The appeals court in New York ruled that New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement should launch an investigation into allegations by a New York gambler that Golden Nugget Atlantic City used illegal dice to cheat him out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Golden Nugget Accused of Using Illegal Dice 

Wayne Chan filed a lawsuit against Golden Nugget in September 2021 after he lost over $469,125 playing craps at the casino in 2018 and 2019. He alleged that the casino used tampered and non-transparent dice in their craps tables, resulting in unfair play, which violates New Jersey laws. 

Chan submitted a complaint to the New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement regarding his experience but there was no intervention from the regulator.

Summary Judgment Reversed

The lower court ruled in favor of Golden Nugget, granting the casino a summary judgment on its breach of contract claim against Chan for $200,000. But the Appellate Division, First Division in Manhattan ruled that the judgment was “premature” and that New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement must first investigate Chan’s claim. 

The appeals court reversed the summary judgment and the Division of Gaming Enforcement will now have to determine whether or not Golden Nugget broke the law by using a non-transparent dice.

Poker House Dallas, one of the largest poker rooms in Texas, could shut its doors this month if it ends up losing its case in the appeals court. The card room is currently involved in a legal battle with city authorities over a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) issue, with officials claiming the club is not authorized to run a poker room in the Dallas area.

Poker House Dallas Awaits Judgment from Appeals Court

In a recent statement, Poker House Dallas said it would be forced to terminate its operations effective May 23 if the appeals court does not rule in its favor. 

In the meantime, the card room is offering a discount on its hourly seat rate to attract players as it awaits the verdict. The club is now only charging $8/hour, down from the original $13/hour. 

The club is asking for the community’s support as it fights to remain open, continue to spread poker games, and keep the jobs of its staff. 

Complicated Gambling Laws in Texas

Texas implements strict anti-gambling laws. Casino gambling and any other activities that involve the collection of rake from players are currently illegal in the state. 

But poker rooms have found a way to operate “legally” by adopting a membership model whereby they only charge seat/membership fees on players instead of collecting rake. Still, some cities argue that poker room operations are prohibited under Texas laws, leading to legal battles with card clubs.

The City of Dreams Mediterranean, Melco Resorts’ newest integrated resort project, will launch on July 10, 2023, the company confirmed in a recent press release. The casino resort, located in Limassol in the Republic of Cyprus, features a wide range of offerings, including a hotel, a casino, entertainment and leisure facilities, conference areas, as well as a dining and shopping center.

Soft Launch on June 12

The City of Dreams Mediterranean is a landmark project for Melco and will become Europe’s first integrated resort. Company officials consider the US$600 million project a game-changing development in Cyprus’ tourism and hospitality sectors.

The property’s key offerings include a 500-room hotel, a 7,500-square-meter casino, and an 8,000-square-meter indoor and outdoor event area. It is also home to Cyprus’ largest expo center. Ahead of the property’s full launch, it will have a soft opening for special guests beginning June 12. 

Strong Q1 Performance for Melco

City of Dreams Mediterranean is a great addition to Melco’s portfolio of casino resorts, most of which are in Asia. The company performed well during the first quarter of 2023, reporting total operating revenues of US$716.5 million, a year-over-year increase of 50.9%. A portion of those earnings came from the operation of its temporary and satellite casinos in Cyprus.

Genting Malaysia Bhd will let go of its entire ownership interests in its subsidiary Resorts World Miami LLC (RW Miami) which owns parcels of land in Miami.

Existing Deal to Be Converted into 100% Purchase Agreement   

In a recent announcement, the casino operator disclosed that a deal involving RW Miami and Smart Miami City LLC, which allows the latter to purchase four parcels of land for nearly US$1.23 billion, would be updated to convert it into a 100% purchase agreement.

Under the original deal signed in April, Genting Malaysia, through its Miami unit, would sell four parcels of land measuring 15.47 acres for US$1.225 billion to Smart Miami, a subsidiary of real estate development company Terra Group.

According to Genting Malaysia, Smart Miami decided to exercise its right to purchase 100% of the ownership interests in RW Miami instead of just acquiring four parcels of land. The amended agreement will see Genting Malaysia dispose of RW Miami, with the majority of the cash proceeds from the deal set to be used for future investments. 

More Details of the Updated Deal to be Announced Soon

Genting Malaysia said RW Miami and Smart Miami will now enter into negotiations to introduce the necessary changes to the sale and purchase agreement (SPA). The company will release further details once the amendments have been finalized and agreed by both parties.

Sands China Ltd will ramp up its efforts to attract more foreign customers to its properties in Macau in line with the government’s goal of reducing the region’s reliance on Chinese visitors. Organizing private flights for high rollers, running overseas promotions, and expanding its overseas offices are among the initiatives planned by the company to increase foreign visitor numbers.

Sands China Targeting Customers from Southeast Asia

In a statement to local media, Wilfred Wong Ying Wai, President of Sands China Ltd, said they’re looking to bring in more customers from Southeast Asia, as well as South Korea and Japan. 

To help them do that, they will expand their overseas offices and launch multiple promotions targeted at customers located in those countries. They will also continue to use private jets to transport high rollers to Macau.

Macau Govt. Reviewing Sands’ Q1 Results for Potential Tax Breaks

A foreigner-only gaming zone has been operating at Sands’ casino properties in Macau and in other gaming venues in the city as early as February. The exclusive area will be used to determine the amount of gaming revenue generated by non-Chinese customers. Authorities will then use the data in calculating the tax reduction that will be awarded to casino operators. 

Mr. Wong said the Macau government is currently reviewing its Q1 results on the operation of its exclusive zone for foreign customers to determine the tax reduction.