NEWS & NOTES

MGM Resorts International and IGT both have scored 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Corporate Index, earning both companies the “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” designation. IGT and MGM join more than 840 companies in the U.S. that have earned top scores from the HRC. ● The growth of online casino play and sports betting in Pennsylvania in 2021 was accompanied by a rise in calls to a problem gambling help line, according to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania. The near-doubling of calls from residents to help line—from 1,115 in 2020 to 2,090 in 2021—was due to the widespread access to gaming, said Josh Ercole, the council’s executive director. The council also noted that calls to the help line are skewing younger. ● Cambodian regulators and national police have shut down 123 illegal online gambling and lottery websites. In a January 27 press statement, they said they had also shut 79 such websites last November. They also called on the public to confidentially report illegal websites to authorities. ● Bally Sports and BetMGM have partnered on a new sports betting program. “Live on the Line, Powered by BetMGM.” The program will air weekdays across Bally Sports’ 19 regional sports network brands, the Bally Sports app, and Stadium, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s 24/7 multi-platform sports network. ● Resorts World Las Vegas President Scott Sibella is challenging a subpoena in the bankruptcy litigation of former high-roller Brandon Sattler. Sattler is accused of defrauding investors while gambling hundreds of thousands of dollars at Strip casinos including Resorts World. Sibella’s lawyer said the executive “has no personal or business relationship” with Sattler and is a “non-party” in the suit filed by investors. ● The Philippines government has lowered the Covid-19 alert level for the National Capital Region, including Metro Manila, due to a decline in case numbers. A variety of establishments including MICE spaces are allowed to increase capacity from 30 percent to 50 percent for indoor spaces and from 50 percent to 70 percent for outdoor spaces. Manila’s integrated resorts are specifically authorized to run at 75 percent, including gaming areas, under Alert Level 3. ● Starting February 5, Hong Kong cut the length of time inbound travelers must quarantine at hotels from 21 to 14 days. The move was prompted by complaints over the high cost of quarantine stays. Macau’s Health Bureau will consider reducing its current 21-day requirement if regional medical reports confirm the incubation period for Omicron is shorter than for other Covid variants. ● Authorities in Zhuhai, China near the Macau border have lifted lockdown and control measures for the entire Nanping area for the Chinese New Year holiday, February 1-15. The area went into lockdown January 14 when 10 positive Covid-19 cases were identified during a mass testing. ● The reopened Encore Boston Harbor casino poker room—closed since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago—has reopened with limited hours and seating and a waiting line. The room now offers only 12 tables, compared to 72 in March of 2020. ● The Northern Mariana Islands is considering a bill that would suspend the salaries of the Commonwealth Casino Commission unless there is a functioning casino on the island of Saipan. The five commissioners are currently paid a total of $325,000 annually, though the only casino on Saipan, Imperial Pacific Palace, is closed and insolvent. ● The Wrest Point Casino in Tasmania continues to recover from a 2021 cyberware attack that disrupted its slot machines and cost the company millions. The attack caused the remote encryption of several systems and disrupted machines and the hotel booking system for weeks. The company chose not to pay the ransom demands or respond to the attackers. ● Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch gaming authority has awarded a license to BtoBet for its sportsbook platform to operate in the Netherlands. BtoBet COO Dima Reiderman commented, “Receiving the Dutch supplier license offers significant growth opportunities for BtoBet, as we seek to bring first-class betting entertainment to players together with local operators.” The Dutch online gaming market opened October 1, 2021. • Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington has opened its sports betting lounge. The property is owned by the Squaxin Island Tribe, which partnered with International Game Technology as its sportsbook provider. It offers eight betting kiosks, 30 lounge seats, eight 82 inch video screens and an LED video wall 20 feet by 10 feet. • Caesars Entertainment has announced it will open a sportsbook at Spokane Tribal Casino, in Washington. Spokane Tribal General Manager Javier De La Rosa issued this statement: “We’re excited to partner with Caesars Sportsbook to offer in-person sports betting in our new state-of-the-art sportsbook utilizing Caesars’ betting platforms that offer hundreds of ways to wager on sports.” He said the sportsbook would attract a new type of guest. ● Malta-based iGaming operator Genesis Global has become an official partner with the Football Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Co. in Canton, Ohio. A Hall of Fame Village is now under construction and will wrap around the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. In December, Hall of Fame Resort announced a partnership with Chicago-based Rush Street Interactive to “operate a premier retail sportsbook” at the complex.