Like some other, suposedly more liberal, counties, China is grappling with ways to prevent its residents from gambling at Internet casinos. Unlike those other nations, China has virtually no restriction on government actions, allowing it extreme measures to dissuade online casino play.
An announcement by the Chinese government today emphasized the plan to block hostile Internet influences operating outside its borders. Among the types of online sites targeted by the Chinese are gambling, pornography, and fradulent operations, and also political and informative sites and even search engines such as Google.
Google said last month it would no longer cooperate with Chinese censorship, and relocated its Chinese search engine to Hong Kong.
"We will strengthen the blocking of harmful information from outside China to prevent harmful information from being disseminated in China and withstand online penetration by overseas hostile forces," said the head of the governmental Information Office.
The government has enacted a law requiring Internet service providers to report users discussing state secrets. The category of state secrets is so broadly defined that virtually any issue desired can be linked to security.
Online gambling operators have received lengthy prison sentences, while three protesters posting articles about a pregnant woman who died in police custody were imprisoned for slander.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Casino Gambling Begins In New Brunswick Today
On Tuesday, another Canadian province will open their doors to casino gambling for the first time. Casino New Brunswick will open with the intention of providing entertainment for customers, while bringing in millions of dollars in revenue.
The government is hoping that the casino becomes a big success. Early estimates are that the casino could generate $25 million annually. That would be beneficial for both the casino developer, Sonco Gaming New Brunswick, Ltd., and the government.
Casino New Brunswick took $90 million and several years to develop. The casino will be home to 500 slot machines and twenty-two table games. A poker room with eight poker tables will also be available to customers. Government officials are excited about the possibilities.
"We think it's going to help to bring some business to New Brunswick, to the Moncton region certainly, and create 400 jobs," said Marc Belliveau, spokesman for the Department of Finance, as reported by The Canadian Press, "so the spin-offs associated with this kind of gaming center are very, very positive for the province."
While the revenue will be great, some government officials believe that the social ills will also be many. The concern is that the casino will lead more people down the path of gambling addiction. Increased crime is also a possibility, according to several casino opponents.
Casinos have become commonplace in Canada. With the opening of the New Brunswick casino today, only Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador are left without casino gambling. Several provinces are also looking into the possibility of regulating online gambling.
The government is hoping that the casino becomes a big success. Early estimates are that the casino could generate $25 million annually. That would be beneficial for both the casino developer, Sonco Gaming New Brunswick, Ltd., and the government.
Casino New Brunswick took $90 million and several years to develop. The casino will be home to 500 slot machines and twenty-two table games. A poker room with eight poker tables will also be available to customers. Government officials are excited about the possibilities.
"We think it's going to help to bring some business to New Brunswick, to the Moncton region certainly, and create 400 jobs," said Marc Belliveau, spokesman for the Department of Finance, as reported by The Canadian Press, "so the spin-offs associated with this kind of gaming center are very, very positive for the province."
While the revenue will be great, some government officials believe that the social ills will also be many. The concern is that the casino will lead more people down the path of gambling addiction. Increased crime is also a possibility, according to several casino opponents.
Casinos have become commonplace in Canada. With the opening of the New Brunswick casino today, only Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador are left without casino gambling. Several provinces are also looking into the possibility of regulating online gambling.
Macau Casino Gives Wynn Resorts a Solid Quarter
It's been a tough year for the live casino industry in the United States, but it looks like casino mogul Steve Wynn has found a new country to build his Wynn empire.
The Wynn Resorts Ltd quarter numbers have been better than expected, and analysts believe it's their new casino industry in Macau, China that has been a big part of the impressive numbers.
"The Macau numbers were well above expectations, even given very bad win rates," said Sanford Bernstein analyst Janet Brashear. "Las Vegas looks like it's sort of hanging in there — it wasn't as terrible as it could have been."
Macau had a 31.6 percent growth in the last year. The growth of the casino industry has been so impressive in China that Wynn is planning to move his entire casino base to Macau, to start a new Chinese Vegas.
Wynn has two resorts in Macau, the Wynn Macau and the Encore extension, the latter opened last week to a spectacular fireworks show.
Could this mean the end of significant growth in Sin City?
John L. Smith, a columnist with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, essentially said that Wynn is abandoning the city that build his empire. "Las Vegas, which has given Wynn everything he has ever asked, is struggling," he wrote. "Unlike Wynn, most locals can't cut and run."
Wynn has told analysts that he was unlikely to invest much anymore in casinos in the U.S., with the possible exception of Massachusetts if that state expands gambling.
Fortunately for us, the online casino industry is alive and well, and won't be going anywhere in the near future.
The Wynn Resorts Ltd quarter numbers have been better than expected, and analysts believe it's their new casino industry in Macau, China that has been a big part of the impressive numbers.
"The Macau numbers were well above expectations, even given very bad win rates," said Sanford Bernstein analyst Janet Brashear. "Las Vegas looks like it's sort of hanging in there — it wasn't as terrible as it could have been."
Macau had a 31.6 percent growth in the last year. The growth of the casino industry has been so impressive in China that Wynn is planning to move his entire casino base to Macau, to start a new Chinese Vegas.
Wynn has two resorts in Macau, the Wynn Macau and the Encore extension, the latter opened last week to a spectacular fireworks show.
Could this mean the end of significant growth in Sin City?
John L. Smith, a columnist with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, essentially said that Wynn is abandoning the city that build his empire. "Las Vegas, which has given Wynn everything he has ever asked, is struggling," he wrote. "Unlike Wynn, most locals can't cut and run."
Wynn has told analysts that he was unlikely to invest much anymore in casinos in the U.S., with the possible exception of Massachusetts if that state expands gambling.
Fortunately for us, the online casino industry is alive and well, and won't be going anywhere in the near future.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Mosely's Gambling Not Enough to Beat Mayweather at MGM Casino
Sugar Shane Mosely surprised Floyd Mayweather by gambling on coming after him early, but once Mayweather adjusted, the heavily anticipated boxing match became one-sided. Observers at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas saw Mayweather recover quickly from a second-round stunner to dominate the rest of the fight.
Mosely entered the bout considered number three in the mythical world pound-for-pound championship, behind Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, in no certain order. After its conclusion, Saturday night's match left no doubt as to the gap between Mosely and Mayweather.
Mayweather appeared dazed in the second round as a Mosely right caught him square, leaving him smiling but moving slowly and flat-footed. But Mosely was unable to finish the champ before the bell, and Mayweather began meeting his opponent's charges by standing his ground, flicking his head and waist just enough to slip the first punches and repeatedly scoring with counters.
Some had thought Mosely's speed would neutralize Mayweather's legendary defense, but it was Mayweather's power and ability to hurt Mosely that seemed most unexpected. At the end, Mosely looked close to done, but Mayweather never has a problem taking home a decision, so he allowed the judges to assert his victory, finding him better in eleven of the twelve rounds.
Gambling had been suprisingly brisk on Mosely, as many continue to question Mayweather's brilliance because he doesn't deliver knockouts. Despite a 40-0 record going in, Mayweather was only -380 just before the fight, unusually low odds for a man mentioned among the best ever.
"It's a contact sport, and you're going to get hit," Mayweather said in talking about the second round. "But when you get hit, you suck it up and keep on fighting."
Talk at the casino after the fight among viewers was frequently about hopes that soon they'd be gambling on Mayweather-Pacquiao, the final test of the greatest at any weight.
Mosely entered the bout considered number three in the mythical world pound-for-pound championship, behind Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, in no certain order. After its conclusion, Saturday night's match left no doubt as to the gap between Mosely and Mayweather.
Mayweather appeared dazed in the second round as a Mosely right caught him square, leaving him smiling but moving slowly and flat-footed. But Mosely was unable to finish the champ before the bell, and Mayweather began meeting his opponent's charges by standing his ground, flicking his head and waist just enough to slip the first punches and repeatedly scoring with counters.
Some had thought Mosely's speed would neutralize Mayweather's legendary defense, but it was Mayweather's power and ability to hurt Mosely that seemed most unexpected. At the end, Mosely looked close to done, but Mayweather never has a problem taking home a decision, so he allowed the judges to assert his victory, finding him better in eleven of the twelve rounds.
Gambling had been suprisingly brisk on Mosely, as many continue to question Mayweather's brilliance because he doesn't deliver knockouts. Despite a 40-0 record going in, Mayweather was only -380 just before the fight, unusually low odds for a man mentioned among the best ever.
"It's a contact sport, and you're going to get hit," Mayweather said in talking about the second round. "But when you get hit, you suck it up and keep on fighting."
Talk at the casino after the fight among viewers was frequently about hopes that soon they'd be gambling on Mayweather-Pacquiao, the final test of the greatest at any weight.
‘Casino Jack’ Opens This Weekend
I caught Alex Gibney’s documentary, Casino Jack and the United States of Money, when it premiered at Sundance in January. It finally begins its theatrical release this weekend, and comes at a Gibney-centric time in Manhattan. He directed two feature films, and one chapter of another, that all premiered at the recent Tribeca Film Festival. Casino Jack did not screen at Tribeca this year, but you’d be forgiven if you assumed it had.
Gibney’s first documentary released since his Oscar-winning Taxi to the Dark Side, this is a gripping and entertaining spiritual cousin to his breakthrough film, Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room. A historical look at lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s career as a powerful manipulator, Casino Jack allows the audience to examine the greed-based influence of the Reagan era, and the shady deals that took place when some influential men become inspired to perpetuate financial corruption within the U.S. government. Whether you consider yourself a “conservative,” a “liberal,” or neither, I feel it’s hard not to be riveted by this account of how Abramoff helped ruin the system. Like all of Gibney’s documentaries, this one is a dense and comprehensive, but it also rewards the viewer. Casino Jack opens in many cities between this weekend and the end of June.
Gibney’s first documentary released since his Oscar-winning Taxi to the Dark Side, this is a gripping and entertaining spiritual cousin to his breakthrough film, Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room. A historical look at lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s career as a powerful manipulator, Casino Jack allows the audience to examine the greed-based influence of the Reagan era, and the shady deals that took place when some influential men become inspired to perpetuate financial corruption within the U.S. government. Whether you consider yourself a “conservative,” a “liberal,” or neither, I feel it’s hard not to be riveted by this account of how Abramoff helped ruin the system. Like all of Gibney’s documentaries, this one is a dense and comprehensive, but it also rewards the viewer. Casino Jack opens in many cities between this weekend and the end of June.
Mixed support in Ohio for Columbus casino issue
A state ballot issue that seeks to move the location of a planned casino in Columbus is drawing mixed support among Ohioans.
Don Davies, a restaurateur in northwest Ohio, said he’ll vote for state Issue 2 on Tuesday. But Tammy Rexroad, a school board member in Newscomerstown about 100 miles east of Columbus, said she’s leaning "no" because of her unhappiness with gambling in general.
"I’m a Christian. I don’t believe in gambling in Ohio or any other state," Rexroad said.
Issue 2 would change the location of the Columbus casino from a downtown neighborhood to a former auto parts factory on the city’s west side.
The casino was among four that Ohio voters approved last November for Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman wants the city’s casino project out of downtown because it would clash with the district’s family oriented theme. The district is home to the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team and the city’s new minor league baseball stadium.
Davies, who lives in Van Wert, about 120 miles northwest of Columbus near the Indiana state line, said he has only a vague idea of the debate over the casino location. He’ll vote yes, he said, because the overall concept of the casino is something that Ohioans have already approved.
Proponents, including developer Penn National Gaming Inc., say the simplicity of the ballot issue — it changes only the address of one casino — should make it palatable to voters everywhere.
The issue has no organized opposition, but the Ohio Roundtable, which has traditionally opposed expanded gambling, is encouraging voters to turn down Issue 2 because the group sees it as a special favor to Columbus business interests.
Mike Holtsberry, a registered Republican in Van Wert who lost his job when his plumbing and heating business closed in August, said he doesn’t know much about the measure. He voted against the 2009 casino issue, but he’s in favor of this year’s proposal.
"The casino is going to be built somewhere," he said.
John McVay, 61, a retired information-technology manager from Van Wert, voted for the four casinos last year but doesn’t think its fair for Columbus to get a do-over.
"We ain’t voting for the dang thing again," McVay said. "We voted for it once, and we’re not going to do it again. We’re finished with this thing. Good Lord, people."
Battle Creek casino antes up a healthcare facility for its workers
A health clinic for workers at the Firekeepers Casino will open May 1, 2010, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette.
1,500 workers will benefit from the new health facility.
1,500 workers will benefit from the new health facility.
Firekeepers Casino opened a year ago and is owned by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, the Kalamazoo Gazette said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)