“What we did was copycat New York’s law. We wanted to follow New York but go with a higher tax. We said, ‘Hey, New York got it passed, so let’s do what they did.’”
—Rep. John Misuno, Hawaii lawmaker, on his proposed sports betting bill
“If you’re watching television and you see a gambling ad, the helpline number is flashed for maybe two seconds on the screen. It’s not enough time for you to read that number.”
—Diana Goode, executive director, Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, on the lack of treatment for problem gambling in the state
“What I would like to see happen is that when people want to place a wager and they go into a sportsbook, on one side are the NFL lines and the other is the Overwatch League. In 10 years, I can see them side by side without any question at all.”
—Paul Hamilton, co-owner and CEO, Atlanta Esport Ventures, on the growth potential of esports
“We as a society have all bought into the fact that the world is a secure place with cashless. We’re not seeing more theft on our cards. So, in the gaming industry, why are we the only industry that says cashless is more dangerous?”
—Anna Sainsbury, founder of GeoComply and Conscious Gaming, on what she says are unwarranted concerns about cashless technologies in casinos
“We must anticipate setbacks and challenges even as the tourism industry recovers slowly. But I am confident that the tourism industry has learnt from its experiences, and is poised to recapture demand when it returns.”
—Keith Tan, CEO, Singapore Tourism Board, who says he is “encouraged by the resilience of our tourism businesses” as international travel resumes
“We remain consistent—our bread and butter is still going to be Asia and land-based.”
—Robert Goldstein, chairman and CEO, Las Vegas Sands Corp., on that company’s ongoing commitment to its Macau resorts
“The company has been very committed to protecting the interests and rights of its employees and has always encouraged and emphasized the need for employees to form unions since its inception in 1995.”
—NagaWorld, in a statement saying the Cambodian casino resort did not target union members in its Covid-19 layoff plan
“The company encourages unions? Then why do they not solve this? In simple language, they want to make people think that they love their staff and take care of everything, but the truth is the opposite.”
—Kang Phari, NagaWorld employee, who joined casino protestors in demanding the reinstatement of laid-off employees and the release of arrested union members
“The shift between places that foreign investors can get to at the moment is key and things are probably tipping towards Vietnam at present.”
—Tim Shepherd, director, Fortuna Investments, on the rise of Vietnam in the eyes of gaming investors
“We don’t just offer jobs, we offer careers.”
—Brandon Dardeau, new president of the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi and the Gold Strike in Tunica, on his ascent from $10-an-hour call center rep
