Gambling Blog

The Casino operator Mohegan Sun has announced that it is to introduce the latest gaming technology into two of its venues, making all slot machines coin free.

From the beginning of May, gamers at the Casino of the Earth and Casino of the Sky in Las Vegas will be required to use paper tickets when on the slots, with the tickets allowing them to move independently between machines and cash-in on their winnings more easily.

Commenting on the development, Frank Neborsky, vice president of slot operations at Mohegan Sun, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to incorporate this new technology throughout the new casinos and elevate our guest experience on the gaming floor.

“Our guests will enjoy the cleanliness of no longer handling coins or tokens, while benefiting from the enhanced customer service and convenience that a ticket in, ticket out environment offers.”

With the additional benefits of incorporating the new technology including the freeing up of space for new gaming machines and retail outlets, as will be the case at the Mohegan Sun casinos, other venues are likely to keep a close watch on the effectiveness of the initiative.

The introduction of table gaming at West Virginia racecourses is looking more likely as the proposed legislation advanced through the state’s House of Delegates to the Senate last week.Lawmakers within the state are pushing forward the bill to permit blackjack, craps and roulette at the Mountaineer Racetrack and Gaming Resort, and the Wheeling Island racetrack and Gaming Centre as well as at two other tracks.Both supporters and opponents of the initiative have cited the launch of slot casinos in neighbouring Pennsylvania as a major factor for building momentum behind the proposal.While West Virginia had previously enjoyed a relative gaming monopoly in the region, earning $5.2 billion in revenue since 1995, though this has come under threat with the developments in Pennsylvania.

Pre-registration for the 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is now open, the event’s organiser, Harrah’s , has announced.

The 38^th annual WSOP is scheduled to take place between June 1^st and July 17^th at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Players can pre-register for any event up to two weeks before it is due to start, with Harrah’s announcing that this year they will accept the new WSOP $10,000 chip, alongside wire transfers, credit-card advances and cash, as acceptable payments for entry.

Harrah’s have confirmed that this latest series will include bracelet tournaments with buy-ins from $1,000 to $50,000, with the buy-in for the event’s highlight, the No-Limit Hold’Em World Championship, remaining at $10,000.

As expected. Harrah’s has also reacted to recent US anti-gambling legislation by liberalising its policies on advertising on players’ clothing

“In recognition of the endorsement agreements that provide income to many poker players, we’ve liberalised our policy to allow tournament entrants to wear apparel with multiple logos,” said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP commissioner.

“There are some reasonable conditions on what is permissible, but this is definitely a far more liberal, accommodating and player-friendly policy.”

Plans have been unveiled for a new express train service linking the New Jersey gambling centre of Atlantic City with other cities on the Northeast Corridor tracks, including New York City.The Atlantic City Express Service, or ACES, is scheduled to begin at the end of this year or the beginning of 2008, arriving in Atlantic City just two and a half hours after its departure from New York City.

Party Poker has announced details of its televised Premier League Poker series, which will see 12 of the world’s top players play in a unique league format for a pot of $500,000.Using a system designed to best showcase the talents of those at the table, each player will play six times in the league’s preliminary rounds, before the leading four moving on to heads-up matches for the final two seats.

Former senator Alfonse D’Amato is currently in discussions with the Poker Players’ Alliance about becoming the group’s lobbyist and spokesperson, it has been revealed.The move comes as the PPA seeks a high-profile face in the world of federal politics and lobbying.

Noah ‘Exclusive’ Boeken has been unveiled as the latest addition to Team PokerStars.The 26 year-old Dutchman, cited as one of the top young Europeans in the game, joins 17 other prominent players currently under the Stars banner.

New Jersey senators have moved to ban smoking completely in Atlantic City casinos.The initiative follows recent legislation in the city that only partially banned smoking in its 11 casinos through making them set up temporary enclosures for smoking areas.

Revenue generated through the introduction of casinos in Kentucky will help fund pre-school classes for 3 and 4 year-olds, if the Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear is elected, it has been revealed.A college scholarship program for students who remain working in the state after graduating will also be funded by this means, the Lexington lawyer announced as he unveiled his plans to create economic growth in Kentucky at a news conference.

The UK betting company, Ladbrokes, has announced that it intends to bid for the licence for the forthcoming supercasino in Manchester.While Ladbrokes currently only operates one casino in the country, in west London, it is keen to expand this area of its business.