“Hainan is facing an unprecedented opportunity for growth and development. The government’s policies for nurturing the province’s growth were the equivalent of a big fat red envelope for the island.”
—Xu Xiaoliang, co-president, Fosun International, sharing high hopes for the Chinese island of Hainan at the opening of its $1.74 billion resort there
“A seventh license feels more likely than ever, although by no means is it a lock. We believe there is a desire for a majority of gaming revenue to be captured by Chinese companies.”
—Grant Govertsen, Union Gaming, on the possibility that Macau will introduce a seventh casino concessionaire in the license renewal process
“The only effective way to combat illegal gambling, organized crime and prevent its use for money laundering is good regulation. Brazil cannot wait any longer. The delay in regulating only matters to illegal gambling.”
—Felipe Santa Cruz, president, Brazilian Bar Association, in an article supporting Brazil casinos written with Pedro Trengrouse, in O Globo
“We will promote tourism with visitors from all over the world spending days at the casino resorts, while taking complete measures to address various concerns including gambling addiction.”
—Shinzo Abe, Japanese prime minister, on the advancing legislation that will bring three integrated resorts to Japan
“For young people, pachinko is not cool. It costs too much money compared to smartphone games. There is no mobility. It is not connected with social networking.”
—Tsuyoshi Tanaka, editor, Amusement Japan, on the ongoing decline of pachinko parlors in Japan
“The spirit of collaboration among the members of this committee was groundbreaking, as everyone understands the mission critical responsibilities for the future of the global gaming industry. The enthusiasm and understanding of the task of the committee were infectious, and by the end of the day, each member was functioning as a collective to positively impact our industry and lead our members into the blockchain era.”
—Earle G. Hall, committee chair for the UK Gaming Standards Association’s recently formed Blockchain Technical Committee on the groups’ first meeting
“I couldn’t be more pleased to introduce Gordon Ramsay Steak to Atlantic City. Since first opening Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars, the city has quickly become a true dining destination. I can’t wait for Gordon Ramsay Steak to make its mark on the culinary landscape with a concept that will offer guests the best dry-aged beef, finest seafood and freshest locally sourced ingredients in a uniquely warm and comfortable setting.”
—Gordon Ramsey, celebrity chef on the opening of Gordon Ramsey Steak at Harrah’s Atlantic City
“Steve Wynn’s influence, both in the industry and beyond, has been severely diminished. Especially without his involvement and influence in the bilateral politics, the Wynn brand does not have much left in Macau.”
—Michael Zhu, Innovation Group, who thinks Wynn Resorts may forfeit its concession in Macau when the operator’s license expires in 2020
“There will be changes to the licenses. It is important to remember that it will be a new contest and not a renewal, so it is open to international companies.”
—Glenn McCartney, acting associate dean, business administration, University of Macau, who says there may be a seventh casino concessionaire in Macau’s future
“If it takes two years, five or 10 years from now, I’ll be there, because we are so committed to it.”
—Lawrence Ho, chairman and CEO, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, on the company’s determination to win an IR license in Japan
“I’m not expecting many surprises—or, should I say, bad surprises.”
—Desmond Lam, professor of International Integrated Resort Management, University of Macau, who thinks all current casino concessionaires in Macau will have their licenses renewed
“Simply put, although the size of the pie is attractive, it will diminish severely with many new people eating into it. And the one person who isn’t going to like getting a smaller slice: the new legal U.S. sports bettor.”
—Columnist Larry Gibbs in a column for Sportshandle.com contending that the “integrity fee” cut from anticipated legal sports wagers would drive down profit margins and ultimately hurt the customers
“There are a lot of assets out there that are available that we can buy collectively, and we can compete with anybody. We would be putting our capital together and spreading out the risk. We would be going after large assets that we know we can manage and know are profitable.”
—Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler calling for more joint tribal projects
“This company is not about a man. Steve Wynn is not Wynn Resorts. Wynn Resorts is about the 25,000 employees that grow this company every day.”
—Matt Maddox, Wynn Resorts chief executive officer, remarking on how the company has severed ties with its founder, Steve Wynn
“Taking the license away from Wynn Resorts would be a political and financial disaster for the state. But lowering the commission’s standards would make a mockery of its process.”
—Shirley Leung of the Boston Globe on the dilemma the Massachusetts Gaming Commissions faces regarding the casino Wynn Resorts is building near Boston in light of accusations against Steve Wynn
