NEWS & NOTES

Atlantic City’s Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort has agreed to pay a $10 million settlement to the federal government on findings it did not comply with reporting and record-keeping requirements designed to fight money laundering. The U.S. Treasury Department found the company violated transaction-reporting regulations in 2010 and 2012. The settlement awaits approval by the federal bankruptcy judge handling the Taj Mahal’s Chapter 11 filing in Delaware.  •  The New Jersey Casino Control Commission approved Mark Frissora as the new CEO of Caesars Entertainment by a 3-0 vote. Frissora was named director and CEO designate of the troubled operator earlier this month, and will replace Gary Loveman as CEO as of July 1. Loveman remains the company’s chairman.  •  Playsimo, a free-to-play online game distribution and content platform created by UOL BoaCompra, an online games company in Latin America, and Televisa, an important media company in the Spanish-speaking world, has been launched. The portal brings games like Legend Online, Animal Jam and Battlefield Heroes to a Mexican audience on a single site, with localized content and local payment methods for in-game purchases. “With local payments put in place and the largest media company promoting titles through Playsimo, now is the time for international gaming companies to leverage our local expertise to enter the impressive Mexican market,” said Fernando Estevez Vazquez, head of international strategy and payments at UOL BoaCompra, in a statement.  •  Route operator Century Gaming Technologies, formerly United Coin Machine Company, announced that Bully’s and Smokin’ locations will be the exclusive providers of Century’s Gambler’s Bonus player’s club for the entire Reno area. Century sold its Reno route in June 2014, but executives were able to strike a deal with the taverns to continue offering the player’s club at all locations. “We’re pleased to say that Gamblers Bonus is in Reno to stay,” said Steve Arntzen, president and CEO of Century.  •  Betfair’s TVG subsidiary and the Stronach Group announced a landmark transaction to improve the quality and quantity of televised horse racing in the United States, capitalizing on the Stronach investment in an enhanced racing experience and TVG’s investment in state-of-the-art high-definition television capabilities. Under the deal, TVG will assume the operations of HRTV, which will be operated from the TVG Studio complex in Los Angeles. The unified television operations will feature races from Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, Pimlico, Laurel Park and Golden Gate Fields over a seven-year period, as well as additional premium domestic and international racetracks. The agreement paves the way for more than 5,000 additional races from U.S. tracks to be broadcast over the two networks. Via cable, satellite and telco distribution, TVG is currently available in 36.5 million U.S. homes and HRTV is available in 19.5 million U.S. homes.  •   Harbour Gaming Affiliates has announced the launch of its flagship U.K. brand, LuckyBalls.com. Following a redesign process, the new online gaming site was officially previewed to affiliates and subsequently launched at an exclusive event over the iGB London Affiliate Conference. Built on the B3W Gaming Platform and licensed in Malta and by the U.K. Gambling Commission, LuckyBalls.com provides players with casino and live games including betting on lottery, dice and poker broadcast over live feeds. The casino suite also boasts an impressive 160 proprietary B3W games.  •  World of Bingo, Zitro Interactive’s social game app, has just launched its social video bingo tournaments, a unique feature that sets it apart from competitors.  In these video bingo tournaments, World of Bingo players compete against each other to take away as much of the community jackpot as possible. The tournaments last half an hour, with the possibility of re-entering once a player has no points left, and the players with the most winnings throughout the tournament win a prize.  •  The Win River Casino in Redding, Northern California, has ended a smoking ban that went into effect about a year ago. Patrons on the casino floor only were allowed to light up starting on Presidents Day, February 16. The gaming floor accounts for about one-third of the total casino space. The casino was acting in response to many patrons who asked for the ban to be rescinded.”  •  The city attorney for Oakland, California, has filed a lawsuit to try to shut down internet cafes and other illegal casinos in that city. Named in the suit is Lucky Strike Electronics, which was also the target of a police raid last week that confiscated computers and other gambling equipment. Oakland asserts that the games are games of chance and therefore illegal in California.  •  Ho-Chunk Inc. the economic arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska has become a major shareholder in Native American Bancorporation Co. Lance Morgan, president and chief executive officer of Ho-Chunk Inc. commented, “First and foremost, we saw this as an excellent investment opportunity for Ho-Chunk, Inc.,” adding “but we also understand that access to capital is a major economic hurdle for tribal communities and truly wanted to be part of the solution.” A major part of the bank’s activities is providing commercial loans to Indian governments and enterprises.  •  The Chinese government intends to have at least one kiosk that promotes responsible gambling in every casino, according to Social Welfare Bureau Director Iong Kong Io. The kiosks offer information about responsible gambling and also enable people to self-exclude for up to two years.  ?  Despite the downturn in Macau’s casino industry, police forecast that the number of people crossing the border over the Lunar New Year holidays would be up 3 percent to 5 percent more than last year. Mainland Chinese officials said the total visitor count would be 2.2 million over the holidays.  ?  More than 50 former employees of shuttered VIP rooms in Macau have appealed for help to the Labor Affairs Bureau. Since January, five junket operators have surrendered their licenses or declined to renew them. Several rooms closed last year as well, and some of the operators are consolidating operations in their remaining rooms.  ?  MGM China has announced it will offer special bonuses to non-management team members at MGM Macau, currently the firm’s only Macau property. Macau casino operators are using bonuses and salary hikes to retain good workers as new Cotai resorts prepare to open.  •  The Stratosphere will offer free admission to its indoor and outdoor observation decks for locals between February 22 and February 28. The observation tower holds the title of tallest freestanding observation tower in the world.  •  The
Arkansas Senate voted unanimously 34-0 to place the lottery under the Department of Finance and Administration. The governor will appoint a director of games from now on, to take the place of the nine-member lottery commission previously in place. The proposal moved through the Senate with no debate.  In honor of the late Jerry Tarkanian, the Las Vegas Strip dimmed their lights last Wednesday starting at 10:30pm after the UNLV-Boise State game at the Thomas & Mack Center.  •  Nebraska will make its first push towards legalized poker. The Nebraska Constitution outlaws games of chance, but politician Tyson Larson created a bill which would legalize the game. 90 percent of Nebraska residents live within 75 miles of a casino, but there are none inside the state.  •  Uber, the famous ride sharing service, has announced a deal with the Mohegan Sun casino and hotel in Connecticut. Having launched in Connecticut back in April 2014, the company will now offer rides to and from the casino.  •  Seneca Resorts & Casinos will host a job fairs on February 25 for Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in Salamanca, and on February 28 for Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls. The job fairs will hire a total of 65 part-time dealers.  •  Seven Las Vegas Culinary Personalities were recently named as semifinalists by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. Jose Andres, Elizabeth Blau, Claude Le Tohic, Salvatore Martone, Mathieu Chartron, Mitsuo Endo, and Wolfgang Puck were all nominated.  •  “The Progress Report – The Legalization of Sports Betting”will be held at the iGaming North America conference on April 16. The panel will include New Jersey Senator Raymond Lesniak, alongside ESPN gaming industry reporter David Purdam, among others.  •  The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, who owns and operates the Foxwoods Casino, has received $70,000 in federal funding to help its members with affordable housing. The Pequots did not receive grants last year, but received $68,000 in 2013 and $76,000 in 2012.  •  Slot Machineswill take a step forward with a bill likely to pass in Nevada. The bill, which faced zero opposition, would see the legalization of skill-based slot machines, akin to video games. The bill is aimed is the latest effort to attract the millennials, a demographic desperately sought out by the gaming industry.  •  Southwest Airlines has joined forced with rock band Imagine Dragons for a strategic partnership and will sponsor the band for shows in Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Atlanta, including “Live at 35”, a concert featuring the band playing 35,000 feet in the air. Southwest is a sponsor for the NHL, and was well aware of Las Vegas’ recent bid to bring a professional hockey team into the city.