Industry News
Las Vegas Sands Named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for World and North America
Las Vegas Sands was again recognized on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), with placement on the DJSI World Index for the fourth consecutive year and the DJSI North America Index for the eighth time. Sands China Ltd., the company’s Asian subsidiary, was named to the DJSI World and DJSI Asia Pacific indices for the second consecutive year.
Sands and Sands China are the only two companies in the Casino and Gaming category listed on DJSI World this year, out of 19 companies invited to participate. Sands is the only company in the Casino and Gaming category listed on DJSI North America, and Sands China is one of only two companies in the Casino and Gaming category listed on DJSI Asia Pacific.
The DJSI World Index comprises global sustainability leaders as identified by S&P Global through the Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). It represents the top 10% of the largest 2500 companies in the S&P Global BMI based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria. The DJSI North America and DJSI Asia Pacific indices represent the top 20% of the 600 largest North American companies and the top 20% of the 600 largest companies in the Asia Pacific developed region in the S&P Global BMI based on the same criteria.
“Our recognition on this premier global sustainability benchmark, following our recent inclusion as one of Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies, underscores the impact of our corporate responsibility initiatives and ESG leadership. We aim to be the employer and partner of choice in our regions, a model corporate citizen working to ensure strength and resiliency of our communities, and the industry leader in environmental sustainability,” Patrick Dumont, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands, said.
Sands’ DJSI inclusions also reflect the company’s adaptability in aligning efforts and reporting to the major methodology changes and public disclosure expectations made for the CSA this year. The approach is reflective of Sands’ focus on transparency as defined by the major ESG authorities and a dedication to continuously expanding its impact.
With the goal of achieving measured, ongoing progress, Sands also has established 2021-25 ambitions in the areas of workforce development, Team Member volunteerism and carbon emissions reduction, mapping to its People, Communities and Planet corporate responsibility pillars.
Under the People pillar, Sands aims to invest $200 million in workforce development by 2025. As of 2022, the company had invested $56 million in workforce development initiatives, bringing its cumulative investment to $113 million since 2021, well past the halfway point. Sands is focused on building the workforce of the future by supporting the professional growth of its Team Members, advancing the skills of hospitality industry professionals as well as the local labor pool in its regions, and helping local businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, succeed.
Finally, Sands works to ensure the long-term environmental health of its regions through the Planet pillar, led by the Sands ECO360 global sustainability program. The company’s 2025 environmental ambition is to achieve a 17.5% reduction in carbon emissions. As of 2022, Sands had achieved a 50% reduction in carbon emissions from its 2018 baseline; however, the cumulative decrease reflected continued pandemic-related impact on property visitation. As business returns to more normal levels in 2023, Sands is continuing to aggressively pursue its low-carbon transition initiatives in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy and transportation.
The DJSI, including the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), were launched in 1999 as the pioneering series of global sustainability benchmarks available in the market. The index family is comprised of global, regional and country benchmarks. The S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) is an annual evaluation of companies’ sustainability practices. It covers over 10,000 companies from around the world. The CSA focuses on sustainability criteria that are both industry-specific and financially material and has been doing so since 1999.
Rush Street Gaming announced that casino and hospitality veteran Cliff Ehrlich has joined the company as chief operating officer.
Ehrlich assumes the role of Rush Street COO from Bill Keena, a longtime company and industry leader, who plans to retire later this year.
“I’ve admired Rush Street’s strong leadership and steady expansion over the past two decades. I’m thrilled to join this dynamic organization and look forward to contributing to the company’s ongoing success,” said Ehrlich.
Ehrlich’s career began in marketing at the Catskills’ Pines Resort Hotel in the 80s and transitioned in the 90s to casino development and operations. In 1996, he became co-owner of the Monticello Raceway and helped recruit the Oneida Indian Nation to build a casino on the property. Following an initial public offering, Ehrlich led Monticello Casino & Raceway as president, chief operating officer and general manager until 2013.
After consulting with Mohegan Sun regarding Upstate New York development opportunities, in 2015, Ehrlich joined The Downs Racetrack & Casino in Albuquerque, serving as general manager and chief operating officer. He later ran two casinos for The Navajo Nation — Northern Edge and Flowing Water. Since 2022, Ehrlich has been Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise’s chief operating officer, with oversight of four casinos, a resort destination hotel, travel plaza and food & beverage manufacturing.
“Cliff’s ground-up casino development experience, deep operations background and team leadership ensure that all five Rivers Casino properties remain in great hands. He will continue the strong forward momentum established by Bill Keena, for whom we wish the very best in retirement,” said Tim Drehkoff, CEO of Rush Street Gaming.
Wanna.com, the innovative daily fantasy sports gaming platform set to launch across the US, in August, announced the appointment of Chuck Bowling, former President and COO at MGM Resorts International, to its Board of Directors. With an impressive career overseeing prestigious properties such as the Mandalay Bay, Delano, Four Seasons Las Vegas and Luxor, Mr. Bowling brings a wealth of experience and strategic insight to the burgeoning enterprise.
As Wanna.com prepares for its initial launch in approximately 25 to 30 states, Mr. Bowling’s extensive expertise in hospitality and gaming will be instrumental in guiding Wanna.com and Wanna Parlay, through this exciting phase of growth and development. His leadership at MGM, where he was pivotal in enhancing guest experiences and driving operational excellence, aligns perfectly with Wanna.com’s vision of delivering unparalleled daily fantasy sports entertainment to users nationwide and internationally.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chuck Bowling to the Wanna.com Board of Directors. Chuck’s remarkable track record in the gaming and hospitality industry will be invaluable as we navigate the complexities of our launch and beyond. His strategic acumen and commitment to excellence resonate deeply with our mission to revolutionize the daily fantasy sports landscape,” said CEO/Founder of Wanna.com Jim Bob Morris.
Mr. Bowling expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Board, stating, “I am honored to be part of Wanna.com at such a pivotal moment in its journey. The company’s innovative approach to fantasy sports gaming with concepts such as Wanna Parlay, holds great promise, and I am excited to contribute to its success and growth.”
Online lottery platform Lotto.com has launched a new Digital Scratch ticket campaign with surprising creative developed by Havas New York as the brand’s agency of record.
Lotto.com launched their first-to-market Digital Scratch tickets offering in December 2022, which transformed how traditional paper scratch tickets are played. As Digital Scratch tickets offer customers the opportunity to experience the thrill of playing a physical scratch ticket in a digital, secure setting, the campaign taps the thrill of winning anytime.
As a build to the brand’s first campaign, “Welcome to Winever,” the new Digital Scratch campaign avoids category cliches like CGI fantasy worlds and big spenders, instead capturing traditionally “unlucky” moments, and turning them into winning ones. With this theme at the core of the creative, the campaign highlights unlucky practicalities of life, such as getting your car towed or unexpectedly getting splashed by a taxi driving through a puddle. In each scene, the unlucky scenario is transformed into a lucky one with the ease of a Digital Scratch win on Lotto.com.
“In an often unlucky world, Lotto.com’s Digital Scratch tickets are a reminder that a win could be just a scratch away. Scratch tickets currently make up two-thirds of the $100+ Billion U.S. lottery market and our pioneering Digital Scratch innovation marks a significant milestone for the industry and solidifies our position as a pioneer in the digital lottery space,” Thomas Metzger, CEO of Lotto.com, said.
The fully integrated campaign was led by Havas New York, with paid and earned media support from Havas Village agencies including Republica Havas, Havas Formula, and Havas CX. The creative will roll out across radio, TV, and streaming throughout the month of August, with social media, digital, and out-of-home to follow.
“Lotto.com is spearheading an industry transformation with the introduction of Digital Scratch tickets and we are excited to be a part of it. Unlucky moments are something that all of us can relate to, no matter how big or small. We strive to set our brands apart from competitors by authentically connecting with consumers, and this new creative demonstrates how easy it is to turn even the unluckiest moment into the luckiest one,” Dan Lucey, Chief Creative Officer & Co-CEO of Havas New York, said.
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