“I hear stories that the yakuza are very excited about the government’s plans as well. The government has said that it will take every measure possible to ensure that organized crime does not get involved in casinos, but they have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years, so it will be hard to determine which companies are legitimate and which are fronts for the underworld.”
—Makoto Watanabe, associate professor, Hokkaido Bunkyo University, on the potential for infiltration by criminals of a Japan gaming industry
“For political reasons, you end up inserting different things that result in unintended consequences. If you apply too much pressure—a high tax rate, high entry free, or limit to the floor space—as you push one lever, it may have repercussions on other areas.”
—Ed Bowers, executive VP for global development, MGM Resorts International, on concerns about too-strict regulations in Japan
“I think everybody will get an extension—at least, that is what the perception of the market is. As we are the only one with roots in Macau, I think we have a very high chance.”
—Ambrose So, CEO, SJM Holdings Ltd., on the renewal of casino licensees in Macau, which will expire from 2020 through 2022 and must be renewed
“This isn’t a want. It’s a need to keep us competitive. We need to stay out in front of Orlando, New York and Chicago, and this is what’s necessary to do that.”
—Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, on the plan to issue as much as $400 million in bonds for the expansion and renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center
“Of course everybody’s interested in moving forward,” he said. “But this is simply not a matter that you can move willy-nilly on. The stakes are just too big. We need to be really, really careful about what we’re doing and when we do it.”
—Stephen Crosby, chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, commenting on the deliberate pace of investigating the conduct of Wynn Resorts, which is building a casino near Boston
“The allegations themselves have caused members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to gasp in private. In public, they’ve announced an investigation. Perhaps they may also rethink whether their due diligence during the licensing process relied more on Wynn’s previous track record and representations than original investigative work.”
—John L. Smith, of CDC Gaming Reports, on the Steve Wynn scandal as it relates to the licensing of the Wynn Boston Harbor
“This is what we wanted when we were looking at the whole gaming question,” Kennedy said. “So we have many new and enjoyable offerings for everyone to participate. Additionally, we can expect many more exciting announcements from MGM.”
—Kevin Kennedy, Springfield, Massachusetts chief development officer, greeting the announcement of new restaurants the MGM Springfield will bring to the city
“We have an international reputation that is in tatters that we have to rebuild.”
— Attorney General David Eby of British Columbia on the necessity of pursuing an investigation of money laundering that includes the provinces gaming
