The Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board will issue a draft request for proposals for the 10-year casino license in the western part of the province (Zone 1) currently held by Sun International, which operates the Boardwalk in Port Elizabeth. In an advertisement yesterday, the board said a "bidders conference" would be held at its offices in East London on September 5 at which it would hear from interested parties.

The Fox Poker Club, central London’s first legal poker club, is to open in 2009 with a full casino licence. Shareholders in the venture include Joe Beevers, Barny Boatman, and Phil Laak. The club will be undertaking a member recruitment drive at Poker in the Park in Leicester Square on Aug. 15 and 16, offering one month’s free membership to visitors of the lifestyle poker show.

After the Austrian regional court of Linz's reference for preliminary ruling regarding the monopoly on casinos other proceedings regarding the licensing procedure for casinos have just recently been referred to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for preliminary ruling, this time from Greece (Case C-145/08 -- "Club Hotel Loutraki"). The reference for preliminary ruling by the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias involves the question whether Community procurement law...

Turkish Privatisation Agency will hold an auction for a license to run sports-betting games in the country on August 12. Turkish media conglomerate Dogan Yayin and Italian gaming operator Lottomatica have formed a joint venture to bid for the license, sources said. Greek gaming operator Intralot, which currently runs sport betting in the country in a joint venture with local Turkcell, will also participate in the tender.

Casino owners will undergo in-depth criminal and financial background checks before being granted a licence under new proposals revealed today. A new report recommended business dealings and tax history must also be scrutinised in a bid to combat money laundering in the gaming trade. The government appointed casino committee said that if gaming laws are updated...

Despite concerns about the regulatory and tax environment in the UK, Harrah’s Entertainment seems to be ready to take another punt on the nation. The company announced it had hired London-based Insight Public Affairs as an adviser to compete for new gaming licenses in the United Kingdom. Eight large casinos - with up to 150 slot machines and jackpots up to USD 7,931 - are up for grabs, to be opened in Leeds, Southampton, Great Yarmouth, Middlesbrough, Solihull, Hull, Milton Keynes and Newham.

The fragmented and diverse gambling regulatory regime in the Philippines could be the subject of consolidation and change following the introduction of House bill AB4192 by the representative for Quezon, Danilo Suarez last week. It is not yet clear whether this bill will also embrace online gambling licensing, although the general wording suggests this may be the case. Suarez proposes the creation of a National Gaming Commission...

Atlantic City, New Jersey - A New Jersey appeals court was just as put off by massive layoffs, bug-infested rooms and uncooperative management at the Tropicana Casino and Resort as state regulators were, and upheld the denial of the casino's license. Tuesday's ruling affirmed last December's decision by the state Casino Control Commission to strip the former owners of the gambling resort of their license and put the property up for sale.

Gambling venues have proliferated in the country, and a proof of that is that Bolivia National Lottery (Lonabol) received an average of an application license every two days. In the last 36 days, it received 20 applications, according to the legal director of the institution, Rafael Amador. “We did not pass them because they did not comply with the requirements. People believe that it is just to present a letter, but more documents are needed.” He assured.

The question of whether Landmarks has the necessary approvals to set up a casino in Bintan Island in Indonesia remains unanswered. After the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) yesterday, its chief operating officer Lim Boon Soon refused to clarify on the status of the company’s plans to build a casino in the island and whether they have obtained the necessary approvals.

After losing a lengthy European Court of Justice case over the renewal of its horseracing concessions, the Italian Government plans to launch a public tender for the 329 disputed allowances by the end of the year. According to a report from Agipronews, the European Court of Justice ruled against the Italian Government’s renewal of its 2000 to 2005 licenses because it had not put them out for public tender.

New Jersey regulators Wednesday granted new 5-year licenses for the four Atlantic City casinos owned by Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. The Casino Control Commission also approved affiliates of Apollo Management and TPG Capital as owners of the Harrah’s Casinos. Apollo and TPG, two private equity firms acquired Harrah’s Entertainment in January in a USD 17.1 billion deal that includes the Harrah’s Resort, Bally’s, Caesars, and Showboat casinos.