It was a busy week on the casino news wire, headlined by an update about what could be the next big thing in Las Vegas. The long-awaited Resorts World Las Vegas appears to be on track to open in 2020, which would be a big addition to The Strip. We’ll start there as we recap this week’s casino headlines.
Resorts World Las Vegas Renews Opening Date For 2020
In 2013, the Genting Group bought an 87-acre piece of land from Boyd Gaming on the Las Vegas Strip. The Resorts World Las Vegas Casino was supposed to replace the legendary Stardust Casino at this site but the plan unraveled and has been left in the abyss ever since. In 2017, there was speculation that the resort would be finished by 2020 and now it looks like we have some confirmation.
Recent reports have indicated that Genting expects to complete the project by the 2020 date. While the reporting has been very tight-lipped about the progress, the reports allege that the project’s pace is being managed very carefully, which points to a great deal of control on Genting’s part. This project might seem to be lagging, but the inside industry view is that the pace of development can accelerate as needed, part of a phased construction process.
At any rate, it looks like we’ll soon be getting a new playground on The Strip. It could very well help revive an area that’s mostly been forgotten since the Stardust closed.
Swedish Player Collects Mega Fortune Progressive Jackpot
An online casino player from Sweden won over $7.6 million last week through LetsBet.com. The big win came via a progressive jackpot in the five-reel, 25-payline Mega Fortune video slot from developer NetEnt AB, which is based in Stockholm. The 27-year-old player won a $6.93 million base with the Mega Million bonus bumping up the award by several hundred thousand more dollars. The windfall was awarded only three hours after the player signed up at LetsBet.com. Talk about the ideal signup bonus; it was the largest Mega Fortune payout in two years.
The handout of the prize ended the World Cup-themed Mega Million campaign, which paid out $1.158 million in other cash prizes including just over $405,000 to a Finnish player who had recently won over $3.5 million through the progressive jackpot tied to the Hall of Gods title.
1X2 Network Secures Solid Gaming Partnership
United Kingdom-regulated gaming software provider 1X2 Network has partnered with Solid Gaming, regarded as one of Asia’s biggest B2B game aggregators. The move will give Solid Gaming access to 1X2’s entire portfolio of slots, virtual games, and table games.
A 1X2 press release said the agreement will enable 1X2 Network to expand popular European game offerings – Diamond Roulette and Neon Jungle, among others – through Asian operators.
Over the past year, 1X2 Network has signed some similar deals with entities such as Armenia-based sportsbook and casino platform provider Digitain; developer of gaming platforms SoftGamings; and skill-based game outlet GameAccount Network. In the process, they’ve expanded their reach well beyond the United Kingdom, tapping into players in Europe, Asia and the rest of the world.