After 50-plus years with no professional sports, Las Vegas sure seems to be making up for lost time, as the Oakland Athletics have announced plans to purchase an off-Strip plot from Red Rock Resorts, build a new ballpark and relocate to the city that is now home to three pro franchises.

The English Premier League enacted a ban on gambling advertising on their front of shirts worn on match day, while the Scottish Professional Football league resisted a similar ban; Australia, not to be outdone, is also considering taking action against the sponsorships.

The 26th East Coast Gaming Congress examined issues ranging from the future of omnichannel gaming to the battle against unregulated gaming and the emerging sports betting market.

The Japanese government has given a thumbs-up to a plan to build an integrated resort on Yumeshima Island in Osaka Bay. But that’s just the first step in a long process to bring the project to fruition.

Star Entertainment has announced plans to slash expenses by freezing employee incentives and laying off as many as 500 staff–-reportedly from its Star Sydney (l.) casino—in response to poor earnings and other mounting misfortunes.

The Texas Legislature has little more than a month to approve sports betting, or else wait two more years to get another chance. Representatives from 11 professional teams in the state are among those putting on a full court press.

Two issues regarding sports betting in Tennessee have come under scrutiny and legislation of the 10 percent win rate and official data aims to correct what many see as a problem.

Tribal gaming in Oklahoma and Arizona have had major impacts on the economies of both states. The Cherokee Nation contributes $3.04 billion a year to the Oklahoma economy and Arizona gaming tribes have contributed almost $2 billion since 2004.

First quarter earnings season is upon us, and two companies, Las Vegas Sands and Monarch Casino, represent opportunities in distinctly different ways—one is perhaps best positioned to take advantage of a Macau resurgence and the other is just, well, collecting cash and performing steadily.

This week we sit down with Chairman E. Sequoyah Simermeyer, the chairman of the NICG on his final year in that position to talk about his achievements.

Mass-market baccarat has become the chief contributor to Macau’s casino industry, adding $2.54 billion in gross gaming revenues for the first quarter, or 59 percent of the total.

As part of its campaign to bring in more international tourists, Macau’s six casino concessionaires have opened a total of 12 new gaming zones reserved just for foreigners.

A gaming website puts Singapore at the top of its list of jurisdictions with the toughest penalties for illegal gambling. A person convicted of gambling crimes there can face up to ten years in prison and steep fines.

A casino complex in South Korea’s Incheon Free Economic Zone won’t debut its first phase of development until March 2024, a year after the originally scheduled opening.

Sportsbook operator 888 announced it has completed its internal investigation into company practices as is reinstating its VIP Middle East accounts.

The Grand National is one of the most popular horse races in the world, but betting for this year’s event was mostly flat, and the deadly injury to a horse marred the race.

Blacks and Asians are more at risk from gambling due to systemic racism and poverty. That’s the conclusion of a report by the U.K. Commission on Crime and Gambling Related Harms: “Lived experiences of gambling, gambling-related harms, and crime within ethnic minority communities.”

Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s gaming regulator, has approved eight more licenses for suppliers for gaming operators. That brings the number to 24. The goal is to make it harder for illegal gaming operators to operate in the gray market.

A high court in Germany has ruled that Gluecksspiel, the German federal gambling regulator, acted correctly when it ruled against a TV broadcaster. The broadcaster had promoted a gaming offer that the regulator ruled violated rules against illegal forms of gambling.

Finnish gaming operator Paf has announced it will lower mandatory loss limits for all online games from €20,000 (£17,598/$22,024) to €17,500 (£15,400/$19,276). Paf said the new rule, which goes into effect this summer, is an effort to increase responsible gaming.

Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has confirmed that the Provisional Measure regulating sports betting will tax the activity at 15 percent of gross gaming revenues. The revelation came during an official hearing on April 12 attended by stakeholders, trade bodies, operators and football clubs.

For PointsBet, business in the U.S. has had its ups and downs. By market share, the company is mired in seventh place, yet it operates in 14 states and produced stellar numbers for the first half of the fiscal year.

March Madness, college football and the World Baseball Classic had a salutary effect on sports betting on Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission announced April 17. Sports Betting Bureau Director Eric De La Cruz said government revenues dramatically increased as a result.

Australian bookmakers Betr and SportChamps have been fined by Liquor & Gaming NSW for violating state law regarding gaming advertisements.

Wheel of Fortune co-host Vanna White is starring in online casino omnichannel advertisements for the new dedicated Wheel of Fortune Online Casino.

Rep. Ken Luttrell (l.) won’t give up even when his colleagues in the legislature can’t see the light. This year, Luttrell was confident after the House said yes. But the bill stalled in the Senate.

For the fifth time in six months, sports betting in New Jersey reached $1 billion or more, aided strongly by pro and college basketball.

Disney CEO Bob Iger (l.) spoke with Time Magazine and one of the topics was the status of the company’s flirtation with sports betting, an offshoot of its ownership of ESPN. Don’t expect a direct investment of sportsbooks.

The sale of the NFL’s Washington Commanders has been reportedly achieved between current owner Daniel Snyder and a group led by Philadelphia 76ers owner, Josh Harris.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will spell out details of a requirement that tracks and off-track-betting invest $7.5 million to improve their properties. Failure can rescind their sportsbook license.

In a month in which wagers debuted March 10, DraftKings finished the month in the top spot in Massachusetts’ online handle. But FanDuel led in terms of revenue in a squeaker.

The Vermont Senate Finance Committee is all that stands between bringing a vote on sports betting in the full Senate. But the committee is being cascaded with all the finances about sports betting money can buy.

As Caesars and SL Green battle opposition from local theater owners to their proposed Times Square casino, the Mohegans double down on efforts to gain support for their Midtown Freedom Square project.

The Las Vegas Convention Center (l.) is slated to begin a $600 million renovation project, but the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has pledged that the work will not interfere with the city’s bustling convention schedule.

Hard Rock International, which bought the Mirage (l.) on the Las Vegas Strip from MGM Resorts International last year, has begun offering free parking, show and spa discounts and other perks to locals with a valid Nevada ID.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (l.) signed legislation establishing the state’s Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee. Sheridan County, Wyoming will utilize annual allocations for prevention and treatment programs.

This fall, Hollywood Casino in Baton Rouge (l.) will become the Queen Baton Rouge. New owners, Queen Casino & Entertainment, also plan an $85 million renovation and expansion.

The National Council on Problem Gambling awards a $40,000 grant to a Cleveland program for efforts to educate Hispanic youth about the dangers of problem gambling. Hispanic young adults are more likely to be at risk.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (l.) has clarified that she opposes expanding any form of gambling in the state, whether it’s tribal casinos or Oregon Lottery. It includes the two casinos that the Coquille Tribe in Medford and Siletz Tribe in Salem want to add to their existing holdings.

Michigan’s tribal casinos’ annual payments to local governments dropped by 2.2 percent, from $31.5 million in 2021 to $30.8 million in 2022, according to the Michigan Gaming Control Board’s annual Tribal Gaming Report. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians reported the largest drop.

Longtime expanded-gambling opponent Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (l.) said she now supports an online lottery. If proposed legislation passes, iLottery could launch in the state in mid-2024.

Eclipse Gaming has entered the New Mexico market by installing its first games at Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino (l.).