Chicago reportedly is looking for a sure bet from its planned Windy City casino. It has proposed that the River West site of a billion-dollar Bally’s casino resort (l.) be assessed at $125 million a year, minimum. A planned vote by City Council was scheduled for Friday, but delayed.

The Missouri legislature adjourned May 12 without passing a sports betting bill for the second consecutive year. One issue was the bill’s original tax rate of 10 percent compared to the 21 percent rate for casinos. In Oklahoma, a bill from Rep. Ken Luttrell (l.) that would have allowed state tribes to offer sports betting was tabled.

Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc., which runs the Okada Manila resort in the Philippines, says it will fight a move by founder Kazuo Okada (l.) to return to the company’s board. Okada got the boot in 2017.

Chairman John O’Neill (l.) announced last week he will leave Star Entertainment, the Australian casino giant under fire from New South Wales regulators. Like Crown Resorts, Star ignored its AML obligations to cater to high rollers. O’Neill follows many Star executives who have left the company.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced it will take into federal trust 33 Wisconsin acres owned by the Ho-Chunk Nation in Beloit, on the Illinois border. The tribe plans to build the largest casino (l.) in the state. No timeline has been given for the project.

The acquisition of William Hill’s non-U.S. assets by 888 moved closer to closing when shareholders approved the transaction. The purchase price is £1.95 billion.

MGM Resorts has acquired the operations of the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas from Blackstone Group in a $1.625 billion deal. MGM hopes the property will attract millennials. Blackstone will look for new gaming opportunities.

Vietnam’s program to establish locals-friendly casinos around the country is expanding, and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the latest location to join the candidate pool.

Emerging from a two-year Covid interruption, the European Casino Association’s European Dealer Champion was held at Casino de Monte-Carlo last week with a record number of participants.

Analysts may be down on gaming stocks, citing inflation and consumer restraint. But there may be bargains out there—for investors who are brave enough to roll the dice.

This week, the GGB Podcast sits down with Jacqueline Grace, the vice president and general manager of the Tropicana in Atlantic City, on her first two years in charge and what she envisions for the summer.

A Macau court has ruled against Wynn Macau and MGM China in their claims for compensation for lost deposits due to the Dore theft incident or in VIP rooms (l. MGM Cotai) of the now-shuttered Suncity junket operator.

A Macau court has denied Asian American Entertainment Corp. an extension of the deadline to appeal a ruling in its suit against the Las Vegas Sands Corp. AAEC sued for damages related to Macau operations.

The expanded Galaxy Macau casino resort will offer a strong focus on nongaming, according to Galaxy Deputy Chairman Francis Lui. Phase 3 is reportedly complete and ready to open, with Phase 4 (l.) to be finished in 2024.

Bloomberry Resorts is continuing to explore investment opportunities, this time with fellow developers PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc. The government must sign off on any proposed investments.

The Asian Racing Federation has completed an analysis that warns about the increased use of “white-labeling” for gaming websites. The practice makes it hard for consumers to tell legal from illegal gaming operators.

The U.K. Gambling Commission has suspended the operating license of Goldchip Ltd. for violating the 2005 Gambling Act. The commission also levied penalties at two other companies.

Evert Montero Cardenas (l.), chairman of the Colombian Federation of Entrepreneurs of Games of Luck and Chance wants to build a casino resort in the La Guarjira desert.

IPI (Imperial Pacific International LLC) has signed an agreement with the IH Group of South Korea, in which IH commits to provide funds that will allow IPI to complete its Imperial Palace Casino (l.) on Saipan.

Pragmatic Play has launched its complete portfolio of slot games with bet365, which also is participating in Pragmatic’s popular “Drops and Wins” promotion.

Global Payments Gaming Solutions has announced that Saracen Casino Resort has chosen its iGaming solutions for the property’s new sports betting app, BetSaracen.

When PASPA was overturned in 2018, no one could have predicted the kind of revenues that followed for the sports betting industry. In four years, bettors have wagered $125.4 billion, for taxes of $8.8 billion.

When New York State launched mobile sports betting in January, naysayers predicted New Jersey would lose enough New York bettors to impact the New Jersey numbers. It didn’t happen.

DraftKings has entered Ontario’s sportsbook market six weeks late. DraftKings’s CEO Jason Robins (l.) said, “We do not believe that the timing of our launch will have any impact on the share we are able to achieve in that province.”

The Ohio Casino Control Commission expects nearly 3,000 applicants for 25 online and 40 retail sportsbooks this summer. The “universal start date” is on or near January 1, says Executive Director Matt Schuler (l.).

When sports betting was legalized in Kansas, Boyd Gaming’s Kansas Star Casino (l.) filed suit, claiming that allowing historical horseracing machines at Wichita Greyhound Park breaches Boyd’s contract with the Kansas Lottery.

Hard Rock Sportsbook will open a retail sportsbook July 8 at the temporary Bristol Casino in Virginia. The permanent $300 million venue will open at the former Bristol Mall late next year. A mobile app already is available.

The Massachusetts House voted May 17 to reject changes made to its sports betting bill by the Senate. The main bone of contention is the college sports in the House version. This sets things up for a conference committee.

Boot Hill was the place in old West towns where they buried the bad guys. Now it’s a casino in Kansas (l.). And instead of a cemetery the casino is getting a sportsbook.

Caesars Entertainment has unveiled its new sports betting lounge in one of the most iconic locations: Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Caesars will be the official sports betting partner.

Sportradar has partnered with the Australian Ice Hockey League to provide data distribution and tech solutions including Connected Stadium. The agreement runs through the 2024 season.

In the U.K., problem gambling organizations are pushing for a mandatory levy from sportsbooks to help raise funds for treatment. The industry prefers to keep it voluntary fearing bettors will go to black market sites.

The Finance Committee of the Peruvian Congress has approved a bill to regulate online wagering and tax it at 20 percent. The tax would help make up for the reduction of Peruvian sports, whose budgets have been cut.

Accusations of a difficult work environment under owner Mark Davis (l.) plus a high-powered resignation and a high-powered firing have put a strain on the Las Vegas Raiders organization. But the deal with the stadium is intact.

Atlantic County, New Jersey, has accused the state of putting the cart before the horse. The state has asked for an appellate hearing when the case challenging the change to the Atlantic City casinos’ PILOT payments has not been completely adjudicated.

The $103 million purchase deal of the Bicycle Hotel and Casino (l.) by Parkwest Casinos includes a $210 million line of credit. The credit was extended by Comerica Bank and will be used for improvements.

In 2018 the Louisiana legislature made it legal for riverboat casinos to move their operations ashore. The first to do this will be the Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge (l.). It plans to go ashore next spring in a $700 million expansion.

New Hampshire’s Ocean Gaming Casino (l.) has added 50 historical horse racing (HHR) terminals. IGT, AGS, and IntuiCode will supply the machines. Taxes will go to education and charities.

Canterbury Park (l.) kicked off its 65-day meet, but hovering around is the status of a 10-year-old agreement with a tribal casino set to expire. The tribe paid the track for high purses in exchange for not becoming a racino.

In an effort to spruce up one of the most iconic addresses in Atlantic City, Bally’s Corp has pumped more than $100 million on a variety of projects. Among them is The Yard (l.).

The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians will have no more options if Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (l.) doesn’t approve its proposed $180 million resort by June 16. Construction could start within weeks.

A recent appeals court ruling may allow the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians to reopen its casino (l.) in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, which it closed when the Cherokee Nation sued the UKB in 2013.

A $300 million expansion at Gun Lake Casino in Wayland Township, Michigan will include the 32,000-square-foot Aquadome, featuring three pools under a glass dome, as well as a 15-story hotel, all put together by HBG Design.

Seminole Hard Rock has received its second consecutive recognition as one of the Best Managed Companies in the U.S. The list is presented each year by Deloitte Private and the Wall Street Journal.

The O’Chiese Band has applied to Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) to move the Jackpot Casino (l.) in Red Deer from its current location to the Cambridge Hotel. The idea is to create a casino resort.

A case of sour grapes, or a genuine concern? Camelot Lottery Solutions, which lost out on its bid to continue running the U.K.’s National Lottery, contends that the new operator will be ineffective at best.

Tabcorp shareholder were almost unanimous in their approval to demerge the lottery. Next up, the company will seek approval from the New South Wales Supreme Court.

David Rebuck (l.) came on board as director of New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement in 2011. He feels more needs to be done but brought up a change of guard in the not-too-distant future.

Longtime Hard Rock Executive Auggie Cipollini has accepted a new role, this time as the senior vice president of administration for Hard Rock Atlantic City.

Last month, Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs welcomed casino executive Don Ayers as its new general manager. Ayers brings more than 37 years of industry experience to his new role.

BMM Testlabs has promoted two European executives—Andrea Zanettini and Lorenzo Piazza—to new positions overseeing Europe, Eastern Europe and South America.

Bragg Gaming subsidiary Wild Streak Gaming is expanding its partnership with International Game Technology, providing four exclusive land-based titles to be released by IGT.

Light& Wonder CEO Barry Cottle (l.) predicted at an investor’s day update that the company will grow by 15 percent annually until 2025, with adjusted pre-tax earnings targeted at $1.4 billion.

IGT has provided its IGT Advantage casino management system and a group of IGT games and cabinets to the soon-to-open Nustar Resort and Casino (l,) in Cebu, the Philippines.

Gambless has created an award-winning app that provides resources for those concerned about gambling problems. There are issues the app did not address, however.

Caesars Entertainment is the latest major gaming company to contribute to the research done by the International Center for Responsible Gaming with a check for $200,000.