Featured Articles Archive - Page 577

Pondering 'over' a potpourri of Super Bowl proposition bets

Like any legitimate American-blooded sports fan, I have every intention of not only watching this Sunday's Super Bowl, but placing a wager on it as well. And like both Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin, I took advantage of every hour of the extra week of preparation to do my homework...read more

Foam adorns many resorts

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Many exterior features on the Strip's most recognizable hotel-casinos are made from the same material used to create the rooftop facade on the Monte Carlo, foam that might have fueled the Friday fire that closed the resort. Construction, architectural design and gaming sources all said the building material, referred to as Exterior Installation and Finish System -- EIFS for short -- is one of the most commonly used products for finishing and design work, and has been used on many Strip resorts...read more

Kiosks just in time for kickoff

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Casual and serious gamblers hungry to bet on the Super Bowl or other events have another outlet. Sports book operator Leroy's is testing its self-service betting kiosks inside sports bars and restaurants. The idea is to allow Leroy's customers with telephone wagering accounts to bet on sporting events without having to visit a sports book. "We view this as a convenient service for our customers," Leroy's spokesman John Salerno said. The first location in Southern Nevada is at the Stadium Grille in Henderson...read more

Florida voters back slot plan

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Voters in South Florida on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a measure to give three locations in the Miami-Dade County area a total of 6,000 Las Vegas-style slot machines. The vote, by a margin of 63 percent to 37 percent, also gave a financial boost to slot machine manufacturers, who have longed for any sort of domestic market expansion. "In the long term, we hope that the passage of the bill results in Florida rethinking its casino regulations," Stifel Nicolaus Capital Markets gaming analyst Steven Wieczynski said Wednesday in a note to investors. He added that non-American Indian operated casinos pay a gaming tax higher than 50 percent while Indian casinos have a minimal tax rate. "With gaming now widespread in southern Florida, the state might make changes that would level the playing field and increase investment in the area," Wieczynski said. Gaming analysts said slot machine giant International Game Technology, WMS Industries and Bally Technologies are the slot makers who best stand to benefit from expansion in the Florida market. The three facilities in Dade County; the Calder Race Course, which is owned by Churchill Downs; the Flagler Greyhound Track; and Miami Jai Lai will each be allowed to install casinos with up to 2,000 slot machines. Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Bill Lerner said the earnings-per-share impact on the three slot makers by the Florida approval could range from 3 cents to 6 cents per share, depending upon the number of games each company provides. "These incremental machines are not contemplated in company guidance or Wall Street consensus," Lerner said. Wieczynski said approval allows the gambling facilities in Miami to compete with racinos in neighboring Broward County, where gaming was approved in 2005...read more

In depth: Bill Boyd leaves his mark on UNLV law school

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- When Bill Boyd put up the initial seed money to get the state's first accredited law school off the ground, the idea was to ensure that Nevada students could stay home and earn a law degree. Boyd didn't realize how close to home the impact would be felt. Several Boyd Gaming Corp...read more

Inside gaming column: GTECH push to buy Atronic nearly over

, Benjamin Spillman and Arnold M. Knightly LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Lottery giant Gtech Corp. is finally close to owning all of slot maker Atronic Gaming. The complicated transaction was first announced in December 2004. Providence, R.I.-based Gtech, which operates more than two dozen U.S...read more

Analysts: Minimal impact from Monte Carlo fire

LAS VEGAs, Nevada -- Any interruption to business at the Monte Carlo shouldn't affect the bottom line of gaming giant MGM Mirage, analysts said Friday after a rooftop fire shut down the Strip resort. Gaming Control Board sources thought it would be at least two or three days before the casino portion of the 3,000-room hotel-casino could reopen...read more

Legislators make a push for legalized sports wagering in Atlantic City

With a local team heading to the Super Bowl and casino revenues down for the first time, New Jersey's Assembly Tourism and Gaming Committee is betting that the time is right to resurrect the idea of making betting on professional sports legal in Atlantic City...read more

Coincidence, counting, boxing regs -- 'Variety Pack' of books to ponder

Every once in a while a book reviewer finds a selection of books related, yet unrelated. The question: how to present them to an audience of people interested in how to make money, save money or just "follow the money" (as they say in politics)...read more

As the Finnish dice roll

Two different ministers in the Finnish government have floated proposals regarding online gambling in the media this past week, though no one is sure what prompted it. This week, Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin suggested that Finland should consider launching a state-run online poker room...read more