NEWS & NOTES

International Game Technology has released a white paper on lotteries and millennials. Titled “Millennials Matter,” the white paper explores five ways that lotteries can become more in tune with millennials’ expectations, from making play more social and shareable to communicating in a way to help to propel the industry forward.  •  International gaming testing company BMM Testlabs announced that the motions of the Illinois Gaming Board and Gaming Laboratories International to dismiss BMM’s complaint were denied by the Cook County Court, Chancery Division. BMM contends in its complaint that the board neglected its duty to properly exercise its judgment in awarding a contract to GLI, and instead allowed board staff to establish the RFP process, skew the criteria, and score the RFP responses arbitrarily and unfairly.  •  Macau’s Hotel Estoril will undergo a major renovation with the tender inviting applications for designers and construction planners. The Estoril was the first modern casino hotel opened by Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau in 1962, at the start of gaming legend Stanley Ho’s 40-year monopoly. Activities have been discontinued in the facilities since the 1990s.  ?  Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s Studio City in Macau has been declared to be of “tourist interest” by the MSAR government. Its four-star hotel has been ordered to follow a number of “special requirements” as a result, including offering a restaurant with traditional Macanese and/or Portuguese cuisine, and giving preference in hiring to locals.  ?  Norwegian company Brova Idea AS has confirmed it has been contracted to develop a floating hotel casino to undertake operations in the Macau by April 2020. The Dragon Pearl Casino Hotel has a projected price tag of US$300 million.  ?  The Games Company has reached an agreement with William Hill for joint distribution of its proprietary online games content via NYX Gaming Group. Powered by Black Cow’s Open Gaming Architecture software, new releases will include slots and instant win games.  •  The Yoche Dehe Wintun Nation, owner of Cache Creek Casino Resort in the San Francisco Bay area, has entered into an accord with host Solano County to provide $1 million in new funding for a variety of community organizations, including the county’s Mobile Food Pharmacy, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County, First 5 Solano and VibeSolano.