The Cherokee, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations of Oklahoma have filed a lawsuit against Governor Kevin Stitt (l.) in federal court. The tribes want a determination that the 15-year gambling compact approved by voters in 2004 automatically renewed on January 1. Stitt wants to renegotiate the compact for higher exclusivity fees. The casinos are still open, but Stitt says they're operating illegally.
Sports betting giant DraftKings will merge with SBTech and Diamond Eagle Acquisition Company to reincorporate as a public company and the only vertically integrated sports betting and iGaming company. DraftKings CEO Jason Robins (l.) will lead the combined company, retaining his corporate staff and incorporating SBTech official in the hierarchy.
On December 25, Tokyo prosecutors arrested Tsukasa Akimoto (l.), a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker who has been pivotal in helping to develop the country's gaming policy. Akimoto is suspected of accepting bribes from a Chinese-backed sports betting company, 500.com. The chairman and CEO of 500.com have stepped aside while an investigation is conducted.
Canada’s Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Ltd. and Leisure Acquisition Corp. have agreed to a merger in which Leisure will become a new unit of a larger corporation. The new corporation will be traded on the New York Stock Exchange as GTWY Holdings.
In Ireland, total annual wagers have risen 42 percent over the last five years, and problem gambling advocates say the government should be far more concerned about the rise than they believe it is. Most Irish gambling is conducted with bookmakers such as PaddyPower.
The Cambodian government is shutting down dozens of gaming houses in an effort to enforce a ban on online gaming enacted last year. Beijing is reported to have pushed for the crackdown out of concerns the casinos are preying on Chinese nationals. Prime Minister Hun Sen (l.) says continued operation of iGaming will threaten Cambodia’s national security.
Lawmakers in Massachusetts are not optimistic that the Bay State’s legislature will move to legalize sports betting in 2020. Rep. Brad Hill (l.) is especially impatient with the process, saying his constituents shouldn’t have to go to Rhode Island or New Hampshire to bet on sports.
Everi Holdings, Inc. has acquired strategic assets of casino loyalty and marketing technology company Micro Gaming Technologies. The acquisition will make Everi “a one-stop shop of comprehensive, integrated solutions … for casino operators,” said Darren Simmons (l.), Everi’s executive vice president and fintech business leader.
Following a meeting with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, West Virginia Lottery Director John Myers (l.) said he’s encouraged the state is "headed in the right direction" regarding the implementation of online gaming. Myers said sports betting platforms already in place will help speed up the iGaming launch to 2021.
After years of gaming revenue decline due to tribal casinos in California, South Lake Tahoe readies itself for a rebirth. Renovations to Harveys Lake Tower (l.), the opening of Hell’s Kitchen restaurant, a new conference center to break ground and ski resort transformation speak to a new day.
The Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas has a new roof. Developed at a cost of $32 million, it sports cutting-edge visuals with greater brightness and resolution, concert-quality sound, a new library of multi-sensory production shows and the ability for the first time to broadcast live events.
This week the GGB Podcast features a discussion with Julia Carcamo, the president and chief brand strategist for J Carcamo & Associates, which specializes in brand development, casino marketing and player acquisition.
Niña Taduran (l.), assistant majority leader of the Philippine House of Representatives, has asked Congress to review the tax compliance of casinos in the country, hinting they may be underreporting their revenue intake, and by extension, underpaying their taxes. Offshore operators are also in the crosshairs.
Could 2020 see a rebound in VIP play in Macau? Some analysts say yes. They point to a steadily improving macro situation in China as a potential positive, and also expect the mass market to continue strong.
Saipan lawmaker Edwin Propst (l.) has called for local gaming operator Imperial Pacific International to fork over some $US90 million it owes in past-due revenues to the government and local businesses.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed its first brief in an appeal of a federal court that rejected its reinterpretation of the Wire Act alleging it applies to online gaming. The suit was filed by the New Hampshire Lottery and won its first challenge in state court.
The head of UK iGaming firm Bet365 faces accusations from a former employer that she blocked certain bettors from winning. So-called backdoor algorithms keep the company profitable, the accuser says, but founder and CEO Denise Coates (l.) says the tactics are aboveboard.
On December 30 the Granite State became the second in New England to offer sports betting to its residents. Governor Chris Sununu (l.) was the first to put his money down, wagering $82 on the Patriots to win the Super Bowl.
Michigan's 23 tribal and three commercial casinos soon will be able to apply for licenses to offer retail and online sports betting following Governor Gretchen Whitmer's (l.) signing of the Lawful Sports Betting Act. But the Michigan Gaming Control Board may not set new rules in time for March Madness.
Several concerns have arisen over proposed sports betting regulations in Tennessee. One key issue involves a requirement that licensed sportsbooks keep at least 15 percent of wagers, leading to reduced payouts to bettors. Due to these concerns, the public comment period was extended from December 23 to January 6.
The Illinois Gaming Board has released the first phase of sports betting applications. Ten casinos, three racetracks and up to seven sports venues are eligible to apply. According to Gaming Control Board Administrator Marcus Fruchter (l.), there’s no fixed timeline for the launch. “We don’t want to set goals and deadlines that are arbitrary,” he said.
A bill to bring sports betting to casinos and racetracks in Maryland has been introduced in the Senate. Senator Chris West, its sponsor, is optimistic it will pass this year; he said the bets could help places like Timonium Raceway (l.) earn revenue outside of racing season.
A sports betting bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives by New York Rep. Anthony Brindisi (l.). HR 5502 is a narrowly crafted bill that would clarify how gaming tribes intersect with sports betting and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Gaming revenue dipped 3 percent statewide in November, the second straight month of declines, as a year-long slump in baccarat play continued to plague the Las Vegas Strip (l.). But good things are on the way, say analysts who are bullish on the market for 2020.
In a unanimous vote, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board approved Eldorado Resorts' application to move the Isle of Capri riverboat (l.) to a new land-based operation. Eldorado Resort Executive Chairman Gary Carano said property improvements will help the venue compete with the nearby Las Vegas-style Golden Nugget and L'Auberge casinos.
Under rising competitive regional pressure, Connecticut’s two Indian casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun saw profits dip last year. That same year the Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (l.), and the tribes unsuccessfully tried to negotiate an omnibus gaming bill to make the landscape easier for them to compete.
California’s cardrooms are entering a new year fraught with challenges, including a sportsbook initiative from gaming tribes that leaves them out in the cold; and recent fines against one of its largest casinos, Hawaiian Gardens (l.), that bolsters its image of an industry that can’t keep itself clean.
Illinois gaming operator Rich Heidner (l.) could face the loss of his gaming license for allegedly offering an “illegal inducement” to the owner of a gambling parlor chain that had threatened to remove the machines provided by Heidner’s company.
Workers at Red Rock Resort (l.) in Las Vegas have voted against joining the local Culinary Union. The resort praised the vote. The union accused the casino of playing dirty by offering premium and co-pay free health care prior to the vote and increasing contributions to 401(k) plans.
Rodney Butler (l.), chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot tribe of Connecticut, says the company behind Foxwoods will leverage its economic power to storm the international business world. It’s a remarkable journey for a tribe that came close to being wiped out in the 17th century.
Saracen Casino Resort (l.), the Quapaw Nation's 500,000-square-foot development in Jefferson County, Arkansas, is on track to open in June. The Oklahoma-based tribe considers Jefferson County its ancestral home; Saracen, a Quapaw chief, is buried there. The current casino annex offers 300 slot machines and employs more than 250 people.
The Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise last week illuminated the 65-foot sign advertising the opening of its permanent Desert Diamond Casino West Valley (l.) in Glendale, Arizona. The $400 million property is scheduled to open February 19.
Tim Wilmott, the recently retired CEO and president of Penn National Gaming Inc. will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th Annual East Coast Gaming Congress & NexGen Gaming Forum, to be held April 27-28 in Atlantic City.
Gaming and Leisure Properties, the first real estate investment trust in the gaming industry, has named Carol “Lili” Lynton (l.) as an independent director. The REIT, which operates the former Penn National, sees the appointment as a move to diversify the board in terms of gender, age and more. Lynton brings 35 plus years’ experience to the role.
The Oregon Lottery will buy a total of 2,720 video lottery terminals from suppliers Aristocrat Leisure Limited and IGT, following field trials in the Oregon VLT market.
Rymax, the largest national manufacturer’s representative in the incentives industry, rounded out a successful 2019 with more than 30 new brand partnerships, growing its premium offerings to well over 450 brands.
With U.S. pari-mutuel handle growing steadily, the Winter Meeting of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) will present a session on the sector. Among the speakers will be Eric Hamelback (l.), CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
