
Archive: Vol-21-No-17-May-1-2023







In-House Games Growing for iGaming Operators
Online gaming operators have begun developing their own in-house games, with games developed and owned by gaming sites accounting for 8 percent of gross gaming revenue.






AGA Survey: Industry Executives Positive on Gaming Outlook
The American Gaming Association’s annual Gaming Industry Outlook survey of gaming executives shows that top officials remain positive on the prospects of the industry, despite looming economic problems.






Major Leagues Create Sports Betting Ad Group
Seven major U.S. sports leagues formed the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising. As legalization of sports betting spreads nationwide, advertising has come under intense scrutiny and consumer protections must be established.






U.K. Gambling White Paper Finally Unveiled
When the U.K.’s gambling white paper was first announced, no one knew just how much turbulence it would have to go through—including a carousel of lawmakers—to see the light of day. Well, that day has come, as the long-awaited paper was released April 27, under the guidance of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (l.).
Featured Stories More
WEEKLY FEATURE: Tennessee Legislature Passes Bill To Tax Sports Wagering Handle
Lawmakers in Tennessee have approved SB472 that addresses several issues in regards to sports betting. Now it awaits the governor's signature to become law.
NV Tourism Created $91 Billion in Impact in ‘22; March Numbers So-So
The Nevada Resort Association’s latest economic report revealed that the state’s tourism industry generated over $90 billion in overall economic impact in 2022. In March of this year, however, revenue declined despite increased visitation and convention attendance.
Atlantic City Edgy About New York Casinos
New York casinos could pose a threat to Atlantic City by siphoning off gamblers in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. Operators could offset the competition by bidding on NYC licenses.
Maybank IDs Potential PAGCOR Casino Buyers
Maybank Securities suggests there may be a few bidders for casinos owned by the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. They include operators in Clark, Philippines as well as the Travellers Hotel Group.
Appeal Court Rules PlayAlberta Doesn’t Violate Law
The Alberta Court of Appeal has ruled that the province’s establishment of its iGaming site PlayAlberta was not a violation of Canadian law, a ruling that has been well received by the area’s tribes.
Italy’s Parliament Moving Quickly on Gaming Overhaul
Italy’s government, under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (l.), seeks to move quickly on legislation that would reform gaming laws for land-based casinos. This is the third attempt in eight years to reform the gaming sector.
North Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota Struggle with Sports Betting Legislation
Three states—North Carolina, Missouri and Minnesota—are all dealing with roadblocks in regards to sports betting that threaten to push legislation back until 2024.
Michael Rubin Says Fanatics Can Play with the Big Boys
Michael Rubin (l.) says his e-commerce firm is the key to competing as a sportsbook. He expects to convert as many as 2.5 percent of his customer base into sports bettors. Only time will tell.
Michigan Tribe Seeks Governor’s Casino Approval
The Little River Band has asked Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (l.) to meet and approve their second proposed casino. Whitmer rejected the tribe’s request last June as another tribe with claims to the same land awaited federal recognition.
ASIAN GAMING More
Macau Junket Boss Gets 14 Years in Prison
On April 21, Macau junket kingpin Levo Chan (l.) was sentenced to 14 years behind bars for illegal gaming, fraud, money laundering and other crimes. In January, his rival, Alvin Chau, got 18 years on similar charges.
Macau Considers New Credit Limits for Gamblers
Macau lawmakers have proposed a new amendment to the city’s recently revised gaming law. It would prohibit management companies from extending credit to gamblers.
Macau Visitation Jumped in March
Visitation continues to climb in Macau, which reopened its borders in January. For March, arrivals increased 271.4 percent year-on-year and 22.8 percent over February.
EUROPEAN GAMING More
Numbers of Ukraine’s Self-Excluded Gamblers Rises Rapidly
Statistics for the first four months of the year by the Ukrainian Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) revealed that the numbers who have self-excluded are rising dramatically. This year there are 687, small in actual numbers, but a large increase percentage wise.
Holland Casino sees Revenue up 148 Percent
Holland Casino, which operates 14 casinos in the Netherlands, reports that its gross revenues rose 147.7 percent year-over-year. This occurred in spite of the operator having to close its casinos for 25 days during 2022.
Problem Gamblers Could Cost Denmark Millions Annually
The government of Denmark projects that problem gambling will cost the country 10 million kroner a year. According to the Ministry of Tax, that is the amount Denmark is preparing to spend to fight gambling addiction.
Former Swedish Gaming Monopoly Prospering
Svenska Spel, the former Swedish gaming monopoly that was set free to compete in a competitive market, is doing very well. Its revenues are up 2 percent over the same quarter of last year. This occurred in spite of new responsible gaming measures that were imposed on the industry.
GLOBAL GAMING More
Kenya to Consider Regulating Betting
Kenyan lawmakers are considering a bill to take the place of the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act. One purpose of the new legislation, says MP Duncan Mathenge (l.), is to discourage the participation of youth in gambling.
Ontario’s Gateway Casinos Close to Reopening After Computer Attack
Several Ontario, Canada, Gateway Casinos were affected by a computer security breach and have been closed since April 16, but could be reopening this weekend.
Chile Mulls Banning Sportsbook-Athletic Ads, Sponsorships
The Chamber of Deputies of Chile has approved a ban on sports betting advertising. The Senate will next take up the bill. The proposed ban would apply to online sports betting advertising and sponsorships in sports events and clubs.
ONLINE GAMING More
Maine Looking at iGaming Bill
Maine lawmakers are mulling over an online internet gaming bill that would affect both casinos and sports betting, even though sports betting hasn’t launched in the state.
New Hampshire House Considers iGaming
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is debating a bill passed by the state Senate that would legalize online table games and poker, but not online slot games.
SPORTS BETTING More
Illinois Legislature Split on Sports Betting Annual Fee Bill
The Illinois Senate passed a bill to lower what sportsbook operators have called outlandish renewal fees but the legislation is facing opposition in the House.
Kentucky Sees Sports Betting in Play By NFL Season
Kentucky approved sports wagering and now the state will attempt to work with the Horse Racing Commission to complete the regulations by an early September launch date. A tall task, but it’s been done that soon in the past.
Vermont Poised to Be Last Sports Betting State in New England
Vermont was just being careful not to overlook regulations that can minimize problems for the bettors. Now the state Senate is ready to cast the final vote to approve sports betting, the last New England state to do so.
Out-of-Staters Try to Jump Geofences in Massachusetts
Since Massachusetts went live with online sports betting in March, almost 187,000 bettors outside state borders have attempted to create accounts in the market. Those bettors were foiled by geolocation fences.
Iowa Sportsbooks Report Increases in March
Iowa’s 19 casinos reported nearly $160 million in adjusted gross revenue for March, paying $32 million in state taxes. Sportsbooks took in $17.5 million from wagerers, up from $12.5 million February, with nearly 90 percent of bets made online—Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs (l.) was the top performing sportsbook.
UNITED STATES GAMING More
A’s Partner with Stadium Contractor, but Not Culinary
Now that the Athletics have agreed to make the jump to Las Vegas, the team has started the process of procuring the necessary manpower to build and staff its proposed $1.5 billion stadium. The construction is accounted for, but its relationship with the Culinary Union hasn’t gotten off to the best start.
‘Skill Game’ Supporters Rally in PA
Supporters of unregulated “skill games” rallied at the Pennsylvania Capitol in support of a bill that would establish the legality of the slot-like devices, and regulate and tax the machines.
Hofstra University Sues Nassau County Over Proposed Casino
New York’s Hofstra University is suing Nassau County, seeking to derail a proposal by Las Vegas Sands to license a casino (l.) at the current site of the Nassau Coliseum.
Missouri Mayor Seeks Casino License
Dennis Newberry (l.), the mayor of Lake Ozark, Missouri, thanked legislators for their support of two bills that would authorize a voter referendum to change the state constitution and allow a casino hotel on the Osage River.
Nebraska’s Two Casinos Set Gaming Tax Records
Open for seven months, WarHorse Lincoln and Grand Island Casino (l.) in Nebraska have set tax contribution records for three consecutive months, posting combined tax revenue of $1.55 million in March, $1.34 million in February and $1.2 million in January.
NGC OK’s Two Dozen Regulations to Someday Change, Eliminate
The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved a total of 24 outdated gaming regulations that may be modified or removed altogether down the line.
New Jersey Unveils New Steps to Curb Problem Gambling
The state Attorney General Matthew Platkin (l.) delivered a speech at the East Coast Gaming Congress in Atlantic City detailing new efforts to lessen problem gambling. The steps involve gambling ads, exclusion lists, and marketing.
Lawmakers Band Together to Support NV-CA Train Line
Lawmakers from Nevada and California are joining forces to try and convince U.S. President Joe Biden to allocate billions in funding toward the construction of a high-speed train line that would connect Las Vegas and southern California.
South Dakota Regulators Approve New Operator
SGMSD and owner John Grant Lincoln have received licenses from the South Dakota Commission on Gaming and now can move forward with purchasing the historic Franklin Hotel and Silverado casino (l.) in Deadwood from Super G Investments.
Michigan Charities Post $5 Million In 2022
Michigan charities’ licensed Millionaire Parties generated nearly $5 million in net profit in 2022. The number of events increased by 137 percent in 2022 compared to 2021.
Missouri Attorney General Loses Lawyers
Lawyers for Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey (l.) withdrew from a case against the state filed by Torch Electronics and Warrenton Oil after Bailey’s political action committee took donations from the two plaintiffs.
Plans Progressing in Atlantic Club Makeover
The shuttered Atlantic Club (l.) casino-hotel is in the process of being rebuilt and refurbished into a mixed-use development including hotel towers, condominiums and a retail mall.
Colorado Hands $14 Million in Tax Credits to U.K. Sportsbook
The Colorado Economic Development Commission forked over $14 million in tax credits to an unnamed U.K. sports betting firm. The established company figures to spend $40 million on office space.
TRIBAL GAMING More
Washoe Tribe Buys Wa She Shu Operation
The Washoe Tribe has bought the Wa She Shu casino (l.) and truck stop near Gardnerville, Nevada from Wind Creek Hospitality, and will take over operations July 1
LOTTERY More
Connecticut Lottery Seeking New Sports Betting Partner
Rush Street Interactive’s PlaySugarHouse has pulled out as an official sports betting partner in Connecticut and the CT Lottery has put out a request for proposal for their replacement.
PEOPLE More
Steve Kohon Named EVP of Ops, Service for Bluberi
Bluberi has named industry veteran Steve Kohon (l.) as its new executive vice president of operations and service.
Rivers Schenectady Names New GM
Rivers Casino in Schenectady, New York, has named Joe Lodise (l.), a longtime executive of Caesars Entertainment, as the property’s new general manager.
GOODS & SERVICES More
Italy’s Lottomatica to offer IPO
Lottomatica, a gaming company based in Italy, is offering an initial public offering. The IPO seeks to raise up to €600 million from an issue of existing shares and newly issued stock, with shares ranging in price from €9 and €11.
Atlas World Sports Bringing AI to Sports Betting
Atlas World Sports has launched Version 3.0, which features AI software to offer in-game probabilities and predictions.
NUTSHELL More
NEWS & NOTES
Small Nuggets of News
THEY SAID IT More
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Outrageous pronouncements, simple statements and words of wisdom.