After some final tweaking, a package of gaming bills approved by Michigan lawmakers was forwarded to Governor Gretchen Whitmer (l.), who said, "As I understand the bills, I plan to sign them." The legislative package, sponsored by state Rep. Brandt Iden, would legalize sports betting, online gaming and daily fantasy sports. Tax on sports betting is 8.4 percent, but online gaming got slammed with taxes between 20 percent and 28 percent.
South Korea’s ambitious plan for a cluster of casino resorts in the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) may give the country’s gaming sector a head start on Japan’s nascent integrated resort industry. A Caesars resort (l.) is due to open in 2021. Mohegan Gaming’s Inspire will follow in 2022.
VIP play in Macau has been on the downslide all year, and Xi Jinping’s visit later this month wasn’t expected to help. But gaming revenues as the month started indicates things could get a lot worse.
The deal is done: Eldorado Resorts has sold its Isle Casino Cape Girardeau (l.) and Lady Luck Casino Caruthersville in Missouri and Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort in West Virginia. Selling the Missouri properties will avoid federal antitrust complications as part of the sale of Caesars Entertainment to Eldorado for $17.3 billion.
Hard Rock Entertainment, trying to overcome obstacles to its integrated resort project in the Catalan region of Spain, has received a second license extension from the local government. The most recent six-month extension expired on December 5.
Rick Hill, one of the most important players in the early history of Indian gaming, passed away suddenly last week. Hill was the former chairman of the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin, and the first chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association.
The California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) leadership has passed the baton to new leaders, including a new chairman. Outgoing Chairman Steve Stallings (l.) handed over his role to James Siva, who previously served as vice chairman.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has levied a series of fines against a handful of iGaming companies. But to the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, it’s a sign of bad things to come. Now the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey is weighing in.
The American Gaming Association has evolved into a synergistic relationship with the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). After a more adversarial role that resulted in millions in fines against casino companies, the industry developed a positive partnership with the feds. Bill Miller (l.), AGA president and CEO, says the industry continues to be a leader in compliance.
The government of the Indian state of Goa has failed again to procure a new location for casino ships that operate on the Mandovi River. The boats continue to operate despite numerous pledges by several administrations to move them.
The Sports Betting Hall of Fame has announced the names of five inductees who will be added to the lineup next year at the Betting on Sports America conference, organized by SBC. Among those named are former New Jersey state Senator Ray Lesniak (l). and Vegas oddsmaker Roxy Roxborough.
Speculation abounds about how the 2020 acquisition of Caesars Entertainment will affect Eldorado Resorts, and the properties and operations of both. The changes and ripple effects could be dramatic.
This week, the GGB Podcast features an interview with Steve Peck, the associate principal with Klai Juba Wald Architects on the lead role he took in the design of the already iconic Guitar Hotel at Hard Rock Hollywood in Florida.
Leisure & Resorts World Corp. (LRWC) has shelved plans to build a $550 million integrated resort on Boracay Island in the Philippines, at least for now. Eusebio Tanco, the company’s acting chairman, said he’ll hang onto the real estate and “land-bank it,” but left the door open to a future IR.
Hong Kong-based investment and junket company Amax International Holdings has officially changed its name to Century Entertainment International Holdings Ltd. The change was approved on December 3.
The Philippines Anti-Money Laundering Council says the government that must implement stronger anti-money laundering processes by October 2020 or risk landing on a “grey” list by the Financial Action Task Force.
Sixteen years after the service was first announced, trains are now running between Taipa and the Cotai resort district. Eleven stations are operating along the line, including key stops at Macau Airport, the Taipa Ferry Terminal and the Lotus Bridge checkpoint.
On January 1, Danish gaming regulator Spillemyndigheden will introduce mandatory deposit limits for online gambling. It will also amend the inspection standards for lotteries to ensure that they conform to the requirements for iGaming.
On November 29, the Novomatic Group opened its third casino in Andalusia, Spain. Casino Admiral Granada (l.) offers 110 video slots, electronic roulette, American roulette, blackjack and Caribbean stud poker.
Novomatic AG has agreed to sell its 17 percent stake in gaming operator Casinos Austria to Czech gaming conglomerate SAZKA Group for an undisclosed sum. SAZKA CEO Robert Chvatal (l.) says he wants to focus on the core markets and innovation.
A study by the Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) indicates that Swedes are gambling less since the market’s reregulation, completed in January. Overall, gambling dropped 6 percentage points year-on-year.
After legislation failed to approve online poker in Kentucky in 2019, a key sponsor feels optimistic about next year. The new governor, Andy Beshear (l.), is more pro-gambling. Plus, the legislative calendar favors a simple majority instead of the 60-votes-of-100 threshold in force in 2019.
Online gambling across Europe rose 11 percent year over year, with the UK representing a third of the business, according to the European Gaming and Betting Association. The association, which represents a half dozen betting firms, pointed out that sports betting was the top online activity.
TAG Media, an EU-based iGaming affiliate marketing consultancy, has launched its first affiliate website in the New Jersey market. US-Odds.com is a new breed of affiliate portal catering to American players in regulated states. It launched with a $1 million free-to-play jackpot game.
Two bills filed December 1 would make Missouri the first state to pay professional sports leagues and the National Collegiate Athletic Association a royalty on sports betting handle. A bill sponsored by state Senator Tony Leutkemeyer (l.) would reward the leagues and the NCAA with a .75 percent fee on gross wagers.
Arkansans have wagered $8.5 million in the first six months of sports betting. But only two venues offer the wagers: Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort (l.) in Hot Springs and the Saracen Casino Annex in Pine Bluff. Only on-site betting currently is allowed.
The first full month of activity by the Oregon Lottery’s sportsbook app Scoreboard raked in more than $17 million in bets. The bets were modest sized, with the average being $23.76.
Suffolk Downs (l.), a simulcast-only track, will become a wagering provider which will enable FanDuel to market horse racing to a new audience of daily fantasy sports fans. The program, approved by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, is expected to introduce new fans to horse racing.
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small (l.) wants the city to get what racetrack towns get: a share of the sports betting revenues generated in casinos. City Council agrees. But the state doesn’t look too willing.
November statistics show Indiana producing strong sports betting results, thanks in large part to mobile betting. Handle increased more than 60 percent from October. The take was helped by lack of sports betting in neighboring states of Ohio and Illinois.
DraftKings has partnered with the National Council on Problem Gaming to promote responsible betting programs. The company joins Caesars Entertainment, the Las Vegas Sands Corp., MGM Resorts International, and the Stars Group as platinum-level members. The goal is to curtail gaming addiction through sports betting.
The legalization of sports betting has had an impact on the number of fans tuning in to watch games. The figures show gains not only in television but in digital viewing as well. A co-owner of the hard-to-watch New York Giants (l.) said having a bet on the line helps keep viewers engaged.
A watchdog agency in India has suggested a shutdown of the Twenty 20 (T20) cricket leagues after a recent, low-tier match drew tens of millions in bets. Betfair has stopped taking bets on matches involving the team.
The various stakeholders in Colorado sports betting will meet soon as the Limited Gaming Control Commission begins developing a regulatory framework for the industry. Voters approved sports betting in November and the state has until May to put regulations into effect.
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (l.) hopes to bring sports betting to the country to attract funding for sports programs, especially football, to raise the level of play and make a better showing in the World Cup.
A Virginia lawmaker recently suggested the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk jointly develop a casino in Hampton Roads since they sit opposite each other on the Elizabeth River. But state Senator Louise Lucas (l.) of Portsmouth said, "We're going to have our casino, and that's it!"
After abandoning its former riverboat casinos, the $90 Million Caesars Southern Indiana Casino is now open to the public. The casino includes a new 110,000-square-foot land-based facility that reportedly elevates entertainment and gaming in region. At left, the Juno Bar in the new facility.
Maverick Gaming has closed on the purchase of Colorado’s largest casino operator encompassing three Denver-area casino properties, including Black Hawk’s Z Casino (l.), collectively featuring 1,500 slot machines, 20 table games and 119 hotel rooms. Majority owner Eric Persson says the purchase gives Maverick the second state that has legalized sports betting.
Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, which currently owns half of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City (l.), has announced an agreement with Warner Gaming to purchase 100 percent of the property.
Maryland gaming revenues for November were up slightly thanks to substantial increases from Rocky Gap Casino Resort (l.) in Western Maryland and Live! Casino and Hotel near Baltimore.
To secure better financing terms, Boot Hill Casino and Resort (l.) in Dodge City, Kansas renewed its contract with the state Lottery Commission and managers Butler National Corp. five years early.
It appears the struggles of New York’s commercial casino industry may have claimed an unlikely victim. Without a single full-time student, a college degree program in gaming management at Schenectady County Community College (l.) is closing its doors less than two miles from Schenectady’s Rivers Casino & Resort.
Horseshoe Casino Baltimore (l.) has unveiled a $15 million open-air terrace with 174 slot machines and 16 table games, equipped with overhead heaters, where smoking is permitted.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (l.) says the state's 35 casino-owning tribes should pay more in exclusivity fees after their 15-year gambling compacts expire January 1. Tribes say the compacts automatically renew at the same rate. The standoff escalated last week when Stitt suggested commercial casino companies could be invited in to operate in the state.
The first appointment of a Native American to the Washington state Supreme Court has been announced by Governor Jay Inslee. Judge Raquel Montoya-Lewis (l). has had a 20-year career as a judge in both the superior court and tribal court.
Wind Creek Bethlehem (l.), formerly Sands Bethlehem, has revealed details of its planned $90 million hotel tower in plans filed with the Pennsylvania city. The new tower will be built next to the existing hotel.
Southern California’s Morongo Casino, Resort and Spa is partway through an expansion and renovation that will add a third to the size of the resort. Eight hundred new slot machines will also be added.
The Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa paid off a $30 million loan it took out in 1995 to pay for building its Lac Vieux Desert Casino Resort (l.) in Watersmeet, Michigan—two years ahead of schedule. The tribe had refinanced the debt several times over two-plus decades.
The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, who own the Rolling Hills Casino Resort (l.) in California, last week held a groundbreaking for the new Nomlaki Administrative and Community Centers.
The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma last month received a loan that will enable them to expand and renovate the Lucky Star Casino-Watonga Hotel. Tribal Governor Reggie Wassana (l.) said the expansion will be good for creating jobs and raising revenue to serve members.
Mississippi Lottery Corporation President Tom Shaheen said the lottery sold $8,932,200 million in tickets in the first six days following its November 25 debut. About $3.8 million went toward prizes.
The Multi-State Lottery Association will pay an Iowa man $1.5 million regarding his claim that a $9 million jackpot he won in 2011 would have been larger if the previous jackpot had not been rigged by MUSL's former Information Security Director Eddie Tipton (l).
Eugene DePasquale (l.), auditor general of Pennsylvania, is planning a performance audit of the state’s lottery, focusing on repeat winners, and on safeguards against fraud.
Scientific Games has signed a three-year extension of its contract with the California State Lottery, and an all-new contract with the Massachusetts Lottery.
IGT has signed a 10-year extension of its contract with the Barbados Lottery, under which it provides private management services to four lottery licensees.
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has launched its annual holiday campaign to discourage minors from playing the lottery. The campaign emphasizes that studies have shown that early childhood gambling experiences can lead to gambling abuse as an adult.
Michael Neubecker is taking the helm at the MGM Grand as president and chief operating officer. It’s a property the Michigan native knows well. He succeeds Trevor Scherrer, who was there less than a year after replacing longtime CEO Scott Sibella.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board has recommended that Ellen Whittemore, executive vice president and general counsel for Wynn Resorts Ltd., be licensed as an officer of the company.
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment of Connecticut has announced that Ray Pineault (l.) has been appointed regional president, a newly created post. Succeeding him at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville will be Jeff Hamilton, former assistant general manager.
Derek Van Nostran, whose resume includes stints with Sinclair Digital, CNN and the Weather Channel, has been named chief marketing officer for VSiN. He was selected for his expertise at developing streaming services and building audiences across multiple platforms.
John Taylor, Jr. (l.) has stepped down as chairman and executive chairman of Twin River Worldwide Holdings. He will be replaced by Soohyung Kim, a large shareholder in Twin River, as well as managing partner and chief investment officer.
Konami Gaming has named acclaimed game developer Jason Kremer as vice president of studio operations, charged with overseeing R&D efforts as the company expands its game library.
David L. Kennedy, a longtime director of Scientific Games, is stepping down from his post after 10 years with the company, during which he was briefly president and CEO.
For the second time in recent years, former Macau and U.S. gaming executive Mark Brown (l.) has resigned his post as CEO of embattled Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International (IPI).
Itay Fisher has been named chief executive officer of Sports Information Group, LLC (SIG) which provides premium data driven content to the sports industry through its Daily Racing Form (DRF). He has been at SIG since last year as chief technology officer and then chief operating officer.
FSB Technology has appointed Andrew Bowen as its new chief financial officer. Bowen has previously held positions at Edge10 Group, InTouch Games, Ladbrokes and Scientific Games.
Silver Heritage Group, which operates the Millionaire’s Club in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu. has announced the appointment of Darryl Kaplan as a non-executive director of the company, effective immediately. Silver Heritage also runs Tiger Palace Resort in Bhairahawa.
GSL Gaming Group marked its second anniversary in December by adding new partners, elevating current partners and adding a new director of business development, Tracy Fields.
Shanghai attorney Simon Meng has joined the board of MGM China as an independent non-executive director. Meng is a partner at Linklaters specializing in cross-border M&A, direct investments and joint ventures in China and has advised numerous Chinese and multinational corporations.
Last week, shares in Asian casino operator Donaco International Ltd. were once again available for trade on the Australian Securities Exchange. Trading was suspended December 2 due to a shakeup on the board.
The tribal council of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe has elected Timothy Davis as its new chief. The tribe operates the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort and Soaring Eagle Waterpark in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and the Eagles Landing Casino near Standish.
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has created a new Advisory Board whose membership includes leaders in problem gaming, gaming regulation and the industry. Stephen Crosby (l.), the founding chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission will join the board. It will advise the National Council and help raise awareness on new issues.
Konami Gaming, Inc. announced last week that its Synkros casino management system has been selected by Red Lake Gaming Enterprises Inc., operator of casinos in Northern Minnesota.
Bleacher Report has launched an interactive game show in conjunction with Caesars Entertainment Corp. and Turner Sports. The B/R Betting Game Show will be held weekly before a live audience at Caesars Palace sportsbooks. Fans will compete for cash and prizes.
IGT’s Dynasty electronic table games (l.) have been installed by Resorts World Casino New York City, with 20 terminals expanding already-large footprint of IGT games.
Codere has signed an agreement with Zitro under which 1,000 games in the supplier’s Illusion and Allure cabinets will be installed in Codere’s casinos in Mexico.
Omnigo Software now has a global footprint thanks to the deployment of its iTrak Incident Reporting and Risk Management System solution by casino operators in both Macau and Las Vegas.
AGS has launched several of its top slot games online to sites operated by iGaming leader 888casino, bringing its content online to real-money markets in the U.S. and worldwide.
EveryMatrix has launched RGS Matrix, a stand-alone iGaming solution with a modular platform architecture that allows new games to be released with no down time.
GameSource, a cloud-based platform giving casinos access to a library of electronic games, was honored with the Innovation Gold Award at the 7th Annual Business Awards of Macau.
Pennsylvania’s Widener University has added an expanded gaming law course to its curriculum at the Commonwealth Law School, the first full, semester-long course on the topic in 10 years. Susan Hensel (l.), director of licensing for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, will teach the class.
AGS has been recognized by Glassdoor.com as one of the 50 “Best Places to Work” in the United States, as judged by anonymous, unsolicited employee reviews.
The UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law will host a day-long conference on artificial intelligence (AI) and biometrics in the gaming industry on Friday, January 17, 2020. Speakers include Joe Bertolone (l.), the new director of the UNLV International Center for Gaming Regulation.
South Korean IT company BGNT showcased its newest smart casino table at G2E @ the Philippines, held in Manila December 3-4. The table features radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and enables operators to manage data that once was the exclusive province of dealers.
FBM Gaming presented its new video bingo machine at the recent G2E @ the Philippines trade show, of which it was a title sponsor. The Galaxy machine was showcased with next-gen FBM games such as Bingo-Go and Rubingo.
Reed Exhibitions Greater China, organizer of G2E Asia @ the Philippines trade show, says it is “actively considering” hosting a second show in 2020. Reed COO Josephine Lee said feedback on the first show was positive.
