NEWS & NOTES

Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gaming regulator, has revoked the licenses of online gaming sites Fair Play Bets and Vivaro Gaming. Neither company had begun operating a year after being issued licenses. Sweden opened its online gaming market in 2019. • Gun Lake Casino in Michigan celebrated a ribbon cutting to herald the open of phase four of its expansion project which increases the property 229,000 square feet. The phase includes more dining and entertainment, and exterior upgrades. The new restaurants include HKODÉ Chophouse, CBK and 131 Sportsbar & Lounge. • Pueblo of Nambé of New Mexico has announced that the former Nambé Falls Casino, near Santa Fe, will become a Tesla sales, service and delivery center. This allows Tesla to disregard a state law that bans vehicle manufacturers from selling direct to buyers. Because the former casino is on tribal land, state law does not apply. • Loto-Quebec does not plan to require its employees to be vaccinated, although it requires patrons to show proof of vaccination. Loto-Quebec president and CEO Jean-François Bergeron told the Canadian Press “It’s a sensitive subject, as we can see everywhere, and the employer doesn’t have all the mechanisms to impose it.” There is a 77.5 percent vaccination rate in the province, so it is likely that most casino employees have “gotten the jab.” • Desert Diamond Casino Tucson in Arizona held a grand opening on September 18 for its expanded Monsoon Room. The expansion has more than 140 slots and six table games. ● Kangwon Land in Korea must pay compensation to 21 victims of a hiring scandal. In 2012-13, the casino hired hundreds of politically connected applicants in a scheme that sent then CEO Choi Hung-jib to jail for three years. In 2019, Kangwon Land admitted that of 518 hires, 493 of them—around 95 percent—were appointed due to connections with various “influential people.” ● Japan’s Supreme Court has dismissed a final appeal by businessman Kazuo Okada in which he sought to overturn an order requiring him to pay damages to his former company, Universal Entertainment. Okada was ousted in 2017 after allegations that he fraudulently used Universal money for his personal use, including buying artwork. He must pay JPY21.3 million (US$194,623) in damages for three alleged fraudulent acts. ● Retired NBA legend Michael Jordan, will increase his financial interest in Sportradar Group AG. He’ll also become a special adviser to the company’s board. The news lifted shares of Sportradar 3.4 percent. Switzerland-based Sportradar indicated Jordan’s role as an advisor will include product development and marketing around the U.S. ● Hollywood Casino York, Penn National Gaming’s Category 4 satellite casino in eastern Pennsylvania, reported earnings of nearly $4.8 million for its first month of operation. “We had a great opening, Penn National spokesman Jeff Morris told the York Dispatch. “We’re really excited about the property, and the customers really enjoy it.” Most of the revenue—$4.2 million—was made on the slot machines. Table games earned $328,906 and the property’s sportsbook made $150,564. The casino opened August 12. • Bally’s Corp. has announced that its acquisition of online gaming and sports betting conglomerate Gamesys Group will be finalized October 1. The acquisition has been approved by the U.K. Gambling commission, but it awaits a court hearing September 30 in the U.S. to sanction the merger. The acquisition is expect to strengthen the Bally’s footprint in the U.S. online gaming and sports betting markets.