In a last-minute vote before adjournment, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill that would legalize internet gaming and daily fantasy sports as part of a bill to restore casino host fees. The Senate did not act, however, and now the bill will wait until the two bodies reconvene in mid-November. Some casinos did not support iGaming, including, not surprisingly, Sheldon Adelson’s Sands Bethlehem (l.).
Atlantic City officials have released a five-year fiscal plan they hope will stave off a New Jersey takeover of the city’s finances. The plan includes a proposed settlement of $150 million in back tax debt the city owes to the Borgata casino, but casino officials were quick to point out that no formal deal has been agreed to. The plan also calls for job cuts and sale of Bader Field (l.), the city’s former municipal airport, but does not raise taxes. The state has until November 1 to accept or reject the plan.
Sarkis Izmirlian wants to buy back Baha Mar (l.), his unfinished Bahamas super-report. His problem is it’s already been sold by way of an asset transfer that keeps it under the control of its Chinese financiers, who he’s battled with for years. He’s crying foul.
On Capitol Hill gambling is all but a guaranteed non-starter. Not that many haven’t tried. New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone (l.) plans to join the club with legislation to repeal a federal ban on sports betting, which his state has been fighting, without success, for years.
Japanese lawmakers seem poised to finally consider a long-stalled casino bill. If it goes through, the legislation could turn Japan into the next big international gaming destination, according to analysts. Former cabinet minister Kotaro Tamura (l.) is confident the bill will at least get a full hearing.
The National Indian Gaming Commission Chairman Jonodev O. Chaudhuri (l.) responded strongly last week when the Atlantis Gaming Corporation claimed that the NIGC had given it the go ahead to offer online gaming and Daily Fantasy Sports at its Casino Gateway Network. The NIGC quickly issued a denial.
Last year Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker rejected the Menominee Tribe's proposed Kenosha casino. Now Walker claims he's legally bound to allow the Ho-Chunk Nation's $33 million expansion at its Wittenberg casino. An administration spokesman said the two situations are different, but officials of tribes that operate nearby, smaller casinos disagree.
In a ₤2 billion deal, the merger of Ladbrokes and Coral has been approved by the UK Competition & Markets authority. Both operators had to sell a number of their betting shops after the CMA review concluded the firms' combined retail portfolio would "reduce consumer choice in a number of local areas."
The third-quarter earnings season will be anything bur ordinary as investors seek to interpret the recent developments in Macau, the Las Vegas Strip and locals markets, and regional casinos.
This week, the GGB Podcast visits with Charles Hiten, the chief executive of Merkur Gaming Americas, about the rapid growth of his company in jurisdictions in North and Latin America.
In a test to see how locals would respond and be affected by casino gambling, the Vietnamese government is on the verge of allowing its citizens to gamble in two integrated resorts, both of which are not yet completed. The one existing IR, Grand Ho Tram (l.), is not included in the test, says Professor Augustine Ha Ton Vinh (l.).
Silver Heritage expects its third casino in the mountain nation to be its most successful yet in targeting the massive Indian market. Tiger Palace, as the new resort is named, will feature more than 50 table games, 200 machine games and 100 hotel rooms and suites.
An anti-corruption group in the Philippines has filed a complaint with the Department of Justice alleging that former officials of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), including former chairman Cristino “Bong” Naguiat (l.), committed acts of “plunder” and graft.
Gaming revenues are finally in the plus column in Macau, which just saw two months of modest revenue increases following 26 consecutive months of year-on-year declines. The increase coincides with the opening of Wynn Palace (l.) in Cotai. Will the long-awaited rebound continue?
The Cambodian government may increase its gaming tax from an effective rate of 2 percent to as much as 5 percent, according to reports. NagaCorp. Chairman Tim McNally (l.) predicts the figure could reach 7 percent.
Lawrence Ho’s Russian venture continues to pay off. Tigre de Cristal near Vladivostok, operated by Ho’s Summit Ascent Holdings has reportedly yielded nearly RUB 500 million ($8 million) in taxes in its first year.
Paradise Co. Ltd. and Grand Korea Leisure Co., which run foreigners-only casinos in South Korea, have seen share values drop 5 percent and almost 7 percent respectively. A drop in Chinese tourism could be the problem.
MGM Resorts International, which now owns a controlling 56 percent of MGM China Holdings, could be making the right move at the right time, according to a recent report. Former 50-percent owner Pansy Ho (l.) upped her small stake as well.
India’s Aam Aadmi Party has accused the country’s congress and the majority Bharatiya Janata Party of bringing too many casinos to the state of Goa. The AAP is polling residents on their wishes.
A 10-year master plan to expand Genting Highlands (l.) in the mountains of Malaysia does not include an expansion of the casino floor, says Chairman and CEO Lim Kok Thay. But the resort may add tables to existing space.
The first and only "super casino" in the north of England and Scotland, Global Gaming Ventures' Victoria Gate (l.) in Leeds is rising on three levels above a department store. The venue will create 200 new jobs and offer 24 tables, 140 slots and 80 electronic gaming terminals, plus a restaurant, bars and meeting space.
As 18 of its staff remain under arrest in China, Crown Resorts Ltd. is moving ahead with plans to offer 49 percent of a unit that holds its Promenade and Metropol (l.) hotels in Melbourne and Perth, Australia.
Canadian casinos have implemented effective safeguards against money laundering, according to a new report for the Gaming Security Professionals of Canada. The author said Canadian casinos are "unattractive to would-be money launderers" due to "robust countermeasures, including policies, procedures and training that allow for the detection and reporting of such actions."
A lawsuit filed against Crown Melbourne and gaming manufacturer Aristocrat Technologies accuses the firms of deliberately deceiving pokie players about their chances of winning, specifically with the Dolphin Treasure pokie machine (l.).
The two largest daily fantasy sports company have settled a false adverting suit brought by New York’s attorney general and will pay the state $6 million each. The suit stems from State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s (l.) actions against the sites when he moved to close them down in 2015. Schneiderman charged that the company’s deceived players on their chance of winning during a massive advertising blitz at the start of the 2015 NFL season.
Malaysia has no plans to legalize online gaming though nearby Singapore has relaxed the rules around digital games. The country’s top cop has reminded residents that online gaming is against the law, period.
Critics say that the government of South Africa is allowing millions of rands (l.) to slip through its fingers by not allowing and regulating online gaming. New policies published this month say that the government will not only not allow iGaming, but will increase penalties for playing on off-shore websites.
British bookmaker William Hill Plc, has taken the step of announcing its chairman, Gareth Davis (l.) will not be stepping down after failed merger talks between William Hill and Canada’s Amaya Inc. Reports in UK media had suggested that Davis has come under attack from the company's investors over the talks.
Play’n GO has signed an agreement with the Betclic Everest Group to introduce their games across the group’s casino brands. The games will be featured on the group’s flagship founding site Betclic.com, as well as Expekt.com, and montecarlocasino.com.
At Africa's first iGaming summit recently held in Lagos, speakers highlighted Nigeria as the fastest growing online market on the continent. Other African countries are expected to follow.
In a report by the Canadian Broadcasting Company, documents show that the Atlantic Lottery Corporation held talks with government officials in Newfoundland and Labrador Province earlier this year, to talk about the possibility of developing an online casino with the other Atlantic Provinces.
OPAP has expanded its live sports betting offering through a partnership with Betradar for use of Betradar’s Live Betting Solutions, and Coral has launched Betradar’s Virtual Gaming services.
Officials in Augusta, Georgia recently met with state legislators about developing a regional casino. Last year, lawmakers considered a bill that would have divided the state into regions with two casinos in Augusta and Atlanta. State Senator Harold Jones (l.), a member of the gaming study commission, believes Augusta is the perfect place for a regional casino.
A new poll on New Jersey’s public referendum to expand casinos outside of Atlantic City shows 70 percent of state voters oppose the idea, one of the highest figures against the proposal yet. Meanwhile, a real estate group held out hope that the referendum might pass and proposed a casino project for Newark, but the measure appears certain to be defeated. Meadowlands owner Jeff Gural (l.) says he’s already working on a new referendum for 2018.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has adopted a “sit tight” attitude about a license for Region C while the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe appeals a judgment that has shut down its efforts to build a casino in Taunton. How long will the commission wait before reopening bids for a license to serve that region? George Carney (l.) wants a license for Brockton and his Raynham Park dog track.
An official of the U.S. government bankruptcy watchdog agency says aspects of the reorganization plan reached by Caesars Entertainment could be illegal. But an agreement was reached with the lone bondholder holdout, so the deal is ready to move forward.
Last month, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled the ballot title on a proposal allowing casinos in three counties was misleading. The pro-casino group Arkansas Wins in 2016 asked the justices to reconsider the decision, but they declined, so the constitutional amendment will remain off the November 8 ballot
Casinos in Mississippi must be developed on sites that touch the Mississippi River or the Gulf of Mexico, state gaming commissioners recently reiterated. Commissioners had considered changing the rules, established following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, to allow casino development where it previously had been prohibited.
Referendum 8 would allow slots in St. Lucie County, Florida. Officials with Fort Pierce Jai-Alai & Poker (l.) asked the county commission to place the issue on the ballot. If it passes, fronton officials will add a $100 million building and 500 jobs. The Florida legislature must approve the measure if it's approved by voters.
The state Gaming Control Board is investigating the Strip casino giant in the wake of allegations that two women initially charged with welching on gambling debts owed the company were not gamblers at all. Their attorneys say the two were recruited as fronts so high rollers could play without leaving a paper trail.
Prince George County, Maryland residents were not happy campers to learn the new $1.4 billion MGM National Harbor Casino (l.) will attract 10,000 vehicles daily following its December 8 opening—and also that taxpayers will cover up to $1 million for law enforcement during that period. However, the casino is expected to generate $45 million annually for the county.
Robert Johnson (l.), the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), has introduced a solution to the economic problems suffered by Puerto Rico. He proposes that the nation replace the more than 100,000 illegal slot machines with 30,000 legal and licensed VLTs that would produce $14 million in revenue.
Lucky Dragon, Las Vegas’s first Asian-themed casino, has gotten the OK to open from Nevada regulators. The off-Strip resort will feature Asian-speaking staff, signage in Chinese, and a casino offering weighted toward baccarat and pai gow.
American Racing & Entertainment, parent company of New York’s Tioga Downs, says it has funding in place to expand the track’s racino into a full-scale gaming resort with more than 40 table games, a hotel and an events center.
State, county and local smoking bans vary widely and so do casinos' responses. Last year Mountaineer Casino (l.) in Chester, West Virginia installed a unique $2 million smoking pavilion. Most poker rooms and many Las Vegas sports books are smoke-free. Nevada and Pennsylvania allow smoking on the casino floor but 20 other states do not.
Professional poker player Phil Ivey has lost a ruling in a case between himself and a partner over alleged cheating at baccarat at Atlantic City’s Borgata casino. The decision could mean Ivey will have to repay $10 million he won from the casino in 2012. The decision says that Ivey did not cheat the casino, but did manipulate the game to gain an advantage, which is against New Jersey gambling law.
A recent segment on "60 Minutes" spotlighted the now-shuttered Country Crossing Casino in Houston County, Alabama. Investors, including several NFL players, were unaware that electronic bingo was illegal in the state and ended up losing a total of $43 million. The situation also led to a criminal investigation involving a pay-for-votes scheme.
The Costa Bahía Hotel & Convention Center in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico has opened its new Blue Dolphin Casino. The addition was part of a $5.4 million investment in the property, which opened in June 2015.
An appeals court judge recently upheld a lower court's ruling that raffle fundraisers held at five Phoenix-area veterans' posts were illegal gambling under Arizona law. The judge said the posts did not qualify for the nonprofit exemption due to an arrangement giving a vendor up to half of the raffle revenue.
The Alabama-Coushatta tribe's Naskila Gaming in Livingston, Texas attracted 38,000 visitors since its June 2 opening. But it could be shut down for illegal gambling, like it was in 2001. State Attorney General Ken Paxton asked a federal court to decide. A trial is set for June 2017.
It took 10 years to happen, but after all that waiting the Mohegan Sun Hotel’s Earth Tower (l.) will open in November. Its 14 stories instead of 43, but its intended to make the casino more competitive in the New England resort market by ramping up its non-gaming amenities.
A large crowd turned out for a presentation by the Prairie Island Mdewakanton Dakota Tribe regarding its purchase of 112 acres in West Lakeland Township, Minnesota. Some residents fear the tribe will build a casino there, but tribal officials said homes on the site will replace those located near a nuclear waste storage facility.
For years the Pinoleville Pomo Nation in Northern California has said it planned to build a casino in Ukiah. Now the former car dealership (l.) is for sale.
A tribe based on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, is continuing its battle to offer Class II gaming on the island in a former community center (l.). The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is appealing a federal court ruling that said the tribe doesn’t have the right to do that.
A tribe in the backcountry of San Diego County, California, the Jamul Indian Village, has completed refinancing $460 million. This will allow it to pay back Penn National Gaming for the loan which allowed it to open the Hollywood Casino Jamul—San Diego (l.) last month.
The Wilton Rancheria, near Sacramento, wants to put 36 acres in Elk Grove into trust to build a $400 million casino. It is steadily moving forward with the process to do that.
Casinos operated by Michigan's 12 Native American governments sent $28.6 million to local governments and revenue-sharing boards in 2015—a 1.8 percent drop from 2014. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi gave the highest amount at $5.9 million
The Tule River Tribe of California got some love from the Porterville city council last week. The council voted to support the tribe’s efforts to move and expand its Eagle Mountain Casino to an off-reservation location in the city.
An investigation of a 2015 audit of the St. Croix Chippewa tribe by the Wisconsin Public Research Institute uncovered alarming questions about the distribution of federal grants meant to help needy tribe members. As a result, Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy wrote to the director of HUD, asking him to look into the situation.
Hamish Dodds, Hard Rock Cafe International president and chief executive officer, announced he will leave the company early next year to "pursue new opportunities." Dodds joined Orlando-based Hard Rock in 2004 and was instrumental in transferring the British-owned company to the Seminole Tribe of Florida in 2007.
Michael Olujic was named chief executive officer at the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe's five Kewadin Casinos in Michigan. Olujic previously was general manager at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, Chandler, Arizona and North Star Mohican Casino, Bowler, Wisconsin. He was chief financial officer of his native tribe, the Oneida in Green Bay.
Robert Rubenstein has joined the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority in Uncasville, Connecticut as vice president and general counsel, to direct all legal operations. Previously he was general counsel for Sands China Limited, where he helped develop several properties in Macau, Singapore and the U.S.
William Fair, executive vice president and chief development officer at Penn National Gaming, was named chief financial officer, effective January 1. He will replace Saul Reibstein who recently announced he will retire at the end of the year but serve during the transition through mid-2017. A nationwide search has begun to replace Fair.
A longtime staffer at the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), Susan Jensen, will take over running the organization in December. She will succeed retiring Executive Director Lee Acebedo.
As the Cowlitz Tribe moves forward to open its $500 million ilani Casino Resort near La Center, Washington, it has named two new executives. They are Jeffrey Walker and Al Muma.
Manufacturers of state-of-the-art cash handling systems, Innovative Technology Ltd., recently named Enrique Jütten vice president of Sales and Business Development - Gaming, Amusement, Vending. The 20-year gaming industry veteran will be based in Germany, where he will oversee and expand the company's GAV business.
The Las Vegas-based developer of an electronic pai gow game is accusing Scientific Games of shorting it on payments the company says the slot giant owes it for licensing the platform. Lubin-Jones, as the company is called, says SciGames failed to report more than 100 installations.
Affinity Gaming is partnering with OfferCraft to create promotions for its Nevada casinos that include special awards at special events, at the properties and online.
Genesis Gaming recently released Attack of the Zombies, a new 50-line horror-based video slot machine. Complete with brain-eating zombies, the game challenges players to find stolen treasure without getting bitten, to reach the Antidote Free Spins feature. Genesis officials said the game's dark theme will attract more serious gamblers.
