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American Gaming Association Announces Gaming Hall of Fame Inductees
Honorees include pioneers in commercial and tribal gaming, gaming regulation and casino technology, and sports betting
The American Gaming Association (AGA) announced the Gaming Hall of Fame classes of 2020 and 2021, recognizing leaders who have distinguished themselves through significant contributions to the gaming industry.
“Each of these pioneers has left a unique, indelible mark on our industry,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Under their leadership, tribal gaming has boomed, professional sports leagues have embraced sports betting, and the gaming industry is thriving despite the challenges we’ve faced over the past year and a half.”
Since its establishment in 1989, the Gaming Hall of Fame has honored an annual class of industry leaders until last year when the selection and event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the Class of 2020 and 2021 will be honored during the invitation-only Chairman’s Reception featuring the Gaming Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Global Gaming Expo.
“This year’s honorees have been key players in proving that gaming is a world-class entertainment experience,” added Aristocrat Technologies CEO and AGA Chairman of the Board Trevor Croker. “We’re proud to recognize them and the important role they’ve played shaping gaming into the dynamic industry it is today.”
Hall of Fame honorees are selected by an independent panel of gaming executives. This year’s selection committee members include:
- Joe Bertolone, Executive Director, ICGR at UNLV
- Kirsten Clark, Executive Director, International Association of Gaming Advisors
- Mary Cheeks, President and General Manager, Jamul Casino
- Trevor Croker, CEO, Aristocrat Technologies and Chairman, AGA
- Christie Eickelman, Vice President, Global Marketing, GLI and (former) President, Global Gaming Women
- Alan Feldman, Board Chairman, International Center for Responsible Gaming
- Brian Hansberry, President, Delaware North, Gaming
- Steve Sutherland, President and CEO, Konami Gaming Inc.
- Virginia Valentine, President and CEO, Nevada Resort Association
Knute Knudson, Jr., Vice President of Global Business Development and Tribal Ambassador, IGT
Knute Knudson, Jr. has dedicated his career to tribal gaming and the entire Indian community, serving as an advocate, mentor, and transformative business leader. His efforts have influenced the success of hundreds of tribes as they established and expanded their Indian gaming operations across the U.S. In his early career at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Knudson led efforts to implement the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, working on compacts, trust applications, and National Indian Gaming Commission appointments. He played an integral role in securing economic self-sufficiency for Indian Country throughout the 1990s and authored Getting Started in Indian Gaming, which became the blueprint for the first decade of tribal gaming startups. Knudson is recognized across the industry for the vital role he played, and continues to play, in the growth and economic modernization of tribal gaming.
Jeremy M. Jacobs, Chairman, Delaware North
Jeremy “Jerry” Jacobs is a pioneer of gaming and hospitality. He is currently the chairman of Delaware North, owner, chairman, and governor of the Boston Bruins, and chairman of the NHL’s Board of Governors. He led a transformation of Delaware North into a global company with roots in gaming, hospitality, and entertainment. Whether casino gaming in its early days or sports betting today, Jacobs helps stakeholders understand the benefits of the industry to the economy and communities. He built coalitions of competitors who shared the same goals and always played the long game, which is reflected in today’s thriving, modern gaming industry. This is most evident in the NHL and sports leagues transformation on sports betting. Jacobs is enabling critical partnerships between gaming operators and the leagues and franchises by educating colleagues on the mutual benefits of sports betting. The more than 200 sports-gaming partnerships today would have been inconceivable when Jerry started his career, but his vision and commitment to gaming’s growth paved the way. Today, Delaware North owns or operates gaming destinations in seven U.S. states as well as in Darwin, Australia, and owns Ruby Seven Studios, a leading social casino developer. The company recently announced a partnership with GAMING1 to launch Gamewise, a joint venture for sports betting and iGaming.
James R. Maida, President and CEO, Gaming Laboratories International
James R. Maida is a legend in the casino business. As a lawyer in the New Jersey regulatory system, he quickly saw that his agency was getting overwhelmed with requests to test slot machine systems, so he began to do it himself out of his spare bedroom in his apartment. He started Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) in 1989, and today has grown it into an international company serving the needs of the gaming industry and regulators alike. Through Maida’s innovation at GLI, jurisdictions everywhere have embraced gaming, unencumbered by the burden of establishing, running, and continually funding their own government-run labs.
Jim Shore, General Counsel, Seminole Tribe of Florida
Jim Shore’s career has defined the Florida gaming industry and reverberated across tribal gaming. As the first member of the Seminole Tribe to become a lawyer, he has served as the Seminole Tribe’s general counsel since the 1980s. Shore is credited with leading the compact negotiations and legal efforts that have helped make the Seminole Tribe and its gaming ventures the success they are today. He recently led compact negotiations with the state of Florida to expand into new forms of gaming.
Jeffrey A. Silver, Of Counsel, Dickinson Wright PLLC
Jeffrey A. Silver’s contributions to gaming, and specifically Las Vegas, reach every aspect of the industry from regulatory to casino operations to legal. Silver first made his mark in gaming when he took a stand against organized crime as a member of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and subsequently laid the foundation for corporate investment in gaming. His reputation opened the door for innovation when he took on leadership roles at various Las Vegas casino resorts. Silver is attributed with bringing the first food and beverage corporate partners into the casino, leading “The Burger King Revolution” that was key to driving middle class tourism to Las Vegas in the 1980s. Silver’s third act as an internationally recognized lawyer and trusted advisor has helped shaped today’s global landscape.
Dr. Mark Yoseloff, Retired Chairman, CEO, Shuffle Master, Inc.; Founder, UNLV Center for Gaming Innovation
Dr. Mark Yoseloff’s innovative mind transformed casino table games and, today, inspires the next generation of gaming. As a Ph.D in mathematics he created classic games like Mississippi Stud Poker and other legendary table games. Yoseloff—the owner of hundreds of gaming patents—led ShuffleMaster from a small shuffling machine company to an international giant introducing groundbreaking products and services to the casino floor. Yoseloff then used his talents to create UNLV’s Center for Gaming Innovation to teach the next generation of game creators. His internationally acclaimed program has led to the creation of countless new games and patents—all owned by his students to empower them on their path into the gaming industry.
Olympia Gaming, the developer of Casino Fandango in Carson City, NV and Legends Bay Casino in Sparks, NV and Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) today announced the rollout of mobile apps, LB Rewards and CF Rewards. With this launch, Olympia Gaming becomes the first operator in Northern Nevada to deliver the QCI Player App, setting a new regional standard for real-time, mobile guest engagement.
Current Features (Now Available):
- Player Account Information – live tier status, point balance, free play, and comp dollars
- Offer Listing – view of current and upcoming offers including free play, dining and hotel
- Secure Tax Forms – digital retrieval of win/loss statements and tax documentations
- Push Notifications & Event Alerts – real-time updates tailored to guest preferences
Future Features (Coming Soon):
- Entertainment & Special Event Schedule – full calendar of concerts and events
- Host Chat & Service Requests – direct, secure messaging for concierge-level support
- Interactive Property Navigation – maps, parking guidance, and way-finding tools
- Interactive Prizes – in-app rewards that are redeemable at either casino
“Launching the QCI Player App is a milestone for both Casino Fandango and Legends Bay Casino,†said DeCourcy Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Olympia Gaming. “Our guests can now see their rewards, view exclusive offers, and even access tax forms—all from their mobile device, furthering the value of our rewards program. We are thrilled to pioneer this technology in Northern Nevada and elevate the guest experience across our properties.â€
With a combined focus on value and exceeding guest expectations, Olympia Gaming and QCI’s collaboration is delivering on a promise to set a new industry standard, offering capabilities that surpass current market offerings.
“Olympia Gaming challenged us to create an app that goes beyond basic account lookup and truly empowers the player,†said Dr. Ralph Thomas, Chief Executive Officer at QCI. “This successful launch reflects a close collaboration between the Olympia team and QCI, and we are excited to see the QCI Player App drive deeper engagement and new revenue opportunities for both properties.â€
The LB Rewards and CF Rewards mobile apps are now available for download on Apple IOS and Google Play store.
New Hampshire Lottery enthusiasts wagered over $20 million on the NCAA basketball tournaments, experiencing a more than 10% increase in wagering from the previous year. Florida secured the men’s championship, while UConn emerged victorious on the women’s side.
Charlie McIntyre, Executive Director of New Hampshire Lottery, said: “What an incredible month of college hoops! We love seeing our players getting in on the sports betting action! Sports betting just adds a little extra excitement to the sports viewing experience, especially during March Madness when there are dozens of games throughout the month—not to mention an expanding variety of ways to bet.â€
McIntyre highlighted March Madness as a significant period for sports betting, contributing notably to funding New Hampshire’s public education. Alongside the excitement of March Madness, anticipation is building for the NHL and NBA Playoffs.
During the pre-tournament phase, local gamblers heavily backed Duke for the men’s category and strongly supported UConn for the women’s, with UConn delivering a favorable outcome. Conversely, Florida’s triumph in the men’s championship surprised many, as only 15% had initially placed their hopes on the team. However, by the championship game against Houston, two-thirds of bettors picked Florida, redeeming many bracket predictions.
Since its inception on December 30, 2019, mobile sports betting in New Hampshire has generated over $3.5 billion, benefiting public education by more than $140 million. Residents can place bets via the DraftKings Sportsbook app, available on iOS and Android, or online at Sportsbook.DraftKings.com. Responsible gaming is emphasized, with tools like My Stats Sheet, limit setting, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion options available on the app.
Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.
Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.
Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.
As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.
Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.â€
Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.â€
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