iGaming Business – The EGBA association of European gaming and betting operators has welcomed Advocate General Sharpston’s criticism of a lack of consistency in Austrian gambling legislation. Sharpston said national gambling legislation should be consistent and that it is up to the Member States to provide the necessary evidence to this effect. The Austrian gambling system has already been subject of a number of court cases on both a national and EU level. Sharpston recalled constant Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) case-law that “the burden of proving that the restriction is proportionate rests with the Austrian authorities”,…

Macau Business Daily – Japan has long been touted as an attractive gaming market with a large and relatively rich population base. The country may generate US$10 billion (79.9 billion patacas) revenue a year if it opens up, Union Gaming Group LLC estimated. Sceptics on the operations side of the industry say that Japan – with its distinct culture and low penetration of English language skills – is likely to focus its casino offer mainly on domestic players. They also point out that Japanese VIP table players have not been seen in other Asian casino markets in any big numbers…

OSGA.com – It’s been almost 2 weeks since the Breeder’s Cup and interest in horse racing has not been affected one bit by the event. In fact the Breeder’s Cup itself was deemed so insignificant that it wasn’t even shown in its entirety on national TV. In prior years the major networks devoted a full afternoon to the Saturday races complete with story lines and interesting factoids and they employed commentators from overseas to weigh in. This year the telecast was aired on NBC Sports (a digital station which most don’t subscribe to) and only brought in to NBC’s prime…

When it comes to gaming in Nevada casinos, the revenue reports tell the same story over and over again: Visitors aren’t spending as much as they did before the recession and gaming has fallen second to food, shopping and shows. The number of slot machines and poker tables in the valley has steadily declined. Casino floors in Nevada lost about 38,000 slot machines between 2000 and 2012, according to data from UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research and the state Gaming Control Board. On the Strip, the number of slots dipped by more than 13,000 over that period, leveling out at…

RGJ.com – The newest addition to Las Vegas’ resurgent downtown announced itself this week with a marching band, a ribbon cutting and, of course, showgirls. The , which actually opened its doors in late October, aims to introduce an element of luxury among the retro casinos that populate old Las Vegas. The hotel is one of several new businesses opening in the town’s long-neglected core. A collection of high-concept restaurants recently has remade the look of the blocks around the loveably tacky Fremont Street Experience. A private park built around shipping containers is expected to open next month, and after…

iGaming Business – The North Dakota Racing Commission has approved a proposal for gaming group 123gaming’s horseracing wager pool 123racing to be hosted by a licensed operator in the US state. The 123racing technology has been developed as part of a pari-mutuel wager offering by 123gaming in conjunction with pool and sportsbetting operator Sportech. The technology introduces an innovative wager system similar to the traditional Pick-6. It has been designed to provide new interactive content for handicappers, stimulate handle for operators and enable 123racing wagers to be placed at participating racetracks, OTBs and online portals. The 123racing pools are hosted…