Hard Rock International’s year-long acquisition of The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas finally concluded several days after Nevada’s gambling regulator gave the green light. The $1 billion deal is only the start of Hard Rock’s plans for the property. The entertainment and hospitality company will invest a significant sum in renovations, eventually rebranding the hotel to match its new owner.

Hard Rock Gains a Historic and Well-Loved Resort

The acquisition officially began in December 2021 when Hard Rock announced its intentions to purchase the iconic hotel and casino The Mirage from MGM Resorts International. The $1.08 billion deal went through the customary regulatory approvals and is now officially complete. In addition to the upfront payment for the venue’s operating assets, Hard Rock will need to pay a $90 million yearly rent to VICI Properties which owns the real estate.

Hard Rock’s newest purchase grants it access to a historic and well-loved venue in a prime location on the Strip. The 65-acre property includes a 90,548 sq ft (8,412.2 m2) casino, 3,044 rooms, and an expansive list of amenities. The entertainment and hospitality company plans to breathe new life into the iconic venue, envisioning a complete redesign and an eventual rebranding.

The Iconic Hotel Will Remain Fully Operational

Hard Rock officials have shared that the upcoming extensive renovation will be a gradual and well-calculated effort. The entertainment and hospitality company will share its complete vision sometime in 2023. The few details known to the public indicate that The Mirage will receive a dramatic and extensive redesign, adding a new guitar-shaped hotel tower to the property.

Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, stressed that the hotel and casino would remain operational throughout the entire process and the redesign would honor the venue’s rich history. The transition to the new management will be as smooth as possible without any noticeable disruption for visitors.

We are excited to create an integrated resort on the Strip that will make this legendary entertainment community proud.

Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International

Allen quickly disproved the rumors of mass layoffs, welcoming The Mirage’s 3,500 team members to the Hard Rock family. The staff members received glowing recommendations from the hotel’s former owner MGM Resorts as CEO Bill Hornbuckle released an official statement lauding their dedication and professionalism.

MGM Shifts Its Focus to the East

MGM divested itself of the property to pursue other long-term strategic objectives. Some of the company’s reported goals included capitalizing on new growth opportunities, maintaining adequate capital, and repaying shareholders. MGM’s most recent plans include a $2 billion cash injection in its Grand Paradise casino in Macau, firmly believing in the region’s potential.

As far as The Mirage brand is concerned, MGM will retain its rights to the name, licensing it to Hard Rock royalty-free for up to three years. Once that period expires, the property will assume its new name, becoming the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas.

Wazdan, a provider of innovative games to the online casino industry, has reinforced its presence in Spain through a new deal with a local gaming operator. The supplier has agreed to power Paf.es, a leading iGaming brand in Spain, with some of its best-performing gaming titles.

Wazdan Inks Yet another Deal with Paf

As per the deal, Wazdan will provide its new partner with fan-favorite gaming hits. The two parties inaugurated the partnership by launching Wazdan’s 9 Burning Dragons on Paf’s platform. The gaming companies plan to add other top performers at later dates, including best-in-class games like Fortune Reels, Hot Slot: 777 Crown, 9 Lions and Larry the Leprechaun.

The current partnership agreement expands Wazdan’s existing relationship with Paf. Spain will be the sixth market where the two parties have joined forces.

Originally a Finnish company, Paf is an Åland-based gambling brand that donates its proceeds to various good causes. The operator is committed to supporting local health and cultural programs while running a variety of sustainability projects. Paf has now grown into an international operator and has strong presence in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Spain and Sweden.

For Wazdan, Paf.es will be the second Spanish operator it has inked an agreement with. The provider first made a foray into the country in November when it inked an agreement with Luckia, a major Spanish operator.

Both agreements are in line with Wazdan’s overall expansion strategy that has seen the company launch its engaging and attractive slots in numerous markets. The company’s strategy is simple as it would often create innovative spins of beloved concepts, making its titles suitable for all kinds of gamblers.

Paf Is Excited to Offer Best-in-class Experiences to Spanish Customers

Paf’s head of games content, Eric Castro, spoke about the new agreement with Wazdan. He lauded the gaming specialist as an “incredibly exciting developer” and praised it for its consistently high-quality games, engaging and innovative features and robust mathematical models.

Castro noted that he cannot wait to diversify Paf.es’ portfolio with more games developed by the operator and is looking forward to engaging his company’s customers with thrilling iGaming content.

Bekki D’Agata, Wazdan’s commercial director, on the other hand, applauded Paf for its dedication to its customers and its desire to always provide players with unforgettable experiences.

Our portfolio is packed with titles that players in Spain find refreshing and engaging, and we look forward to working together with Paf to further enhance our content’s reach in the country.

Bekki D’Agata, commercial director, Wazdan

A week ago, Wazdan signed its second Bulgaria-facing deal, agreeing to provide Alphawin with 14 of its best games.

On Monday, Churchill Downs Incorporated revealed it has come to a definitive agreement to acquire in full the outstanding interests in Exacta Systems, a leading provider of solutions and technology used for operating historical horse racing (HHR) businesses.

Churchill Downs to Acquire Remaining Interest in Exacta

The newly announced definitive agreement has a price tag of $250 million. CDI explained that the purchase will be funded via cash on hand or through the company’s credit facility. Acquiring the remaining interests in Exacta will enable the company to benefit from newly created synergies. At the same time, the new deal complements CDI’s recent takeover of Rosie’s Gaming Emporium and Colonial Downs Racetrack historic racing machine (HRM) operations in Virginia.

Without any doubt, Exacta is the perfect fit for Churchill Downs, considering its leading technology. The new deal will also help the company diversify its offering, considering that Exacta has implemented content from leading operators such as IGT, Light & Wonder and Everi, among others, to its HHR operations. In addition, CDI will benefit from a presence in states where Exacta has already established its operations such as New Hampshire, Virginia, Wyoming and Kentucky.

CDI revealed that for “tax purposes, the acquisition will be treated as an asset purchase allowing CDI to realize incremental tax benefits, which will provide additional cash flow and will enhance the overall economics of the transaction.” It is important to mention that the acquisition is subject to the necessary regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. According to CDI, the transaction is expected to be finalized next year.

The Company Remains Committed to Grow Further

Bill Carstanjen, CDI’s chief executive officer, shared his excitement saying that Exacta helped support historical horse racing operations in the US for years. He added that the acquisition will help expand Exacta’s presence. Finally, Carstanjen said that the collaboration will be “diversifying the game offerings available to players at HRM facilities around the country.”

“For nearly a decade, Exacta has been a creative force supporting the growth of historical horse racing in the US.“

Bill Carstanjen, chief executive officer of CDI

The recent announcement comes on the heels of an important appointment announced by CDI. Last week, the company expanded its Board by adding the human resources expert Andréa Carter. By joining CDI’s Board, the number of members increased to a total of nine. Carter brings a wealth of experience which she will leverage to help the company to continue growing. Her term as a Class II member of the Board is set to expire in 2025.

INTRALOT, a gaming industry supplier, has signed a new 5-year sports betting contract with the Ohio Lottery Commission. Thanks to this, the former party will be able to provide retailers and customers in the state with its critically-acclaimed solutions.

INTRALOT Will Leverage the Orion Sportsbook Solution

As agreed with the Ohio Lottery, Intralot will implement its INTRALOT Orion Sportsbook solution. As a result, the supplier will leverage existing lottery equipment and infrastructure to make the launch of sports betting across Ohio much easier.

Under the deal, the project will go live in January 2023, in accordance with the launch of sports betting in Ohio. It will see INTRALOT power 700 retail sports betting locations with its solutions – a number that is expected to grow to more than 1,000 in a few more months.

INTRALOT also announced that it has received a provisional license through the Ohio Casino Commission to operate this contract. The final five-year license, meanwhile, is expected to be issued at the beginning of 2023, “shortly after” January 1, the provider added.

This is not INTRALOT’s first step into the Buckeye State. On the contrary, the supplier has supported the local market for over a decade now. Ever since 2009, the company has been providing a secure central gaming system in the state, delivering, managing and accounting for all legal Ohio Lottery games in the state.

Ohio to Soon Welcome Sports Betting

Ohio, meanwhile, is set to legalize sports betting starting January 1. The state has long fought to legalize gambling and is now preparing to officially launch wagering on sports. Many industry enthusiasts are excited about this launch, considering Ohio’s potential.

Analysts believe that the state could potentially become one of the top betting markets in America, ramping up hype about the launch.

With sports betting on the table, the state is now licensing operators and suppliers that will be permitted to offer their products in the state. For example, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the Buckeye regulator, just licensed FansUnite, providing the British Colombia-based sports betting and entertainment company with a sports gaming supplier license.

Earlier, the authority also greenlit the launch of Underdog Sports, one of the fastest-growing fantasy sports companies. Thanks to this, Underdog will be able to launch on the Ohioan betting market from day one.

Australia-based operator PlayUp, on the other hand, failed to secure a license because of potential illegal gambling activity related to the company’s PlayUp Slots+ product. The Ohio Casino Control Commission said it may rethink its stance if the operator remedies the issues.

As announced by Ewa Bakun, Clarion Gaming’s director of industry insight and engagement, the internationally recognized Customer Protection Zone, will make a return. Citing the responsible approach to advertising award the zone won at the recent Global Regulatory Awards, Bakun noted that the CPZ is “one of the many success stories made possible by ICE.“

ICE London 2023 Will Have the Biggest CPZ Yet

The United Kingdom’s Gambling Commission will be one of the participants in the ICE London event next year. The British regulator will join the award-winning Consumer Protection Zone, as announced by the Clarion spokesperson.  

Following the successes mentioned by the Clarion industry insight director, ICE has decided to expand the CPZ for this year’s event. The fair will sport 20 stands in the zone, meaning that it will be 50% larger than it was in the event’s previous iteration and more than 100% larger than it was when it was first introduced in 2018.

Bakun pointed out that the CPZ is “the brainchild” of Tim Miller from the UKGC. She noted that the Customer Protection Zone, which at first had only eight stands, has now expanded significantly. It will now occupy a prominent location adjacent to the main boulevard at ExCeL London – the place where the event will take place.

Bakun thanked the generous industry supporters and sponsors for helping the CPZ raise $177,000 for various gambling industry charities over the previous three editions of the event. She hopes to boost this number to $242,000 during the upcoming iteration of the event.

Major Companies Will Attend the Event

ICE London is scheduled for February 7-9 and will take place at the ExCeL Exhibition Center in London. As mentioned, the new Customer Protection Zone will have 20 stands and will feature a variety of leading responsible gambling tech providers and non-profit organizations.

Here is the complete list of the bodies that will participate in the event:

• BetKnowmore
• Casino Guru
• Crucial Compliance
• Department of Trust
• Focal Research
• Future Anthem
• GamCare
• Gamstop
• Gordon Moody
• IGT
• Intuita Consulting
• LexisNexis
• Mindway AI
• National Center for Problem Gaming
• Responsible Gaming Council
• Rightlander
• SG:Certified
• UKGC
• W2
• YGAM

ICE London will also welcome back many major industry suppliers. As announced in November, various notable companies will once again attend the event where they will showcase their products and solutions.

iGaming content supplier and developer Playson announced a new strategic partnership with E-Play24, an Italian gambling operator, licensed game manager, and platform provider. The agreement marks another important milestone in Playson’s expansion strategy as the company retains considerable momentum after a series of high-impact deals.

The Developer’s Ambitions Paid Off

Playson has been enjoying an immensely positive 2022 as the company concluded partnership after partnership, significantly expanding its global reach. Nikolay Illiustrov, the studio’s head of games, shared his ambitions for the company earlier this year. He stated his intent to elevate their content above the competition, drawing in operators with an expansive, high-quality portfolio, aiming to become one of the best gaming developers on the market.

The company’s recent performance reveals that its quality-based approach is paying dividends. Interest from operators rose substantially in the second half of the year after the company received its Ontario online gaming license. While Playson’s North American debut was a tremendous success for the company, its primary stronghold remains in Europe.

A series of high-profile partnerships cemented Playson’s position as one of the Old Continent’s leading iGaming developers. Over the past few months, the company expanded its foothold in the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Romania after partnering with local operators. December has been particularly successful due to the deals with gaming and entertainment brand SkillOnNet and casino aggregator iGaming Group, massively extending Playson’s global reach.

Playson Grows Its Italian Presence

The developer’s recent agreement with E-Play24 capped off a massively successful year. Playson’s portfolio will reach even more clients within the regulated Italian market. The developer’s most popular games include titles like Vikings Fortune: Hold and Win, Book of Gold: Double Chance, Mighty Africa: 4096 ways, and its successful Timeless Fruit Slots series.

Playson CCO Tamas Kusztos was excited about the opportunity to expand the company’s reach within Italy, expressing hope that their engaging, high-quality games would help a prestigious operator like E-Play24 reach new demographics.

We look forward to a long and successful partnership with the company and further establish ourselves as a major provider within Italy.

Tamas Kusztos, Playson CCO

Alessandra Rosati, Playson’s senior account manager, shared that the company’s five best-performing titles in Italy enjoyed tremendous success. The collaboration with E-Play24 will further boost the developer’s entire slots library in the region. With 2022 nearing its end, the deal is the cherry on top of an exciting year for Playson. The company has accumulated significant momentum, meaning it will likely continue to make headlines in 2023.

Anticipating the launch of its mobile sportsbook services in Virginia, Betfred announced a new multi-year partnership with Loudoun United FC (LUFC). Revealed Tuesday, the new deal designated Betfred as the soccer team’s official sports betting partner.

Loudoun United FC Teams up with Betfred

The new collaboration will see Betfred benefit from brand exposure. The brand’s logo will be visible on the back of the jerseys of the team’s home and away kits. The sponsorship with Loudoun United, according to Betfred, kicks off with the 2023 USL Championship season. Betfred explained that additional brand integrations can be expected near the launch of the season.

The recent deal with LUFC complements Betfred’s ongoing growth. Currently, Betfred USA Sports, the US-facing subsidiary of the famous UK-based bookmaker Betfred Group, is licensed in major US markets such as Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Iowa, among others. What’s more, the bookmaker is in the process of gaining regulatory approval in Ohio, as well as Nevada.

Betfred was represented for the negotiations with Loudoun United by SCCG Management. The bookmaker explained that it anticipates launching its Betfred Sportsbook mobile product early next year.

The Collaboration Marks an Exciting Moment for LUFC, Betfred

Doug Raftery, LUFC’s executive business officer, said that the new deal with Betfred creates new engagement opportunities for the team’s fans. He added that Loudoun United is looking “forward to working with Betfred to create a great environment on and off the field for seasons to come.”

“Our partnership with Betfred enables us to enhance the fan experience and helps provide additional opportunities to engage with our ever-growing Red-and-White Community.“

Doug Raftery, executive business officer at Loudoun United FC

Bryan Bennett, Betfred USA Sports’ COO, acknowledged that the company has collaborated with many soccer clubs in the UK. At the same time, he added that the new deal marks an exciting moment as the collaboration with Loudoun United is the first US-facing deal with a soccer team.

“Betfred has a long history of successful sponsorships of soccer clubs in the UK, and we couldn’t be more excited to enter into our first partnership in the US with Loudoun United.“

Bryan Bennett, COO of Betfred USA Sports

Bennett pointed out that in the last few years, the team developed a large fan base. Last but not least, the COO said that Betfred is looking forward to delivering unique experiences for fans of the soccer team via Betfred Sportsbook in Virginia.