June 2019 Infinity Gaming Magazine by Clever Duck Media

Infinity Gaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE106

THE FUTURE OF AI

SPORTS BETTING UPDATES

GAMING + ARTICLES + BUSINESS+ GLOBAL + ONLINE + NEWS+ AWARDS + etc

33 PENNSYLVANIA STRUCK

30 AI OR BUST Lynn Pearce De Freitas

BLESS THIS HOUSE Teresa Tunstall

Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in all external articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Infinity Gaming Magazine Any content provided by our feature writers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

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4 EDITOR NOTES Editor welcomes you to the latest edition of Infinity Gaming Magazine.

6 OUR WRITERS Meet our feature writers, the superb writers on our rosta.

08 WIG DIVERSITY WINNERS 30 AI OR BUST

Lynn Pearce De Freitas

16 EXPLOITATION

DIVERSITY AWARDS WINNERS

33 PENNSYLVANIA 34 BLESS THIS HOUSE

TENNESSEE SPORTS BETTING

tERESA tUNSTALL

41 TENNESSEE BETTING 43 IOTALY GAMBLING ADS + NEWS & MORE NEWS from the gaming industry

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A note from the editor CONTACT US Clever Duck Media Centrix@Keys Keys Park Road Staffordshire WS12 2HA UK Tel: +44(0)1543 478 889 PRODUCTION Clever Duck Media Centrix@Keys Keys Park Road Staffordshire WS12 2HA UK

CELEBRATING WINNERS“

PUBLISHING Infinity Gaming Magazine is operated by © Clever Duck Media Ltd ®

Lana Thompson - Editor-in-Chief

Welcome to the latest edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine Welcome to the latest edition of the In-

highest award recipients in Kirsten

finity Gaming Magazine and here we are

Openshaw receiving the Industry Pride

celebrating the winners of the Women

Award and Britt Boeskov receiving the

in Gaming Diversity & Inclusion Wellbe-

Outstanding Contribution Award. If you

ing Awards.

are lucky enough to know both or either lady you will agree with us they are truly

It was so inspiring seeing these amaz-

deserving of these special award.

ing people & companies our judges had selected as recipients, when you hear

But it is not just about the awards in

them speak on receiving their award/s

the magazine, as always we have some

you know how much work, effort and

superb articles by a wonderful line-up

challenges they had to endure to be up

of our contributing writers from Teresa

on stage that evening in May.

Tunstall and Lynn Pearce De Freitas, as well as all the latest news.

Clever Duck Media are proud to support and organise this truly inspiring event

Indeed next month we have Charlotte

and each year the evening shows how

Sweeney OBE offering exerts from her

many great people work within our in-

latest book, so that is well worth read-

dustry.

ing.

This year we had also two superb speak-

Have a super month and Enjoy the

ers in Jennifer Shahade and Charlotte

magazine and will catch you all with on

Sweeney OBE, we may release their

news about the International Gaming

talks on our website in the near future.

Awards 2020.

Also a special mention must go to our

“To Infinity and Beyond!” Regards,

Lana INFINITY GAMING

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Sponsorship Opportunities Colin@cleverduckmedia.com Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com Marketing & Advertising claire@cleverduckmedia.com Editorial Content & PR media@cleverduckmedia.com

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ÂŠ 2019 IGT. The trademarks and/or service marks used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of IGT, its affiliates or its licensors. Artwork, descriptions, game play, photographs, videos, and other product details depicted are subject to change.

Infinity Gaming Magazine Contributing Writers A magazine is only as good as the content inside and with some of the leading specialists within the gaming industry. With specialised articles covering customer service, the gaming law, new prducts, technology and current affairs with the sector the Infinity Gaming Magazine is delighted to showcase our superb line-up of contributing writers.

Christina Thakor-Rankin Christina is Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd, a specialist betting and gaming consultancy, delivering a range of services including licensing and compliance (incl. regulation, money laundering and social responsibility), business start-up, training and strategic reengineering, project management, research, business analysis and development, to start-ups and established multi-national operators and providers, gambling regu-

lators, law enforcement and government agencies, media, and specialist interest groups and associations within the sector, in both established and emerging markets across the world.

www.1710gaming.com

Teresa Tunstall â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Independent Gaming Consultant After many years of working in casinos in the UK and on USA ships as a croupier and inspector, Teresa turned from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;poacher to gamekeeper,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; spending 16 years with GamCare, who offer help and support to those who develop problems with their gambling.

Teresa now works independently consulting on all issues relating to Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling.

Working closely with the betting and gaming industry, She developed strong links delivering Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling training around the world, from Antigua to Moscow, and Auditing in the UK.

To contact Teresa regarding consulting please email: Teresatunstall1@gmail.com

Lee-Ann Johnstone - CEO Best Odds Marketing With almost two decades of digital marketing and affiliate experience gained within retail, payments and blue chip iGaming brands, Lee-Ann has a wealth of expertise as an award winning digital marketing expert and business mentor. She is the creator of AffiliateFEST, founder of Best Odds Marketing a digital consultancy specialising in affiliate marketing and recently launched Affiliate Insider offering training, events and business development for the affiliate channel.

www.affiliateinsider.com|www.bestoddsmarketing.com

Lynn has creatively strategized and implemented B2C and B2B acquisition, conversion and retention marketing campaigns.

She joined Forwardslash, (an igaming marketing company) as Marketing GM: Creative Studio. She then went on to work for a sportsbetting company to launch a poker room and casino for a while, before being headhuntered to join a startup casino company in Prague, where she worked as the Marketing Operations Manager. Longing for the sea and sunshine, she relocated to Malta to consult for a B2B igaming software development company.

Lynn Pearce de Freitas

Lynn started off her igaming career consulting to LCI, a prestigious land-based casino in the UK, where she was responsible for the online marketing and projectmanagement of conferences, events, presentations, video production, and other activities.

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Videoslots

BEEN LOOKING FOR? FOR MORE INFO VISIT: www.videoslotscareers.com

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The line-up of winners from the 10th Women in Gaming Diversity Awards

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10 MAG A Z I N E

Best Best in House initiative Internal Communication Winner William Hill Above Right: Community Engagement Winner Aspers Westfield Stratford Above: B2B Excellence Award Winner Christina Haralambous - Kambi

Right Best Use Of Technology Winner Playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;n GO

Below: Best Place To Work Winner Bede Gaming

1 0

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11 S E C T I O N T I T L E

1 1

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12 MAG A Z I N E

Above Winner of Company of the Year, Betsson Group

1 2

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13 S E C T I O N T I T L E

Above Employee of the Year went to Christine Chou from Jackpotjoy

Left Diversity & Inclusion Award went to Microgaming

Right Diverse & Inclusive Team of the Year Winner IGT

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14 MAG A Z I N E

Winning an award Means Hard Work

Above Industry Achiever Winner Lauren Iannarone (Received by Lucy Owen) Playtech Right Innovator Award went to Elaine Gardiner from Global Gaming

1 4

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15 S E C T I O N T I T L E

Top Center: Employee Wellbeing Award Winner Mansion Above Right Excellence in Customer Service Award went to Les Ambassadeurs Right Innovation in Employee Engagement was Kathryn Goodall (received by Vanessa Simpson)

1 5

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16 MAG A Z I N E

Above Winner of Inspiration of the Year Kerry Dawes

Above Leader of the Year (Supplier) Winner Melissa Summerfield from Pragmatic Play Right Leader of the Year(Operator) Winner Alexe Reichert from Mr Green

1 6

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17 S E C T I O N T I T L E

Above Positive Role Model of the Year Award went to Aries Cassar from Videoslots 1 7

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18 MAG A Z I N E

And The Winners Keep On Coming, You are all Amazing

Above Star of the Future (Operator) Winner Ina Macaria Right Young Leader of the Year (Supplier) Rosa Zhang (received on her behalf ) Scientific Games

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MARCH 2017

Left Star of the Future (Supplier) was won by Valeria Russo Below Young Leader of the Year (Operator) Winner Vanessa Simpson from The Stars Group

1 9

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THE CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION NETWORKING EVENT PRIOR TO THE AWARDS CEREMONY AND THOSE VERY SPECIAL AWARDS

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FINALISTS, THEIR COMPANIES AND COLLEAGUES RELAX BEFORE THE AWARDS START

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AN OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK AND MEET OLD FRIENDS BEFORE THE COMPETITION FOR AWARDS BEGIN

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We are the Champions!

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Two Very Special Awards With Two Amazing Ladies

Above Britt Boeskov Received The Outstanding Contribution Award Right With Industry Pride Recipient Kirsten Openshaw

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AI or bust! By Lynn Pearce de Freitas

recently read an interesting article on Artificial Intelligence, which stated that companies who are not getting into AI now would not exist in 5 years’ time. Whether this is true or not has yet to be seen, but the fact is that AI is everywhere already – in virtually every industry - and its uses are growing. AI is becoming invasive, but in a good way, as everyone seems to be taking it seriously and giving AI the right attention in all the right places – from meals to medicine and beyond! According to an article written by Ron Winslow, a medical and science journalist in the USA, Apple have successfully utilized AI for their new Apple Watch Series 4’s ECG feature (at this point only available in the USA). There’s also a set of heart rate notifications, including one that’s looking out for atrial fibrillation (AF), meaning you’ll get a pop-up if there’s anything that looks sketchy with your heart with regards to this condition, which could lead to life-threatening complications. The technological transition of the ECG from a test that requires a doctor’s interpretation to one that can be done on a wearer’s wrist is just one example of how AI could change the medical experience for the better. The whole idea now is that with artificial intelligence, we can take all this data and do so much with it.

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AI has an insatiable hunger for data, people do not, it is impossible for us to filter data at the speed that AI can do so, which is what makes machine learning and AI so useful to us – we live in exciting times! AI is going to rock the nutritional science world soon, because for years we have had national guidelines on foods that are meant to be good for us all, based on their own interpretations and research, but with machine learning and AI, we could start working out actual scientific diets on an individual level, which would vastly improve our health and lifestyles. The benefits of artificial intelligence are immense and has many positive applications, from predicting weather patterns that can help farmers increase their crop yields, to alerting people to natural disasters way in advance. That’s all well and good, but how do we relate to machine learning and AI in the workplace? We all know that businesses like Amazon, Google and Facebook have been using AI for years, but what is much more important to me, as a B2B and B2C consultant and marketer, is how AI impact our lives and how much time and effort it save us currently? For example, one of the most time-consuming tasks while doing research is collecting and analyzing data for clients,

whether it is based on customer insights and personas, real-time reputation management, or expanding into new regions. This started my google search for understanding how data is being collected and used to make decisions by companies actively utilizing artificial intelligence and offering it as a service to marketers. According to the Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute, we are in the infancy of AI adoption as an industry, which means we can be proactive in advancing our capabilities, as AI can create an enormous competitive advantage for our brands, companies and clients – if we act now! Based on my findings, here is a list below of my personal top 5 companies: 1. Delineate. The Audience Intelligence Agency An insight and data business, they offer comprehensive services and an “Always-On Audience Intelligence” product to unlock the power of their clients’ insights. They have developed two characters, called Chloe (B2C) and Bertie (B2B) utilizing advanced AI technology. Chloe profiles and segments audiences, tracks brand and campaign KPIs in real time, diagnoses and course

AI or bust!

corrects underperforming campaigns, and models your media attribution more effectively. Bertie understands B2B audiences with more precision, understands the overlap between B2B and B2C attitudes and behaviors and builds B2B campaigns with the right messaging in the right channels. 2. GONG Gong helps B2B sales teams convert more of their pipeline into closed revenue by shining the light on their sales conversations. To do that, the company uses AI to automatically record, transcribe and analyze all sales calls, demos and meetings, so that sales teams can scale the effectiveness of their sales conversations.

3. Dynamic Yield Using an advanced machine learning engine, Dynamic Yield builds realtime customer segments that can be used to customize user experiences and recommendations, as well as craft one-to-one messaging. The result is a full suite of AI-powered personalization and engagement solutions that work throughout the customer journey. 4. Amplero Amplero enables business-to-consumer marketers at global brands to optimize customer lifetime value at a scale that is humanly impossible. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AI marketing platform is used to test marketing approaches at scale, in order to optimize customer interactions and maximize lifetime

value. 5. Reflektion Reflektion uses AI and machine learning in its predictive analytics platform to increase revenue, conversions and pageviews, predicting with high confidence what customers will do next â&#x20AC;&#x201C; across landing pages, emails and product recommendations. N.B Special note of thanks is given to Mike Kaput at the Marketing AI Institute for his list of the 100-privately-held companies that are reinventing industries using AI and machine learning!

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GAMING NEWS

Supreme Court Strikes Down Pennsylvania Gambling

eware when words are sugar-coated, especially on paper. In 2017, Pennsylvania gambling expansion included new laws that included online casinos and sportsbooks among other things. The fancy language made everything look good on paper. Some casinos took offense when the legislation showed an absolute lack of equity across the gambling industry in Pennsylvania. A lawsuit was filed against the gambling expansion bill. What contributed to the 2017 lawsuit? The fancy language used in the gambling expansion bill deciphered into the story of Robin Hood who took from the rich and gave it to the poor. Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem filed a lawsuit over the element of the bill that created the Casino Marketing and Capital Development Account. According to the gambling expansion bill, the state would take 0.5 percent of slot tax revenue from

each property. This tax would be put into Casino Marketing and Capital Development Account. The fund would be redistributed and given to the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poorest performing casinos. The bottom line was, the poorly performing casinos would get an opportunity to spend on marketing and improve their business. The lawsuits The lawsuit filed by Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem was one of the three lawsuits filed against Pennsylvania gambling expansion bill. Penn National, the owner of Hollywood Casino, sued over the plan that allows mini-casinos. They filed against the bill stating that the plan would favor small casinos. Penn National dropped the lawsuit after they launched two mini-casinos to protect their asset. The 2019 verdict Sands Casino argued that the move violated state and federal laws. Supreme Court Justice Thomas Saylor

agreed that the law violated the due process and equal protection clauses of both the state and U.S. Constitution. It was decided that that portion of the bill is illegal. According to Act 42, taxpayers who pay the least into the Casino Marketing and Capital Development Account are likely to receive a mandatory distribution from that account and vice versa. This was found to be an unorthodox practice. Justice Thomas Saylor stated that the benefit gained and the tax burden imposed made the provision unconstitutional. The State of Pennsylvania was ordered to stop collecting the funds. The state will have to reimburse $21 million contributed by the casinos. The lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s share of $4 million each was given to Presque Isle Downs and Casino and Mount Airy Casino Resort. While three other casinos are set to receive a refund, seven casinos will not receive anything.

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Bless this House By Teresa Tunstall

nce upon a time a long time agoI worked as a croupier at the Playboy Club in London whilst still living at home with my very religious mother. I recall the time when she enquired whether I would be around during the next day…frankly I rather liked having the home to myselfand lazying around so I enquired why. “Well,” she replied with her rosary beads tucked in her tiny hand, “I madean appointment for the Priest to come and bless our new house and forgot I was required at work,” she answered, I reluctantly agreed saying, “if the Priest wants to know why I’m not attending church I’m going to tell him I’m too busy doing things for my mum!” The next day there was a knock on our door which I answered and lo and behold the Priest stood waiting. I explained the situation regarding the absence of my mother and we walked around the corner to our new abode. Blessing the house was a simple process requiring a brief prayer, a spray of holy water from the Priest and an ‘Amen,’ from me. We started at the top of the house and worked our way down through to the bottom where this jolly Priest turned to me and asked in a soft Irish brogue “Why aren’t you at work today young lady?” I was always very

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careful about releasing any information regarding where I worked to anyone until I realised my happy Priest was not budging. Eventually I said “I work at nights, Father, and with hesitation continued “I work forThe Playboy Club,” His face broke into the biggest smile and with great laughter said “Well that’s a coincidence, so does my brother!”It was amazing serendipity and of course my reaction was “who’s your brother, what’s his name?” I knew him. His brother was John, a friendly casino manager with the same Irish brogue as his brother. Consequently I found myself planning how to use my new found information ammunition and so that evening behind a Blackjack table I stood waiting for my prey! As John came towards meI called out, “Hi John how are you? Guess who I met yesterday,” He looked inquisitively at me as I continued, “A family member of yours who can bless YOU, MEand a HOUSE”. He was completely taken aback but I promised him that my lips were sealed.Who would have thought a Playboy Bunny, a Priest and a Casino manager would have something secret in common! Playboy Club was my first experience of working in casinos;it was a world away from the reality of my life outside the Club. Many experiences

there were great especiallymeeting some famous personalities. On one such nightI was thrilled to be invited to dinner with the then superstar,Tony Curtis and his wife who was heavily pregnant.Sadly half way through it came to an abrupt halt when a worried Tony Curtis became increasingly concerned about his wife. On another occasion a year or two later whilst working on day shift behind my Blackjack table positioned on the ground floor opposite Reception-it was always such fun to watch members coming in and out of the doors - I spotted a man in a dishevelled suit with his trousers at least two sizes too big and with string tied around his waist obviously holding them up. As he got nearer to my table where my Inspector was sitting on a high chair behind me I found myself laughing when my casino Inspector called out in a loud voice, “Give Mr Freud 2000 pounds Teresa”. He was referring to Lucian Freud, the famous painter whose pictures hang in galleries worldwide. Thankfully I avoided having made any uncomplimentary observation about his state of attire: I could have said completely the wrong thingbut only thanks to my Inspector who saved my face! On another note, the Gambling Commission is looking at new areas for

Teresa Tunstall Article

change, including banning the use of credit cards for online gambling. I’ve always been concerned that credit cards enable punters to continue gambling on credit,incurring high interest rates. This would be the right move forward and the correct decision for the Commission to make.

problem gambling online. Part of the Commission’s problem which needs to be addressed is the issue of online gamblers who often have a multitude of accounts. More vigilant interactive information between Operators needs to be sharedor otherwise it’s going to be a struggle to achieve this.

The introduction of industry-funded gambling blocking software is an enormous step forward and an added responsibility of making sure it works with a condition that at no time can it be removed is a further improvement. This will assist the ways in which operators interact with a customer who may be experiencing gambling-related harm.

Furthermore, the Commission also plans to track play, using time and monetary limits, alerts and communicating messages about gambling safety in other categories of machines. For many years machines have displayed problem-gambling information by means of notices on each and every machine in the UK; renewing them would be a another good step forward.

The government’s actions and ambitions stretch much further as they are looking at treatment for those who have suffered from obsessive gambling and the Commission is considering what steps are necessary to tackle

This month sees the introduction to Online gambling of new identity and age check rules which come into force in order to safeguard the risk of children gambling. Hopefully it will

prevent them from free-to-play versions of gambling games on licensees’ websites,a major move as itshould have been stopped years ago. The aforegoing actions should increase the likelihood of identifying a playerwho attempts to gamble while self-excluded. All these changes will make gambling a safer place to be in. I recently came across, ‘Calm,’ who are a charity aimed at men who are affected by mental health issues, and was very shocked to discover the amount of male suicides.The ‘Campaign Against Living Miserably’ (CALM) are the leading movement against suicide which is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK. This is a distressing situation that demands attention - something must be done about such meaningless suicides and its consequences.

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EXCITING ROLE FOR FRENCH SPEAKING CASINO MANAGER EXCELLENT SALARY AND BENEFITS

GAMING NEWS

Roy Anderson Corp Bags $200 Million

ive months after voters in Arkansas gave their approval for a constitutional amendment that legalizes casinos in the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s four counties, Tutor Perini Corp has inked a new partnership. The construction giant based in Los Angeles announced the contract award to Roy Anderson Corp. (RAC) by Delaware North to build the brand new Southland Gaming Casino in West Memphis. Roy Anderson Corp is a Mississippi based construction firm that is a subsidiary of Tutor Perini Corp and has extensive experience in the gaming industry in the U.S. The completion of the new project in West Memphis is expected to be completed by January of 2021. RAC led earlier been involved in rebuilding the casino complex that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The firm had resurrected the Penn National casino complex which was a 292-room, 14-story mammoth project.

An impressive high rise hotel and casino In Arkansas, RAC is all set to expand the Southland Gaming and Racing Park with a new casino complex spanning 240,000 square feet apart from a 300-room, 20-story hotel across the Mississippi River in Crittenden County. Governmental Affairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senior Vice President, Jack McNeill had mentioned in November of 2018 that Delaware North would build the casino and hotel complex in West Memphis if the ballot initiative came through in Arkansas. Although an exact estimate with respect to the amount of time it would take to complete the project was not available at that time, McNeil had announced that the project would cost $200 million. The brand new casino complex will have added features such as expanded dining options to include a larger steakhouse and buffet restaurants, coffee shop, food hall, and player lounge. The impressive hotel which

is the signature component of the project will feature twelve penthouse suites, 72 corner suites, and 216 standard rooms. Apart from these, the company will also expand the existing onsite parking by constructing a new garage, according to the company officials. Some of the other projects the company had been recently awarded include Southwest Light Rail Transit, various mechanical and electrical projects in New York, and a $100 million worth military facility in Saudi Arabia. More Jobs in West Memphis Work on the expansion of Southland Gaming Casino is expected to begin immediately. With this new project, Southland will increase its gaming machines to 2400 from the existing 2,000 apart from adding sixty table games. It is expected that this project would create over 1,500 jobs in the construction phase and 400 permanent jobs post its completion.

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GAMING NEWS

Ohio Sports Gambling Plan Proposed by Legislator

nlike its other neighboring states, sports gambling in Ohio is illegal. Making sports wagering legal would be an expansion to the gambling industry. But the question is, which would be a better option? Sports gambling in the hands of the Ohio Casino Control Commission or under Ohio Lottery Commission? A Westlake Republican, Representative Dave Greenspan is co-sponsoring a House Bill with Cincinnati Democrat Brigid Kelly. He said that it would take six months after the governor’s signature for the betting to start. But he was unsure how long it would take to work out a deal in the legislature. The delay is caused by the differing views between Greenspan and Chardon Republican Senator John Eklund. Their difference of opinion on which state commission to regulate sports wagering is the possible cause of the delay. Greenspan believes that treating wagering on sports as a game of chance and hence lottery was the legal

way for Ohio to expand into sports gambling. On the other hand, Eklund believes that the casino commission has expertise in regulating the gambling industry. He and Warren-area Democrat Sean O’Brien introduced a Senate plan that would put control in the hands of the Ohio Casino Control Commission. The competing proposals are in agreement that sports wagering would take place in Ohio.

– Permit remote sports wagering at Ohio’s casinos and racinos. Personal devices such as phones to be used.

Will sports gambling be a part of the Lottery Commission? Greenspan said that according to a part of the advice received from the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, ‘sports gambling is a game of chance, and hence it could be treated as a lottery.’ Greenspan added that a game of chance is a game in which the gambling has zero impact on the outcome of the event. A set of skill is when you have the opportunity to determine the result of the event.

– Sports league will be offered the option of obtaining Ohio wagering data free of charge. This is to enable them to monitor activity on their sports.

Greenspan current plans in the bill propose the following.

– Permit sports wagering at neighborhood fraternal and veteran’s organization halls licensed by the lottery. – Allow wagering on sports, both pro and college. It will also include games played by Ohio teams.

– State profits to be allocated to education. Greenspan continues to adjust his plans, and the language in his proposal to ensure that possible expansion into sports gambling in the state of Ohio can benefit those who need it.

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EXCITING ROLE FOR FRENCH SPEAKING CASINO MANAGER EXCELLENT SALARY AND BENEFITS

GAMING NEWS

Online Sports Betting to Reach Tennessee

espite the intense opposition, Governor of Tennessee Bill Lee is all set to legalize gambling in the state. He will now allow Tennessee sports betting bill to become law without his signature. The Senate heard S 16 and adopted and amended the House substitute (H 1) and voted for the legalization in the ratio 20-12. As such, the Tennessee Legislature becomes the fourth in the country to legalize single-game wagering this year. The fate of each bill now lies in the hands of the respective proposing governor. Out of the four states, however, Tennessee sports betting bill proposes the least lucrative regulation framework. How will sports betting legalization impact Tennessee? The path for legalization of sports betting in Tennessee wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a smooth one for sure. In the House, the lower chamber calls off all provisions for retail sports betting in committee, making it available only online. Ad-

ditions amendments made to the bill by the House include a doubled tax rate set at 20 percent and increased license fee, set at $750,000 annually. One notable change brought about by the Senate is the ability given to sports leagues to request specific prohibitions on sports betting. The Bill S 16 also holds back operators that restrict language in the official data sources for settling in-play sports bets. Such provisions monetize statistics and represent an unsolicited influence from sports leagues. The MLB, NBA, and NFL are amongst those listed lobbying organizations in Tennessee. For all their toil and legwork over the last year, this type of provisions has no legal precedent in the country. Eight US states are currently regulating sports betting, and licensees for operators are not subject to data restrictions in any of them. Another pillar of the proposal by sports leagues is the integrity fee, which is not seen in the Tennessee

bill or any other state law. What to expect in the future? The final action on Tennessee sports betting now rests with Gov. Bill Lee. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no sign he will veto the bill. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have ten days to announce the decision once the necessary paperwork reaches his desk. In the meantime, both of the primary sponsors have recently come under the spotlight for their behavior outside the chamber. The federal government is planning to sue Sen. Steve Dickerson for alleged fraud, and Rep. Rick Staples is facing accusations of sexual misconduct. Prospects would face a massive set back if the governor decides to veto the bill this year. Nonetheless, the list of states with legal single-game wagering will rise for the first time this year, irrespective of the result in Tennessee. Sports betting legalization bills in Indiana, Montana, and Iowa are also fully passed and awaiting signatures from their governors.

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GAMING NEWS

Italy Releases Basic Principles for Gambling Ads

he AGCOM, the telecom regulatory body in Italy released the basic principles of the new rules and regulations on gambling advertising in the country. Compared to what was initially promised in the Dignity decree of the government, the restrictions are only slightly less punitive. The new regulations formalized the government’s plan to ban operators from directly promoting their services on almost every broadcast medium and platform. This includes promotion by the use of text messages, online banner ads, a moratorium on sponsorship of sports teams as well as events. Moreover, the new rule also bans promotion through stealth campaigns including distribution of branded products, using media advertorials, hiring social media influencers to advocate gabling operators, etc. On the bright side, the government

does allow operators to use indexing services so that they can increase their search engine result rankings. There is also no restriction on gambling operators promoting social and charitable causes and initiatives. However, in such cases, they are not allowed to show their logo or include any prompts to gamble. Additionally, if operators advertise the potential negative social repercussions of their services and products, then they be given free rein. The new rules allow the use of operators’ brand names by third-party affiliates, but only in limited capacities. For instance, operators’ brand names can be used when odds on specific events are compared, or odds of winning contests are detailed. The goal is to enable consumers to make informed choices. AGCOM also announced that operators would be allowed to use retail betting shop signage again if they only display brands and not induce consumers to gamble. If the regula-

tory body finds any operator defying these new laws, they will have to pay fines of up to 20 percent of the advertising or sponsorship contract value, with a maximum fine of €50k per incident. Italy’s gambling operators grow more cautious Gambling operators in Italy have reacted cautiously to the new guidelines from AGCOM. According to Stefano Sbordoni, the guidelines are a “work in progress,” which suggests that some of the rules and regulations which have been laid out still need some clarifications before July 14, the date from which the new rules will be effective. While some operators have praised AGCOM for allowing them to catch a break especially in the SEO aspect, some operators have announced that the government will reconsider its more restrictive rules.

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GAMING NEWS

Horse Racing Could Bring In Changes To Compete

ith the repealing of PASPA and the spread of sports betting across the United States, many sporting leagues and associations have joined hands with bookmakers to offer competitive sports betting services to players. However, horse betting – the very first legal sports wagering in the United States – is yet to adapt to the changes the legalized sports betting industry has brought to the arena.

horse or a particular pool. In stark comparison, sports betting follows a strict pre-decided odds betting procedure, where bookmakers set the odds in advance, irrespective of the number of teams/players that play and the number of bettors who bet. With sports betting significantly a hassle-free and relatively risk-free experience compared to horse betting, there are now more takers for sports betting, than there are for horse betting.

Changing the way bets are made The changes brought on by sports betting in the wagering landscape in the United States is slowly stripping away the monopoly that horse betting has held for decades. Since early 2018, pro-gambling legislators have advised horse betting service providers to change their betting procedures and pricing models or risk losing out on revenue.

According to CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Alex Waldrop, this difference in pricing & betting model is a major cause for concern. Horse betting, unlike sports betting, relies on continuous betting and gambling from punters, for its survival. This isn’t the case with sports betting, where professional and amateur leagues are still financially supported by their respective states, irrespective of how they perform in the betting market. With a lesser number of takers for horse wagering, the industry is already withering due to lack of

Traditionally, horse racing works on pari-mutuel bets, where the odds are decided based on the number of bettors who wager on a particular

finances. The trick to retain a monopoly One way to ensure the horse betting industry retains its monopoly, says CEO of the Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association Alan Foreman, is to introduce fixed odds in the game. This, he believes, can make the sport more competitive and lucrative. Another change he recommends is the implementation of analytics and data sharing. Providing punters stats about past races for free, can reduce the risk involved in horse wagering, encouraging more bettors to play. Doing these, believes Foreman, will prevent bettors from migrating from horse betting to sports betting. When asked how he plans to bring these changes to fruition, Foreman cited Australia as an example. The country down under has successfully implemented fixed odds for its horse betting industry, with highlypromising results. Now all that’s left to be done is to emulate it.

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New Jersey Officials and Sports Leagues Happy At Last?

six-year-long legal turmoil between New Jersey state officials and five sports organizations was undoubtedly very bitter. But since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last spring that New Jersey and other states could offer sports betting, David Rebuck, Division of Gaming Enforcement Director, feels things are no longer the same. At the Meadowlands Exposition Centre in Secaucus, David Rebuck expressed that the adversarial position between sports leagues, the state, and the NCAA was very intense and they have all decided to end the battle. As part of this cooperation, they had asked for the ability, not to have veto power, but to communicate directly with each other about prohibitions on specific betting. What can other states learn from Rebuck’s approach? At the “New Jersey — Land of Opportunity” panel, Louis Rogacki, Rebuck’s deputy, announced that March Madness saw sports bettors plunking down over $100 million in New Jersey, 10% of that would go to the trea-

sury of operators. But Rebuck made a few critical points that other states should take note. These include: * Having clear and strong gaming regulations. * Setting the tax rate in the bracket of 10 to 20 percent on revenue instead of the gaming handle. * Deciding the role of operators and whether casinos, racetracks, and third-parties can come to bid. * Granting regulators criminal and civil authority. * Deciding on mobile sports betting, retail sports betting, or both. It’s certainly a major decision for a lot of people as per Rebuck. If online betting isn’t there, then he’s determined to urge the legislature to take measures to protect the commercial entities. The online gaming market is enormous, robust, but threatens retail operators as they can lose their business to unregulated offshore sites.

Rebuck suggested that other states should be cautious about how much money they want to give to the sports leagues. So far, none of the states with regulated sports betting have mandated that operators pay a “royalty” or an “official data” fee. However, many legislators are worried about certain concerns. The biggest question facing them is—Will mobile sports betting cannibalize revenues of well-established brickand-mortar casinos or racetracks? This is where Rebuck gave them the confidence that the idea of cannibalization is meaningless in the present context of New Jersey’s excellent gaming performance. Rebuck also said that fall NFL Sundays have transformed casinos in Atlantic City, turning them from “dead” to “buzzing with excitement.” We can only hope that New Jersey lives up to the sports betting community’s expectations and manifests an environment that is conducive to operators, sports leagues, legislators and of course, the gamblers.

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Massachusetts Remains Impassive To Sports Betting

ew England state Rhode Island has made massive headway by passing the bill to legalize mobile sports betting in the state last week. However, the same cannot be said of neighbor Massachusetts. The Bay State continues to remain inactive and impassive towards sports betting legalization, despite it being almost two months since the bills were first assigned for consideration to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The Committee staff recently reported that a hearing date is yet to be set, but that there is no guarantee it will be done shortly. This news has made many unhappy, including Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. Governor Baker has been a strong supporter of legalized sports betting in the state. In an interview with the press, he spoke of his attempts to push the Massachusetts General Court to set up a hearing date at the earliest. “Our preferred option would be that this is something the Legislature takes

up before they break for the summer, which will probably be somewhere around August. That would be the timeline we think makes sense because that would land before the start of the next NFL season,” he said in his Guest of Honour speech at the opening ceremony of the Draft Kings’ new office space in the Back Bay neighborhood.

betting services after legalization. This doesn’t include the almost year-long debate that takes place actually to legalize sports betting. Given how the Bay State has failed to take any action regarding the bills for more than two months, state officials believe that 2019 may not be the year for legalized sports betting in Massachusetts.

What’s happening in Massachusetts? In mid-January this year, Senator Brendan Crighton and Governor Baker both sent in two separate proposals to authorize interactive online sports books without the need for brick-and-mortar casinos and to legalize sports betting, respectively, in the state. However, despite massive support from both parties, the Massachusetts General Court and the Joint Committee have delayed in setting a hearing date for the bills.

Other New England States Edge forward New Hampshire recently passed the bill which authorizes the state lottery to regulate sports betting operators with 269-82 support; inching a step closer to sports betting legalization. Maine, Connecticut, and Vermont to have started discussions about the possibility of legalization.

New England states, as evidenced by Rhode Island, take on average six months to set in place the required regulatory frameworks and operational capabilities, to offer sports

With one New England state having already legalized sports betting and the others well on their way to do so, Massachusetts must act fast if it wishes to avoid losing out on the rewards that sports betting will offer the region.

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Iowa Soon to Enjoy Legal Sports Betting

ccording to state representative Bobby Kaufmann, who is the primary sponsor of the sports gambling bill in Iowa, punters in the state may soon be able to legally enjoy placing on their favorite sports teams, as the bill is expected to be voted on soon by the House of Representatives in the state. After going through several amendments, the legislation has already been cleared by the House Committee, which is one of the main hurdles. If things go as expected, the sports betting bill will be put to a floor vote by mid-April. About a week ago, it was passed by the House Ways and Means Committee with a 16-7 vote which is a strong indication that it has bipartisan support. Considering all these developments, it appears the bill will likely not be facing any enormous obstacle to

getting passed. As is the case with sports betting in many other states in the United States, the bill will not be allowing gamblers to place their bets on either the state’s college sports teams or their opponents. Bets on individual players are also prohibited. The state government will be taking a tax of 6.75 percent on net receipts, out of which 25 percent will be going to the development of gambling treatment programs, which will be taken over by the state’s Department of Public Health. The bill allows casinos to offer mobile gambling. However, if a player has an account which was created before January 1, 2021, they will be required to go to the casino in person to establish their accounts. According to legislators, this requirement has been introduced so that

there will be a level playing field for the 22 casinos in Iowa. Future amendments may be required Although the sports betting bill in Iowa has received a lot of support with very few obstacles, this may not be the situation in the near future. In the coming weeks, new amendments that could change the bill are expected to be filed. On top of this, one legislator who previously voted yes on the bill has said that she may change her mind and change her vote to a “no” in the floor vote. Representative Mary Wolfe, in a piece she wrote for the Clinton Herald, said that she is concerned about the low tax rate proposed by the bill, and is pushing for a mobile fee of 3 percent. This mobile fee will be placed on all wagers placed online.

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New York Casinos Set To Reduce Slot Offerings

wo of upstate New York’s most prominent casinos – the Resorts World Catskills and Tioga Downs – are set to reduce the number of slot machine offerings they have in their casinos, following a steady decline in revenue in the past few quarters. Both casinos are reported to have approached and secured the New York Gaming Commission’s permission to implement the slot offering reduction at the earliest. Representatives of the casinos say that each slot machine should have on average a $200 per day win, per machine. However, State Gaming Commission records show that both Tioga Downs, locatedwest of Binghamton in the Southern Tier and Resorts World Catskills, located near Monticello in Sullivan County, has failed to meet this limit in the past two years. State records indicate that Resorts

World Catskills earned a meager $117 per day on average from its 2,150 slot machines, while Tioga Downs raked in $195 per day on average from its 942 slot machines. Casino representatives believe that eliminating burdensome slot offerings may help them reach the $200 win threshold. The only other authorized casino in upstate New York that experienced similar losses in revenues was the del Lago Resort & Casino near Waterloo in Finger Lake. The casino earned $160 per day on average from its 1,950 slot machines. But there is no word yet whether del Lago will engage in a similar elimination exercise or not. The numbers Resorts World Catskills had about 2,150 slot machines when it started operations in upstate New York in 2018 and Tioga Downs had 942 slot offerings. The casinos have con-

firmed that they will be bringing down their slot offerings down to 1,600 and 882 machines, respectively. This will result in a 26% drop in slot offerings for Resorts World Catskills and a 5.3% drop for Tioga Downs. This reduction is expected to clear up space within the casino and allow for smoother, more financiallybeneficial operations. New facilities The reduction of slot machines is expected to pave the way for modern amenities like more table games on the floor. Jeff Gural, owner of Tioga Downs revealed that he plans to use the disengaged resources to fuel the casino’s sports betting wing, once the New York State Senate legalizes sports betting. As for Resorts World Catskills, owners Empire Resorts have revealed that the freed-up space will be used as a harness racing track from April 23, 2019, when the elimination process is expected to be completed.

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GAMING NEWS

Ohio Sports Betting Will Not Have Integrity Fees

s the works to legalize sports betting in the state of Ohio enters its Senate committee process, key legislators championing the bill say that there will be no integrity fee. They shared the news while introducing their S-111 bill. For the uninitiated, integrity fees are taxes on legal sports betting that sports leagues such as NBA and Major League Baseball profit from. With the announcement from the lawmakers, Sean O’Brien and John Eklund, major sports leagues will most likely have to face a huge battle if they want their integrity fees. Eklund expressed his failure to understand the concept of integrity fees, saying that there are lots of ways that sports leagues can make use of integrity fees and participate in the exercise. However, if the only reason that they expect such fees is because they “put on these contests and so we

deserve to be paid for you allowing betting to go on with these games,” then he doesn’t understand that.

betting bill in Ohio, Eklund said that he feels “fairly confident” about his bill.

The legislator further added that he was more open to working with the leagues on the use of official sports data. He said that there might be a place for the league’s “robust statistical gathering process” for legal sports betting in Ohio.

Mobile/online sports betting may be available Even though the bill in question includes mobile and online sports betting that will allow gamblers to sign up remotely, Eklund said that he wants to know what residents of the state think about being able to access sports wagering on their phones. Earlier this year, the senator had shared that despite not being a fan of mobile betting, he was slowly coming around it.

While both O’Brien and Eklund had introduced a placeholder bill on sports betting last year, they did not fill out the language. Currently, the Rules and Reference Committee and the Senate President are deciding on committee assignment options. Eklund said that he and O’Brien would do everything they can to persuade the chairman so that they can start the hearings on the bill as soon as possible. Since no other senator has any intention of introducing a sports

The Casino Control Commission has been chosen as the regulatory body, should sports betting be made legal in Ohio. The senators do not wish the Lottery Commission to be involved as it has expressed no desire in legalizing sports betting in the state.

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Macau Mulls Tourist Tax

he Macau government has been considering the idea of levying a tourist tax to either successfully curb or gain from the hordes of tourists rushing into the region. Bureau Head of Macau Government Tourism Office, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes announced the idea saying that they were currently engaged in a comparative study of similar taxes being put in places such as Venice, Italy, and Japan. At this moment, the study aims to comprehend why these tourist taxes were implemented in the first place and if they’ve had any benefits. However, Fernandes was quick to note that these places weren’t looking to limit their number of visitors but increase their revenue collection to be used for developmental purposes. CEO of MGM China Holdings, Grant Bowie, has said in reply to this

proposition that if tourist taxes were decided to be implemented, it should be used to generate further tourism. He expressed confidence in the sustainable and healthy financial position of the current government of Macau and said that it should consider itself fortunate for the same. Why levy a tourist tax? The news of the tourist tax follows in heels of the rejection of lawmaker, Sulu Sou’s bill which wanted to place a cap on tourism and met unanimous disapproval from the Macau assembly. Sulu had forwarded such a bill as he believed that the saturation of tourists in the city could threaten its infrastructure and put undue pressure on local businesses who’d have to pay higher rents. Macau has arrived at a consensus as a whole that they need to address its proliferating tourism needs better. A cap on tourism would not have

worked as it would have taken away the best income source for the region. A tourist tax could be a possible solution as it would serve a dual function. It would benefit the government financially and help subsidize infrastructure projects as a result. The citizens would gain from more benefits and be able to sustain the system of tourism that they’ve developed over time. As Bowie had stated, using this extra money to sponsor tourism campaigns would help Macau compete with neighboring competitors like the Philippines and South Korea alongside helping the individual concerns of operators like MGM. It is all the more important as both these countries mentioned above have begun to welcome Chinese gamblers who Macau to tends to depend on rather heavily for its gambling revenue.

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Casino Ads in Japan To Be Restricted

apan’s general public spaces will not play host to gambling and casino-related advertisements come the 1st of April 2019, following Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet’s recent ruling. Last week, the Japanese Government reconvened on the almost-year-long discussion regarding the display of casino advertisements in Japan. The Cabinet finally ruled against displaying casino advertisements in all public areas of the island-nation, instead of restricting advertisements related to gambling and betting to international travel zones – in particular air and sea terminals.

The legalities of the matter Japan’s new ruling was first introduced as part of a long list of casino-related ordinances that were first tabled for consideration following the passing of the Integrated Resorts (IR) Implementation Act early last year. The then-proposed ruling covered only casino advertisements by the as-yet-unopened IR casinos in the country, with no clarity regarding the advertisement of non-gambling casino offerings. Cabinet officials are yet to decide on the display of non-casino offerings in the country’s public spaces.

With the new ruling, Japan becomes the second Asian country to implement a restrictive advertising model for its casino industry, following Macau and Mainland China. Macau casinos aren’t allowed to advertise gambling and casino services within the region publicly, but casinos are allowed to promote their nongambling products & services within their resort premises. A similar rule is followed in Mainland China.

According to Cabinet officials, the ruling for restrictive advertising is part of phase two of the market liberalization plan currently being implemented by the Japanese Government. According to the Implementation Bill, three new Las Vegas-style casinos – called Integrated Resorts – will be granted entry into the country and rules will be set-up to regulate this burgeoning market. The ruling is expected

to create an even playing field for each of the three IR commercial partners and ease the liberalization process. The first phase of the market liberalization plan was 2016’s Integrated Resorts Promotional Bill, which legalized casino gambling in the country. Japanese cities interested in hosting any one of the three new IR’s are expected to get their respective jurisdictions regulatory-ready for gambling and casino services. They are also expected to have dedicated zones in airports and harbors, to display casino advertisements. According to reports, Osaka is said to be the first prefecture to begin the bidding process for an IR within the city. Jim Murren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MGM Resorts International is expected to visit Japan in the next few months, to be part of the process. Reports indicate that representatives of Las Vegas Sands and Melco Resorts & Entertainment too will be in Osaka in 2-4 months, for the bidding.

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