« Year 2004 Summary

California Politicians Join Casino Battle - 31 March 2004
El Dorado County has found friends in high places to help fight construction of a Highway 50 interchange that would serve the Shingle Springs Rancheria's proposed casino. But state officials say it likely will be the courts, not legislators, that determine whether state Department of Transportation crews break ground f - read more »

Oregon Lottery Mogul Takes Game to West Virginia - 31 March 2004
The corporate offices for four of Bill Service and Bruce Davis' five video poker deli companies sit on a sloping street on the northeast corner of downtown Eugene, a short stroll from riverfront parkland and the Fifth Street Market boutiques. The building's picket-fence flower boxes help it blend with the surrounding n - read more »

Booze and Gambling Can Make You Money - 31 March 2004
Whether the economy is soaring or sinking, chances are good that someone, somewhere, is bellying up to a bar, lighting a cigarette or testing their luck at a slot machine. On Wall Street, the habits we find hardest to break are considered exceptionally reliable investments.Businesses that profit from alcohol, tobacco, - read more »

Casinos on the three islands? - 31 March 2004
Former governor Froilan Tenorio is pushing for the legalization of casinos on Saipan and Rota, citing its importance to boost the local economy.In an interview with reporters Monday, Tenorio said he plans to bring up the issue with the CNMI Legislature, more likely the Senate.He said he hopes the bill would be introduc - read more »

All issues negotiable except higher taxes, Ehrlich says - 31 March 2004
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and top administration officials told a key House committee Tuesday that they are willing to bend on virtually every aspect of their gambling plan except the one that might be most crucial to House Democratic leaders: increasing taxes.Pressed by the committee -- which killed the administratio - read more »

Hong Kong Continues Curbing Gambling - 31 March 2004
Hong Kong Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho said Monday that Hong Kong would continue its efforts on curbing the gambling related activities. He said, in the coming months, the government is planning to launch a special youth empowerment project aimed at engaging young people to drive home amongst their peers clear - read more »

No sign of deal for Christchurch Casino control - 31 March 2004
No one looks like folding up in the high stakes game to take control of Christchurch Casino Six months after talks kicked off between SkyCity Entertainment and Aspinall, the Casino's 41 per cent shareholder, there appears to be no sign of a deal. The Casino Control Authority, which must pre-approve any shareholding cha - read more »

Casinos a safer bet than stock market - 31 March 2004
It's been a hot topic ever since Trade and Industry Minister George Yeo told Parliament on March 13 that the Government might (in other words, will) allow a casino on the holiday resort of Sentosa and the Southern Islands.Even more controversial than the casino proposal is Mr Yeo's subsequent remark that only Singapore - read more »

Gambling tycoon trumps MGM's bid for Wembley - 31 March 2004
A consortium led by gambling tycoon Sol Kerzner has trumped a rival bid for Wembley, the greyhound races company, setting the scene for a colourful bid battle. Mr Kerzner has joined a property developer and US leisure firm Waterford to form BLB Investors and launch a bid for Wembley. The group's 800p-a-share offer, an - read more »

Cache Creek to Unveil Expanded Casino Amid Controversy - 30 March 2004
Cache Creek Casino will unveil a $200 million expansion next Monday. Many casino-goers are looking forward to it, but people who live near by fear trouble.For the past two years local farmers and homeowners have staged protests against the casino expansion. They worry a bigger casino will intrude on the serenity of the - read more »

New Hotel-Casino Planned in Las Vegas - 30 March 2004
Billionaire casino-hotel developer Sheldon Adelson intends to build a new 53-story megaresort called The Palazzo.The proposed megaresort would be next to The Venetian hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Adelson is board chairman of Las Vegas Sands Inc., the parent company of The Venetian.The Palazzo would overshadow g - read more »

Vilsack and legislative leaders are confident of gambling settlement - 30 March 2004
Gov. Tom Vilsack and legislative leaders remained optimistic Monday that a settlement on tax issues with the gaming industry can be reached in the next two weeks, but none would predict whether gambling expansion will be a part of a final gambling bill.The governor said he believes the Legislature, after working on the - read more »

Debt-mired Trump casinos may be losing gamble - 29 March 2004
It was another stupendous week for that pop culture sensation, Donald Trump. On Thursday, his hit reality television show, "The Apprentice," continued to rack up huge ratings as it neared its nail-biting conclusion. Two days earlier, immediately after its release, his slender new book, "How to Get Rich," popped up to 1 - read more »

Full-fledged casino resort opens April 5 - 29 March 2004
In less than 20 years' time, the Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians has gone from lending a hand in the building of its Capay Valley bingo hall to overseeing the opening of a full-fledged resort.On Monday, April 5, at 10 a.m., the tribe will open the doors on part of a $200 million expansion -- the Cache Creek Casino Resort - read more »

Foes on casino are allies now - 29 March 2004
A month after leading a losing fight for a Ho-Chunk Nation casino, Lisa Pugh is trying to keep human services funding in the spotlight. And she's sought an unlikely ally - Madison attorney David Relles, who championed the anti-casino effort. The Feb. 17 referendum on expanded gambling at Madison's DeJope Bingo Hall fai - read more »

Casino wealth sparks disputes over membership - 28 March 2004
Temecula Hundreds of American Indians are fighting for their place on tribal rolls at a time when membership can mean instant wealth for those who belong to casino-owning tribes. Nearly one-fifth of the 61 tribes that have gambling compacts with California are fractured by membership disputes. Many who have been kicked - read more »

Delaware's Slot Machine Figures To Go Down - 28 March 2004
In fiscal year 2003, the state of Delaware realized more than $200,000,000 in revenue from slot machine gambling at the state's three race tracks...reports that figure could be much lower in the future. $130,000,000 less according to projections from the Delaware Department of Finance should Pennsylvania and Maryland e - read more »

Table games make comeback with new generation of gamblers - 28 March 2004
For the past 20 years, the typical Atlantic City gambler has been a woman, about 55 years old, who drove to the resort a few times a month. There she sat for hours, by herself, putting quarter after quarter into the slots.Pete Borstelmann is a different kind of gambler. He's young (22 years old) and has little interest - read more »

Casino plan for Trocadero - report - 28 March 2004
London entertainment centre the Trocadero is at the centre of talks that could turn it into the home of the UK's largest casino, it was reported.Property developer Burford, which owns the Piccadilly Circus landmark, is believed to be in talks with London Clubs International about the proposal.LCI is in charge of the Tr - read more »

South African Province Awards Gambling Licenses - 27 March 2004
The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board has awarded two groups licences to operate 2000 slot machines in the province's potential R140ma-year (US$24 million) non casino industry, the most lucrative in SA. The board's decision to award the limited-pay out 'route operator licences' brings an end to the illegal gaming - read more »

Gambling resolution remains elusive - 27 March 2004
A resolution to the gambling debate in the Iowa Legislature remained elusive Thursday, after horse and dog track officials rejected a tax rate proposal from legislative leaders this week.And with tens of millions of dollars in tax revenues on the line, leaders say they need to find that resolution during the last two w - read more »

Boyce says he will prosecute any illegal gambling violation - 27 March 2004
Third Judicial District Prosecutor Henry Boyce said his office will prosecute any gambling violation cases including bingo games brought to his attention by local law enforcement agencies. Boyce acknowledged Friday that his office has received complaints in recent weeks about bingo operations in Randolph County but add - read more »

Prostitution ring conspired with casinos to sell services to gamblers - 26 March 2004
An Asian prostitution ring, operated in part from a Philadelphia brothel, conspired with six Atlantic City casino "floor hosts" to sell sexual services to favored gamblers, authorities said Thursday.Some high rollers paid $200 or more for the prostitutes, who were imported to the Philadelphia area from Malaysia, then b - read more »

Group to consider downtown casino - 26 March 2004
Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt and County Executive Scott Walker on Thursday announced an initiative to determine whether the Potawatomi Bingo Casino should move downtown, an idea tribal leaders greeted cautiously.While acknowledging some steep hurdles would have to be cleared for such a move, advocates said it would fuel a - read more »

Palace declines to confirm return of Macau casino king - 26 March 2004
MALACAÑANG on Thursday declined to confirm the reported reentry of Macau gambling lord Stanley Ho into the country, passing the buck to the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor)."We'd like to refer that to Pagcor, they're the ones on top of the situation," said presidential spokesperson Ignacio Bunye.Bunye sa - read more »

Washington State Faces Huge Gambling Explosion - 26 March 2004
This legislative session, momentum built like never before to find a permanent way to pay for treatment of the state's growing numbers of problem gamblers. But not only did the issue fail, the state is now facing two of the largest efforts to expand gambling since the late 1990s. Gov. Gary Locke is weighing whether to - read more »

Nebraska Gambling Amendment May Get Priority Status - 26 March 2004
Nebraska legislative leaders may decide as early as today whether to give a casino gambling amendment 'superpriority' status so it would have a chance of passage this session. Meanwhile, the chief executive officer of the Gallup Organization wrote to lawmakers, urging them to keep casinos out of Nebraska. Some lawmaker - read more »

Indian Gaming Commission Shuts Casino - 26 March 2004
The National Indian Gaming Commission has ordered the shutdown of a casino operated by a tribe in downtown Kansas City.The commission issued a letter Wednesday announcing its decision to the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma, and to the state and local government officials who have been fighting the casino since it opened in - read more »

Tribe chides Carcieri, calls for casino vote - 26 March 2004
Irked that Gov. Donald Carcieri "won't give us the time of day" to discuss a proposed casino,Narragansett Tribe Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas charged Wednesday that the governor has flip-flopped on the principle of the people's right to vote. "The governor has been totally inconsistent on Rhode Islanders' right to vote, - read more »

U.S. Loses Early Internet Gaming Ruling - 25 March 2004
The Bush administration said Wednesday it would vigorously fight a preliminary ruling by the World Trade Organization that could open the United States to offshore Internet gambling. The preliminary decision came in a trade dispute with Antigua and Barbuda. The tiny Caribbean nation had contended that U.S. restrictions - read more »

Backers Seek Local Ownership of Proposed Waterloo, Iowa, Riverboat Casino - 25 March 2004
Supporters of a downtown riverboat casino think local ownership is the key to acquiring a license if the Iowa Legislature gives approval to granting more gambling licenses in the state.The Cedar Valley Gaming Co. will hold public meetings Monday at 7 p.m. and April 3 at 10 a.m. at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention - read more »

Head of Indian gambling office urges cap on tribal payments to states - 25 March 2004
Congress should limit the amount of casino revenue tribes can give to states because large payments can constitute an illegal tax, an Interior Department official said Wednesday.George Skibine, director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Indian Gaming Management, said at a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearin - read more »

US Casino Workers Union Urges UK Shareholders to Reject London Clubs Proposal to Reward Senior Officers Involved in Las Vegas Casino Debacle - 24 March 2004
Today, a US casino workers union called on UK shareholders of London Clubs International PLC to vote down a company proposal to reward the senior officers with a long-term stock option plan who were involved in a Las Vegas venture that brought the company to the brink of collapse. "We represent over 80,000 gaming worke - read more »

UK Casino Gets Go-Ahead - 24 March 2004
A £30m cinema, restaurant and casino complex creating 400 jobs in Swansea's city centre has got the go-ahead. The developer behind the new Premier Lodge hotel nearing completion at Wind Street has signed on to extend the scheme in the city's cafe quarter. Planning applications have been lodged with work due to start th - read more »

Ibrox takes a gamble on casino to restore fortunes - 24 March 2004
Rangers Football Club has unveiled an ambitious £120 million plan to transform Ibrox and the surrounding area in Govan into an entertainment complex complete with casino. The Scottish champions confirmed the development will include a casino, private flats, a community sports facility, a health care centre and hotel an - read more »

Schwarzenegger urges Congress to reject gambling changes - 24 March 2004
Congress should retain state limits on a new class of gambling machines that, if unregulated, would severely hurt California's chances to renegotiate tribal casino compacts and demand a share of gaming profits, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday.Proposed amendments to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act pending in th - read more »

Legislator Pushing Gaming Initiative - 24 March 2004
A state senator who has received $1.3 million in campaign money from Indian tribes that own casinos is using his position to promote a ballot initiative that would permit unlimited expansion of tribal gambling.Using his legislative stationery, Sen. Jim Battin (R-La Quinta) has written to 2 million Californians, urging - read more »

Senate panel deals setback to more gaming licenses - 24 March 2004
Iowa communities hoping to land new riverboat casinos were dealt a setback Tuesday by a Senate panel as it approved a major gambling bill.The Senate State Government Committee rejected a bid by new casino backers that would have paved the way for as many as five additional riverboats in Iowa. But local casino boosters - read more »

RI OKs casino development pact - 23 March 2004
The Rock Island City Council pushed the Casino Rock Island's $90 million relocation plans a major step forward Monday with unanimous approval of a development agreement, which includes a tax increment financing district.In contrast to the council's approval earlier this month for RiverStone Group to develop a sand and - read more »

New Kansas proposal would allow 5 casinos - 23 March 2004
A longtime opponent of expanded gambling in Kansas on Monday proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow operation of five casinos, including one in Wyandotte County.Senate Majority Leader Lana Oleen, a Manhattan Republican, offered her plan as an alternative to other proposals to allow five state-owned and -o - read more »

Two Senate committees to debate gambling bill - 23 March 2004
Two Iowa Senate committees will get their turn this week to debate a complex gambling bill, which in its current form would allow table games at racetrack casinos but ban state officials from issuing new licenses for riverboat-style casinos.The State Government Committee is scheduled to consider the gambling bill at 2 - read more »

Three held over casino 'scam' - 23 March 2004
Three people have been arrested on suspicion of winning more than £1 million ($1.8 million) at a London casino using high-tech trickery, police say.The Metropolitan Police said two men and a woman, all from Eastern Europe, had been arrested on suspicion of obtaining money by deception through gambling.A spokesman said - read more »

The men from Las Vegas take a gamble on Macau - 23 March 2004
With their bodyguards and bullet-proof limousines, Nevada's multibillionaires - men such as Steve Wynn and Sheldon Adelson, who transformed Las Vegas with their grandiose visions - are cruising the quaint lanes of old Macau. According to Wynn, whose Las Vegas interests include such glamorous palaces as the Mirage, Trea - read more »

Allegan County casino moves one step closer to reality - 22 March 2004
It seems waiting has paid off for a tribe trying to build a casino in West Michigan.The Gun Lake Band of Pottawatomi Indians wants a casino in Wayland Township and a recent decision by the federal government has put the project one step closer to reality. Now, a look at what's ahead.In the middle of nowhere is a 200,00 - read more »

Pokie audit reveals Waikato operators breaching the rule - 22 March 2004
Two-thirds of Waikato gambling machine operators audited by Internal Affairs since July have been formally warned for breaching licence conditions. A further pokie operator -- the Waitomo Golf, Squash and Bridge Club -- has lost its licence following two poor audit results from the department. Waikato audits found only - read more »

Two States Trying to Keep Gambling Money at Home - 22 March 2004
People in this riverfront town say Maryland is losing money hand over fist to bandits in neighboring states. The one-armed kind, that is. For years, they have watched Maryland residents trek through on their way to horse tracks in Delaware, where slot machines buzz, clatter and ring with the sounds of cash all day long - read more »

Just call it Vegasham ...or maybe Birmingas? - 22 March 2004
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alabama is bringing all the fun of Vegas - minus the high-stakes gambling, glittering stage shows and towering casinos - to Birmingham. Proceeds from the April 3 event, "An Evening in Las Vegas," will help the nonprofit fulfill the dreams of children with life-threatening medical condition - read more »

House showdown looms for bingo bill - 21 March 2004
"Bingo for Books" is headed to the state House of Representatives, where members on both sides of the issue predicted it will face a bitter fight and be decided by a slim margin. The House hasn't approved statewide gambling bills in four years and the Republican Caucus is gearing up for a fight. But this time around, t - read more »

Caesars resorts guarantee best room rates - 21 March 2004
Caesars Entertainment, the parent company of Grand Casino Biloxi and Gulfport, has introduced a plan guaranteeing its Web sites will offer the lowest room rates on the Internet.The "best rate plus guarantee" is open to anyone who books a room through www.caesars.com or any of the casino giant's 18 individual resort Web - read more »

Game makers are ready to go after the cash Macau - 20 March 2004
In conjunction with game maker Aristocrat Technologies, Paltronics Inc, a gaming technology company, has just signed a deal to place its One-Link slot and media systems at the Venetian. But it isn't just a sale, it's an opening into what is probably the hottest gaming market in the world: Macau.The heat in Macau isn't - read more »

Southern Mississippi Casinos Earn $114.4 Million in February 2004 - 20 March 2004
Coast casinos had their second best month in history in February, thanks to a combination of an improving economy, snowbirds, Mardi Gras and George Strait.The 12 resorts won $114.4 million last month, an 18.4 percent increase over February 2003. The only month that was better was July 2002, when the casinos won $118.7 - read more »

Slot-Machine Bill Faces Tough Battle in Kansas Senate - 20 March 2004
Electronic slot machines could be coming to your neighborhood bowling alley as well as other recreational venues that offer the Kansas Lottery's keno games.That authority was contained in the expanded gambling bill approved Thursday by the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee. It now heads for the Senate floor fo - read more »

New Jersey Assembly's Gaming Committee to Meet on Racing, Casino Issues - 20 March 2004
The Assembly Tourism and Gaming Committee will have a special meeting at Monmouth Park and will discuss the needs and viewpoints of the racing and casino industries, Chairman Jeff Van Drew, D- Cape May, said Wednesday. The date of the meeting is to be determined.Van Drew said Assemblyman Michael Panter, D-Monmouth, who - read more »

Fawlty Towers Saved Again as Council Backs Casino - 19 March 2004
The future of Torbay's tourism received a boost yesterday after councillors backed the industry in a dual vote which will mean a new £10 million casino complex for the resort. And the legendary Fawlty Towers hotel has been saved for the third time after Torbay Council's development control committee once again threw ou - read more »

BLB moves closer to unseating MGM bid for Wembley - 19 March 2004
A U.S. consortium including the owner of Bahamas' Atlantis resort moved a step closer to upsetting a rival $493 million MGM Mirage (nyse: MGG - news - people) cash offer for UK gaming firm Wembley WMY.L> on Friday. BLB Investors, specially formed to make a counter bid for Wembley, said Active Value Fund Managers had ag - read more »

Enpocket seals William Hill mobile betting deal - 19 March 2004
Enpocket is to deliver instant betting odds and statistics - and a system for mobile betting - to William Hill mobile gambling subscribers.The company announced today that William Hill has licensed Enpocket Engine, its application for offering odds and gambling information, and will provide the system to allow mobile c - read more »

Slot tournament winner takes shot at $8 million - 19 March 2004
Kathy Peavy got to live out the fantasy of millions of gamblers Thursday when she got a free pull on nearly 900 slot machines for winning a slot tournament last weekend.By mid-afternoon Thursday, Treasure Bay officials said Peavy had won "a couple of thousand dollars" and had played about half the machines. During her - read more »

This Movie Hits Jackpot In Portrayal Of Gambling - 19 March 2004
If you've followed the fall of Donna Allen, the Stonington town accountant who admitted stealing from her employer of 24 years to help finance a $1 million gambling spree, you've probably wondered, as I have, how any sane individual could let a hobby get so out of hand.For an answer, or at least some potential insight, - read more »

Bill would allow slots at some keno sites - 19 March 2004
Bowling alleys and other recreation businesses could offer gambling under a bill sent to the full Senate on Thursday. A Senate panel significantly expanded Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' gambling proposal to allow slot machines at sports or recreational businesses that already offer the state's Club Keno lottery game.The bill - read more »

Online Poker: Hold 'Em and Hide 'Em - 19 March 2004
Ben sleeps five hours a night; the rest of the time he sits at his desk in his Brooklyn apartment playing online poker. He won $55,000 one recent evening, but in his tireless ambition for the $2.5 million world championship, this mild-mannered college graduate has become an outlaw in hiding and a twisting thorn in the - read more »

Widespread Investigations Make for Depressing News in British Horse Racing - 18 March 2004
For anyone involved in horse racing, the website of the UK's Jockey Club has made depressing reading in the past few weeks. The list of investigations under way at the organisation, which regulates horse racing in the UK, is long and the names of those under suspicion are distinguished.First, there was Kieren Fallon, t - read more »

Iowa gambling bill moves forward - 18 March 2004
An Iowa Senate subcommittee approved a House bill on Wednesday that could lead to expanded gambling in the state.Although the measure made it through the subcommittee without changes, senators warned that as many as 12 amendments are in the works before the bill makes it to floor debate next week, KCCI-TV in Des Moines - read more »

New Group Chief Executive for BACTA & ATE Group - 18 March 2004
Trade association BACTA has announced the appointment of Roger Hayes as the new group chief executive over both BACTA and ATE Group. He will step into the position in mid-April.Hayes has a background in public relations and government affairs and has wide experience of dealing with business and trade bodies. As well as - read more »

London welcomes the $1,000,000 PrimaPoker.com sponsored Hendon Mob to compete on home soil - 18 March 2004
Two months into their record PrimaPoker.com sponsored world tour 2004, The Mob have already competed in four of their 14 festivals. From the European Finals of Poker at the glamorous Aviation Club de France on the Paris Champs-Elysees, to the LA Poker Classics at the glitzy Commerce Casino, The Hendon Mob has competed - read more »

Emerald Star Casino gets exemption for waterfront work - 17 March 2004
It took less than 15 minutes for the Zoning Board of Adjustment to grant the Emerald Star Casino a special exemption to build in a waterfront development district Tuesday night.The only question asked at the meeting was regarding vehicular access to the casino. Emerald Star representatives responded that there would be - read more »

Macao's casino tax expected to soar in 2004 - 17 March 2004
The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government can expect to collect 12 billion patacas (1.5 billion US dollars) in casino gross-revenue taxes this year, Wednesday's Ponto Final, a Macao-based Portuguese-language newspaper quoted an anonymous gaming-industry executive as saying. The source said that the recor - read more »

Net crime gangs try to cash in on UK festival - 17 March 2004
Britain's William Hill is the latest victim of a cyber extortion wave targeting gambling web sites, this time hitting the bookmaker on the eve of this week's Cheltenham festival. Britain's second-biggest betting chain was hit by a barrage of data which disrupted its gambling web site on March 11. "We were targeted, but - read more »

Pawlenty puts gambling on table - 17 March 2004
Gov. Tim Pawlenty appeared to open the door to an expansion of gambling on Tuesday, saying that if he does not see progress soon on an increased contribution to the state from Indian gambling, "we will consider all other -- most other -- gaming options."Previously, Pawlenty has said he opposed any expansion of gambling - read more »

112 submissions received on gambling policy - 17 March 2004
Auckland City has received 112 submissions on its draft gambling venue policy that limits the number of electronic gambling machines, commonly referred to as pokies.Chairperson of Auckland City's City Development Committee, Councillor Juliet Yates, says she is delighted with the public's response to the council's reque - read more »

Harrah's loses Illinois casino bid - 16 March 2004
Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. on Monday won the right to purchase a Chicago-area casino license, beating rival Harrah's Entertainment Inc. of Las Vegas and Illinois developer Neil Bluhm.The Illinois Gaming Board voted 4-1 to award the license to Isle of Capri, even though the company bid $518 million at an auction last we - read more »

Former Coushatta casino official convicted of keeping fund-raiser cash - 16 March 2004
A former official at an Indian casino has been convicted failing to deliver more than $1,300 in fund-raising money meant for a limousine driver left partly paralyzed in a head-on wreck.Lois Worfel, 47, of Oakdale, was found guilty Monday on two counts of unauthorized use of a moveable but acquitted of a third theft cha - read more »

Rosemont to get another chance at a casino - 16 March 2004
Three years after the Illinois Gaming Board torpedoed a plan to build a casino in Rosemont, the board is giving the Chicago suburb another chance.The board on Monday picked Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. to receive the state's 10th casino license so the company can build a Caribbean-themed casino in the northwest suburb.Al - read more »

Maryland Bill Targets Gambling Contributions - 16 March 2004
As the debate over slot machines approaches a critical juncture in the General Assembly, some lawmakers are pushing legislation to prohibit campaign contributions from anyone seeking gambling licenses in Maryland. The measure -- similar to bans on gambling-related campaign contributions in New Jersey and Louisiana -- a - read more »

UNLV Introduces Training for Problem Gambling Counselors - 16 March 2004
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has introduced a series of classes to train problem gambling therapists that is expected to better prepare casino employees, social workers and other locals in their efforts to help a growing number of people at risk for developing gambling problems. The program consists of an underg - read more »

U.S. wages quiet fight against online casinos - 16 March 2004
Federal prosecutors have begun a wide-ranging effort to curb the growing popularity of online gambling in the United States by quietly threatening legal action against American companies that do business with Internet casinos and sports betting operations based outside the country, lawyers and industry executives say.T - read more »

Online gambling makes poker stars flush - 16 March 2004
The game of smoke-filled dens is moving towards the sporting mainstream. Matt Born reports on the four Britons who picked up a million dollar deal.It is a game traditionally associated with smoke-filled gambling dens, shady deals and even shadier characters.But in the latest sign that poker is moving into the mainstrea - read more »

Rendell renews effort to legalize slot machines - 16 March 2004
With property-tax cuts hanging in the balance, Gov. Ed Rendell has practically gone door-to-door in the Senate, looking for enough votes for his proposal to legalize slot machines and overcome the disagreements that have divided supporters for months.The order is a tall one, and there are wildly varying opinions on whe - read more »

Lost Vegas Historic Gambling Museum Opens - 16 March 2004
Gambling can be problem for some, but it is still a major part of Nevada history. It's that history that is celebrated at the Lost Vegas Historic Gambling Museum. The museum opened Friday in Neonopolis on Fremont Street. It features more than 5,000 items and exhibits. The new museum is the brain child of the people beh - read more »

Center Parcs examines casino options - 15 March 2004
Center Parcs (UK) Group has brought in consultants to examine the feasibility of introducing casinos once new gambling laws are introduced,The Times reported.The holiday village group, which joined AIM in December and is owned by France's Pierre & Vacances, has appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers to examine how it could t - read more »

U.S. Threatens Action Against Online Gambling - 15 March 2004
Federal prosecutors have begun a wide-ranging effort to curb the growing popularity of online gambling in the United States by quietly threatening legal action against American companies that do business with Internet casinos and sports betting operations based outside the country, lawyers and industry executives say.T - read more »

Galena casino -worth the gamble? - 15 March 2004
While some in Galena say the town could hit the jackpot if a state-run casino were developed here, others are opposed to the idea on moral grounds.They were reacting to last week's release of study findings that Galena, because of its proximity to more than a million people within 75 miles, would be a good spot for a s - read more »

Creighton Study Finds More Bankruptcies In Casino Counties - 15 March 2004
A Creighton University study on possible casino links to bankruptcies revealed differing results for individuals and businesses.The recently released study showed personal bankruptcy filings in counties with casinos were higher than in non-casino counties in the United States during the 1990s.However, the study showed - read more »

Gambling revenues dropped in Washoe - 15 March 2004
Monthly statewide gaming revenues from January showed another year-over-year loss for all of Washoe County, after statistics were released Thursday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.Compared with January 2003, the county's gaming “win” - the amount of revenues casinos brought in from gambling activities alone - was do - read more »

Indian tribes increasingly looking beyond reservation borders for casinos - 15 March 2004
The Tule River Indian tribe runs a booming casino with 1,500 slot machines on its reservation in California's Central Valley.But the casino is up a winding road miles from the region's main route, prompting tribal members to consider abandoning their casino and building a new one at a more lucrative location, alongside - read more »

Investors talk tough to Sky City - 14 March 2004
Large investors worry the casino operator isn't making a big enough splash across the Tasman, writes Garry Sheeran. Some of the country's largest and most successful institutional investors are giving Sky City a hard time about its decision to buy the Darwin casino. They are also getting "stuck into" the sharemarket da - read more »

Vegas mogul plans casinos next to UK soccer grounds - 14 March 2004
A secretive Las Vegas billionaire, Sheldon Adelson, is in talks with the UK's leading football clubs to build a chain of vast casinos on their car parks. His private company, Las Vegas Sands, wants to invest billions of dollars in these "entertainment centres", according to a businessman, and create up to 60,000 jobs. - read more »

President Casinos Seek Buyer or New Partner for Biloxi, Miss., Operation - 14 March 2004
President Casino officials are considering refinancing or selling part or all of the Coast's second-oldest casino.The St. Louis-based company announced Thursday it had hired Innovation Capital Holding to help determine the fate of the financially troubled Biloxi resort, which includes the Broadwater Beach Resort.John A - read more »

Gamble on betting pays off for website - 14 March 2004
A Glasgow entrepreneur has launched Europe's first online recruitment agency for the gambling industry.Managing director David Copeland set up www.bettingjobs.com to take advantage of an expected windfall following the deregulation of the UK sector in 2005, but has already won gaming clients in Gilbraltar and the Carib - read more »

Betting watchdog to tackle race-fixing - 14 March 2004
An elite unit of special investigators with powers to raid premises and prosecute offenders is to be set up to tackle corruption in the betting industry. The Gambling Commission will have sweeping powers to investigate and monitor licensed betting operators, including the online betting exchanges that have been at the - read more »

State OKs more slots at Bluffs Run casino - 05 March 2004
State gambling regulators approved plans Thursday for a $38 million expansion and renovation project at Bluffs Run Casino in Council Bluffs, rejecting arguments that there are too many slot machines in town.The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission voted 4-0 to endorse the project, with Commissioner Diane Hamilton of Storm - read more »

Online betting a corrosive idea - 05 March 2004
The state of Georgia, trying to figure out ways to solve its Hope scholarship woes, is thinking out of the box. Instead of pushing the state lottery with more commercials and scratch-off games, legislators are studying ideas that could take the state's lottery bandwagon to the electronic superhighway.While some may see - read more »

BSkyB launches iTV gambling channel - 05 March 2004
UK digital broadcaster BSkyB launched a new iTV gambling channel last night called Sky Vegas Live. The channel broadcasts a variety of gambling programmes, including computerised horse racing and a Super Keno draw, with further options, such as virtual dog racing, to be delivered in the coming months. Sky Vegas Live we - read more »

Bills would threaten casinos' video slots - 05 March 2004
In a move that Indian gambling proponents described as "unconscionable extortion," two state legislators said Wednesday that they will introduce bills to outlaw video slot machines unless the tribes agree to renegotiate their monopoly gambling compacts.The 19,000 video slots in Minnesota are the most lucrative form of - read more »

LCI to seek cash for expansion - 05 March 2004
London Clubs International is preparing for a new era in the casino industry with plans to raise £49 million towards bolstering its estate.The group, which has seven casinos in the UK, wants the cash injection so it can benefit from the proposed deregulation of the gaming industry.Around half of its investment will be - read more »

Casinos cheating craps dealers, gambler says - 04 March 2004
William Gumper likes to tip craps dealers by placing a dollar bet on their behalf. If it wins, he says, the payoff is a dollar (plus the dollar bet) at almost all of the city's casinos.On Wednesday, Gumper pointed out to the Casino Control Commission that all casinos by law should pay at least 9-to-5 odds on such place - read more »

Rosemont mayor scoffs at Des Plaines casino bid - 04 March 2004
Rosemont Mayor Donald E. Stephens on Wednesday ridiculed a bid to put Illinois' last available casino license in neighboring Des Plaines.Stephens scoffed at Midwest Gaming & Entertainment's willingness to spend $3 million to help pay for new ramps the state toll authority long has hoped to build at Devon Avenue and Int - read more »

Internet horse-wagering bill passes House - 04 March 2004
A bill that would let Washington horse-players bet by phone or over the Internet passed the House yesterday. Senate Bill 6481 is aimed at helping the state's struggling racing industry, essentially by legalizing wagers that are currently being made illegally over the Internet. Neither tracks nor the state make any mone - read more »

Pro card sharks, Hollywood stars square off at TV poker event in S.J. - 04 March 2004
When James Woods arrived at Bay 101 in San Jose on Wednesday morning, he looked at fellow actors Jon Favreau and Mimi Rogers as they finished breakfast an hour before the start of the World Poker Tour Shooting Star Tournament."I don't want to sit with the Hollywood people," Woods joked. "I want to sit with the poker pe - read more »

Panel to vote on casinos next week - 04 March 2004
Legislation to legalize casino gambling in Kentucky is likely to go to the House next week.After an informational hearing yesterday, Rep. Denver Butler, D-Louis-ville, said gambling will come up for a vote Wednesday in the House Licensing & Occupations Committee.The sponsor of the bills, Rep. Larry Clark, D-Louisville, - read more »

Council folds on banning gambling - 04 March 2004
An effort to enact local laws controlling video gambling in taverns died Wednesday at the hands of a divided Common Council.On an 8-6 vote, aldermen turned down a resolution authored by Ald. Walter Kalata seeking the drafting of an ordinance banning illegal gaming machines from taverns and other establishments.The prop - read more »

Peak Entertainment puts $2,000,000 up for grabs - 03 March 2004
Each March, the eyes of basketball fans around the world focus in on the men's NCAA Division I basketball tournament. This year, Peak Entertainment, (www.PeakEntertainment.commm/index.asp) is adding to the madness by launching two free contests, each paying a one million dollar grand prize. The first, called the "Pre- - read more »

Introduction of gambling to Pa. will leave every resident a loser - 03 March 2004
Gov. Rendell's scenario of raising $1 billion from slot-machine taxes to fund property-tax relief appears very enticing to politicians and citizens alike across Pennsylvania. Why not let this "voluntary tax" help lessen the burden on homeowners? Why not help balance the state budget with gambling proceeds?Good question - read more »

Casino design debut - 03 March 2004
Harrah's President and CEO Gary W. Loveman, along with VPs David Satz and Jan Jones, unveiled artist's renderings of the proposed Narragansett Indian Casino, the first images released since Harrah's and the Tribe unveiled the project details on Feb. 4. In a meeting with Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, casino drive co-foun - read more »

Casino chief's health leads to hearing delays - 03 March 2004
Sands plans for Macau are well under way, but there is still one niggling aspect for owner, Sheldon Adelson. Ensnared in a lawsuit with the former president of one of Adelson's numerous companies, the whole ordeal has become so drawn out, that Adelson was literally unable to take the stand.Adelson was scheduled to appe - read more »

Santee Casino Claims Victory 8-Year Court Battle Finally Comes To A Close - 03 March 2004
The atmosphere inside the Ohiya Casino on Tuesday didn't exactly reflect the big victory the modest Knox County casino claimed just a day earlier.Casino patrons played the "pull tab" gaming machines and the electronic "reel time" bingo games just as they had the day before, though this day was much different.On Monday, - read more »

NETeller London flotation adds to tech IPO cheer - 03 March 2004
E-commerce company NETeller Ltd plans to debut in London this month as one of Europe's biggest new technology listings in recent years, following a string of buoyant floatations that rekindled memories of the dot-com era.NETeller, which provides systems for online payments, confirmed on Wednesday it plans to list on Lo - read more »

Prince George's head doesn't want slots - 02 March 2004
Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson called on the House of Delegates last night to remove his jurisdiction from the sites eligible for slot machines, saying he wants to avoid it becoming "the gambling mecca of the Washington Metropolitan area." In a letter to all members of the Prince George's House delega - read more »

Bidder for SunCruz Casinos says money is coming - 02 March 2004
One of two groups competing to purchase the assets of bankrupt SunCruz Casinos says it will have the funding in time to buy the company for $7.1 million more than the current bidder. SunCruz LLC, a Dania Beach, Fla.-based company, currently operates 12 gambling cruise ships on half-day cruises from Port Canaveral, Ja - read more »

Zodiac Casino Goes Viper - 02 March 2004
The very latest and most technologically advanced gaming software has now been launched on Zodiac Casino (www.zodiaccasino.com), powered by Microgaming Software.Microgaming continue to pioneer online gaming, breaking new ground in global markets and their new VIPER software has been developed to meet international play - read more »

Former gambling, MGM movie executive dies in Las Vegas - 02 March 2004
Fred Benninger, a former gambling executive who also chaired the MGM Grand and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studios, has died. He was 86. Benninger -- who helped build some of the city's best-known properties, including the massive MGM Grand hotel-casino -- died Sunday at his Las Vegas home after a brief illness. "He was - read more »

Jowell seeks to pacify casino bill critics - 02 March 2004
The culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, yesterday moved towards a consensus with peers and MPs over the need to provide stronger "social responsibility" protection of vulnerable groups when the government publishes its bill to relax the laws on gambling.If the minister responds to pressure it is likely to mean that licenc - read more »

The Launch of Big Kahuna - 02 March 2004
Volcanos, wild fruits and bonuses aplenty are the gambler's goals in a colourful new 5 reel, 9 payline video slot, The Big Kahuna, which launched at Blackjack Ballroom, Golden Tiger, Zodiac and Yukon Gold Casino.The game is the most feature-rich video slot yet seen from the Microgaming studios and offers brilliant jung - read more »

UK gambling shake-up to hit pubs and clubs - 02 March 2004
Bingo halls, pubs and working men's clubs have been warned they will be the biggest losers from the shake-up in gambling legislation, which is progressing through parliament, the Financial Times reported citing a report by the Henley Centre, a marketing consultancy.It said the proposed changes to gambling legislation w - read more »

Texas closer to ending Louisiana’s casino party - 02 March 2004
A cold wind is blowing in from Texas - the kind that could chill western Louisiana long beyond the current winter.In search of $4 billion for public schools, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has advanced talk about legalizing video lottery machines in that state - a move that could also allow Texas Indian tribes to build casinos - read more »

India-Pakistan series may set new records in gambling - 02 March 2004
The Indian cricket team's tour of Pakistan after more than 14 years may give rise to a new record in gambling, fear officials.Bookies in Pakistan, India and in the United Arab Emirates are busy preparing for the series in their own way."Presently, Pakistan is rated 1-2 against India based on their recent performances," - read more »

Warning over traditional gambling - 02 March 2004
The government's reform of gambling legislation could harm pubs, arcades and bingo halls, a report has said. In addition to closures new laws could boost numbers of gambling addicts, the study from marketing company the Henley Centre says. The draft Gambling Bill, currently in its committee stage, will see the numbers - read more »

Gambling reform tops forum discussion - 01 March 2004
Rep. Dave Heaton urged fellow lawmakers Saturday to refrain from increasing Iowa's cigarette tax until next year, when the state may be hit by a huge Medicaid bill. Speaking at a public forum sponsored by the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce at Iowa Wesleyan College, Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant, said changing federal po - read more »

Clark's gaming bill deserves consideration - 01 March 2004
Like it or not, casino gambling is proliferating across the country. Many in Kentucky favor a proposal that would allow slot machines at the state's horse-racing tracks. They argue that the horse-racing industry, which is so important to the state's economy, is being harmed by the large amount of Kentucky dollars going - read more »

Pa. slots deal bogged down - 01 March 2004
It's been almost a year since Gov. Ed Rendell proposed legalizing slot machines to pay for property tax cuts statewide. The closest the Democratic governor and Republican-controlled Legislature have come to a deal was in December, when the two sides approached agreement on legalizing slots at horse racing tracks and at - read more »

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