Warrants Obtained To Seize Funds Linked To Cockfights

AR - Government investigators have obtained warrants to seize two sums of cash exceeding $8,600 believed to be connected to an illegal cockfighting enterprise, according to court records. McNatt and the Donelsons were arrested May 19 on state complaints of operating a gambling house; criminal use of property or laundering criminal proceeds; engaging in a continuing criminal gang, organization or enterprise; and cruelty to animals.

Ex-tribal police chief, officer sentenced in false records case

AZ - The FBI began looking into the use of White Mountain police department funds at casinos in early 2006 and federal prosecutors alleged Perry [former police chief] and Goode [police department investigator] embezzled between $10,000 and $20,000 over a five-year period.

S.F. Police Blotter: Neighborhood crime log

CA - Lost at the slots: Officers went to the 500 block of Mendell Street at 11:57 p.m. Dec. 27 regarding a possible case of embezzlement. The officers met with the owner, who told them his employee returned late from making his deliveries, and he was $2,889 short. When the owner asked his employee what happened to the money, the employee told him he gambled it away at a casino. The employee was arrested and booked.

Governor lobbied for big tribes

CA - A month ago, when controversial gambling compacts for four Southern California tribes completed a mysterious trip through the federal approval process, aides to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger acknowledged that the administration had made a call to Washington on the tribes' behalf.

Fugitive killed outside casino is identified

CA - Authorities on Wednesday identified the 24-year-old fugitive who was shot and killed outside a downtown Palm Springs casino after he allegedly pulled a weapon on law enforcement officers. A casino slot machine technician was hit in the leg by a stray bullet that shattered a glass door in a lounge area, officials said. Five officers fired their weapons at Garcia, Garcia died at the scene.

Ad Watch: Rich foes say gambling compacts unfair to poor

CA - "There are more than 100 Indian tribes in California, but the gambling deals on the ballot benefit the richest tribes and could devastate other tribes. It's unfair to let four powerful tribes control one-third of the state's Indian gaming pie.

Contrary views of RP casino debated

CA - A prominent supporter and opponent of a casino resort proposed near Rohnert Park squared off in a debate Wednesday, alternately describing the facility as either "a dream" or "a nightmare." Susan Adams, the chairwoman of the Rohnert Park Planning Commission, countered that "the beautiful dream (Moore) described for the tribe would be a nightmare for the citizens of Sonoma County." She said a casino would create major traffic problems, generating at least 20,000 more vehicle trips daily, lead to an increase in crime and gambling addiction and hurt existing businesses.

Upgrade routes to casino towns

CO - State Rep. Al White, R-Winter Park, has proposed asking voters to allow no-limit gambling in Colorado in the three historic towns where $5 bets already are allowed. Removal of the limits could bring Colorado an additional $100 million in yearly tax revenue, White says, and he wants to earmark it for tourism and higher education.

Gambling a common addiction on campus

OH - In the most comprehensive survey of its type, the NCAA found in 2003 that 63 percent of Division I male student-athletes gambled on everything from the lottery to card games. And more than 17 percent of Division I men admitted violating NCAA regulations by betting on collegiate sports. "Gambling is the second-fastest-growing addiction on college campuses, behind alcohol," Turner [professor at Ohio State University] said. Annenberg Public Policy Center... Found that weekly Internet gambling among college-age youth dropped from 5.8 percent in 2006 to 1.5 percent last year. A federal law enacted in late 2006 to prohibit banks and credit-card companies from transferring money to online casinos and poker sites might be eroding Internet play.

Conn. nixes casino checks

CT - As Indian casinos have ballooned into a $26 billion business, concerns about fraud inside the booming industry have also risen. The National Indian Gaming Commission, which oversees tribal casinos, has been teaming up with federal law enforcement officials in several states to combat fraud at casinos, both inside jobs and scams perpetrated by outsiders. But the federal commission has been unable to set up such a working group in Connecticut, despite approaching the U.S. Attorneys office in that state, according to Phil Hogen, chairman of the commission.

Indian gambling law stacks deck against communities, Baird says U.S. Rep. Brian Baird

D.C. - Congressman Brian Baird sees need for significant reform of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the 1988 federal law that has spawned an explosion in Indian casinos. "The deck is so stacked right now, in terms of process, against the local community." Gambling is addictive and not a desirable way to raise money or to boost the economy. The local economy would be better served to have the casino site used for industrial purposes.

Good Decision on Tribal Casinos

D.C. - Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne made exactly the right call when he recently denied permission to 11 Indian tribes around the country to acquire more land in order to build casinos. The secretarys reasoning was sound, not least because the casinos would be hundreds (and in two cases more than a thousand) miles from tribal reservations and thus of little benefit to tribal residents.

Delaware still seeking official status

DE - The Delaware, who number around 10,000, are on a short list of Oklahoma's nonfederally recognized tribes. There are 37 federally recognized tribes in the state, many which relocated to Oklahoma during the 1800s. Recognition is the gold standard for Indian groups, bringing with it federal subsidies, grant monies, health care, housing and tribal citizenship. Oklahoma does not grant state recognition, although some states, like California, do. Without recognition, Indian groups have no claim to trust property or to Indian gaming.

Anti-Slot Machine Group Rallies In Hialeah

FL - A Hialeah-based anti-slot machine group rallied against a gambling referendum Wednesday morning at Hialeah City Hall. "'Expanding gambling will only serve to erode our traditional industries, the industries we aspire to have and our very social fabric,'" wrote Bush in a letter read by Robaina.

Gambling 'a bigger threat' to tennis than drugs

FL - The world's No. 34 player, Potito Starace of Italy, calls his six-week suspension and $33,000 fine for gambling "a joke." It will cause him to miss the Australian Open, which begins today. The threat of match-fixing and potential influence by the Russian mob and other criminal elements casts a more menacing shadow over tennis than does drugs, U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe believes. The gambling, overall, I think is a bigger threat. Tennis is a very easy game to fix. You're talking about one player. You can lose and make it look extremely normal." What troubles McEnroe, his brother John and others is that several players have come forward to say they were offered money to throw matches. Belgian player Gilles Elseneer said he was offered $141,000 to lose to Starace at Wimbledon in 2005. Another Belgian, Dick Norman, said he also was offered money to throw a match at a tournament in Italy...

Big names line up for, against slots

FL - The debate over Miami-Dade County's slot machine proposal grew from a whisper to a shout this week, with pro-slots ads hitting the airwaves and the staunchly anti-slots former governor, Jeb Bush, finally stepping into the fray. ''As I did two years ago when I was governor, I am urging all of my fellow Miami-Dade residents to join me in voting no on Jan. 29 so that we may continue to protect our community and our families,'' Bush wrote. ``Expanded gambling will only serve to erode our traditional industries, the industries we aspire to have and our very social fabric.'' Robaina said Bush will be filming ads and making calls, among other anti-slots efforts.

Police arrest a full house

FL - Four people have been taken into custody on illegal gambling charges, stemming from a police raid... Stanovcak, Was charged with possession of Xanax, possession of cocaine and gambling.

Gambling industry needs to do more for compulsive gamblers

FL - The Florida Lottery folks agreed to spend one-half of 1 percent of their profits in 1988 to fund the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling.

Hialeah Mayor Changes Tune, Opposes Slots

FL - For the Jan. 29 vote, Robaina [mayor of Hialeah] said his change of heart and change of position came after speaking to the religious leaders and animal activists who are opposing the slots referendum. He insisted he would oppose slots even if Hialeah Park were eligible to get slots if they were approved.

Dade slots debate is catching fire

FL - United for Family Values kicked off the effort last month, vowing to bring pastors into a battle over the morality of gambling. This week, two more groups announced opposition: No Casinos Miami and The Truth for Our Community. They raised additional objections to slot machines including accusations of cruelty toward greyhounds used for racing, fears that casinos won't provide the promised economic benefits and anger that the famous but still-shuttered Hialeah Park race track has been kept out of the slots deal. None of the opposition groups claims to have much money yet. And already, some are talking about joining forces. United for Family Values, the pastor-driven group, may pair up with No Casinos Miami, a coalition that includes conservative Christians, Miami-Dade mothers against gambling and Grey2K USA, a national organization that opposes greyhound racing. If voters approve the referendum, it would allow the county's three parimutuels -- Miami Jai-Alai, Calder Race Course and Flagler Dog Track -- to install Las Vegas-style slot machines like those already in play in Broward County.

Commission to discuss more casino licenses

IA - The Iowa Racing and Gambling Commission has scheduled a meeting to discuss whether it should issue more gambling licenses. The state now has 20 casinos. That includes 14 riverboat casinos, three racetrack gambling operations and three American Indian casinos.

Approval of Ponca Tribe casino causes alarm in Iowa

IA - A major source of Iowa gambling tax revenue is in jeopardy in the wake of a federal decision that permits a Nebraska-based Indian tribe to open a casino in Carter Lake, an Iowa community on the Nebraska border. The National Indian Gaming Commission has ruled the Ponca Tribe should be permitted to establish a gambling operation on five acres of land it purchased in September 1999 to establish a health care facility. The action last month reversed a decision in October that determined the site did not meet federal requirements. Competition from a tribal casino in Carter Lake could potentially slice into Iowas tax revenue and have an impact on Council Bluffs casinos, officials said. American Indian casinos in Iowa dont pay state, city or county gambling taxes.

Iowa Lottery drops TouchPlay lawsuit against Cedar Rapids company

IA - But a lawsuit filed by dozens of former TouchPlay operators against the state is scheduled to go to trial this spring.

After ID bingo scandal, Lottery seeks to tighten reporting rules

ID - Charities that offer bingo and raffle games could face stricter requirements for tracking their proceeds under legislation proposed by the Idaho Lottery Commission in the wake of a bingo scandal that sent two men to federal prison. William J. Tway, a disbarred lawyer, and Robert J. Ford, who ran Big Bucks Bingo, were eventually sentenced last July in a separate federal case to six months in prison, nine months of home detention and fines of $30,000 apiece for a scheme to defraud the government through the gaming parlor they had operated in the Boise area since 1996. The Lottery Commission determined that they were inappropriately profiting from the games and that bingo revenues weren't being allocated to the charities in accordance with state law.

Casino warrant checks net hundreds

IL - More than 300 Illinois casino patrons were arrested in 2007 as a result of criminal warrant checks... In addition to running the names of patrons age 30 and under through a database to ensure self-excluded problem gamblers weren't getting in casinos, Illinois State Police are also checking IDs against criminal databases for warrants and unregistered sex offenders.

Fleece the voters

IL - The average loss in a visit to an Illinois casino has risen from $61.97 to $118.88. Attendance at casinos in the state has risen from 6.7 million to 16.1 million. With such numbers, the state could not go "cold turkey," but we believe the time has come to at least move away from the expansion of gambling and more to the control of gambling. Like tobacco and alcohol, treat it as a legal but undesirable addiction, which it is.

Illinois Gaming Expansion Stalls

IL - Gaming expansion, including authorization for slot machines at racetracks, appears to have been left at the starting gate once again in the Illinois General Assembly. Companion legislation, using money from gaming expansion to pay for downstate infrastructure improvements, was not called for consideration.

Capital bill could be on the horizon...or not

IL - While party perspectives remain clear, passing a statewide construction bill will ultimately hinge on establishing a funding source for the multi-billion legislation currently pitched as an expansion of gambling. The gaming bill would generate the necessary revenue to fund a statewide construction plan, and although lawmakers downstate wouldn't have to live with the ethical dilemmas of a casino in Chicago, the prospects of making Illinois the second largest state for gambling does have some searching for alternatives. "I think we have to be really careful about tying a teacher's salary to someone's gambling habits," said state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, one of nine Democrats who did not support the transit bill during its final vote Thursday.

Cities Join To Prevent Tax Loss

IN - Michigan City and other communities that host casinos must make the case that while the casinos have funneled millions of dollars into their communities, there are also costs involved for the communities in provide services, police and fire protection. And as casinos expand, so does the burden of providing those services.

Bar bets gain favor

IN - Lawmakers in both the House and Senate have filed legislation to allow bars and taverns to offer paper pull tabs and other small-stakes gambling opportunities. And, Bell [Rep] said, this proposal is not the behemoth of electronic gambling they have sought in the past that brought to mind mini-casinos on every corner. Pull-tab distributors describe them as small paper games of chance used for profit-making or fundraising. The front side of the pull tab shows winning combinations of symbols and prizes a player can win. The back side of the pull tab has windows to open. If the symbols underneath the pull-tab windows match the winning combinations on the front of the pull tab, the player wins. Legions and private clubs have offered paper pull tabs for years under a bingo license. Under the bill, thousands of businesses with alcoholic beverage retail permits could pay a $250 fee to obtain a license to offer the games. The annual renewal license fee would become more expensive, between $50 and $26,000, depending on the adjusted gross gaming revenue generated by a retailer in the previous year.

GOP knocks plan to pay on bonds with gambling dollars

KS - Sebelius wants to use more than $57 million in gambling dollars in that way during the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Governors budget foresees $81 million in gambling revenue

KS - Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius presented her detailed budget recommendations to lawmakers today that included $81 million in spending from gambling revenue. Its troubling to be spending gaming dollars before the (Kansas) Supreme Court has ruled on it, said Rep. Kevin Yoder, Its balancing the budget on funds that may or may not be there.

Gambling revenue earmarked for debt reduction, programs

KS - While Sebelius made plans to spend gambling revenue, the Supreme Court is evaluating whether the Kansas Constitution allows construction of resort casinos and placement of slots at tracks. Under state law, the new gambling money must be used for state debt reduction, infrastructure improvements or property tax relief. Sebelius decided not to devote a portion of this new gaming revenue to cutting property taxes.

Betting on the casinos

KY - If the efforts in Kentucky, Florida and Illinois are successful, Churchill could achieve its long-standing goal of having expanded gambling at all its racetracks. "All three have aligned about the same time and just happens to be concurrent with our slot operations at Fair Grounds Louisiana," said Steve Sexton, an executive vice president for the company and Churchill Downs track president. " We've got four pretty active states, in some cases very active, in terms of getting expanded gaming in place." Churchill has sought expanded gambling -- slot machines, table games and other electronic games -- since the 1990s. The company reported spending $770,000 on political activities in the third quarter of 2007, and President Bob Evans has said Churchill planned to spend $2 million during the last three months of the year. "We're really looking for the governor to take the lead on it and determine how it will play out, but I think that in and of itself -- the leadership in the governor's office -- is far ahead of where we've been in the past," Sexton said.

Fly-by-night casino casts dicey pall on arcades

FL - Raymond and Margaret Freeswick were owed a combined $325 in gift cards when Atlantis abruptly closed its doors. At gaming arcades customers pay money for cards that they use on casino-style slot and video machines. The player adds more credit to the card by paying more money or through winnings. The cards can be redeemed for Visa gift cards or gift cards from local retailers and restaurants. Bursiek and Murphys [Atlantis owners] dishonesty adds credence to the position that adult arcades are nothing more than criminal enterprises masquerading as family entertainment. Couple that with addiction specialists opinions that arcades feed and foster compulsive gambling among seniors, and Florida Legislators may heed the call to shut these operations down.

Debaters turn up the heat on casinos

KY - Questions such as whether casinos would lead to increased crime if Kentucky expands gambling brought sometimes heated exchanges yesterday in a Louisville Forum debate over offering slot machines and other games in the state. John-Mark Hack, chairman of the Say No To Casinos campaign, cited statistics showing Atlantic City, N.J., has a higher crime rate than the nation as a whole. "Harrison County, Indiana, doesn't have a large population," Hack said after citing the Atlantic City crime statistics. "But I will tell you this, the West End of Louisville cannot afford another source of addiction. And addiction is what prompts crimes, and casinos are documented to draw their clientele disproportionately from disadvantaged communities, lower-income communities, regardless of race."

Lawmakers react to gambling projection

KY - A projection that casino gambling will bring Kentucky much less tax revenue than the advertised $500 million may be dampening some lawmakers interest in the plan.

From: Casino Watch <photofixr@casinowatch.org> - Opponents of expanded gambling in Kentucky argued today that legislators voting to allow a statewide ballot question on casinos would be endorsing the idea.