Front desk employees at the Palms hotel-casino have voted to join Teamsters Local 986, making the off-Strip property a fully unionized workplace. The 34 front desk agents, who handle check-ins, check-outs, customer service, and inventory, join roughly 100 existing unionized workers at the Palms.
Workers sought union representation to secure higher wages, expanded benefits, and improved working conditions, according to Local 986. Krista Frehner, a front desk agent with 13 years at the Palms, said, “It takes courage to stand up and speak out, but it takes unity to create real change.”
The Palms is owned and operated by the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority, an entity of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. It is the only tribal-operated casino in Las Vegas, purchased from Red Rock Resorts in 2021 for $650 million.
WSOP 2026 Schedule Released
The World Series of Poker will return to Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas from May 26 to July 25, 2026. The series features 100 bracelet events, including the $10,000 Main Event starting July 2 with a final table on July 13. A free daily livestream on the WSOP YouTube channel will run from opening day through the start of the Main Event.
New additions include the $550 Mini Mystery Millions with a guaranteed $1 million bounty, a $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller, a U.S. Circuit Championship, and expanded PLO offerings. WSOP is also launching its first summer WSOP Circuit series, running July 14–25 after the bracelet events. Returning favorites include the Monster Stack, Colossus, Millionaire Maker, Poker Players Championship, and the $250,000 Super High Roller.
The Player of the Year race has a revamped points formula and a $1 million prize pool, including a $100,000 WSOP Paradise package for the winner. Full details and registration are available in the WSOP+ app, with online qualification through GGPoker and WSOP Online. Reduced room rates at Caesars Entertainment properties are available with code WSOP26.
Lawsuit Against Nevada Regulators Dismissed
A U.S. District Court judge in Nevada dismissed a complaint from Coinbase Financial Markets Inc. against Attorney General Aaron Ford and members of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Gaming Commission. Judge Cristina Silva on Feb. 7 denied an emergency motion for a temporary order and preliminary injunction after the Control Board sought to enforce state gaming laws against Coinbase for selling contracts on sports outcomes. The dismissal was without prejudice, allowing Coinbase to refile.
Coinbase sued on Feb. 4, with a hearing scheduled for a restraining order against Nevada regulators. The Control Board recently filed a lawsuit against Blockratize Inc. (Polymarket) in Carson City District Court as part of a new strategy to block prediction markets in state courts.
Arizona Proposes Sports Betting Tax Hike
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs proposed increasing the gaming tax on online sports wagering from 10% to 45% for operators with at least $75 million in monthly business. This tiered rate would apply to Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel based on previous data. The proposal could raise an additional $145 million toward a $17.7 billion budget. If approved, Arizona would move from one of the lowest sports-betting tax rates to one of the highest, joining Delaware, Illinois, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island above 45%. Nevada’s rate is 6.75%. Arizona legalized sports wagering in 2021 and now hosts 20 sportsbooks.
