Californians to vote on off-reservation tribal casino

Reuters – Opponents of an American Indian casino planned to be built in California away from tribal lands have collected what they say is enough signatures for a 2014 referendum to challenge the governor and the legislature’s approval of the gambling hall. If the measure qualifies for the ballot, it will likely set off a multimillion-dollar battle over the location of tribal gaming casinos in the nation’s most populous state. California Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, and the state legislature have approved an agreement for the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians to partner with Station Casinos of Las Vegas…

Tribal Gaming not happy with Congressional Inaction

Pokerati – Some people in Congress believe American Indians struck it rich with the establishment of tribal gaming and the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in the late 1980s. But serious problems with education, health care, unemployment and housing remain. Tribes are also dealing with the effect of Internet gaming on their business, off-reservation casinos and political gridlock in Washington, D.C. “They’ve been very busy in Washington this year,” John Gusik, founding partner of the Franklin Partnership, a Washington, D.C., law and government relations services firm, said Thursday at the Global Gaming Expo. He was moderating a panel…

Macau gambling revenue climbs in September despite typhoon

Reuters – Gambling revenue in China’s casino hub of Macau rose 21.4 percent in September year-on-year, on robust spending by affluent gamblers despite a typhoon that hit southern China at the end of the month that disrupted travel. September’s revenue came in at 28.96 billion patacas ($3.63 billion) according to government data released on Thursday. The figure was at the low end of analyst estimates who forecasted September growth in the world’s biggest gambling market to rise 22-25 percent. Located on China’s southern coast, Macau’s gambling revenues are highly dependent on the domestic market with more than two-thirds of tourists…

New zip line set to open in Vegas

Gulf News – A new zip line connecting two towers at Las Vegas’s Rio casino is set to open in early November. The VooDoo Skyline at the off-the-Strip casino will start at the patio of the VooDoo Steakhouse on the 50th floor of the Masquerade Tower. Riders will glide to the 20-storey Ipanema Tower and then return to their starting point. The ride covers half a kilometre in 70 seconds. Tickets are $25 (Dh92). Sin City is expecting two more zip lines in the future. A popular ride at downtown’s Fremont Street Experience is being reinvented under the name “Slotzilla,”…

New skill-based casino slots play for video gamers

Las Vegas Sun – Atari’s 1981 hit Centipede is an antique in the video game world, but it’s the hottest new thing in the casino industry. Slot machine manufacturers are rolling out games inspired by the penny arcade, hoping to attract middle-aged gamblers through nostalgia and the promise of cashing in on their joystick talents. The new Centipede slot machine by International Game Technology is more than just a clever licensing deal or a sign of the cosmetic change from one-armed bandits to touch screens. It’s part of a major shift in the industry toward slot machines that let users…

Gambling resorts could transform South Florida

Sun Sentinel – South Florida could join the “major leagues of casino gambling” and see a huge economic boost if the state allows full-scale resort casinos, according to the draft of a long-awaited report on the future of gambling in Florida. The opening of two major gambling resorts in Broward and Miami-Dade counties could generate about $1 billion in taxable gambling revenue per year and create 7,618 full-time jobs, under one scenario analyzed in a report to the state Legislature by Spectrum Gaming Group. Building on the existing attractions of beaches, fishing, shopping and sunshine, these resorts would allow the…