In recent years, regulatory overhaul has been a global theme for the gaming community, and Italy looks to be the next high-profile market to revamp its previous framework.

New reporting from the Nevada Independent has indicated that Nevada lawmakers secretly amended state casino zoning laws to help pave the way for a development proposed by Red Rock Resorts that would have otherwise been ineligible due to its proximity to a school.

In Virginia, a referendum on a casino in Richmond, which voters narrowly rejected in 2021, will appear on the November ballot. In Norfolk, Pamunkey tribal leaders pulled plans for a scaled-down casino from a city review board.

MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle says the U.S. firm will begin construction of its long-awaited integrated resort in Osaka, Japan “by middle to late next year.” In Nagasaki, however, Governor Kengo Oishi says changes may be made to his prefecture’s integrated resort proposal.

Quebec casinos and workers remain at odds over a new contract and have passed the one-month mark since they went on strike on June 22.

The U.K.’s Gambling Commission announced the first consultations on regulations proposed by the White Paper entitled “High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age.” The consultations are expected to take 12 weeks.

Vermont has requested bids for sports betting operator licenses and officials said the goal is to launch by January 2024. The state was the last in the New England region to legalize sports betting.

The U.S. Women’s soccer team is favored to win a third consecutive FIFA World Cup. Will their popularity lead to an increase in women betting on the games, and if so, will it translate into more participation in other sports?

Oklahoma legislators are ready to remove Governor Kevin Stitt (l.) from tribal compact negotiations due to his hostile stance and numerous vetoes of tribe-supported measures. Stitt said he just wants to negotiate the best deal for the state’s 4 million-plus residents.

One of Warren Buffett’s most oft-quoted phrases is that you should invest in people, not companies. Churchill Downs has enjoyed an amazing multi-year run, but results for the second quarter were a little flatter than expected, causing some to sell off. However, CEO Bill Carstanjen is one of the best in the business, and his clear growth strategy makes the Kentucky-based racing giant as attractive as ever moving forward.

In gaming, few brands, if any, can match the product power of IGT. Domenico Pastia (l.), the company’s senior vice president of global product, has harnessed that power in his nine years at the helm, and is ready to see its full potential on display as the company dives into omnichannel offerings and more.

The sale of casinos owned by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. can’t come soon enough for Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno. Diokno says his department could speed the process.

Cambodian law enforcement arrested more than 1,200 people for illegal gambling in the first half of 2023. Last fall, Prime Minister Hun Sen (l.) announced the crackdown to address illegal land-based and online casinos.

The Cheng family, which owns and operates Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, has reportedly assumed control of everyday operations at Hoiana, an integrated resort in Vietnam’s Hoi An Province.

The casino at Inspire, an integrated resort now in development in South Korea, is expected to open in time for Chinese New Year 2024. The property in Incheon will be operated by U.S.-based Mohegan Gaming.

Morgan Stanley analysts say Solaire North in the Philippines may not open until the second quarter of 2024. The resort in Quezon City is a project of Bloomberry Resorts, which owns Solaire in Manila’s Entertainment City.

A snap election in Spain on July 23 resulted in a gridlock. No party appears ready to form a government yet. This means that the reforms the government announced in March are unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Finland’s University of Helsinki’s Centre for Research on Addition, Control, and Governance (CEAGC) has issued a report that shows a link between problem gamblers and debt consolidation. Especially when the debt is unsecured.

Brazil is moving forward with the regulation of sports betting. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (l.) issued a provisional decree to legalize the market, which will be taxed at 18 percent. The decree happens as a widening match fixing scandal unfolds.

The Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corp. will launch a dot-com version of its Casino Filipino brand. The country’s regulator has announced its online casino will debut in 2024.

Despite having a larger population, and more casinos than any of the northeastern U.S. states it is being compared to, Ontario’s online gambling industry is falling behind the jurisdictions in the U.S. This is based on data released by iGaming Ontario.

The 15 charitable casinos of New Hampshire had been opposed to iGaming coming to the Granite State but may be having a change of heart on the issue.

In the wake of repeated failures to pass a bill legalizing online gaming in Indiana, state Senator Jon Ford (l.) has proposed making it part of a larger “gaming modernization” bill.

Playtech announced plans to launch its live casino game show product in the U.S., including plans to open a dedicated studio for the product in New Jersey.

Noah Shannon was one of a group of Iowa Hawkeyes who found themselves an NCAA target over potential sports betting. The accusation cost the young man participation in Big Ten Media Day. The pro ranks aren’t faring much better—the NFL just handed down two more betting-related suspensions.

The Commonwealth has emergency and ordinary regulations. They allow funding accounts with crypto currency. And the minimum age is 18. Doesn’t mean something will go wrong.

Australian-based PlayUp seems destined to be ousted from the two states it operated in: Colorado and New Jersey. Indeed, things are so tough, they wish to shed their U.S. assets.

St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III (l.) has called out Missouri state senator Denny Hoskins over his stall tactics in regards to legalizing sports betting in the state.

Fanatics is continuing to make sports betting waves across the U.S., this time through a partnership with the Columbus Blue Jackets. A new retail sportsbook will open next to Nationwide Arena by the end of August.

Responsible gaming has become a hot-button issue in Maryland, as the latest data indicates that 8.6 percent of adults exhibit signs of problem gambling, double the national average.

New reporting has revealed that the parent company of the upcoming Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix has been threatening to block race views for Strip venues that don’t pay licensing fees of $1,500 per person.

Lawmakers in North Carolina have proposed including three commercial casinos and one tribal casino in the state budget. The deal also would include allowing video lottery terminals in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores.

An effort by the federal government to block a website that takes bets on who will win the 2024 presidential election was derailed by the Fifth Circuit, which held the government improperly blocked the effort.

Officials from Bally’s and GLPI are waiting to see official design plans for the Oakland A’s new stadium before making any commitments about the demolition plans for the Tropicana (l.).

Century Casinos, Inc. has completed its acquisition of Maryland’s Rocky Gap Casino Resort (l.) operations from Golden Entertainment, with VICI holding its interest in the land.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma wants to reinstate its lawsuit against the Poarch Creek Band of Indians, claiming that the tribe improperly removed human remains and artifacts from sacred land to build Wind Creek Casino.

Turning Stone Resort Casino (l.) in upstate New York July 21 announced a $370 million expansion that will be the largest in the resort’s history. The project will be developed by the Oneida Indian Nation, which will be renamed Turning Stone Enterprises.

The Indian Gaming Association concluded its 2023 Summer Legislation Summit last week at the Stanley R. Crooks Tribal Leader Conference Center in Washington, D.C.

Industry veteran Cliff Atkinson (l.) has been selected to be the newest president of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

888 watched as internal investigations over failure to keep on top of anti-money laundering cost the company its chief executive. Now, Per Widerstom (l.) has been brought in to right the ship.

A new loyalty study published by Acres Manufacturing has revealed that outdated loyalty systems are costing operators billions per year.

Spintec has partnered with Konami to distribute its products in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Master trainer Paul Speirs-Hernandez (l.) will open the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Conference and Trade Show August 15 with an inspirational keynote address.

Clarion Gaming and the European Casino Association have extended their partnership on the ICE trade show’s International Casino Conference for five years, to 2029.