Maverick Gaming’s ongoing lawsuit that challenges the ability of Washington tribes to hold exclusive rights to sports betting in the state is heating up, and could be headed to the highest court in the land.

With its launch date a week away, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved new regulations, granted more licenses and heard a plea from pro leagues for some protection from irate fans.

A voter referendum on a constitutional amendment to expand gambling in Texas has been proposed by state Senator Carol Alvarado (l.). The bill also would set up a gaming commission. A companion bill is expected in the House.

Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation Businesses has appealed Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox’s (l.) decision to rescind CNB’s license to build a casino in Pope County.

The Philippine gaming regulator will not shut down the country’s offshore gaming industry, despite its past association with crimes including kidnapping. The regulator is also under fire for hiring an unlicensed auditor.

Top executives of Marriott will be arriving in Bermuda soon to begin talks with government officials to try to salvage a project to open a casino inside of its St. Regis Bermuda (l.) resort in the Caribbean nation. Fellow operator Century Casinos withdrew from its Hamilton Princess project last week, citing too much government red tape.

Chinese courts sentenced billionaire Alvin Chau (l.) to 18 years in prison. Lawmakers in the U.K. want an inquiry into the ties between Chau ,an Isle of Man tech company called TGP and organized crime.

In the last six months, Las Vegas has seen a slew of casino robberies, which has left operators and law enforcement scratching their heads. One belief is that worsening economic conditions have made people desperate, but others are worried that criminals may have found holes in the system.

Las Vegas Sands’ recent fourth-quarter earnings call was chock-full of things for investors to consider—for starters, Macau’s optimism continues to rise; is its success to be believed long-term? Similarly, New York City has emerged as the latest jewel for operators to covet; competition may be high, but LVS has won out before.

This week, the GGB Podcast sits down with Stephanie Goodman, the executive director of the Dr. Robert Hunter International Problem Gambling Center in Las Vegas on how she and her staff prepare problem gamblers for a future without betting.

CBRE analyst John DeCree says Wynn Macau is well-positioned to grow its market share, thanks to proven performance in premium and VIP gaming. Meanwhile, DS Kim of JP Morgan says CNY started out on the right foot.

1XBet is bankrupt. That is the judgment of the Netherlands Supreme Court (l.), which upheld an earlier ruling by the court of Curaçao. Always controversial, the county nevertheless has partnered with sports teams such as Spain’s FC Barcelona in Spain and France’s Paris Saint Germain.

A proposal to privatize and end the gambling monopoly of Finland’s Veikkaus is receiving warm support across the spectrum of parties in the Finnish parliament. Tytti Tuppurainen (l.), minister of Europe and ownership management, recently unveiled the proposal.

Voters of the principality of Liechtenstein will vote January 29 on whether to ban casinos. If passed, the six existing casinos would be given five years to shut down. The law that allowed them to open was passed in 2017. Opponents of casinos don’t like the kind of reputation the country has acquired.

Bulgaria’s National Assembly is mulling legislation that would ban gambling advertising, among several provisions for reforming gambling. The Bulgaria Football Union (BFU), which represents 12 football clubs, says a ban would “mean bankruptcy” for most of the clubs.

Australian bookmakers Sportsbet, TAB and bet365 were recently discovered to have offered wagers on an international youth cricket tournament that featured a large number of underage players. Child advocates throughout the country, including National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds (l.), want that practice to stop, and quickly.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (l.) is facing a lot of pressure from all sides with respect to his cashless gaming push, especially as elections draw near. However, he’s stood his ground thus far, and recently denied the possibility of exempting regional venues from transitioning to cashless.

A bill in the New York legislature would legalize online poker by classifying it a game of skill, while a separate bill would allow liquor-licensed establishments to host recreational poker games.

International Game Technology and Greentube, Novomatic’s digital arm, have signed a patent cross-licensing agreement related to remote game server technologies.

A host of AGS-branded slot games will now be available for Caesars Sportsbook & Casino users thanks to a new content deal between the two companies.

The Betfred Sportsbook (l.) inside of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas has sat vacant since the property opened nearly two years ago. Now it can turn the lights on in time for the Super Bowl, thanks to recent approval for licensure by the Nevada Gaming Commission.

Sports betting is less than a month old in Ohio and already three sportsbooks have violated advertising regs. They each face $150,000 fines. Caesars agreed to pay; the other two may challenge.

The University of Colorado was one of the first colleges in the U.S. to have a betting partnership, but one part of the agreement with PointsBet is being canceled after community backlash.

The North Carolina legislature is sure to consider online sports betting again, according to state Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (l.). A measure passed the Senate last year but failed in the House in a 51-50 vote.

Hawaii has resisted gambling for seven decades but state representative Joe Mizuno (pictured at left) believes his bill that just focuses on sports betting could get passed this year.

Georgia faces too much opposition in its quest to legalize sports betting. Part of the problem stems from the need for a constitutional amendment. But retired Judge Harold D. Melton (l.) says that isn’t true if tied to the lottery.

Sources say sports merchandiser, Fanatics, is seeking to acquire BetParx Sportsbook, based in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. If it comes to fruition, it will mark the third sportsbook for the company.

The UFC said it is taking steps to strengthen its anti-gambling policy after coach James Krause (l.) and his fighter, Derrick Minner were embroiled in a controversy in Minner’s last fight.

The Maryland Application Review Commission said it approved diversity plans from 10 sportsbook operators and could have two more greenlighted next month.

Excitement for the upcoming Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix was already high, but a recent economic impact study indicates that the race is expected to garner a total impact of over $1 billion, more than doubling the projections for the 2024 Super Bowl.

Vornado Realty Trust is mulling a bid for one of the downstate casino licenses to place a casino at the site of the shuttered Hotel Pennsylvania (l.) near Madison Square Garden.

For nearly 30 years there has been a moratorium in California on new card clubs. That number was capped at 72. Then last year the legislature deadlocked on renewing the law. On January 1, 2023 the Bureau of Gambling Control began accepting applications for new clubs.

Pennsylvania regulators approved the licensing of the proposed mini-casino at Nittany Mall (l.) despite some local resident opposition and a legal challenge.

Former U.S. House rep Shelley Berkley (l.) has announced her plans to run for mayor of Las Vegas next year. Homelessness is her number one concern, along with the city’s mounting liability in an ongoing legal saga.

Bill Hornbuckle (l.), president and CEO of MGM, met with the mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts, Domenic Sarno, and City Councilman Mike Fenton to explain why the company’s projection of 3,000 jobs has fallen short.

The Q Casino (l.) in Dubuque, Iowa will undergo a $75 million to $80 million renovation. The 5-phase project will include a complete remodel of the gaming floor, a hotel addition and family entertainment area, and is expected to be completed by 2025.

The planning board for Concord, New Hampshire has approved a proposal to build a 45,000-square-foot casino, hotel and restaurant in the city’s entertainment district.

Osage River Gaming presented information about its proposed $200 million casino at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks (l.). A voter referendum on a constitutional amendment would be required to allow the state’s 14th casino.

Northville Downs harness racetrack (l.) in Plymouth Township, Michigan proposed building a $25 million facility including a 54,000-square-foot casino. The legislature and the Michigan Gaming Control Board must approve the plan.

Renovations to the Showboat Atlantic City will be finished in time for the summer season. The Boardwalk hotel, which once housed a casino, is undergoing a $50 million facelift that includes an indoor waterpark.

Alaska has sued the Department of the Interior to undo its action taking land owned by the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes into trust. The land, located in Juneau, is the second tribal parcel placed into trust in Alaska. The tribe applied to do it a decade ago. Tlingit and Haida President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson (l.) said he’s disappointed in the state’s move.

Cedric Cromwell (l.), former tribal chair of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts, and co-defendant David DeQuattro were both convicted of bribery and were ordered to pay the tribe’s legal fees.

Despite a history of acrimony between the Seneca Nation of Indians and the state of New York, contract negotiations appear to be making “progress.” The Seneca Nation operates three casinos in western New York. Its existing compact expires at the end of 2023.

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribe held open houses in Mountain Home, Idaho to present the latest information on its proposed casino (l.). The project would require approval from the city, Governor Brad Little and the U.S. Department of the Interior.

When New York finally approved mobile sports betting, one group was conspicuous by its absence. The tribes in upstate New York were not invited to the party. The gaming chairs of each chamber, including Assemblyman Gary Pretlow (l.), will fix that if a bill passes.

The Potawatomi Hotel & Casino (l.) in Milwaukee will bring a sportsbook to its casino in three phases. The company will open a temporary venue, then open mobile access, and end the year with a permanent sportsbook.

A new 23-story hotel will open in March at the Four Winds South Bend resort (l.), operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. The expansion will also add a spa, café, conference center and other amenities.

The U.K. Gambling Commission has approved Allwyn Entertainment’s acquisition of its predecessor as operator of the National Lottery, Camelot UK, which will shake up management after the transaction.

Wynn Resorts Executive Vice President and General Counsel Ellen Whittemore was reelected as chairwoman of the Nevada Resorts Association for 2023-2024. Mirage Las Vegas and the Palms Casino Resort were also approved to join the association.

Michael Hoenig has resigned as general counsel for the National Indian Gaming Commission, after 16 total years with the agency. Hoenig will accept a similar role with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

With the withdrawal of Blackstone as its primary shareholder, AGS has named Adam Chibib as chairman of the board, replacing David Sambur who had represented Blackstone on the board.

Last week, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs named attorney Jackie Johnson (l.) as the state’s gaming regulator. Johnson has served as legal counsel for a number of tribes.

A news report cites unnamed sources in reporting that MGM Resorts International is set to make a new takeover bid for Entain, owner of Ladbrokes, Coral and Gala Bingo.

Acres Manufacturing has announced that its cashless gaming technology, offered through its Foundation management system, has been approved in Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri.

The World Game Protection Conference will be held March 7-9 at Tropicana Las Vegas. Event founder Willy Allison (l.) said that this year’s topics of focus are game protection, money laundering and electronic table games.