NEWS & NOTES

Universal Entertainment, parent of Philippines integrated resort Okada Manila, reportedly is planning to list the entity on the Philippine Stock Exchange through an initial public offering worth up to $750 million by 2025. Universal once sought a Nasdaq listing through a special purpose acquisition company, but that deal was canceled.  ●  A criminal syndicate is suspected of recruiting employees at a Macau casino to manipulate the outcome of poker games, for a total loss to the operator of HK$4.54 million ($582,000). Five of eight suspects arrested worked as table managers, directors and dealers.  ●  Online gaming legislation in Illinois is dead for the year. Two bills that would have legalized online casinos in Illinois stalled in committee as the state legislative session concluded last week. House Bill 2239, introduced by State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr., and Senate Bill 1565, sponsored by State Sen. Cristina Castro, failed to escape the committee process and come to a debate and vote on Friday in Springfield. The earliest the issue can be revisited is January 2025.  ● The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) recently announced that it has blocked eight more illegal iGaming sites in the country, bringing its total list of blocks to 975 since 2019. According to the ACMA, a total of 220 unlicensed operators have left the market as a result of these blocks. Some of the most recent blocked sites include Dundee Slots, Lukki Casino, Jogi Casino and Spin Fever.  ● Tunneling crews for the Vegas Loop underground transit system being developed by Elon Musk’s Boring Co. have reached Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, the company announced May 24. When fully built, the loop will include 93 stations across 68 miles of tunnels. The only current operating sections of the system allow passengers to travel between the three halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center and Resorts World Las Vegas, but more sections are expected to come online by the spring of 2025. Offshoots to Encore and the Westgate are also currently under construction.