Down, sharply. That’s where the U.S. economic outlook and Kansas City’s riverboat gambling market headed in September. Local boats’ [[USD]] 54.5 million month was their smallest haul since early 2005. With a nationwide credit meltdown triggering layoffs and Wall Street panic, American consumers, including gamblers, are tightening their belts. “I can’t think of a time in my responsible adult life that I’ve seen economic conditions look more frightening than they look now,” said Tom Cook...

Poker players may be hedging their bets as the economy slides, but US states are still asking voters to loosen restrictions on gambling in order to raise revenue and help stem growing budget deficits. Voters are set to decide next month on gambling referendums in Colorado, Maryland, Missouri and Ohio that range from ending loss limits to opening new territories for casinos.

The 21 licensed casinos by the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico have brought USD 314 million this fiscal year 2007-2008 (from July to June) to the Puerto Rican economy, which represents a 2.02% growth for the sector with regards to the previous year. Executive director of the Tourism Company, Terestella González Denton, informed that during the annual convention of the Puerto Rican Hotels and Tourism Association (PRHTA), which is being held in San Juan until next Friday.

High gas prices, fierce competition and an ailing economy have taken a heavy toll on Atlantic City's casinos, and industry analysts predict even more pain ahead, including layoffs, bankruptcy filings and lower tax revenue for senior citizen programs. "Atlantic City is truly at a crossroads," said Harvey Perkins, senior vice president of the casino consulting firm Spectrum Gaming Group. "Layoffs are a given.

The slumping economy has taken a toll on a massive construction project that was supposed to help boost the Las Vegas economy. Work on the Echelon Hotel- Casino stopped Friday and won't start back up for at least a year. The delay for Echelon is the first huge blow to the future of Las Vegas because of the slow economy. 800 construction workers were told to stop working because Echelon has been placed on hold.

Carson City, Nevada (AP) -- No Nevada law requires lawmakers to accept a panel's finding that the state faces a nearly USD 1.2 billion revenue shortfall -- and a key Democratic legislator said that's a good thing because the finding appears questionable. Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, the Assembly majority whip, commented as lawmakers prepared for a special session called by Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons, who's relying on the Economic Forum's estimate Friday of the huge revenue shortfall by mid-2009.

Columbus, Ohio -- As the Ohio economy struggles, will more Ohio voters be willing to place their bets on an Ohio casino? The proposed casino would cost USD 600 million and would bring 5,000 new jobs to Central Ohio, NBC 4's Lauren Diedrich reported. Those who are behind the casino development said a new casino could generate more than USD 200 million in tax revenues for Ohio's 88 counties.

New Orleans - A sluggish economy and record gasoline prices are keeping travelers closer to home and off the gambling floor at Southern casinos, an industry analyst said last week. Mississippi's state-licensed casinos saw a 19.4 percent drop in winnings from March to April, while Louisiana's state-licensed casinos recorded a 7.2 percent drop, according to state regulatory agencies.

Casino operator Harrah’s Entertainment reported last week that it swung to a first-quarter loss, citing costs associated with a deal to take it private and "challenging economic conditions." The world’s largest gambling company by revenue said it had a net loss of USD 187.8 million, compared with profit of USD 185.3 million in the same quarter a year earlier. It did not report shareholder earnings, after its sale in January to affiliates of Apollo Global Management LLC and TPG Capital LP.

Taiwan’s economy is lagging, and the one thing that can help is casino gambling. The new President-elect, Ma Ying-Jeou is ready to unlock the doors to the gambling world. Ma Ying-Jeou has made his intentions very clear. When he is sworn into office on May 20th, a new age of gambling will begin in Taiwan. He has stated that he wants individual local county governments to have the right to issue gaming licenses.

Macao -- Macao saw its economy unleashed by the booming gaming industry in the past eight years, but further development requires a more diversified economic pattern, said a Macao legislator in an interview with Xinhua on Monday. "Historically speaking, the special administrative region (SAR)is at the best time for its economic development in the light of its rapid growth in the past eight years," said Ieong Tou Hong, a member of Legislative Assembly of the Macao SAR and Board Chairman of Macao Association of Economy Promotion.

The Economy Commission of the House of Legislators agreed on the proposal for the Tax Reform of the federal government in order to add a 20% fee on the performance of bets and draws. The project of the report, ready for approval next week in San Lázaro, indicates that the gambling industry with bets and draws neither brings society the direct and indirect benefits it demands, nor it fully compensates the associated costs.