Irish President Michael D. Higgins (l.) is leading efforts to curb sports gambling harms in the country. Legislators will appoint a “very powerful” regulator to keep the industry in check.

Japan’s Integrated Resorts Implementation Act takes effect this week, along with the tenets of the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission. In 2016, the government approved up to three IRs in the country.

In its latest PR blunder, Australian casino giant Crown Resorts warned Victoria’s gaming minister Melissa Horne (l.) that revoking its license will be disastrous for all concerned, including the state. Critics saw the letter as a bullying tactic.

Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort (l.) near Flagstaff, Arizona and three other Navajo casinos in New Mexico reopened after shutting down in March 2020 due to Covid-19. Several restrictions still are in place, however.

Intralot, a Greek firm hired in 2019 in a no-bid 5-year $215 million contract to oversee online sports betting and lottery programs, is not fulfilling its legal obligation to hire locally owned businesses, among other issues.

The New York-based arm of Genting Malaysia was one of the Top 10 highest-spending lobbying groups in the Empire State in 2020. Genting is heavily and literally invested in seeing casino gaming expanded downstate particularly in its Resorts World New York City at Aqueduct Racetrack.

This week, the National Indian Gaming Association will mark the return of gaming industry shows to Las Vegas. The Indian Gaming Trade Show & Convention will take place at the new Caesars Forum Conference Center (l.).

Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli writes that online gaming in Pennsylvania may be stunting the growth of brick-and-mortar gaming in the state.

Don Brinkerhoff, whose landscape design of the Mirage transformed the way casino resorts were designed, passed away last week peacefully at home. He was the founder of Lifescapes International, the leading natural designer in the gaming business.

Firekeepers Casino Hotel celebrates a major expansion grand opening on August 16 as Nik Wallenda, the “King Of The Highwire” will perform aerial tight rope walk across the top of the 8-story hotel towers.

It’s been a wild ride of stock values for U.S.-listed sports betting and iGaming operators, all duking it out to establish market share. At some point, and soon, investors need to see some profits.

This week the GGB Podcast features a discussion with the new eastern regional president for Caesars Entertainment, John Koster, who explains how he’s approaching the recovery from the pandemic as he assumes his new position over the Atlantic City, Philadelphia and Baltimore casinos.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (l.) has vacillated in his views of gambling in the past, but now has declared himself in favor of the activity—however “repugnant”—as a way to generate revenues.

A provincial committee in Vietnam has submitted a plan to build a high-end entertainment tourism center with a casino in the Van Phong Economic Zone (l.), near Cam Ranh Bay.

Philippines integrated resort Solaire (l.) in Manila’s Entertainment City casino district has launched a new campaign called “Solaire Is Safe For You” to assure patrons that it’s installed a number of Covid-19 safeguards.

Casino Admiral Helmond (l.) in the Netherlands opened in June, joining other Admiral-branded locations in Heerlen, Hoofddorp and Hulst. The casino, with 190 gaming positions, is currently running at reduced capacity.

The Kindred Group of Stockholm has lost its appeal before the Norwegian Supreme Court. Kindred claimed that Norway’s gaming regulator acted wrongly in preventing its subsidiary Trannel from offerings online gaming.

Karel Komarek (l.), owner of the Sazka Group, is working with Apollo Global Management Inc. to go public with his company. The goal is to issue the IPO before the end of 2021. The company operates multiple lotteries.

Gamblers in Ukraine can exclude themselves and be excluded from playing under a new register. It was launched by Ukraine’s Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL).

Ontario, Canada has begun Stage 3 of its Covid reopening plan. Casinos will be able to begin reopening July 23, operating at half-capacity at first, with enhanced cleaning and health screening.

It’s another nail in the coffin of Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International—a federal court order requiring it to liquidate some assets, including slot machines, to help pay off debt.

British Columbia’s Township of Langley is pushing to open a new horse racing track on 32 acres within the city limits that would replace Vancouver’s Hastings Park (l.). It's sent a letter to the B.C. Horse Racing Industry Management Committee proposing the track.

Online poker and casinos were legal in Germany as of July 1. That’s when Germany’s Interstate Treaty of Gambling came into force. Casino winnings will be taxed at 5.3 percent and slot machine stakes can’t exceed €1 ($1.19).

The head of U.S. operation for 888 Holdings has identified West Virginia as the third state pegged for an imminent launch, with a skin holding the brand of Sports Illustrated.

WSOP.com has gone live as one of four online poker sites in Pennsylvania, in partnership with 888 Holdings and using 888’s Poker 8 software.

Allied Esports Entertainment conclude its sale of World Poker Tour to Element Partners for $105 million. Bruin Capital will purchase Oddschecker from gaming giant Flutter for $218 million.

Gamingtec has signed a partnership agreement with content supplier Playtech, under which Gamingtec’s platform will offer Playtech games in an extensive library.

EveryMatrix has partnered with German operator Bet-at-Home to provide content that will increase the EveryMatrix footprint across markets in Germany and the U.K.

The Wyoming Gaming Commission has begun the application process for sports betting. It will only regulate mobile sports betting. The state’s four Indian tribes will be able to accept retail sportsbook at their casinos.

The number of Washington gaming tribes that can offer sports betting this fall has climbed to 15. All recently signed amendments to their gaming compacts with Governor Jay Inslee (l.).

Alaskan Governor Mike Dunleavy (l.) is looking at lottery-operated sports betting in the 49th state. The Alaska Department of Revenue is spending $400,000 on a feasibility study.

The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin could begin taking bets on the Green Bay Packers this fall. The tribe announced July 1 that its Oneida Casino (l.) plans to offer sports betting by the beginning of the NFL season.

The 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the first Olympic games since the widespread legalization of sports betting in the U.S., could attract a record handle. But don’t expect Super Bowl numbers.

FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan has become the 13th operator in the state to provide both online gaming and sports betting. The Nottawaseppi Huron Band is partnering with Scientific Games subsidiary NYX Digital in the venture.

Approved parishes in Louisiana may now access DraftKings daily fantasy sports, following the Louisiana Gaming Control Board’s license approval. Louisiana becomes the 44th state to offer DraftKings DFS.

Officials in Oakland, California will vote this week whether to move forward with a new stadium to accommodate the Oakland Athletics. If the A’s relocate, Las Vegas is a serious contender to host the ball club, where the A’s could play temporarily at the Las Vegas Ballpark (l.), home of their top minor league ballclub.

Gaming company Winview has filed a copyright infringement suit against DraftKings regarding two patents. The patents deal with geolocation and equalizing latency, which insure all bettors see the same odds.

Genius Sports won the rights to NFL’s official data for $120 million a year for six years. The company set the percentage of revenues and sportsbook operators are unhappy about a steep increase.

In another sign of the mainstream rise of eSports, Esports Entertainment Group will bring Helix eSports entertainment Center to the NFL Hall of Fame complex. The center will join Topgolf and a Don Shula restaurant.

Bally’s Corp. has acquired the Association of Volleyball Professionals, with a plan to gamify beach volleyball and enhance fan engagement with interactive content.

Sportsbook BetMGM has announced a new deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates that will place BetMGM branding throughout PNC Park and also include fan-focused promotions, social media content and more.

Three sports stars have joined WynnBET as brand ambassadors: former NFL wide receiver Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson (l.), former NFL lineman Nick Mangold and U.S. soccer star Tim Howard.

Professional sports leagues were among the sponsors of the 2021 National Conference on Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gaming, held last week by the National Council on Problem Gambling.

The Illinois Gaming Board has approved key players associated with Hard Rock Rockford, including company CEO Jim Allen (l.). Last month the board approved a two-year temporary location for the casino.

The Hard Rock Casino in Gary, Indiana, which opened in May, is already challenging Horseshoe Casino in Hammond. In June, Horseshoe reported $34.4 million in net revenue compared to $25.9 million at Hard Rock. But the impact was smaller than expected, proving Hard Rock has grown the market.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (l.) continues to talk up the Windy City as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for casino developers. She says the chosen operator will find a ready workforce and supportive government.

On August 16, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will hear public input on a Category 4 casino planned for College Township, Centre County. The casino is being proposed by Bally’s Corp.

Attorneys for Las Vegas’s Circus Circus (l.) and AIG Specialty Insurance Co. have filed arguments with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to see if AIG must pay the casino’s Covid-related damages.

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians councilors have approved a $275 million expansion at the tribe’s Harrah’s Valley River Casino (l.) in Murphy, North Carolina. Projects will include a second hotel tower, restaurant, spa, indoor pool and larger gaming area.

HoChunk, the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, plans to move Atokad Park racetrack (l.) in South Sioux City to expand the track and add a casino. It’s also building racinos in Lincoln and Omaha.

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians will open Phase 1 of a casino expansion project (l.) on July 24. The San Manuel Casino in Highland, California now has a larger gaming space, new restaurants and new retail.

A bill has been introduced to allow the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul to revive its state lottery. The lottery was ruled unconstitutional in 2008, but that ruling was overturned in 2020.

Sugal & Damani has withdrawn from the U.K. National Lottery license tender. Remaining bidders, Camelot, Sisal and Allwyn, the Sazka Group and publisher Richard Desmond are competing for a 10-year contract.

Edwin Edwards (l.), colorful former four-term governor of Louisiana, has died at age 93. The lifelong Democrat served eight years in prison for taking payoffs from interests seeking riverboat casino licenses.

John T. Moran III (l.) has joined the Las Vegas of the Clark Hill law firm as senior counsel in the litigation group. Moran represents clients in the gaming industry in the United States and internationally.

Gaming industry veteran Stacy King (l.) has joined the Sahara Las Vegas as vice president of human resources. King has 30 years of experience in the field.

PointsBet has appointed gaming and sports betting industry lawyer Chantal Cipriano (l.) as vice president of legal, compliance and people for its operations in Canada.

Amy Howe, the current president of FanDuel, will assume the interim CEO position, replacing the recently resigned Matt King. A search will be under taken to find a permanent replacement.

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Osage Casinos has announced the appointment of four new general managers: Jeff Bailey, Travis Wilcox, Mark Davis and Mason Shackelford.

Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel has named Noel France (l.) as director of food and beverage. France will work to develop new creative food concepts on property as well as oversee all food and beverage operations.

Scientific Games has entered the Ukrainian casino market with a variety of products including slot machines, table games and progressive jackpot systems.

SciPlay Corp. has acquired Kuokoi Games, a Finland-based developer of casual mobile social casino games that has produced several hit titles in the worldwide market.

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis has added AGS’ award-winning new Starwall x Orion slot merchandising attraction and Orion Curve slot cabinet across multiple casinos in the Canadian province.

Acres Manufacturing has launched the Optimal Poker Analyzer, a software application designed to help casinos maximize profits on video poker by strategically optimizing marketing and operations.

IGT has announced results of a new commitment to environmental, social and governance initiatives in a program utilizing community ambassadors to prioritize funding requests.

Global Payments Gaming Solutions has accelerated its introductions of digital and cashless payment solutions, including the recent launch of the cashless solution VIP Mobility.

Ellis Island Hotel Casino and Brewery in Las Vegas has introduced the Marker Trax cashless casino marker at his property. The product combines player convenience with reduced risk for casinos.

Rising Covid-19 cases in New South Wales have compelled organizers of the Australasian Gaming Expo to cancel for the second year running. The show was set for August at Sydney’s International Convention Centre.

The Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga, scheduled for August 16 and 17, will present dozens of speakers to talk about the critical issues that face the racing and gaming industries.