GGB News

Miriam Adelson Buys Majority Stake in NBA’s Mavericks, Casino Rumors Swirl

Las Vegas Sands controlling shareholder Miriam Adelson (r.) has purchased a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks using proceeds from a $2 billion LVS stock sale. Former majority owner Mark Cuban, who was not shy about his intentions of partnering with LVS on a potential casino development in Texas, will retain control of basketball operations for the team.

WEEKLY FEATURE: Vietnam PM Reviewing Locals Casino Plan

The Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment has filed a report with the prime minister about a proposed locals casino resort to be built in Van Don, Quang Ninh Province.

Strike Ends At Two Detroit Casinos; MGM Workers Reject Deal

Union workers at MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown voted to ratify a new 5-year contract, ending the strike that began October 17. Workers at MGM Grand Casino rejected the new contract and remain on strike.

NJ Smoking Ban Vote Delayed

A bill that would ban smoking inside Atlantic City casinos remained stalled in the state Senate Health Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee after Democrats delayed a scheduled vote.

In Korea, Inspire Debut Highlights Non-Gaming

Mohegan Gaming of Connecticut opened its new Inspire Entertainment Resort in South Korea last week. The soft opening featured non-gaming attractions as the operator awaits its casino license.

Committee Approves 12 Percent Brazil Sports Betting Tax

The Brazilian Senate’s Committee on Economic Affairs (CAE) has approved regulations and taxes for online gambling and sports betting with a 12 percent tax. The Chamber of Deputies has already approved the legislation.

U.K.’s Entain to Pay $739 Million in Fines After Turkish Bribery Probe

The British-based gaming group Entain has agreed to pay $739.2 million (£585 million) to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). This arose from investigations into Turkish bribery uncovered illegal practices.

ESPN Bet Breaks Download Record in First Week

ESPN Bet flexed its name-begotten muscle by breaking a record for the number of downloads in a week. The 1 million downloads made the new record difficult to duplicate.

Sports Betting Yes, iGaming No in Mississippi

Online sports betting seems like a certainty for Mississippi, but online casinos don’t have much chance to be approved.

FANTINI’S FINANCE: Post-Turkey Potpourri

The death of investing giant Charlie Munger is cause for reflection and appreciation for some of the companies that demonstrate the beauty of buying good fundamentals at fair prices. Additionally, a number of recent developments have piqued our interest.

Senecas, Hochul Agree to Temporary Compact Extension

The Seneca Nation and New York Governor Kathy Hochul have agreed to a short-term extension of the tribe’s gaming compact with the state, just eight days before the original agreement was set to expire.

GGB PODCAST: Gil Rotem, President, iGaming, IGT

IGT has some of the most impressive games and platforms for iGaming, which are being directed by Gil Rotem (l.), who was named president of that division in 2021 and has led the company to be considered as one of top iGaming providers.

GGB Podcast sponsored by IGT.

Philippines Supreme Court: Okada Out at Manila IR

After a protracted legal battle, Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada (l.) has been finally and decisively removed from the board of an entity that runs the Okada Manila casino in the Philippines.

China Says Saipan Casino Exec is a Crime Boss

Former Macau junket chief Ji Xiaobo (l.), who ran failed Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International, has been named the head of a “criminal syndicate” by a Chinese court. Ji has gone undercover to avoid arrest.

Japanese Prefecture Still Exploring IR

Lawmakers in Hokkaido, Japan, will convene a study group to explore the potential of a casino resort in the prefecture. So far, the central government has only approved one license, leaving two more available.

Slovenian Tennis Umpire Receives 10-Year Ban in Betting Scandal

Marko Ducman, a Slovenian tennis umpire, admitted to involvement in a match-fixing and betting scandal and received a 10-year suspension.

New Rules Target Kazakhstan Gambling Industry

The country of Kazakhstan has voted to implement new measures that will try to regulate and monitor gambling.

Netherlands to Get Six Gambling Addiction Prevention Projects

KSA, the Netherlands Gambling Authority, has approved six gambling addiction prevention projects that will help those suffering from gambling addiction.

Swedish Gaming Regulator to be Audited for Effectiveness

Spelinspektionen, the gambling regulator of Sweden is being audited by the National Audit Office. The purpose is to see how effective it has been since the new regulated market was unveiled a year ago.

Industry Fights Mexican Slots Ban

Mexico’s gambling industry isn’t going to take an attack on its existence lying down. It has decided to go to court to fight a ban on slot machines that will, within five years, force many casinos out of business.

Star, Crown Agree to New Tax Rates with NSW Government

Star Entertainment and Crown Resorts have finalized new tax casino increases in New South Wales that were first announced in principle over the summer.

Ontario Online Market Sees Big Increase in Blocked Attempts

Ontario’s online gambling market has been not only popular with residents, but those outside Canada. GeoComply reported a large uptick in blocked attempts.

Terms for Star’s Special Managers Extended in NSW, Queensland

The appointment terms for the so-called Special Managers who are tasked with overseeing the remediation efforts of Star Entertainment have been extended by six months in New South Wales and 12 months in Queensland.

Peru Lawmaker Sponsors Bill Penalizing Sports Manipulation

With sports betting becoming big business in Peru, a member of Congress has presented a bill that would penalize manipulating sports results.

Hungary Loses Bet365 as Company Announces Exit

Bet365, one of the biggest operators in Hungary, announced it was leaving the country’s online market effective November 20.

Bill Advances to Legalize Chile’s Online Gaming

Chile’s legislature is moving a framework to regulate online gaming in the South American country. The Economic Commission of the Chamber of Deputies recommended a “1 percent responsible gambling tax.”

Caesars Digital, EveryMatrix Ink New Content Distribution Deal

EveryMatrix has agreed to a new partnership with Caesars Digital through which its casino content will be available on the Caesars Palace Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in North America.

Multiple States Set Records with Online Sports Betting Handle

ESPN Bet’s download numbers were impressive. But let’s not shortchange the record set by Wyoming in October just because the state is sparsely populated. And kudos for the other record setters as well.

U.S. To Hit $100 Billion in Sports Betting Handle in 2023

It seems with every month, states set new sports betting records. So reaching a handle of $100 billion shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Still, the bettor who reached the magic number deserves a new car.

Massachusetts Argues with Sportsbooks Over Underage Claims

Sports betting, especially the online kind, is still in the toddler stage. You can forgive sportsbooks if some underage kids fell through the cracks. But the NCAA stats had to put the operators to shame for their testimony.

Missouri Pro Teams Help Move Sports Betting Pitch Forward

Missouri approved not one, not two, but eight different versions of a campaign to go before voters for sports betting approval. A coalition of pro teams have spearheaded efforts.

LV Union Members Ratify New Deals with 32 Percent Wage Bumps

The new five-year collective bargaining agreements between the Culinary and Bartenders unions and MGM, Wynn and Caesars have been ratified by members. Wages will increase by a total of 32 percent by the end of the deals.

New York Eyes Zoning Changes for Casinos

The New York City Planning Commission is working on a change in its zoning rules that would provide for casinos in certain commercial and manufacturing areas.

Virginia Cities Want Rejected Richmond Casino

Since Richmond, Virginia voters rejected a casino for the second time, officials in other communities, including Fairfax County and Petersburg, are moving forward plans to host the state’s fifth authorized casino.

Indiana Lawmaker’s Felony Stops 2024 Gambling Bills

Indiana legislative leaders said no gaming bills will be considered in the 2024 session, following former state Rep. Sean Eberhart’s (l.) admission that he took a bribe in exchange for pushing 2019 legislation favoring Spectacle Gaming.

Ohio Casino Holds Hotel Groundbreaking

Penn Entertainment broke ground a $100 million, 180-room hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus (l.), expected to open in 2025. The project will create 400 construction jobs and 100 permanent positions.

Massachusetts Problem Gambling Spending Questioned

A Boston television station investigation found the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which receives $18 million annually from gambling revenue, spends four times as much on prevention as on treatment.

Legalizing Alabama Gambling Depends On Regulation

Alabama state Rep. Andy Whitt said regulating “rampant” illegal gambling could lead to legislation allowing casino gambling and a lottery. House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said he expects gambling legislation to be introduced in the 2024 session.

Large California Tribes Oppose Sports Betting Proposal

In 2022, California tribes split allegiances to support one of two propositions for sports betting. Both failed big. A year later, still licking their wounds, tribes don’t seem in much of a mood for a new campaign.

Seminoles Take Cautious Approach to Sports Betting

The game isn’t over in Florida. West Flagler Associates and the Bonita-Fort Myers Corp. have at least one card to play with the U.S. Supreme Court in their suit against the Seminoles. And who knows how many others to play.

Mark Howell Appointed as CFO of Tabcorp

Finance veteran Mark Howell (l.) has been appointed chief financial officer of Tabcorp.

Koin Taps Scott Carcillo as CCO

Koin has named former Wynn Resorts CIO Scott Carcillo (l.) as chief commercial officer.

Aruze Appoints Betty Zhao as SVP, International Ops

Aruze Gaming Global announced that Betty Zhao (l.), former chief operating officer of LT Game, has been named as Aruze’s new senior vice president of international operations.

Casino App Developer Allegedly Used Bots

A class-action suit alleges that AviaGames, a developer of casino apps used by players of skill games, pitted users against bots instead of similarly skilled human players.

Aristocrat Releases New Titles for EMEA Markets

Aristocrat Gaming has released 11 new titles for the Europe, Middle East and Africa markers, consisting of for-sale linked and stand-alone progressives.