Gambling lobby in NY spent $20M in 2 years (AP) Associated Press · June 21, 2013 at 4:11 pm ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A report says gambling interests have spent nearly $20 million over two years on campaign contributions and lobbying in Albany. Common Cause NY reports Friday the spending includes $242,000 in political contributions to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and about $400,000 each to the campaigns of the Senate and Assembly majorities. The spending began after Cuomo called for an expansion … [Read more...]
NJ signs deal to privatize parts of state lottery (AP) Associated Press · June 21, 2013 at 1:42 pm TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - State officials announced Friday that New Jersey has signed a contract to outsource part of its lottery operation and has collected $120 million from the vendor as part of the deal. The contract calls for the vendor, a consortium called Northstar New Jersey Lottery Group, to bring the state government $1.4 billion to $6.9 billion in extra revenue over the 15-year life of … [Read more...]
W.Va. casino hosting lawmakers urges tax break (AP) Associated Press · June 21, 2013 at 11:01 am CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A West Virginia casino is invoking border state competition to urge the Legislature to reconsider gambling taxes. Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack is helping to host lawmakers during this week's interim study meetings. Casino President and General Manager Osi Imomoh warned the House-Senate Finance Committee Friday that his venue is increasingly unable to compete … [Read more...]
Zynga acquires design studio founded by slot industry veteran (LVRJ) Howard Stutz, Las Vegas Review-Journal · June 21, 2013 at 9:03 am A design studio founded by a longtime slot machine industry veteran has been acquired by social gaming giant Zynga, which is seeking an avenue into Nevada’s gaming market. San Francisco-based Zynga, developer of “Farmville,” “Words With Friends,” and other freeplay social games, did not disclose a purchase price for Spooky Cool Labs. The 40-person game studio, which is based in Chicago, … [Read more...]
Navegante Gaming licensed to manage Hooters Hotel (LVRJ) Chris Sieroty, Las Vegas Review-Journal · June 21, 2013 at 8:50 am The Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday unanimously approved the gaming license applications of father and son Larry Jean Woolf and Larry David Woolf and their company, Navegante Gaming Inc., to manage Hooters Hotel. The property filed for bankruptcy in August 2011. Canpartners Realty Holding Company IV, a part of the $20 billion investment company Canyon Capital Realty Advisors, bought … [Read more...]
Miss. casino revenues up 3 percent in May (AP) Associated Press · June 21, 2013 at 8:28 am JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi casino revenue rose in May, the first month in 2013 that state's gross casino revenue was higher than in 2012. Revenue was up 3 percent statewide to $192.7 million in May, according to the report from the Mississippi Department of Revenue. South Mississippi's 12 casinos won $95.1 million in May, up more than $4 million from May of 2012. Statewide, revenue … [Read more...]
Court-appointed receiver for LVH relinquishing duties (LVRJ) Tim O'Reiley, Las Vegas Review-Journal · June 21, 2013 at 5:27 am Ronald Johnson, the court-appointed receiver for the off-Strip LVH, formally checks out on June 30. Clark County District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez approved the move at a short Thursday hearing that ends his 16-month tenure. After that, all control and operations will reside with the current management team. Johnson came into the post on Feb. 1, 2012, after the previous ownership had … [Read more...]
Mississippi gaming regulators sign off on Pinnacle acquisition (LVRJ) Howard Stutz, Las Vegas Review-Journal · June 21, 2013 at 4:48 am Mississippi gaming regulators on Thursday signed off on Pinnacle Entertainment’s $2.8 billion acquisition of Ameristar Casinos. The ruling comes a few days Pinnacle reached an agreement with the Federal Trade Commission over antitrust issues surrounding the deal. Pinnacle will acquire the Ameristar Vicksburg in Mississippi as part of the buyout. “We continue to work diligently to obtain … [Read more...]
Del. panel OKs $8M casino bailout (AP) Randall Chase, Associated Press · June 20, 2013 at 8:50 pm DOVER, Del. (AP) - A legislative committee agreed Thursday to give $8 million to Delaware's casinos as it wrapped up work on a capital budget for the coming fiscal year. The committee voted unanimously on a proposed $477.8 million capital budget, which is $54 million higher than the $423.5 million plan proposed by Gov. Jack Markell in January. Using some $50 million in newly available funds, … [Read more...]
Revenue rises at most La. casinos (AP) Janet McConnaughey, Associated Press · June 20, 2013 at 4:16 pm NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Sixteen of 18 state-regulated casinos won more money in May than in April. But four riverboats and a racetrack in west Louisiana won less than in the previous May. Gamblers' odds were best at the Eldorado in Shreveport, where average losses per visit were $54.84. They were worst at the Horseshoe, which raked in an average of $144.04 on each gambler's visit. Overall, … [Read more...]
Chance for casino in Catskills, other NY regions (AP – updated) Michael Hill, Associated Press · June 20, 2013 at 2:32 pm ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The lucrative prize of a New York City casino remains off the table for now, but some gambling interests would still take a chance under new legislation that would allow four upstate casinos. State lawmakers are poised to vote as early as Friday on a measure that would authorize Las Vegas-style resort casinos in three upstate areas: the Catskills-Hudson Valley region, the … [Read more...]
Revel checks its attitude, admits it’s a casino (AP) Wayne Parry, Associated Press · June 20, 2013 at 9:30 am ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - Gamblers and smokers: Revel finally wants you. It took a drubbing in the marketplace and a trip through bankruptcy court, but Atlantic City's newest casino is doing a 180-degree turnaround. Revel is embracing the bread-and-butter of the gambling industry in a tacit admission that its above-it-all attitude in its first year was a near-fatal mistake. First of all, … [Read more...]
Atlantic City casino to refund slot losses (AP) Associated Press · June 20, 2013 at 9:00 am ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - It won't really be gambling for many slots players next month at Atlantic City's newest casino. Revel will refund 100 percent of losses to anyone who plays slots with a players club card in July. The $2.4 billion resort has also changed its name to Revel-Casino Hotel instead of just Revel. The changes are part of the casino's new post-bankruptcy plan to increase … [Read more...]
Dynasty Resort Hotel approved near Key Largo property (LVRJ) Ben Botkin, Las Vegas Review-Journal · June 19, 2013 at 9:55 pm Clark County commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved an application for a 260-foot-high hotel-casino located west of the burned out Key Largo hotel-casino. The project, called The Dynasty Resort Hotel, will be located on Flamingo Road east of the Tuscany and west of the Key Largo and Paradise Road. The 5.7-acre site is owned by Las Vegas Lucky Investment, LLC. The project will … [Read more...]
Ky. to receive $6M from online gambling case (AP) Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 7:51 pm FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Gov. Steve Beshear says Kentucky will receive a settlement of more than $6 million from a case involving online gambling. The case dates back to 2008 when the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet filed suit to seize 141 domain names belonging to Internet gambling companies. Kentucky later joined two federal lawsuits against some of those companies, leading to the … [Read more...]
Genting to hide Las Vegas eyesore with pagodas (AP) Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 7:34 pm LAS VEGAS (AP) - Fans of the Las Vegas Strip may not have to look at one of the corridor's most persistent eyesores for much longer. Genting Group is planning to hide the site of the stalled Echelon project near Circus-Circus while it works on building a new Asian-themed casino-hotel there. The Clark County Zoning Commission on Wednesday approved a plan that includes two five-story pagodas … [Read more...]
Wynn bankrolls casino push in Everett, MA (AP) Bob Salsberg, Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 7:15 pm BOSTON (AP) - Las Vegas casino operator Steve Wynn is bankrolling an effort to convince Everett voters to support a proposed casino in the city, while nothing has been spent in opposition to the plan, according to campaign finance records. A referendum is scheduled for Saturday on a host community agreement Wynn signed with city officials that calls for $30 million in advance payments to … [Read more...]
Cuomo, NY legislative leaders announce casino deal (AP) Michael Gormley, Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 7:15 pm ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New Yorkers could see some new high-technology employers enjoying a decade of tax-free living and five Las Vegas-type casinos under deals announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders. Cuomo's Tax-Free New York program seeks to retain start-up businesses spawned from university research in New York and attract employers from outside the state in industries aligned … [Read more...]
RI’s Twin River Casino begins table games (AP) Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 5:52 pm LINCOLN, R.I. (AP) - Las Vegas-style betting games like blackjack and craps are now underway at Rhode Island's Twin River Casino after state leaders held a ribbon cutting for expanded gambling Wednesday. Gov. Lincoln Chafee, House Speaker Gordon Fox and other top lawmakers participated in the opening ceremonies at the facility in Lincoln. Chafee, a Democrat, said expanded gambling creates "good … [Read more...]
Adelson to online gaming: Get off my lawn (LVRJ) Howard Stutz, Las Vegas Review-Journal · June 19, 2013 at 5:29 pm Sheldon Adelson successfully chased those pesky Internet brats off his lawn. But at the same time he may have pushed potential gamblers out of his casinos. In an opinion piece published on Forbes.com Wednesday, Adelson, the chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., reiterated his long-standing opposition to Internet gambling. A copy of the entire article can be found at … [Read more...]
Feds in Calif. bust international gambling ring (AP) Julie Watson, Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 5:02 pm SAN DIEGO (AP) - U.S. authorities unsealed an indictment Wednesday charging 18 people with involvement in an illegal gambling ring they say spanned from California to Peru and used violence against customers with outstanding debts. The defendants operated an illegal Internet and telephone sports betting business involving millions of dollars, the U.S. attorney's office in San Diego said in its … [Read more...]
Konami Gaming doubling size of Las Vegas headquarters (LVRJ) Howard Stutz, Las Vegas Review-Journal · June 19, 2013 at 4:25 pm Konami Gaming is more than doubling the size of its Las Vegas-based North American headquarters, signaling a potential challenge to industry’s largest slot machine manufacturers. The company, a subsidiary of the Japan-based Konami Corp., began the expansion work on its corporate offices and manufacturing center last month. The project is located on a 12.33-acre site south of McCarran … [Read more...]
AP Source: Cuomo, NY leaders reach deal on casinos (AP) Michael Gormley, Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 8:40 am ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Four upstate casinos and separate bills on a women's rights package including an abortion proposal that appeared to have been blocked in the Senate were part of a late-session deal, according to a senior official in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration. The official late Tuesday also said there was an agreement on Cuomo's tax-free zones to attract employers tied to … [Read more...]
Del House panel eyes slots for vets, fraternal groups (AP) Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 4:47 am DOVER, Del. (AP) - A state House committee is eyeing a bill that allows veterans groups and fraternal organizations to operate slot machines, as long as they give a share of the proceeds to the state. The bill being considered by the House gaming committee Wednesday cleared the Senate last week, but only after lawmakers added a controversial amendment expanding its scope to include local … [Read more...]
Michigan Gov declines to OK U.P. casino’s relocation (AP) Associated Press · June 19, 2013 at 4:00 am LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has declined to OK an American Indian tribe's proposal to relocate a casino in the Upper Peninsula. The governor's office says he was open to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community's plan to close a casino near Marquette and open a larger one at the former county airport. But he says the tribe declined to discuss a broader deal under which it would … [Read more...]
