Montego Bay, St James - In his most scathing remarks yet against the detractors of casino gambling, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, on the weekend described their objections as irrational and illogical and maintained that the attraction would be controlled. "Don't be carried away by the notion that casino gambling is going to be rampant in Jamaica," Bartlett insisted Saturday at his East Central St James Education Council annual Teachers Awards held in this tourist resort city.

Detroit (AP) - If smoking is banned in Detroit bars, restaurants and workplaces, Betty Gilbert says it will hurt the city's casinos. Gilbert, who was smoking a cigarette Friday with members of her bowling team on a sidewalk near Greektown Casino downtown, should know. The 69-year-old from Cape May County, N.J. - who said she usually gambles weekly in Atlantic City - plans to cut back when that city's smoking law goes into effect.

Fredericton (CNB) - The province announced today that as a result of the request for proposals (RFP) issued on Nov. 8, 2007, a preferred proponent has been selected to construct, equip and operate a destination casino in New Brunswick. The preferred proponent, Sonco Gaming New Brunswick Ltd., proposes to design, build and own a destination casino in the Moncton region, which will create 400 full-time equivalent jobs and cost about CAD 90 million. There will be 770 full-time job equivalents created during construction.

Die CAPT in Innsbruck ist entschieden. Der eher unbekannte Spieler Mihai Manole aus Rumänien sicherte sich das Preisgeld über EUR 55.650.- und den Titel. Im Heads-up besiegte er den Deutschen Hans Fest. Über Mihai Manole gibt es nicht viel zu berichten. 2007 tauchte er das erste Mal auf der internationalen Pokerbühne auf. Bei den 38th Annual World Series of Poker Anfang Juni 2007 belegte er den 220. Platz bei Event 15, einem Texas Hold'em No Limit Turnier und kassierte somit sein erstes Preisgeld über USD 3.408.-

Das VG Hamburg Beschl. v. 30.04.2008 - Az.: 6 E 4198/07) hat im Streit um die Frage, ob Poker ein Geschicklichkeits- oder Glücksspiel ist, seine Ansicht in einer 17-seitigen Begründung dargelegt. Die Hamburger Richter sind der Meinung, dass die Frage gar nicht beantwortet werden muss, da in beiden Fällen Poker-Turniere nicht veranstaltet werden dürfen: Leitsätze: 1. Unabhängig davon, ob Poker als Glück- oder Geschicklichkeitsspiel einzustufen ist, bedarf es einer staatlichen Erlaubnis, die Privaten nicht erteilt wird bzw. werden kann.

Around 3,000 casino workers could be fired in the following months, according to Jorge Hidalgo, Vicepresident of Costa Rica Casino Association, who commented that the cutback would be held due to the new regulations fixed by the government for this activity, through four decrees and a guidelines. They remark the prohibition to give away alcoholic beverages.

Atlantic City - The sprawling dirt site where Pinnacle Entertainment's USD 1.5 billion megaresort is supposed to rise will remain vacant for at least two more years. Construction will start no earlier than 2010 - if ever - on the now-cleared land where the old Sands Casino Hotel once stood, Pinnacle Chairman Dan Lee said Wednesday while giving a cautious update on the project. Lee put the odds of Pinnacle ever building the new casino at 50 percent...

Two large casinos planned for Philadelphia have to face lawsuits, zoning fights, angry residents and battling politicians which have kept any work from beginning on the USD 986 million Foxwoods casino and the USD 550 million SugarHouse casino, planned for sites several miles apart along the Delaware River waterfront. The longer it takes for those two Philadelphia casinos, with several thousand slot machines each, to open for business, the longer it will take for the full amount of property tax relief...

The backlash against the casino industry has seen the closure of seven venues in recent months and is about to claim another victim, with industry leaders warning of more to come unless ministers act. Gala Coral has closed two casinos, in Nottingham and Glasgow, while Rank has pulled down the shutters on its Grosvenor operations in Scarborough, Liverpool and its Manchester Hard Rock venue. Two independent casinos have also shut in the Midlands.

New York (Reuters) - Privately held Casino operator Tropicana Entertainment LLC, which had its New Jersey casino license pulled last year, said it filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday. The Chapter 11 filing marks one of the largest bankruptcies so far this year and underscores a decline in the fortunes of casinos as the gambling boom of the past few years fades in the face of an economic slowdown.

Church leaders on Monday urged Jamaican legislators to reject a plan by Prime Minister Bruce Golding to boost tax revenue by licensing the poor Caribbean island’s first casinos. Allowing casinos on the island would spread vice, threatening social values and ruining families, said Rev. Henley Bernard of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. "It seems incredible that those charged with the administration of the country’s affairs should even think of introducing an activity...

Some credit the rise of foreign currencies like the euro and Chinese yuan. Others say it’s the need for escapism during difficult times. Either way, the casino business is booming. In Atlantic City, MGM Mirage has finally promised to break ground on the USD 4 to USD 5 billion MGM Grand Atlantic City - located directly between the brand spanking new Borgata and the 44-story Harrah’s Atlantic City Waterfront Tower...