State gambling regulators issued their first licenses of any kind Tuesday - to six companies that can manufacture slot machines to be sold in the state. Companies receiving the licenses are Aristocrat Technologies, Aristocrat Technologies Australia, IGT, NRT Technology, Western Money Systems and WMS Gaming.

Gambling Minister Richard Caborn has challenged the Conservative Party to drop its opposition to "super casinos" and allow more than one to be built in Britain. Caborn accused the Conservatives of "political manoeuvring" before the 2005 general election to force the government to slash its original plan to grant eight super casino licences.

Colony Capital appears anxious to become the new owner of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, assuming boss Peter Morton follows through on his decision to market the edgy bad boy of Las Vegas resorts. Oh, yes, there is one other condition – that Morton not get a better offer from one of the other companies taking a look at all that Colony is contemplating.

New slot machine lookalikes in the mainland are now generating as much gambling revenue as Macau's one- armed bandits, according to listed China LotSynergy, which is investing HKD 980 million in the developer of the Chinese machines.

Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH (AGI), the wholly owned subsidiary of Novomatic Group of Companies could further strengthen its market leadership in the category A and B casinos of Switzerland. Successful gaming concepts and an outstanding client service through Escor, AGI´s local exclusive distributor, have made the Austrian manufacturer the most successful provider of gaming equipment in Switzerland.

Cardiff Council is to launch its bid for a regional "super casino," sited at its planned GBP 700m international sports village development. The city has said it needs the casino in order to finish the sports village in time to attract teams preparing for the 2012 London Olympics.

Glasgow's battle to get the licence for the UK's only super casino was today given a major boost. The Government is under pressure from its own backbenchers to grant licences for more than one super casino. Fresh calls were made today during a debate when MPs claimed it would not be possible to measure the economic and social benefits of a super casino if only one operated on the British mainland.

Dreams of a rejuvenated Blackpool through Las Vegas-style casinos are seriously flawed and could damage the resort's economy, a new study has warned. Profits would go abroad, jobs would go to migrant workers and the number of problem gamblers would escalate, according to the independent report by consultants Hall Aitken.

MGM Mirage is flirting with the idea of a multifaceted development in Atlantic City similar to its huge CityCenter casino hotel project in Las Vegas. MGM controls 222,5000 square metres in the Marina District next to Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which it jointly owns with fellow Las Vegas casino company Boyd Gaming.

The number of foreigners-only casinos is expected to increase across the nation as the Cabinet passed a revision to ease regulations on opening those casinos. The revision on promoting tourism, if passed by the National Assembly, would allow all five-star hotels in the country to open foreigners-only casinos from July.

Uruguayan National Direction of Casinos (DNC) started to make contacts with City Councils in the interior of the country to start the public-private developments with private capitals in Durazno, Rivera, Cerro Largo, Artigas and Rocha.

A bills package regulating the gambling industry will be considered by the State Duma in its first reading on March 10, 2006, according to the State Duma's schedule for March 10-24 approved today.