NEWS & NOTES

The Las Vegas Sands Corp. is rumored to be looking at an acquisition of Evolution Gaming to expand its presence in online gaming. Evolution is valued at more than $27 billion, and would grant LVS exposure in B2B online gaming which LVS has only recently expressed interest, he said. LVS announced it would explore entry into iGaming in January last year. • Melco Resorts & Entertainment has stated it is committed to developing and maintaining a culture of responsible gaming (RG) in all its jurisdiction. Melco recently became the only operator to date to receive the RG Check Responsible Gaming accreditation across its global portfolio. • How lucky can you get? A Clearwater, Florida woman recently won two million-dollar jackpots on Aristocrat Gaming’s Dragon Link progressive slot game, just 18 days apart. The progressive can be found at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and Seminole Coconut Creek Casino. The jackpot starts at $1 million at each property. • Famed New York City steakhouse Peter Luger will bring its brand to Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip at the end of 2022. The restaurant will join another revered NYC steakhouse, Old Homestead, at the property. • The temporary Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, Illinois brought in $4.3 million in December, higher than its November earnings of $4.1 million, according to the Illinois Gaming Board. The interim venue opened to the public November 10 and will operate for two years during the construction of the full Hard Rock Casino Rockford. • Macau gaming concessionaire Galaxy Entertainment Group has announced a voluntary resignation plan that provides a one-time settlement to eligible gaming employees. The New Life Starter Program will “assist team members to explore their career goals, and start a new page of life,” according to Galaxy. The severance payments reportedly range from MOP 270,000 (US$34,000) to MOP520,000 (US$67,000). • As of January 7, 389 people (37.5 percent) of 1,036 former junket workers had participated in job-matching sessions organized by Macau’s Labor Affairs Bureau. The program was established to reemploy candidates who lost their jobs following the closure of several casino VIP rooms. • Resorts World Sentosa’s Singapore Oceanarium should be completed by the end of 2024. The aquatic development is part of a SGD4.5 billion (US$3.32 billion) expansion of the resort by Genting Singapore Ltd.