Get real on web gambling
Kansas City Star, MO
Rick’s Gambling & Tourism column in today’s Star Business Weekly looks at the US’s untenable position in the worldwide on-line gambling industry. …

State cracks down on Net gambling
Kentucky.com, KY
By Jack Brammer FRANKFORT — Kentucky is commandeering 141 domain names of Internet gambling sites in a novel legal move to crack down on the unregulated …

Ky. governor seeking to block online gambling
Forbes, NY
By JOE BIESK 09.23.08, 7:39 AM ET Kentucky’s pro-gambling governor is looking to make sure all bets are off for more than 140 online gambling Web sites that … Online gambling takes its toll
Aftenposten, Norway
Top community officials are among those who unwittingly lent large sums of money to finance a Norwegian bishop’s son’s gambling debts. …

Casino gambling, poker table revenue up in FL
CBS 4, FL
But the stakes weren’t as high for other kinds of gambling. Racing at horse and dog tracks and other sports wagering declined 43 percent, to $159 million. Gambling case fallout remains as Donaghy reports to prison
USA Today
The league has determined that for the first time in major professional US sports, a referee will walk into prison a convicted felon on a gambling charge …

Former gambling site worker cops to ID theft
Register, UK
The former employee of an internet-based gambling website has admitted he used his position in the company’s credit department to steal the identities of … Arizona gambling feels economic pinch, report shows
East Valley Tribune, AZ
“Gambling is a form of recreation,” she said. Morago compared it to people making decisions whether to go to a movie, go out to dinner or even “go shopping …

Gambling grows to unexpected levels in Poland
Puls Biznesu, Poland
Last year, the Poles spent more on gambling than on beer, vodka and medical services. If the upward trend continues the gambling market will be worth as … Unexpectedly, Las Vegas hit by US downturn
Reuters
And while free rooms and room discounts have kept hotels relatively full — occupancy is down just 1 percent in the year to July — gambling revenue is down …

Blogosphere:

Online Sports Gambling
Ken
The best sites to find Online Sports Gambling, a leading online casino gambling guide. Includes online casino reviews and recommendations, online casino directory, best payouts and bonuses, blackjack strategy and tips, … BetOnSports.com Gambling Site Worker Pleads Guilty After Stealing …
CyberInsecure
An employee of the offshore Internet gambling website BetOnSports.com has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his role in a large Internet-based identity theft ring. BetOnSports PLC does not exist since July 2006 and the Antigua …

Kentucky Seizes Gambling Domains
MHB
The seizure was taken after the Commonwealth found that the “domains were being used in connection with illegal gambling activity”. The domains seized include:. fulltiltpoker.com. indiancasino.com. bet21.com. allslots.com. bodoglife.com … Kentucks Seizes 141 Gambling Domain Names
Chad Kettner
There were a number of popular gambling sites listed for seizure including PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, BodogLife.com, GoldenPalace.com, Bet21.com, DoylesRoom.com and also Rick Schwartz’ IndianCasino.com. …

KY governor after online gambling domains
maconlinepoker
To be very frank and honest, this is not a good news at all for online gambling industry. US Kentucky state governor, Steve Beshear is trying all his efforts to crack down online gambling industry and in oder to boost offline local … NBA Ref Starts Prison Term for Gambling
The NBA referee who admitted gambling on basketball begins his 15-month federal prison sentence today, reports USA Today . The conviction of referee Tim Donaghy, 41, has rocked the NBA, even though officials determined he didn’t bet on …

Bingo Betting
gamblingguide
online gambling has typically been a mans world (sorry for the huge generalisation but this is a blog after all). Perhaps the influx of Bingo sites will even that up slightly. Certainly Bingo seems to be a more social than playing a … Judge Tosses Gambling Attorney’s $20 Million Lawsuit Against Casinos
Law.com – Newswire
A federal judge has dismissed a $20 million racketeering lawsuit against seven casinos by a former New York City attorney who said they had a duty to stop her from gambling. The judge wrote that Arelia Margarita Taveras failed to …

Responsible Gaming – Psychology of a Gambler
To be honest, gambling gets a bad rap, especially when you consider that it’s one of the prime driving forces of humanity. Nobody has ever gotten rich by playing it safe, and if you have a stock portfolio, you’ve bet your money that … Seniors Doubt Study’s Finding of Gambling Problems
Wholesale Bingo Supplies Blog – Bingo Bob
But a new gambling study published in the journal Psychology and Aging suggests not all senior citizens have Fava’s self-control. It concludes the elderly are more likely to develop gambling problems than younger people. …

Video: NFL Football Best Bet of the Week with Odds from Gamblers Television

Albert Einstein is reputed to have stated, “You cannot beat a roulette table unless you steal money from it.”

And yet, the numerous even money bets in roulette have inspired many players over the years to attempt to beat the game by using one or more variations of a Martingale betting strategy, wherein the gamer doubles the bet after every loss, so that the first win would recover all previous losses, plus win a profit equal to the original bet. As the referenced article on Martingales points out, this betting strategy is fundamentally flawed in practice and the inevitable long-term consequence is a large financial loss. There is no way such a betting strategy can work over the long term. Another strategy is the Fibonacci system, where bets are calculated according to the Fibonacci sequence. Regardless of the specific progression, no such strategy can ever overcome the casino’s advantage; players trying them will inevitably lose sooner or later.

While not a strategy to win money, New York Times editor Andres Martinez described an enjoyable roulette betting method in his book on Las Vegas entitled “24/7″. He called it the “dopey experiment”. The idea is to divide your roulette session bankroll into 35 units. This unit is bet on a particular number for 35 consecutive spins. Thus, if the number hits in that time, you’ve won back your original bankroll and can play subsequent spins with house money. If your number never hits – well, it can take a great deal of time to spin the wheel 35 times; think of the fun you’ll have in that time! In practice, this dopey experiment often results in funny looks from the dealer at first; soon, however, every gambler at the table will be putting money on your number. This turns roulette into a group activity that can rival craps for cheers when the number hits. However, there is only a (1 − (37 / 38)³⁵) * 100% = 60.68% probability of winning within 35 spins (assuming a double zero wheel with 38 pockets).

There is a common misconception that the green numbers are “house numbers” and that by betting on them one “gains the house edge.” In fact, it is true that the house’s advantage comes from the existence of the green numbers (a game without them would be statistically fair) however they are no more or less likely to come up than any other number.

Various attempts have been made by engineers to overcome the house edge through predicting the mechanical performance of the wheel, most notably by Joseph Jagger, the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo in 1873. These schemes work by determining that the ball is more likely to fall at certain numbers. Claude Shannon, a mathematician and computer scientist best known for his contributions to information theory, built arguably the first wearable computer to do so in 1961 [1].

To try to prevent exploits like this, the casinos monitor the performance of their wheels, and rebalance and realign them regularly to try to keep the result of the spins as random as possible.

More recently Thomas Bass, in his book The Newtonian Casino 1991, has claimed to be able to predict wheel performance in real time. He is also the author of The Eudaemonic Pie, which describes the exploits of a group of computer hackers, who called themselves the Eudaemons, who in the late 1970s used computers in their shoes to win at roulette by predicting where the ball would fall.

In the early 1990′s, Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo, realizing that most roulette wheels are not “perfect”, used a computer to model the tendencies of the roulette wheels at the Casino de Madrid in Madrid, Spain. Betting the most likely numbers, along with members of his family, he was able to win over one million dollars over a period of several years. A court ruled in his favor when the legality of his strategy was challenged by the casino.

In 2004, it was reported that a group in London had used mobile cameraphones to predict the path of the ball, a cheating technique called sector targeting. [2] In December 2004 court adjudged that they didn’t cheat because their special laser cameraphone and microchip weren’t influencing the ball – they kept all £1.3m. [3]

Betting Only on Red

One conceivable strategy would be to bet on the ball landing in a red space for a certain number of spins, for example, 38.

There are 18 red spaces on a roulette table with 38 total spaces. Dividing 18 by 38 yields a probability of landing on red of 47.37%. This probability can be used in a binomial distribution and made into an approximate standard normal distribution.

Doing so indicates that, if one were to spin the wheel 38 times, there is a 99% probability that the ball would land on red at least 10 times. There is an 83% probability that in 38 spins, the ball will land on red at least 15 times. Out of 38 spins, there’s a 50% chance that 18 will be red.

However, the break-even point is 19 spins, since the bet on red is 2:1, and the probability of 19 red spins in 38 is only 37%. This indicates the difficulty of winning by only betting on red.

The results occur because, as indicated by the 18 divided by 38 equals 47.37% figure, the ball will land on red less than half the time. This percentage applied in the binomial and standard normal distributions creates the vast divide in probability from 18 red spins to 19 red spins out of 38 spins. Basically, it is very unlikely for anyone to spin much more than 18 red spins out of 38 spins.

Betting multiple times

This type of bet is a combination of the red bet and the martingale system. Except this bet also includes the odd. What you do is you start off with a bet of 1 on each the red and the odd (or you can do the black and even). You treat each bet seperately. When one bet loses, you double it. When one bet wins, you set it back to 1. The reason that this technique keeps you in the game so long is that there is a 25% chance of you winning both the red and the odd and theres a 50% chance that you will break even. Of course in order for this method to last, you would need an unlimited source of money.

Famous Bets

• In 2004, Ashley Revell of London sold all of his possessions, clothing included, and brought US$135,300 to the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas and put it all on “Red” at the roulette table in a double-or-nothing bet. The ball landed on “Red 7″ and Revell walked away with his net-worth doubled to $270,600.

• In the 1942 film Casablanca, Rick’s Café Americain has a trick roulette wheel. The croupier can cause it to land on 22 at will. Rick (Humphrey Bogart) urges a Bulgarian refugee with whose case he becomes sympathetic to put his last three chips on 22 and motions to the croupier to let him win. After the man’s number dramatically comes up, Rick tells him to let it all ride on 22 and lets him win again. Although the details are not mentioned in the film (the croupier only notes that they are “a couple of thousand” down), it appears that Rick has given the man 3675 (3*35*35) francs.

• In the music video for Palace & Main by Kent, guitarist Harri Mänty goes to Las Vegas and bets the entire video budget on black. He wins, and the profits were donated to charity.

• In the third part of the 1998 film Run, Lola, Run, Lola uses all her money to buy a 100-mark chip. (She is actually just short of 100 marks, but gains the sympathy of a casino employee who gives her the chip for what money she has.) She bets her single chip on 20 and wins. She lets her winnings ride on 20 and wins again, making her total winnings 100,000 marks.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

US gambling revenue dropped  15% in May. In Las Vegas, the percentage is 16.4%. As for Atlantic City, the casinos gambling revenue down 11% in June, comparing with the same month of the last year (a single casino shows an increase in revenue, Harrah’s Resort Casino). In Illinois, gambling revenue was down more than 20 percent in June compared to June 2007.

The analyst Robin Farley of UBS wrote in a report that “the decline in Strip revenues is worse than the period immediately following Sept. 11, 2001 and except for January 2002 is the worst monthly performance in more than 10 years…The weakness in gaming revenues was not confined exclusively to the Strip as the Las Vegas locals market declined 19.5% in May, bringing year to date revenues down 8.7%.”

Sands, Wynn, Boyd… everything is sliding.

“The decline appears to be accelerating,” said Nick Danna, an analyst with Stern Agee & Leach.

Jim Murren, president of MGM Mirage, says that this drop is a temporarily situation, an usual cycle.

For Atlantic City, the most important decline is for Trump Marina Casino, 23%.

For the casino games, the reports say that table games and slot machines fell down almost the same in Las Vegas, but slots declined more in Atlantic City.

I am not a specialist, but I think that there are some important factors, external to the gambling industry, that influence it. And one of the most important, if not the most important, is the economic crisis. Including the petrol price, unemployment, the real estate crisis, as well as the reduction in flights as airlines cut back their services.

A second factor is the tourist market, influenced also by the economic crisis but not only. The restrictions implemented last years by US for the external tourists is, maybe, more important for the tourist market than the crisis.

And, to not forget the smoking ban, that will decrease even more the gambling revenue.

The crisis in US gambling industry will be increased by the casino and hotel investments started by the operators, for which it will not be possible to make the payments to the banks (for ex., Tropicana Entertainment defaulting on $2.7bn debts).

In fact, when you start an isolationist policy, including for the online gambling market, you have to take into consideration the secondary effects that can become major effects, in time.

Press Release
Regulating Internet Gambling Would Generate Billions in New Revenue for Critical Government Programs
Congressman McDermott Urges Congress to Support Internet Gambling Legislation

(Washington, D.C. – January 31, 2008) A new tax revenue analysis announced by Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) estimates that regulating Internet gambling would generate between $8.7 billion to $42.8 billion in federal revenues over its first ten years. The findings of the analysis, prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers, were provided to all Members of Congress by McDermott earlier this week.

“Before us is a tremendous opportunity to protect consumers and recoup billions of dollars that should be collected by the Internal Revenue Service,” said Representative McDermott. “These are revenues that are desperately needed, given that we are at war and face difficulty financing the nation’s priorities.”

Representative McDermott introduced the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act (H.R. 2607), which would tax regulated Internet gambling.

“To be clear, these are not mostly new taxes – the bulk of the revenues generated would come from taxes required under existing law,” said McDermott. “This is simply a framework to collect taxes on existing activity that is currently unregulated, unsupervised, and underground.”

The current approach, prohibiting Internet gambling through the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), has proved to be a failure. Notwithstanding the UIGEA prohibition, millions of Americans are still able to gamble online. In addition, proposed rules by the Treasury Department to implement the current prohibitions have been severely criticized by many parties, including the American Bankers Association, Credit Union National Association, Financial Services Roundtable, and other leading financial services companies and groups.

“Instead of this ineffective attempt to prevent adults from gambling over the Internet, we need a more sensible approach to protect consumers and ensure that revenues that now flow offshore stay here in the U.S. and are therefore subject to taxation,” added McDermott. “A new, safer, more sensible approach is needed to regulate Internet gambling and protect consumers.”

McDermott’s legislation functions as a companion bill to the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2046), legislation introduced by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) which would establish a licensing and enforcement framework for regulated Internet gambling in the U.S. The legislation would allow States to retain full control over the regulation of Internet gambling within their borders, applying additional taxes, protections and limitations as determined necessary and appropriate.

”By prohibiting a popular, recreational activity that many millions enjoy in the comfort of their own homes, the U.S. is forfeiting billions of dollars in revenue needed for critical government programs,” said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. “It is time for Congress to regulate and tax Internet gambling to ensure security controls are in place to protect consumers and capture billions in revenue.”

To read the McDermott letter, please visit: http://www.safeandsecureig.org/media/mcdermottfinanceltr.pdf

To read the PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis, please visit: http://www.safeandsecureig.org/media/taxestimate.pdf

About Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative
The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative promotes the freedom of individuals to gamble online with the proper safeguards to protect consumers and ensure the integrity of financial transactions. For more information on the Initiative, please visit www.safeandsecureig.org. The Web site provides a means by which individuals can register support for regulated Internet gambling with their elected representatives.

Juniper Research says that revenues for mobile games, that include mobile gambling too, are expected to rise from just under $5bn in 2007 to nearly $16bn in 2012.

“More widespread penetration of 3G handsets, or entertainment-focused 2.5G handsets like the iPhone, will mean a much greater surge in the adoption and overall use of rich media services.”, said Dr Windsor Holden, the report’s author.

As for gambling, that restrictions on gambling services in the key US market will ease in the medium term, says the author.

In accordance with Mobility Site, Warwick Bartlett Lead Partner of Global Betting and Gaming Consultants (GBGC) in his opening presentation to the M for Mobile Conference in London on Tuesday 22nd January said that a combination of three crucial factors was creating a perfect storm of opportunity for the Mobile Gambling Operators.

1. He cited better mobile phone handsets and the innovative apple iphone as being more functional and sophisticated with better screens and keyboards enabling mobile gambling operations so much easier.
2. The traditional on line and offline businesses has now reached maturity and the gambling companies were in earnest looking for new products that would reach new consumer segments. Many and in particular the majors like Ladbrokes, William Hill and Bet 365 are investing in mobile gambling and their marketing spend will do much to promote this hitherto neglected segment of gambling.
3. Finally the software providers had listened to their customers and responded with much more user friendly easier to navigate products.

MGM Grand Macau officially opened its doors these days to thousands of guests eager to experience the burgeoning gaming destination’s latest grand resort. With 600 rooms, MGM Grand Macau resort casino marks the powerful partnership’s first venture into the rapidly growing Macau gaming market, setting a new standard of luxury in Asia.

“We have long anticipated this moment,” said Terry Lanni, Chairman and CEO of MGM Mirage. “It marks the beginning of a new era, both for our company and for the Macau gaming market. We’ve been eager to demonstrate the combined capabilities of our partnership and this striking resort is testament to what we can achieve together. We are confident our efforts brought satisfaction to our many guests who celebrated with us tonight and will continue to do so for the many who visit Macau in the future. We look forward to showcasing to the world what we have created.”

Pansy Ho Chiu-king, Managing Director of MGM Grand Paradise, added, “Through our partnership, MGM Mirage and I wish to bring about a brand new experience for tourists in Macau. The pleasurable experience of our guests will encourage repeated visits and a positive word-of-mouth reputation for both MGM Grand Macau and Macau.”

MGM Grand Macau features suites and villas; a grand casino offering approximately 375 table games, 900 slot machines and 16 private gaming salons for preferred customers; and the signature Grande Praca showcasing Portuguese-inspired architecture, dramatic landscapes and a glass ceiling rising 25 meters (82 feet) above the floor of the resort.

The 35-story resort also includes convertible convention space, world- class spa and swimming pool facilities, and a variety of restaurants that continue in the MGM Grand tradition of culinary talents celebrating the diversity of international tastes and influences. These unique elements, combined with the high-quality service provided by its 6,000 employees will define this new resort.  Initial plans calls for a 222,000 square foot split-level casino, with 385 table games and 1,000 slot machines. The property will also include a 1500-seat theater, a 5500-square foot nightclub, 13,500 square feet of meeting and convention space including an 11,000 square foot ballroom, a 25,000-square-foot spa, and nine restaurants, including one on the roof with views of the city and the harbour.

MGM Grand Paradise Limited is a join venture owned and jointly operated by MGM Mirage (the world’s No.2 casino operator) and Ms. Pansy Ho Chiu-king. It was formed to develop, build and operate resort casinos in Macau S.A.R under a sub-concession agreement approved by the Macau government. The total cost of the project is budgeted at USD $1.27 billion.

Wynn Macau resort will add 85 gaming tables and 551 slot machines in an expansion scheduled to open Monday

The expansion, which also features a new rotunda entrance, brings the casino resort’s total to 390 tables and 1,190 slot machines.

This casino will also be connected to the future Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which is expected to open close to the Nape waterfront district in 2009 as Macau’s second Mandarin Oriental property.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) is a hotel management company which is part of Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited and is formally known as Mandarin Oriental International Limited.

Another casino will be opened in 2008 by Four Seasons Hotels, Inc., a five-star Canadian-based international luxury hotel chain. It is considered among the finest luxury hotel chains worldwide, according to Travel + Leisure magazine and Zagat Survey, and operates 55 AAA  five diamond properties in major cities and resort destinations in 18 countries. It is also the particular hotel of choice for many celebrities and members of royal families.

In 2009 will be opened Grand Hyatt operated by Global Hyatt Corporation. Hyatt is a part of the Marmon Group which is owned by Chicago’s Pritzker Family. Grand Hyatt hotels have higher standards and are generally larger than typical Regency hotels.

Virgin Group is in the latter stage of negotiation to secure land in Macau, where he is going to set up a US$3 billion casino resort complex.. Virgin Group Ltd is a conglomeration of separately run companies that each use the Virgin brand of British celebrity business tycoon Sir Richard Branson.

About Macau:

澳門特別行政區
Região Administrativa Especial de Macau
Macau Special Administrative Region

• Official languages: Chinese, Portuguese
• Government Chief Executive: Edmund Ho Hau-wah
• Establishment:
  • Occupied by Portugal 1557
  • Portuguese colony August 13, 1862
  • Transfer of sovereignty December 20, 1999
• Area: Total 28.6 km²
• Population 2007 (1st qtr) estimate: 520,400 (167th)
• Density: 17,310/km² (2nd)
• GDP (PPP): 2006 estimate
  • Total US$14.3 billion (139th)
  • Per capita: US$28,436 (2006)
• Currency: Macanese pataca (MOP)
• Time zone: MST (UTC+8)
• Internet TLD: .mo
• Calling code: +853

The Macau Special Administrative Region, commonly known as Macau or Macao (Chinese: 澳門), was established on December 20, 1999, as one of the two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the other being Hong Kong. Macau has thriving industries such as textiles, electronics and toys, as well as a notable tourist industry, which boasts a wide range of hotels, resorts, stadiums, restaurants and casinos.

The headquarters of Macau Government

The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer, under the policy of “one country, two systems”. The Central People’s Government is responsible for the territory’s defence and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organisations and events.

The Legislative Assembly of Macau

Macau’s economy is based largely on tourism, much of it geared toward gambling. From 9.1 million visitors in 2000, arrivals to Macau has grown to 18.7 million visitors in 2005, 21.98 million visitors in 2006 and is expected to receive between 24 and 25 million visitors in 2007, with over 50% of the arrivals coming from mainland China. Macau also received the Future Award 2007, for being regarded the most promising future tourism destination in Asia Macau is currently rated as one of the world’s top tourism destinations by the World Tourism Organisation.

Macau center

Since 1850, gambling has been licensed and has always been an important source of earning for the government. In the early 1960s, gambling provided 50 percent of official revenue. Starting in 1962, the gambling industry had been operated under a government-issued monopoly license by Stanley Ho’s Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau. The monopoly was ended in 2002, and several casino owners from Las Vegas attempted to enter the market. With the opening of the Sands Macau, the largest casino in the world as measured by total number of table games, in 2004 and Wynn Macau in 2006, gambling revenues from Macau’s casinos were for the first time greater than those of Las Vegas Strip (each about $6 billion), making Macau the highest-volume gambling centre in the world.

In 2007, The Venetian Macau, the second largest building in the world, opened its doors to the public. Other casinos and hotels slated to be opened through 2009 are: Four Seasons (2008), MGM Grand Macau (2007), Ponte 16 (2007), Far East Consortium Complex (2007), Grand Hyatt (2009), Galaxy Cotai Megaresort (2008), City of Dreams (2008), Oceanus (2008), Mandarin Oriental (2009). The first Phase of Macau’s Cotai Strip is scheduled to open in 2007 and will include 19,000 guest rooms throughout seven resort hotels, with the $1.8 billion Venetian Macao serving as the anchor. The head of Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson is in the latter stage of negotiation to secure land in Macau, where he is going to set up a US$3 billion casino resort complex. As a result, Macau’s economy is growing rapidly due to gambling related tourism and construction from the new casino entrants. Macau is still the only place in the People’s Republic of China where casinos are legal.

Gondola ride in the Venetian

Cotai Strip

The Cotai Strip is the name of the casino and tourism district of Cotai, Macau. The development of this area was inspired by the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Here it is a list of casinos and hotels by Macau Concessionaire:

Las Vegas Sands

• 7 resort hotels
• 20,000 hotel rooms
• Over 1.5 mm sq ft of casino space
• Over 3.0 mm sq ft of MICE space
• 25,000 seats for live entertainment
• 3.0 mm sq ft of retail space
• Over 4.0 mm sq ft of vacation suites

• Site 1 = The Venetian Macao
• Site 2 = Four Seasons Hotel Macau
• Site 3 = Far East Consortium
• Site 4 = City of Dreams (see Melco-PBL below)
• Site 5 = Shangri-La and Traders
• Site 6 = Sheraton and St. Regis
• Site 7 = Hilton and Conrad
• Site 8 = Fairmont and Raffles

Melco-PBL

• City of Dreams
• Macau Studio City (Melco-PBL will not own this but will manage the casino) (Hotels on the site include The Ritz-Carlton Macau, Macao Marriott Studio City, and W Macau – Studio City)

Galaxy entertainment

• Grand Waldo Hotel
• Cotai Mega Resort (aka GalaxyWorld Resort)

MGM Grand Paradise

• Nothing official announced yet but has stated that they plan to build a casino on Cotai

Wynn Resorts

• Owns land on Cotai and has stated that they plan to build one casino resort that will be “the most beautiful hotel on earth”.^[5]

Harrah’s Entertainment

• Owns the Macau Orient Golf Course on Cotai, adjacent to the Lotus Bridge and across from Macao Studio City. Has not announced any plans other than to operate it as a golf course for time being.

Macau gaming law

In the Macau legal system, gaming law is not considered as a branch of law in the traditional sense. Instead, it may be considered as a transversal gathering of a range of legal topics more or less directly related to gaming, including constitutional law, administrative law, tax law, company law, contract law and criminal law. In this manner, issues of public law as well as private law are of relevance for gaming.

In the Macau SAR, the regulation of gaming is premised on administrative law concepts which are similar to other civil law jurisdictions. From the perspective of administrative law, gaming is based on the concept of administrative concessions (and sub-concessions), supervision of concessionaires, and powers of government intervention. Gaming law in Macau is currently being reformed. Immediately after the transfer of sovereignty the Government of the Macau SAR has embarked in a major overhaul of the gaming sector, by opening the sector to various operators so as to generate competition. This has meant the granting of various concessions and subconcessions to operators other than the historical operator.

As a result, there are currently six concessions and subconcessions of casino games of fortune: Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (known as SJM; headed by Stanley Ho); [Galaxy Casino] (a subsidiary of Galaxy Entertainment Group, from Hong Kong); Wynn Resorts (of Steve Wynn); Venetian Macau (Sheldon Adelson); a partnership of MGM with Pansy Ho (daughter of Stanley Ho); and a partnership of Melco and PBL of Australia. There are also monopoly concessions for pari-mutuels (horse and dog racing), lotteries and sports betting.

Each of these operators has signed a concession contract with the Macau SAR; the text of such contracts can be seen in the website of the Macau Gaming Inspection (see links below).

Concessions allow the opening of more than one casino.

Regarding gaming promoters, from an administrative law perspective the prime issue is their licensing and regulation, which was initiated in 2002. Gaming promoters are subject to a licensing system rather than to a system of concessions. The main applicable law is Administrative Regulation no. 6/2002. Lists of gaming promoters currently authorized are available in the website of the Macau Gaming Inspection (see links below).

From the perspective of company law, gaming concessionaires must be public companies, to which special rules apply, in addition to the general rules stated in the Macau Commercial Code 1999, as amended. There are also specific company law rules related to gaming promoters.

The taxation of casino sub/concessionaires is made of a fixed part and a variable part. The variable part falls on the gross gaming revenue. The tax rate is currently of 35%, plus two contributions of up to 2% and 3% for social and economic purposes. The maximum tax is therefore 40%. In addition, a fixed premium is also payable, plus a premium per VIP table, other table, and slot machine. Gaming promoters pay taxes on commissions received.

From the perspective of contract law, gaming and betting are contracts which may or may not generate civil or natural obligations for the parties. The matter is regulated in the Civil Code 1999 (art. 1171), which states, drawing from Roman law, that gaming and betting generate natural obligations except in sports competititions and where the law provides otherwise. The problem is that gaming legislation currently does not provide to this effect.

Regarding credit for gaming, Macau law states since 2004 that the granting of credit for casino games of fortune generates civil obligations, which are fully enforceable in Macau courts. Credit for casino games of fortune is defined as any case where chips are passed on to a player without immediate cash payment of such chips; this is an intentionally broad concept. Credit for gaming is regulated by Law no. 5/2004, of June 14.

From the perspective of criminal law, there are specific criminal offences related to gaming; see Law 8/96/M, of July 22, and Law 9/96/M, of July 22. Other criminal law matters are covered by broader laws: the Penal Code and the law on organized crime. Game cheating is mentioned in art. 6 of Law 8/96/M, of July 22. In addition, general laws on the prevention and repression of money laundering and the financing of terrorism through casinos apply.

Competition law matters, and advertising law, as well as the impact of WTO law on gaming, may also be pointed out as part of gaming law. Regarding online gaming, the Macau SAR does not currently grant concessions for online casinos. The current casino concessions only cover land-based gaming, not online gaming.

(Some images and texts adapted from Wikipedia)

The 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed with hope that tribe-operated casinos would provide a steady source of income for Native American communities. The income genereated from these casinos would aid reservation economic development. Many tribal governments have seen great improvements in their ability to provide public services to their members, building schools, making infrastructural improvements, and shoring up the loss of native traditions. The casinos have changed the economic climate in and around the reservations. Of course, there have been positive changes as well as negative changes. The positive changes include young adults moving back to reservations, adult employment increasing by 26 percent, and a 14 percent decline in the number of working poor. In counties with or near a casino, the employment- to- population ratio has increased and mortality has declined. The negative changes include a 10 percent increase in auto thefts, larceny, violent crime, and bankruptcy in areas near a casino, and an increase in bankruptcies within 50 miles of a new casino. In 2006, Congress introduced legislation to amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to attempt to address some of the above concerns.
Vinje, David. L. 1996. Native American Economic Development on Selected Reservations: A Comparitive Analysis. American Journal of Economics and Sociology. 55 (4): 427-442.

In 1987, US recognizes the right for the native American tribal entities to operate casinos free of state regulation. In 1988 it was enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), as an economical aid and a source of income.

The Indian gaming industry has grown from nearly $100 million in total revenues in its first year, to more than $22 billion annually; exceeding the combined gaming revenues of Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

The most recent Indian gaming statistics, provided by the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), indicate that there are approximately 360 Indian gaming establishments in the United States. These casinos are operated by approximately 220 federally recognized tribes and offer Class I, Class II and Class III gaming opportunities (See IGRA) . The largest casino in the United States, Foxwoods Casino, is owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and located in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Tribal casinos located in the eastern United States generated roughly $3.8 billion in FY02. Those located in the Central United States recorded gross revenues of approximately $5.9 billion, while those located in the Western United States generated close to $4.8 billion. Most of the revenues generated in the Indian gaming industry are from Indian casinos located in, or near, large metropolitan areas. Currently, 12% of Indian gaming establishments generate 65% of Indian gaming revenues. Indian gaming operations located in the populous areas of the West Coast (primarily California) represent the fastest growing sector of the Indian gaming industry. Currently there are 562 federally recognized tribes in the United States. The tribal gaming industry will continue to grow in the near term, as new casino and resort developments are built by tribes and America’s general passion for opportunities to gamble (Las Vegas, poker tours, Internet, etc.), continues to flourish. There are currently a number of lawsuits pending which challenge the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act on constitutional grounds (see e.g. Warren v. United States) (Wikipedia)

Mohegan Sun is a resort and casino located in the village of Uncasville in the town of Montville, Connecticut and is the world’s second largest casino.

About Mohawk:

Total population: 78,000+Regions with significant populations

• Canada (Quebec, Ontario): 30,000
• United States (New York): 20,000

Languages: English, Kanien’keha’ka, Other Iroquoian DialectsReligions: Christianity, Longhouse, Handsome Lake, other

Since the 1980s, Mohawk politics have been driven by factional disputes over gambling, land claims, traditional government jurisdiction, taxation, and the Indian Act. The elected chiefs and the controversial Warrior Society have encouraged gaming as a means of ensuring tribal self-sufficiency on the various reserves/reservations, while traditional chiefs have opposed gaming on moral grounds and out of fear of corruption and organized crime.

Mohawk Gambling Casinos

On October 15, 1993, Governor Mario Cuomo entered into the “Tribal-State Compact Between the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and the State of New York.” The compact purported to allow the Tribe to conduct gambling, including games such as baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette, on the Akwesasne Reservation in Franklin County under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

The tribe is currently pursuing obtaining approval to own and operate a casino in Sullivan County, NY at Monticello Raceway. The U.S. Department of the Interior has so far approved of this action and is awaiting Governor Eliot Spitzer’s concurrence subject to the negotiation and approval of either an amendment to the current compact or a new compact and for the land to be taken into trust.

The Kahnawake Mohawk Territory (Kahnawá:ke) is an Indian reserve on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, across from Montreal.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission offers gambling licenses to Internet-based poker, casino, and sportsbook sites and has established Kahnawake as a substantial player in that business. Many sites are hosted and managed by Mohawk Internet Technologies (MIT), a local data center located within the territory. MIT is the closest and fastest source for “legally hosted” gambling websites for their North American players.

Both the Canadian and Quebec governments dispute the legality of Kahnawake’s gambling operations, but have not risked taking further action due to the harsh international repercussions that followed the Oka Crisis. The websites hosted within Kahnawake are the only privately owned gambling sites that have operated in continental North America without legal action being taken against them. (Wikipedia)

The US government calls it “Canada’s Problem”.

60 Percent of World’s Online Gambling Runs Through Mohawk Controlled Servers. Chad Hills, analyst for gambling research and policy at Focus on the Family Action, said the Internet gambling industry is “out of control,” and Canadian and American policymakers need to establish “clear policies or effective oversight for tribal gambling operations.”
“Actually, as these events have little, if anything to do with the Jurisdiction of the Mohawks of Kahnawake, it has not been an issue for us,” Chuck Barnett, Board of Supervisors for Mohawk Internet Technologies, told Gambling911.com this weekend. “My understanding is that these offices (Golden Palace) were located well into the City of Ville St. Laurent, a borough of Montreal. And it was the offices of CyberWorld Group (CWG) that were raided. This entity is not licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.”

Hartley Henderson from MajorWager.com says that gambling has always been of interest to some of the Mohawks, but many others have rejected it. In fact in the 1990s there was an internal struggle among the Mohawks on the Akwasasne reserve which straddles the Canadian and U.S. border over the issue of gambling. While many Mohawks at Akwasasne felt this could be a vibrant source of revenue, other Mohawks on that reserve were vehemently opposed. In fact the issue led to a bloody conflict. At Kahnawake, on the other hand, gambling was not allowed to develop into a similar struggle. Clearly the leaders at Kahnawake were hoping to raise money for the reserve by way of a land based casino and decided to use a democratic process to decide the issue. They put the issue to a referendum and the motion for a casino was defeated in 1994 by a 724 to 627 margin. The close vote was a sign to the leaders of Kahnawake that the residents didn’t necessarily have objections to revenue generation by way of gambling, they simply didn’t want a physical casino on the reserve and the resulting social issues that often arise from one. So in 1996, the KGC was given the directive to oversee all gambling projects on the reserve and the obvious direction was to develop a system to promote wagering via internet servers. By doing so, the much needed revenue would be generated for the reserve without the concerns the inhabitants had with regards to a physical casino on the land.

In 1998 the Mohawk Council created Mohawk Internet Technologies. MIT is solely owned and operated by the Mohawks themselves and is overseen by KGC.

The Mohawk Gaming Commission has issued 443 online gambling permits so far, according to Joe Delaronde, a member of the Kahnawake band council, and the jurisdiction has gained a well-deserved reputation for probity, CBC reports.

CBC recently reported a story claiming “Kahnawake’s resident cybercasino giant fined for illegal gambling,” but the story was misleading, says Hartley Henderson. While they claimed that Golden Palace, the largest cybercasino operating in Kahnawake, was fined for illegal gambling, the claim just wasn’t true. Cyber World Group was fined, but they are not the same as Golden Palace, and more importantly they were not operating at MIT. Instead, Cyber World Group had an office in St. Laurent which is on the island of Montreal and that is what they were fined for – operating in Quebec proper.

The Register says that Cyber World Group, the owner of GoldenPalace.com, in Canada this week pleaded guilty to charges of illegal gambling and agreed to a $2m fine.

“We don’t ask for anything. We tell them that this is our right to do this. And we’re doing it properly, we’re administering it properly — the world seems to think that we’re doing a good job, and we’re confident we’ll continue to do a good job. I’m not just making that up,” said Delaronde. “You go to any of the publications around the world about this and Kahnawake is well-respected. Its jurisdiction is unquestioned. The only place where there is a question is in [our] backyard.”

Gran Scala is a €17 billion entertainment city to be built on 2,025 hectares in the Aragón desert and will include 32 casinos, hotels and five theme parks. This location was chosen because of a possible 25 million catchment market (excluding foreign tourists) and its proximity to Zaragoza Airport, an important hub in the low cost air network. Zaragoza is also one of NASA’s Shuttle Tactical Abort Landing Sites (STAL).

The project was initiated by a British-based consortium, International Leisure Development, whose major shareholders include Aristocrat Technologies, UFA Insurance, Alea, Darlen Ltd, Finidusco Holding, Europtima, Ultragoup, BM Parks, Havilla Partners, Architects Association, Hot games UK and Thibault Verbiest. ILD is a “joint venture” constituted in the form of a PLC (Public Limited Company), based in London. It brings together an experienced team of professionals and investors – major players on the European market – who pool their knowledge and resources, with the purpose of developing and successfully completing real estate, tourism and leisure projects.

Here it isthe ILD Press Release::

Gran Scala will be a leisure city in the heart of Spain that will be a historical journey thru Time, Civilization & Cultures.

Since the conception of this project, the idea which has been the central theme of this project was the creation of “a destination city of leisure for all ages”. It will consist of 32 hotel-casinos, five (5) major theme parks, a conference center, several other hotels, hundreds of retail shops, restaurants, a golf course, a horse race track, an opera, museums, and residential development. Gran Scala is a grand scale project of International Leisure Development (ILD).

This project will be located in Spain and more precisely in the desert of Los Monegros, an hour away by car from Zaragoza, the capital of the autonomous region of Aragon. Aragon occupies a strategic place in Europe in-between 2 zones of high economic development: the Atlantic and the Mediterranean regions. Aragon is a central place of communication that is constantly being renewed due to the intensification of the exchanges in the country. Situated half way between Madrid and Barcelona, Zaragoza is the 6th largest city in Spain.

Gran Scala was first announced in Las Vegas and then in Orlando during the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions). Furthermore, the project was presented to the press and to the public on the 12th of December in Zaragoza (capital of Aragon).

This project will stretch for 4.5 km² in each direction. The clock at the heart of the project will carry the heartbeat – the journey thru time. It will articulate 16 historical eras. Each historical period will be composed of two museums dedicated to the period, 2 complexes which will include a hotel and casino representing the historical theme for an impressive grand total of 32 casinos. A visitor’s journey may start in Greek antiquity, continue through the Middle Ages, travel through the Renaissance era and explore the future. Five theme parks will be implanted at the heart of Gran Scala: Two of them – Spyland and Aquantica. The first one will be a high tech park that combines the history of secret agencies and fiction with an educative and adventurous rhythm. The second park will be a homage to the Aquatic life that is so vital to us and will be decorated with a blend of different styles and periods that combine impressive sensations and decors.

This project, which will cost approximately 17 billion Euro, is considered to be the largest leisure complex in Europe. It is expected to welcome up to 25 million visitors yearly.! Gran Scala will create 60,000 direct jobs and will be a benediction for the region.

This region, currently has a population of approximately 1.2 million. It was chosen for its strategic location and accessibility from Madrid and Barcelona. The climate and excellent natural conditions were also major contributing factors.

A major objective of this project is to promote this region while upholding and respecting the highest standard of environment awareness. ILD has made a strong commitment to respect environmental concerns for the balance between the environment and tourism. ILD’s investors promise that the infrastructures will be mainly supplied though solar and wind energy. (http://ild-plc.com/en/project.html )

SpacePortLeisure, a South African company headquartered in Cape Town, is the visionary and developer of the space-themed leisure and entertainment concept and has a vision to build a global business around space-themed urban city lifestyle developments, location-based entertainment and hospitality (theme parks, entertainment centers, hotels and dining destinations), digital entertainment and electronic media. The initial geographic focus has been China, where SpacePortLeisure is establishing a significant footprint, and now Western Europe with SpacePortGranScala. (Zaragoza, Spain, PRWEB, December 13, 2007)

About SpacePortLeisure:

Imagine a global business built on futuristic learning and entertainment, and based on the wonders of the Universe and Mankind’s interaction with Space – that’s an international team of specialist experts, including an award-winning Disney imagineer, trusted consulting groups, talented designers and skilled animation experts, who together are building these lines of businesses: Virtual (Games and Online Animation and Content Development), Live (Theme Parks and Entertainment Centers, Hotels and Dining, Research, Innovation and Education), Lifestyle (Mixed-use Urban Lifestyle Development).

SpacePortLeisure was born out of Raoul Katovsky’s vision for a futuristic experience that would blend 100% entertainment and 100% education and a desire to communicate and share with everyone the wonders of the universe and mankind’s interaction with space. Over the last 11 years SpacePortLeisure has grown from this vision and today is the result of very extensive international investigatory market research and in-depth concept and business development and team building.

SpacePortLeisure and International Leisure Development sign Binding Letter of Intent for SpacePortGranScala, a futuristic space city at Gran Scala in Aragón, Spain, a Planned €17 Billion Entertainment Tourism Destination.

The underlying core offer of SpacePortGranScala will be “Explore”, “Experience”, Innovate” and “Live”, themes that will be carried through SpacePortGranScala’s theme park, hotel, retail, and lifestyle real estate.

“Using space as a theme together with our human desire to explore, and with technology as the enabler, SpacePortLeisure will provide intelligent, stimulating, and fun-filled lifestyle, entertainment and learning experiences that will give freedom to transcend language and culture, thus creating dynamic new ways of learning and of building new communities across the globe. Our creativity will be as expansive as the Universe” says Danny Naidoo, SpacePort Leisure’s recently appointed President & Chief Executive Officer, who, for the last five years, was a Microsoft South Africa Director, thus bringing a vast amount of knowledge and expertise to SpacePortLeisure.

Only a privileged few will be able to experience a real flight into space. In conceiving the SpacePortLeisure concept, the goal is to give visitors and residents alike, an experience of “Stepping into Space” at our SpacePort destinations says Raoul Katovsky, SpacePortLeisure’s Executive Chairman, who announced SpacePortGranScala at a major international media briefing by the Aragón Government in Zaragoza today.

Visitors to a SpacePortLeisure theme park will be whipped away from Planet Earth for the day on an awe inspiring adventure normally only experienced by a select few space tourists. From the moment they arrive, they will start the illusion that they are departing for a journey into space and throughout this journey will be entertained by attractions for all to enjoy from educational interactive displays and simulations to the wildest roller coasters for the true thrill seeker. (http://www.spaceportafrica.com/news_granscala.html)

Visitors to a SpacePortLeisure theme park will be whipped away from Planet Earth for the day on an awe inspiring adventure normally only experienced by a select few space tourists. From the moment they arrive, they will start the illusion that they are departing for a journey into space and throughout this journey will be entertained by attractions for all to enjoy from educational interactive displays and simulations to the wildest roller coasters for the true thrill seeker.

The mission of our SpaceportLeisure destinations is optimistic, future oriented and involving in a unique way. Everyone really is an explorer, and explorers really will make incredible discoveries about the cosmos in the next century. This place will be the rightful home of those explorers. Our “A to A Prime” narrative story paradigm involves transforming the guest from a mere observer/tourist into a participant in the story. Just about everyone wants to be an explorer — this place is the home for these daring, courageous adventurers explains Hans Deuze, SpacePortLeisure’s Acting Chief Executive Officer for Location Based Entertainment & Hospitality.

Deuze is a former Euro Disney Imagineer. Whilst working at Euro Disneyland, Deuze had vast experience and training in live show operations and special events. In 2000, Deuze was the operational producer for Walt Disney Studio’s world renowned spectacular stunt show called “Moteurs:…Action” involving specially designed cars, motor bikes, jet skis and a large cast of actors, stuntmen, technicians and support staff.

SpacePortLeisure is set to break ground late next year for SpacePortGranScala, a 95 hectare destination with a development cost of some €500 million. “BRC Imagination Arts, of Burbank, California, who have done major projects for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Disney, to name but a few, will generate the SpacePortGranScala Master Plan” says Katovsky. (PR Web)

Most of the money will go on building 32 themed casinos, 70 hotels and five theme parks, taking advantage of Spain’s good weather and transport links, and the fact it is the world’s number two tourist destination with 50 million visitors a year. The local government has agreed to invest 250 million euros in transport links, power and telecommunications for a project that could earn it 700 million euros a year in gaming taxes. The Madrid government could get about 1 billion euros a year from gambling taxes, a source of funding that has huge potential for growth thanks to freer legislation introduced this year. The extra tax takes and the prospect of 65,000 jobs being creaeted to build and run the complex could win over locals around Zaragoza, whose major economic engines at the moment are preparations for Expo 2008 and a General Motors factory. (Guardian)

The Gran Scala complex will fill 20 square kilometres of the Los Monegros desert, located about half-way between Madrid and Barcelona, with 32 casinos, 70 hotels, 232 restaurants, 500 stores, a golf course, a race track and a bullring, according to plans unveiled Wednesday by a group of investors. To top it off, the complex, which is due to start being built next year, will include replicas of the Egyptian pyramids, various Roman temples and a mock-up of the Pentagon that will become home to Spyland, the first of several planned theme parks. “There is not, nor will there be, another entertainment complex like this in Europe,” argued Nicholas Khin, a spokesman for Aristocrat Technologies, one of 12 international groups behind the project. “This is going to be Aragon’s calling card to the world,” regional premier Marcelino Iglesias declared at Wednesday’s presentation.

Not everyone is happy, however. Environmentalists and leftist lawmakers are up in arms over the project, which will require bringing vast energy and water resources to what until now has been a sparsely populated, arid area. “We may seem like killjoys, but this is madness,” exclaimed Adolfo Barrena, the head of the United Left party in Aragon. (EL PAÍS)

Official presentation of Gran Scala project in Spain: