Gambling

Public Citizen Sues to Force U.S. Trade Office To Release Details of WTO Internet Gambling Deal

May 19, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Bush administration is illegally withholding the details of its offer accepted by the European Union to bind more sectors of the U.S. economy to World Trade Organization (WTO) jurisdiction as part of a settlement relating to a WTO ruling against the U.S. ban on Internet gambling, Public Citizen contended today in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.    » read more »

04/28/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the signing of two related tribal-state gaming compacts with the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Wiyot Tribe. The compacts directly unite the interests of North Fork's 1,700 citizens and the Wiyot Tribe's 600 members, benefiting one of the largest tribal populations in the history of such agreements.    » read more »

April 10, 2008 -- TRENTON – New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced the indictment today of the two top leaders and 22 others involved in a sports bookmaking ring that operated inside the Borgata Hotel Casino poker room and took in more than $60 million in bets in 20 months.

Borgata Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey: Photo by iirraa (CC)    » read more »

Tigua tribe operating eight-liner gambling machines in violation of Texas law

March 14, 2008 -- EL PASO – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today filed an enforcement action against the Tigua Indian tribe for conducting illegal gambling operations. In a motion for contempt of court, the state seeks to enforce a 2001 injunction prohibiting casino-style gambling at the tribe’s Speaking Rock Entertainment Center.    » read more »

March 14, 2008 -- Jackson, MS -- Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood today confirmed two guilty pleas stemming from an undercover operation involving illegal gaming devices. Bruce Collier, Jr. (age 37, last known address: 120 Pemble St, Merrigold, MS), Manager of Bruce’s Place (aka Joe’s Bar), 2492 HWY 446,Boyle, MS and Jimmy Utz (age 62, last known address: 557 HWY 61, Boyle, MS), Owner/Manager of Sky King’s Lounge, 557 HWY 61, Boyle, MS appeared in Bolivar County Justice Court before Judge Harold Ward, Sr.    » read more »

1-30-08 -- Lincoln, Neb. - Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning today challenged a decision that allows gaming on land in Carter Lake. The land is held in trust by the federal government for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska.

“Nebraskans have repeatedly said no to casino gambling in our state,” said Bruning. “The Ponca Tribe shouldn’t be able circumvent voters’ wishes.”    » read more »

January 15, 2008 -- Augusta- Proponents of a gambling facility to be located in Oxford County delivered several boxes of signatures to the Secretary of State prior to the deadline yesterday for the citizen initiative listed below. Supporters of the Oxford County casino plan claim they have submitted in excess of 76,000 signatures. A total of 55,087 valid signatures are required in order to place a question about an Oxford County gaming facility on the statewide ballot in November, 2008.    » read more »

Government Action Removes Threat to Catskills Region

ALBANY (January 4, 2008) – The people of the Catskills and New York State won a major victory today when U.S. Interior Department Secretary Dirk Kempthorne rejected the proposed casinos in Monticello and by the Neversink River. The federal government’s action closes the door on development projects that would have drastically overburdened the Catskills region with severe traffic congestion, pollution, and sprawl.    » read more »

December 20, 2007 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today released the following statement regarding a lawsuit to be filed by the Attorney General’s Office on behalf of the State of Florida. The lawsuit seeks an injunction against the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior to prevent him from publishing and making effective the Florida compact on expanded gambling which is currently in litigation before the Florida Supreme Court.    » read more »

Administration Proposal to Bind Sensitive U.S. Storage, Postal Service Sectors to WTO as Compensation to EU in Gambling Case Must Obtain Congress’ OK

Dec. 17, 2007 -- Statement of Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch Division    » read more »

December 17, 2007 -- The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) warns Michigan residents of the risks of problem gambling during the holiday season. The increased financial challenges of holiday gift giving and celebrations lead many to turn to gambling to help payoff debts.    » read more »

Dec. 12, 2007 -- Dover – Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner has accepted North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley’s offer to a friendly wager on Friday’s NCAA Division I Football Championship between the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens and the Appalachian State University Mountaineers.

Gov. Minner has countered Gov. Easley’s wager of North Carolina barbecue and a case of Cheerwine (a cherry soft drink) with Grotto’s pizza, Nic-o-boli’s and Dogfish Head rootbeer.    » read more »

November 29, 2007 -- Chicago – The Illinois Supreme Court today sustained the Illinois Gaming Board's (IGB) December 2005 order revoking Emerald Casino's license to operate a casino in Rosemont. On May 30, 2007, in a 152-page ruling, the Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District, in Springfield , affirmed the Gaming Board's revocation order. Today, the Illinois Supreme Court denied Emerald's request to review the Appellate Court's decision. The Supreme Court's action makes the revocation order final, unless it grants a petition for reconsideration.    » read more »

November 26, 2007 -- JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Governor Matt Blunt and Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry have placed a friendly wager on the December 1 game between the University of Missouri-Columbia and University of Oklahoma. In honor of the Big 12 Championship winner, the governors have wagered 12 products showcasing their states.    » read more »

First District Appellate Court Says Emerald Casino License Remains Revoked, Despite Statutory Renewal

November 26, 2007 -- Chicago – The Illinois Appellate Court, First District in Chicago today ruled that its June 2006 decision requiring the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) to renew the casino operator's license of Emerald Casino, Inc. for four years did not nullify the IGB's December 2005 order revoking that license. That order by the IGB found that Emerald repeatedly violated Illinois law governing casino operators.    » read more »