Gaming - Las Vegas Sun

Adios, pesky state ban on cellular calls: Looking in on: Gaming: Prohibition unpopular with casinos, bettors; By Liz Benston; Last month’s vote by the Nevada Gaming Commission to permanently repeal a long-standing ban on the use of cell phones and other electronic communications devices in sports books couldn’t have come soon enough for Nevada casinos, which began removing those ubiquitous, misunderstood and often overlooked signs in sports books requesting that customers make calls elsewhere.

Web poker banned, they play politics: DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION: Rapidly organized group attracts celebs, lawmakers in Denver; Friday, August 29, 2008; By Lisa Mascaro; Not long after Congress passed a ban on Internet gambling, PR man John Pappas knew he had to be here at the Democratic National Convention.

Low cost is Eastside Cannery’s major innovation: Gaming:; Thursday, August 28, 2008; By Liz Benston; When the Eastside Cannery opens for business this evening, customers may notice a few vintage touches. The industry elite, however, will be focusing on the property’s price tag.

Court rules in favor of Vegas unions: Wednesday, August 27, 2008; By Cy Ryan; CARSON CITY – The Culinary and bartenders unions have won another round in their long legal battle with the former owners of the Sahara and Hacienda hotel-casinos in Las Vegas.

$25,000 check cuts no ice with bartender: AGE DISCRIMINATION: Boomer who sued casino says he was pressured into settling; Wednesday, August 27, 2008; By Liz Benston; Robert Thomas is one of thousands of bartenders on the Strip. Yet, at 53, he has the distinction of being one of the oldest working at a casino nightclub.

New blood helped Tropicana, union heal old wounds: GAMING & LABOR:; Wednesday, August 27, 2008; By Megan McCloskey; No one would describe a relationship between unions and management as amorous, but on the Strip there’s at least an understanding, an industry standard that is mostly obliged.

Abuzz with casino anticipation: NORTH LAS VEGAS AT LARGE: Sun City Aliante retirees look forward to addition to their community; Monday, August 25, 2008; By Mike Trask; The Sun City Aliante clubhouse is like a never-ending summer camp for the retired.

Station bears brunt of locals market slump: DAILY MEMO: GAMING: Reliance on Vegas customers, cannibalizing of its own customers and increased competition are cited as factors in profit falloff; Monday, August 25, 2008; By Liz Benston; Gaming companies and especially locals casinos, with their hard-core gamblers, were once thought to be resistant to economic downturns.

Small casinos keep it simple, friendly: GAMING: Formula aimed at regulars paying off — even in downturn; Friday, August 22, 2008; By Liz Benston; With its mirrored ceiling, black acrylic walls and hot pink neon accent lighting, the Rainbow Club & Casino in downtown Henderson resembles a 1980s-era nightclub, only with modern slot machines.

Loyalists, until it comes to Internet gambling: POLITICS & GAMING: Online poker lobby composed mainly of GOP guys fights party opposition to computer wagering; Thursday, August 21, 2008; By Lisa Mascaro; Slipped into the 92-page Republican Party platform are two sentences that drive poker players nuts.

Tropicana buyer gambled big on ’06 buy, fell hard: DAILY MEMO: GAMING: Credit crunch ruined intent to renovate Vegas property; Monday, August 18, 2008; By Liz Benston; A year and a half after Bill Yung paid $2.8 billion for Aztar Corp. and its Tropicana casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, his casino company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and he was forced out of his job.

No more ‘Wheel’-ing at 2 Harrah’s properties on Strip: LOOKING IN ON: GAMING:; Monday, August 18, 2008; By Liz Benston; If you’ve been in Bally’s or the adjacent Paris casino recently, you may have noticed a conspicuous absence of “Wheel of Fortune” slot machines.

Planet Hollywood narrows 2Q losses: Friday, August 15, 2008; By Liz Benston; The $200 million-plus makeover of the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino last year helped the property narrow its losses in the second quarter.

Las Vegas Plaza plans delayed until 2009: Friday, August 15, 2008; By Sun Staff; The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that plans to build the Las Vegas version of New York's Plaza Hotel have been postponed.

Losses widen at Herbst Gaming in 2Q: Friday, August 15, 2008; By Liz Benston; Under the threat of bankruptcy, casino and slot machine operator Herbst Gaming today reported a loss of $62.3 million in the second quarter compared with a loss of $1.4 million a year ago. Revenue fell 5 percent to $214.2 million.

From The Gaming & Business Blog

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