How Ontario Lottery & Gaming Turned Bingo Halls Into Slot Parlors

Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corp. has spent years modernizing bingo halls by adding electronic slot machines. It gets around the illegality of slot machines in the province by dubbing them “charitable gaming centers.” But they operate like slots, and consumers can lose as much as $12 per minute playing them.

Gaming Execs Go Bald For a Cause

More than 15 senior executives from gaming’s largest operators and suppliers are shaving their heads this month to help to battle childhood cancer. Take some time to read about their commitment to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and donate to this very worthy cause. Dan Ingster (l.) explains how it came together.

Penn to Own 100 Percent of Barstool Sports

Penn Entertainment announced in an SEC filing that it is exercising its option to purchase all of the remaining shares of its sportsbook partner, Barstool Sports, for $387 million. At left, Jay Snowden, CEO, Penn Entertainment, Erica Nardini, CEO, and Dave Portnoy, president, Barstool Sports celebrate the initial buy at the Nasdaq closing bell.

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WEEKLY FEATURE: Entain Fined £17 Million by UKGC, Could Lose License

Entain has been fined £17 million by the U.K. Gambling Commission. The commission said the company hasn’t done nearly enough to protect consumers from gambling addiction, or properly adhere to anti-money laundering obligations. How will this impact Entain’s partnership with BetMGM?

Commercial Casinos Set Revenue Record

Commercial casinos in the U.S. set a new quarterly revenue record in the second quarter of 2022, generating $14.81 billion, and the industry overall is on pace for a second consecutive annual revenue record.

Opposition Strong Against a Casino in Manhattan

Plenty of developers envision building a casino in Manhattan, yet plenty of officials want no parts of a casino in a town that never sleeps. They are, however, more than willing to let the casino go to Queens, Brooklyn or Staten Island.

Covid Policy, Lagging Consumer Confidence Affect Macau

Analysts predict that travel to Macau will be back to near-normal by year’s end, but depressed consumer confidence in China will continue to affect gaming there. Some U.S. operators are reportedly less enthusiastic about their investment in the casino hub.

FanDuel Accounts for Half of U.S. Online Sports Betting Market; Enters Nevada Market

Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of FanDuel, has nothing but praise for the bookmaker’s success. FanDuel controls more than 51 percent of the U.S. market for online sports betting. At the same time, Nevada regulators gave the green light for FanDuel Sportsbook to enter into a partnership with Boyd Gaming at its Fremont Hotel & Casino sportsbook.

FANTINI’S FINANCE: Inspired-AGS Would Bring Value for Both Companies

The recent negotiations between Inspired Entertainment and PlayAGS have shown that both companies may actually be undervalued, regardless of a merger. Additionally, the AGA has released its selections for its HoF Class of 2022, and it did a fine job in honoring some of gaming’s best.

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South Korean Casino Operator Courts VIPs

South Korea’s Lotte Tour Development Co. is actively wooing VIP customers who may no longer wish to patronize casinos in Macau, according to COO Lawrence Teo (l.). The push starts this month with a high-roller junket.

Revised Tourism Tax Coming to Macau in 2023

Amendments to laws regulating the tourism tax in Macau were passed by a unanimous vote in the city’s Legislative Assembly on August 11, said Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Nai Wong (l.).

MGE Eyes Korean Opening in Late 2023

Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment says it’s on track to open its Inspire Korea resort (l.) in Incheon in late 2023. The complex will include a foreigners-only casino.

EUROPEAN GAMING More

Greek IR Will Include First Skyscraper

Greece’s first true skyscraper is going to be a signature landmark of the country’s first integrated resort. The $1.2 billion IR (l.) is being built at the former Hellinikon International Airport site. The developer, Lamda, calls it and its Riviera Town the “biggest urban project” in the European Union.

GLOBAL GAMING More

Reformed Gray Market Bookies Will be Majority of Ontario Operators

The former gray market betting operators who illegally allowed residents of Ontario, Canada to gamble on their sites are being given a grace period under Premier Doug Ford (l.) to sign up to operate legally in the new regulated market. Financial analysts believe this gives them a leg up to dominate the market over those who don’t have that head start.

65 Percent of Canadians Aged 15 or Older Gamble, Says Report

Almost two-thirds of Canadians 15 or older say they gambled at least once in the last year. The majority of cases were buying lottery tickets. The study was conducted by Statistics Canada, which also reported that 2 percent who gambled were at moderate-to-severe risk of problem gambling.

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Wind Creek Launches ‘CasinoVerse’ App

Wind Creek Hospitality has launched CasinoVerse, a social gaming application that will allow customers of the tribal casino enterprise to play in an immersive 3D world.

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Betting on College Games Worrisome in Maryland

States vary in their approach to college games participating in sports betting. But former congressman Tom McMillen (l.) says betting on college sports might lead to point-shaving or fixing a game.

Hundreds Apply For Ohio Sports Betting Kiosks

Hundreds of restaurants, bars, grocery stores and bowling alleys met the August 15 deadline to apply for sports betting kiosks, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission. If approved, the businesses can turn on their kiosks on January 1, 2023.

Tennesseans Can Bet On Arkansas Casino App

Bettors in Tennessee now can place sports wagers on Betly.com, the online and mobile sportsbook from Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis, Arkansas. Earlier this year, Southland launched Arkansas’ first online and mobile sportsbook.

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Casino Companies Face Scrutiny Over Lack of Diversity

Diversity, equity and inclusion are big topics for all companies, but gaming companies specifically are beginning to face increasing scrutiny for their predominantly white, predominantly male boards of directors, thanks in part to a recent report from the Las Vegas Sun.

Georgia Governor Opposes Gambling Expansion

One day after Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams announced she supports expanded gambling, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (l.) said the state is doing just fine without casinos or sports betting.

Louisiana Downs Moves Super Derby To 2023

Officials at Louisiana Downs (l.) in Bossier City postponed the Super Derby until 2023 to raise more purse money from historical horse racing machines, new off-track betting locations and sports betting, plus 100 additional slots.

MA Regulator to MGM, Encore: Hire More

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission and Chairwoman Cathy Judd-Stein (l.) says the MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor casinos have not done enough to replace dealers lost to the Covid-19 crisis, citing pre-pandemic employment pledges.

Gindi Submits Plans for Expansive LV Strip Retail Complex

Gindi Capital has submitted plans to the Clark County Commission for a sizable retail and entertainment complex on the south side of Las Vegas Boulevard. The existing site (l.) is expected to be torn down to make room for the new development.

Golden CEO Noncommittal on Future of Colorado Belle Casino

Despite being closed for over two years, Golden Entertainment and CEO Blake Sartini have yet to commit to future plans regarding the Colorado Belle hotel-casino (l.) in Laughlin. The company also operates two other casinos in the area, as well as the Laughlin Convention Center.

AGA Endorses Digital Assets Executive Order for Gaming Industry

The AGA has endorsed the executive order recently signed by president Joe Biden regarding the regulation of digital assets, and has asked for assistance in implementing appropriate regulations for the gaming industry. The AGA’s Alex Costello (l.) says that any federal regulations should “consider gaming’s unique circumstances.”

Fontainebleau Las Vegas to Open Retail Complex Alongside IR

The developers of the long-awaited Fontainebleau Las Vegas integrated resort have announced plans to open a 90,000 square-foot luxury retail shopping center (l.) that will connect to the resort once completed. Both developments are expected to debut at the end of 2023.

TRIBAL GAMING More

Wisconsin Tribes Mixed On Menominee Casino

The Potawatomi Tribe strongly opposes the Menominee Nation’s proposed casino in Kenosha, Wisconsin (l.). But the Oneida Nation and Stockbridge-Munsee Nation support the Menominee’s proposal.

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Saito Remains as Japan Casino Policy Chief

Tetsuo Saito, Japan’s minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, will remain in that role at the pleasure of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was elected last October.

Luvisotto Appointed Executive Director of Wynn Macau Board

Wynn Macau COO Frederic Luvisotto (l.) has been appointed as executive director of the Wynn Macau board, effective immediately. The company has seen multiple high-level departures in recent months, including former president Ian Michael Coughlan.

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Bally’s Donates $600K to ICRG

The International Center for Responsible Gaming announced that it has received a $600,000 donation from Bally’s Corporation to support research on problem gambling.

RSI Buys Poker Night in America

Rush Street Interactive has acquired the popular TV series Poker Night in America, and officials have confirmed that the company will “eventually” launch online poker at its BetRivers and BetSugarHouse sites.

GiG to Supply Kings Media in Ontario

Gaming Innovation Group has signed an agreement with Kings Media to supply its platform to create the first North American version of the popular King Billy online casino.

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