Casino News – Focus Gaming News
Macau could allow a new casino
The new Asian casino would be located at The 13 Hotel on the Cotai-Coloane border.
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
Arkansas AG finally approves casino ballot
World Casino News
Arkansas AG finally approves casino ballot
Vanessa Selbst Gets Poker Nostalgic on Twitter, Might Partner Phil Galfond for Upcoming WSOP Tag Team
Casino News Daily
Vanessa Selbst Gets Poker Nostalgic on Twitter, Might Partner Phil Galfond for Upcoming WSOP Tag Team
It all started with a nostalgic poker-related tweet from retiree Vanessa Selbst, but it now seems that the three-time WSOP gold bracelet winner might come back from retirement to play the upcoming Tag Team event with another poker heavyweight and former gold bracelet winner.
Selbst, who announced early in 2018 hat she was putting an end to her poker career to pursue other opportunities, reminisced on Twitter about the game’s not-so-long-ago when players would 4-bet light pre-flop and on the flop to make the game quite thrilling, dynamic, and risky.
ok but seriously, when did it ppl 100% stop 4betting light (preflop OR on flop)? there used to be so many fun dynamics when ranges were obv polarized- now it's like there's a rule if u get raised while holding air u must fold…? seriously is this a thing? seems like a bad thing.
— Vanessa Selbst (@VanessaSelbst) May 31, 2018
Phil Galfond, a two-time WSOP gold bracelet winner, joined Selbst’s recollections by saying that it has become quite rough out there for “feel players” like them. Galfond has indeed had some rough time on the live poker scene. Last year, the player revealed that he lost more than $800,000 playing cash games all around Las Vegas during the 2017 WSOP.
The player entered the $50,000 Poker Players Championship to hopefully redeem some of what he had lost and said that he needed to at least finish second in that tournament. The runner-up finish in last year’s edition of the popular event paid out $862,649. However, he eventually failed to scoop any cash whatsoever from it.
End of Retirement
Back to Selbst and Galfond’s Twitter discussion from just a few hours ago, the retired female poker pro suggested that the two of them join forces and return to the felt for the upcoming WSOP Tag Team event.
Galfond replied affirmatively to that, so it seems two of poker’s best might be readying themselves to stomp into Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, where the world’s longest-running poker series is taking place for another year, and bring back in play some nice poker tricks. The $1,000 Tag Team event is slated to take place over three days starting June 27.
Selbst is the world’s most profitable female poker pro of all time. The player accumulated live tournament earnings of more than $11.8 million< during her active poker career. To date, her largest-ever tournament cash amounts to €1.3 million ($1,823,430) and the player scooped that one for taking down the Partouche Poker Tour €8,500 Main Event back in 2010. Selbst is also the proud holder of three WSOP gold bracelets, which she won in 2008, 2012, and 2014.
The player announced back in January that she had decided to change her career path and that she would be working as a trader for a hedge fund. Selbst also confirmed that she would no longer be a PokerStars Team Pro, pointing out that she no longer felt good about being a poker ambassador and telling amateur players that they should play a game that was “beatable” for them as she did not feel that was true. She was in fact one of four PokerStars Team Pro members to leave the poker room’s team of brand ambassadors in January, with Jason Mercier, Felipe Ramos, and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier being the other three.
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Bloomberry expects to score a Japanese IR
Casino News – Focus Gaming News
Bloomberry expects to score a Japanese IR
The Philippine-based company is hoping to get the licence to develop an IR in Japan’s Wakayama Marina City.
The post Bloomberry expects to score a Japanese IR appeared first on Focus Gaming News.
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Macau Legend’s Cape Verde Casino to Swing Its Doors Open in August
Casino News Daily
Macau Legend’s Cape Verde Casino to Swing Its Doors Open in August
Part of Macau Legend’s $300-million casino resort in Cape Verde will open doors this August, CEO David Chow Kam Fai told local media earlier today after the company’s Annual General Meeting at the Legend Palace.
Macau Legend will open a hotel and casino in the tiny northwest African nation this summer as part of what would be a multi-phase project. The Macau-based group has already invested more than $290 million in the first phase of its scheme.
The company has revealed in previous statements that the first phase of its new resort would include a 200-room hotel, a casino, and an office block, among other facilities. Further phases of the project will include a marina, retail space, a convention center, and multiple food and beverage options. The whole integrated resort will occupy a 152,700-square-meter site (1,643,649.12 square feet).
Macau Legend announced its plans to build a resort in the tiny island nation in 2015 and broke ground on he property a year later. The Hong Kong-listed company said back then that it expected it would take about three years to complete the project.
Cape Verde currently has population of around half a million people, but Macau Legend will actually be targeting foreign visitors.
Exclusive Online Gaming Rights
Under a deal between the Macau casino operator and Cape Verde officials, Macau legend would receive a 15-year tax relief and would be granted 10-year exclusivity over the operation of online gaming and sports betting as well as over the operation of land-based sports betting services.
Of their choice to expand namely into Cape Verde, Mr. Chow has previously said that it being a Portuguese-speaking country (Macau is itself a former Portuguese territory) with well-developed infrastructure and booming tourism were among the things that drew his company to that particular part of the world.
Tourism represents nearly a quarter of Cape Verde’s annual GDP and the country’s government has introduced a number of initiatives to boost that industry even further. Local lawmakers have pointed out repeatedly that Macau Legend’s integrated resort could certainly help the nation achieve that goal.
The legalization of gambling in the early 2010s was one such tourism-boosting initiative. As a result from the legalization process, Cape Verde’s first land-based casino – the €5-million Casino Royal – opened doors as part of a larger Hilton resort in May 2013 on Sal Island. Under the country’s gambling law, brick-and-mortar casinos can be built on the islands Sal, Santago, Boa Vista, and Maoi.
Macau Legend’s casino resort is currently under development in the capital Praia. It is also interesting to note that the Macau-based gaming company has submitted an application to develop a bank in Cape Verde. Mr. Chow said today that local lawmakers are currently evaluating the proposal, which aims to provide small- to medium-sized businesses with much-needed support and facilitate payments processed on the Cape Verde territory.
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Creedence Clearwater Revisited at Blue Chip
Casino City Times
Creedence Clearwater Revisited at Blue Chip
Creedence Clearwater Revisited will play Saturday, 14 July at 8 pm in the Stardust Event Center in Michigan City.
Swiss Voters Seem to Support Foreign Online Casinos Ban
Casino News Daily
Swiss Voters Seem to Support Foreign Online Casinos Ban
A nationwide opinion poll in Switzerland has shown that plans for a gambling law amendment are making progress ahead of the vote scheduled for June 10th.
Only a few weeks before the changes in the existing gambling legislation takes place, the leading polling and research institute GfS Bern revealed that 58% of a recent survey’s respondents will back the reform, which is set to include a foreign online casinos ban and tighter regulation aimed at reducing gambling addiction in the country. The result represented a 6% increase in the number of voters who are willing to support the amendment in comparison to a previous survey commissioned by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
According to Lukas Golder, co-director of GfS Bern, the announced result is a trend which was by no doubt in favor of the local Government. As revealed by the polling and research institute, 58% of the survey’s respondents backed the gambling law amendment, while 37% were against the change. The remaining 5% of the respondents have not decided whether to back it yet. Mr. Golder, however, explained that the gambling legislation issue has not managed to gain popularity among the general public, in spite of the massive campaign on the social media.
Youth Wings of Local Political Parties Oppose the Amendment
The increasing percentage of Swiss residents who seem to be approving the reform is considered to be due to the rising concerns over an expected lotteries and casinos’ revenue decline. The proceeds accumulated by these gambling operations are normally used to fund age pension schemes and other social services.
According to the results of a study released by the Justice ministry, a ban imposed on overseas online casinos would cost Switzerland no less than CHF250 million on annual basis. The overall proceeds brought to the country by gambling operations have been estimated to approximately CHF1 billion per year.
The country’s Parliament approved the new piece of gambling legislation in 2017. Under the law, only domestically-licensed casinos will be allowed to offer web-based games, while foreign casinos’ websites are to be banned. Center-right and right political parties, however, opposed the law and managed to gather the necessary 50,000 signatures to schedule a nationwide vote on the matter.
As mentioned above, support for the legislation amendment has been growing lately, especially in the German-speaking regions and in rural areas. The issue related to the ban that is to be imposed on the foreign casinos has not raised enough interest, with the mobilization of voters remaining relatively low.
Only residents in the age group from 18 to 29 years appeared to firmly oppose the reform. According to the research results, one of the main reasons why younger Switzerland citizens were against the amendment is the fact that they were concerned over the restrictions which may be imposed on the use of the Internet. This trend is also followed by the youth wings of the main political parties, with younger politicians backing campaigns against the legislation change.
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Century Casinos, Inc. opens Century Casino in Bath
Casino City Times
Century Casinos, Inc. opens Century Casino in Bath
On 25 May 2018, over 1,200 guests were welcomed on the red carpet by Century Casino Bath's staff and were invited to explore the newly constructed casino on a 15,000 square foot gaming floor.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
The future of sports betting; Interview with AG Burnett – Pt I
World Casino News
The future of sports betting; Interview with AG Burnett – Pt I
Poker’s Most Profitable So Far This Year
Casino News Daily
Poker’s Most Profitable So Far This Year
We are just five months into the year but some of poker’s finest players have already added millions of dollars to their bankrolls. They have traveled the world, faced other fine and seasoned players and have outmaneuvered them to be rewarded for their skills.
Just as many poker professionals and enthusiasts are readying for this year’s World Series of Poker, Casino News Daily has compiled a quick list of the most profitable players so far in 2018. Here is a little bit more information about how much they have won and how they have performed the past several months.
Justin Bonomo – $8,907,138
Bonomo has been on a hot streak over the past five months and it seems that he has no intention to end his winning spree. The player has cashed nearly $9 million since the beginning of the year from 15 different tournaments. There is more to the story, he won five of these and made final table appearances in most of the other.
Half of Bonomo’s 2018 live tournament earnings came from his first-place finish in the HK$2-million buy-in Super High Roller Bowl China. The popular poker pro bested a field of 75 seasoned high rollers to collect $4,823,077 from the event’s prize pool. Bonomo defeated Finland’s Patrik Antonius (who will appear later in this list) heads-up.
Aside from his Super High Roller Bowl China triumph, he also took down the Lucky Hearts Poker Open $25,500 High Roller for $556,873, a US Poker Open $10,500 event for $190,400, the EPT Monte Carlo €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em for €378,000, and the EPT Monte Carlo €25,000 Single Re-Entry for €259,700.
Jason Koon – $6,837,091
Koon is, too, having quite some year and quite a month, to be more precise. The player won high roller tournaments on two continents over a week’s span. He first outlasted 103 entries in the partypoker-sponsored HK$1,000,000 Triton Super High Roller Montenegro to scoop a hefty payout of $3,569,836.
Just a few days later, the player claimed another title and another seven-figure payout. He won the Aria $100K High roller during the WPT Tournament of Champions Festival at Aria Resort & Casino. Koon was the last man standing from a field of 31 entries. His share of the prize pool totaled $1,039,940.
Koon has cashed in seven events since the beginning of the year and has won one more tournament over the past few months. During this year’s PCA, the poker pro bested the field of the $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em, good for a prize of $421,080.
Stephen Chidwick – $5,906,441
UK’s second most profitable player of all time rounds out the podium of this year’s most profitable live tournament poker players. Chidwick has finished in the money in 15 tournaments since January and has won several of them to add nearly $6 million to his already hefty poker bankroll.
The UK poker pro started off 2018 with victories in two US Poker Open tournaments, both of them $25,000 buy-in ones. He scooped more than $700,000 from those. Just a couple of days ago, the player took down a $25,000 Aria High Roller event for $300,000.
Back in April, Chidwick collected two seven-figure payouts from the partypoker MILLIONS Grand Final Barcelona festival. He first finished runner-up to Jake Schindler in the €100,000 Super High Roller for €1.1 million in prize money, and then collected €1 million for his third-place finish in the €10,300 Main Event.
Patrik Antonius – $4,537,936
We have seen more and more from the Finn over the past months which is always good, as we all know how good he is at this game. The player has cashed in just five events this year, but one of these was the above-mentioned Super High Roller Bowl China.
Antonius collected $3,153,551 from that tournament after outlasting all but one of the contenders for the title. In February, the player put up great performance at the partypoker MILLIONS Germany at King’s Casino Rozvadov to win the €25,500 Super High Roller for a first-place prize of €425,000.
Jake Schindler – $4,411,041
Schindler rounds out the list of the five most profitable players so far this year with nearly $4.5 million added to his bankroll. He has cashed in 17 tournaments since the beginning of 2018, which is an impressive number itself. In addition, he actually topped the fields of some of these events.
As already mentioned, the player emerged victorious in the €100,000 Super High Roller during the partypoker MILLIONS Grand Final Barcelona. His share of the tournament’s massive prize pool amounted to €1,750,000. Schindler has also won a couple of Aria High Roller tournaments over the past several months and has cashed in some other such tournaments.
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Upcoming Summer Poker Festivals: Las Vegas Edition
Casino News Daily
Upcoming Summer Poker Festivals: Las Vegas Edition
With this year’s Super High Roller Bowl now being halfway through and the 49th annual World Series of Poker being just a couple of hours away from kicking off with record 78 gold bracelets up for grabs, Las Vegas has already drawn a humongous number of the world’s best poker pros as well as of recreational players who love the game just as fiercely as any professional out there.
And while the above-mentioned two events are certainly getting and will be getting the most attention, they are not the only ones set to take place in the major gambling hub this summer. In fact, popular Las Vegas casinos are gearing up for a summer of poker thrill and exciting events.
Here are some of the other major festivals that are slated to run in the mecca of casino gambling and entertainment over the next several weeks.
Grand Poker Series
Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in downtown Vegas is set to have its own big series going on over the next month or so. This year’s edition of the Grand Poker Series is slated to begin later today at the gambling venue and to run through July 3.
It will feature more than 80 different poker events and poker formats. Some of the tournaments will feature guaranteed prize pools, with guarantees going up all the way through half a million dollars. Most of the events will be single-day ones, but there will be a few that will feature multiple starting flights and will be played over a couple of days.
The four-day $570 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event will begin on June 28. It will be one of the events that will feature a guaranteed prize pool of $500,000.
Wynn Summer Classic
The 2018 Wynn Summer Classic will kick off on June 1 and will take place all the way through July 16 at the highly popular Wynn Las Vegas. Similarly to the Grand Poker Series, the festival will feature a plethora of events varying in buy-ins and formats, and most of those will take place over a single day.
The Wynn Summer Poker Classic’s schedule includes over 30 different tournaments with very attractive guaranteed prize pools of up to $1 million. It is also important to note that most of those events’ guarantees are six-figure ones.
The $1,600 Main Event is scheduled for July 9. The tournament will be played over five days and will include three starting flights. Entries will contend for the title and the largest share of the guaranteed $1.5-million prize pool.
Dog Days of Summer
The dog days of summer are almost upon those living or visiting the hot Nevada desert and Binion’s Hotel and Casino is offering an escape from the heat with a month-long summer poker festival. The Dog Days of Summer poker celebrations will take place on June 1-July 1 with more than two dozens of different tournaments.
The schedule of this upcoming festival deserves to be paid quite some attention due to its diversity of formats to be featured. Aside from popular formats like No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, players will also be able to participate in the likes of a $365 buy-in Crazy Stud Mix (Razzudugi; Hi/Lo Regular; Hi/Lo 8) and a $365 Mixed Triple Draw (2-7; A-5; Badugi).
Sumer Poker Series
The Summer Poker Series at The Orleans Hotel & Casino will be another month-long festival to take place in Las Vegas this summer. It will run from June 1 through July 1. The festival features a huge schedule with a wide variety of poker variants that will certainly meet every player’s taste and demands for poker action.
As with the above-mentioned events, this one will, too, feature mostly single-day events. Players will thus be able to enter the ones they feel most comfortable to participate in and to even hop from one casino to another to check out all the festivals set to take place over the next month both on the legendary Strip and in downtown Las Vegas.
The post Upcoming Summer Poker Festivals: Las Vegas Edition appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Monday, May 28, 2018
New casino could be set in Springfield
Casino News – Focus Gaming News
New casino could be set in Springfield
A project to expand the Springfield casino market is moving towards approval this year.
The post New casino could be set in Springfield appeared first on Focus Gaming News.
NetEnt continues progressive jackpot streak
World Casino News
NetEnt continues progressive jackpot streak
Star Entertainment Revenue Boosted by VIP Customers and Queensland Businesses
Casino News Daily
Star Entertainment Revenue Boosted by VIP Customers and Queensland Businesses
One of the largest Australian gaming and entertainment groups, Star Entertainment Group, shared that high-roller customers and Queensland businesses have brought larger revenue, at a time when the company has been focused on new Gold Coast- and Brisbane-located projects’ roll-out.
As reported by the operator, the strong revenue growth registered since the beginning of the year has been backed by the boom in the local tourism market, as the number of international VIP customers has also increased. In addition, Star Entertainment further announced a large increase in the amount of the transformational revamp and expansion of its Brisbane-situated Queen’s Wharf project, with a 25% boost in the gross area which is expected to bring the resort costs up from AU$1.8 to AU$2.4 billion.
The company is currently engaged with the development of its AU$2.4-billion Queen’s Wharf resort situated in the central business district of Brisbane. Today, the gambling operator revealed that its revenue increased by 16.4% in the period from January to May 2018.
As revealed by Matt Bekier, the Chief Executive Officer of Star Entertainment, official offers for the first phase of the Queen’s Wharf project are set to be released in June. He further explained that additional dining and retail areas are also planned for the resort. As previously revealed, the foundations, as well as the basement of the project are set to be laid down in 2019, while the construction above the ground expected to begin a year later, in 2020.
More Regulatory Clarity Needed for Gold Coast Tower Project
As mentioned above, Mr. Bekier revealed that the floor area of the company’s Queen’s Wharf project would be bigger than the one originally planned, due to expanded retail and dining area. According to the company’s Chief Executive Officer, the increase reflects the confidence which Star Entertainment has in Queensland and Brisbane.
The company’s boss explained that the increase marked in the number of tourists and higher interstate migration have helped the economy of the state.
The Star Entertainment Group has revealed that the construction of its Gold Coast casino’s new accommodation tower is planned to kick off in August 2018. However, the company still needed more clarity to be brought on the matter, with the State Government expected to say whether the operator would need another casino license, especially for the tourist strip. According to Mr. Bekier, Star Entertainment is absolutely fine with the planned investment in the new tower, but more regulatory clarity would be needed before further investment is given a go.
Kate Jones, the Minister of Queensland Tourism Industry Development is expected to meet with potential supporters of the new resorts in the region. Previously, Star’s CEO shared his opinion that the Gold Coast did not need another casino resort, considering his company’s plans to built four more towers of up to 74 storeys at the already existing Broadbeach venue. In any case, no more poker machines are proposed at the site in question.
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Louisiana’s riverboat casinos now free to move ashore
World Casino News
Louisiana’s riverboat casinos now free to move ashore
Sunday, May 27, 2018
New Jersey race track sues NCAA, NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB over $150m in lost revenue
World Casino News
New Jersey race track sues NCAA, NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB over $150m in lost revenue
Matthew Waxman Wins WPT Tournament of Champions
Casino News Daily
Matthew Waxman Wins WPT Tournament of Champions
It started off with 80 former WPT Main Tour Main Event champions, but it was Matthew Waxman who outlasted that elite field to become this year’s WPT Tournament of Champions winner. The player claimed the title and the first-place prize of $463,375 after picking off a bluff from his heads-up opponent Matas Cimbolas.
Waxman and Cimbolas were two of the five players who returned for Day 3 of the prestigious tournament. Instead of playing that final day at Aria Resort & Casino, the remaining survivors switched venues and their final battle thus took place at the brand new Esports Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor.
Waxman entered the final day of action third in chips, while Cimbolas held the second largest stack at the time when cards were thrown in the air. The five finalists were led by Darren Elias, who won his record fourth WPT title just a few days ago.
The player maintained his momentum for a while, but then lost his chip lead to Waxman. Elias eventually busted in third place, thus missing the chance to win a back-to-back title and smash another record. He collected $177,060 in prize money.
Nick Schulman was actually the first player to leave the final table on Day 3. He was eliminated in fifth place namely by Elias. His share of the $1,365,000 prize pool totaled $89,290. David Benyamine went out in fourth, good for $123,045.
Heads-Up Action
Waxman was the player to set the two-handed match after he eliminated Elias in third place. The eventual champion entered heads-up as a chip leader with 2:1 advantage over Cimbolas. The first half of their duel saw chips swinging back and forth from one player to the other and vice versa.
Waxman then began to pull ahead of his final opponent until he took controlling advantage. On the final hand in play, the eventual champion check-called the three streets with [Qc][7d]. Cimbolas moved all in on the river with [10h][3s] on a [Kd][2h][Qs][4s][8h] board. Waxman quickly picked off his opponent’s bluff and called to claim the title and the largest share of the prize pool. Cimbolas exited the tournament in second place, good for $265,590.
As for Waxman’s first-place prize, it also includes a $15,000 seat into next season’s WPT Tournament of Champions, a luxurious Hublot watch, a JetSmarter membership worth $50,000, and the one and only WTP Tournament of Champions trophy.
Talking to WPT staff minutes after his triumph, Waxman said that it took him some time to decide whether he should play in the Tournament of Champions or not due to the high buy-in, the elite field, and the lack of much confidence in his game. It seems that he has made the right decision, though.
The event concluded Season XVI of the popular poker series. As mentioned above, it attracted 80 entries, including the winners from throughout the season and players who had won WPT titles during previous seasons. A prize pool of $1,365,000 was generated to be split among the top 10 finishers, min-cashes starting from $39,840.
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Illinois House to Discuss Gambling Expansion Deal, Springfield Developer Rekindles Downtown Casino Talks
Casino News Daily
Illinois House to Discuss Gambling Expansion Deal, Springfield Developer Rekindles Downtown Casino Talks
A Springfield, Illinois developer has once again put forward a plan for the construction of a downtown casino and the addition of video gaming terminals at the state fairgrounds as House legislators are set to discuss a gambling expansion bill this Monday.
It was on Friday when lawmakers revived a failed effort for the legalization of up to six casinos around the state, including one in Chicago. The House Gaming Subcommittee is now set to review the gambling expansion bill at a Monday hearing. While lawmakers have renewed their interest in adding more gaming options in Illinois, they have very little time to act as the legislative session adjourns on Thursday.
The piece of legislation very much resembles a bill that was introduced and approved by the Illinois Senate last year but never made it through the House. Under the proposed bill, up to six casinos could open doors in six locations across the state, with those six being Chicago, the city’s southern suburbs, Lake and Williamson Counties, Rockford, and Danville.
Last year’s bill proposed the same six locations as the potential hosts to the state’s new casinos. Lawmakers said Friday that they have decided not to add any more casinos beyond what was proposed in the original Senate Bill from last year.
This year’s bill also includes provisions that, if the piece moves any forward, could open discussions for the legalization of online gambling, sports betting, and daily fantasy sports.
Springfield Proposal
As the new gambling expansion bill has stirred in the Legislature, Springfield developer Chris Stone has begun lobbying for the authorization of the construction of a casino in Springfield. The businessman’s gambling expansion proposal includes a 60,000-square-foot casino on a parking lot near the Bank of Springfield Center. His plan also calls for the addition of up to 200 video gaming terminals at the state fairgrounds that could be available to customers all year round.
A portion of the revenue generated by the machines would then go to the state’s coffers, while another portion would be contributed to the State Fairgrounds Foundation, which raises money to repair facilities on the fairgrounds.
Talking to local media outlet The State Journal-Register, Mr. Stone explained that the gaming positions would not ruin the family-friendly atmosphere at the fairgrounds as these would be located in a building in the northern part of the fairgrounds and would be separated from the family activities available there.
Although the developer has decided to make another push (he pitched his plan last year, as well), he told local media that he was not very optimistic the Legislature would make any significant progress toward the authorization of the proposed gambling expansion in the state. He pointed out that it is an election year, and pieces of legislation of this kind are usually paid more attention to by lawmakers during non-election years.
The post Illinois House to Discuss Gambling Expansion Deal, Springfield Developer Rekindles Downtown Casino Talks appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Malta Gaming Authority to launch unified self-exclusion system
Casino City Times
Malta Gaming Authority to launch unified self-exclusion system
The MGA is set to embark on another ambitious project which will lead to the implementation of a unified self-exclusion system for all its remote gaming licenses.
William Hill US to operate sports book at Ocean Resort Casino
World Casino News
William Hill US to operate sports book at Ocean Resort Casino
Darren Elias Leads WPT Tournament of Champions Final Table, Eyes Back-To-Back Wins
Casino News Daily
Darren Elias Leads WPT Tournament of Champions Final Table, Eyes Back-To-Back Wins
The second day of the WPT Tournament of Champions was completed on Saturday at Aria Resort & Casino. It started with 29 players but just five of them survived through the very end of the day and are still in contention for the title and the $463,375 first-place prize.
Day 2 of the tournament kicked off with Dennis Blieden leading the pack of 29 hopefuls from Day 1. The player had a solid run during the first day of the WPT Tournament of Champions and methodically built a massive stack into Day 2. However, it appeared he had lost some of his momentum when he returned to the tables yesterday to eventually lose his chip advantage. The player was eliminated in 11th later on Day 2 to become the unfortunate bubble boy.
The original field of the prestigious tournament comprised 80 entries. The prize pool totaled $1.365 million and included the $15,000 buy-in fees paid by the participants and an additional $150,000 contributed by the WPT. The money was split into payouts for the top ten finishers.
The five finalists are set to resume play today at 4 pm local time. Unlike the previous two days when they played at the poker tables of Aria Resort & Casino, the final tablists will take to the felt of the brand-new Esports Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor Hotel and Casino to battle it out until there is just one player left.
Darren Elias Aims For Back-To-Back Titles
Darren Elias came into the WPT Tournament of Champions fresh off the inaugural WPT Bobby Baldwin Classic, which he took down to win a record-breaking fourth title from the series. And if Day 1 of the Tournament of Champions belonged to Blieden, it can be said that Day 2 belonged namely to Elias.
The player eventually bagged and tagged 1.4 million to top the chip counts chart. It is also important to note that he has quite some advantage over the rest of his remaining opponents.
Commenting on his run over the past several days, Elias said that “wins […] come in bunches in poker” and that when a player wins in a tournament, they become more confident and maybe play better in their next tournaments.
While Elias might have secured the chip lead, he will have a different task today as the rest of the finalists are seasoned players themselves. Matas Cimbolas collected a stack of 1.159 million last night to rank second in the chip counts chart. Matthew Waxman finished third in chips, good for 554,000. Nick Schulman, a player who boasts $3,534,047 in live tournament earnings, and David Benyamine, who has collected more than $1.8 million from different live tournaments, were the other two players to make it through Day 2 with and collect almost even stacks at the end of the day with 447,000 and 440,000, respectively.
The post Darren Elias Leads WPT Tournament of Champions Final Table, Eyes Back-To-Back Wins appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Cherry CEO detained for suspected insider trading
Gambling Insider
Cherry CEO detained for suspected insider trading
Cherry AB has terminated the employment of Anders Holmgren as the company's CEO and President, following his detention by authorities in Sweden on reasonable grounds suspected for severe insider trading
Friday, May 25, 2018
Caesars sets date for Incheon casino
Casino News – Focus Gaming News
Caesars sets date for Incheon casino
Caesars Entertainment Corp casino in South Korea would open its doors by 2021.
The post Caesars sets date for Incheon casino appeared first on Focus Gaming News.
Dennis Blieden Leads 29 Survivors into WPT Tournament of Champions Day 2
Casino News Daily
Dennis Blieden Leads 29 Survivors into WPT Tournament of Champions Day 2
The WPT is about to wrap up another successful season. Once again the popular poker series is celebrating the end of its season with the WPT Tournament of Champions, a three-day event that features champions from the past year and is already taking place at Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Day 1 of the season-ending tournament was played on Thursday at the host casino. It started off with 80 participants but the field was whittled down to just 29 players by the end of the day.
The event came with a buy-in fee of $15,000, but those who won Main Tour Main Events throughout the season had that fee included in their first-place prizes. The WPT also added $150,000 to the prize pool, of which $50,000 would go to the winner to create an overall prize pool of $1.365 million.
The top 10 finishers will leave with a payout, min-cash worth $39,840. The winner will receive $463,375 from the prize pool. However, awards for the big champion would not be limited to the monetary prize. Their victory will also be rewarded with a Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Ceramic watch, a JetSmarter membership worth $50,000, and the one and only WPT Tournament of Champions trophy.
Dennis Blieden Leads After Day 1
The first day of this year’s WPT Tournament of Champions concluded with Dennis Blieden leading the elite pack into the night. The player bagged and tagged 593,000 to lock a comfortable start to Day 2.
Blieden is followed by J.C. Tran with 305,500 and Marvin Rettenmaier with 234,500, but it can be seen that the overnight chip leader has secured quite an advantage over his remaining opponents.
Blieden catapulted himself to the top of the Day 1 chip counts chart after winning a massive pot during Level 4 of play. The player clashed against Andy Frankenberger. The latter went all in with pocket aces to Blieden’s pocket sixes. A [6c][4d][2c] flop and blank turn and river saw Frankenberger hit the rail, while Blieden collected his chips. Later the same level, the overnight chip leader scooped quite some chips from Mike Del Vecchio to further cement his advantage.
Blieden won the LA Poker Classic $10,000 Main Event back in February to claim his first WPT title, a seat into the WPT Tournament of Champions, and $1 million in prize money. The player had cashed in two WSOP events prior to his triumph earlier this year. Talking with WPT staff last night, Blieden said that he has not played tournament poker since the LAPC, but he was running pretty well in the Tournament of Champions and it felt as if he had picked where he had left off.
Unlike many of the other tournament entries, Blieden is not that well known to the poker community. Dwelling on that, the player said that he knew many of his table mates considered him “terrible” and that was why he was getting calls that many would not. He went on to say that he got quite some coolers throughout Day 1 and it seemed to him that every time he bluffed, his opponents would fall, while every time he called, he would win the pot.
Play is set to resume at Aria today at noon local time. The remaining hopefuls will play down to an official six-handed final table. Aside from Blieden, the likes of Erik Seidel, Marvin Rettenmaier, Justin Young, and Darren Elias, who came into the Tournament of Champions fresh off his record fourth WPT win in the inaugural WPT Bobby Baldwin Classic, will also join Day 2 action.
The post Dennis Blieden Leads 29 Survivors into WPT Tournament of Champions Day 2 appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Turtle Beach and Houston Outlaws band together
Casino City Times
Turtle Beach and Houston Outlaws band together
The leading gaming headset and audio accessory brand today announced a new multi-year partnership with Overwatch League (OWL) organization.
Hard Rock Given the Nod to Build €2-Billion Casino Resort in Catalonia
Casino News Daily
Hard Rock Given the Nod to Build €2-Billion Casino Resort in Catalonia
The Government of Catalonia has given the nod to the €2-billion project for the construction of an integrated resort with a gaming floor in Tarragona. The plan has been proposed by Florida-based gaming and hospitality company Hard Rock International as part of its strategy for global expansion.
The Government of Catalonia published its approval for the multi-billion scheme in its Official Gazette earlier today, giving Hard Rock the authorization to move forward with the development. The major US company was finally given the green light after multiple delays.
It is understood from a note issued by Catalonia officials earlier today that the integrated resort will be called Hard Rock Entertainment World instead of the previously announced BCN World. Although the Tarragona area was previously selected as the preferred location for the complex, developers were allowed by court to use ‘Barcelona’ as a trademark. Hard Rock eventually decided not to create additional controversy and rebranded the proposed development.
Hard Rock Entertainment World will feature two hotels with a total of 1,100 rooms, a retail area with nearly 75 different stores, a number of food and beverage and entertainment facilities, and a 10,000-square-meter (107,639.1 square feet) casino. As mentioned above, the major gaming and hospitality company is planning to invest €2 billion into the massive scheme. Hard Rock’s project will thus rank among the largest projects of this kind to have ever been carried out in Europe.
Global Expansion
Hard Rock already operates a number of casinos in its home state, Florida, and is currently expanding into New Jersey. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, the company’s first resort on the Atlantic City Boardwalk is slated to open doors on June 28 at the site of the former Trump Taj Mahal.
Hard Rock, which also operates more than 170 cafés around the world, has further been looking to expand its gaming operations outside the US. The company was part of the €500-plus-million plan for the construction of an integrated resort in the Republic of Cyprus but walked out of it to pursue other opportunities, including the Tarragona project. Hard Rock was, in fact, the only bidder for that letter scheme.
Japan, which recently legalized casino gambling, has been another destination Hard Rock has been eying to extend its footprint to. The company has established offices in the Pacific Ocean island nation and has been looking actively for local partners. In a recent interview with Casino News Daily, Hard Rock Japan CEO Ed Tracy said that educating the Japanese people about the actual nature of integrated resorts and that casino gambling represents just a small portion of the whole concept was one of their main tasks in their pursuit of a license in what is believed to have the potential to become the world’s second largest casino market.
The post Hard Rock Given the Nod to Build €2-Billion Casino Resort in Catalonia appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Developments in US sports betting
World Casino News
Developments in US sports betting
Aliitzei Consortium agrees Tote acquisition
Gambling Insider
Aliitzei Consortium agrees Tote acquisition
The Alitzeti consortium and Betfred have entered into a deal worth up to £150m for UK bookmakers the Tote
Pragmatic Play kicks off with The Champions
Gambling Insider
Pragmatic Play kicks off with The Champions
Online slots developer Pragmatic Play has announced the release of its latest video slot, bringing players all the excitement of the beautiful game in The Champions
Playtech receives official consent for Snaitech SpA purchase
World Casino News
Playtech receives official consent for Snaitech SpA purchase
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
The Reel Life: Scratch 'n' sniff edition
Casino City Times
The Reel Life: Scratch 'n' sniff edition
The United States Postal Service is hitting us right in the childhood nostalgia.
Borgata Casino Ready to Offer Sports Betting on First Day It Becomes Legal in New Jersey
Casino News Daily
Borgata Casino Ready to Offer Sports Betting on First Day It Becomes Legal in New Jersey
Atlantic City’s highest grossing casino resort, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, is ready to begin offering sports betting on the very day the provision of that service is legalized by New Jersey lawmakers, officials for the property said Tuesday.
The Borgata already features a facility for betting on horse racing and casino officials revealed plans to rename it as The Race & Sports Book once sports betting becomes legal in New Jersey. The venue will also open a separate sports betting facility, the plans for which are being finalized by owners.
The Borgata is owned by Las Vegas gaming and hospitality giant MGM Resorts International. The hotel and casino resort has long been Atlantic City’s most profitable property. It generated gaming revenue of $803.6 million in 2017. In comparison, Harrah’s, the second highest grossing casino in the city, reported revenue of $363.7 million last year.
Commenting on the recently lifted federal ban on sports betting and his casino’s plans, Borgata President Marcus Glover said Tuesday that the property is uniquely positioned as Atlantic City’s only one to be featuring a race book already. Mr. Glover added that Borgata’s owner, MGM, has years of experience in operating sports betting in Nevada, which will help them launch their sports book in New Jersey.
It was also understood that the Borgata has been readying itself for the decision of the US Supreme Court for quite some time and has been crafting its strategy for operating a sports betting business at the existing resort to make sure it would be launched in due time.
Sports Betting in New Jersey
New Jersey has actually been the state to push most actively for the annulment of the long-standing federal ban on sports betting. The US Supreme Court decided to review the state’s case last year and ruled on it last week.
Under the ruling, it is now up to each individual state to determine whether it should legalize sports betting within its borders. Prior to last week, sports betting was prohibited everywhere across the United States but Nevada and three more states.
With New Jersey being a backer of the legalization of sports betting, the actual introduction and implementation of a regulatory framework is not expected to come upon any major stumbling blocks. It is believed that the state’s sports betting law could be passed by legislators and enacted by early June.
Almost all of Atlantic City’s operational casinos have said that they would offer sports betting once the activity becomes legal in the state. It is also important to note that its two new casinos – Hard Rock Atlantic City and Ocean Resort Casino, both slated to open doors on June 28 – are too planning to feature sports betting.
The post Borgata Casino Ready to Offer Sports Betting on First Day It Becomes Legal in New Jersey appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Genting, close to Andorra casino licence
Casino News – Focus Gaming News
Genting, close to Andorra casino licence
The first casino licence in Andorra will soon be issued and Genting is among the companies that will most likely score the rights.
The post Genting, close to Andorra casino licence appeared first on Focus Gaming News.
Video Review: Celestial Sun Riches & Celestial Moon Riches slots from Konami
Casino City Times
Video Review: Celestial Sun Riches & Celestial Moon Riches slots from Konami
We get a first hand look at one of Konami Gaming's newest available progressive series slot machines. The Celestial Sun Riches & Celestial Moon Riches slots.
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
GGA Las Vegas 2018 Self nominations close on May 25
Gambling Insider
GGA Las Vegas 2018 Self nominations close on May 25
Self-nominations for the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas 2018 will close in just a few days’ time
Nigerian Lawmakers Scold Local Lottery Commission for Regulatory Failures
Casino News Daily
Nigerian Lawmakers Scold Local Lottery Commission for Regulatory Failures
The Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has faced the criticism of the local House of Representatives, with the latter blaming it for its failure to impose effective regulation of the sector.
According to local lawmakers, it was the Commission that was responsible for the failures in implementing the sector’s regulation efficiently, which on the other hand resulted in Nigeria losing an amount estimated at more than ₦1.493 trillion. The NLRC, on the other hand, has blamed lack of efficient regulation in the industry for the unsatisfactory revenue amount generated by the sector.
As far as the sector’s performance is concerned, Bello Maigari, the acting National Lottery Trust Fund’s Executive Secretary shared that the trend of the sector failing to meet its revenue target has been going on for several years now. According to Mr. Maigari, who spoke before the House Committee on Inter-Governmental Affairs, the revenue target of ₦1.5 trillion could hardly be reached by the sector, which was only able to generate approximately ₦7 billion in 13 years.
Considering the estimated high potential of the local market, the 5-year cumulative returns amounting to a little over ₦7 billion, which was found completely unacceptable for the sector. Mr. Maigari also shared his regret that the Nigerian lottery industry’s revenue growth was hurt by foul practices, conflict of interest, etc.
New Legislation Needed by the Sector
For the time being, there are a total of 21 operators who offer licensed lottery products across the country, after their operating licenses were given the green light by the President Muhammadu Buhari. The Nigerian House of Representatives has already threatened the operators that were found guilty of not paying the amount due to authorities by withdrawing their licenses.
The Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund further noted that the lack of proper regulation in the country has been beneficial for the lottery and gaming operators there. Mr. Maigari further reminded that according to some industry experts, the Nigerian lottery sector is actually the most attractive market on the territory of Africa.
According to estimates, the lottery has made a significant contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) not only of Nigeria but also of other countries in Africa. For the time being, approximately 7.5 million Nigerian citizens were betting on lotteries on a daily basis. The number of Nigerians engaged in sports betting operations every day amounted to approximately 22 million.
Lanre Gbajabiamila, the Director General of the NLRC, also shared his opinion of local lottery legislation, saying that the fact that Nigerian laws on the matter were not up-to-date with the contemporary state of the market, which was also the reason why inadequate legislation has contributed to the slow growth of the sector. Still, Mr. Gbajabiamila explained that the Commission is aimed at helping the sector reach international standard, despite there was a lot of work to be done in terms of renewal of the already existing laws.
The post Nigerian Lawmakers Scold Local Lottery Commission for Regulatory Failures appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Another senior resignation at Silver Heritage Group Limited
World Casino News
Another senior resignation at Silver Heritage Group Limited
Chinese Government Unlikely to Allow Casino Gambling in Hainan, Experts Say
Casino News Daily
Chinese Government Unlikely to Allow Casino Gambling in Hainan, Experts Say
Last week, casino industry experts refuted rumors that the island of Hainan, also known as “China’s Hawaii”, is set to become the next casino hub in the country. Still, they confirmed that the island could open doors for several kinds of sports lotteries.
In February 2018 it became clear that the Chinese Government has been mulling the legalization of some gaming options on Hainan Island – a step that could end the gambling monopoly of Macau. Then, in April, the Government revealed that it would officially legalize horse racing and some new types of sports lotteries on the Island as part of its effort to turn Hainan into the largest pilot free-trade port.
However, the South China Morning Post revealed that Su Guojing, the founder of the China Lottery Industry Salon and a gambling sector expert, explained in an interview at the Macau-based Global Gaming Expo Asia 2018 that casino gambling contradicted to the overall ideology and legislation of China. According to Mr. Su, for the time being, it was almost impossible for the Government to permit land-based casinos to be established outside the gambling hub of Macau.
According to Mr. Su, the legalization of horse racing in Hainan could take a very long time to develop. He further explained that the country’s Government should pay much more attention to Sanya and its development to a global home port for cruises.
China to Keep Its Gambling Ban Almost Intact
For the time being, all forms of gambling, except for two types of lotteries, are officially suspended under a gambling ban imposed by the Chinese Government. As mentioned above, horse racing operations are permitted to a limited extent. However, sports betting services are fully banned in the country. Other forms of gambling are currently permitted only in the autonomous region of Macau, which is currently the only place in China where gambling in casinos is allowed.
Recently, rumor has it that the country’s authorities have been considering whether to lift some of the restrictions imposed on gaming operations on land and allow them on boats.
Sanya currently attracts the largest number of tourists in the province of Hainan as a whole. According to a report issued by the online travel booking agency Ctrip, a total of 18 million visitor arrivals were registered in Sanya last year. Up to date, the city offers about 14 cruise routes traveling to various countries and is also a stopping point for some of the largest cruise operators which could help it become a global cruise destination.
As far as opening Hainan to gambling operations is concerned, the Chinese Government has been considering such a step as part of its efforts to help the economy of the ailing southernmost province. For many years, the administrative region of Macau has kept a monopoly on casino gambling operations, with the region having attracted some of the largest casino operators on a global scale.
The post Chinese Government Unlikely to Allow Casino Gambling in Hainan, Experts Say appeared first on Casino News Daily.
