Sun Herald – Island View Casino owners are ready to refurbish the hotel tower south of U.S. 90 after signing a 50-year lease Thursday with the Mississippi state Port Authority. “We’re starting demolition (of the interior) within the next week or so,” said Rick Carter, who owns the casino resort with childhood friend Terry Green. “It’s going to be phenomenal.” The agreement begins with a 10-year lease and has multiple extensions. Carter said 35 years remained on the lease assumed when he and Green bought the former Grand Casino from Harrah’s Entertainment after Hurricane Katrina. That lease was for a…

KTRK ABC – Nine people were arrested Saturday, including six licensed peace officers, following an 11-month investigation into a suspected illegal horse racing track in Crosby, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. The nine defendants have been charged with racing without a license. According to investigators, the group was operating an illegal horse racing and gambling business at Rancho El Herradero on Sralla Road. The six officers were allegedly providing security at the facility. Multiple undercover surveillance operations took place during the lengthy investigation, according to the DA’s office. “Peace officers take an oath to uphold the law,”…

Reuters – Gambling firm Rank Group warned its first half profit will be lower than last year, dragging down its full-year expectations after revenues fell during the summer and a disappointing performance at its bingo chain Mecca. Rank, majority-owned by Malaysia’s Guoco Group, said it will be taking action to cut costs after like-for-like revenues fell 7 percent in the 15 weeks to October 13. “The board anticipates operating profit for the full year to be marginally below market expectations,” Rank said in a trading statement, forecasting a stronger second half to its financial year. SOURCE

Taiwan government minister has hinted the authorities there might back gaming near the capital, permitting Taipei casinos. But it’s not clear whether such a venue or venues would be for foreigners only. Previously the official government policy has been to develop casinos open to all, but only in outlying island chains to discourage Taiwanese from gambling to excess. According to a Taiwan news report, Ye Kuang-shih, Taiwan’s Transportation Minister, said in the island’s Legislative Yuan on Monday that a special economic zone already set up at Taoyuan International Airport on the southwest outskirts of Taipei might be more “practical” and…

Macau Business Daily – In a phone interview with Business Daily, Las Vegas-based gaming consultant Dean Macomber said that some new Asian casino destinations could actually bring new visitors to Macau, rather than drawing existing Macau customers elsewhere. The president of Macomber International Inc explained that more venues might increase consumer interest in casino gambling. New players might start at a new resort close to home and then become curious about sampling Macau’s venues. Mr Macomber said that could be the case with the proposed new gaming resort near Vladivostok in the Russian Far East. Macau’s revenues keep increasing, even…

Mumbrella – A new anti-gambling campaign uses children to get across the message that they are being bombarded with pro-betting TV ads The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation campaign – by McCann Melbourne – launches the fictional brand of KidBet. The ad comes months after a backlash against the pervasive Tom Waterhouse ads which also saw the brand, fronted by Waterhouse, integrated into sports programs on the commercial networks. The campaign is part of the Foundation’s new ‘Gambling’s not a game’ strategy which includes an education program for schools, parents and teachers; a responsible gambling program for sporting clubs; a guide…