Author: OnlineGamblingDaily

Michael Dugher, chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, the industry’s standards body for UK betting and gaming, has called for financial support for casinos should further Covid restrictions be introduced as the Omicron variant continues to spread. In a press statement released on Thursday, the CEO remarked venues are “an integral part” of the hospitality industry, alongside the likes of pubs and restaurants. As such, he highlighted the need for a “package of support measures” from the government in the event that venues are negatively impacted if new restrictions are planned. Dugher is seeking “reassurances from Westminster” that…

Bally’s, Rush Street Gaming and Hard Rock International presented five competing bids for a permanent Chicago casino to the public during a marathon meeting Thursday, attended by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who said she wants the winner to be financially viable, architecturally stunning and be guided by the principles of inclusion and equity. The major casino developers made their pitches in the first round of public presentations to win Lightfoot’s backing to take on a project that has been sought for decades. The daylong slate of five presentations at UIC’s Dorin Forum included promises of economic jolts, job creation and jackpots…

Gross gaming revenue dipped by approximately $8 million in Massachusetts in November when compared to October, according to figures reported by the state Gaming Commission. Combined GGR from all three casinos -MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park Casino- was $88 million in November, down from $96 million the prior month. MGM Springfield was the sole casino to post an increase in revenue during November. The venue generated about $21.7 million in GGR, up from $21.4 million in October. The casino posted $5.7 million in table games revenue, and nearly $16 million from slot machines. Meanwhile, both Encore Boston…

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has issued its recommendation for a proposed regulation change that would allow casino customers to establish wagering accounts for cashless gaming remotely. This comes after the Nevada attorney general’s office said the switch would not violate federal anti-money laundering law, The Nevada Independent reported.  The regulation proposed by Las Vegas-based Sightline Payments still has to be approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission, which is expected to happen during its January 2022 meeting.  This new proposal implies a change in the identity verification process casino customers must follow in order to set up a cashless wagering account. The…

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is taking regulatory action against Buzz Group Ltd, the regulator announced on Thursday. The gambling business will now have to pay a £780,000 ($1.04M) fine after a UKGC investigation revealed social responsibility and money laundering failures. Buzz Group, which operates the buzzbingo.com brand, has also received a formal warning for a series of failures, which occurred between October 2019 and December 2020, according to a press statement on the matter. The case against Buzz Group, like other recent enforcement actions, “was the result of planned compliance activity.” “As a regulator we expect all operators to…

Rush Street Interactive announced the signing of Brittney Payton, Chicago television personality and daughter of Chicago Bears Legend Walter Payton to an exclusive brand and content deal with BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com A Chicago native, Payton moved to Arizona in 2020.  She joins the RSI family as a Brand Ambassador for BetRivers in two key markets: Arizona and Illinois.  Payton will be representing RSI in a variety of ways, including the creation of sports betting content and a multitude of sports and culture content for RSI.    As an Ambassador, Payton will be appearing in BetRivers TV and radio commercials, podcasts, and…

Sports betting in Ohio will cover major collegiate sports, including Ohio State football, Ohio Casino Control Commission executive director Matt Schuler said on Wednesday. The state agency has been tapped to regulate the new industry once it launches. “That’s the big question: Will people be able to bet on the Ohio State Buckeyes?” the executive said, according to Associated Press. “Yes, they will.” Ohio’s sports betting bill was approved by the Legislature earlier this month, and has now headed to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk, who said he will sign it. The legislation calls for the creation of three types of…

Esports and online gambling company Esports Entertainment Group (EEG) has migrated its key iGaming properties to its proprietary Idefix platform, the operator announced on Tuesday. The company’s SportNation.com and Vie.bet online gaming sites have now been successfully and fully migrated to the Idefix platform. Prior to the migration, both iGaming brands had been leveraging a platform from BetConstruct to deliver their iCasino and sportsbook offerings. “The migration to Idefix is an important milestone for Esports Entertainment Group as it clearly demonstrates our company’s success in technology development and integration as well as our ability to drive operational efficiencies to enhance…

Connecticut reported Thursday its November slot revenue and state contributions, showing that Mohegan Sun kept $40.7 million in slot-machine revenue and Foxwoods Resort Casino saw $28.2 million. It was the first entire month with full sports betting and iGaming operations for both tribal casinos. The year-over-year comparison leaves Mohegan Sun with a 42.9% increase ($28.5 million in 2020), and Foxwoods up 29.3% ($21.8 million). Back then, COVID-19 was surging and the start of vaccinations was a month away. Mohegan Sun’s president and general manager, Jeff Hamilton, spoke Wednesday and said he is pleased with his casino’s November performance but noted…

 December 16, 2021 Good news for fans of Chicago sports betting! The City Council has at last voted to end their ban on sports bets! And that opens the door for sports book operators to set up shop at sports stadiums! The Sports Wagering Act of 2019 had provisions which would allow sports books to be located at stadiums within Illinois. The city of Chicago, however, was a different story. There a ban on sports betting had to be removed before any books even considered opening at a stadium. And now, that time has come! The Cubs of Major League…

At least nine casino operators, including major players in the gaming industry, have responded to a request for information about getting one of three licenses to open a New York City casino in the next two years. Rush Street Gaming, which operates Schenectady’s Rivers Casino in New York, MGM Resorts (owns Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway), Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Genting (Resorts World at Aqueduct raceway), Bally’s, and Hard Rock International, and UE Resorts (which operates the Okada casino in Manila) responded to the state Gaming Commission’s Request for Information by the December 10 deadline, as reported by Times Union. MGM and…

The Chicago City Council agreed Wednesday to lift the Chicago ban on sports betting and impose a Mayor-backed 2% tax on gross revenues from it, which allows sportsbooks to open in and around Soldier Field, Wrigley Field, Guaranteed Rate Field, the United Center and Wintrust Arena. The 2% city tax on gross revenues from sports betting is expected to generate $400,000 to $500,000 a year based on an estimated $25 million in annual revenues from sports betting in Chicago. Lightfoot added the 2% tax on the sports betting to try to address criticism that the stadium venues would eat into…

Online betting and gaming operator PlayUp announced Wednesday the appointment of Dennis Drazin as chairman of its US business as the company begins legal action against former Chief Executive Officer in the country, Laila Mintas.  Drazin is a current director of PlayUp and partner at New Jersey-based legal practice Drazin and Warchaw P.C., and also serves as Chief Executive of Monmouth Park.  He has been appointed to lead the US business following the departure of Mintas at the end of November and the subsequent accusations of impropriety, which both sides deny. The dispute is now before the courts. Mintas, who…

A new pedestrian bridge, expected to cost about $40 million to construct, is set to come to the Las Vegas Strip. The City Council approved earlier this month a contract to continue design services for the project, which would be located at Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue. According to data presented for the project, the intersection of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard is one of the busiest in the valley. The new bridge, which renderings have shown will have a futuristic circular design, would bring much-needed safety to pedestrians. The intersection routinely sees between 70,000 to 85,000 vehicles…

The Atlantic City casino PILOT bill, which seeks to lower what casinos would have to pay in lieu of property taxes for five years, is now set to be voted on by both the full New Jersey Assembly and Senate next Monday. A5587 was amended and then passed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Monday, in order to match the Senate version of the bill (S4007), reports The Press of Atlantic City. The Senate version passed that house’s budget committee the Monday before. Both versions decrease the basic PILOT payment for all nine casino properties in Atlantic City to $110…

The global sports betting market could reach $13,941 million by 2028, according to a new report by provider of market intelligence and consulting services Acumen Research and Consulting. While the market accounted for $6,529 million in 2020, it could more than double that figure by the end of the decade. The report, posted on Tuesday, attributes the positive trend in the sports betting market to people’s rising affinity for betting, ongoing updates, and technical breakthroughs, including the development of new cutting-edge technologies. Acumen also forecasts CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 10% for the period of 2021 to 2028. “The sports…