Gamblers are wondering how much longer they can roll the dice at the Seneca's temporary casino in Downtown Buffalo.

Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg has the latest as the National Indian Gaming Commission responds to a court ruling against the Senecas.

Patrons are still filing in and out of the Seneca Nation's temporary casino at Michigan and Perry, even as the National Indian Gaming Commission said the operation is in violation of Federal law.

U.S. District Judge William Skretny has already ruled gambling on this particular site in Buffalo illegal, and the Indian Gaming Commission was obligated to issue a notice of violation.

Anti-Casino Lead Attorney Neil Murray said, "They just can't sit there and allow it to continue. Otherwise, they risk the rath of Judge Skretny, who keeps closing the door a little tighter. He closed the door, now he turned the knob, and he's about to put the key in and lock it."

So far, no one has turned the key, not the judge or the Gaming Commission.

The Seneca's quickly filed an appeal with the Commission, which could trigger a two or three-month review of the case, and it is possible the casino could remain opened during that review.

Many patrons believe they should have the right to spend their money any way they see fit.

Those opposed to casino gambling in Erie County believe the odds are turning in their favor.

Citizens Against Casino Gambling in Erie County Joel Rose said, "We fully expect them to comply with the judge's order. Eventually the only place that that can lead is to close down the casino. The casino is an illegal operation."

They could force the closing of the temporary casino and also impose fines of $25,000 a day, if the Seneca's do not shut it down.

They could also let it stay opened until the appeal is reviewed.

More than 20 years after fleeing communism in Vietnam, where his business was seized and he was jailed, Quang Ha fears he could lose his business in this country.

He and other property owners in Atlantic City are afraid the city could try to take their land to make way for a $2 billion casino.

"I'm too small," the jewelry store owner said. "That's why they're stepping on me."

The City Council voted Wednesday night to designate land near the former Sands Casino Hotel _ where Pinnacle Entertainment plans to build its beach house-themed casino _ as an area in need of redevelopment.

But the council included only land already owned by Pinnacle, saying it might add other properties later. For now, that spares Quang's shop.

Quang's not upset about being left out of the zone _ or at the prospect of getting a higher price for his property from the city if he is compelled to sell it. Rather, he objects to cities exercising the power of eminent domain, which he considers an abuse of government power akin to those in communist countries.

Eminent domain is a legal process by which governments _ after paying fair compensation to the owner _ can take control of privately owned property they determine they need for a public purpose.

It originally was used to acquire land for highways, public buildings and airports but now is often used to clear the way for private commercial projects on the theory that the economic activity they generate benefits the public.

Atlantic City officials say they have no plan to use eminent domain to help assemble land for the Pinnacle project.

"There are only rare occasions when it should be used," Mayor Scott Evans said.

Jack Plackter, an attorney for Pinnacle, said the company already has bought most of the land it needs and is "extremely sympathetic to property owners' rights."

"But, say there's one small property at the center of the site where we've offered one and a half or even two times what it's worth, and they're still refusing to sell," Plackter said. "Some neutral third party would have to weigh the needs and rights of that property owner to be fairly compensated against a project that could create 10,000 or 15,000 jobs."

Nancy Steele, whose family has owned a landmark fudge shop on the Boardwalk for 30 years, said Pinnacle approached her about a year ago about acquiring her property, then backed off when the economy turned sour. She's nervous that when the company's plans move forward, she could be faced with losing her business.

"We bought this thinking we'd be here forever," she said. "To think someone can come and take it away is troubling."

But she stopped short of saying she'd never sell, regardless of the price offered.

"I'd have to consult with my partners," she said.

OLG is committed to being a great partner in communities across Ontario, and we are proud to demonstrate this by being Deputy Sponsor of the WindReach Farm Autumn's Harvest. This event contributes to local culture and tourism, and OLG is thrilled to participate and help build a stronger community.

Taking place September 6, the WindReach Farm Autumn's Harvest is a great local event that helps build community pride while creating excitement and entertainment for the people of Ashburn and neighbouring areas. This is just one more way OLG is creating "Everyday Possibilities" for Ontarians.

Supporting community events reflects OLG's commitment to connecting and maintaining positive partnerships with communities across the province - a key measure of performance. OLG is also committed to providing great gaming experiences, protecting public trust and generating economic benefits.

OLG operates Slots at Ajax Downs which employs 241 workers. The gaming site shares its slot revenue directly with the City of Ajax. Since the gaming site opened February 28, 2006, Ajax has received more than $10.9 million in slot revenue.

OLG is a provincial agency responsible for province-wide lottery games and gaming facilities. Since 1975, OLG lotteries, Casinos, Slots, and Resort Casinos have generated more than $23 billion for the benefit of the Province of Ontario. Gaming proceeds support Ontario's hospitals, amateur sport, recreational and cultural activities, communities, provincial priority programs such as health care and education, and local and provincial charities and non-profit organizations through the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

A new College called the International Gambling College is drawing the attention of gamblers, mathematicians, and the general public, as it introduces serious gambling students to state-of-the-art player training methods, and prepares to expand its training to people in Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

The successful emergence of this unlikely institute of higher learning has primarily been made possible by advances in the science of Fractals, Chaos, and a new level of understanding in gambler psychology. In the process, the curriculum has opened unexpected educational, and vocational possibilities to enthusiastic students -- students who are coming away from their learning experience with dramatic new perspectives and a surprisingly effective set of new skills.

Founded by the world's premier trainer of high stakes gamblers, Ben Yarbrough, the college also offers introductory books both online and in bookstores. "Black Sheep Uncle", for example -- a finance and gambling expose distributed by Baker & Taylor, is currently making its debut. Yarbrough's first book on gambling "Modern Day Pirates -- Don't Play Poker" has recently been translated into both Traditional and Simplified Chinese. According to coach Yarbrough, "The Chinese people have a more positive attitude about gambling and winning than does the typical American." Consequently, offering a translated version of this gambling sourcebook and player training in the Chinese language is a perfect fit, and expansion of college training services into Chinese markets is expected to follow soon after upcoming book releases.

Previous college gambling students have ranged from serious investor class individuals motivated by profit alone, to captains of industry and philanthropists more often motivated by simple FUN. However, the current target market for this training, has been broadened to also include professional class students.

The College's Motto: "PREYED UPON" when you "PLAY FOR FUN"? -- we can help!" (Their focus is to turn players into SAVVY successful "Modern Day Pirates").

Training programs currently offered through the college are:

(1) Home study only -- A complete Training Program which the student obtains and studies at home -- using instructor support via email (when necessary), and,

(2) "In-Casino" training with a college instructor present (in addition to home study).

Macau casinos could benefit from new regulations allowing direct flights between mainland China and Taiwan, Jefferies Research analysts said in a note Tuesday.

The gambling enclave has long served as a stopover between the two regions, restricting the Macau airport's capacity, and the new regulations would allow it to handle more incoming passengers.

Shares of Macau casino operators slipped last month when a news report said the Chinese government may place new restrictions on visits to Macau, such as limiting the number of allowed visits from the mainland beginning in October. Visitors are now permitted to go to Macau once every two months.

Analyst Lawrence Klatzkin had said the slowdown could encourage the government to rescind any visa restrictions.

MGM Mirage, Wynn Resorts Ltd. and Las Vegas Sands Corp. have operations in Macau.

After seeking to ban Western dance and pop music, Malaysia's northern state of Kedah wants to phase out gaming houses, something the non-Muslims, especially ethnic Chinese, resent.

State Chinese Community Affairs Committee chairman Tan Wei Shu said although gambling was wrong in Chinese culture, the community would kick up a fuss if the local authorities shut down common gaming houses, reported The Star Sunday.

'Many of them are into betting numbers and buying lotteries.

'The existing gaming houses that are operating legally should be allowed to carry on with their businesses without threats of closure,' he was quoted in The Star Sunday.

Kedah has a government headed by opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat (PR) of which an Islamist party, Parti Islami SeMalaysia (PAS), is a constituent.

Shu, who is also an executive council member (minister), emphasised that Kedah was a Pakatan Rakyat government, not a PAS government.

'Elected representatives should work towards making life easier for the rakyat (public), not harder. We should not scare people away. We must also not make people angry or we will lose support,' he said.

Shu said this in response to state housing and local government committee chairman Mohamad Taulan Mat Rasul's proposal to eventually phase out gaming houses in the state. Rasul belongs to PAS.

He said the state government would get a feedback from the public and community leaders before banning all forms of gambling.

Kedah has sought to ban pop music and dance since the PR government took office in March this year. However, the other constituents of the alliance have resisted PAS agenda, generating a debate within the country.

PartyGaming, the online gaming firm, today reported a 19 per cent drop in the number of people playing its poker games.

PartyGaming, which runs the PartyPoker and PartyBets Web sites, said its trading in the past two months had been in line with management expectations except for poker which was “slightly softer” than expected, sending its shares down 2.7 per cent to 207.75p in early trading.

The average number of active daily poker players in July and August was 19 per cent lower than in the first six months of 2008, while gross revenue was down 9 per cent in August compared with July.

The news overshadowed first half results showing average gross daily revenue was $1.6 million per day, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation rose by 76 per cent in the six months to June 30 to $64.9 million – well above average analysts’ expectations of $57.7 million.
Jim Ryan, recently-appointed chief executive of PartyGaming, said: “Whilst trading in poker since June 30 has been slightly softer than we would have expected ... the board remains confident about the group’s future prospects.”

PartyGaming also said that it was targeting a successful resolution to talks with the US Department of Justice, over the threat of prosecution for taking US wagers over the internet in the past, this year and has placed new Chairman Rod Perry in charge of the process.

A deal with the DoJ could leave online firms clear to re-enter the United States if internet gambling is ever permitted there.

PartyGaming’s share price collapsed after it was banned from doing business in the lucrative US market following a rule change in 2006. The US Congress made it illegal to make payments to online gambling sites.

As reported by the Press of Atlantic City: "Slot parlors in Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware have been chipping away at Atlantic City's business, but at least the casinos no longer have to worry about losing their customers to New Jersey racetracks.

"After more than a year of negotiations, the casinos have finally wrapped up an agreement with the horseracing industry to block slot machine-like video lottery terminals at the tracks, a casino representative said Wednesday.

"The agreement, signed Aug. 13 without fanfare and with no public announcement, requires the casinos to pay the tracks $90 million over the next three years in exchange for a moratorium on VLTs.

"Casinos vigorously opposed VLTs as debate raged in the state Legislature on whether to place thousands of the machines at the Meadowlands track in northern New Jersey. The issue died down when Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed legislation in April to keep VLTs out of New Jersey for the next three years, while requiring the casinos to bail out the financially ailing tracks.

"...Even though Corzine signed the no-VLT legislation into law months ago, the final details for the subsidy agreement had to be worked out between the Governor's Office, the Casino Association and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the state agency representing the horseracing industry.

"...The new agreement calls for the governor to form a committee to study the long-term financial viability of the tracks, a sign that the casinos want to see some other funding source in place of their subsidies after 2011..."

A chance of thunderstorms lingers for the Las Vegas Valley today after yesterday afternoon's storms brought lightning, thunder, rain and penny-sized hail to western Henderson and downtown Las Vegas, the National Weather Service said.

Las Vegas firefighters reported penny-sized hail at Commerce Street and Main Street as well as a tree struck by lightning in the downtown area Monday.

Temperatures dropped into the 70s overnight, but a warming trend is on the way, the weather service said.

Forecasts for heat are running 3 to 8 degrees above normal, putting Las Vegas and even Death Valley at a possible hot start to the three-day Labor Day weekend.

Death Valley never has registered 125 degrees after Aug. 18, the weather service noted, but it is predicted that Thursday and Friday the temperature could get close, reaching 123 degrees there. In Las Vegas, the heat could run 106 to 108 degrees for those two days, the weather service said.

At this time of year, Las Vegas forecasters issue an excessive heat warning if the daytime temperature reaches 108 degrees, and the weather service is watching for that possibility through this week.

Another taste of southwestern monsoons is on tap for Saturday through the holiday weekend, the weather service said.

There's a chance of isolated to scattered thunderstorms in Southern Nevada, Arizona and Southern California, especially on Sunday, forecasters said.

Luck seems to be with Missouri's gambling industry, despite the struggling economy.

The latest figures from the Missouri Gaming Commission show overall casino revenue went up 7% in July, taking it to nearly $147 million.

Some casino's reported an increase of more than 14%.

At Lady Luck in Caruthersville, manager Lyle Randolph says numbers are up just a bit, about 1%. Randolph says people still want to be entertained. And lucky for Missouri, it appears most residents choose to look for a good time close to home.

"I was here last week and spent $20," said Michael Thomas. "I walked out with $240. I think it helps the economy. It keeps spirits up."

"I think what we're seeing is customers who want to say close to home and still look for good, safe value with a short drive," said Randolph.

Meanwhile, some visitors say they choose to take the short drive to Missouri's casino's, over Illinois where smoking is banned.

"We are fortunate not to have a ban here," said Randolph. "And, as we speak the experience here is changing. We've recently re branded as ‘Lady Luck' and we're in the midst of a renovation."

Visitors say it's enough to keep them coming back, knowing if they play their cards right they could walk out a few dollars richer.

"It's money management," said Thomas.

Caruthersville Mayor Diane Sayre says checks from the casino remain consistent. She still sees Lady Luck as a benefit due to capital improvements projects, and jobs created. Meanwhile, new casinos in St. Louis made up $14 million of the $147 million in revenue.