Wynn Resorts has successfully secured a substantial $2.4 billion construction facility to fund the development of its much-anticipated Wynn Al Marjan Island, the first integrated resort to be built in the United Arab Emirates. This deal represents the largest hospitality financing transaction ever in the UAE, underscoring the scale and ambition of the project. Located in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, the resort is situated...
Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after admitting to stealing nearly $17 million from the baseball superstar. The money was stolen to cover Mizuhara’s extensive gambling debts, which had accumulated over several years. In addition to his prison sentence, Mizuhara was ordered to pay restitution of $17 million to Ohtani and $1.1...
New Jersey lawmakers are pushing forward with a new bill that could change the penalties for underage gambling, reducing them from criminal offenses to civil violations. This proposed shift would mean young people caught gambling under the age of 21 would no longer face potential jail time or a criminal record. Instead, they would be subject to fines. The bill, which recently passed...
On February 4, 2025, the Mount Washington Valley in New Hampshire welcomed a new entertainment landmark. Hundreds of excited attendees gathered for the grand opening of Revo Casino and Social House, located at 234 White Mountain Highway in Conway. This new addition is part of Revo’s expanding network of casinos in the state, joining its existing locations in Dover, Lebanon, Manchester, and Keene. A...
Robinhood has decided to halt its newly introduced Super Bowl betting contracts just one day after launch, following a request from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The online brokerage had rolled out the product in partnership with derivatives exchange Kalshi, but regulatory concerns quickly led to its suspension. The CFTC’s request comes amid increasing scrutiny of event-based trading...
The Asian Poker Tour (APT) has officially unveiled its 2025 festival calendar, promising a series of high-stakes tournaments across key Asian locations. The tour, sponsored by Natural8, will feature five major stops in three different destinations throughout the year, including highly anticipated events in the Philippines, Taiwan, and South Korea. The first stop of the APT 2025 season will be...
DigiPlus Interactive Corp., a Philippine-based gaming company, is actively seeking a local strategic partner to help launch its online gaming operations in Brazil. The company was granted a license to operate sports betting and online gaming within the country, marking a significant milestone in its global expansion. Pursuit of a strategic partner: Eusebio Tanco, the chairman of DigiPlus, shared in a recent interview that...
Oddfellahs Sportsbook & Bar in Portland, Maine, has been forced to halt its in-person sports betting operations after the state of Maine revoked its temporary gaming license. This decision, which came as a shock to the business, arrives at a particularly sensitive time, just ahead of major sporting events like the Super Bowl and March Madness. For the venue’s owner, Michael Cianchette, and his team,...
In an effort to cater to its growing foreign clientele, Kangwon Land, South Korea’s only casino that permits local patrons, has launched a pilot program for a dedicated “Casino Zone for Foreigners Only.” This initiative is a result of the approval granted in September 2024 to modify the casino’s operating restrictions. The aim is to make the experience more tailored to international visitors...
Mathew Bowyer, a former bookmaker, has publicly shared his role in a high-profile gambling scandal involving Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani. For the first time, Bowyer admitted his involvement in a scheme that led to Mizuhara’s massive gambling losses, which ultimately impacted the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar’s finances. The downfall of a bookmaker and an interpreter’s gambling...