NEWS & NOTES

Reflecting market strength even with the opening of a new casino last year, the five casinos in Maryland all posted revenue gains in October. State casino revenues totaled $94.7 million, an increase of $7.9 million, or 9.2 percent, over the same month last year, according to figures released by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. The state’s largest casino, Maryland Live, generated $54.9 million during the month, a 9.3 percent increase. Horseshoe, the second largest—opened in August 2014—reported $24.6 million in revenue, up 9.8 percent.  Revenue increased by 1.6 percent to $6.2 million at Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County, by 13 percent to $4.6 million at the slots-only Casino at Ocean Downs in Worcester County, and by 10.8 percent to $4.2 million at Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County.  •  A woman is claiming the Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester, Washington owes her around $8.5 million. The woman put $100 into a Jurassic Riches slot, and it displayed the jackpot. The casino claimed the machine malfunctioned, and gave her $80. According to the casino’s statement to a local news station, the slot machine’s computer verified that she won the equivalent of 210 credits on the nickel machine.  •  Innovative Technology and its subsidiary, Innoprint, hosted a TITO open day at the H10 Marina Barcelona hotel in Spain on October 29 and provided an opportunity for a closer look at a range of ticketing solutions. The event was attended by 49 guests who represented over 83 percent of the total number of arcades in Catalonia. The event was designed to provide operators with the knowledge and understanding needed to make the most of the opportunities that TITO brings.  •  Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an advertising campaign launched by bookmaker Ladbrokes that featured Memphis Depay, the star winger of the Manchester United Red Devils. The ban was implemented after the authority received an email from a fan complaining that Depay, who signed a £25 million contract with Manchester United last summer, is only 21 years old. Britain’s advertising rules state that no one under age 25 should play a significant role in gambling advertising. “The ad featured the sole image of Memphis Depay, who was under the age of 25 at the time the ad was seen, and we therefore considered that he played a significant role in the marketing communication,” the ASA said in a statement.  •  Nippon Professional Baseball has banned three Yomiuri Giants pitchers indefinitely after they were found to have bet on baseball games. The Japanese baseball commission rules allow for banning of players for a definite or indefinite period, or permanently. Players can appeal to have the ban lifted after five years. According to a report in the Associated Press, Yomiuri pitchers Satoshi Fukuda, Shoki Kasahara and Ryuya Matsumoto all admitted to betting on games during questioning by police. The three were not involved in any game-fixing or betting on their own team, the report said.  •  Scientific Games Corporation CEO Gavin Isaacs blamed the company’s net loss for the third quarter on noncash impairment charges resulting from its acquisition of Bally Technologies. The company lost $678.2 million, or $7.99 a share, compared to a loss a year ago of $69.8 million or 82 cents per share. Isaacs told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the company is in good shape for the long term. “The heavy lifting of integration (is) mostly behind us,” Isaacs said. “Our team successfully accomplished in just eight months what we had originally expected to achieve in a year.”  •  Talks regarding an acquisition of sports pool betting operator Sportech by Contagious Gaming have ended without a deal being reached. Sportech says the termination of discussions came after its board did not receive “an offer proposal from Contagious Gaming which is capable of being implemented or recommended,” according to Gambling Insider. Contagious first proposed to buy Sportech in August at a premium to the operator’s current share price of 62.63p.  •  Olympic Entertainment Group AS (OEG) has finalized an agreement to buy Lithuanian sports-betting operator UAB Orakulas. The purpose of the acquisition is to increase market share in Lithuania and more rapid penetration to Lithuanian sports-betting and newly established online gaming market. On the completion of the transaction, OEG will have additional 35 betting shops. The nominal value of the share capital of UAB Orakulas is €1.15m. The parties agreed not to disclose the price of the transaction.  •  The head of New Jersey-based investment firm GVC has ended speculation that GVC is contemplating selling parts of its recently acquired bwin.party online gaming subsidiary. Speaking to the Telegraph newspaper, GVC Chief Executive Kenny Alexander said that while several companies have approached him over the past several weeks hoping to buy parts of bwin’s business, all offers have been refused.  •  Rocker Billy Idol agreed to perform 12 dates at the House of Blues at the Mandalay Bay Casino in March and May.  •   Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment will move its stock listing to NASDAQ and remove it from the New York Stock Exchange on November 17, but will continue trading under the PNK symbol.  •   Evolution Gaming’s Tania Johnson is scheduled to discuss risks facing online live casinos during the World Game Protection Conference scheduled February 22-24 in Las Vegas.  •   The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved paying $475,000 to KGA Architecture to develop plans for demolishing the former Riviera Casino and its 13 structures.  •  The federal government has formally put into trust 156 acres for the Cowlitz tribe of Washington. Chairman Bill Invall said last week that the tribe plans to begin construction of a $510 million casino site near La Center in 2016. Although a federal judge has upheld to land into trust process that decision has been appealed.  •  Ride-sharing company Uber is looking for drivers in Macau, according to the company’s Facebook page. The sign-up page promotes flexible working schedules and the possibility of significant part-time income, but the city’s Transport Bureau and Public Security Police Force say the transportation service is illegal because “according to local laws and regulations, a vehicle must be duly registered as a taxi before a driver can offer someone a ride in exchange for the payment of a fee.”  ?  In the eighth edition of the Michelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macau, 16 Macau restaurants were listed, up from 11 in the previous edition. Fifteen are located inside a casino resort.  ?  Sky Betting & Gaming has announced it will fill 200 new jobs and open i
ts new customer hub in Yorkshire, UK. The new hires will primarily be in the technology and customer service departments.  ?   The demand for managerial and other levels of skilled workers in Macau’s casino industry will grow by about 30 percent through 2018, according to the Macau government. The demand is being driven by the gaming industry, which could add an estimated 27,000 new hospitality jobs over the next three years.