“If legalizing sports betting doesn’t make it more convenient, there’s no point. Now is the time to legalize sports betting the right way—straight from our phones.”
—Washington, D.C. attorney Jeff Ifrah, in an op-ed piece for the Baltimore Sun urging that any legalization of sports betting on the state level should include mobile wagering
“The states are scared. They’re scared of the level of existing problems, which probably is significant, and they’re scared even more so that their golden goose, their painless tax, actually does have a down side.”
—Kevin Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, to the Las Vegas Review Journal, criticizing states for passing sports-betting laws that contain none of the NCPG’s recommended problem gambling protections
“Our country is much more than just an attractive ‘sun and sea’ tourist destination. Cyprus has all the prerequisites to be established as a regional and—why not—a global premium destination, a genuine point of reference for luxury tourism and responsible gaming.”
—Nicos Anastasiades, president of the Greek republic of Cyprus, at the groundbreaking for Melco’s $649 million City of Dreams Mediterranean complex
“Labor rates are low, tourism is growing, airlift to the country is growing, infrastructure is improving dramatically year over year and Chinese investment is very large.”
—Andrew Klebanow, analyst, Global Market Advisors, on the promise of Cambodia as a major gaming destination
“We would be happy to work through with the Macau government for any opportunity which would lead us to an extension for two years or for however long the government would see fit and appropriate.”
—Grant Bowie, CEO, MGM China, on the firm’s hopes for a gaming concession renewal in Macau
“I am here to call on everybody, especially dog lovers and animal lovers, as long as they have the intention to adopt greyhound dogs, feel free to do so.”
—Angela Leong, owner, Macau Canidrome dogtrack, which is closing and must find homes for hundreds of racing greyhounds
“The proposed board structure is bit messy, with too many interested parties. This complicated structure, in our view, leaves room for a potential power tussle within the board.”
—D.S. Kim, analyst, JPMorgan Securities, on possible infighting at SJM Holdings as Stanley Ho retires
“Oh my God, is Kim Jong Un coming?”
—Guest, Marina Bay Sands, astonished to see the Korean leader visiting the Singapore resort
“Get to the bottom of the Moritomo scandal.”
—Slogan chanted at protests in Japan demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for an allegedly underhanded land sale
“A proposal such as this, which has the potential to bring thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue to our city, should not be dismissed without allowing the state to receive a formal proposal and without allowing the public the opportunity to provide feedback.”
—Rep. Steve Stafsfrom, a Bridgeport lawmaker pressing for a vote on a casino for the Connecticut city
“I think the biggest reason for this is consumer protection. It’s going on now. Because of the revenue the state could generate from legal activity plus the consumer protections that could be afforded the gambling public, it ought to be regulated.”
—Russell Lowery, who is proposing an initiative for California’s 2020 ballot that would legalize sports betting
“People will go back to what they always did. People are creatures of habit, so for the most part they will return.”
—Howard Stutz, executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports, predicting that business will return to normal at Caesars Windsor which has reopened after a 60-day strike
“A small amount of low-educated Chinese people break the law in Cambodia.”
—Chinese diplomat, downplaying reports of triads in Cambodia’s casino towns
