
Genting Dream Cruises has made its maiden voyage to Okinawa. The ship owned by the Malaysian gaming conglomerate very first set sail last November, but this week it harbored in Japan for the time that is first.
Genting Dream Cruises President Thatcher Brown, left, and Naha tourism official Takao Kadekaru, celebrated the cruise liner’s inaugural trip to Japan this week.
One of the gaming companies that are largest in the world, the Malaysia-based Genting Group owns and operates casino resorts in its home country, as well as in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Asia, Philippines, Caribbean, and South Korea. It owns dozens of land-based gaming properties, but Genting’s newest investment is on the high seas.
Dream Cruises has ports in the Chinese towns of Guangzhou and Hong Kong, and travels to a number of Pacific Ocean destinations Malaysia that is including, and Indonesia. This week, it added Japan by way of Naha, the capital city of Okinawa.
Genting states the ship features all the comforts of authentic Asian hospitality. The Genting Dream is a non-gaming vessel though the company is known for gambling.
In addition to Dream Cruises, Genting also owns Star Cruises, the third cruise line that is largest in the world behind only Carnival and Royal Caribbean.
Japan Casino Odds
In December, Japan’s nationwide Diet passed legislation to authorize two land-based integrated resorts, a monumental development for the country which has long opposed commercial gambling. At the bequest of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to make the Asian nation more tourism friendly, the legislature decided to allow gambling to come onto its shores.
Casino companies around the global world instantly started working on their proposals. Seen due to the fact holy grail of untapped gambling markets, MGM, vegas Sands, Galaxy Entertainment, Melco Crown Entertainment (formerly Melco Crown), and others are anticipated to make multibillion-dollar pitches to acquire one of the coveted casino licenses.
The conglomerates are seeking local partners and hyping their mammoth investments in hopes of luring Japan regulators with their part. But Genting Group might have the scheme that is best operating.
With gaming properties established on three continents, and fully operational cruise companies that can transport visitors from different Asian countries to Japan, Genting’s pitch might be too sweet to resist.
The Diet is currently in the act of deciding on the legal framework that is regulatory gambling and determining where the venues might be allowed. Along with Osaka and Tokyo, Okinawa is thought become a likely integrated resort destination.
Cruise Control
Genting isn’t the entity that is only within the water and cruising the Pacific Ocean. Final month, the North Korean government announced it had been looking for international investors to come aboard in developing a cruise line that will bring passengers to Mount Kumgang, one section of the heavily restricted country where tourists can sometimes enter.
The Kumgang Special International Tourism Zone is seeking a $20 million partner to build a ship that would ‘be prepared with different facilities to enable 1,000 travelers to do cultural and travel that is safe the ocean,’ the Korean federal government explained in poor English. Therefore far, no takers.
UK Bookie Pays Out on Red Rum Bet 43 Years Late
A 1974 bet on the legendary racehorse that is british Rum to win that year’s Grand National was settled 43 years after the race had been won this week.
Red Rum, who won the 1973 Grand National after coming back from 30 lengths behind. No wonder Bob Holmes’ late father-in-law backed him the year that is following. (Image: Liverpool Echo)
Bob Holmes, a retiree that is 74-year-old found the winning betting slip among the possessions of his late daddy in law and contacted bookmaker William Hill, which confirmed the bet had never been cashed. William Hill not merely honored the wager but also adjusted it for inflation for a pay-out of £130 (£160).
Sensing a PR op, the organization also offered Holmes another £130 to bet on this year’s Grand National, approaching this Sunday, plus another £130 to donate to the charity of his choice.
Latest Cash-out Ever
‘My sister-in-law ended up being moving house and my wife and I were helping her to see just what could be thrown out, therefore I happened to be searching through a whole stack of old papers, tax statements, bank statements and so forth,’ explained Holmes to your Daily Telegraph. ‘we found a scruffy little bit of paper that ended up to be always a slip that is betting had been placed but never cashed. It was for Red Rum in the 1974 Grand National when I looked more closely.
‘It is just a mystery [why he never cashed out]. My father-in-law probably lost the slip that is betting was not able to cash it. It was very unusual for him to bet. He had been maybe not a betting man, maybe a couple of times a year on the National or the Derby.’
Certainly one of the Greatest
Maybe Not only is this considered to be an archive for the cash-out that is latest ever, but it additionally offers a little nugget of betting memorabilia. Red Rum is considered to end up being the UK’s greatest ever steeplechaser
The Grand National, meanwhile, was described as ‘the ultimate test of a horse’s courage,’ a handicap steeplechase over four miles, with 30 fences to jump. Red Rum won the battle an unparalleled three times, including the year, of course, that Holmes’ father-in-law placed his bet.
In the previous year’s race, in 1973, the thoroughbred came from 30 lengths behind to win the race, and was transformed into an equine celebrity that is national. His 3rd victory, in 1977, ended up being voted by Britons in 2002 as ‘the 24th best sporting moment of them all.’
‘It is a record,’ said Graham Sharpe, spokesman for William Hill for the 42 year-old betting slip. ‘I’ve worked at William Hill for 45 years and the record before was seven years, for a lady whoever husband had passed away and she had not felt able to endure his clothes until then, and had found a betting slip.
Maryland Casinos Profit Record Monthly Total, MGM National Harbor Back on Top
Maryland gambling enterprises generated $141.2 million in revenue during March, hawaii’s best monthly performance since gambling was legalized back in 2008.
Business is great at MGM National Harbor, but maybe not most of the Maryland casinos are celebrating March’s record haul. (Image: Getty Pictures)
MGM National Harbor, the newest casino in Maryland, was the top earner with $51.2 million. The $1.4 billion resort across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, opened in December to much fanfare. After losing its destination because the top dog in February to Maryland Live, the megaresort has retaken the stronghold place.
Maryland Live in Arundel Mills near the Baltimore Washington Overseas (BWI) Airport dropped to second with $46.6 million in winnings. Horseshoe Baltimore, the downtown Caesars property, put a distant third with nearly $27 million.
The state’s three staying casinos are smaller, regional gambling venues. Combined, Hollywood Casino Perryville, Rocky Gap Casino Resort, plus the Casino at Ocean Downs netted about $16.4 million.
Maryland Goes to MGM
In 2012, voters approved a referendum to add a sixth commercial land-based casino resort to join the earlier legislation’s authorization of five gambling establishments. Experts to the approval five years ago voiced concerns that the massive resort would poach from existing casinos.
March’s $141.2 million total represents a year-over-year increase of a lot more than 44 percent in comparison to the exact same month in 2015.
‘There were a lot of naysayers that stated all MGM nationwide Harbor would do is cannibalize revenues that are existing’ gaming consultant and Harford Community university professor James Karmel told The Baltimore Sun. ‘This is really positive.’
Nevertheless when MGM’s March income is subtracted, Maryland’s five gambling enterprises actually saw gaming income decrease eight percent. Maryland Live saw its revenue fall by 14.6 percent, and Horseshoe Baltimore lost 2.4 percent. Combined, the two properties lost over $8.6 million.
While MGM and its own supporters will dsicover the bright part in that Maryland’s total gaming revenue grew by $43.3 million, those that are paying the price, specifically Maryland Live, won’t be sharing in the excitement.
Staying Prior To the Game
With its new competition from MGM roughly 35 miles south, Maryland Live is investing greatly in its property to raised position its marketability. Locally owned by the Cordish Company, a private estate that is real based in Baltimore, the casino announced in 2016 so it would be investing $200 million to construct a 17-story Live Hotel tower with 310 guestrooms.
For comparison, and also to highlight the bitter turf war, MGM National Harbor has 308 rooms.
Construction on the tower has begun, and to focus on overnight guests for the time being, Maryland Live bought a nearby Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood suites fall that is last. The resort has because been rebranded as the Live Lofts, and offers free shuttle service to and from the casino.
Maryland Live is catering to the more blue collar crowd. An area tonight is booking for $130 at Live Lofts, while National Harbor comes out at rates that ranged every-where from $399 to $529.
Connecticut Tribes up Ante for Third Casino by providing State More Tax Revenue
The 2 Connecticut tribes that are attempting to jointly build a satellite casino in East Windsor are sweetening their proposal to the state by providing up tax that is additional generated from the wished-for slots.
Mohegan Tribe Chairman Kevin Brown (left) and Mashantucket Pequot Chairman Rodney Butler are willing to guarantee payments to the state should the Connecticut tribes be allowed to make a casino in East Windsor. (Image: MMCT)
The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribal countries, operating under the partnership that is commercial MMCT, are petitioning lawmakers to allow them to place a third gambling venue in the north-central region of the state just south of the Massachusetts border. With the $950 million MGM Springfield set to open next 12 months, the indigenous US groups are justly focused on losing gambling money to the megaresort.
Connecticut’s General Assembly must soon determine whether to authorize the East Windsor site.
To entice votes, MMCT announced this week they are willing to guarantee that revenue checks from their two casinos that are current Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, will stay being provided for the state. As one more motivation, the tribes said they could be prepared to share 25 percent of the East Windsor slot money too.
‘I don’t understand if it changes the overall chance for the bill becoming law, but it doesn’t harm,’ Connecticut House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin) told reporters. ‘I think it’s still a 50-50 idea.’
Millions at Stake
Connecticut’s gaming compact with the tribes mandates that 25 percent of their gross slots revenue is paid to the state. That equates to greater than a quarter of a billion bucks each year, a budget that is crucial source that is in partial jeopardy to be lost, the tribes contend.
Connecticut’s General Assembly and its State Senate Public Safety and safety Committee are tasked with signing off regarding the East Windsor casino because the location would not be constructed on sovereign tribal land. While enabling the tribes to include another casino to compete with Massachusetts’ gambling expansion to keep profit the Constitution State seems like a no-brainer, there are serious potential consequences that are legal.
The priority is that by authorizing a third casino, despite being presented by the tribes on their own, hawaii would really be terminating a decades-old agreement with the Native American groups.
The two tribes have exclusivity to operate casinos on their sovereign lands under the longstanding compact. The contract states that will Connecticut free the market or authorize land that is off-sovereign, the tribes would no longer be legally required to share with you 25 % of their slot revenue with Hartford.
AG Concerned
Asked by Governor Dannell Malloy (D) to prepare a formal opinion on the matter, state Attorney General George Jepsen stated last thirty days that the satellite casino raises a variety of concerns, providing more unease for lawmakers.
‘The risks . . . while impossible to quantify with precision, are not insubstantial and may not be mitigated with confidence,’ Jepsen opined.
MGM, which hopes the Connecticut General Assembly votes no on the satellite casino in East Windsor, argues in the event that state really wants to expand gambling to off-sovereign lands, it should allow bidding that is public.
East Windsor is 13 miles south of Springfield. The Nevada-based gaming bigwig says Connecticut would basically be discriminating against outside organizations in only permitting MMCT to win a gaming casino myfreepokies.com license that is non-tribal.