Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – January 25-31

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! It was again an eventful week in the USA, despite the still-active virus attack.

Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news, new partnerships and new appointments. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Nevada gambling regulators have granted preliminary approval to the new owners of the Rio hotel-casino to operate the off-Strip property. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the Nevada Gaming Commission’s preliminary finding of suitability for executives of Dreamscape Companies LLC will set the owners up to operate the hotel-casino in a few years.

Playtech PLC has confirmed that it is in exclusive talks to sell its financial division for up to $200 million in cash as part of its simplification plans. Playtech is going to sell Finalto to a consortium backed by Barinboim Group, Leumi Partners, Phoenix Insurance Co and Menora Mivtachim Insurance. The cash offer from the consortium is worth up to $200m, of which $170m is payable on completion.

Caesars Entertainment has announced a strategic investment in the daily fantasy sports platform SuperDraft. With the investment, Caesars takes an initial minority equity position with an option to increase its stake over time up to 100% at pre-determined levels. The partnership positions SuperDraft as an exciting new option and dominant force in the daily fantasy sports industry.

International Game Technology PLC has announced that its PlaySports platform is powering the recently launched FanDuel Sportsbook mobile app in Michigan. IGT PlayDigital PlayCasino games can now be enjoyed by online players throughout Michigan via FanDuel Casino. This PlaySports platform deployment in Michigan marks the ninth state where IGT and FanDuel have teamed up to deliver best-in-class mobile sports betting.

Partnerships

Rush Street Interactive has announced that its flagship brand BetRivers.com has become an official betting partner of the Detroit Pistons by entering into a multi-year partnership with the three-time NBA Championship winning team. The partnership includes a unique and exciting free to play game, Fan Pick’em – presented by BetRivers, where Pistons fans can go directly to the Pistons app to play games and win fabulous prizes.

Betway has renewed its sponsorship agreement with Brazilian esports organisation MIBR. Since the partnership began in 2018, Betway and MIBR have continued to deliver top tier content and unique activations for fans such as the successful “MIBR Stars – Brought to you by Betway” and “Lobby das Estrelas” exhibition events last year, where MIBR players and influencers battled it out on fan-favourite CS:GO maps.

JCM Global has again expanded its relationship with Colonial Downs Group. Colonial has installed JCM’s award-winning iVIZION bill validator and ICB Intelligent Cash Box system at their new Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in the Town of Dumfries, Virginia. The Dumfries location is the fifth Rosie’s in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and JCM’s iVIZION and ICB system protect assets and increase efficiencies at each property.

Appointment

Las Vegas Sands has named its long-serving executive Robert Goldstein as the company’s new chairman and CEO. The appointment comes after American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, who built lavish gambling palaces that made him one of the world’s richest men, died earlier this month at 87. Adelson was Las Vegas Sands’ chairman and chief executive officer since its inception in the late 1980s.

New Launchings

Entercom has announced the launch of BetQL Audio Network. The network, which follows the Company’s recent acquisition of sports data and iGaming affiliate platform QL Gaming Group, will feature sports gambling programming heard across Entercom’s robust portfolio of sports stations, which combined reach nearly 30 million listeners per month, as well as the RADIO.COM app and digital platform.

DraftKings Inc has launched its sportsbook in Virginia. Customers in Virginia will now be able to place bets on a number of markets across professional and collegiate sports using the DraftKings made-in-America digital sportsbook app.