Inside Asian Gaming

43 March 2013 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS virtual rings and bracelets just like at real WSOP events, plus there are VIP rooms to explore and pro status levels that can only be unlocked with skill.” Hills Taking Full Ownership of Online William Hill will pay £424 million (US$636 million/HK$4.93 billion) to buy out Playtech and take full control of its booming global online business. The UK’s largest bookmaker plans to raise about £375 million pounds in a rights offering to help fund the purchase, its second major acquisition in the last fewmonths.The company had previously agreed to pay £460 million to acquire the Australian and Spanish operations of online operator Sportingbet in a deal scheduled to be finalized later this month. The two transactions are significant steps by Hills into a leading position as an international operator, particularly through the strong growth enjoyed by its online businesses. A well-known name in British betting, runningmore than 2,000 betting shops in the country, the company is also maneuvering to become a player in Internet gambling in the US, where it has bought two Nevada sports books. Playtech holds a 29% stake in the online venture, which was founded in 2008. MGM Wants Back in Atlantic City Three years after agreeing to exit Atlantic City rather than give up its lucrative Macau casino, MGM Resorts International wants back in the seaside resort. Taking its cue from recent statements by regulators hinting at an accommodation, the Las Vegas-based casino giant has formally petitioned the NJ Casino Control Commission to reconsider its status as a licensee and allow it to keep its 50% interest in the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. “We would welcome the opportunity to once again be an active, contributing member of the New Jersey gaming marketplace,” the company said. MGM decided to leave New Jersey in order to keep its partnership with Macau/Hong Kong businesswoman Pansy Ho, whom the commission found unsuitable as a licensee based on her business ties with her father, Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho, who is alleged to have had organized crime associations. MGM and Ms Ho originally were 50-50 partners in MGM’s Macau casino, which was licensed as a sub-concession under Mr Ho’s casino operating company. MGM reached an agreement with New Jersey authorities to sell its stake in Borgata rather than abandon the more lucrative Chinese enterprise. That was in 2010, and MGM has been unable to sell its Borgata interest in the midst of Atlantic City’s plummeting fortunes. Even its Borgata partner, Boyd Gaming, passed. Other things have changed as well, the company says. For one, Pansy Ho’s stake in theMacau holding company has been reduced to 27% and MGM controls the casino and its operations. Second, advanced age and deteriorating health have forced Stanley Ho to divest most of his business interests. MGM had until 24th March to direct a trustee overseeing its Borgata stake to sell it. After that, the trustee would be responsible for lining up a buyer. Switzerland Going Online New laws will be drafted by the Swiss Department of Justice and Police in cooperation with the representatives of the country’s self-governing cantons to license and regulate online gambling. The drafts will be available for consultation and review in the second half of the year, according to news reports. The country is home to 19 licensed land-based casinos. The government has for years opposed online gambling but has been swayed by the potential tax and economic benefits outlined in a report published in 2009. As envisioned currently, the 26 cantons will separately be responsible for granting licenses, which will include casino games, sports betting and poker. It’s expected also that the federal government will require that profits be used solely for charitable purposes. Thunder Valley Casino Resort Upgrades to MEI Bill Acceptors Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, Calif., has upgraded its entire slot floor with MEI CASHFLOW SC bill acceptors and EASITRAX Soft Count. The upgrade across the 2,700 machine floor, which occurred last November, took less than two weeks to complete. Thunder Valley Casino Resort management decided to invest in MEI products after a“value-added trial”again proved the importance of high acceptance rate, fewer note jams, better security and overall cost of operation to profitability. “Maintenance costs from our previous note acceptor vendor had become too expensive,”said James Lancaster, slot technical manager at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. “It was time for a change. MEI products seemed like a natural choice for their excellent performance and reliability. “Conducting a trial allowed us to test the reputation that the MEI product had before making the investment—and the MEI products proved their worth from day one. CASHFLOW SC and EASITRAX Soft Count ran without issue throughout the trial and continue to run without issue today.” Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Thunder Valley Casino Resort