The Americas
Atlantic City
casinos continue to show signs of recovery in the pandemic environment. Figures released by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) show AC’s nine casinos generated revenue of $186.1m in October; Detroit casinos face further closures as Governor Gretchen Whitmer orders new lockdown measures. Casinos in Michigan face a long battle to return to profitability as they battle rising COVID cases; Figures released by the Illinois Gaming Board that the industry is recovering. Sports betting handle more than doubled to $305m for the last three months; Online gambling tech supplier GAN have made a bid for Coolbet, as the GAN eye-off an entry into the U.S. market; Criminal charges have been filed against Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell. Cromwell is accused of multiple bribery charges related to a casino construction; Casino operator Bally’s Corp has inked a sports betting partnership with Sinclair Broadcasting. The deal was ratified by New Jersey gaming regulators earlier this month.
Europe
Latvian based Gaming Innovation Group announced a three year agreement with Sia Admirāļu Klubs. Klubs will provide gaming platform, sportsbook and front-end development content to the casino operator; A new sheriff is in town in the Russian iGaming market. The United Russian party have proposed new legislation that would see sports betting operators slugged with higher taxes; Lewis Hamilton ties Michael Schumacher’s record of seven Formula One titles, after winning in Turkey; Switzerland’s federal gaming board announces seventh online casino. Group Partouche’s Casino du Lac Meyrin has been approved for operation; U.K. bookmaker William Hill’s shareholders have approved the takeover by Caesar Entertainment. Shareholders voted to accept Caesars’s £2.9b offer for the U.K. bookmaker;
Asia
Genting Singapore has bounced back strongly with some surprising results in Q3. The Singapore based casino announcing SG$54.4 million ($40.4 million) profit for Q3 2020; SkyCity New Zealand CEO Graeme Stephens is stepping down from the top job. Stephens, CFO Rob Hamilton and Chief Marketing Officer Liza McNally have all announced they will they will be leaving over the next couple of months; Indian authorities have come down hard over the Diwali weekend, as more than 100 arrests were made in connection with illegal gambling rings; Crown Resorts continue to come under the microscope from state government authorities. Crown recently announced a ban on all junket operators in a bid to clean up its image; The Philippines has taken a step towards legalised cockfighting; local government regulators have proposed tax regulations for operators; New Crown Resorts Casino in Sydney loses approval fight, after local authorities deem it ‘unsuitable’ for operation; The Aussie 2021 Poker Millions has been postponed indefinitely, as Crown Casino Melbourne highlighted concerns over COVID-19; South Korean casino operators face further government scrutiny, as local authorities announce new restrictions in a bid to curb the rising cases of COVID-19.
