Slot revenues were up 6 percent in the Mohegan Sun for April, compared to a year ago. They were down 2.7 percent at the neighboring Foxwoods Resort Casino for the same period. Revenue in April was $49.5 million at the Mohegan Sun and $38.7 million at Foxwoods. The two erstwhile rivals have teamed up to lobby Connecticut legislators to authorize satellite casinos to help defend their casino revenues against encroachments from neighboring states. • Casino Canberra is seeking job applicants who speak Chinese and Vietnamese to serve the property’s VIP clients. The Australian casino has offered paid training for multilingual dealers. Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung bought the property for US$6million in December and plans an integrated resort on the site. • Robert DeNiro and his business partners formally opened Asia’s first Nobu Hotel May 18 as the luxury brand gears up for global expansion. The 321-room hotel at City of Dreams was established by DeNiro, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Hollywood producer Meir Teper. • The government of China has declared September 3 a national holiday to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. The governments of Macau and Hong Kong also will observe the holiday. Macau Government Tourist Office Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes says a holiday weekend could mean a “Golden Week” for the tourist destination, and hopefully entice Mainlanders to visit the city. • Paragon Gaming has received approval from the state Gaming Control Board to manage the Westgate Las Vegas. Paragon will need final approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission before transitioning into the new property. • The American Gaming Association awarded the Boston Police Department the first-ever Crimes Enforcement Network “Law Enforcement Award” for use of anti-money laundering tips. The tips helped solve a large-scale Ponzi scheme which defrauded people out of $10 million. • American Casino & Entertainment Properties said the company grew quarterly revenue 6.1 percent in the first quarter, while doubling profits, from $4.5 million to $8 million. The Company’s cash flow also grew 18.7 percent to $22.2 million. • The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe are being sued by SMC Construction of Reno for not paying over $6 million in work done. The company cites pressure to complete work that lead to overtime and other costs which doubled the $9.65 million contract signed last August. • Clairvest Group will receive $46 million after agreeing to sell its stake in Casino New Brunswick. The sale will be picked up by Great Canadian Gaming Group. In 2008, Clairvest ponied up $24.6 million in 2008 to boost construction for the casino. GCGG agreed to pay a total of $77.86 million for the casino-hotel. • A group led by Clint Halftown failed to receive standing to file a lawsuit under the name of Cayuga Nation. The lawsuit is against the village of Union Springs, which Halftown claims threatened legal action if gaming activities at LakeSide Entertainment facility were not shut down. U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd ruled against Halftown due to an ongoing leadership dispute among the Cayuga Nation. • Hard Rock Casino Vancouver is back on track, and shelled out $1.8 million as part of a 10 percent cut of net proceeds as host to the casino. The first quarter saw the casino’s results spike 41 percent to $4.1 million. • MGM Resorts International has filed an application with the Nevada Public Utilities Commission to leave Nevada Power Co. and purchase electricity wholesale. The move follows Wynn Las Vegas and Las Vegas Sands Corp. Caesars is expected to file an application to leave Nevada Power next. • Harvey Kesselman will remain acting president of Stockton University as the school tries to unravel its controversial purchase of the former Showboat casino in Atlantic City. Kesselman replaced Herman Saatkamp in April, after Saatkamp stepped down. Though Saatkamp cited health reasons for his departure, many believe he was forced out after the university spent $18 million to buy the Showboat—a purchase that quickly bogged down in legal wrangling with the neighboring Trump Taj Mahal. • The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board as fined Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course for incorrect dealing at a pai gow poker table. The fine was the result of the approval of a consent agreement between the PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Counsel and Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, and stemmed from an incident in August of last year where patrons were dealt their cards in a manner that violated game regulations of pai gow poker. • Online game developer NetEnt has begun to deliver online casino games and services to PokerStars, after beginning services earlier this year to the Rational Group subsidiary’s sister company Full Tilt Poker. A NetEnt spokesman said NetEnt’s growth strategy includes expansion in regulated markets, making PokerStars a desirable partner with separate government licenses in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. • Northern California’s Graton Resort & Casino has partnered with free-to-play casino games developer PlayStudios’ Real World Rewards Program. Customers of myVEGAS mobile slots, myVEGAS mobile blackjack and myVEGAS Facebook can now redeem their in-game loyalty points for rewards at the terrestrial casino, which may include free slot play, dinners and/or complimentary accommodation. “Our large and loyal audience loves the rewards aspect of playing myVEGAS, and this is an excellent opportunity for our Northern California players to get rewards closer to home,” said Andrew Pascal, chief executive officer of PlayStudios. “With the addition of Graton, our players now can get rewards in Las Vegas, California, Hawaii, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and the Caribbean.” • Full House Resorts saw net revenues decline slightly in the first quarter as new management takes control of the Las Vegas-based casino operator. Full House, which operates casinos in Indiana, Mississippi and Northern Nevada, said its net loss was $1.8 million, or 9 cents per share for the quarter that ended March 31. A year ago, the company lost $1.1 million, or 6 cents per share. Total revenue for the quarter declined to $1.8 million from $1.1 million. The company’s bright spot was the Silver Slipper in Mississippi, which grew revenue 11.4 percent and increased cash flow 26.2 percent. • The Maryland Live! casino has launched a new progressive jackpot program across its slot machines. Called “Giant Jackpots,” the mystery progressive resets at $50,000 and is guaranteed to hit by $100,000. The casino is guaranteeing a win between May 28 and May 31
to promote the new jackpot program. • The New Jersey Lottery, privatized in 2013 with a 15-year management contract to Northstar New Jersey Lottery Group, is earning less than Governor Chris Christie’s initial projections for the fiscal year. Last week, state Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff presented the state Senate Budget Committee with the latest revenue figures showing the lottery is estimated to bring in $930 million for fiscal year 2015, which ends June 30. That’s shy of earlier estimates of $955 million, which were revised down from $1.04 billion. The treasury, which oversees Northstar, also is adjusting its fiscal 2016 projections, from $1.02 billion to $1 billion. • Slot manufacturer Euro Games Technology announced its first large-scale installation of games in Tanzania, following the recent opening of a manufacturing facility in the country. The company placed 140 games from the Vega Vision and Premier series in the Premier Casino in Dar es Salaam. EGT has the largest share of installed slot machines in Tanzania. • Online game developers Inteplay and Xin Gaming have reached a re-seller arrangement which will see each offering the other’s games. “This deal strengthens both brands in order to increase market share in the expanding Asian online casino market,” said Xin Gaming chief Mathias Larsson. Kevin Li, chief executive at Inteplay added, “We have strong confidence that the cooperation between us will enable us to create more brilliant achievements in the Asian online casino market.”
