CEOs Craig Billings, Rob Goldstein and Bill Hornbuckle (l. to r.) of Wynn Resorts, Sands and MGM Resorts, respectively, recently appeared on a CNBC panel in which they addressed the gaming industry at large, including discussions about Covid, Macau and the Strip.

Virginia’s first casino, the temporary Hard Rock Bristol, recently opened in a former mall with 870 slots, 21 table games, a sportsbook, food service and a Hard Rock store. The permanent casino resort is on track to open in May 2024.

The three Las Vegas casinos operated by Station Casinos that closed during the pandemic will not reopen. Fiesta Rancho, Texas Station (l.) and Fiesta Henderson will all be demolished and the land sold.

After decades of trying, Texas will no longer try to close the Alabama-Coushatta’s Naskila Gaming electronic bingo hall (l.). A federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court both recently ruled in favor of the tribe.

Japanese lawmakers could soon issue the country’s very first integrated resort licenses, kicking off an era of legal casinos in the country. Late prime minister Shinzo Abe (l.), the pivotal figure in IR legislation, won’t be around to see the fruits of his labor. He was assassinated July 8.

Universal Entertainment Corp. announced last week that it will pursue criminal charges against Kazuo Okada (l.) and his “collaborators” for what it describes as the forced takeover of Okada Manila in the Philippines.

So far, over 80 organizations have announced opposition to Proposition 27, the California measure that would authorize online sports betting across the state. One of the latest is the California Democratic Party, the state’s dominant political party, which has long been supported by state tribes.

Following a back-and-forth bidding war, Iris Capital has acquired the gaming operations of Casino Canberra (l.) from parent company Aquis Entertainment Ltd. The offer is for $42 million, which trumps the existing $39.5 offer from Capital Leisure & Entertainment Pty Ltd.

The Conservative U.K. government has named Damian Collins (l.), the Undersecretary of State for Online Safety at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), to lead the review of the 2005 Gambling Act. He is now the fourth minister to have been given the task.

The recent boom of the Las Vegas Strip is refreshing, yet likely unsustainable. However, as analysts and investors try to sell off to get ahead of decline, remember the resilience that gaming has shown to even get to this point. If any industry is built for a long road ahead, it’s casinos.

This week, the GGB Podcast features an interview with David Cordish, the chairman and CEO of the Cordish Companies, on the 10th anniversary of the opening of Maryland LIVE! and how his interest in gaming began.

The troubled island nation of Sri Lanka has approved issuing licenses to four casinos. This will make it easier for the government to collect the gaming taxes the Inland Revenue Department says it is owed. The country is in the throes of massive unrest over economic conditions.

Cambodian casinos along the border have had trouble reopening post-pandemic. During the period they closed, maintenance fell off and too few employees are now available.

A survey of 3,200 Thai citizens indicates that the overwhelming majority—more than 80 percent—support a legal casino industry in the country. Five casinos are part of the proposal, including one in Bangkok (l.).

Anti-casino activists in Osaka, Japan, may sue the government for signing off on a land deal they claim violates the local finance act. The city has set aside millions of dollars for soil remediation at the proposed casino site.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has asked the government to extend a pilot program that allows locals to gamble. The ministry also wants to add two new casinos to the program.

Wynn Macau Ltd. has created a new position, chief marketing officer, in order to draw more customers to the resort beyond Mainland China. The new hire will report to Vice Chairwoman and COO Linda Chen.

The government of Italy has extended gaming concessions until 2024. Licenses had been due to expire in 2022 and the country’s bookmakers, such as Snaitech and Lottomatica, faced an uncertain future, since they could not open their shops without licenses.

The Dutch government has announced several actions targeting gambling ads and team sponsorships. The measures supported by Minister Franc Weerwind (l.) will phase in bans on “untargeted” ads and gambling sponsorships. Online and direct advertising will be left alone—but only for the moment.

The island country of Curaçao’s Council of Ministers has approved a new system that will reform its online gaming regime. As part of the reforms, it will create a new licensing body, the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA). The goal will be to make it harder to enter the island’s gaming market.

Queensland’s inquiry into the suitability of Star Entertainment has commenced, with a final report expected by September 30. Geoff Hogg (l.), interim CEO of Star, recently revealed that the company hasn’t paid any fines in the state for at least five years.

Now that Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies (l.) has passed a bill updating the rules that govern sports, it is inviting scrutiny over how it might affect the profitability of the betting sector. The bill still awaits action by the Senate.

RushBet.mx, the online casino and sportsbook, has gone live in Mexico. It is a joint project of Rush Street Interactive and media giant Grupo Multimedios. RSI now becomes the first U.S. iGaming company to go live in Mexico.

888 Holdings has completed the sale of its bingo businesses to Broadway Gaming Group’s Saphalata Holdings for a total consideration of $47.3 million.

GeoComply is combining its geolocation intelligence with Accertify’s chargeback management system to solve costly chargeback disputes for gaming operators.

Bet-at-home has reacted to the announcement that the British Gambling Commission has suspended its license with an announcement of its own: it is permanently exiting the United Kingdom’s gaming market.

A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll shows growing support for sports betting four years after the Supreme Court struck down a widespread ban. Less than half, however, approve of betting on college sports.

The 9th and final sports betting license for mobile play in New York went live July 7. Bally Bet, part of Bally’s Corp., will take it slow and keep marketing costs down.

Legal sports wagers may not be taken in Kansas for several months, as co-regulators Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission and Kansas Lottery finalize rules and get feedback from casinos and stakeholders.

The UK’s Premier League clubs made a splash when they announced a vote to voluntarily ban advertisements on jerseys. Now, the vote has been postponed and a meeting on the matter will occur July 26.

The Massachusetts House approved betting on college sports. The Senate did not, and Speaker Ron Mariano (l.) calls it a dealbreaker. The Senate banned credit cards and limited advertising. Yet, a House negotiator believes it will pass.

The Ohio gambling commission set a launch date for sports betting as January 1. But potential licensees must have had their application for a license in by July 15. That date brought a rush of filings, which included all of the big names.

The province of Ontario, the only one with sports betting running, has signed on to a multi-year partnership with the NFL. The operator has a similar deal south of the border.

U.K. bookmaker Betfred appears to be having a whale of a time getting the licensing needed to open a sportsbook in Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, but the company remains confident it will get done after all.

MGM Resorts International and BetMGM have expanded their partnership with Major League Baseball. As baseball’s official sports betting partner, MGM will offer its gaming options across league and team platforms.

PointsBet prides itself in being a leader in in-play betting. To enhance this avenue, the sportsbook has signed a partnership deal with IMG Arena, providing access to 40,000 games and matches.

A smoking ban in Atlantic City appears to be more likely than not at this point, which has led some to ask whether Nevada, the mecca of U.S. gaming, might consider similar legislation. The answer, at least according to industry experts, is not only no, but hell no.

The federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was designed to standardize thoroughbred horse racing regulations. But Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and West Virginia claim the new law infringes on states’ rights.

After more than three years since a constitutional amendment required Arkansas to provide at least $200,000 a year for problem gambling services, the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council is seeking proposals from service providers.

A Choctaw-funded group seeks to stop Cherokee Nation’s Legends Casino (l.) in Pope County, Arkansas. The group submitted more than 100,000 signatures supporting a ballot to let voters decide if the county should have a casino at all.

Before the pandemic, the two Massachusetts casinos offered a total of 95 poker tables and operated around the clock. Now they have 29 with limited hours. The gaming commission wants the two casinos, including Encore Boston Harbor (l.), to address this.

The first stand-alone station for The Boring Co.’s underground Las Vegas transportation circuit is now open at Resorts World, the first of over 50 planned for the ever-expanding system.

The 10-year contract between Canterbury Park racetrack (l.) and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux tribe will end December 31. Discussions are ongoing about extending the deal, which generated $68.5 million for the formerly struggling venue.

The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority plans to go live with online gaming this November. Its vendor is British Columbia Lottery Corp. Also the online gaming vendor for Manitoba, BCLC operates the only gaming website in North America.

Rumors are flying after Kenosha Landco Company agreed to pay $100,000 for an option to purchase a 60-acre tract in Kenosha, Wisconsin for $15 million. The company shares an address with Hard Rock International.

It may seem like a small step, but give Wind Creek Hospitality an A for effort against inflation. The tribal company will give each employee a one-time stipend and a possibility of working three or four days a week.

More than 14 years after opening its tribal casino, the Snoqualmie have started work on a long-planned expansion to its casino (l.). The additions include a hotel tower, convention center, spa, pool, and 11,000 square feet of casino space.

The general manager of the Eagle Mountain Casino has revealed that the new version of the casino, relocated 17 miles from the current location, will open the first week of December.

A new study on state lotteries by the University of Maryland found that retailers are clustered disproportionately in lower-income areas, and most wagers are from those customers.

The government of South Africa has named human rights activist Barney Pityana (l.) as the chairman of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC.) Pityana was appointed to clean up the commission after senior members were accused of accepting illegal payments.

Suncity Group Holdings has confirmed that Executive Director Andrew Lo has become the company’s new majority shareholder. Lo assumed the stake previously held by former chairman Alvin Chau.

Frederic Jean-Luc Luvisotto (l.) will become chief operating officer of Wynn Macau Ltd. early next year, following the departure of President Ian Michael Coughlan in February 2023. He will replace Linda Chen, who is taking Coughlan’s role.

Casino fintech company Marker Trax has named Chad Cutcliff as its new chief financial officer. Cutcliff boasts more than 20 years of experience in finance, and will join the company at a time of steady growth.

Konami Gaming has appointed industry veteran Noah VanWetten to the role of director of supply chain and purchasing. VanWetten will now handle procurement, inventory and QC for the gaming supplier.

Aristocrat has appointed Deanne McKissik and Mark Wadley as the new chief supply chain officer and chief marketing officer, respectively. Both were promoted internally to their respective positions.

David Jacques Farahi has been appointed to AGS’ board of directors, the company announced. Farahi’s 20-plus year gaming career includes numerous executive roles, including four terms as president of the Colorado Gaming Association.

Former Aristocrat Gaming sales leader Lisa Waterfield has transitioned to a directorial role at iGaming supplier FSB as the company continues to build on North American momentum.

Galaxy Gaming, Inc. has appointed Meredith Brill to its board of directors. Brill replaced William Zender, who resigned from the board as of July 1, and will serve until the next election of directors.

The Department of Interior recently formed the Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee, and Secretary Deb Haaland has appointed Erica Pinto, chairwoman of The Jamul Indian Village of California, to serve a one-year term.

Hollywood Casino (l.) in Charles Town, West Virginia has asked the state lottery commission to approve installation of cashless wagering technology, specifically Acres’ cashless platform.

Table Trac will install its CasinoTrac casino management system at Stillwater Gaming’s Lucky Strike Casino, adding to the supplier’s footprint at Stillwater’s Nevada properties.

Symplify has enhanced its casino management system for the land-based casino industry, which deploys artificial intelligence to enhance customer loyalty programs.