31st
July Pennsylvania Source:
Press release
US
Racetrack owner Penn National
Gaming continues to diversify into the casino business with the announcement
of the purchase of Carnival Resorts and Casinos. The deal will involve
two gaming properties the Casino Rouge, a riverboat on the Mississippi
in Baton Rouge and the management contract for Casino Rama an Indian casino
north of Toronto. The later having 2,300 slots and 110 tables.
30th
July Las Vegas Source: Press
releases
Two
important developments from slot manufacturers during the last week. Shuffle
Master that continues to diversify into game development and manufacture
announced the approval of Press Your Luck™ in Nevada. The company has also
granted a non exclusive license to an unnamed company to develop and manufacture
the game which operates on a PC based operating system.
IGT
also announced that its Addams Family® themed MegaJackpot progressive
video slot machines were now in Nevada, Mississippi, AC & Louisiana.
It is a 5 reel, 9 line, 45 coin nickel machine with a base MegaJackpot
of $100,000.
28th
July Connecticut Source:
Press release
The Mohegan Sun,
one of the two Indian casinos in Connecticut has announced gross gaming
revenues for the 3 months ended 30th June of $178 million. Daily slot win
was a staggering $497 per machine and contributed $137 million or 73% of
the total. The property is in the midst of an $800 million expansion that
will add an additional 115,000 sq ft of gaming floor and a 1,200 room hotel.
28th
July Detroit Source: Detroit
News
The subject of dealers tips has made a rare appearance in the press. The
Detroit News has an article on the "Toke rate" at the 136 table MotorCity
Casino. After a slow start the jockeys are now beginning to steadily
rise. The newbie dealers on target to earn $35,000 in the first year of
operation.
It is not unusual for new dealers to make little in tips due to concentrating
heavily on procedure and not making mistakes.Tips being the theme of many
a staffroom gripe. We can assume however that not many of the Detroit staff
would appreciate the British method of operation.
MotorCities
dealer tips continue to rise
27th
July Toronto Source: Press
release
Gaming
software developer and NASDAQ listed Cryptologic
has released second quarter results showing revenues of $9.1 million and
net profits of $4.7 million. The former showing growth of 15% over 1999.
From the figures the company (regarded as one of the big 4 along with Starnet,
Boss Media & Microgaming Systems) has a comfortable reserve of cash
available. The most famous client for their software is perhaps the William
Hill Casino.
27th
July Las Vegas Source: Individual
Investor/Yahoo
Individual
Investor released an interesting story with a whole raft of statistics
on Baccarat play in Las Vegas. The article using figures and quotes from
Bear Stearns Jason Ader and Marc Falcone puts table hold per day at $6,307
with the game on average producing 13% of Strip revenues. The "High Roller"
market is said to number some 200 players worldwide of whom 75% are Asians
and who are now returning to play at Strip properties.
26th
July Chicago Source: Press
release
The
trend of taking successful board and puzzle games and developing them for
video and slot machines is set to continue. Williams
Gaming have announced that JUMBLE®, now over 45 years old and syndicated
to 600 newspapers will be developed in slot format.
Owners of the trademarked game are the Tribune Company and are also based
in Williams home city of Chicago. The game is pencilled in to debut in
Nevada casinos in early 2001 subject to regulatory approval.
WMS
Gaming Secures License to Manufacture JUMBLE® Branded Gaming Devices;
Expands Participation Gaming Machine Product Line With First Game in Puzzle
Pays Series
25th
July Las Vegas Source: Press
release
The
Las
Vegas Visitors and Convention Bureau have announced that they expect
visitors to the city to reach 36.7 million for the year. Estimates have
been revised upwards after 14.9 million visitors have been recorded for
the first 5 months. This later figure is an 8.3% increase over 1999 and
equates to a daily visitor total of some 98,000.
Gross Gaming revenues are put at $3.3 billion for the first 5 months. With
May chipping in $635 million - up 6% on 1999.
25th
July Detroit Source: Press
release
Casino
Journal Publishing Group have announced the line up of speakers for
the Northern Gaming Summit in Detroit 12th-13th September. The list includes
the Detroit Police Chief and the Mayor of Windsor, Ontario. Michigan is
now regarded as the 4th largest casino market in the US. Detroit being
served by the 3 new downtown casinos & Windsor over the border in Canada.
A Combined table games total of 420.
24th
July San Francisco Source:
CBS Marketwatch
CBS
Marketwatch had an interview with gaming analyst Mark Falcony, Vice President
of Bear Stearns. Subjects covered including last weeks failure of the Internet
Gaming Prohibition Act and the potential of US operators to move online.
The "magic number" for potential future online revenues in the article
is put at $2 billion for 2001.
All
bets are on the Web
24th
July Detroit Source: Detroit
News
The
Detroit News has an interesting story on the 20th July detailing table
games numbers for the cities three Casinos. Interestingly the Motor City
Casino that has 136 tables will be adding six more Craps tables. This will
take the total to 18 - the additions coming at the expense of Blackjack.
Three Card Poker a CSP style variation of the old British game of Brag
is also making inroads with 6 additional tables planned, again with Blackjack
the loser.
Motor
City Casino changes its game mix
21st
July Costa Rica Source:
SF Chronicle
The
rapid growth of gambling and betting on the Internet is highlighted in
an article in the San Francisco Chronicle. In Costa Rica, Sports betting
websites and online casinos are thought to employ 3,000 people involved
with the operations of at least 125 gaming websites. With Government fees
costing around $10,000 the country is seen as a low priced alternative
to the Caribbean islands
Las
Vegas of the Internet Americans flock to Costa Rica to set up online casinos
20th
July San Diego Source: Press
release
International
Thunderbird Gaming Corporation have announced that they are in negotiations
with several hotels in Guatemala with a view to expanding operations. The
news comes after the company has won a legal appeal against the government
that will ensure the continuing operation of its casino in Guatemala City.
Thunderbird
ready to expand in Guatemala
19th
July Richmond, B.C
Source: Press release
Great
Canadian Gaming have announced that heir wholly owned subsidiary Great
Canadian Casinos Inc. has acquired a 4.4 acre piece of land for C$2,461,424
to relocate an existing casino in Coquitlam, B.C. The company operates
6 "community casinos" in British Columbia and employs over 1,000 people.
Property
Acquisition and Casino Relocation
18th
July Antiqua Source: Press
release
Following
hard on the heels of the announcement that the Internet Prohibition Act
had failed to get the necessary votes for passage Starnet
Communications announced that their new Internet gaming software Beyond2000
is scheduled for release.
Using both C++ and Java the software according to the company has been
completely rebuilt and will be phased in gradually to current licensees
using the companies present gaming software.
http://www.starnetsystems.net/newproducts/
18th
July Washington Source:
AP
The
Internet Gambling Prohibition Act has gained a majority of votes in
the US House of Representatives but has failed to get the two thirds required
for passage. The Bill, that would have in effect made it illegal for US
citizens to gamble online had 249 in favour and 159 against. It had been
strongly opposed by the trade organization for Internet gaming industry
the Interactive Gaming
Council but had been supported by traditional casino operators.
The failure to pass could well be a defining moment in how gaming online
develops in future years. The AP article also details a recent phone survey
that suggests 1 million Americans gamble on the Internet every day and
that around 4.5 million have gambled at some time online.
17th
July Antigua Source: Press
release
After
purchasing the domain for $450,000 and undergoing extensive beta testing
Antique based Paramount Trading have announced that Blackjack.com
is now live. The site offers 7 different versions of Blackjack displayed
using Macromedia Flash that may be played for real or for fun.
17th
July Texas Source:
Press release
Viva Gaming Resorts have announced that they will be repositioning the
M/V Island Dawn from its present location in the Bahamas to Corpus Christi,
Texas. The ship that has a passenger capacity of 1,464 will then be renamed
Texas Treasure. Operations are scheduled to begin 15th September.
Texas
Treasure to Arrive in Corpus Christi for Viva Gaming & Resorts
Day Cruise Operation
13th
July Alberta, Canada
Source: Press release
Chartwell
Technology has announced that their wholly owned subsidiary GamingTech
Corporation has entered into an agreement with the Victor
Chandler Group to design, construct and license an online casino. Victor
Chandler is one of the oldest names in British Bookmaking and presently
runs it's tax free betting operation from Gibraltar after transfering operations
offshore during 1999.
This is the second major European sports bookmaking group to choose casino
gaming software from a Canadian company. William Hill successfully launched
their online casino earlier this year using Toronto based Cryptologic software.
Chartwell
expands its International presence with the Victor Chandler Group.
12th
July Chicago Source: Press
release
WMS
Gaming Inc, has announced that its installed base of MONOPOLY®
-themed video and reel spinning slots has now surpassed 4,000 units. There
are also another 450 units on order. The company anticipates introducing
the gaming machines into the Australian market before the end of
the fiscal year.
WMS
Gaming Surpasses 4,000 Units of MONOPOLY Brand Gaming Machines; 450
Additional Units On Order
12th
July Las Vegas Source: Press
release/AP
Park
Place Entertainments have announced that they have agreed to sell the
Las Vegas Hilton to Ed Roski Jr. for a sum in the region of $365 million.
The Hilton is conveniently located next door to the Convention Center but
is set well away from the recent new openings. Subject to all regulatory
approvals it will join the Silverton Hotel and Casino at the very southern
end of the Strip in Mr Roski's portfolio. He is also the co-owner of the
Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL.
10th
July Illinois Source: Press release
Chicago
based slot manufacturer WMS
Gaming have announced that they have chosen Robert Brandt & Associates
as their advertising and public relations agency. Products in the
companies portfolio include Reel em In®, Cast for Cash™, Winning Bid™,
and MONOPOLY®.
WMS
also announced last month that they had begun shipping slots to California
as the expansion of Indian gaming continues.
WMS
Gaming selects Robert Brandt & Associates as advertising and public
relations firm
10th
July Antigua Source: Press
release
Starnet
Communications have announced that they have won a judgement in a Belgian
court over Claude Levy and Gambling
Magazine. According to the press release Gambling Magazine and Starnet
News must stop making "defamatory accusations" against Starnet on pain
of a 100,000 BF ($2,380) fine per day.
The court case stems from Mr Levy - a former Starnet licensee (now with
Cryptologic) initiating a campaign last summer that included a claim that
a $1 billion lawsuit had been filed against the company. The share price
in Starnet that had been as high as $29 subsequently tumbled. At Fridays
close the stock stood at $2.60
Starnet
quote at Yahoo finance
Raging
Bull message boards
9th
July Florida Source:
Miami Herald
The
Herald reported on the expansion in Indian casinos in South Florida despite
the fact that voters have 3 times rejected legalizing gambling at the poles
in recent years. The Seminoles are planning a $300 million complex on tribal
lands in Hollywood, Broward County. The other gaming tribe the Miccosukees
operate premises on Krome Avenue in Dade County.
8th
July Atlantic City
Source: Press release
The
Atlantic
City Visitors and Convention Bureau as part of the celebrations for
130 years of the Boardwalk are set to unveil what is thought to be the
worlds largest craps table.
At 21 ft by 8 ft it will be placed on the Boardwalk on the 2nd August.
Visitors will be able to roll for small prizes including members of the
Republican National Convention that is also taking place at the same time.
7th
July Detroit Source:
Press release
The
Detroit News reported on the 3rd July that the non smoking floor at the
MotorCity
Casino is proving popular with players. Of the 4 floors in what was
a former bread factory the 3rd occupies 10% of the total gaming area. Whilst
there are non smoking tables in most US casinos the concept of an entire
non smoking floor is apparently a first.
MotorCity's
no-smoke floor a hit with patrons
7th
July Las Vegas/California
Source: Press release
Casino
Data Systems announced on the 6th that their OASIS™ casino management
system has been installed at the Sycuan Native Indian casino on the outskirts
of San Diego. The GLI approved system will take care of the casinos 803
machines. A separate installation of the PitBOSS™ system will manage transactions
for the cash desk and 27 tables.
CDS'
OASIS is the First Comprehensive Casino Management System to Go Live in
California
6th
July Pennsylvania
Source: Press release
Racetrack
and off-track betting operator Penn
National Gaming has announced that the company is in discussions with
Carnival Resorts and Holdings with a regard to acquiring the companies
Riverboat and casino interests in Louisiana. Penn National also have the
acquisition of two Casino Magic branded casinos from Pinnacle Entertainment
pending.
6th
July Las Vegas Source:
Press release
Mikohn
Gaming have announced that they have been awarded contracts from the
Aladdin
Resort & Casino totaling over $6.5 million. The casino and "Desert
Passage" shopping area are scheduled to open on the 17th August. On completion
the $1.4 billion project will have over 2,500 hotel rooms, 117 table games
and 2,800 slots. London Clubs International are making their debut in Las
Vegas with a 15,000 sq ft European style gaming floor.
3rd
July Las Vegas/Peru Source:
Press release
Las
Vegas based CVI Technology Inc, has announced the installation of its Secure
Drop™ Slot Accounting Systems in three casinos in Lima, Peru. The system
enables the verification and counting of slot drops on the gaming floor
by incorporating a "Smart bucket" that weighs and counts the coins during
play.
SecureDrop(tm)
Slot Accounting Systems Installed in South American Casinos
3rd
July US/Online Gaming
Rolling
Good Times Online has recently begun a Wager Watch column that intends
to draw attention to unfair practices and disputes that occur whilst gambling
online. The fact that most casinos are licensed is no guarantee of quality
service as most are granted without the thorough checks that a land based
casino would encounter.
It is however a double edged sword as online gaming sites do not always
receive equitable custom from their players. We feel sure that the section
will make interesting reading.
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