NEWS & NOTES

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City has announced it will give incentives to its employees to get Covid-19 vaccinations. The “Rock Your Shot” campaign will give a $100 gift card to full vaccinated employees and give them the chance to win grand prizes up to $50,000, a 2021 Jeep Cherokee and 15 cash prizes of $15,000. This same program is open to all Hard Rock employees anywhere in the U.S. • Rolling Hills Casino Resort in Corning, California cancelled August 22 concerts featuring Collective Soul and the Olive Country Music Festival, which was scheduled for September 5, due to concerns over an increase in nearby wildfires, the possibility of evacuations and overall uncertainty. • Powerball has added Mondays to its drawing nights, which are now held Wednesday and Saturdays. The first Monday drawing was held August 23, with drawings held at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The third drawing does not change the odds or the set cash prizes. • Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis, Tennessee is offering $2,000 signing bonuses to help it fill more than 160 positions as it prepares to open an expansion. It is also offering $15/hour minimum wages. It is also hosting weekly job fairs beginning in September. ● For the second year running, Covid-19 has forced the cancelation of the Macau Grand Prix. The International Automobile Federation has cancelled Formula 3, GT racing and the World Touring Car Cup competition at the November due to the SAR’s 21-day mandatory quarantine requirement. ● Melbourne, Australia was the site of massive anti-lockdown protests late last month. More than 4,000 people faced off with police, who were considering shutting down public transportation in expectation of more rallies. More than 200 people were arrested at the rally. Other protestors have gathered in New South Wales and Queensland. ● The workforce in Macau’s gaming sector has seen a 2.8 percent drop yearly in the second quarter as the pandemic continues. Official data from Macau’s statistics bureau shows that, despite the drop, average earnings for workers has risen by 2.1 percent in the quarter. Meanwhile, vacancies have risen by some 124 percent, with operators seeking to recruit more staff. ● The Main Street Station Casino in Downtown Las Vegas, closed since the pandemic’s onset, will reopen September 8. Boyd Gaming’s other Downtown properties, the California and the Fremont, have been open since June 2020, after a statewide shutdown of all casinos. ● All Navajo Nation executive branch employees will need to be fully vaccinated against the virus that causes Covid-19 by the end of September or be required to submit to regular testing, according to an executive order issued by President Jonathan Nez. The new rules apply to full, part-time and temporary employees, including those working for tribal casinos. Any worker who does not show proof of vaccination by September 29 must be tested every two weeks or face disciplinary measures. ● South Korea recently extended its social distancing mandates for two weeks amid a surge in Covid-19 cases and required restaurants and cafes to close an hour earlier until September 5. Restaurants and cafes have accounted for 30 percent of recent cluster outbreaks. ● The Nevada Gaming Control Board has issued its second complaint in a year against a Carson City tavern, the Timbers, which was fined $5,000 in November for failure to enforce Covid-19 health and safety guidelines, particularly masks. The state attorney general has recommended a $10,000 fine for the second offense. ● The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), that country’s gaming regulator, has issued cash incentives to the nation’s successful Olympians. The payments are mandated by the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, which provides financial rewards to athletes and coaches who win in major international sports competitions. PAGCOR has given a total of $147 million to the PSC since 2016. ● State officials in South Dakota announced that BetMGM is partnering with LIVE Hospitality to establish retail and mobile sports betting at the Tin Lizzie Gaming and Cadillac Jack’s Resorts in Deadwood. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in a statement that the two Deadwood gaming resorts are “prime locations” to bring the sports betting experience to South Dakota sports fans. LIV Hospitality CEO Caleb Arceneaux says the new partnership “brings credibility to the new sports betting offerings.” Voters approved sports betting in South Dakota in November. • Philippines-based gaming service provider Jade Entertainment reported that it has been granted approval by PAGCOR to launch its new online sportsbook, Jade SportsBet, to local players. The GLI-certified platform will allow Jade to “build a bridge” between its land-based and online channels, the company said, leveraging rapidly-expanding digital opportunities across the Philippines.