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Wind Creek Hospitality Closes on Sands Bethlehem Purchase
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Alabama’s Poarch Band of Creek Indians Adds $1.3B Property to Gaming Operations
PCI Gaming Authority D/B/A Wind Creek Hospitality (WCH), an authority of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, has finalized the purchase of the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for a total enterprise value of $1.3 billion. The property will be rebranded as Wind Creek Bethlehem (WCB).
WCB will welcome guests to the upscale, Las Vegas-style resort, located in the heart of the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, approximately 80 miles from New York City. Amenities currently include a 282-room AAA four diamond hotel, a 183,000 square foot casino floor featuring 3,000 slots and electronic table games, 200 table games, numerous food and beverage outlets, a 150,000 square foot retail mall, and a multi-purpose event center.
Over time, WCH plans to invest an estimated $340 million in updating and expanding the property to include construction of a 300-room hotel adjacent to the casino; a 300,000 square foot adventure and water park at the existing No. 2 Machine Shop Bethlehem Steel site; and a 400-to-450-room hotel adjacent to the adventure park. All expected to bring additional jobs, tourism and economic growth to Lehigh Valley.
WCH President/CEO, James Dorris commented “One of the things that drew us to this property is the quality and experience of the service-minded employees. Each of the nine executives has accepted a multi-year contract with us and we hope that all team members want to continue their work here as part of the Wind Creek family. We will need them as we grow the offerings at Wind Creek Bethlehem. ”
The purchase of its largest property to date provides a significant opportunity for WCH to diversify its holdings as well and to offer the Wind Creek Rewards program and online WindCreekCasino.com to millions of new customers. Travel perks offered by the Wind Creek Rewards program to some of the most alluring resorts in the Caribbean: Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino and Renaissance Curacao Resort and Casino, both owned by WCH, are expected to be particularly appealing escapes for WCB customers during the cold winter months.
Wind Creek Hospitality funded the acquisition with a combination of existing cash on its balance sheet and new debt financing. Credit Suisse has provided financing for the transaction. Wind Creek Hospitality anticipates that the additional cash flow resulting from the acquisition will allow it to pay down debt on an accelerated basis after closing. Innovation Capital, LLC is exclusive financial advisor and Cooper Levenson P.A. is legal counsel to Wind Creek Hospitality in connection with the transaction.
About Wind Creek Hospitality:
Wind Creek Hospitality is an authority of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Wind Creek Hospitality manages the Tribe’s gaming facilities including: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Wetumpka, Wind Creek Montgomery, Wa She Shu Casino in Nevada, Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino, Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino as well as racetracks in Alabamaand Florida. For more information, visit: https://windcreekhospitality.com/.
About the Poarch Band of Creek Indians:
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized Indian Tribe in the state of Alabama, operating as a sovereign nation with its own system of government and bylaws. The Tribe operates a variety of economic enterprises, which employ thousands of area residents. For more information, visit: www.pci-nsn.gov.
Source: Wind Creek Hospitality
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Wind Creek Hospitality Closes on Sands Bethlehem Purchase
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GAMSTOP reports surge in self-exclusion amongst under-25s
- 31% increase in 16-24-olds registering with national online self-exclusion scheme
- GAMSTOP heat map reveals UK postcodes with highest percentages of registration
GAMSTOP, the national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling, has reported a 31% year-on-year increase in under-25s registering with the service in the second half of 2024.
Consumers aged 16-24 now account for nearly one in four (24%) of new GAMSTOP registrants, a significant trend in a record year for the self-exclusion service, which featured major global sporting events including the Euros and the Olympics.
With a 14% year-on-year increase, the second half of 2024 saw record volumes, as well as bucking the usual trend of higher registrations in the first half of the year.
In total, 532,484 people have registered with GAMSTOP between its launch in April 2018 and December 31st, 2024, which equates to over 1% of the adult UK population.
GAMSTOP has for the first time analysed detailed data to provide a regional breakdown of registration, which will help local authorities to target their services. The postcode area with the highest proportion of GAMSTOP registrants is Hull (HU), equating to 1.5% of the local population, followed by Teesside (TS) and Sunderland (SR) on 1.4%, with Doncaster and Blackpool also in the top five for self-exclusions.
In the second half of 2024, nearly half of GAMSTOP registrants (48%) signed up for a five-year exclusion – the longest timeframe available. Consumers can also choose to self-exclude for shorter periods of six months or one year.
Last month, GAMSTOP introduced a new ‘5 years with auto-renewal’ exclusion, for vulnerable consumers looking to extend their exclusion from gambling websites and apps. The new 5 -year auto-renewal option was developed in direct response to feedback from users.
Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, said: “The increase in the number of under-25s registering for GAMSTOP has become an accelerating trend, with a 31% year-on-year increase in the second half of 2024, following a 12% increase in the first half of the year. There is a clear need for targeted education and support aimed at this group which is why we continue to put so much emphasis on collaborating with Ygam and Gamcare reaching out to students. We go to where they are to ensure they are aware of tools, such as self-exclusion, which can help to prevent gambling harm.
GAMSTOP allows vulnerable consumers to take a break from gambling and we want to raise awareness of the service amongst those who need it most. Our detailed regional data has highlighted the postcodes where self-exclusion has been most widely adopted, and we hope this will help local authorities and other bodies to target appropriate support in the areas where the need is greatest”.
The post GAMSTOP reports surge in self-exclusion amongst under-25s appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Soft2Bet Wins Three Major Awards at Prestigious Global Gaming Awards EMEA 2025
Soft2Bet, the leading provider of turnkey solutions to iGaming operators worldwide, is delighted to announce it has won three major awards at the Global Gaming Awards EMEA 2025.
The announcement came on the first day of the ICE Barcelona event and is testament to Soft2Bet’s commitment to innovation, excellence and leadership in the iGaming industry.
The award categories included:
- “Executive of the Year” for Uri Poliavich, Founder and CEO of Soft2Bet
- “Platform Provider of the Year” for Soft2Bet’s turnkey platform
- “Product Launch of the Year” for Soft2Bet’s unique gamification solution MEGA
The wins recognise Soft2Bet’s position as a major force in the iGaming industry and highlight its leadership in turnkey solutions and groundbreaking innovations such as Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), which has redefined the player experience through gamification, content and engagement.
Soft2Bet cements industry leadership
Soft2Bet continues to set the bar for the online gaming industry and its cutting-edge platform that offers an extensive range of services to operators and their players. Recognised for its seamless integration, robust scalability and the flexibility it provides to deliver highly-localised solutions, the group’s platform has gone from strength to strength over the past 12 months with launches in major markets such as Romania, Italy, Sweden, Greece, Ontario (Canada) and Mexico. Its adaptable infrastructure delivers full turnkey solutions that enable operators to provide unique experiences to their players that are supported by a powerful technology platform that brings scale and liquidity across multiple regions and verticals, making it the preferred choice for top-tier gaming brands.In addition to its platform, Soft2Bet’s MEGA has strengthened its reputation as a game-changer. Our cutting-edge casino gamification solution drives player engagement and sustainable revenues for Soft2Bet’s B2B partners. Winning three Global Gaming EMEA Awards is further recognition of the power of gamification and Soft2Bet’s solutions which play a major role in operators committing to partnering with a platform that drives innovation, growth while bringing the best user experience to life for their players.
The post Soft2Bet Wins Three Major Awards at Prestigious Global Gaming Awards EMEA 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Playzia Signs Major Deal with SOFTSWISS, Expanding Reach with Top Aggregator Platform
Playzia’s thrilling portfolio of games, including Billionaire Wolf and Billionaire Rhino, as well as upcoming highly anticipated Love Island series, set to go live on SOFTSWISS award-winning platform
Playzia, one of the fastest-growing game providers to the iGaming industry, is thrilled to announce a new partnership with SOFTSWISS, a recognised industry leader in iGaming software solutions development. This collaboration will see Playzia’s portfolio of innovative and thrilling games go live on SOFTSWISS award-winning aggregation platform, offering operators worldwide access to Playzia’s exciting content.
The partnership marks a significant milestone in Playzia’s continued expansion into global markets. Exciting titles from the dynamic studio developer, including Billionaire Wolf, Cosmos Cash, Sweet Candy Fortune, The Great Fishing Adventure, along with the newly released Volcanic Coins and Billionaire Rhino, are now available on the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator. In addition to the steady rollout of 3 exciting titles per month, Playzia is committed to delivering unique branded content, including a recently announced series with ITV, inspired by the global phenomenon Love Island. This marks just the beginning of the Playzia’s ongoing growth and development in the iGaming industry.
Penning the agreement with SOFTSWISS and expanding its network of partners allows the fast-paced studio to further its mission of bringing its thrilling and innovative games to an even broader audience, ensuring players around the world who Love to Play can enjoy top-tier, one-of-a-kind gaming experiences.
“We are delighted to partner with SOFTSWISS and make our games accessible to operators through their renowned aggregation platform,” said Vlad Modorcea, CPO at Playzia. “This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to reach new markets, and we’re confident that players will enjoy the high-quality content we bring to the table. Our games are designed to captivate, and we can’t wait to share them with SOFTSWISS global network.”
Nikita Keino, Head of Partnerships at SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator added: ‘We welcome Playzia as our new partner, and we are proud to expand our portfolio with new games. We have already surpassed the 27,000 games mark and are excited to offer the market the best and most diverse games from the wide range available.’
Beginning this year, Playzia is gearing up to unveil an exciting roadmap, with three new games launching each month. Looking ahead, partners and players can anticipate the introduction of trademarked mechanics, innovative new game types including crash, table, instant, and probability games, along with exciting jackpots and tournaments, all designed to elevate the gaming experience to new heights.
The post Playzia Signs Major Deal with SOFTSWISS, Expanding Reach with Top Aggregator Platform appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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