Niagara Falls, New York           New York Times
Senecas Add Hotel to Niagara Falls Casino 
www.senecaniagaracasino.com
www.senecagamingcorporation.com

Pompano Beach, Florida           Sun-Sentinel
Adult arcades owner faces gambling charges
www.floridaarcadeassociation.com

South Florida & Washington           Sun-Sentinel & The Guardian/AP
Plea deal by Abramoff could expose officials
Lobbyist, Prosecutors Said Close to Deal

Las Vegas           L.V. Business Press
Hilton ramps up renovations
North Las Vegas still open to casino development
 
 

Other headlines... a quick roundup of other stories fround during GF's daily updates. £7 million lost to gambling misery - Paul Merson Online poker addict jailed for a year - Exeter Lotto yob lout of pocket - Michael Carroll

Singapore           Business Times
Singapore casino to be world’s most expensive

New York           The Buffalo News
Suit readied to halt casino in Buffalo

Las Vegas           Las Vegas Sun - Liz Benston
Beyond the velvet rope - Nightclubs, on rise in Vegas, vie for affluent young adults

Connecticut           Norwich Bulletin
Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun look to streamline, will make changes

Perth, Australia           The Australian
Man faces charges over gaming fraud
Visitor tries to pass off fake gaming chips

The 43 year old man apparently arrived in Perth with A$27,000 in fake A$500 chips. He will appear in Perth's Magistrate's Court today.

www.burswood.com.au

London           Reuters & ThisisMoney/Daily Mail
Ladbrokes bets on rosy future, but bids hover
Ladbrokes' year-end gamble - Alex Brummer
Ladbrokes stands proud after Hilton deal
www.ladbrokes.com

Greece           Bloomberg News
Greece's New Year Gambling Tradition Bolsters Casinos' Earnings
www.clubhotelloutraki.gr

Beirut, Lebanon           Lebanon Daily Star
A taste of paradise in Tahiti via Casino du Liban
www.cdl.com.lb

Australia           Australian Daily Telegraph
Gaming report attacked

Here is the official 28 word definition of problem gambling that along with a 200 page report apparently cost Australian taxpayers almost A$1 million. "problem gambling is characterised by difficulties in limiting money and/or time spent on gambling which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, others or for the community."

www.gamblingresearch.org.au

Victoria, Australia           The Herald Sun - Editorial
Gambling with lives

Colorado           Rocky Mountain News
Missed 2005 casino audits raise concerns
www.revenue.state.co.us/Gaming/home.asp

Sydney           The Daily Telegraph
Bid rumours propel Tabcorp
Revealed: Kerry Packer's fortune
www.tabcorp.com.au
 
 

Other headlines... a quick roundup of other stories fround during GF's daily updates. Cash pours in for student with $million Web idea - milliondollarhomepage.com Merson still addicted to tempting Lady Luck - Paul Merson Lobbyist had meteoric rise and fall - Jack Abramoff

Beverly Hills. California           Hilton - Press release (PDF)
Hilton Hotels Corporation Agrees to Acquire Lodging Business of Hilton Group
www.hilton.com

New York & Czech Republic           Yahoo/Business Wire
Trans World Corporation Announces a $4.75 Million Capital Raise
www.transwc.com
www.american-chance-casinos.com

Schleswig-Holstein, Germany           ISA-Casinos.de & Lübecker Nachricten
Casino Travemünde jetzt unter weiblicher Leitung
Zweite Casino-Chefin Deutschlands neu in Spielbank Travemünde
www.casino-sh.de

Australia           The Melbourne Age
Plea to cut pokies, end gaming woes

Santiago, Chile           Yogonet
A Chilean court has suspended the casino tender process

40 of the 48 applications seeking the possible 17 casino licences in Chile were approved. Thunderbird Gaming is taking legal action after being excluded from the bidding in 6 different regions.

www.scj.cl
www.thunderbirdgaming.com

Australia          The Australian & ABC News
Pokies cause most gambling problems
Problem gambling report no surprise to Bracks

Several reports on problem gambling in Australia were released yesterday including the Community Impacts of Electronic Gaming Machine Gambling report compiled by the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies.

www.adelaide.edu.au/saces/
Victoria - Department of Justice: Impact of EGMs in Vic and WA
Victoria - Department of Justice: Gambling & Racing Research

Victoria, Australia           The Herald Sun
Poker machine curse

Statistic filled article. Could it be that Victoria's 29,500 slots are actually damaging instead of contributing to the states economy. ?

London           The Times Online
Super-highroller lost £7m in three-week spree

Las Vegas           KLAS-TV.com
Las Vegas Expects 300,000 to Ring in 2006
Wynn Resort's New Year's Eve Security

Australia           PRLeap.com
IndoPacific Gaming appoints Australian distributor for Currency Equipment
www.indo.com.au
www.maximumgaming.com.au

London           Bloomberg News
Hilton Group Shares Rise on Report of Hotels Purchase
www.hiltongroup.com

Las Vegas           Las Vegas Review-Journal
NORM: Packer's tips, bets no urban myths

AustraliaMacau           China View/Xinhua
Macao sees steady rise in casino tax income

Gaming taxes paid to the Macau Government for the first 11 months are now 21.2 billion patacas (U.S. $2.65 billion), a year-on-year rise of 15.8%.

www.pgcb.state.pa.us

London           Daily Telegraph & Yahoo UK/The Scotsman
Deluxe sale leaves Rank ripe for takeover
Rank in the running for takeover as Deluxe sale adds to its allure
Bookies are a real banker for betting
www.rank.com

Kuala Lumpur           Malay Mail
Casino Gang suspect held after gambling spree

Philadelphia, PA.          Reuters, Philadelphia Business Journal & Philadelphia Daily News
Companies scramble for Pennsylvania gaming licenses
Phila. casino bids beat deadline
5 investor groups apply for city casino licenses
www.pgcb.state.pa.us

Tirana, Albania           ForexTV.com
Greek casino co Hyatt threatens to quit Albania as slot machine tax quadruples

Carson City, Nevada           KRNV.com
Plan to boost Nevada gambling tax delayed
 

Pennsylvania           Yahoo/PRNewswire & AP
Pinnacle Entertainment to Seek Pennsylvania Gaming License
Trump Applies for Philadelphia License
Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Submits Gaming Application to Pursue Gaming License in Pittsburgh
www.pnkinc.com
www.trumpcasinos.com
www.islecorp.com

Tirana, Albania           Reuters
Greek Hyatt says may close Albanian casino
www.hyatt.gr

Greenwich, London           icSouth London
First step to super casino at Dome site
wwp.millennium-dome.com

Torquay           ThisisDevon.co.uk
Super-Casino plan for resort

Las Vegas           ViewNews.com
GAMING HISTORY: The legendary pass

Story of 'Hollywood' Jack Davison's roll at Binions Horseshoe on the 12th August 1979 that lasted over 2 hours.

London           Bloomberg News
Rank to Sell DVD Business for $750 Million to Focus on Gambling

London           UK-Wire.com
Rank Group PLC - Disposal of Deluxe Film for US$750 Million (£430 Million)
www.rank.com
www.grosvenor-casinos.co.uk

London & Costa Rica           Interactive Investor/AFX
BETonSPORTS buys MVPSportsbook, Player Super Book and V-Wager for 37 mln usd

London & Costa Rica           UK-Wire.com
BETonSPORTS acquires MVPSportsbook, Player Super Book and V-Wager for a maximum consideration of US$37m
www.bosplc.com
www.mvpsportsbook.com

Philadelphia & Allentown, Pennsylvania           PhillyBurbs.com/AP & WFMZ.com
Gambling company buys site of former sugar refinery - Sugar House Gaming.
Tropicana Files Application for Allentown Gaming Facility

Melbourne           News.com.au/Daily Telegraph
Armed robbers target gaming venue

Sydney           News.com.au/Daily Telegraph
'I'm running out of petrol and ready to die'
Kerry Packer's final hours

Sydney           Bloomberg News
James Packer Takes Helm After Father Kerry Dies
 

Las Vegas           L.V. Business Press
New South Coast hotel-casino banks on market-tested formula
Icahn's casino company flexes its muscles in Laughlin, Atlantic City
Casinos leery of biometrics, new pay systems

New York           Buffalo Business Journal
Revenues jump at Seneca casinos

Australia           The Melbourne Age & Courier Mail
The rise and rise of the Packer empire
Packer Jr to target gaming, technology
Texan: I'm worth $100m. Packer: Toss you for it

Australia           ABC News
Packer spoke language of common man: PM
Kerry Packer: Empire builder - Obituary.

Australia           The Melbourne Age
Packer's gambling: fact or fiction?

Australia           BBC Sport, Melbourne Age & The Scotsman
Packer: A born gambler
Packer's 'soft spot' for his staff
Packer leaves empire to only son

Australia           News.com.au
Tributes flow for Kerry Packer

Australia           Reuters
Australian Packer dies after life as media mogul
UPDATE 4-Australia's richest man, Kerry Packer, dies
www.pbl.com.au
www.crowncasino.com.au
www.burswood.com.au

Berlin           Berliner Zeitung
Automatenspiel bald unterm Fernsehturm

Casino Berlin's table games are presently on the 37th floor of the Park Hotel. Another 54 slots are being added to the slot area which is also being moved in February to the base of the Television tower.

www.westspiel.de/content/berlin/001intro.php

Kangwon, South Korea           Korea Times
Gambling Addiction Threatens Lives

This report puts the number of suicides at the Kangwon Casino at 17 since 2000. A Korea Times editorial yesterday mentioned 7.

www.kangwoncasino.co.kr

Singapore           Channel News Asia
Casino decision: The issue that made headlines in 2005

Austria           Die Presse - 24th December
"Handys sind größter Konkurrent für Casinos"

Interview with Casinos Austria General Director Leo Wallner. Handys is the German nickname for Mobile phones.

Singapore           Channel News Asia
Mobile phone gambling set to expand in Asia

Las Vegas & Australia           Las Vegas Review-Journal
New spin for Shuffle Master - LV gambling-device maker re-enters slot market with Stargames buyout
www.shufflemaster.com
www.stargames.com.au
 
 

Other headlines... a quick roundup of other stories fround during GF's daily updates. Casino fear raised by MP - Thailand Raider wore pink dress - and a wig - Glasgow amusement arcade. Man in dress stages arcade raid

Moscow           EELEX/Unicum - Press release (PDF)
EELEX brings more comfort, space and services with new dates and new venue

In 2006 EELEX will be held on the 27th to 29th September at the Crocus Expo Center, Moscow.

www.eelex.net

Biloxi, Mississippi           Yahoo/PRNewswire
Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., Opens Biloxi Casino Following Hurricane Katrina
www.isleofcapricasinos.com/Biloxi

West Virginia           Kentucky.com/Lexington Herald-Leader
Casinos will focus on jobs in pushing third table game bill

Miami           Miami Herald
Motive behind SunCruz affair: good old greed
www.suncruzcasino.com

Birmingham           icBirmingham/Birmingham Post
A touch of showtime sparkle at city casino
MP says stock market gives better odds than super-casinos
www.starcitycasino.co.uk - The Vegas Experience.

Mexico City           Mexidata.info
Mexican Congress questions slot machine permits

Kangwon, South Korea           The Korea Herald - Editorial
Casino suicides

The latest suicide at the Kangwon Casino in South Korea brings the total to 7 since the property opened in 2000.

www.kangwoncasino.co.kr

China           Peoples Daily/Xinhua
China amends Criminal Law to beef up fight against gambling crimes, commercial bribes

Travemüunde, Germany           ISA-Casinos.de
Spielbank Travemünde: Mahnwache vor der Spielbank
www.casino-sh.de

Las Vegas           Las Vegas Review-Journal
In DEPTH: People have been betting against las vegas' prospects for growth for nearly as long as the city has had gambling.

Gaming Investments           IHT/New York Times
Wall Street places its bet on Internet casinos

Tinian, CNMI           Pacific Daily Report & Saipan Tribune
Tinian casino developer to seek tax breaks
Tinian casino investor lured by QC

Atlantic City           The Press of Atlantic City/AP
Once a haven for seniors, gambling mecca drawing younger crowds

New South Wales, Australia           ABC News
Profits prompt call for pokie take limits

California            Sacramento Bee
Casino builder in cash crunch
www.lakesentertainment.com

Gaming technology           Las Vegas Sun - 24th December
Server-based casino games on horizon - Increased slots appeal seen

London           European Jewish Press
Jewish Lottery launched in the UK - The first draw was held on Christmas Day.
www.jewishlottery.org.uk
 

Austin, Texas & Birmingham, Alabama           Yahoo/Austin Business Journal
Multimedia Games machines seized in Alabama
www.multimediagames.com

Portland, Oregon           KATU.com/AP
Initiative filed in push to build state's first private casino

Poker News           CardPlayer.com
Steve Lipscomb, WPT Founder, Addresses Issues
www.worldpokertour.com

Las Vegas           In Business Las Vegas - Liz Benston
Harrah's reaping Rewards of slot club
www.harrahs.com/total_rewards

Carson City           Las Vegas Sun
Gamers ax idea for Three Little Pigs slot machine

Nevada           Las Vegas Business Press
Not by the hair of their chinny chin chins - David McKee
Valley land prices hit record highs - Tony Illia
Curtains for downtown trouble spot? - Aging Hotel Nevada may soon face wrecking ball - David McKee

Macau           China Daily - Hong Kong Edition
Casinos to boost property prices
Macao to become largest game city

Singapore           Taipei Times/AFP & Today Online
Casinos would boost Singapore's economy: study
Casinos could mean 30,000 jobs in all: Economists
www.nus.edu.sg

Las Vegas           Yahoo/Business Wire
Harrah's Completes Acquisition of Imperial Palace
www.imperialpalace.com
www.harrahs.com
 

Britain           Provincial Press
Blackpool 'not taking casino for granted' - Birmingham.
Casino bosses show their hand - Croydon.

London           Yahoo UK/Sharecast
YooMedia PLC - Agreement with Gala Group
YooMedia and Gala enter strategic agreement
www.yoomedia.com
www.avago.tv

Las Vegas           CBS MarketWatch & Yahoo/PRNewswire
Boyd Gaming bets on new Vegas casino
Boyd Gaming Opens South Coast Hotel and Casino
www.boydgaming.com
www.southcoastcasino.com

South Africa           Financial Mail
Sector regulator backs plan to legalise interactive gambling as punters go online
www.ngb.org.za

London           The Guardian, Daily Telegraph & Yahoo/Scotsman
Ladbrokes betting shops raise interest
Back off, says Hilton, as Ladbrokes predators circle
Bidders circle Hilton's Ladbrokes chain
www.bcpartners.comwww.blackstone.comwww.cvc.com

Las Vegas           KVBC.com
South Coast Casino grand opening

Carson City, Nevada           Las Vegas Sun
Nevada casino regulators reject 'Chinny Chin Chins' slot machine
www.konamigaming.com

Singapore           Yahoo Singapore/AFP
Singapore casinos could boost city's GDP by nearly two percent

Atlantic City           The Press of Atlantic City/AP
Lawyer who allegedly laundered cash at casino is back in NJ to face charges

Italy           OhmyNews.com
Italy Set to Crackdown on Foreign Online Casinos
 

London           Bloomberg.com
Blackstone, CVC May Bid for Hilton's Ladbrokes Unit

Catalunya, Spain           BBC.co.uk & MyTelus
Catalan joy over town's lotto win
Spanish town 'very, very, very happy' after winning lotto jackpot

Las Vegas           KLAS-TV.com
South Coast Hotel-Casino Opens Tonight
www.southcoastcasino.com

Tinian, CNMI           Pacific Magazine
Tinian Dynasty Welcomes New Casino Investors

Biloxi, Mississippi           Las Vegas Review-Journal
Biloxi casino back in action - Imperial Palace first to open after storm

The Imperial Palace reopens for business at 9am this morning with 1,921 slots and 52 tables.

www.ipbiloxi.com

Great Sutton, Cheshire           icCheshire/Ellesmere Port Pioneer
Armed gangs raid pub and bookies

Scotland           BBC.co.uk
Gambling charity in funding plea
www.rcatrust.org.uk/gambling.htm
www.gamcare.org.uk

South Africa           MoneyWeb & Business Report
Peermont buys North West and KZN casinos
Peermont to buy 70% of Tusk

Tusk Casino Resorts and Hotels Group has 5 casinos, 3 located in the North West region, 1 in KwaZulu-Natal and 1 in Limpopo.

www.peermont.com
www.tusk-resorts.co.za

Kangwon, South Korea           TMCNet/Korea Times
Young Workers Betting Future on Casino

Interesting story about a state sponsored casino dealer training school at the Jeongseon Vocational Training Institute located in Kangwon Province.

Canada & France           MyTelus/CP
Loto-Quebec acquires minority stake in French casino operator Moliflor 
www.moliflor.com
www.tusk-resorts.co.za

London           BBC.co.uk, The Times, Reuters & Yahoo/FT.com
Hilton confirms Ladbrokes suitors
Bidders circle for Ladbrokes
UK's Hilton confirms bidder interest in Ladbrokes
Hilton gets Three approaches for Ladbrokes
www.hiltongroup.com
www.ladbrokes.com

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania           Yahoo/PRNewswire
Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Signs Definitive Agreement With Lemieux Group LP
www.islecorp.com
www.pittsburghpenguins.com

New York & London           PRNewswire
Electronic Game Card Confirms Orders
www.electronicgamecard.com

Indiana           Crains Detroit Business 
Barden company buys Trump Indiana; casino boat and hotel interest fetch $253M - Trump Lake Michigan operation will be renamed Majestic Star II.
www.trumpcasinos.com
www.trumpindiana.com
www.majesticstar.com
 
 

Other headlines... a quick roundup of other stories fround during GF's daily updates. A truce in war over $30 M jackpot - Ontario, Canada. Judge dismisses charges against casino striker - Atlantic City.