorella by Giada brings Giada De Laurentiis’s Italian steakhouse concept to the property, while Stephanie Izard’s Lucky Goat joins the Boulevard Food & Drink Hall. Both chefs attended the opening festivities, putting familiar faces behind the resort’s push into destination dining.

EAST TEXAS

Naskila Adds a New Casino While a Larger Resort Takes Shape

The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas opened Naskila Casino Leggett on August 25, adding more than 300 electronic bingo machines, separate smoking and nonsmoking gaming areas, and the 24-hour Kano Grill. The operator says the opening created more than 100 full-time jobs.

The new property also marks an early stage of a larger development. It occupies the future site of Naskila Casino Resort, which is anticipated to open in phases beginning in late 2028. The original Naskila Casino Livingston remains open.

PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA

Bruce Smith’s Next Big Play Is a Casino Resort

Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Smith is helping build a different kind of destination in Virginia. The Cordish Companies and Bruce Smith Enterprise held a topping-out ceremony for Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia on October 8, marking the placement of a final commemorative beam at the Petersburg project. The permanent resort is scheduled to open in late 2027.

Plans include a 200-room hotel, a pool and spa, an approximately 70,000-square-foot event center, and 20 dining, entertainment and beverage spaces. A temporary casino opened on the site in January 2026. Smith’s role is that of a development partner, adding a sports name to a substantial business undertaking. The developers expect the permanent resort to add about 1,000 jobs to the more than 600 already created by the temporary casino.

ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY

More Revenue, Less Operating Profit

Atlantic City’s latest quarterly accounts offer a useful reality check. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement reported that casino licensees generated $844.5 million in net revenue during the second quarter of 2026, up 0.9% from a year earlier. Gross operating profit fell 10.1%, to $164.9 million. For the first six months, that profit measure declined 15.5%.

The regulator’s total includes a separately reporting online affiliate, and net revenue covers hotel rooms, food, beverages and other business alongside gaming. Gross operating profit is measured before interest, taxes, depreciation and several other charges; it is not final net income.

Casino hotel occupancy edged up to 73.2% for the quarter. The figures show a market bringing in slightly more revenue while retaining less operating profit.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Hard Rock’s Giant Guitar Moves Toward Its Debut

The former Mirage site is becoming one of the Strip’s most conspicuous construction stories. Hard Rock’s new guitar-shaped hotel tower reached its structural topping-out milestone this spring. Engineering firm DeSimone identifies the tower’s height as 660 feet, giving the familiar instrument a very different scale on the Las Vegas skyline.

The approximately $4 billion resort transformation is scheduled for the second half of 2027. Work includes both the new tower and the redevelopment of the former Mirage hotel. Hard Rock International’s ownership by the Seminole Tribe of Florida adds another dimension to the story: a tribal enterprise is reshaping a prominent piece of the country’s most famous casino corridor.

HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA

Seminole Hard Rock Gives the Casino Floor a Latin Accent

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood unveiled Zona de Fuego on October 8, introducing bilingual dealers, nine live gaming tables and Latin DJs. Dealers work in English and Spanish, with games including blackjack, roulette, Spanish 21 and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

Music extends from L Bar onto the casino floor, while the resort’s broader Latin entertainment program reaches into concerts and food events. Sabores de Las Americas, a Latin food festival, is scheduled for November 14. At this resort on the Hollywood Seminole Reservation, the new concept puts South Florida’s culture directly into the guest experience.

UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT

Mohegan Sun Turns 30 With a Celebrity-Filled Weekend

Mohegan Sun’s 30th birthday celebration brought a crowded entertainment calendar and a recognizable guest list to Connecticut. The resort’s October 12 recap confirmed John Mayer’s sold-out October 9 concert, followed by Lainey Wilson’s sold-out show on October 10. Wilson also became the arena Walk of Fame’s 43rd inductee.

50 Cent performed at the birthday celebration, while red-carpet guests included Bobby Flay, Antoni Porowski, Jadakiss, The Sopranos actor Vincent Curatola and ring announcer Michael Buffer. Several Real Housewives personalities also attended. The Mohegan property first welcomed guests on October 12, 1996, and its anniversary gave the resort a chance to put three decades of entertainment history back in the spotlight. With musicians, chefs and television personalities sharing the weekend, there was plenty to watch away from the tables.

The Big Winners: More Than $5 Million at ARIA, $1.69 Million in Oklahoma

An anonymous Las Vegas resident landed one of October’s biggest casino headlines. On October 14, the player won more than $5 million on an Aristocrat Dragon Link game at ARIA, according to MGM Resorts. The winning wager was $50 on a $1-denomination machine in the resort’s high-limit room. MGM described it as the first top-prize jackpot captured from the $5 million Dragon Link links introduced in July. The winner chose to remain anonymous.

Oklahoma supplied another seven-figure story. IGT reported that a player at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville won $1,690,624.82 on September 25 while playing Tiger and Dragon Super Arrow. The announcement did not identify the player or disclose the wager. It was a reminder that the largest casino wins can happen far from the Strip.

On the poker side, 22-year-old Lucas Jumalon of Spokane, Washington, won the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event and its $10 million first prize. The WSOP’s August announcement confirmed Jumalon defeated Finland’s Lauri Saaskilahti heads-up in the tournament, held at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Saaskilahti received $6 million. A four-million-dollar difference between first and second is enough to make the last hand matter to anyone watching.

These are exceptional results. A jackpot headline records what happened to one player; it does not tell the next player what a machine will do.

Coming Up: Formula 1, Famous Chefs and Rodeo Nights

Las Vegas has several major dates ahead for visitors who like their casino weekends with a full social calendar. Bellagio Fountain Club is scheduled for November 19–21 during the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Announced culinary headliners include José Andrés, David Chang, Mario Carbone, Masaharu Morimoto and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. MGM says participating chefs will prepare and serve dishes at dedicated stations overlooking the Strip circuit.

Then the cowboy hats arrive. Fontainebleau Las Vegas has announced December 3–12 programming around the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, including concerts by Dierks Bentley and CREED, rodeo watch parties and shuttle service to the Thomas & Mack Center. The rodeo takes place at the arena; the resort supplies the surrounding nightlife and hospitality.

For PLAYHORSE readers, those December dates bring horses, live music and casino luxury into the same trip. A visit for the rodeo can also include dinner, a concert and a late night at the resort, with enough happening to fill the weekend before anyone places a bet.