From Tampa Bay Times If Florida decides to expand casino gambling, the move could harm the state and Orlando’s tourist brand, says a new gaming report commissioned by the Florida Legislature. The report, released late Monday, comes at a time when lawmakers plan to review and rewrite the state’s gambling laws, and decide whether gambling should be expanded statewide. “The brand equity of Orlando has benefits for the entire state” and “expanded gambling may fundamentally change the state of Florida as a place to live and visit,” writes Spectrum Gaming Group, a New Jersey-based gambling consulting firm. “Rather than benefiting…

Caesars Interactive Entertainment has toppled Zynga as the No. 1 publisher of social casino games, according to a report by research firm Eilers Research. That shows that the social casino game market, which is now worth $1.2 billion worldwide, is becoming a lot more competitive thanks to growth in demand, increased startup activity, and a series of high-profile acquisitions. Caesars is one of the world’s largest legal gambling companies. It acquired Israel’s Playtika in 2011 and picked up popular social games such as Slotomania. Now, that title as well as Slotomania Adventures, Bingo Blitz (acquired with the purchase of Buffalo…

With online poker now legal in Nevada, and UltimatePoker.com currently legally able to offer the game to those within the state’s borders, I predict, in the end, the big winner in the online poker bonanza will be Facebook (FB), but for this to come to pass, poker must spread beyond just Nevada. First of all, casino gambling is legal in many states. Poker is considered a game of skill, and embraced as such even by many who might frown upon games of chance. Poker offers politicians a new way to increase revenues without having to enforce new obligatory taxes (always…

Zip lining Vegas? Yea, that’s now a thing. If you’re heading over to Las Vegas anytime soon, you’ll definitely want to check out the Fremont Street Experience downtown. We’ve been there a few times (most Vegas lovers have) and always enjoyed the free shows, deep-fried Oreos and 99c shrimp cocktails. This year they’re presenting the Rock of Vegas Summer Concert Series. Now, while you’re walking around downtown, you may hear screams of people Zip lining Vegas right over your head. Who wouldn’t want to “fly” for 800 feet above bystanders on Fremont Street below? We did it, and it was…

From The Fiscal Times States are still betting big on gambling. New York and Massachusetts are eyeing new, flashy resort-style casinos. The owner of one of the largest casinos in the country, Maryland Live! Casino, is among those vying for the final gambling license in Philadelphia and hopes to build a new $425 million casino there. But in nearby Delaware, lawmakers are considering the unusual step of giving $8 million to the state’s three struggling racetrack casinos. Crucial questions face states after years of gambling fever. Can they still enter the gambling fray and claim a hefty chunk of revenue? …

International Game Technology’s DoubleDown Casino, will soon be available on PlayPhone’s mobile social gaming network. The popular mobile casino app will soon be available on PlayPhone’s mobile gaming network The Vice President of global marketing for IGT, John Clelland, said, “Success in today’s mobile gaming environment is about pairing explosive content with an irresistible community of other players.” Clelland went on to explain that IGT is looking for the “widest possible distribution and the easiest-to-use technology to attract and retain customers.” Clelland said that IGT believes that PlayPhone’s carrier relationships, “world-class social features and direct carrier payments” will result in…