After months of waiting, like abandoned fun houses in fairs closed down for winter, casinos are to reopen in Las Vegas. What this means for the future of poker during the age of Coronavirus is, as yet, unclear, but one thing is for sure – the doors have been thrown open and one way or another, seats at poker tables will be filled.

The announcement that Las Vegas would be able to welcome players back to live poker is something that has been greeted with a mixture of feelings right across the poker industry. The reactions range from some recreational players being overjoyed that they can return to playing the game they love, through nervous anticipation of a changed game, up to plaintive misgivings on behalf of many of the top pros, who state simply that they won’t be returning no matter what until the threat of the virus is over.

Sorry dude, precisely zero chance that happens unfortunately! I don’t leave the house. At all.

— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) June 18, 2020

For many, however, news such as that which was shared by Mike Williams, Director of Poker Operations at the Bellagio in downtown Las Vegas was manna from poker heaven.

It’s finally official! @BellagioPoker will be opening at 10am tomorrow morning! 6handed live action play on 23 tables. Open 24-7!

— Mike Williams (@MikeWPokr) June 18, 2020

The Bellagio wasn’t the only poker room to announce its re-opening, nor was it first to do so, But it is a huge name in the game and many will see it as a leading casino paving the way for others to follow suit.

The ARIA poker room is also re-opening, although the home of Poker Central events such as the Super High Roller Bowl and Poker Masters events is not opening its doors until the start of July.

We are thrilled to share that ARIA Las Vegas will reopen its doors on July 1, 2020. We can't wait to welcome you #BacktoVegas, safely. For room reservations: https://t.co/SGRKDGT9aX pic.twitter.com/HKivDmmGWb

— ARIA Las Vegas (@AriaLV) June 9, 2020

That news was responded to with overwhelmingly positive comments, apart from the odd negative response such as, “Welcome to ARIA. What happens here stays here… except COVID19. That sh*t goes home with you and kills your loved ones.”

With any casinos that remain closed now under financial pressure to re-open, let alone the fact that not only will they be affected by short-term losses but potential long-term losses of custom as players go elsewhere, live poker is at a pivotal point in time.

If Las Vegas were to host a $100,000-entry tournament at ARIA next week with a $10 million guarantee, how many players would attend? Would they overlay, or would they fill every seat of the 100 needed to break even?

The pressure on Las Vegas casinos to follow suit after the Bellagio and ARIA have re-opened will be immense. With 119,000 deaths in the United States from COIVD-19, including 462 in the state of Nevada alone, players are on the fence about a return to the tables. With plexiglass separators and generally 6-Max poker only, adapting to the new way of playing poker may take some time. For some casinos, they don’t have that time. 

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Greentube, the major online casino content supplier part of the NOVOMATIC Interactive group, is bound for Portuguese expansion with its latest B2B partnership.

The company announced today that it has launched its online slots portfolio with Estoril Sol Digital, the online gaming platform of Portuguese casino operator Estoril Sol.

RELATED: Greentube Extends Mozzartbet Relationship with Romanian Launch

The move has strengthened Greentube’s footprint in the regulated Portuguese iGaming market.

Estoril Sol’s digital operation has initially integrated Greentube’s 30 best performing games in the Portuguese iGaming space, including hit titles like Book of Ra deluxe, Lucky Lady’s Charm deluxe, Sizzling Hot deluxe, and Lord of the Ocean.

More globally popular NOVOMATIC games that have proved popular with players and land-based casinos and have been artfully adapted by Greentube for the online gaming market are expected to be added to Estoril Sol Digital’s roster of offering in the coming weeks and months.

The Portuguese casino operator will also soon add a host of Greentube’s innovative interactive content, it became known.

The launch of Greentube content with Estoril Sol is part of Greentube’s existing partnership with Belgian iGaming provider Gaming1, which powers the Portuguese operator’s online casino business.

Estoril Sol’s digital gambling brand, ESC Online, was the first operation to obtain a license from Portugal’s gambling regulator SRIJ following the reorganization of the local market. ESC Online was launched in 2016 and has maintained a leadership position in the Portuguese space since then.

ESC Online’s parent company is one of Portugal’s largest operators of land-based casinos.

Another Significant Step

Commenting on their partnership with Estoril Sol, Greentube CGO and CFO Michael Bauer said that the alliance with such a “distinguished operator in the Portuguese market” marks another significant step in his company’s expansion strategy and adds another reputable brand to their local client network.

Mr. Bauer went on to say that thanks to the popularity of their top performing games across Portugal’s land-based casinos, they have rapidly built a vast player base in the online sector, “which is shaping up to be a pillar of our European business.”

Estoril Sol Digital CEO Rui Magalhães praised Greentube for its “unique blend of both classic and innovative titles” that capture “a range of customer segments from traditional slot fans to modern players” and noted that the provider’s portfolio is the perfect match for their online gaming platform.

The executive added that as an operator that has a strong land-based casino heritage, Greentube’s collection of retail favorites will make for an “important addition to our online offering as we look to accelerate growth of our digital brand and offer our customers a premium interactive experience.”

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Online gambling software provider BetConstruct this week obtained a license from the Swedish Gambling Authority to provide its sportsbook and casino products in the regulated Swedish market.

The newly issued online gaming and betting license enables BetConstruct to operate in Sweden and to supply its now locally licensed products to those of its partners that are exploring growth opportunities in the Swedish iGaming and digital sports betting space.

BetConstruct’s entry into Sweden is the latest step in the company’s strategy to constantly grow its regulated presence.

Aside from the recently granted license from Spelinspektionen in Sweden, BetConstruct also currently holds licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, France’s gambling regulator ARJEL, and the gambling regulators of Italy, the Isle of Man, and Romania as well as of South Africa.

BetConstruct boasts a wide range of betting and iGaming software products. The company’s sportsbook provides its customers’ bettors with 45,000 live matches that are available in more than 20 languages. The software provider also delivers sophisticated eSports and virtual sports products.

Its casino suite features more than 6,500 casino games from BetConstruct and a number of other major content suppliers. BetConstruct’s portfolio also includes live casino products, skill games, keno, poker, and a number of other solutions.

Offering Secure and Reliable Environment

Commenting on their launch in Sweden, BetConstruct CEO Vigen Badalyan said that while “this has been a long and arduous road”, they feel honored to have regulatory OK from the Swedish Gambling Authority.

Mr. Badalyan added that entering Sweden, their operator partners will be able to benefit from BetConstruct’s software in a “secure and reliable environment and as seamlessly as in other regulations.”

The recently obtained Swedish license comes as the latest of a host of regulatory announcements made by BetConstruct in recent weeks. Late last month, the company announced that the Malta Gaming Authority has licensed its in-house developed virtual sports games.

The new approval enabled the provider to deliver these games under its own license as well as deliver virtual betting to operators licensed by the regulator under white label, turnkey, or API solutions.

BetConstruct’s virtual sports portfolio currently includes eight games.

The Maltese regulator has also recently licensed BetConstruct’s gaming suite. Its range of games includes some of the world’s most popular gaming titles as well as region-specific products. World-famous dice game Farkle, Keno, multiplier hit Blast and prediction titles such as Striker and Big Hi-Lo were among the provider’s games to have recently been licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority.

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The New Jersey Casino Control Commission (CCC) will not include the pending merger of casino operators Caesars Entertainment Corp. and Eldorado Resorts on its next meeting’s agenda, according to sources.

The commission is scheduled to meet June 10. It is one of the few regulators that still need to rule on the $17.3 billion mega-deal, the other being gaming regulatory bodies in Indiana and Nevada.

Reports about the CCC not including the proposed tie-up in the list of topics and issues to be discussed at its upcoming meeting emerged several weeks after Eldorado’s CEO, Tom Reeg, said he was optimistic they will obtain all the necessary regulatory approvals before the end of June and that their merger with Caesars was on track to close by mid-2020. Mr. Reeg will lead the combined operator.

The coronavirus pandemic delayed several meeting of the New Jersey casino regulator. Back in March when the crisis had just begun, the state Division of Gaming Enforcement that the earliest it could recommend approval of the multi-billion tie-up was in early May.

That would have meant that the CCC would not have been able to assess and rule on the Eldorado’s proposed takeover of its larger fellow casino operator before mid-May. However, a new timeframe is clearly being pursued.

Regulators Say They Need Enough Time to Review Merger

The only chance for the CCC to clear the deal this month is by calling an emergency meeting later in June. New Jersey casino regulators have pointed out that they need enough time to consider the matter.

The deal still needs to approval from the Federal Trade Commission, as well.

Many believed that New Jersey would be one of the biggest hurdles before Eldorado and Caesars’ plan to combine their operations. The enlarged group would have owned four of Atlantic City’s nine operational casinos and this would have certainly prompted competition concerns.

However, Eldorado and Caesars alleviated those concerns in April when they announced the sale of three casinos, including Bally’s Atlantic City, to Twin River Worldwide Holdings in a $180 million deal. So, it is a bit odd that the New Jersey casino regulator is delaying its decision on the proposed merger.

As mentioned earlier, the mega-deal also needs regulatory green light from the Indiana Gaming Commission and Nevada gaming regulators.

The Indiana regulator is set to meet in mid-June, but it is yet to be seen whether commission members will vote on the Caesars-Eldorado combination. The Nevada Gaming Control Board’s next meeting is set to take place June 10, while the state Gaming Commission is scheduled to meet June 25.

Both Caesars and Eldorado have reopened some of their properties across several states as restrictions imposed to help curb the spread of the coronavirus are gradually being eased across the nation.

The two companies will also be able to reopen their properties in Las Vegas and across Nevada from June 4 after Gov. Steve Sisolak allowed gambling venues to resume operations after staying closed for more than two months.

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More than possibly any other time in recent history, people need a vacation. Between global pandemics and massive riots, stress levels are at a new high and getting away from it all might just be what the doctor ordered. Fortunately, planning a trip could be more economically feasible now, which is welcome news to everyone who has been forced to lead more frugal lives. For many looking to get away from it all, there’s good news – some travel agencies are offering discounts of up to 65%.

It’s worth pointing out that the discounts may not be available for everyone in all geographic regions, so “your mileage may vary.” However, the Daily Mail points out that it has found a number of travel agencies offering significant cuts in package deals that will certainly make travelers happy. For example, it provides an example of a two-night trip to Paris (the one in France, not the one in Texas) from Travel Zoo that will run the traveler just £79 ($99), which is up to 64% off the normal price. In addition, UK travel agency Tui has a three-night all-inclusive trip to Bulgaria in July for £296 ($371), instead of the normal £543 ($680). Want to head to Spain’s Canary Islands? £394 ($493), not £606 ($759) like it normally costs.

Of course, there is still reason to be a little reluctant to plan any travel. While international travel is beginning to see daylight again, it hasn’t yet been completely authorized without restrictions, and some travelers may find that their vacation plans are forced to be called off if the situation doesn’t improve rapidly. According to Rory Boland of Which? Travel, “If consumers are keen to book something now they should go into it with their eyes open. If the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) advice is still in place when their holiday is due to take place, they will get a refund, but there’s a good chance they will be waiting a long time. Holiday providers need to make it clear to their customers that these holidays may not take place.”

If anyone decides to take advantage of any available discounts, they need to make sure they know the rules before making a purchase. Ask about refund policies if the trip is canceled due to changes in government responses to the coronavirus, as well as any potential quarantine requirements or other restrictions. If a travel agency isn’t willing to share the information or doesn’t know, it would be a good idea to take business elsewhere.

Tui thinks that there won’t be restrictions in place for too much longer, and could be pulled before the end of the month. That would be great news for vacationers, as well as the businesses around the world that rely on tourism to survive. Tui spokesperson Liz Edwards explains, “We believe we will be having summer holidays this year, hopefully from July. We hope the quarantine will be lifted, but air bridges are certainly a possibility. Bookings have been really picking up. Spain, Greece, Cyprus are likely to open up first. The Canaries and Balearics are keen to welcome back tourists.”

Hopefully, she’s not wrong so the world can start returning to normal soon.

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