In an otherwise unremarked-upon political outrage that I picked up from the Drudge Report, here’s this. Christie Vilsack, Iowa’s first lady, apparently has been quite critical of the ways that African Americans, residents of Eastern PA and New Jersey, West Virginians, and Southerners speak. She’s no political lightweight: her endorsement of John Kerry is credited […]
Don’t youse knock NJ Read More »
haphazard worldMore insightful journalism from USA Today, but this time I actually mean it. Dennis Cauchon has a pithy survey of the recent slot expansion: Slots increasingly are a rite of passage for state governments in search of a lucrative new source of tax revenue. State and local governments raised about $6 billion from taxing casino
USA plays slots today Read More »
gambling & cultureIf you were from the Maple Park, IL area, DJ’s Tavern West was the place to get some gambling done…until a May 28th bust, that is. From the Daily Herald: Court documents that detail the search of the tavern at 221 Main St. in Maple Park and the Yorkville home of its owner, David Weeks,
Inside an illegal gambling operation Read More »
news about gamblingUnless you watch WBAL in Baltimore, WCAU (NBC-10) in Philadelphia, or get the local Philly news on msn.com, you don’t know about the “mystery creature” that, for the past year, has been skulking around Maryland. Here’s a photo: This creature has been showing up in backyards in Maryland, and it has perplexed experts everywhere. It
Mystery creature solution to budget crisis? Read More »
haphazard worldAmid all the projections of revenue, one loses sight of the fact that slot machines make money because people choose to play them. Just who are those people? John Grogan of the Inquirer has an answer, in a column about one woman who likes to play: In an earlier, better time, Patricia McNally enjoyed horseback
Portrait of a slots player Read More »
gambling & culturePeople have always wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes at Las Vegas casino hotels, right? And if one show is a success, two is even better. Well, how about three? Caesars Palace has granted unprecedented access to A&E Network to create a new real-life series offering the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at Las
Diminishing returns? Read More »
gambling & cultureThere are certain things in life that appear to be contradictory but actually make sense. Fans know, for example, that professional wrestling is “fake,” i.e., the results of the match are booked in advance, yet they still watch, which is a tribute to the athleticism and story-telling of the “sports entertainers.” In some ways, this
A game called hope Read More »
gambling & cultureI read an interesting piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the links between gambling and sports. Here’s the opening, but I really urge you to read the whole thing: The relationship between sports and gambling, once at arm’s length and now almost hand in hand, is embodied by the brothers Maloof. The family owns both
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gambling & cultureWhy is it illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey? What is the name of the little man with the suit and top hat from the game Monopoly? Who invented the deck of playing cards and when? In poker, what beats what? When playing cards, why are a pair of aces and a pair of eights
Some questions worth asking Read More »
haphazard worldAs I reported earlier, the Venetian was rather quietly fined a while back for several violations, including the rigging of a contest–a game of chance. I would think this would tend to discredit the legal casino industry in Nevada and would provoke a few license revocations, but it actually only garnered a million-dollar fine.
Misguided loyalty? Read More »
life in vegasHere’s a great capsule summary of the Harrah’s/Caesars merger proposal, and a breakdown of Harrah’s Caesars, MGM MIRAGE, and Mandalay Resort group, from Yahoo Finance: Casino operator Harrah’s Entertainment is close to buying bigger rival Caesars Entertainment in a $10 billion deal that would form the world’s largest casino empire with $8.8 billion in annual
The National Indian Gaming Commission has released its figures for 2003 casino revenues: National Indian Gaming Commission Chairman Phil Hogen announced today that national 2003 gross gaming revenues for Indian gaming facilities topped $16.7 billion, an increase of $2 billion or 13.7 percent over 2002 gross gaming revenues. “The Indian gaming industry has grown significantly
Indian gaming revenue Read More »
news about gamblingMetaphorically, of course. Since both Bill Harrah and Jay Sarno are deceased, I’m talking about the companies that claim them as founders: Harrah’s Entertainment and Caesars Entertainment. According to the Wall Street Journal, quoted here by Reuters, Bill’s company is going to acquire Jay’s, the second major gaming merger in a month: Harrah’s Entertainment Inc.is
Bill and Jay’s Excellent Adventure Read More »
gambling & cultureParticularly if you own a pinball machine. From the LA Times: Anaheim officials are doing a little housekeeping and whittling down the city’s bulky municipal code. Tonight, the City Council is scheduled to consider repealing or modifying several ordinances that officials call outdated, redundant or just plain silly. The unlucky task of poring through decades
Breathe easy, Anaheim Read More »
news about gamblingScratch-off cards have become a huge money-maker for lotteries. It’s only natural that they will continue to evolve. From KCRG-TV9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa: This fall Iowa will become the first state to test an electronic version of a scratch-off lottery game. A market trial for “Quarter Play” will start in October. The game is
Electronic scratchers Read More »
gambling & cultureEveryone likes easter eggs, hidden features in video games, DVDs, etc. Usually they are not that impressive–you can unlock hidden commentary or an alternate costume in fighting games. But an article in Canada’s National Post says that video lottery terminals also have easter eggs that can be exploited: As the middle-aged mother from Illinois plunked
We’ve all heard that new casino construction “destroys history,” and regular readers know that a casino company tore down my high school. As Perry White might say, “Great Caesar’s ghost!” But here’s a story where potential casino construction is preventing the erection of piece of monumental architecture. From the Desert Dispatch: The plan to build
Casino blocking monument? Read More »
news about gamblingPhilly Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron doesn’t think much of the recently-passed slot bill. From Philly.com (reg. required): The legalization of slot machines in Pennsylvania was sold to the public as a form of tax relief, although tax redistribution strikes me as a better term. Harrisburg will use part of the money deposited in the
Slots, urban design, and destination dreams Read More »
news about gamblingNo, it’s not about O’Reilly running a pool over who gets shanked next. Rather, this post concerns Australian wagering habits. They apparently gamble a lot. From The Age: Australia’s passion for a punt continues to grow, with new figures showing a record $128.3 billion – $8,571 per adult – was wagered last financial year. Australians
I’m always amazed at the things that get turned into slot machines. One of the hallmarks of the slot machine is that, like the lottery, it has democratized gambling–you don’t need a big bankroll or any skill–just push “max bet” and hope for the best. Still, this might be taking it too far. I’ve always