In a move that will affect the wallets of travelers, Wynn Resorts has announced an increase in resort fees for its Las Vegas properties. 

Wynn Resorts Raises Las Vegas Resort Fees from $45 to $50

Effective January 24, 2024, the daily resort fee has been raised to $50 plus tax for reservations made on or after that date, reported The Las Vegas Review-Journal. Prior bookings, however, will retain the previous rate of $45 plus tax per day.

Resort fees, which have become a common practice among Las Vegas establishments, encompass a range of services and amenities intended to enhance guests’ experiences. At Wynn Resorts, these fees entitle guests to various perks including in-room Wi-Fi, access to fitness centers and pools, spa reservations, golf tee times, and access to digital newsstands. Additionally, guests can enjoy the convenience of Alexa in-room entertainment services and room controls.

The decision to raise resort fees comes amidst a backdrop of fluctuating hotel rates in Las Vegas. In fact, on the eve of Super Bowl Sunday, hotel room rates in the city plummeted by an estimated 35%, signaling potential shifts in the hospitality industry.

While the fee increase may pose a concern for budget-conscious travelers, Wynn Resorts aims to maintain the quality and range of amenities offered to its guests. The company’s commitment to providing exceptional service remains steadfast, even as economic factors influence pricing structures.

As visitors plan their stays in Las Vegas, they may need to factor in these adjusted resort fees when budgeting for their trips. 

MGM Resorts Takes the Lead as Las Vegas Resort Fees Rise

In January, MGM Resorts also upped resort fees at its Las Vegas properties, with rates hitting $50 at Bellagio, Aria, Vdara, MGM Grand, and Cosmopolitan. The increases, effective since January 16, 2024, amount to $2-3 per day across the board. 

Resort fees, often seen as hidden charges, serve to maintain lower official room rates for better online rankings and reduced commissions. Amidst post-pandemic adjustments and increased competition, Las Vegas resorts are strategizing to balance supply and demand. 

At the beginning of February, President Joe Biden visited Las Vegas, vowing to eliminate hidden junk fees, including resort fees, that inflate accommodation costs for US citizens. These fees often surprise travelers, affecting vacation budgets. 

Biden expressed his intent to combat such practices on social media, stressing their impact on hardworking families. Although specifics on eradication methods remain undisclosed, Biden’s commitment to lower costs echoes previous promises. He previously targeted deceptive pricing and pledged to crackdown on junk fees. 

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Additional fees that are often used to inflate the price of hotel and resort accommodation are also referred to as junk fees. Every year, millions of Americans planning their vacation are unpleasantly surprised by such fees, some of which are not disclosed until the very last moment, leaving them without any options but to comply and pay extra.

In Las Vegas, junk fees are also popular as resort fees and can significantly increase the final costs for reservations, creating an unpleasant experience for visitors. But thanks to President Joe Biden, junk fees may soon be eliminated.

Recently, the US president visited Sin City as a part of a campaign and voiced his discontent with junk fees on social media. Using X, the popular platform that was previously called Twitter, President Biden wrote: “We’ve made progress, but there is much more work to do to lower costs for American families.” Moreover, he added: “That’s why I’m taking action to bring down the price of insulin, prescription drugs, and energy and eliminating hidden junk fees companies use to rip you off.”

President Biden did not go into detail about the essence of the aforementioned junk fees. However, in a separate post on Monday, he criticized companies for using junk fees to take extra money from the pockets of hard-working citizens. President Biden is yet to confirm how the hidden junk fees would be eliminated.

“When companies sneak hidden junk fees into families’ bills, it can take hundreds of dollars a month out of their pockets and make it harder to make ends meet. That might not matter to the wealthy, but it’s real money to hardworking families—and it’s just plain wrong,“

wrote President Joe Biden on X

The Fight Against Junk Fees Continues

This is not the first time President Biden aimed at eliminating junk fees. Back in September, he once again raised concerns about the deceptive prices that are inflated for consumers with the help of additional, hidden fees. At the time, President Biden vowed that his administration “is working to crack down on those junk fees so you know what you are paying for upfront.”

Elsewhere on a similar matter, three lawsuits filed against casino and resort operators in Atlantic City were consolidated into one. The lawsuits alleged that six casinos in Atlantic City engaged in anticompetitive actions, inflating the hotel room rates in the city.

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The Government of Romania has announced the introduction of new rules for both online and offline gambling and sports betting, including a steep increase for license fees and slot machine fees.

The government approved these measures through an emergency ordinance, which means it will come into force straight away. However, the new piece of legislation will be discussed by the country’s Parliament at a later date, when it could be approved, modified or rejected altogether. Until then, casino and sportsbook operators will have to adjust their businesses to the new regulations.

The new rules include higher license costs, new rules for advertising, the prohibition of selling alcohol in gaming venues, along with a new requirement which forces all gambling businesses to have a fiscal headquarters in Romania.

The annual fees have gone up to 500,000 euros for online casinos, 200,000 euros for lottery businesses, 50,000 euros for pari-mutuel operations, 200,000 for fixed-odds betting, 4,000 euros per table for land-based casinos and 5,000 per club for brick-and-mortar poker rooms. Bingo games that are organized through television will also have to pay a licensing fee of 500,000 euros per year, while slot machines in land-based venues will carry a fee of 100 euros per machine, going up to 300 euros in 2024 and 500 euros in 2025.

Minimum Capitals Required

Moreover, the government’s emergency ordinance requires operators to hold minimum capitals that can cover the licensing costs. These minimum capitals are set based on the respective company’s total revenue, but will have a base threshold of 1 million euros starting from 2025.

The new rules also establish the destination of the money that will be collected from gambling operators. 70 percent of that revenue will go to the state’s general budget, while the remaining 30 percent will be invested by the state into responsible gambling initiatives.

Operators in Romania will be required to display their license information on all promotional materials and will have to refrain from sending unsolicited emails to their customers. Moreover, billboards containing gambling and sports betting ads will have a maximum size of 35 square meters.

There have been several initiatives to change the gambling laws in Romania in recent years but so far none managed to successfully go through the parliamentary process. When announcing the new emergency ordinance, prime minister Marcel Ciolacu underlined that he won’t be intimidated by the companies in the gambling sector and accused other politicians of having been too receptive to the demands of the industry’s lobbying efforts.

Observers expected the government to sign off on the emergency ordinance yesterday. On Tuesday, prime minister Marcel Ciolacu claimed to not be intimidated by threats from the gaming sector, accusing some politicians in the past of caving into industry lobbying.

Source: “Romania increases online gambling licence fee to €500,000“. iGaming Business. October 6, 2023.

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US President Joe Biden has reaffirmed his commitment to combating the proliferation of hidden fees, colloquially known as “junk fees,” that often catch consumers off guard when making reservations or purchasing tickets. 

President Biden’s Crusade Against Deceptive Pricing Tactics Gains Momentum

In recent posts on X (Formerly Twitter), President Joe Biden voiced his concerns over these deceptive pricing tactics. He argued that such fees frequently make a stay or event significantly more expensive than initially advertised, leaving consumers feeling misled and frustrated. Amid ongoing concerns about rising inflation affecting everyday expenses, Biden is determined to tackle the issue of misleading online pricing schemes.

The President emphasized the importance of transparency, stating: “Concert tickets are hard enough to get; you shouldn’t have to pay surprise service fees on top of that. My Administration is working to crack down on those junk fees so you know what you are paying for upfront.”

This initiative to address hidden fees in the hospitality and entertainment industries was first introduced by President Biden in October 2022. At that time, he announced his intention to instruct the Federal Trade Commission to develop regulations aimed at curbing unfair and deceptive fees across various sectors.

Despite these efforts, progress on the issue has been slow at the federal level. In July, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) introduced bipartisan legislation known as the Hotel Fees Transparency Act. The bill aimed to compel hotels and resorts to include resort fees and any additional charges, excluding taxes, in their advertised rates. However, the bill has stalled in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Gaming Industry and Politicians Clash Over Resort Fee Regulations

The gaming industry, represented by the American Gaming Association (AGA), opposes the mandatory inclusion of resort fees in advertised nightly rates, arguing that it would stifle their ability to compete and innovate. Senator Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada, who also serves on the committee, believes that many casinos and resorts in her state are already transparent in their booking policies.

Nevada’s Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D) and Representative Dina Titus (D) support the idea of transparent pricing but suggest that legislation should focus more on ticket charges rather than regulating casinos and hotels. They emphasized the need to ensure that the administration’s proposals prioritize the elimination of surprise fees rather than punishing establishments that already disclose their fees upfront.

While President Biden’s commitment to addressing junk fees has garnered attention, some critics have questioned whether this issue should be a top priority, given more pressing economic concerns facing the US. Critics argue that with the cost of groceries and other essential items on the rise, the focus on concert ticket fees may appear misplaced.

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Peru plans to charge more to issue gambling licenses to online casino operators. After approving amendments to its current rules, the country will charge iGaming companies three times the amount it initially planned.

The new rules were approved by several notable bodies, namely the Commission of Economy, Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, Financial Intelligence Unit and the Congress of Peru. The organizations amended Law 31557, greenlighting a new regulatory framework in the country.

The original law was introduced last year, paving the way for regulated gambling in the South American country. It was personally signed by President Pedro Castillo last August and established the initial regulatory framework for the Peruvian iGaming industry. The law appointed the Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo (MINCETUR) as the regulator and introduced the initial version of the local taxation regime.

Peru Introduced Changes to Its Taxation Regime

As a result of the newly-introduced changes, companies will now have to pay $810,000 for a license. Retail licenses have been removed and, as a result, points of sale will have to pay a warranty of $6,715 to offer gaming.

Furthermore, the new rules introduce a 12% point of consumption tax, which comes after APADELA, Peru’s sports betting association, criticized earlier versions of the law. In previous variants, Law 31557 did not require foreign operators to pay this tax, only requiring them to pay a net win tax.

Speaking of taxes, earlier amendments read that the cash bonus applied to iGaming and online sports betting will continue to serve as the guideline for calculating the tax on such offerings.

Peru Recently Prevented Anonymity in iGaming

Other recently-discussed changes include the introduction of mandatory know-your-customer rules that will allow companies to only take bets from registered customers. Previously, customers could instead remain anonymous.

In addition, regulated operators will be required to offer their products under local domains. These include:

It was also decided that no new gambling halls should be created within 150 meters of schools and religious buildings. However, existing casinos will be able to continue operating as usual.

Non-compliant companies and individuals risk a variety of fines and may even serve jail time. Violators can earn up to four years in jail, while companies can have their licenses temporarily suspended or revoked.

The new rules are expected to enter into effect 120 days after the technical regulations have been specified. Their introduction follows recent consultations that discussed the regulatory framework.

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With a ruling party super-majority in the Parliament of Hungary, simply pulling the levers of powers should be enough to move any desired legislation through the political process in a normal and legal manner. However, for well over 2,500 days now the government has used that absolute majority to do some things without transparent debate or utilizing other hallmarks of liberal democracy – instead relying on simple decrees to accomplish the State’s business.

That’s not to say that the emergency powers completely constipate the government, as can be seen in the online gambling industry through the lens of the country’s Gambling Act – something Hungary has been “trying to get right” since the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued rulings in 2016 and in 2017 which should encourage the government to come into compliance not to infringe the freedom to provide services (Article 56 TFEU) or grant non-competitive concessions.

The Supervisory Authority for Regulatory Affairs (SZTFH) has recently issued a decree implementing minor changes to allow amendments to the country’s Gambling Act to function more fairly or efficiently.

Technical Clarifications, Fees

Operators who wish to offer online sportsbetting there must meet certain financial requirements and prove up at least five years of experience offering licensed online gambling services in a European Economic Area state. Any operator who has offered unlicensed gaming within five years of the dated application will be rejected from consideration for a license.

In an attempt to protect bettors from harm, operators will be able to offer early cashouts on sports betting wins but the operator must warn the player about the immediate gratification of such an action as it could contribute to gambling addiction.

The decree reads: “The gambling operator is obliged to expressly draw the player’s attention to the fact that the use of this function entails an increased risk of excessive gambling and addiction and this information shall appear in the text of promotion in the same font size as the text.”

It continues: “The gambling operator shall also make available to the player on the gambling website the information that the use of that function entails an increased risk of excessive gambling and addiction.”

In order to facilitate early cashouts bettors will now be allowed to have segmented account balances rather than one master balance.

Early cashouts are subject to any regular terms and conditions of other withdrawals.

Recent History of Changes

Early last year, legislation was introduced to help Hungary come into compliance with anti-monopoly measures that should promote a more free and open market as many nearby EU states have done. At the dawn of 2023, several conditions or technical changes were made that could apply to casino operators as well as sports betting providers.

However, none of the changes loosen the hold on remote casino licenses that are still tethered directly to the three main land-based operators. While the CJEU ruled in Unibet’s favor in 2016, ostensibly opening the door to other European online casino operators, the land-based casinos can be declared a priority of national economic interest. This allowed budget items in the 2021 work sessions to grant 35-year extensions to the casino licensees without a public tender process.

The workaround used, according to local democracy watchdogs was to re-allocate the concessions as at least half of the original concession period had come to pass. This was purported to assure the state continuity in revenues for the long term.

A government-connected stakeholder in Las Vegas Casino group is operated by Diamond Játékaszinó Üzemeltető Kft. (LVC Diamond), the most important urban casino operator was originally granted a concession in 2015 that was set to expire in 2024 but now extends to 2056.

Our research does not find any mechanism in legislative accomplishments or decrees that would untether online casino licenses in Hungary from land-based operator licenses so it would appear as if at least one operator is locked in.

The LVC Diamond properties include The Atlantis, Atrium Eurocenter, Corvin Promenade, Sofitel, and Tropicana casinos.

Tax Authority Retaliated Against Operator for Lawsuit

One thing the Unibet lawsuit did accomplish was to tease out a CJEU ruling that recognizes Hungary’s online gambling rules did not allow the taxing authority to take retaliatory actions against other EU-licensed operators as it did in response to Unibet filing suit. Those actions included ordering ISPs to block access to the site and the levying of fines against the operator and its parent company, Kindred Group.

In short, while the process for licensing land-based casinos and thus their tethered counterparts online may not be in line with EU standards, there isn’t much, if anything standing in the way of a Malta Gaming Authority-licensed casino offering services there.

So far, SZTFH has not authorized any foreign operators to offer sports betting with all regulated consumer traffic still flowing through Tippmixpro.hu – operated by the former and still a de facto monopoly of Szerencsejáték Zrt.

Source: Hungary regulator implements new Gambling Act amendments, iGaming Business, March 29, 2023

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This comes at a time when fans, players, and even clubs, not to mention politicians and health experts, have been calling for the reduced dependency of the AFL on gambling companies, and criticized the omnipresence of advertisement in broadcasts and on team shirts and properties.

The AFL Gets More Money from Gambling Companies

The contributions Gillon McLachlan, the head of AFL was referring to, are called “product fees.” The man was laconic about how much money was brought in for the organization this way but noted that it was a part of the turnover.

“We have product fee arrangements with all the wagering operators where we get a percentage of their operations on the AFL,” the boss confirmed during a parliamentary hearing, which is currently looking to better regulate online gambling.

McLachlan though used his appearance before lawmakers to make certain adjustments to his previous comments, and notably an interview he gave for 3AW. In that interview, he claimed that there was potentially too much advertising going around that involves sports gambling, but appearing on Tuesday, he told lawmakers that this was not truly the case.

In the meantime, fans have been very much on the side of consumers. The AFL Fans Association recently ran a massive survey encompassing 3,000 fans and posted the results which proved that around 75% of the people petitioned would have sports gambling advertisements banned from radio and television, to begin with.

McLachlan said that he was aware of these attitudes but cautioned that over-regulation was still not the right way forward. Meanwhile, gambling companies have changed their tune. Entain, one of the biggest companies in the Australian regulated gambling market, said that it acknowledged the demand for less obtrusive and pervasive regulation, adding that it now wanted to be a part of the solution and not act against fans’ desires.

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