Put that out!
Starting stateside, a bill that aims to permanently prohibit smoking in Atlantic City casinos has received more bipartisan support.
The long-awaited measure would remove casinos’ exemption from the state’s Smoke-Free Air Act, and it has inched one step closer to becoming a reality after Republican State Senator Michael Testa voiced his support for the bill.
“Casino workers should have the same right to work in a safe and healthy environment as any other worker in our state,” said Testa.
“We can both protect the health of casino workers and their guests while safeguarding our state’s thriving gaming industry.”
Snip, snip
Across the pond, the NHS is prepared to cut gambling industry funding for its addiction clinics over conflict-of-interest concerns.
According to The Sunday Times, sources close to negotiations said, “the decision is to be rubber-stamped this week, so ties are cut for the new financial year.”
This development would see the NHS sever its links with industry-funded charity GambleAware, which granted an estimated £1.2m ($1.6m) to the public health body in the year to March 2021.
The charity operates problem gambling research, education and treatment (RET) programmes, and in 2019, co-funded the launch of a dedicated clinic in Leeds with the NHS.
Eureka!
Staying in the UK, Entain launched a global innovation hub called Ennovate.
With its first lab scheduled to open in London, Ennovate is set to invest up to £100m ($134m) in innovation projects, start-up investments and collaborations with UK, European and global partners.
In total, £40m will be specifically earmarked for innovation investments strictly in the UK.
The first lab, scheduled to open this spring, will be located in Charterhouse Square, Farringdon, and will host members of Entain’s innovation technology team, working with its commercial and not-for-profit partners.
Limit loopholes
On the other side of the Channel, Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) Chairman Rene Jansen urged operators to keep within the “spirit of the law” when it comes to limits.
Under the Netherlands’ new gaming law, people must set limits on time and deposits before playing, but a loophole permits anyone over 23 years old to optionally cap their playtime at 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a €100,000 ($112,592) deposit limit.
Jansen stressed the importance of limits and said, while “it may not be to the letter” restricting players to sensible levels is in “the spirit of the law.”
The KSA Chairman went on to threaten tougher restrictions should operators not heed his warning.
Chan fought the law
Meanwhile, in Macau, the city’s Judicial Police arrested Chan Weng Lin, the CEO and a controlling shareholder of Macau Legend Development Limited.
In a statement, the group said it was “aware of the arrest and detainment” of Chan, who is also an Executive Director and Co-Chairman of the Board.
Macau Legend Development runs three casinos in the city— Landmark Macau, Babylon Casino and Legend Palace Casino. Following the announcement of Chan’s arrest, its shares plunged by as much as 30% in Hong Kong.
Oops Down Under
Finally, conflicts of interest while overseeing the Crown Perth operations were poorly managed, Western Australia’s (WA) gaming department admitted— albeit after the event.
A royal commission is currently trying to determine if lax government oversight had any contribution to money laundering and problem gambling issues at the Perth casino.
WA’s investigation revealed the Gaming and Wagering Commission (GWC) had decided not to look into several allegations of money laundering against Crown because the company’s former legal boss had claimed “it was a media beat-up.”
