New Mexico Tribes Fight to Ban Online Gambling

Blackmail is this kind of ugly word, but it is hard to notice a brand new Navajo Nations gambling compact with the state of New Mexico in every other light; this 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 would allow for on line poker, or any other form of Internet casino gambling, for that matter.

New Navajo Compact

The Navajos are agreeing maybe not to provide online gambling by themselves without state or federal sanctioning of such off-reservation activity. As the likelihood of federal passage of almost any online gambling legislation becomes dimmer by your day, this indicates not likely the tribe would need to worry about renegotiating, but then review and revise the terms of their slots revenue-sharing deal with New Mexico if this ever occurs, they could.

Under the present terms of the compact, non-tribal slots are restricted to just racetracks and fraternal/veterans groups; poker, however, has no such restrictions. If the Navajo tribe decide to start their very own online gambling venture, similar revenue-sharing arrangement using the state would apply, excepting poker earnings.

Governor’s Office Speaks Up

Sticking up on her 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 New Mexico development that is economic than on line gambling is likely to complete. She added that the proposal that is new ‘discourage the adoption 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].’ Interpretation: we’re not going to bite the hand that is currently feeding us.

The contract that is new been approved by way of a joint Committee on Compacts currently, but as lawmakers were late in receiving the final worded text regarding the compact, a vote has not yet been scheduled for last approval.

Caesars’ ‘No Resort Fees’ Campaign Screeches up to a Halt with, Yup, Resort Fees

If someone stated you had to cover ‘resort fees,’ it might seem about hot chicks serving you massive piña coladas and grapes, while simultaneously fanning you with a huge palm frond. And a complete great deal of you’d probably be happy to purchase those solutions, too. But what about being billed every time you employ Wi-Fi, spot a local call, or use a health club? True, many accommodations around the world have been asking fairly outrageous fees for all things for decades; particularly pricier city that is big where they understand visitors can’t do without. But Vegas?

With a few exceptions, gambling has been the equalizer that is great eliminated the need for crazy expensive hotel rooms or niggling over every service used. Well, maybe not anymore. In fact, after releasing a decisive ‘No Resort Fees’ campaign back in 2010, (just as being a few other Strip properties were tacking them on), Caesars happens to be not just stepping on the brakes for that campaign, but backing the heck up and completely changing their tune. Their new campaign might be something more like ‘Hell Ya, Resort Fees All Day Long!’ Welcome to the beautiful world of corporate base lines.

Dollars Make Sense

While Gary Thompson, Caesars’ director of business communications, may parlay that it’s one thing guests asked for (really Gary? C’mon now), it is more likely something that the marketing department asked for after searching at how much other corporate resort chains make each time you hook into their Wi-Fi. Through the past decade, more hotels over the U.S. have already been quietly tacking them on under their non-specific pseudonym, and evidently few guests bother to question what they have been (maybe afraid it relates to the porn flick they plugged in the night before.)

Initially introduced in 1997 being an ‘amenity tariff,’ resort fees have gone up during 10 associated with the 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 nationwide trends (and ideally doesn’t come up with names for whatever else).

The resort industry garnered some $1.85 billion in resort costs overall in 2011, and it’s predicted that 2012’s final tally will be in 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 comprehensive package of bundled services and amenities proves to be the best and most significant value to our visitors,’ Thompson stated. Sounds so much better than, ‘We plan to upcharge you sneeze, but we’ll do it in a single huge lump sum.’

Romania On Track for Legalized Online Gambling

While the U.S. scrambles state-by-state to finally get legalized on the web gambling in destination, you may all be much relieved to know that over in Eastern Europe, the legal beagles aren’t asleep at 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 of the reputed Count Dracula’s castle, European countries’s largest population of brown bears, and soon, somewhere you can gamble online to your hearts content without a qualm. It doesn’t get far better than that. Now you can 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, but a monitoring and reporting agency had yet to be developed, that has stalled the method up to now.

Beyond that, nonetheless, the European Commission (EC), the executive human body of the European Union (EU) that oversees everything to accomplish with legislation affecting the EU as a whole, has taken umbrage with some 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 presence in Romania, too as one stating that on line gaming licenses would only be issued to those companies with either a direct or indirect shareholder or partnership connection in A romanian land-based casino. (As that’s pretty much the way that is same set these things up in the U.S., we’re not sure what all the ruckus is about with that supply, but hey, that’s just us.)

Taking a Bite Out of This Market

Although these measures don’t seem all that draconian to us, evidently they do not stay too well with some other international operators; maybe they’re afraid of vampires late during the night in their gambling enterprises. Anyway, evidently, some of the EU’s objections happen addressed, such as appeasing them with revised income tax calculations. It’ll all begin to unfold after April 15, as that’s whenever NGO will kick off formally, and businesses should be able to make an application for online gaming licenses in Romania.

Hopefully, it won’t be a bloody mess.

Vietnam’s Ho Tram Strip Project Wanting to Come Back In to Life

We promise we won’t make endless, juvenile jokes this time about a place aided by the unfortunate name of the Ho Tram Strip; suffice it to express, the Vietnamese version regarding the vegas Strip is actually an oceanfront integrated resort-casino project, designed to eventually offer five luxury properties, a PGA-caliber 18-hole tennis course, world-class entertainment, and miles of beachfront home overlooking the South China Sea. But it is down to a rockier start than an avalanche in a quarry, most notably aided by the recent withdrawal of MGM Resorts Global from its management agreement with the project.

New Certificate Issued

It is initial news that is good this troubled project in awhile; the Vietnamese government has now formally reissued an investment certification to the 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 new certificate contained all of his company’s requested amendments, but it does not look likely that which will entice MGM Resorts Int’l to get back into sleep with this Ho Tram Strip task (okay, one little juvenile joke, 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 company’s first purchase of business is to get its credit line restored to its former $175 million restriction with its banking backers. The banks naturally got a tad nervous late last year when ACDL’s initial investment certification was withdrawn once the company came up short on several construction milestones, that has been also what pressed MGM become finished with the task. The previously projected 2013 opening has now been defer to who understands whenever.

Who’s Off Limits?

One of the plain things we find fascinating about some of those more recent casino tasks in the far reaches of the world is their dictums about locals perhaps not being allowed in. What’s that about? Regardless of the reasoning, the Ho Tram project has indeed seen its share of regulatory dilemmas, as the Vietnamese government irons out their views on junket operators and neighborhood casino attendance. The see-sawing is making one major investor a bit queasy; American local video gaming operator Pinnacle Entertainment has written off $25 million of its initial $110 million ACDL investment, even though they continue to put on a 26 percent stake in the company that is beleaguered.

House of Bourbon Renaissance with Macau’s Brand New Louis XIII Casino

Nothing says ‘upscale casino for the uber rich’ like a 17th century French master whose whole family bore the charming name of ‘Bourbon,’ and for who a rather pricey and fantastically packed cognac is now named, does it? Et voilà, there you have it: the logic that is unabashed naming a fresh super posh Macau casino project ‘Louis XIII.’

Perhaps https://shmoop.pro/1984-by-george-orwell-part-one-summary/ 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 cannot argue with having some really good booze as your namesake, when it comes down to it.

Just for the Extremely Rich

With plans to start construction in the luxe property this thirty days, Louis XIII Holdings, Ltd. expects to finish this Asian gambling palace sometime around late 2015 or early 2016; you can’t rush a royal court, after all.

And for all the period, there will still only be 230 spaces available, ranging from a ‘tiny’ 2,000 square feet to room that is enough all your lords and women and their lords and ladies, at, gasp, 20,000 square feet. (Just for comparison’s sakes, that is only 2,000 feet that are square HEF’s entire Playboy Mansion in L.A.). According to Louis XIII chairman Stephen Hung, the brand new resort name ‘captures the essence for the unprecedented, uber-luxury experience we have been offering rich guests.’

Did We Say Very Rich? We Meant Filthy Rich

Lest any bougie types think they can hustle their way in, think again; the property that is new retail area is not aimed at any carpetbaggers or their ilk. (Please forgive us the blended historical metaphors). For instance, simply to separate your lives the golden wheat from the chaff, a Louis XIII pr release makes it abundantly clear that you shop there, you might as well just leave your tacky, low-budget self at home, harumph if you can’t afford a ‘minimum price of $1 million’ when.

As for minimum gambling levels, they are actually maybe not that crazy ‘spensive. As Hung awaits the okay that is final of 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 bets will be starting at about $644.

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