The run-up to a legal integrated resort industry in Japan has included speed bumps, stop signs, and hairpin turns. The surprises continue with the emergence of Kitakyushu City (l.) as a possible location—and noises from heavyweight champ Floyd Mayweather that he wants to build a casino there. But a deadline of July 2021 extends the period even more before the first integrated resort could debut.

MGM Grand. It’s the last marquee name MGM Resorts wholly owns on the Las Vegas Strip. MGM Growth Properties wants it, but it’s looking for somebody else’s money to help do the deal. MGP is going to sell more than 24 million shares to help raise some money to make the deal.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (l.) said tribal officials have stopped communicating with him over the state's 15-year gaming compacts, which will expire January 1, 2020. Tribes said the compacts, which grant them exclusive gaming rights, automatically will renew. Stitt disputes that and wants to raise exclusivity fee rates from the current 4 percent to 10 percent.

Resorts World Las Vegas has unveiled updated plans for the US$4.3 billion luxury resort casino. New amenities will include a 5,000-seat theater; additional luxury suites, villas and penthouses with individual lobby experiences, open balconies and a sky casino. But opening day has been pushed back from late 2020 to mid-year 2021.

Florida State Senator Jeff Brandes (l.) has introduced bills to allow sports betting in the state, but they’re unlikely to survive opposition from the powerful Seminole Tribe. Meanwhile, Kentucky state Rep. Adam Koenig hopes a newly elected pro-gaming governor will get sports betting passed.

A state-commissioned report from Rutgers University in New Jersey says a cap on casino licenses in Atlantic City would help stem the cannibalization of a limited gaming revenues. The research suggests that the only thing keeping AC casinos in the black is sports betting and online gaming.

Smaller, nimbler casinos have embraced apps in a big way. Downloading is one thing, however, actually using them is another. But there are ways to get players more engaged by making the apps entertaining and rewarding.

A Russian official promises there will be at least 11 casino resorts occupying the Primorye Gambling Zone by 2023. While it’s a familiar refrain; the sole operating casino in the zone, in the Far East near Vladivostok, is Tigre de Cristal (l.), which opened in late 2015.

It’s a dogfight in Florida as greyhound racing workers demand $250 million in compensation for the pending loss of their industry. Amendment 13, approved by 69 percent of voters in November, requires that all wagers on dog racing stop by the end of 2020.

E. Sequoyah Simermeyer has been confirmed by U.S. Senate to chair the National Indian Gaming Commission. Simermeyer. He replaces Jonadeve Chaudhuri, who served more than four years as chairman of the agency.

Cambodian-based gaming operator NagaCorp, owner and operator of NagaWorld (l.) in Phnom Penh, has signed an amendment to its exclusivity agreement with the government that extends its monopoly on casinos operations in the vicinity for 10 more years, until 2045.

Two of the most intriguing slot games at G2E were games that recreate the Japanese arcade favorite pachinko, in both RNG video and physics-based versions. The games, like Aruze’s Jackpot Circus (l.), were seen as the first iteration of machines aimed at the Japanese market.

In the ongoing debate about whether gamblers can tell if a casino has raised the older percentage on slot machines, the professors who claim they can’t explain why par may not mean what you think it means present a closer look at the research. The result is likely to be more debate.

This week, the GGB Podcast features an interview with Ronnie Jones, the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, about how regulation in his state has changed markedly since the early days of casino gaming.

The Ways and Means Committee of the Philippine House of Representatives has approved a new 5 percent tax on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). But the bill faces some pushback from lawmaker Jose Calida (l.), who says POGOs cannot be taxed at all.

A decline in VIP volumes estimated to be in the 30 percent range could drive down total gaming revenues in Macau by double digits. This would beat August’s 8.6 percent decline and mark November as the market’s worst month this year. Sanford C. Bernstein’s Vitaly Umansky (l.) expects revenues to dip by as much as 13 percent.

Subic Bay Yacht Club, in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in the Philippines, has opened a new boutique casino at the newly renovated facility. The property, on the coastline west of Clark, is targeting boating enthusiasts.

Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has announced that its multibillion-dollar Inspire resort in South Korea is i development and on track to open in June 2022.

Few new details were available last week about the investigation into Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International (IPI) and Ralph Torres, governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), where the company’s casino is located.

Philippines-based casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which operates the Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila’s Entertainment City, has appealed an arbitration decision in Singapore ordering it to pay US$296 million to Global Gaming Philippines LLC, a unit of U.S.-based Global Gaming Asset Management LLC (GGAM), controlled by Bill Weidner (l.).

The government of Catalonia in Spain says Hard Rock International is still negotiating the purchase of land in Vila-Seca and Salou. In 2018, the local government gave Hard Rock Entertainment World permission to build a casino and leisure complex in the region. The design will reportedly be similar to the recently opened Guitar Hotel (l.) at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida.

The Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Authority has engaged three companies to vet international junket operators before they’re permitted to work at City of Dreams Mediterranean, the mega-resort now under construction in Limassol.

The renovated Orenes Gran Casino Extremadura has reopened in western Spain near Portugal. Operator Grupo Orenes says the re-launch reflects a new direction by the company, which plans to eventually remodel all its casinos.

Czech Republic Finance Minister Alena Schillerová says a self-exclusion registry for gamblers will launch next year. Players may self-exclude, and other individuals will be automatically excluded, such as people treated for gambling addiction.

Neighbors of the Star Casino in Sydney, Australia have turned thumbs down on the operator’s plan to build a 220-room Ritz Carlton skyscraper hotel (l.). The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission agreed the proposal was “overly intrusive.”

SkyCity Entertainment Ltd. last week appealed to the New Zealand gaming regulator to allow it to swap out three table games for 60 slot machines at its Hamilton casino. SkyCity says the tables constitute 63 player spaces compared to 60 player spaces on 60 EGMs.

Italy’s 5Star-DP coalition government has announced a goal to reduce the number of online gaming licensees by 2023. There are currently 85 operating concessions in the market.

A Spanish online gambling trade association says its partners have agreed to adhere to new advertising and marketing “control measures” approved by the country’s gaming regulator.

Dutch gaming regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has announced that the Netherlands’ regulated online gaming market is now likely to open in June, 2021, six months later than originally planned.

Everi Holdings Inc. announced last week that GoldenNuggetCasino.com has exclusively launched its player-favorite Triple Threat and six other titles for online real-money play in New Jersey.

Unibet launched it online sports betting and casino option in Pennsylvania last week. The company partnered with Mohegan Sun Pocono, where it helps run a physical sportsbook. Much of what Unibet offers is available in New Jersey already. The company hopes deals with the Eagles and Devils will boost its business.

Partypoker has continued its ongoing battle against fraudulent bot accounts, closing 57 rogue accounts across its two main European networks.

Pennsylvania sports betting handle reached a new record in October, with $241.2 million in wagers, up from the previous record set the month before. Revenues were slightly down from September. The sportsbook at Rivers Pittsburgh (l.) continued to lead the retail market.

As sports betting spreads across the U.S., National Hockey League teams have created a host of wagers for bettors, such as whether a goalie’s save percentage will be over or under compared to a prior game. The league, despite early opposition to sports betting, was one of the earliest supporters.

With all four major sports leagues playing at some point, New Jersey broke the September record for sports wagering. Coupled with online gaming revenue, sports betting helped propel overall casino gaming closer to the $3 billion mark for the first time in a long while.

Genius Sports has signed a deal to provide the Dutch Basketball League (DBL) with the company’s live streaming and data services. The partnership will be in place at all DBL venues effective immediately.

The PGA Tour plans to add an expanded roster of proposition bets for the 2020 tour season. Bettors will be able to wager on a shot-by-shot basis, with such bets as whether a golfer will birdie a certain hole. The roll out comes on the heels of an agreement naming IMG Arena as official data provider.

Iowa has welcomed FanDuel to its daily fantasy sports (DFS) market. The company, which operates sportsbooks at two Iowa casinos, passed the testing phase administered by the state Racing and Gaming Commission, ending a five-year quest. DraftKings received DFS approval October 25.

California recently passed the “Fair Pay to Play” law to allow college athletes to profit from endorsements and the use of their images. Several states have gotten in line to follow suit and the NCAA says it’s rethinking its opposition to student athletes making money.

Twin River Worldwide Holdings in Rhode Island continues its negotiations with the state over a regulatory agreement that governs its ownership of casinos in Lincoln (l.) and Tiverton. A November 13 deadline came and went without an agreement.

Gaming revenues in Deadwood, South Dakota (l.) bounced back in September after a slight dip in August, rising 11 percent to $114.4 million compared to September 2018. Slot handle rose 11.8 percent to $108.4 million and table games handle was down slightly. Hotel occupancy fell 1.89 percent.

The $17.3 billion merger of Caesars Entertainment and Eldorado Resorts, recently approved by shareholders on both sides, will result in sales of casinos across the country including in Missouri, where the combined company would have owned six of 13 licensed casinos, including Lumiere Place (l.) in St. Louis.

Portsmouth, Virginia City Council members have unanimously approved a deal with Rush Street Gaming to develop a casino resort. Officials said they were impressed with Chicago-based Rush Street's focus on employees and community engagement, plus its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Chairman Neil Bluhm (l.) says the casino could spur additional development.

Licensed gaming establishments in Champaign, Illinois can add more video gambling machines following City Council's recent vote raising the limit from five to six machines. Currently 61 businesses offer 281 machines and all but 12 have five.

Georgia lawmakers are on a "listening sessions" tour related to expanded gaming in the state. Legislators are considering a constitutional amendment allowing casinos, horseracing and sports betting. Analysts say they would create thousands of jobs. Brett Harrell (l.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, says the legislators want to hear the opinions of the public.

Biloxi Capital is seeking site approval for a $600 million Biloxi casino resort on a 30-acre tract it bought in 2005-2006. The site is the location of the former Tivoli (l.) hotel that was demolished several years ago after damage suffered during Hurricane Katrina. The land has been zoned for gaming since 2007. Also, Special Circuit Court Judge Christopher Schmidt recently ruled on Biloxi and Bay St. Louis casino-related appeals.

The Las Vegas Raiders and M Resort Spa Casino (l.) have made a sponsorship deal that designates the Henderson, Nevada property as the team’s official residence. The team chose the M for its proximity to its new $2 billion stadium and practice facilities, also being built in Henderson.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (l.) says she would consider talking with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians about their offer to acquire exclusive gaming rights in the state. The plan includes a constitutional amendment allowing Class III gaming and two new casino resorts in north Alabama.

The Tohono O'odham Nation will open its $400 million Desert Diamond West Valley Casino (l.) on February 19 near Glendale, Arizona. The new casino will be twice the size of the old one.

Stand Up for California, a watchdog casino group, has appealed the ruling by a federal judge that upheld putting land into trust for the Wilton Rancheria casino in Elk Grove. The organization claims that the federal government acted wrongly when it put the land into trust in 2017.

California’s Chemehuevi Tribe last week celebrated the grand opening of the Havasu Landing Resort and Casino, a quarter-mile away from the original casino. The resort includes a 48-room hotel, sports bar, ferry dock and marina slips and store.

Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino (l.), near Lamoore, California, has reopened its expanded and improved High-Limit Gaming Room. The room includes more VIP slots.

Jyoti Chopra, who served five years in global media and advocacy for UNICEF, has been recruited from the private sector in Britain to lead a drive launched by MGM Resorts International targeting a set of ambitious goals for boosting diversity and positive social and environmental impacts.

Konami Gaming Inc. last week announced that Jason Kremer has been named the company’s vice president of studio operations. He brings more than 20 years of industry expertise with a demonstrated track record of business growth and entertainment innovation.

TCSJohnHuxley has agreed to acquire all operating assets of furniture, layouts and table game accessories in North America from rival supplier Gaming Partners International (GPI).

Synergy Blue’s skill-influenced, arcade-style casino games will soon be at The Linq now that a deal has been struck for Caesars Entertainment to set up trials of the innovative company’s games.

Pechanga Resort Casino of Temecula, California has introduced its MyPechanga app to enable guests to book hotel rooms, view Club Dollar balances and contact hosts with ease.

Andrea Domingo (l.), chairwoman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural G2E Asia @ the Philippines, to be held in Manila on December 3-4, 2019.

Aruze Gaming America Inc. in partnership with Techno Gaming exhibited an exceptional lineup of games and cabinets November 20-22 at SAGSE Buenos Aires 2019.