Elaine West's latest articles

By Elaine West

Japanese Government Proposes Withholding Tax on Casino Winnings

December 3, 2019

As part of the preparations to usher in Japan’s long-awaited Integrated Resorts (IRs), a number of regulatory developments have been suggested. The new casino regime is expected to be a gamechanger for the country and the government is looking for ways to ensure everything turns out just as expected. One of the most recent proposals […]

By Elaine West

Japan Unveils Nominees for Casino Regulatory Commission

November 15, 2019

On Wednesday, November 13, the Japanese government finally revealed the nominees for the soon-to-be established casino management commission. Referred to as the Casino Management Committee (CMC), the five-member casino management board will be tasked with overseeing and regulating the yet-to-be-launched casino industry. According to a decree that was adopted by the country’s government a month […]

By Elaine West

Yahoo Sports, BetMGM Ink Exclusive Sports Betting Partnership

October 29, 2019

Renowned media and internet company Yahoo has been eyeing the sports betting industry since the United States Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports betting in May 2018. For a long time, the eventual entry of the company into the sports betting industry has been speculated and finally, it has happened. On Tuesday, October […]

By Elaine West

NetEnt Debuts New Network Branded Casino

October 8, 2019

On Monday, October 7, Swedish gambling operator NetEnt debuted a new product that is expected to not only boost the company’s live casino portfolio but also grow its NetEnt Live network of operators. The new product is referred to as the Network Branded Casino and it includes product tiers that offer increasing levels of customization. […]

By Elaine West

Melco Drops Osaka Casino Plans, Shifts Focus to Yokohama

September 20, 2019

On Wednesday, renowned Hong Kong-listed integrated resort developer and operator Melco Resorts & Entertainment announced its new “Yokohama First” strategy which is part of its plans to venture into Japan’s yet-to-be-launched casino market. The casino operator is, therefore, vacating all of its previous efforts to win a casino license ion Osaka, Japan. Even though Melco […]

By Elaine West

Caesars Drops Its Bid for Integrated Resort in Japan

August 30, 2019

Renowned Las Vegas-based gaming and hospitality company Caesars Entertainment Corporation has announced that it will no longer be pursuing its plans to acquire one of the three highly coveted integrated resort (IR) licenses that are to be awarded to worthy operators in Japan. The behemoth gambling operator has now shifted its focus on its current […]

By Elaine West

Luxor Capital Group to Run Ocean Casino Resort Atlantic City

August 13, 2019

New York-based hedge fund Luxor Capital Group has recently obtained interim authorization to operate Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City as its application for a permanent license is reviewed by the gambling regulators in New Jersey. With the interim license, Luxor Capital Group will be able to ramp up operations at the casinos as the […]

By Elaine West

GTA Online Finally Launches Diamond Casino & Resort

July 26, 2019

Rockstar has recently delivered some significant updates to Grand Theft Auto Online. The game’s Diamond Casino & Resort, which remained empty for six years after the launch of GTA Online, finally went live and it is every bit as interesting as anticipated. In addition to new missions and new housing options, the update offers a […]

By Elaine West

Old Tucson Movie Theater May Soon Be Turned into Casino

July 9, 2019

Known for being one of the places in the United States with some of the most lenient laws when it comes to gambling, the state of Arizona has over 20 land-based casinos and the number is still growing. The federally recognized Pascua Yaqui Tribe has reportedly begun pursuing an initiative that will see them launch […]

By Elaine West

New DOJ Wire Act Opinion Stumbles Upon Yet Another Setback

June 21, 2019

For the past several months, the US Department of Justices most recent reinterpretation of the Wire Act has been all the buzz in the gambling industry and this is due to its very significant implications. With a number of states slowly shifting towards online gambling the new opinion was going to extend the applicability of […]