The Antitrust Week in Review

Here are some of the developments in antitrust news this past week that we found interesting and are following.

Atlantic City casino-hotels accused in scheme to boost room rates.  Caesars Entertainment Inc, MGM Resorts International and other casino-hotel operators in Atlantic City, New Jersey, have been sued by consumers in a proposed class action accusing them of artificially boosting room rental rates in violation of U.S. antitrust law. The 109-page lawsuit also named Hard Rock International Inc as a defendant, in addition to Florida-based hospitality technology company Cendyn Group LLC, which sells the shared pricing algorithm platform at the center of the alleged conspiracy. The complaint alleges that the corporate defendants and their respective hotels, including Harrah’s Atlantic City, Bally’s Atlantic City and Borgata, used Cendyn’s platform to set room rates higher than they otherwise would have been able to in a competitive market.

NielsenIQ makes second attempt to gain EU nod for GfK merger.  Advent-owned NielsenIQ has made another attempt to secure EU antitrust approval for its merger with German peer GfK, with an EU decision due by June 20, according to a European Commission filing. The U.S. consumer market research company pulled its first filing three weeks ago, just before the EU competition enforcer was due to open a full-scale investigation into the deal. The company submitted a second request for approval of the deal.  Rivals say the merger could reduce competition and even result in a monopoly in some markets.