GLI Warns ‘Bad Guys Are Getting Better’
More than 225 attendees from across the country and around the world converged at the iconic Luxor Las Vegas for GLI’s 18th Annual Regulators Roundtable
Among the attendees to GLI’s latest Roundtable were some of the most recognisable and influential Tribal gaming and state government leaders
US REGULATOR NEWS
Presented by GLI University and billed as the largest educational and networking event of its kind for gaming and lottery industry regulators, the two-day conclave is a mix of informative workshops and inspiring general sessions covering a wide range of mission-critical topics, such as advanced game concepts, blockchain technology, skill-based gaming, sports betting, eSports, and technical standards.
A packed general session heard Kerry Bubolz, president of the Vegas Golden Knights NHL hockey team, for an enthusiastically received keynote highlighting the impact the Vegas Golden Knights have had on both Las Vegas and the sport of hockey in their inaugural year.
GLI President and CEO James Maida took the stage with an address focused on the theme, “Everything we do, we do for you.” He said GLI is expanding its already world-class capabilities with four independent organizations – GLI, Bulletproof, Kobetron, and SLI Compliance – united by the common purpose of continually serving clients better. Maida emphasized that GLI’s nearly 30 years of experience, more than 1,100 global employees, and 21 laboratories are unmatched in the industry. Mr. Maida also
Cala Corporation plan James Bond-like undersea structure
Florida
US company, Cala Corporation has signed a construction agreement with Chinese ship- builder, Cosco Dalian, to build a Miami offshore development the size of 14 football pitches.
Cala claims to be in the early discussion stage with casino companies to explore the possibility of co-developing the 120,000sq.ft. gaming space, which is set to include 2,000 slots and 100 tables. Te first location is planned to be permanently moored in international waters off the shore of Miami, within 25 minutes of downtown Miami. Te location is set in international maritime jurisdiction, which means zero taxes and is outside the Federal and State Gambling Laws.
stressed that because “bad guys are getting better,” it’s more imperative than ever for regulators to stay ahead of the game, “because the risks are too high for anything else.” He noted that, based on client feedback, GLI is focused on continuous improvement of people, products, and processes; adding that GLI will be expanding its education through free industry leading webinars, creating a technical point of contact for every regulator, and increasing the number of regional seminars.
Attendees also enjoyed a thought-provoking discussion by Maida and Chad Kornett, GLI’s Director of Technical Compliance, on the future of gaming innovation. Maida and Kornett engaged in a lively interchange covering such hot-button issues as cryptocurrency, sports betting, virtual reality, and the emergence of eSports and skill-based gaming. A highlight of the opening day’s activities was the Innovation Room, where a large crowd of attendees got a glimpse into the future of gaming technology. GLI “brought the lab to you” with up-close-and- personal presentations from Bulletproof and Kobetron. Additionally, students from UNLV’s Center for Gaming Innovation showcased new and emerging technologies.
Te rest of the bizarre press release states the advantages are too many to mention, starting with being open for business 24/7. Not to mention the property's total footprint of 500,000 sq.ft. Te property is designed to accommodate up to 10,000 guests per day, with guest transportation either by tailored fast ferries, several large helicopters, or presumably submersible cars.
From this moment on the company states it will focus exclusively on building offshore casino resorts as the ROI is much higher in respect to land based casino resorts. On an ongoing basis, the company will seek to pre-sell each new property asset to gaming hospitality owners. Cala, meanwhile delayed its 10-Q filing in November, with auditors raising concerns about the company in June of last year. But maybe there is an Ernst Stavro Blofeld out there looking for a new lair?
Canada
Tree Canadian Gateway casinos have been acquired by Mesirow Financial in a deal valued at CA$500m (€313m). Te sale-leaseback involves three properties in the Vancouver area, the Grand Villa Casino Burnaby, Starlight Casino New Westminster and Cascades Casino Langley. Mesirow’s investment arm is now the landlord of the three casinos and some of Gateway’s subsidiaries are now in long- term leases for the properties and will operate them under those leases.
"Tis traditional real estate transaction unlocks significant value and generates cash which the company will use to reduce debt, invest in Gateway's growth, support new developments and job creation and deliver value to our stakeholders," said Gabriel de Alba, Gateway's executive chairman.
US –Merkur Gaming US returns to NIGA in its new venue, Las Vegas, and with a brand new game range created in America, by Americans and for Americans. The new range are creations of Sunshine Games, itself based in Las Vegas and the sister company of Merkur Gaming US. Also featured are game creations from High 5 Games, the internationally famous creators of some of the most popular slots in casino gaming history.
On booth 501 of the North Halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center Merkur Gaming US is all set to, with great pride, present an all new range of ‘created in America’ games from Las Vegas based Sunshine Games. Sunshine Games has just celebrated its first full year of working from its base in Las Vegas.
The company is headed by long time industry veteran Mike Halvorson, Chief Development Officer, who has put together a great and very hard working team of gaming professionals and what they have achieved in such a short time is remarkable. Sunshine Games took just nine months to produce its first games: the first two which, Taco Tuesday and Amulet of the Pharaoh, were previewed at last year’s G2E show.
Mr. Halvorson stated: “The fact is that these games are, as has become something of an in-house mantra, ‘Designed in America, by Americans, for Americans’. That addresses, head on, the sometimes heard objection to new, foreign owned, vendors that want to come to the US gaming landscape, namely, NIH … not invented here.
“Merkur Gaming US understands the absolute need for its own American games style and we are fully utilising the strengths of Sunshine Games and High 5 Games to provide just that. Now we come to the next, and very important, step in our development, the NIGA show in Las Vegas. We will have on display there the range of Sunshine Games creations to date, plus those of High 5 Games, and we very much look forward to the reaction of show visitors to what they can see there and play for themselves,” said Mr. Halvorson.
US –Aristocrat has signed a cross-licensing deal with Grand Vision Gaming, the developer of video lottery products. The deal will see Aristocrat titles Buffalo Deluxe, Miss Kitty Gold and Wild Lepre’ Coins appear in three US limited lottery markets, Montana, South Dakota and West Virginia.
The arrangement also permits GVG to develop and launch a poker version of the More Chilli game in the Louisiana video poker market. GVG has been licensing content with Aristocrat for four years and in that time 13 Aristocrat titles have gone into GVG cabinets for US markets.
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /MARKET DATA P27 NORTH AMERICA
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