Wynn Resorts has settled a complaint with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, acknowledging that for years former top executives were aware of allegations of sexual misconduct against Steve Wynn and did not investigate them. The case now goes to the state Gaming Commission for a ruling and possibly a fine. The report appears to clear current CEO Matt Maddox (l.). But what about Steve Wynn, the perpetrator? Will he be punished? His time is coming.
Luxor Capital Group is now the majority owner and operator of Atlantic City’s Ocean Resort casino. The change in ownership was announced earlier this month by former operating partner Bruce Deifik, but he did not identify Luxor as assuming control of the casino. Luxor lent Deifik’s investment group $122.5 million when he purchased the former Revel casino for $229 million in 2018. The move still needs to receive regulatory approval.
The American Gaming Association released a survey that shows nearly two-thirds of Americans support legal, regulated sports betting. In a separate survey, the AGA said that Americans would wager $6 million in yesterday’s Super Bowl, most of it illegally, but more legal wagers than ever.
In the battle to rule Stanley Ho’s Macau multibillion-dollar casino empire, many observers have given the decision to his daughter, Pansy (l.). An alliance forged by Pansy Ho now controls 53 percent of parent company STDM but it may create a conflict with Stanley’s fourth wife, Angela Leong, who is co-chair of SJM.
New York state’s commercial and tribal casinos could be making book by the end of April, but only on wagers approved by the state and only from bettors physically present at their properties, such as Resorts World Catskills (l.). That means no online or mobile phone betting, at least for now, and no slice of the action for racinos, racetracks and OTBs.
MGM Resorts closed on its $850 million acquisition of Empire City Casino and Yonkers Raceway, after state regulators approved the transfer of licenses to MGM from the Rooney family. The property—15 miles from New York City—has more than 5,000 video gaming terminals, but no table games or sports betting.
The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes of Connecticut have dubbed the East Windsor site where they hope to build the state’s third casino, a commercial property, the Tribal Winds (l.). They hope to convince lawmakers to pass a bill that will allow them to operate it.
Las Vegas-based developer Paragon Gaming has sold its ownership interest in Parq Vancouver (l.), a luxury hotel in the downtown area of the city, to the PBC Group. The two entities were partners in developing the British Columbia resort.
Eldorado Resorts has made some bold moves in the past few years, including buying Isle of Capri Casinos and Tropicana Entertainment. But nothing was more surprising when the company made a deal with William Hill to supply the company with sports betting services and also give Eldorado a piece of William Hill.
This week, the GGB Podcast features a discussion with Travis Lunn, the president and COO of Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi, just a few weeks before he was appointed to lead his first property.
Osaka, Wakayama Prefecture and Nagasaki Prefecture are the only three communities in Japan that have declared outright that they want to host one of the country’s first three integrated resorts. More are likely to join the fray but 40 local governments have already said no. Osaka’s Yumeshima Island (l.) is considered a favorite to win a bid.
Andrea Domingo (l.), head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., is asking President Rodrigo Duterte to backpedal on his casino ban. Domingo says the country can benefit from fresh investment by operators.
The U.S.-based Heritage Foundation has ranked Macau 100 for “fiscal health,” on an equal footing with Hong Kong, and higher than Taiwan, Singapore and Mainland China. But the reports criticizes the SAR for being “over-reliant” on gaming.
South Shore Holdings Ltd. announced last week that it’s entered into a non-binding MOU with an unnamed investment entity that could possibly help it unload some debt associated with Macau’s troubled 13 Hotel (l.).
Not only are some Macau casino customers ignoring the city’s new, more stringent tobacco control rules, but a number of VIP lounges are actually providing cigarettes for their high-value customers.
The casino at the Imperial Pacific Resort on Saipan closed for about half a day on January 24 after its surveillance system temporarily went offline. Operator Imperial Pacific International denied rumors of sabotage.
North Korean “Supreme Leader” Kim Jong Un (l.) is reportedly planning a resort complex near his birthplace in Kangwon Province to help inject new revenues into the country’s economy.
The Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission has approved PH Resorts Group’s plan for a PHP18.5 billion follow-on share offering that will fund two new casino resorts. Billionaire Dennis Uy (l.) controls PH Resorts.
The Chinese island province of Hainan will not become the next Macau, according to a source who said a plan to introduce “sports tourism” will not include gambling.
Wynn Macau is shifting its focus to concentrate on premium mass players, according to Wynn Resorts President and CEO Matt Maddox. Maddox called premium mass “the business we believe in for the long term.”
Macau broke tourism records in 2018, with 35.8 million visitor arrivals, for an average of more than 98,000 per day. The Macau Government Tourism Office called it a “fair performance” amid political uncertainty.
The Japan Tourism Agency plans to introduce a program to promote cashless payments to make holiday spending easier for inbound tourists. Such systems are already in place in some parts of the country.
Funding is being sought by Cora Alpha for its Elysium City casino resort in western Spain. Officials said construction for the project’s $157 million first phase will start in late 2019. The sustainable “smart city” will include several hotels, retail, a golf course, marinas, water park, stadium, residences, train station, heliport, data center and other amenities.
A Korean hotel group has been identified as the possible developer of an integrated resort in Russia’s Primorye casino district, located near the port city of Vladivostok. Ramid Hotels & Resorts is the latest candidate.
Bookmakers Paddy Power, William Hill and Ladbrokes have told the Northern Ireland Assembly that they will voluntarily reduce wagering on fixed-odds-betting-terminals to a £2 limit, which would put them on par with changes in the rest of the UK.
Legislation providing a new regulatory framework for online and land-based gambling will take effect in Slovakia, where the National Council recently overruled a veto from President Andreja Kiska (l.). The measure emphasizes consumer protection and reflects gambling regulation in other European Union markets. Kiska had concerns over self-exclusion, gambling tax spending and other issues.
An Italian Senate committee has approved new legal regulations applying to blockchain. The draft rules are intended to create an initial legislative framework for technologies and IT systems that operate financial transactions/engagements/exchanges through decentralized registries, ledgers or crypto-based protocols.
A strike was averted at Casino Rama (l.) in Ontario, Canada after nearly three-quarters of the 1,400 members of Unifor Local 1090 voted for a new 3-year agreement with operators Gateway Casinos. The deal brings Casino Rama wages equal to other Gateway-managed casinos and features an improved pension plan and guaranteed hours for part-time union members.
The Loto-Quebec is being forced to pay out more than $102,000 to customers of its Casino Montreal. The casino overcharged customers for drinks, and was recently the successful target of a class action lawsuit.
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Ltd. promises to protect the habitat of a threatened turtle should it decide to build a casino in North Bay. Environmentalists are not so sure that is possible, given the site it is looking at.
A Canadian member of parliament is returning to his job as a leave brought on by his public admission that he is a gambling addict. Former Liberal MP Rak Grewal, (l.) who made the announcement in November, will now be an independent.
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel recently issued a memo on the Wire Act which Michigan state Rep. Brandt Iden (l.) called “a bunk DOJ opinion that has no legal standing.” He said the opinion was designed to create confusion and would not impact on his proposed sports betting and online gambling measure.
Unlicensed online gaming in the Netherlands has grown 20 percent in the last two years. Holland Casino, which has a legal monopoly on gaming in the country, is calling for legalization of online gaming so it can regulate and tax it.
Betfair has stopped accepting players from India and advised players in the country to close their accounts before the end of January. No reason was given by the company for the exit, but the move comes after Betfair was recently identified by the All India Gaming Federation as excepting bets from the country illegally.
A Malta-based online gambling firm is being investigated for its operations in Belgium following an investigation connected to the Panama Papers. The Belgian Gaming Commission announced it had started a sanction procedure against Betway because of its “cumulative license and the lack of transparency of its ownership.”
888 Holdings has received an online casino license from Portuguese regulators. The license allows 888 to offer online slots, table games and a range of poker games through its 888.pt site.
Epic games says it will now reveal the contents of loot boxes in its Fortnite game before purchasing. Loot boxes contents are usually hidden before purchasing leading to charges that buyers are gambling on their content.
Eldorado Resorts has completed a transaction with William Hill US to bring sports betting to the operator’s national casino portfolio that will grant Eldorado equity in both William Hill Plc. and William Hill US.
Sports betting would be legal in Kansas on July 1 if lawmakers approve a bill sponsored by state Rep. Jan Kessinger (l.), one of three sports wagering bills under consideration. Kessinger said the measures will surely change since the issue “is very complicated and it’s going to take a lot of work to go through it.”
A group of bipartisan state senators proposed an amendment that would allow sports betting in casinos in Deadwood, South Dakota and in the state’s 11 tribal casinos. The measure mainly addresses charitable gambling but also includes a paragraph regarding sports wagering. A statewide referendum would determine if voters approve the issue.
Minnesota House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (l.) recently said there’s no rush regarding legalizing sports betting in the state. Also, tribal gambling interests warned they’d oppose any sports wagering legislation. But state Senator Roger Chamberlain said he plans to introduce a sports betting bill soon and work with tribes to “protect their interests.”
Sports betting is legal in-person or via a mobile phone only on-site at a casino under current Mississippi Gaming Commission regulations. But legislation introduced by state Senator Willie Simmons would allow sports wagering online or via mobile phones from any location, and tax sports betting revenue from mobile and online platforms at 6 percent. Gaming Commission Chairman Allen Godfrey (l.) supports the measure.
Encore Boston Harbor (l.), due to open in June, has offered support for Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s proposal to legalize sports wagering. Baker unveiled his proposal two weeks ago.
The first three legal retail sports books in Pennsylvania got off to a quick start with $2 million in revenue in December, despite an effective 36 percent tax rate.
A District of Columbia Council committee heard testimony on a plan to quickly enact sports betting by naming the district’s lottery as the only provider of the service and bypassing normal bidding procedures. Several committee members, however, questioned bypassing the bidding process and granting the lottery a monopoly.
Although sports betting legislation failed last year, it laid the groundwork for success this year, said Iowa state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann. In anticipation, Prairie Meadows Casino (l.) in Altoona already partnered with William Hill US to operate a sports book and is building an 8,600 square foot facility to house it.
Hawaii has no legalized gambling, but its legislature may consider House Bill 1107, which would allow sports betting. Under the measure, sports betting proceeds would go to a new corporation that would direct funds to capital infrastructure projects. The corporation would be administered through the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
The Hard Rock Atlantic City has opened a sportsbook (l.) at its Boardwalk casino as well as an online platform. The move means all of Atlantic City’s nine casinos now offer sports betting, though Caesars casino is still sharing a temporary live sportsbook with Bally’s Atlantic City.
North Dakota should set aside funding from sports betting taxes to treat problem gambling if they pass a bill legalizing it. That’s the advice of Gamblers Choice, a treatment program based in Fargo.
The Arizona legislature is mulling a bill that would extend the gaming monopoly for tribes to sports betting. This would also provide Governor Steve Ducey with the opportunity to squeeze more money out of gaming tribes.
A New Hampshire representative has introduced a bill to legalize sports betting. The bill, which would also allow wagers on mobile devices and the internet is heading for the House Ways and Means Committee for hearings.
Sports betting platform provider Metric Gaming is partnering with Bethard Group to offer a turnkey solution for quick entry into the U.S. sports betting market.
Affinity Gaming is selling its Golden Gates, Golden Gulch and Mardi Gras (l.) casinos in Black Hawk, Colorado to Rhode Island’s Twin River Worldwide Holdings. Twin River adds to its portfolio, which includes two casinos in Rhode Island, Dover Downs in Delaware, the Hard Rock in Biloxi, Mississippi and Arapahoe Park racetrack in Colorado.
The Virginia Senate Finance Committee approved an amendment by Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment (l.) delaying until 2020 any referendums on casino gambling until a comprehensive study can be completed. Norment’s measure stalls a bill that would have allowed casinos in Portsmouth, Bristol and Danville plus Pamunkey tribal casinos in Norfolk and Richmond.
The future Las Vegas Strip rivals were set to go to federal court over Wynn’s claim that Resorts World Las Vegas (l.), which is under construction across the street, was stealing the exterior look of its hotels. Instead, Resorts World has agreed to make changes, and both sides now say everything’s okay.
Since the Meruelo Group took control last May, the struggling resort at the far north end of the Las Vegas Strip has gone from the brink of failure to several months of positive cash flow. And with $100 million in renovations nearing completion, General Manager Paul Hobson (l.) expects to have more good news to tell.
Texas state Rep. Joe Deshotel (l.) wants eight casinos to be licensed throughout the state. Revenue would be taxed at 18 percent with proceeds going to a hurricane relief fund and a flooding assistance funds. If the legislature and Governor Greg Abbott approve the bill, it would face a statewide voter referendum in November.
Gambling legislation is getting less attention in the Georgia legislature this year. State Rep. Ron Stephens (l.), who previously worked on casino measures, said he wants to put gambling to a statewide vote. State Senator Brandon Beach is focusing on the horseracing industry. No one’s talking about destination casinos, daily fantasy sports or sports betting.
Several casinos in Cripple Creek, Colorado are planning expansions, but workforce housing increasingly is becoming an issue. To resolve the problem, some casinos will provide their own employee housing. For example, Triple Crown Hotel and Casino, which will build a 158-room hotel, acquired the Gold Fever Inn to convert into employee apartments.
Following last November’s vote in favor of new gaming facilities in the state, Southland Gaming and Racing in West Memphis, Arkansas will begin construction of a $250 million casino and hotel and casino this summer. Governor Asa Hutchinson said the project will be the largest investment in tourism in the state’s history.
A casino in Terre Haute, Indiana is picking up endorsements. The Vigo County, Indiana commission unanimously passed a resolution supporting a Terre Haute casino, and Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett also expressed his support. The city’s chamber of commerce has launched an initiative, “Terre Haute Is All In,” complete with a new website.
Pre-reveal games will remain illegal in Florida, according to a recent ruling by the state Supreme Court, which declined to accept jurisdiction in an appeal. Circuit Court Judge John Cooper originally ruled the games aren’t illegal, but later changed his mind and called them an “illegal gaming scheme.” The high court ruling follows an appeal of Cooper’s reversal.
Last April, the village board in Wheeling, Illinois removed a cap on video gambling cafes. Now it recently has approved two located just three doors apart, against the recommendation of the local planning commission. Both of those cafes, and four more, are awaiting final approval from the Illinois Gaming Board.
Caesars Entertainment has taken two steps to move towards a world where it plays in both the non-gaming and gaming world. It has announced its first non-gaming hotel (l.) in Arizona, and it has announced that its Total Rewards program has been rebranded as Caesars Rewards, and will offer loyalty points for gaming and non-gaming activities.
The town of Yankton, South Dakota, wants to build a casino resort complex to be called Port Yankton. It is petitioning state lawmakers to put the measure on the state ballot that would allow them to join other casino towns.
One of the pledges that MGM Resorts made when being selected to bring a casino to Springfield, Massachusetts, was to revitalize that city’s decaying downtown. The process is ongoing but a long-term development, according to MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis (l.).
The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of Massachusetts last week voted no confidence in its longtime chairman, Cedric Cromwell, who has led it in its attempt to build a casino in Taunton. Cromwell’s personal finances played a pivotal role in his fall from power.
Florida legislators face “uncertainty” regarding the continuation of annual payments of $343 million from the Seminole Tribe in exchange for exclusivity to offer certain casino games. The current agreement will expire in May. Senate President Bill Galvano (l.) said the Seminole compact will be a legislative priority and a measure will be drafted before the session begins.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission hit the pause button on discussing reopening the process for a third casino license, this one for Region C. The panel wants to wait until its new chairman, Cathy Judd-Stein (l.), is firmly in the saddle.
David Zibolski, chief of police in Beloit, Wisconsin, said crime is not “anything of concern” regarding the Ho-Chunk Nation’s proposed $405 million casino. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is expected to announce its decision this spring and Governor Tony Evers previously has expressed support for the project.
The Wilton Rancheria of Northern California has dodged yet another federal legal challenge to its right to build a $500 million casino near Sacramento. A federal judge dismissed the latest lawsuit last week.
Epic games says it will now reveal the contents of loot boxes in its Fortnite game before purchasing. Loot boxes contents are usually hidden before purchasing leading to charges that buyers are gambling on their content.
The Bay State lottery must be given access to online sales if it is to maintain its position as one of the most success state lotteries. So warned Deborah Goldberg (l.), state treasurer of Massachusetts last week.
Though better known as Zadora’s husband, Meshulam Riklis, the billionaire financier was a gaming industry innovator who set the Riviera apart with long-running shows like “Splash, Evening at La Cage” and “Crazy Girls”. He died last week at the age of 95.
Gaming analyst Barry Jonas of SunTrust said the Chickasaw Nation will likely renew its contract with slot supplier AGS, whose games make up 16 percent of the floor at the huge WinStar World casino (l.).
Novomatic AG and Ainsworth Game Technology have gained a significant foothold in Vietnam with a combined 35 percent of the floor at the new Corona Casino.
Slot content supplier GC2, Inc. is suing International Game Technology, Plc. over use of copyrighted art and graphics from several CC2 games without permission.
