NEWS & NOTES

Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) has been granted a supplier license for Ontario, allowing it to partner with operators in the newly regulated Canadian province. The market is expected to grow to €2 billion (US$2 billion) in gross gaming revenues over the next three years, according to H2 Gambling Data. ●   Macau authorities have ordered that two casino hotels be used as Covid-19 medical facilities. The east wing of Grand Lisboa Palace, owned by SJM Holdings, and the Grand Hyatt hotel, owned by Melco Resorts, will together provide close to 800 rooms, they said. Sands China’s Sheraton hotel and Londoner resort have already been used as quarantine facilities. ● Starting July 11, Cambodia was the latest country to drop a mandatory hotel requirement for unvaccinated arrivals. Minister of Health Mam Bun Heng announced the rule change. Travelers will still be required to produce a negative rapid-antigen test (RAT) result on arrival. Those who test positive will either be asked to isolate at home or in a facility determined by the health ministry, at their own cost. ● Australian operator Star Entertainment announced that Michael Issenberg, current chairman of Tourism Australia, has been granted regulatory approval and will officially be appointed to a non-executive position on the company’s board of directors. Star originally announced Issenberg’s appointment back in February. Numerous other boardroom positions are expected to be finalized in the next few months, as the company looks to save face after recent suitability inquiries unearthed problems related to money laundering and foreign influence. ● The Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas has implemented additional security measures following a string of crime, most notably two separate shooting incidents in a one-month span. The new measures include metal detectors and bag checks during weekends for all patrons, and an increased law enforcement presence. Andrew Simon, CEO of the Fremont Street Experience, said that the “safety and security of our guests, employees and tenants” has become the company’s biggest concern. ● The Silverton Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas has announced that it is closing its hotel and pool from next month through the end of 2022, in order to complete large-scale renovations in honor of its 25th anniversary. The renovations will cost approximately $45 million and are expected to be unveiled sometime early next year. The company said in a statement that its 300 rooms and suites will be redone in a “rustic-luxe” Western-inspired style that aims to create a “unique Las Vegas hotel experience.” ● The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is seeking public input on the license renewal for Mount Airy Casino Resort. The board will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, August 3 on the renewal. Those wishing to submit comments, either verbal or written, must register by 12 p.m., Monday, August 1 at the GCB website (gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov) and click the registration link. • New Jersey horse racing will benefit from a $25 million purse subsidy included in the state budget for 2023, signed into law last week by Governor Phil Murphy. Murphy’s proposed budget only included a $15 million subsidy for horse racing, but the state legislature approved the additional $10 million, comprising a record subsidy for the state’s horsemen.