If the US Supreme Court decides to take up the New Jersey sports betting case, it will be a sure victory for proponents in the Garden State, State Senator Raymond Lesniak said this week at the annual East Coast Gaming Congress in Atlantic City. But just in case the high court decides otherwise, Lesniak said he is already drafting legislation that would still allow casinos and racetracks to offer sports wagering on their premises. So while the state waits to see if the green light for betting on sports comes from either Washington or Trenton, Lesniak said it would be…

QZ – Last week, the casinos of Macau, the world’s largest center for gambling in terms of revenues, got some bad news: smoking will be banned at all casino tables as of October, a move to protect workers’ health. That’s a problem for the island’s massive casino industry—which generated $45 billion last year, several times that of Las Vegas. Macau depends overwhelmingly on gamblers from the world’s largest nation of smokers—China. The mainland is home to about a third of the world’s smokers. About a quarter of the Chinese population smokes, compared to the global average of a little under…

 A 33-year-old woman is in jail accused of attempting a casino robbery in Butte, Montana at gunpoint. Police say Sylvia Ramirez Llamas entered the Lucky You casino, 3136 Busch St., late Friday night brandishing a handgun. Capt. Jerome McCarthy said Llamas threatened the clerk with the gun and demanded money. A patron of the casino tackled Llamas and wrestled the gun away from her, McCarthy said. The casino patron and clerk then held the suspect down until police arrived at about 11 p.m. Llamas is in jail on a felony charge of robbery along with a misdemeanor charge of possession of…

The Korea Herald – Macau, one of China’s special administrative regions along with Hong Kong, is undoubtedly enjoying its heyday as the world’s most profitable casino district. But reflecting the awareness that the gaming business alone, as prosperous as it is, can no longer be counted on as the sole pillar for profit, market leaders are pressing to diversify business and lure new customers. The issue will be discussed at the Global Gaming Expo Asia, referred to as G2E Asia, which kicked off Tuesday at the Venetian Macao. Organized by the American Gaming Association and incorporating over 6,000 visitors, the…

Totally Gaming – Singapore police have arrested 18 people believed to be part of a multi-million dollar illegal football betting ring. With less than a month before the World Cup starts, the police said in a statement that preliminary investigations had revealed that the suspects were believed to have received illegal soccer bets amounting to an estimated $6.4m in the past two weeks alone. The nationalities of the suspects, 16 women and two men, who were detained during raids on Sunday and Monday, were not revealed, but cash totalling over $1m, as well as computers, mobile phones, and documents detailing…

KWQC – An Illinois lawmaker says the clock is ticking on a gambling expansion measure that could boost revenue for the state. Democratic Rep. Bob Rita of Blue Island sent a letter to House Speaker Michael Madigan and Republican leader Jim Durkin on Monday hoping to gain support for his plan. The proposal has two options. One adds five casinos and slots at horse tracks. The other calls for a mega-casino in Chicago. Lawmakers have proposed changes to allow slot machines at the Fairmount Park horse track in Collinsville. Public hearings convinced Rita they would hurt an East St. Louis…