Casino News Roundup for January 21: Global Gambling Industry Updates

MGM Resorts International has announced an increase in resort and parking fees at its Las Vegas Strip properties, effective Wednesday. 

• The changes, initially revealed in December, will affect several MGM properties along the resort corridor: 
• Bellagio, Aria Resort & Casino, Vdara, & The Cosmopolitan: Daily resort fees will rise by $5 to $55.
• MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, and Delano: Daily fees will increase to $50—a $5 hike for the first three properties and an $8 increase for the last three.
• New York-New York, Luxor, & Excalibur: Resort fees will rise to $45. 

In addition to the resort fee adjustments, self-parking fees for guests will see an increase to $20 on weekdays and $25 on weekends, with hotel guests now paying $20 daily, up $2 from the previous rate. 

MGM cited industry standards and the growing costs of bundled amenities as key reasons for the price increase. 

December 2024 marked a historic month for Pennsylvania's online casino market, generating a record $223.6 million in gross revenue—a year-over-year increase of 35.5%.

Key highlights from the report include online slots which dominated with $164.2 million, led by Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, and online table games which brought in $56.9 million.

Despite the booming casino side, online sports betting faced a steep decline, dropping 69.8% compared to the previous December, with revenues falling to $21.9 million from $72.5 million. 

FanDuel and DraftKings struggled, with dramatic revenue decreases reported for both platforms. Overall taxable gaming revenue for December reached $533.1 million, slightly down 0.2% year-over-year. 

In a significant development, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has confirmed that Thailand will allocate casino operating licenses through an open bidding process. 

The government aims to establish integrated entertainment complexes, where casinos will occupy less than 10% of the total space. 

Key objectives of this initiative include: 

• JobCreation: Projected to generate approximately 20,000 jobs per site. 
• Tourism Boost: Expected to attract over 40 million annual visitors. 
• Economic Growth: Aimed at alleviating national debt and improving living standards. 

The complex will feature a variety of attractions, including sports stadiums, conference halls, water parks, and ice-skating rinks. 

BetMGM has secured an exclusive multi-year partnership with Fremantle, gaining rights for the iconic game shows The Price is Right and Family Feud. This exciting collaboration will allow BetMGM to create customized online casino content based on these popular brands.  

BetMGM plans to unveil innovative partnership integrations during selected seasons of the shows, aiming to enhance the player experience significantly.

According to BetMGM’s CEO, Adam Greenblatt, this partnership opens doors for extensive brand collaboration and entertainment opportunities for fans.

Pragmatic Play has become the exclusive provider of dedicated live casino tables for Flutter's UK and Irish-facing brands, including Paddy Power and Betfair.

This deal includes the implementation of Pragmatic Play's Smart Studio solution, allowing for tailored game branding and bespoke game creation for specific audiences.

Irina Cornides, Pragmatic Play's COO, emphasized the shared commitment to delivering exceptional player experiences. Flutter’s Commercial Director highlighted the importance of innovation in customer engagement through this strategic partnership.

Star Entertainment Group's CEO, Steve McCann, has urgently requested tax relief from the Queensland and NSW governments as the casino chain faces potential bankruptcy within weeks. 

The company is reportedly burning through $50 million per month and has warned that failure to secure a tax exemption could lead to the closure of multiple venues, jeopardizing 9,000 jobs.