NEWS & NOTES

Circa Sports has been approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission to open its first sports book at the Golden Gate casino in Downtown Las Vegas. The brainchild of casino developer Derek Stevens, who owns the Golden Gate, Circa also will operate at Stevens’ D Las Vegas casino Downtown and his Fremont Street flagship, Circa Resort and Casino, which is scheduled to open at the end of 2020. Matt Metcalf, who worked under well-known Westgate Las Vegas oddsmaker Jay Kornegay, has been hired to run the company. • Ian Burke has retired as long-time chairman of UK-based casino and bingo giant Rank Group. Burke joined Rank as CEO in 2006. He was named executive chairman in 2011 and non-executive chairman in 2014. In Britain publicly traded Rank owns 56 casinos under the Grosvenor brand and 96 Mecca Bingo outlets and casinos and bingo venues in Spain and Belgium. It also operates online gaming and betting under its Rank Interactive division. • Isleta Resort & Casino announced last week that it will become the third tribal casino in New Mexico to introduce sports book, which its statement called “Las Vegas-style sports gambling.” USBookmaking will be the provider. Startup should be sometime this summer. CEO Harold Baugus said, “We look forward to unveiling all of the exciting possibilities to our patrons.” Santa Ana Star Casino opened a sports book last fall and Buffalo Thunder Casino and Resort opened an operation in March. • Gateway Casinos plans to open a new casino in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada this summer and is holding a jobs fair May 1 for 200 positions. Rob Mitchell, Gateway’s director of communications and public affairs said 1,000 applicants are expected. The company is looking for dealers, auditors, guest services representatives, cage and coin cashiers and security officers—plus staff for two restaurants. The casino will have 333 slot machines and 12 gaming tables. • MGM Resorts Japan is hosting an event titled “Thinking Together about Integrated Resorts” from May 13 to May 31 at the Grand Front Osaka, aimed at improving the public’s understanding of IRs. The event will include seminars and town hall meetings to discuss IRs with the residents of Osaka. MGM is pulling out all the stops to achieve resident consensus for a “dream resort” including implementation of an experiential plan called “IR for you and everyone.” ● Hard Rock Japan has opened an office in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, part of its strategy to win an IR license in the country. HR Japan President Ado Machida said the company plans “an enjoyable, world-class resort for generations of Japanese people.” ● Muckleshoot Casino near Auburn, Washington said this week it plans to add an 18-story luxury hotel with a view of Mount Rainier as part of its ongoing expansion. It will open in 2021 and will include a spa, rooftop fine dining, and a play area and arcade. A press release stated “The first phase of the project will add a 20,000-square-foot, technologically advanced events center, a trio of fast-casual dining destinations a high-energy center bar, and more.” That phase is expected to be completed next spring. • Video game company Bandai Namco Amusement announced the launch of Pac-Man Video-Bingo machine in partnership with the Spanish company Metronia and U.K.-based Quixant, as well as the establishment of the new unit that began operating this month called Bandai Namco Seven, the purpose of which is “development and sales of pachinko and pachislot machines” and “planning and operation of other new businesses.” Bandai Namco has partnered with Gamblit and Ainsworth on Pac Man-themed games in the past, but many analysts say the latest developments could point to the company more formally entering the gaming market.