“These new stats are a stark reminder of how common gambling is in our society and how easy it is to become addicted, particularly with the aggressive push into online gambling. … It is high time that all these firms who spend many millions on marketing and advertising step up to the plate and take their responsibilities seriously.”
—Simon Stevens, CEO, UK National Health Service, on a survey that showed that more than half of people aged 16 or older in England gambled in 2018
“The people who are running the casinos don’t seem to understand the gambler. In the last two years, it’s become just a catastrophe. It seems like every other day, there’s a new cutback.”
—Jean Scott, Frugal Vegas blogger, who says casinos have become so tight-fisted that gambling “just isn’t fun anymore”
“We’re trying to build what I would consider to be the greatest pool in the history of the world. Hopefully it’s something that adds into the Vegas allure to bring more people.”
—Derek Stevens, owner, the upcoming Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Vegas, of his “destination pool,” which will feature a multi-tiered amphitheater with a 134-by-41-foot video screen. Circa is slated to open at the end of 2020
“The language in this extension will allow each side who signs on to the extension to retain their legal positions. I want business to continue as usual while we resolve this dispute.”
—Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma governor, who wants gaming tribes in the Sooner State to continue operating while they resolve an dispute with his administration about when and if the compacts expire
“Tribal leadership has been clear from the beginning—if he acknowledges auto-renewal, we’ll sit down and negotiate with him. But clearly he does not want to do that.”
—Matt Morgan, chairman, Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, who is unreceptive to a sit-down with Governor Kevin Stitt on the terms of tribal compacts
“I think if we’re going to do legalized sports betting, we might as well get some of the revenue and it might as well stay here, rather than going online to other parts of the country or other places. If it’s going to benefit the area, I’m all for it.”
—John Riccardi, Buffalo, New York gambler, who was among the first in line to place a sports wager at the Seneca Buffalo casino last week
“‘I asked, ‘What would you do if we won $10,000?’ She said, ‘I don’t know. Since we’re not going to win $10,000, I’m not going to worry about that.’ So I slid her the ticket and said, ‘How about a million?’”
—James Dane, Missouri Lottery winner, on how he told his wife about winning a $1 million jackpot. Dane bought the ticket at a gas station on December 4
“When I consider the economic ripple effects we expected for the Hokkaido economy being lost, I feel a lot of pain.”
—Akihiko Mayumi, chairman, Hokkaido Economic Federation, expressing his disappointment that the Japanese city will not pursue an integrated resort
“We used to give all the favorable policies to Hong Kong. But now we want to diversify it.”
—Chinese government official, speaking anonymously, on plans to launch a yuan-denominated stock exchange and financial settlement center in Macau
“In a country that is already thinking of building the next generation society, it makes sense that anyone can play any game they want, from nearly anywhere at any time. … Let’s say the growth of gambling in Japan is as sure as a bet can get.”
—Sharon Winget, columnist, CoolSmartphone.com, on the rise of smartphone use in Japan just as the country plans to launch legal gaming
“We had a chance where we could have had a competitive advantage, and now we’ll be playing catch-up.”
—Kevin Laforet, Caesars Windsor regional president, on failed efforts to allow single-event betting in Windsor, across the river from Michigan
“As a university rooted in free enterprise, we are responding to market demands by producing graduates who are ready to lead in this billion-dollar industry.”
—Kent MacDonald, president, Northwood University, on why the Michigan school will offer a degree in eSports management
“This legislation will strengthen our partnership with the community, and allow our industry to benefit from the expanded universe of potential new employees.”
—Steve Callender, president, Casino Association of New Jersey and senior VP of operations for Eldorado Resorts, on legislation to allow former drug offenders to work in the casino industry
“If these regulations were adopted as proposed, they would kill the card room industry and devastate dozens of communities and thousands of working California families across the state.”
—Kyle Kirkland, president, California Gaming Association, on new rules for card clubs proposed by the state’s Bureau of Gambling Control
“Without California games, we would lose 70 percent of our revenue. We can’t sustain our overhead and 300 people on poker.”
—Clarke Rosa, owner, Capitol Casino in Sacramento, on proposed rules that he says would force him to stop offering card club games other than poker
