Gambling News Stories: Feb 1, 2001 to Now
In the San Jose Mercury News on Feb. 15, 2001
Cardroom goes to court over restrictions in S.J.
GARDEN CITY CHALLENGES IMPENDING LIMITS ON HOURS, GAMBLING
San Jose's Garden City card club has gone to Santa Clara County Superior Court to challenge limits on its hours, initiating a new attack on San Jose's attempts to limit legalized gaming even as the city contemplates shutting card clubs. Calling the limits, slated to go into effect in August, an unconstitutional assault on the business and a threat to its survival, Garden City's attorneys filed a complaint Wednesday asking the court to stop San Jose from enacting the new regulations.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 15, 2001
Internet casino planned
Playboy Enterprises Inc., owner of the valuable Playboy brand, announced today plans to launch an online sports book and casino by mid-2001. PlayboySportsBook.com will be launched in partnership with Ladbrokes, one of Britain's largest bookmakers and an operator of online gambling operations. The book will have safeguards to prevent bets from being taken from the United States, Playboy said.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 14, 2001 - Column By Max Jacobson
Las Vegas hotels offer a bevy of buffets
Breakfast is the easiest time to experience the vaunted Las Vegas buffet. The lines are short and the prices are low. Here are four buffets in diverse locations with their own distinctive breakfasts:
In the Las Vegas R-J on Feb. 13, 2001 - COLUMN: John L. Smith
With all of casino dealers' complaints, union seemed like sure bet
It must have seemed like a good idea at the time: Organize a group of Las Vegas workers who traditionally toiled for slightly more than minimum wage; relied on the generosity of customers for survival; were hounded by the Internal Revenue Service; constantly inhaled second-hand cigarette smoke on the job; endured abuses from patrons and supervisors; experienced fickle scheduling demands; and knew their age and years of experience could be held against them. Surely any labor organization worth its charter would be capable of rallying such a group of beleaguered wage slaves, who perhaps didn't realize that they literally held the fate of the Las Vegas economy in their hands. So why is the Transportation Workers Union of New York losing the battle to organize Southern Nevada's casino dealers?
In the Signon San Diego on Feb. 13, 2001
$40 million StarDome debuts today at Barona
BARONA INDIAN RESERVATION -- Striving for one-upmanship in the white-hot gambling market, Barona Casino today opens a $40 million neon blast called StarDome. The 22,000-square-foot expansion project was built to house the remainder of Barona's maximum allocation of 2,000 slots. The overhead centerpiece is being billed as the world's largest indoor casino sign, at some 65 feet in diameter.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 13, 2001
California venture discontinued
Lakes Gaming Inc. announced it has terminated an agreement to develop a tribal casino 100 miles north of Sacramento. The development would have been a joint venture between Lakes, MRD Gaming and the Paskenta tribe. Lakes said the decision to terminate the agreement was mutual. Talks ensued about six months ago. "We just felt the scope (of the casino) had grown beyond what we originally intended to finance," said Lakes Chief Financial Officer Tim Cope. "The tribe and the joint venture were unable to find the third-party financing necessary to complete the project at that level."
In the Signon San Diego on Feb. 12, 2001
Most tribal casinos won't gamble with new games
The game of craps is illegal in California, even in Indian casinos. But what about "Native American Sparc," a knockoff developed by a Chula Vista entrepreneur? It's a full-size, felt-covered craps table. Instead of dice, it uses lightweight balls, numbered one to six, selected by an air-popper machine. The inventor is trying to sell it to California tribes as a "lottery game," and winks when suggesting you spell "sparc" backward.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 10, 2001
Legislature told of threat from Indian gambling, energy woes
CARSON CITY - Tourism-dependent Nevada faces its toughest economic fight yet due to Indian gambling in California and the West's energy crisis, lawmakers were told Friday. To improve the odds in that fight, the head of the state Commission on Tourism said the budget for promoting Nevada should be increased 11 percent to $24.6 million.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 10, 2001
N.J. charges Bruno soldier, 20 others with roles in gambling racket
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A Bruno crime family soldier helped run an illegal sports betting and loansharking ring in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, according to charges against him and 20 others. A Runnemede councilman was also among those named in five indictments handed up Friday by a state grand jury in Trenton.
In the Las Vegas R-J on Feb. 10, 2001
Betting brisk on favorite son
For a lot of fans, today's visit to the Thomas & Mack Center will take on a little extra meaning when the UNLV basketball team plays host to Brigham Young. For the first time, fans can make a legal wager on a game involving the Rebels. Even though it will mean getting up early (the game tips off at noon), those looking for a little action, as well as professional bettors, might have slips of paper in their pockets as they settle into their seats.
In the Sacramento Bee on Feb. 9, 2001
Horse racing: No positive spin for slot machines
When it comes to slot machines, Jack Liebau doesn't mince words. ``We think it would be devastating, not only to Golden Gate Fields but to the thoroughbred industry,'' said Liebau, who is in charge of Magna Entertainment's three California tracks. Magna owns Golden Gate Fields in Albany, just five miles south of the Casino San Pablo on Interstate 80. That card room, which now hosts such games as pai gow, poker and pan, may become the home of 1,200 slot machines. Via a controversial Congressional end run, the previously landless Lytton Rancheria band of Pomo Indians received 10 acres of property under the card room, giving them an urban ``reservation.''
In the San Francisco Chronicle on Feb. 9, 2001 - Editorial Opinion
Vegas by the Bay . . .
GOV. GRAY DAVIS needs to step in to stop Nevada-style casino gambling from reaching the shores of San Francisco Bay. The plan to bring slot machines and blackjack to the Casino San Pablo -- heretofore a cardroom with a limited array of games and an age requirement of 21 -- represents a brash attempt to exceed the bounds of the statewide initiative presented to California voters in March 2000.
In the Las Vegas R-J on Feb. 9, 2001
Congressman fights to curb gaming's spread
Representative from New York helping lead efforts to rein in explosive growth of gambling
WASHINGTON -- He led the 1994 congressional hearings that eventually spawned the federal commission that investigated the spread of legalized gambling. He wants to remove automated teller machines from casino floors. He co-sponsored a bill to ban the use of credit cards in Internet gambling. And no, he is not longtime gambling foe Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va. Instead, he is Rep. John LaFalce, a 14-term Democratic congressman from Buffalo, N.Y., and he remains a key player in federal efforts to rein in the explosive nationwide growth of gambling.
In the Detroit Free Press on Feb. 9, 2001 - Column by Andrew N.S. Glazer
Online bettors get reasons to pause
A RECENT Wayne County initiative to educate inexperienced gamblers about the dangers of online betting reaffirms the conclusion I made in a recent column: There are a lot of reasons to be cautious about betting online, but fear of arrest probably shouldn't be high on that list. In an effort to educate young or casual gamblers thinking about betting for the Super Bowl online, Wayne County Sheriff Robert Ficano's department last month set up a bogus gambling Web site.
In the San Diego Online on Feb. 8, 2001
Indian gaming monopoly targeted
Card clubs question Prop. 1A's legality
SACRAMENTO -- Reopening the legal fight over Indian gambling, a group of card clubs yesterday filed a lawsuit that challenges California tribes' monopoly on Las Vegas-style slot machines and card games. The federal suit questions the constitutionality of Proposition 1A, the March 2000 ballot initiative that gave tribes conventional slots, and federal actions that sanctioned the state's flourishing Indian casinos. Rather than a threat to the tribes' existing operations, the lawsuit was more widely interpreted as an attempt to win the right to offer slots away from reservations -- in cardrooms and other establishments.
Full Story
View copy of Card Club Lawsuit
In the North County Times on Feb. 7, 2001
Oceans 11 to ask council backing for gambling parity
OCEANSIDE ---- The general manager of the Oceans 11 Casino is scheduled to ask the City Council tonight to adopt a resolution urging the state to permit his and similar card clubs to have slot machines and gambling games allowed at American Indian casinos. The requested resolution also would ask Gov. Gray Davis not to approve a compact that would allow the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians to convert an existing Northern California card club to a Nevada-style casino with up to 2,000 slot machines.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 7, 2001
Binion's housekeeper called most believable
Ted Binion's housekeeper, Mary Montoya-Gascoigne, was the most believable witness at the high-profile murder trial last year, a defense team pollster has concluded. Montoya-Gascoigne, who testified about defendant Sandy Murphy's strange behavior the day Binion was killed in September 1998, scored the highest in a poll of avid trial watchers conducted by Marvin Longabaugh and his Magellan Research company at the close of testimony.
In the Detroit News on Feb. 7, 2001
Greektown Casino nabs suspected craps cheater
Gambler faces past posting charge
DETROIT -- Less than three months after opening its doors, Greektown Casino has built its first case of cheating against a gambler accused of using sleight of hand to bilk the gaming house of $10,000. The case, handled by the Michigan State Police and the Attorney General's Office, has already cost eight Greektown Casino dealers their jobs and could put Brent Morris, 44, in jail for 10 years. Morris, who is from New Jersey, had been gambling at the casino on several days during the month of January. On Jan. 18, he played for several hours at the craps table. When he returned to the casino three days later, he was arrested and charged with cheating.
In the Las Vegas R-J on Feb. 7, 2001
THE VENETIAN: High rollers, high times
Property plans amenities for high-end gamblers, posts revenue increase
Operators of The Venetian will double the size of the Strip megaresort's baccarat pit, add semiprivate gaming and dining rooms, and expand or remodel 18 suites to accommodate high-end gamblers, company executives said Tuesday. The property's original convention-driven business plan with a boost from weekend tourists did not anticipate that the Venice-themed hotel-casino would deal to the highest-level gamblers. But that focus changed in late 1999, as The Venetian attempted to gain a percentage of the high-end and premium gamblers who visit Las Vegas from Asia, Europe and cities throughout the United States.
In the Las Vegas R-J on Feb. 7, 2001
INDIAN GAMBLING: Debate rages in Catskills
Sen. Hillary Clinton may enter dispute over casino project
WASHINGTON -- The Catskills, a New York mountain range once known for the big-name entertainers who performed at its resorts, has become an Indian gambling battleground that could draw freshman Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., into the fray. The St. Regis Mohawk tribe has formed a partnership with Park Place Entertainment, the world's largest casino gaming company, to develop a tribal casino in the Catskills' Sullivan County. During her fall campaign for the Senate, Clinton said she could support Indian gaming in New York if it created new jobs and promoted economic development. The Mohawks and gambling critics disagree on whether Clinton should play a role in determining if the casino in Sullivan County ever gets built.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 6, 2001
Tribal casinos proposed for Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The state runs a lottery and sanctions wagering on horse racing, keno, bingo and pickle cards. So Lincoln Sen. DiAnna Schimek thinks it is only fair that casino gambling be allowed on the state's American Indian reservations.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 6, 2001
Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura offers to promote Indian casinos
RED WING, Minn. -- Gov. Jesse Ventura offered to promote tourism on the state's Indian reservations, including casinos, as he met with tribal leaders Monday. Ventura said he has asked his tourism director to help tribes showcase cultural crafts and historical re-enactments in casinos because they drive economic development.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 6, 2001
Article: Binion defense lawyers ignored poll
Member of team says rally at trial's end was needed
Defense lawyers in the Binion murder case ignored poll results that showed they needed a dramatic rally in the end to win the case, a defense team pollster has concluded. "The polling data gathered at the end of testimony indicated that the defense was likely to lose unless they scored big points in closing arguments or put one or both of the defendants on the stand," Marvin Longabaugh said in an article on his defense team work. He said he hopes to have the article published in the UNLV Law Review.
In the Las Vegas R-J on Feb. 6, 2001
SPORTS BETTING: Proposal modeled after stock market
Gamblers would wager against each other
Three entrepreneurs want to create a centralized sports betting market that would simulate the activities of stock exchanges, with gamblers betting against each other rather than casinos, and participating Nevada sports books making money by linking bettors. The proposed system would shift to losing bettors the financial risk of booking bets on sporting events. The concept from Las Vegas startup SportsMarket Inc., would also eliminate the need for participating sports books to employ handicappers because betting lines would be market-driven.
In the Las Vegas R-J on Feb. 6, 2001 - COLUMN: John L. Smith
Defense team members in Binion case find themselves polls apart
For those of you who spent last year mushing through the Arctic or playing pinochle with penguins at the South Pole, there was a little murder case in Las Vegas that generated a few headlines and television sound bites. The Sept. 17, 1998 death of casino cowboy Ted Binion had everything the peanut-crunching crowd could want in a murder case: sex, drugs, greed, mystery, the media circus -- even a hint of mob activity.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 3, 2001
Congressman slips in bill for San Francisco gambling
Culinary Union backs measure, competitors angry
WASHINGTON -- Circumventing the Interior Department and the California governor, a congressman quietly pushed through a new law for a landless Indian tribe in his district that could open the San Francisco Bay area to Las Vegas-style gambling. Working closely with a labor union that hopes to organize casino employees across California, Democratic Rep. George Miller sponsored a three-sentence amendment that was buried in the 150-page-plus Omnibus Indian Advancement Act in the final weeks of the last Congress.
In the Vancouver Sun on Feb. 4, 2001
'Totally chaotic' online gambling site not a stock market, judge rules
BOSTON (CP) - If you can't tell the difference between a stock exchange and a gambling operation, you have company in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. A District Court judge has quashed the regulator's effort to shut down an Internet gambling site that runs a "virtual stock exchange," ruling that the site is obviously a game. The case was won by the operators of www.stockgeneration.com, which modestly describes itself as "the most famous and most profitable online gaming experience in the history of the Internet."
In the BBC on Feb. 2, 2001
Money laundering in cyberspace
International experts on money laundering say the internet is especially vulnerable to abuse by criminals by BBC News Online's David Schepp In a tactic as old as banking itself, criminals have always used banks as a sure-fire way to launder money gained through illegal means. But with the advent of internet banking, "following the money" to locate and prosecute money launderers and criminals has become more difficult than ever.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 2, 2001
Slot club competition heats up with Station changes
MGM MIRAGE, Park Place and Mandalay also working on programs
Station Casinos Inc. has been viewed as a leader in the casino industry with its "Boarding Pass," a slot players card that allows players to build credits toward comps at any Station-branded property. Now, Station is refining that program in an effort to target its comps more effectively at its most lucrative customers.
In the Detroit Free Press on Feb. 2, 2001 - Column by Andrew N.S. Glazer:
Secret computer swaps are a myth
LAST WEEK I tried to dispel a common slot-player fear: Casinos move their "good" slots around to keep players from figuring out where they are. This week, I want to dispel a companion myth: Casinos swap out the computer RNG (random-number generator) chips at more popular times, like weekends, so they can take people's money more quickly. (The RNG is the slot's computer brain and determines how often the machine will pay off.)
In the Daily Herald on Feb. 1, 2001
Expert: Mob would taint any casino
It wasn't allegations of organized crime's influence in Rosemont that capsized a casino complex in the village, Illinois Gaming Board members insist. Instead, they say it was lies told to the board by top casino officials. But concerns outlined to the board by its own staff and by the Chicago Crime Commission raise the question if any casino in the suburb, even one with a clean bill of health from the board, could fend off organized crime, which is known in Chicago as the "Outfit." Wayne Johnson, who now tracks the mob for the crime commission and used to do it at the Chicago Police Department, says "no."
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 1, 2001
Gambling on UNR, UNLV games debated
CARSON CITY -- The state Gaming Commission's recent decision to lift a long-standing ban on gambling on Nevada college sports teams was questioned Wednesday during a legislative budget hearing. As Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means members reviewed the proposed budget for the state's casino regulatory programs, Sen. Bob Coffin asked whether the decision had been carefully thought out.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 1, 2001
Nevada lawmakers told of California Indian gambling impact
CARSON CITY (AP) - A new state Gaming Control Board analysis shows Indian gambling in California is likely to flatten casino revenue growth in several Nevada areas, including Reno and downtown Las Vegas. But GCB member Scott Scherer told legislators Wednesday that his agency doesn't anticipate that Indian gambling will lead to actual declines in total winnings by Nevada casinos.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 1, 2001
Nongaming amenities included in Tropicana expansion
ATLANTIC CITY -- Atlantic City's Tropicana Casino and Resort is planning a $225 million expansion that will include a 502-room hotel tower, an enlarged gaming room and a shopping, dining and entertainment complex.
In the Las Vegas Sun on Feb. 1, 2001
The forgotten Strip
Locals, entertainers prefer Boulder Highway's offerings
Everyone in the Arizona Charlie's East lounge knows Louie. The 85-year-old retired wheat farmer seldom misses a chance to politely lead a woman (her age doesn't matter to him, it seems) out to the dance floor, where he shuffles to music performed by his favorite entertainer, Ron Livingston. Louie a nickname for Charles Lewis Martin is easy to spot. Although he's only about 5 feet, 5 inches tall and slightly built, he always wears a black cowboy hat and plaid Western shirt. And he's always dancing.
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