Rincon Indian Reservation - Harrah's Rincon Casino said Monday that it has cut 66 jobs since summer, a relatively modest number that nonetheless adds to recent losses in an industry once said to be recession-proof. Many of the positions have merely opened up and gone unfilled, casino spokeswoman Sheryl Sebastian said. The casino has laid off some employees and shifted others from one position to another in an attempt to avoid further layoffs, she said.

A federal judge who earlier said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger negotiated in bad faith with the Rincon Indian band will not force the state into new negotiations with the tribe, for now. Judge William McCurine said Tuesday that the two sides can wait until an appeals court rules on his decision that the state can't legally demand a cut of casino profits when negotiating with tribes that want to expand gambling.