Sports Betting & Gaming India 2018 is one week away

The Sports Betting & Gaming India Summit 2018 (SGBI), will be held on 27 & 28 February 2018 at the beachfront luxury 5-star Park Hyatt Goa Resort & Spa, India. We outlined and defined the potential market that is poised to offer explosive opportunities in a June 2017 special report, Emerging Markets: Sports Betting & Gaming India. As the date is fast approaching this is a 'last call' to operators, providers, and support services companies to make plans to attend this groundbreaking event. Event organizer Eventus-International has spent nearly a year assembling a panel of over forty industry experts and speakers. This virtual brain trust will share knowledge and lead discussions that will focus on every crucial aspect of gaming and betting in preparation for the eventual legalization and regulation of the activities in the home of the world's largest democracy. The agenda will inform in detail on the current situation in the country where potentially hundreds of millions of people bet and gamble illegally with only lotteries and horse racing operating in the daylight. Key stakeholders will examine the case for legislation and regulation with an emphasis on consumer protection, responsible gambling, and the commercial opportunities that would result from a robust legal framework that ensure betting integrity. The platform was designed to facilitate a candid and open debate and discussion on the future of all forms of betting and gambling in the country. Earlier this year, the Law Commission of India produced a public report mandated by the Supreme Court to study the possibility of legalized betting in India. They noted that leaving gambling out of their consideration might make the entire exercise futile as the two are so closely related. The report stated in part: "The recommendation made by the Committee that betting should be legalized by law, involves the enactment of a Law which is a matter that may be examined by the Law Commission and the Government for such action as it may consider necessary in the facts and circumstances of the case." (PDF) Among other issues that the Commission stated needed further study were whether legalized betting and gambling would lower the incidence of illegal activity in the country and if foreign betting and gambling companies should be allowed to 'have a foothold' in India. While the summit is focused on the Indian gaming market rather than the global marketplace, participants are registered from around the globe, showing the great interest in tapping what may become one of the last greenfield opportunities left. In order to make investment decisions, business leaders need to know the current situation as well as what the future holds in India. Eventus International Managing Director, Yudi Soetjiptadi said: "With participants from countries like Australia, Malta, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Germany, South Africa, Taiwan, Philippines, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Latvia, United Arab Emirates, India and many more; SBGI will indeed be a global platform for the gaming market in years to come." Eventus International is an independent professional event producing company that specializes in exhibitions and conferences across Asia and Africa. For more information on the Sports Betting & Gaming India Summit 2018 please visit http://www.sportsbettingevents.com/sbgi-home.html

Viktor Blom wins 2018 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Germany Main Event

Another partypoker LIVE MILLIONS stop is in the books, with the Main Event of the 2018 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Germany having come to an end. It was poker pro Viktor Blom who emerged the victor, defeating Pavel Plesuv to earn the first-place win. The partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Germany series stop was hosted by King's Casino Rosvadov, with several tournaments on offer. Only thirteen players would return for the final day of play and of that number, only eight would move on to the final table.  Blom would start the final table with an elimination after Niko Wieland went all-in with Q-J off-suit. Blom called with pocket aces, sending Wieland out the door when the board fell 2-J-6-9-K. A few more players would be eliminated before Blom would take down his second victim of the final table. Going up against partypoker’s Simao, Blom would call the poker player’s all-in and would put him out in 4th place, narrowing down the table to the final three. Once Rickie Silcock was eliminated in third place by Plesuv, it would leave the event in the heads-up competition round. The heads-up portion would be one to remember. Plesuv would hold the lead initially and gaining a 9 to 1 chip lead at one point during gameplay. However, Blom would chip his way back to the lead and the eventual win. On the final hand, Blom pushed for 35,000,000 and Plesuv called. A check-call was made by Plesuv on the flop of Q-9-K with the 45,000,000 bet of Blom. Plesuv would eventually go all-in and Blom would call with K-6. His king’s held up as Plesuv only had a Q-7 of diamonds, not enough to claim the first place win. The MILLIONS poker tour now moves on with the Grand Final in Barcelona set for this April. Satellites are available for the tour stop now at partypoker. Players who take part in the Grand Final will find the series will be offering a staggering €23 million in guaranteed prize pools spread out among the many events of the series. Final Results:

Place	Player	Prize
First	Viktor Blom	€850,000
Second	Pavel Plesuv	€750,000
Third	Rickie Silcock	€400,000
Fourth	Joao Simao	€280,000
Fifth	Radoslaw Wesierski	€200,000
Sixth	Ondrej Drozd	€140,000
Seventh	Aristeidis Moschonas	€100,000
Eighth	Niko Wieland	€70,000

Brighton casino gets $700k makeover

Genting Casino Brighton has reportedly undergone a more than £500,000 (US$698k) refurbishment including expanded gaming. The major refurbishment of the English seaside resort town located on Preston Street, near Regency Square, has seen the gaming area of the casino expand to two floors, according to local newspaper, The Argus. Other gaming additions include 19 slot machines which can now be enjoyed across one of the venue’s two floors, where popular IGT titles such as Cleopatra Plus, Elephant King and Pixies of the Forest can be found. Also installed within the venue is a new state-of-the-art Baccarat table. Damian Turnbull, the Brighton casino’s GM, said, “We are thrilled to unveil the casino’s brand-new look, as well as the state-of-the-art gaming facilities that we have introduced. “The refurbishment has transformed the look and feel of the casino, creating a more open and sociable space for our customers,” said Turnbull. In celebration of the completed refurbishment project, a Chinese New Year-themed was hosted by the casino, where on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 18, three lucky people were given the chance to win £8,000 (US$11.2k) via a free prize draw. The Argus reports that the general manager said, “The official unveiling event was a huge success and the feedback from those who attended was wholly positive." “We look forward to welcoming many new faces through our doors in Brighton in the near future,” Turnbull added. Genting Casino Brighton, whose parent organizations is Genting Berhad, is operated by Genting Casinos UK Limited, with 40 casinos across the United Kingdom, from Edinburgh to Plymouth.

Boston Officials Opine on Wynn Boston Harbor Casino Resort Future

The last days of January saw a rapid turn of events for one of the most renowned people in the international gambling industry and this was Steve Wynn, who is the former Chief Executive Officer of Wynn Resorts. This shook the industry and now it has the potential to affect the future projects of the company, among which the new $2.4-billion resort casino under construction in Everett, Massachusetts.

Concerned members of the community expressed their position that the project should not continue its development, while officials expressed their position regarding the future job opportunities for the region.

Wynn Boston Harbor is the name of the new gambling resort which has taken over the banks of the Mystic River and turned the formerly occupied by a chemical plant location into a suitable for tourists’ entertainment site. Following the sexual misconduct allegations which emerged with the help of Macau’s gambling regulator, Mr. Wynn opted for filing his resignation from the company’s leading position. However, in the official statement of the company, it was stated that Wynn Resorts is planning to focus on the development of its operations in Las Vegas and Macau, as well as the future one situated in Everett.

The feelings might not be mutual, however, as the voters in the community remain undecided regarding the future of the casino facility. As many as 20 percent of the people who have cast their votes say that they want the project to be permanently stopped, as the region does not need another gaming venue. Another 23 percent of the people who participated in the voting opted for casting their vote on continuing the project under an entirely new management. Something which most of them agree on is that the location should operate under a new name as well, as to avoid associating with its owner whatsoever.

Evaluation of the Future Integrated Resort Project

Shortly after the information was made public, Congressman Michael Capuano claimed that the job positions which the new location is expected to guarantee are what is important in the moment and most beneficial for the community in general. The construction work of Wynn Boston Harbor was projected to give work to up to 4,000 people in its building phase, as well as provide an additional 4,000 jobs for permanent workers.

According to Mr. Capuano, putting an end to the whole development will have a negative impact on the area. In the meantime, Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley stated that gaming might not be the most positive economic development strategy, taking into consideration the problem gambling factor of the industry and how it could affect the region, but there is also the other side of the story. People who rely on this job opportunity should not be negatively affected by the alleged actions of the former CEO of the casino operator.

Whether the location remains a casino resort or ends up becoming a larger commercial building, all workers should be able to be confident in their concrete staff positions. She also supports the idea of changing the name of the location.

The post Boston Officials Opine on Wynn Boston Harbor Casino Resort Future appeared first on Casino News Daily.

Atari to launch alt-coins, expand online casino options with Pariplay

Atari, the legendary arcade game developer of old, quietly confirmed earlier this month that it plans to create a digital currency known as Atari Token. The plan was first mentioned in December but the most recent press release brings some clarity and names a development partner. Atari SA took a 17.5% stake in Infinity Networks Ltd and have licensed their brand to the Gibraltar-based firm. The companies will build a digital entertainment platform on the blockchain with Atari Token acting as currency. Atari noted that it made no cash disbursement in the deal that will see virtual reality and game world creator veteran Ron Dimant, and pioneering derivative trading platform creator Daniel Doll-Steinberg advising. The Infinity Networks platform is still under development. Stock prices for the Paris-based company spiked over 50% after the announcement. According to Bloomberg, other companies have seen their stocks soar after jumping into cryptocurrencies. A formerly unprofitable company once known as Long Island Iced Tea saw its stock value shoot up 183% in one day in December 2017 when it rebranded as Long Blockchain Corp. The long-struggling Eastman Kodak Co., once the world leader in photography but unprepared for the disruption of digital imagery, saw their value go up in a bizarre twist last month as well. Kodak announced that it had partnered with a company to offer a service on the blockchain that pays for paparazzi photos. Kodak stock climbed 245% in two days on the news. Atari also announced that it is expanding its partnership with online casino game developer, aggregator, and platform provider Pariplay to allow gambling with cryptocurrencies. The two companies began working together in late 2014 with the launch of Atari Casino which featured real money gambling games such as Asteroids and Centipede. Online video slots featuring Atari themes and images are now available to all operators using Pariplay services. The latest Atari/Pariplay release was Pong (pictured above) which the companies announced just a few weeks ago. Some of the best online casinos found at leading UK review sites such as www.casinoreviews.co.uk, like NetBet, use Pariplay services. In October 2016 NetBet became the first UKGC licensed casino to accept Bitcoin transactions. Atari said that they will launch a variety of new online casinos with Pariplay that will all accept bets in real money or any of the currently popular cryptocurrencies. All of the new sites will feature Atari/Pariplay slots.  After the first token is established they will launch a second currency, the Pong Token which will be 'dedicated to crypto-casinos and usable on these gaming sites.' A Reuters brief on the project states that details about the launch of crypto-casinos will be announced soon. Atari Chairman and CEO, Frederic Chesnais said: "Blockchain technology is poised to take a very important place in our environment and to transform, if not revolutionize, the current economic ecosystem, especially in the areas of the video game industry and online transactions," according to a Nasdaq GlobeNewswire statement issued in French. It's unclear if the Atari Token will make much of a splash in a pool of more than 1,500 alt-coins already in existence with a total market cap of over half a trillion dollars, but it could well be the impetus the company needs to break out of being perceived as a relic.    

Clark County Witnesses Travelers Profit Surge Prior to ilani Casino Resort Event Center Launch

The region of Clark County in Washington state is experiencing quite the positive surge of profit in the last years and this is a positive tendency which promises strong profits for the year 2018 as well. The news comes only several weeks prior to the official opening of the new facility of the ilani Casino Resort which is going to be a brand new meeting and entertainment center ready to welcome thousands of guests.

The information regarding the growing interest of tourists from near and far towards the location was brought by the most recent report issued by Visit Vancouver USA. This is the destination marketing organization providing information regarding the latest happenings in the area and the bearer of good news for the region. According to the data provided by the organization, the location is enjoying more tourists which in turn propel ahead the development of the local economy.

Jacob Schmidt is Director of Marketing for the City of Vancouver and as he claimed the recent years have seen a steady growth. The year of 2000 saw some $273.5 million generated by tourists in the area and in comparison to the data issued for 2016, the jump is significant. Thanks to the growing popularity of the area of Clark County, the growth of profits reached $472.5 million. These rates are expected to be even higher after the official launch of ilani Casino Resort which took place back in April 2017.

Gambling and Entertainment Offerings in Clark County

The casino resort which is situated some 26 kilometers north of Portland saw its official opening in the spring of 2017, which was closely followed by the launch of the long-anticipated restaurant offerings located at the Waterfront Vancouver in July. For everyone interested in giving the location a try there are two restaurants as well as a 90-foot pier and a park. It is not a secret to anyone that food-providing facilities are among the most popular boosts for the development of a given area and 2016 saw a 25-percent increase to $123.3 million on food purchases in comparison to 2010.

This April is going to see the latest addition to the ilani Casino Resort which is expected to bring an even bigger cash inflow to the region. As a celebration of twelve months of operation, the resort is planning to welcome the brand new event center which will bring big names in the entertainment industry to Clark County and propel ahead the economy. Kara Fox-LaRose, President and General Manager of ilani claimed that the new center will span across 30,000 square feet, as It will feature a 22,000-square-foot Cowlitz Ballroom.

It will be able to host up to 800 people when it is utilized at its banquet-style layout, whereas there is also the option for welcoming as many as 2,500 people when set up for concerts. There will be a pre-function area dedicated for receptions, as well as a boards room, which could be used for meetings with fewer people. The new addition will provide a well-rounded range of offerings able to serve on various occasions, but according to the management, it will not compete with the existing event centers in the area.

All scheduled congregations and concerts will be held at a time, which would not interfere with the Sunlight Supply Amphitheater and the Clark County Event Center, thus preventing the conflicts of events and controlling the city traffic situation.

The post Clark County Witnesses Travelers Profit Surge Prior to ilani Casino Resort Event Center Launch appeared first on Casino News Daily.

Wisconsin man wins $1.23M jackpot at the Freemont in Las Vegas

One Wisconsin man staying at the Freemont Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas reportedly hit an International Game Technology (IGT) (NYSE: IGT) “Wheel of Fortune” jackpot valued at $1.23 million. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that according to a statement from the Boyd Gaming-owned property, the Fremont guest hit the life-changing jackpot at approximately 6:40am last Sunday after having reportedly made a $2 bet on the “Wheel of Fortune” Double 3x4x5x Pay game. The most recent jackpot is reportedly the second one at the Freemont in less than seven months. According to the news agency, a guest identified only as Rodolfo T. hit for $11.8 million on IGT’s Megabucks on Aug. 8 at the hotel and casino located on 200 Fremont Street. IGT progressive jackpots can be paid out either over a number of years in annual installments or offer a lump sum payment that is less than the actual jackpot. Designed by architect Wayne McAllister, the Fremont Hotel opened on May 18, 1956 as the tallest building in the state of Nevada The property was opened at a cost of $6 million and at the time had 155 rooms and was owned by Ed Levinson and Lou Lurie. The property was expanded in 1963 and in 1976 before Sam Boyd purchased it to add to his Boyd Gaming group properties in 1983. Located in downtown Las Vegas, the Freemont is part of the Freemont Street Experience and now features 447 rooms and suites, along with 32,000 square feet of gaming space, 1,000 slots, video poker or keno machines, 24 table games, live keno, and Race and Sports Book. The Freemont’s sister casinos in Las Vegas include the California Hotel Casino on Ogden; Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel on North Main Street; the Orleans Hotel & Casino on West Tropicana Avenue; Gold Coast Hotel & Casino on West Flamingo Road; Suncoast Hotel & Casino on Alta Drive and Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall on Boulder Highway.