Maverick Gaming company is looking to purchase six-card rooms located in Washington. The details of the purchase are yet to be released. However, the operator will increase the present number of card rooms to 18 as well as available table games to 275. Furthermore, Maverick will purchase four properties and an additional one in Nevada. As a result, the operator will own almost half of the non-tribal card rooms in the area.
More About Plans
According to Legislature, house-banked card rooms or mini-casinos allow customers to play against the house rather than against each other.
Maverick Gaming owner, Eric Persson, commented on the plans:
“Growing up in Hoquiam, Washington, and as a member of the Shoalwater Bay Nation, I never dreamed an opportunity like this would one day exist, In my case, it’s true that you can come home again.”
The operator plans to acquire Macau Casino in Lakewood, Macau Casino in Tukwilla, Caribbean Casino in Kirkland, Caribbean Cardroom in Kirkland, Caribbean Casino in Yakima, and Wizards Casino in Burien Washington.
Eric Persson added:
“As our footprint grows in Washington, we are very interested in helping the state see the potential tax revenue sports wagering can generate for Washingtonians, which we estimate, if done right, can be in excess of $50 million annually. We believe Maverick’s geographic diversity coupled with our sports betting expertise make the Maverick properties natural partners with the state in sports wagering.”
Expectations
The purchase will close next month. However, it is still to be approved by the Washington State Gambling Commission.
The executive director of the Recreational Gaming Association of Washington, Dolores Chiechi, observes that tribal casinos represent competition for card rooms. She said:
“We don’t have the games that the public wants to play. So when they come in to our facilities and ask where the machines are, we have to point them down the road to the tribal casinos that offer slots. The idea is you’ve got a couple, a man and a wife, and they want to go out. The man plays cards and the woman plays slots and they can go to one place where they can get what they want.”
She added:
“Our facilities are more local neighborhood clubs that offer poker and various forms of blackjack, so we don’t get those players who like to play the electronic games. Similar to the bingo era, folks who want to play cards are diminishing. They want to play online, high-speed, technologically advanced games and we’re not allowed to offer those“.
Maverick has also purchased Great Canadian Gaming subsidiary and three card rooms in Washington. Earlier this year, the firm acquired nine additional card rooms as part of Nevada Gold & Casinos.
Source:
“Las Vegas-based Maverick Gaming buys six-card rooms in Washington“, yogonet.com, August 28, 2019.
