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Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter stepped up as one of the biggest supporters of the Caesars Palace Times Square proposal as public hearings wrapped up Thursday (September 11). The Roc Nation founder pitched the project not just as a major boost for the economy, but also as a cultural investment right in the heart of Manhattan.
Jay-Z says Caesars Palace will help Times Square remain at the ‘global center of entertainment’
“Times Square is the heartbeat of New York,” Carter said. “With Caesars Palace Times Square, we’re investing in this community, creating real opportunities, and building on the legacy of the world’s crossroads.
“Our plan delivers generational economic growth. As we’ve seen in cities like New Orleans and London, this project will uplift local businesses, support Broadway, and ensure Times Square remains the global center of entertainment where culture and people thrive.”
A rendering of the proposed Caesars Palace Times Square casino, which would bring a luxury gaming and entertainment destination to Manhattan’s busiest hub. Credit: Image by Binyan Studios
The plan, backed by SL Green, Caesars Entertainment, Live Nation, and Roc Nation, would bring a brand-new gaming and entertainment complex to Times Square. According to organizers, the project has already secured support from more than 300 groups, including local restaurants, hotels, labor unions, and Broadway insiders.
At the two in-person hearings, hundreds of people showed up in support, with many more turned away once the room hit capacity. On top of that, thousands sent in written testimony to the Community Advisory Committee.
SL Green’s Executive Vice President, Brett Herschenfeld, said the response shows there’s a real wave of excitement building around the project. “We are proud that such a clear majority of New Yorkers have taken time to speak in favor of our project, both in-person and via email,” he said.
“Caesars Palace Times Square has always been a community-first project, and it is gratifying to see such genuine excitement throughout this public input process. This project will be transformative for Times Square and Broadway.”
Reverend Al Sharpton also threw his support behind the project, linking it to bigger conversations about diversity and ownership. “I remember as a young activist growing up how we would come to Times Square and dream of days that not only we see more of us on the stage but more of us in ownership,” Sharpton said. “We don’t have DEI right here on Broadway. So if this casino is established, it will be the first time we will have an institution on Broadway that has diversity at an ownership level.”
New York casino expected to deliver big returns
Developers say Caesars Palace Times Square would deliver about $250 million in community benefits. That includes $81 million for a neighborhood public safety plan crafted by former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, $15 million to build a civil rights museum, and $5 million for the Callen-Lorde Center for Excellence in Sexual Health.
The proposal also promises big gains for Broadway, with an estimated $124 million in extra ticket sales each year and $100 million in direct support for Broadway unions. Overall, backers claim the project could generate $7 billion in direct tax revenue and $26.7 billion in local economic activity in its first decade.
The vision for the development features nearly 1,000 hotel rooms, over 150,000 square feet of gaming space, a Caesars Sportsbook inside The 40/40 Club, spa facilities, and restaurants led by top chefs. A Broadway theater would also get a major renovation and fresh new life.
Featured image: Binyan Studios / Caesars Palace Times Square / Joella Marano / CC BY-SA 2.0
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GambleAware, the United Kingdom’s leading charity on prevention and treatment for gambling harm, has shared concern that statistics have doubled across five years.
The statistics come from the charity’s Annual Treatment and Support Survey, which has also brought the notes of worry from the established gambling care regulator.
GambleAware concerned of rising gambling harm figures
The organization works with the National Health Service and ministers, with no input from the gambling industry, save donations made to keep the charity running. The UK Charity Commission governs it, the overseer of all registered charities in Britain.

This morning, we published our annual Treatment and Support Survey by YouGov which examines the use of and demand for advice, support, and treatment among people who gamble and those affected by someone else’s gambling in Great Britain
To learn more:https://t.co/HIVlWY3LHL pic.twitter.com/5LIGlqQjNW
— GambleAware (@gambleawaregb) September 11, 2025

The Annual Treatment and Support Survey for 2025 is part of a routine reporting process that examines key metrics in the gambling sector regarding its impact on consumers and their wider social circle.
YouGov, the international reportage and analytics technology group, has helped GambleAware publish this key survey for the past five years.
Kate Gosschalk, YouGov Associate Director, said: “We are pleased to share the findings from the latest annual Treatment and Support Survey, a substantial online survey of around 18,000 people in addition to interviews with those who gamble.”
Key topics and takeaways from the GambeAware survey
The key topics covered include an annual appraisal of gambling advertising, different forms of gambling, and those who have recently started gambling, and the impact that this recreational activity has on their financial, emotional, and well-being situation.
The UK National Lottery is also scrutinized, as is the perception of prize draws and charity lotteries, in addition to online and traditional physical gambling stores.
Treatment is also a key focus of the yearly survey, with GambleAware taking special interest in the usage and demand of treatment and support advice for those who gamble or are impacted by a gambler close to them.
The survey showed that 1 in 3 (30%) adults who gamble and are experiencing any risk of problems are seeking professional treatment, support, or advice, compared to the same metric of 1 in 5 (17%) in 2020.
“While it is encouraging that more people have sought help, this rise may also point to a growing public health crisis. We are increasingly alarmed by how gambling is being normalised and how frequently people—especially young people—are exposed to gambling across Great Britain,” said Zoë Osmond OBE, CEO of GambleAware.
As we reported, GambleAware has launched a new app called the GambleAware Support Tool to help gamblers, primarily young gamblers, find ways to cut down or stop.

We shared our new GambleAware Support Tool with the Lived Experience Council to learn how it could’ve helped them.
Looking to reduce or quit gambling?
Try it today: https://t.co/NsfxyR8rVK pic.twitter.com/rCRSUXFatE
— GambleAware (@gambleawaregb) June 18, 2025

Alexia Clifford, GambleAware’s Chief Communications Officer, said, “Whether individuals want to reduce, manage or stay gamble-free, the GambleAware Support Tool is here every step of your journey.”
Personal impact shown by the report
There has, says the survey, been a 2% jump in figures of those who are in the blast radius of someone with a gambling issue. The percentage equates to 4,3 million UK residents and the report showed that 2 million children could be in a home or personal situation with someone with a gambling issue.
According to the survey, children are also exposed to more mixed media that promotes gambling, with the survey highlighting that those who took part urged for more restrictions on gambling advertising in formats popular with children. 91% of those canvased supported a ban on gambling advertising on TV and in video games, and 90% agreed with a ban on social media.
The golden arches of McDonald’s were also mentioned by the report with the popular McDonald’s Monopoly being seen as an influence on those who could be at risk of harm from gambling.
The figures presented that more than a quarter (27%) of gamblers are estimated to be experiencing risk of developing gambling problems from the influence of prize draws, and around 1 in 9 (11%) are experiencing a form of ‘problem gambling.
Osmond added that there is a requirement for urgent preventative action to reverse the trend in upward figures.
The CEO said, “This must include tougher regulation of gambling advertising to stop gambling being portrayed as ‘harmless fun’. There should also be mandatory health warnings on all gambling ads, stricter controls on digital and social media marketing , and a full ban on gambling promotion in stadiums and sports venues to protect children and young people from harm.”
Featured image: Canva
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Hong Kong might be gearing up to change its sports gambling restrictions, as officials have endorsed a bill that could put basketball betting on the table. The Legislative Council of Hong Kong, or LegCo, gave the thumbs up as it wrestles with illegal gambling.
This move would put the Jockey Club as Hong Kong’s basketball sportsbook operator. Those who gamble through it will have a 50 percent duty charged on net stake receipts. Hong Kong’s football betting follows a similar structure.
Illegal gambling has risen in the wider Asia territory, with not only Hong Kong afflicted by it. As countries in the region typically have strict anti-gambling laws, more gamblers are turning to the ever-increasing ease of offshore operators. Some of these, like PH Love, have faked being accredited by other countries’ watchdogs.
Meanwhile, Japan and Korea, have seen a rise in high-profile gambling controversies or citizens going overboard. As the culture is quite strict, it has resulted in celebrities’ careers being affected once caught. A lot of cases involve offshore gambling to get around restrictions.
Illegal basketball gambling brings in HK$70 billion a year
Back in April, Hong Kong’s illegal gambling problem had racked up over HK$70 billion ($9.3 billion), with some putting estimates as high as HK$90 billion ($11.6 billion) on basketball alone last year.
At the time, the CEO of the Jockey Club, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, said:
“The proposal is with them, and we have to see how they want to progress it. It will be interesting.
“Now, they lead, and we can only follow because it’s a policy decision. They asked us to give them a proposal, and we did.
“It is good that it has been recognised that there is obviously a significant illegal gambling problem.”
Hong Kong councillors weigh in on the vote
Now, the council might actually let the vote through. So far, 77 different legislators have supported the bill, while two voted against and two abstained.
Speaking to RTHK, a Hong Kong-based outlet, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak said:
“And for public education on how to publicise the bad influence and effects of illegal betting and irresponsible gambling, we will launch a series of new measures, including public education and publicity measures focused on teenagers.”
An education sector representative, Chu Kwok-Keung, voted against the bill. He said:
“Over the past 20 years, we have seen a steady increase in the number of gamblers after football betting was legalised, with signs of such activities skewing towards the younger generations.
“Allowing basketball betting would simply offer another option of gambling.”
Featured image: Wikicommons, Pexels
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