Online casinos claimed a bigger share of Denmark’s regulated online gambling market in the final quarter of 2018, with most of those gains coming at the expense of sports betting.

Figures released last month by Denmark’s Spillemyndigheden regulatory agency show locally licensed gambling operators generated total gross gaming revenue of DKK1.655b (US$248.5m) in the three months ending December 31, 2018, a modest 0.8% rise over Q4 2017 and 1.9% higher than Q3 2018.

Combined online and land-based sports betting maintained its status as the dominant gaming vertical in Q4 with revenue of DKK664m, representing a 40.1% share of the overall pie. But that revenue tally was nearly 7% down from Q417’s DKK712.4m, and the decline would have been even greater considering that horse racing wagers were included in the betting stats as of Q118.

By contrast, the online casino share of Q4’s overall revenue was up 4.3 points to 33.5% as online casino revenue rose nearly 16% to DKK554.9m, a new record high for the regulated market. Online casino revenue posted year-on-year gains in every month last year, hitting a peak of DKK206.7m in December.

Macau is proving analysts that it’s going to have a better year than they predicted. The autonomous region experienced a 0.4% decline in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in March year over year, beating the analyst consensus of a 3% decline, according to a recent report by Union Gaming.

The total GGR for the month came in at MOP25.8 billion ($3.2 billion). The report notes that March had an additional Sunday in the calendar when compared to 2018, which helped matters, and that it was an improvement on February, which isn’t always the case.

Analysts on the ground were pessimistic that operators could beat their predictions, particularly because of low foot traffic. They suspect an uptick in premium mass market and VIP play at the end of the month got Macau closer to even by the end of the month.

Part of the reason that predictions for Macau have become so negative is due to the lack of liquidity in the junket market at the moment. Due to negative US-China trade relations, there’s not a lot of faith in the Chinese manufacturing market, and thus big time players are staying at home. Analysts noted at the recent ASEAN Gaming Summit 2019 that this makes their predictions for Macau much harder, and could mean that a -3% prediction is really saying it could either be a 15% loss or a 12% gain.

After a loss of nearly HKD9.9 million ($1.2 million) in 2017, Success Universe Group Ltd announced that they had recorded an HKD68.1 million ($8.68 million) this past year, thanks in large part to the success of their Ponte 16 Casino Hotel, according to a recent report. This report came courtesy of a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Early in March, the company reported that they were expecting a sizable profit from their operations in 2018. The casino-hotel is located on the Macau Peninsula and has been operated by SJM Holdings Ltd, the company that holds the gaming license for the 96 gaming tables used at the casino. This also includes six VIP gaming tables that were put in place last August.

It is hoped that Ponte 16 will continue to see significant growth throughout 2019, but the operation has already seen an early year setback. In January, all the casinos on Macau endured a 10-hour power outage. This included both the Ponte 16 and the Golden Dragon.

Operations at the casino were shut down for approximately five hours, as all 90-plus machines were unable to be used. It appears that an unstable power grid in Macau was the cause of the power outage, and that appropriate steps are being taken to ensure this kind of catastrophe does not happen in the future. How long that upgradable take is not known at this time.

The Philippine task force committed to getting online operators in line with existing laws and regulations is making progress, but it might be about to hit some brick walls. According to a recent report by local media, the group now has the start of a master list of foreign nationals working for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs)

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) released news of this list on March 29. A total of 76,936 employees are on it, working for 165 POGOs. Of that number, 63,855 are foreigners, or 82.9%. Only 17.1% are Filipinos, showing the vast disparity of hiring practices of the operators.

Digging deeper into the list, the task force’s problem becomes a bit more obvious. 56,180 currently working for POGOs are from China, representing 87.9% of all foreigners on the list. The rest is made up of fairly insignificant numbers of Vietnamese, Indonesians, Twaiwanese, Malaysian and Thai workers.

The problem with that massive Chinese number is clear when you look to comments by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. In the past, he’s cautioned his government to use a light hand when treating Chinese workers, legal or illegal, in the county, for fear of reprisals against Filipino workers in China.

Foreigner-only casinos could be coming to Myanmar. A bill is currently being considered by the country’s Parliament that, if approved, would authorize the activity and reportedly is finding a great deal of support. The legislative measure is expected to be approved in May when Parliament returns following a break this month, the Myanmar Times reported.

The bill looks to authorize amendments to the Gambling Act 1986. It includes changes suggested by Myanmar President Win Myint and the detailed framework for the casino activity is expected to be created once the bill is approved.

Casinos would be allowed at hotels in Mandalay and Yangon under the bill and would be possible through both local and foreign investments and operators. Passports would be required for entry and only foreigners would be allowed to gamble.

In the “Golden Triangle” region of Myanmar, where the city’s border meets those of Thailand and Laos at the Ruak and Mekong Rivers, there are already a number of casinos listed on casino directory websites. The majority of these are found in autonomous or self-administered zones, where the central government does not maintain substantial control.

Foreigner-only casinos could be coming to Myanmar. A bill is currently being considered by the country’s Parliament that, if approved, would authorize the activity and reportedly is finding a great deal of support. The legislative measure is expected to be approved in May when Parliament returns following a break this month, the Myanmar Times reported.

The bill looks to authorize amendments to the Gambling Act 1986. It includes changes suggested by Myanmar President Win Myint and the detailed framework for the casino activity is expected to be created once the bill is approved.

Casinos would be allowed at hotels in Mandalay and Yangon under the bill and would be possible through both local and foreign investments and operators. Passports would be required for entry and only foreigners would be allowed to gamble.

In the “Golden Triangle” region of Myanmar, where the city’s border meets those of Thailand and Laos at the Ruak and Mekong Rivers, there are already a number of casinos listed on casino directory websites. The majority of these are found in autonomous or self-administered zones, where the central government does not maintain substantial control.

Pennsylvania’s bold licensing fees for sports gambling operators are proving to be anything but a deterrent. The state already has eight entities operating in the space, which could soon become a little more populated. Two more casinos are looking to get in on the action and have submitted the requisite applications with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

According to an announcement by the PGCB, Mohegan Sun Pocono and Mount Airy Casino Resort have both filed to receive sports gambling licenses. It was inevitable that, if one applied, the other would also, as the venues are only 40 miles apart. If only one of the casinos had launched a sportsbook, it would have definitely leeched gambling customers from the other.

Mohegan Sun is owned by the Mohegan native Indian tribe out of Connecticut. The tribe secured a sports gambling partnership last week with Kambi Group, a gambling solutions provider out of Malta. Kambi is expected to power the sportsbook at the Mohegan Sun facility in Connecticut as soon as sports wagers are allowed in the state.

However, Kambi won’t be involved in the Pennsylvania operations. For that, the tribe has turned to the Kindred Group, an online gambling operator, like Kambi, also out of Malta. If the PGCB approves the sports gambling license application for Mohegan, Kindred will provide in-person and online wagers for the venue.

Pennsylvania’s bold licensing fees for sports gambling operators are proving to be anything but a deterrent. The state already has eight entities operating in the space, which could soon become a little more populated. Two more casinos are looking to get in on the action and have submitted the requisite applications with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

According to an announcement by the PGCB, Mohegan Sun Pocono and Mount Airy Casino Resort have both filed to receive sports gambling licenses. It was inevitable that, if one applied, the other would also, as the venues are only 40 miles apart. If only one of the casinos had launched a sportsbook, it would have definitely leeched gambling customers from the other.

Mohegan Sun is owned by the Mohegan native Indian tribe out of Connecticut. The tribe secured a sports gambling partnership last week with Kambi Group, a gambling solutions provider out of Malta. Kambi is expected to power the sportsbook at the Mohegan Sun facility in Connecticut as soon as sports wagers are allowed in the state.

However, Kambi won’t be involved in the Pennsylvania operations. For that, the tribe has turned to the Kindred Group, an online gambling operator, like Kambi, also out of Malta. If the PGCB approves the sports gambling license application for Mohegan, Kindred will provide in-person and online wagers for the venue.

In November 2018, SkyCity Entertainment Group announced that it was selling its property in Darwin to Delaware North, a U.S.-based gaming and hospitality company. The deal was worth $137 million to SkyCity, provided Delaware North was able to secure funding and regulators approved the transaction. All those conditions have been met, as Delaware North is now the proud owner of the SkyCity Darwin.

The final handover will take place this Thursday, April 4, but this is nothing more than a formality. Gambling regulators and pertinent government entities have signed off on the deal and Delaware North had no difficulty locking up the funding.

According to SkyCity CEO Graeme Stephens, “We are pleased that the sale of SkyCity Darwin is now unconditional. The sale is consistent with our strategy to sell certain non-core assets and to allocate capital to assets and businesses which we feel are better aligned with our long-term strategic objectives.”

Adjacent to SkyCity Darwin, and part of the complex, is Little Mindil. This property was not included in the transaction and SkyCity is hoping to sell it separately sometime in the future. As part of the Delaware North deal, SkyCity will be allowed to access VIP and premium gaming facilities at the venue for at least two years. This is in order to allow the company to continue catering to its international business customers.

In November 2018, SkyCity Entertainment Group announced that it was selling its property in Darwin to Delaware North, a U.S.-based gaming and hospitality company. The deal was worth $137 million to SkyCity, provided Delaware North was able to secure funding and regulators approved the transaction. All those conditions have been met, as Delaware North is now the proud owner of the SkyCity Darwin.

The final handover will take place this Thursday, April 4, but this is nothing more than a formality. Gambling regulators and pertinent government entities have signed off on the deal and Delaware North had no difficulty locking up the funding.

According to SkyCity CEO Graeme Stephens, “We are pleased that the sale of SkyCity Darwin is now unconditional. The sale is consistent with our strategy to sell certain non-core assets and to allocate capital to assets and businesses which we feel are better aligned with our long-term strategic objectives.”

Adjacent to SkyCity Darwin, and part of the complex, is Little Mindil. This property was not included in the transaction and SkyCity is hoping to sell it separately sometime in the future. As part of the Delaware North deal, SkyCity will be allowed to access VIP and premium gaming facilities at the venue for at least two years. This is in order to allow the company to continue catering to its international business customers.