Featured Editorials

How Gaming & Leisure Properties parlayed a handful of casinos into an empire. What does its future hold? By David McKee

Tucked into quiet, rural Wyomissing, Pennsylvania is a powerhouse of the casino industry. They’re not the players one commonly thinks of in the gambling world but Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI) has amassed enormous clout without raising its voice. Starting as a spinoff of Penn Entertainment in 2013, the real estate investment trust, or REIT, began with Penn’s real estate holdings but has become much more than an investment single-purpose real estate holding company of its progenitor.

Storm over Burma By Bill Healey 

In my frequent travels through Southeast Asia, I have taken a particular interest in “border casinos.” These are most frequently on various boundaries: Myanmar/Thailand, Cambodia/Thailand, Cambodia/Vietnam, Laos/Thailand and Laos/Vietnam. The border casinos are generally positioned to draw players in from neighboring countries.

For several years, I have been anticipating the completion of the Shangri La Casino, built and managed on the Myanmar/Thailand border by Storm International. After several years of waiting, we on the verge of their soft opening in December 2025. I was fortunate to catch up with Darren Keane, CEO of Storm International, to discuss Shangri La Casino.

Tell us a bit about Storm International, how the company got its start and its place in the market.

Growing the Power of Play. Casino Life Magazine Interview with  Clarion Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter. By Peter White 

Casino Life recently spoke with Clarion Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter. He provided a taste of the feast of opportunities that will be available to gaming professionals attending ICE Barcelona ’26. Hunter also previewed the new features that will be on offer, and how major brands Microsoft and McLaren will be represented at the world’s biggest, most international, gaming-technology event.

ICE’s relocation from London to Barcelona was one of the biggest transitions in the show’s history. Now that we’re looking ahead to 2026, how would you describe the success of this move?

From its Steve Wynn-owned era, when Frank Sinatra held forth in the showroom, up through its current status as the flagship of Tilman Fertitta’s casino empire, the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas has been synonymous with upscale hospitality. It’s also the exemplar of a gaming brand that now extends from sea to sea. Casino Life was able to catch up with industry veteran Jacob Wood, vice president of casino operations at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. Wood offered insights into his success and that of the resort.

Based in downtown Las Vegas, the Golden Nugget is a couple of miles from the famous Las Vegas Strip. Aside from distance, what differentiates the Golden Nugget from other Las Vegas casinos?