Gambling in the USA

Florida governor announces deal with Seminole Tribe on gambling money

Published

6 years ago

April 20, 2018

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Florida Governor Rick Scott has announced an agreement between Seminole Tribe and the state, which would see the company extending its payment of more than $300 million a year as casino money to the state. The announcement comes in the wake of legislative leaders holding behind-the-scenes talks about revamping the gambling industry.

The tribe would keep on making the payments, as per the 2010 gambling agreement, through the 2019 legislative session. In exchange, the tribe will have exclusive rights to offer games such as blackjack at its casinos and will remain the state’s only slot-machine operator outside of Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Scott, who will leave office in January after eight years, said “Today, I am proud to announce that the state of Florida has reached an agreement with the Seminole Tribe which ensures the tribe’s current commitment remains intact.… Since I took office, the Seminole compact (the 2010 agreement) has generated more than $1.75 billion which has helped our state make historic investments in things like Florida’s education and environment.”

This announcement is not expected to scuttle negotiations between House and Senate leaders as they try to enforce a sweeping gambling bill before the November election, when voters will decide whether to allow a constitutional amendment that would make it difficult to expand gambling. The proposed amendment, subject to approval, will allow the voters to decide on future gambling expansions, as opposed to the present system that is controlled by the legislature.

Rep. Jose Oliva and Sen. Bill Galvano, who will take over as House speaker and Senate president after the fall elections, have been in talks for weeks — without the Seminoles at the table — about a possible special session on the gambling issue.

The two leaders are reportedly close to agreement but have not closed out a deal that likely would encompass slot machines, controversial “designated player” card games and myriad other gambling-related issues. Lawmakers’ efforts to reach agreement on major gambling issues have repeatedly failed over the years.

“It’s a positive development but does not rule out a special [session]. There are still many questions regarding the statewide framework of gaming,” Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, said in a text message, referring to the agreement that Scott announced Wednesday with the tribe.

The ongoing discussions between the Republican legislative leaders are “more of a conversation than a negotiation,” Oliva said.

The agreement announced Wednesday would guarantee until May 2019 the continued flow of Seminole cash into the state budget — ostensibly one of the reasons legislative leaders have been floating the idea of holding a special session. But the agreement also could be part of an effort to head off attempts by lawmakers to expand gambling through steps such as allowing slot machines outside of Broward and Miami-Dade.

“It certainly is a positive step. However, we are continuing discussions regarding a special session,” said Galvano, a Bradenton Republican who has been instrumental in negotiating agreements with the Seminoles over the past several years.

The announcement from Scott’s office came after a series of developments that began with the 2015 expiration of one of the critical provisions of the 2010 compact. That provision gave the tribe exclusivity in being able to offer banked card games, such as blackjack.

While the tribe continued making payments to the state after the provision expired, the money was put in jeopardy because of a dispute about lucrative designated-player games at state-regulated pari-mutuel facilities.

A federal judge sided with the tribe in a dispute over whether designated-player games breached the Seminoles’ exclusivity over offering banked card games. The tribe agreed to continue making payments to the state, and gambling regulators promised to “aggressively enforce” the manner in which cardrooms conduct the designated player games.

But a temporary deal between the state and the Seminoles, in which the tribe agreed to continue making the payments, expired late in March, sparking the push for a new round of negotiations.

The Seminoles have never threatened to stop making payments to the state, although their Tallahassee lawyer, Barry Richard, has repeatedly said that is something they could do, given the federal judge’s ruling.

The new agreement “was intended as a level of comfort to anybody in the Legislature or the governor’s office or anywhere else that had any concerns that the tribe was intending to end the payments, which we never intended to do,” he said Wednesday. “So we gave people comfort.”

Source: orlandosentinel.com

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 8-14

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in North America and an Official Partner of Churchill Downs Inc., announced five time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and Grammy award-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo as the headlining performers at FanDuel’s inaugural Kentucky Derby Party. The exclusive, invite-only event will take place on Friday, May 3 at Paristown Arts and Entertainment District in Louisville, Kentucky from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

TPI, a leading provider of innovative player communication solutions for the casino industry, has appointed Joe Tingson as its new Vice President of Customer Success. With his unparalleled dedication to his customers, Joe will play a pivotal role as a leader for our digital Customer Success and Product teams.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, has announced plans for its new 33,000 square foot Atlanta Headquarters, which will be located in the Star Metals Building in Midtown Atlanta. The company plans to grow its workforce by 1000 new jobs over the next seven years, the economic impact of which will be $25M to the state of Georgia.

Century Casinos Inc. has announced that it opened its hotel in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, The Riverview. The Riverview is a 69 room, six-story building with 68,000 square feet that is adjacent to and connected with Century Casino Cape Girardeau. The project cost $30.5 million and was financed with cash on hand.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced the opening of Terre Haute Casino Resort in Terre Haute, Indiana. The $290 million investment includes a casino floor with 1000 slot machines, 36 table games, and a state-of-the-art sportsbook. The 400,000-square-foot entertainment venue also features regionally inspired bars and restaurants including: Four Cornered Steakhouse, Rockwood Bar & Grill, The Soda Shoppe, Crossroads Center Bar and High Limit Bar.

Bragg Gaming Group Inc., a global B2B gaming technology and content provider, announced that Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Ronen Kannor, has notified Bragg’s board of directors (Board) that he will resign from his position to pursue other career opportunities, effective June 3, 2024. The Company confirms that the search for a replacement CFO has commenced.

Partnerships

EQL Games has partnered with global aggregation leader and NeoGames company, Pariplay, to provide the Virginia Lottery, through an agreement with NeoPollard Interactive, with a series of eInstant iLottery games for their industry-leading digital platform.

JACK Entertainment LLC announced the selection of Konami Gaming Inc.’s SYNKROS to power industry-leading systems technology across its 1.5 million square feet of casino entertainment space. The Ohio-based gaming operator’s portfolio includes a combined 2600+ gaming machines and 85 table games at JACK Cleveland Casino in downtown Cleveland, and at JACK Thistledown Racino, located approximately 10 miles to the southeast.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that the company has reunited with the Atlanta Braves as the club’s Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner for the 2024 season. The partnership extends a longstanding relationship that dates back to 2020, with the two Atlanta-based companies continuing to work together on unique opportunities for their dedicated fans.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 1-7

Published

2 weeks ago

April 8, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

International Game Technology PLC (IGT) announced that it will showcase its performance-focused portfolio of games and solutions for tribal casinos at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention (IGA) 2024, April 9-11 in Anaheim, Calif. Under the theme “We’ve Got Game,” IGT’s booth #536 will feature a compelling array of gaming solutions designed to engage players and drive growth.

Caesars Sportsbook announced its receipt of the prestigious RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC). The certification includes an assessment of Caesars Sportsbook’s commitment to Responsible Gaming, including areas such as player and Team Member education, public awareness advertisements and funding for organisations dedicated to Responsible Gaming research, awareness and education.

Veriff, a global identity verification (IDV) provider, announced the appointment of Jeffrey Guy as President and COO. Jeffrey brings a wealth of leadership experience at technology companies in driving profitable growth and expanding product portfolio. Before Veriff, he was Chief Operating Officer at DigitalOcean, a publicly traded cloud computing platform provider.

GAN Limited announced that Mr. Brian Chang has recently been named the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Chang had previously been serving in an interim capacity. Mr. Chang will be focused on guiding the Company towards a timely closing with Sega Sammy Creation Inc. (Sega Sammy).

Partnerships

The Commerce Casino & Hotel, home to the largest poker room in the world, has announced an exciting partnership with the richest, most prestigious and longest-running poker series – the World Series of Poker (WSOP). This collaboration signifies a pivotal moment for the poker community, bringing together two powerhouses to elevate the poker experience for players and fans worldwide.

BetRivers, powered by Rush Street Interactive, a leading US-based online betting and gaming company, has announced its partnership as the title sponsor for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race at Dover Motor Speedway. The BetRivers 200, set for Saturday, April 27, is being undertaken with the Delaware Lottery and marks the beginning of a thrilling new chapter in NASCAR history, as RSI commits to the long-term support of this top tier sporting event.

Elys BMG Group Inc., an interactive gaming and sports betting technology company, announced the completion of its sportsbook installation at The Ugly Mug restaurant and bar situated at 723 8th St SE, in Washington, DC. This collaboration underscores Elys’ commitment to providing unparalleled sports wagering experiences for small and local businesses across America.

SCCG Management has announced a strategic partnership with mkodo, a leading technology provider in the iGaming space. This collaboration is set to distribute mkodo’s innovative geolocation product, GeoLocs and other leading solutions across the US and key global markets, including Brazil, leveraging SCCG’s robust market presence and industry expertise.

Prove Identity Inc. announced a strategic partnership with BetMGM, a sports betting and iGaming leader, to enhance the security and user experience for BetMGM customers through the cutting-edge Prove Pre-Fill identity solution. Prove Pre-Fill accelerates digital consumer onboarding by up to 79% and is used by more than 1000 businesses globally across diversified industries, including 9 of the top 10 banks.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – March 25-31

Published

3 weeks ago

April 1, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

Bragg Gaming Group is now registered as an approved service provider by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, allowing for the distribution of online casino games, including Bragg’s proprietary and exclusive games portfolio, via the Bragg HUB aggregation platform to operators in the soon-to-be-launched LatAm iGaming market.

PENN Entertainment announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Anuj Dhanda to the Board, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. Dhanda’s appointment expands the size of the Board to ten members, nine of whom satisfy the standards for director independence under the current Listing Rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

SlotsCalendar has launched its tailor-made platform for American users: https://www.slotscalendar.us. The brand’s clear aim is to provide a digital environment where impartial and informative content is optimised specifically for the American market.

MGM Resorts International announced that it proposes to offer $750,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2032. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the notes to repay existing indebtedness, including its outstanding 6.750% senior notes due 2025. Pending such use, the Company may invest the net proceeds in short-term interest-bearing accounts, securities, or similar investments.

Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, announced that it has been certified by the State of Wisconsin Division of Gaming as a gaming-related contractor with immediate effect.

Win Systems is going to participate in the next edition of GAT with its exclusive distributor in Colombia, Comercializadora Selan S.A.S. The event will be held in Cartagena de India on April 10–11, and the company’s booth will be A11.

Pragmatic Play is set to make another appearance at a Latin American exhibition, at GAT Expo in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The gaming provider will be on stand A31 and A32 to showcase its diverse portfolio, including Slots, Live Casino, Virtual Sports and Bingo content, alongside its new Sportsbook offering.

Partnerships

DraftKings announced an expanded relationship with Kindbridge Behavioural Health to provide access to therapy and treatment for problem gaming in every jurisdiction where DraftKings operates its online sportsbook and iGaming products. DraftKings and Kindbridge originally joined forces in September 2023 to launch a pilot programme to deliver personalised support for sports bettors in Colorado.

The Connecticut Lottery, in partnership with Fanatics Betting and Gaming, the online and retail sports betting subsidiary of Fanatics Holdings, has opened a new retail sportsbook location at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport. The exciting new location is more than 2300 square feet and features betting windows, self-service betting kiosks from Suzohapp and high-definition TVs situated all around the sportsbook.

The Texas Lottery and Texas Motor Speedway have joined together again to rev up luck for lottery players and racing fans through the new LUCKY 7s scratch ticket game. The new $5 game features chances to win a $100,000 top prize and integrates a series of promotional second-chance drawings. The drawings give players with non-winning tickets a chance to win exclusive Texas Motor Speedway prizes.