The Fire Joker has returned, his blazing grin wider than ever. He’s back in control of the reels, where classic fruits and symbols light up under his fiery touch. But this time, there’s more than just mischief in the air. The heat has intensified, the stakes are higher, and this scorching slot is cranked up to a full 100.
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The Fire Joker has returned, his blazing grin wider than ever. He’s back in control of the reels, where classic fruits and symbols light up under his fiery touch. But this time, there’s more than just mischief in the air. The heat has intensified, the stakes are higher, and this scorching slot is cranked up to a full 100.

Gambling in the USA

Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort Name New CEO

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Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort, enterprises of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, announced the appointment of John Dinius as President and Chief Executive Officer. The news comes following an extensive national search by the Salt River Enterprises Gaming Board of Directors and the retirement of Dennis Leong, a much esteemed leader who held the position for 13 years.

“The depth and breadth of John’s experience make him the ideal CEO to take Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort to the next level. His appointment comes at an exciting time for our properties as we ready ourselves to mark many milestones in the weeks, months and years to come. Among them, a major renovation at Talking Stick Resort as well as the 25th anniversary of Casino Arizona,” said Bernice-Cota Gann, Chair of the Salt River Enterprises Gaming Board of Directors.

Dinius brings more than two decades of experience in gaming at casinos across California. Most recently, he served as CEO of Table Mountain Casino Resort in Fresno, Calif. Under his leadership, the property opened a new multi-million dollar casino-resort.

Prior to his time at the Table Mountain properties, Dinius spent over 20 years with Sycuan Casino Resort. There, he started as a bingo pull tabs clerk working his way up, holding positions at nearly every level within the casino. Among those jobs included slot attendant, operations manager, slot director and more. Eventually, Dinius was appointed general manager helping the property set an array of records and achievements. As general manager, he increased visitation at Sycuan Casino Resort and made significant innovative changes to the property such as growing the casino’s loyalty player program by increasing the amount of cash back to its highest levels. He also established the largest non-smoking gaming area, long before the pandemic led many to end smoking in casinos. Playing a key part in these large-scale initiatives and his wide-range of experience has given Dinius unique insights into the inner workings of the gaming and hospitality industries.

“I am honored to join Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort. The properties have stellar reputations within the industry and are market leaders within the State. My goal is to help each property grow and evolve, while maintaining their position as the standard bearer for gaming and hospitality. All of this with the purpose of supporting the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community,” said Dinius.

Dinius replaces Dennis Leong following his retirement at the end of 2022. Leong served as President and CEO for Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort for 13 years.

“Dennis brought professionalism and elegance to Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort. He has served our Enterprise loyally, guiding us through times of hardship and great prosperity. We are grateful for his leadership and wish him all the best,” said Cota-Gann.

Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort are two of the leading attractions in the Valley. Together, they are home to 2500 state-of-the-art slot machines, numerous table games, and keno. This year, Casino Arizona will celebrate its 25th anniversary and recently opened a new bingo hall and taqueria.

Gambling in the USA

Georgia Lottery Takes Retail Experience to Next Level with Scientific Games’ SCiQ Technology

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SCiQ Ecosystem Modernizes Lottery Scratch Game Sales, Simplifies Retail Operations

The Georgia Lottery Corporation is taking a major step forward in transforming the way players experience instant scratch games at retail with the launch of Scientific Games’ award-winning SCiQ retail ecosystem at 1,500 locations statewide. The breakthrough retail technology modernizes how scratch games are sold and managed, bringing greater operational efficiency to retailers and a convenient, streamlined purchasing experience for players.

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The innovative retail technology rollout is the latest milestone in a long-standing partnership between the Georgia Lottery and metro Atlanta-based Scientific Games, a collaboration that began at the Lottery’s inception in 1993. Through the long-standing partnership, Scientific Games has worked with the Lottery to launch its first scratch game, first second-chance promotion and is soon to launch its first loyalty program.

“Retail environments are evolving, and the Georgia Lottery is proud to lead with smart technology solutions that align with how today’s consumers want to shop,” said Gretchen Corbin, President and CEO of the Georgia Lottery Corporation. “SCiQ brings a modern retail presence to our instant games, helps our retailers operate more efficiently and ultimately supports our mission to maximize revenues for the HOPE Scholarship and Georgia Pre-K program.”

A Gold Winner in the 2025 American Business Awards for Operations Management Solution and Bronze Winner in the 2025 International Business Awards for Achievement in Product Innovation, SCiQ is being deployed across the diverse mix of Georgia Lottery retailers, including both major chain and independent stores. Each will benefit from:

  • Real-time inventory tracking proven to reduce out-of-stocks and drive increased product sales
  • Advanced sales analytics to help optimize sales performance and strategic planning
  • Easy-to-use reporting tools that reduce operational time and provide management insights
  • Dynamic digital menu boards that elevate the product’s in-store presence and promotion while providing players with real-time updated information
  • Game dispensing bins that secure products, reduce theft and provide ticket-by-ticket operational tracking

“We are especially proud to bring the benefits of SCiQ to our home state,” said John Schulz, President of the Americas for Scientific Games. “The Georgia Lottery has always been a forward-thinking partner, and this retail modernization initiative is another move to ensure future growth for its instant game business to sustain future funding for Georgia’s students.”

A leading innovator in the industry, the Georgia Lottery ranked No. 2 in the world for scratch game per capita sales (La Fleur’s 2025 World Almanac). It has been a participant in the Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership program since the Lottery’s inception, benefiting from instant game design and production, portfolio management and game planning services, data analytics, advanced logistics, licensed brand services and retail sales and marketing support. Used by more than 20 lotteries, including five of the top six performing instant game lotteries worldwide, the SGEP program drove 31% better performance for U.S. partners in fiscal year 2023-24.

As the world’s largest lottery games company and the fastest-growing lottery systems provider in North America, Scientific Games currently serves more than 150 lotteries in 50 countries around the world.

SCiQ® is a registered trademark of Scientific Games. ©2025 Scientific Games, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 

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Gambling in the USA

$50 MILLION GUARANTEED IN ACR POKER’S BIGGEST-EVER TOURNAMENT SERIES: THE ONLINE SUPER SERIES XL, LAUNCHING THIS WEEKEND

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  • $4.25 million guaranteed in Monster Main Events across three tourneys, plus
  • $2.8 million guaranteed in Multi-Flight Events

Fresh off the massive Dual Venom tournaments with over $10 million in prize pools, ACR Poker announces the return of its flagship Online Super Series (OSS) XL. From this Sunday through Tuesday, September 30th, players of all bankrolls can jump into supersized poker action and compete for a staggering $50 million in guaranteed prize pools.

Headlining the OSS XL schedule are three monster Main Events. Starting Sunday, September 21st, players can take their shot at the $2 million guaranteed ($2,650 buy-in), the $1.5 million guaranteed ($1,050 buy-in), and the $750,000 guaranteed ($215 buy-in) Main Events.

Adding to the excitement is the high-energy Survivor Flips tourney ($130 buy-in), offering a $150,000 guarantee. Phase 1 and Steps Flips run from Wednesday, September 17th to Sunday, September 21st at 3pm ET. Phase 2 is a regular tournament on September 21st at 3:05pm ET where all players start in the money.

“After heated back-to-back Venom tourneys, the OSS XL feels like the perfect follow-up,” said ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker. “This series offers every type of player a mix of incredible value with a lot of variety. From Main Events to Survivor Flips and Mystery Bounties, plus big guarantees on top, it’s the kind of schedule that gets the whole community fired up, and I can’t wait to dive in.”

In addition, the jam-packed schedule features plenty of multi-flight action. The $630 buy-in Multi-Flight tournament boasts a $1.5 million guarantee, with Day 1’s starting on Sunday, September 7th and Day 2 on Monday, September 29th.

There are also four Mystery Bounty Multi-Flight events, including two $500,000 guaranteed $109 buy-in events, with Day 1’s starting on September 7th and September 21st. Players can jump into the $200,000 guaranteed ($33 buy-in) and $100,000 guaranteed ($5.50 buy-in) events, with the final flight and Day 2 on September 28th.

To add further sweat, ACR Poker’s Leaderboard Contest returns with $65,000 in cash and tourney tickets across three tiers. The High Stakes ($104.50 buy-ins and above) will award a $15,000 top prize, while the Mid Stakes ($16.50 to $88 buy-ins) and Low Stakes (under $15 buy-ins) will award $7,500 and $4,000, respectively.

For further details on the OSS XL, read the ACR Poker blog or visit ACRPoker.eu.

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Gambling in the USA

Major Casino Operators Ready to Invest if Georgia Lifts Casino Ban

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As discussions about legalizing gambling in Georgia gain momentum, major casino operators like Wynn Resorts and Boyd Gaming are poised to lead the charge if the state changes its restrictive laws.

During a recent Georgia House study committee meeting, Christopher Gordon, president of Wynn Resorts’ development arm, expressed keen interest in building a multibillion-dollar casino should legal barriers be removed. Similarly, Boyd Gaming’s government affairs vice president Ryan Soultz highlighted Georgia’s market attractiveness.

Wynn’s model would be similar to its $2.6 billion Encore Boston Harbor, suggesting that a new Georgia casino could employ up to 4000 workers and contribute substantial gaming tax revenue.

Although specific locations have not been chosen, both companies have indicated they would need constitutional changes to move forward. Their willingness to invest heavily in the Peach State demonstrates a strong belief in the untapped potential of the state’s gambling market.

Such developments offer a compelling argument for lawmakers to consider gambling expansion, marking a shift toward economic incentives as a primary motivator for legislative change.

Should Georgia proceed with legalizing casino gambling, the legislative language will be crucial in shaping the industry’s landscape. Key proposals may include requiring casino companies to invest at least $1.2 billion per resort and generate a minimum number of jobs, often set at around 10,000 per license. This ensures that any developments bring tangible benefits to the local economy.

Additional legislative demands include rigorous background checks for key personnel, proven industry experience, and adherence to strict technical and financial standards. Only companies with substantial capital and robust infrastructure, like Wynn Resorts and Boyd Gaming, are likely to meet these stringent requirements.

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