Gambling in the USA
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment Announces New Leadership Appointments as Brand Continues Strategic Growth Trajectory

Introducing David Martinelli as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Judy Newman-Locke as Vice President, Human Resources Management
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE), developer of awe-inspiring integrated entertainment resorts (IER) worldwide, announced two new appointments to its leadership team. Effective immediately, David Martinelli will assume the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Judy Newman-Locke has been appointed Vice President of Human Resources Management for MGE. Both Dave and Judy bring extensive knowledge and expertise to their new roles and will help guide MGE through this period of strategic growth and development.
“It will take a strong and effective leadership team to steer our organization through this next chapter of growth and innovation. Accordingly, I am very pleased to have Dave and Judy join our team to further support our efforts throughout the U.S. and abroad,” said Mario Kontomerkos, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment. “Dave and Judy’s considerable experience will be instrumental in promoting MGE as a worldwide industry leader in integrated resort entertainment and in retaining the best talent for our MGE family.”
David Martinelli, CMO
After more than 20 years of service to MGE’s flagship property, Mohegan Sun Connecticut, and serving as the property’s Chief Marketing Officer, David Martinelli has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer for the MGE brand. Dave began his career with Mohegan in 1999 and was quickly promoted to Financial Planning & Analysis Manager. He worked closely with the WNBA Connecticut Sun team and Mohegan Sun Arena as Business Manager before being named Vice President of Customer Relationship Management and eventually Chief Marketing Officer. Dave graduated from Brown University with a degree in Economics. He is married to Kerry Martinelli. They have two sons, David and Danny and reside in North Kingstown, RI.
Dave will oversee a diverse marketing team poised to introduce the Mohegan marketing and entertainment brand to iconic new markets such as Las Vegas and Incheon South Korea and strengthen MGE’s brand awareness in existing locations.
Judy Newman-Locke, VP of Human Resources Management
Judy Newman-Locke, recently appointed Vice President, Human Resources Management for MGE, has joined the world-class entertainment brand after several years of experience in global and domestic human resources management. As the former Senior Director of Global Human Resources at The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. (LHW) and Principle and Owner of Grey Heron Partners, Judy is poised to meet the challenges of international management seamlessly to help position MGE as an inclusive, industry-leading organization both in the U.S. and abroad.
In her new role, Judy will provide strategic leadership in the development and implementation of global integrated people practices, systems, and programs such as compensation, benefits, performance management, HRIS, and leader/employee talent analytics. She will be working closely with department heads throughout the enterprise to create a strong foundation that supports organizational alignment, productivity, effectiveness and efficiency.
ABOUT MOHEGAN GAMING & ENTERTAINMENT:
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE) is a master developer and operator of premier global integrated entertainment resorts, including Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, Inspire in Incheon, South Korea and Niagara Casinos in Niagara, Canada. MGE is owner, developer, and/or manager of integrated entertainment resorts throughout the United States, including Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, as well as Northern Asia and Niagara Falls, Canada, and coming soon pending regulatory approval, Las Vegas, Nevada. MGE is owner and operator of Connecticut Sun, a professional basketball team in the WNBA and New England Black Wolves, a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. For more information on MGE and our properties, visit www.mohegangaming.com.
Gambling in the USA
Abbiati Casino Equipment and Hawkins Holdings Form Strategic Alliance to Expand Presence Across the Americas

Abbiati Casino Equipment, a globally recognised leader in premium casino equipment and technologies, announced a strategic partnership with Hawkins Holdings to strengthen its presence across North and South America. As part of this initiative, seasoned gaming executive Roger Hawkins has been appointed Brand Ambassador and Strategic Consultant for the Americas.
With more than 20 years of executive leadership in the global casino and gaming industry, Hawkins will spearhead the companyâs efforts to expand its footprint throughout the Western Hemisphere. His role will include market development, strategic partnerships, regulatory positioning, and the promotion of Abbiatiâs legacy of Italian innovation, craftsmanship, and integrity.
âThis partnership is about more than market entry â itâs about building deeper awareness, driving product adoption, and reinforcing Abbiatiâs commitment to quality across every pit and poker room in the hemisphere,â said Hawkins.
Giorgio Abbiati, CEO of Abbiati Casino Equipment, said: âWe have proudly served clients in the Americas for many years, but the time is right to deepen our focus. Rogerâs knowledge of our products and his insight into the market make him the ideal partner to lead this next phase.â
Gambling in the USA
Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort Rising in Kings Mountain as First Year of Construction is Completed

Significant construction has been completed during the first year of work on the $1 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain, N.C., a site off Interstate-85 only 35 miles from Charlotte and close to the South Carolina border.
Construction on all aspects of the project is in full swing, with the foundations for the casino complex and hotel completed several months ago, the casino complex at its full height and expanding horizontally, and steel continuing to rise for the 24-story, 385-room hotel. The hotel tower framing is now 10 stories high, with an additional floor being added nearly every week. At completion, the hotel will be connected to the casino complex.
The casino complex includes the introductory casino on the first level, three levels of covered parking, a back-of-house level and top level with the main casino floor and restaurants. The introductory casino, set to open in spring 2026, will include 1350 slot machines, 20 table games, a 40-seat restaurant, a bar, sports betting kiosks, and Lucky North Rewards desk.
The introductory casino will replace the current temporary (prelaunch) casino, which continues to grow in popularity as it nears its fourth anniversary on July 1.
The main casino complex is targeted to open in 2027. It will be about 2 million square feet and feature:
⢠4300 slot machines
⢠100 table games
⢠11 dining outlets, including a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, marketplace with six venues, cafÊ, and grab-and-go outlet
⢠A players lounge
⢠11 bars, including a center bar and sports bar
⢠A 2700-space parking garage built under the casino complex and 800 surface parking spaces
The project has created hundreds of construction jobs. Upon completion, the casino resort will employ an estimated 2200 regional residents and citizens of the Catawba Nation.
âThis casino resort will be an economic game changer for Catawba citizens and a force to drive the economy of Cleveland County and the City of Kings Mountain. This project is a testament to our resilience, our commitment to self-sufficiency, and our determination to build a better future for ourselves and our future generations,â Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris said.
Harris noted the temporary casino is contributing to many community and charitable organizations in the region, and that will only increase as the full casino resort opens.
The project is being led by the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority under Vice President Trent Troxel, with Yates-Metcon as the construction general contractor; Delaware North as the gaming management, development and hospitality consultant; and SOSHNY Design architects.
âOnce again, I want to thank the Cleveland County, City of Kings Mountain, federal and state leaders who have supported the Catawba Nationâs efforts develop the casino resort in its ancestral lands in North Carolina,â Harris said.
Work has also been completed on two key infrastructure projects for development of the permanent casino resort that were funded by the Catawba Nation: doubling the size of the Dixon School Road Bridge over I-85 near the casino entrance and installing new sewer lines near the casino.
Gambling in the USA
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Named Luckiest Casino in US by Casinos.com

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has been named the luckiest casino in the US according to a recent study conducted by Casinos.com. The resort claimed the top spot based on an in-depth analysis of Tripadvisor reviews, measuring the frequency of luck-related keyword mentions.
With a 25.49% luck rate, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa topped the list thanks to glowing guest feedback, including frequent mentions of jackpots, hand pays and bonus wins. 50 reviews mentioned the word âjackpot,â and 19 even referenced a âhand pay.â
Casinos.com tracked keywords such as lucky, luck, won, winning, success, jackpot, hand pay, winner, bonus, profit to determine which U.S. casinos inspired the most winning moments among visitors.
âI hit 4 jackpots. I stayed one night. I had a blast. The machines are as loose as anywhere else,â wrote one Tripadvisor reviewer, noted Casinos.com, capturing the essence of why the casino landed in the No. 1 spot.
âWeâve always known this was a lucky casino, but itâs exciting to see that recognized through data-driven research. Itâs a testament to the vibrant energy on our casino floor and the unforgettable experiences we strive to create for every guest,â said Steve Bonner, President of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
The ranking reinforces Seminole Hard Rock Tampaâs reputation as one of the premier gaming and entertainment destinations in the US. Seminole Hard Rock Tampa was not involved in the study and was unaware of it until the results were publicly released.
Over the past year, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa has paid out nearly 839,000 jackpots totaling more than $2.45 billion, continuing to deliver thrilling high-stakes gaming. Since May 1, 2024, the casino resort has awarded 375 jackpots of $100,000 or more, amounting to an impressive $61 million in winnings. Notably, 47 of those massive wins stemmed from bets of $5 or less and nine came from wagers of $3 or less.
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa offers a fully integrated casino experience with a sleek, modern design and welcoming atmosphere of 245,000 square feet of gaming space and entertainment. With 5230 of the hottest slot machines and a full range of table games such as poker, blackjack and baccarat, there is no shortage of opportunities to win. Additionally, guests can enjoy live craps, roulette, and sports betting at their leisure.
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