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As the company prepares to file its response to an allegation of illegal bookmakers gambling at its Las Vegas-based casino, Genting Berhad has hired a new CEO and named a board of directors to oversee Resorts World Las Vegas.

Jim Murren will be named chairman of the four-member board overseeing the Strip resort, while Alex Dixon, former CEO of Q Casino & Resort and Dubuque Racing Association in Dubuque, Iowa, was named chief executive.

The decision to shake up Resorts World’s c-suite in Las Vegas comes as the property faces an allegation raised in a 12-count disciplinary complaint filed in August by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). Malaysia-based Genting has until Monday to file a formal response to the allegations.��

The NGCB’s complaint accused Resorts World Las Vegas of an “overall lack of control” when it came to money laundering. Regulators identified cases in which individuals with suspected or known ties to illegal gambling operations criminal records were allowed at the casino.

The complaint accused executives of a “culture where information of suspicious or illegal activity is, at a minimum, negligently disregarded, or, at the worst willfully ignored for financial gain.”

The Nevada Independent reported that Murren, who was CEO of MGM Resorts International from 2008 to 2020, will be joined by former NGCB chairman A.G. Burnett, casino human resources executive Michelle DiTondo and Genting president Kong Han Tan.

Murren is currently serving as chairman of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was founded to oversee the licensing on gaming in the UAE.

Missouri election officials on Thursday (December 5) certified that Amendment 2, a ballot initiative to legalize land-based and mobile sports-betting, was narrowly approved by voters on November 5.��

The Missouri Board of State Canvassers reported Amendment 2 passed by only 2,961 votes.

With the votes tallied from all 3,572 precincts, 50.05 percent, or 1.478m voters, approved Amendment 2, while 49.95 percent, or 1.475m eligible voters, voted against legalizing sports betting, according to published by the secretary of state’s office.

The election results had to be certified before Tuesday (December 10). With Amendment 2 winning by less than 0.5 percent, a recount can be requested between December 10 and December 17.��

The Missouri Independent reported that Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment campaign does not plan to request a recount.��

Under the constitutional amendment, the Missouri Gaming Commission must launch sports betting by December 1, 2025. Currently, 38 states and the District of Columbia regulate mobile and retail sports betting.��

The initiative grants each of the six in-state professional sports franchises a license to operate a land-based sportsbook in or around their stadium, as well as one mobile betting platform to partner with an online gaming operator.��

Each of the state’s 13 casinos will be entitled to their own retail outlet and mobile betting platform, with two mobile platforms untethered to any land-based property.

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has updated its responsible sports-betting campaign that emphasizes harassment of athletes by gamblers.��

“Responsible gaming efforts like��Have A Game Plan��and other proactive efforts by legal operators are resonating with consumers and making a difference,”��said Bill Miller, president and CEO of the AGA.��

“‘Keep Your Cool’ builds on this momentum by reminding bettors that a betting result - good or bad - is not an invitation to criticize a team, official, or athlete.”

Since its launch in 2019, Have A Game Plan, Bet Responsibly, has tried to educate bettors through four pillars, from setting a budget and sticking to a financial limit to keeping betting social as part of a shared activity.��

The AGA’s pillars also includes knowing betting terminology and understand risks before wagering, and play legally with regulated, legal platforms.��

The fifth pillar - - reminds gamblers that the result of a bet should not prompt negative actions, in person or online, towards athletes and officials. The AGA reminds consumers that “sports betting is entertainment.”

South Africa’s advertising watchdog has published a new gambling appendix covering its Code of Advertising Practice to streamline compliance and ensure gambling adverts are ethical.

The “Gambling Code Appendix” by the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) includes general provisions such as rules for advertising a gambling device, activity, premises, or website as well as rules around advertising to minors, and responsible gambling messaging.

The ARB told local media: “After consulting with the National Gambling Board, the ARB has created an Appendix that reflects all the existing laws on gambling advertising. Nothing in this appendix is new, but it brings it together in one place and presents it in an understandable order and in simplified wording.”

Casino operations at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas will be taken over by two in-house executives as Mohegan Sun will end its lease and management role of the gaming floor.

Betfred will also exit Nevada when its deal as the sportsbook provider for Mohegan expires on December 31. The tribe and Virgin Hotels jointly announced the transition in May, subject to regulatory approval.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) granted preliminary approval to the deal on Wednesday (December 4). The Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) will consider final approval of the transition at its December 19 meeting.

“The deal with Mohegan simply did not work and Mohegan provided termination to the property earlier this year on March 29, 2024,” said Cliff Atkinson, president of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and CEO of C&C 4455.

Atkinson told the NGCB he expects the deal to close at the end of the first quarter of 2025. At that time, C&C 4455 will oversee gaming on the property through a lease to manage the casino operations.

He added that they are developing a new sports-betting platform to replace Betfred.

Mohegan Sun in March 2021 became the first tribe to manage a commercial casino in Las Vegas. Since then, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians of Southern California acquired the Palms casino, and The Mirage was acquired by Hard Rock International, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Robinhood confirmed at its first investor day on Wednesday (December 4) its interest in potentially moving into sports betting after the success of offering event contracts on the 2024 U.S. presidential election.��

“We are keenly looking into that space,” said Vlad Tenev, chairman and CEO of the online trading platform. Tenev explained to analysts and shareholders the wagers would be event contracts on sporting events.��

“It’s different from sports betting, because these are (federally) regulated event contracts,” said Tenev.

An event contract is a derivative contract whose payoff is based on a specific event, occurrence, or value such as the value of a macroeconomic indicator, corporate earnings, level of snowfall, or dollar value of damages caused by a hurricane.��

The contracts are regulated by the Commodity Future Trading Commission (CFTC). Tenev said they weren’t going to make any announcements on Wednesday, but we’re “definitely thinking about it.”

“It is so important to our customers and culture that we are excited about it,” he added.

The Czech Ministry of Finance’s gambling regulator department has reminded its licences of gambling regulations in Poland, following a request from the Polish gambling regulator to inform Czech operators of the enforcement risks of offering and promoting games in Poland without a licence.

The Ministry of Finance, which provided the for licensees on December 2, said the Polish regulator currently blocks websites that offer games not permitted in Poland or that promote illegal gambling content, adding that operators of these sites face possible sanctions.

Under the Polish Gambling Act, gambling advertising is generally prohibited, including a ban on sports sponsorships.

“Therefore, the presentation of information containing the name or logo of an oddsmaker who does not have a licence granted by the Polish gambling regulator during such [sporting] events (e.g. on the jerseys of athletes) constitutes a violation of the provisions of the Polish Gambling Act,” the Czech finance ministry stated.

The Polish gambling regulator has warned that unlicensed operators should take measures to ensure their promotions and games are not available in Poland or they run the risk of being penalised.��

Bovada has added Arizona to the list of restricted states after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from gaming regulators ordering the offshore online sportsbook and casino operators.

The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) confirmed Tuesday (December 3) that it had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bovada’s parent company, Curacao-based Harp Media B.V., on November 8.

In a release, the ADG described the operation of Bovada in Arizona as an alleged “felony criminal enterprise” and directed the company “to desist from any future illegal gambling operations or activities of any type in Arizona.”

Due to the unregulated and illegal online gaming offerings on Bovada, Harp Media B.V. was claimed to be in violation of Arizona gaming laws, including three felonies, promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering.��

"We are actively monitoring the evolving landscape of online gaming and taking proactive steps like this helps us protect Arizona’s communities and economy from illegal activities,” said Jackie Johnson, director of the ADG.��

“Our enforcement team is committed to preventing unauthorized operations from establishing a foothold here. Arizona will not be a safe haven for unlicensed or unlawful gaming, nor will we allow unlawful entities to compromise the integrity of gaming within our state."

On Tuesday, Arizona joined 16 other states and the District of Columbia on Bovada’s .

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) confirmed Tuesday (December 3) that it had issued fines against William Hill and PlayUp Interactive for violations of sports-betting regulations.��

William Hill was fined $20,000 for permitting wagering on sporting events after the outcomes of the events were already known. The violations occurred from February 2022 until April 2023.

The order, which was included in the Actions of the Director between November 16 and November 30, did not offer any details on which events or the amount that was wagered on the prohibited games.��

Amelco UK, which does business as Amelco, Sportradar Solutions and PlayUp Interactive NJ, was ordered to pay $10,000 after Amelco and PlayUp permitted wagering on “unapproved and statutorily prohibited events.” The violations took place between March 2022 and January 2023, the DGE said.��

“Sportradar acknowledged that it, through its global data feed to all customers, including Amelco and PlayUp, provided data for those events,” according to the three-page order. The DGE’s order did not disclose which prohibited wagers were accepted by Amelco and PlayUp.

Currently, prohibited events include any collegiate athletic event that takes place in New Jersey or a sporting event involving any New Jersey college team, regardless of where the event takes place.

A prefiled bill would increase the admission fee to Missouri riverboat casinos from $2 to $4 per person, but a similar measure introduced prior to this year’s regulator session died in committee.

, authored by Republican state Representative Dave Griffith, would allocate the additional revenue to various funds, including the Missouri Gaming Commission, and city and county governments where the casinos are located.

Griffith also proposes to dedicate revenues generated from the fee to the Veterans Commission capital improvement trust fund. House Bill 1492, also sponsored by Griffith, was prefiled in December 2023 and referred to the House General Laws Committee where no hearing was scheduled.��

The gaming commission will also be responsible for determining whether to adjust the admission fee within the first three months of each calendar year, with the revised fee in effect at the beginning of the following fiscal year.

Among the concerns expressed by some lawmakers last session was whether doubling casino admission fees appropriately balances revenue generation versus potentially deterring customers from visiting riverboat casinos.

The Missouri legislature’s 2025 regular session is scheduled to convene at the State Capitol in Jefferson on January 8.

The head of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) will step down in March, two years before her appointment expires, citing family needs.

VGCCC chief executive Annette Kimmitt told Guardian Australia on Monday (December 2) that she was “deciding to step away from full-time executive work” to meet family responsibilities.

Kimmitt has led the VGCCC from its inception in 2022 following the Crown Melbourne Royal Commission to become Australia’s most punitive and reformist regulator across all gambling segments.

She told the Guardian that she faced a “very challenging and difficult three years” in transforming a “pretty shell-shocked and under-resourced regulator on the retreat”.

“I am really proud of what the organisation has done in three short years,” she said. “We are now recognised as the nation’s strongest gambling regulator. We have really held the industry to account.”

VGCCC chair Fran Thorn will also step down, according to an email Thorn sent to VGCCC staff that was cited by the Guardian. It was not immediately clear when Thorn would depart or why.

Kimmitt told 91����ԭ�� GamblingCompliance in July that the VGCCC will expand its monitoring of gambling operations through real-time monitoring and deploying of algorithms to detect aberrant gambling.

“We are scratching the surface of what’s [possible],” she said.

“If I jump ahead two years, I would like us to be in a position as a regulator to effectively have automated 24/7 monitoring of industry … through that kind of red-flag reporting.”

Brazil's Senate could vote on a bill to authorise land-based casinos and bingo halls as soon as Wednesday (December 4), after Bill 2234/2022 was included on the Senate's agenda for that day.

Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco had told reporters last week that he anticipated a vote on the massive gambling expansion bill at some point in December, noting the bill was approved by a Senate committee in June and by the lower house of Congress nearly three years ago.

"It's something that's already come from the Chamber [of Deputies], counts on the support of the government and from various segments, and the Senate has to decide whether to approve it or not," Pacheco said.

In its current form, the bill would authorise at least one to three casino-resorts in each of Brazil's 27 states, as well as one bingo hall for every 150,000 residents in each Brazilian municipality. Bingo halls could offer up to 450 video-bingo terminals.

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The UK Gambling Commission has said the next round of Gambling Act Review-related consultations is expected in the New Year.

Gambling Commission executive director Tim Miller revealed the details in his at the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (BACTA) Annual Convention on November 28, 2024.

“This will include a consultation on Game Machine Technical Standards, the next significant milestone is the publication of the consultation in early 2025. It will clearly outline our finalised proposals for all stakeholders,” Miller said.

However, he added that it would be inappropriate to share detailed proposal updates before publication.

The Gambling Commission is also looking to publish its next round of consultation responses “in the near future”.

“These will be about the consultations we published roughly this time last year”, which included proposals covering incentives such as free bets and bonuses “to make sure they do not encourage harmful or excessive gambling” and proposals to empower consumers “to manage their gambling in ways that work for them”.

Additionally, the consultations will cover proposals to increase transparency to consumers if their funds are held by licensees that offer no protection in the event of insolvency and remove existing requirements that would become obsolete due to the upcoming statutory levy.

“All of this work is of course focussed on delivering the commitments of the 2023 White Paper and so we continue to work closely with DCMS on not only our own areas to implement but also in supporting the Government with their own next steps,” Miller said.

In recent months, the Gambling Commission’s compliance team has also been conducting a round of assessments in the adult gaming centre (AGC) sector, focusing on actions being taken to support customer interaction, and Miller shared some of its findings.

Zimbabwe’s 2025 fiscal budget includes a host of tax increases, including a new 10 percent withholding tax on sports-betting gross winnings.

The government plans to introduce the tax, which will apply to both online and land-based sports betting, on January 1, 2025. Bookmakers will be obliged to withhold the tax on behalf of the government.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube presented the budget to parliament on November 28.

“Honourable Members would be aware that betting is popular in nature, as indicated by the proliferation of sports betting houses countrywide. Sports betting punters, however, receive income from winnings, which is currently not taxable under Personal Income Tax,” Ncube said.

Responding to the budget, Zimbabwe’s parliament said: “The 2025 National Budget, running under the theme, ‘Building Resilience for Sustained Economic Transformation’, seeks to respond to these challenges and opportunities by laying a solid foundation for future sustained and inclusive growth and development.”

As of August 2024, Zimbabwe's total public debt was estimated at $21bn, representing a debt-to-GDP ratio of 97 percent, leaving the country with limited financial capacity for its development needs, according to the African Development Bank.

The budget aims to clear debt arrears and restructure $12.7bn in external debt and help the country return to international capital markets for the first time since 1999.

The Philippine Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said it is providing cash aid to children fathered by deported workers with foreign-facing online gambling operations (POGOs).

PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said on Sunday (December 1) that the commission is supporting 15 children under the age of three whose mothers are struggling to afford milk and diapers or to stay housed.

Cruz said the PAOCC has accepted responsibility for the time being for the children’s welfare amid the repatriation of tens of thousands of mostly Chinese POGO employees.

The PAOCC is liaising with social welfare bureaucrats, he said.

“We cannot ignore [the children] because they were the collateral damage caused by these illegal POGO operations here,” Cruz told the Manila Bulletin.

Every week the children’s mothers “come to us, asking for money to buy milk, diapers, and sometimes even for their rent”, he said.

POGO operations are formally banned from the end of this year, although many operations have shut down and released their staff.

But uncertainty remains over the comprehensiveness of the ban and whether POGO licensees will be able to find sanctuary in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone, or via other possible loopholes in Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s executive order in November.