In a shocking development in Connecticut, Bobby Soper (above) has stepped down as chief executive officer of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority after only two years on the job. Soper, a Mohegan tribal member, had been groomed to lead the tribe’s casino ventures, so his departure came as a surprise. Former CEO Mitchell Etess has been named interim head of the MTGA.
Macau’s Health Bureau has announced a proposal that would keep smoking lounges in the city’s casinos. It’s an abrupt about-face from the government’s former pledge to ban all smoking at gaming halls. University of Macau Professor Desmond Lam (l.) conducted a survey of more than 14,000 employees and determined that a majority backed the retention of the smoking lounges.
The tax rate for Cambodia casinos will be set in the “single digits” in a bid to attract more investment, according to reports. The news would be welcome for NagaCorp, which plans to debut a second casino resort in the country this year. It already operates the massive NagaWorld casino resort (l.) in Phnom Penh, where it holds the gaming monopoly.
A bill to legalize online poker in the Empire State has quickly passed one Senate committee and is moving on to another. The wild card is the Assembly, which failed to act on an identical measure last year. Senate sponsor John Bonacic (l.) says, however, that 2017 will be different.
Andrea Domingo, head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., denies she was offered a bribe by gaming tycoon Jack Lam or his minions. Domingo made the assertion during a Senate hearing in the case.
Foxwoods Resort Casino, which went from modest beginnings to one of the largest casinos in the world, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The first of what will be a year of celebrations will kick off with a giant cake. The anniversary comes at a time of conflict in the Connecticut gaming industry.
Pennsylvania lawmakers have filed an omnibus gaming bill that would legalize and regulate online gaming and daily fantasy sports, create tablet gaming at airports and install a new host-community fee. However, a bill to allow VGTs in the state introduced by state Rep. Anthony DeLuca (l.) could derail the entire proposal.
Sun International is readying a spring unveiling for its new US$328 million Times Square resort (l.) in Pretoria. The casino will feature 2,000 slots and 60 table games in its first phase. An arena is planned for later this year and a five-star hotel for early 2018.
The long hard road back to solvency for Caesars Entertainment is almost over. So what can investors expect of the new operating company and the REIT that will emerge from bankruptcy proceedings?
This week, the GGB Podcast speaks with Jonathan Jossel, the CEO of the Plaza hotel and casino in Downtown Las Vegas on how that area has rebounded and how his hotel has improved.
Osaka is moving ahead with plans for an integrated resort with gaming on Yumeshima (l.), a man-made island in Osaka Bay. Osaka has been named along with Yokohama as a likely site of one of Japan’s first legal casinos.
The Bridge Investment Group is looking to build a $130 million Titanic-themed resort and casino on Tinian Island in the Northern Marianas Islands. The launch of its plan includes a petition with 208 signatures.
Okada Manila, the $2.4 billion casino resort named for owner Kazuo Okada, will not open until late March, the billionaire’s Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment has announced. It was expected to open in February.
Starting in March, Vietnamese citizens will be able to gamble at two casinos in their own country. But providing proof of income, a requirement for all who wish to play, could be challenging for some.
The Indian state of Goa is looking to Macau for a model of gaming regulations. Government officials are redrafting the rules that pertain to surveillance, data storage, visitor profiles and other details.
The Indian city of Panaji has ordered the removal of casino advertisements from signs near “heritage structures,” saying such ads are illegal. In one case, casinos were pitched on an informational sign at a mosque.
Britain’s Aspers Group has beaten back a competitor’s High Court challenge to its plans to develop a US$563 million gaming resort in the city of Southampton. The project is part of a planned waterfront complex of hotels, retail outlets and office space.
William Hill’s largest shareholder is pushing for nothing less than an outright sale of the bookmaking giant and reportedly won’t accept an industry merger. Hill, in the meantime, is still looking for a CEO and is expected to report less-than-stellar 2016 results.
Figures released by the UK Gambling Commission show that online betting generates about 29 percent of gambling revenue in the country. The Commission said that online gambling generated £4.5 billion over a 12-month period—April 2015 to March 2016.
The involvement of Crown Resorts board member Andrew Demetriou (l.) in a partnership deal between Crown and New South Wales Clubs has raised conflict-of-interest concerns. Demetriou’s company brokered the deal.
Two groups in the Ontario city of Peterborough have dropped their opposition to a casino that would be built by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation. The groups, the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) and AON Inc. agreed to stand down in return for promises of increased spending in the city’s south end.
SkyCity Australia Entertainment has seen a 12 percent boost in its Auckland business in the second quarter, but noted a 39 percent decline in high roller turnover and a 69 percent slump in high roller earnings at its SkyCity Darwin property (l.).
The DFS site FantasyDraft, which had been close to acquiring struggling DFS site Fantasy Aces, announced it will help pay player’s accounts left when Fantasy Aces went bankrupt. The company said it will make good on about $1.3 million owed to players.
The NBA will team with Take Two Interactive to create an eSports league based on Take Two’s NBA 2K series. NBA franchises will support eSports teams. Games are expected to begin in 2018. Officials said about half of the NBA’s 30 teams are expected to field eSports teams in the first season.
Betfred.com will continue its more than 10-year partnership with Playtech through 2020, the company announced. The exact length of the extension was not announced.
NetEnt will launch Emojiplanet as its latest branded slot and social gaming experience. NetEnt teamed with Global Merchandising Services & The emoji Company to bring to life the popular icons and is timing its release around the summer film “The Emoji Movie.”
Bodog has sent an email to its affiliates announcing an expansion into 15 Latin American countries. The launch was scheduled for Bovada and Bodog brands on February 15.
Hungary has granted an online casino license to LVC Diamond Ltd., an interest of the government commissioner in charge of the country’s film industry Andrew G. Vajna, according to reports. The license is valid through 2024.
Russia is proposing new tighter restrictions on online payment providers aimed at curbing unlicensed foreign gambling sites accepting Russian players. The restrictions will be aimed at banks and online payment sources by punishing third party enablers of illegal betting.
BtoBet announced the appointment of a new CEO with its former CEO taking the new position of Chairman on the company. Kostandina Zafirovska has been appointed as the new CEO.
A Georgia Senate committee recently heard debate on a bill introduced by state Senator Brandon Beach (l.) to allow a "destination resort" in metropolitan Atlanta and another in a smaller city. A vote by the committee could be held this week. A similar measure proposing five casinos failed last year. If the legislation passes, a statewide referendum would be held in November 2018 to amend the state constitution to allow casino gambling.
In Kansas, the House Federal and State Affairs Committee voted 11-10 for HB 2173 which would allow shuttered racetracks to reopen with slots. Racing interests said the bill would create jobs. Opponents, including the state's four casino operators, said the bill would result in lawsuits. Animal rights groups also oppose the measure. It would benefit Las Vegas casino owner Phil Ruffin (l.) who owns three state racetracks.
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission received three applications for a gaming license in Linn County. Cedar Rapids Development and Peninsula Gaming proposed the $165 million Cedar Crossing on the River (l.) and the $105 million Cedar Crossing Central. Wild Rose Entertainment proposed the $42 million Wild Rose Cedar Rapids "boutique" casino.
New Jersey officials announced a settlement of a longstanding tax refund payment to Atlantic City’s Borgata casino. Atlantic City will pay Borgata $72 million, less than half the $165 million it’s owed after winning tax appeals between the years 2009 and 2014. New Jersey has taken over the city’s finances in an effort to settle the resort’s massive debt and stave off bankruptcy.
Florida lawmakers, while considering a new Seminole compact, also are working on other gaming-related legislation. One proposal by state Senator Dana Young (l.) would regulate daily fantasy sports and classify them as games of skill. Another would allow charitable poker tournaments with a buy-in of $200 or less. Another bill would ban steroids in racing greyhounds.
Indiana Senate Public Policy Committee Chairman Senator Ron Alting cast tie-breaking vote rejecting a casino in Terre Haute. Senate Bill 354, sponsored by state Senator Jon Ford, would have allowed Full House Resorts to move half of the games at it Rising Star Casino to a new Terre Haute facility.
Senator Lou D’Allesandro (l.), tireless defender of casinos, has once again introduced a bill that would authorize two casinos in New Hampshire. He has introduced many such bills, and seen them go down in defeat. But he remains optimistic.
del Lago (l.) reported a $36.6 million opening week as New York’s experiment in commercial casino gaming appears to be breaking fast out of the gate. The weather was less kind to the Rivers Casino in Schenectady, which opened on the eve of a blizzard, but management says feedback from guests has been encouraging.
Brandon Steven (l.), the Wichita developer behind the unsuccessful bid to build the Castle Rock Casino, said he is the subject of a federal inquiry into his poker playing and involvement with the casino. Castle Rock and Cherokee County sued the state, claiming the Lottery Review Board erred in selecting Kansas Crossing Casino.
South Carolina has resisted legalizing gambling beyond a state lottery. But with billions of dollars required for road repairs, lawmakers may reconsider state House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford's (l.) proposed legislation, similar to a bill he introduced but died last year, allowing voters to decide if legislators should be able to legalize gambling.
Michael Mathis (l.), chief executive officer of the MGM Springfield, is proud of the economic stimulus that the $950 million casino resort is sparking in this city. Springfield has seen nothing like this private building in the last 30 years.
The Oakland Raiders say calls have been pouring in from investors interested in financing a domed stadium for the team’s proposed move to Las Vegas. Reports are that UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium (l.) could also be commandeered for games, if it comes down to it, while a deal is put in place.
The Maine legislature will consider whether to put on the November ballot a referendum that would allow a third casino. There are already casinos in Bangor and Oxford.
The late Kirk Kerkorian’s (l.) Tracinda Corp. is selling 20 million MGM Resorts International shares to investment bank UBS. The sale was triggered by a rebound in MGM’s stock price, and investor sentiment has been strong for the company in recent months.
In Colorado, ground has been broken for Monarch Casino Black Hawk's 23-story, 500-room hotel tower (l.) and doubling of the casino floor. The project also will add an upscale spa and pool, four restaurants and bars. Monarch recently completed a full interior renovation and built a 1,350-space parking facility.
Florida developer Glenn Straub had promised to re-open part of the closed Revel casino in Atlantic City—now called Ten—on President’s Day weekend, but reports surfaced that he still lacked numerous licenses needed for a re-opening. The property still lacks a liquor license and mercantile licenses.
The Mississippi Gaming Commission will reconsider site approval for two casino developments former commissioners had rejected. RW Development's bid for a casino in Biloxi was denied in 2008 and Jacobs Entertainment's in 2014. In both cases commissioners said the developer did not own or control land all the way to the water.
The Las Vegas Strip resort is closing its poker room after some 20 years as the property moves forward with a $450 million program of renovation and expansion. Poker revenues have been on the slide in Vegas and statewide in Nevada for 10 years. Seven venues have closed on the Strip alone over that time.
Workers have begun removing all signage referring to President Trump from Atlantic City’s Taj Mahal casino. Owner Carl Icahn had an agreement with Trump to either improve the property by March or remove Trump’s name. Icahn closed the casino in October.
Marriott doesn’t allow gambling in its hotels, so Delaware North removed its name from the slots parlor the company is opening this month in the Long Island town of Islandia. The venue, operated in partnership with the local OTB, will eventually host 1,000 machine games.
The senatorial delegation from Cecil County, Maryland is seeking legislation to cut the tax rate for Penn National’s Hollywood Casino Perryville (l.), contending the small casino’s tax is unfair.
At eight of South Mississippi's 12 casinos, renovations and expansions are moving along. A $2 million renovation is occurring at the Silver Slipper and a $75 million expansion is ongoing at Island View Casino (l.). New restaurants recently opened at Harrah's Gulf Coast, Golden Nugget and Beau Rivage.
A new report shows that Australian gamblers lost the most in wagers per capita, but the U.S. market still tops the world in total betting losses for players, with casinos winning $117 billion in 2016.
Buoyed by milder winter weather than in 2015, Atlantic City’s seven remaining casinos saw a 7.7 percent increase in revenue in January over last year. All seven of the city’s remaining casinos saw increases while online gambling numbers also rose.
The Gulfport Planning Commission will review changes regarding casino development to match state regulations. For example, Gulfport requires a casino hotel to have 400 rooms, and the state requires 300 rooms. The city gives casino developers four years to add a hotel, and the state requires a hotel upon opening.
The Elk Grove, California, City Council last week took an action that was largely moot. It reversed itself on an earlier decision that had made it easier for the Wilton Rancheria to buy land to build a $400 casino. According to the tribe, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has already put the 36 acres into trust, no matter what the council has done. Tribal Chairman Raymond “Chuckie” Hitchcock (l.) said his tribe “finally has land.”
In a contentious election, Cedric Cromwell (l.) was re-elected as chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of Massachusetts. Cromwell is directing an effort to build a casino in Taunton, which is currently delayed by a court decision with little confidence it will move forward.
Is it wise to want to talk face to face to people who you are suing? The Board of Supervisors of California’s Santa Barbara County thinks so. While in federal court to prevent the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians from putting land into trust that would remove it from the tax rolls, the board is also reaching out to negotiate.
Indian tribes worry that the new Trump administration not only won’t show them the same deference the Obama administration did, but may be downright hostile. Some Native Americans familiar with Trump are trying to calm those fears. Rep. Todd Rokita (l.) thinks Trump may sign a bill exempting tribes from national labor laws.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (l.) of California wants to push through a bill in Congress that would create a reservation for the Lytton Rancheria in the Golden State’s wine country. This area isn’t in his district, but critics point out that he has gotten hefty campaign donations from the Lytton tribe.
An Idaho lawmakers wants to amend a state law so that it will be illegal for the state’s five gaming tribes to employ slot machines. Rep. Tom Loertscher believes the state’s constitution forbids slot machines. He wants to clarify that by legislation.
The ilani Casino is looking at an April opening. Kara Fox-LaRose (l.), president of the property, says they have filled 70 percent of the jobs for the $510 million casino and expects 4.5 million visitors a year.
The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Super Chippewa in Wisconsin agreed to pay $27 million to settle legal action regarding a $50 million 2008 bond issue. Other parties will pay the balance of the $75 million final settlement. The tribe cited irregularities in the financing of the bond issue by a tribal corporation.
The Oklahoma-based United Keetoowah Band of the Cherokee was driven from its native Georgia in the 1830s, but wants to return there and open a casino. The tribe could partner with casino operator who could purchase land and have it placed in trust without state involvement, although the state could arrange revenue sharing.
Construction will begin later this year on a second, 16-story hotel tower with up to 200 rooms and 70 suites at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee. Owned by the Forest County Potawatomi Community, the new will be connected by a walkway to the existing 19-story, 381-room hotel, built in 2014.
Steve Stallings (l.), the chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association thinks that tribes have too often been afraid to firmly grasp new technology in their casinos. Last week Steve Stallings called on the Golden State’s gaming tribes to enthusiastically embrace technology, such as online poker.
The Timbisha Shoshone tribe is moving forward on its plans to put land in Kern County, in the city of Ridgecrest, into trust for a casino. The tribe, based near Death Valley, needs to put land located far from its reservation into trust.
The White Earth Nation wants to build the Star Lake Casino (l.) near Dent, Minnesota. Officials said the project would increase economic development by creating jobs and promoting tourism. But a local opposition group said the Star Lake project still faces environmental obstacles, internal opposition within the tribe and a shortage of potential workers.
The new $28 million, 10,000 square foot event center recently opened at Apache Casino Hotel in Lawton, Oklahoma. The facility holds up to 1,200 people for concerts, and offers a large stage, dance floor and VIP seating. Marketing Director Barrett DeFay said several events already have been booked.
Lottery officials around the country are dealing with a loss of young players according to a report by Reuters. The report found that millennials are less likely to play lotteries than in the past. Analysts feel younger players are used to quicker returns on bets and games than traditional lotteries offer.
Iowa has taken its case against alleged lottery rigger Eddie Tipton to the state Supreme Court. Tipton, who worked for the Multi-State Lottery Association, was convicted of tampering with a Hot Lotto game in 2015 and redeeming a ticket for a $16.5 million jackpot. The conviction was reversed under the statute of limitations.
Irish Lottery personnel may have helped jackpot winners avoid paying taxes on winnings, the Irish Sun reported. A spokesman said the lottery "does not provide financial advice directly to our winners" but recommends they seek independent counsel. National Lottery Chief Dermot Griffin added, “We take them through what they need to think about."
Oregon Lottery Director Barry Pack recently told a House committee the lottery faces declining revenue due to increased tribal casino competition, plus an aging player base. He said the lottery needs to attract younger players who prefer skill-based games. The state's 3,900 lottery retailers are expected to generate $1.2 billion in the next two years.
The Jamaica Gaming Association, which includes the nation's seven major casino operators, named as its new chairman Tashia Hutton, vice president of Compliance and Regulatory at Supreme Ventures Limited. She replaces the late SVL Chairman Brian George, association chair from its beginning in early 2016 until he died in October 2016.
Aquiles Mila de la Roca has joined Interblock as the director of sales for the Caribbean, Mexico and cruise lines. He most recently served as a consultant for JCM and SuzoHapp.
Ainsworth Game Technology has released the first games developed in its new U.S. facility in Las Vegas in the form of Sweet Zone Xtreme titles on the new A640 cabinet (l.).
Scientific Games has launched “Playboy Don’t Stop the Party! Featuring Pitbull,” a slot game for both land-based casinos and the Play4Fun social platform.
Novomatic Group is eying expansion into new markets, taking advantage of its new status as the majority shareholder of Ainsworth Game Technology. CEO Harald Neumann (l.) said a strategic plan is in place.
Casino Architect Paul Steelman (l.) is seeking licensing in Nevada as a gaming equipment manufacturer and distributor. Steelman is moving into skill-based game design with a subsidiary to his architectural firm. He appeared before the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which recommended his being licensed.
Gary Platt Manufacturing has complete installation of 100 percent of the chairs for the new high-limit slot area at Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Maryland.
IGT subsidiary GTECH Sweden Interactive AB has signed an eight-year contract extension with Synot Group to provide software and game content to Synot video terminals in Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Scientific Games’ Empower customer conference will feature a keynote by Frances Fragos Townsend, CBS national security analyst and former homeland security advisor to President George W. Bush.
