New Zealand has been hit hard by earthquakes as of late and the surrounding business are suffering as well. January 20th brought about more tremors hitting magnitudes of nearly 3.9 on the richter scale. The quake struck at 11 am causing buildings to shift and even some toppling. These quakes aren’t that frequent, but New Zealand has been getting hit by some smaller ones in the recent months. The area of Christchurch seems to be taking the biggest hit from these earthquakes and the surrounding businesses and casinos are having a hard time hanging on during these rough times.

The 11 am Earthquake would have been enough to scare some casino patrons away, but more had occurred throughout the day. The first of these earthquakes that stopped gambling patrons from leaving hteir houses happened at 6 am startling the locals with a raging 5.1 hit on the richter scale. From 6 am until 11 am, these locals experienced a total of 1 earthquake and 5 aftershocks. The results of which have been so startling that residents are scared to leave their houses for fear that it may not be over. The casino in the area is being affected greatly as they have had a dramatic fall off in the number of customers coming in to gamble.

Realistically speaking this casinos has not been doing well since the first Earthquake that hit the town back in September of 2010. This earthquake registered a 7.1 followed by a 4.9 on the following day. Since this earthquake, the Christchurch casino has been steadily decreasing in the number of gambling patrons and continues to struggle to bring new gamblers to the table. Combined with a rough economy, this has been a hard year for casinos in New Zealand. Residents are stating the opposite however and showing that they aren’t afraid to go out and spend since the earthquake.

Wouldn’t this be the perfect time to win a progressive jackpot? The Christmas holiday season us upon us. It’s time to hit the stores online and at the mall and do some shopping. At this time of the year an often heard cry is, “If I just had a little more cash…” Well, there is one person that does.

Slotland has become one of the more popular online casinos. Slotland is dedicated to the online slot game. All of their games are unique to the online casino, making it a fascinating place to play. It is also home of many winners. Most winners take small, but substantial jackpots, but there are some that have hit a life changing progressive jackpot. Last September a player that goes by the name WINNIPEGLEG to home a progressive jackpot worth over $107,000 playing the Wild Heart video poker slot game.

It has happened again, an unsuspecting winner from Slotland. This time it was a new grandmother. ROBINSONJ has been a SLotland regular who enjoys playing the online slot games as a way to wind down. She enjoys Slotland because, “You can play quite awhile with not much money if you get lucky with free spins and bonus games.” She has registered some small wins over the past few years but a few days ago she made a $10 bet playing Jacks or Better and to her surprise hit the progressive. “I was shaking! I couldn’t keep my eyes off the screen!” she exclaimed.

She went on to say that the $78,112 win came at the perfect time. She was going to use the win to do some Christmas shopping and she has, “…a new grandchild to shop for!” Most like ROBINSONJ love the online casino because all of their games are tied to a progressive jackpot. Any max bet on any game adds to the total. This allows the jackpot to grow very quickly.

The Firekeepers Casino near Battle Creek, Michigan, is celebrating its first anniversary. The casino opened its doors on August 5, 2009 and since then has seen a great share of customers, a good share of winners and a positive impact on the community. To help celebrate its first birthday, the Firekeepers Casino is offering many fun promotions. The main promotion will see three lucky winners win a year’s worth of groceries, gas, or mortgage payments. Of course the jackpots will be rolling also. The Casino is run by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Native Americans. Even though the emphasis of the birthday celebrations are placed on the fun the casino goers can enjoy, operators of the casino want the residents of Western Michigan to know about the casinos impact on the economy in the region.

In the past two years many of states have looked toward their gambling laws to help boost their sagging economy. For most, this meant expanding gambling and casino laws so the state governments can take advantage of taxes and fees on the casinos. Lawmakers know these are short term fixes, but, at the moment, any booster shot for the economy is a good one. Some states like Michigan, have added casinos. Of course, there are the taxes and fees, but the feel bringing casinos into a region of their state will help their economy in the long term. The Firekeepers Casino is a good example of this.

The Firekeepers Casino has brought close to 1,500 jobs to West Michigan. Most experts will state that creating jobs is the biggest step to reviving the economy. Executives from the casino also say that the Firekeepers Casino has been able to bring almost $12 million into the local economy. “We’ve always viewed ourselves as a positive economic driver, here in this community,” said Marketing Director Michael Facenda. The one year old casino in Michigan is doing its part to stimulate the economy, putting people to work, and getting people to spend.

The economy in the United States is still paying havoc with the casino and gaming industry. While there may be subtle signs of hope in the American economy it is moving at a snails pace and the trickle down effect has become more of a slow drip. The casino and the casino resort industry may be one of the bottom plops of the trickle down. Many sectors of the economy must improve before consumer confidence can improve. Most people won’t go out and spend money if they feel they don’t make enough or they aren’t sure how much longer they will have a job. Everyone is saving for a rainy day. The definitely won’t spend money on extras like trips, hotel rooms and gambling.

The casino and casino resort industry is starting to post their results for the second quarter. Not surprisingly, the numbers are not good. Stock prices for most of the casino resort companies and casino suppliers are down. Las Vegas based financial consultant, Applied Analysis, tracks ten major casino companies. Seven of those ten saw double digit declines. The worst to be hit were the casino suppliers. If the casinos, themselves, aren’t doing well, what can those who work for the casinos expect? Companies like International Game Technology, WMS Industries, and Ball Technologies all saw drops between 10.5 and 14 percent in their stock prices.

The casinos companies of course took a hit. Boyd Gaming was the biggest. Their daily stock prices nose dived 22 percent. Some of the bigger companies were able to break their fall with their overseas interests. Las Vegas Sands Corporation and Wynn Resorts Ltd. both have major properties in Macau and Sands recently opened Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. This helped slow the fall as the Asian market is booming right now. However, stock prices were still down without much help in sight. The economy in the U.S. may be picking up, but will it pick up fast enough?

The saga that has been the Station Casinos bankruptcy proceedings took its first step toward reaching a conclusion this week. For the past several months Station Casino operators, their lenders, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court have been locked in negotiations and hearings. Sometimes they have not been too friendly. Station Casinos is doing its best to keep a hold of its best properties with newly formed Fertitta gaming which comprises of Station Casinos’ founding family the Fertittas. The Fertittas and their creditors have been at odds over whether the remaining properties should be auctioned as one entity or individually. Of
However, as said before, all sides made a huge step forward that could help Station Casinos move into their restructuring phase, a time that is badly needed. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Reno and presiding judge Gregg Zive approved measures that could allow for Station Casinos lenders to vote on the restructuring plan by the end of August. In a nice contrast to his harsh remarks in the past, Judge Zive praised all sides for coming to an agreement. “For the most part, the parties were able to arrive at consensual resolution as to what should be disclosed and how it should be disclosed. I commend the parties for that and I think that’s how the process is intended to work.” The hearing was set to last two days but only took a few hours.

Station Casinos must release a disclosure statement. This statement is to allow the lenders to evaluate where the company stands, and what would be the best restructuring plan. Should there be any objections to the reorganization plan, they are due by August 12. Replies to the objections are due August 20. The disclosure statement will be updated after the companies auction. This will be when creditors will fully understand what should be expected.

In the United States the economic recession has forced many state governments to look into expanding their gambling laws. The idea is to generate much needed revenue to help fill budget gaps that are rapidly increasing. The recession has become a global one, and many countries in Europe are suffering. One of the hardest hit European countries is Greece. Their economy is in near collapse to the point of rioting. They too have looked toward gambling to help bring in badly needed cash. For Greece this would mean a complete reversal of current laws. However, for Greek lawmakers, they feel this may be the only way to stimulate a dismal economy and help work on the massive amounts of accumulated debt.

The Greek government is expected to release a draft of a new law that will once again allow electronic gambling machines. It could also allow online casinos and gambling sites. Since 2003, Greece has had a total blanket ban on all gambling machines. The only gambling machines allowed are housed in a few casinos. Gambling in Greece is highly regulated and most consider it to be a state run monopoly called OPAP. OPAP controls horse race as well as casino gambling and lotteries. Right now gambling brings in about €8.7 billion per year. This came after a near pandemic of illegal gambling operators broke out in the country. This ban has been the subject of talks within the European Union. European Union officials feel this violates EU policies and has since fined Greece €31,500 a day.

That fine may not matter much longer. Greece is betting on close to €1.3 billion over the next three years from expanded gambling laws. They intended to draw cash from gambling licenses, and royalties. Greece needs it. Right now any cash is good cash. With revenues dropping and tensions rising a 180 degree turn on gambling could only hope to be a start.

France has long been on the list of online gambling activist groups. The French government is one of the European Union member nations that has supported a state run monopoly over gambling, lottery, and online gambling activities. Recently they announced they would be relaxing those laws. This, however, did not relax most attitudes of right to choose groups such as, Right2Bet. Online gambling groups were happy that progress was made, but still agitated over it being such small steps. They also thought the new French laws were only for show. Online gambling groups claimed that the relaxed laws still only offered online gambling licenses to French companies or those foreign companies willing to pay high tax rates on operating within French borders. Groups felt the law wanted companies to work in France, but at the same time discouraged companies from working in France.

If discouraging was the goal, than it worked. Big online gambling companies like the sportsbook, William Hill, opted out of working in France. If giving the French gambling public more options was the goal, than that also worked. Many online gambling companies still applied for licenses to operate their online casino, sports gambling and poker sites. In all, a French report stated that thirty-five online gambling companies applied for a French license. Of the thirty-five, eleven companies were granted a total of seventeen licenses between them.

The online gambling companies who received licenses were, BES SS, Betclic, Beturf, Everest Gaming, France Pari, Iliad Gaming, Pari Mutuel Urbain, Sajoo, SPS Betting France, Table 14, as well as the state run Francaise des Jeux. These eleven online gambling companies will be able to operate sites dedicated to online horse racing gambling, online sports gambling, and online poker. The president of France’s gambling regulator, Arjel, Jean-Francois Vilotte, was pleased with the number of applicants. He also stated that none of the companies that applied were officially turned down.

England and America have always enjoyed a special relationship. Of course, it started with a war when a bunch of upstart colonists decided they didn’t want to be ruled by a government on the other side of the ocean. It blossomed into another war which, even though the capital city was torched, the new Americans were still able to keep the Brits on the other side of the pond. Since then, though, the two countries have shared a very special bond. They have been trading partners, not only in goods but in music and art. They have even been allies in two world wars. In the latter half of the twentieth century they were two of the world’s super powers. They now turn to each other in a sort of brotherly way. They may disagree but they always come together. Of course it might come down over one sports gambling bet.

The Americans and the English start the 2010 World Cup with a highly publicized match against one another. England has a storied tradition of great soccer (excuse me, football). They have turned out many stars, have one of the most competitive leagues, and even have a World Cup championship. When compared to England the American soccer programs are much like their national history, young, but forceful. There are no World Cup and very few major stars. In fact, most professional leagues have met sad fates. However, the national team takes great pride in being the dark horse, and they revel in their rivalry with the English. So much so that the ambassadors for both countries have made a friendly gamble over the match.

The American ambassador in London has made a bet with his counterpart in Washington D.C. The wager is one meal. The gamble has come with some tongue in cheek jabs. “We will understand if you decline, given the outcome of the last encounter,” wrote a U.S. aide. An English official replied, “It is a testament, I assume, to the generosity of your great nation since the British Ambassador does not anticipate paying out.” We’ll all know who has to pay the gambling debt tonight.

The legal battle between CityCenter owner and operator, MGM Mirage, and the construction company Perini Building Company has been highly publicized. Perini Building is claiming the casino resort empire owns them hundreds of millions of dollars. MGM Mirage has found some fault with the work and is, for now, unwilling to pay their balance. Where this is taking a tragic turn is the work done by and money owed to the subcontractors. Many of the subcontractors hired by Perini Building are local, Las Vegas owned, small businesses. Most of the subcontracting companies have worked on and/or for other MGM Mirage casino projects, and typically have no dispute with them. However, some of the small businesses are saying that if they don’t get paid for their work on CityCenter they will have to close down their business.

Earlier Perini Building invited some of the subcontractors to meet with Nevada Governor, Jim Gibbons. Much was discussed, but little was resolved. Now MGM Mirage wants to hear from the small businesses. This time there will be no government official, but they are asking all of the subcontracting companies who have disputes to come to the table. “We just don’t know who they all are and the total number,” said MGM Mirage spokesman, Alan Feldman. The meeting, which will take place in the Bristlecone Ballroom in CityCenter’s Aria Resort and Casino convention center, will be a chance for the parties involved to discuss the close to $390 million that are in question.

CityCenter’s Chief Executive Officer, Bobby Baldwin will oversee the meeting between the casino giant and the subcontractors. All involved want to see how MGM Mirage plans to settle the dispute with the subcontractors. Both Perini Building and MGM Mirage officials have stated the dispute is between the two major companies. Neither is afraid to fight it out, but neither wants those who worked so hard on the CityCenter project to loose out.

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