
Archive: Vol-21-No-24-June-19-2023







Blackstone: Big Investments Planned for Crown Melbourne
Now that Blackstone’s acquisition of Crown Resorts is complete, firm President Jon Gray recently confirmed to the Australian that his company plans to invest heavily in renovations and improvements for Crown Melbourne (l.).






8 Tips for Growing Your Business with the Help of ChatGPT
Artificial intelligence? Large language models? Machine learning? Today’s leading tech platforms—with ChatGPT chief among them—- can certainly enhance your efficiency and productivity, but only if you understand how to utilize them. Thankfully, entrepreneur Ray Blakney (l.) has some tips to help all businesses, including casinos, take advantage of these resources.






Bipartisan Lawmakers Seek To Ban Greyhound Racing
A group of U.S. House representatives are re-introducing a failed bill from 2020 that would ban greyhound racing at West Virginia’s two dog racetracks, the only ones remaining in the U.S. But state and federal lawmakers are pushing back.






Vermont, North Carolina Sports Betting Bills Signed into Law
After months of negotiations, Vermont and North Carolina have officially become the latest U.S. state to legalize sports betting—the governors for both states, Phil Scott and Roy Cooper, respectively, both put pen to paper June 14.
Featured Stories More
WEEKLY FEATURE: Home Run or Strikeout? Lombardo Inks A’s Stadium Funding Package
The Oakland A’s have all but finalized their relocation to Las Vegas thanks to Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (l.), who recently passed the team’s $380 million public funding package that will go toward the construction of a new 30,000-seat ballpark on the site of the Tropicana Las Vegas.
PA Skill-Game Manufacturer Wins Court Decision
For the fourth time, a county judge in Pennsylvania has ruled that Pace-O-Matic’s so-called “skill games” do not violate the state’s gaming law.
Virginia Casino Referendum Do-Over Approved
In Virginia, the Richmond City Council approved a second referendum on a proposed $562 million casino resort which voters narrowly rejected in 2021. The Virginia Lottery and Richmond Circuit Court need to approve the referendum for the November ballot.
Australia: Gambling Ad Reform Gaining Bipartisan Support
A recent report from the Guardian indicates that further restrictions on betting-related ads in Australia is gaining momentum from all sides of the aisle.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Asked to Lift Sanctions Against Parimatch
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (l.) of Ukraine will consider a petition with 25,000 signatures asking him to lift sanctions against the gaming company Parimatch LLC. The executive order alleges that the company might not be loyal to Ukraine.
NCAA President Implies Gambling Could Become Revenue Stream
Newly installed NCAA President Charlie Baker (l.) said that several sports have underperformed financially and it is looking at relationships with sportsbooks to potentially bolster those results.
Despite No Betting Rules, NFL Players Still Getting Suspended
On the surface, it should be such an easy get. Don’t bet on the NFL, and don’t bet on any other sport if anywhere near a team facility. Yet, this offseason a handful of players got suspended anyway.
Seneca NY Compact in Question
A non-disclosure agreement, secretive negotiations, and a possible Rochester casino have clouded the prospects of the new gaming compact deal for the Seneca Nation in New York.
Rhode Island Moves iGaming Bills
Rhode Island’s state House has cleared iGaming legislation for floor vote, after several amendments to the legislation were approved in committee. The state Senate passed a companion bill.
GGB Podcast Classic: Kenny Epstein, Co-Owner and COO, El Cortez Casino Hotel
This week, we’re revisiting a classic episode first posted in April featuring Kenny Epstein (l.), co-owner and COO of the El Cortez Casino Hotel in Downtown Las Vegas.
FANTINI’S FINANCE: A Nice Day for M&A
The increasing number of mergers, acquisitions and spin-offs in gaming have us wondering, what are some other potential candidates to potentially make a big acquisition splash or cash in for the right offer?
ASIAN GAMING More
Osaka Council Nods Next IR Steps
The Osaka City Council has formally approved a planned integrated resort with gaming on Yumeshima Island (l.). Not all were on board with the plan, which was approved by the central government in April.
Macau GGR Continues to Grow Post-Holidays
Gross gaming revenues in Macau have reached their “highest non-holiday levels” since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, say analysts at JP Morgan. But those numbers are expected to grow at a more modest rate.
Greater Investment for Westside Manila Casino
Investors in a Manila casino must come up with more than $340 million in cash equity to secure a new loan. The property is being built by Suntrust Resort Holdings as part of the capital city’s Westside development.
Macau Legend to Sell Laos Casino
Macau Legend Development has announced plans to sell its Laos casino, Savan Legend, for $45 million. Japanese businessman Shundo Yoshinari will acquire the casino, pending regulatory approval.
Philippine Police Round Up 41K for Illegal Gambling
The Philippine National Police have arrested around 41,000 people for illegal gambling since the start of the year, according to General Benjamin Acorda Jr. (l.).
EUROPEAN GAMING More
Sky Bet, English Football League Extend Partnership
Sky Bet and the English Football League have announced a five-year extension of their partnership that has been in place since 2013.
FAI Likes Irish Betting Tax
The heads of the Football Association of Ireland are enthusiastic about a betting tax increase to help underwrite the sport. Chairman Roy Barrett said football has been “grossly underinvested in” compared to other sports.
Group Launches Probe of U.K. Gambling White Paper
A U.K. parliament group that monitors gambling regulations promises to do a deep dive on proposals by the Gambling Act white paper. The Gambling Related Harm All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) will begin with hearings.
UKGC: Slot Reforms Led to “Reduced Play Intensity”
Reforms the U.K. Gambling Commission adopted two years ago to strengthen protections for vulnerable players have led to “reduced play intensity,” says the commission, with “no significant negative impacts on play or behaviors.”
Danish Gambling Industry Remains Steady
Gross gambling revenues in Denmark have remained steady for the last year. The Spillemyndigheden Danish gaming authority announced that online betting led the sector with a 38 percent rise while slots and land-based casinos saw a decline.
Netherlands to Teach Gambling Risks at Schools
A Dutch initiative will introduce the teaching of the risks of gambling to students in all primary and secondary school classes. The “money matters, debt, and understanding risks,” program will be introduced beginning in 2024.
GLOBAL GAMING More
Casino Resort Toronto to Launch June 20
The largest casino resort in Canada, the $1 billion Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto (l.), is slated to open June 20. The casino resort will include 4,800 slot machines and 145 table games. It will create $500 million in economic activity.
ONLINE GAMING More
Bill to Extend Online Gambling in NJ Advances in Legislature
With a November deadline to extend online gambling in the state of New Jersey, two related bills are making their way through the legislature.
PAGCOR Announces New POGO Fines
Philippine offshore gaming companies that allow other operators to do business under their licenses will be fined by the country’s gaming regulator.
SPORTS BETTING More
Fanatics Journey Begins With New Jersey Holding the Key
Fanatics has gotten a lot of ink lately for a sportsbook with very little to show yet. Will all this publicity bear fruit for the operator banking on its merchandise database to position itself as a top contender?
Fliff Faces California lawsuit, Ohio Probe
Fliff, a company that says it’s a sports prediction game, is facing a $5 million lawsuit in California and a regulatory probe in Ohio alleging that it is in fact a sports betting operation.
MD Regulators Shoot Down Requested Promo Changes
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency turned down two requests from sportsbook operators who were seeking changes to promotional offers.
Cincinnati Reds Seek to Relocate BetMGM Sportsbook
The Cincinnati Reds were very excited to open a BetMGM Sportsbook inside of Great American Ballpark. Now that it’s been dubbed as the worst-performing book in the state, however, relocation sounds like a good idea.
Simplebet’s Sophomore NBA Season a Success
Following the recent conclusion of the 2023 NBA season, micro-betting gurus Simplebet announced that its second season offering wagers went very well, to the tune of the 350 percent growth.
UNITED STATES GAMING More
New York’s Vernon Downs Escapes Closure
Vernon Downs Racetrack and Casino (l.) was threatening to close operations but a tax relief bill passed by the New York Legislature will keep their doors open.
Maverick Gaming Sells Washington Casino
Washington-based Maverick Gaming LLC has sold its Palace and Chips casino (l.) in Lakewood, Washington to Oak Street Real Estate Capital in Chicago. The sales price was $27 million, a tidy profit since Maverick purchased it for $4.5 million.
Alabama Judge Bans VictoryLand Electronic Bingo
A Macon County judge permanently banned VictoryLand Casino (l.) from having electronic bingo machines unless the state legalizes them. The state Supreme Court unanimously declared the machines illegal gambling devices last year.
NJ Rolls Out Pair of RG Resources
The state of New Jersey recently unveiled two new responsible gaming resources, those being a new dedicated helpline and a virtual self-exclusion program.
Illinois Riverboat Move Approved
Penn Entertainment’s plan to relocate its Hollywood Casino riverboat (l.) in Aurora, Illinois to a $360 million land-based venue was approved by the planning and zoning commission.
Miami Poker Player Robbed After Being Followed Home
Alejandro Eugenio Arguello of Plantation, Florida was charged with armed robbery after following a poker player at the Casino at Dania Beach to his Miami home and robbing him at gunpoint of $128,000 in chips and checks.
Casino Fraud Suspect Arrested in FL Armored Truck Heist
A fugitive from Puerto Rico accused of fraud at a casino was arrested as a suspect in a heist of a June 7 armored truck courier in Pembroke Pines Florida. Emanduel Victoria, 28 was arrested and will be arraigned in a federal court.
TRIBAL GAMING More
DHS Releases Human Trafficking Awareness Aid for Tribal Ops
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a toolkit designed to help tribal gaming and hospitality industries recognize and respond to human trafficking.
PEOPLE More
Tricano Named President of Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Veteran casino executive Mark Tricano (l.) has been named president of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Tricano has 20 years of experience in the gaming, hospitality and finance sectors.
Nebraska Casino Hires Sportsbook Manager
WarHorse Lincoln (l.) has hired Jason Johnston as sportsbook manager. But the casino’s sportsbook may not open until late June, following several security steps and Nebraska Racing & Gaming Commission approval.
GOODS & SERVICES More
IGT to Explore Divesting Gaming Business
International Game Technology is evaluating “strategic alternatives” for its Global Gaming and PlayDigital business segments, including possible sale or spinoff of its slot division.
Entain Acquires Polish Bookmaker STS
Entain recently announced that it has continued its spending spree, purchasing Polish bookmaker STS for $946 million, making it the fourth company acquired by the firm in the last two years.
Esports Platform Skillz Relocates HQ to Las Vegas
Esports monetization platform Skillz has announced that it will relocate its headquarters to Las Vegas, as part of the company’s further investment in real money gaming.
Konami Brings Proven Games to Asia
Konami Gaming is responding to the “reset” in the post-Covid Asia-Pacific casino industry by introducing products that have succeeded in other international markets.
Playtech Expands Into Swedish Market, Signs UK Deal with 10bet
Playtech has announced that it is expanding into the Swedish market and partnering with 10bet as its sportsbook provider in the U.K.
Dynamic Gaming Expands into Wisconsin, New Mexico Markets
Dynamic Gaming Solutions recently completed its first installations in both Wisconsin and New Mexico.
Incredible Technologies Debuts First Class II ETG in WA
Incredible Technologies’ new True Pick Roulette, the first electronic table game configured for the Class II market, recently made its North American debut at Washington’s Angel of the Winds Casino Resort.
NUTSHELL More
NEWS & NOTES
Small Nuggets of News
THEY SAID IT More
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Outrageous pronouncements, simple statements and words of wisdom.