Global Gaming Blog
The world is like a reverse casino. In a casino, if you gamble long enough, you're certainly going to lose. But in the real world, where the only thing you're gambling is, say, your time or your embarrassment, then the more stuff you do, the more you give luck a chance to find you" - Scott Adams
Global Gaming Blog
Richard Branson quote
"With the casino and the beds, our passengers will have at least two ways to get lucky on one of our flights" Richard Branson
Global Gaming Blog
Resorts World and MGM Grand Employees Subpoenaed in Widening Justice Dept Probe
A federal investigation of Southern California bookie Wayne Nix's gambling ring has expanded to Las Vegas.
Resorts World and MGM Grand employees have been subpoenaed, sources tell the Daily Mail.
In recent weeks, federal agents from California visited Resorts World Las Vegas as part of its widening probe into the sports betting ring operated by, Nix, a former minor league baseball player. Nix client base included a Who's Who of Hollywood celebrities and sports figures - players and coaches - according to court filings.
High-stakes gambler-turned-FBI confidential source, RJ Cipriani, began naming names a few weeks ago prior to the Nevada Current substantiating the probe into misuse of casino assets to allegedly pay off sports betting debts. Some of those under investigation may also have acted as agents.
And it gets even worse. Allegations include high level Vegas employees providing customer data to illegal bookmaking business.
Among those named by Cipriani, one Jeremiah Chambers, has since left his role as senior director for customer development at the Cosmopolitan casino, Gambling911.com was able to confirm.
Sources now tell the Daily Mail that more that a dozen employees of Resorts World and the MGM Grand have been subpoenaed in recent weeks.
The Nevada Gaming Board says it is aware of the probe but cannot offer any comments at this time.
Agents with Homeland Securities Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigations are leading the probe for prosecutors in the US Central District of California, sources say.
'We have no comment,' a spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles told DailyMail.com.
News
TOP 5 SPORTS-THEMED CASINO GAMES
Sports have been integral to our culture for centuries, intertwining nations, communities, and individuals in a shared passion. They represent more than just games; they evoke memories, instil pride, and sometimes even define identities. It is no wonder that the powerful influence of sports has made its way into various sectors, most notably, the expanding online casino industry.
In the vast landscape of online casinos, sports-themed slot games have emerged as a dominant trend. These games are not mere adaptations; they encapsulate sports fervour, strategy, and spirit, delivering an unmatched gaming experience.
Football: Champions Cup
With its universal appeal, football has undeniably found a significant place in the casino industry. Football: Champions Cup, developed by NetEnt, leads this charge. Player’s step into the shoes of footballers, aiming for penalties and attempting to score big. It evokes the raw passion of football matches, and its graphics and sound effects offer an immersive experience.
Basketball Star
Shifting the spotlight to the courts, Basketball Star is another sensation. Created by Microgaming, this game features over 240 ways to win. Vibrant graphics showcase basketball players in action, with icons ranging from gold medals to water bottles. Its Rolling Reels feature ensures players stay engaged, eagerly waiting for the next move.
Horse Racing Slot
The sheer excitement of horse racing has been well-translated into the casino setting. Horse Racing Slot captures the thrill of watching these majestic creatures sprint toward the finish line.
Detailed animations and authentic sound effects make players feel as if they’re in the midst of an actual race, cheering for their chosen stallion. What adds depth to this game is its strategic element; players need to study each horse’s form, akin to real-life betting.
Golden Tour
Playtech crafts the game and brings the calm and strategy of golf into a vibrant slot game. The game uses golf-related icons, from golf carts to clubs, to create a realistic ambiance. But the real game-changer is its unique bonus feature.
Players who land three or more of the same golf equipment symbols are transported to a bonus round that allows them to choose from a driver and an iron and then put out on the green. Success in this round can lead to impressive payouts, mirroring the rewards of a successful game of golf.
Rugby Star
Rounding off the list is Rugby Star, another gem from Microgaming. This game brings the rugged action of rugby to the casino floor. The sharp graphics portray players, stadiums, and boots with acute precision. With over 240 ways to win, it remains a popular choice. Its standout feature is the Wild Pass, which can transform up to two reels into full wilds, dramatically increasing winning potential.
Final Words
While the games above showcase the rich tapestry of sports-themed casino offerings, there’s a wide world to explore. Each game presents its own challenges and rewards, promising monetary gains and a chance to relive the fervour of iconic sports moments. As players traverse these virtual fields, courts, and tracks, they’re treated to an experience that seamlessly marries two distinct worlds.
Engaging in sports-themed casino games is about more than just winning; it’s about being part of a journey. Whether you’re a football fan, a basketball enthusiast, or someone with a penchant for horse racing, there’s a game tailored just for you.
Global Gaming Blog
Streaming Media Business
News
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ price increases on the way
Embattled and once iconic content creator and movie producer Disney announced the changes in a Wednesday media release.
Commencing Sept. 6, the Disney+ Premium and Hulu bundle will cost $19.99USD per month. Additional plans change Oct. 12.
Disney+ alone with no ads to be billed at $13.99/month, a $2 increase, or $139.99 annually. Disney+ with adverts will remain $7.99 monthly, with no annual option.
Hulu alone with no adverts will jump $3 to $17.99 per month or $79.99 annually. Hulu with ads remains $7.99 monthly and Disney+ with ads can be added for $2 extra.
An ESPN+ add-on will be $10.99 per month. ESPN+ alone will increase $1 to $10.99 per month or $109.99 annually. This service contains adverts. UFC pay-per-views run an additional $79.99 per event.
Ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundles remain $9.99 per month. All three services together with ads increases $2 to $14.99 per month but the trifecta with ad-free Disney+ and Hulu increases by $5 to $19.99.
Hulu with ads and Live TV will go up $70 to $76.99 monthly and Hulu with no ads and Live TV goes up $2 to $84.99 per month.
Current subscribers can keep their current rates until December renewals unless they choose to switch to lower priced plans ahead of time. Additional standard ad-supported and ad-free packages will be available in international markets.
Disney+ launched in 2019. Disney acquired the majority stake in Hulu when it acquired 20th Century Fox that same year. ESPN was already a Disney-owned network.
Sources: ESPN/AP/Wires/Wikipedia. X Leaks. Blogs, Influencers
#streaming #streamingbiz #streamingentertainment #streamingmedia #disney #espn #espnplus #hula #entertainment #entertainmentnews #movies #movienews #streamingnews #biz #showbiz #subscription #TV #popculture #news #media
WWE Social Media
Twitter August 10 2023
"I'm sure your all glad I didn't give Heyman one of the C-4 energy drinks!".. - Triple H @TripleH at WWE @WWE SummerSlam 2023 press conference #TripleH #quote #PaulHeyman #WWE #WWESummerSlam #wwepress #wwemedia #SummerSlam #wrestling #wrestlingnews #c4 #energydrink #energydrinks #beverage #caffeine #product #sponsor #sponsors #sponsorship #buzz #socialmedia #sportsbiz #sportsbusiness #popculture #socialmedia #trend #media
Twitter Post August 11 2023
X @X formally Twitter influencer and content news:
'Elon Musk, you beauty': Indian influencers after earning from X's ad revenue sharing scheme
Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) says the ads revenue sharing scheme is part of its effort to 'help people earn a living directly on X'.
Several Indian influencers on X (formerly Twitter) shared their delight at the social media giant sharing a part of its advertising revenue with them as part of the company’s new scheme. Select content creators on the social media platform will be eligible to get a part of the advertising revenue the company earns, X owner Elon Musk had said.
The content creators will get a share of revenue from ads displayed in their replies, X had announced, adding that to be eligible the creators should be verified users with at least five million impressions on their posts in each of the last three months and must have a Stripe account.
Zorro co-founder Abhishek Asthana, better known as “Gabbar Singh” to his 1.4 million followers, shared a screenshot of a message saying he was going to be paid over Rs 2.09 lakh by Twitter.
“Blue tick ke paise vasool (Blue Tick is bang for the buck),” he wrote.
The Media Man Group is still learning the ins and outs of making strong income via X, "But we're making progress step by step, with a very steep learning curve", per Media Man spokesperson
#X #XTwitter #Xcontent #Xcreators #twitter #contentcreators #contentcreation #contentbiz #creators #creatornews #influencers #India #AbhishekAsthana #GabbarSingh #ElonMusk #disruptor #disrupt #disruption #innovator #bizmodel #businessmodel #socialmedia #socialmedianews #socialmedianews #socialmediatrends #socialmediawars #socialplatforms #platforms #platformnews #biz #biztrends #trend #trends #technews #biznews #newsmedia #media #mediaman #mediamanint
Streaming Entertainment News:
Amazon is preparing for the release of 'The Wheel of Time' Season 2 @TheWheelOfTime and internet and cafe buzz has commenced...
Prime Video shared a new teaser for the season Wednesday and announced Season 2 will have a three-episode premiere.
The Wheel of Time is a fantasy drama based on the Robert Jordan book series. Season 2 is based on the second novel in the series, The Great Hunt, with elements of the third book, The Dragon Reborn.
The show follows Rand al'Thor (Josha Stradowski), a hero known as the "Dragon Reborn," as he is guided by the sorceress Moiraine (Rosamund Pike).
The new teaser shows Moiraine (Pike) warn that, "We didn't defeat the Dark One. We set his strongest lieutenant free."
Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins, Madeleine Madden, Marcus Rutherford, Dónal Finn and Ceara Coveney also star.
#wheeloftime #wheeloftime2 #amazon #amazonprime #primevideo #prime #streaming #streamingnews #streamingbiz #streamingcontent #newrelease #streamingnews #entertainment #entertainmentnews #popculture #time #media
It's War! Underdog Fantasy Founder Tears Into DraftKings, FanDuel, Says New Sportsbook Coming
Underdog Fantasy founder Jeremy Levy is not about to sit down and let the likes of DraftKings and FanDuel roll over him.
In recent weeks, representatives from FanDuel in particular accused Underdog Fantasy of operating an online sports betting platform under the guise of a Daily Fantasy Sports site.
Levy tweeted on Wednesday:
"I couldn’t be more excited about Underdog. BBM IV's the largest fantasy contest ever. Our Pick’em games are wildly popular. Our new vision for sports betting comes soon. @FanDuel & @DraftKings want to take all that away from you. You should know what they’re trying to do."
Levy has accused both companies of working behind the scenes to undermine Underdog.
"FanDuel and DraftKings are coordinating their lobbyists, market power, partners and years of political contributions to try to stop us and other fantasy companies. Why? We’re beating them in fantasy, and we’re not stopping there.
"They can’t raise their own game because they can’t innovate. If you’ve seen their Best Ball product vs ours, you get it. If you’ve been limited to near-zero on their stale casino sportsbooks, you get it.
"FanDuel and DraftKings are having conversations in back rooms across the country. They don’t want this to be out in the open because the truth embarrasses them. They've become just like the establishment we fought - together - years ago to save fantasy sports.
"FanDuel and DraftKings have been trying for the past year to slow us, but they're failing because our games operate squarely within the laws. Our games are approved by regulators and defined as fantasy in many states, including those where they regulate both fantasy and betting."
Underdog Fantasy has already surpassed FanDuel Fantasy in overall downloads in the last twelve months. PrizePicks has surpassed both FanDuel Fantasy and DraftKings Fantasy.
"This fight could determine the future of sports games. On one side, innovators like us, PrizePicks, and Sleeper. On the other side, the FanDuel/DraftKings monopoly trying to make it so your only choice is to play with them. Make no mistake, if they win, that’s the future.
"We’re not turning away from the fight. We’re named Underdog for a reason. Though FanDuel and DraftKings want us distracted from our mission, we won't let that happen. What’s most important is that we keep building sports games for you to enjoy. We'll continue to do just that."
Levy's remarks come one week after the state of Wyoming appears to have bowed to the FanDuel/DraftKings duopoly, ordering both Underdog Fantasy and PrizePicks to leave the state.
“The Wyoming Gaming Commission became aware that your business offers gambling on sporting events to Wyoming residents,” both letters read, “Specifically, your business purports to offer fantasy sports contests but, in reality, the offering appears to fall under the exact definition of “sports wagering” as defined in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 9-24-101(a)(xii). This offering may violate Wyoming’s gambling laws found inWyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 6-7-101 through -104, §§ 9-24-101 through -106, and Wyoming Gaming Commission’s Online Sports Wagering Rules, Chapters 1 through -9.” (Gambling911)
Global Gaming Blog
New Station Casinos property in Las Vegas sets opening date: Durango Casino & Resort, Station Casinos’ latest hotel-casino under development in the southwest valley, is expected to open on a Monday, Nov. 20, executives announced during an earnings call.
Global Gaming Blog
Inside Asia Gaming
IAG ANNOUNCES 67 JUDGES NOW CONFIRMED FOR 2023 IAG ACADEMY IR AWARDS
Manila, 2 August 2023 – Inside Asian Gaming is pleased to announce there are now 67 judges confirmed to lend their expertise on the Judging Panel for the upcoming 2023 IAG Academy IR Awards.
The Awards are to be held at The Ballroom at Hilton Manila, Newport World Resorts, on the evening of Wednesday 13 September, and consist of 20 Awards categories plus a special induction ceremony as part of the IAG Academy Hall of Honor, which will including Rising Stars, Industry Icons and a special Outstanding CEO Award.
For more information on the Awards, please visit iagacad.com and navigate to the “IR AWARDS” menu.
The 67 judges comprise some of the most experienced minds in the business representing a variety of sectors including operators, suppliers, lawyers, consultants, media and more. The full list of confirmed judges so far is as follows:
Andrew W Scott, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Inside Asian Gaming (Judging Panel Chairman)
Sérgio de Almeida Correia, Lawyer, Private Notary, ACS Macau Lawyers
Sandy Amida, Senior Director of Operations – Table Games, Newport World Resorts
Dennis Andreaci, Senior Vice President – Casino, Hann Casino Resort
Ben Blaschke, Managing Editor, Inside Asian Gaming
Thomas Borman, SVP Electronic Games, Galaxy Macau
Harmen Brenninkmeijer, Managing Partner, NYCE International Ltd
Andy Caras-Altas, CEO, TraffGen Global
Jerry Chan, SVP Electronic Gaming & Special Projects, Okada Manila
Tony Chan, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, Asia Pioneer Entertainment
Greg Chase, Head of XM Pros Community & Experience Management (XM) Catalyst, XM Institute
Michael Cheers, Sales Director – Asia, IGT
Nelson Cheung, Systems Sales Manager – Asia, IGT
Charles Choy, Co-Chairman, Macau Beer Co
Jay Chun, Chairman, Paradise Entertainment Limited
Carlo Climaco, Vice President Operations, Premium Leisure Corp
Carlos Eduardo Coelho, Partner, MdME
Rui Cunha, Founding Partner, C&C Lawyers
Rui Pedro Cunha, Director & General Manager, C&C Lawyers
Jeffrey Evora, President and Chief Operating Officer, Winford Manila Resort and Casino
Ashley Fong, Product Planning and Strategy Manager, Aristocrat
Maulin Gandhi, President, Tangam Systems
Fredric Gushin, Managing Director, Spectrum Gaming Group
Trevor Hammond, SVP Gaming and Integrated Resort Operations, NUSTAR
Michael Hu, President – Asia Pacific, Interblock Asia Pacific Pty Ltd
Dennis Hudson, Senior Director VP Table Games, Newport World Resorts
Ian Hughes, CEO, GLI Australia
Peter Jenkins, Group Executive External Affairs, Star Entertainment Group
Michael Johansen, President, Resorts World at Sea
Sudhir Kalé, Founder and Principal, GamePlan Consultants
Andy Kobel, Senior Vice President – Gaming, Sands China Limited
Herris Kocibelli, Managing Director, HWK Trading Co Ltd
Joji Kokuryo, Managing Director, Bay City Ventures Ltd
Lorraine Koo, Corporate Chief Operating Officer, Dowinn Group
Michael Krispli, Vice President, EGM Operations, NUSTAR
Keijiro Kan, President, Angel Macau Ltd
Liviano Lacchia, Senior Vice President HR Business Partner, Galaxy Entertainment Group
Matthew Lai, Vice President, International Business Leader, Everi Holdings Inc
Desmond Lam, College Master and Professor, University of Macau
Manida Lau, Vice President, Business Solutions & Premium Marketing Operations, Okada Manila
Andy Lee, Deputy COO, StarWorld Hotel and Casino
Olivia Lee, Director of Business Development, Mega Fortris Group of Companies
António Lobo Vilela, Gaming Lawyer, Macau
Walter Mactal, Chief Legal and Admin Officer, Newport World Resorts
Jonathan Mazurek, Assistant SVP, Galaxy Entertainment Group
Jeff Mann, Managing Director, MegaSportsWorld
Shaun McCamley, Founder & Managing Partner, Euro Pacific Asia Consulting Ltd
Greg Meares, Vice President of Engineering and Facilities, MGM China
Scott Messinger, Vice President of Brand Marketing, Benchmark Solutions
Niall Murray, Chairman, Murray International (Macau) Co. Ltd.
Jamie Nettleton, Partner, Addisons
Wendy Ni, Vice President of Strategic Marketing, Okada Manila
Rui Pinto Proença, Managing Partner, MdME
Lloyd Robson, General Manager – Asia, Aristocrat
Chris Rogers, Founder and CEO, East2West Solutions
Trevor Ross, Sales Director – Asia, Light and Wonder
Robert Scott, Vice President – Hotel Operations, Okada Manila
Charles Seo, Senior Director, Product Management – APAC, IGT
Tim Shepherd, Director, Fortuna Investments
Angel Sueiro, Chief Operating Officer, PH Resorts Group
Chen Si, Chief Operating Officer, Inspire Entertainment Resort
Alan Teo, COO, Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc
Raymond Voon, Senior Vice President – Customer Services, Galaxy Entertainment Group
Ian Wood, Business Development Manager, Synectics Systems (Asia) Ltd
Raymond Yap, Corporate Director – International Premium Market Development, Galaxy Entertainment Group
Betty Zhao, Chief Operating Officer, LT Game
Michael Zhu, EVP, Apple Brook Colorado LLC
About Inside Asian Gaming
Inside Asian Gaming is Asia’s leading B2B digital and print media brand for the gaming, resort and entertainment industry. It has the highest website traffic, social media following, digital newsletter distribution and print magazine distribution of any such brand.
Founded in 2005, IAG has a broad business editorial focus on the Asian gaming and integrated resort industry. It is widely distributed to industry executives throughout Macau and the rest of Asia in two formats: a monthly English and traditional Chinese fully bilingual digital and print magazine and a daily English language e-newsletter titled IAG Breakfast Briefing, delivered at 8am Macau time in English and 11am in traditional Chinese each weekday. IAG also publishes special magazine editions for G2E Asia each May and the Asian Gaming Power 50 each November.
IAG produces all original content. As well as almost always being the first media outlet to publish breaking industry news, the deep domain knowledge our journalists have accumulated from as far back as the 1980s allows IAG to offer highly insightful opinion pieces and analysis of industry news. We do not aggregate media content or copy from other media outlets. Conversely, IAG is often the original source (sometimes credited, more often not!) of many stories published around the world covering the Asian IR and gaming industry.
In January 2019, Inside Asian Gaming launched IAG Japan to cover the then-burgeoning Integrated Resort industry in Japan. For just over three years from January 2019 to January 2022, at the height of international interest in operating a Japanese integrated resort, IAG Japan had two formats: a monthly Japanese and English fully bilingual digital magazine and a daily Japanese language e-newsletter titled IAG Daily Briefing. International industry interest in operating in Japan has since waned considerably, so after the January 2022 issue of IAG Japan was released we discontinued the Japanese language version of the monthly magazine, but we still issue our Japanese language IAG Daily Briefing when major Japan-related news breaks.
Since 2008 IAG has been renowned for publishing “The Asian Gaming Power 50”. Anxiously awaited each year, The Asian Gaming Power 50 is an annual ranking of the 50 most influential and prominent Asian gaming industry leaders and executives. The Asian Gaming Power 50 is celebrated each November with IAG organizing a glamorous Black Tie Gala Dinner in a Macau Integrated Resort ballroom. The gala dinner ballroom location rotates annually amongst Macau’s six Integrated Resort concessionaires, although it was held at City of Dreams Manila in 2022 due to the pandemic.
IAG produces Macau After Dark and Manila After Dark (both known as “MAD”), a series of casual industry networking social event held in both Macau and Manila every quarter. MAD brings together key industry decision-makers, including operators, suppliers and other industry executives.
IAG launched the IAG Academy – then known as the Integrated Resorts Academy Asia (IRAA) – in November 2021, as its educational arm. It was rebranded as the IAG Academy in July 2023. In the months and years ahead, the IAG Academy will be delivering educational services for the APAC Integrated Resort industry both through its website with online learning and by producing live in-person educational and thought leadership events, with the goal of advancing professionalism within the industry. The IAG Academy will also play a role in recognizing the contributions of those people who make up our industry.
IAG is the Lead Media and Production Partner for G2E Asia, including G2E Asia Special Edition: Singapore, G2E Asia @ the Philippines and the G2E Asia Online Conferences. This role includes managing the entire conference at G2E Asia events.
We also publish G2E Asia Daily, the daily newspaper of G2E Asia, and co-organize the G2E Asia Awards with Reed Exhibitions.
IAG is the Lead Media Partner for the MGS Entertainment Show, held each November in Macau. We also publish MGS Daily, the daily newspaper of the MGS Entertainment Show.
IAG is the Asian Lead Media Partner for ICE London. We publish The Daily Download, the official daily digital record of ICE Asia.
In addition to being the Lead Media Partner for various major industry trade shows throughout Asia, IAG is an official media partner of dozens of leisure and gaming industry events held across every continent of the world.
IAG attends numerous industry trade shows and international conferences and seminars across Asia and throughout the world, including ICE in London in February, G2E Asia in Macau in May, G2E Asia Special Edition: Singapore, AGE in Sydney in August, G2E in Las Vegas in October, MGS in Macau in November and various developing shows covering the Japanese IR industry in Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka. Our Vice Chairman and CEO Andrew W Scott and our Managing Editor Ben Blaschke variously chair, moderate and speak at such conferences and seminars.
IAG has produced a range of industry conferences and seminars such as the Cambodia International Gaming Conference on behalf of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia, sessions for the G2E Asia conference and the MGS Entertainment Show conference, and the highly acclaimed “Strategy and Leadership for Personal and Business Success” seminar series.
IAG Consulting is IAG’s consulting business unit, which offers consulting and revenue support services for businesses exploring or operating in the Asian gaming and Integrated Resort industry. IAG Consulting also produces tailor-made training and education programs (and has been commissioned by Philippines regulator PAGCOR to do so) and organizes events on behalf of our clients, such as product launches, seminars and social events.