AGA SmartBrief

Officials of the Revel casino in Atlantic City said the resort has reached an agreement with its lenders to proceed with Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing to reduce its debt. "This restructuring positions Revel for long-term success by providing the company with the operational flexibility to invest in the growth of our business," said Michael Garrity, Revel's chief investment officer. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (2/20)

Port of Palm Beach spokeswoman Julie Houston Trieste said the Black Diamond casino boat has temporarily halted its operations due to the reorganization of a department of Black Diamond Casino Cruises, the ship's owner. Black Diamond Casino CEO Steven Craig said the ship will be suspending its services for a couple of weeks. "We're looking forward to getting the cruise department reorganized and getting back up and running," Craig said. Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (2/19)

Station Casinos has informed the Securities and Exchange Commission that it plans a private debt offering of $500 million. The company said it would use the proceeds to pay off other debt. Las Vegas Review-Journal (2/19)

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he would sign an online gambling bill into law if lawmakers include a higher tax rate on online casino winnings and limit it to a 10-year trial period. Should the amended bill clear the state Assembly and state Senate, "There's no reason not to sign it quickly," Christie said. The bill will be taken up by both houses next week. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (2/19)

A newly opened cashless casino bar on Hainan island in China was closed by Chinese authorities Tuesday. Casino gambling is prohibited in areas outside Macau. "When we approved it, the regulations and the certificate said its operations would be entertainment in nature, but inside the bar there are some games and they've gone beyond the scope of the regulations, so we closed it down," said Chen Guangfa, Sanya Culture and Sports Bureau's deputy director. Reuters (2/19)

The shareholders of Manchester International Holdings Unlimited Corp., the Philippines unit of Melco Crown Entertainment, have approved the company's plan to sell about 1 billion shares to help finance a joint casino project in the Philippines with SM Investments Corp. and Belle Corp. Manchester said the unit will be renamed Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp. Bloomberg Businessweek (2/19)

State Rep. David Osborne has filed a bill to amendment to the Kentucky Constitution to legalize up to seven casinos. Meanwhile, Gov. Steve Beshear believes the gambling issue has stalled. "From what I can tell, the casino issue is not going to move anywhere this session," Beshear said. The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.) (tiered subscription model) (2/19)

John Berryman,American poet and scholar

William Blake,British poet and painter

Game developers in Silicon Valley are anticipating a boom in the online gambling business as states increasingly pursue efforts to legalize gambling on the Internet. Some tech companies are focused on international markets, where laws are more relaxed, while they wait for the U.S. market to open up. "There is no question there is great interest from all kinds of people in games of chance, whether it is for real money or virtual rewards," said Mark Pincus, chief executive of Zynga. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (2/17)

Massachusetts Gaming Commission Ombudsman John Ziemba will attend a board meeting in Foxborough, Mass., to address residents' concerns regarding the Plainridge Racecourse, which has applied to obtain the state's single slots parlor license. "There will be only one slot house permitted in the state, and being a potential abutter, I want to make sure we understand the responsibilities and obligations from the developer," said Foxborough Board of Selectmen Chairman James J. DeVellis. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (2/16)

Table games revenue in Pennsylvania rose 12% to $59.4 million in January, compared with revenues in the same month last year. The state received more than $8.5 million in tax revenue for the month. Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) (2/16)

Full House Resorts and Keeneland Association Inc. are partnering to acquire Thunder Ridge harness track in Prestonsburg, Ky. The two companies, which plan to transform the property into a Quarter Horse racetrack, filed the documents last week with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on the change of ownership. Las Vegas Review-Journal (2/15)

Nevada's gaming industry is trying to come to an agreement with Gov. Brian Sandoval that would allow complimentary meals provided by casinos to gamblers and employees to be tax-free in the future, according to lawmakers, state officials and gaming lobbyists. "We're hopeful we can find a solution that is amenable to both the state and the industry," said Pete Ernaut, president of R&R Partners, which represents the Nevada Resort Association. Las Vegas Sun (2/17)

Utica, N.Y., Mayor Robert Palmieri has asked New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the state Assembly and the state Senate to consider Harbor Point in Utica as one of the possible sites for casinos proposed for the state. "I believe Harbor Point, the city's vision for the revitalization of Utica's harbor, is a prime location for a casino. Failure to do so would be a regrettable decision and a missed opportunity," Palmieri wrote in a letter to the state officials. Observer-Dispatch (Utica, N.Y.) (2/17)

This week, the GGB Podcast speaks with Leslie Lohse, the vice chairwoman of the California Tribal Business Alliance, on possible participation by Native American tribes in the online casino industry.

Pennsylvania Rep. Tina Davis plans to put forward a proposal this week to legalize online gambling in the state. Davis says the state's gaming industry must remain competitive against other states. "Considering the nationwide efforts to legalize Internet gaming, it is imperative that we maintain the integrity of our gaming industry amid inevitable federal preemption and competing states, as well as possible expansion of Internet games through the privatization of our own state lottery," she said. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (2/15)

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council called an emergency meeting Friday to consider an ordinance that would create an independent gaming authority after a vote scheduled for Wednesday failed to take place. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority was approved last June after it gained six votes, but the council discovered that seven votes were required. The Enterprise Newspapers (Mass.) (2/15)

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James Allen,British author