Casino News Roundup: Trump's No Tips Tax In Las Vegas & Vanderpump Hotel Opens
Welcome to the Casino Daily News Roundup - your briefing on the latest news from the global casino industry. We bring you the biggest stories from across the sector, covering everything from major business deals and revenue figures to new openings and regulatory developments.
Trump Brings His Tax Cut Tour To Las Vegas To Champion No Tax On Tips
President Donald Trump visited Las Vegas on Thursday to promote the no-tax-on-tips provisions of his One Big Beautiful Bill Act — the sweeping tax legislation he signed into law on July 4, 2025.
The event, held at the AC Hotel near Symphony Park, formed part of what the White House has branded "Tax Week," timed to fall just one day after the federal tax filing deadline.
It also follows a similar visit Trump made to the city in January 2025, just days after his second inauguration, when he told hospitality workers at Circa Resort & Casino, "Your tips will be 100% yours."
Under the law, tipped employees can now deduct up to $25,000 in qualified gratuities from their federal income taxes, with the measure running through at least 2028.
The deduction phases out for individuals earning above $150,000, or $300,000 for joint filers.
Eligible workers include wait staff, bartenders, salon workers, personal trainers, and certain gig-economy workers.
Final IRS rules on eligible occupations were published just last week.
A Las Vegas patrol officer spoke at the event about no-tax-on-overtime benefits, and the Las Vegas Police Protective Association president highlighted how tax-free overtime had aided public safety staffing.
Las Vegas is a natural backdrop for this message.
Nevada has one of the largest concentrations of tipped hospitality and casino workers in the country, and it is a key battleground state heading into the 2026 midterms.
Trump is framing the tax breaks as a direct win for working Americans - and the city's service industry workers are among those most directly affected.
Not everyone is convinced the policy delivers as much as the branding suggests.
Analysis from the Yale Budget Lab found that fewer than 3% of families would benefit from the deduction in 2026, with an average tax saving of around $1,700 among those who do.
Economists also note that higher gas prices - driven by the ongoing Iran conflict - have already eaten into much of the additional take-home pay workers are seeing.
For those who want to make the most of their extra earnings through real money slots or table games, the city's casinos are certainly on hand to help them try their luck.
Vanderpump Hotel Set To Open On Las Vegas Strip This May
One of the more anticipated hotel openings on the Las Vegas Strip is almost here.
The Cromwell - a 188-room boutique property at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road - is being transformed into The Vanderpump Hotel, with reservations now open for stays from May 29.
The project is the first hotel venture for reality TV personality and restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump, who already operates several dining concepts on the Strip including Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, Vanderpump a Paris and Pinky's by Vanderpump.
The full redesign, carried out by Vanderpump and her design partner Nick Alain under their Vanderpump Alain brand, centres on what the pair describe as an "industrial romantic" aesthetic - featuring a palette of moss-green and dusty lilac, soft textures and bespoke custom furnishings.
Opening weekend rates start from around $419 per night for a standard room, rising to over $850 for signature suites.
The casino floor and restaurant GIADA will remain open throughout. Operator Caesars Entertainment has been closed to hotel bookings since late March to allow for the complete transformation.
Minnesota Advances Prediction Market Ban As Sports Betting Stalls
Minnesota lawmakers are closing in on a sweepstakes casino ban and a prediction market crackdown, while efforts to legalize sports betting in the state appear to have run out of road for this legislative session.
A Senate committee unanimously advanced bill SF 4511 this week, which would classify prediction market event contracts on sports, politics, war and weather as illegal gambling.
This would carry felony penalties of up to five years in prison and $10,000 fines for operators, with an August 1 target date if signed into law.
A separate sweepstakes casino ban has also progressed through four Senate committees with minimal opposition and could reach a full Senate floor vote within weeks.
Sports betting, by contrast, has not advanced out of a single committee. The bill's own sponsor admitted this week it has little chance of passing before the session ends next month.
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Powerball Heads To The UK This Summer
In a landmark development for the UK lottery market, National Lottery operator Allwyn has announced a partnership with the Multi-State Lottery Association to bring Powerball to British players for the first time this summer.
It is the first time a non-US lottery will contribute to the Powerball jackpot pool, with jackpots advertised in both dollars and pounds.
UK winners will receive their prizes tax-free, paid over 30 years.
Because UK gambling winnings are not taxed, British players would receive the full advertised amount - providing a significant advantage over US winners, who face federal income tax on their prizes.
The deal still requires formal approval from a UK gambling regulator. Once cleared, lottery experts expect jackpots to grow more quickly due to the larger pool of ticket buyers.
Allwyn says the partnership is projected to generate around £1billion more for good causes over the first five years.
The company also has plans in the pipeline for the biggest overhaul of the National Lottery's Lotto draw-based game since its 1994 launch, with changes that could double the number of UK millionaires.
