Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law December 30, which regulates the activities of casinos and envisages the creation of four special gambling zones. The law also outlaws online gambling and online poker, and sets the minimum gambling age of 18 years. The bill had sailed through the Federation Council (upper parliament house) without opposition on December 27, 2006. The State Duma (lower parliament house) had already approved it last December 20.

In a surprise move, the city council on Friday delayed a vote on an ordinance banning smoking on casino floors. Instead, the council by a 9-0 vote amended the proposed regulation to extend implementation until April 15 - the first anniversary of the New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act - in deference to concerns from the gaming industry. Had the bill passed Friday, the law would take effect in 30 days. The state Legislature exempted casinos when it approved the smoke-free act earlier this year.

A powerful and millionaire impact on the regional treasury will be held due to the opening of the casino industry in Chile, a process that was completed last Friday with the granting of five new operating licenses, added to the ten licenses already granted on the current year. The 15 societies that won the licenses will pay USD 44.8 million in taxes at the ending of the first year of operation, according to the numbers delivered by the Casino Superintendence (SCJ).

In line with the fast growth of Macau as a worldwide top gambling market, it’s Secretary of State for the Economy and Finance, Francis Tam, recently commented that he was confident that gross gaming revenues in the Special Administrative Region (SAR) could exceed 50 billion patacas USD 6.25 billion. In 2005 revenues from the gambling sector totaled USD 5.8 billion, while gaming revenues totaled USD 5.9 billion.

Table games are still suffering downturns of gross gaming profit (GGP) for tax year 2005-2006, according to fresh news from Union of French casinos. GGP stands at 166 millions euros, with effectiveness of stamp duty abolition as from May 1st, when figures reached 172 millions euros the year before. Gaming facilities mix, made possible on November 1st, combined with identity checks on entrance and forthcoming poker games could lead, as the union hopes, to “a renewed interest for traditional games”.

Post-Katrina business back to near normal, and some operators hope to attract new customers. Casinos, some of which emerged from last year’s damaging hurricanes as bigger, better properties, are trying a range of tactics not only to draw players in, but also to get an edge in an increasingly competitive market. For what is traditionally one of industry’s busiest weeks, halls are decked with decorations, holiday music is in rotation and casinos are trumpeting traditional giveaways, dance parties and invitation-only soirees.

There's more than one way to skin a casino. If you're a multibillion-dollar private equity fund such as Texas Pacific Group or Apollo Management, you could buy up an entire company or just most of it, becoming a controlling shareholder and electing handpicked members to a company's board of directors. You could buy a floundering business as Texas Pacific Group, a buyout and turnaround specialist, did with Continental Airlines, which avoided yet another bankruptcy under private ownership, and Burger King, which was improved and taken public by Texas Pacific and other partners this year.

Las Vegas/Lübbecke. MERKUR GAMING had a whole number of novelties to offer at the most important gaming trade show worldwide, the G2E in Las Vegas from 14 to 16 November. At the stand of the company Atronic, a member of the Gauselmann Group, MERKUR GAMING presented among others the latest video-based AWP machines ‘Alhambra’ and ‘Secrets of India’.

Harrisburg: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today unanimously approved 11 applications for permanent slot-machine gaming operator licenses, including five for the first stand alone casinos awarded under the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004. "Creating a new industry is a complex and arduous journey, but I can now stand with my fellow Board members and announce to the citizens of Pennsylvania that they are a step closer to significant property tax relief, additional jobs, and a reinvigorated horse-racing industry," said Tad Decker, Chairman of the Gaming Control Board.

Casino giant Harrah's Entertainment Inc.'s debt load will nearly double and its priority will shift to paying it down instead of reinvesting in growth after one of the biggest leveraged buyouts ever, according to SEC documents filed Wednesday. Harrah's Chief Executive Gary Loveman told key employees that the company's debt would rise to USD 21 billion, or eight times operating profit, from the current multiple of 4.7, after being bought by Apollo Management Group and Texas Pacific Group, according to a presentation he made Tuesday after the deal was announced.

Los Angeles (Reuters) - The board of the world's largest casino operator, Harrah's Entertainment Inc., has accepted a USD 17.1 billion buyout bid from private equity groups Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group. The USD 90-per-share deal announced on Tuesday is still subject to shareholder approval and a regulatory process that could take a year or more. It marks an end to more than two months of talks that followed a previous USD 81-a-share offer from Apollo and TPG, although Harrah's said it would seek higher bids over the next 25 days.

New York (Reuters) - Casino operator Melco PBL Entertainment (Macau) Ltd., poised for its U.S. market debut on Tuesday, expects a spring opening for its first major project in Macau and see its revenues surge, officials of the company said. Melco International Development and Australian media group Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd. formed the 50-50 joint venture last year to cash in on the gaming, entertainment and hospitality businesses in China and the Asia Pacific region.