“Let’s say California becomes legal. If you’ve got 1 million people playing on your fantasy sports site, well, all of a sudden you’re going to get a license and offer them a gambling sports site.”
—Bill Asher, founder of DFS site Monkey Knife Fight, on how such sites could leverage themselves if California legalizes sports betting

“Everybody has their California plan in place. They’re just holding their breath.”
—Brian Musburger, chairman, sports betting information site VSiN, on anticipation of a legal California market

“If we make this change right now, people will come back. And they will stay and they will play. Nobody’s going to give up gambling just because they can’t have a cigarette while doing it.”
—Brian Christopher, slot “influencer” who streams to more than 300,000 YouTube followers, on more smoking bans in casinos as customers return

“Asia’s casino industry is littered with the corpses of companies that have tried to manage with less than robust policies, lack of best practices or underfunded business schemes.”
—David Bonnet, Delta State Holdings Ltd., warning Japan’s regional governments to create integrated resort bids only with “skilled operators with robust balance sheets” and demonstrated experience in running IRs

“When you look at the casual bettor, you think about sports fans, I think about women. There is no reason that you can’t ignite betting amongst women, but you have to do it the right way. It has to be compelling and honest. There are a lot of things that are esoteric and insular about betting, factors which need to be made digestible so people can have fun.”
—Erika Nardini, CEO, Barstool Sports, on appealing to women sports fans

“I’m scared. And my hands are dry because I have to be washing them and cleaning them all the time. I really needed my vacation. I’m so not stressed right now. Vegas is the happy place to be.”
—Rosanna, a Peruvian tourist speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal on her curious decision to visit Las Vegas to get away from Covid-19

“Luckily, the Macau economy is very resilient. … Obviously the local financial ecosystem is suffering, but in the end companies with serious and gritty management will be able to recover. I believe in the end, most companies will survive.”
—Carlos Cid Alvares, vice chairman and CEO, Macau bank Banco Nacional Ultramarino

“To get an effective vaccine will benefit all of us to get back to normal. I’m tired of wearing these masks. What’s unique about Covid is what it’s done to the way we live. There’s a certain amount of coronaphobia.”
—Michael Levin, MD, who leading trials in Las Vegas to determine the efficacy of an experimental Covid-19 vaccination called mRNA-1273

“I’m stuck in this little room, 23 hours a day, can’t get fresh air, doors locked. Honestly, it makes you depressed.”
—San Carlos Apache Tribe member, quarantined for Covid-19 at a hotel at the Apache Gold Casino and Hotel in Arizona

“I get anxiety and at times it gets to me to where I think ‘OK, I can’t breathe. This is all locked in. Others referring to us being here as in jail, they can’t really do anything. And they said they get more privilege in jail than here.”
—Colleen, another San Carlos Apache member on her quarantine at the tribe’s casino hotel

“We’re so close. It’s about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.”
—Bill Pascrell III, trustee, GVC Foundation US, speaking about a first in the country agreement to bring fixed-odds wagering to Monmouth Park.

“I think there was urgency last year, but it got caught up in some inner fights, particularly with sports betting.”
—John Stefanski, Louisiana state representative, on why daily fantasy sports failed to get through the legislature a year ago.

“I’m open to mobile sports betting now because of the economic environment we’re in.”\
—Tom Abinanti, New York assemblyman, on why he and others may finally give in and approve mobile sports betting in the state