NEWS & NOTES

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed lawsuits against tech giants Apple, Meta and Google to proceed, Media Daily News reported. The lawsuits, dating to 2000, accuse the companies of promoting illegal gambling through gaming apps and profiting from the sale of virtual currency. In April, the lawsuits were sent to the appellate court to determine whether the companies would have immunity. The Ninth Circuit panel has returned the case to U.S. District Court Judge Edward Davila in California for additional review under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects the companies from liability for third-party content on their platforms.   •   Authorities in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, are planning a request-for-proposals (RFP) to develop a master plan for land adjoining an integrated resort (IR) site on Yumeshima Island. The IR, a joint project of MGM Resorts International and Orix Corp., is expected to open in 2030 as Phase 1 of the development. The adjacent plot, covering 123.6 acres, will be developed in Phase 2 of the long-term plan, adding more entertainment facilities to supplement the IR, according to GGRAsia.  Osaka looks to have a master plan for Yumeshima 2.0 in place by the end of 2024, and will invite bids from developers in late 2025, after the six-month Osaka Expo, which also will be held at Yumeshima, a manmade island in Osaka Bay.