Aristocrat Leisure Limited will acquire Israel-based online gaming solutions provider NeoGames SA for $1.2 billion, or $29.50 per share—104 percent higher than NeoGames’ pre-market price.

The American Gaming Association reports that the U.S. gaming industry has recorded its eight consecutive record for quarterly revenue, logging $16.6 billion for the first quarter.

Now that the A’s seem to have settled on the Tropicana (l.) for the site of its new ballpark, some new partnerships have formed: Bally’s and GLPI have partnered to build the stadium, and Culinary has joined the fray to bolster stadium workers’ rights.

Macau’s recovery is continuing in full force, with economists now expecting gross gaming revenue to exceed expectations set in January. After three years of closures due to Covid-19, the city reopened on January 8.

A study released by LifeSearch finds that more residents of the U.K. are succumbing to despair and viewing gambling as a “quick fix” to get them out of financial straits. That’s according to the Health, Wealth and Happiness Index, prepared by the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

Both Texas and Missouri failed to get sports betting passed in their states and it will be at least one year, maybe longer, before the issue is brought up in their legislatures.

The NCAA, along with U.S. Integrity, will sift through evidence to get to the bottom of the question marks about Alabama’s baseball team and dozens of players from Iowa and Iowa State.

The U.S. iGaming and online sports betting markets have officially reached the tipping point of consolidation. The big guns are primed to take some big shots, and some, like Aristocrat and newcomer Fanatics, already have. Let the iGames begin!

Tributes continue to pour in for Doyle Brunson (l.), the “Godfather of Poker,” who died May 14 at the age of 89. Brunson won 10 World Series of Poker championships.

In this week's podcast, Dean Ehrlich, executive vice president and games business leader for Everi, speaks with GGB Editor, Frank Legato.

Maybank Securities analyst Samuel Yin Shao Yang says the imminent return of Chinese air travelers portends well for Resorts World Sentosa, Genting’s integrated resort in Singapore.

The Philippines’ gaming regulator PAGCOR recently paid $34.8 million in cash to the country’s treasury. The funds represent its declared dividends for 2022.

SJM Holdings has indicated that its Grand Lisboa Palace resort should be fully operational by the end of the year, with almost 1,900 hotel rooms. GLP is located in the city’s Cotai district.

Italy’s parliament has begun defining the parameters of the work to reform its gambling sector. The current government, which is seen as more friendly to gaming than the last one, plans to make the online gaming regulatory environment easier to navigate.

A story in the Guardian newspaper cited a source that used to work for Coral saying the gambling company paid parenthood-related blog sites to encourage readers to visit their website.

The BML Group, based in Malta, has been hit with a €2.4 million fine by the National Police Board of Finland. It alleges that the subsidiary of Betsson AB has illegally targeted Finns with advertising from multiple channels.

Bets placed on the recent Eurovision Song Contest will entirely benefit Ukraine refugees in the U.K. That was announced by the bookmaker William Hill. “If you place a bet on the Eurovision market this weekend, Ukraine will win regardless of if customer bet slips are successful,” said a spokesman.

Dutch gaming authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA)'s crackdown on illegal gaming is bearing fruit, says René Jansen (l.), chairman. “It must pay off for providers of games of chance to offer their games legally. That is only possible if we punish illegal supply harshly,” he declared.

The city of Prague and the Central Bohemian Region, in the Czech Republic, are considering a casino that would be located within the Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague (l.). It would cater to the extremely rich. It is proposed by billionaire Karel Pražák.

The National Congress of Brazil will soon take action on the provisional measure (PM) that would create a legal market for sports betting. It has been agreed to by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and endorsed by the ministries of finance, planning, management, health, tourism and sports.

The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, is proposing a 15% tax on sports betting that he claims will help the economic recovery in his country.

Kenya, the third largest gaming market in Africa, is poised to adopt two measures that would streamline the gaming industry. The National Lottery and the Gambling Control Bills would modernize the Betting Lotteries and Gaming Act of 1966.

Starting in July, the Victorian government will allow select venue owners to surrender unused gaming machine credits. In exchange, the government will waive any associated fees.

A recent study reported by Focus on Business has shown that the worldwide iGaming industry has doubled in less than a half-decade.

Nebraska will get sports betting in their state next month but there are several regulations the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission set forth in order for the activity to occur.

After becoming the first operator in Maine, Caesars Sportsbook became the first in Kentucky. The debut of its two Kentucky projects at two tracks involve brick-and-mortar sportsbooks.

Both the California Senate and the Assembly have approved Assembly Bill 341 which would reimpose a moratorium on new cardrooms in the Golden State. It would “allow for measured growth” of existing cardrooms. It is supported by tribal gaming and the cardroom industry.

What do you do with a property that’s on the brink of closure? Call the previous owner and see if they’ll take it back. That’s exactly what TravelCenters of America did when they recommended Robert Cashell Jr. (l.) to take over the gaming licenses it abandoned after selling its holdings to British Petroleum.

The advocacy group Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects originated in New Jersey and now has chapters in six states working to urge legislators to end casinos’ exemptions from state’s indoor smoking bans.

Despite spending millions on lobbyists to bring casino gambling to Texas, Las Vegas Sands was defeated once again, as lawmakers rejected a measure calling for a voter referendum on allowing four Las Vegas-style casinos.

Vernon Downs Racetrack and Casino (l.) in upstate New York lost $2 million last year. Owner Jeff Gural refuses to lose it again. But without lawmakers restoring a tax cut, the only alternative is closure, Gural said.

The Casino Association of New Jersey and the Greater Atlantic City Chamber will commission an independent traffic study of the “road diet” project designed to improve safety for pedestrians crossing Atlantic Avenue.

A U.S. appeals court has revived a nine-year-old lawsuit filed by buffet workers at Resorts World New York City (l.) claiming the operator illegally laid them off without notice.

Ocean Casino Resort (l.) in Atlantic City is spending $700,000 to repair the badly eroded beach the property fronts, to be reopened Memorial Day weekend.

Hard Rock Rocksino will open on Main Street in Deadwood, South Dakota on August 8, complete with a traditional guitar-smashing ceremony. The facility will offer 86 slots, a 22-room hotel, bar and restaurant and live music area.

The Indian Gaming Association (IGA) and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) jointly hosted a press briefing this past week, declaring the revival of the IGA/NCAI Tribal Leaders Task Force.

The Seneca Nation in New York has been negotiating its 20-year compact, which expires in December, with state gaming officials since last August. Tribal officials are frustrated Governor Kathy Hochul recused herself from the talks because her husband works for a competitor.

Several Michigan tribes that operate casinos also are discovering the benefits and profitability of participating in the legal medicinal and recreational cannabis industries with production, stores and lounges.

Kindred Group CEO Henrik Tjärnström (l.) has resigned effective immediately, and the company’s board of directors has named Nils Andén interim CEO while a search is performed for a replacement.

Stephen Huntsman joins Eclipse Gaming as vice president of operations, while Sean Marr joins the company as regional sales director.

Novomatic Americas has named 25-year slot supply veteran Greg Colella (l.) as vice president of product management for Novomatic in North America.

Light & Wonder has signed an agreement to provide the systems solution for the new Mohegan INSPIRE Entertainment Resort (l.) adjacent to the Incheon International Airport in South Korea.

Galaxy Gaming has signed a 10-year agreement with Evolution Group to license table game content across Evolution’s content studios.

Asian gaming operator International Entertainment Corp. (IEC) will buy almost 400 slot machines from Malaysian gaming equipment firm RGB to outfit its New Coast Hotel Manila, a casino resort in the Philippines.