Wynn Resorts deny allegations; Shuffle Master acquires Fire Bet; NCRG has new chairman of the board

wynn shuffle ncrgWynn Resorts have called allegations made by their largest shareholder “preposterous” and said they are “without merit.” The response came after Kazuo Okada accused the firm of not giving him access to information in connection with funding given by his firm, Aruze. The statement from Wynn read: “The lawsuit filed by Kazuo Okada, which seeks access to the company’s confidential business records, is preposterous and without merit. The company will defend it vigorously.”

Okada’s company responded to the statement, saying: “Steve Wynn and the Wynn Resorts board of directors continues to prefer secrecy over transparency. Despite the court petition and repeated requests by Mr. Okada to inspect the company’s books and records, the Steve Wynn-controlled board still refuses to comply. Significant questions remain regarding the company’s use of Aruze USA’s and other shareholders’ investments. Mr. Okada believes as a member of the board and the largest single shareholder that Wynn Resorts should openly and directly answer these questions.”

The card-shuffling specialists over at Shuffle Master have completed the acquisition of Fire Bet. Previously owned by HopBet Inc, Fire Bet is described by the master of shuffle as “the most popular proprietary side bet for craps.” Roger Snow, executive VP for Shuffle Master said: “This is truly one of the elite products in table games.

“You can count on one hand the number of side bets that have ever demonstrated the popularity and longevity that Fire Bet has. This acquisition is a continuation of our strategy to build our intellectual property portfolio. We are pleased to add Fire Bet to the Shuffle Master suite of brands.”

National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) has elected MGM Resorts International’s Alan M. Feldman as their new chairman of the Board. Feldman replaces Glenn C. Christianson and will carry on with job as senior VP for public affairs at MGM. On the same day, the board appointed Mark Vander Linden as a board member.