Inside Gaming: World’s largest casino collectibles show this week, more news

The three-day show, the 32nd hosted by the nonprofit Casino Collectibles Association, has $10 admission on opening day, $5 from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday and free after noon Friday and all day Saturday. The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., each day.

Brad Smith of the sponsoring Casino Collectibles Association and its Museum of Gaming History, said more than 40 dealers are expected to attend what is regarded as the greatest collection of casino memorabilia assembled in one place.

Dealers will display gaming chips of all denominations, gaming tokens, dice, slot cards, playing cards, matchbooks, ashtrays, menus, dinnerware, swizzle sticks, casino photos, post cards, signs and table felt.

Guest speakers will make presentations throughout the show with Michael Clifford, director of casino operations at Caesars Entertainment scheduled Thursday at 11 a.m.; David Schwartz, author of “Something for Your Money,” a history of casinos in Las Vegas, Thursday at 1 p.m.; Matt Savage, executive tour director of the World Poker Tour and founder of poker’s Tournament Directors Association, Friday at 9 a.m.; Pam Ashlund, the “Queen of Swizzle “and the founder of the Swizzle Stick Collectors Club, Friday at 11 a.m.; and blackjack cheater Dustin Marks with two demonstrations Saturday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

More smoke-free casinos coming to Las Vegas?

Non-smoking advocates continue to pressure publicly owned casino companies to study the financial impact of an indoor smoking ban, including several operators in Las Vegas.

Caesars Entertainment will hold its annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday, and investors will decide whether a study should be conducted on the economic impact of banning smoking in casinos.

American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF) and Trinity Health filed shareholder resolutions that, if approved, would require casino operators to study the economic benefits of implementing smoke-free policies at their properties. The organizations submitted resolutions with shareholders of Boyd Gaming, Wynn Resorts Ltd., Caesars Entertainment and Penn Entertainment.

Shareholders of Boyd and Wynn — both of which are based in Las Vegas — have already rejected the proposals. Penn shareholders will vote June 17.

Paula Larson-Shusster, a table games dealer at a Caesars property in Las Vegas, said she wants her workplace to be smoke-free.

“This is causing long-term health care issues with chronic COPD, chronic bronchitis, asthma and other breathing issues,” she said in a news release ahead of the shareholder vote. “You spend thousands of dollars every year getting your employees to quit smoking and then you allow them to stand at a table and have smoke blown in their face for eight hours. This doesn’t make sense to me.”

Casinos in Thailand

The government of Thailand has proposed a multibillion-dollar privately funded entertainment complex with casinos, indoor stadiums, exhibition centers, amusement parks, museums, luxury shopping, fine dining, and cultural venues, designed to reduce the impact of seasonal tourism downturns.

The proposal, discussed in an open forum last week, would be modeled after successful integrated resort complexes in Singapore and plans for Japan.

The project is expected to boost Thailand’s gross domestic product by up to 0.8 percent annually and triple average tourist spending.

Investors would be expected to pony up a minimum $3.1 billion to be part of the project.

Las Vegas-based Las Vegas Sands Corp. and MGM Resorts International have remarked in public statements that they are investigating the prospect of gaming in Thailand.

Macao results

Macao last week reported its highest monthly gross gaming revenue of the year so far, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau said.

Macao reported revenue of $2.62 billion (U.S.) in May, the highest monthly total of 2025 so far, and 5 percent ahead of May 2024.

The bureau said the five-month total has now reached $12.1 billion (U.S.) and is ahead of the 2024 five-month total by 1.7 percent.

Three Las Vegas companies operate resorts in Macao: Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts and Wynn Resorts.

The Review-Journal is owned by the Adelson family, including Dr. Miriam Adelson, majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands Corp., and Las Vegas Sands President and COO Patrick Dumont.