NEWS & NOTES

At its most recent hearing February 22, the Nevada Gaming Commission approved full licensure for three executives—FanDuel CFO David Jennings, Legends Bay Casino General Manager Ryan Walker and Durango General Manager David Horn. During the hearing, Walker faced scrutiny over a previous personal tax liability, which he explained was due to a bonus that unknowingly bumped him into a higher tax bracket. Jennings also faced slight scrutiny over recent reporting regarding FanDuel’s responsible gaming efforts, but in the end both were granted full licenses.  ●   The Star Sydney has begun a trial of cashless play at a total of 51 machines and 8 tables inside of its “Sovereign Room,” the company announced. The trial is a precursor to upcoming regulatory changes in which all casinos in New South Wales will require the technology to be fully implemented by August of 2024.  Star CEO Robbie Cooke said in a statement that the “ the trial follows months of planning, development, testing, and training in consultation with relevant regulators. The trial environment provides an opportunity to test the new technologies and processes, from the perspective of both our guests and our team members. Readiness for the new regime that will apply from August 2024 is a key element of our transformation program.”  ●  Kangwon Land Inc., operator of South Korea’s only locals casino, has signed sales agreements with entities in Taiwan and in the Philippines to attract customers from overseas. The company is looking to boost the global competitiveness of its resort in Gangwon Province.  ●  The Delaware Lottery has tripled its revenue since relaunching with BetRivers, observers say the market’s poor performance over the past decade was primarily related to its previous operator partner. Delaware was the first state to launch legal online casinos in late 2013 and chose 888 Holdings to run them as a monopoly in partnership with the lottery. It had never exceeded $1.5 million until the switch. In January 2024, BetRivers net winnings on behalf of the lottery totaled $3.4 million.