The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s latest auction for Category 4 satellite casino licenses drew no takers, leaving the future of the mini-casino program in question. The first such license—acquired as a defensive measure by Penn National Gaming, owner of Hollywood Casino (l.) at Penn National Race Course—went for $50.1 million.

A law proposed in the California legislature that would give college athletes the same rights to profit from their names, likenesses and images that professional athletes enjoy has sent the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to go into a huddle, since it would violate that organization’s nationwide rules. But sports giants like LeBron James (l.) are all for it.

While Cambodia has bowed to demands from the Chinese government to put an end to online gaming, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (l.) says its online industry is too important to lose. Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) are expected to bring in PHP8 billion (US$153.4 million) to the government by the end of the year.

Sportsbooks in the U.S. are reporting brisk business as football season kicks in. Polls rank the game as the top draw in wagering. Sports betting behemoths like FanDuel and DraftKings said the amount of money bet by their online users during the NFL season opener by far outpaced last year.

The New South Wales gaming regulator has announced it will investigate whether Crown Resorts breached its gaming license in the state when majority shareholder James Packer (l.), sold off almost 20 percent of the Australian gaming operator to Hong Kong-listed Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd.

New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks posted dramatic year-over-year gains in August and the state’s total handle is once again poised to surpass Nevada’s. The figures establish New Jersey as the largest legal sports betting jurisdiction in the country. Sportsbooks in Atlantic City, including the new sports book at Bally’s, which debuted last week, (l.) saw plenty of action, but mobile bets comprised 85 percent of total wagers.

Aristocrat Technologies has settled a lawsuit that it filed on behalf of its subsidiary Video Gaming Technologies (VGT) over trademark infringement. Castle Hill Gaming has agreed to pay $3 million and stop infringing on the company’s trademarks and brands. This includes new longer using several game titles.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has proposed easing the barrier to entry for casino investors. Currently, investors must commit a minimum of US$2 billion to build a casino in the country, and pony up half of that just to get a registration certificate. Meanwhile, Suncity Group Holdings Ltd. says Phase I of its Hoiana casino resort (l.), now in development in Quang Nam Province, may be delayed until the first half of 2020.

Jan Jones Blackhurst has been appointed to Caesars Entertainment’s board of directors. The appointment was effective September 5. Blackhurst, who has been a senior executive at Caesars since 1999, will continue in her current role of executive vice president, public policy and corporate responsibility, until October 1.

The national restaurant and sports bar chain Buffalo Wild Wings (l.) will join with MGM and Roar Digital to offer an array of events and promotions in states where sports betting is legal. These will include contests on the BetMGM mobile platform with players vying for trips to Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

This week the GGB Podcast features and interview with American Gaming Association President and CEO Bill Miller on his first year at the helm of the important gaming group in Washington D.C.

Singapore has renewed its commitment to fight problem gambling, says Josephine Teo (l.), second minister for home affairs. New measures could include technologies to keep patrons apprised of the time and money they spend at the casino, plus data analytics that can provide “insights on the risk profiles” of gaming customers.

Widus Philippines Inc., owner and operator of the Widus Hotel and Casino (l.) in the Philippines, has become the first casino in the Clark Freeport Zone to be granted its “regular” gaming license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).

Amax International Holdings Ltd., headed by businessman Ng Man Sun (l.), has proposed a name change to “refresh” its corporate image and brand, according to a September 9 filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It could soon become known as Century Entertainment International Holdings Ltd.

The UK Gambling Commission has charged Silverbond Enterprise Ltd. with money laundering and “failure of social responsibility” for unlawful activities at its Park Lane Casino (l.) in London’s Mayfair section. The property has been under review since 2016.

The majority of Finns do not trust MPs on gaming policy, according to a poll conducted by Bilendi Oy and commissioned by affiliate Kasino Curt. The survey also found that more Finns oppose Veikkaus’s gaming monopoly than support it.

All UK gaming companies will soon have to sign up to Gamstop, a self-exclusion system that enables problem gamblers to block themselves from online betting sites. The Gamstop launch was delayed 18 months when the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) identified flaws in the system.

Norway’s gaming regulator, Lottstift, has advised national media outlets that it will not permit the publication of betting odds or the promotion of online betting brands. Lottstift said it’s become common for odds to be posted in national newspapers.

Colombia loses up to US$250 million to illegal gambling each year, about 40 percent of the total market, according to Juan B. Perez Hidalgo (l.), head of gaming regulator Coljuegos. To curtail the losses, Coljuegos will create an “elite body” to combat illegal operations, which The head of the agency.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have closed a three-year inquiry into gaming operator Tabcorp for lack of evidence. Tabcorp said it has cooperated fully with investigators in the case, which stemmed from allegations that the company paid $200,000 to family members of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (l).

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (l.) has issued a cease-and-desist order against Betfair Australia demanding that it stop offering bets on Hong Kong races. HKJC called the plan, which was to begin on September 1, a “serious integrity issue and an equally serious infringement of intellectual property rights.”

A month after pulling online gaming provider Betway from the legal Kenyan market, the country’s Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) has reinstated the company. To make it happen, Betway had to agree to a new 20 percent tax on sports bet winnings.

A superior court judge in Rhode Island has dismissed a challenge to the legality of the state’s sports betting. The judge ruled that plaintiff Daniel Harrop lacked standing to sue. Harrop pledges to return to court with someone who has standing, like a gambler at one of the state’s two casinos, including Twin River (l.) in Lincoln.

Iowa recently launched sports betting, sending some Minnesota legislators into a panic. State Senator Roger Chamberlain, whose sports betting bill stalled in committee, said he'll try again next session. State Rep. Pat Garofalo (l.), has bewailed “a steady stream” of Minnesotans heading to Iowa to bet on sports.

Last month, the New Hampshire Lottery put out an RFP for potential operators of a sportsbook in the Granite State. It got back more than 100 questions from potential bidders.

The Oregon Lottery won’t be unveiling its “Scoreboard” sports betting app just yet. It still needs more testing, according to spokesman Matt Shelby, who said the app might not be ready before October. Tribal casino Chinook Winds (l). in Lincoln City launched the state’s first sportsbook in August.

The Maine legislature will delay the issue of sports betting until early next year. Governor Janet Mills (l.) has called for more time for several bills that are pending, including the sportsbook bill.

A new law signed by Governor Roy Cooper authorizes the North Carolina Lottery to hire a third-party contractor to study whether sports betting should be permitted. In July legislators passed a measure allowing sports betting only at the Eastern Band of Cherokees' Harrah's casinos in Cherokee (l.) and Murphy.

Beyer Hall (l.) at Iowa State University is being renovated to include a gaming space, offering casual and competitive gaming. A dedicated esports room will accommodate Rocket League, Smash Brothers and Fortnite eSports intramurals. The venue, set to open in fall 2020, is the result of a student survey in which 92 percent of respondents said they are "some type of gamer."

Three months after its online casino launched in New Jersey, Kindred Group has introduced its first online sports betting offering under the Unibet brand. Look for a significant marketing push focused on the start of the NFL season, in partnership with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City (l).

The Performance Racing Network and sports betting media company VSiN along with NASCAR have announced a long term content partnership to bring sports betting video content directly to race fans at NASCAR.com.

UK soccer team the Liverpool Reds (l.) is the latest football club to suspend its partnership with betting firm 1xBet pending a full investigation into illegal content. 1xBet has had its UK license suspended last week after it emerged advertisements had been placed on websites that included the unlawful streaming of Premier League football.

The PGA Tour became the latest pro sports organization to make a move toward monetizing official data by providing it to U.S. sports betting operators. The world’s top pro golf organization announced an expansion of a deal with IMG Arena.

FanDuel Sports opened August 29 at Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque, the closest casino to the state line with Minnesota, where sports betting isn't available. Vikings Hall of Famer John Randle placed the first bet and won. Bettors must register in person, since mobile and online betting aren't available yet.

Scientific Games Corp.'s OpenSports product suite will power the new sportsbook at Caesars Entertainment's Indiana Grand Racing & Casino in Shelbyville. It's the first sportsbook to open in the state and the fifth for the Scientific Games/Caesars partnership. Three more casinos and three off-track betting locations will open this month with the OpenSports platform.

Waukegan, Illinois is one of five suburban Chicago locations authorized to host a casino under the state's expanded gaming bill. Six developers (two working together) have presented five plans: Churchill Downs/Rush Street Gaming; Waukegan Gaming (rending of Fontana casino at left); Full House Resorts; Lakeside Casino; the Potawatomi Tribe; and Waukegan Development. The city will give the Illinois Gaming Board its recommendations next month.

Just five years after its grand opening, the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore (l.) has hit a new low in monthly revenue. The Caesars Entertainment property has unsuccessfully tried to fend off competition from MGM National Harbor and Live! Casino & Hotel In Arundel Mills. But statewide, gaming revenues were up.

Spectacle Entertainment has been approved by the Indiana Gaming Commission to move its Majestic Star riverboat casino (l.) off Lake Michigan and onto land in downtown Gary. The $300 million Hard Rock Gary will open by late 2020. Spectacle and Hard Rock also will apply for the Terre Haute casino license, if Vigo County voters pass a referendum allowing a casino there.

Within a decade, Isle Casino Racing Pompano (l.) in Florida could become an urban village called Live! Resorts Pompano, including a casino, residences, office space, retailers and perhaps a major corporate headquarters, plus numerous other amenities. The Pompano Beach Commission recently granted racino owner Eldorado Resorts and developer Cordish Companies preliminary approval for a land-use amendment.

Officials at Turfway Park racetrack (l.) in Florence, Kentucky allege that Churchill Downs' recently announced $200 million New Latonia Racing & Gaming venue will "restrict competition" by applying for race dates Turfway already claimed. Churchill officials said the new venue will offer a historical racing facility like Derby City in Louisville which has produced $860 million in handle since its September 2018 opening.

Georgia state Senator Brandon Beach (l.) has sponsored legislation allowing two casinos and three racetracks. He's currently chairing a study committee on gaming, following Governor Brian Kemp's directive to cut budgets statewide. Beach said the issue isn't gambling—the state has a lottery—and casinos and racetracks would create thousands of jobs.

The Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa (l.) in Atlantic City will spend $14 million to renovate its lobby and hotel suites. The expenditures come on the heels of a $12 million upgrade completed in June.

Pine Bluff, Arkansas Alderman Bruce Locket hopes to collect 2,000 signatures to place on the November 2020 ballot a proposal to ban smoking at the Saracen Casino Resort (l.), now under construction. The community’s city council recently voted 6-1 to reject Lockett's proposed anti-smoking ordinance. The Saracen Annex will open this month followed by the main casino in December.

Several residents of Sedgwick County, Kansas have voiced their opposition to a proposal that would reopen the shuttered Wichita Greyhound Park (l.) as a racino. The county commission tabled the proposal indefinitely as a result. The track has been closed since voters rejected a destination casino in the county, which the state ultimately opened near Mulvane.

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians is suing the Department of the Interior over a decision that prevents the tribe from building a casino in the San Francisco Bay area. The tribe wanted to put land into trust to allow it to offer gaming in Vallejo, 32 miles from the city. John Tahsuda (l.) of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, said the tribe has not proven its ties to the site.

Two men who served as treasurer of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of Massachusetts have reportedly been subpoenaed by the Federal Grand Jury. No reason has been given. Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell (l.) and others are a focus of a recall effort by some tribal members.

George Tiger (l.), former Muscogee (Creek) Nation principal chief, was arraigned on federal bribery charge related to his service between September 2017 and December 2018 as chairman of the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town Economic Development Authority Board. Tiger is one of 10 candidates running for principal chief in the September 21 primary.

Cathedral City and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of California have signed several agreements that will make possible a third tribal casino, this one in the downtown area. A ceremony was held recently commemorating those plans (l.). The tribe will pay the city up to $6.5 million over the next decade once the casino is built.

The day before Halloween, the first Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open in California. The $440 million Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain is a joint project of the Enterprise Rancheria Indian tribe and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which owns Hard Rock International.

The multimillion-dollar expansion at the Saganing Eagles Landing Casino and Hotel (l.), in Standish, Michigan recently was completed. It includes a five-story, 148-room hotel, the Landing restaurant and Creekside Lounge, and a gift shop. More than 300 new slots brings the casino’s total to 1,200. The project created more than 160 new jobs.

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians has broken ground on the expansion of its Four Winds South Bend (l.) in Indiana, including a 23-story, 317-room hotel tower with a spa, convention space, bar and grille and rooftop pool. The tribe also asked that negotiations begin on a Class III gaming compact, allowing it to offer slots and table games.

The Pamunkey Indian Tribe has offered the city of Norfolk, Virginia $10 million for a 13.25-acre downtown tract to be used for a $700 million casino resort (l.). The tribe would pay the city 4 percent of annual gaming revenues, or $33 million. A commercial casino still requires approval from the legislature and a local referendum. Meanwhile Governor Ralph Northam awaits a study on gaming impacts.

Seneca Resorts have partnered with the Buffalo Bills football team, becoming its “official casino.” The partnership is the second announced this month between an NFL team and a casino tribe. The alliance will launch with a contest a motor coach and season tickets and expand from there, an official with Seneca Gaming said.

Litigants in a federal trial over whether the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) must seek permitting from the town of Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard before it builds a Class II casino paused in their battle—and reached a small agreement. In a move lauded by Tribal Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais (l.), the tribe will be allowed to secure the construction site.

Gila River Hotels & Casinos, with three resorts in Arizona including Lone Butte and Wild Horse Pass in Chandler and Vee Quiva (l.) in Laveen, has been named by the Arizona Cardinals NFL team as its official hotel and casino partner. The relationship will include Cardinals-themed hotel rooms and promotions at the tribes’ three casinos.

At a recent meeting of a special House committee, Missouri Lottery Commission Executive Director May Scheve Reardon (l.) said illegal video gaming machines are cannibalizing revenue from the lottery and the state's 13 casinos, leading to decreasing funds for education. She said an estimated 14,000 machines operate in Missouri, particularly along the I-44 corridor.

Tom Cantone, senior vice president of sports and entertainment for Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, has been named to an inaugural list of 50 of the most influential and innovative leaders of the entertainment industry: VenuesNow’s 2019 All-Stars.

Hong Kong-listed gaming operator Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd. has appointed Evan Winkler as company president. Winkler will be responsible for Melco’s “day-to-day operational matters globally,” the company said in a statement announcing the appointment.

After 26 years working for Sycuan Casino in San Diego County, California and completing a $260 million expansion, General Manager John Dinius (l.) got a handshake goodbye. He won’t comment on why he was fired.

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Economic Development Corp., operators of the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel and Leelanau Sands Casino & Lodge in Michigan, named Michael Schrader chief executive officer. Schrader has held leadership positions at several tribal casinos for more than 20 years.

For almost a quarter century, Mark Brown (l.) helped steer the Mohegan tribe through the early years of the Mohegan Sun Casino. He served as both tribal council member and chairman. Last month, he lost his bid for a seventh term.

Austrian gaming technology firm Novomatic AG has appointed Johannes Gratzl as its new chief financial officer. Gratzl, the company’s former head of group treasury, replaces Peter Stein in the position. Novomatic announced changes to its boards as well.

Melissa Shuba has been named director of regulatory compliance of BMM International LLC. Shuba has been with the game testing and compliance company for three years

José Carlos Figueroa, former deputy gaming director for the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC), has joined Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) as Caribbean government relations and business development representative.

Gaming supplier Aristocrat has unveiled a product it calls “the reinvention of bartop play.” The Winner's World Multi-Game bartop cabinet offers a different bartop play experience with entertainment-style and Buffalo keno games, poker games and player-favorite slot games including Buffalo, Buffalo Gold and Wild Lepre'coins.