NEWS & NOTES

Clark County Republican Becky Harris has introduced a bill in the Nevada Senate to expand the state’s definition of parimutuel betting with the term “other sports,” a designation understood to include eSports and awards shows. Nevada gaming regulators have already allowed betting on eSports. The bill, SB 240, would formalize such wagering in state law.  •  The Nevada Gaming Commission has unanimously voted to award a slots-only non-restricted gaming license to Fifth Street Gaming, operators of Las Vegas’ Downtown Grand, at a tavern near Nellis Air Force base in the city. The property currently operates 150 slot machines.  •  The Las Vegas Planning Commission has approved plans to develop a 15-story, 370-unit apartment and retail complex called Thunderbird Lofts at the Downtown site of the Super 8 and Thunderbird motels on Las Vegas Boulevard.  •  Golden Nugget Las Vegas has unveiled a new rewards program, the 24K Select Club, geared to premium players. Benefits, which can be earned and redeemed at all the company’s casinos and its nationwide chain of Landry’s restaurants, include bonus comps, points, VIP service, exclusive invitations to special events, free play, match play and optional perks such as luxury car leases.  •  The opening of a luxury hotel known as the 13 in Macau has been delayed because the design is still incomplete. Last September the company set a grand opening for “early 2017,” but now says an opening date “will be announced later in the year.” The hotel was first slated to open in the summer of 2016, then the fourth quarter of 2016.  ?  Macau’s new Pac On ferry terminal, scheduled to open in May, will trim travel time to Cotai casinos by up to 30 minutes for tourists arriving by ferry. The ferry currently hosts around 400,000 passengers a day, a figure that is expected to increase with the addition of new berths and more scheduled crossings.  ?  Wynn Macau will raise the wages of non-management staff by between 3 percent and 6.5 percent, the company says. The change is effective from March 1 and applies to almost 98 percent of the company’s 12,400 workers.  ?  A total of 141 people registered themselves in Macau’s Central Registry System of Individuals with Gambling Disorders at the Social Welfare Bureau last year, including 31 people employed by the gaming industry.Among the employees, 17 were dealers and 14 were working in the service sectors or other sectors of the gaming industry, according to government data.  ?  Revised legislation on smoking lounges in Macau casinos will go to the city’s legislative assembly for a final reading in May. The revised plan bans smoking at VIP tables and makes smoking lounges subject to higher technical standards.  •  Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning (Ohio) has announced that it is expanding with 50 new video lottery terminals and a larger gaming floor to accommodate a high-limit area. The new machines will bring the total to more than 1,000 games. Construction began March 27 and is expected to be done by June. Game floor operations will continue without being impacted, says the casino management.  •  The National Indian Gaming Association has announced the recipient of the 2017 Wendell Chino Humanitarian Award:  Brian Cladoosby of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in Washington, which operates the Swinomish Casino & Lodge. The award, which will be given April 12 in San Diego, goes to the “Tribal Leader who advances peace, promotes justice, believes in fair governance, and fosters inter-cultural understanding.”  •  Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort near Flagstaff, Arizona, has been ranked number one out of 72 northern Arizona hotels for Grand Canyon travel by U.S. News & World Report, which evaluated more than 3,000 luxury hotels in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Caribbean. “Out of 72 hotels, Twin Arrows Casino Resort stands out for exceptional quality,” wrote Erin Shields, travel editor at U.S. News. The facility has a casino, 200-room hotel and several restaurants, including the Zenith Steakhouse.