- Jack Entertainment has anticipated the eventual legalization of sports betting in Ohio by employ GAN’s simulated sports betting product. It will be available at PlayJACK.com and will include all major U.S. sports events. Jack Entertainment operates Jack Cleveland and Jack Thistledown in Ohio. • Panama’s Ministry of Culture has given the go ahead for the country’s casinos to reopen, although at 50 percent capacity. Minister Carlos Aguilar Navarro stated: “We are ensuring that Panamanians and Panamanians can enjoy all the activities of the country’s cultural agenda, keeping the health and biosafety measures in the fight against COVID-19.” • Low demand due to the coronavirus pandemic has led Encore at Wynn Las Vegas to do the unthinkable—close its doors each week for two days and three nights. Under new hours that debuted October 19, the resort will shut down from noon on Monday and 2 p.m. on Thursday. The schedule will remain in effect until demand increases, according to the company. The Poker Room at Encore will temporarily relocate to Wynn Las Vegas and remain in operation every day. * Isle of Man-based services provider Affinity Group is fielding increasing inquiries from Asian-facing iGaming companies considering moving their operations from the Philippines due to the recent tax hike on licensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, or POGOs. “The Philippines has historically been a jurisdiction chosen by Asian-facing operators but, following the recent negative press surrounding POGO and more recently the tax increase, we have seen an influx of inquiries from operators who are looking for a suitable license to either continue or start targeting the Asian market,” said Affinity Group Director Alex Gardner, according to Inside Asian Gaming. • The Macau government has extended Air Macau’s concession at Macau International Airport for three more years, explaining the extension as “necessary to maintain the stability of the (aviation sector)” during the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Air Macau’s profits were down 37 percent year on year in 2019, but that the carrier is expected to lose money this year due to the pandemic. The airport reported a daily average of 30 aircraft movements in September compared with an average of more than 210 the same month last year.
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