Caesars, partner Bragg to develop online casino games in-house, more gaming news

Terms of the deal were not announced.

The new partnership elevates Bragg’s relationship with Caesars from a content supplier to a technology partner.

This partnership is projected to help drive double-digit growth in both Bragg’s revenue and profitability in 2025, particularly in North America — a key strategic focus for Bragg’s expansion efforts in 2025. Additionally, the agreement will accelerate growth in Bragg’s exclusive content revenue, enhancing a balanced and margin-accretive product mix.

Bragg, in collaboration with Caesars’ newly formed in-house games studio team, will initially develop a number of online casino games for Caesars’ digital platforms. The partnership will also create a delivery platform for Caesars’ in-house games studio to build and deploy its own proprietary, custom game titles that incorporate its intellectual property, catering to player preferences across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino.

As a longstanding partner of Caesars, Bragg has previously developed two highly successful exclusive titles — Lady Luck Casino Egyptian Magic and Boardwalk Slots Bankers & Cash — for Caesars Palace Online Casino and regularly supplies new online slots and casino games to Caesars’ digital platforms in New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania in the U.S., as well as in Ontario in Canada.

Below is a roundup of gaming news.

Georgia sports betting

A new poll conducted by the University of Georgia and Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce indicates a majority of Georgia residents want the legalization of sports betting in the state.

According to the poll, 63 percent of all voters want legalized sports betting, with 72.9 percent of men in favor of legalization. Women favor it by 54.2 percent and just under 24 percent of respondents oppose legalization.

The poll of 800 registered Georgia voters was conducted by live interview telephone surveys between Dec. 14-19.

Georgia lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully to pass sports wagering legislation the last few sessions and the 2025 session is scheduled to get underway this week.

Macao projections

Macao’s top tourism leader is projecting between 38 million and 39 million visitors to Macao in 2025, which would take visitation close to prepandemic levels.

Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, said the projection is based on a high volume of arrivals around Chinese New Year later this month.

China’s State Council declared the mainland holiday this time to mark the Year of the Snake from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4.

In November, Macao’s government had forecast 36 million tourism arrivals for the year, which would be equal to 96.4 percent of the 39.4 million tourist arrivals in 2019.

Three Las Vegas companies – Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts Ltd., and MGM Resorts International – have a presence in Macao.

Regulatory concerns

A critic of lax regulatory oversight says Nevada’s handling of matters involving Resorts World Las Vegas and MGM Resorts International will continue this year.

In a wide-ranging discussion with gaming analysts with Deutsche Bank, former regulator Richard Schuetz explained why gaming regulation is important.

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli issued a report to investors based on Schuetz’s comments.

“As he has in his writing over the years, Mr. Schuetz expressed concerns around the state of gaming regulatory bodies in the current environment,” the report says. “One might ask, why does it matter if regulatory bodies do their jobs, to which, Mr. Schuetz noted that a strong state by state regulatory framework is critical for public trust in the legitimacy and trustworthiness of the product, be it online gaming or casino gaming, and maintaining the semblance of proper regulation, thereby reducing the potential for federal intervention, something more topical in the online gaming universe today.

“Mr. Schuetz noted the recent trials and tribulations in Nevada, a story in which he believes there is more to come prior to early April, as evidence of a problematic regulatory environment.”