Encore Boston Harbor: Growing Pains in the Covid Era

Wynn Resorts’ Encore Boston Harbor opened in 2019, but has been operational for eight months due to Covid-19. Recently appointed President Jenny Holaday (l.) talked with GGB News about opening, closing, reopening and growing during a global pandemic.

Macau’s Golden Week: Going From Bad to Worse

Four new Covid-19 infections dashed hopes for Golden Week in Macau. Three days into the holiday, fewer than 5,000 people had traveled to the Chinese SAR—down 91 percent from 2020. Some say the government’s “zero-tolerance” Covid policy is making the situation worse.

Back to Business, Face to Face

The industry’s suppliers return in person to G2E to display a wealth of innovation developed despite the pandemic and industry shutdown. And the customers responded. See exclusive video highlights from the Expo floor.

‘Zero-Tolerance’ Ambushes Macau’s Golden Week

Four new Covid-19 infections dashed hopes for Golden Week in Macau. Three days into the holiday, fewer than 5,000 people had traveled to the Chinese territory—down 91 percent from 2020. Some say the government’s “zero-tolerance” Covid policy is making the situation worse.

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Osaka IR Plan to Be Complete This Year

Hirofumi Yoshimura (l.), governor of Osaka, Japan says, a full proposal for an integrated resort in the prefecture and city, in development by MGM Resorts and Orix Corp., will be completed by the end of the year.

Dutch iGaming Goes Live, A Few Days Late

A glitch in a self-exclusion program caused a delay in online gaming going live in the Netherlands. The Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen had to wait three days, until October 4, to launch. Holland Casino (l.) owns one of the 10 licenses granted thus far.

Salat, Feldman Receive AGEM Memorial Awards

The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers last week acknowledged Sebastian Salat (l.) and Alan Feldman with memorial awards for excellence in commercial gaming and communications.

ASIAN GAMING More

Manila Casinos Closed Until October 15

Casinos in Manila’s Entertainment City, including Solaire (l.), are closed under new Covid-19 safety provisions, though some resort amenities remain open. Metro Manila will operate under a strict Covid alert level until at least October 15.

Macau CE Reaffirms Commitment to Hengqin

In a Golden Week speech, Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (l.) pledged full cooperation with the Chinese central government in the development of Hengqin Island in Zhuhai.

Nepal Casinos Reopen, After 18 Months

Casinos in Nepal, including Tiger Palace (l.), reopened late last month, more than 18 months after they shut down due to Covid-19. The government is helping out the battered industry by waiving the annual royalty fee for the last fiscal year.

Saipan Near Revoking Imperial Pacific’s License

Saipan’s casino regulator, is poised to yank the casino license of Imperial Pacific Casino (l.). Commonwealth Casino Commission Executive Director Andrew Yeom said IPI is millions in arrears in regulatory fees.

EUROPEAN GAMING More

Swedish Regulator Seeks to Cut Gambling Credit

Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen hopes to curb problem gaming by reducing available credit. Regulatory chief Camilla Rosenberg (l.) said it “promotes the protection of players with problematic gambling behavior.”

Sisal SPA Sets Big Sustainability Goals

Sisal SPA, an Italian company that operates SuperEnalotto lottery, has set high goals, to achieve “zero problematic players, zero gender pay gap and zero CO2 emissions” company by 2030.

ONLINE GAMING More

Codere iGaming Revenue Rose One-Third in First Half

Codere Online saw its revenue for the first half of 2021 jump 33 percent. While Spain led the way, Mexico and Columbia were major contributors to the results. Credit also goes to an increase in active players

Esports Technologies Acquires Aspire Global

In a move to increase access to gaming revenues, Esports Technologies acquired Aspire Global for almost $80 million. The deal allows esports betting to be offered to 1.25 million new customers.

SPORTS BETTING More

Public Seeks Changes to Maryland Sports Betting Rules

Complaints over required use of official league data in all aspects of contests, including final scores, were among the issues raised in comments over Maryland’s proposed sports betting regulations. Sportradar’s Brandt Iden (l.) says the data arrangements should be agreements between operators and not mandated by the state.

Mohegan Sun Suspends WNBA Bets

Last week, the sportsbook at Mohegan Sun suspended betting on women’s basketball. Critics pointed out that the tribe owns a WNBA team, the Connecticut Suns.

BetMGM, FanDuel to Operate Sports Betting at Washington Casinos

Sports betting operator BetMGM has forged an exclusive market access partnership with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians to operate retail sports betting at the Emerald Queen Casino (l.) in Washington state. And FanDuel will partner with the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort.

Vietnam Expands List of Bettable Sports

Vietnam has issued a decree adding 27 sports leagues and tourneys from all over the world to events Vietnamese can wager on. Prior to the decree, only FIFA-sanctioned contests were eligible.

UNITED STATES GAMING More

Richmond Casino Now Up to Voters

Early voting in Virginia has begun and that means Richmond residents will determine by November 2 whether they want Urban One to develop its proposed $565 million ONE Casino + Resort (l.).

Churchill Downs to Build in Downtown Louisville

Churchill Downs will open Derby City Gaming Downtown (l.) in Louisville’s entertainment and dining district, opening in early 2023. The venue will feature 500 historical horseracing machines and create 100 new permanent jobs.

Louisiana Parish Committee Opposes Casino

The Republican Parish Executive Committee of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana unanimously voted to oppose the proposed $329 million Camellia Bay casino (l.). A December 11 referendum will decide the issue.

In Missouri, Public Invited to Watch VLTs Destroyed

In Platte City, Missouri, the public was invited to watch five video gaming machines destroyed (l.). They’re the only machines found to be illegal in the only successful felony prosecution of a Missouri game vendor.

Slots On 24/7 at Bally’s in Iowa

Slots at Bally’s Quad Cities (l.) in Rock Island, Iowa now operate 24/7. Bally’s bought the former Jumer’s Casino & Hotel for $120 million from Delaware North in June and completed rebranding the venue in September.

Strat to Add $70 Million Golf Venue

Golden Entertainment, owner of the Strat in Las Vegas, will add a $70 million, four-story golf attraction to the property on an adjacent seven-acre tract. The course will be known as the Atomic Range (l.).

TRIBAL GAMING More

Catawbas Expanding Two Kings Temporary Casino

The Catawba Indian Nation is expanding its temporary Two Kings Casino (l.) in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, doubling the number of slots. Meanwhile planning continues for its $239 million permanent facility.

Seneca Nation Request Delay in Order to Pay New York

Having lost its fight against the state of New York over payments, the Seneca Nation has requested a delay in compliance. The tribe, owner of three casinos, wants to wait until federal reviews of the adjudication.

Moody’s, S&P Upgrade Quapaw Credit Rating

On the same day, both Moody’s and Standard and Poor raised the credit ratings for the Quapaw Nation’s Saracen Development, operator of the tribe’s Saracen Resort Casino (l.) in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

NC Tribe May Not Fund Golf Hotel

The tribal council of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee has balked at allocating $3.5 million to start work on Sequoyah National Golf Club hotel. The tribe says its existing $25.3 million contract is binding.

LOTTERY More

SG Introduces Technology to Dutch Lottery

October 1 marked the beginning of the Netherlands Lottery online operations. At the same time Scientific Games went live with its OpenGaming platform and OpenBet technology to assist the lottery.

PEOPLE More

Williams Named WynnBET COO

Ian Williams, formerly president of online gaming at Churchill Downs Inc., was named chief operating officer at WynnBET, overseeing trading, marketing, customer service, payments and data science teams.

Bally’s Names New R.I. Table Games Director

Rhode Island native Clifford K. Perry has been named director of table games for the two casinos in the state operated by Bally’s Corp. Perry has had a long career directing table games in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Ted Hase Joins Scientific Games

Industry game design veteran Ted Hase, formerly of Aristocrat Gaming, has joined Scientific Games as senior vice president of game design, leading the supplier’s Las Vegas game studio.

Ashley Bloor Joins RGS Matrix

EveryMatrix has named Ashley Bloor business owner for its RGS Matrix solution, charged with strengthening the division’s market position and commercial success.

GOODS & SERVICES More

AGEM Index Sets Another Record

The AGEM Index continued to rise in September, setting a new record point total of 1,046.74, led by a 22.5 percent stock increase for International Game Technology.

Conscious Gaming, IXUP to Partner in U.S.

Conscious Gaming and GeoComply have announced a pilot agreement with IXUP Ltd. that will leverage IXUP’s secure data collaboration for the U.S. online gaming and sports betting markets.

NUTSHELL More

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