A number of global gaming operators have ditched plans to develop integrated resorts in Japan. But the remaining bidders and partners may yet find the holy grail they were promised back in 2016. Clairvest Neem Ventures has already won the opportunity to pitch for an IR (l.) in Wayakama.
Virginia state Senator Joe Morrissey (l.) recently viewed video gambling terminals up close in Illinois and came back ready to push for legislation next year that would allow the “skill games” to return in Virginia.
Lots of serious blackjack players are avoiding the 6/5 games because it skews the house edge too far. But what if you leave the 3/2 payoff in place and force players to make a house-friendly side bet? Table game king Bill Zender says that could work!
VICI Properties, Inc., the real estate investment trust that owns top properties including Caesars Palace and Harrah’s, will acquire MGM Growth Properties, creating the largest REIT in the United States. The transaction price amounts to $17.2 billion.
With the advent of full sports betting in Canada The Score Media and Gaming became the hot property. Penn National recognized this but it wasn’t just the Canadian connection that made sense, it was technology.
The last major casino resort in Macau’s Cotai district has made its grand debut—finally. SJM Holdings’ sparkling Grand Lisboa Palace opened for business July 30 during a trying time for the Chinese SAR.
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane (l.) has denied allegations made by his wife that he bet on NHL games, bet against his own team, and may have tried to fix hockey games. It’s the first allegation about game-fixing in professional sports in the U.S. since the legalization of sports betting in 2018.
Crown Resorts Executive Chairman Helen Coonan and CEO Xavier Walsh are headed for the door as Victoria brings its royal commission to a close. The state’s regulatory body is also due for an overhaul.
On Friday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (l.) gave gaming operators two more months to respond to the city’s casino request for proposals. Chicago hopes to host a multibillion-dollar casino resort, possibly downtown.
In its ongoing effort to reduce operations in non-core assets, Caesars Entertainment last week so the casinos it operates in the UK, including London’s Empire Casino (l.), Egypt and South Africa to Metropolitan, a subsidiary of Silver Point Capital.
The Catawba Nation will break ground for its $273 million Catawba Two Kings Casino in North Carolina on August 11. Meanwhile, the “pre-launch” facility, opened July 1, offers 500 slots in a modular building.
GamCare, a national gambling helpline in the U.K. reported a rise on the number of women seeking help for gambling addictions. Statistics indicate online gaming is a factor in this and other increases in gambling.
The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) has officially opened registration for the 2021 edition, to be held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas October 4-7.
The American Gaming Association announced it is recommending new efforts in national advertising campaigns to increase awareness of problem gambling help lines. AGA VP Jessica Feil (l.) says a national hotline will help more problem gamblers.
This week, the GGB Podcast features a discussion with David Rebuck, the director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, about how the DGE regulated gaming during the pandemic and how it has helped to legitimatize sports betting regulation.
Singapore’s National Council on Problem Gambling has found that fewer people are gambling—and they’re gambling less. The number of potential problem gamblers is unchanged.
Japan’s once-robust pachinko industry saw a 27 percent decrease in gross profits in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Results also were tied to declining interest in the traditional games.
Casinos in Manila’s Entertainment City closed down August 6 and will remain closed until at least August 20 as the Philippine capital continues under “enhanced community quarantine.”
On July 30, Genting Cruise Lines saw its first “cruise to nowhere” depart from Hong Kong. The cruise line was put on pause for almost 18 months due to fallout from Covid-19.
The Gauselmann Group, which operates 28 casinos in Germany and elsewhere, has just added four more to its portfolio. It has won the bidding to operate the WestSpiel-Spielbanken casinos in North Rhine-Westphalia
Belgium’s government is taking actions to reapply the €200 (US$235.20) per week deposit limit for gaming. The limit was raised to €500 per week during the pandemic, when many Belgians were confined to their homes.
Casinos in Portugal were allowed to reopen on July 24. In high risk areas or municipalities they will be required to ask for proof that guests have been vaccinated or to provide negative Covid test results.
Saipan gaming commissioner Andrew Yeom (l.) says the body is “moving in the direction” of canceling the license held by Imperial Pacific International. Are other potential operators waiting in the wings?
Last month Brazil’s gaming law commission held a seminar on how regulations will make the country’s sports betting a better bet for players and providers. It also discussed the Olympics’ influence on sports gaming.
In a major development, Scientific Games has acquired Lightning Box, and Australia-based content supplier that has a deep footprint in internet casino operations worldwide.
India’s government is considering “Draft Guiding Principles for the Uniform National-level Regulation of Online Fantasy Sports Platforms.” This will soon be voted on by the Council of Ministers.
Poland is warning residents that they face high fines for playing on illegal, unlicensed online casinos. Up to $1.1 million. The unlicensed iGaming sites face even stiffer penalties, plus potential prison time.
Vienna-based Greentube Internet Entertainment Solutions and First Casino in Ukraine have reached an agreement for Greentube to provide games from its portfolio to the casino. Ukraine legalized online gaming in 2021.
Caesars Entertainment has launched Caesars Sportsbook, a new mobile sports betting app, with a national marketing campaign offering unprecedented promotions.
Bidders for a mobile sports betting license in New York State had until Monday, August 9 to submit their bids. Lawmakers will choose two platform providers and four online sportsbooks.
Australia-based sportsbook PointsBet is looking to raise approximately $400 million to fund its expansion in the United States. The company opened a Denver headquarters in 2019.
Las Vegas-based Station Casinos has introduced a new STN Sports App and added a new chief of the sports division, Vice President of Race and Sports Operations Jason McCormick (l.).
D.C. Lottery self-service sports betting kiosks debuted at four popular sports bars on July 30. Revenue goes to the D.C. General Fund to help finance infrastructure and education.
A Las Vegas-style sportsbook is coming to Dakota Magic Casino in Hankinson, North Dakota, this fall. The facility will be one of the state’s first retail sportsbooks, and also will offer self-service betting kiosks.
The Oneida Nation will open a temporary sportsbook as it awaits approval of its updated gaming compact. It’s aiming to open by the Green Bay Packers’ September 12 season kickoff.
A sports betting bill has passed the North Carolina Senate Finance Committee with bipartisan support. State Senator Jim Perry (l.) argued that residents already wager on sports, but the state receives no revenue.
The Gun Lake Band of Pottawatomi Indians launched online sports betting with the Parx Interactive platform on August 2. The tribe debuted online casino with the Play Gun Lake platform in April.
Sports betting and iGaming supplier Betway has signed an agreement to become the premium partner of the VfB Stuttgart football club, including branding at the team’s Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Cheddar News has partnered with BetMGM to put together a weekly program marrying financial new with sports betting. WynnBET partnered with Cumulus Media on new programming content.
Sportradar found no suspicious betting activity during the Euro 2020 tournament and no match fixing indications. In Belgium, betting on the games increased fourfold according to the gaming regulator.
Italy’s government does everything it can discourage sports betting advertising and sponsorships. The Italian Football Federation is asking it to lift those bans to help the football industry recover from the pandemic.
Genius Sports has signed a multi-year agreement with the British Columbia Lottery Corp. The BCLC is getting ready to roll out sports betting and U.K.-based Genius Sports will provide official data
Under sports betting rules just approved by the Washington State Gambling Commission, the state’s gaming tribes can begin taking wagers on August 30. That’s a few days before NFL season begins.
The latest provider to join the Arizona sportsbook landscape is TwinSpires. July 30 the Churchill Downs owned provider announced a partnership with the Tonto Apache Tribe, which operates Mazatzal Hotel & Casino.
Connecticut lawmakers, the state’s gaming tribes and the Department of Consumer Protection are hoping for a run of good luck. They need it so sports fans can begin making bets by September 9.
Sportsbook rules that could allow Wyoming to begin taking wagers before September 9 were approved August 2 by the Wyoming Gaming Commission. The rules need to be distributed widely to become effective.
The South Dakota legislature approved sports betting regulations on August 2. The regulations will only apply to casinos operating in Deadwood, the one city in the state allowed to offer gaming.
A report commissioned by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority indicates that Covid-19 cost the Southern Nevada tourism industry an estimated $34 billion. Wayne Newton (l.) rolled the first dice at Caesars Palace when Nevada casinos reopened in June 2020.
A lawsuit by Wynn Resorts shareholders may proceed, a judge has ruled. Plaintiffs say Wynn execs withheld information about sexual harassment claims against Steve Wynn (l.), which later caused stock prices to plunge.
Churchill Downs will invest $200 million in its Derby City historical horseracing venue and its namesake racetrack. Derby City plans include a 123-room hotel, expanded gaming floor and entertainment stage.
The Richmond, Virginia city council unanimously approved plans and contract terms for a proposed casino resort. If local voters approve the project, media conglomerate Urban One will build a luxury casino resort.
Slidell, Louisiana Mayor Greg Cromer (l.) will vote “no” on a proposed $325 million casino in St. Tammany Parish. Developer Pacific Peninsula Entertainment accused Cromer of “flip-flopping” on the issue.
Crews of S.B. Ballard Construction Co. have begun site work on the Rivers Casino Portsmouth, a $300 million facility that is planned for Hampton Roads, Virginia. Rush Street Gaming is the developer and will operate it.
Washington-based Maverick Gaming is redeveloping and rebranding its 24 properties in Nevada, Colorado and Washington. Beginning with its property in Elko, Nevada, now rebranded as Maverick Casino & Hotel.
Encore Boston Harbor General Counsel Jacqui Krum recently told the Massachusetts Gaming Commission why Encore dropped poker. One: dealers are rare. Two: the space is being used more profitably.
A memorial is planned for the victims and survivors of a 2017 mass shooting at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts, which operates the venue, has donated the land.
Executives of Station Casinos, a Red Rock Resorts subsidiary, have disclosed plans for a new casino hotel in the Las Vegas Valley. Groundbreaking is scheduled for early 2022.
A special celebration this week will kick off the rebranding of Casino KC as Bally’s Kansas City. Bally’s President and CEO George Papanier says the company plans a “transformative redevelopment” of the property.
Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino (l.) in Altoona, Iowa took illegal wagers on foreign races for 32 years. But state lawmakers corrected the situation by passing a law allowing the international simulcasts, effective July 1.
Nebraska voters approved gambling at six horse tracks last November. Now five more cities have applied for racing permits with the possibility of adding a casino. Some Nebraskans feel 11 casinos is too many.
Unite Here Local 54 employees at Ocean Casino Resort voted in favor of an interim contract with the union. Negotiations are ongoing for a permanent deal. Ocean and Bally’s Atlantic City hope to redevelop their beachfronts.
In California, Fresno city council has postponed the reopening of Club One Casino, asking that CEO Kyle Kirkland contact his soon-to-be neighbors and meet them. Kirkland says delays are killing the relocation.
Missouri-based Torch Electronics has filed a second lawsuit trying to avoid an investigative subpoena into its operations. The company’s unregulated slot-like machines are found in gas stations, convenience stores and truck stops.
The Ho-Chunk Nation filed a lawsuit against a group of insurers and underwriters refusing to cover the tribe’s pandemic-related losses. The insurers said Ho-Chunk’s coverage only applies to physical damages.
All tribal entities in Arizona will benefit from sports betting when it goes live in the state. The provision ensures that remote, rural tribes draw a portion of revenues from the new industry.
Here’s a new wrinkle on vaccine incentives. A free Covid-19 vaccine clinic was held Saturday at ilani Casino in Washington State in an effort to get more people vaccinated in Clark County.
The Pennsylvania Lottery generated record profits of more than $1.3 billion in the last fiscal year, marking the 10th consecutive year net income has exceeded $1 billion.
The British Gambling Commission has pushed the bidding process for a new licensee to run the National Lottery back to February 2022. The current license holder, Camelot, gets to retain control until February 2024.
Seminole Gaming has named Andrew Saunders (l.) vice president of entertainment for its Florida venues. Saunders offers more than a decade of negotiating and booking entertainment events.
PointsBet brought on Notal Begay III (l.) to act as an ambassador for golf. A PGA Tour winner and Native American, Begay will work on content and initiatives to help the tribal communities.
Gaming Hall of Fame Inductee Patricia Becker (l.) has joined Sightline Payments Compliance Committee. She will help with regulatory issues as the company expands its product.
Executive coach and HR veteran Stephanie Rosol (l.) has been named the first chief people performance officer at PlayStudios of Las Vegas. Rosol will be in charge of culture, diversity and philanthropy.
Continent 8 Technologies has hired Simon Booth and Teddy Elias as technical operations managers, with responsibilities split across several global regions.
FSB has named 30-year gaming industry veteran David Charnock (l.) as its business development director for Latin America, strengthening its position in the fast-growing market.
Exacta Systems has signed an agreement with Konami Gaming, Inc. to bring Konami’s game content, featured on Exacta’s game cabinets, onto the Exacta historical horse racing (HHR) system.
Walker Digital Table Systems announced a $35 million strategic investment from Beach Point Capital Management as it continues to expand in the global gaming industry.
JCM Global is marking Nevada’s first floor-wide deployment of its Fuzion technology at Resorts World Las Vegas, along with the supplier’s bill validation and printer equipment.
Crane Co. has secured a $650 million, five-year revolving credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank as administrative agent and Wells Fargo as syndication agent.
Osage Casinos of Oklahoma will install an air purification system that reportedly kills almost 100 percent of the Covid-19 virus. The system is active at properties in Tulsa, Ponca City, Skiatook and Sand Springs.
SoftConstruct (Malta) Ltd. has successfully registered its Blast and Striker games with the U.K. Gambling Commission. The approval is a major step forward in BetConstruct’s global expansion plan.
Galaxy Gaming has acquired the rights to the game portfolio of High Variance Games including Super Blackjack, Super Texas Hold’em, Super Pai Gow, Three Card Stud Triple Draw and Super Omaha Poker. The games were developed by High Variance CEO Jeff Hwang (l.).
Registration is now open for the annual meeting of the International Association of Gaming Regulators. This year’s event, “Disrupting the Regulator,” will be held at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.
SBC Events is providing attendees to its SBC Summit Barcelona event with a hedge against uncertain travel amid the pandemic with a “Book With Confidence” plan that provides full refunds.
Mark your calendars for the 2021 OIGA Conference and Trade Show, to be held in Oklahoma City August 16-18. The event is expected to draw nearly 3,000 vendors, visitors and guest speakers.
The Gameacon convention will make its first visit to California’s Coachella Valley August 14-15. Known as “Comic Con for gamers,” it will be held at Agua Caliente Resort in Rancho Mirage.
