Monthly Archives: August 2016

Portland Meadows Poker Room Reportedly Operating Illegally

Portland Meadows Poker Room is not only operating illegally. It is doing so openly, without regard for consequences, according to an investigative report from Portland, Oregon’s NBC affiliate, KGW.com and a lawyer who has fought social gaming for years. But the laws aren’t cut and dry. The report alleges Portland Meadows Poker Room isn’t following […]

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Alabama Senate approves lottery bill

The Alabama Senate on Friday passed a lottery bill proposed by Gov. Robert Bentley, capping off the first week of a special session called by the governor. The bill, which was amended substantially before the vote, will now go on to the House of Representatives.Legislation, Starting a Lottery, Alabama, Government

Gaming Industry News Weekly Recap – Stories You Might Have Missed

THE AMERICAS

CS:GO Lounge shut down skin gambling operations; Amaya’s gaming outlook brightened after CEO David Baazov officially stepped down; MGM boss Jim Murren crossed the aisle to vote for Hillary Clinton, but Steve Wynn refused to join in until he sees a more adult discussion; MGM Resorts also increased its China casino stake with shares from Pansy Ho; Donald Trump revealed to have saved $25m in casino tax payments in New Jersey; GAN partnered with the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma; DraftKings has ventured into the larger season-long fantasy sports market; legislation to regulate online poker in California expected to move forward soon; legislators in Maine are about to take a closer look on regulator fantasy sports gambling in the state; Pennsylvania hiked lottery tax by 3.07%, while lawmakers trashed lottery bill in Alabama; Larry Flynt was accused of jacking “Lucky Lady” name; World Poker Tour inked a five-year broadcast deal with Fox Sports Regional Networks; Ex-PokerStars Team Pro Marcel Luske has taken his former employer to court over rules dispute; Nicolas Levi talked how Ranking Hero provides a social networking outlet for the poker community; and Lee Davy discussed poker and the gift of imperfections.

EUROPE

888 and Rank Group abandoned efforts to merge with rival William Hill; Dutch regulators vowed to crack down on illegal skin betting; UK advertising watchdog scolded Bwin.party, Betway over misleading promotions; Spain saw its Q2 revenue rise thanks to a robust eGaming market; Highlight Games’ Tim Green explained why Flashback Footy marks the new generation of virtual play; Trevor Keane talked how Sportego helps gamify matches; and Bitcoin Foundation co-founder Jon Matonis discussed how UK is paving the way for bitcoin.

Tony Fung abandons bid to build $8B Great Barrier Reef casino resort

Spooked by the volatile conditions of the global casino industry, Hong Kong gaming tycoon Tony Fung is bidding farewell to his six-year dream of building an $8 billion integrated casino resort in Australia.

In an interview with The Courier-Mail, Fung revealed he will no longer build the Aquis casino resort project, which has been touted to transform the city of Cairns. Instead, the businessman is “pushing ahead with plans to develop a $2 billion luxury hotel, apartment, and villa complex at the Yorkey’s Knob site.”

The businessman admitted that he had a change of heart after the global casino industry took a “nose dive” in the last two years.

“My original concept was casino-led,” Fung said, according to the news outlet. “But the whole casino industry is not the same as it was 26 months ago. It (Aquis GBR) has been six years and lots of time, money and effort on my side, but the market has changed.”

New gambling zone in Russia’s Sochi gets the green light

Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has given the go signal to create a new gambling zone in the city of Sochi.

According to Russian news agency TASS, the prime minister signed a resolution last August 10 allowing the development of the new zone, called Krasnaya Polyana, in the city.

Russia’s latest gambling zone will cover the 165,000 square meter of land where facilities for the 2014 Winter Olympics were supposed to be built, but the land went unused after it failed to get funding from the federal budget.

The resolution was prepared in accordance with the law on gambling.

Macau net loss more than doubles to $22.6M in H1

Macau-based casino services firm Macau Legend Development Ltd. reported a HKD175.3 million (US$22.6 million) net loss for the first half of 2016, more than double the HKD68.4 million (US$8.82 million) in the same period last year.

In a filing to the HongKong Stock Exchange on Thursday, the firm attributed its dismal first half performance to a drop in interest income coming from fixed deposits as well as slowing revenue from mass market tables and outsourced VIP tables.

Macau Legend, which operates Babylon Casino at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf and Pharaoh’s Palace Casino at the Landmark Macau on Macau Peninsula, saw its total revenue drop by 4.6 percent to HKD666 million (US$85.9 million) in the first six months of 2016.

Gaming revenue at Macau Legend slid by 6.8 percent to HKD419.4 million (US$54.09 million) in January to June period of 2016 while non-gaming revenue decreased by 0.7% to HK$246.6 million year-on-year.

Cherry Online reboots classic casino site EuroSlots

EuroSlots has been given a reboot with greater marketing resources, thanks to a new partnership with Scandinavian focused digital agency Power Media Group and their affiliate network Matching Visions. A master affiliate agreement has been signed and Cherry expects increased activity focussed on the Pan-European market as a result of the cooperation.

Originally launched in 2012, EuroSlots has received a complete overhaul, and now enjoys the same functionality that has seen Cherry Online brands win the ‘Online Gaming Operator of the Year’ award at the International Gaming Awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016. EuroSlots is thereby lifted to a new level with increased focus on creating a user-friendly, multi-platform experience for the market’s more seasoned casino players.

Mikael Strunge, Partner & Gaming Director at Power Media Group, said: “Cherry has been at the forefront of the gaming industry for years and we are truly happy to partner up with them on a project of this magnitude.” 

On the question of brand development, Strunge added: “We seek to create a brand that resonates with the serious slot player by offering a level of information and guidance that hasn’t previously been seen in the industry.”