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New Toronto Casino, Ontario iGaming Stifling First Nations Ops Like Great Blue Heron – Seeks Better Deal

new_toronto_casino_ontario_igaming_stifling_first_nations_ops_like_great_blue_heron_seeks_better_dealtijAccording to a report on CTV National News, the owners of the Great Blue Heron Casino, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation (MSIFN), north of Toronto, believe they got a raw deal from the government with the launch of iGaming in Ontario and new land-based operations in the area. The Great Blue Heron Casino is situated in Port Perry and it opened in 1997.

Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto opened recently and the billion-dollar property along with new venues in Ajax and Pickering, not to mention the advent of commercial “free-market” online casino gaming in the Ontarian province, have the First Nations operator more than a little nervous about the future of its operations that provide much-needed revenues for the tribe. Their Chief, Kelly LaRocca. States it a bit more boldly and believes the government has broken promises and shorted the community on agreed-upon operating terms.

Owned Operated and Managed by Three Different Entities

The MSIFN owns the casino which is managed by Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and operated by Great Canadian Entertainment. An agreement by all three parties entered into in 2016, and spelling out the MSIFN’s expectations does not rhyme with the reality on the ground today, according to the Chief.

“I’ve had major concerns around each casino opening and expansion,” LaRocca said. “It’s an existential threat for our economic driver and the community here. The community feels they were misled by the government.”

One bone of contention seems to be live entertainment that Great Canadian has booked at all properties in the area, except presumably Great Blue Heron, with Live Nation even though there is a new entertainment center slated for the older casino. Chief LaRocca said nobody has informed her of an opening date for the 500-seat venue, but other reports indicate an opening in the fall of this year.

The Chief said, “I’m not seeing a guarantee that the list of entertainers will be shared amongst the [Great Canadian Entertainment]

facilities.”

The casino has seen other recent capital improvements including an expanded gaming area with new slot machines and table games as well as a 100-key hotel that opened a free short years ago.

However, the Chief must look out for the welfare of the Nation that relies on revenue from the property it owns – in fact, it’s so important that all of the parties will be involved in a mediation that will take place to see if all the terms of the 2016 agreement are being met. The mediation could also result in more gaming seats being opened at Great Blue Heron to help it meet the targets promised. The casino transitoined from a “charity casino” to a commercial casino in 2016 with the agreement.

According to the Chief, the casino is“the economic foundation and lifeblood of <the>community. It has brought us clean drinking water, enhanced health-care services and education,” she said.

No Delusions about Mediation

LaRocca explained that the community has clarity in their expectations of what mediation can bring,

“You know, if parties come willingly to the table and open to all matters of possibility, then a mediation works well. If parties come to the table closed and with preconceived notions of how things ought to go, with no room for movement, then really, it’s not meaningful open discussion. So we’re just trying to be cautious with what our expectations are and willing to go the distance should we need to go to mediation.”

The Chief says the Pickering casino violates a proximity agreement in the 2016 document and says they were not consulted on that before the Pickering venue was approved and opened.

“We’d like the agreements that we entered into in 2016 to be honored. What that means is to have a protected territory that is honored by the OLG.

“The way they handled Pickering and Ajax… we will be looking for them to acknowledge it and for some kind of compensation for that.”

She’s also concerned about the effect of iGaming on the market, fearing the opportunity for people to simply go online to play casino games is costing them money.

“We’re interested in discussing iGaming and the rollout of that and the impact on gaming in our community, in our facility, and on other land-based facilities,” LaRocca said.

“I’d be mighty upset at the onset of iGaming, especially after having poured in hundreds of millions of dollars into various land-based gaming facilities, only to turn around and have their market share scuttled. But I suspect that the service providers have been compensated for that.”

The 2016 agreements states in part: “The Province and the First Nation intend that the Great Blue Heron continue to operate and be commercially viable.”

However, the Chief sees the proliferation of newer and bigger casinos as an existential threat to the Great Blue Heron.

“The Ford government have broken their word to our community. It’s hurting a lot of Indigenous people and we are going to have to take issue and fight against the cannibalization of gaming.”

Source: Facing commercial competition, Great Blue Heron tribal casino owners look for better deal with Ontario government, CDC Gaming Reports, July 5, 2023

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Curacao Online Casino License Changes Coming End of Summer

curacao_online_casino_license_changes_coming_end_of_summerChanges are coming to the online gambling jurisdiction of Curacao with a new law coming into effect soon. For background and a frame of reference, readers can find more information at the end of this article.

Beginning September 1, all new licenses will be issued by the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB).

At a recent iGB LIVE (iGaming Business conference) Curaçao’s Ministry of Finance, Sixienne Jansen laid out how the online gaming licenses issued by the jurisdiction of Curacao will function beginning on September 1, 2023, under Curacao’s National Ordinance for Games of Chance (LOK).

LOK is Not Yet the Law of the Land

It’s important to note that the LOK is not yet the “law of the land” but binding agreements exist between Curacao and Amsterdam for its content and full implementation. After August this year, new licenses will be issued to the Master License holders under new rules, even though the LOK has not been introduced into parliament yet. In order to ensure continuity, all four Master License holders will automatically receive one of the new licenses on September 1. The license will be provisional and valid for one calendar year.

The LOK will reform how online gambling licensing will work for foreign operators. Nearly all licensed offshore casinos accessible to players in the United States are licensed in and regulated by Curacao.

Under the current law, there are four Master License holders in Curacao and those license holders can issue “sub-licenses” for operators of any game of chance or skill – whether it is poker, table games, bookmaking, online casinos, lottery, or any other form of remote gambling. By some estimates there could be as many as 12,000 gambling operators licensed in Curacao. However, the number of active operators is most likely much smaller

The Curacao government plans to change the entire system in a phased reform without disrupting current business operations.

According to Jansen: “No operator is going to have to pause or stop any business as a result of anything done by the Ministry. One of the primary elements of the transitions into the new regime is to facilitate uninterrupted continuity of all operations of sublicense holders.”

When the LOK actually becomes law, all “sub-licensed” operators will only have 90 days to apply for a new license without regard to any time remaining on their former license. However, Master Licensers will no longer issue any new permits and all interim or provisional licenses will be issued directly by the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB). Those licenses will automatically convert into LOK licenses later on.

New Regime to Comply With International Standards

However, the new regime will be a bit tighter to conform more to international standards. While current license holders already have specific obligations and are investigated by the Master License holders, three forms must be submitted by operators under the LOK whereas the application process under the current regime has never been fully explained to the public.

  • Online Gambling Application:
  • Personal Declaration:
  • Corporate Disclosures:

“Once an applicant has satisfied the GCB in terms of the forms and documentation submission, then a license will be issued,” Jansen said.

“Within 6 months of that license audited policies and procedures will need to be submitted for evaluation.”

The same regulations that apply now will continue to be binding during a 9-month transitional phase so there should be no disruption of business practices for operators.

Jansen explained that operators who don’t wish to participate in the new regime will have ¾ of a year to wind up their businesses under existing regulations: “For those operators who do not wish to move to the new licensing regime, they can continue to conduct business up until the date the relevant master license expires,” said Jansen.

A summary of points regarding the new licenses includes the following:

  • Licenses issued from September 1 will be issued by the GCB under current legislation and regulations and will not immediately be controlled by the LOK as it is not yet the “law of the land”.
  • Sub-licenses will not be issued by the GCB, however, they will still be available from master License holders from September 1, 2023, until the LOK is implemented.
  • New provisions addressing anti-money laundering and responsible gambling will become known to the public as they will be part of the new licenses.
  • Current license holders or those with approval in process should consult with their master licenser for more information on how to proceed – this includes operators whose licenses are currently “on hold”.

Business as Usual – For Now – As Operators Go – New Process Coming

“Contrary to much speculation, there has been no change whatsoever to the legislation or permissions since the minister publicly announced the drafting of the new legislation last November,” said Jansen.

One point bears repeating:
Beginning September 1, all new licenses will be issued by the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB).

The Minister is expected to issue further guidance and more updates in September as well as a new fee structure for operators.

More Information on Curacao Gambling Law

Curacao is an online gambling website license provider and casino regulator with an antiquated and semi-transparent framework that is little understood by laymen and government officials in other nations. In a nutshell, the government has issued “Master Licenses” to four Master Licensers who then accept or reject individual gambling operators and issue “sub-licenses” to online casinos, bookmakers, and other remote gambling providers.

More background on the former “Netherlands Antilles” island shows the difficulty in whether to even call it a country or to explain its relationship with the Netherlands, its independence, or its obligations to the Dutch government.

The following is from Wikipedia and is known to be a true statement: “Following a referendum, and as a result of constitutional change, Curaçao became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on October 10, 2010.”

The further background shows that since that time the kingdom and the government in Amsterdam have wrestled with how to modernize gambling law there and more recently, to bring it more in line with how regulation and gambling law enforcement functions in other jurisdictions.

The Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy. Dutch people can choose who represents them in parliament. The Netherlands is also a constitutional monarchy.

Further complicating the push for reforms from the Dutch government includes the following fact:
“Curaçao has full autonomy on most matters, with the exceptions summed up in the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands under the title “Kingdom affairs”.

It wasn’t until the small island constituency needed assistance from Amsterdam during the world health emergency of the Covid pandemic that the Dutch government was able to exert enough influence over Curacao to “encourage” them to change the way gambling regulation and enforcement is handled and to get them on a timeline to implement those changes.

It is also important to note that the Netherlands itself has only recently reformed its online gambling laws.

The UK’s Law Review is a well-known and trusted website with specific and well-cited information on gambling law around the world. Lawyers there state the following about Dutch online gambling law:
“As of 1 April 2021, remote gambling licenses are available for casino games and sports and horse race betting.”

A more transparent regulatory framework with public and private assurances that it is in line with international standards can only be a good thing for Curacao. More accountability in regard to responsible gambling measures can only improve the player experience. However, until a process for complaints is outlined by the CGB and it is shown to be working on behalf of players, perceptions are not likely to change much.

If the CGB is no more responsive than most of the Master License holders have been to “small” complaints, it will have been an exercise in futility and lip service to the problem of murky terms and conditions including “gotcha” and “God” clauses. As it stands now, only a serious breach of licensing terms will be investigated and the public has no direct knowledge of what those terms might be and rarely if ever learns the result of an intervention.

Source: Curaçao: All master licences to get one-year extension, iGaming Business, July 12, 2023

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City of Dreams Mediterranean is Open in Cyprus – Only Integrated Casino Resort in Europe

city_of_dreams_mediterranean_is_open_in_cyprus_only_integrated_casino_resort_in_europeCity of Dreams Mediterranean officially opened for business this week after five years of planning, building, and outfitting guests for the high-end adventure of a lifetime in Europe’s largest and only integrated casino resort.

The sheer mass and design elements of the building seem to indicate it would be visible from several miles away with a shape reminiscent of a Mayan temple or a well-known tourist landmark in the Middle East, Sheraton Doha. On might even recall A Cancun casino resort.

Despite the similarities in aesthetics from a distance, City of Dreams is much different – inside and out.

Casino Gaming in a Luxury Environment

While a Mayan temple at Chichen Itza may or may not hold grand treasures, the only way most people will leave this property with a small fortune is to enter it with a large one – lady luck notwithstanding.

The hotel has 500 rooms in a range of luxuries and price points but each room is fresh and the accouterments are unique to the property. The development in toto is the first in Cyprus to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating for its sustainability strategy beginning at the design stage.

Architecturally, the development was recently honored by the European Property Awards 2023 for achievements in three categories: Best Hotel Architecture Europe: Best Sustainable Commercial Development Europe, and finally, Best New Hotel Construction & Design Cyprus.

Once you get beyond the strategically placed palm trees and massive pool complex, expect high walls of marble to greet you indoors.

Options include a visit to a diamond boutique, relaxing in a cozy chair and trying on high-end wristwatches, or sorting through designer clothing in one of the retail outlets.

While the description may sound like a world away, the design elements are all tied together with local geo design elements like cobbled floors and paths outdoors, plenty of greenery on the pathways to the largest pool complex in the Mediterranean along with cool blues and other hues that tie it all together and meld it with the local environment.

If you are itching to simply know about the gambling experience, that element needs to be put in its proper context as this is an integrated resort as much as it is a casino surrounded by “distractions”. However, expect to find a modest number of slots – 750, and a modest number of gaming tables – 75. How and where the machines and tables are placed is unique with a mixture of banks of machines and scatters of machines throughout some table gaming areas.

Table game options include the following:

  • American Roulette
  • 3 Card Poker
  • Mini Punto Banco
  • Baccarat
  • Blackjack
  • Casino Stud Poker
  • Russian Poker
  • Texas Hold’em
  • Ultimate Texas Hold’em
  • Omaha

City of Dreams Mediterranean offers gaming in a luxury resort setting rather than obligatory distractions surrounding a money pit to capture revenues. It seems to be designed holistically.

Full days could be spent exploring everything from zip lines to obstacle courses, climbing walls, and trampolines.

Several eateries and other amenities opened on Monday following a soft opening earlier. Expect a few more food, drink, and entertainment venues to open strategically over the coming days, weeks, and months to help keep the property front and center in the minds of visitors and potential visitors.

Not All Is Paradisical Below the Surface

Union organizers and members are upset about policies that seem to be working against employees exercising collective bargaining to get their fair share of the profits that will be left n the machines and on the tables by visitors from all over Europe and the larger world at the Cyprus resort casino.

One union decided to cancel a planned protest at the request of the Labor Minister who had asked organized workers to “refrain from confrontation”. However, another union decided to go ahead with plans to hold a small protest at the property on opening day.

According to local media reports, the problem is systemic and major rather than specific terms of employment, compensation, or benefits for employees at this point. Cyprus Mail reports that Peo Union (Syxpa-Peo branch Neophytos Timinis) would not “back down” until assurances were given that representatives of the union would be given access to the property.

Both Peo and Deok assert that management in the form of Melco, forbids access to union activities in the workplace and will not allow efforts to unionize workers.

Predictably, perhaps, Melco called the protests “unfounded and poorly timed” an obvious reference to opening day. The opening and ongoing success of the casino is important to Cyprus meeting its goals of becoming a well-known tourist destination so it’s no wonder Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou has involved himself directly in the dispute.

On that issue, a Deok union representative said that the labor minister’s intervention would be a turning point towards “fully implementing Cypriot laws and the constitution, that set in stone union liberties.”. With that, Deck union canceled its planned protest.

“The operator of the resort casino needs to realize that its business activities are conducted on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus and it should stop behaving like a state within a state, disrespecting the legal order of its host state,” Deok noted.

Peo union indicated talks were ongoing out of public earshot, but it would hold the course until City of Dreams Mediterranean allows the union access to the resort to work on unionizing employees.

“The how and where can be agreed later, with the minister’s help,” a Peo union rep purportedly told the Cyprus Mail.

Source: The City of Dreams Mediterranean casino resort officially opens on Monday, Cyprus-Mail, July 9, 2023

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Billion Dollar Casino Resort to Open in Ontario as iGaming Suggests Q1 GGR up 350% Y-o-Y

bIllion_dollar_casino_resort_to_open_in_ontarioGreat Canadian Entertainment has announced that Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto is set to open June 20, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. local time. The highly anticipated opening, next to Woodbine Racetrack, will open a huge gaming floor of more than 300,000 square feet and all of the Las Vegas-style amenities Canadians have come to expect from the legacy lottery casino operator.

Meanwhile, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario subsidiary, iGaming Ontario’s (iGO) spokespersons were at the Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto last week and iGO’s Martha Otton, executive director told a panel discussion and its sizable audience that the sectors participants are “crushing it”.

Neither Great Canadian’s press release nor iGaming Ontario’s comments addressed any possibility of unmovable objects being met with irresistible forces.

Landmark Development

Great Canadian Entertainment is betting on its in-person offering of entertainment, massive gaming space with over 4,800 slot machines and 145 table games situated in 328,000 square feet of gaming space – Canada’s largest casinos and one of the biggest in North America capturing in-person-gamblers’ attention and holding it through other amenities as well on 33-acres of fun with a great location near the Highways 401 and 427 interchange.

In addition to innovative modern architecture and a location adjacent to the popular Woodbine Racetrack, visitors will also find a 400-room hotel, a vast array of on-site dining, and a 5,000-person live entertainment venue.

While the new venue there cost some $1 billion it is also expected to generate about $500m in annual economic impact.

Great Canadian Entertainment CEO, Matthew Anfinson said of the opening: “We are thrilled to announce that our highly anticipated new casino will open on June 20. With meticulous attention to detail, state-of-the-art amenities, and a commitment to exceptional guest experiences, our landmark entertainment resort is a game-changer in Toronto,” said the CEO.

The company noted that the existing Casino Woodbine would continue operations without interruption until the new venue opens for a seamless transition. The release also noted that there will be a “PlaySmart Centre on the gaming floor, filled with engaging interactive tools and valuable responsible gambling resources available for all players.”

Ontario iGaming “Crushing It”

While the first quarter of business for iGaming in the province isn’t complete, so there are no final numbers available yet, Martha Otton of iGo told attendees at the Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto on Wednesday that GGR or gross gaming revenues were “3.5 times as large as Q1 last year, “ according to a report on CDC Gaming Reports.

Other panel members discussing the first full year of legalized and regulated iGaming in the province included board chair of iGaming Ontario, Dave Forestell; Ontario Attorney General, Doug Downey, and Tom Mungham, chief executive officer of AGCO – the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario a crown agency responsible for the actual regulation of alcohol, gaming and horse racing sectors and cannabis retail stores in Ontario.

A study commissioned by iGO and provided by Deloitte was released at the discussion which estimates some 12,000 “full-time-equivalent” jobs had been created by liberalizing online gambling in Ontario and had boosted the province’s GDP contribution of some CAD$1.6 billion with $900m of that on labor income.

Of the more than 12,000 jobs, Otton said: “…whether they’re direct or indirect jobs in the market and an average salary well above the provincial average. They’re good jobs for this province coming here.”

The Deloitte report, “Economic Contributions of Ontario’s Regulated iGaming Market,” not only examines the economic impact of a more openly competitive model in the province but also the decision to keep the lottery involved. The former model was run through a hybrid crown corporation with the government being one stakeholder and the Ontario Lottery being the other. The current model brings dozens of competitors to the market while maintaining ties to the lottery.

The Deloitte report projected the potential for an additional 10,000 new jobs, a further boost to $4.7 billion in annual GDP, and the possibility of breaking the $2b mark in government revenues within the first decade of operations.

The report said that igaming employment is over 40% more lucrative than private sector employment with average earnings of over $100,000 per year and noted that some sectors participating include those with skills in mathematics, technology, engineering, and science.

Government sector benefits would include a boost in revenue from last year’s $470 million provincial earrings to nearly one and a half billion in revenue in 2031-32 based on the 20% revenue-share model used in Ontario; federal revenue increasing to ^47m from $238m, and a nearly two-fold increase in revenue for Ontario municipalities from $54m to $115m.

Source: Ontario’s regulated online gaming market generates 12,000 full-time jobs, CAD$1.6B economic impact, in first year, CDC Gaming Reports, June 14, 2023

Great Canadian to open Casino Resort Toronto on June 20, G3 Newswire, June 14, 2023

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Illinois Casino Outlook Steady as New Supply Comes to Market

Outside of Nevada, Illinois is one of the largest land-based casino markets in the US — heft that’s increasing with new venues coming online. A sell-side analyst sees vibrancy in the state’s gaming industry.

Illinois sports betting
Illinois’ casino market is evolving. An analyst believes that’s positive for operators.(Image: OZinOH/Flickr.com)

That’s relevant at a time when Danville, Rockford and Waukegan are homes to new casino hotels and as the debut of a temporary casino – a prelude to a permanent venue – nears in Chicago. Truist Securities gaming analyst Barry Jonas recently returned from visits to a broad swath of Illinois gaming properties, noting management teams are constructive on patrons’ spending patterns against the backdrop of a challenging macroeconomic outlook.

Property management teams noted the Great Recession was driven by excesses beyond players’ means (e.g., customers using equity from their overvalued homes). Trends today are more normal and steady, generally within players’ means,” noted the analyst.

On a year-over-year basis, Illinois gross gaming revenue (GGR) jumped 6.5% in the first three months of this year, but is trending lower in the current quarter as lower tier bettors scale back discretionary spending.

Illinois Casino Market Bracing for New Competitors

When accounting for venues that are either temporary or under construction, there are 16 casinos in Illinois.

Some of the temporary and newer venues come courtesy of tribal operators Hard Rock International (Rcokford) and Wind Creek (East Hazel Crest) as well as Full House Resorts (NASDAQ: FLL). That company The Temporary is already off to a stellar start and will eventually give way to the American Place, which is expected to be one of the operator’s biggest revenue drivers.

By number of venues, Penn Entertainment (NASDAQ: PENN) is the largest operator in Illinois with four casinos. The largest regional casino company is moving riverboat casinos in Aurora and Joliet ashore to what Jonas described as “materially improved locations.”

Among publicly traded gaming companies, Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR) is next largest in Illinois with two properties, which Bally’s (NYSE: BALY) will tie with the debut of Chicago’s first gaming venue in 2026.

Speaking of Bally’s Chicago…

It’s possible that Rhode Island-based Bally’s could have its temporary Chicago casino in the River North open sooner-than-anticipated. Truist’s Jonas called it “the nicest temporary we’ve ever seen.”

The analyst added that the venue could exceed the operator’s forecasts of $50 million in year cash flow, which could prove pertinent as Bally’s looks for ways to finance the $1.7 billion permanent property.

The company “is exploring solutions to fund the project, which will likely include commitment of its own capital, some third-party aid, proceeds from a unique minority-equity plan, and possible real estate monetization elsewhere in the portfolio,” added Jonas. “Given a turbulent few years … management understands the importance of execution on what should turn out to be the flagship property in the company portfolio.”

Previously, Bally’s has engaged in sale-leaseback transactions, indicating it’s not shy about monetizing its real estate.

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