Casino News Roundup on 25.10: The Latest From The Casino & Gambling Industry

A man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon outside a casino in Greater Manchester.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “At around 12.50am on Tuesday, 22 October, we responded to reports of a man with a weapon outside a casino on Henshaw Street, Oldham.”

A new casino destination and hotel in Caruthersville, Missouri, with 599 slots and nine live table games, will open on November 1st. 

The announcement was made by Century Casinos and brings a brand-new land-based casino to Missouri.

The casino was located at a temporary pavilion location, but the Missouri Gaming Commission approved the move of the Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville gaming license to the new location at its meeting this week. A ribbon-cutting event will be held at 11.30am Central Time on Friday, November 1. 

Construction started in December 2022 and the estimated cost was in the region of $51.9 million, funded by VICI Properties. The new Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville will double its number of rooms to 74.

There is still some interest in the proposal for a $6 billion casino in Long Island, New York, even though Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Rob Goldstein has raised concerns.   

Concerns revolve around the potential introduction of legal online casinos in the state, which may impact the land-based destinations. 

Goldstein expressed reservations over committing huge capital investment into such a large-scale project when New York could potentially pass gambling legislation by 2026. 

Goldstein said: “We remain interested in the process. You can’t ignore what’s happening in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.”

After months of debate at the committee stage, the Irish Gambling Regulation Bill has been passed by the Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament.

The bill, which has been under discussion for nearly two years, seeks to reform Irish gambling laws and establish a new regulator, the Irish Gambling Regulatory Authority.

Key measures include a ban on gambling with credit cards, restrictions on advertising and bonuses, and the creation of a national gambling self-exclusion programme. While the bill introduces significant reforms, it falls short of some stricter measures that senators had advocated.

Additionally, the bill mandates a levy on gambling operators, which will fund a social impact initiative.

Minister of State for Law Reform, James Browne, expressed his support, stating: "This is an important and effective regulatory tool, as seen in other jurisdictions. It will reassure the public that they are being protected while signalling that the industry is being properly regulated."

After months of considerations over the financial risks of building a massive gambling resort in downtown, industry veteran Peter Carlino sealed the deal. 

The chief executive officer of Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. had reservations over design and worked with Bally’s on a top-to-bottom rethink.

Bally’s announced that Wyomissing, Pennsylvania-based Gaming & Leisure will fund two-thirds of the project’s $1.8 billion cost, allowing the casino operator to stick with a planned opening in September 2026. 

Carlino said: “There’s a great deal of enthusiasm both at the city but also within Bally’s itself, recognizing that this has gotten to be a very cool project.”  

Bally’s will be happy with the deal and further potential deals as Carlino looks to build a casino in New York on the site of a former Donald Trump-owned golf course. 

Carlino summed up his approach by saying, “You kiss a lot of frogs. Every now and then you hit a princess.”