“The market is starting to rebound, and we expect the European casino gaming market to expand as the EMEA economy continues to improve.”
—Scientific Games CEO Gavin Isaacs, expressing optimism regarding Europe in an interview with Yogonet prior to this week’s ICE Totally Gaming trade show
“The issue of sports corruption fed by gambling is far bigger than tennis. These days there is no bet too exotic, no sporting competition too obscure and no betting house too far removed from Australia for punters to place a bet.
—Sydney Morning Herald, in a story about match-fixing in sports and the impact of offshore gaming operations, which unlike Australian betting operators can accept in-play wagers
“The new resorts are likely to gain in market share, while the older properties are expected to lose market share in the near future. It’s a fight for market share from now on.
—Aaron Fischer, research analyst, CSLA, on the surge of new casino resorts coming to Macau’s Cotai Strip
“We had a resounding dismissal of all the appeals prior to that and we expect that success in the next lawsuit.”
—Bill Iyal, chairman of the Cowlitz tribe of Washington State, commenting on the likelihood of lawsuits stopping his tribe from building its casino in La Center
“If there isn’t something to help support the horsemen then it’s going to be devastating.”
— Clayton Russell of the Idaho Quarter Horse Association, warning that the legislature should pass legislation that allows Idaho racetracks to add some form of “historic racing” machines
“Most rational folks argue that free play is a form of promotion or advertising incentive and therefore should be exempt from taxes. Not the Ohio committee. They believe that taxes should be paid on everything that goes into a machine, free or not.”
—Buddy Frank, writing for CDC Gaming Reports, arguing that Ohio shouldn’t tax so-called “free play” as has been urged by some members of the Ohio legislature to make up for less than promised casino revenues
“Anyone interested in Connecticut’s future should be deeply concerned about the way Democratic legislative leaders handled the GE fiasco as opposed to their all-out effort to preserve Connecticut’s casino industry by expanding casino gambling in the state.”
—Tony Hwang of the Weston Forum, criticizing Connecticut lawmakers for not showing as much concern over GE’s decision to move to Massachusetts as it did over possible competition to the state’s two gaming tribes
“It’s our responsibility as legislators to make sure they’re playing in a safe and regulated game, where people are not being taken advantage of, where identity theft is not going on, where underage children are not playing.”
—Adam Gray, California Assemblyman, whose bill would legalize daily fantasy sports in the Golden State
“The fact that fantasy sports leagues and other online games are legal in some jurisdictions means that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to stop people from playing them even where they are illegal.”
—Editorial, Los Angeles Times, calling for the California legislature to regulate all online gaming, not just daily fantasy sports
“These principles were adopted into law by the voters. They were agreed upon by state and tribal leaders. One tribe should not be allowed to hide behind the doctrine of ‘sovereign immunity’ to do an end run around everyone else.”
—Peter Roff of Frontiers for Freedom, calling for Congress to prevent the Tohono O’Odham Nation from operating a casino at Glendale, Arizona that opponents claim it was able to open by hiding its intentions to open a Phoenix Valley casino in 2002 when voters approved Indian gaming for the state
