NEWS & NOTES

Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies is likely to vote in February on a bill to allow the regulation of casinos, bingo and jogo do bicho. Under pressure from evangelicals, Brazil’s President Bolsonaro has threatened to veto such legislation. ● Campione d’Italia Casino in Italy’s Como Province reopened January 26 after being closed 1,279 days due to Covid-19. During the closure, the latest generation slots were renovated. CEO Marco Ambrosini said the size of the casino allows it to “maintain distances between guests that the pandemic has unfortunately forced upon us.” ● DraftKings has made a multi-year commitment to help U.S. state councils support local non-profit organizations. Through the new State Council Funding Program, DraftKings will give each council $15,000 a year for three years, for a total of $1.58 million over three years. ● Singer Pharrell Williams and hospitality entrepreneur David Grutman will partner to develop a new resort at Atlantis Paradise Island. The resort known as Somewhere Else will house approximately 400 rooms and suites, multiple restaurants and bars, and bungalows with recording studios. It is expected to open in 2024. ● Singapore tourism is far from pre-pandemic levels, but 330,000 international visitors came in 2021, generating S$1.9 billion in revenue. Arrivals spiked 221 percent year-on-year during the final three quarters of the year due to the opening of Vaccinated Travel Lanes. Top visitor markets were China, India and Indonesia. ● The annual Gaming Service Index in Macau saw that casino staff scoring lower on “smiling” and “tolerance” in 2021 compared to 2019, though “proactiveness” reached a record high. The annual survey monitors service by casino gaming table staff and uses mystery shoppers to collect data. The “smiling” index was adjusted to account for face masks. ● The head of passenger rail line Brightline said the long-awaited Las Vegas-Southern California rail line is “at the one-yard line” in plans for the rail project. Wes Edens, co-CEO of Brightline parent Fortress Investment Group, said the project, which has been nearly 15 years in the making, has secured the right of way in and around Interstate 15 necessary to make the rail line happen. It will travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Edens called it “a game-changer.” ● The Swedish Court of Appeals has upheld a US$73,300 fine against Lottoland subsidiary United Lottery Solutions levied by Spelinspektionen in 2019. The company was fined for offering players a chance to bet on lottery outcomes from the monopoly Svenska Spel. ● Capital Group Companies has increased its stake in Wynn Macau Ltd. from 5.96 percent to 6.05 percent, spending around HKD33.4 million (US$4.29 million) to acquire 4,578,800 shares. The firm had reduced its stake in Wynn Macau from 7.2 percent last September.