Vegas Resolutions For The New Year

The Las Vegas rebound is under way but what could make it accelerate. Vegas expert Ira Sternberg has some ideas that he offers as New Year’s Resolutions.

Critical Factors of the Game of Blackjack

Game pace, shuffle time and side bet utilization are huge influencing factors about how profitable your blackjack tables can be. Here’s how to manage them efficiently.

3 Core Slot Theme Trends in 2021

Are “hold-and-spin,” “true persistence,” and “perceived persistence” real trends of flashes in the pan? Eilers & Krejcik has some answers.

The Death of Me Yet

Why are casinos squandering the chance to ban smoking on the casino floor as the pandemic winds down? Gaming observer Richard Schuetz wonders if executives really care about the health of their employees and customers.

Ohio Legalizes Sports Betting, But Is The Tax Structure a Killer?

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (l.) last week signed a bill legalizing sports betting in the state. But taxes may prove a sticking point. The law calls for the gaming tax to be paid daily, which creates problems with futures bets and more. The state also could need a year to work out the kinks.

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WEEKLY FEATURE: Macau Releases Results of Consultancy Survey

The government of Macau has released the results of the public consultancy it organized in October, well ahead of the six-month deadline. Does this mean that the re-tendering process will be conducted prior to the expiration of the concessions, now scheduled for June?

Star Plans Second Crown Bid

Australian casino operator Star Entertainment reportedly will make another bid for Crown Resorts in February, Last summer, the Star proposed a $12 billion merger of the two gaming giants.

Atlantic County Files Suit to Stop AC PILOT Law

Atlantic County, New Jersey Executive Dennis Levinson (l.) promised to sue if state lawmakers approved a casino-backed plan to remove two revenue streams from tax calculations. He did so, arguing the decrease in income would affect what the county receives.

Analyst: Nevada Needs Conventions to Sustain Comeback

The Nevada gaming industry is heading toward its fourth-ever $12 billion year. But Deutsche Bank analyst Carlos Santarelli said casino revenue will contract in 2022, and conventions are the key to a sustained recovery.

Flutter Buys Italian Gaming Company, Sisal

Ireland-based Flutter has purchased the Italian gaming operator Sisal for €1.913 billion. Sisal has double-digit market share in most verticals, and has recently been successful in bidding for lottery operations in Turkey and Morocco.

Former Nevada Senator Harry Reid Dies

Harry Reid, the former Nevada regulator who rose to national prominence as the majority leader of the U.S. Senate, passed away last week at the age of 82. He’s credited with helping the Nevada gaming industry prosper among his other accomplishments.

ASIAN GAMING More

Wynn, Melco End Junkets in Macau

The blowback from the arrest of former Suncity CEO Alvin Chau continues. Two major casino companies, Wynn and Melco, last week halted doing business with the junkets that were at one time the major source of revenue in Macau. Junkets will remain operating in Melco’s Altira (l.) for the time being.

MGM Plans 2029 Opening for Osaka IR

MGM Resorts International and Orix Corp., partners on an integrated resort project (l.) in Osaka, Japan, expect the contemporary complex to open in the fall or winter of 2029.

Macau Lawmakers Seek Help for VIP Workers

Macau lawmakers are asking the government to help people who will be left unemployed by the closure of casino VIP rooms (l.). The city’s biggest VIP junket runner, Suncity, shut down following the arrest of its founder.

NagaWorld Strike Has Minimal Impact on Operations

A strike at Cambodia’s NagaWorld hasn’t had much of an impact on business operations, according to resort operator NagaCorp. Workers walked out December 18 after talks with management went nowhere.

Kangwon Land Cuts Hours Due to Covid

Once again, Kangwon Land has made the decision to cut its hours of operation due to a spike in local Covid-19 infections. Kangwon Land is the only casino in South Korea where locals are allowed to bet.

EUROPEAN GAMING More

Melco Cyprus First in EU to Win RG Endorsement

Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s Cyprus casinos have earned a responsible gaming accreditation from RG Check. The designation makes Melco the first operator to be recognized by the organization in all of its jurisdictions.

Amended Finland Lottery Act Draws Fire

Finland’s parliament has approved a Lottery Act that will target offshore operators while keeping the Veikkaus monopoly intact. The new legislation has been criticized by the European Gaming and Betting Association.

GLOBAL GAMING More

NSW to Investigate Reports of Money Laundering in Pubs, Clubs

The New South Wales Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority and state crime commissioners will work together to investigate reports of widespread money laundering in the Australian state’s pubs and clubs. ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis (l.) claims the clubs are prohibited by law from banning suspicious individuals.

SkyCity to Participate in GiG Acquisition

New Zealand-based SkyCity Entertainment will invest millions in the Gaming Innovation Group to help acquire sports betting platform provider Sportnco. The companies say the deal creates a number of synergies.

ONLINE GAMING More

BetMGM Launches Borgata Bingo

BetMGM has launched the Borgata Bingo game in the state of Washington, the first 75-ball real-money online bingo game in the U.S., with sports legends commemorating first bets.

Netherlands Operators Adopt iGaming Code, Cracks Down on Illegal Gaming Sites

The Licensed Dutch Gaming Providers association has agreed to a voluntary code for iGaming that includes limiting bonuses, daytime advertising and marketing that targets young people. The move comes as Dutch Minister of Legal Protection Sander Dekker (l.) is targeting illegal gaming sites in the Dutch-based Caribbean nation of Curacao.

Inspired to Supply Games to RSI

Inspired Entertainment has signed an agreement with Rush Street Interactive to supply its interactive game content to RSI in North American markets including New Jersey, Michigan and West Virginia.

SIGA to Launch Saskatchewan iGaming

The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority, which represents 74 First Nations, is poised to launch online gaming in the next six months. A vendor will be chosen in early 2022.

EveryMatrix to Expand to Michigan, West Virginia

EveryMatrix has applied for gaming supplier licenses in Michigan and West Virginia, part of the supplier’s plan to expand into new markets following authorization of iGaming and sports betting.

Georgia Revamps iGaming Regulations

The Republic of Georgia has begun rewriting its gaming regulations. Prime Minster Irakli Garibashvili (l.) plans target online gaming by raising taxes and banning most marketing and advertising.

SPORTS BETTING More

Bally Bet Live in Indiana

Bally Bet, the sports betting app of Bally’s Corp., has officially launched in Indiana, becoming the state’s 13th mobile sports wagering platform.

PointsBet Launches in Virginia

PointsBet has launched its mobile sports betting app in Virginia, joining 10 other sportsbooks in the state, which is the eight state where the company has launched its betting platform.

Second Wisconsin Tribe to Offer Sports Betting

Last week, William Reynolds of the St Croix Chippewa Indians and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (l.) signed a new compact that allows the tribe to offer sports betting as well as wagers on non-sporting events.

Fubo Sportsbook Now in Arizona

Fubo Gaming, a subsidiary of live TV streaming platform FuboTV, last week launched its Fubo Sportsbook brand in Arizona. It’s the second state in which the sportsbook is available, following Iowa.

Man City Star Zinchenko Joins VBets

International soccer star Oleksandr Zinchenko (l.) has joined sports betting platform VBET as its newest ambassador. The 25-year-old is a midfielder for Manchester City in the U.K. and the Ukraine National Team.

UNITED STATES GAMING More

NJ Senator Deaf to Atlantic City Smoking Issue

In his final days as New Jersey Senate president, Steve Sweeney (l.) could probably push a bill to ban smoking in the casinos. But it’s unlikely he’ll take that step despite a push by anti-smoking groups.

Alabama to Consider Gaming Again

Alabama lawmakers say they plan to again introduce legislation to create a lottery and approve casinos, after last year’s constitutional amendment stalled in the state House.

Penn National Opens Hollywood Morgantown

Penn National Gaming last week celebrated the grand opening of Hollywood Casino Morgantown (l.), a Category 4 mini-casino in southeastern Pennsylvania’s Berks County.

Missourians Complain to Regulators about Illegal Slots

Hundreds of people have called a government hotline to complain to Missouri regulators about unlicensed, unregulated gaming machines spreading in the state, says Ed Grewach (l.), general counsel for the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Days Are Numbered for Mirage Volcano

Hard Rock International, which will soon complete its acquisition of the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, says the resort’s famous spewing volcano will be among the first casualties of a $1.5 billion renovation.

Wayne Newton to Return to Vegas Strip

Las Vegas legend Wayne Newton will return to the stage in January, performing at the Wayne Newtown Theater at the Flamingo. The 79-year-old last performed there in March 2020.

TRIBAL GAMING More

Ho-Chunk Court Rules in Favor of Pandemic Budget

The Supreme Court of Wisconsin’s Ho-Chunk Nation has overruled a previous decision that favored the tribe’s president, Marlon WhiteEagle (l.). He rejected a pandemic budget measure that caused layoffs in his office.

California Tribe Renews Casino Relocation Bid

California’s Redding Rancheria is resubmitting its application to put land into trust for an off-reservation casino. The proposed Win-River Casino and Event Center would include a 250-room hotel.

PEOPLE More

Hole Card Cam Inventor Orenstein Dies

Henry Orenstein, the inventor of the hole card cam, has died at 98. Orenstein has been credited with changing the fortunes of casino poker and also invented the Transformers line of toys

Vegas Plaza Adds Fernandez to Sales, Catering

The Plaza Hotel & Casino of Downtown Las Vegas has appointed Victor Fernandez as associate director of sales and catering. Fernandez has 15 years of experience in the gaming and hospitality industries.

GOODS & SERVICES More

Scientific Games Pulls SciPlay Offer

Scientific Games has withdrawn its offer to purchase the 19 percent of shares it does not own in its social gaming division, the publicly traded SciPlay Corp.

Aristocrat Faces Threat to Playtech Acquisition

Aristocrat officials are asking the U.K.’s Takeover Panel to investigate whether Asian investors buying up Playtech stock are acting in concert to block Aristocrat’s acquisition of the company.

Wind Creek Acquires FlowPlay

Wind Creek Hospitality has acquired FlowPlay Inc. operator of online and free-to-play games. The deal will enable Wind Creek to increase synergies between online and on-site gaming and generate new revenues.

BMM Cites Increasing Demand in Asia

A top executive of BMM Testlabs has noted an increase in demand for its testing and certification services in Asia, prompting expansion of offices in Singapore and Macau.

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES More

ICE London to Announce April Dates

Clarion Gaming announced last week that the ICE London trade event is being postponed from its February dates to April due to the Covid-19 pandemic. New conference dates will be announced early this month.

NUTSHELL More

THEY SAID IT More

QUOTABLE QUOTES

Outrageous pronouncements, simple statements and words of wisdom.