AGA SmartBrief

The California Senate Governmental Organization Committee unanimously voted to advance a bill that would allow sports wagering in the state. The bill would limit players to age 21 and older and prohibit betting on any college team or tournament in the state. The legislation now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee. American City Business Journals (4/25)

St. Charles, Mo., Mayor Sally Faith said that the city may exempt Ameristar Casino from a nonsmoking policy to prevent a decline in Ameristar's business. Ameristar had reported that prohibiting smoking on its gaming floor could drive away customers and cost the casino 30% to 40% of its revenue. "There truly is a value that citizens receive from the gaming dollars and that's why it's so important for us to protect it," Faith said. KMOV-TV (St. Louis) (4/25)

G2E Online will be live on Monday, April 29, with "Drawing a Picture: How Online Gaming Works," featuring Joel Leonoff, executive director/president/CEO, Optimal Payments PLC, and Melissa Blau, director and consultant, iGaming Capital. You can purchase access to the single webinar here or purchase a full G2E Online Fast Pass subscription for only $499, which includes all eight iGaming webinars, archives of conference recordings from G2E 2009 to 2012, including the iGaming Congress and iGaming Conference Track AND the G2E 2013 iGaming Virtual Ticket (a $249 value) streaming live from G2E 2013.

Henry David Thoreau,American author and poet

Mass Gaming & Entertainment outlined its $240 million Worcester, Mass., casino proposal for the Joint Meeting of the Standing Committees on Economic Development and Public Safety. "We believe this casino will be a catalyst for substantial economic development for the city and the Green Island neighborhood, as we have seen with our other properties," MG&E CEO Greg Carlin said. MassLive.com (4/24)

Because its revenue exceeded $180 million, the Kansas Star Casino's contracted tax rate increased from 22% to 24%. The additional tax amounted to $63,998. The casino brought in $52.4 million in revenue for the first quarter. "[Margins] were impacted in the first quarter by higher expenses associated with these new amenities, as well as increased marketing expense," Boyd Chief Operating Officer Paul Chakmak said. "Marketing spend was unusually low during Kansas Star's introductory period in early 2012, and this quarter's results reflect more realistic customer reinvestment levels." The Wichita Eagle (Kan.) (4/24)

Data from the South Dakota Gaming Commission shows that earnings from table games such as blackjack and house-banked poker have increased every month since the $1,000 bet limit was legalized in Deadwood, S.D., 10 months ago. "The higher limit has been an advantage from the very beginning and it seems to be continuing that way," said Deadwood Economic Development Director Chuck Turbiville. Capital Journal (Pierre, S.D.) (4/24)

Matthew Levinson, appointed last year as chairman of New Jersey's Casino Control Commission, guarantees that he will execute fair play among the casinos in Atlantic City to boost the gaming market. "You can't overregulate any industry. If you overregulate, you lose a lot of possible investors," Levinson said. "But you don't underregulate, because you need to keep the integrity of casinos and the businesses. New Jersey does a great job. Our integrity is second to none." Las Vegas Review-Journal (4/25)

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa plans to initiate an online gambling operation in Atlantic City, N.J., as soon as regulations are in place. "We intend to be among the first to offer online gambling in the state of New Jersey and are confident the Borgata brand will allow us to capture a substantial share of this lucrative market,"said Boyd Gaming President and CEO Keith Smith. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (4/25)

Hard Rock International, a Seminole-owned casino-entertainment company, said Wednesday that it is making an investment in New Jersey's Meadowlands Racetrack in hopes of enhancing gambling opportunities in the region. "Our company welcomes this opportunity and looks forward to leveraging our brand to potentially expand the region's gaming offerings and sports betting through this alliance," said Hard Rock Chairman Jim Allen. Connecticut Post (Fairfield County-Bridgeport) (4/24)

The Mashpee Wampanaoag tribe's revised gambling compact with Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has been stalled in the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies for several weeks. "The House does not have an interest in a hearing on the gaming compact. I would certainly want to hear it. These folks have come a long way. They've worked very hard for this. I would certainly be willing to hear it," said state Sen. Gale Candaras, Senate chairwoman of the committee. The Herald News (Fall River, Mass.) (4/25)

Following the Indiana House's passage of a bill that would limit tax breaks and prevent live table games at racinos, the president of the Casino Association of Indiana said the state should instead focus on investing and hiring. "It would be better if the whole idea shifted to jobs, opportunity, economic development and away from just how much government is going to take in the form of taxation," Mike Smith said. Bloomberg Businessweek (4/24)

If you are a new or mid-level casino manager, the Gaming Management Certificate Program at G2E Asia 2013 (May 21-23 at the Venetian Macao) is the best platform to gain career-advancing knowledge. At this day-long program, attendees will participate in thorough discussions with distinguished professors from University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and the UNLV Singapore Campus along with the University of Macau. Register for this dynamic program today.

George Bernard Shaw,Irish playwright

Caesars Entertainment Corp. announced that it will spin off some of its operations into a new growth-oriented company, which is expected to raise as much as $1.2 billion from shareholder investments. Caesars Growth Partners already has received a combined pledge of $500 million from Caesars owners TPG Capital and Apollo Management as capital for future projects. The new firm is set to take control of Caesars' interactive gaming operations, the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, which is currently in development. Las Vegas Review-Journal (4/24)

Springfield, Mass., Mayor Domenic Sarno said Tuesday that a casino referendum proposed for June 25 would take place at a later date because the City Council is not likely to finalize development negotiations in time to issue the required two-month notice of the vote. City officials had originally chosen the date to coincide with the special election to replace a U.S. senator so it could reduce election costs and take advantage of voter turnout. The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.) (4/23)

The Legend Bay Resort casino proposed by developer Olympia Gaming was granted a special use permit Monday when Sparks, Nev., City Councilman Ed Lawson withdrew an appeal of the permit. Olympia has yet to announce a start date for the construction of the casino resort, which will include a 60,000-square-foot casino and two 100-room hotels. KOLO-TV (Reno, Nev.) (4/23)

Mohegan Sun Massachusetts expects to have an agreement with the town of Palmer in July on its proposed $775 million casino project, which will include a hotel with a retail and lifestyle center. Mohegan Sun has appeared at community meetings and held "Community Conversations" to reach out to Palmer residents ahead of the town's September referendum. American City Business Journals (4/23)

Rachel Deaner, finance director for Perryville, Md., made note Tuesday of Hollywood Casino's support of local programs through state-regulated "local impact grants," which give a percentage of the slot-generated money to the town. The funding, which will provide more than $1.7 million in fiscal year 2014, could help Perryville realize its plan to establish a town center complex with a recreation center, Mayor Jim Eberhardt said. Patch.com (4/23)

Michelle Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, said that the state has not granted Revel casino tax breaks because the company hasn't submitted final documentation. "Under the (Economic Redevelopment Growth) agreement, no funds have been paid to Revel by the state," Brown said, adding that final documentation is needed "before such funds can be paid." The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.) (4/23)