NEWS & NOTES

Last month, Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture closed its integrated resort promotion office. Canada’s Clairvest Group hoped to bid on one of three IR licenses made available by the central government, but the prefectural assembly rejected the local government’s plan for a casino complex. Wakayama Governor Yoshinobu Nisaka has said the prefecture should “take a second chance to apply” when a new round of applications opens. ● SJM Resorts SA, which operates Macau casino concessionaire SJM Holdings Ltd., paid an “annual living subsidy” to qualified employees on July 1. A first installment was paid in January. The total payment equals one and a half to two months of annual salary. ● MGM China has announced the renewal of a branding agreement involving parent MGM Resorts International for use of the “MGM” brands. The deal entitles MGM China to use the marks “MGM,” “MGM Grand,” “MGM Grand Macau,” the MGM lion, and “other MGM-related service marks, trademarks, registrations and domain names.” ● A police raid in Bangkok, Thailand seized 4.3 million baht (US$120,000) from an illegal underground gambling den. Fifty-two Thai and foreign gamblers were arrested at the scene. Of those arrested 14 were Thai, 22 Chinese, 14 Burmese, and 2 Malaysian. The gamblers were charged with allegedly gambling for the possession of assets. ● Star Entertainment Group and various other Australian operators are facing increased scrutiny after it was discovered that they are utilizing facial recognition technology. Australia has no legislation that authorizes the use of facial recognition, and consumers around the country are voicing their frustration as more companies and retailers, including casinos, are implementing the technology. Star and other operators have claimed that they are using the technology to stop problem gaming and comply with other local regulations, but it is unclear whether or not the operators have been selling consumer data to third parties, which is a huge privacy concern in Australia and around the world. ● Table Mountain’s new casino resort in Friant, Calif., which is located a few hundred feet from its original site, will open on July 21 after nearly three years of construction. The original location was opened in 1987 by the Table Mountain Rancheria—the new complex spans 600,000 square feet, with a 110,000 square-foot gaming floor, restaurants, event space, and a hotel with 150 rooms. The company is currently holding job fairs and buying ads to try and fill the necessary positions in time for the opening.