Lansing, Michigan - The Michigan Senate voted Tuesday to raise taxes on Detroit's three casinos after sending state troopers to bring in two absent lawmakers. Ultimately, the two senators' votes were not needed. The tax bill failed on its first try 28-8 - one vote short of the 29 needed - so Republican Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema ordered a call of the Senate, which requires absent lawmakers to return to the chamber and prevents those who are present from leaving.

Rockaway Beach - Branson's main industry is wholesome, family entertainment. Think Andy Williams and The Osmonds. Branson business leaders say they fear it could all be spoiled by the ringing of slot machines, the rattle of dice and the snap of a well-shuffled deck of cards.

Gambling group Tabcorp Holdings announced it had assumed management control of Tab Ltd, a day after the Tab board resigned en masse. "As of today, Tabcorp has relevant interests in 57.56 per cent of the issued shares in Tab," Tabcorp said in a statement. Tabcorp's offer for Tab went unconditional yesterday, and management control has now passed to Tabcorp.

LAS VEGAS — After a more than six-month delay blamed on software glitches, the 650 million USD Las Vegas Monorail will be ready to board passengers on its four-mile route during a July 14 launch ceremony for dignitaries. The monorail, owned by the nonprofit, government-run Las Vegas Monorail Co., will start giving rides to the public the next day, at a cost of $ 3 each way, from 8 a.m. to midnight daily through mid-September and 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. thereafter, officials said.

When Boyd Gaming Corp. officially completed its 1.3 billion USD buyout of Coast Casinos on Thursday, the company was firmly focused on growth, with nearly 800 million USD in expansion projects already under way. The new company, which includes Coast as a wholly owned subsidiary of Boyd, created the fifth-largest gaming operator in the world. It will become the fourth-largest once MGM Mirage absorbs Mandalay Resort Group.

The state House of Representatives passed and sent to the governor a bill to legalize as many as 61,000 slot machines in Pennsylvania. As the Legislature's marathon election-year session continued early Sunday, the House also appeared likely to approve a companion measure that would eventually funnel 1 billion USD a year of the new gambling tax revenue into property tax cuts for homeowners.

Galaxy Resort & Casino joined Macau's newly liberalized casino scene on Sunday, becoming the second casino to open shop in the Chinese enclave after the end of a four-decade gambling monopoly. The 66 million USD Galaxy Waldo kicked off business with a traditional Chinese lion dance ceremony. It offers 38 gambling tables, 100 slot machines and 161 hotel rooms.

Plans to turn two rest homes into a luxury hotel on St Annes Promenade have been re-submitted to Fylde Council. But the original plans to put in a 24 hour casino have been thrown out by developers. Merseyside-based builders HG Development and Hourwatch's plans to regenerate the corner of South Promenade were thrown out by councillors in April.

Boyd Gaming Corp. and Harrah's Entertainment completed separate mergers Thursday worth a total of 2.7 billion dollars. Boyd Gaming closed the 1.3 billion USD deal with Coast Casinos, creating the fifth-largest gambling operator in the country, while Harrah's Entertainment cemented its 1.45 billion USD merger with Horseshoe Gaming Holding Corp.

The 7.9 billion USD merger between MGM MIRAGE and Mandalay Resort Group may be off the front page but is still the biggest buzz in town. Since the deal was reached, Wall Street analysts and other financial experts have stepped up to slice and dice gambling and hotel revenue for the individual companies and the combined entity.

Harrisburg - After a yearlong buildup, senators prepared Wednesday to vote on whether to legalize as many as 61,000 slot machines in the state as a way to pour 1 billion USD a year into property-tax reductions and tens of millions more into public projects. "We are optimistic that it will run and pass today," said Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, the Philadelphia Democrat who is one of the chief architects of the bill. "It's been a long hard road."

Washington - Mayor Tony Williams says he'll sign a petition to get the casino proposal on the ballot. But Williams says he has no plans to vote in favor of the proposal. The mayor believes voters should be able to decide the issue, but says he won't get involved in the campaign.