Nearly two decades after the legalization of Indian gaming, the Navajo Nation is scrambling to join the industry. Time and financial strategy are of the essence, said Robert Winter, CEO of the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise, during a recent gaming forum at San Juan Community College. As the Nation moves forward with construction of its first casino near Church Rock on Interstate 40, time and financial strategy are of the essence, said Robert Winter.

Local casino workers are blaming their foreign colleagues for bringing the industry back into the Government's focus. Brian Phillip, president of the Association of Members Clubs (AMC) of Trinidad and Tobago, said concerns over illegal and immoral activity in local casinos and members clubs have come as a result of an influx of foreigners entering the industry.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning has insisted that the gambling industry in the country will be shut down and has assured that the thousands of workers who will be affected, will be given alternative employment. "I guarantee them we are not putting anyone out on the streets, we will close the industry in such a way, there will be training and to ensure that every workers in the industry is given an alternative job," said Manning at a meeting...

In a last ditch effort to save the casino industry, Movie Towne owner, Derek Chin, has submitted a report to the Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Conrad Enill, designed to counter what he calls the knee-jerk “emotional” backlash against the industry on the part of Prime Minister Patrick Manning, detailing ways in which the industry could be made to benefit the economy.

National Party frontbencher Gerry Brownlee is a director of a company in New Zealand's troubled casino industry. Brownlee says he became a director of a new consultancy firm, New Zealand Casino Services Ltd, registered on June 1, to clean up an industry beset by scandal. The firm, which was established to provide advice on gaming procedures and legislation, is headed by Stephen Lyttelton and Peter Arbuckle, both former top executives at the Christchurch Casino who have resigned in the past month.

Employees in the local gaming industry are now worried about their future, as a recent amendment to the Finance Bill, 2007 is likely to shut down the industry entirely. The Finance Bill, 2007 will be brought for the debate in the Parliament tomorrow. Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Conrad Enill, told the Express yesterday that previous forms of the legislation left some ambiguity with regard to the definition of a slot machine, which is illegal, and that this amendment of the proposed law was necessary.

Close to 7,000 employees of the gaming industry will be placed on the breadline if government moves ahead with its plan to present a bill in parliament on Friday to phase out slot machines. Addressing a news conference hosted by the Union of Members Club and Lottery Workers (UMCLW) at the NUGFW headquarters at Henry Street, Port of Spain, yesterday, member Cindy Gibbs said slot machines make up 75 per cent of the gaming industry.