Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E Asia), regarded as the premier and huge Asian trade event and regional sourcing platform for global gaming and entertainment products, is back and will be held on May 19–21 at the Venetian Macao.

Organized by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Reed Exhibitions, G2E Asia made its debut in June 2007, defining itself as the leading event for the gaming entertainment industry in Asia. In 2014, the event saw a record breaking audited attendance of 8,233 daily attendees—an astounding 36% increase compared to the 2013 event. The show floor encompassed 8,640 square meters (up 16% from 2013) with 160 exhibitors (up 13% from 2013) representing more than 80 countries.

This year, organizers announced new features to G2E Asia 2015.

For three days, i-Gaming conference, held in-conjunction with G2E Asia, will be the center of the online gaming community in Asia from land-based and online bingo, casino, lottery, mobile and social gaming. It offers an excellent opportunity among i-gaming solutions providers to meet qualified and high value buyers, and establish new contacts, launch new products and gain insights to the latest industry development on regulations and to ensure your company to capture the market share in the Asian region.

Five years after it opened, the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) integrated resort casino has become one of the Singapore skyline’s most distinguishable features.

MBS, which opened its doors on April 27, 2010, cost $5.7b to build and generated $1.7b in earnings for Las Vegas Sands in 2014. The property’s success story has made it the first stop for legislators from other jurisdictions that are considering opening up their casino markets.

Perhaps even more importantly to Sands boss Sheldon Adelson, MBS has become an iconic facility, infinitely more recognizable than its crosstown rival, Genting Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).

Genting Singapore held its annual general meeting last week, and its lack of visual appeal was a far less pressing concern than its growing bad debt problem. The amount of bad debts at RWS grew nearly 42% last year to US $262m – 13.3% of its total VIP revenue – prompting chairman Lim Kok Thay to proclaim that the company had since become a little more discerning in choosing who gets credit.

Casino operator Wynn Resorts posted a rare net loss in Q1 as Macau’s nearly year-long slump continues to wreak balance sheet havoc.

Revenue in the three months ending March 31 fell 27% to $1.09b and earnings fell 34.7% to $323m. Wynn posted a net loss for the quarter of $44.6m compared to a $227m profit in the same period last year. The bad news didn’t end there, as Wynn was forced to cut its quarterly dividend to a mere 50¢ per share, down from the $1.50 handed out in February and $2.50 last October.

Wynn Macau revenue fell 37.7% to $705.4m, while earnings fell 44.7% to $212.3m. VIP gaming table turnover was down a hefty 52.4% while mass market table drop fell a more modest 14.5% and mass table win was down only 7%. Slots handle was down 25.7% and slots win was off 31.2%.

Occupancy at Wynn Macau dipped 0.6 points to 97.5% and revenue per available room fell 2.4% to $323. Total non-gaming revenue fell 21.8% to $88.4m.

Lee Davy goes off on a father like son yarn after a week that sees 16-year old Mick Schumacher win his first Formula Four race, and Phil Hellmuth and his son Phillip both cash in an event at Sugarhouse Casino.

As a father, I spend most of my time gently nudging my teenage son around all of the Sarlacc’s that I fell into when I was his age. It’s not easy. A combination of hormones, and any confidence you have injected through their early years, creating a stubborn, unbreakable resistance.

Of course, what you are really doing is trying to help them become as perfect as humanly possible. You want them to imbibe your greatest qualities, launch from a foundation of your values and beliefs, and drop all the crappy parts that you have been trying so hard to shed for so many years.

‘Like father, like son’, is not quite accurate. ‘Like father, without all the crappy defects, like son’, is more like it.

Ryan Jones wins the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event after defeating David Williams, in heads-up action, to take the first prize of $235,804 at Harrah’s Cherokee.

Ryan Jones has booked a berth at the $2 million guaranteed World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) National Championships. The 24-year old from Burlington, North Carolina, defeated David Williams (not the David Williams) in heads-up action after entering the final table with a slight chip lead.

It’s been the greatest year in the poker career of Jones. After a few years of creating nothing but ripples, Jones first big wave came at the turn of the year when he finished fourth in a $2m guaranteed event at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Borgata Winter Open in Atlantic City. He picked up $119,582 for that finish, after proving he could wade through a huge field after 4,179 entrants signed on the dotted line.

Momentum begets momentum, and a few months later, a few hours from his hometown, he beats 786 entrants, and doubles that score.

Gov. Brian Sandoval has appointed former CEO of John Ascuaga’s Nugget to the Nevada Gaming Commission on Monday.

Ascuaga will take the seat which previously held by Joe Brown, who resigned from the board last week. She’ll start immediately and fill out the rest of Brown’s term, which ends in April 2017.

“Michonne Ascuaga will bring a depth of experience and understanding of this unique industry to the Nevada Gaming Commission,” Sandoval said in a written statement. “I am pleased that she has accepted this new role and greatly values her willingness to step into public service at a critical time for the gaming community. I am confident that she will be an effective regulator and important voice on the Commission.”

Ascuaga has been the CEO of John Ascuaga’s Nugget since 1997. She has also serves as the chairwoman of the Washoe K-12 Education Foundation.