NEWS & NOTES

Melco Resorts & Entertainment held a drawing for vaccinated staff members with three workers winning MOP1 million (US$125,000). The company has reached a vaccination rate of more than 70 percent among workers in Macau and Hong Kong. Another prize drawing will be scheduled when 75 percent of workers are inoculated. ● Travel agency Trip.com says travel to Macau has increased by a third since recent border restrictions were lifted, with booking orders in the first half of the year reaching pre-pandemic levels. Local border restrictions were eased in late August. Macau has reported a 20 per cent year-on-year increase in visitor arrivals in the first half of 2021 to 4 million, the majority from Mainland China. ● Three administrative regions of China—Guangdong Province and the Special Administrative Regions of Macau and Hong Kong—will co-organize the National Games of China in 2025, the government has announced. It will the first time for both Hong Kong and Macau to host the games, which originated in 1959 and take place every four years. ● The Shinnecock Indian Nation has approved a 200-room hotel in the Hamptons section of Long Island, New York. The tribe also plans a casino in the area, but has faced resistance from residents concerned about traffic. If built, the casino would be the first on the East End and only the second on Long Island. ● Casa Playa, described as “a coastal Mexican restaurant with a playful vibe,” will open at Encore Las Vegas this month. Casa Playa will occupy the space formerly held by Elio, which permanently closed in November 2020. Elio Executive Chef Sarah Thompson will be on hand with her own menu. ● The Brigham Young University Cougars made history in Las Vegas, drawing the largest crowd to witness a college sporting event in the state of Nevada. The Cougars open their 2021 college football season against Arizona in the Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium, where more than 57,000 tickets have already been purchased. Capacity at the new facility, home to the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, is 65,000. ● The Pro Bull Riders World Finals are leaving Las Vegas, with this year’s November show at T-Mobile Arena its last. Las Vegas has been home to the event since its inception in 1994. The MGM Grand Garden was the site until 1999, at which time the event moved to the Thomas & Mack Center. T-Mobile Arena started hosting it in 2016. ● Choctaw Casinos & Resorts and the Texas Rangers baseball team have announced a multi-year naming rights partnership for Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. The stadium will now be called Choctaw Stadium. This expands an existing partnership that goes back to 2010. Choctaw Casino & Resort in 2019 was named the official casino resort of the Texas Rangers. • Encore Boston Harbor in Massachusetts has been approved by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to add a new sports bar, pizzeria and burger restaurant. The new WynnBet Sports bar will have 100 TVs, including a 12,300 square foot video wall. It will also add Shake Shack, a burger chain and Frank & Nick’s pizzeria. •   The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has cancelled the gaming services license of Evobet, which operated bet11.com, m.bet11.com and sports.bet11.com on the island nation. MGA alleges that Evobet breached its Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations by not paying certain regulatory fees. It will be required to refund all moneys in player accounts. • The French Football Federation (FFF) and sports betting operator Betclic have formed a partnership, reports L’Équipe. Under the terms of the five-year agreement—reportedly worth as much as €8 million—Betclic will sponsor France’s national teams and be the official partner of the Coupe de France and amateur football.