Latest news with #UNO
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is Uno really coming to Las Vegas casinos this weekend? Here's what to know.
Starting today, the 'UNO Social Club' is coming to the Palms Casino Resort. Uno fanatics may have seen rumors shuffling around social media this week that the family card game would soon be available at Las Vegas gaming tables, right alongside poker and blackjack. A statement from Uno quickly dismissed the rumor as just that in a post to its social media accounts on Monday. 'We hate to be the bearers of bad news but the casino floor isn't ready for us yet,' the statement read. 'We've been told that while they do have tight security, it's not robust enough for UNO at this time.' But that's not quite the end of the story. While Uno may not be becoming a permanent fixture in Sin City just yet, here's what is happening: This weekend, a suite at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas will transform into an 'UNO Social Club,' in collaboration with Mattel, the card game's owner, according to a joint announcement released in May. The club will feature Uno expansion packs and game variants, and the suite, which includes a private bowling alley, will be decked out in the game's iconic red, yellow, blue and green colors. The exclusive event is not open to the public. The temporary experience is available to only 'one lucky winner and a guest" who will have 'the chance to stay, play, and go wild in one of the most colorful suites in town from Friday, July 18th – Sunday, July 20th.' The winners have not been publicly announced as of Friday morning. While the game tables in the suite will be stocked with Uno games galore, there will be no gambling involved. For Uno enthusiasts feeling the equivalent of 'Draw 4' anxiety over missing the event, don't feel discarded; there will be more opportunities. 'UNO Social Clubs will pop up across the country later this year, with experiences in bars and venues in major U.S. cities,' according to the release. 'Each event will transform everyday hot spots into the ultimate game night destination with UNO-themed drink menus, tournament-style play, photo moments, and more.' According to an Uno social media post, the social club will start appearing in bars in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and Austin, Texas, in August. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is Uno really coming to Las Vegas casinos this weekend? Here's what to know.
Starting today, the 'UNO Social Club' is coming to the Palms Casino Resort. Uno fanatics may have seen rumors shuffling around social media this week that the family card game would soon be available at Las Vegas gaming tables, right alongside poker and blackjack. A statement from Uno quickly dismissed the rumor as just that in a post to its social media accounts on Monday. 'We hate to be the bearers of bad news but the casino floor isn't ready for us yet,' the statement read. 'We've been told that while they do have tight security, it's not robust enough for UNO at this time.' But that's not quite the end of the story. While Uno may not be becoming a permanent fixture in Sin City just yet, here's what is happening: This weekend, a suite at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas will transform into an 'UNO Social Club,' in collaboration with Mattel, the card game's owner, according to a joint announcement released in May. The club will feature Uno expansion packs and game variants, and the suite, which includes a private bowling alley, will be decked out in the game's iconic red, yellow, blue and green colors. The exclusive event is not open to the public. The temporary experience is available to only 'one lucky winner and a guest" who will have 'the chance to stay, play, and go wild in one of the most colorful suites in town from Friday, July 18th – Sunday, July 20th.' The winners have not been publicly announced as of Friday morning. While the game tables in the suite will be stocked with Uno games galore, there will be no gambling involved. For Uno enthusiasts feeling the equivalent of 'Draw 4' anxiety over missing the event, don't feel discarded; there will be more opportunities. 'UNO Social Clubs will pop up across the country later this year, with experiences in bars and venues in major U.S. cities,' according to the release. 'Each event will transform everyday hot spots into the ultimate game night destination with UNO-themed drink menus, tournament-style play, photo moments, and more.' According to an Uno social media post, the social club will start appearing in bars in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and Austin, Texas, in August. Solve the daily Crossword
The Hill
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hill
No, you can't gamble on UNO in Las Vegas, but here is how it could happen
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Social media recently went wild over the notion that UNO, the family card game, could be coming to Las Vegas as a new table game. But unfortunately, that was never in the cards. In mid-May, Mattel and Palms Casino Resort announced that Las Vegas would be the first home of an UNO Social Club, with multiple other venues planned for other cities. 'We created UNO Social Clubs to reimagine what game night can be — bringing people together for real-world fun, connection, and a bit of friendly competition,' Ray Adler, the vice president and global head of games at Mattel, said. 'The UNO Social Club in Las Vegas is just the beginning, and we're excited to see how these new experiences inspire players to show up, play hard, and make unforgettable memories.' Lake Mead level steady, but 2-year outlook shows trouble in 2027 The Social Club opened this weekend, giving way to a wild draw of buzz that reached new heights amid apparent confusion. 'IT'S OFFICIAL. UNO IS OFFICIALLY BEING ADDED AS A TABLE GAME IN LAS VEGAS CASINOS,' DraftKings Casino, a branch of the sports betting company, posted Sunday on X. Over 3 million people saw the post and comments began to question just how much players would bet on a UNO table game, skipping the truth. One day later, DraftKings Casino reversed its position and posted an update on X. 'UPDATE: UNO is NOT being added as a table game to Las Vegas casinos,' DraftKings Casino posted on X. Mattel confirmed the news on UNO's social media Monday, saying, 'We hate to be the bearers of bad news but the casino floor isn't ready for us yet.' 'We've been told that while they do have tight security, it's not robust enough for UNO at this time,' the post continued. 'This isn't a Reverse card.' The company went on to confirm that the UNO Social Club is coming to bars in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, and Austin, Texas, in August. Mattel did not immediately respond to Nexstar's request for additional information. Vegas gaming venue: UNO can be 'very emotional' Down the street from the Palms Casino Resort, there is an alternative to the UNO-themed suite where the social club plays. Meepleville, a card and tabletop community gaming venue, has been at the corner of Sahara and Decatur for a decade, and the owners understand the UNO buzz up the street. '[UNO] is very emotional,' Wayne Schulatz, co-owner of Meepleville, told Nexstar's KLAS. 'One time, my grandmother did take a swing at me once when I was nine. But that's it. Other than that, pretty smooth sailing.' Schulatz said the draw of UNO stems from a place of nostalgia, familiarity, and everyone's playing confidence — real or otherwise. He noted the emotional connection some have to the game, especially when reflecting on playing it as a child. 'And now that they're all grown up and hanging out in Vegas, they're happy to go put some money on the line playing this game that they know they are good at, right?' The proof of the rising popularity of card and tabletop games is displayed on Meepleville's calendar. Staff told KLAS it sometimes gets too popular to reserve a table, but never too full to meet the community. 'The original owner opened it for that exact reason, trying to build community and have a place for people to come and participate in tabletop gaming,' Schulatz said. 'He recently retired, and myself and two other folks came in and have just continued on the tradition. The vibe is very, very important.' Could UNO come to a Vegas casino floor? There's a way for UNO to be available next to blackjack and poker tables in Las Vegas, but in order to avoid being discarded, it needs to file with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The 'New Game Evaluation Procedure' requires several initial documents: a letter requesting game approval, rules of play, dealing procedures, and $3,000. Mattel, the maker of UNO, would also need to detail the table layout, dealer procedures, and a proposed schedule, among several other points. Then, UNO would have to undergo a game field trial at a select casino for a period lasting between 45 to 180 days. So far, there has been no indication that UNO will become a game you can gamble on, at least at a Las Vegas casino. The Gaming Control Board did, however, recently give the nod for 5-card Pai Gow to move forward in Las Vegas, marking one of the most recent casino floor entries.
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
This Gen Z favorite card game is coming to Las Vegas casinos
If you haven't yelled 'DRAW FOUR' across a sticky bar table lately, Mattel wants to change that. This weekend in Las Vegas, the company behind one of the world's most iconic card games is launching something totally new: UNO Social Club, a real-life version of game night with a serious glow-up. The first one opens July 18 at the Palms Casino Resort, turning a suite into a full-on UNO-themed playground—complete with a private bowling alley, color-drenched décor, and more versions of the game than you knew existed. The launch event is part of Mattel's larger strategy to turn UNO into a lifestyle brand. Designed for what the company calls the 'socially distant generation,' UNO Social Clubs are meant to create new touch points for younger players who might be less interested in family game night and more interested in turning game play into a night out. 'Gen Z already loves UNO,' Ray Adler, Mattel's VP and Global Head of Games tells Fast Company. 'They've been playing it online, at parties, everywhere. What they don't always have are opportunities to connect in the real world—so we asked: What if game night could be a whole experience?' The answer? A rainbow-colored suite at the Palms packed with UNO-inspired décor and stocked with specialty decks like UNO Golf, UNO Show 'Em No Mercy, and UNO Teams. There's even a dedicated UNO host to keep the games flowing and the trash talk civil. But the Vegas suite is just the opening hand. UNO, but make it nightlife Starting in August, UNO will be taking over bars in five major cities—from L.A. to Austin—with pop-up Social Clubs designed to turn everyday hotspots into the ultimate competitive hangout. Think: UNO-themed décor, tournament-style gameplay on official tables, and selfie-friendly backdrops. Each local UNO Social Club will bring its own twist. In L.A., the party lands at Club Tee Gee's open-air patio in Atwater Village. In NYC, it's taking over the downtown favorite Cowgirl. Chicago's Empty Bottle will transform its dance floor into a card-slinging arena. Atlanta's Ormsby's will host in its basement bar, and Austin's Murray's Tavern will close out the summer tour with cocktails and custom card games under the Texas sky. These aren't family-friendly sit-downs with juice boxes—they're designed with Gen Z sensibilities in mind. Attendees can win custom UNO merch, product packs, and exclusive giveaways while battling it out over classic UNO, UNO Golf, and UNO Teams. The point is less about who wins and more about the connection and memories made along the way. Mattel chose venues specifically for their Gen Z appeal—places that already host game nights, trivia, or other community events—so UNO fans don't have to shift their habits to show up. 'No ticketing system, no velvet rope,' Adler explains. 'We want people to stumble upon it, hang out, maybe discover a new favorite way to play—and then take that energy with them.' Each pop-up is tailored to the local scene, bringing in unique variations of the game and adapting to each location's vibe. While the Vegas suite leans into spectacle, the bars will focus on accessibility and cultural relevance. UNO is growing up—but staying chaotic The brand has been on a hot streak. UNO was the top-selling traditional game during the pandemic, as people rediscovered old favorites while stuck at home. Now, Mattel's aim is to keep that momentum going—with variations that bring chaos, strategy, and, yes, pain. 'People asked for something more brutal,' Adler says. 'So we made Show 'Em No Mercy. ' That deck includes game-changing twists and double-digit draw penalties that can knock players out of the game entirely. While the classic version still sells strong, it's the newer spinoffs—like UNO Flip or UNO Attack—that are resonating with gamers who crave novelty. Mattel now views the brand as a cultural bridge: a game you played with your family, yes, but also one that evolves with you as you grow up—and grow more competitive. The ultimate goal? Make UNO something you never outgrow. UNO goes lifestyle Mattel's bet on UNO as a lifestyle brand is part of a larger push happening across the $19.5 billion tabletop games market. That market is projected to grow to $34.1 billion by 2030 according to Research and Markets, with a nearly 10% annual growth rate. And while big names like Mattel and Hasbro still dominate the space, smaller indie brands are gaining traction thanks to clever design and grassroots followings. Strategy games, in particular, are fueling the boom—especially those that combine competitive chaos with social connection. It's exactly the niche UNO is now trying to own. A new kind of brand loyalty This isn't just about nostalgia. The surge in tabletop gaming—fueled by Euro-style strategy games, hybrid digital-analog formats, and board game cafés—reflects a growing appetite for IRL interaction in a screen-saturated world. Educational games, RPGs, and collectible card games are all seeing major traction, especially in North America and Europe, with APAC quickly catching up thanks to a booming interest in social gaming and game cafés. If Barbie was Mattel's all-pink lifestyle moment, UNO is aiming to become the game night version. But instead of museum-style installations or scripted nostalgia, this is about high-energy interactivity. It's less about buying the product and more about stepping into its world—even if just for a drink, a draw four, and a photo op. 'We want to create spaces that feel familiar but elevated,' Adler says. 'If a bar was built with UNO in mind, what would it look like? That's what we're trying to answer.' What UNO is doing fits squarely into that trend. It's social. It's competitive. And it's chaotic in the best way. And if the Vegas launch goes well—and enough people show up ready to shuffle—this could be the beginning of a very colorful new era for game night.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
UNO in Las Vegas? Here's what is actually happening behind the hype
It all starts with a draw of four card, and then another, and then another, and before you know, your best friend is glaring at you across the table, your uncle's muttering something about betrayal, and someone's dramatically stormed off. UNO, that bright, chaotic deck of cards that's turned family game nights into battlefields, has now landed somewhere even wilder: Las Vegas. But the real question that everyone is curious about is whether people can gamble, too? The answer? Not quite. Mattel, the makers of UNO, confirmed to USA TODAY on July 14 that while the game is indeed debuting at a Las Vegas casino this weekend, actual gambling isn't part of the deal. 'We created UNO Social Clubs to reimagine what game night can be − bringing people together for real-world fun, connection, and a bit of friendly competition,' said Ray Adler, Mattel's vice president and global head of games. While betting is off the table, you are promised an immersive experience set up at the Palms Casino Resort from July 18 to July 20. The event, billed as an 'elevated social experience', features themed rooms, a game host, a private bowling alley, and an explosion of UNO branding across a specially designed suite. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Obtén audífonos premium sin pagar absolutamente nada Top Audifonos Undo That suite will host the winners of a TikTok contest, who were selected from submissions made before June 19 using Mattel's new UNO Reverse Card filter and the hashtags #UNOSocialClub and #MattelContest. Entrants had to be U.S. residents aged 21 and above. UNO: The card game that has caused rifts UNO's story began not in Vegas or a glitzy boardroom, but in a modest barbershop in Ohio. In 1971, Merle Robbins, a barber and family card game enthusiast, came up with a clever twist on Crazy Eights. Frustrated with remembering the ever-changing rules, Robbins simply wrote each action — skip, reverse, draw two — directly onto the cards. The result? An entirely new, more streamlined game that anyone could pick up and play. Merle and his wife believed in their invention so much they mortgaged their home to print 5,000 copies, then drove around the country selling decks from the back of a camper. The gamble paid off. Eventually, a marketer named Bob Tezak saw its potential, bought the rights, redesigned the packaging, and pushed UNO into the mainstream with aggressive sales tactics in the 1980s. Robbins retired from cutting hair and collected royalties for each deck sold. And now, five decades and billions of cards later, UNO is flirting with casino culture — without actually becoming a gambling game. It's clever marketing, nostalgia bait, and pop-up event culture all shuffled together. So, is UNO becoming the new blackjack? Not today, but who knows one day.
