Betting on Sports 2018 is gearing up to become the biggest sports betting conference that the industry has ever seen as it aims to shatter its 2017 record number of delegates, exhibitors and top-level industry speakers.

SBC Events, the organizer behind the successful run of Betting on Sports in the previous years, has invited more than 2,500 delegates, speakers and exhibitors to come at this year’s conference, which will take place on September 18-21 at the Olympia London.

Organizers noted that 1,300 people attended last year’s conference, up 100 percent from the number of those who attended the inaugural edition of Betting on Sports. This year, organizers are aiming to set a new record for Betting on Sports 2018 conference by featuring five conferences—Betting on Sports, ESI London, Casino Beats Summit, AffiliateFEST and Sponsorship Forum—during the four-day event.

SBC Events also will hold a standalone event for the much anticipated Sport Betting Hall of Fame during the Betting on Sports week for the first time since its inception in 2016.

Australian-listed casino operator Aquis Entertainment Limited has posted revenue of A$12.3 million (US$9 million) for the first half of 2018, down 3.6% from the same period last year.

In separate filings to the Australian Stock Exchange, the operator of Casino Canberra also announced the resignation of its CEO Jessica Mellor, and that its partnership with Executive Sports and Entertainment Pty Limited (ESE) would not be pushing through.

Of its performance from January to June of this year, the Hong Kong-based company stated that “[a] strong budget has been set for the year, with the expectation of positive EBITDA and cash flows for the full financial year and the half year results achieved have been in line with those targets,” noting that total operating expenses were down by 19.5% from the previous year, to A$14.5 million (US$10.7 million).

Aquis posted a first-half loss of A$2.2 million (US$1.6 million) which was lower than last year’s A$4.2 million (US$3.1 million) loss during the same period.

The global online gambling company Betway has announced a year-long sponsorship deal with Invictus Gaming, but how long will it last with Valve looking to pull the plug on Dota 2 teams’ relationship with the world of gambling?

Like the tortoise following the rabbit, I’m a little behind on this one. I’ve been bent over too long, checking my tyres for air.

Flat.

Puzzled.

As news circulates that the Spanish tax authorities are chasing the German poker player Hossein Ensan for back taxes relating to a 2014 third-place finish in the European Poker Tour Main Event in Barcelona, Lee Davy wants the live tournament organisers to do more to raise awareness in this crucial area.

There have been more than seven earthquakes in Indonesia this week. I am in Sanur Beach, Bali, with my wife and two-year-old daughter. As a father and a husband, I believe part of my role is to protect them both.

How do you protect your family against Mother Nature?

I feel like a goat on the end of a Balinese leash.

Dota 2 developer, Valve, has warned The International participants to severe ties with gambling companies and websites through fear of exposing their brand to children, but Lee Davy feels the move is a short-sighted one.

Yesterday, my daughter turned me into a Cowardly Lion.

She has this magic wand thing. The type that has a sound so irritating it makes you want to put your head into a bucket full of dengue fever-ridden mosquitoes every time she uses it.

“Abracadabra…Cowardly Lion!”

It’s no secret that Osaka is a key battleground for casino operators in Japan. With around 8.8 million people living in the region, it is the country’s third most populated prefecture. It is also rumored to be one of the top three locations on the short list of cities that could play host to an integrated casino resort. As casino operators vie for position and attempt to stand out above the rest, many are putting everything on the line to try to capture attention.

Last month, during Osaka’s July summer festival, Melco sponsored a massive fireworks show. Not to be outdone, MGM brought in the Blue Man Group and also hosted a boat party.

Melco and MGM are competing against a number of other operators to try and win the coveted license. Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts, Genting Group, Caesars Entertainment and Galaxy Entertainment are also on the list as possible candidates once lawmakers begin the licensing process. Since May of last year, executives from 11 different casino companies have met with Osaka’s governor, Ichiro Matsui, 119 times.

Melco sweetened the pot by donating around $450,000 to a fund established for the victims of the major earthquake this past June. Ako Shiraogawa, who heads Melco’s Japan office, tried to downplay the donation, stating, “It looks like we are doing too much. But it just happened to be the same day as the festival.”

The parent company of the Studio City casino resort in Cotai, Studio City International Holdings Ltd., announced in August of last year that it was contemplating an initial public offering (IPO) in the US. At the time, it had reportedly submitted “on a confidential basis to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission a draft registration statement for a possible IPO of American Depositary Shares (ADSs) representing ordinary shares of Studio City International Holdings.” Fast-forward a year, and not much more has been discussed regarding the IPO. Now, Studio City has broken its silence and has said that the offering is still in the works.

In a press release issued by the company this past Monday, Studio City said that it “has been continuing its preparations for the proposed IPO, which is expected to commence as market conditions permit and remains subject to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission declaring the registration statement effective.”

Studio City is composed of two entities. Melco Resorts has a controlling 60% stake in the company and operates the Cotai casino. New Cotai Holdings LLC holds the remaining 40% stake. New Cotai is a company that is controlled by two investment firms, Silver Point Capital LP and Oaktree Capital Management LP, out of the US. Melco is already listed in the US on the NASDAQ stock exchange.

According to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Monday, Melco’s parent company, Melco International Development Ltd., said that the possible IPO would be “subject to, among other things, the registration statement being declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, approval of the relevant stock exchange in the United States, the final decisions of the board [of Melco International] and the board of directors of Studio City [International Holdings] and market conditions.” It further stated, “Accordingly, there is no assurance that the proposed spin-off will take place or as to when they may take place.”

It’s difficult to follow the success of the annual WSOP series of tournament, but one organization has managed to make a name for itself. The River Poker Series is an annual festival held at the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackersville, Oklahoma, and offers a range of tournaments plus additional satellites. The series culminates in the $2,500 River Poker Series Main Event, which will offer a guaranteed prize pool of at least $2 million.

Last year, the series only offered eight different tournaments. The festival’s popularity has caused organizers to reconsider the lineup and ultimately pushed the number of activities up to 11.  Event buy-ins range from $230 to $1,100, with the exception of the main event, and there are also a number of additional $550 “Mega” tournaments that could provide the winner with entry into the main event.

The festival kicks off today and runs through September 4. While most tournaments are open only to players who are at least 21 years old, the River Poker Series has the distinction of being able to accept anyone 18 years old or older.

The complete lineup is as follows:

The WSOP International Circuit is making a return trip to the Holland Casino Rotterdam this year. It is the second time the WSOP and the Holland team up and poker players need to start preparing for the upcoming series of events. The games get underway on August 31, running until September 8, and there will be at least 18 tournaments available. 11 of the events will reward WSOP Circuit Rings to the lucky winners.

The action kicks off with the €275 WSOP Circuit Cup and the first opportunity to win a ring. The €3,500 WSOP Circuit High Roller will start on September 3 and should be a magnet for a number of high-stakes players. Last year, Hakim Zoufri took down the first edition of the event, pocketing €69,888 in the process.

The €1.650 WSOP Circuit Main Event gets underway the following day. Last year’s game saw participation by Paul Gresel, Bart Lybaert and Goert Metaal, but it was a relatively unfamiliar face that won the tournament. Eyal Bensimhon won first place and €112,709. He has since gained fame and notoriety – especially due to his signature pink bunny hood – and has gone on to win several large events, including a first-place finish at the €550 NLHE Monster Stack tournament at the WSOP International Circuit in Rozvadov last October.

Mark your calendars for the following dates and times:

August could be a really good month for Macau casinos. Two brokerages have reported that they expect the city’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) to increase to between $3.22 and $3.27 billion.  This would be an increase of 15-17% over what the casinos reported in August of last year.

Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd expects the GGR to hit between $3.24 and $3.27 billion for the month, an increase of 16-17% year-on-year. The analysis is based on “channel checks,” which are generated from unofficial financial returns. For the latest week ending August 19, the company said that Macau’s GGR averaged out to a little more than $104 million, in line with what it had previously predicted.

The August forecast assumes a daily average of between $100.8 and $103.2 million from now until the end of the month. As usual, the forecasts carry the caveat that they are subject to volatility in VIP gaming revenue.

Nomura, the brokerage firm out of Japan, predicts slightly lower GGR, but still expects to see an improvement over last year. Nomura analysts said that the GGR would be right at $3.22 billion.  It notes that the GGR growth for July and August should be comparable to the trailing six-year median, which was around 3%.

Online gamblers in Nordic markets are getting more options for ensuring their play doesn’t turn problematic.

On Tuesday, Unibet’s parent company Kindred Group announced the release of a new Gambling Therapy app for its customers in Nordic markets. The app is free and now available in local languages in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Kindred calls Sweden home, so it has a personal stake in ensuring its homeboys and girls can enjoy their gambling entertainment in a responsible fashion. Maris Bonello, Kindred’s head of integrity and player sustainability research, said the company would “continue to support projects that minimize the harm caused by gambling.”

Kindred collaborated with the UK-based Gambling Therapy to sponsor the development and translation of the app, and Gambling Therapy CEO Adele Duncan said geographic expansion of the app’s usage wouldn’t be possible without funding supplied by the gaming industry.

Poker Central and ARIA have confirmed the schedule for the second Poker Masters on Sept 8 – 15, and the surprise is the inclusion of a $10,000 Triton Hold’em Short-Deck tournament.

Have you ever tried to catch a lamb?

Tricky little buggers; as slippery as a trout.

I tried in the Landing Casino, Jeju, South Korea.