Philippines

The Philippines projected to be Asia’s next jewel in terms of casino gambling and should pass Nevada once a number of projects have been completed.

Singapore’s casino business regulator has fined the country’s two casinos for breaching rules. The Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) found Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS) and Genting Singapore guilty and fined them a total of S$385,000. LVS were wrapped for breaches at Marina Bay Sands that took place between October 28, 2010 and April 30, 2011 and ordered to pay S$225,000. Genting’s fine related to Resorts World Sentosa and they were fleeced S$130,000 for the offences between August 15, 2010 and April 30, 2011.

In each case it concerned the admission of minors, excluded persons or Singapore nationals that hadn’t paid levies. SRA chief executive Lau Peet Meng added: “These social safeguards are put in place to mitigate the casino’s potential impact on vulnerable persons and to ringfence the casinos from potential criminal influence.

“Hence, we are taking tough disciplinary action against the casino operators for the cases where they have failed to show due care in complying with our requirements to prevent minors and excluded persons from entering the casinos, and to ensure that entry levies are duly paid.”

While political brokers work to strike a gambling deal, the poll by Tribune/WGN-TV demonstrates how attitudes towards gambling in Illinois have changed, and for the better. The results show how the 50% that now support the idea of more casinos is twice the results of a similar poll back in 2004.

Here’s a breaking down the poll results:

• 58% of Democrats surveyed approve of gambling expansion, with 35% against.
• 40% of republicans support more gambling while 50% disapprove.
• Independent voters more equally, with 48% approving and 46% opposing
• Gender wise, almost 6 in 10 men in the survey back the idea of more gambling, compared with 43% of women.
• White suburban women were among the respondents least likely to support the idea, with 39% for and 49% against.

A report by the Chicago Tribune says that the poll is a reflection of a new level of support for gambling in the state, which is consistent among Cook County and downstate voters. However, making headway on gambling expansion issues could prove difficult in an election year when all 177 House and Senate seats are on the ballot and 42% of the polled state voters show opposition to the idea of more casinos.

After what happened last year, too, nothing is certain. Gambling expansion backers got the closest they’ve been in 20 years when lawmakers approved five new casinos, including one in Chicago, but Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn soon blocked the deal due to concerns over slot machines at racetracks.

Nevertheless, since then, Quinn has named a former lawmaker to lead negotiations with gambling interests due to ongoing pressure from Mayor Rahm Emanuel - who wants a city casino to raise money for infrastructure projects – so it looks like the state may have more chance to see the approval of casinos. Which way do you think the vote will swing?

Okada can now make his requests to Wynn and they decide whether they’re reasonable or not. Any that are deemed by Wynn to be unreasonable will be referred back to Judge Gonzalez. It will be her decision in two weeks time that’s taken as gospel.

The disagreement began back in November when Okada’s requests to see documents were refused by Wynn’s board of directors. According to Okada these relate to an investment made Aruze and how it’s been used. He’s also after details on a $135million donation that the firm made to the University of Macau.

Wynn’s side of the fence tells it differently. Their argument is it stems from their decision not to invest in Okada’s project in the Philippines as it competes with their own interests in the region. Okada didn’t mention this in his filing and it’s probably Wynn’s loss given the country could be the next Asian destination to surpass Nevada in terms of revenue.

Wynn comments about the Philippines backed up similar ones made by Mr Steve Wynn just last week and could be the crux of the situation. Whatever happens this dispute doesn’t look like giving either side the victory they wanted, as they both have to give something up. Unless Okada gets in a successful request to see some compromising photos of the Wynning Women. What…they don’t exist. That’s what they want you to think.

However, it’s not all good news for the rest of the state. While Las Vegas is surging, 450 miles away, northern Nevada continues to struggle against tribal casinos “siphoning off the drive-up market along key highways from Northern California” says Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association.

At least over in Pennsylvania – the industry’s third largest market – business is doing well overall. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reports annual gross gaming revenue topped $3 billion for the first time. That’s an increase of 21.6% when compared to 2010.

Not all of the U.S.’ 22 casino-approved states have reported their 2011 revenue figures,  But so far – up until November last year – unaudited data by the American Gaming Association shows a reported total of $32.56 billion revenues meant the industry was running 2.3% ahead of the first 11 months of 2010. With that, the trend of 2011′s association figures has industry observers cautiously optimistic in the aftermath of a casino operator’s worse nightmare – the recession.

Nevada

The state’s Gaming Control Board released December’s figures on the same day with revenue hitting $855.6m. It made a 2% increase and became the third straight month that gaming industry revenues have showed an augmentation. It certainly softens the blow of finding out the Philippines will be the next place that surpasses the state in terms of gaming industry revenue to reaffirm Asia’ place atop the gaming industry.

Over in Massachusetts things are heating up as it was revealed Patriots owner Robert Kraft has his finger in more pies than first thought. Sunday’s silver medalist, who is openly courting Steve Wynn, has pre-IPO shares in Caesars Entertainment to the sum of $1.3million. Some have pointed to it being like him owning both the Giants and Pats in Sunday’s game, Vegas analyst David Schwartz going as far as to say “It’s like putting your money on red and black (at the roulette table). Unless ‘0’ or ‘00’ come up, you’re going to win.”

Caesars went ahead with its IPO and it beat all estimates by closing at $15.39 after starting the day ay $9. This didn’t stop the vultures forming and one describing it as “the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.” It’s thought, to prevent any ructions, Kraft will be among those investors aiming to get rid of their shares when Caesars lets them do so. In terms of the Foxboro casino business there’s been no news for a while now and it looks like Wynn will be Kraft’s basket. He’ll just have to hope they fare better than the Pats.

Shares in Station Casinos are also on the move. Minority owners Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta want to buy out JP Morgan Chase Bank’s 15% stake for $73m, via a Fertitta-affiliated company, FI Station Investor LLC. The deal would give the Fertittas, who currently hold 45% ownership in Station, majority ownership of the company founded by their pop, Frank Fertitta Jr. Station filed for bankruptcy in 2009 after amassing $6b in debt, exiting bankruptcy in June 2011, with outstanding debts of $2.5b as of Dec. 31. (Caesars execs must laugh, considering they owe $1.5b just in interest on their $19.6b debt.) JP Morgan acquired their 15% stake by converting debt to equity during the bankruptcy proceedings. Station recorded earnings of $284m in 2011, and the brothers’ Fertitta Interactive offshoot has applied to the Nevada Gaming Control Board to become an online poker operator.

Another Nevada online poker applicant, South Point Casino, was the subject of its own Travel Channel TV reality show on Wednesday night. Vegas Stripped is a six-part, half-hour show professing to show the warts-and-all details of what it takes to keep a brick and mortar casino in the black these days. South Point’s marketing director Tom Mikovits described the show as “an inside look at what it takes to run a casino. You’re going to see what happens in the butcher shop or on the loading dock, stuff people don’t normally see.” Tom, you want to show us something we haven’t seen, show us your real motivation for keeping up with the Kardashians. “We were comfortable being a locals’ casino, but having a brand like southpointpoker.com, that’s something we want to get out nationally.” Naked ambition, shameless hucksterism and honesty… Most reality shows only offer you the first two. You’re a good man, Tom.

Cirque du Soleil continues to be popular in Las Vegas, where Strip casinos derive over 60% of revenue from non-gaming sources. Compare that to Macau, where non-gaming revenues account for a mere 11% of the total haul. Even Singapore, which (a) demanded that the developers of the city-state’s two integrated resorts (IR) devote less than 15k square meters to actual casino space, (b) restricted junket operations and (c) threatened to fine IR operators if their non-gaming revenues didn’t reach 50% of the total, can’t seem to tip the scales. Figures from Marina Bay Sands last quarterly report showed just 24.4% of total revenues coming from non-gaming sources, while Resorts World Sentosa’s non-gaming revenues were only 16.3%.

Much of Macau’s problem can be explained from visitor stats published by the local authorities. While the average Vegas visitor spent 3.6 nights on the town in 2010, his or her Macau counterpart was on the scene less than half that time (1.5 nights) during the first 11 months of 2011. In other words, Macau visitors are there with a purpose. Get in, get lucky (at the tables), get out. It’s almost as if anything not resembling a baccarat table is viewed as an obstacle.

But Melco Crown Entertainment is bucking this trend by drawing actual crowds to its House of Dancing Water show, which opened in September 2010 at the City of Dreams. The Wall Street Journal reported that the company is even considering adding extra shows due to the “enthusiastic support” audiences have demonstrated. Melco Crown co-COO Nicholas Naples told Macau Business that “non-gaming attractions create the premium envelope for the gaming activities to fit into. This is the real differentiator between casino resorts since most of the games within the casinos are similar.” This desire to differentiate convinced Galaxy Entertainment to launch a multi-screen cinema in December. Offering Chinese film fans a chance to see international fare that doesn’t make it to theaters on the mainland hasn’t exactly set Galaxy’s books afire, but then again, getting the cinema up and running cost a hell of a lot less than $150m.

So why has House of Dancing Water succeeded where Zaia failed? Hell if we know. Study the trailers for each below and draw your own conclusion.

Caesars Entertainment Corp

It now gives other investors the chance to stick their shares on the block – but only in small amounts. The likes of Paulson & Co. (9.9% owners), Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank can now sell a number of shares with the former allowed to offer 12.4m and the other two able to get rid of 22.3m (worth $201m at the offer price). According to Bloomsberg, Caesars did withdraw a registration filing to sell up to $500m in shares after the IPO. This was confirmed by the amended filing two days ago that contained no mention of the $500m shares.

In terms of market value the IPO has the firm at $1.13billion and an enterprise value of $22.5bn – 11.8 times the EBITDA of $1.92bn. This is something that got some chins wagging with Chris Snow, senior analyst at CreditSights Inc, picking out why the valuation might be a little heady.

“The long-term debate about whether they deserve the multiple is valid because Caesars doesn’t have casino operations in Macau. The valuation is ‘pretty aggressive.’”

However outlandish either of those two valuations is, it doesn’t detract from the well-known fact the firm has quite the mound of debt in its locker. This makes the likelihood of other shareholders selling up very likely and they’ll be left figuring out what they should do next.

Western casino companies are practically knife fighting with each other for the rights to build in countries across Asia, but Adelson figures Sands has an ace (or a katana) up its sleeve. “We are the only developer in the world that is developing IR [integrated resorts] which is our convention base … our fundamental business model is designed to support exhibitions and conventions.” Adelson maintains that Sands was alone among its Nevada brethren to emphasize the convention and exhibition business in Las Vegas during the 1990s, and he thinks the company can work wonders with the available scenery in Vietnam. “Vietnam … would like to boost tourism. Vietnam has no IR so far and that is a fundamental component of our company. So it’s an extremely comfortable fit.”

Adelson already has a design concept for the Ho Chi Minh City project, based around the sails in a boat. “We design two buildings to look like two sails in one ship. The idea is to build a building that goes with the identification of the city. The water and the river are so much a part of Ho Chi Minh City.” As for how much such a boat/building would cost, Adelson figures a “very rough number” would be “at least $2b [but] we will pay whatever it takes.” As for a time frame, Adelson estimates taking six months to a year to plan, then two more years for construction. “Generally, it will depend on how fast the government will move.”

Adelson likely assumes the government will move mountains to assist his investment. Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn is also a big fan of ‘can do’ Asian governments. Wynn once told CNBC that he preferred the government in Macau to the one in Washington. “Macau has been steady. The shocking, unexpected government is the one in Washington. That’s where we get surprises every day. That’s where taxes are changed every five minutes. That’s where you don’t know what to expect tomorrow. To compare political stability and predictability in China to Washington is like comparing Mount Everest to an anthill. Macau and China is stable, Washington is not!”

Steve might want to add Nevada to his shit list. Nevada’s casino taxes are the lowest in the country (and a mere fraction of what Steve’s Macau operations pay), but on Tuesday, a ballot advocacy group backed by conservative businessman Monte Miller filed an initiative that would raise the Nevada gambling tax rate from 6.75% to 9%. Nevadans for a Fair 9 Percent Gambling Revenue Tax is hoping to collect 70k signatures by November, after which the list will be handed to the state legislature in 2013. If the legislature rejects turning the proposal into law, the initiative would go on the state ballot for 2014 and the electorate will decide the casinos’ fate. While it’s odd to think of a conservative American businessman seeking to raise taxes on anything, Miller claims the boosted casino tax would allow legislators to lower taxes on other, smaller businesses. The Nevada Resort Association called the initiative “reckless and irresponsible” and plans to “oppose it vigorously.” Cue epic Steve Wynn rant in 5…4…3…2…1…

The report, named Beyond the Casino Floor: Economic Impacts of the Commercial Casino Industry, takes into account economic impacts of the commercial casino industry throughout the U.S. in 2010, such as tax revenues and consumer spending.

President and CEO of the AGA, Fahrenkopf, said in a press statement: “There is no doubt the commercial casino industry is a significant and vital part of our nation’s economy. The industry generates and supports economic activity that stretches far beyond the communities that host casinos and into the greater American economy.”

Here’s a rundown of the key points made in the AGA report of the year 2010:

• 566 casinos in 22 states supported approx. $125 billion in spending and nearly 820,000 U.S. jobs.
• Taking all lines of spending into account, commercial casinos directly generated $49.7 billion in consumer spending and about 350,000 jobs, with salaries and benefits totalling nearly $15 billion.
• When indirect and induced impacts are taken into account, the industry supports an additional $76 billion in spending with suppliers and other businesses, and more than 470,000 additional jobs.
• Around two-thirds of the $125 billion in spending was generated in the host and surrounding counties and about one-third was generated in other counties across the U.S.
• One-third – or $15.2 billion – of the commercial casino industry’s revenue came from non-gaming sources, including food and beverage sales, hotel operations, retail, entertainment, and meetings and conventions.
• The gaming industry directly paid nearly $16 billion in taxes, with its effective tax rate totalling 32%, which is significantly higher than the economy-wide total tax burden of 27%.

Principal at The Brattle Group, Dr. Coleman Bazelon, added: “The data in this report shows the significant scope of impact of this industry. This report shows the economic activity spurred and supported by the commercial casino industry has a ripple effect throughout the nation’s greater economy.”

The report was based on economic modelling and analysis, supported by data from AGA member companies.

Kentucky

“We’re going to have to wait and see what happens Monday or Tuesday with the court situation to be able to plan a future strategy,” Beshear said. “… We’re going to work with them. … We’ve got a lot of time left in the session.”

Monday will see a case challenging the redistricting heard by Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd. If the judge throws out the Beshear-approved plan, the Governor admitted “it may postpone it for a little while.” Already 21 days into the 60-day session there will be some that question the merits of persisting with the casino legislation. This isn’t something that Beshear has even giving a second thought to.

“An issue like this, it’s not going to take much education of people,” he said. “Everybody knows what the issue’s about. … It can be passed one way or the other in very short order.”

The issue is a sticky one in the home of fried chicken. Only last week the Guv’nor accused the Senate prez of intimidating other senators into shelving the bill and it was then he told press the proposal would be released “in the next few days.”

Amending the state’s constitution will require a three-fifths majority of both the House and Senate before the public get to vote in November. Like many other states, Kentucky is one that’s hoping to fill the tax deficit with a bit of good ole- fashioned casino gambling. All signs point to Beshear getting his casino business bill to home plate. It’s just a question of when that’ll be.

The planned improvements were announced yesterday, and as Reuters reports, is a revitalisation plan approved unanimously by the board of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, which will include an overhaul of its famed boardwalk and news rides on the pier.

With the gambling hub’s casinos falling downwards due to stiff competition from New York, Vegas and Pennsylvania, it’s not surprising the make-over will be a major one. The boardwalk will be completely renovated, including creation of an “entertainment zone” with new lighting, pavilions and art. Some of the city’s major thoroughfares will also get a new look, the report stated.

Authority chairman, James Kehoe, said the iconic Steel Pier will also see a $100million boost in improvements, with new amusement and fairground rides. John F. Palmieri, the authority’s executive director, added that it’s estimated the authority will get about $30 to $40 million a year in gambling revenues to pay for the public projects, while hoping to attract four times that amount in private investments.

“Our mission is to create a city where there is no off season,” said David Sheldon, a planner from The Jerde Partnership who worked on the plan’s outline. “It is about a city that pulls you back in and makes you want to return again and again.”

After seizing control of Atlantic City’s gaming district and making the city’s revitalisation a legislative priority, Governor Chris Christie made a statement following the authority’s vote, entitling the plan a “comeback” for Atlantic City. “We are finally making meaningful progress to turn around the city, grow the economy and create sustainable jobs,” he said.

But will the improvements be enough to put Atlantic City back up there with the big boys?

Speaking via conference call, LVS chairman Sheldon Adelson told investors that his company now controlled just under 20% of the Macau market, a number he expects to rise with the opening of Sands Cotai in another couple months. Not one to rest on his laurels, Adelson is seeking government permission to construct a 4,000-room twin-tower (one for mass-market gamblers, the other for VIPs) casino complex on Cotai land Sands already owns. In Singapore, Adelson says his occupancy rate is over 90%, so he wants to purchase land adjacent to Marina Bay Sands to add another 1,000-1,500 rooms.

How much does Sheldon love Asia? Adelson told investors he wants to build resorts in the two most populous cities in each of the following countries: Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. The fact that casinos aren’t yet legal in some of those jurisdictions doesn’t matter. “Our most recent conversations have advanced to the point where details such as site selection … have been discussed.” LVS shares closed the day up 2%, then fell almost the same amount in after hours trading, proving that there’s just no pleasing some people. Either that, or investors are all spiteful Mitt Romney supporters, we don’t know…

Also issuing report cards on Wednesday, gaming device maker Bally Technologies saw its Q2 revenues rise 15% to $210m. Net income was $24.2m, down from $27.3m the previous year. On a channel by channel basis, Bally saw operations revenue climb 12% to $86m and systems revenue rose 16% to $54m. New machine sales made only modest improvement (from 3,468 to 3,636), but the price of each machine was 13% higher than the previous year. Bally shares rose almost 2.5% on the day.

Ameristar Casinos reported Q4 net income of $7.4m, off from $10.9m the previous year. Revenues rose slightly, increasing to $296.2m from $294.1m. Ameristar operates casino-hotels in eight US states, mostly in the southern and midwest regions.

The opposition MP and former massage parlour tycoon, who has disclosed several illegal gambling dens in Bangkok, controversially told the conference that den operators have expanded their influence among police, politicians and journalists.

In a report by The Bangkok Post he said: “They delivered computer laptops to reporters covering the Metropolitan Police Bureau beat but the matter was covered up. They also claimed they have police generals to back them up.”

“This is a dangerous move, showing the influence of gambling den operators has expanded to every corner of society,” Chuvit added.

The Thai Journalists’ Association (TJA) was quick to respond, demanding that Chuvit should show the evidence, with the TJA’s vice-president for media rights and freedom, Sadet Bunnag, asking Chuvit to hand any evidence to media organisations so they could launch an inquiry into the claim.

He did, however, show reporters at the conference pictures of a room containing gambling machines and equipment, saying the images showed a new casino which will allegedly open this month fitted with modern gambling equipment, similar to legal casinos in Macau.

“It is similar to the casino in Ratchadaphisek area that was closed down last August,” he said. Stating that the Ratchadaphisek casino would in fact resume its business within a few weeks after his news conference because it could generate more than 20 million baht of revenue each month. “Whenever it reopens, I will video the place again,” Chuvit concluded.

According to Fox44, Pen National is now desperately looking for at least a 10 acre site downtown in which to develop on. Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Penn National Gaming, Eric Schippers, said: “What we’re really hoping to do here is invest up to $100 million in what will become a regional destination.”

Sioux City Mayor, Bob Scott, agreed. “It’ll get the traffic downtown rather than on the edge and we hope that will have a positive impact,” he said.

However, the real worry of the future facility lies in an ongoing court battle. The Missouri River Historical Development Group owns the county’s gaming license and is suing Penn National, claiming the company’s keeping MRHD from shopping around for new casino ownership.

“And if we can’t resolve that, then we need to look for another operator,” says Mark Monson, President of Missouri River Historical Development. But whatever does happen in court, MRHD members are apparently in support of a move to downtown.

Across the pond in the UK, one of North England’s most popular seaside towns saw the acquirement of its new casino licence today when it was awarded to the operator of Scarborough’s Opera House Casino, Nikolas Shaw, following rival Apollo Leisure‘s decision to withdraw its application.

According to InterGame, Nikolas and Apollo were the only two operators running for the licence – which was the first of the small licences created under the 2005 Gambling Act.

Project manager for Scarborough Borough Council, Alex Richards, said: “While we are disappointed that Apollo has decided to pull out of the competition, this is still a very good outcome for the town. Opera House Casino is already an excellent facility for Scarborough and is a very popular part of the night time economy.”

Apollo Leisure had planned to develop a whole new entertainment complex in the town, but the reasons for the withdrawal are unknown. Consequently, Nikolas automatically got the green light to go ahead.

Over in an undoubtedly swankier setting of New Jersey’s Atlantic City, the anticipated opening of the Revel Casino Resort brings some controversial news causing mixed reactions. Set to open its doors in less than three months, the casino has announced an employment policy that may piss off anyone who ends up working there.

A report by NBC10 reveals some employees will have time limits on their contract and have to reapply for their jobs after a specific amount of time. The policy will apparently apply to workers who have a lot of interaction with the public, such as car valets, waitresses and casino dealers. Although dealers won’t have to reapply for their position after six years.

A spokesperson for Revel said that the contract policy was implemented to “keep employees on their toes, sharp and at the top of their game.”

However, a casino employee named Linda Robertson said: “I don’t think that’s a good argument.” “When you get a job you expect to be on it as long as possible. You expect long term. How could you get into anything? A house, a car, anything?”

Nevertheless, the policy hasn’t stopped hundred of people applying and agreeing to work under Revel’s terms. NBC10 also exposed that Industry experts say that though Revel is the first to undertake such a policy; it won’t be the last.

Macau

As far as the remainder of the year is concerned the growth seen in the world’s largest casino business location may not hit the previous highs. Analysts and investors think it’ll be somewhere between 11% and 20% – an extremely impressive figure for a market that is immune to the downturn. Philip Tulk, head of casinos and gaming research at RBS Hong Kong, doesn’t believe January’s numbers will change a lot though.

“I don’t think people will be revising up estimates on the back of one month,” he said.

One thing that is forecast to grow rapidly over the coming year is the mass-market. The VIP market accounts for much of the enclave’s gaming industry revenue thanks to the lucrative trade that junkets operate. It’s something that worries officials in Macau. Ideally they want casinos to start developing other activities so that they’re not so over-reliant on gambling. The Cotai strip is key in this area and Sands China’s new $4billion entertainment venue could mean the mass-market passes the VIP one.

MGM Resorts International

According to Telegram.com, the company- named Gensler – has been at the top of the U.S. Green Building Council’s list for “the most Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design professionals”.

Does this mean MGM’s planned casino will be a more efficient twist on your average casino? Well, let’s hear it from the horses mouth. MGM’s chairman and CEO, James J. Murren, said in the report: “We don’t believe development should come at the cost of natural beauty “Gensler is a company that shares our green values and we are proud to have them joining our Brimfield team.”

Sounds all hunky-dory, however – let’s remind ourselves that several sites are the subject of competing casino proposals for just one license in Western Massachusetts. And Brimfield voters would have to approve the measure and allow for a zoning change for the casino to be built, meaning construction could be months or years away even if it does get passed.

In other casino news over in Cincinnati, city officials have said partial construction activity at the future Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati could resume as early as next week after an accident that saw the more a dozen workers injured.

Work halted at the site on Friday when the second-floor collapsed after concrete workers poured cement onto sheet metal that was resting on a steel beam that broke away.

Amit Ghosh, chief building officer, said the casino complex is a large site and work could resume away from the section of the incident. According to a report by Cincinnati.com, he said “the site will hopefully be mobilised later this week”, during a briefing on the investigations after the accident.

Ghosh said the project’s construction manager has promised to ensure steel beams will be permanently installed before similar pouring is conducted. We’d like to hope so, too!

Macau

Wynn Resorts have called for a Nevada court to dismiss a request by their largest shareholder to view certain financial documents. The casino firm called Kazuo Okada’s grievances “innuendo, hyperbole, half-truths and sweeping generalizations,” according to a filing seen by the Wall Street Journal. The firm also stated that the requests were “nothing more than stockholder inspection requests, on behalf of Aruze.”

Aruze USA, part of a company that Okada owns, responded to the claims, stating: “The response of Wynn Resorts’ management, while full of colorful rhetoric, cannot explain this away. We look forward to presenting our position to the Court,” alluding to the fact Okada cannot complete his directorial responsibilities.

The case could have far reaching consequences if one analyst is to be believed with Japanese expansion plans at Wynn under threat.

“The negative relationship dynamics that have developed seem serious enough to where it may put the company’s future in Japan in jeopardy,” said Jonathan Galaviz, managing director and chief economist at research firm Galaviz & Company.

“My guess is that this negative relationship issue with Wynn Resorts will probably press Okada to develop a relationship with another U.S. casino gaming company. Certainly Las Vegas Sands has been very aggressive in their desire to do something in Japan,” said Galaviz, adding that he expected many large corporates to be reaching out to Okada’s organization.

In a report by the Detroit Free Press, The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians and Saginaw Chippewa Indians said Bernero “repeatedly used profanity and racial slurs” when they were debating the Indian casino in Lansing.

More specifically, the tribes said Bernero referred to a bull’s eye on his back and that he was the target of “bows and arrows” for championing the casino proposal. Cringe.

Lobbyist, James Nye, added that several attendees of the meeting noticed Bernero singled him out as “Chief Chicken Little,” and added the remarks were “inexcusable.”

“I’ve been in a lot of debates but never been personally attacked,” he said. “This is embarrassing…pretty disgusting. I am deeply offended.”

The tribes called on Bernero to apologize, undergo sensitivity training and “refrain from racially charged language in the public discourse,” but he is yet to respond.

The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway is gearing up for its invitation-only VIP event which will see it open for the first time for just nine hours today.

A report by WJB Morning Call states that the trail run opening is to prove to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission that the new state-owned, privately-managed casino is ready to open as scheduled on Friday. Not only that but the proceeds of the event will go to charity.

Federal judge Myron Thompson has temporarily suspended jury selection in the Alabama gambling corruption case due to the death of one of the defendants.

The news that the former legislative employee Ray Crosby died on Sunday comes just after Thompson refused to throw out two bribery charges against casino owner Milton McGregor last week. Jury selection was supposed to begin this morning but the orrder does not state when it will begin.

Researchers at a Nevada university are reporting casino debt for the state’s casino industry is at its highest level ever. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Center for Gaming Research study found total liabilities have seen a 18-fold increase since 1984 to $51.2billion during the fiscal year to June 2011. In the same year the casino industry only made a combined $22billion in revenues. Director of the centre, David Schwartz, explained: “This says that the growth that we saw and the investment that we saw in the middle of the decade was quite different from what we saw in the middle of the ’90s.”

The figures will shock some but with most of the casino business behemoths focusing on Asia it won’t cause them to worry a massive amount.

More than a dozen workers were injured when part of a roof collapsed at the site of a new casino business in Cincinnati. The Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, being part developed by Rock Gaming and Caesars Entertainment, saw a section of the roof collapse into a V shape on Friday. One worker is in a serious condition and about a dozen more had minor injuries and it represents the second casino construction accident in Ohio in a matter of weeks.