Monthly Archives: August 2015

Genting Malaysia posts revenue increase but profit declines

International casino operator Genting Malaysia Bhd reported a net profit of RM230.92 in Q2 2015, down 9.2% from the same period a year ago.

Genting Malaysia Bhd, in a filing with the Bursa Malaysia Stock Exchange, said that the lower profit is attributable to higher pre-opening expenses for Resorts World Birmingham, which will open this year, and the Genting Integrated Tourism Plan—the company’s 10-year master plan for the redevelopment of Resorts World Genting.

Total revenue is up 4% to RM1.98 billion from the prior corresponding period. EBITDA is down 5% to RM436.0 million, despite the 34% increase in adjusted EBITDA achieved by the leisure and hospitality business in the US and the foreign exchange gains on the company’s USD denominated assets.

Revenue from the Malaysian leisure and hospitality business increased by 1% to RM1.3 billion, mainly due to an overall higher volume of business. The gains came despite lower hold percentage in the premium players business and the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in April 2015.

9/11's 'Dust Lady' Marcy Borders dies of cancer

Note: We do not store your email address but your IP address will be logged to prevent abuse of this feature. Please read our Legal Terms & Policies The former bank of America legal assistant was named the ‘Dust Lady’ by the press after a photographer captured her fleeing the World Trade Centre on the day of the al-Qaeda attack covered in dust.

Bwin.party calls on GVC to make the best offer; 888 still the front-runner

The bidding war for bwin.party digital entertainment could be put to an end for the next couple of weeks, as bwin asked GVC to formally submit its best offer .

Bwin.party has revealed, in a statement on Thursday, that it is satisfied with “key aspects” of GVC Holding’s  latest offer.

“Bwin.party has now asked GVC to clarify, with respect to its proposal, the best terms on which GVC is prepared to make a formal offer to acquire all of the issued and to be issued shares in bwin.party,” said bwin.

Earlier this week, a source close to GVC said that it will increase its cash-and-shares offer for Bwin if 888 Holdings raises its own bid or could just walk away if 888 does not raise its offer but still remains the favorite.

The legal education lottery

It is not my desire to disrupt the harmony among my learned friends in the legal profession with whom I hope to develop a long-term amicable relationship; nor is it my wish to throw rocks at the windows from outside the noble institution I am desirous of entering, but there is certainly something rotten about the manner in which we administer legal education in this country at this time.

MGM Springfield reaches to minority contractors for $800M casino project

Opportunity for all. That could be the slogan the MGM Springfield is pushing for with the development of its $800 million casino project in Massachusetts.

The casino operator has scheduled by-appointment-only interviews at its Springfield office on Thursday and Friday with construction companies that are either minority-owned or women-owned.

Last month, the casino operator also met with representatives of veteran-owned businesses.

Local news outlet WWLP reported that MGM will be prioritizing businesses in Springfield, and in the areas of Holyoke, West Springfield, Agawam, Chicopee, Ludlow, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow and Wilbraham.

EPT Barcelona €25k One Day HR Runs into a 2nd Day: Martin Finger, Liv Boeree & Mark Teltscher Remain

The European Poker Tour Barcelona €25,000 One Day High Roller failed to end in a single day. Martin Finger, Liv Boeree and Mark Teltscher will resume their three-way battle on Thursday.

PokerStars.

That word conjured a meaning like never before, as the European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona €25,000 One Day High Roller attracted, not only the pick of the world’s top poker players, but two of the world’s greatest footballers.

PokerStars ambassador Neymar Jr and his Barcelona team mate Gerard Pique took their seats alongside 150 other entrants in another huge event, this time creating a €3.7m prize pool. The tournament was such a stunning success that 16-hours later the event had to be curtailed with three very tired players remaining.

Test Cricket: No longer a three-horse race?

England’s defeat to Australia at the Oval represents the ninth test match in succession where Alastair Cook’s men have been involved in a positive result. The April fixture against the West Indies – England’s first of 2015 – produced an outcome which is becoming increasingly rare; the draw.

Facing facts

The TV pundits are saying it and on this occasion at least, the stats are backing them up: The draw is going out of the game. England’s recent win over Australia at Trent Bridge saw Captain Cook regain the Ashes in 14 days of cricket out of a possible 20 and few expected the final game at the Oval to be any different. As it transpired, four days in SE11 produced victory for Australia as this became the first five test series in the history of the game where no cricket was played on a fifth day.

The majority of blame is being placed firmly on the rise of T20 and that seems a fair deduction. The pace of the game has moved on and a test match run rate of 4 per over is just mediocre for 2015. Commentators remarked on the speed of Joe Root’s hundred at Trent Bridge, but a century in 127 balls is, once again, an unremarkable feat these days. A rather more unusual effort was Adam Voges’ unbeaten 51 from 118 deliveries in Australia’s second innings which showed a rare ability for a batsman to occupy the crease.

Melco Crown PH shells out more shares to employees; Gov’t wants special investment district in Pagcor Entertainment City

Melco Crown Philippines will issue 45 million more shares to its employees under the company’s share incentive plan.

“The board of directors approved the issuance of 45,000,000 shares to eligible employees, consultants and directors of MCP, its parent and subsidiaries, under the same terms and conditions of MCP’s share incentive plan,” the company told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Two years ago, Melco offered 181.24 million shares—120.83 million ordinary shares offered at P1 ($0.021) each and 60.41 million restricted shares—to its people.

MCP is the Philippine subsidiary of Macau-based Melco Crown Entertainment. It also operates the City of Dreams Manila, which, incidentally, had just laid off around 100 people or less than 2 percent of its total manpower as part of the company’s cost rationalization.

Confessions of a Poker Writer: Community

In this weeks confessions series Lee Davy talks about his recent journey to America and how it feels to finally understand the power of community.

I got divorced. It hurt. It felt like a drive by shooting with every bullet hitting my heart. Time passed. Melancholy turned to anger. I felt like my life had been adjourned. I wasn’t sure when I would be able to press the play button. I was lost in a labyrinth of despair.

One day, my mum intervened as I head butted the living room wall. She pulled me into her bosom as she had done many times when I was a child. I sobbed. Her white shirt looked like the Shroud of Turin.

She knew how to fix me. A cup of tea, and a chat, was the way to disrupt the conjugated collage of past and present wounds. Then she said it, in her own blasé way. Her words sent my soul scurrying into the back of the room looking like a cornered wolf.

Becky’s Affiliated: How to choose the best iGaming affiliate programs

The online gambling affiliate industry is exciting, fun and lucrative.  Over the years I’ve seen affiliates and their affiliate managers become the best of friends, with business partnerships lasting a lifetime. Unfortunately there are some “bad actors” out there when it comes to affiliate programs and managers, but the good news is you as an affiliate can easily make educated choices and minimize the risk of getting burned.

The purpose of this week’s column is to review some of the areas where iGaming affiliates have been cheated and learn how affiliates can avoid getting involved with “bad actor” programs in the future.

Otto Bergstrom, owner of Cassaon-casino.com, an affiliate site and online casino guide, brought some of these unethical issues within the iGaming affiliate industry to my attention and also shared examples of affiliate programs he feels provide exemplary service.

Below we will review these issues and what affiliates should look for in a program with supporting comments from Bergstrom and a few of the “good actors” he mentioned.