It was a busy week for casino headlines around the world as one of the biggest magnates in the business saw his brand take a tumble. Steve Wynn of Wynn Resorts was accused of sexual misconduct and shares of his company tumbled. That wasn’t the only bad news for Wynn, though, as he could have some bigger problems to deal with as a result. Here’s a look at the latest casino headlines from around the world:
Massachusetts To Review Wynn Boston License Amid Allegations
A rough week for casino mogul Steve Wynn has gotten worse. Wynn, who is the CEO of Wynn Resorts Limited, had resigned from his role as the finance chairman of the Republican National Committee this week after he was hit with allegations of sexual misconduct. The Wall Street Journal reported that he pressured a manicurist into having sex and later settled with her for $7.5 million.
His situation became worse when the Massachusetts Gaming Commission decided to review his gaming license for the property that is being erected in Boston. Wynn’s firm is nearing completion of the Wynn Boston Harbor Resort and now that puts a cloud over that exciting launch. The property, which is costing an estimated $2.1 billion, is scheduled to open in June 2019. It is unclear how the gaming commission wants to act and if this type of act by one individual – even if it is the head of the company – can put the license in jeopardy.
The other factor to take into account here is that Wynn maintains his innocence.
Cherry AB Acquires Slottracker.com
It’s been a busy couple of months for gambling operator Cherry AB as it has been acquiring all sorts of companies. The latest is online bet monitoring site Slottracker.com, which they acquired via affiliate marketing subsidiary Game Lounge. The deal includes one million euros up front with an additional 300,000 euros if certain performance-based incentives are achieved.
Slottracker.com allows their players to keep close tabs on online casino activity over multiple sites. That means they can track games played, bets made and wins and losses over many sites. The idea is then to compare and determine which site offers them the best bang for their buck.
Japan To Offer Lottery Tickets Online
The Japan Times is reporting that the country will soon allow online sales for lottery gaming tickets in Japan. The country’s ministry of internal affairs is looking to give their public-run lottery a boost and they are hoping that adding the online option will give it a shot in the arm.
Although no official date has been announced, it is expected that the popular Jumbo Takarakuji series will be available for purchase online as well as Numbers and Loto.
Lottery sales have taken a dive in Japan in recent years as they peaked at $9.19 billion in 2005 but have since been in decline. They returned just $7.77 billion in 2016. The ministry is hoping that easier access to the tickets will give the numbers a bump. As of now, almost all of the lottery outlets are located near train stations.