AGA SmartBrief

A U.S. District Court judge has given tentative approval to the casino projects of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians in California. The Interior Department was expected to proceed with land transfers for both tribal projects today. "(This) allows us to return our focus to where it belongs: bringing jobs, business opportunities, and community investment to our tribe and Madera," said Elaine Bethel-Fink, the North Fork Rancheria's tribal chairwoman. The Fresno Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (1/31)

The construction of Wynn Resorts' casino resort in Macau's Cotai Strip will begin on Feb. 11. Chairman Steve Wynn said that work to stabilize the site of the resort has already been completed. "We're the first (light-rail) stop on Cotai between the ferry terminal and the airport. The stop is right at the middle of the lake we're building that's roughly the size of Bellagio," Wynn said of the design details of the casino project, which may cost up to $4 billion. VegasInc.com (Las Vegas) (1/31)

MGM Resorts International has signed a deal with Cadillac Fairview Corporation for a joint bid to build and manage a casino in the Greater Toronto Area. "We knew that when we started down this path in Toronto, we knew that we would be looking for local partners in varying sizes and of varying roles, this one is the most important of all. This is our side-by-side 50/50 partner ... this was the really critical component," said Alan Feldman, a senior vice president at MGM. Toronto Sun (1/31)

Francis Tam, Macau's secretary of economy and finance, said that casinos in the gaming hub will get 250 new table games this year. Las Vegas Sands will receive 200 gaming tables, while Galaxy Macau will get 50. "So the government will only give 250 new tables for the new projects, and all the existing projects in the existing casinos will not get any new tables this year," Tam said. Macau Daily Times (Macau) (2/1)

As a part of its "All In for the Environment" campaign, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released a paper, titled "The Commercial Gaming Industry's Commitment to Environmental Sustainability," quantifying the substantial commitments to environmental sustainability and energy conservation made by the commercial gaming industry. The AGA also added new content to its website, including an infographic illustrating key findings from the report and case studies highlighting the specific efforts of individual gaming companies. To read the case studies and download the paper or infographic, visit the AGA website.

The audit and post-show survey for G2E 2012 have been completed and the results are overwhelmingly positive. Check out today's press release for more information and remember to save the date for G2E 2013, taking place Sept. 23-26 (Exhibits: Sept. 24-26) at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.

F. Scott Fitzgerald,American writer

Lottery software creator Scientific Games Corp. is set to buy its smaller rival WMS Industries Inc. for $1.42 billion in cash and debt. The acquisition will allow Scientific Games to quickly move into slots, video poker and arcade-type games, according to executives. Chicago Tribune (tiered subscription model) (1/31)

Casinos in Deadwood, S.D., reported a 9% year-to-year jump in total gross revenue for December. The city took in $107.3 million in gross revenues in 2012, compared with $100.8 million in 2011. "Those are really encouraging numbers for Deadwood. I think what we're seeing is the economy is starting to get a little bit better. People feel more confident in their futures," said Chuck Turbiville, president of Deadwood Lead Economic Development. The Black Hills Pioneer (Spearfish, S.D.) (1/30)

Pinnacle Entertainment has finalized a deal to purchase a 75.5% stake in Pinnacle Retama Partners, which owns the racing license for Retama Park Racetrack in Selma, Texas. The Las Vegas-based company also forged a deal with Retama Development Corp. to operate the track. "We will immediately begin work to integrate Retama Park into our portfolio and look forward to leveraging Pinnacle's operational and marketing expertise to improve the track's operating performance," Pinnacle Entertainment President and CEO Anthony Sanfilippo said. American City Business Journals (1/30)

Sports gambling is proving to be a huge business in Nevada. According to the state Gaming Control Board, a total of $2.8 billion was wagered by casino visitors on sporting events in 2011. Joe Asher, William Hill's CEO of U.S. operations, said the company is now working to improve its mobile sports betting apps and increase its kiosks statewide. "Mobile and kiosks are so important to the future of this business in Nevada because (we) need to keep up with technology. Customers also want the convenience," Asher said. Las Vegas Review-Journal (1/30)

The City Council of Davenport, Iowa, has unanimously voted in favor of Ingenus Management and Consulting and Financial District Properties, which seeks to build a casino by an interstate highway and a satellite boutique casino in the city's downtown. "The commitment to the downtown is still there, and we will work with them on the development that may or may not include a boutique casino," Alderman Bill Boom said. Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa) (1/30)

International Game Technology has entered into an agreement to supply Saskatchewan's provincial lottery with 1,375 video lottery terminals. The installation of the gaming terminals in the province will begin soon. Las Vegas Review-Journal (1/30)

More than 6 in 10 respondents to the Courier-Journal Bluegrass Poll supported the prospect of casinos in Kentucky. "Poll after poll has shown that Kentuckians not only want to vote on a gaming amendment, but that they would approve it," said Gov. Steve Beshear. The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.) (tiered subscription model) (1/30)

New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said state Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan to place three casinos upstate is "still evolving" after he and other state legislative leaders held a closed-door meeting Wednesday with Cuomo. During the meeting, Cuomo said state lawmakers need to approve legislation on casino plans and locations. "What we are looking for: eligible regions, eligible counties," Cuomo said. Poughkeepsie Journal (N.Y.) (1/30)

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief George Tiger said the tribe is making design plans for an expansion of its River Spirit Casino in Tulsa, Okla. The expansion includes more gaming space as well as hotel rooms and meeting venues. "We will be making public announcements about this project in the very near future, which will include the introduction of internationally known hospitality brand names not currently in the area," Tiger said. Tulsa World (Okla.) (1/30)

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has approved the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians' request for an expanded liquor license for its casino resort in Santa Ynez, Calif. The tribe wants to serve liquor at its buffet-style restaurant and at a showroom for specific events. The Lompoc Record (Calif.) (1/30)

The $3.5 billion Baha Mar resort project in the Bahamas is on track to open in December 2014, said Baha Mar Ltd. Senior Vice President Robert Sands. The casino-hotel will include 1,000 rooms and three other properties with 1,200 rooms total that will open in spring 2015. The complex will eventually total 3,450 rooms including previously existing properties and the largest gaming facility in the Caribbean at 100,000 square feet. Travel Weekly (1/29)

A recent AGA white paper, "Online Gambling Five Years After UIGEA," examines the state of the online gambling market in the United States and around the world and the principal public policy concerns surrounding online gambling -- ensuring the integrity of the games, respecting territorial limits, excluding underage gamblers and implementing responsible gaming programs -- and how they can be addressed successfully with regulation and new technology. The paper concludes that Congress has a unique opportunity to build a comprehensive policy that includes the licensing and regulation of online poker. Download the full paper here.

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