Atlantic City gets good news; Stanley Ho canonized

July 4 could spell independence for Atlantic City casinos, judging by recent statements from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D). In a radio interview he said, “It’s probably still too early to give you a very specific answer but there’s a lot of work going into that right now. But we are trying like heck to get toward, I hope, before the Fourth of July or at least by the Fourth of July … that we’re in a position where we can say, you know what, subject to a lot of different parameters the casinos can be open again.” Which is the best news the Boardwalk has had in months, equivocal though it may be. Murphy was pretty candid about the challenges faced: “The bad news is casinos sort of have the attributes that are hardest to deal with this virus. It’s indoors, no ventilation. You’re sedentary, you’re in close proximity. Having said that, they’re big [architectural] footprints and we think there are successful steps that can be taken to address the challenges.”

Atlantic City casinos will have been closed almost four months by Murphy’s target date, making it difficult to salvage 2020. Perhaps the only owner who will come out ahead is Twin River Holdings, whose takeover of Bally’s Atlantic City (change the brand, please) is almost certain to postdate the reopening, meaning Twin River will be working from a blank slate.

* Stanley Ho is dead and the whitewashing of his legacy is in full force. Yesterday Global Gaming Business published an apologia pro vita sua and now follows another sweet ode to the sleazy casino oligarch from a different source. You will not find the words “Triads,” “wartime collaborator” or “Communist sympathizer” anywhere in this lachrymose tribute.

* PlayTech, also known as PT Entertainment Services, has been shut down for “serious systemic failings” with regard to irresponsible gambling. It allowed an addicted player to keep wagering even after several of his debit cards had been declined. And even though he couldn’t prove he qualified for VIP status, he was awarded it anyway. PlayTech is accused of failing to conduct any sort of responsible-gaming intervention, potentially contributing to the 25-year-old’s suicide. Only that event led to the suspension of his “Winner” account. Although he had lost $27,500 to PlayTech, it invited him to participate in a multi-million-dollar promotion. At the time of his death, the player owed almost $43 million.

PTES is getting off lightly. It could be liable for over $4 million in fines, but will donate $5.5 million to charity and kick in a few hundred thousand to problem-gambling charities. PlayTech is shuttering its Titan and Winner brands. A company spokesman said, “Regarding the Gambling Commission‘s investigation, we take full responsibility for the regulatory breaches identified, and PT Entertainment Services’ actions fell significantly short of the high standards we set ourselves as a group.” We should say so.

Jottings: It’s double free play this month at The D. Owner Derek Stevens knows how to push the right customer buttons … Four Boyd Gaming casinos were expected to reopen yesterday. The affected properties are Ameristar St. Charles and Ameristar Kansas City in Missouri, Diamond Jo Dubuque and the Diamond Jo Worth in Iowa. In other states, Valley Forge Resort Casino, Par-A-Dice, Belterra Resort and Blue Chip are cinches to reopen but Belterra Park is clouded with uncertainty … Grant Bowie‘s distinguished era at the helm of MGM China has ended. MGM is expected to look in-house for a successor … Sports bettors, in turns out, make out better on Wall Street than day traders. More power to them.