NEWS & NOTES

SMG Global Consultants announced a strategic marketing agreement with the BorgataHotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, under which SMG will deploy its branded social engagement network for the property’s new, state-of-the-art entertainment venue, Festival Park. SMG will develop a customized version of its technology platform, ssnapp, which engage social media users and potential customers by going beyond traditional “likes” and “shares,” allowing Borgata to connect with its most loyal fans and concert-goers in new and unique ways. Ssnapp’s social engagement network enables companies to engage and activate customers using their own, business-defined currency with the goal of turning customers and prospects into loyal, long-term brand advocates.  •  Leading slot manufacturer International Game Technology lost $13 million and saw total revenue decline 22 percent in its final quarter before completing a $6.4 billion merger with lottery giant GTECH Holdings. The combined company, now called IGT, released results for the quarter that ended March 31 for each company. The merger was completed April 7. In the quarter, IGT said its quarterly loss compared to a profit of $25.7 million in the same quarter a year earlier. The net loss translated into a loss per share of 5 cents, compared to earnings per share of 10 cents in the prior year quarter. The company said the total revenue decrease to $399.4 million was primarily due to a 43 percent drop in slot machine sales and a 17 percent decline in gaming operations. Separately, GTECH said its net revenue of $913.8 million in the quarter was a 3.4 percent increase compared to a year ago.  •  SAGSE Central America & Caribbean was held in Panama last week. More than 60 companies exhibited at the event. “SAGSE Central America & Caribbean reaffirms itself as the premier event for the region, based on its global reach,” said in a statement Alan Burak, SAGSE’s CEO.  •  Scientific Games Corporation announced that it has signed a two-year extension to its instant products contract with the Missouri Lottery.  Scientific Games has served as the instant game provider to the Missouri Lottery, ranked 17th in the world for instant game per capita sales (La Fleur’s 2015 Almanac), since 1986. Under the extension, the company will continue to provide instant games and services to the lottery through June 30, 2017. “We look forward to continuing our nearly 30-year relationship with Scientific Games,” said May Scheve Reardon, executive director of the Missouri Lottery. “Their strategic recommendations have made them a trusted partner to the Missouri Lottery, helping us grow our instant product category and return important dollars to support public education in Missouri year after year.”  •  The first budget of newly elected Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf contains projected revenue from taxing state lottery winnings over $600. A Wolf spokesman said California and Pennsylvania are the only states with income taxes that exempt lottery proceeds. “We have a massive budget deficit that we need to close,” the spokesman told the Lottery Post. “It’s over $2 billion, and doing something that every other state but two currently do seems like a no-brainer.” Wolf estimates the move will generate $15 million next year and $25 million within three years.  • Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, California has announced a partnership with Playstudios, the largest independent developer of free-to-play casino games. Players of some of its mobile slot games, such as myVEGAS, will be able to trade loyalty points for rewards at Graton. The rewards include such amenities as dinners, free slot play and free stays at area hotels. • Tribal casino profits in Arizona are on the upswing. According to the Arizona Department of Gaming tribal contributions to the state were $25.2 million for the first quarter of 2015. That is a 4.7 percent increase of the same period in 2014. Profits have been increasing steadily in recent months. The last quarter of the year showed a 5.8 percent increase over the previous year. There are 23 Class III casinos in Arizona that contribute 1-8 percent of their gross gaming revenue to the state and municipal governments. • The city assessor of Bangor, Maine, has denied the request of the Hollywood Casino to reduce its property tax valuation by $36.8 million to $61.38 million. The casino now has 60 days to appeal the decision to the Bangor Board of Assessment Review. The casino argued that because of reduced receipts that its property should be valued less. The casino denies that its request for lowered valuation is a sign that it is having problems.  •  Aristocrat employees donated $22,980 to Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada. The employees were encouraged to participate in “Fast for February Initiative” which saw them give up a food item for a 30-day period and then donate the money saved. The company was also involved in the Make-A-Wish Walk which combined for $11,490, only to be matched by the company.  •  Angela Leong, SJM Holdings executive director andMacau Legislative Assembly member, says she was not involved in a suspected case of illegal letting of residential property in the Chinese territory. In April, theMacau government padlocked a residence owned by Leong because it was allegedly rented to tourists.“I’m also a victim,” Leong said.  ?  Sands China has started providing “an additional complimentary transportation service for its nonresident construction workers living in Mainland China.” The shuttle service began May 11 to transport the workers to the company’s construction sites in Cotai, Macau. In a release, the company called the plan “part of its social responsibility efforts.” ?  Donaco International says visitation to its Aristo International casino in northern Vietnam doubled in March and was up 43 percent in April. The Australian company said its hotel occupancy rate was about 70 percent. The rebound was attributed to a rise in VIP traffic.  ?   Macau had the most expensive hotels in the Asia-Pacific region in the first quarter of this year, a survey has found. The HRS Hotel Price Radar survey says the average rate for a hotel room in Macau was nearly US$203 (about MOP1,621), 64 percent more than a year earlier.  ?  Nonstop Flights from Reno to London have been scrapped. The plan was set to begin December 19, but U.S. Customs’ inability to process London arrivals at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in a timely manner was cited as the main issue.  • Derek Stevens, owner of the Golden Gate and D Las Vegas, purchased 852 Riviera-owned slot machines, four roulette wheels, and spare machine parts for an undisclosed amount. Some of the machines will be used at both of his properties, while around 500 will be resold at a private auction.  •  Saratoga Casino and Raceway has picked Korchhoff-Consigli Construction Management and Tishman Con
struction for the building of a $34 million hotel. The hotel is an effort to keep consumers from going to Rivers Casino and Resort at Mohawk Harbor in Schenectady.  •  One Hundred Sands Limited is looking to get back their revoked 15-year exclusive gaming license on the island of Fiji. The license, granted in December 2011, was revoked in February.  ·•  Jennifer Lopez will play at least 20 shows at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, starting January 20. She will perform when Britney Spears is away on breaks from her residency “Britnet: Piece of Me.” The show will feature dance, hip hop, Latin, and pop.  •  Teamsters Local 986, the union representing Las Vegas valet workers are protesting what they consider poor working conditions and unfair treatment at SLS Las Vegas hotel and casino. There are three pending complaints with the National Labor Relations Board regarding SLS management questioning workers over union efforts, reducing wages, and outsourcing valet services.  •  Senate Bill 9, which would allow video-game style gambling in slot machines passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee unanimously. The bill’s aim is to bring in younger consumers to casinos with skill, as opposed to luck, based gaming.  •  Phil Ivey lost the deposition-site battle over Gameco card malfunction in a baccarat case that took place at the Borgata in Atlantic City. Ivey wanted the deposition in New Jersey, but it will take place in Kansas City, Missouri.  •  The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission has approved Playtech’s acquisition of TradeFX and the company said the deal is now complete. The financial statements of TradeFX will be fully consolidated into Playtech’s group accounts and TradeFX will therefore make close to an eight month contribution to Playtech’s financial performance for 2015.