The chances of a third Connecticut casino (left) jointly owned by the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribe grew much more remote last week when a federal court judge ruled that the tribes couldn’t force Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to approve changes to the compact with the state because they had no standing. The casino is being considered to diminish the impact of MGM Springfield, just 12 miles away in Massachusetts, which opened in August.
The famed neon way went into eclipse on Monday, October 1, at 10:01 p.m. as resorts on the Las Vegas Strip dimmed their marquees. It was one year to the minute that a gunman opened fire on an outdoor music festival, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds in the worst mass shooting in American history.
The rejection of the land-into-trust bid for the Wampanoag Mashpee tribe continues to reverberate as the tribe considers its legal options. A lawsuit has been launched to order the Department of Interior to reverse the decision that denied the land into trust request, and it also wants to stay in an appeal challenging that decision. But Rush Street Gaming wants to revive its proposal for a casino (l.) in Brockton.
GGB magazine last week released the winners of the 2019 GGB Gaming & Technology Awards. A record number of nominations demonstrates that the awards are truly considered the “Best of the Best.” The Stax progressive solution (l.) won for “Best Table Game Product or Innovation.”
Shares of casino operator Landing International Development took a rollercoaster ride last week amid questions about the company’s chairman, Yang Zhihui (l.), who dropped out of sight in August and remains missing.
After issuing a second request for information in March, the Federal Trade Commission approved Penn Nation Gaming's $2.8 billion acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment. The FTC had cited potential unfair competition issues, but agreed to the deal based on Boyd Gaming's $575 million acquisition of three Pinnacle casinos in Cincinnati, St. Louis and Kansas City. Nevada also gave its regulatory approval, where Penn owns M Resort (l.).
After some unwanted attention at last year’s ICE trade show in London, Clarion Gaming, the owners of the show, have revised its “code of conduct” that will set new guidelines on gender representation and dress codes for stand staff. Clarion MD Kate Chambers (l.) announced the decision last week.
This week the GGB Podcast features a discussion with David Patent, the CEO of VizExplorer, and a former corporate executive with Harrah’s/Caesars and Rush Street Gaming, to discuss how his company uses data to drive revenue and customer service.
Andrea Domingo (l.) of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp, supports a Manila Strip based on the Vegas model. But current operators in Manila demanded and won a five-year moratorium on development.
Analysts are keeping a close eye on Macau to see how visitation levels play out during the benchmark Golden Week holiday. In early reports, Chinese arrivals to the territory were up 27 percent year-on-year.
Offshore gaming operators in the India state of Goa have received yet another extension of their deadline to ship out of the Mandovi River (l.). The last deadline was September 30. The new deadline is March 2019.
Last week the Japanese government put into effect its Basic Act on Gambling Addiction Countermeasures. The legislation, key to regulations around casino gaming in the country, was officially approved last summer. Meanwhile, consultant Mike Tanji (l.) doesn’t believe that the re-election of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will move the process any faster.
MCO (Philippines) Investments, the Melco unit planning to privatize Melco Resorts Philippines, has announced it will push back its tender offer by several weeks. The unit hopes to buy up 1.6 billion publicly held shares.
Macau junket operator Suncity Group Holdings Ltd. has inked a deal with Golden Sun Sky Entertainment Group Ltd. to develop and operate a casino in the Cambodian province of Sihanoukville.
Macau casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd. has asked the government to extend the deadline for upgraded smoking lounges in the city’s casinos. The deadline expired September 28, with new rules taking effect January 1.
The Philippine Office of the Ombudsman is investigating three Parañaque officials accused of rubber-stamping gaming permits in exchange for “grease money.”
On September 28, Macau junket investor Meg-Star Group launched its eighth and largest VIP room in the city at the Venetian Macao. The opening was just in time for the Golden Week celebration.
Easton Pharmaceuticals is on the short list to acquire an interest in a casino hotel on Greece’s Gulf of Corinth. The Club Hotel Casino Loutraki includes 275 rooms and suites and a casino with 87 tables and 1,000 slots.
The UK Labor Party’s Tom Watson is calling for a ban on gambling ads during sports broadcasts, another ban on betting with credit cards and a mandatory levy on bookmakers to fund research and education into problem gambling. The recommendations were published as part of a year-long review of gambling regulations.
Online gambling group 888 Holdings has posted its 2018 interim results through June 30 and reported a decline in its UK revenue performance. The group reported an 18 percent decline across its UK assets to $86 million. The company attributed part of the decline to having to align its practices with a “stricter UK regulatory environment.”
The UK Gambling Commission has published new standards and guidance for gambling sites on dealing with consumer complaints. The commission expects to formalize the new code by the end of October. The commission wants to streamline the complaint process and simplify the process for consumers.
The government is launching a nationwide program to combat substance abuse that includes a reclassification of problem gambling as “drug addiction.” The change is intended to afford people whose gambling has become harmful greater access to help and resources.
Brazilian politician Washington Quaquá (l.) supports a casino in Restinga de Maricá because of its potential to create jobs and revenue and increase tourism. Quaquá was the mayor the city from 2008 to 2016.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley say the return of Chinese VIPs to Australian casinos is likely to continue, despite fears that a slower economy in China could constrain patronage.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) announced it is in the middle of a crackdown on unlicensed online gaming firms operating in the country and sites violating the agency’s Offshore Gaming Regulatory Manual. The regulator said it is working in cooperation with law enforcement and investigations and raids are currently underway. The agency said more than 170 raids have been conducted.
The government of Quebec will appeal a Canadian Supreme Court decision that the province’s attempt to block unlicensed online gambling sites would be “unlawful.” The province had wanted ISPs to block online gaming sites not licensed by Quebec regulators. About 2,200 sites would have been blocked, but the move was challenged by ISP providers and advocates of net neutrality.
The Parliament of Georgia is reportedly drafting a bill that will limit the advertising of gambling in the country. The bill could also limit participation of owners of Georgian bank cards in online games registered on foreign websites. According to reports, the bill would ban gambling ads on television, radio, the internet and other means of communication unless through a sponsorship.
GVC has integrated a selection of games developed by CR Games, the in-house studio of the Ladbrokes Coral Group, into its casino product offerings. The integration includes more than 20 games, which will now be available at online gambling brands such as bwin, PartyCasino and Sportingbet. GVC took ownership of CR Games when it completed its acquisition of Ladbrokes Coral in March.
The Australian State of Victoria has passed a point of consumption tax on online bookmakers that is expected to bring in A$30 million a year. The bill passed the state upper house on the last day of parliament before the state election in November. The bill assesses an 8 percent tax on net wagering revenue statewide.
Meridian Gaming has been granted an online gambling license in Colombia through its Meridian Gaming Colombia SAS business. Meridian will operate in the country through the Meridianbet.com.co sports betting platform. Colombia has now licensed 15 online sites and regulators said two more licenses could be issued by the end of the year.
Betsoft Gaming has added to its presence in the regulated gaming market of Curacao through a partnership agreement with Casino GrandBay, a top online operator in the region. The content agreement covers several online slot titles from Betsoft’s Slots3 series.
A new online poker website has been launched in India through IndiaCaretel Infotech Limited, a business outsourcing and software company. Titled “Poker Johnny,” the poker portal in an effort to expand its portfolio of offerings. The portal’s website, pokerjohny.com, is registered to Caretel’s CEO, Rajesh Sehgal.
After a positive analyst report, Aristocrat’s Big Fish Games social gaming division announced that it is cutting around 15 percent of its workforce as part of a company realignment strategy.
Titles from online gaming provider NetEnt are now live with the company’s first customer in Lithuania, operator TOP sport, the largest betting and gaming company in the country.
A report by Stefanie Miller, a Height Capital Markets analyst, predicts that Congress will leave the issue of federal sports betting regulation alone or the foreseeable future.
Score one for the bookies as West Virginia approved sports betting rules that don’t include payments to the pro sports leagues for use of their game data. Lawmakers crafting a regulatory bill in Kentucky say they, too, don’t anticipate their operators will be paying the leagues a dime. Kentucky state Rep. Alan Koenig (l.) told the leagues to go suck an egg.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has approved the state's first two sports-betting operations at Parx Casino (l.) in Bensalem, outside of Philadelphia, and the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County. The two casinos hope to launch sports betting by the end of the year. The board also approved two online gaming licenses for the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia and the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
Don’t expect to see Joe Buck and Troy Aikman (l.) discussing point spreads, odds or other sports betting references during their NFL broadcasts, and this will remain the fact. The NBA on the other hand has teamed up with MGM Resorts to offer a million dollar prize to anyone who predicts the over/under for all 20 teams.
Washington D.C.’s City Council is moving a sports betting bill and hopes to have sports betting operational by spring 2019. The council’s Committee on Finance and Revenue will hold a public hearing October 17 to discuss the proposed bill. The bill would allow for land-based and online sports betting and be controlled by the D.C. Lottery.
The Ohio legislature passed a placeholder measure in July to "develop and enact legislation legalizing sports wagering." Sponsor state Senator John Eklund plans to hold hearings on the issue. However, state Senate President Larry Obhof (l.) believes legalizing sports betting requires a constitutional amendment. A study showed Ohio sports betting could generate $35.4-$61.1 million in annual revenue.
Las Vegas-based Golden Entertainment, Inc. has announced a new long-term agreement with William Hill to manage Golden’s race and sports operations in Nevada, Maryland and Montana. The agreement expands an existing agreement that covers race and sports book operations at Pahrump Nugget Hotel & Gambling Hall, as well as the company’s restaurants like PT’s Gold (l.) in Las Vegas.
Just as the Wynn investigation was about to end, Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby stepped down last month after being accused of favoritism. The remaining members voted to elevate Gayle Cameron (l.) to the chair.
Ground has broken just off the Strip on the world’s first MSG Sphere. The 18,000-seat bubble-shaped arena, a joint venture between Las Vegas Sands and Madison Square Garden, is slated to debut in 2021 with imagery and sound systems unlike anything to come before it.
A report from the administration New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (l.) recommends the state continue its economic control of Atlantic City’s municipal government for the time being. The report cited the need for government and community partnerships to improve before the state rolls back its control.
Officials in the solicitor and controller offices of Pennsylvania’s Luzerne County are at odds over a proposed tax on complimentary rooms offered by Mohegan Sun Pocono (l.).
Eldorado Resorts has finished the acquisition of Tropicana Entertainment from Icahn Enterprises and now has full operating rights for the Tropicana casino in Atlantic City (l.). The announcement was quickly followed by a report that Eldorado has fired the Atlantic City casino’s online staff. The $1.85 million deal to acquire Tropicana Entertainment was announced in April.
On November 6, Idaho voters will determine whether historical horseracing machines will be allowed—again. They had been legal from 2013-2015 but that law was repealed. Supporters said the machines would raise millions for education. Opponents said the games are illegal, unconstitutional slot machines that would lead to expanded gambling.
A new Florida Chamber of Commerce poll indicated 54 percent support for Amendment 3. Two months ago a poll showed 71 percent support for the proposal to give voters exclusive rights to approve gambling expansion. In September, Disney (l.) and the Seminole Tribe each gave $5 million to Voters In Charge, the political group behind the amendment.
In Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, the Democratic candidate for governor, said he supports Republican state Senator Bill Brady's proposal to allow slots at racetracks, with a share of revenue going toward infrastructure projects. Also, state Rep. Bob Rita's second gambling expansion hearing, rescheduled to October 17, will focus on online gambling, including internet gaming, sports betting and fantasy sports.
A potential deal to sell the closed Atlantic Club Casino in Atlantic City to nearby Stockton University has fallen through. The university wanted the property as part of a new Atlantic City campus, but developers said the university—which wanted the casino tower razed—required too much time without assurances to complete the deal.
Ron DeSantis (l.), the Republican candidate for Florida governor, said he opposes Amendment 3 and expanded gambling but refuses to elaborate on these positions. Meanwhile his campaign has received more than $800,000 from greyhound racetrack operators and casino owners, including Las Vegas Sands Casino owner Sheldon Adelson and his wife, who each donated $250,000.
Alan Meister’s (l.) Indian Gaming Industry Report showed that in 2016, Indian gaming revenue rose for the seventh consecutive year to a record $31.5 billion, up 3.9 percent over 2015. Non-gaming revenue grew 8.2 percent to a record $4.2 billion. California, at $8.4 billion, and Oklahoma at $4.3 billion, together accounted for 41 percent of the nation's casino revenue total.
Last year, a federal court judge ruled the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans waited too long to sue the Ho-Chunk Nation over expansion of its Wittenberg, Wisconsin casino, just 15 miles from the Stockbridge-Munsee's North Star Casino Resort. Now a three-judge panel recently heard oral arguments in the tribe's appeal of its unsuccessful previous lawsuit.
Governor Andrew Cuomo (l.) released the badly needed funds as an advance against payments the governor says are rightfully the state’s from the Seneca Indian Nation’s three casinos. The tribe says the payment obligation has expired. Buffalo and Salamanca are also out millions as the dispute drags on.
Since NFL team owners voted last August to allow casinos to advertise within certain limitations, the Dallas Cowboys named WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma its official casino sponsor and the NBA named MGM Resorts International. The American Gaming Association said these deals partnerships prove sports betting deals do not require governmental statutes to be accomplished.
The Democratic candidate for Alabama governor, Walt Maddox (l.), is campaigning on starting a state lottery to provide revenue for the financially strapped state. His opponent, Republican Governor Kay Ivey has said little about a lottery. Meanwhile state Rep. Mac McCutcheon said, "No lottery bills have been drafted, pre-filed or even discussed in any detail among members."
Hard Rock International is replacing the president of its Atlantic City casino three months after it opened and will bring in a seasoned Atlantic City vet. The casino announced it is replacing Matt Harkness with Joe Lupo (l.), a former Borgata executive. Officials did not say why the change was being made.
The fantasy sports giant is preparing for a major push into the legal U.S. sports betting market. So far, the strategy has included an aggressive pursuit of some of the best-known bookmakers in the business, including Johnny Avello, who was most recently the head of the Wynn Las Vegas sports book.
Greenberg Traurig has added Boston-based attorney Mark Hichar to its gaming practice, representing an expansion of the firm’s gaming practice to the region.
Caesars Entertainment has announced the appointment of Monica S. Digilio as executive vice president & chief human resources officer. Digilio joins Caesars from Montage Hotels and Resorts where she has served in the same capacity since 2012.
Clive Hawkswood, chief executive of the online gambling trade body the Remote Gambling Association, said he will step down as leader of the organization. Hawkswood said he intends to leave in early 2019 and will help the association search for a successor.
Metric Gaming has raised $10 million in investment cash to expand into the U.S. sports betting market with its turnkey, mobile-optimized sports betting solution.
The 2018 Shannon Bybee Scholarship Award for the best scholarly research papers on gaming topics by North American law students recently was presented to Francisco Olea of the University of Arizona College of Law and David M. Stern of the University of Nevada Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law. The awards are granted by the International Association of Gaming Advisors.
Atrient will hold a drawing at Global Gaming Expo to give away a complete card-printing kiosk package, including software and support, valued at $200,000.
Competition Interactive will debut the new skill-based “Running Rich Racing” at the Global Gaming Expo, along with other new skill-based and slot games.
