Month: December 2024

The opening of Bally’s casino in Chicago has brought excitement to the city, but this new high. History has shown that the expansion of gaming facilities in Illinois tends to correlate with a surge in individuals seeking treatment for gambling problems. While there hasn’t been an immediate influx of such cases since Bally’s opening, experts anticipate a steady rise in problem gambling cases.

More Bettors Mean Increased Exposure to Gambling Harm

The launch of Bally’s Chicago Casino has seen a strong start, attracting over 80,000 visitors in its first three weeks of operation. However, addiction treatment experts warn that the sudden influx of new gamblers could significantly impact local communities, pushing vulnerable individuals toward gambling harm.

Anita Pindiur, executive director of Way Back Inn, a Maywood treatment center providing recovery programs for various addictions, explains that

Fresh from rebuffing a $11.1 billion takeover offer from MGM Resorts International and prominent land-based and online sportsbook operator Entain is now reportedly attempting to buy a significant portion of Australian sportsbetting giant Tabcorp Holdings Limited for an undisclosed amount.

According to a report from the Bloomberg news service, the London-listed firm behind the United Kingdom’s Ladbokes and Coral-branded estate of land-based bookmakers recently made a non-binding offer for the wagering and media division of its Melbourne-headquartered counterpart so as to give it extra scale in the region.

Domestic dominance:

The news service reported that wagering and media is the second most lucrative branch of Tabcorp Holdings Limited’s overall operation after generating 40% of its revenues for the year to the end of June at approximately $3.98 billion. The Sydney-listed company merged with local rival Tatts Group Limited in 2017 and is now purportedly thought to hold a market share of around 57% courtesy of its estate of over 4,400 land-based sportsbooks spread across Australia.

Rival risk:

Bloomberg reported that Entain, which was previously …

British online and mobile casino software provider iSoftBet has further enhanced its aggregation offering, having partnered with Japanese arcade-style slots provider, Mikado Games Limited.

Under the new deal, a selection of the Asian developer’s Gaming Labs Certified (GLI) RNG games are to join iSoftbet’s aggregation offering of more than 8,000 third-party titles, including the Vietnam-headquartered provider’s skill-based sports games such as Darts Roulette and The Penalty Kid along with its Pachinko slots.

Founded in 2017, Mikado Games has offices in Malta, Vietnam and Japan, and currently has roughly 30 unique titles in its games suite that offer an alternative to narrative-rich options. The developer‘s game categories include puzzle, bingo, sport, shooting, slot and pachinko, and inspired by Japanese anime cartoons.

Market scan:

“iSoftBet’s distinguished aggregation platform adds considerable value to the brand’s name and to our subsequent partnership. We are very satisfied with the agreement and look forward to seeing how our relationship materialises in the months ahead.”

Meridianbet tie-up:

The new …

Gladiator 2’s cast continues to come into focus as a major star has left the movie and more roles have been cast. Deadline reports that Barry Keoghan (Dunkirk, Banshees of Inisherin) has dropped out due to a scheduling conflict. He was due to play Emperor Geta, and that role will now be played by The White Lotus Season 1 actor Fred Hechinger.

Deadline also reported that Gladiator 2 has added new cast members, including May Calamawy (Moon Knight), Lior Raz (Fauda), Derek Jacobi (Gladiator), Peter Mensah (Avatar), and Matt Lucas (Bridesmaids).

They all join a cast that already includes Paul Mescal in the lead role, along with Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Connie Nielsen.

Jacobi played Gracchus in the 2000 original Gladiator, and he is returning to play that part again. Connie Nielsen is coming back, too, reprising her role as Lucilla.

Calamawy, who starred on Moon Knight, is said to have a major role in Gladiator 2. Director Ridley Scott is reported to have conducted a “thorough search” for the role and conducted multiple auditions before officially signing Calamawy. Other actors reportedly got straight offers.

David Scarpa is wri…

As part of Microsoft’s 20th anniversary Xbox celebrations, the company has partnered with high-end fashion company Gucci for a very expensive Xbox.

Microsoft and Gucci created 100 “Xbox by Gucci” Series X consoles and matching controllers that feature Gucci’s iconic designs. The console itself features a laser-cut monogram motif of the famous GG pattern that serves as both Guccio Gucci’s initials and also the popular gaming phrase Good Game.

The controller has blue and red stripes inspired by the brand’s House Web design. The console and controller come inside a hard carry case with blue and red stripes. An Xbox Game Pass subscription is included as well, because of course it is.

Only 100 are being made, and they sell for $10,000 each. You can find them for sale in Gucci’s stores starting on November 17 in New York, Beverly Hills, Mexico City, Milan, London, Berlin, Beijing, and Tokyo.

In other Xbox news, the company’s 20th anniversary event is coming up this Monday, November 15. No game announcements are expected, but Microsoft will look back at the past two decades of Xbox and celebrate the franchise’s accomplishments.

The next big Xbox game …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the study titled, “What happens in Vegas, stays in your lungs: an assessment of fine particulate matter in casinos that prohibit and allow smoking in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA,” which compares the air quality in the non-smoking Park MGM casino, to other casinos that permit smoking.

New Study Advocates for Complete Ban on Smoking in Casinos

The Park MGM casino has been smoke-free since reopening in September 2020, following a six-month shutdown of the Las Vegas Strip due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study released by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims to be the first of its kind, examining air quality and comparing results with other similar casinos that permit smoking.

Authors of the study, Michael A. Tynan, Martin A. Cohen, and Jeffrey R. Harris used a real-time personal aerosol monitor to assess particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), a surrogate for secondhand smoke. Each of the ca…

In a victory for Las Vegas hospitality workers, the Culinary Workers Union announced a groundbreaking tentative deal with Caesars Entertainment, potentially averting a city-wide strike.

Historic Caesars Deal Ushers in New Era of Workers’ Rights in Las Vegas

The deal, described as “historic” by union leaders, includes substantial wage increases in the first year, along with enhanced healthcare and pension benefits. One of the most noteworthy aspects of the agreement is the reduction in workload for housekeepers, marking the first such change in three decades. Additionally, the union successfully negotiated language enabling them to support non-union workers on the Las Vegas Strip, a move seen as a crucial win for workers’ rights.

The news of the Caesars deal has sent ripples of hope through the city, with many workers celebrating the breakthrough. However, the threat of a strike still looms large as negotiations with MGM Resorts International and