Spin Cycle: Primo News For Primm Highlights Week In Gambling

Welcome to “Spin Cycle,” Casino Reports’ weekly Friday roundup of all things impactful, intriguing, impressive, or idiotic in the gambling industry. Pull up a chair, grab a stack of chips and a glass of your beverage of choice, and take a spin with us through this week’s news cycle …

Primm’s outlook appears positively ‘Terrible’

There’s been much consternation over the recent closings of the Primm casinos on the Nevada-California border, which have been uniquely popular (though apparently not popular enough of late) as a last resort gambling stop on the way out of Nevada or as a quick first taste on the way into the state. There’s also been resolve shown by the Primm family that owns the properties, which hinted last week at a forthcoming solution to keep some of the casinos going.

On Tuesday, Primm unveiled that solution, announcing a partnership with the Las Vegas-based Terrible’s gaming brand, which will “help our family manage and operate these properties that are so important to Southern Nevada, our economy, and the people who live, work, and play at Primm,” said Primm President Cory Clemetson in a formal statement.

Clemetson elaborated in an interview with CDC Gaming, “We’re going to get things turned around. It might take a little while, but we’re excited about the possibilities.”

Terrible’s operates not only a handful of casinos in rural Nevada but also convenience stores, travel plazas, lounges, and bars.

Primm closed its Whiskey Pete’s casino in December 2024 and Buffalo Bill’s has been mostly closed since last July, while Primm Valley Casino Resort has been scheduled to close July 4. The expectation now, according to Clemetson, is to keep Primm Valley Casino Resort open (along with the adjacent gas station and lottery store), and to hopefully, eventually, reopen Whiskey Pete’s and Buffalo Bill’s.

First things first, though: The Nevada Gaming Control Board has scheduled a special meeting on June 25 to consider formal approval of Terrible’s as operator of Primm Valley Casino Resort.

More news to know …

• We’ve seen a few familiar faces in the winner’s circle at the World Series of Poker this week, but two in particular stand out. Kristen Foxen padded her lead as the all-time tournament money leader among women when she scored $1.77 million, along with her sixth career WSOP bracelet, by winning the $25K high-roller on Monday. It was Foxen’s fourth cash for more than $1 million in the last 12 months. And perhaps equally remarkably on Monday, Naoya Kihara won the $10K seven-card stud championship … just three days after he won the $10K no-limit 2-7 title. Kihara came into this year’s World Series with one career bracelet — captured back in 2012 — and now the man from Japan is suddenly a three-time champ.

• In the midst of a rough personnel week at FanDuel, with another round of layoffs hitting, one higher-up appears to have left of his own accord, with Managing Director of Casino Asaf Noifeld taking to LinkedIn Wednesday to announce his departure after more than 12 years with Flutter Entertainment. Noifeld has not revealed where he’s headed next.
• New numbers shared this week by the Nevada Gaming Control Board in the 2025 edition of the Nevada Gaming Abstract offered a less-than-stellar overall picture for the Las Vegas Strip when comparing fiscal year 2025 with FY 2024. Net income, factoring in expenses (so, not just the “revenue” figure we often see), was down 81%, from more than $800 million one year to a little over $150 million the next.
• Exciting Hard Rock Bet news: An online casino player in New Jersey turned a $2 spin into a $1.94 million smash on the game Hot Rod Hog by Bragg. “To see a second Mega Jackpot winner within a month speaks to the excitement and momentum behind Hard Rock Bet jackpots,” said Hard Rock Digital VP of Casino Rich Criado in a release.

• Less exciting Hard Rock Bet news: The podcast It’s Happening with Snooki & Joey, hosted by Joey Camasta and Jersey Shore’s Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, relaunched on Wednesday with Hard Rock Bet as its presenting sponsor. Jersey Shore debuted on MTV more than 16 years ago, and … you’re telling us Snooki is still a thing?!

House Rules: Insights from around our network

Gambling Harm Blame Game: New Study Says Researchers May Have Wrong Culprit

DC Lottery Operator Bally’s Intralot Announces New Partnership With DCI

Why New York's Chuck Park Is Running An Anti-Gambling Campaign

Behind The Billion: How Accurate Is AGA’s Projection Of Tax Dollars Lost To Prediction Markets?

Louis Vuitton Sues Maryland Live! Over Giveaway Bags

Crowded House: Alberta’s Approved Online Casino Count Up To 43

Small stakes and hot takes

This week on the Casino Reports podcast Low Rollers, I welcomed The Campaign for Fairer Gambling's Jessica Welman for a conversation covering her transition from media to the responsible gambling/problem gambling advocacy side of the business, attending an SBC conference as a civilian, her issues with the current WSOP coverage, and more.

I also weighed in on the controversy surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby's push to play this season despite violating NCAA gambling rules, and I forced myself to have a little interest in the World Cup the only way I knew how: by placing a futures bet.

Full episode:

The Shuffle: Other news and views

Resorts World Praises New York Decision On Horse Racing Subsidies [CDC Gaming]

Nevada Governor Candidate Alexis Hill Calls For Higher Casino Taxes In Primary Race [News 3 LV]

How Much Revenue Has Happy Valley Casino Reported In Its First Month Of Operations? [WJAC 6]

Bally’s Extension To Temporary Chicago License Included In Illinois Omnibus Revenue Bill [iGaming Business]

Union Reaches Short-Term Contracts With 2/3 Of Atlantic City’s Casinos As Bargaining Continues [Press of Atlantic City]

Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Files Lawsuit Against Vallejo Over Preview Casino [Times Herald]

A Gambling Boom Is Reshaping New Hampshire’s Casino Landscape [Boston.com]

What Caesars And MGM’s Proposed Deals Could Mean For Thousands Of Las Vegas Casino Workers [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

The Bonus Round

Completing the Spin Cycle with a few of our favorite social media posts of the week: