In US, a congressman has testified that regulating and taxing online gambling could generate up to USD 42 billion for Federal coffers over the next decade. The data is based on a detailed tax revenue analysis conducted by an independent accounting firm. The data, based on a detailed tax revenue analysis conducted by an independent accounting firm, was provided in testimony submitted to the House Committee on the Judiciary recently by Representative Jim McDermott.

The Senate approved this week a bill that authorizes the opening of an international tender process for the casino operation of Carrasco Hotel Casino. The debate was intense and the opposition remarked that it is a “historical contradition” from the left wing, which now boosts privatizations, something that was against their own ideas. Besides, legislator Jorge Gandini, from Partido Blanco, said he was afraid that this tender is “customized, as part of a series of irregularities in local casinos”.

The Malaysian owner of Britain’s biggest casino operator says it has lost almost GBP 130 million as a result of a rise in gaming duty and the smoking ban in England. Genting yesterday reported an 897.3 million ringgit (GBP 129 million) impairment loss against the value of the Stanley Casinos business it bought 14 months ago for GBP 639 million, or just over GBP 700 million, including debt. The company said: “The impairment is largely attributable to the increase in gaming duty rates [from] April 2007.”

Tourism Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch (Yisrael Beitenu) announced thia week that he intended to turn Eilat’s future casino venture to the city’s main tourist attraction. Aharonovitch, a retired commander in the police force, has been trying to push for the building of a legal casino in Israel for the past several months and is optimistic that the government will approve his initiative.

Valley View Casino officials announced this week they have formed a new business venture to develop and manage other casinos, putting it in the presence of larger, more established gambling companies. Tribal leaders with the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, which owns Valley View Casino, said they wanted to take advantage of the management talent that has helped develop their casino and share the knowledge with other tribes.

Linz/Wien - Heute Abend wird das neue, um vier Millionen Euro umgebaute Casino Linz mit 2000 Gästen groß eröffnet. Mit heuer drei Prozent mehr Besucher trotz Umbaus liegt Linz im Spitzenfeld. „Das Casino Linz ist nicht wiederzuerkennen“, sagt Direktor Josef Kneifl. Der Institution für gehobene Abendunterhaltung am Schillerpark, in der seit 25 Jahren die Kugel rollt, wurde ein komplettes Face-Lifting verpasst.

Revenues at Atlantic City’s 11 casinos are down again, which continue to see their profitable slots customers flee to Pennsylvania and New York. The gambling halls took in USD 384.4 million in October, a 7.5 percent decline from the October 2006. Slots revenues were USD 270.3 million, a decrease of 12.6 percent over a year ago. It matched the worst month of the year so far for slots here, along with September, which was also down 12.6 percent.

The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, one of the world’s premier destination resort hotels, has been awarded the esteemed AAA Five Diamond Award for 2008 - a distinction which makes it the largest property in the country to have received the award. The AAA Five Diamond Award for hotels and restaurants is North America’s most coveted symbol of excellence in the hospitality industry.

Uruguayan authorities have set the aim to transform Punta del Este in a touristic center. In order to achieve it, Maldonado council will put out to tender four projects, which are expected to have a good response among Chilean businessmen. The main project is the launch of a private marina for boats and cruises. It will include a five-star hotel and a casino. In total, USD 300 million will be invested.

Tourism Minister of Jamaica, Edmund Bartlett, aims to promote tourist in the island through the construction and exploitation of already existing resources. One of the industries would be the entertanment industry, with the construction of hotels to receive more tourists as well as bigger cruises. The minister has already received offers from important investors who with to plan hotel developments in the island.

Pinnacle Entertainment, the Las Vegas-based gaming and entertainment company, has proposed two locations for a destination resort and casino in Wyandotte County. Except for their locations, the proposals are nearly identical in architecture and amenities. Pinnacle’s first proposal is near the interchange of Interstate 435 and Parallel Parkway; the second proposal would be located at the future interchange at I-435 and Donahoo Road.

Taxes of Spanish casinos in 2006 paid 136 million euros in taxes. In the case of Canarias, Andalucía, Galicia or the Vasque Country, the increment has been sustantial regarding the same period last year. Catalonia is the most affected. It received 33.8 million euros, an increase of 13.71% compared to the previous period. Asturias and La Rioja, with the incorporation of new facilities, have also experimented a rise in taxes, with slight decreases in the rest of the Autonomous Communities.