Inside Gaming: Major Strip casino operator launches invite-only rewards program
The Strip’s largest casino operator is rolling out the red carpet for some of its nongambling big spenders.
The Fountain Club by MGM is an invite-only rewards program designed for “high-value, nongaming guests,” according to an MGM Resorts International spokesperson. The Fountian Club by MGM program includes perks such as personalized concierge service, exclusive event invitations, priority reservations across MGM properties, premium ticket access, luxury-suite booking privileges, complimentary airport transfers and VIP check-in.
Selected guests were contacted late last year and recently received Fountain Club by MGM rewards cards in a gold-trimmed gift box. Additional invites could be sent this year to qualifying guests, the company said.
MGM declined to specify how many guests are enrolled in the Fountain Club program.
The program is still in a “soft launch” phase but “the early response so far has been incredibly positive from our guests,” the spokesperson said.
The city’s embrace of large-scale, nongaming events, such as the Super Bowl and Formula One Grand Prix, has broadened its appeal to a nongambling demographic. The impact of those events has been beneficial for Strip properties, including those operated by Las Vegas-based MGM, which oversees nine casinos and four nongaming hotels along the resort corridor.
“The development of the Fountain Club reflects a long-standing trend we’ve seen among Las Vegas visitors who are increasingly drawn to nongaming experiences from luxury accommodations and dining to entertainment and events,” said Joey Wattoo, chief marketing officer for MGM. “The program underscores our ongoing commitment to recognizing and rewarding these valuable guests by unlocking elevated access to exclusive amenities and experiences.”
Risk-Taking conference
UNLV is calling for presentations for May’s International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking, a gathering of academics, researchers and experts from all fields at Bellagio discussing the nuances of gambling.
The May 26-28 event, held once every three years, brings together thinkers and theorists to discuss all aspects of gambling and risk-taking.
The deadline for abstracts is Jan. 23 and prospective presenters will be notified in February.
In 1974, a founding figure in the gambling field, Dr. Bill Eadington, gathered a small group of thinkers to explore the overlooked topic of gambling and risk-taking. In the 50-plus years since, the conference has grown into the world’s largest multidisciplinary gathering of gambling scholars and practitioners. More than 550 attendees from over 30 countries attended the 19th edition and in 2026, UNLV hopes to welcome even more.
Abstracts are invited on any topic related to gambling and the commercial gaming industry, including the economics of gambling, business impacts and analyses, social and community impacts, the history of gambling, criminology and illegal gambling, problem or disordered gambling, mathematics of gambling, AI and machine learning, sports and gambling, prediction markets, esports betting, payments, cryptocurrency and money and responsible gambling.
Paper presentations should be of approximately 20 minutes, including Q&A time and academic or applied in nature. Poster presentations are ideal for works in progress and support of more informal interactive discussion.
Maine legalizes online casinos
Maine is set to become the eighth state with legal online casinos after Gov. Janet Mills allowed a tribal-exclusive iGaming bill to take effect without her signature. The law, LD 1164, grants the state’s four Wabanaki tribes exclusive rights to operate online casinos at an 18 percent tax rate.
It takes effect three months after the Legislature adjourns on April 15.
Mills said she still has concerns about gambling’s public-health impact but believes regulation is preferable to an unregulated market. She also noted that the new revenue stream is intended to support the Wabanaki Nations, echoing her stance when she legalized sports betting in 2022.
The tribes already have exclusive control of Maine’s online sports betting market, where three partner with Caesars and one with DraftKings. State analysts project iGaming could generate up to $100 million in tax revenue over its first decade.
The Maine Gambling Control Board, however, urged Mills to veto the bill, warning that excluding the state’s two commercial casinos could cost jobs and reduce tax revenue.
Opposition is also forming outside the statehouse. The National Association Against iGaming — which includes Churchill Downs, a Maine casino operator — has threatened a “people’s veto,” a referendum effort that could overturn the law if enough signatures are gathered for the 2026 ballot.
Maine’s move comes as online casino expansion has slowed nationally, though budget pressures may push more states to take another look in 2026. Lawmakers in Virginia and Indiana are already signaling renewed interest in iGaming.
Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X. Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
