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.
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.
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 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.
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?
New York State has three downstate casino licenses up for grabs, and commissioners have received 30 requests for info. MGM and Genting, which run less than full-scale casinos in the region, may have a leg up.
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, 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.
With signatures rapidly piling up, it’s almost a certainty that voters in California will have the chance to have their say multiple sports betting solutions for the state. But the one that is already approved still faces challenges.
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.
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.
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.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (l.) has signed a bill that permits remote registration for online sports betting. The law also permits limited bets on in-state college games.
This week, the GGB Podcast has a discussion with Ray Pineault, the president and CEO of Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, on his company’s priorities in 2022 and beyond.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gaum’s Supreme Court has ruled that licenses issued for hundreds of gaming machines were illegal. The rules for licensing were illegal because they were submitted to lawmakers without public notice.
India’s Delta Group will focus on expanding its domestic market. The company is awaiting a license to operate a casino resort, the Deltin (l.), in the territory of Daman.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota has partnered with the Minnesota Vikings to create a Vikings-themed lounge within the Mystic Slots online casino app.
Stake.com, an online crypto-based casino, has debuted in the U.K. with plans to offer sports betting, casino gaming and other products. It’s all part of a push to expand its global presence.
A new report from the United Nations shows that illegal sportsbooks draw some $1.7 trillion in wagers annually, despite the growing legal sports betting market.
Hollywood Casino Perryville in Maryland was issued its sports betting license by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission after completing successful tests.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Full House Resorts is suing the Indiana Gaming Commission, asking the courts to nullify the license approval for Churchill Downs to open a casino in Vigo County.
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 Gaming last week celebrated the grand opening of Hollywood Casino Morgantown (l.), a Category 4 mini-casino in southeastern Pennsylvania’s Berks County.
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.
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.
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.
Catawba Nation Chief Bill Harris (l.) has applauded legislation recognizing the tribe’s roots in North Carolina. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians challenged the bill, which will open the door to a competing casino.
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’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.
The U.S. Department of the Interior has given Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer six more months to sign off on a casino (l.) proposed by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.
The Palms in Las Vegas, now owned by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, will introduce a new vibe for a new class of casino guests—those who want to capture their experience in shareable photos.
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
Jim Warren has been named chairman of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming. Premier Doug Ford was looking for a change of command at OLG, criticized for paying big executive bonuses during the pandemic.
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has appointed Haven Pope as the company’s chief accounting officer. Pope will oversee a financial reporting and analysis for MGE and its subsidiaries.
Caesars Sportsbook has signed former All-American hoops star Rachel DeMita to serve as a brand ambassador and also produce original sports betting content. DeMita hosts NBA 2KTV.
Danny Hilliard has been named president of corporate development for the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. From 2015 to the present, Hilliard served as vice president of tribal corporate development.
Pechanga Resort Casino has announced the appointment of Andre Pinto as executive chef. Pinto will be in charge of 12 restaurants at the California property, and oversee a team of more than 120 people.
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.
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 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.
UNLV’s William S. Boyd School of Law will partner with sports betting giant Entain to offer a series of classes on iGaming law. The program will begin March 1.
Intelitics has partnered with Flows to provide an innovation platform that allows companies to build without code. The pairing will allow both companies to expand their U.S. market.
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.
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.
MGM Resorts is introducing an unusual tool that lets prospective employees literally “try on” jobs before accepting them: virtual reality headsets. The technology is expected to reduce turnover.
Everi Holdings has donated $10,000 to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children in Southern Nevada. The ranch offers special care for abused or at-risk children, young adults and families, including victims of human trafficking.
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.
