Hard Rock International's naming rights deal on an NFL stadium may be why it has yet to open a sportsbook, but NJ sports betting may still be in the cards.
The post NFL Committee Decision Could Allow Hard Rock AC To Step Into NJ Sports Betting appeared first on .
Imperial Pacific International Holdings Ltd has been granted another deadline extension, this time until February 28, 2021, to complete the initial phase of its casino resort (pictured) on the Pacific island of Saipan, reported local media on Friday.
The previous deadline had expired on August 31, with no prospect of being met.
Under amended terms to its monopoly casino licence – agreed after a Friday meeting with the local regulator, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Lottery Commission – Imperial Pacific will pay a fine of US$5,000 a day if it fails to meet the new deadline. That is according to the Marianas Variety newspaper, a local media outlet in the United States jurisdiction.
Under the fresh agreement, the company also pledged – in exchange for the more than three-and-a-half-years of leeway – to donate US$500,000 to a body called the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp, for the purchase of medical equipment, reported the newspaper.
In its interim results filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Thursday, Imperial Pacific said it was “in discussion with other potential investors to secure long-term financing for the remaining construction of the integrated gaming resort”.
Profit at Imperial Pacific plummeted 91.3 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2018.
VIP table games rolling – accounting for most of Imperial Pacific’s casino business – nearly halved year-on-year in the first six months.
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Casino equipment maker RGB International Bhd reported higher year-on-year revenue and profit for the six months ended June 30, according to its unaudited results filed to Bursa Malaysia.
Profit attributable to owners of the company was MYR15.0 million (US$3.63 million) for the first six months of this year, 1 percent higher than MYR14.8 million achieved in the prior-year period, the firm stated in a Wednesday filing.
RGB International’s revenue for the period grew by 120 percent year-on-year to nearly MYR214.2 million.
Revenue for product sales and marketing – the firm’s main segment – rose by 194 percent from the prior-year period to MYR153.54 million in the reporting period. Profit before tax for that division rose by 2 percent year-on-year to MYR9.96 million in the first half of 2018, which the company said was “due to an increase in the number of product sold and variation in product mix”.
Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation stood at MYR29.2 million in the six months to June 30, down 9.7 percent from the prior-year period.
RGB International stated that it expected to “achieve a better performance” in 2018.
“The group continues…to increase the number of concession machines through the existing and new concessions, [as well as] to carry out further improvement in the performance of concession machines in the technical support and management division,” the casino equipment maker said in Wednesday’s filing. The company added that it would “promote the provision of engineering expertise” across Asia and explore new markets elsewhere.
RGB International announced on Friday the issuance of up to 194,620,529 bonus shares on the basis of one bonus share for every seven existing shares held by entitled stockholders. The bonus shares will be listed on Bursa Malaysia on September 21.
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Our members only section is also home to our monthly contests! As you have probably noticed we are particularly keen on sharing posts about pets and animals in general, so we decided to dedicate our August contest to our loving pets. The rules are quite simple: if you have a pet or you've seen an insanely cute picture or video of an animal, then you just have to share it with us.
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The latest edition of the Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) set a new attendance record for the annual event, said a Thursday press release issued on behalf of the organiser, the Gaming Technologies Association.
A total of 8,638 visits was recorded during the three days of the 2018 show this month at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney (pictured) in New South Wales. The turnout – involving attendees from a total of 26 countries – was said to be 7 percent up on 2017.
Those present included 92 “senior executives” from Asia, said the release. There was also a good showing from New Zealand and the United States, it added..
The latest edition featured 237 exhibitors including firms trading in cash security know-how, furniture, staff uniforms, and food and drink, as well as suppliers of casino-floor games and management systems.
AGE 2018 also offered three days of seminars on key topics including international and domestic legal trends affecting the gaming industry.
AGE 2019 will be held from the August 13 to 15 inclusive.
Outside gambling competition is an issue for Atlantic City casinos as East Coast markets that once funneled gamblers onto the Boardwalk expand.
The post Should Atlantic City Casinos Be Worried About Growing Competition From Nearby States? appeared first on .
Do some gamblers beat the odds on a regular basis? The answer is of course they do.
Is it an easy process?Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. It depends on which game you are playing, the makeup of the casino, and even the casino itself. But the good news is it can happen.
Michael Shackleford is a young man who is known as the Wizard of Odds. He was given the nickname because of his ability to overcome the odds at various casino games.
Michael is a winner.
He earns a good living analyzing casino games. A resident of Las Vegas, NV., he is employed as an adjunct professor of casino mathematics at the University of Nevada.
He admits to launching his gambling career at age 11. He has been a consistent winner at blackjack, video poker and sports betting for the past 20 years.
Shackleford avoids losing by staying away from mindless games like slot machines and keno. The more complex a game of chance is, the easier it is to overcome the odds, he says. That is why he enjoys video poker.
Blackjack or 21 can be beaten if a player uses the basic strategy to shift the odds to his favor. The strategy has been developed over the years by such blackjack experts as Edward O. Thorp.
Here is the strategy in capsule form If you have eight or under, take a hit regardless of what the dealer shows. If you have a nine and the dealer shows three, four, five or six, go down for double. If the dealer is showing two or seven, hit. If you have 10 and the dealer a card between two and nine, double down. If the dealer has a 10 or ace, hit. If you have 11 and the dealer is showing two through 10, double down. If the dealer has an ace, hit. If you have `1, hit when the dealer shows two, three or seven. Stand if the dealer shows four, five or six. If you have 13 through 16 and the dealer has seven or higher, hit. If the dealer has two through six, stand. And always stand if you have 17 through 21. Bill Zender.......is known as the ultimate gambler insider. He is a former dealer, professional card counter and casino floor manager. He says a good card counter can gain a 1.5 percent advantage over blackjack.
To beat the odds, Zender advises players to watch for sloppy dealers who have a habit of exposing their hole card.
He also likes roulette and notes that roulette wheels can become worn and biased so that certain numbers are repeated. Quite a few years ago a player named Joseph Jagger found such a wheel at the famed Monte Carlo Casino and won more than $400,000, equivalent to $7.8 million today.
Zender recommended against playing slot machines. If you must play the slots, he says, stay away from the penny slots since they give the casino a 15 to 20 percent advantage over the players. Instead play the $5 or higher slots and play them for the maximum.
Stay away from keno. Some casinos have a built-in advantage of up to 35 percent. He points out that nobody has ever hit 20 out of 20 spots in the history of keno because the odds against it happening are one in 3.5 quintillion.
Video poker gives the House a slim 0.46 advantage to expert players. Most players are not that skillful, so study up on the odds before you play.
Two college buddies at the University of Chicago took a break from their classes and rode their motorcycles to Las Vegas to try to win at roulette. Albert 'Al' Hibbs was a math student and Roy Wolford was studying to be a physician.
They began taking notes on the winning numbers on roulette wheels and discovered biases in a couple of machines. They played those machines and won enough money to buy a boat which they used to sail around the world.
Hibbsbecame famous by teaming up with one of his professors to write a textbook, 'Quantum Mechanics and Path Integrals.' After graduation, he joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he become the mission announcer -- the 'Voice of JPL.' He played a major role in the launch of Explorer 1, the first American satellite to orbit the earth six weeks after Russia launched Sputnik.
You can beat the odds. It takes work and practice, but it can happen. Good luck. Let the games begin.
Macau’s Health Bureau revealed on Tuesday that Studio City (pictured), operated by Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd, is the second of two Macau casino resorts to have been granted approval for new-style smoking lounges in the local market. The other, mentioned by name in April, is Ponte 16.
All Macau casinos wanting to continue to offer on-site smoking to patrons must apply to the local authorities to operate the new, higher-standard lounges, said to have better air extraction equipment than is mandated under the current regulatory regime. From January 1, only authorised, enhanced, lounges will be permitted in the local market.
A number of investment analysts have said in commentaries that those casino markets completely prohibiting on-site smoking had seen – initially at least – a negative effect on casino gross gaming revenue.
Tuesday’s Health Bureau release stated that so far 13 of Macau’s 47 relevant venues, i.e. casinos and slot parlours – had applied for such improved smoking lounges. That was two more than was mentioned in a Health Bureau statement at the beginning of the month.
The latest document did not identify which properties had sought such permission but were still awaiting a decision.
It only stated that the 13 venues had filed an aggregate of 107 requests for approval of smoking lounges. That was 39 more requests than had been submitted up to June 30.
Macau’s gaming operators have to submit by September 28 any applications for new smoking lounges, in order for such requests to have a chance of being approved before the city’s new regime on smoking is enforced in casinos on January 1. The Health Bureau justified the September 28 deadline on the basis of how long it would take to inspect and approve the smoking lounges with enhanced technical standards.
The Macau government banned in October 2014 smoking on casino mass floors. An exception was made for tobacco use in enclosed smoking lounges – facilities without gaming machines or tables – located on some casino mass-market floors in the city.
Macau’s Legislative Assembly approved on July 14 last year a revised bill on smoking that bans tableside tobacco use in VIP rooms.
Although the new rules apply from January 1, 2018, tableside smoking at VIP rooms will in effect be able to continue until January 1, 2019, as casinos have been given a year’s grace period to set up VIP smoking lounges.
If any existing smoking lounges in mass-market areas of casinos were found to be in operation – without the necessary technical upgrades and fresh authorisations – after January 1, 2019, operators could be fined up to MOP200,000 (US$24,747), the Health Bureau mentioned in its Wednesday statement.
That day the Health Bureau said additionally that the aggregate number of charges filed for instances of smoking in unauthorised areas inside the city’s casinos reached 781 in the first six months of 2018. That was an increase of 131.1 percent from the prior-year period, according to the official data.
Statistics from the Health Bureau showed that a total of 436 site inspections in relation to smoking were conducted inside casinos in the six months to June 30 – up from 312 inspections in the prior-year period.
Smokers that use a tobacco product in no-smoking areas are subject to a fine of MOP1,500.
Through Aug. 18, Atlantic City casinos have reported a total of $21.9 million in jackpot wins of more than $50,000, making the first half of 2018 more profitable than each of the previous three full years.
The post On A Roll: Atlantic City Casinos Handing Out High Number Of Jackpots In 2018 appeared first on .
A slowing Chinese economy is looming as a potential hindrance to short-term growth in gross gaming revenue (GGR) for Macau’s casinos, according to new research by a global research team at brokerage Sanford C. Bernstein and Co LLC.
The big-picture report, released on Tuesday, reiterated the institution’s forecast of a deceleration in Macau GGR this half – with the trend likely to be most pronounced in the fourth quarter – but foresaw positive growth overall.
The brokerage’s report – “What Slowdown? Identifying and Sizing (or Denying) the Slowing of the Chinese Economy” – attempted to quantify the outcomes from a sharp slowdown in the mainland Chinese economy this year. The report considered the overheated mainland real estate market and a series of indicators reflecting declining economic performance. It added that GGR performance in Macau was correlated with such factors.
Sanford Bernstein said new measures taken by the mainland government to stimulate economic growth would offer no positives for the Macau gaming industry unless they made the wealthy more confident about spending their money.
The brokerage detected threats in the short run to the sustainability of high rates of growth in mass-market GGR, although it forecast a brighter long-term outlook. The report suggested the threats to growth in mass-market GGR would create headwinds at the upper end of the gaming market – namely the premium mass segment, known for high bet multiples but for play via cash rather than on the credit used by VIPs – for the next year or so.
But the report advised investors to bear in mind that – in the brokerage’s view – Chinese gross domestic product would keep growing at an annual rate somewhere roughly around 5 percent; that the mainland economy would continue to shift towards greater consumer spending; and that the number of Chinese becoming wealthy enough to visit Macau would keep growing.
Potential hindrances to the casino business in Macau included: weaker-than-forecast performance by the supporting mainland economy or elements of the economy; changes in Chinese consumer attitude to casino gaming; and the amount of action taken in mainland China and Macau to counter corruption.
In another report issued this month, Sanford Bernstein said the number of investigations of suspected corruption had recently shown an upward trend in China, and that this might hamper the casino business in Macau this year and next. That report also predicted GGR would slow this year and into next year.
In an ever-changing world of online casinos where brands get overnight overhauls and expensive upgrades, it has become almost unusual not to relaunch under a new name at some point.
One such venue is CrystalSpins, or Winneroo, as you might have known it up until last week. That’s right, the website is now fully live under a new name, but no need to worry though – player accounts including usernames, passwords and payment details have remained exactly the same.
On the other hand, a couple of things have changed, as you might notice on your way to the login page. The brand’s domain extension and logo now look completely different… pretty logical, isn’t it?
The Kitchen Dance Is Still OnThe initial offer and other accompanying deals have also remained unaltered, meaning that the links and banners have been updated automatically. Players can still take pleasure in daily spins, loyalty perks, fringe VIP benefits, plus a chance to earn referral bonuses and exclusive rewards!
Furthermore, the signature kitchen video is still playing, so if you need a good occasional laugh, feel free to jump to their homepage and take a quick view… it’s quite hysterical!
What’s The Color of…Winneroo, or CrystalSpins to be precise, has a very modern and user-friendly touch, thanks to its well-designed interface and a carefully picked color palette. There aren’t too many categories on deck, and navigation is reduced to minimum for better user experience. That being said, you can either take a look at the site’s games portfolio or the promotions… provided you have successfully logged in.
The most important aspect of every casino is, of course, its gaming collection, but checking out terms and conditions, as well as payment methods and processing times is equally important. You will not find a massive gaming platform should you decide to pay them a visit, but you will also not lack any category, since all titles are sorted according to the genre they belong to.
The hottest titles at this moment are Blood Suckers, Asteroids, Guns n Roses, Blackjack, Elvis The King and so on… Have a look around!
We hope you have a fantastic weekend in store, and if it’s got any involvement with SlotStrike Casino or Casimpo, then this next bit of news might be particularly good for you…
Perhaps you’ve already guessed, but if not, without further ado, we’d like to announce the joining of official reps onto our forum from both sister sites. Please join us in welcoming direct casino support from SlotStrike and assistance from Casimpo as well.
Meet ChrisChris is the representative for the newly launched and simple-driven, Casimpo. He greeted the forum with the following words:
“I hope you enjoy playing at our casino and that everything runs smoothly! But, if you do encounter any issues or just have a simple question please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and I’ll do my very best to assist you.”
Feel free to send along any questions or comments by visiting his user page and selecting the ‘Message’ option.
Say Hi to SteveA sister site, SlotStrike, representative Steve has also joined the forum, commenting…
“…we have over 500 of the latest online slots plus a load of live dealer tables from the masters of live casino at Evolution Gaming.
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Head to his designated profile for immediate contact.
What to Expect When You PlayWhile we don’t have an official review up just yet for Casimpo, you can bet our writers are working diligently to get you the full scoop and you can expect to see it very soon.
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Isn't it interesting how the facts of life catch up with all of us?
My brother had a friend named Nick who was a retired steelworker. Nick was married to the sister of my brother's wife. He had $500,000 in the bank and his favorite hobbies were going to the casino, playing the slots, and talking to my brother.
Nick was intrigued by my lifestyle. He couldn't understand how I could divide my time between writing and visiting casinos to play poker and write stories about what I had done. He told my brother Legs I was living on the edge.
On the surface, Nick was a happy man. He had plenty of money in his bank account, he was married to an attractive woman, he lived in a nice house, and he could live his life pretty much as he pleased.
Then tragedy struck...... his only son died in an accident at the place where he worked. Nick was devastated.
Life lost all meaning for him. One day he walked onto a bridge spanning the river that flowed near where he lived. He removed his jacket, placed it on the railing, and leaped into the river.
I know a few gamblers who, like me, live on the edge. It is part of their lifestyle and they are willing to take the risks that go with it.
I liked Nick. He had a good mind, was a good conversationalist, asked a lot of questions, and was a good listener. But he couldn't cope with the personal tragedy of losing his son. He was living on the edge.
There are recreational gamblers who do it for excitement and entertainment. They can afford their losses and enjoy their wins.
There are also professional gamblers who do it for a living. Their lifestyles and bankrolls depend on how well they play and how lucky they are on the draw. They live from day to day and if they have a losing session, they shrug it off. They are living on the edge and accept its rewards as well as its limitations.
Nick was right. I do live on the edge and to be frank, it has never bothered me.
Gamblers are Some of the Most IntriguingThey have stories to tell -- humorous stories, tales that can break your heart, and stories of winning against the odds. They are my kind of people.
My brother Legs thinks Nick was a winner. He bases this on the fact that Nick left behind a big bank account and a nice house when he decided to take his life.
Excuse me. I think my brother is wrong. Nick was a loser. He lived on the edge and fell off.
Asian casino developer Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd says it is to introduce “in coming months” a new system regarding its contribution toward provident fund payments for its Macau non-management staff.
The firm said the new system was the result of a consultation process that had been going on since the beginning of the year. One Macau labour group claimed the casino firm had previously been dragging its heels.
Earlier this month a protest picket on the issue was held outside the firm’s City of Dreams Macau resort (pictured in a file photo), organised by the New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association – formerly known as Professional for Gaming of New Macau. That group also delivered a petition on the matter to Government Headquarters in mid-August.
Melco Resorts said in a Friday press release the proposed new system for its employee contributions to the Macau-government organised provident fund would involve Melco Resorts providing contributions that would be calculated based on up to 5 percent of base salary, plus an employee’s guaranteed tips if applicable.
The firm further stated that it would award a “one-time special gift of one month salary to eligible Macau non-management employees upon completion of the process related to their participation in the new pension fund plan, subject to further applicable terms and conditions”.
Melco Resorts said the new employer contribution system would be “implemented in the coming months and payment of the one-time special gift to eligible employees, if applicable, is expected to be made on or about the end of October 2018”.
The announcement did not specify what was the previous percentage of base salary contributed by the firm. But several labour groups had been complaining that tips had been excluded by the casino operator – a practice New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association said had been “discontinued” by other Macau casino firms since “2014 or 2015”.
Melco Resorts said on Friday: “This review has been in progress since the beginning of this year and was developed listening to employees through the company’s regular focus groups and other direct channels, which have been implemented since May 2014.”
A fortnight ago Melco Resorts said in an emailed statement to GGRAsia that it had been talking to the long-established Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM) as well as the Macau Gaming Enterprises Staff’s Association (MGESA) about the issue.
In a posting on that point, New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association had claimed the firm had been selective regarding to which labour groupings it spoke.
Nonetheless Melco Resorts said in its Friday release that “from January 2018 alone,” 144 communication sessions were held. “This is in addition to table games employees’ global survey conducted every six months since May 2012. We have also been in close communication with relevant Macau SAR government departments,” stated the casino operator.
SoftSwiss and Bgaming, two respectable companies that have combined their brands to offer both catalogs of white-label software and cryptocurrency products, are entering a new phase of unity by signing a partnership with Jackpot.de.
The rapidly growing brand decided to include its games on Germany’s popular social casino platform after a successful showcasing at this year’s iGB Live! In Amsterdam.
A Multiple ContractApart from signing a supply deal with Jackpot.de whose platform is centered around gameplay for virtual chips, Bgaming has also pinned multiple agreements with other websites relative to the brand, includng MyJackpot.com, VeraVegas.com and Merkur24.com.
An important component of each site is its internal credit system that can be augmented via social activities and real money acquisitions. More importantly, the website’s social status has even launched a promotional campaign on public television, becoming a major source of success in Germany. In addition, other countries where the Jackpot brand is among top-performing domains, have also initiated a similar project.
iGaming Sphere ExpansionSince the merging, Bgaming has invested a lot of energy into making integrations with potential industry partners. The team is on constant lookout, finding new and innovative ways to incorporate its catalog of vibrant casino games and widen the iGaming sphere.
A lot of highly rated gaming platforms such as 7Bit Casino, Oshi, BetChan and mBit now feature supplier’s fantastic releases, including Aztec Magic Deluxe, Platinum Lightning Deluxe and Fire Lightning. The library is perhaps small in size, but the provider has promised a new product line until the end of 2018.
In summary, the brand’s offerings will launch alongside other top-ranking software releases from BetSoft and Pragmatic Play, guaranteeing countless hours of entertainment on Jackpot.de.
Source:
“Games from Bgaming go social on Jackpot.de”, softswiss.com, August 24, 2018.
Monmouth Park was the first venue in New Jersey to accept sports wagers following the repeal of PASPA. Yet, the racetrack is falling behind in the race to launch NJ online sports betting.
The post Feeling The Pinch, Monmouth ‘Confident’ It Will Kick Off Online Sports Betting By Football appeared first on .
An important aspect of growing a successful business in the gambling industry is achieved through strengthening the company’s leadership. On that account, BtoBet has made the next step towards bolstering the group’s structure by appoiting Jean-Baptiste Cerna as its Head of Gaming.
After entering the Peruvian market, the major sportsbook and iGaming provider is using all the necessary opportunities to keep up with the fast-paced and ever-changing industry. By appointing a huge expert such as Cerna, who possesses enormous knowledge of various gaming scenarios, the company will ensure a leading position in the industry, and, according to Jean-Baptiste, his new role will be based on a threefold principle:
“My first responsibility is to bring a direct business point of view in different aspects of our Gaming Platform. Having a clear vision of the needs from both the operator’s side and ultimately the players themselves, I have to translate those requirements in evolutions and functionalities to make our platform a ‘must to play on’.”
Guidelines For Best Player ExperienceThe expert added that his new mission as head of gaming at BtoBet also includes the improvement of clients’ operations, as well as to establish strategy that would ensure maximum player experience on all gaming platforms. In addition to his statement, the group’s chairman, Alessandro Fried, said that adding Cerna to the team will help transforming the company’s strategic growth, which is crucial for further evolution on the market and the overall improvement of products.
Perhaps the greatest asset of BtoBet is its talented and well-trained development team, who manages to completely personalize sports betting opportunities and iGaming offerings, both for mobile and retail. The company’s technical branches are located all over Europe, but its main teams are stationed in Macedonia, Serbia, Italy and so on.
Source:
“BtoBet Bolsters Its Structure With New Head Of Gaming”, George Miller, europeangaming.eu, August 22, 2018.
Bitcoin is spreading like wildfire - the flow of digital cash spills over to online gambling with BTC taking casino banking by storm!
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Hong Kong-listed casino developer Landing International Development Ltd saw its shares plunge in value on Friday, the second major slump this week, amid a mystery regarding the whereabouts of its chairman, mainland Chinese businessman Yang Zhihui.
GGRAsia approached the firm on Friday afternoon, seeking an update on the whereabouts of is boss, who controls a majority of its shares. Landing International said it was unable to give one. On Thursday industry sources had told GGRAsia he was reportedly last seen in Cambodia earlier this week.
An image circulating online during the day on Thursday showing a person resembling Mr Yang airside on an airport’s tarmac, being escorted in handcuffs by two men. In the background of the image could be seen an aircraft in the livery of Lanmei Airlines Co Ltd, a Chinese-owned low-cost airline registered in Cambodia. A spokesperson for Landing International told us on Friday that it could not verify the authenticity of the photograph.
Speculation concerning Mr Yang had intensified from Thursday evening onwards, when the group told the Hong Kong Stock Exchange it had been unable that day to contact him.
That morning the stock had been suspended before lunchtime, after losing 35 percent of its value in only 90 minutes of full morning trading. The shares were back in play on Friday morning but the slump continued.
By market close on Friday, Landing International – which currently operates a casino resort complex in the South Korean island of Jeju – saw its shares at HKD3.17 (US$0.40), down nearly 16 percent on the day. The market capitalisation of the firm stood at HKD9.30 billion by Friday.
The stock is down 42 percent from the HKD5.46 per share recorded a week ago. It has plunged 83 percent from its 2018 high point of HKD18.50 per share in January.
A Friday report by mainland Chinese financial media outlet Caixin asserted Mr Yang had become “the latest target” of mainland authorities looking into people with possible business ties to state-owned China Huarong Asset Management Co Ltd. The latter’s former chairman Lai Xiaomin is under investigation for alleged corruption.
Through the first six months of the year, Atlantic City casino net revenues are almost exactly what they were last year with gross operating profit down less than five percent.
The post First Half Of 2018 Holds Steady For Atlantic City Casino Revenues appeared first on .
Management board of Mybet Holding announced this past Tuesday that the company is preparing to file for insolvency, soon after the demise of talks with a key strategic investor...
...The agreement with the said unnamed investor was not reached after the signing of a non-exclusive term sheet last month. The company owes €4 million in sports betting.
Bleak EndingMybet's official statement says that the background for the insolvency proceedings is the "failure of discussions with potential investors." Another big contributing factor is the Frankfurt Tax Office’s refusal of application that was filed by Personal Exchange International, Mybet's company based in Malta, that was supposed to "suspend enforcement regarding outstanding betting taxes."
"Today, the discussions with a strategic investor reported… on July 13 regarding the possible sale of the online business of Mybet Holding was closed. These talks failed due to conditions set by the investors which could not be fulfilled,” reads the statement.
The Curtain FallsAfter the talks with the investors have stalled, Mybet's share price has been in sharp decline. The talks were unsuccessful because of different opinions on the implementation of strategic and operational collaboration in the online sector.
The company's customers, however, will not feel the negative impact of this insolvency proceedings, due to the company's operations under MGA license requirements.
“While insolvency procedures are under way, existing customers should not be affected as Mybet operates under the Malta Gaming Authority license requirements which protect customers in numerous ways. The service continues to be available for customers until further notice. So currently there should be no effect.”
Things were going quite well last year, when Mybet did a complete revamp of their sports and casino offerings and Evolution Gaming helped them enrich their live table games collection.
Source:
"Mybet preparing to file for insolvency", sigma.com.mt, August 22, 2018.
Are live dealer games a must-have for NJ online casinos? For sure, but it may be that unique live casino games help separate the good from the better in the NJ online gambling pack.
The post Variety May Be The Key To NJ Online Gambling’s Booming Live Dealer Lineup appeared first on .
One of the world's most innovative and creative casino software developers and suppliers, Relax Gaming, has taken a bold next step in the evolution of the company...
...The announcement has been made that Silver Bullet, their pioneering, new generation platform, will be made available to partnering studios and casino operators very soon.
From One Customer to AnotherSilver Bullet is, essentially, the open casino platform which should provide a revolutionary alternative to content delivery. Its key strength is the "agile, quality-driven and powerful online casino performance."
The new platform developed completely from scratch, also promises a "hassle-free route to market," meaning it is easy to integrate, as operators seek to expand their content offer and studios can utilize and make the most of the supplier’s innovations that see them propelled on the market.
Relax Gaming's CPI, Simon Hammon, comments: "Our commitment to delivering a diverse range of content to our ever-growing operator network lies at the heart of our growth strategy, and we are delighted to take a big step forward in our ambitions with the launch of Silver Bullet Partner Program. Working closely with studio partners stands at the core of Relax Gaming’s casino proposition and we are proud to be able to take this to a new level. We look forward to bringing new partners to the market and working together to create a new gaming era.”
Work Piles UpRelax has already had quite a bit of success in 2018, reaching business-altering agreements with other big players in the industry. In April, they began supplying content to Twin Casino and one month later they did the same with Gaming Innovation Group to whom it now delivers roulette and blackjack games.
Also in May, the company scored another deal with EveryMatrix, the iGaming developer who integrated Relax's content onto their platform. While in June Red Rake also joined the ranks of the company’s partners.
Source:
"Relax Gaming launches its Silver Bullet",relax-gaming.com, August 20, 2018.
MGM Cotai, a new Macau casino resort promoted by Hong Kong-listed MGM China Holdings Ltd, is to begin opening VIP gambling rooms with external junket partners in September, the firm’s chief executive Grant Bowie told media on Wednesday. Between then and early 2019, the casino operator expects to see a total of five junket operators establish gaming business at the Cotai property (pictured).
“In total we have facilities for five [junket] operators. We’re looking for two [to be launched] in September and probably another two in October and a fifth will open early next year,” said Mr Bowie when asked about the timetable.
In January investment analysts said they expected the initial MGM Cotai junkets to be provided by Suncity Group, Guangdong Group, Tak Chun Group, David Group and Meg-Star International.
“We’re now finishing off the construction of the [junket] rooms… now what we are working through is all the licensing process with the government. We’re very happy that the [junket room] construction is nearly completed, and the licensing process is being finalised,” Mr Bowie noted to media on Wednesday.
The MGM China executive did not disclose the number of gaming tables that the firm would move from its Macau peninsula property to MGM Cotai for the planned junket operation.
In January the Macau government said that MGM Cotai – which cost circa US$3.5 billion – was at launch being allocated 100 new-to-market live-dealer tables under the city’s table cap; a further 25 new-to-market tables on January 1, 2019; and had been authorised to move 77 tables from MGM Macau in the city’s traditional downtown casino district.
The opening of the VIP rooms at MGM Cotai would be followed by the launch of a facility called President’s Club, described by MGM China as “an ultimate exclusive gaming area” for the firm’s premium-mass customers; a segment betting in high multiples but using cash rather then the credit extended to traditional VIP players signed up to rolling chip programmes. Management at MGM China’s parent firm, United States-based MGM Resorts International, had mentioned the premium mass facility for MGM Cotai in a conference call with investment analysts following its second-quarter results.
Mr Bowie made the latest comments about the coming VIP rooms on the sidelines of a media preview for MGM China’s “International Lion Dance Championship 2018”, an event that will take place at the MGM Theater at MGM Cotai in November. The 2,000-seat capacity theatre can offer 10 different seating arrangements. MGM China calls it “Asia’s first dynamic theatre”.
The theatre is going to host events – including public concerts – before the resident show “Destiny” is launched at the Cotai property, Mr Bowie briefly noted. The date for that will be announced “in the near future”, the firm’s chief executive said.
July revenue for Atlantic City casinos shows a 12.8 percent gain compared to July 2017, in no small part due to the combined $48 million in casino win that Hard Rock AC and Ocean Resort Casino posted.
The post Atlantic City Casinos Close Out July With Big Gains, But Will The Fireworks Continue? appeared first on .
It’s raffle time all over the casino universe and Intertops is running a two-week slots tournament until September 2nd, including a $1,000 prize and Betsoft’s favourite releases – Sugar Pop and Sugar Pop 2!
Again? Okay, we’re completely aware of the fact that the ongoing trivia on Facebook to win 4,000 spins has got you fully occupied, but we wanted to do you a favor and provide you with an additional offer, in case there’s room for more excitement in your life.
Easy As Poppin’ CandiesGiven these points, for the next two weeks, the operator is hosting a $1,000 Sugar Rush Slot Tournament, featuring two of the industry’s sweetest games. Mmmm, sweet...
Participants can automatically earn points by playing either of the two installments and the top ten earners will walk away with $1,000 in cash!
As an illustration, punters can earn one point for every spin of $.10 or more on any of the featured games from Betsoft. The casino will award the first prize of $300 to a player with the most points, but all rewards must be rolled over at least once before the withdrawal.
Getting Access To Higher PayoutsBoth games offer a lot of popping candies, so when three or more symbols of the same color touch they explode, allowing new sweets to take their place. This way, an entirely new set of combinations is generated and players can advance through levels to get better opportunities and hit more powerful candies for higher payouts.
Should you decide to go for the sequel, pay attention to clusters of the extra spin candy. Bigger clusters save wild symbols in place and detonate a Candy Bomb when five or more clusters are produced. This feature results in massive wins, but you also might want to consider a Morphing Golden Wild candy that changes shape to match any candy near it. Discover more details by visiting the supplier’s video channel or simply navigate to our review page.
Oh, and good luck!
Hard Rock online, 888 Casino, and SugarHouse open the virtual doors to live dealer games on their NJ gambling sites. Live casino popularity is exploding into the NJ online casino market.
The post Three NJ Online Casinos Join Forces With Evolution, Add Live Dealer Games appeared first on .
Visitors to Macau spent an aggregate of MOP16.5 billion (US$2 billion), excluding gaming expenses, in the second quarter, up 20 percent year-on-year and 0.5 percent sequentially, according to the latest visitor expenditure survey released by the city’s Statistics and Census Service.
Overnight visitors spent more than four times as much on aggregate during the period than same-day ones. According to the official data, overnight visitors to Macau spent an aggregate of MOP13.36 billion in the reporting period, and their per-capita spending stood at MOP3,012; while the per-capita spend of same-day visitors stood at MOP819.
In the three months to June 30, the per-capita spending of visitors to Macau was MOP1,996, up by 11.6 percent from the prior-year period, the official data showed.
Shopping remained the largest-single category for Macau visitor non-gaming spend in the second quarter, accounting for 46.3 percent of total outlay. Spending on accommodation and on food and drink completed the top three categories, accounting for respectively 27.8 percent and 18.7 percent of the overall spending during the quarter.
Macau saw 8.27 million visitors in the three months to June 30, up by 7.5 percent year-on-year. The aggregate tally of visitors to Macau for the first half of this year rose by 8 percent year-on-year to slightly above 16.81 million, of which nearly 70 percent were visitors from mainland China.
Travellers to Macau from mainland China were also the highest-spending visitors in the second quarter of this year. According to the census service, the aggregate outlay of all visitors from mainland China grew by 23.9 percent compared to the prior-year period. It totalled MOP13.43 billion in the April to June period, representing 82.1 percent of the total spending by all visitors to the city.
Judged year-on-year, per capita expenditure of mainland Chinese visitors in the second quarter increased by 9.5 percent, to MOP2,367. During the second quarter, visitors from Singapore ranked second in terms of per capita expenditure, at MOP1,704. Japanese visitors were the third highest per capita spenders, at MOP1,681.
Annual aggregate non-gaming spending by visitors to Macau is expected to reach US$12 billion and US$14 billion by 2025, said the Macao Government Tourism Office in a 15-year master plan for the sector published in September last year.
Hard Rock and Kindred Group -- best known for its Unibet platform -- announced a new agreement last week. The deal allows Kindred to pursue a Casino Service Industry Enterprise License (CSIE) in New Jersey for sports betting and online gaming.
The post The Latest New Addition To The NJ Sports Betting Scene: Kindred Group appeared first on .
If there's one iGaming company that's been making constant headlines in 2018, it’s Wazdan. The, as of recently, Malta-based developing giant has just been nominated for as many as four CEEG Awards, soon after becoming licensed for services in UK...
...and let's not forget the supply deal signed with Groove Gaming as well as introductions of brand new titles Highway to Hell, the Spanish-inspired Corrida Romance, Fruits Go Bananas and more.
On to EuropeThe slots specialist has now seen a great potential in GoWild Gaming, one of Europe’s most innovative and fastest-growing casino operators who has been around since 2008 and has regaled the gambling industry with their brand of jungle-themed casinos.
Adding to GoWild's teeming portfolio of over 1,500 games all catered for by such names as Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution, Scientific Games, Yggdrasil, Play'n Go, iSoftBet and others – Wazdan will provide their entire suite of slot games which currently consists of 110 games.
All created in cutting-edge HTML5 architecture, these games will be making their way to a platform that features a CRM personalization system for promotions and content. Also to be included in this package are Wazdan's unique tools and features like Volatility Levels, Energy Saving Mode, Unique Gambling Feature...
...and the first batch of games to make it to GoWild's platform will include the upcoming Mayan Ritual, Black Hawk Deluxe and eagerly anticipated Los Muertos which will go live around Halloween.
Happy ReturnsBoth companies' representatives have had their say after the deal was finalized. GoWild's Director of Gaming Content, Anthony Berningham, commented: “With best-of-breed content from all the leading providers on our platform, we feel the fit with Wazdan is excellent. Their world-class technology and games help to expand the gaming experience further which is why we wanted to bring them on-board. It's our desire to provide our players with the best gaming experience possible with deals like this one.”
Wazdan's Head of Sales, Andrzej Hyla, said: “Our games bring a new dimension to casinos as they seek to deepen player experience and to unlock the potential of added-value built-in to technology tools like the Unique Wazdan Features. We are absolutely delighted to be joining GoWild's platform and supporting GoWild's ambition to provide access to the best gaming content on one platform.”
Source:
“Wazdan goes wild with one of Europe's fastest growing casino companies”, Wazdan Press Release, August 17, 2018.
The promoter of a new US$1.5-billion casino resort and theme park planned for Manila has issued a clarification on activity occurring at its site, after a local news outlet published an editorial saying that concrete-making at the plot was at “full steam”.
Monday’s op-ed piece in the Philippine Star newspaper had also criticised the scheme’s promoter – Hong Kong-listed Landing International Development Ltd – claiming it was “defiant” of the wishes of the country’s leader, President Rodrigo Duterte.
Questions have been raised locally regarding the land for the scheme, a venture dubbed by the promoter as “NayonLanding” (pictured in an artist’s rendering). On August 7 – the same day that the developer held a ground breaking ceremony - it emerged that President Duterte had dismissed the entire board of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation – a body controlled by the Philippine government – that leased the land for the casino project to Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp, a subsidiary of Landing International.
It later emerged that the Philippines’ Department of Justice had ordered the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel to review the land lease contract. Landing International has stressed for its part that the land deal was still “valid and effective”.
A Landing International representative said in a Monday email to GGRAsia regarding on-site activity: “Other than [putting up] site hoardings and clearing the land, we have not commenced any construction works since our ground breaking on August 7.”
The person added: “The construction equipment that the news article referred to including the bulldozers, cement mixers, [and] batching [cement-making] plant belong to another adjacent site, which is unrelated to us.”
Subsequent to receiving the statement, GGRAsia asked Landing International to clarify its planned timetable for construction. It said it had “no comment at this stage” but stated it aimed to “maintain” the 2022 target for launch it had mentioned previously.
A key to entrepreneur Kazuo Okada reasserting control over Universal Entertainment Corp, the Japanese gaming conglomerate he founded, and of its unit Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc, the promoter of the Okada Manila casino resort in the Philippines, is to regain the support of his son Tomohiro Okada, the businessman told GGRAsia in an interview.
Kazuo Okada was removed from the board of Universal Entertainment last year, after being accused by the firm’s current management of “three acts of fraudulence” outlined in what the company said was an independently-commissioned investigation. A fortnight ago Kazuo Okada was detained for a short period in Hong Kong by the city’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). GGRAsia understands the event was linked to Kazuo Okada’s dispute with Universal Entertainment, but his side has declined to comment on the detail, citing legal reasons.
Kazuo Okada (pictured left) has been spending time in Hong Kong and has been engaged in legal moves there centring on efforts to assert control over Okada Holdings Ltd, a private Hong Kong-registered entity owning 69 percent of Universal Entertainment. The latter in turn controls Tiger Resort.
Okada Holdings was set up with the following shareholders: Kazuo Okada; his wife; Tomohiro Okada his son; and Hiromi Okada (pictured right) his daughter, with the businessman as sole director, he told GGRAsia.
Tomohiro is currently estranged from his father, and has also nominated two other people as directors of Okada Holdings. These factors have played a role in preventing Kazuo Okada from exercising control over Okada Holdings in the way he had originally envisaged.
“If you ask who is controlling this company now, I would say my control was fraudulently taken away from me and I am now doing everything in my power to take it back,” the Japanese businessman told us.
The outside directors – Makoto Takada and Atsunobu Ishida – had been nominated by Tomohiro, and had been installed thanks to an act of “deceit” by Tomohiro against his sister Hiromi, said the entrepreneur.
“She was tricked into nominating them, but has since changed her view and is supporting me,” said Kazuo Okada.
“I suspect Mr Takada and Mr Ishida were introduced by Mr [Jun] Fujimoto the current president of Universal Entertainment,” Kazuo Okada added.
Family vs outsiders
He further stated: “Ultimately I want my son to carry on my business. But it’s unfortunate that my son is not following the path I would wish him to. I don’t know why, but for reasons unknown to me, it seems Tomohiro is closer to Mr Fujimoto than me: either he [Tomohiro] is close to him [Mr Fujimoto] or he believes what he says… Hiromi is here with me and understands the situation.”
Kazuo Okada noted that “a son is a son, whatever happens between father and son”, but because the family was not currently working in concert, there had been an attempt at what amounts to a ‘palace revolution’.
The businessman appealed to his son to think carefully about whether his interests were really best served by siding with someone outside the family. “Tomohiro is one of the victims, like us,” said Kazuo Okada.
“Tomohiro should know that if this continues we already have a lot of deficit at the company [Universal Entertainment]. It is us, the Okadas, as [major] shareholders, that make a loss in that situation. Mr Fujimoto has nothing to lose but all to gain,” added the entrepreneur.
“If there is no good news for the public, the value of the company will keep going down,” said Kazuo Okada.
GGRAsia asked the entrepreneur what would motivate his son to oppose him, and whether the two had previously a good relationship.
“It was not so bad, but not so good,” he said. “Every family has unique problems in various situations,” he added.
Sibling ties
The businessman’s daughter Hiromi also sat in on the interview. She said she believed the relationship with her brother had been “very good”. “I would like to tell my brother that family is the most important thing, no matter what,” she added.
Asked if she had tried to speak to him about the issue, she told us: “It’s hard to get this chance. We have always been close. We have never had big arguments before. But this incident has made a big argument. And there are so many interests involved… not just the family. Therefore there has been no contact whatsoever.”
GGRAsia raised with Kazuo Okada a number of controversies in his business career: his ousting from U.S. casino operator Wynn Resorts Ltd in 2012 after the Freeh Report – the content and findings of which he challenged in the U.S courts; additionally allegations – strongly denied by his side – of bribery of locals in relation to the Okada Manila project and the land associated with it; and allegations by the current management of Universal Entertainment – also fiercely denied – that he engaged in fraud amounting in value to millions of U.S. dollars.
We asked the entrepreneur if he understood why some people might have doubts about his probity.
He stated: “Maybe the common factor in these matters is this: if [business] partners don’t like me, they try to kick me out… by asking ‘reputable’ people to make a report – which is then publicised – to make me seem bad. It then looks like the other side is doing good, and I am doing wrong.”
He has already expressed on public record his anger at being frozen out of the US$2.6-billion settlement paid earlier this year by Wynn Resorts in relation to the 2012 cancellation of the Aruze USA Inc stake in the U.S. casino firm.
“I think it is easy for people to frame me. I am probably always betrayed by people, because for those people it is maybe easy to trick me,” said the businessman, adding that he has some weaknesses, including “easily trusting people”.
“Those people also know I don’t involve myself directly in controlling the money. So if the opponents can control them money, then they can control me,” said Kazuo Okada.
Winner takes all
GGRAsia asked the entrepreneur if there was room for compromise in the present face-off between him and the current Universal Entertainment management.
He said: “Both sides cannot survive this struggle. What they did – particularly the current president of Universal Entertainment, Mr Fujimito – against my family is awful: beyond people’s imagination. It was to take over the company [Universal Entertainment] and to split the family… He [Fujimoto] did absolutely crazy stuff, using my family; with him [Fujimoto] benefiting; getting the highest position in the company, and surviving in that role. And it is I believe the sad truth that ultimately, it will be the company, the employees, the shareholders, that will be harmed.”
GGRAsia approached Japan’s Universal Entertainment seeking comment on Kazuo Okada’s comments regarding its president Mr Fujimoto, but had not received a response by the time this article went online.
We also asked Kazuo Okada what impact the battle might have on his chances of bidding for a casino licence in his home market of Japan, and on the licensing of his Aruze Gaming America Inc casino equipment business in the United States.
The businessman said: “As a Japanese, I am probably the only person that knows from the bottom up, the casino business; the others [in Japan] are just involved on an investment basis. I am probably the only one with hands-on experience to be able to do that.”
He added: “I have been wanting to do casino business in Japan after the Philippines. And of course these events have negatively affected that prospect, completely.”
Referring to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, he said: “Every time I am approached by Nevada I usually go to see them [in person] to explain the position. The last time was following the allegations stemming from Universal Entertainment. They [Nevada] are still investigating I think… I expect that following the investigation in Hong Kong, another request for information is likely to come soon from Nevada.”
A spokesman for the Nevada regulator confirmed in an emailed reply to GGRAsia on August 16 that the investigation into Kazuo Okada was ongoing.
GGRAsia asked Kazuo Okada what motivated him to pursue his struggle for control of Universal Entertainment. He said: “I have a belief that justice wins in the end.”
He added: “I have been accused by enemies; but people that know me, know these accusations are false. I believe in justice, and this belief drives me to continue. Therefore if you don’t give up, and continue to believe in the end you can always be successful, and can find justice.”