One of the centerpieces of the presentation when gaming is pitched to a new jurisdiction is how much it will benefit the community with better jobs and a higher level of education. Just don’t look at Las Vegas for an example.
For the fourth time, Missouri state Senator Denny Hoskins (l.) has sponsored a sports betting bill, and pro sports teams and casino operators have signed an agreement to support mobile wagering legislation. Add this to the definition of illegal slot machines and a possible Ozark casino and the state is awash in gaming controversies.
Jim McIngvale (l.), promotional genius and inveterate gambler, lost several bets recently totaling more than $5 million. He shrugged it off. Even if he loses, publicity for his Houston furniture store usually pays off big.
Publicly at least, there were sighs of relief in Macau January 14, when details of the city’s concession retender and proposed gaming amendments were released. News that the city will retain up to six concessions was hailed by current operators, but there’s no guarantee all the incumbents will be chosen. And one consultant warns it’s too early to celebrate.
That was quick. Mobile sports betting in New York, which began January 9, has already surpassed longtime market-leader New Jersey. GeoComply tabulated the number of transactions in the new market, and racked up almost 18 million in a two-day span.
A weaker Asian junket industry means more competition for premium-mass players in Singapore. Marina Bay Sands (l.) and Resorts World Sentosa just saw their exclusivity periods extended until 2030.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board approved a measure that would allow casinos to accept remote signups to enable cashless gaming through their loyalty programs like the Station Casinos’ Boarding Pass (l.). It must be approved by the state gaming commission to become effective.
Chilean gaming companies Enjoy and Dreams plan to merge by the fourth quarter of this year. Their merger will result in the largest gaming company in Chile, controlling 58 percent of all casinos.
Minnesota state Rep. Zack Stephenson (l.) said he’s working with stakeholders, including the state’s 11 tribal nations, to draft sports betting legislation. “The momentum is growing,” he said.
New York State will soon accept applicants for three casino licenses in the greater New York City area. Genting Malaysia is expanding its Queens slot parlor, Resorts World New York City, hoping it gives them a leg up.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (l.) has notified a federal court that her department will appeal the striking down of a compact drawn up between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe that gave the tribe a monopoly on sports betting in Florida.
The Brazilian Congress is considering legislation that would legalize casinos in the country. President Jair Bolsonaro (l.) expects it to pass, even though he plans to veto it.
International Game Technology announced that Lorenzo Pellicioli is retiring as chairman of the board, CEO Marco Sala (l.) will become executive board chairman, and Vincent Sadusky will become CEO.
Ahead of gaming companies’ fourth-quarter earnings reports, sentiment among investors is increasingly cautious and in some cases, even skeptical. But there could be positive outlooks in the mix for regional operators and some online sportsbooks.
This week’s podcast features a discussion with David Patent, the CEO at VizExplorer, on how his company has rebounded following the pandemic and discovered the key to gaming analytics.
Wakayama Mayor Masahiro Obana (l.) opposes a referendum on the prefecture’s planned IR. He believes a vote on the development, which is not legally binding, would not solve the dispute and also be too costly.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has earned an “excellent” rating for corporate social responsibility. The 2020 rankings were announced in December 2021.
An unidentified Sun City executive has received a nine-month suspended prison sentence in connection with the junket scandal that put founder Alvin Chau (l.) behind bars.
Casinos in Manila’s Entertainment City must operate under continued Covid restrictions now that Metro Manila will remain under Alert Level 3 until the end of January amid the rise in Covid-19 cases, the Philippines Task Force announced.
Starting January 11, all casino customers in South Korea, including at the Daegu Casino (l.), were required to show proof that they have been vaccinated against Covid-19 or show a current negative test result.
The CEO of Australia-listed Donaco International said he’s “confident” that business will rebound at the company’s primary revenue-generator, Vietnam’s Aristo International Hotel (l.) at Lao Cai.
The Genting Group’s cruise ship subsidiary, Genting Hong Kong Ltd., is taking the first steps toward restructuring. It has asked a Bermuda court to appoint provisional liquidators to help it divest its assets.
U.K.-based sports betting giant Entain, which just completed its 22nd quarter of double-digit online growth, will best its rivals in the U.S. and at home, says CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen (l.). Entain owns part of BetMGM.
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, now looking into alleged money laundering at Star Entertainment casinos, has broadened its probe beyond Star Sydney to include “other entities” in the group.
Starting in early February, SkyCity Adelaide will require that all employees and patrons to be fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus or show proof of a medical exemption.
Two bills in the Indiana House would legalize iGaming and tax adjusted gross receipts at 18 percent, compared to the current 9.5 percent tax on sports betting. Last year, two competing iGaming bills died in committee.
Pragmatic Play has added a total of four baccarat tables to its Live Casino dealer-assisted online gaming solution, including two new “Speed Baccarat” tables.
The Kansas Senate and House are revisiting mobile sports betting measures held over from the last session. A recent committee hearing chaired by state Senator Robert Olson (l.) indicated lawmakers need further education about sports wagering.
Sports betting revenue is on the rise in Iowa and lawmakers are discussing how to allocate the state’s portion. It’s taken in $13 million since 2019 based on a 6.75 percent tax rate.
Currently, Virginia gamblers can’t bet on in-state schools’ sports events. But a bill allowing sportsbooks to take bets on sporting events at Virginia colleges and universities could lift that ban and boost tax revenue.
In anticipation of legalized sports betting in Ohio, Hollywood Casino Toledo’s expansion will include a Barstool Sportsbook. The first bets could be placed by fall 2022.
BetMGM and the Arizona Cardinals revealed a first look at the new two-story BetMGM Sportsbook (l.) and dining venue coming to the Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium.
IGT has partnered with Meruelo Gaming to leverage IGT PlaySports technology to create a statewide mobile sports betting app in affiliation with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.
Caesars Sportsbook has signed an agreement to become Michigan State Athletics Official and Exclusive Sports Betting and iGaming Partner in a multi-year deal.
DraftKings Inc. and the Tulalip Tribes of Washington last week announced an exclusive market access partnership that will bring the DraftKings retail sportsbook brand to the state of Washington.
Bobby Valentine (l.), former major league baseball player and coach, has joined Rush Street Interactive as the online sportsbook’s latest brand ambassador.
Arizona’s Cliff Castle Casino Hotel held a grand opening for its new retail sportsbook lounge on January 14. The lounge was part of a renovation whose genesis was in 2020.
DraftKings has begun providing sports betting for the Oregon Lottery. The state began the transition from the Lottery’s Scoreboard platform to the new DraftKings platform as of January 18.
Sports betting provider BetPlay and the National Basketball Association have partnered. Together the plan to provide content, gaming experiences and promotions to Colombia.
Building on its success in the Atlantic City gaming market, Ocean Casino will open a new sportsbook and entertainment venue by summer. The new facility will include a bar, a lounge and betting windows.
The Buffalo Bills has added Caesars sportsbook as one of its partners. The deal provides naming rights for a lounge, use of logos, content and hospitality experiences.
Pennsylvania regulators have awarded Greenwood Gaming a Category 4 casino license for its Parx Casino satellite property in Shippensburg, which will be the state’s fourth satellite casino.
In a crackdown on unregulated gaming machines, the Michigan Gaming Control Board asked bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience store owners not to buy or lease the machines and to disable any they own.
Colonial Downs’ $4 million Rose Gaming Resort in Dumfries, Virginia will open in late 2023 with a 50,000-square-foot gaming floor, eight bars and restaurants, a luxury hotel and 80-acre park.
A Virginia lawmaker wants a referendum on a Petersburg casino, while a Richmond councilwoman proposes a re-vote on the rejected Urban One. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (l.) isn’t surprised people want a do-over.
Two studies show existing Iowa casinos would lose revenue to a new Cedar Rapids venue, although it would generate $51 million for the state. “It’s déjà vu all over again,” said Elite Casinos CEO Dan Kehl (l.).
Atlantic City casinos generated $4.7 billion in 2021, but in-person casino revenues—$2.5 billion—are lagging. Last year’s annual take also lags behind pre-Covid 2019.
In New Jersey, a new law requires the Meadowlands Racetrack and Freehold Raceway to have a minimum number of racing days. If they fail, they could lose their license to offer sports betting.
Pressure is mounting to ban the last vestiges of smoking in New Jersey casinos. Governor Phil Murphy (l.) is on record saying he will sign any bill that crosses his desk.
Tao Beach Dayclub (l.), the rooftop pool and entertainment venue at the Venetian in Las Vegas, is completing a major upgrade that will more than doubled its size to five acres. The club will open in the spring.
Atlantic City developer Bart Blatstein has broken ground on an all-weather year-round water park adjacent to the Showboat Hotel. Was it for show or the real thing? Depends on whether Blatstein can sell $97 million in bonds.
In 2017, the Senecas stopped sending revenue to the state of New York from its three casinos (Seneca Niagara at left) as required by in its compact. The tribe insisted the payments were due to end in 2016. The state said otherwise, sued and won.
Oklahoma tribes blasted Governor Kevin Stitt (l.) for comments he made on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and continue to criticize him two years after his unsuccessful attempt to revamp state-tribe gaming compacts.
Arizona’s Gila River Indian Community has officially rebranded its hotels as “resorts.” The name change reflects a $180 million expansion and the opening of a new hotel tower.
Kagemasa Kozuki (l.), founder and chairman of Konami Holdings Corp., has been named to the Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame. The distinction is bestowed by Mississippi Gaming & Hospitality Association.
The DAZN Group has announced a new management structure to drive growth and product strategy for its sports streaming and fan engagement platform. Former Entain CEO Shay Segev is now the sole CEO of DAZN.
JC Hospitality LLC, owner of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, has promoted executives on its senior leadership team in marketing as well as strategy and business development. Chad Brown is now chief marketing officer.
Churchill Downs Inc. announced that longtime company executive Ben Murr has been named president of TwinSpires and iGaming. Murr will oversee strategy and operations in his new role.
Gary Platt revolutionized the casino business by inviting players to take a seat. Thanks to a simple, sensible innovation—the introduction of seating to casino floors—Platt has earned Las Vegas Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Global Payments Gaming Solutions has launched its VIP Mobility mobile cashless gaming solution at Oklahoma’s Downstream Casino Resort. The tool gives customers cashless and digital gaming options.
JCM Global has installed the largest sports betting screen in the state of Oregon, in the sportsbook of the Three Rivers Casino in Florence. The 200-square-foot LED wall is a centerpiece of the space.
IGT’s Resort Wallet cashless gaming solution has received full approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission, and can now be deployed throughout the state.
Eilers & Krejcik Gaming announced the nominees for the fourth annual EKG Slot Awards, the winners to be announced at an awards event February 24 at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Scientific Games’ worldwide lottery operations have been awarded the Responsible Gaming Certificate for its on Healthy Play program by the World Lottery Association.
Genius Sports and sportsbook provider bet365, are expanding their partnership. Genius will add to its data and technology services with a suite of premium streaming and official data solutions, such as the NFL.
Oddin.gg, a leading esports betting solutions provider, has been selected by sports betting and platform provider Novusbet to help the latter expand its portfolio.
As part of its environmental, social and governance program, IGT has joined the “Science Based Targets initiative” as part of the effort to reduce greenhouse gases through commitment to low-carbon emissions.
The Mississippi Gaming & Hospitality Association will hold its Southern Gaming Summit May 3-6 at Beau Rivage in Biloxi. American Gaming Association President and CEO Bill Miller is the keynote speaker.
