All Star - Blog listing page

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission hosted a meeting at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. It was the last public presentation for MGM Resorts International before the commission decides on issuing a gaming license.  Newly named President of MGM Springfield, Michael Mathis, ran through a detailed presentation of the wide ranging benefits to the community as well as the significant investment plans.  Also speaking was Jodi Collins, an area native that recently graduated from Smith College.  Early last year she went to a job fair at Umass and after serving and internship, was hired by MGM to help manage the application process.  The Commission also heard from the Mayor of Springfield, Domenic Sarno, as well as the local Travel and Tourism Boards, all speaking in support of the project. The Commission and MGM both place great emphases on using local vendors, workers and suppliers when possible as this will help engrain MGM into the local community.

One of my newest favorite products is KidzSafe™ My Design™ D.I.Y. Headphones for boys and girls by SMS Audio.  We saw these out at CES back in January and I fell in love with them then – for a few different reasons.

All Star Incentive Marketing knows incentives, and the power of premium brand name merchandise is just one of the tools that help us stay ahead in the industry.

If you’re searching for a place to play a hand of black jack or visit a new slot facility, north of the Massachusetts border is not looking like the place to visit.  We’ve recently read about the failure to pass casino legislation in New Hampshire.  Vermont has never warmed up to the idea of casino gambling, and imposes strict fines on any violations of their anti-gambling laws.  And now the Maine Senate has rejected efforts to expand casino gaming.  Of course unlike Vermont and New Hampshire, Maine has already licensed casinos in Bangor and Oxford, and has gaming at a harness track and an off shore gambling cruise operation.

The Grand Motivation Masters Awards featured All Star Incentive Marketing among the recipients in the Engagement and Recognition category. Medical waste disposal firm Stericycle worked with All Star Incentive Marketing to create 1st Safety, a safety improvement program. As a result, Stericycle has seen an 80% reduction in insurance claims. The company has saved $800K in the first 18 months of the program.

You may have heard of the vote on March 13th that rejected a proposal to license one casino in New Hampshire with up to 5,000 video slot machines and 150 table games. The vote to kill the bill was 173 to 144 and Governor Maggie Hassan remains in favor of the one casino. What you didn’t read in the article is that their already is a vibrant gaming scene in NH with upwards of 9 licensed poker rooms in the Granite State operating daily. These rooms offer low limit poker and tournaments and even have blackjack and roulette. The caveat is that 35% of the poker room’s profits must be dedicated to a charity. Dozens of charitable organizations benefit from this, and there is a 5 year waiting list to get in on the action. The state also takes 13%. This is no small chunk of change. Rockingham Gaming LLC, which operates two of the poker rooms in Rockingham and Seabrook contributes nearly $2,000,000 yearly to charitable organizations and the state of NH. These rooms originated in 2006, and are regulated by the New Hampshire Racing & Charitable Gaming Commission.

All Star's client at a number of its Hollywood branded casinos in the mid-west, and owner/operators of 26 casinos and racinos across the U.S.; Penn Gaming announces groundbreaking for the lone Massachusetts slot parlor license.  This is Penn's second project in New England as they opened the Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway in Bangor Maine in November of 2005 and was allowed to add table games in 2012.

Check out this interesting infographic about what social media outlets are being used by women vs men.  Women lead the charge in usage of all social media outlets and are a close second to men on LinkedIn.  Interesting information to consider when developing a strategy for utilizing this medium in the framework of your online rewards program whether your target be customers, employees, or prospects.

It was reported today that it is highly unlikely that Massachusetts will become the 4th state to legalize online gaming, behind New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. In fact, I’d be surprised if it ever happens at all. And given Massachusetts’s track record over the past few years in trying to bring brick & mortar casinos to life in the Bay State, this is probably a good thing.