Forbes – Already investing billions in the housing market down under, China’s real estate developers are preparing to go head to head with Australia’s home-grown gaming giants, including a company run by its richest man, to build casinos in the heart of one of the country’s largest cities. The winner of the bidding process will get the chance to develop a six-star multi-billion dollar casino project at Queen’s Wharf in Brisbane, the largest city in Queensland state, and the right to profit from the boom in Chinese visitors and their love for gambling. Shanghai government-backed developer Greenland Group, which already…

Inquirer – The state-run Philippine Amusement & Gaming Corp. has struck a deal with gaming operators to cut license fees by 10-percent of gross gaming revenues to neutralize the burden arising from a controversial judicial ruling that changes the gaming tax regime. The reduction in license fee as a percentage of gross gaming revenues from both high-roller VIP (very important person) and mass markets was intended to “make whole” the gaming operators after a Supreme Court order that removed Pagcor’s tax exempt status. As a consequence, the tax regime changes for all private licensees as well.  Instead of paying the…

Card Player – The state of Massachusetts could award its first Las Vegas-style casino license by mid-June, according to a report from CBS Springfield. The Gaming Commission said at a meeting on Friday morning that the plan is to award the license June 13, as long as there aren’t any setbacks. MGM is the only casino firm left standing in the race for Region B (the western part of the state). Other firms are competing elsewhere, including a Wynn Resorts plan near Boston, but it appears the state needs more time sorting through those situations. MGM is eyeing a $800…

Reuters – Australia’s Queensland government reported strong interest on Wednesday from both local and foreign bidders for its plan to build as many as three casino resorts, underscoring the northern state’s position as the country’s next gaming frontier. Australia is looking to build large casino resorts and other tourism attractions to lure high-end Asian spenders to compete with places like Macau and the Philippines. Australia’s 13 casinos currently capture just 1 percent of the $34 billion market for high-roller gamblers in Asia annually. A total of 19 companies have registered to make a potential bid for the licences for the…