Greece has taken the first steps toward what could be Europe’s first integrated casino resort. Its gaming commission has announced it will invite bids for a casino for a master planned resort a few miles from Athens in the old international airport, Hellenikon (l). Caesars is so far the only company that has expressed interested in the project, but others are expected to bid as well.
Churchill Downs Inc. will purchase Presque Isle Downs (l.) and Casino in Erie, Pennsylvania and Lady Luck Casino in Vicksburg, Mississippi from Eldorado Resorts for $229.5 million. With the recent sale of its social gaming subsidiary Big Fish, the acquisition of Presque Isle Downs will give Churchill a foothold in a real money iGaming market in Pennsylvania.
The foreigners-only casino at Jeju Shinhwa World on South Korea’s Jeju Island opened on February 25. The gaming operation relocated from the Hyatt Regency Jeju Hotel to the Marriott at Jeju Shinhwa World. The development is described as a true integrated resort.
More states are drafting sports betting legislation in case the U.S. Supreme Court lifts the federal ban. Kansas and Missouri sports betting legislation includes the controversial 1 percent integrity fee backed by Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, West Virginia and New York also are considering sports betting legislation, without the integrity fee.
The tribe’s newest entry is a $40 million boutique property with 500 slots, 20 table games and two casual restaurants and a choice lakeside location just 15 miles from Syracuse. It’s New York’s 20th gaming venue, but as one Oneida leader put it, “There’s plenty of market here.” Local officials and tribal leaders participated in a “log cutting” to open the Point Place Casino at left
Sarah Harrison (l.) has ended her term as the chief executive of the UK Gambling Commission. Neil McArthur will serve as interim head of the commission. Harrison left the commission to join the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as a senior executive.
The Stars Group has completed its acquisition of sportsbook CrownBet Holdings in the Australian market. The surprise acquisition sees the Canada-based group acquire 62 percent of Crownbet for $117.7 million.
The trade show of the National Indian Gaming Association, Indian Gaming 2018, will locate in Las Vegas for the first time at the city’s convention center. “We are excited to host our members and the entire industry in Las Vegas for the first time. It’s a good time for Indian Gaming to bring our great show to gaming’s great city,” said NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. (l.).
This week the GGB Podcast connects with Kevin Kline, the chief operating officer and general manager of Resorts World Catskills just days before it opened in early February.
A visit to Japan by Caesars Entertainment President and CEO Mark Frissora (l.) is a sign of the U.S.-based company’s ongoing interest in the budding jurisdiction. Japan is expected to issue three IR licenses to start.
Leading Philippine property developer Megaworld Corp. has announced it will double its investment in Westside City Resorts World complex, a mixed use development, which will open in 2021 in Manila’s Entertainment City casino zone.
Australia-listed Donaco International Ltd. says it’s beefed up the junket operations at its Star Vegas casino resort (l.) in Cambodia. Six new operators will preside over 83 VIP tables at the property in Poipet
Luxury hotel developer 13 Holdings Ltd. says its Macau casino and retail shops will open by March 31, according to a filing. The resort targeted at the super-rich was first announced in 2011 by billionaire Stephen Hung.
Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group has announced it will raise the salaries of eligible team members from 2.5 percent to 8 percent of their current monthly salaries and also establish paid paternity leave.
Casino commissioners in the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands have denied a report that its members are engaged in corrupt practices in association with the Imperial Pacific casino on Saipan. Commission Executive Director Edward Deleon Guerrero (l.) chalked it up to politics as usual.
Junket promoter Tak Chun Group has opened a new VIP club at Macau’s Four Seasons Hotel in Cotai, with plans to present yet another in July. The newest club contains 12 tables with four VIP rooms.
Hong Kong-listed casino services firm Macau Legend Development Ltd. must reduce the proposed height of its planned Legendale Hotel by one-third. The hotel will be developed at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf.
The Cambodian coastal province of Sihanoukville (l.) saw a surge in tourism in 2017, welcoming 1 million local and 470,000 foreign visitors during the year. Chinese visitors doubled from 2016 because of the province’s casinos.
Sweden’s gaming regulator has released a timeline for its plans to rework the country’s gambling laws. Plans include instituting a licensing system for land-based and online gambling. The regulator is proposing an 18 percent tax on gross gambling revenue.
High rollers are back at Crown Resorts’ Australian casinos including the Melbourne flagship (l.). The company saw its VIP segment rise 15.9 percent in the second half of 2017, a swift turnaround after the scandal that saw 16 employees jailed in Shanghai.
Billionaire casino mogul and huge Republican campaign donor Sheldon Adelson (l.) wants to pay for some of the cost of moving the U.S. Embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to its actual capital: Jerusalem. The offer is not without its critics.
An unidentified Malaysian man was due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court in Australia last week after suspicious behavior and reported threats led to a mass evacuation at the Crown Casino.
Australian laws banning bookmakers form offering lines of credit to gamblers has led William Hill to reduce the value of its Australian subsidiary saying betting was off 15 percent during the second half of 2017. William Hill recorded a pre-tax loss in 2017 after slashing the value of its Australian business, the company said.
Online Poker Report published an article revealing why a restriction in the Pennsylvania online gaming law was based on myths that have been debunked in legal iGaming jurisdictions. The iGaming Lounge in Resorts Atlantic City (l.) was cited as driving business for both the online casino and the land-based property.
The European Union Court of Justice has ruled that Hungary’s licensing laws for land-based casinos operating online sites are incompatible with the EU’s treaty for the free movement of services. Hungary limits online licensing to operators of land-based casinos in the country.
Malta is asking for public comment on three separate legal bills dealing with blockchain and cryptocurrency legislation. The bills would provide regulation for three different kinds of DLT platforms. After public input the bills will be sent to the Maltese Parliament.
NetEnt has introduced a new online slot titled Asgardian Stones. The fantasy-based game from the Swedish-based games developer is a 5-reel, 3-row, 20-bet lines video slot that can be played on all devices.
A woman has told Las Vegas police that Steve Wynn (l.) raped her and made her pregnant. Another says she was forced to quit as a dealer after refusing his sexual advances. Meanwhile, shareholder lawsuits against Wynn Resorts are mounting, including one from the N.Y. Comptroller’s Office.
Despite being rocked by the Steve Wynn sex scandal, Wynn Resorts is soldiering on towards the 2019 opening of the Wynn Boston Harbor (l.). But that doesn’t mean that the company is out of the woods yet, as the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority continues its suit. In Springfield, the hiring continues for the MGM property there.
Reaction of municipal officials within zones approved for a Category 4 mini-casino has been mixed, with some openly lobbying to host one of the satellite facilities
Drive Arkansas Forward resubmitted a proposed constitutional amendment allowing two new casinos and expanded gambling at two racetracks. Earlier Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (l.) rejected the bill’s original language. If the new wording is approved, and the group collects 84,859 certified signatures by July 6, the issue will appear on the November ballot.
The Virginia Senate is reviewing legislation introduced by state Delegate Michael Webert to permit historical racing machines at Colonial Downs racetrack (l.) and satellite betting locations. The House passed the measure overwhelmingly. Proponents said the bill could help the state's equine industry and reopen the track which closed in 2014. Some anti-gambling Republicans said they may support the measure.
The industry broke the seven-figure barrier for the first time in a year. It accomplished the feat despite a sharp decline in win on the Las Vegas Strip, the state’s largest market.
An appeals court has revived the effort of partners in the failed Foxwoods Philadelphia project (l.) to recover the $50 million license fee it paid the state.
A proposed Yankton, South Dakota casino was rejected by the state Senate, which voted 23-12 vote against placing a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Supporters said a casino in the old Gurney Seed building would generate up to $4.5 million in revenue. Opponents include several casino-owning tribes and casino operators in nearby Deadwood (l.).
The annual wagering report from the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability indicated casino income has declined 14 percent since 2012 but overall gambling revenue is up 60 percent, mostly due to video gambling. The report also showed the rapid spread of video gambling machines has peaked out. About 30,000 machines are in operation.
Located in Iowa's smallest casino host city, Clinton, Wild Rose Casino & Resort (l.) is "holding its own," said General Manager Steve Nauman. He said video gambling machines across the Mississippi River in Fulton, Illinois has affected revenue, as well as Rhythm City and Isle of Capri casinos in Iowa moving from the river to land.
Fallout from the October 1 mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip took a toll on MGM Resorts’ fourth quarter. But Maryland performed well enough to offset declines in Strip occupancy and RevPAR and helped the company to a 5 percent gain in U.S. revenue to $1.9 billion.
Illegal video gambling machines are spreading in the St. Louis metro area, without regulation of tax distribution or payouts. Missouri state Rep. Bart Korman introduced legislation to allow the machines, which he said could generate $80 million - $90 million a year for education. He pointed out neighboring Illinois has had significant success with the games.
Lenders say they’ve been bilked by Bettor Investments, one of several sports betting pools that operate like mutual funds under a recent Nevada law. They’ve filed complaints with the state, but the company and its founder appear to have disappeared.
The Ohio River has crested but Horseshoe Southern Indiana casino in Elizabeth remains closed, costing the facility $731,113 a day and the state an average of $255,049 a day in tax revenue. Its Army Corps of Engineers permit requires the venue to close when flooding across the roadway prevents visitors from safely reaching it.
As Atlantic City seeks to diversify its entertainment options, two recent announcements could mean a jolt of live concerts and sporting events are on their way to the resort. Hard Rock International—which is scheduled to open its Atlantic City casino this summer—President Jim Allen (l.) announced the casino plans to hold more than 200 live music events a year. Meanwhile, the resort’s Boardwalk Hall is planning several live sports events this year after a long lull.
Ohio’s Casino Control Commission has egg on its face after it was revealed that the commission rehired a man who had been dismissed and convicted of dereliction of duty. The commission hired Rick Anthony several months after he was dismissed, and he subsequently ran the commission’s operations for several years without anyone knowing.
Rhode Island’s Twin River Casino is expecting to open its 136-room, $30 million hotel this summer. The hotel will fit in with the surrounding community, says John E. Taylor, chairman of Twin River Worldwide Holdings.
The 18-story, 350-room Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans will open in the historic French Quarter in spring 2019, Hard Rock International recently announced. Also, the Residences at the Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans will offer for-sale units. The hotel will feature regionally inspired dining options, meeting space and music memorabilia throughout.
Both the Florida House and Senate bills would ratify a 20-year compact with the Seminole Tribe, granting it exclusive rights to blackjack and slots outside Miami-Dade and Broward counties in exchange for $3 billion over seven years, sponsored by sponsored by Tourism & Gaming Control Chairman Mike LaRosa (l.). But major differences may doom any chance to pass gambling legislation before the session ends March 9.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Congress acted within its authority when it passed the Gun Lake Trust Land Reaffirmation Act, effectively ending Michigan resident David Patchak's prolonged fight against the Gun Lake Tribe's Gun Lake Casino in Wayland. Patchak claimed he was harmed by the casino, built on trust land three miles from his property.
Michigan’s FireKeepers Casino Hotel (l.) has announced the largest profits yet, an increase of 5.84 percent over last year. The casino has seen five straight years of increased profits.
Junior members of the Connecticut legislature revolted against two power committee co-chairmen and forced a bill out of committee that would repeal last year’s law giving a monopoly on a third casino to the state’s two gaming tribes. The bill they forced of committee is strongly backed by the tribes’ nemesis, MGM Resorts International, but will likely be vetoed by Governor Dannel Malloy (l.).
Massachusetts’ Mashpee Wampanoag tribe will have to wait another month before hearing the final ruling by the Department of the Interior on whether it will put land into trust for the tribe in Taunton. The tribe has been waiting two years to restart its casino building project there. Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell (l.) remained optimistic.
Tribal leaders are watching with some trepidation three big cases that the U.S. Supreme Court will take up this year. All of the cases in some way concern tribal sovereignty.
In an effort to expand the appeal of its Wa She Shu Casino (l.), the Washoe Tribe of Nevada is negotiating a new Class III gaming compact with the state. The tribe seeks to add table games and sports betting to its all slot machine offering.
Infrastructure work has begun on the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians' $50 million waterfront casino and hotel in Peshawbestown, Michigan, following the tribal council's 4-3 vote of approval. Some think it will trigger economic growth. Others believe it's an election year ploy. The tribe owns the Leelanau Sands Casino and Lodge (l.).
Hard Rock International officials announced the 450-foot guitar-shaped hotel tower at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida is more than half completed. It's part of the Seminole Tribe's $1.5 billion expansion that will double the casino size, and add a new live performance venue, retail and dining options.
Pot may be a smoking hot new business in the Golden State, but tribes seeking to mine some of that gold are hitting a roadblock in the form of a state that wants to assert its primacy in the marijuana marketplace. Tribes are not taking this attitude lying down.
The two-day National Indian Gaming Association’s 20-18 Winter Legislative Summit held a full schedule. Tribal leaders are leery of the current political climate.
A year after opening the Ilani Casino Resort near La Center, Washington, the tribe will be opening a new event center on April 1. The new 22,000 square foot facility will be one of the largest and most flexible event centers in the region.
Pauma Casino in San Diego County just replaced an aging concert pavilion with a much larger one that will allow it to offer concerts hosting nearly 1,200 seats. The new venue, a tent-like structure, is called the Pauma Pavilion.
In an effort to provide more family entertainment, the Otoe-Missouria Tribe broke ground on a water park and 60 additional rooms at its 7 Clans First Council Hotel and Casino near Arkansas City, Oklahoma. The water park will include a lazy river and thrill rides. Construction will be completed by late December.
A ribbon-cutting marked the completion of phase one of expansions at the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux's Dakota Magic Casino in Hankinson, North Dakota. The expansion included a redesigned casino floor and improved ventilation, VIP lounge and high limit slot room. New slots and table games, a deli and upscale restaurant are planned.
Democratic candidates for Alabama governor believe an education lottery could attract players who currently buy tickets in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. Republican candidate Steve Flowers (l.) said a lottery "is an easy play for Democrats." Alabama is one of six states that bans a lottery and does not offer casino gambling (except for Class II tribal gaming).
International Game Technology was awarded a contract to provide system and other services to the South Carolina Education Lottery, with systems to go live May 13.
Daily Fantasy Sports leader DraftKings announced it has hired a director of sportsbook operations as the company confirms it is preparing for legal sports betting in the U.S. The Boston-based company has named Sean Hurley as its head of sportsbook to “build, launch and drive the sports betting vertical at DraftKings.”
The World Poker Tour, a subsidiary of Chinese online gaming company Ourgame, has announced a four-year contract extension for CEO Adam Pliska. He first assumed the role in 2009.
Aristocrat Leisure CEO Trevor Croker (l.) lauded the supplier’s achievement of a 15 percent revenue increase in the face of a flat market and increasing competition.
Eilers & Krejcik Research and Fantini Research are partnering to launch a comprehensive report on slot game performance, covering slot game revenues monthly and listing the top performers.
FABICash has donated $100,000 to the education trust fund of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, delivering the check to tribal leaders at the Kiowa Tribal Facility
TGG Takara Gaming Group has signed a deal to supply gaming machines to the Solaire Resort and Casino in the Philippines, which is operated by Bloomberry Resorts.
Hong Kong-listed gaming manufacturer and provider Paradise Entertainment Ltd. has added 267 new Live Multi-Game (LMG) terminals to two casino properties in Macau.
