CalvinAyre.com has rounded up the biggest stories in the casino industry for the year.

The list is a mixed bag of successes and losses in the global casino scene. For one, the casino gaming industry in Macau posted double-digit year-on-year growth each month in 2017, buoyed by the growth in the VIP gambling sector. Then we have Melco Resorts and Entertainment CEO Lawrence Ho who scored a good year after gaining the majority stake in Melco Crown. Third, some closed Atlantic City casinos opened and posted growth. Lastly, locals in Vietnam have been allowed to gamble. 

Find out which other stories made the list at CalvinAyre.com.

In this interview with CalvinAyre.com’s Becky Liggero, the Holland Fintech executive said the gambling industry can learn a lot from the banking industry when it comes to building business reputation.

President Aleksandr Lukashenko has signed new laws that will allow citizens of Belarus to launch initial coin offerings, set up their own cryptocurrency exchanges and start their own cryptocurrencies. The laws, which will take effect after three months, also recognized cryptocurrencies as an asset class, rather than a business function.

In response to the government’s appeal that problem gamblers should have limited access to wagering events, the Japan Racing Association (JRA) will be releasing a new mechanism that will block problem gamblers from online horse betting at the request of their families.

Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has thumbed down a plan that will impose double tax on the country’s gambling industry after all 13 proposals stated that a double taxation will only result in job losses and business closures.

State Reps. Dennis Keene and Rick Rand have pre-filed BR-197, which seeks to legalize casinos, expand pari-mutuel gambling, and allow sports betting in the Bluegrass state. The bill aims to provide the much-needed funding for the state’s budget and pension plan.

If you want to succeed as an iGaming affiliate, it is essential to create quality assets and develop interesting technology to have a competitive edge. Creating a website and waiting for freelance contracts to land on your lap does not cut it anymore.

As 2017 draws to a close, the software developer and online casino provider shared its accomplishments which include the launching of a unique Telegram-bot for online casino, establishing relationships with new partners, participating in various industry events, and expanding its Slotegrator Academy.

To those who are interested in cryptocurrencies, blockchain technologies and initial coin offerings, pay attention! The Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Gibraltar will take place on February 8, 2018, and will gather about 300 participants composed of entrepreneurs, investors, developers, lawyers and other players in the digital currency and blockchain sector.