New Mexico Tribes Fight to Ban Online Gambling
Blackmail is this kind of ugly word, but it’s difficult to visit a brand new Navajo Nations gambling compact with the state of New Mexico in any other light; the brand new agreement, now being negotiated, would effectively allow the tribe to withhold any slot machine revenue due the Land of Enchantment should state legislators put through laws that could allow for online poker, or any other form of Web casino gambling, for that matter.
New Navajo Compact
The Navajos are agreeing not to provide online gambling by themselves without state or federal sanctioning of such off-reservation activity. As the reality of federal passage of almost any online gambling legislation becomes dimmer by the afternoon, it appears unlikely the tribe will have to worry about renegotiating, but if this ever does occur, they could then review and revise the regards to their slots revenue-sharing deal with New Mexico.
Under the present regards to the lightweight, non-tribal slots are restricted to simply racetracks and fraternal/veterans teams; poker, nevertheless, has no restrictions that are such. Should the Navajo tribe decide to start their own online gambling endeavor, the exact same revenue-sharing arrangement because of the state would apply, excepting poker profits.
Governor’s Office Speaks Up
Sticking up on her behalf bread-and-butter, New Mexico governor Susana Martinez recently told the Albuquerque Journal that she’s convinced the Navajo’s land gaming ventures will ultimately ‘provide for more jobs and better serve the interests of brand New Mexico economic development’ than on the web gambling would be likely to complete. She added that the new proposal would ‘discourage the use of internet gaming into the state, while ensuring that, if internet gaming is adopted, revenue sharing continues in light of any new benefit/detriment to [the tribe].’ Translation: we’re not going to bite the hand that is currently feeding us.
The new contract has been approved by way of a joint Committee on Compacts currently, but as lawmakers were late in receiving the final worded text of this compact, a vote has not yet been planned for final approval.
Caesars’ ‘No Resort Fees’ Campaign Screeches to a Halt with, Yup, Resort Fees
If somebody stated you’d to cover ‘resort fees,’ you might think about hot chicks serving you massive piña coladas and grapes, while simultaneously fanning you with a huge palm frond. And great deal of you’d probably be happy to purchase those solutions, too. But think about being billed every time you utilize Wi-Fi, spot a call that is local or use a health and fitness center? True, many accommodations around the planet have been charging you fairly outrageous fees for those things for a long time; particularly pricier city that is big where they understand guests can’t do without. But Vegas?
With some exceptions, gambling has been the equalizer that is great eliminated the need for crazy pricey hotel rooms or niggling over every service used. Well, maybe not anymore. In fact, after launching a decisive ‘No Resort Fees’ campaign back 2010, (just being a few other Strip properties were tacking them on), Caesars has become not only stepping on the brakes for that campaign, but backing the heck up and completely changing their tune. Their campaign that is new might something more like ‘Hell Ya, Resort costs All Day Long!’ Welcome to the wonderful world of corporate bottom lines.
Dollars Seem Sensible
While Gary Thompson, Caesars’ manager of business communications, may parlay that it’s something guests asked for (really Gary? C’mon now), it’s more likely something that the marketing division asked for after searching at how much other business hotel chains make each time you hook into their Wi-Fi. Through the entire past decade, more and more hotels across the U.S. have already been quietly tacking them on under their non-specific pseudonym, and evidently few guests bother to concern exactly what they are (maybe afraid it relates to the porn flick they plugged in the night before.)
Originally introduced in 1997 being an ‘amenity tariff,’ resort fees went up during 10 associated with past 13 years, according up to a report from New York University’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management, which tracks trends that are nationaland ideally does not come up with names for other things).
The resort industry garnered some $1.85 billion in resort fees overall in 2011, plus it’s predicted that 2012′s final tally will take the $1.95 billion range.
‘Based regarding the current industry standards in the market and assessment of the services our guests choose and use, a thorough package of bundled services and amenities proves to be the best and most meaningful value to the guests,’ Thompson stated. Sounds so much better than, ‘We prepare to upcharge you sneeze, but we’ll get it done in one single huge lump amount.’
Romania On Track for Legalized Online Gambling
While the U.S. scrambles state-by-state to finally get legalized online gambling in destination, you’ll all be much relieved to realize that over in Eastern Europe, the legal beagles aren’t asleep during the wheel either; Romania is hard at work developing a National Gambling Office (NGO), which will oversee the regulatory process for online gambling in that country.
Ah yes, Romania: land associated with reputed Count Dracula’s castle, Europe’s population that is largest of brown bears, and soon, somewhere you can gamble online to your hearts content without a qualm. It doesn’t get definitely better than that. Now it is possible to take your tablet down seriously to the Black Sea and play casino games while your kids frolic in the waves.
European Commission Displeased
It’s actually been two years since initial play that is online was passed, however a monitoring and reporting agency had yet to be created, that has stalled the process up until now.
Beyond that, but, the European Commission (EC), the executive body of the European Union (EU) that oversees everything to accomplish with laws affecting the EU as a whole, has taken umbrage with a few of the initial provisions of the legislation to date. The most pressing of these was a requirement that any EU-licensed online video gaming operators have a legal existence in Romania, also as one stating that online gaming licenses would only be granted to those companies with either a direct or indirect shareholder or partnership connection in a romanian casino that is land-based. (As that’s pretty much the same manner they set these things up in the U.S., we’re perhaps not certain just what all the ruckus is about with that provision, but hey, that is just us.)
Taking a Bite Out of This Market
Although these measures are not appearing all that draconian to us, evidently they don’t stay too well with some other international operators; perhaps they’re afraid of vampires late during the night in their gambling enterprises. Anyway, apparently, some of this EU’s objections were addressed, such as appeasing them with revised tax calculations. It will all start to unfold after April 15, as that’s when the NGO will start up formally, and companies will be able to make an application for online gaming licenses in Romania.
Hopefully, it won’t be a mess that is bloody.
Vietnam’s Ho Tram Strip Venture Attempting to Come Back In to Life
We promise we won’t make endless, juvenile jokes this time about a place because of the unfortunate title of the Ho Tram Strip; suffice what are the three party slogans in 1984 it to say, the Vietnamese version of the Las Vegas Strip is actually an oceanfront resort-casino that is integrated, designed to fundamentally offer five luxury properties, a PGA-caliber 18-hole tennis course, world-class entertainment, and miles of beachfront property overlooking the South Asia Sea. But it is off to a rockier start than an avalanche in a quarry, especially aided by the current withdrawal of MGM Resorts International from the project to its management agreement.
Brand New Certificate Issued
It is the initial news that is good this troubled project in awhile; the Vietnamese federal government has now formally reissued an investment certification to your Vancouver-based company that’s the mastermind behind the former MGM Grand Ho Tram (which to the knowledge has not yet been renamed). Asian Coast Development Ltd’s (ACDL) CEO Lloyd Nathan issued a statement saying the certificate that is new all of his company’s requested amendments, but it doesn’t look most likely that which will entice MGM Resorts Int’l to have right back into bed with this Ho Tram Strip project (okay, one little juvenile laugh, we are done now, really.)
Without MGM, the resort-casino venture loses panache and position to lure other investors. Meanwhile, Nathan told GamblingCompliance that ACDL is ‘exploring several alternatives, all of them positive.’ In the interim, the business’s first purchase of company is to get its line of credit restored to its former $175 million limitation with its banking backers. The banks obviously got a tad nervous late last year when ACDL’s initial investment certification was withdrawn as soon as the company came up short on several construction milestones, which was also what pushed MGM to be finished with the project. The previously projected 2013 opening has now been defer to who understands when.
That Is Off Limits?
One of many things we find fascinating about some of the more recent casino jobs in the far reaches associated with world is their dictums about locals maybe not being allowed in. What’s that about? Whatever the reasoning, the Ho Tram project has indeed seen its share of regulatory dilemmas, due to the fact Vietnamese government irons out their views on junket operators and casino attendance that is local. The see-sawing is making one major investor a bit queasy; US local gaming operator Pinnacle Entertainment has recently written off $25 million of its initial $110 million ACDL investment, even though they carry on to put on a 26 percent stake in the company that is beleaguered.
House of Bourbon Renaissance with Macau’s New Louis XIII Casino
Nothing states ‘upscale casino for the uber rich’ such as a 17th century French king whose whole family bore the charming name of ‘Bourbon,’ and for whom a rather pricey and fantastically packed cognac is now named, does it? Et voilà, there you have it: the unabashed logic behind naming a brand new super posh Macau casino project ‘Louis XIII.’
Perhaps not since famous as his progeny Louis XIV or the ill-fated king that is final the Bourbon line, Louis XVI (Marie Antoinette’s hubby), but you can’t argue with having some really good booze as your namesake, when it comes all the way down to it.
Limited to the Really Rich
With plans to start construction regarding the luxe property this month, Louis XIII Holdings, Ltd. expects to complete this Asian gambling palace sometime around late 2015 or early 2016; you can’t rush a royal court, after all.
And for all that point, there will still just be 230 spaces available, ranging from a ‘tiny’ 2,000 square feet to enough room for all your lords and women and their lords and women, at, gasp, 20,000 square feet. (simply for contrast’s sakes, that’s only 2,000 square foot under HEF’s entire Playboy Mansion in L.A.). According to Louis XIII chairman Stephen Hung, the new resort name ‘captures the essence associated with unprecedented, uber-luxury experience we are offering rich guests.’
Did We Say Very Rich? We Meant Filthy Rich
Lest any bougie types think they can hustle their method in, think once again; the property that is new retail area is not targeted at any carpetbaggers or their ilk. (Please forgive us the mixed historical metaphors). As an example, simply to split up the golden wheat from the chaff, a Louis XIII press release helps it be abundantly clear that if you cannot afford a ‘minimum cost of $1 million’ whenever you shop there, you might aswell just leave your tacky, low-budget self at home, harumph.
As for minimum gambling levels, they truly are actually maybe not that crazy ‘spensive. As Hung awaits the final okay of gaming regulators on his proposed 66 tables, 16 of which will be ‘VIP,’ with the remaining 50 being merely ‘premium mass,’ (whatever that means), it looks like minimum table wagers will be starting at about $644.