Casino July-Aug 08 P4-8 6/23/08 12:42 PM Page 8
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UK regulator closes licence ‘loopholes’
Hagarty Trumped
T
he UK’s Gambling Commission has issued a are actually separate premises in such a case, and
consultation paper as part of a review of two believes that there is direct access from the one H
arry C Hagerty has been
appointed to the Board of
Directors of Trump
aspects of the new licensing system as it affects ‘premises’ to the other, in contravention of the provisions Entertainment Resorts and will
the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005. The twelve- of the Gambling Act. serve on its Audit Committee.
week consultation period ends on 8 September 2008. In other cases, the lack of fixed barriers between areas Hagerty has senior level financial
The Gambling Commission is responsible for the has created, in practice, composite ‘premises’ with and operational experience at
issuing of operators licences, but the issuing of premises multiple premises licences granted and a larger total significant corporations, including
licences has been devolved to over 500 local authorities allocation of gaming machines that would be permissible the financial and gaming industries.
in the UK, each of which deals with premises licences in under a licence for a single premises. Most recently, he was Executive
its own geographical area. Vice President and Chief Financial
Because different interpretations of the provisions of Principal activity Officer of Global Cash Access
the Act have been applied by these licensing authorities The Commission is also consulting on what ‘primary Holdings, Inc. Prior to that position,
across the country, the Commission is seeking to clarify purpose’ means. The Gambling Act requires the principal he served as Executive Vice
how the premises licensing guidelines could be made activity of a premises to be the activity authorised by the President and Chief Financial Officer
more specific, to revise the premises licence in operation for of Caesars Entertainment, Inc.
guidance it offers to licensing that premises. Hagerty has also served as
authorities and, possibly, to The Commission is aware that Managing Director of Investment
add operating licence conditions some operators, in particular Banking at both BancBoston
to Licence Conditions and existing Adult Gaming Centre Robertson Stephens, Inc. and
Codes of Practice. (AGC) operators, may be Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, Inc.
Differences have emerged in the handling of licence considering applying for operating licences, or have been
applications, and the Commission is concerned that given operating licences, even though they do not intend
statutory provisions are not necessarily being correctly to provide the primary activity the relevant type of licence
Viridian verifies
interpreted in regard to what is meant by ‘single premises’ authorises on their premises.
and to what is meant by the ‘principal activity’ for which Such operators may be applying for betting or bingo
particular premises are licensed. operating and premises licences under the Act because A
ristocrat Technologies has
received multiple test lab
certifications for its new
they believe that this will allow them to take advantage of award-winning VIRIDIAN cabinet in
Single premises the gaming machine entitlements conferred by such key markets in North America.
Current UK licence conditions require that there should licences. In other cases operators have continued under a The product is now certified in
not be direct access between certain classes of licensed premises licence with arrangements that were permitted most GLI jurisdictions, New Jersey,
premises, but some operators and licensing authorities or required under their previous permit or licence. and three Canadian provinces, and is
have interpreted the provisions the act in ways that the For example, the Commission considers that in a on field trial in Colorado and Nevada.
Gambling Commission believes were not intended. betting, bingo or casino premises, the betting, bingo or
For instance, the Commission is aware of instances in casino gaming must constitute the primary activity and not
which an operator has ‘de-licensed’ a very small area be ancillary to, or even wholly superseded by, the gaming
Swiss on a roll?
within the footprint of a building, so that customers can machines which it is permissible to make available for
take one step into an unlicensed area (to which there is use under the relevant betting, bingo or casino licence.
no independent access from the street) and then another What constitutes primary or ancillary activity lies at the T
he Swiss Casino Association
reports that 2007 was a good
year for the country’s 17
step into a different licensed premises. heart of the matter and is a question of fact and degree casinos, with gaming profits up
The Commission doubts that the two licensed areas to be determined by the licensing authority in each case. 5.4 per cent, year-on-year. Visitor
numbers were up too, by 300,000
STOP PRESS:
New kind of table games: Surface
to five million. The good times may
not last though, because a smoking
IGT to buy Cyberview
I
nternational Game Technology H
arrah’s is the first casino of Harrah’s properties and ban is on the cards and new tax
company to use Microsoft attractions in Las Vegas, and flirt laws are in preparation.
Surface, a $10,000 30-inch with one another, between tables.
has announced that its wholly tablelike display that allows “This launch of Microsoft Surface
owned subsidiary, IGT, has individuals or groups of people to into our business is another
Irish Exhibition
entered into an agreement to interact with digital example of our next-
purchase substantially all of the content in a way that generation interactive
assets and business of Cyberview feels familiar by using customer relationship A
mEx 2009 – The 30th Irish
Gaming and Amusement
Exhibition, will be held at the
Technology, Inc., including cash on touch, gestures or management (CRM) Green Isle Hotel, Dublin on 3rd and
hand of approximately $17 million, objects from the capabilities that aim to 4th March 2009. AmEx is organised
for a cash purchase price of $76 real world. deliver personalised, by MD Associates and supported by
million. IGT will also enter into a Guests in the iBar ultra-lounge at interactive and immersive IGAA – The Irish Gaming and
licence agreement with Cyberview to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino experiences for guests as they Amusement Association.
gain access to certain Cyberview can access a suite of custom spend time at our properties,” said For further information phone
patents and technology not included applications which allow them to Tim Stanley, Harrah’s CIO and senior +353 45 521 190, email
in the asset purchase, for a one- play games, mix cocktails, view vice president of innovation, gaming martin@coin-opexpo.eu, or visit
time licence fee of $9 million. YouTube videos, take a virtual tour and technology. www.coin-opexpo.eu.
8 JULY/AUGUST 2008
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