The Stars Group, owners of PokerStars, has purchased Sky Betting & Gaming in a cash and stock deal valued at $4.7 billion. The acquisition instantly makes the Canadian-based Stars Group a major player in international sports betting and Stars Group CEO Rafi Ashkenazi (l.) said it will make the group the “world’s largest publicly listed online gaming company.”
Elaine Wynn (l.), Wynn Resorts’ largest shareholder, has urged her fellow investors to reject long-time director John Hagenbuch for re-election at the company’s upcoming annual meeting and wants them to take a hard look as well at Chairman D. Boone Wayson. Both are close friends of her ex-husband. Meanwhile, new CEO Matt Maddox fought back with a great first-quarter report.
The second stage of legalizing gaming in Japan is nearly complete after the government finalized wording on a bill that would establish the tax rate, locals gambling policy and other regulations. The bill now proceeds to the Diet, which has until June to pass the measure and establish legal casinos in Japan. But does Melco and Lawrence Ho (l.) have the inside track?
The Pamunkey Tribe has bought through a partnership with former VGT owner Jon Yarbrough (l.) more than 600 acres near Richmond for a $700 million gaming resort it plans to develop. The tribe expects the project will generate 4,000 jobs and $1 billion in economic spinoffs for the state.
Caesars Entertainment is entering into the non-gaming resort world in a big way. It just finalized plans to build a 5-star $200 million resort in Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico. It will be the company’s first Mexico venture and second non-gaming property.
As the American Gaming Association held a legislative summit on legal sports betting, U.S. professional sports leagues continued their lobbying efforts to get a piece of the action. While the Supreme Court decision may not be revealed until June, stakeholders are trying to prepare. AGA Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Sara Slane (l.) says, “States are anticipating and are preparing to offer legal, regulated sports betting in a way that meets the needs of their constituents.”
Florida Governor Rick Scott (l.) and the Seminole Tribe reached a compact agreement. The Seminoles will continue to pay the state $19.5 million a month, or $300 million a year, through the 2019 legislative session, for exclusive rights to offer blackjack, and slots outside Miami-Dade and Broward counties. A special session will not be called.
It’s earnings season and first up were two of the world’s largest—most controversial—gaming companies, Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands. Lots of big news and big numbers.
This week, the GGB Podcast sits down with Alex Igelman, the chief executive officer of Millennial Esports, one of the pioneers in the eSports business, on how that industry would work with casinos for the benefit of both.
Singapore must consolidate its casino regulations and regulatory bodies, especially in the face of growing competition, says Second Minister for Manpower and Home Affairs Josephine Teo (l.). Multiple agencies now oversee different parts of the gaming sector.
Construction continues on what will be Vietnam’s biggest casino, the $4 billion Hoiana project, set to open next year. The integrated resort will not be part of a three-year trial that allows Vietnamese residents to play.
Galaxy Entertainment Group’s Philippine partner, Leisure and Resorts World Corp. is still buying land on the island of Boracay despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s assertion that no new casinos will be built there.
MGM Cotai, which opened in February in Macau, may be a model for the new Macau, offering more non-gaming attractions and amenities to serve China’s growing number of middle-class consumers.
Belle Corp. has asked its Manila partner, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, to expand City of Dreams Manila onto a piece of land adjoining the existing property in Entertainment City.
Hong Kong-listed casino services firm Macau Legend Development Ltd. says it’s looking to grow in Laos. The company currently operates Savan Resort (l.) in Savannakhet near the Thailand border.
Macau-based luxury fashion retailer the Rainbow Group is investing an estimated RMB800 million (US$126.5 million) in a high-end mall in Hengqin, Guangdong Province.
Sands China Ltd. is the fourth of Macau’s six casino operators to give an update in recent weeks on policy regarding use of emission-free clean energy vehicles for its shuttle bus services for customers.
Britain’s Finance Minister Philip Hammond (l.) issued a statement saying his agency would support government cuts to fixed odds betting terminals stakes and that reports it is concerned about losing tax revenue are merely speculative. The announcement came amid several reports about the government’s pending decision on the stakes that sent stocks in several gaming companies tumbling.
The CEO of Australian-listed Aquis Entertainment Group says the ACT government has kept it in the dark for 17 months about the proposed multimillion-dollar casino development of Casino Canberra (l.).
The strike by workers of Caesars Windsor casino in Ontario is in its third week. Although Unifor Local 444 has called for talks to resume, the casino management isn’t interested. Labor leaders accuse the casino of wanting to “starve us out.”
Kenyan players' lottery, wagering and gaming winnings may be taxed 20 percent if a proposed bill passes. The proposal could be a response to a law that took effect January 1, raising taxes on operators' revenue from 7.5 percent to 35 percent. However, officials said that tax hike was meant to slow gambling expansion.
The Las Vegas-based gaming giant sent development chief Steven Tight (l.) to the Australian state to feel out state and local leaders wrestling with whether to proceed with a multibillion-dollar resort in Gold Coast. Caesars hopes to get the project back on track and win the license.
An Australian $9 billion superannuation fund representing Victorian state council employees may withdraw its A$150 million stake in Woolworth’s over the company’s ongoing pokies scandals. The Australian State of Victoria's 79 local councils are set to vote on whether to demand their industry super fund, Vision Super, divest its Woolworths shareholding.
A report on ESPN says Major League Baseball and the NBA are trying to exit their investment in daily fantasy sports sites DraftKings and FanDuel, but would still maintain partnerships with the sites. The report said the leagues are in discussions with the two DFS firms.
Switzerland will vote in June on a government proposal that would ban foreign casino websites. Crying censorship, a coalition of young people of all political stripes has risen to defeat the measure at the polls. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga (l.) defends the law as applying the same rules to everyone.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment announced a partnership with digital entertainment platform Garena to host the eSports 2018 League of Legends Master Series Spring Final at Studio City Macau. The event was held earlier this month before an audience of 2,000, the companies said.
China appears to be cracking down on online poker by declaring that the game will no longer be recognized as a competitive sport and banning promotion of online poker games on social media. According to local media, the ban will require all apps offering any form of social poker game to be shut down and removed from app stores by June.
Macau’s Judiciary Police announced that a male Macau resident had been detained for allegedly giving false information to attract investors in a cryptocurrency launch for use in transactions related to casino gambling. The cryptocurrency originates from the company Lantai Digital Application Technology Co Ltd, which has since apologized for the launch.
Danish gambling regulator Spillemyndigheden reports that online gaming now makes up more than half of all gaming in the country. Overall gambling revenue in Denmark for 2017 was $1.53 billion with lotteries the main source of income.
Just as MGM Chairman and CEO James Murren said during last week’s earnings call, the company is dedicated to reducing debt. And the next day, MGM announced it had sold the Mandarin Oriental at the CityCenter development
Louisiana's 15 riverboat casinos could move ashore under a bill that passed the state Senate, 22-14. The measure, which now moves to the House, also would replace the 30,000 square foot gaming floor limit with up to 2,365 gambling positions. The Senate rejected allowing DiamondJacks Casino (l.) to move from Bossier City to Tangipahoa Parish.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (l.) has backed off his demand that Wynn Resorts withdraw from the state as a result of the scandal surrounding its former chairman, Steve Wynn. This might be good news for the company.
Regulators in Pennsylvania are contemplating the future of gaming board auctions for Category 4 mini-casinos after two auctions went without bidders. The state could open up the auction to companies currently not operating in Pennsylvania.
While the owners of the former Revel casino in Atlantic City—now branded the Ocean Resort (l.)—have not announced a re-opening date for the casino, local reports say they may be shooting for a late June date to coincide with the opening of the neighboring Hard Rock casino. According to the reports, many new hires at the casino say they have been informed of June start dates.
The city continues to expand its appeal to new audiences, according to the latest annual visitor survey. Non-gaming attractions ranked high among tourists in 2017. Generally, they’re gambling less and spending more on restaurants, shows and other attractions.
Missouri state Rep. Bart Korman said his sports betting legislation probably won't be voted on this session—nor will anything else, because of Governor Eric Greitens' (l.) battles against two felony charges and allegations of sexual assault and blackmail. Korman's bill would allow sports betting at the state's 13 casinos and on daily fantasy sites.
Horseshoe Southern Indiana (l.) got the green light from the Indiana Gaming Commission to replace its riverboat casino with a new $85 million, 100,000 square foot land-based facility. Construction will start this summer and be completed in the second half of 2019. The single-floor facility will offer dining, an entertainment venue and retail outlets.
Texas Democratic candidate for governor, Andrew White (l.), proposed a $9 billion plan for education and property tax cuts, partially funded by expanded gambling. White said destination casinos on located along the Gulf Coast and other areas, plus tribal casinos and horse and dog racetracks, could generate $3 billion.
The Arkansas Supreme Court rejected Driving Arkansas Forward's lawsuit against state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (l.). The group sued her after she rejected their ballot proposal's wording a fourth time. The group backs a constitutional amendment allowing four casinos in the state. Rutledge also rejected proposed ballot wording from another casino group, Arkansas Wins 2018.
Illinois state Rep. Marty Moylan, who represents Des Plaines, said if lawmakers allow more casinos, Rivers' Casino's revenue sharing should drop from $10 million to $4-$5 million. He added some of the 10 suburbs that receive funds from Rivers (l.) also allow video gaming machines, bringing their total benefit from gaming operations to $40.5 million.
Atlantic County New Jersey has reached a tentative settlement with New Jersey over its share of Atlantic City casino payment in lieu of taxes funds. The county will reportedly get 13.5 percent of the payments according to the Press of Atlantic City, but county officials would not confirm the amount.
The resort giant is building a massive solar energy facility outside Las Vegas capable of delivering up to 50 percent of the electricity needs of its 13 Southern Nevada casino hotels. The company also is seeing impressive buy-in from players nationwide in a unique responsible gaming program.
Ameristar Casino in East Chicago will begin a $15 million, 18-week renovation project this week, including new furniture, fixtures, carpeting, lighting, wall coverings, equipment, surveillance upgrades and more. Twenty-one table games will move temporarily to the off-boat pavilion area, where the casino's $6 million high limit area will open May 24.
If the $1.85 billion sale of six Tropicana Entertainment casinos to Eldorado Resorts goes through, which includes Lumière Place (l.), every St. Louis market casino would be owned by real estate investment trust Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. GLPI would buy the portfolio's real estate and lease casino operations to Eldorado. GLPI already owns the buildings of five of six St. Louis casinos.
With Las Vegas named a finalist to host the NFL draft in the next year or two, Governor Brian Sandoval (l.) thinks it’s a good idea to try to attract similar events to the casino mecca. A new committee composed of business and political leaders statewide will be studying how.
The city council of Cripple Creek, Colorado, is making a small move towards modernization by voting to allow Bronco Billy’s casino to renovate. The renovation would include adding a six-story hotel and expansive parking garage.
To avoid any conflict of interest as an owner of the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois, J.B. Pritzker (l.) will divest any casino assets if he's elected governor. But the issue is moot if the sale of the casino to Eldorado Resorts for $327 million goes through by year-end, yielding a $3.27 million payday for Pritzker.
Big labor and Indian Country can usually count on Democratic lawmakers in Congress to have their back. But lately they have been fighting each other over the issue of tribal sovereignty vs. labor laws on tribal lands. This has placed Democratic Senators on the horns of a dilemma.
The Ho-Chunk Nation still is waiting for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to list its Beloit, Wisconsin casino on the federal registry. The $405.5 million project would include a casino, hotel, water park and entertainment venue, says Ho-Chunk Nation President Wilfrid Cleveland (l.). Meanwhile, 18 miles away, Rockford, Illinois officials are pushing legislators to approve casinos, including one in Rockford.
Gene Johnson (l.), executive vice president of Indian gaming advisory firm Victor-Strategies, while moderating a panel at the NIGA Indian Gaming Tradeshow, called the Poarch Band’s purchase of the Sands Bethlehem the “next frontier” for gaming tribes.
Indian gaming help bring about prosperity to many tribes. Only diversification will preserve that prosperity, and expand it declared Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye (l.) last week.
Thirty years after the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, challenges are mounting. It is becoming harder and harder to put land into trust for casinos. If the Trump administration has its way, it could get harder still. And competition with more tribal facilities and commercial gaming make it unlikely that unlimited growth will continue.
Butte County, California is contemplating whether it should appeal the decision of an appeals court upholding the land into trust decision that gave the Mechoopda Indian Tribe land to build a casino. Or drop the suit and work with the tribe.
Supporters of amending the Idaho constitution to allow historical racing machines at the state’s racetracks accuse the Coeur d’Alene Tribe of trying to pay signature gatherers to stop—a violation of the law.
The board of Selectmen of the small town of Mashpee, Massachusetts, has voted to oppose a bill in Congress that would end the challenge to the land into trust decision that created a reservation for the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe.
An August opening is scheduled for the new Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The $150 million , two-story property will include a state-of-the-art casino, 141-room hotel, sports bar, grill, resort-style pool and event and meeting spaces. It's being built next to the existing casino which will close when the new one opens.
The Timbisha Shoshone tribe wants to put land into trust in Ridgecrest, California and has applied to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for an off-reservation casino. The idea is very controversial in Ridgecrest, where a resident has filed suit to keep the town council from working with the tribe.
Janitorial and cleaning workers at Foxwoods Resort Casino will vote this week on whether to unionize. The Unite Here New England union already represents dealers, bartenders, slot techs and mechanics at the casino.
The northernmost casino in California, the Rain Rock Casino, opened last week. The Karuk tribe celebrated with a ribbon cutting and expressed hopes of becoming an economic driver in the region.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has promised to raise teachers’ salaries and direct more funds to education in general. His idea is to introduce keno to the state Lottery to raise the money. The move won’t be taken well by the state’s gaming tribes.
Last year the Chicago Tribune revealed the Illinois Lottery pulled some instant games before awarding top prizes. Now it found the lottery sometimes continues to sell tickets for games that awarded their top prizes. Lottery officials said selling instant game tickets after awarding top prizes has been a long-time policy, printed on tickets' backs.
Electronic pulltabs were introduced in Minnesota in 2012 and generated $0 in sales. Now Minnesotans spend more than $35 million monthly on the games at restaurants and bars, with projected sales of $325 million this year. The games were introduced as a way to help pay for the $1.1 billion Minnesota Vikings stadium.
The slots, systems and lottery provider has launched a new web-based sports betting channel in Hungary. The deployment is in line with SciGames’ new status as the sole provider of all state-run gaming platforms and technologies in the central European country.
Thalden-Boyd-Emery cofounder Charles “Chief” Boyd (l. with NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens and TBE’s Linda Roe) was presented with the National Indian Gaming Association Chairman’s Leadership Award at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow. And Lynn “Nay” Valbuena was honored with the 2018 Tim Wapato Sovereign Warrior Award.
After 30 years in the gaming industry, Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Chief Financial Officer Bill Clifford will retire in August. He will serve as a senior advisor to GLPI after May 4. In 2013, Clifford helped found GLPI, the gaming industry's largest real estate investment trust, as a spin-off from Penn National Gaming.
At the recent Women Leaders in Gaming Summit, Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf Vice President and General Manager Nancy Ballenger was named the recipient of the 2018 Founders Award. Established in 2013, the award recognizes a woman who has shown a strong commitment to and has made a notable impact on Iowa's gaming industry.
Barry Skutt Jr. was named chief executive officer for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi in Fulton, Michigan. Skutt served as director of utilities for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, of which he is a member, where he led the tribal government's electrical department, waste water and portable water plants and campground and pow wow grounds.
Tim Bryant was named president and general manager at Churchill Downs' $60 million historical racing facility, Derby City Gaming in Louisville, Kentucky, opening this fall. Bryant was president and general manager at Churchill Downs' Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots in New Orleans and most recently was chief operating officer at a northern California casino.
AGS, IGT, Scientific Games and Aristocrat all scored high marks in the March edition of the Eilers-Fantini Gaming Performance Database, which followed a survey of more than 37,000 slots.
Spirit Gaming, European distributor for Interblock Gaming, installed the first Interblock Dealer Assist Blackjack in Europe, at Germany’s Spielbanken Bayern casino.
The Omnigo iTrak system helps casinos gather information on innumerable kinds of transactions and incidents that helps them protect casinos and prevent losses. The system is in almost half of the casinos in the U.S.
