A defeat at the polls in Tokyo for Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party could spell trouble for the Japanese prime minister’s planned integrated resort legislation, approved by parliament last December. The defeat almost guarantees that Tokyo will not be in the running as an IR site. And the tax scheme for the gaming legalization is finally being discussed. So will the pachinko industry be the ultimate winner?
Universal Entertainment Corp. announced a newly elected board of directors, which does not include company founder Kazuo Okada (l.). The action follows several missteps made by Okada and corporate officials. Okada is suing his family to regain control of the company.
U.S.-based casino operator Hard Rock International is the sole remaining bidder for a license to build an integrated casino resort in Catalonia, Spain on the former site of the proposed BCN World (l.). Melco and the Genting Group once were among the would-be contenders and/or partners.
After several delays, on July 6 Imperial Pacific International Holdings Ltd. at last opened its deluxe Saipan resort. The eponymous Imperial Pacific Resort will offer 300 table games, 400 slot machines and 350 hotel rooms. But only the casino and several restaurants are open as construction continues on the rest of the facility.
Caesars Entertainment is in talks with Chinese-backed consortium ASF to potentially develop its first integrated resort on Australia’s Gold Coast. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczu (l.) isn’t thrilled about another casino, however.
Citing a lack of urgency, the Russian government will take over the development of the Primorye gaming site near Vladivostok, according to Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev (l.). Only one casino resort is up and running, with three more sites still being considered.
The Seminole Tribe last week settled a disagreement with the state of Florida over whether it can continue to offer blackjack. When the previous compact expired, which was amended to include blackjack, the state sued to stop the game. A state court found in favor of the Seminoles and now the state will not appeal.
As the first week of the new fiscal year came to a close, Pennsylvania lawmakers struggled to pass a budget that includes income from gaming expansion measures not yet passed, which includes online gaming, DFS and slots at bars and restaurants. Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (l.) said they’re considering borrowing the $2 billion shortfall.
President Rodrigo Duterte (l.) wants the Philippines out of the casino business. The problem is how to pay for it. PAGCOR says privatization could cost the government more than $470 million a year in lost revenue.
Gaming Laboratories International has acquired Dutch company NMi Gaming a highly regarded compliance consultant and gaming test lab serving land-based and iGaming clients. GLI CEO James Maida (l.) says the buy will provide even greater customer service for company clients.
This week, the GGB Podcast features a discussion with, Dr. Wilfred Wong, president and COO of Sands China, on the opening of the Parisian earlier this year and other issues facing his huge Macau company.
The 13 Holdings Ltd., which is building the 13 hotel (l.) in Macau, has announced it is selling its engineering unit to finish construction of the property on the border of the Coloane and Cotai districts. But analysts say there are several other hurdles to overcome before it could open as a casino hotel.
Gross gaming revenues in Macau missed analyst estimates in June, but still rose 25.9 percent year-on-year to 19.99 billion patacas (US$2.49 billion), according to data from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.
Officials in the Philippines will file criminal charges against Resorts World Manila in the wake of a deadly attack at the casino resort last month. Resorts World’s security provider could also be charged.
The ASX-listed operator is wrapping up an A$18 million share sale to finance the completion of a Nepal gaming resort, Tiger Palace (l.), the company is targeting at the massive India market. After repeated delays, the development is slated to open in phases beginning in September.
An investigation into alleged financial improprieties by Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada should have no impact on operations at his company’s Okada Manila resort in the Philippines, says the government regulator.
Offshore casino vessels may operate in the Mandovi River in Goa for three more months, the state government recently announced. An alternate location to the river has been sought for more than three years. Currently five offshore casino licensees operate in the Mandovi River and a sixth recently received permission.
The VIP gaming promoter founded by legendary Macau junketeer Jack Lam has changed its name and switched its focus to motion picture production. Lam is no longer with the company. He is, however, still very much in gaming.
The Vietnamese province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is trying to drum up redevelopment interest in a 544-acre resort. One plan for the Vung Tau Paradise Resort (l.) includes a casino.
Hong Kong-listed Paradise Entertainment Ltd. announced last month it will buy the Lan Kwai Fong Hotel (l.) in Macau from casino services firm China Star Entertainment Ltd for HKD2.38 billion (US$304.9 million).
Europe's largest casino resort will open by early 2020 in Limassol, Cyprus. The license holders, a Melco Hard Rock consortium, said the $567 million project will generate $908 million by 2022, create 4,000 construction jobs and 2,400 permanent jobs. Finance Minister Angelos Votsis (l.) said the project will end the “bleed out” of tourists on Cyprus.
The UK Gambling Commission has released details on a new enforcement strategy for gambling operators who commit violations. The strategy includes higher fines for breaches of regulations, especially in cases that involve systemic and repeated failings.
Gateway Casinos and Entertainment has planned a $300 million renovation and rebranding of its Canadian properties. It plans to start with the Point Edward, Ontario, Casino, which it will rebrand as the Starlight Casino.
Colombia’s new online gambling regulator has ordered ISPs to begin blocking unregulated online gambling operators. As many as 325 websites are now banned in the country. Meanwhile, the country issued its first online gambling license, believed to be the first online gambling license ever awarded in Latin America.
European major gaming regulators have said they are near to signing an online poker shared liquidity agreement. According to reports, officials from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain were meeting to close the deal.
Fantasy sports operators DraftKings Inc., FanDuel Inc. and FantasyDraft LLC recently were unanimously approved by the Indiana Gaming Commission and paid an initial licensing fee of $50,000 each. Meanwhile, the New Jersey legislature has approved a bill to license and tax daily fantasy sports operators, where Senator James Whelan (l.), characterized it as a “consumer protection” bill. It would tax DFS sites at 10.5 percent of revenue.
Gaming operator Delta Corp. has completed its merger with Gauss Networks, the holding company of Adda52, one of India’s leading poker sites. The merger received approval from India’s National Company Law Tribunal.
A group of online gamblers in Portugal are asking that country’s government to change its tax laws on online casino gambling after betting company Betclic said Portugal claimed 66 percent of its Portuguese revenue. Portugal’s National Association of Online Gamblers has a petition with 4,600 signatures which argues that taxes on online gambling should be reduced.
Gaming affiliate network and management agency Ihre Consulting, has launched a website with a new design and what it calls a user-friendly layout. The company’s full roster of clients is also displayed, including more than 140 different operators.
Playtech and Sky Betting & Gaming have renewed their partnership which allowed for the creation of Sky Casino’s live casino offerings “High Performance matters” and “Man of Action.” Terms of the renewal were not released.
Lawmakers and Governor Andrew Cuomo have brokered a deal to let Vernon Downs (l.) keep more of its VLT revenue and avoid a shutdown of the entire facility, including the racetrack and a supporting hotel. It would have meant the loss of 300 jobs.
Maryland’s six casinos generated $130.5 million in revenue during June, a 39.8 percent year-on-year increase with the three smallest casinos all seeing increases. MGM’s National Harbor (l.) was the revenue leader with more than $50 million from slots and tables.
The Tiverton, Rhode Island, casino (l.) planned by the Twin River Management Group could break ground within the month. Most of the permits have been granted and the town’s planning board last week approved preliminary construction plans.
A budget impasse between Governor Chris Christie (on the beach during the government shutdown) and the New Jersey legislature ended before Atlantic City casinos faced a possible shut down. Christie did close many state offices and parks on the weekend before the July 4 holiday, but casinos—which require monitoring by state regulatory agencies—were not asked to close. Christie then agreed to a budget compromise which led to all state offices being re-opened by July 5.
A charity casino could open in Salem, New Hampshire that would include 25 poker tables and other “carnival” games. The charity casino would replace one that closed last year at nearby Rockingham Park racetrack (l.).
Gaming revenue hit a statewide total in May of $991.6 million, the industry’s best month since February. The Las Vegas Strip generated $860.7 million of it, powering the industry to its third straight month of year-on-year increases.
Traffic and parking have long been issues at the two casino sites approved in Massachusetts—MGM Springfield and Wynn Boston Harbor in Everett. Now the state gaming commission is doing something about them.
Iowa's problem gamblers now may place themselves on the self-ban list for five years, not just for a lifetime. After five years, the individual may request to be removed from the list. The self-ban list includes casinos and state lottery offices, so those on the list may not win large jackpots.
It’s not the full monte, only three floors of it, but enough to give July Fourth visitors to New York’s Finger Lakes region a taste of what it’s like to stay a weekend at del Lago Resort & Casino. The highlight: a 14,000-square-foot spa, salon and fitness center.
A San Diego card club’s denial of a police permit to operate has been upheld on appeal. The owner of the Lucky Lady card club (l.) has promised to go to court.
West Virginia state Delegate Shawn Fluharty wants the state to be ready to implement sports betting if it's approved by the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently agreed to hear New Jersey's request to allow it. Fluharty sponsored a sports betting bill in the last session but it wasn't taken up.
RW Development will try a third time for site approval for a Biloxi casino with a 45,000 square foot gaming floor featuring 1,300 slots and 20 table games. The Mississippi Gaming Commission denied RW's application in 2008 because the company's property doesn't extend to the waterfront. Approval was again denied on March 16.
James Cason (l.), the deputy director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, last week asked the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe to wait a bit before withdrawing its application for the BIA to reexamine its decision to put land in Taunton into trust for the tribe for a $1 billion casino. The federal agency says it may have found a way to do it legally, and satisfy a judge who ruled that the original decision violated 1934 law.
A controversial year-old rule governing the rotating of the dealer in California card rooms has been suspended (blackjack tables at the Gardena casino card room at left). Meanwhile gaming tribes are mulling going to court to force the state to enforce the rules the tribe says the law calls for: a continuous and systematic rotation of the dealer.
In northern Wisconsin, the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians is following through on its promise to withhold from the state $923,000 in casino revenue because the Ho-Chunk Nation is expanding its Wittenberg casino. The tribe, which has sued the Ho-Chunk Nation, said its casino in Bowler would lose $22 million a year as a result, according to Stockbridge-Munsee Band President Shannon Holsey (l.).
Six towns abutting the just authorized third tribal casino in Connecticut will each be paid $750,000 a year for mitigation of the casino’s effects on their traffic. One city has been left out, the city of Windsor, and its mayor, Donald Trinks (l.), wants to know why.
Now that all of its legal battles seem to be behind it, the Tohono O’odham tribe last week announced plans for a $400 million resort and casino. The project will begin before the end of the year, and will replace the existing casino with one twice as large.
An appeals court in California has ruled against a California tribe and for an Arizona tribe that loaned it $23 million to build a casino that later failed. The court has ruled that the La Posta band must pay the Yavapai-Apache Nation $48.9 million.
Residents of Jamul, in rural San Diego County, held a press conference last week to complain that the opening of the Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego, has caused an increase in dangerous accidents. They called on the state’s transportation department to make promised upgrades to intersections along State Route 94 to address this issue.
At a recent meeting, White Earth Nation members criticized the proposed Star Lake Casino in Dent, Minnesota, claimed tribal leadership did not share information and worried that smaller casinos would cannibalize the main Shooting Star Casino. Tribal council members said they're following the recommendations of a 2015 feasibility study.
The National Indian Gaming Commission stated in a letter the Quapaw Tribe could use ancestral land in Kansas for gaming. A federal appeals court ruled Kansas could not challenge the letter because it "expresses an advisory, non-binding opinion." The tribe wants to build a $15 million expansion of its Oklahoma Downstream casino resort (l.) into Kansas.
Angela Leong On Kei, an executive director of Macau casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd. and former wife of Stanley Ho, is running for reelection to the city’s legislative assembly. The election will be held September 17.
Gaming veteran Matt Harkness will lead pre-opening efforts of Hard Rock Atlantic City, set to open in summer 2018. Harkness was most recently general manager for the Lucky Dragon in Las Vegas.
Paul Alanis will replace Jess Ravich who recently resigned as chairman of the board at Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana. Alanis, who developed the property, also will serve as chief executive officer and chairman. "I believe we have yet to realize our full potential," Alanis said.
Merkur Gaming Americas has named several veterans to executive posts of Merkur and U.S. subsidiary Sunshine Games, in connection with the supplier’s U.S. expansion efforts. Brad Broderick has been named a business development executive for Merkur Gaming U.S.
Crown Resorts Ltd announced General Counsel Michael Neilson has stepped down from his position as company secretary, and has been replaced by Mary Manos, who also will become general counsel. Neilson, who joined Crown Resorts in December 2007, will remain with the company for a transitional period.
Scientific Games Corporation has acquired Lapis Software Associates, a supplier of lottery sales force and retail applications and technology consultant.
Raden, the innovative, smart luggage company, will travel to new heights with support from Rymax now that the two companies have reached an agreement on an exclusive partnership.
