Massachusetts gaming regulators have rejected a proposal to build a casino in the city of Brockton, removing a potential challenger to a tribal casino already under construction in the same region.

On Thursday, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) voted 4-1 against the proposal by Rush Street Gaming subsidiary Mass Gaming & Entertainment to build a $677m casino on the Brockton Fairgrounds in the southeastern portion of the state.

The rejection was broadly telegraphed the day before, when MGC chairman Stephen Crosby publicly slammed the Mass Gaming proposal as a “great disappointment,” primarily because it lacked the necessary “wow factor.”

Crosby reiterated that view on Thursday, saying he’d have had a much harder decision had Mass Gaming presented a “knockout proposal and a great strategy to lift Brockton,” a city that suffers from high levels of poverty and unemployment. But Crosby ultimately determined that the Brockton proposal “does not meet the standards that are required to make the decision.”

Massachusetts gaming regulators have rejected a proposal to build a casino in the city of Brockton, removing a potential challenger to a tribal casino already under construction in the same region.

On Thursday, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) voted 4-1 against the proposal by Rush Street Gaming subsidiary Mass Gaming & Entertainment to build a $677m casino on the Brockton Fairgrounds in the southeastern portion of the state.

The rejection was broadly telegraphed the day before, when MGC chairman Stephen Crosby publicly slammed the Mass Gaming proposal as a “great disappointment,” primarily because it lacked the necessary “wow factor.”

Crosby reiterated that view on Thursday, saying he’d have had a much harder decision had Mass Gaming presented a “knockout proposal and a great strategy to lift Brockton,” a city that suffers from high levels of poverty and unemployment. But Crosby ultimately determined that the Brockton proposal “does not meet the standards that are required to make the decision.”

Nevada casinos suffered a 3% gaming revenue drop in March as sports betting revenue fell nearly by half.

Figures released Thursday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board showed statewide gaming revenue of $922.3m in March, compared to $951.2m in the same month last year. The slide was slightly higher on the Las Vegas Strip, which declined 4% to $486.8m.

The most glaring number in the report was at the state’s licensed sportsbooks, which saw revenue fall nearly 48% to $9.6m as hold dropped to a piddling 2.11%. The numbers were further skewed by the fact that March 2015’s figure was 44% higher than the year before. Regardless, it spoiled a string of strong performances by the state’s sports betting operators.

The NCAA March Madness tourney helped generate a new record basketball handle of $422.2m but roundball revenue was down 23% year-on-year to $21.5m. Here too, comparisons hurt, as this past month’s 5.1% hold couldn’t hope to match March 2015’s record 7.44% hold.

Australia plans to close the legal loopholes that bookmakers have used to offer online in-play sports betting.

On Thursday, Human Services Minister Alan Tudge (pictured) released the findings of a review of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 conducted by former New South Wales premier Barry O’Farrell. The federal government says it has accepted 18 of the report’s 19 recommendations, most of which represent tighter controls on operators. (Read the full report here.)

The IGA restricts in-play sports betting to telephone and retail channels but last year saw William Hill Australia launch an ingenious smartphone app that uses voice recognition technology to circumvent this restriction, and many of Hills down under rivals quickly followed suit.

The O’Farrell report says that until legislators are prepared to do a full revamp of the IGA, “consideration of additional in-play betting product should be deferred” and “legislative steps should be taken to respect the [IGA’s] original intent.”

Australia plans to close the legal loopholes that bookmakers have used to offer online in-play sports betting.

On Thursday, Human Services Minister Alan Tudge (pictured) released the findings of a review of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 conducted by former New South Wales premier Barry O’Farrell. The federal government says it has accepted 18 of the report’s 19 recommendations, most of which represent tighter controls on operators. (Read the full report here.)

The IGA restricts in-play sports betting to telephone and retail channels but last year saw William Hill Australia launch an ingenious smartphone app that uses voice recognition technology to circumvent this restriction, and many of Hills down under rivals quickly followed suit.

The O’Farrell report says that until legislators are prepared to do a full revamp of the IGA, “consideration of additional in-play betting product should be deferred” and “legislative steps should be taken to respect the [IGA’s] original intent.”