Japan’s problem gambling bill has been delayed until next year due to action by the lower house. The bill is considered a necessary step before the Integrated Resort Implementation Bill is passed. Proponents had hoped it would pass this year because then the first order of business for 2018 would have been the implementation bill. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (l.) has pledged to have strong problem gambling protections in place before implementation.
MGM Resorts and the two Connecticut gaming tribes have both indicated that they are ready, willing and able to compete for the right to operate a casino in Bridgeport, the state’s largest city, where MGM has already proposed a waterfront casino (l.). The Pequot and Mohegan tribes, which operate the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos, are preparing to begin work on the third, which is opposed by MGM.
The Brazilian Constitution and Justice Commission has finally scheduled a vote on the bill that will legalize casino gaming in the nation. A scheduled vote last week was postponed due to an urgent session of Congress. The next session of the CCJ is February 21 when a vote is expected to be taken, says CCJ President Senator Edson Lobao (l.).
MGM Cotai (l.) and Jeju Shinhwa World are both on track to open next month. Imperial Pacific International should complete construction of its eponymous resort on Saipan, which is already operational, by August 2018. And other properties are on track for 2019 openings.
Despite no official acknowledgement of a sale, a Colorado-based group is moving ahead with plans to invest more than $375 million to purchase and reopen the former Revel Atlantic City casino (l.) on the city’s Boardwalk. Local reports and a report from Moody’s Investor Services revealed financial details of the sale of the property from current owner Glenn Straub saying the group will buy the property for $200 million and invest $175 million to refurbish it. The property could re-open as soon as May.
Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman A.G. Burnett is resigning after five years to join a private law practice in Reno. Hailed for his dedication, his tenure saw the agency effectively address the challenges of internet gaming, fantasy sports and e-sports, skill-based gaming and marijuana regulation.
A revised version of a measure legalizing online gambling, sponsored by state Rep. Brent Iden (l.), passed a Michigan House committee. It requires online servers to be located on casino property and lowers the online gambling tax rate from 15 percent to 10 percent. Also, a bill regulating sports betting awaits a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
Greek lawmakers soon may vote on a measure allowing casino resorts in Crete, Santorini and Mykonos. The bill also would let current casinos relocate, including the Regency Casino Mont Parnes (l.), which sits at the top of a mountain outside of Athens, and also change the gaming tax to a flat rate instead of 22-35 percent of gross gaming revenue.
UK Gambling Commission CEO Sarah Harrison has announced she will be leaving the commission at the end of February 2018 to take up a senior role with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Neil McArthur, the Commission’s Chief Counsel and Executive Director, will be appointed as acting CEO until the commission hires a fulltime successor.
The north end of the Strip is finally starting to live up to its billing. With Steve Wynn buying the Alon site, Resorts World under way, and the Fontainebleau back in action, eyes are turning away from the always-hot southern section of the famous Las Vegas street.
This week the GGB Podcast sits down with Blake Sartini II, Senior Vice President of Distributed Gaming, Golden Entertainment, about his path to gaming and how he was influenced by the family business.
Macau gaming operator Galaxy Entertainment Group is planning to expand operations into the Philippines. Galaxy Deputy Chairman Francis Lui has already discussed the project with President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Crown Towers hotel at City of Dreams Macau will assume a new name starting January 18. The 300-room tower will operate under the name Nüwa, according to the company website. The change comes after Crown Resorts exited its joint venture with Melco Resorts International.
Hong Kong-based Dragon Corp. says it will open a floating casino (l.) in the waters off Macau by mid-2021. The company plans to fund the project in part through an initial coin offering that started earlier this month.
The Macau government says it wants off the European Union’s recently released blacklist of “non-cooperative” taxation jurisdictions. The SAR was one of 17 nations named by the EU this month as havens for tax dodgers.
Another piece of Genting’s Integrated Tourism Plan will be in place starting in February. At that time, Malaysia-based Resorts World Genting will open its indoor theme park, called SkyTropolis (under construction at left).
The lack of appetite for full-fledged casinos among most residents of Taiwan’s Kinmen Islands has prompted the government to pivot toward poker and eSports as a revenue generator.
The recovery of Macau’s VIP gambling market has spurred junket operators to boost their presence inside the city’s casinos. The latest addition is the Tak Chun Group’s VIP club at MGM Macau.
Finally, all the i’s have been dotted and t’s crossed, it appears. It’s been nine months since the Bahamas super-resort opened its doors, and the Hong Kong conglomerate finally has closed on its purchase of Baha Mar.
The European Commission has announced it will be focusing on serious infringements of European Union law, essentially saying that all pending infringement proceedings involving gambling have been dropped. The position marks a change in the commission’s policy after more than a decade of hearing such disputes. The Remote Gambling Association said it views the decision as “highly questionable.”
The last time Louisiana gambling law was changed was in 2001 when riverboats no longer were required to sail. Now state Senator Ronnie Johns said he will submit legislation allowing riverboat casinos to move ashore, expand gambling floors to accommodate new, larger slot machines and avoid paying taxes on promotional money.
The Supreme Court of Victoria has approved the merger plans for Australian companies Tabcorp and Tatts Group. Tatts also announced that its shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the company’s merger. The two companies now have a clear road to complete the merger by December 22.
In an effort to curb money laundering at British Columbia casinos, Attorney General David Eby (l.) announced changes including 24/7 enforcement staffing and requiring casinos to file source-of-funds declarations. And investigations into money laundering are also under way in Ontario.
If the Labor party of Tasmania is victorious in the March state election, it will move ahead with a plan to remove some 2,300 pokie machines from local pubs and clubs by the year 2023.
Gateway Casinos is proposing a hotel/casino complex in South Delta at the Delta Town and Country Inn site (l.). The project would have 600 slots and 24 gaming tables. And Gateway has started to make presentations on its proposal to increase its footprint on the London Western Fair District in Ontario. The expansion would cost $140 million.
A developer in Queensland plans an A$150 million resort at the site of the Ville casino (l.), now under renovation. Chris Morris, who bought the land in Townsville, says it’s “the best site” for a casino in Australia.
Up to one-third of the staff at Sun International Boardwalk Casino (l.) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa could face layoffs. Owners Emfuleni Resorts recently posted a notice of proposed license-agreement changes including reducing employees from 652 to 400. Officials blamed the proliferation of bingo terminals plus a weak economy.
Researchers at Australia’s Deakin University are launching a study of female gambling habits as gambling advertisements in the country focus more on female players. Researchers say the new ads are a departure from past male-oriented ads, which only featured females in minor roles. The researchers say female gambling as been understudied, especially as it relates to problem gambling.
The New Jersey Assembly has passed a bill that would allow the state’s racetracks (Monmouth Park at left) to partner with licensed online gambling sites for online gambling facilities. The bill allows the online betting cafes only if they partner with online sites. Though online gamblers can place bets anywhere in the state, lawmakers hope online gambling sites will see the partnerships as a way to create new business.
SB 374, sponsored by Florida state Senator Dana Young (l.), recently was approved by the state Senate Regulated Industries Committee in an 8-1 vote. The measure would clarify that fantasy sports games are not illegal gambling and should not be regulated. However, the Seminole Tribe said the bill may violate the tribe's exclusivity agreement.
Italy has the largest share of online gaming on the continent. This was reported by the Milanese university. It noted that online gaming is growing at a fierce rate in Europe, 25 percent in the last two years.
The trial of former Amaya Inc. CEO David Baazov began in a Canadian Court, but the first day’s testimony revolved around Baazov’s legal team moving for a dismissal of the case. Baazov charged that prosecutors in the insider trading case have not disclosed evidence quickly enough to meet his right to a speedy trial. Baazov says regulators released millions of documents in the case just weeks before the hearing.
An annual survey released by the UK Gambling Commission found that about 500,000 children are playing online betting websites, often with virtual money that can be converted to real cash. The commission also issued a warning that “skins” betting in video games—where online items are traded for cash—is becoming a serious problem among youth with 11 percent saying they have made skin bets.
Norway will further restrict online gaming advertisements in the country with a new measure to restrict international operators from introducing ads from foreign television channels. The new rules are expected to be introduced in the spring.
A report by Superdata estimates that eSports has brought in about $1.5 billion in revenue in 2017. The company expects revenue from eSports to grow 26 percent by 2020.
Daily fantasy sports company FanDuel has had a round of layoffs following the exit of CEO Nigel Eccles (l.). Details on the layoffs were not available, but a spokesman told Legal Sports Report that the company had restructured its workforce.
Online casino content provider, iSoftBet, has introduced a new Egyptian-themed slot. The game is Eye of the Amulet is a 5x4 reel, 40-line ancient Egyptian-themed game that was introduced at leoVegas before a wider release last week.
Gambling hub Malta has announced it will stop assessing a value added tax on bookmakers and betting exchanges in 2018 for bets placed on events. Under the exemption—which was published in the Government Gazette—bets on actual and virtual sports events, lotteries, competitions, performance of an index, and even natural disasters and other phenomenon would also be exempted from the tax. However, the exemption does not include bets on the outcome of casino table games or online gaming.
Asian bookmaker and online casino, LeTou has come out in support of the Professional Players Federation and GambleAware moves to offer problem gambling education and support for professional sportsmen. The two groups combined to launch a self-help tool aimed at professional sportsmen and is urging bookmakers to ensure that sponsorship agreements with players include a provision for education about problem gambling.
Sports betting solutions provider SBTech has launched Action Betting, a mobile-first feature which suggests markets of interest to players through contextual alerts and call-to-action betting options.
The class action involves 60 lenders who provided $400 million to develop the Strip resort in exchange for green cards. They’re concerned that the SLS’s financial troubles have placed both their money and their shot at U.S. citizenship in jeopardy.
NCAA President Mark Emmert (l.), anticipating a possible elimination of the federal ban on sports betting, is suggesting that states exclude gambling on college games from any new sports betting law.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has set the schedule for auctions of Category 4 “mini-casino” licenses, as hundreds of municipalities continue to opt to ban the satellite casinos.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission had a busy week where it voted to increase fund payments to horseracing at Plainridge Park (l.), began looking at the possibility of sports betting in the Bay State. Meanwhile, the state is looking at the legalization of sports betting, and MGM Springfield is helping minority businesses get involved.
The courts can’t agree on the legality of mandatory tip-sharing, and so the Labor Department has decided it’s time to weigh in on the side of employers. The rule under consideration would rescind an Obama era regulation that prohibits the controversial practice.
It has been five years since the four casinos that Ohio voters authorized opened in the state’s largest cities. The report card on casino gaming in the Buckeye state hovers between a B and a C, depending on who you talk to. The first casino to open was the Horseshoe in Cleveland, now the Jack Casino (l.).
The political group Voters In Charge has submitted 523,522 of the 766,200 valid petition signatures required to place on the November 2018 ballot a constitutional amendment giving voters the “exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling.” Also, Disney Worldwide Services contributed another $1 million to the ballot initiative.
MGM National Harbor, the leader of the Maryland market, celebrates its first anniversary as a big success, both for parent company MGM Resorts International and Maryland’s Prince George’s County.
U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (l.) has petitioned her colleagues on Capitol Hill to erase a provision from the tax reform bill that ends tax-exempt status for stadium bonds for pro sports teams. The exemption figures prominently in the funding for the NFL Raiders’ $1.9 billion Las Vegas home and losing it will cost millions.
Resorts World Miami wants to lease submerged land for a marina in Miami's Arts and Entertainment District. The Genting Group subsidiary is negotiating the lease with the city of Miami and the Florida Department of Transportation. Genting owns the former Miami Herald building (l.) where it hoped to develop a casino resort.
The WNBA’s San Antonio Stars will become the Las Vegas Aces when they move to the Mandalay Bay Events Center for the start of the 2018 season. The team, recently purchased by MGM Resorts International, will be the fifth pro sports franchise to call Sin City home.
The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering scheduled a January 4 workshop to "update and clarify existing language" regarding rules for designated player games. Previously, the Seminole Tribe sued the state over the games, which it claimed too closely resembled blackjack, to which the tribe has exclusive rights under its compact.
Atlantic City’s seven casinos saw a 4.6 percent increase in revenue for November over the same month in 2016. Online gaming revenue stayed steady, again topping $20 million for the month at about $20.6 million. That represents an about 20 percent increase over 2016. November was the first month that revenue from the now closed Trump Taj Mahal (l.) did not have an impact. The casino closed in October 2016.
The Casino at Ocean Downs (l.) must install a sidewalk, the Planning Commission in Worcester County, Maryland voted unanimously. Citing liability concerns, casino General Manager Bobbi Sample requested a waiver, since the casino would be the only property with a sidewalk on busy Route 589. Commissioners did, however, grant a deadline extension.
The Seminole Tribe recently sued the operators of 25 Jacksonville electronic gambling parlors, seeking to shut them down because the tribe claims they violate its exclusive right to offer Vegas-style casino games. The tribe hired a gaming expert to go undercover at the businesses prior to filing the lawsuit.
The federal government has put 15 acres into trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) The action could make it easier for the tribe to open a Class II casino at its former community center (l.) that is being held up in the courts.
The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand an earlier ruling by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals that will allow the Quapaw Tribe to expand its Downstream Casino Resort (l.) from Oklahoma into Kansas. The tribe operates a casino resort on the border between the states.
California’s gaming tribes are angry at the inaction of Attorney General Xavier Becerra (l.) in cracking down on many cardrooms are not following what the tribes say is a very plain law requiring that they change dealers every game. Not doing that, they say, makes them de facto banked games. Some are threatening to hold up sports betting legislation unless their concerns are met.
A newly signed compact with the state of Arizona means that the Hopi Nation can operate Class III slot machines. The question is now: does its members want to? Former Chairman Herman G. Honanie (l.) says it gives the tribe an opportunity to earn much-needed revenue.
The Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma reported an 11 percent increase in net gaming revenue for fiscal 2017, from $1.3 billion in 2016 to more than $1.44 billion. The tribe operates 18 casinos, two off-track wagering facilities and two bingo halls, plus 18 tribal smoke shops, seven motor fuel outlets and two truck stops.
The California Labor Federation is very displeased with Morongo Casino, Resort and Spa in Southern California. It has put the resort on its “do not patronize” list, claiming that it negotiated in bad faith with electricians’ union.
Pechanga Resort & Casino will cement its position as the largest tribal casino in California on December 22 when it opens its $285 million upgrade. The expansion includes a new hotel tower that will bring the total to 1,000 rooms.
Ground was broken for the Leech Lake tribe's new Palace Casino and Hotel in Cass Lake, Minnesota. Tribal members voted 1,244 to 341 in May to approve the $45-$50 million project, which will be financed by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. The current Palace building, not designed for gambling, is rapidly deteriorating.
Washington’s Tulalip Tribes have begun work on a $140 million replacement for their existing Quil Ceda Creek Casino. The QCC2 is expected to be completed by 2019.
The Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians last week celebrated hoisting the last beams on its six-story hotel. The hotel is part of the expanded Soboba Casino & Resort.
Atlantic Lottery, operator of lottery games in Atlantic Canada, has formed a 3-way partnership with IWG and Scientific Games to re-launch its online instant-win games. Scientific Games will provide an omni-channel gaming system integrating with IWG's Progressive Play Remove Gaming Server, so users can access both IWG and third-party content.
The New Jersey state Senate last week approved the nomination of James T. Plousis as chairman of the state Casino Control Commission. Plousis replaces Matt Levinson, whose departure was characterized as retribution against his father.
Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission Deputy Chairman Garry Madeiros and Chairman Alan Dunch (l.) recently departed the board. Dunch left in protest of Tourism Minister Jamahl Simmons' proposed amendment granting Simmons the authority to fire commissioners without cause. Simmons disputed the notion that the amendment would allow him to influence license decisions.
Snoqualmie Tribe last week announced that Brian Decorah has been named CEO of the Snoqualmie Casino in Washington. Decorah brings over 20 years of casino experience to leadership position.
Julie Cameron-Doe was named chief financial officer at Aristocrat Leisure. She joined the company in 2013 and most recently was group general manager—finance. Cameron-Doe replaces Toni Korsanos who declined relocating to North America under a planned corporate realignment. Cameron-Doe will relocate, along with Chief Executive and Managing Director Trevor Croker.
Empire Resorts, the owner of Resorts World Catskills, has appointed Kevin Kline (l.) as chief operating officer and Jamie Sanko as chief accounting officer. The casino resort, 90 minutes north of New York City, is expected to open before Chinese New Years.
The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia will honor SugarHouse Casino General Manager Wendy Hamilton with the 2018 Paradigm Award, which recognizes the best businesswoman in the city.
Imperial Pacific International Holdings Ltd., which operates the sole casino resort in Saipan, has extended the contract of Saipan Project Director Ji Xiaobo for three years until the end of 2020.
Paulette Jordon, who announced last week that she is running for governor of Idaho, would be the first female governor of the state. She would also be the first Native American governor of any state.
Macau Government Tourism Office Subdirector Cecilia Tse Heng Sai will replace Leung Hio Ming as president of the city’s Cultural Affairs Bureau. Leung Hio Ming is out due to illegal hiring practices.
The surging stock performance of suppliers Scientific Games and International Game Technology was enough to boost the AGEM Index to another year-over-year monthly increase. AGEM also announced nine new members, bringing total membership to a new high of 162.
AGS has acquired the operating assets of Class II supplier Rocket Gaming Systems, adding 1,600 Class II units to a recurring-revenue base that is now around 23,600 units.
Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg has installed 20 stations of Diamond, MiniStar and StarBar bar-top products at the Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg casino in Wisconsin.
Booking engine provider GuestCentric and revenue platform supplier Duetto offer real-time, contextualized pricing and merchandising in a new application.
The World Series of Poker 2018 will begin May 30 at the Rio Convention Center in Las Vegas and run to July 17. The WSOP Main Event will begin July 2 and run until finished with no break before the final table. The WSOP will consist of 78 events.
A casino marketing firm and a manufacturing company are joining together to run several gaming and non-gaming facilities at Donaco International’s Star Vegas casino resort in Cambodia.
The G2E Asia trade show has been awarded the Brand Recognition Award by the Macao Convention and Exhibition Association in recognition of its role in boosting Macau’s MICE industry.
At 2018 ICE Totally Gaming, Novomatic Gaming Industries will present a wide array of innovations for all areas of land-based and interactive gaming. Novomatic will showcase new cabinets with 4k monitors, licensed and single games, innovative game mixes, electronic table games supported by Novomatic Media Technology plus jackpots and systems.
Questions regarding tribal-state relations will be the focus of the winter meeting of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, January 5-7 in Miami. Prominent speakers will discuss compacts, technology and internet gambling, including National Indian Gaming Commission Chairman Jonodev Osceola Chaudhuri, Vice Chair Kathryn Isom-Clause and Associate Commissioner E. Sequoyah Simermeyer (Coharie).
M&C Saatchi Board Director John Parker will discuss the eSports industry at the first ICE VOX eSports Conference in London on February 6. Worldwide eSports participation is expected to grow from 386 million to 600 million by 2020. ICE VOX will feature 110 tier-one speakers delivering 70 hours of learning in nine tracks.
