THE AMERICAS
The Trump Taj Mahal looks set to be the fifth Atlantic City casino to close its doors in 2014 but Befair’s New Jersey online gambling operation can continue to operate; the NBA’s new commissioner said the league would benefit from the “inevitable” spread of legal sports betting in the US; Antigua claimed to have made a “significant concession” in its online gambling trade war with the US; Maryland set a new monthly revenue record thanks to its newest casino; Caesars Entertainment was hit with fresh lawsuits over its restructuring plans; the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open created the biggest overlay in poker history; Nevada Gaming Control Board chairman A.G. Burnett discussed his state’s plans to share online poker liquidity with Delaware; 888 Holdings CEO Brian Mattingley told Rebecca Liggero that California’s ‘bad actor’ decisions should be made by regulators, not legislators; Kirby Garlitos examined the growing potential of fantasy football and Jason Kirk expressed his boredom with sponsored celebrity poker.
EUROPE
Asian-facing operators SBOBET and Mansion announced they were exiting the UK market ahead of the new licensing regime; German finally issued its 20 sports betting licenses but legal challenges await; Betfair revenue jumped thanks to World Cup wagering; 666Bet acquired Metro Play Casino from DMG Media; Paddy Power found its new CEO in retail boss Andy McCue; private equity firm Permira was said to be eyeing a takeover of 888 Holdings; Monty Python’s John Cleese disavowed responsibility for the Spamalot branded slots title; Playtech acquired the lottery operations of Aristocrat Leisure; UK regulators suspended PokerCent’s gambling license; Colossus Bets’ Bernard Marantelli discussed the joys of football pool betting; Tom Galanais examined the shortcomings of online gambling marketing; Agency Lex’s Alex Czajkoski discussed why true innovation only happens “in the edges” of an industry and Innovation Protocol’s Sasha Strauss discussed the challenges of establishing a global brand strategy.
ASIA
Macau casino revenue dropped for the third straight month and regional competitors plan to poach 5% of Macau’s VIP revenue in 2015; SJM Holdings braced for more labor unrest after changing its workers’ sick leave policy; Melco Crown convinced Martin Scorsese to direct a Studio City promo film starring Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt and Leonardo Dicaprio; Las Vegas Sands promised an “iconic” casino in South Korea while MGM Resorts promised a “uniquely Japanese” casino in Osaka; South Korea blocked all access to social gaming until the games were given an age-appropriate rating; Myanmar pondered legalizing its own casinos; a Philippines lawmaker wants to impose a Singapore-style casino entry fee on local residents and Kazuo Okada’s estranged Manila casino partner said it was open to a reconciliation.
