AGA SmartBrief

Nevada Sen. Tick Segerblom has introduced a bill that would legalize betting on Senate, congressional and presidential elections. "Simply to make money for the state. I've been following elections and betting in London, and (gaming companies there) are making a fortune. Why not do it here?" Segerblom said of his reason for pushing the bill. He said his proposal would also allow bets on cultural events including the Academy Awards. Las Vegas Sun (3/25)

Visitors and officials of the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina gathered last weekend at the gaming facility to celebrate the completion of a $650M project to expand the resort. "We could pick this property up and set it on the Las Vegas strip, and it would fit right in. We're so very proud of this masterpiece that we've built here," said Brooks Robinson, senior vice president and general manager of the casino. Winston-Salem Journal (N.C.) (3/25)

MGM Resorts International, which plans to use Exhibition Place as the site for a casino resort the company hopes to build in Toronto, wants the city to decide this spring whether to accept casino proposals. "We would like a decision this spring, absolutely. Up or down we'd simply just like a decision," MGM president Bill Hornbuckle said. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (tiered subscription model) (3/26)

If you are a new or mid-level casino manager, the Gaming Management Certificate Program at G2E Asia 2013 (May 21-23 at the Venetian Macao) is the best platform to gain career-advancing knowledge. At this daylong program, attendees will participate in thorough discussions with distinguished professors from University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and the UNLV Singapore Campus along with the University of Macau. Don't forget to register for this dynamic program today.

François de la Rochefoucauld,French writer

The Riverboat Development Authority in Davenport, Iowa, which has taken over the search for a developer of a land-based casino in the city, has received two new casino proposals. Pollina Corporate Real Estate intends to obtain funding from a sale-leaseback with the city and RDA for its proposed casino. Meanwhile, Pacific Peninsula plans to lend half of the Rhythm City casino's purchasing price to Davenport for the acquisition of the gaming facility. Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa) (3/23)

Gaming Laboratories International, which has 22 offices all over the world, is hoping to test mobile gambling devices in New Jersey through a partnership with the state's Division of Gaming Enforcement. "As iGaming comes to New Jersey, we have the resources to step in and be helpful. We think we have something to share there. We are excited about the possibility to help out in New Jersey," GLI president James Maida said. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (3/24)

New Jersey officials, who attended the New Jersey Conference on Tourism at Golden Nugget last week, said that they are working to spread out tourism opportunities throughout the state, including Atlantic City, during the Super Bowl season. "We're on it. We're thinking about it. This is a huge opportunity. We need to coordinate all of the assets we have and create a Super Bowl season," said Kim Butler, spokeswoman for the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (3/22)

Louisiana's casinos had revenues of $226.9 million in February, according to figures released by the state regulators. The state's 13 riverboats made a combined $159.9 million last month, while the slots casinos at the state's four racetracks reported revenues of $35.2 million. The Republic (Columbus, Ind.) (3/21)

Casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip turned off their lights for an hour Saturday night to support World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour. "We truly believe in being good environmental partners. We really look at different ways to reduce water consumption and reduce energy consumption," said Christina Karas, a Caesars Palace spokeswoman. Las Vegas Sun (3/23)

The number of New Hampshire residents who support casino gambling has increased compared with what was recorded a few years ago, according to a report from the Center for Policy Analysis at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. According to the poll, half of N.H. residents now favor expansion of gambling in the state. "We saw the same shift take place over a period of 10 years in Massachusetts. We asked people about the costs and benefits and over time, more of them reached the conclusion that the state would gain more than it would lose," said Clyde Barrow, the center's director. SeacoastOnline (Portsmouth, N.H.) (tiered subscription model) (3/22)

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Sun, which own casinos in Connecticut, are seeking additional federal grants meant for struggling tribes, according The Associated Press' findings. Some critics say they find it inappropriate for the two tribes to pursue more federal grants because they can't be classified as such. Bill Satti, a spokesman for the Pequots, said the grants are spent on the tribe's medical clinic and road repair works. "The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is proud of the work they do with the use of federal funds when it comes to assisting the region and fellow Native Americans," Satti said. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.) (3/24)

MGM China CEO Grant Bowie told Bloomberg expects the VIP market in Macau to grow by up to 10% this year. Union Gaming Research Macau analyst Grant Govertsen also wrote in a note that he remains upbeat about the VIP trends in the country. "We also believe as the new leadership structure in Beijing is put in place, it will ultimately be positive for the Macau market as a whole, and should lead to an uptick in VIP play in the near term, as certain players who remained on the sidelines leading up to the leadership change begin to return to the market," Govertsen said. MacauBusiness.com (3/22)

The AGA white paper Improving Gaming Regulation: 10 Recommendations for Streamlining Processes While Maintaining Integrity makes a wide range of recommendations for national and state-specific reforms that would improve the gaming regulatory system. The paper notes that regulation must evolve to keep pace as advancing technology transforms the industry, changing both the games to be regulated and the tools available to regulators. To download a full copy of the report, visit the AGA website.

Zora Neale Hurston,American author

Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Steve Crosby said he hopes the panel will be able to decide soon whether to accept applications from developers of commercial casinos for the state's southeastern region. Meanwhile, Mashpee Wampanoag tribe Chairman Cedric Cromwell said Thursday that the tribe's plan to develop a $500 million resort casino in Taunton is advancing. "We have systematically worked to meet every condition," Cromwell said. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (3/21)

Zappos.com founder Tony Hsieh's Downtown Project has acquired the Western Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. In 2005, Tamares Real Estate took over the now-shuttered hotel casino. The Downtown Project, founded by Hsieh to help revitalize the area, did not announce plans for the property. Las Vegas Review-Journal (3/21)

Anthony Marnell III, president of the M Resort in Henderson, Nev., said the property has been in a better position since Penn National Gaming acquired it in 2010. "The property is doing substantially better from when they bought it," Marnell said. He also said that the resort is poised to undergo expansion. "The master plan is in place and that's one of the values of this property. We're taking it slow. We believe 2013 will be the turning point," he said. Las Vegas Review-Journal (3/21)

Billy Vassiliadis, a Nevada Resort Association lobbyist and a principal of R&R Partners in Las Vegas, has suggested that Nevada lawmakers set clear regulations on sports betting kiosks in the state. "We are not trying to restrict competition; we are trying to have it defined. We need rules. If we allow the proliferation of kiosks we could undermine the position of Las Vegas," Vassiliadis said. Las Vegas Review-Journal (3/21)

The Nevada Gaming Commission has granted Gibraltar-based 888 Holdings a license to operate an Internet gaming website in the state. The company, which is teaming up with Caesars Entertainment on online gaming, also will operate Treasure Island's poker website and provide interactive gaming technology to WMS Industries. "888 has chosen Nevada as its first U.S. market, and we are hopeful that future developments will present even greater commercial opportunities for 888's Nevada-facing business," CEO Brian Mattingley said. Las Vegas Review-Journal (3/21)