From iGaming Business – A month after its planned purchase of rival Ameristar Casinos Incorporated was approved by officials in Iowa, land-based casino operator Pinnacle Entertainment Incorporated has announced that the Louisiana Gaming Control Board has now approved the proposed deal. Pinnacle Entertainment runs seven casinos in the states of Louisiana, Indiana and Missouri in addition to a racetrack facility in Ohio and purchased Los Angeles-based sporting events organiser Federated Sports and Gaming Incorporated, which is responsible for the annual Heartland Poker Tour, a year ago. The proposed purchase would see Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment hand over $2.8 billion in…

From iGaming Business – Sports data provider BetRadar has released Virtual Horse Classics (VHC), a new virtual horseracing product that will join its previously launched Virtual Football League. Latestsportsbonuses.com reports that VHC will feature a hosted and customisable front-end as well as offering around-the-clock real-money betting on virtual horse races. In addition, the firm said all race simulations in VHC feed from the latest developments in artificial intelligence, which is all developed in-house. There are always two race days on offer as well as nine races per day and a total of 45 minutes. On average, a new race begins…

From iGaming Business – Gaming solutions provider Scientific Games has agreed a deal with Swiss lottery organisation Societe De La Loterie De La Suisse Romande (LoRo) to supply approximately 3,000 new lottery retail terminals, new central application terminal software and related services. The contact, awarded through a competitive procurement progress, includes delivery, installation, maintenance and support of the technology. In addition, Scientific Games will also install the Wave and Flair retail terminals that utilise the same application to sell lottery draw, instant and sports games. Jean-Luc Moner-Banet, chief executive officer of LoRo, said: “We selected Scientific Games based on the…

From Fox News – Cyprus’ government says the Cabinet has decided to issue a license to build the bailed-out country’s first casino resort. Spokesman Christos Stylianides said Thursday that the license will be granted to the successful bidder within 12 months in order to provide a quick boost to public finances and help the battered economy with jobs and revenue. To prevent the collapse of its wobbly banking sector and avoid bankruptcy, Cyprus signed in March a 23 billion euro ($30 billion) financial rescue deal with it euro partners and the International Monetary Fund. Under the deal’s terms, Cyprus forced…

A United States Marine attending a week-long military training session in Nevada won more than $2.8 million playing the Bally Tech slot Money Vault slot machine at the Bellagio Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012 (Photo credit: BusinessWire). Bally’s Millionaire Sevens wide-area progressive slot link hit for $2,882,808.32, the second-largest jackpot ever won on a Bally Technologies game. “I was overwhelmed and in shock,” said winner Alexander Degenhardt, 26. “I didn’t know what to do.” Degenhardt and a Marine buddy had decided to have some fun when they got a break from training at nearby Nellis Air Force Base,…

Travelers International Hotel Group will spend US$600 million to expand its Philippine Casino in Manila in the next three years, saying the delay in its US$1 billion initial public offering will not slow down its plans. Travelers, a joint venture between casino operator Genting Hong Kong and Philippine conglomerate Alliance Global Group, said it could go to the debt market to seek funding while waiting for the right time to list its shares. The company has deferred its listing to September or October from an original plan to launch the IPO this month due to market volatility. It is looking…