CR83-p01-News 1:SJC-Casino Review 23/8/09 01:25 Page 1
www.CasinoReview-Online.com • September 2009 • 083
Private Eye. Lions Share. Poker Pace.
Uruguay MGM looks to Boom or bust
prepares for increase for tournament
privatisation Macau share play
NEWS3 NEWS14 FEATURE22
US set for unprecedented
gambling expansion
The silver lining of
“Some states are increas-
the dark recession in
ing gaming just to keep up
with the states next door,”
the United States
says economist Alan Meister.
could fuel new
Long before the first
dollars were fed into slot
market expansion
machines at Sands Casino
the likes of which
Resort Bethlehem in May, its
owners had confirmed that
has never been seen
they planned to bring in
before. As Phil
2,000 more slot machines in
November, an increase
Martin reports,
which in other parts of the
balancing licence
world would eclipse the
offering at a newly opened
fees with risks of ‘super’ casino.
bankruptcy will be
The Indiana Legislature is
also keen to expand its offer-
key for operators, ing and has formed a com-
whilst for
mittee to ensure its casinos,
which generate $800 m a
governments it is all year, don’t haemorrhage
about plugging
business to Ohio, Illinois and
Kentucky.
widening tax deficits. However, across the US
last year gambling taxes fell
growthspurt state without casino gam- growing to $6.19bn.” about one per cent of all tax Sands in Bethlehem 2.2 per cent, despite the
UNITED STATES bling. It is expected to allow Trackside slot operators revenue in the country.
Pennsylvania, which
opening of new properties
17,500 slot machines to be paid $2.6bn in direct gaming With regional, drive-in
opened this year. With
and the installation of 37,000
Casino gaming in the United installed at seven racetracks taxes, over 16 percent more markets fairing relatively
regional, drive-in markets
fairing relatively better than
new slot machines. As this
States is set for what many boosting its coffers via taxa- than in 2007, which is likely better than destination
destination resorts, more
new wave of gambling legal-
analysts believe will be tion by $933m in 2010. to tempt more states to resorts, Indiana, Pennsylva-
States are expected to
isation floods the States, the
unprecedented expansion American Gaming Associ- follow suit. nia, Missouri, Iowa, open to gambling. debate over the prohibitive
as several states move to ation president Frank William Thompson, a Louisiana, Michigan and price tags attached to
introduce legalised gambling Fahrenkopf explained the public administration pro- South Dakota all saw GGR gaming tax income of licences has never been
to shore up battered revenue success of the racino sector fessor at the University of increase compared with $550m. In , the state has more important.
streams during the eco- despite the recession. “Even Nevad,a said: “Politicians are 2007, many states are looking already approved adding Massachusetts is about to
nomic crisis. as the commercial casino pushed toward gambling at creating local markets for video poker at bars to gener- set the bar by charging up to
Concerned they are losing industry as a whole faced when times get tough. If it’s their own citizens. Whilst the ate $300 m. Casinos are now a $1bn for two casino
out as residents cross state declining revenues, the race- gambling or a tax increase, expansion could tighten the legal in 40 states, up from 31 licences this autumn. Ohio is
lines to gamble elsewhere, track casino sector contin- the political choice is clear, operational noose in destina- in 2000, with regulations on believed to be charging
state governments are ued to grow in 2008, with and the public acquiesces.” tion markets such as Nevada, casino locations, hours and around $65m per licence.
expected to expand gam- three new properties He points out that New Jersey and Mississippi, betting limits also being Some States like Massa-
bling in about a dozen states opening and one state, legalised gambling has any new market opportuni- relaxed. chusetts, Indiana and New
this year in an effort to gener- Indiana, becoming the grown for two decades with ties could prove a god send As of July 1, Colorado York want the licence fees in
ate an extra $2bn in gambling newest racino state,” he said. the big expansion occurring to America’s legions of slot casinos could stay open 24 the hundreds of millions, yet
taxes by 2010, a record-break- “Racetrack casinos experi- during economic down- manufacturers. hours a day, and could intro- others such as Ohio, Pennsyl-
ing increase if state projec- enced a 17.2 percent turns. In 2008, the states col- In Pennsylvania, work is in duce roulette and craps vania and New Hampshire
tions are accurate. increase in gross gaming rev- lected $6.8bn in gambling progress to legalise video whilst increasing betting are mindful of further bank-
Ohio remains the biggest enues compared to 2007, revenue accounting for poker in bars to generate limits from $5 to $100. ruptcy filings.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64