NEWS & NOTES

The Sheraton Macao Hotel Cotai Central had about 54 percent more business from India in the first six months of this year than a year earlier, TravelBiz Monitor reports. The Indian magazine quotes the hotel’s general manager for sales and marketing, Ruth Boston, as saying that India has been the seventh-largest market for the hotel since it opened in September 2012.  •  Macau casino operator Melco Crown Entertainment has increased the salary of co-Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho from US$2 million to $2.5 million. The company’s first-half report says Ho’s pay was raised in April. Melco Crown reported a net profit of $383.2 million in the first half, a 63 percent increase over the same period last year, on net revenue that was up 4.8 percent to $2.56 billion.  •  Gaming testing company BMM Testlabs released the new “BMM Certified” logo at Global Gaming Expo last week. The new logo can be used by customers on products that have been certified by BMM. Wendy Anderson, chief of staff for BMM International, said, “The new ‘BMM Certified’ logo represents a ‘seal of excellence’ to let regulators and operators know that a manufacturer’s product has been certified by BMM. BMM’s expertise and commitment to quality ensure that customers using this new mark have experienced the highest level of compliance services in the industry.”  •  The American Gaming Association has partnered with the American Bus Association to promote safety and reduce the number of unsafe bus operators transporting casino patrons. The partners will “share best practices with our members and build on our industry’s strong commitment to ensuring that only properly credentialed and safe buses transport casino visitors to gaming facilities,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the AGA. ?  A new restaurant from James Beard Award-winning Chef Julian Serrano will debut at Bellagio Resort & Casino in March 2015. Lago will feature dramatic views of the Las Vegas Strip and “reinvented” versions of Italian cuisine. The restaurant will occupy the former space of Circo, which closed last month.  ?  The Nevada Tourism Commission has recommended B&P Advertising and Public Relations to run the state’s $1.75 million winter marketing campaign. B&P will use multiple digital platforms to drive prospective tourists to the state’s Travel Nevada website. B&P beat out the Creative Concepts agency, which said it would cast a wider net that also included traditional advertising.  ?  The San Diego County Board of Supervisors in Southern California last week voted to approve of an agreement with the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians that will allow the tribe to add a second hotel tower with 128 rooms and expand the gaming area of the Viejas Casino in Alpine. The agreement calls for the tribe to pay a one-time $150,000 to the County to mitigate off reservation impacts. It also includes mitigation for groundwater impacts.  •  The International Association of Gaming Regulators will host the 2014 Annual Conference October 27-29 in Philadelphia. Topics will include emerging global issues of interest to gaming regulators, policy makers and gaming industry executives. It will focus on how to improve gaming oversight. Gaming regulators from all over the world are expected to attend.  •  Online casino regulator eCOGRA, based in the UK, has announced changes to operating standards that will closely mirror new draft legislation on consumer protection that will soon be voted on by the European Commission. eCOGRA frequently reviews and updates its practices on consumer protection, data security and the prevention of money laundering.  •  A consortium of 11 top European betting firms have joined forces to create the German Sports Betting Association. The purpose of the new organization is to help create a “legally stable sports betting regulation” in Germany, while discouraging game manipulation, black markets and problem gambling. The association’s first president, Mathias Dahms, stated, “Our goal is to remove the legal uncertainty and to ensure safe betting, both for consumers and providers.” German lawmaker Peter Ramsauer envisions the new association as “an enrichment and a strong ally in the war against illegal gambling and addiction.”  •  GameAccount Network, which first entered the Australian market with Simulated Gaming, has partnered with several community clubs, whose names have yet to be released, and plans a joint commercial launch in the first quarter of next year. The consortium will employ the GameStack Internet gaming system to deliver Simulated Gaming with the goal of providing real-money gaming once the necessary legislation is passed. CEO Dermot Smurfit stated, “Following on the success of Simulated Gaming in the US we’re delighted to bring our unique Simulated Gaming experience to Australia working closely with an experienced management group from six major Australian community based clubs.”