You have to give Kasey Thompson credit. He had a vision, one where he helped California’s tribal nations get their sports betting licenses. Alas, the tribal nations said it was not to be. And so it wasn’t.

The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission said the Innovation Group’s recent gaming market study doesn’t have enough information to help them decide whether or not to grant new racino licenses.

Bally’s is working with Chicago officials on a new plan for a 35-story hotel tower at its permanent casino and entertainment complex, still expected to open in September 2026. The original project (l.) could have damaged city water pipes.

Nagasaki officials want to know why the prefecture was not approved for an integrated resort with gaming. Depending on the answers, they may try again to win an IR license.

Mohegan Gaming’s Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea will receive a gaming license. The resort, which opened in November, had to win a five-star hotel rating before it could open its foreigner-only casino.

The government of Brazil has taken the first steps to create a system to combat sports betting manipulation. It has given the job to the country’s Federal Data Processing Service. The system will monitor all bets in real-time.

Sweden’s Aktiebolaget Trav och Galopp (ATG) CEO Hans Lord Skarplöth (l.) says a proposed sweeping 4 percent gambling tax hike could hurt the already stumbling horse racing industry. He is calling for a differentiated tax rate.

Minnesota wants to join the states that can boast about the money coming in through sports betting. There are many obstacles in the way, but state Senator Jeremy Miller has confidence.

As we begin fourth-quarter earnings season, Las Vegas Sands and Inspired Entertainment represent two interesting examples of growth potential. While they couldn’t be more different in terms of size and scope, their risk/reward thought processes are somewhat similar.

North Carolina took its time. Dotted the I’s. Crossed the t’s. And come mid-March when the madness reigns, the state embedded with the charm of the ACC tournament will collect bets as the games begin.

Next week, the global gaming industry will converge in London for ICE 2024, the fourth edition under the guidance of Clarion Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter (l.).

GGB Podcast sponsored by Pavilion Payments.

A January 15 report from the United Nations says casinos and junkets are a “critical piece” of the “underground banking and money laundering infrastructure” in East and Southeast Asia, and the threat is growing.

The Macau Gaming Service Index for 2023 shows that casino staff ranked high for disposition, friendliness and overall service last year. The index was compiled with the use of “mystery shoppers” who visited the casinos.

The Macau Jockey Club, which is scheduled to close on April 1, may serve as a concert venue, says Elsie Ao Ieong, the city’s Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture. The club may be ideal after recent noise complaints.

A suspected counterfeit chip scam has been busted by Macau law enforcement. The scam reportedly caused losses of HKD1.62 million ($210,000) for a casino in the city.

Money laundering has become an increasingly prevalent issue, with illicit cash being funneled through various channels to conceal its origins, including online gambling sites, according to Canada’s Fintrac.

There are concerns about the impact of sports betting branding and marketing on viewers in Canada, particularly during sports broadcasts according to a study by the Canada Broadcasting Corporation.

Battles between Ecuador’s military and its drug cartels sparked by the prison break of a drug kingpin have put the brakes on proposed gambling regulations. Critics say legalizing gambling would give the cartels more power.

The Chilean Ministry of Finance has submitted a bill to the Senate to regulate online gaming platforms. The bill, which was previously passed by Chile’s Chamber of Deputies, seeks to create a safe environment for consumers.

Codere, a gaming company that operates in several Latin American countries, has won an initial victory in Mexico’s highest court. The company has challenged a $70 million-plus tax bill the Ministry of Finance says it owes.

Rhode Island has confirmed that online casino gaming will launch in the state on March 1, with an operating monopoly to Bally’s Corporation, which operates the only casinos in the state.

Indiana lawmakers have grappled with the idea of internet gambling, but a new report that shows potential tax revenue of up to $929 million might sway their opinion.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board sent cease-and-desist letters to three companies operating unlicensed gaming in the state. The three websites no longer allow wagers from Michigan residents.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. will trim the revenues the government earns from online gaming. PAGCOR head Alejandro Tengco (l.) says the move will make legal iGaming more competitive.

Missouri seems to be having some sports betting trouble. Let’s start with the tax—the administration says there is no mechanism to collect and transmit the tax to its rightful place. Nonsense. The state constitution provides the way to do it.

Blame it on Milt Champion (l.), executive director of the Maine Gaming Control Unit. He issued temporary licenses and in order to fix the problem, the sports betting universe may have to shut down in Maine.

Anytime GambetDC gets into the press, the result is often messy. The Office of Lottery & Gaming wants to turn things around by booting Gambet and bringing an operator with a better track record.

More than 300 Nassau County residents attended a public meeting in which supporters and opponents of the proposed Las Vegas Sands casino at the Nassau Coliseum (l.) site spoke their minds.

A Virginia Senate committee is considering legislation that would change the parameters of a casino host city, allowing Petersburg to replace Richmond, where voters twice rejected a casino.

Alabama House lawmakers are expected to debate a constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling, a lottery and sports betting. A statewide referendum would be required if the legislation passes.

A group of Atlantic City casino dealers staged a rally outside of state Senator Vince Polistina’s (l.) office to call for passage of a bill to end smoking on casino floors.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (l.) is being criticized for appointing the daughter of a veteran gaming lobbyist to the New York Gaming Commission.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has expressed concerns regarding cashless wagering, but PENN Entertainment’s Plainridge Park Casino is pushing for the technology.

MGM Resorts recently confirmed that it has raised its nightly resort fees for the company’s Las Vegas properties, by various amounts ranging from $2 to $6.

In Arizona, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe recently announced plans to build a new casino on 31 acres near downtown Tucson.

Star Entertainment recently announced that it has appointed Janelle Campbell as the new CEO of Star Sydney and Daniel Finch as CEO of the company’s Brisbane division.

Grant Chum (l.), previously chief operating officer for Sands China, has been named the company’s new president and CEO. He will replace former top dog Rob Goldstein.

The Fontainebleau Las Vegas (l.) has now lost four executives since its opening in mid-December. Angie Dobney, former vice president of revenue management, has resigned from her role.

Justin Moore (l.) began life in the casino industry as a food server in Mesquite. Now he’s back in town as CEO of two Mesquite properties.

Flutter Entertainment's exit from the Dublin stock exchange and its impending listing on the New York Stock Exchange mark significant milestones for the company.

IGT has signed a three-year contract extension with the Virginia Lottery, extending its supply of systems and instant tickets through October 2033.