Christmas & New Year break There will be no updates to Gaming floor's news headlines from 22nd December to the 3rd or 4th January. I apologise in advance for the inconvenience and break in service. There will be a thread on the Forum where I'll post casino related news from the break but I'm notoriously inconsistent when on the road, there are simply too many distractions. In 2008 I'll be looking to take onboard partners/investors in Gaming floor so if you feel you have something to offer or want to get involved please feel free to contact me. Informal meetings will be arranged to discuss matters further during ICE. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a very successful and peaceful New Year.  Ian

Carson City, Nevada             Yahoo/PRNewswire & AP
Harrah's Entertainment Announces Transaction Approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission
Nevada Regulators OK Harrah's Buyout

Harrah's CEO Gary Loveman is set to receive options and benefits totalling $90 million and the company will have to service $25 billion in debt. Appolo Management is also a major shareholder in NCL, Oceana and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

www.harrahs.com
www.texaspacificgroup.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Management
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Pacific_Group
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=HET

Taipei, Taiwan             TaiwanNews.com & China Post
Legislators reject bill to build casinos
Gambling bill fails to clear legislative floor

Carlow. Ireland             Carlow People
Paul's casino gamble has paid off in Carlow - Atlantis Casino
 

additional headlines...
Russell Crowe dumps cheerleaders for children - 160 slots are also being removed
Russell Crowe Wins Bid To Ban Poker Machines
Branson wil casino in Airbus
Three sentenced for stealing from Humboldt Indian casino - California
Casino bidder unable to make an offer at present - Sky City
Gamblers’ drowning deaths “unexpected”: cops
 

Macau             Yahoo/AP
Protesters Demand Democracy in Macau
Hundreds March for Democracy in Macau
http://portugues.tdm.com.mo/eng_news.php - Macau News in English

St. Louis, Missouri             Yahoo/PRNewswire & AP
Pinnacle Entertainment Powers Up Lumiere Place In Downtown St. Louis
Pinnacle Stock Rises After Casino Opens
www.lumiereplace.com

Iowa             Des Moins Register
Bosses fire worker who put up 'Dilbert' comic
The offending Dilbert comic strip
www.catfishbendcasino.com

Sydney, Australia             NZ Herald/Reuters
Russell Crowe axes gaming machines from his club
Rabbitohs' pokies plan highlights Govt greed - September
www.rabbitohs.com.au
 

St. Louis, Missouri             Washington Post, ABC News & BBC
Gambling Ads Cost Internet Giants
Microsoft, Google, Yahoo to Pay $31.5M Over Illegal Gambling Ads
Web giants settle gambling claims
www.usdoj.gov/usao/moe/
MICROSOFT, GOOGLE AND YAHOO! PAY MILLIONS TO U.S. FOR THEIR PAST PROMOTION OF ILLEGAL GAMBLING

"Honest taxpayers and gambling industry personnel who do follow the law suffer from those who promote illegal online behavior". Catherine Hanaway. US Attorney.

Macau             Yahoo/AP & IHT
Wynn Macau Expanding Casino Operations
Wynn Macau to add 85 gaming tables, 551 slot machines in casino expansion
www.wynnmacau.com
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=WYNN
 

Taipei, Taiwan             Nasdaq.com/Dow Jones & Yahoo/Sharecast
Taiwan Lawmakers Vote Against Bill To Legalize Casinos
Amazing slumps as Taiwan gaming bill fails
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q?s=AMZ.L

Mexico             Jornada & La Crónica de Hoy
Denuncia penal ante la PGR por operación ilegal de casinos en NL
Casinos fuera de la ley serán clausurados: Segob

Calgary, Alberta             Canada.com
Smoking allowed in new casino
Tsuu T'ina casino opens amid traffic, smoking concerns
www.tsuutina.ca
www.navegantegroup.com/development/tsuu_tina.php
www.greyeaglecasino.ca
 

additional headlines...
Tatts Group buys remaining half of European Gaming
Sky City Entertainment Says No New Information on Potential Bid
Probe into poker website ad on TV - New Zealand. During the Simpsons.
Dramatic moment armed robber struck at bookies - Southampton
Tragedy of gambling addict who committed suicide - Burnley
Canadian store owner charged with falsely claiming $5.6m lottery jackpot
Chinese Illegal casino dismantled at hairdresser’s in Barcelona
 

Macau             Yahoo/Business Wire
Wynn Macau Expansion to Open on December 24th, 2007
www.wynnmacau.com

Macau             China Economic Net/Xinhua
Macao police arrest croupier suspected of stealing gaming chips
http://portugues.tdm.com.mo/eng_news.php?id=4824

Nevada             KLAS-TV
Casino Surveillance Tops Federal Job Growth List

Las Vegas             CardPlayer.com
Eugene Katchalov Wins the 2007 Doyle Brunson
www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/photos/13903

Washington             MSNBC/FT
Banks attack conflicting US gambling rules

Macau             Forbes/AP, Peoples Daily, & Stuff.co.nz
Pansy Ho Debuts At MGM Macau
Macao sees 28th casino as MGM Grand opens
Lavish casino opens in Macau
Macau gets a glitzy new casino - Reuters Video
www.flickr.com/search/?q=mgm+macau&s=rec
 

additional headlines...
Jury awards former Harrah's security worker $1 million in damages
Mass. Governor Says State Shouldn't Stand in Way of Casino Gamblers
Casinos touted
Without a casino, Dania Jai-Alai living on borrowed time
www.dania-jai-alai.com
Gambling soldier in £50k theft
London Underground censors bookies bingo ads
 

Macau             Yahoo/AP, Reuters /& Bloomberg
MGM to Open Casino in Macau
MGM set to open Macau casino, ups ante for rivals
MGM Grand Macau to Seek Growth From China's Coastal Provinces
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MGM&t=5d
www.flickr.com/search/?q=mgm+macau
www.flickr.com/photos/deconstruct/1249221207/ - Pansy Ho magazine cover.
www.flickr.com/photos/olaer/723328783/ - Macau Skyline
http://portugues.tdm.com.mo/eng_news.php - Macau News in English
 

Indiana, Mississippi & New Jersey             Cincinnati Enquirer, AFX & NJ.com/AP
Two casinos for sale - Columbia Sussex affiiliate needs to pay off debt
Tropicana selling 3 casinos
Tropicana to sell its Indiana casino
www.casinoaztar.com
www.horizonvicksburg.com
www.columbiasussex.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casino_Aztar_Evansville
 

Vancouver             Canada.com/Vancouver Sun & The Province
Internet gambling CEO is city's latest murder victim
Murdered man was gambling kingpin
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=SVNP.PK

Wigan, Lancashire            Bolton News
Field widens for Tote bookmaker

Las Vegas            CardPlayer.com
Day 5 of the WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - Seat 6 – David Ulliott – 1,900,000
www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/results/13903

Macau             Yahoo/AP
Melco PBL Climbs on Strong VIP Play
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=MPEL

New Zealand & Australia             Reuters, Bloomberg, Sharechat & NZPA
NZ's Sky City new CEO wants to keep Adelaide casino
Sky City Hires Morrison as Chief to Expand Gaming
New casino boss on to sure bet with high roller package
Casinos to cash in as odds rise against bid
http://au.finance.yahoo.com/q?s=SKC.AX
www.terrapinn.com/2006/casino_au/Img/NigelMorrissonpic.bmp
 

additional headlines...
Outgoing health chief: Casinos should be smoke-free - New Jersey
Casinos Losing Sleaze Competition - New Zealand
Pokies blamed for higher gambling stats
New casino proposal to rival Pavilion plan - Bournemouth. Majestic Casino
Monkeys and college students as good at mental maths
 

Macau             China View/Xinhua
legislator: Macao should diversify gaming-led economy

Las Vegas             Yahoo Canada/PRNewswire
The M Resort, Spa and Casino Partners With Galaxy Theatres

California             Yahoo/Business Wire
PokerTek Announces Another 100% PokerPro Room at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
www.fantasyspringsresort.com

Las Vegas             Gaming Partners PR
New Research Confirms Safety Of Paulson Gaming Chips
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=GPIC

Brussels, Geneva & Washington             Reuters / IHT/AP
EU, U.S. strike compensation deal in gambling row
US, EU reach compensation deal over online gambling ban

London             Daily Telegraph
Bookies may part with SIS stake
www.sis.tv
 

Croatia & Czech Republic             BBJ.hu
Fortuna buys Croatian betting firm Favorit
www.pentainvestments.com
www.ifortuna.cz
www.favorit.hr
 

Singapore             Straits Times
'Master agent' for casino games jailed, fined $80,000

Macau             ETNet News
Harrah's pays US$578m for Cotai lot

Harrah's deal could possibly be the highest price ever paid for a Golf course.

www.orientgolf.com/course/12_aomen_en.html
Harrah's Entertainment Acquires Macau Orient Golf - September 2006
www.harrahs.com/golf/macau-orient-golf/index.html
 

Connecticut             Chicago Tibune
Handful of execs get biggest winning hand from tribal casino
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohegan_Sun

Las Vegas             CTV.ca
Dion ends five-year run at Las Vegas casino
www.celinedion.com/anewday/english/

New Zealand             TV3.co.tv/NZPA
Grief pokies cause outweighs benefits, says gambling foundation
www.pgfnz.co.nz
 

additional headlines...
Schüsse bei Raubüberfall auf Garmischer Spielbank
Towns worry they'll lose control and tax revenue as Seminoles buy land
Mayor looks closure of casino inside Apo View - Davao City, Philippines.
www.apoview.com
Teacher wins $1m poker pot - Sydney
Day 4 at the WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - Las Vegas
Lasseters plans to buy resorts, hotels in Malaysia
 

Las Vegas             Las Vegas Sun
Jeff Simpson agrees with New Jersey's decision not to renew the license of the Tropicana there
Slots for a new generation - Liz Benston

Reno             Reno Gazette-Journal
Station Casinos have grand plans for Reno
www.stationcasinos.com

Las Vegas             CardPlayer.com
Day 3 of the Doyle Brunson World Poker Championship
Day 2 at the WPT Doyle Brunson Classic

Washington             Independent Community Bankers of America
ICBA Commends Narrow and Reasonable Internet Gambling Regulations
www.icba.org
 

additional headlines...
Political donor stirs pot over Indian casinos - California
 

Seattle, Washington State             Seattle Times & IHT/AP
Mayor's son gets 3 months in casino scheme
Seattle mayor's son gets 3-month prison sentence for role in casino scam

Jacob Nickels the son of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels accepted a $5,000 payment frpm members of the Tran Organisation in 2005. He must also pay a fine of $90,500 to cover the losses of the Nooksack Indian Tribe.

Barking, Essex             icWales Network & Daily Telegraph
Gala’s winning way with bingo
Gala Coral seeks to expand to China
www.galacoral.co.uk
www.galacasino.co.uk

Las Vegas             Las Vegas Business Press
As economy churns, state gaming win heads higher

Macau             The Australian
$1.5bn casino puts the heat on Packer in Macau
www.mgmgrandmacau.com - Opening 18th December.

St. Charles, Missouri             Yahoo/PRNewswire
Ameristar Casino St. Charles Hotel and Spa Opening Delayed; Previously Slated for Year's End
www.ameristarcasinos.com/stcharles/index.asp

Atlantic City             Yahoo/AP
Suitors Lining Up for New Jersey's Tropicana Casino and Resort

Vietnam            Thanhnien News
Five found dead after police raid in illegal casino

Great Yarmouth            BBC Norfolk
Plans for £35m casino go on show
www.pleasure-beach.co.uk

Zaragoza, Spain            MSNBC/AP
Spain takes on Vegas with massive project
 

additional headlines...
PartyGaming appoints four new board members
BBC admits Lotto button is a fake
Armed raiders target bookies - Ardwick, Manchester.
Betting across borders a step closer to reality