Gambling in the USA

Affinity Gaming Appoints Mary Elizabeth Higgins Chief Executive Officer

Published

5 years ago

April 16, 2019

Higgins Brings 20+ Years of Gaming Experience

Affinity Gaming today announced the appointment of Mary Elizabeth Higgins as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Ms. Higgins, a gaming industry veteran, has served as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer and succeeds Tony Rodio who will leave Company to pursue other opportunities.

Additionally, Eric Fiocco, Affinity’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, has been named Chief Operating Officer, succeeding Ms. Higgins. Mr. Fiocco will continue in his role as CMO.

For nearly 20 years, Ms. Higgins has held executive roles in the gaming sector, focusing on strategic financial management, capital formation, acquisition strategies and investor relations. Before joining Affinity in June 2018, she was instrumental in establishing VICI Properties, a REIT spinoff from Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, Inc. (CEOC), and served as its CFO. From 2014 to 2017, she was CFO of CEOC, the largest subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation, where she oversaw finances across 38 casino locations in 14 U.S. states as well as in five countries. Earlier in her career, Ms. Higgins served as CFO at companies such as Global Cash Access Holdings, Inc., Herbst Gaming, Inc., the predecessor company of Affinity Gaming, and Camco, Inc.

“Mary Beth has significant knowledge of and experience in the gaming sector, including 10 years at Affinity’s predecessor Herbst Gaming, and a track record of success that makes her uniquely qualified to lead Affinity as CEO,” said James Zenni, Chairman of Affinity’s Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Z Capital Partners. “I am confident that Mary Beth is the right person to lead the Company into its next chapter of success and I look forward to working together as we continue to enhance the customer and guest experience and drive sustainable, long-term growth at Affinity.”

“I am excited to lead Affinity and deliver on our commitment to further enhance Affinity as a local casino leader in an evolving gaming landscape,” said Ms. Higgins. “Alongside Eric and the rest of the management team, I look forward to continuing to partner with Z Capital, an experienced and proven investor in the gaming industry, and I am eager to help capture Affinity’s significant growth potential, while continuing to deliver the high-quality service and unmatched player experience that are staples at Affinity properties across the country.”

Mr. Fiocco, a veteran of the gaming and casino industry with nearly four decades of experience, joined Affinity Gaming in November 2018. Prior to joining Affinity, Mr. Fiocco, served as Chief Marketing Officer of Tropicana Entertainment Inc. where he was responsible for marketing operations across eight properties. Earlier in his career, Mr. Fiocco served as Senior Vice President of Casino Operations and Marketing for Resorts Casino Hotel and in a number of roles at Caesars Atlantic City, culminating as Vice President of Operations and Marketing.

Affiliates of Z Capital Partners, the private equity management arm of Z Capital Group, closed the take-private acquisition of Affinity in 2017.

About Affinity:

Affinity Gaming is a diversified casino gaming company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company’s casino operations consist of 11 casinos, five of which are located in Nevada, three in Colorado, two in Missouri and one in Iowa. For more information about Affinity Gaming, please visit its website: www.affinitygaming.com.

SOURCE Affinity Gaming

eSports

CAPCOM’S STREET FIGHTERTM 6 GOING TO COLLEGE THIS FALL

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Zoltan Tundik

College conference Street Fighter 6 champions will punch their ticket to the national Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) & May Madness in 2025

CSMG will create and operate College Street FighterTM Tour in North America for the 2024-25 academic year
College conference Street Fighter 6 champions will punch their ticket to the national Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) & May Madness in 2025

Collegiate Sports Management Group (CSMG) announced today during the kick-off of its Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) Texas presented by McDonald’s that it has joined forces with Capcom to launch the College Street FighterTM Tour during its 2024-25 academic year with the finalists competing at CECC Texas in 2025 throughout its May Madness event. Street FighterTM 6 will join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch 2®, Rocket League, and VALORANT as part of the official game titles for CECC.

“We are immensely excited to welcome Capcom into the CECC family and provide a path to glory for student athletes to showcase their skills in Street Fighter 6,” said Michael Schreck, Chief Executive Officer for CSMG. “In our fourth year of building May Madness, we continue to listen to our players, coaches and fans on how to make our event more inclusive, and the partnership with Street Fighter 6 is a resounding success.”

“The Street Fighter franchise is a multi-generational and global game series, so it’s important for us to continue to grow that fandom at the collegiate level,” said Michael Larson, Head of Esports at Capcom USA. “CECC continues to set the standard for competition and community, so it’s a natural format for expansion, and we’re eager for College Street Fighter Tour competitors across North America to show off their skills and join us in Texas next year.”

”The vision for the College Street Fighter Tour is a publisher backed esports series that integrates into the existing infrastructure of The Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup, a bracket style event series that takes place every year and has been coined May Madness. The path to championship includes invitational bids to national and regional level conferences as well as official CECC qualifiers held regionally,” said Angela Bernhard Thomas, Chief Esports Officer for CSMG’s ESPORTSU.

Every college or university from a 2-year or 4-year institution can participate through their conference or through select qualifiers. Wim Stocks will serve as the Commissioner of the College Street Fighter Tour and bring his 20 years of experience in college esports to create a dynamic and engaging format of competitive gaming.

“Since the launch of Street Fighter 6 in June of ’23, it is clear the rich legacy of Street Fighter is stronger than ever and helping lift the fighting game community to still greater heights,” said Stocks. “Having a structure now for a national collegiate competitive series, league, and events, Capcom and ESPORTSU are building a phenomenal ecosystem and mechanism for developing up and coming Street Fighter 6 competitors.”

More details on the College Street Fighter Tour will be shared later this year.

CSMG welcomes 84 teams (up from 64 in 2023) this weekend from a record breaking 19 conference champions to the largest scholastic esports festival globally. They will compete at Esports Stadium Arlington on May 3-5 for the chance to hoist one of the coveted trophies. Fans can watch the CECC Texas on ESPORTSU’s Twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/esportsu.

CECC Texas 2023 was also recently awarded LAN Event of the Year during the inaugural Scholars Awards in Las Vegas, which are produced in partnership with the Esports Awards.

Gambling in the USA

Clark County residents can bring a friend for free to next week’s Super Bingo $160,000 tournament at the Plaza Hotel & Casino, May 6-8

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Zoltan Tundik

Home to downtown Las Vegas’ only bingo room, the Plaza Hotel & Casino is offering Clark County, Nevada residents who register to play in next week’s Super Bingo tournament the opportunity to bring a friend for free.

Happening Monday, May 6 through Wednesday, May 8 in the Plaza’s expansive ballroom, Super Bingo is expected to draw nearly 1,000 people from the local Las Vegas valley and across the country and Canada for the opportunity to win big playing fun-filled games of bingo over two days, with a $50,000 super coverall both days while socializing with like-minded bingo players.

Bingo-only registration is $160 per person, and Clark County residents who register can bring a friend for free. Registration is available online at https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/bingo/super-bingo-registration/. Hotel-and-bingo packages start at $300 for a four-night stay with no resort fee.

All Super Bingo players receive one 6-on paper pack for both days, two daubers, free drinks via an open bar at all sessions, boxed lunch both days, and $10 in free slot play after the first day’s session.

The Plaza’s Bingo room offers six daily bingo sessions at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and is located on the 3rd floor. By parking on the third floor of the Plaza’s self-parking garage, guests have convenient and direct access to the Plaza’s bingo room and parking is validated for bingo players.

Gambling in the USA

Kambi Group plc extends Mohegan partnership with on-property sports betting agreement in Pennsylvania

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Kambi Group plc (“Kambi”), the world’s trusted sports betting partner, has agreed a long-term on-property sportsbook partnership with Mohegan to provide its award-winning sportsbook at two retail locations in the state of Pennsylvania.

The partnership will see Mohegan utilise Kambi’s cutting-edge retail sportsbook offering across more than 20 kiosks in sportsbook locations at Mohegan Pennsylvania and Mohegan Pennsylvania at Lehigh Valley Race and Sportsbook.

The deal further strengthens Kambi’s relationship with Mohegan, which already utilises Kambi’s suite of sports betting products at ilani in Washington, as well as online and on-property in the Canadian province of Ontario at Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara.

Kristian Nylén, Kambi CEO and Co-founder, said: “With several successful partnerships with Mohegan already in place, we are pleased to agree this new partnership as we continue to build on our strong relationship.

“This latest deal further reinforces Kambi’s position as the sportsbook provider of choice for tribes across North America, and we look forward to our ongoing collaboration with Mohegan.”

Tony Carlucci, President & GM of Mohegan Pennsylvania, said: “Mohegan Pennsylvania is excited to continue utilising the same Kambi technology platform that existed under our Kindred partnership, which will help to create a seamless process as the Sportsbook at Mohegan Pennsylvania fully rebrands later this Spring.”