Gambling in the USA

LAS VEGAS – RE-LAUNCH OF THE STRIP, an important discussion at Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America 2020

Published

5 years ago

June 18, 2020

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The top industry companies have all confirmed their interest to join the Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America (Virtual Conference), which will open its virtual doors between 23-24 June

The virtual seats are limited, so hurry and register now to secure your seat(s)! REGISTER HERE

Lasvegassun.com has released an interesting editorial which is titled “Sights and sounds of Vegas give us hope for a full recovery”, and we can directly tie this piece with one of the most interesting land-based industry related panel discussions at Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America (Virtual Conference).

After the Bellagio fountains are now back to life with a playing of “Simple Gifts” to honor the Las Vegas front-liners who have protected the city during the pandemic, MGM Resorts International made another spot-on choice for the follow-up song. This is of course an anthem of the fabulous city, “Viva Las Vegas”.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Las Vegas is already booming and WADE VANDERVORT, of Lasvegassun.com wrote it so beautifully as we would not change anything:

“…it was a godsend to see waters dancing, lights twinkling and guests coming through the doors in the resort corridor and downtown. After 78 days of eerie quiet, Las Vegas took its first steps to recovery.

It’s a moment of hope and a reminder that our community has rebounded from crisis and tragedy before.”

Besides the Bellagio fountains, the gondolas are also gliding along the faux canals at The Venetian.

Up and down Las Vegas Boulevard, from Wynn Las Vegas at the north end to New York-New York and MGM Grand on the south end, gamblers are sliding bills into slot machines and wagering chips at blackjack and roulette tables.

Life is slowly returning to normal in Sin City.

As mentioned above, at Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America (Virtual Conference) we will discuss the subject, and the “LAS VEGAS – RE-LAUNCH OF THE STRIP” panel discussion has some very important guests who are joining us on the 23rd of June to share their insights.

The panel discussion is joined by Jay Kornegay (Vice President Race & Sports Operations – Westgate LV Resort & Casino), Seth Schorr (CEO of Fifth Street Gaming and Chairman of Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino) and Matthew Holt (President at U.S. Integrity), and will be moderated by Benjie Cherniak (Managing Director of SG Digital’s Don Best Sports group).

Do not miss this unique opportunity to attend a virtual conference that gathers all North American gaming industry experts for 2 days of discussions and networking. Register your seat now!

Jay Kornegay – Vice President Race & Sports Operations – Westgate LV Resort & Casino

Jay Kornegay is Vice President of the LVH – Las Vegas Hotel & Casino SuperBook. He has more than 26 years experience in the race and sports book industry. Jay graduated from Colorado State University in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in Restaurant Business Management. Always intrigued by gaming, Jay moved to Nevada later that year to start his path in that field.

Starting in Lake Tahoe and soon afterwards moving to Las Vegas, Jay has worked at four major sports books. He opened the Imperial Palace sports book in 1989, which soon turned into one of the more popular sports books in the state of Nevada.

In 2004, Jay took the reins of the LVH SuperBook. As the world’s largest race and sports book with over 30,000 square feet, the SuperBook is one of the top sports books in Nevada. Over the years, the SuperBook has won numerous awards and often represents the Las Vegas market with national media outlets. It is known for its aggressive nature and being a player-friendly book by offering fair odds to guests. The LVH SuperBook is also known for offering Nevada’s largest wagering menu by posting many 2nd/3rd tier sports, as well as having an international flavor. In addition, the SuperBook hosts the “SuperContest,” which is recognized as the most prestigious pro football handicapping contest. For the fourth consecutive year, the “SuperContest” set a record for number of entries and marked the most entries ever this past football season at 1034.

Jay resides in Las Vegas with wife Pam, daughter Cara and son Nicholas. He is also well known for shooting a 36 on the front nine and a 59 on the back nine.

Seth Schorr – CEO of Fifth Street Gaming and Chairman of Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino

Seth Schorr is CEO of Fifth Street Gaming and Chairman of Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino. The urban casino resort is the embodiments of Schorr’s vision to create a downtown Las Vegas hospitality experience delivering a superior guest experience and a genuine sense of community.

Since beginning his career in gaming and hospitality in 1991, Schorr served as an integral member of the Wynn Resorts team, developing the international marketing department in Macau, the interactive gaming division, and The Wynn Collection of Fine Art. Earlier in his career, Schorr also worked in numerous capacities at Mirage Resorts including positions at Bellagio Hotel & Casino, The Mirage Hotel & Casino, and Treasure Island Hotel & Casino.

Schorr and his partner, Jeffrey Fine, co-founded Fifth Street Gaming which owns and operates five casinos. The principals of Fifth Street Gaming also control, through its affiliate, the LEV Restaurant Group, a food and beverage operation that owns and manages more than 50 restaurants in the Las Vegas area and Southern California including The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Jamba Juice, Lobster ME, JaBurritos, Daily Kitchen, Evel Pie, and Golden Tiki.

In early 2015, Schorr was introduced to the world of eSports and lead the effort of developing the first fully integrated eSports program in a casino resort at The Downtown Grand. The Downtown Grand’s eSports program has included weekly eSports contests, team residencies and sponsorships, a weekly broadcast and professional tournaments. Schorr sits on the board of GameCo and advised on the development and launch of the world’s first video game slot machine. In 2017 Schorr launched Commercial Streaming Solutions which developed a patent-pending media platform, KonekTV, that provides streaming content, including Esports and sports betting content, to retail venues. Schorr is a founder of the Nevada Esports Alliance and continues to be a leader in the convergence of Esports and sports gambling. Schorr is the co-founder of The Strategy Organization: a Modern Gaming and Hospitality consulting firm.

Schorr is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, is a member of YPO and sits on numerous boards including those for The Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Nevada Restaurant Association, Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, the Advisory Board of The Smith Center for Performing Arts, One Night for One Drop and was appointed by Governor Sandoval to serve on Nevada State Board of Museums & History. He is also an executive board member and Chairman of the Communications Committee of the Downtown Las Vegas alliance. Schorr is an avid cyclist, amateur photographer and has two little angels Dax (10) and Mia (9). Most importantly, Schorr recently married Dr. Emily Schorr.

Matthew Holt – President at U.S. Integrity

Originally from New Hampshire, Mr. Holt originally honorably served in the United States Air Force. Once completing his term in the Air Force Mr. Holt attended Morehead State University, obtaining a sports marketing degree before taking up residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Holt founded U.S. Integrity, LLC. based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. U.S. Integrity is the gold standard of game integrity and fraud prevention services in the United States. Mr. Holt and his team at US Integrity have built innovative, technology based solutions that allow for easy accessible data and analytics for fraud prevention and game integrity monitoring.

Benjie Cherniak – Managing Director of SG Digital’s Don Best Sports group

Benjie Cherniak is the Managing Director of SG Digital’s Don Best Sports group, a leading provider of sports information products and services relevant to the North American sports betting industry. Benjie oversees the company’s sports information platform, automated data distribution, live pricing, and ancillary consulting services.

Following the acquisition of Don Best by Scientific Games, Benjie has accelerated the growth of OpenBet, the company’s sports betting platform, by integrating Don Best’s world-class pricing services into the technology. Don Best’s trading and pricing expertise have seamlessly become an integral part of SG Digital’s core offering.

Prior to joining Scientific Games, Benjie spearheaded Don Best’s international growth via tailored solutions to tier-one sportsbook operators in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and beyond. Under Benjie’s supervision, Don Best introduced (a) a proprietary pricing product for North American based sports that rapidly established itself as the industry standard; and (b) a data integrity offering to assist North American based sport leagues in identifying potential fraudulent betting patterns.

With 15 years of industry experience, Benjie is a leading voice in the emerging US sports betting industry from both an operational and legislative perspective.

CEO of Expanse Studios

Expanse Studios (GMGI) Enters the U.S. Sweepstakes Market

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

North American Expansion Kicks Off Through Strategic Partnership with Moozi

Golden Matrix Group’s game development division, Expanse Studios, has officially entered the U.S. sweepstakes market, marking a significant milestone in its North American growth strategy. This move is powered by a strategic content partnership with Moozi, one of the most dynamic sweepstakes social casino platforms in the region.

With Moozi now featuring over 50 of Expanse Studios’ top-performing games—including immersive slots, crash games, and table games—this partnership positions GMGI to capture a share of the $5.6 billion U.S. sweepstakes market, projected to more than double to $11 billion by 2025 (Eilers).

Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios, commented:

“This partnership signifies our formal entry into the U.S. market, showcasing the innovation and player-first experiences that define Expanse Studios. Collaborating with Moozi enables us to deliver advanced gaming content to a growing audience in North America, a key region for our global growth.”

James Anderson, Moozi’s CCO, added:

“Expanse Studios has set a high bar for engaging and innovative gaming experiences. Their addition to our platform elevates Moozi’s offerings and strengthens our mission to lead the U.S. sweepstakes social casino space.”

This launch underscores Expanse Studios’ commitment to innovation and its long-term growth trajectory in regulated markets. By entering the North American sweepstakes market, Expanse Studios takes a bold step in expanding its footprint while delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences.

Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG)

Arizona’s Tribal Gaming Contributions Reach $42.5 Million in Q2 FY2025

Published

3 days ago

December 23, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

arizona’s-tribal-gaming-contributions-reach-$42.5-million-in-q2-fy2025

The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has announced an impressive $42,508,200 in tribal gaming contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund for the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2025. This milestone reflects the continued growth and success of the state’s tribal gaming industry, achieved through strong collaboration between the state government and tribal communities.

A Record-Breaking Year for Tribal Gaming

“This achievement is a testament to the strength of the partnership between Arizona and its tribal communities,” said Jackie Johnson, Director of ADG. “Consecutive record quarters in FY2025 highlight our shared commitment to fostering a thriving gaming industry. Since FY2004, total tribal contributions have exceeded $2.3 billion, significantly benefiting the state and its residents.”

Supporting Arizona’s Communities

The Arizona Benefits Fund receives 88% of tribal gaming contributions, channeling these funds into key areas that directly impact the state’s residents and natural resources. The Q2 FY2025 contributions will be allocated as follows:

Instructional Improvement in Schools: $21,186,087
Trauma and Emergency Services: $10,593,043
Wildlife Conservation: $3,026,584
Tourism Promotion: $3,026,584
Problem Gambling Education, Treatment, and Prevention: $850,164
ADG Operating Costs: $3,825,738

These contributions reflect the state’s commitment to using tribal gaming revenue for meaningful community support, from enhancing education and emergency services to preserving wildlife and promoting tourism.

A Growing Gaming Landscape

Arizona currently hosts 26 Class III casinos, regulated under the Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compact. These casinos contribute a percentage of their gross gaming revenue to the Arizona Benefits Fund as well as to cities, towns, and counties. This model of tribal-state collaboration has proven instrumental in bolstering local economies and funding critical programs.

About the Arizona Department of Gaming

Founded in 1995, ADG is Arizona’s regulatory authority overseeing tribal gaming, racing, event wagering, and more. Beyond regulation, ADG is deeply committed to problem gambling education, offering support and resources to affected individuals and families through its Division of Problem Gambling and 24-hour helpline, 1-800-NEXT-STEP.

Looking Ahead

As tribal gaming contributions continue to break records, the partnership between Arizona’s government and tribal communities stands as a model for sustainable growth and mutual benefit. These contributions not only fuel essential state programs but also underscore the lasting value of collaboration in driving economic and social progress.

For a detailed breakdown of contributions by year and further information, visit the Arizona Department of Gaming’s official website.

Delaware North

Industry veteran joins North American operator as chief interactive gaming officer to drive growth in iCasino states and efficiencies in its online sportsbook

Published

1 week ago

December 18, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

industry-veteran-joins-north-american-operator-as-chief-interactive-gaming-officer-to-drive-growth-in-icasino-states-and-efficiencies-in-its-online-sportsbook

Delaware North, a global hospitality and entertainment company with a significant gaming division, has named industry veteran Lee Terfloth as chief interactive gaming officer as it pushes ahead with ambitious plans for its digital offering.

Terfloth has an impeccable track record across some of the biggest land-based and online gaming operators in North America, including Borgata, Resorts Digital, Hard Rock and, most recently, Prime Sports, where he was chief executive officer.

As chief interactive gaming officer at Delaware North, Terfloth will be responsible for two core objectives: Expanding the operator’s Betly mobile sportsbook and casino brand into additional iGaming states while also reviewing its sportsbook business to improve operational efficiency.

The appointment of Terfloth comes hot on the heels of news that Delaware North has chosen to migrate to Playtech’s powerful online sportsbook and casino platform in the states of Ohio, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Jason Gregorec, president of Delaware North’s gaming division, said:

“Lee Terfloth is a high-caliber senior iGaming executive who has played a key role in launching and growing interactive gaming divisions at some of the most established and renowned gambling operators in North America.

“We are delighted to be able to leverage this experience and knowledge as we ramp up our own online gaming division via our Betly brand, which has already gained traction in key online sports betting and iGaming states such as Ohio, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia.

“I’d like to officially welcome Lee to the team and look forward to working with him as we deploy our ambitious plans for online gaming across regulated U.S. states,” Gregorec said.

Lee Terfloth, chief interactive gaming officer at Delaware North, added: “I’m thrilled to join Delaware North at a pivotal time for the business as it shifts up a gear with its activity in the online gaming space.

“Betly is an incredibly strong brand and now that we are migrating to the Playtech platform, we have the technological foundation to really level up our activity in terms of markets and the quality of the experience we offer to players.

“I have plenty of experience working with operators at this stage in their lifecycle and look forward to working with the incredible team we have in place to not only meet but exceed the goals the business has set for its interactive division,” Terfloth said.