NEWS & NOTES

Global sports betting and gaming operator Entain marked International Women’s Day by supporting two organizations that boost young women seeking careers in technology. The company will donate $250,000 to Girls Who Code and $50,000 to Australia’s Tech Girls Movement Foundation. “One of the biggest impediments to career choices around the world continues to be cultural, based on preconceived notions of what society and young women themselves believe they can do,” said Entain CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen. “That is why we are focusing on initiatives to support their education and build stronger pathways into technology-related careers.” In other Entain news, the holding company behind Ladbrokes and Coral, has announced a new commitment to sustainable energy, pledging to become completely carbon-neutral by no later than 2025. The operator will reduce and offset emissions within its own operations, in addition to cooperating with suppliers to decarbonize its supply chain. The group currently maintains a 24,000-strong workforce spread across 4,5000 retail outlets and 20 offices in five different continents. ● Wynn Macau is offering two extra leave days to employees who agree to be vaccinated against Covid-19. According to an internal memo published by the New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association, Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace workers will get one day off for each vaccine dose. ● Genting Malaysia, operator of Malaysia’s Resorts World Genting, has reportedly asked some employees to undergo further pay cuts as it looks to limit the damage from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. According to Bloomberg, an internal Genting Malaysia memo circulated on March 1 requested that some employees agree to a temporary pay cut of between 15 percent and 20 percent until May. Other staff have been asked to take one day of leave each week without pay. ● Resorts World Las Vegas has announced that it will feature a 360-degree bar called Gatsby’s Cocktail Lounge, with vintage and rare champagnes and artisanal cocktails and wines. The bar will be located just off the resort’s casino floor. The 4,090-square foot Gatsby’s is the second wine-centric spot to be announced for Resorts World, following Southern California-based Wally’s Wine & Spirits. It will open with the resort this summer. ● In observation of Problem Gambling Awareness Month in March, MGM Resorts International and its online sports betting operator BetMGM have announced a weekly educational series for employees provided by EPIC Risk. The series provides “unique and diverse perspectives on responsible gaming, and insight into preventing problem gambling,” the company stated. BetMGM is also promoting Gambling Disorder Screening Day, led by Harvard Medical School faculty at the Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance. ● Crown Resorts announced last week that it would phase out indoor smoking at its Australian integrated resorts by the end of 2022. The change would mostly affect premium gaming areas, which currently permit smoking and are equipped with air filtration technology. ● The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will allocate more than $3.5 million to sponsor and market four special events in the city in the months ahead: $2.1 million for November’s Professional Bull Riders Association Premier Series and Championship at the T-Mobile Arena; $1 million for 2022’s U.S. Bowling Congress Open Championship; and smaller sums for a free May-October concert series at the Fremont Street Experience; and a Downtown Las Vegas festival in September, “Life Is Beautiful,” featuring musical performances and arts displays. ● A Macau appeals court has ruled that The Venetian’s popular gondola ride attraction owes the government MOP18.9 million (US$2.3 million) in tourism tax dating back to 2013-14. The Venetian had appealed an initial ruling on the tax in favor of the government, but the appeals court agreed with the Public Prosecution Office that as a complimentary service provided by the resort the ride is subject to the tax. ● Foxwoods Resort Casino has reopened its poker room and its Rainmaker Casino, Live@Atrium Bar and Topgolf Swing Suite with new safety protocols deployed. Jason Guyot, Foxwoods’ interim CEO & SVP of Resort Operations announced: “The reintroduction of poker has been one of our guests’ top requests since we began our staged reopening, and we are thrilled to once again offer our loyal players the exemplary experience we’ve become known for over the last 29 years.”