NEWS & NOTES

Casino cruise ship operator Royal Caribbean International has signed a “multimillion-dollar marketing partnership” with the Singapore Tourism Board and Changi Airport Group to promote fly-cruises. The five-year collaboration is expected to bring some 623,000 international fly-cruise visitors to Singapore, and generate over SGD430 million (US$314.9 million) in tourism receipts between end-2019 and 2024, according to the Singapore Tourism Board. • With its grand opening just three months away, Desert Diamond Casino West Valley in Glendale, Arizona has launched a major hiring campaign to bring in 1,400 new employees. The $400 million, 1.2 million-square-foot casino will have a 75,000 square-foot gaming floor, five new restaurants, a VIP lounge and private gaming area and two covered parking garages. It is set to open February 19, 2020. • Michigan’s Gun Lake Tribe recently paid $5.6 million to the state and $2.38 million to its host community as part of the third-quarter revenue-sharing agreement. GLIMI, an economic development entity, received $1.68 million. The figures are calculated from electronic gaming revenues reported from April 1 to September 30. • Reports have emerged from Myanmar, near the border with Thailand, of mass protests by people facing eviction from their homes to make way for an illegal casino. The evictions were allegedly carried out by the Kayin State Border Guard Force, partner in the venture with China’s state-owned Jilin Yatai Group. According to reports, casinos in Kayin state have been operating openly but illegally. • Kiron Interactive has launched the first virtual sports games in Spain through a partnership with online gambling operator Wanabet. Under the deal, Kiron will use its BetMan RGS platform to supply R. Franco Digital-owned Wanabet with virtual games such as football and both horse and greyhound racing. • The Stars Group will assume control of BetEasy after acquiring the remaining 20 percent of the Australian sports betting operator for AU$151 million (US$103.3 million). Matt Tripp, CEO of BetEasy, will provide serve as non-executive president from January 2020. TSG was recently purchased by Flutter Entertainment.