London – 4 March, 2010 – With the VLT expansion in Italy already being described as the biggest single thing to happen to the European gambling business for at least a decade, Italian regulators are set to take the stage on the topic at an industry conference – the first of its kind – at ENADA, Rimini on 19 March (www.italyvltconference.com). Conference organizers, Awedacity are honoured to announce that Armando Iaccarino, the Italian State Monopolies Agency (AAMS) Official Director and Daniela Pompei, Director SOGEI have both been confirmed as speakers.

Nevada regulators are seeking information from top gaming companies about their financial health. The review comes in light of the credit crunch and economic downturn, which have prompted drastic measures by casino companies, including thousands of layoffs, project delays and billions in last-ditch financing. The board’s actions raise an important question during these troubled economic times…

New York (Reuters) – Bankrupt Tropicana Entertainment LLC asked New Jersey gaming regulators to return control of its Atlantic City casino on Thursday, saying it would do a better job of returning it to profitability as the state seeks a buyer for the property. The privately held casino operator, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May, has since severed relations with its founder and former chief executive, William Yung III, and his Columbia Sussex Corp hotel company.

Carson City, Nevada – Licensing for the new, USD 662 million Aliante Station hotel-casino in North Las Vegas was recommended Wednesday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The board’s parent state Gaming Commission will have final say Oct. 23 on the licensing application from the locals‘ resort, scheduled to open Nov. 11. The hotel-casino is Station Casino’s 18th property in southern Nevada and is an equal partnership with members of the Greenspun family, owners of the Las Vegas Sun.

The 5th American Congress of Gaming Regulators is to take place on 15 May in Monterrey, Mexico. It is held in conjunction with the ELA-2008 Latin-American Gaming Exhibition. Previous congresses were held in Panama, but on terminating the Sagse-Central American event, organised by Grupo de Inversiones Latinoamericanas de Juego, (GRP), it was decided that this important event should be held in Republic of Mexico.

Carson City, Nevada — A USD 17.7 billion purchase of casino giant Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. by private equity buyers Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group — the world’s largest casino buyout deal — won final approval Thursday from Nevada regulators. The state Gaming Commission voted unanimously for the deal, already approved by Harrah’s shareholders and by several other states in which Harrah’s Entertainment operates.

A complex USD 8.9 billion stock buyout-debt assumption of Station Casinos by members of its founding Las Vegas family and real estate investment firm Colony Capital was endorsed Thursday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Under the takeover deal, brothers Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta, top executives of Station Casinos Inc. are joining with California-based Colony to form Fertitta Colony Partners, which will take over Station’s 12 casinos in the Las Vegas area and other interests.