NEWS & NOTES

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ (UNLV) International Center of Gaming Regulation (ICGR) is hosting its first Sports Wagering & Gaming Week, featuring two in-person seminars in late July. The first, called the Gaming Startup Bootcamp, will take place July 25-26 and the second, dubbed Principles of Sports Wagering: Policy & Operations, will follow on July 27-28. Both events will be held at the Black Fire Innovation center at UNLV. Conversations will be centered around trends and business opportunities within the sports betting and eSports industries, with roundtables featuring prominent gaming representatives and entrepreneurs. ● The Nevada Gaming Control Board has recommended licensing approval for Olympia Gaming’s Legends Bay Casino project in Sparks after a recent hearing. The casino’s sportsbook provider, Circa Sports, was also recommended for approval. The Nevada Gaming Commission will now deliver the final ruling on June 23. Legends Bay has been in development since 2007, but the project has devolved from a $500 million project to a $120 million project, according to Olympia CEO Garry Goett—it is the first ground-up casino to be built in Reno-Sparks in over 20 years. ● The Plaza Hotel & Casino in Downtown Las Vegas has announced multiple new renovation projects, including the development of downtown’s first smoke-free zone as well as a remodeling of the casino’s facade and dome facing Main Street. A rooftop bar area will also be added to the Oscar’s Steakhouse restaurant. Construction is slated to begin this month, with hope for completion by year’s end. The gaming floor and Oscar’s will both remain open during construction. Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel also mentioned the possibility of further expansion on adjacent land that the casino also owns.