Fight Against Illegal Offshore Sites Continues Amid Legal Market Expansion

Legal gaming offerings are expanding like never before, but that doesn’t mean the fight against their unregulated offshore counterparts has stopped. Industry leaders such as AGA Senior Vice President Casey Clark (l.) continue to advocate for the eradication of these sites, which represent a higher risk for bettors.

Rising Tide at Ocean

Once at the bottom of the heap, Ocean Casino Resort is now number three in the Atlantic City market when it comes to gross gaming revenue. Why? A combination of a stellar property, great marketing and excellent service.

Football Fever

With the return of the gridiron, more Americans will enjoy betting, according to a new report published by the American Gaming Association. Most of them will bet with legal sports betting operations rather than illegal bookies. The use of legal sites gives players an emphasis on responsible wagering.

Turmoil in the UK Makes Gaming an Afterthought

Liz Truss has officially been sworn in as the next prime minister of the U.K., and she inherits a full docket of issues, including inflation, energy snafus and the recent passing of the country’s most beloved figure, Queen Elizabeth II, who affirmed Truss as the nation’s leader (l.) just the day before her death. Surely, gaming reform is somewhere on that list—just how far down, however, remains to be seen.

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Ader: Takeback of Okada Manila Clears the Way for Merger

After a months-long takeover skirmish, a new board has assumed control of Okada Manila in the Philippines. It’s good news for Jason Ader (l.), head of 26 Capital, who plans to merge the SPAC with the Asian resort operator and list the new company on NASDAQ.

PAGCOR Reviews Dual Role as Operator, Regulator

The new head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has asked for “time to study” privatization of the agency’s Casino Filipino gaming halls. Critics say PAGCOR should not act as both regulator and operator.

Mayor Establishes Advisory Board For Chicago Casino

As plans evolve for Bally’s future $1.7 billion casino in downtown Chicago (l.), Mayor Lori Lightfoot has set up an advisory council to gather local feedback on the project. Environmental advocates believe the new facility will help improve the riverfront, creating an area similar to the popular Riverwalk.

Crown Melbourne in Hot Water for Blank Checks; CEO Pledges Reform

The Victorian government has launched a third disciplinary action against Crown Melbourne (l.), after the recent Royal Commission revealed that the casino allowed patrons to exchange checks, both written and blank, for chips and gambling credit. Meanwhile, new Crown CEO Ciarán Carruthers has pledged to clean up the company’s previous mishaps moving forward.

Alabama Supreme Court Ruling Forces Casino Closure

Greenetrack (l.), Alabama’s second-oldest dog track-casino, has closed, and others are expected to follow due to a recent ruling from the state’s Supreme Court that causes the casinos to pay more in monthly taxes than they take in from gamblers.

Sportsbooks, Vendors Issue Letters of Intent in Massachusetts

Sportsbooks, Vendors Issue Letters of Intent in Massachusetts (Image: Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)
More than 40 companies submitted letters of intent from a sportsbook or vendor seeking a license from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (l.). The applicants are big and small, from FanDuel to Suffolk Racecourse.

Churchill Downs, FanDuel Ink Multi-Faceted Deal

Horse racing giant Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has partnered with FanDuel in a deal that involves parimutuel wagering, broadcast rights and sponsorships. FanDuel users will soon be able to watch CDI-owned races on FanDuel TV and wager on them via the bookmaker’s betting platforms.

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Will Open Borders Resuscitate Macau Gaming?

On September 1, the Macau government announced it would reopen its borders to visitors from 41 countries, including the United States. Will the resumption of international travel be a lifeline for Macau’s casino industry?

South Korean Island Pushes Casinos to Reopen

The government of the South Korean island of Jeju is losing patience with five shuttered casinos in the market, and has ordered them to reopen by October 1 to help jumpstart the lagging tourism business.

Are Gaming Manufacturers Bailing on Macau?

China’s ongoing zero-Covid policy has some gaming manufacturers and suppliers looking to exit Macau, at least in part. Light & Wonder, for one, is relocating some of its staff to the Philippines.

Court Could Approve Sale of IPI Assets

The U.S. District Court for NMI that lifted the stay on the limited receivership against Imperial Pacific International (IPI) several weeks ago still has not given the go-ahead for Clear Management to conduct an auction. On the block will be slot machines from IPI’s shuttered Saipan casino (l.).

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Most Ontario Residents Not Betting on Sports

More than three months after Ontario, Canada opened its sports betting market, a majority of the population hasn’t placed a bet. Furthermore, nearly 50 percent said they have no interest at all in betting on sports.

NSW Casinos Put on Notice Following Launch of NICC

The newly created NSW Independent Casino Commission has now commenced operations, and Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford (l.) wants the state’s casinos to know that the new agency won’t tolerate any more funny business.

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Foxwoods to add $85 Million Gaming Space

Foxwoods Resort Casino’s CEO Jason Guyot has announced that the tribal casino plans to add a sixth gaming space. It’s all part of $85 million in improvements that will start this fall and will include a 50,000 square-foot gaming area and a 250-seat celebrity chef restaurant.

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Nevada Regulators Preparing for New Hearings Involving Steve Wynn

The Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission have confirmed that they are arranging further disciplinary hearings against former casino executive Steve Wynn (l.) over allegations of sexual harassment. Wynn has maintained that state regulators hold no jurisdiction over him now that is no longer affiliated with the gaming industry and has no intention of rejoining it.

Pennsylvania Township Tries to Stop Mall Mini-Casino

A small town in Pennsylvania neglected to opt out from being a possible future home to a mini casino before a 2017 deadline. Now, the council of College Township is looking into ways it could stop said casino from coming to its Nittany Mall (l.).

Red Rock Announces Plans to Shutter, Demo Fourth Las Vegas Property

Red Rock Resorts will shutter its Wild Wild West casino in Las Vegas (l.) and demolish it, allowing the company to conjoin the site with an additional 80 acres for a bigger project down the line. This marks the fourth Las Vegas-area location that Red Rock has tagged for demolition this summer.

Colorado Evolves Into Lucrative Market for Nevada Gaming Companies

Colorado’s gaming market is finally getting some respect. For the first 20 years, the market was considered too measly for Nevada’s biggest gaming companies to pay it much mind. However, with the lifting of betting limits and legalization of sports betting in recent years, that has changed for the three towns, including Cripple Creek (l.).

California REIT Declines Maryland Racetrack Purchase

California REIT Declines Maryland Racetrack Purchase 06.16.10- Fort Washington, MD- Exterior photos of Rosecroft Raceway in Prince Georges County from the parking area. Photos by: Maximilian Franz/The Daily Record.
California-based REIT Prologis will not purchase the harness track Rosecroft Raceway (l.) in Towson, Maryland from the Maryland Jockey Club. Prologis made an unsolicited offer to buy the track for an undisclosed sum.

Illinois Regulators Approve Casino Construction

The Illinois Gaming Board said Hard Rock can start site preparation for its future casino resort (l.) in Rockford, Illinois. Earth-moving, foundations, grading and more will begin September 15 and last through the rest of the year.

Papanier: Tropicana to Become West Coast “Flagship” for Bally’s

Bally’s Corp. is one step closer to finalizing its deal with Penn Entertainment to acquire the Tropicana Las Vegas (l.) following initial approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Bally’s President George Papanier said the casino has the potential to be the company’s West Coast flagship property.

New Las Vegas Strip Retail Complex Prepares for Early 2023 Opening

A new luxury retail center called 63 (l.) is expected to complete the first phase of construction in October, after which tenants can move in. A public opening is expected sometime in the first quarter of 2023. The complex is in close proximity to other Strip landmarks, such as the Aria resort and the Shops at Crystals mall.

TRIBAL GAMING More

Groups File Briefs For, Against Seminole-Florida Compact

The Seminole Tribe and state of Florida filed briefs supporting the 2021 gaming compact, allowing the tribe to take online sports bets from anywhere in the state. Groups such as No Casinos and others filed briefs opposing the compact and expanded gambling.

North Carolina Tribe Opens Sportsbook

The Catawba Nation debuted its new 24-hour sportsbook inside the temporary Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, North Carolina (l.). It features 30 betting kiosks and voucher redemption services.

New York Tribal Casino Resort Announces Expansion

The Oneida Nation will break ground on its largest expansion in 20 years at Turning Stone Casino Resort in Verona, New York (l.). The multi-year, multi-million-dollar project will include a second 250-room hotel tower.

Temporary WarHorse Casino Opens In Nebraska

Ho-Chunk announced its temporary WarHorse Casino (l.) will open in Lincoln on September 19 with 400 slots. The permanent facility will be completed within two years with 1,200 gaming positions, a 196-room hotel, event space, spa and dining options.

LOTTERY More

Skill Games Divert Money From Pennsylvania Lottery

A Pennsylvania Lottery report showed the state has lost $650 million since 2017, when so-called skill games began proliferating in bars, fraternity clubs and retail outlets statewide. Officials said each dollar spent on a game harms a senior citizen.

PEOPLE More

Paysafe Appoints Alex Gersh as CFO

Gaming and finance veteran Alex Gersh is the new chief financial officer for Paysafe. Previously, Gersh was also CFO for multiple other gaming and non-gaming companies, including Paddy Power Betfair, Sportradar and NDS Group London.

Star Appoints Spalding as GM of Surveillance, Queensland

Star Entertainment has appointed Zhan Spalding as general manager of surveillance, Queensland, which is a new role created by the company in efforts to revamp its security operations. Spalding has experience in numerous countries around the world, including England, Venezuela and Morocco.

GOODS & SERVICES More

AGEM Index Declines 3.7 Percent

The AGEM Index, which tracks stock prices of the major suppliers to the gaming industry, announced that the index saw a 3.7 percent decline overall in August.

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