The Alabama Senate approved a bill allowing a state lottery and historical horse racing machines at seven locations. The measure now returns to the House, which could approve the measure or send it to a conference committee.

Real estate developer Related Companies and Wynn Resorts have unveiled new renderings of its proposed casino resort development (l.) at Hudson Yards West in New York City.

Missouri House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (l.) introduced a bill to legalize and regulate gaming machines that continue to spread statewide. The measure also would legalize and regulate sports betting.

Casino operators in Macau, buoyed by post-pandemic visitation, are working to solidify their positions in the competitive marketplace. All are focused on catering to high-end premium mass customers.

Last year, Chile’s government departments failed to hammer together a new federal gambling structure. This year the Senate and National Congress hope to finalize the new Federal Gambling Bill.

Lithuania is moving toward legislation that would completely ban gaming marketing and require operators to track problem gambling. This would amend the existing Gambling Law.

Minnesota lawmakers want to double the proposed wagering tax rate after previously eliminating in-game wagers.

For Florida and the Seminoles, online sports betting has been a huge success. You’d never know the two parimutuel companies are still suing. They await decisions as to whether high courts will bring up their case.

At recent hearings before lawmakers, four of six Maryland casino operators came out in support of legal iGaming, but two were unconvinced. Several bills on the docket would place iGaming under control of the state lottery.

The IGT-Everi megadeal has not exactly sent the tickers spinning as of yet, and although long-term prospects still look promising, it represents a stark reminder that more deals, more bids and more M&A proposals will be coming as the industry matures and executives look for new ways to create value.

For many months, there has been a lot of conversation and debate surrounding every aspect of the U.K. gaming industry, and the U.K. Gambling Commission has been at or near the center of all of it as stakeholders work to come together on various reforms. Tim Miller (l.), the commission’s executive director of research, has played a pivotal role in helping to move the process forward.

GGB Podcast sponsored by Pavilion Payments.

The head of Kyushu Resorts, which partnered with Nagasaki Prefecture and Casinos Austria in a bid for an integrated resort, says the firm will not appeal the Japanese government’s decision to reject the proposal.

A second feasibility study on legal casinos in Thailand is expected to reach the House of Representatives next week. An initial study, completed in 2022, recommended up to five “entertainment complexes” with casinos.

Pansy Ho of MGM China and Francis Lui of Galaxy Entertainment Group are promoting broad-based cultural tourism that would include stops in Macau, Hong Kong, and Mainland Chinese cities.

New members of the U.K. Gambling Commission’s “Industry Forum” are scheduled to begin meeting March 21. They join Forum chairman Nick Rust, who was appointed late last year.

The Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) of the Islamic Republic of Iran has shut down an illegal online gambling ring linked to the U.K. It also arrested five people who it alleges were managers in the network.

Crown Resorts CEO Ciarán Carruthers (l.) recently gave new comments on the future of Crown Sydney, affirming that the property can regain profitability if the casino component can find a new, successful business model moving forward.

The Casino Complex in Necochea, Buenos Aires province, Argentina that closed due to structural problems and later partially burned, could get some love from the state government. So promised Governor Axel Kicillof.

José Manssur (l.), the former advisor of the Ministry of Finance who led the Brazilian effort to legalize online betting and gaming, had a message for the first ever SBC Summit Rio: “Trust the market.”

New York state Senator Joseph Abbaddo (l.) says the fact that the Senate’s budget does not include reference to online casino revenue means iGaming likely won’t pass this year.

The Alberta provincial government has earmarked money in its latest budget for an analysis of its regulatory structure, leading many to wonder whether or not the province could be the next to adopt an open, regulated market like Ontario.

Only folks who live or work in D.C. have to live in a cave to be unaware of the massive problems GambetDC has wrought. Help is on the way in the form of number one operator FanDuel.

If there's one thing North Carolina knows, it’s college basketball. Call it serendipity that the state launched online sports betting just in time for college basketball’s premiere event.

Georgia ends its legislative session March 28. The House has just begun talking about the Senate sports betting bill. No vote is planned as of March 15. Do the math. Yet people have hope as long as politics does not intrude.

Temple University has a long, proud basketball history so it seems unlikely their loss against the University of Alabama at Birmingham is an anomaly. Still, the NCAA will look at the point spread and rebounding issues.

A Louisiana judge has held that historical horse racing machines, now live in state racetracks, constitute an illegal expansion of gambling under the state constitution.

A bill allowing a casino in Petersburg, Virginia cleared the Senate and returned to the House for a second vote. A special session could be held in November, followed by a Petersburg voter referendum.

An appellate court standoff between the state of New Jersey and Atlantic County over payments to the PILOT program comes back to life March 20. The battle over the fate of casino dollars hangs in the balance.

The Arkansas Racing Commission could start accepting new applications for the state’s fourth and final casino license in Pope County as early as May. It’s the third time the state will grant a Pope County license, since the courts voided the previous two.

The West Virginia Legislature amended a bill that would have required gambling operators to provide player activity data to West Virginia University researchers who would analyze problem gambling in the state.

The Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, Illinois is expected to open by Labor Day, September 2, officials said. The $310 million, 180,000-square foot venue will offer a casino with 1,300 slots, 44 table games and a sportsbook, plus restaurants, retail and a performance space.

A bill that would have authorized riverboat gambling in Jackson, Mississippi on the Pearl River, or along adjoining bodies of water, died in the Senate Gaming Committee.

A new program based at Stockton University in Atlantic City just graduated its first 23-student class. It offers an eight-week Integrated Casino Resorts Operations Certificate.

A bill introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature would allow the state to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, to pool online poker pots with other states.

The Coushatta Tribe will hold a groundbreaking ceremony including trial dancers and drummers at its casino resort in Kinder, Louisiana. The $150 million project will include an 8-story, 204-room luxury hotel, half to be suites.

Michel Groothuizen (l.), who conceived of and ultimately passed legislation creating Kansspelautoriteit (KSA,) the Dutch gaming regulator, has been named chairman. He replaces René Jansen, who served six years.

Finance veteran Ari Glazer (l.) has been named chief financial officer of Mohegan after two decades at Citigroup.

Steve Wynn (l.), the crestfallen casino mogul who was ousted from his namesake company in 2018 due to widespread sexual harassment allegations, will be the subject of a new biopic depicting his rise and eventual fall from grace.

BMM Testlabs has promoted service delivery and operations veteran Elizabeth Orola (l.) to vice president of land-based global professional service delivery.

Entain CEO Stella David said on an earnings call of Entain’s joint venture with MGM: BetMGM took more resources and time than anticipated. It took time to realize how quickly it needed a better U.S.-oriented product.

As Light & Wonder debuts its fastest-selling Australian title in North America, Aristocrat pursues a lawsuit alleging it infringes on the rights to its game Dragon Link.

A shareholder of slot supplier Ainsworth Game Technology is challenging the sale of a majority of Ainsworth shares to Austria’s Novomatic AG.