A bill to legalize casino gaming in Japan has been repeatedly delayed, dashing hopes by supporters that the country can get resorts up and running in time for the 2020 Summer Olympics. But some analysts think the bill still has a chance. If so, American Gaming Association President & CEO Geoff Freeman (l.) is ready to help.

A cap on table games in Macau could force Melco Crown Entertainment to default on loans associated with its HK$10.86 billion (US$1.4 billion) Studio City project on the Cotai Strip. The company is contractually obligated to have at least 400 table games when the resort opens.

ACR Energy, which turned power off to Atlantic City’s closed Revel casino, has reached an interim agreement with owner Glenn Straub to restore power and water to the property. The power will be restored for two weeks, permitting negotiations to continue between the parties. Meanwhile, Stockton University President Herman Saatkamp (l.) announced his resignation. Many believe it is tied to the sale of the Showboat to Straub, which has encountered many problems in the interim.

Sarkis Izmirlian (l.), CEO of the still-under-construction Baha Mar mega-resort in Nassau, Bahamas, has criticized the Bahamian government and his Chinese construction contractor. Construction and operation in the Bahamas has always been a challenge and Izmirlian isn’t happy about it.

As a state House committee in Pennsylvania began hearings on the first of three iGaming bills, opposition to Sheldon Adelson’s federal anti-iGaming bill emerged. Las Vegas Sands Senior Vice President Andy Abboud (l.) echoed the opinions of his boss, Sheldon Adelson, that iGaming endangers minors.

Results of the election of new board members for Wynn Resorts were announced last week, and Elaine Wynn, one of the co-founders of the company, failed in her attempt to get re-elected. The two candidates submitted by the board prevailed.

As the first quarter results start rolling in, early returns are showing renewed hope for the U.S. gaming market, and a hard-bitten reality coming from Macau. Outside of the hype from Las Vegas Sands, several regional U.S. companies are looking good.

Sands China Ltd. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson says the company has applied to develop a 2,500-room non-gaming resort in Macau, in addition to the Parisian (l.), whose opening date has been pushed back to end of next year. According to Adelson, “There aren’t enough rooms” to draw convention and other non-gaming business to the city.

An expert from Macau Polytechnic Institute says Beijing’s crackdown on corruption was not the primary cause of the jurisdiction’s decline. Professor Zeng Zhonglu says the fault lies in Macau’s unregulated junket industry. It all started, he says, with the disappearance of one operator. At left, a VIP room at Galaxy Macau.

Bloomberry Resorts Corp.’s Chairman Enrique Razon Jr. (l.) has released further details about the company’s planned US$1 billion casino resort in South Korea. The lavish complex will include residential towers, a beach resort and of course, a casino.

A casino on Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island has already been approved by the government, but a location was never set in stone. The current site is close to a residential area. A proposed new location would be part of a luxury tourism zone, according to reports.

The trial in the lawsuit of Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson over the firing of former Sands China CEO Steven Jacobs (l.) started with threats of contempt charges by the judge.

Two Macau casino labor groups are gearing up for a May 1 Labor Day protest. Workers want higher salaries, wage parity, tighter restrictions on imported employees, and implementation of a full smoking ban they won in a similar protest last year.

Real estate developer Belle Corp. may bid on a Philippine casino license when more openings come up. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has said no licenses will be made available until all four Entertainment City projects are complete, probably sometime in 2018.

A casino is looking to come on board the Sunborn Gibraltar, a super yacht owned by Finnish hotel company Sunborn. The casino will soft launch on April 29.

Starting in August, the Irish government will start taxing online gaming operators that serve Irish punters. In March, officials passed the Gambling Amendment Act 2015, legislation that was first introduced in 2011.

The worldwide sports betting market has been valued at up to $3 trillion, 90 percent of which is generated illegally, according to British gaming expert Patrick Jay. Bets on football are by far the most popular, commanding about 65 percent of the total market.

Greece’s formerly state-run horse betting industry has changed hands. The country is selling off assets in an effort to keep afloat financially. The new leftist government has sealed a deal to sell the exclusive betting rights for OPAP for €40 million.

New Zealand Racing Minister Nathan Guy (l.) says the government is exploring ways to put a lid on illegal online gambling. Currently, all racing and sports betting in the country is operated under the legal aegis of the Totaliser Agency Board.

Macau junket operator Iao Kun Group has announced it will acquire all interests in a junket operation at the Crown Perth Casino and the Crown Melbourne Casino (l.). The company said it is also looking for more opportunities outside the Chinese gaming hub.

Following a recent public meeting, the North Vancouver, British Columbia city council decided to put off lifting the 20-year ban on slot machines. Playtime Community Gaming, authorized by the B.C. Lottery Corporation to operate gaming facilities on the North Shore, wants to build a community gaming facility with 300-plus slots.

The owner of Atlantic City’s Resorts casino says PokerStars is in the final stages of preparing for a launch of an online gambling site in New Jersey. The online giant is partnered with the casino. Morris Bailey (l.), owner of the casino, did not give the date of the launch, but said it will be followed by the opening of a live poker room at the property.

After years of stalling, the California legislature is holding hearings on iPoker. Problem is, the interested parties can’t agree on a bill and lawmakers really couldn’t care less if one is passed.

New Jersey hopes the release of a new online gambling credit card code will get more credit card issuers to approve online gambling transactions. Blocked credit card transactions from banks wary of online gambling have plagued the state’s online gambling sites since the state went live with real-money gambling in 2013.

Yahoo has announced it will join the fast-growing daily fantasy sports industry saying it will offer its own product starting this summer. The offering could be a serious challenger to DraftKings and FanDuel, which currently dominate the market.

Tropicana Entertainment—which is in the real-money online gambling business in New Jersey—announced it will also try its hand at social gaming through a partnership with San Francisco-based mobile and social games developer Ruby Seven Studios. The companies will develop and launch a social gaming site.

Scientific Games has launched its Play4Fun Network social casino and several ancillary platforms for the Route 66 Casino in New Mexico.

Playtech is adding 600 to its global staff in an omni-channel push for its content in the U.K. and several emerging markets.

666Bet has had to reaffirm its stance that it can’t issue money to players while it is offline. The online gambling site is being reviewed by the UK gambling Commission, which has said the company can pay out winnings while under review.

Ladbrokes Irish retail business has been granted court protection to restructure after suffering a €5 million loss last year. The process—similar to bankruptcy protection in the U.S.—allows the appointment of an interim examiner to arrange a deal with the company’s creditors.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has officially licensed bwin.party for online gambling in the state. Regulators also approved a license for Sportech Racing.

A deal has been struck with table games supplier Games Marketing to supply content to PokerStars and Full Tilt. The company will offer new games Double Ball Roulette and Heads-Up Hold ‘em on the sites.

Two bills introduced in the Minnesota legislature could allow some charitable gambling groups to pay less taxes. The state's 1,200 nonprofit organizations that sponsor charitable gambling have complained for years that their taxes are unfair and the state gets a bigger share of their proceeds than the charities they support.

Bwin.party has launched new mobile casino games from NetEnt.

The final gaming license in Massachusetts is at stake, and the competition is heating up, with New Bedford taking the lead role, where a proposed casino would have a view of the harbor (l.). Meanwhile, MGM has encountered another historic hurdle in Springfield, and ethics rules are shaking out for elected officials.

The Connecticut Senate will consider a bill that would allow the state’s two gaming tribes to operate three casinos off the reservation. The bill would make the state’s gaming industry more competitive against a gale of competition coming their way, say supporters. Attorney General George Jepson (l.) says the bill may be unconstitutional.

Destination casino resorts in Miami-Dade and Broward counties no longer are included in Florida state Rep. Dana Young's expansive gambling bill, which still would permit decoupling by allowing greyhound tracks to offer gambling options without running live races and allow slots at Tampa Bay Downs (l.). The Seminoles’ exclusive rights to blackjack and other card games likely will continue for another year.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (l.) is on record saying he supports regulated legal sports betting in the U.S. In a recent interview, he reaffirmed that position saying sports betting is good for business. Meanwhile, New Jersey state Senator Raymond Lesniak, says the state has its best chance ever to move forward with sports betting as it awaits a ruling be a federal appeals court.

The New Hampshire House has so far proven more hospitable than expected for a bill that would allow two casinos in the state. A committee of the House has moved the bill onto the floor. Governor Maggie Hassan (l.) says she would sign a bill permitting two casinos.

Maine lawmakers are looking to take the approval of casinos out of the hands of the initiative process and put it under the control of the state government. They are using a report by WhiteSand Gaming to bolster their case.

Twin River casino in Rhode Island got the OK to build a hotel adjacent to the casino when Governor Gina Raimondo (l.) signed the bill. At the same time, Twin River, the new owner of the Newport Grand, wants to move that license to Tiverton, near the border with Massachusetts, in order to make the casino more competitive.

Caesars Entertainment has asked the judge in its bankruptcy case for an additional six months to file its reorganization plan, citing the complexity of the case.

Numerous Texas lawmakers have sponsored a variety of gambling bills that have little chance of becoming law, due to a budget surplus and conservative leanings. One measure that eventually could see the light of day is a constitutional amendment allowing pro sports teams to offer charitable raffles at their events.

Re-elected as Chicago's mayor, Rahm Emanuel (l.) has revived the issue of a casino in the city, which analysts said could generate $445 million annual tax revenue plus $100 million-plus in fees. State Rep. Robert Rita, who introduced a Chicago casino bill in the legislature, said Governor Bruce Rauner is receptive to the idea.

The owners of Atlantic City’s Trump Taj Mahal have asked a judge to penalize the city’s main casino workers union for waging “economic warfare” against the casino. Officials said the Taj is continuing to work its way through bankruptcy, but told the judge that the union’s letters to Taj patrons asking them to take their business to other casinos has been hurting the property and are misleading.

Harrah's New Orleans put out the no smoking signs at midnight, April 22, when the city's smoking ban began. Bars, hotels, workplaces, private clubs, stores and other public places are affected. Earlier Harrah's and other businesses filed a lawsuit to stop the ban, which a judge denied. However a hearing is set for May 21.

Isle of Capri's plans for a $60 million, 82,000 square foot land-based casino in Bettendorf, Iowa recently were approved by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. Construction will start early next month on the 35,000 square foot casino to be built between two existing hotel towers, with an anticipated opening in summer 2016.

It's been decades since Tennessee lawmakers considered a casino gambling bill. But state Rep. Jason Powell's measure, allowing casino gambling, passed out the subcommittee where it was introduced and was referred to a summer fiscal study. The Tennessee constitution must be amended to permit casino gaming.

The ThistleDown Racino in Ohio last week commenced its $70 million upgrade. In the offing are 1,000 parking spaces, more dining and a new lounge.

During the 2014 elections, the casino-backed group West Virginia First gave $431,400 to Democratic candidates. But following Republicans gains, West Virginia First aligned itself with the Republican-friendly Go West Virginia, which helped Grow WV Inc. distribute $1.4 million to Republicans.

Moody's Investors Service released a report which does not shed good light on the future of regional casinos. The report cited the main demographic aging, and the younger generation not showing an interest in gambling as the biggest hurdles.

Endeka Entertainment is asking for an additional six months to find a new partner for its Lawrence Downs racino project after the pullout of Penn National.

After a lengthy proposal from investment firm Land and Buildings, which suggested MGM Resorts International split and form a REIT, MGM has partnered with investment bank Evercore, who will serve as advisers for the company.

The Indiana House's version of HB 1540 would allow live dealers at the state's two racinos immediately. The Senate would prohibit them until 2021. Meanwhile, bill sponsors state Rep. Tom Dermody and state Senator Jim Arnold are in hot water with the Pokagon Band over certain provisions that would impact the tribe's proposed South Bend casino.

The 83-year old Railroad Pass casino in Henderson, Nevada has a new owner, and will soon have some other new features, but not a new identity.

The New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority has approved a number of projects to spruce up the city and the city’s Boardwalk, including new lighting to offset the effects of four closed casinos—which have gone dark—along the wooden way.

Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem has opened an office in a suburb of Atlantic City for the sole purpose of raiding New Jersey casinos for their high-end business.

Atlantic City’s Tropicana casino is preparing to unveil nearly $50 million in upgrades that includes a Boardwalk light show, a new casino floor and hotel rooms and a state-of-the art gymnasium being promoted as the most high tech in the resort.

Several Wyoming lawmakers are studying gambling in the state in advance of the 2016 legislative session. Some of the subjects being reviewed include establishing a gambling commission, growth of the lottery since it started last August and the phenomenal success of historic horseracing which began in 2013.

House File 146 recently was signed by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad (l.), making it a Class D felony to place a bet after acquiring information regarding a gambling outcome if the winnings top $1,000. Under current law the offense is considered a Class D felony regardless of the amount of the unlawful bet.

The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs is just weeks away completing its review of new regulations for recognizing tribes. The regulations make it easier and less time consuming for tribes to be recognized. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell (l.) has so far resisted complaints about the proposed process.

Nothing else has worked, so Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (l.) is going to try stopping the Tohono O’Odham tribe from operating a casino in Glendale by refusing to certify the tribe’s gaming machines. A lawsuit is expected to result.

The state of Kansas and Arkansas are fighting the Quapaw tribe. Kansas requested a preliminary injunction against the tribe to stop expansion at its Downstream Casino in Oklahoma onto the adjacent parking lot, located in Kansas. In Arkansas, tribal Chairman John Berrey (l.) says it’s all about “history” not casinos.

Progress being made by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and it’s chairman, Senator John Barrasso (l.), has given hope to tribes that this session will prove a fruitful one for tribal sovereignty and rights.

The Fort Sill Apache recently asked the New Mexico Supreme Court to reverse its ruling that Governor Susana Martinez is not required to sign a compact with the tribe. Martinez claims the tribe said it would not build a casino on trust land near Deming, but tribal officials said she's got it all wrong.

The Pamunkey Tribe in Virginia will have to wait until late July to find out if it will receive federal recognition, due to charges of gender and racial discrimination. Officials at MGM National Harbor, a casino resort opening in Maryland next summer, also fear federal recognition could allow the tribe to open a competing casino.

Foxwoods is hoping that diversification will help it resist an assault by competition from just about every direction in New England. The Connecticut tribe will soon open the Tanger Outlet next to its existing casino resort.

The Nooksack River Casino in Deming, Washington, owned by the Nooksack Indian Tribe's Nooksack Business Corporation, could be forced to close due to $15 million in unpaid loans. When loan servicers Outsource tried to collect past-due loans on the tribe's other casino, the tribe dissolved its ownership entity and transferred the casino’s assets.

“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” themed Yellow Brick Road Casino, owned by New York’s Oneida Nation, has revealed the themes and names for the venues inside the casino. The grand opening date will be announced this week.

Non-smokers now can enjoy gambling at the new two-story, 40,000 square foot smoke-free wing at the Nisqually Indian Tribe 's Red Wind Casino in Olympia, Washington. The wing includes 27,000 square feet of additional gaming space with 600 new slots and table games, plus new dining, retail and administrative space.

The state of Alabama has long resisted a lottery but with a budget gap of $700 million, lawmakers are considering a constitutional amendment to allow it. Democratic state Rep. Craig Ford, who has proposed lottery legislation, said it could generate $280 million a year. Governor Robert Bentley (l.) said he'd rather raise taxes.

Gaming Laboratories International has named risk management and security expert Thomas Bierbach as senior manager of GLI professional services.

International Game Technology has named former Italian regulator Francesco Rodano as the company’s new international business development manager.

Betsson Managing Director Peter Weinreich Johansen has been appointed chairman of the Danish Online Gambling Association.

The Rational Group has appointed former Zynga executive Lloyd Melnick as director of social gaming.

Melco Crown Entertainment and retail giant Taubman will develop a retail complex at Studio City, the Hollywood-themed resort currently under construction on Macau’s Cotai Strip. The so-called Boulevard at Studio City, the project is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2015.

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. will close its Japan business unit and cease all Japanese development of games for the pachislot market.

Inspired Gaming has signed an agreement to provide 3,960 video lottery terminals to OPAP, the organization representing Greek casinos.

Slot-maker EGT has opened a new manufacturing facility in Tanzania, which will be the company’s largest facility outside of its home plant in Bulgaria.

Genesis Gaming announced a catalog solution for social casinos that will allow integration of up to 20 games at a time.

Attendance at February’s ICE Totally Gaming trade show and conference in London was officially audited at a record-breaking 25,497.

The Internet Gaming North America Awards were announced at a luncheon at the iGaming North America trade conference.

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