The bidding process for the three licenses available for integrated resorts in Japan is progressing and the favorites are becoming apparent, especially in Osaka where the consortium of MGM and Orix officially submitted their plan for a $9 billion IR (l.).

The Clark County government last week re-instituted a mask policy, but only for employees of businesses in the county where the Delta variant of the Covid virus is soaring, including casinos. A mandate for visitors to Las Vegas isn’t off the table either.

With little fanfare, JW Marriott last week revealed that the former Fontainebleau hotel casino (l.) on the Las Vegas Strip would open in late 2023 as the JW Marriott Las Vegas. It will be at least the third try to get the blue building open.

A counselor in the ongoing Crown Resorts probe says the Aussie casino giant is unfit to retain its gaming license in Victoria. Chairwoman Helen Coonan (l.) could be heading for the exit, too.

An uptick in cases of the Delta variant of Covid has caused several Pacific Rim countries to re-impose restrictions on casinos and travel. While Macau is cautiously reopening other countries are instituting restrictions once again.

The chief casino officer for Las Vegas Sands, Andrew MacDonald, has stepped down from his position. Working out of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, MacDonald will move to Glasgow, Scotland, where he has family.

Hong Kong-based International Entertainment Corp. is planning to develop an integrated resort in Manila, Philippines. According to a July 16 filing, IEC has signed a deal with regulators to build a 62-acre complex.

Golden State gaming tribal leaders, including Pechanga’s Jacob Mejia (l.), point out that voters have supported gaming expansion measures eight times. They are confident that voters will support them again next year on their sports betting measure.

The North Strip is suddenly the place to be with the opening of Resorts World Las Vegas. Now that the former Fontainebleau-Drew will open as a Marriot property, the Strat and Golden Entertainment are now in a much more desirable location.

This week the GGB Podcast features a discussion with Richard Sneed, the principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from North Carolina on the diversification of the tribal economy, which features the purchase of Caesars Southern Indiana, which the tribe will also operate.

Macau gaming operator SJM Holdings will assume practical control of the Diamond Casino in the SAR's peninsula district. A prior management company had planned to shut the casino down.

The U.S. Marshals Service will seize gaming machines, computers, furniture and other assets of Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International, including the iconic crystal dragons (l.), to pay a judgment in favor of former workers.

The Paradise City resort in Incheon, South Korea, has reopened some non-gaming amenities including a spa and a theme park. It's an encouraging sign for the complex, which has been closed for a year due to Covid-19.

Gaming operators in German are complaining that the new gambling law that went into effect July 1 is harmful to the industry, according to Casino Guru’s Matej Novota (l.). One of the most onerous requirements they say is the €1 max bet requirement.

Three tracks in Britain expected large crowds July 19, the day when lockdown restrictions eased nationwide. The tracks have not had such attendance since March 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic struck. Beverley racecourse head Sally Iggulden (l.) expects crowds at the 2019 level.

The city of Bremen, Germany changed casino ownership law to allow the city to take over ownership of casinos in Bremen and Bremerhaven and stop privatization. The casinos were owned by Westspiel which wanted to sell them.

Third parties and gambling operators may recommend problem gamblers for Involuntary placement on the Netherlands' Cruks exclusion register. It must be shown that less drastic measures would be Ineffective.

GAMSTOP’s self-exclusion list has proven its worth in reducing gambling harm, according to CEO Fiona Palmer (l.). The research firm Sonnet found 82 percent stopped or cut back gambling. 84 percent feel safer.

With Covid-19 rates dropping and vaccination on the rise, Canadian officials have agreed to reopen the U.S. border on August 9 to fully vaccinated individuals. The U.S. has not reciprocated.

The Ontario Alcohol and Gaming Commission has established an inter-agency task force to monitor cash transactions at casinos to look for unusual patterns that may indicate money laundering.

Spain’s gaming regulator has proposed rules for online casino play. These include posting a set time limit and net spend limit for every session. These limits cannot be altered. Players will also receive periodic notices.

Live dealer casino games, including blackjack, baccarat and roulette, kicked off in Michigan on July 22, six months after the launch of online gaming. Evolution was the first platform to offer the games.

Matrix iGaming, a U.S. games creator will employ EveryMatrix’s RGS (remote gaming server) solution to produce, manage and distribute new casino titles.

Canada’s soccer league, the Canadian Premier League, has announced that it will add a betting component. The betting component will enable views to make bets on different aspects of individual contests.

The Arizona Department of Gaming has unveiled another draft of proposed event betting rules that lays out how 20 event wagering operator licenses will be allocated, achieving the “parity” sought by Rep. Jeff Weninger (l.). Sports betting goes lives in the state September 9.

Louisiana’s first license for fantasy sports betting was granted to DraftKings, which now can launch operations in the 47 of 64 parishes that approved it. No start date was given by DraftKings President Matt Kalish (l.).

A poll commissioned by the American Gaming Association found 47 percent of the 20 million people who will bet on the Olympics will do so with friends. Another 43 percent will bet online.

Bookmakers and other hospitality businesses could get a refund in value added taxes due to miscalculations between 2005 and 2013. The rebate surfaced when challenged by Betfred and Rank Group.

Maryland regulators approved more than 200 pages of sports betting regulations, allowing state officials and sportsbook operators to make plans for a possible launch by the opening of football season.

A sports betting bill in the Maine Senate, which had been approved by the House and Senate but needed a final vote by the Senate, failed to achieve lift off. It will now languish until January when it can be taken up again.

Sports bettors are largely vulnerable to fraud in sports. Three college professors have proposed a remedy to that vulnerability in an article “Fraud on Any Market” that will appear in the Indiana Law Review.

BetMGM came in second in sports betting and online gaming for the second quarter. A joint venture between Entain and MGM Resorts, the sportsbook’s share of the online market closed at 29 percent.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved a petition from Cordish Companies’ Stadium Casino LLC for a second sportsbook license, although it is not clear where it will be used, possibly at the Live! Casino in Philadelphia (l.).

With the NFL season set to kick-off September 9, South Dakota and Wyoming are scrambling to be ready to accept wagers. South Dakota permits bets only in Deadwood. Wyoming is online only.

Esports has a promising future as an activity and hopefully as a competition to wager on. Schools and lawmakers have made the right moves, but the casino industry is not in any hurry to see it reach fruition.

IGT PlaySports will power sports betting at Washington’s Snoqualmie Casino, and at Colorado’s Ute Mountain Casino Hotel under a multi-year agreement.

DraftKings has collaborated with Major League Baseball since 2012, with its daily fantasy sports. The latest relationship features livestream games through the DraftKings app.

A coalition of 16 casino developers and operators formed a lobbying coalition to influence Georgia legislators to expand state gambling laws. Multiple polls have shown most Georgians approve expanding gambling laws. The Atlanta Motor Speedway (l.) is involved as an operator and a potential site.

Two lawsuits and now a petition to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board seek to stop the transfer of the gaming license for the now shuttered DiamondJacks casino (l.) from Bossier City to Slidell, where Peninsula Pacific Entertainment proposed a $325 million casino.

Missouri state Senator Denny Hoskins (l.) said he’ll file legislation in December to tax and regulate video lottery terminals. He also will propose measures allowing sports betting, esports and horseracing.

Linn County, Iowa voters passed a gambling referendum in 2013. Under state law, they must approve It again, eight years later. The county board of supervisors approved the resolution to place the Issue on the ballot.

Longtime Las Vegas marketing group, R&R Partners, had its contract renewed by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority but now will be required to work with another firm.

The first new hotel In Cripple Creek, Colorado in decades, the $14 million Wildwood Hotel (l.) recently opened with 101 rooms and meeting and banquet facilities. Hotels also are under construction at Bronco Billy’s and Triple Crown casinos.

Station Casinos has been known as anti-union for many years but has been constantly pressed by the local culinary union. The union won the latest round when a federal judge ordered contract negotiations to begin at the Red Rock casino (l.).

Poker may have disappeared for good from Wynn Resorts’ Encore Boston Harbor as the property responds to complaints from players that the game hasn’t returned post-pandemic.

The Sands Expo & Convention Center, site of the Global Gaming Expo conference and trade show, will change its name to the Venetian Expo beginning September 2.

Now that Club One Casino (l.), a cardroom in Fresno, California, is permitted to open again, a new location is in the offing, which will add more tables and amenities.

The South Carolina Equine Industry Support Measures Study Committee held its first meeting to review the horse industry’s impact on the state’s economy. Some members suggested also studying legalizing horserace wagering.

Last year, Nebraska voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing casinos at racetracks. Now keno operators are concerned the new facilities will cannibalize their business. Keno has been a Nebraska standard for nearly 40 years.

Oakland City Council voted yes to a proposal to keep the Oakland Athletics in town. Unfortunately, the A’s balked at the city proposal, which may clear a path for the baseball team to move to Las Vegas.

The Aztec Inn Casino on the north end of the Strip is part of a package of properties for sale for $60 million. The owners are also willing to sell each half of the land for $30 million each.

WarHorse Gaming Omaha will receive $17.5 million in tax incentives for its $220 million casino, set to open In fall 2022 at Omaha’s Horsemen’s Park (l.). WarHorse officials said the funds will be used for infrastructure improvements at the casino site.

A report discovered that Philip Morris has contributed to legislative races in New Jersey in hopes of convincing lawmakers to keep the loophole so smoking can remain in place in the casinos.

The Elk Valley Rancheria hopes to open its new off-reservation casino near Crescent City, Northern California sometime in 2022. The casino will replace the original casino (l.) that opened 26 years ago.

The pandemic gave impetus to the inclination of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of Connecticut to diversify its economy, according to Chairman Rodney Butler (l.). The stark experience of being forced to close Foxwoods Resort for several months emphasized the urgency.

The new $600 million, 21-story Sky Tower expansion at the Choctaw Casino & Resort (l.) in Durant, Oklahoma will open August 6. Aimed at North Texans, the 300,000-square-foot addition will offer a total of 136 poker tables and more than 7,200 slots.

House Advantage has integrated its loyalty program capabilities for mobile sports betting in a partnership with Bally’s Corporation for its sports betting platform, Bally Bet.

Kathryn Isom-Clause has been appointed to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She is currently National Indian Gaming Commission vice chairwoman. She has served on the NIGC since 2016.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has named Denise J. Smyler as the new chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, and has named Nedia Ralston to the board.

The New Jersey Casino Control Commission announced the appointment of former Atlantic City Councilwoman Joyce Mollineaux to its board of commissioners.

PointsBet appointed Scott Vanderwel as CEO of PointsBet Canada, leading a team to developing a sportsbook operation in the country. He served in various capacities for Rogers Communications.

Cordish Companies filled tow positions in the gaming group. Cathy Beeding (l.) becomes executive vice president and general counsel; Suzanne Trout is executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

Stephanie Zapata has joined the Mohegan Sun as director of business development. Zapata was most recently national sales manager for new business development for Tarrytown House Estate.

Robert Gansmo, former Wynn Resorts Macau chief financial officer has been named CFO of High 5 Games. His appointment will help High 5 expand further into the North American market.

Scientific Games deployed some of its most popular products in the new casinos recently legalized in Ukraine, including the Twinstar family of cabinets and such games as Duo Fu Duo Cai, Super Colossal Reels, Spartacus Gladiator of Rome and more. Dmitry Grechko (l.), slots project manager for Slots City, says the products have been well received by players.

Caesars Entertainment was honored by the Disability Equality Index as the best employer for disability inclusion, and by The Civic 50 as one of the 50 most community-minded companies.

A consortium of gaming and hospitality consultants has formed to provide casinos with the right experts for their individual business needs. The new group is called Casino Consultants Consortium or C3 and is co-founded by Andrew Klebanow (l.).

Scientific Games is proposing to purchase the remaining public shares of SciPlay, its affiliated mobile digital game developer, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.

Incredible Technologies previewed its new electronic table games at last week’s Indian Gaming Tradeshow in Las Vegas, and will launch the first products for testing later this year.

The CashClub Wallet cashless gaming solution from Everi Holdings has been integrated into the casino management systems of Acres Manufacturing and Aristocrat Gaming.

Scientific Games launched its new Mural cabinet at the Green Valley Ranch casino in Henderson in an event live-streamed by Brian Christopher, the popular slot influencer.

IGT and Marker Trax have formed a strategic partnership to provide a cashless gaming solution by integrating the Marker Trax system into the IGT Advantage Resort Wallet module.

Resorts World Las Vegas has selected Casino Cash Trac for exclusive cage operations and revenue audit solutions in the supplier’s Casino Insight suite.

Sightline Payments and Aristocrat Technologies have signed an agreement under which Sightline’s Play+ integrated payment solution will be available through Aristocrat Gaming’s Oasis 360 system.

TCSJohnHuxley has added a line of live gaming equipment to the floor of the new Hollywood Casino in York, Pennsylvania including live gaming tables, roulette wheels and custom displays.

Gary Platt Manufacturing has replaced 1,500 casino chairs at Caesars Palace with its Lido model of casino seating, replacing Gary Platt chairs that were installed previously.

The U.K. based charity GambleAware, has published a report that builds a better picture of how people gamble. It looks at bank transactions to show how they can be harmed, and how to prevent gambling disorders.

An investor note from J.P. Morgan suggests that Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. may face supply chain issues later this year that could impact sales internationally.

Adoption of Global Payments’ VIP Mobility cashless gaming solution at the Viejas Casino Resort (l.) is high, according to the supplier, which notes increasing use of the mobile app.

Hard Rock Hotels (San Diego at left) ranked first in Upper Upscale Hotels in J.D. Power’s 2021 North America Guest Satisfaction Study, for the third consecutive year. Hard Rock also won the highest score across six categories.

Boogie Nights, the popular night spot in the Tropicana, reopened for the first time since the shut down in March 2020 due to the pandemic. The July 15 night drew large crowds for a Thursday night. The Indiana branch opened to similar reactions the week before.

The Tejon Indian Tribe, near Bakersfield, California, has announced design and build firms for its $600 million Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon. The project is expected to take 18 months to complete.

The Empire Technological Group has shown exponential growth after exceeding 1,000 machine placements for 2021, including the popular J Flex-43 cabinet (l.).

Scientific Games and Playtech PLC have signed a mutual distribution agreement that allows both suppliers to increase their scale and distribution across the U.S., Latin America and Europe.

IGT’s booth at last week’s NIGA Indian Gaming Tradeshow included a showcase of Class II and Class III games and systems, as well as cashless gaming solutions and the IGT PlaySports betting solution. CEO Renato Ascoli (l.) called the show a “great opportunity.”