NEWS & NOTES

NYX Gaming Group announced the release of digital gaming content to Boyle Sports via NYX’s Open Gaming System (OGS). Popular slots and scratch titles from NYX’s wholly owned subsidiary NextGen Gaming such as Foxin’ Wins, Jackpot Jester 50,000 and Merlin’s Millions are available immediately, complemented by a wide range of aggregated games from third-party suppliers. NYX G Commercial Director David Johnson said, “I am delighted to have achieved this launch milestone with our newest partners at Boyle Sports. NYX OGS significantly widens the deployment possibilities for our operator partners, given our industry-best distribution network of real money wagering games.”  •  A judge has rejected an attempt by junior bondholders of Caesars Entertainment’s bankrupt operating unit to disqualify law firm Kirkland & Ellis from leading the operator’s bankruptcy case. According to a Reuters report, Jones Day, the junior creditors’ law firm, had asked the court to reconsider its previous authorization of the Kirkland firm, accusing Kirkland lawyer James Sprayregen of giving misleading court testimony earlier this year regarding pre-bankruptcy work Kirkland handled for Caesars. Jones said it unearthed new evidence including minutes from a 2014 board meeting. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Benjamin Goldgar rejected the motion because the law firm would not disclose what was in the minutes.  •  For the second consecutive year, Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino has been named one of the “Best Places to Work” by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The magazine’s award recognizes the top employers in Western Pennsylvania. Winners are determined through a third-party survey. “Our team members are among the best in the business, and our success is a direct result of their efforts day in and day out,” said Craig Clark, general manager of Rivers Casino. “I want to thank our team for voting us among the best and for the enthusiasm and dedication that they bring to Rivers every day.”  •  Newly merged slot and payments company Everi Holdings reported a net loss of $6.1 million for the third quarter, due primarily to costs of the merger of legacy companies Global Cash Access and Multimedia Games. Everi’s overall revenue was $208.7 million for the quarter that ended September 30 , compared to $145.5 million a year ago for GCA without Multimedia Games. That revenue jump was “driven primarily by an increase in ATM transactions and record demand for our integrated kiosks,” said Everi CEO Ram Chary in a statement. Chary added that “new customer agreements that are directly related to our ability to leverage existing relationships to cross-sell games and payments solutions” contributed to the revenue jump.  •  Northern Mariana Islands Attorney General Edward Manibusan said in a letter to the Senate that the proposed changes in the current Saipan casino law could result in the Commonwealth Casino Commission becoming a target for corruption. According to Manibusan, House Bill 19-95 grants commissioners extremely wide exceptions to the so-called Open Government Act. In other words, if approved, the proposed legislation would free the commission from government oversight. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Angel Demapan and Vice Speaker Ralph Demapan, was passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate without the Attorney General’s opinion that had been requested by the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs. The proposed legislation will now be handed to the governor.  •  An independent audit shows the Wyoming Lottery Corporation is “right on track” and had no significant financial issues after its first year of ticket sales.  •  The Hippodrome Casino in London has acquired the Crystal Rooms Adult Gaming Centre, which is located in Leicester Square in Central London.  •  Hollywood Casino in Bangor, Maine is appealing a ruling by the city that its holdings are worth $98.2 million while it insists they are worth $61.4 million. The difference would mean that if the casino wins the city would have to refund $800,000 in taxes. Hollywood Casino is appealing to the state Board of Property Tax Review, something so rare that it has been more than 20 years since it last happened.  Both sides say they expect the board to side with them.  •  The California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control has given the Chumash Casino temporary permission to serve alcohol everywhere on the premises to any over 21 years of age. The casino, owned by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, will be allowed to serve alcohol for 120 days while the department reviews its application. Before this change the casino was only able to serve alcohol on special occasions and events, and not on the casino floor, although it sold to customers as young as 18. Under the new rules, no “happy hour” pricing would be allowed.  •  Slots revenue for Rhode Island’s Twin River Casino has fallen 9.7 percent since the Plainridge Park Casino opened in neighboring Massachusetts.  John Taylor, president of Twin River predicted last year that the casino’s revenue would fall about 10 percent when the Bay State’s first casino opened. While Plainridge is purely a slots parlor, Twin River offers table games. New England gaming expert Clyde Barrow said he expects Twin River’s slots revenue to stabilize at its current levels.  •  Viejas Casino & Resort in San Diego County, California opened its second hotel tower on October 30, adding 109 rooms and bringing the total to 237. The $50 million project also added a bar, lounge, meeting spaces and ballroom that can accommodate 1,200 people. The casino plans to deploy up to 2,500 slots, 500 more than it had before the renovation. The state tribal gaming compact signed last year allows the tribe to have as many as 4,500 slots.  •  The Dry Creek Rancheria of Pomo Indians, which operates the River Rock Casino in California’s gold country, is seeking a change to its liquor license to allow drinks to be served in the early morning hours and to gamblers on the casino floor. This would remove restrictions established in 2008 when the tribe first obtained its license after a compromise with local officials who opposed alcohol being served there. The tribe argues that competing casinos in the area have no such conditions. It says that its biggest rival, Graton Resort and Casino is a “highly competitive Las Vegas-style mega casino operated by Station Casinos” whose license has few conditions. County officials worry about drivers under the influence navigating the narrow, winding country roads.