Law enforcement in California is trying to crack down on illegal gambling. There have been a couple of major operations held this week in different parts of the Golden State, resulting in the arrest of over hundred individuals involved in a variety of illegal activity. Things are most likely just heating up, too.

Yesterday morning, Santa Ana Police arrested 21 suspects after raiding an illegal gambling house. That facility was operating out of a cyber café, and police were tipped off from local residents who complained about the activity.

The Lucky 999 Cyber Café saw its luck run out when police showed up around 6 AM. The café is located in a strip mall and, armed with a search warrant, police swooped in, making the arrests and confiscating 19 gambling machines. Those machines, according to police were able generate income of as much as $20,000 in cash each week.

Last month, the Los Angeles Police Department tackled a major gambling ring operating in the city. Following a tip, they raided a property in Koreatown, confiscating guns, cash, drugs and illegal gambling machines and arresting seven individuals. That raid involved the local SWAT and ATF groups busting into what appeared to be, from the outside, an empty storefront. However, there was much more going on behind closed doors.

Wynn Resorts is looking to do nearly anything to keep the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) happy. It’s latest suggestion was to ban Steve Wynn, its co-founder, from entering any of their properties, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

If the MGC takes up that offer, Steve Wynn would be prohibited from both the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas, the Macau locations operated by Wynn Resorts, as well as the new Boston project at the heart of the MGC case.

That’s not their only offer though. In their 49-page legal brief, Wynn Resorts offered 12 other suggestions to avoid losing their license. Those suggestions include a compliance committee to investigate sexual assault claims, an annual audit of their policies, routine discrimination and harassment training for their staff, to stay away from Steve Wynn’s lawyers, and to otherwise keep the MGC in the loop on every complaint raised.

In their filing, the casino operator stated their hopes:

Northfield Park racino outside of Cleveland, Ohio was previously the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park. It was one of the most popular gaming venues in the state and was temporarily shut down in order to go through a rebranding process after changing hands last year. MGM Resorts purchased the property in September and, as of yesterday, is now the MGM Northfield Park.

MGM purchased two properties last year – the Rocksino venue and Yonkers Raceway. They were purchased from its own MGM Growth Properties (MGP), a real estate investment trust (REIT) created by MGM Resorts, for $1.85 billion. However, MGP retained ownership to the ground on which the Rocksino stands.

Northfield Park, as is the case for the Yonkers facility, cannot offer full-scale casino gaming. It offers only slot machines and pari-mutuel wagers, but outperforms the state’s four full casinos.

Sports gambling is not yet legal in Ohio, but this isn’t stopping MGM from chumming the waters in preparation of the activity’s eventual approval. It has partnered with the Boston Red Sox as the MLB team’s “official and exclusive resort casino” and has already started to put its brand on various products and services tied to the team. Most notably, the team’s ballpark, Fenway Park, now has the iconic MGM lion displayed on its leftfield wall.

At the end of February, Indiana’s Senate signed off on a gambling bill that would allow the state’s casino market. When it appeared before the Ways and Means Committee, it received a lot of changes, including a new 9.5% tax on sports gambling revenue and a new license for a casino around Terre Haute. Now, the bill is expected to go before the House of Representatives today for its approval.

Senate Bill 552 (SB 552) was approved by the Ways and Means Committee, 17-6, this past Tuesday, giving it substantial support. Since it appears lawmakers are, so far, in favor of the bill’s language, sports gambling will most likely come soon for both professional and college-level sports events.

Whether or not reception to the ability to offer sports gambling is positive remains to be seen. Licenses will cost $100,000 and there’s some concern that there may not be a profitably enough margin to warrant the expense. Given that mobile and online sports wagers won’t be allowed, the market shrinks even more.

Under the bill, gambling taxes will be charged on adjusted gross receipts (AGR) and vary depending on the venue. Riverboat casinos that earn less than $75 million in AGR will only have to pay a tax rate of 2.5%, down from the current 5%. Those that make more than $75 million will pay 10% on the first $25 million and then the standard 15% on everything above that mark. If the bill is approved, the new tax structure is expected to become effective as of July 1, 2021.

Last month, the U.S. was rocked by a scandal regarding some of the most prominent universities in the country. A number of high-profile Hollywood celebrities, heads of industry and others had used their influence and money to secure entry for their children into the schools, even if those children were not academically prepared. In some cases, parents had paid millions of dollars to ensure their children went to certain schools, going so far as to bribing the schools to secure the entry. One of those who was caught in the ordeal was casino executive Gamal Aziz, who has now been officially charged for his participation in the scheme.

Aziz, whose real name is Gamal Abdelaziz, was one of 16 people listed in a federal indictment this past Tuesday. The executive has held senior positions with companies such as Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts, both in the U.S. and in Asia.

According to the indictment, prepared by a federal grand jury in Massachusetts, Aziz was able to secure entry for his daughter into the University of Southern California after negotiating a deal to “donate” $300,000 to the school’s athletics program. That deal, along with all the others, had been coordinated through William Singer, who ran a purported non-profit organization that was nothing more than a front to help the country’s elite gain access to schools for their children.

Aziz’s daughter was ultimately admitted, in March of last year, to the university on a basketball scholarship, despite not playing the game. Singer contacted Aziz this past January to warn him that questions were being asked about different college placements and, in particular, why his daughter was not playing for any team. Singer fabricated a cover story, along with someone at the school, to indicate that the daughter had suffered an injury and couldn’t play. Aziz acknowledged to Singer that he would confirm the story if asked.

New markets come in all sizes, whether they be the big new playgrounds of the United States, or according to recent news, tiny island nations like the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). According to local outlet Marianas Variety, the country’s House Committee on Gaming approved House Bill 21-31, which if it becomes a law, would allow online gambling in the tiny island nation.

Committee Chairman Ralph Yumul had previously delayed the bill to allow the Attorney General’s office to provide commentary on the law. Even with this vote to carry the bill forward, Yumul abstained, citing concerns raised by the Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC). That group had previously asked the House to study gambling further before making it a reality.

CCC Chairman Juan Sablan and acting Executive Director Charlie Atalig wrote:

“The commission’s main concerns include issues of money laundering and problem gambling. With proper regulation, these issues can be addressed and mitigated, but this can only occur after study and the development of best practices. These best practices may not yet be in place.”