There’s a right reason for legalizing expanded gambling and a wrong reason. The wrong reason is, “the state needs more money.” Guess what’s afoot in Illinois? From the Chicago Tribune: Hoping to squeeze more money out of the state lottery, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton wants to sell tickets online and hire a private company
Squeezing the lottery Read More »
news about gamblingSome of you might remember how, in Back to the Future II, Biff owned a casino that was an obviously-redressed Union Plaza. I’m sure there are people out there who can’t look at the Plaza today without thinking about Biff and his sports almanac. Well, I was perusing the photo archives when I found this,
Biff’s Vintage Vegas casino Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingJohn McPhee. The Pine Barrens. New York: The Noonday Press, 1968. 157 pages. This is a non-fiction classic that, forty years on, still is a brisk and entertaining read. McPhee sketches the geography, history, and people of the Pine Barrens, a surprisingly undeveloped section of the country’s most densely-populated state. McPhee starts with “The Woods
Book Review: The Pine Barrens Read More »
book reviewsJonathon Keats. The Book of the Unknown: Tales of the Thirty-Six. New York: Random House, 2009. 221 pages. Mysticism is a dangerous beast for fiction writers. At its best, writing about mystical ideas can be inspiring, magical. At its worst, it is obscure and inaccessible to non-initiates. So a book inspired by ideas from medieval
Book review: The Book of the Unknown Read More »
book reviewsBeverly Gage. The Day Wall Street Exploded: A Story of Wall Street in Its First Age of Terror. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. 416 pages. There are many parallels between the terrorist attacks of September 16, 1920, and September 11, 2001. Both were aimed at New York’s financial center, came as the culmination of
Book review: The Day Wall Street Exploded Read More »
book reviewsThis is cool–a Tetris-like game that uses poker cards instead of blocks. It’s for the Xbox 360, and I’m posting about it here because the backgrounds were inspired by the carpet photos on this site: Drop cards to create the best poker hand you can in each row. Earn more points for better poker hands.
Promising a new course that nevertheless begins and ends where the old one did, Elite Racing has just announced the 2009 Rock n Roll Las Vegas Marathon: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series Hits the Streets of Vegas The rockin’ mix of running and music will be all aces along the Las Vegas strip. Register
Rock n Roll Las Vegas Marathon is coming Read More »
life in vegasIf you’re taking bailout money, stay out of Vegas. From the LVRJ: Wells Fargo & Co. on Tuesday abruptly canceled a pricey Las Vegas casino junket for employees after a torrent of criticism that it was misusing $25 billion in taxpayer bailout money. The company initially defended the trip after The Associated Press reported it
Vegas junkets, bailout chic, and a modest proposal Read More »
news about gamblingI’ve got an article in the latest Casino Connection about drumming legend Chris Columbo, who never gave up on Atlantic City: Atlantic City’s always been known for its entertainment, and for more than seven decades, one man helped the beat go on. From the Jazz Age to the 1990s, Joseph Chris Columbus Morris was one
Chris Columbo article Read More »
atlantic cityI heartily encourage you to check out the new podcast over at the Center for Gaming Research site–Leslie Nino Fidance’s talk, The Mob Never Ran Vegas. Fidance dissects the claim that, in days of yore, the mob “ran” Las Vegas, and explores the anti-organized crime efforts of Nevada regulators along the way. This is exactly
New UNLV Gaming Research podcast is up Read More »
what's newIf you’ve always wanted to know what I think the best romantic hangout in Las Vegas is, your modest dreams have come true. There’s a Q & A with me up on VEGASLINKS.BLOGSPOT.COM. In the “great minds think alike” vein, check out my answer to what I consider the best place to get my groove
Things in Atlantic City are just as bad as in Las Vegas, only on a slower, small scale, just like when things were good they were slightly less good than out in Vegas. That’s my analysis. For the story, check out Fox News: One casino in the nation's second largest gambling market is being run
They’re turning down the lights on the Strip, and it has nothing to do with not being able to pay the electric bill. From the LVRJ: Planned marquee outages on the Strip come along about as often as Megabucks jackpots. And like many of those slot-machine fortunes, lights-out events on Las Vegas Boulevard typically don't
I am shocked–shocked–to learn that Congress has chosen to bar casinos from getting any of the nearly trillion dollars in stimulus money that’s floating around. From CNN: Congress has moved to prevent money from the proposed $825 billion stimulus package from being used for zoos, aquariums, golf courses, swimming pools and casinos, an effort to
No casinos need apply Read More »
news about gamblingVivian Gornick. The Situation and the Story. New Edition for Writers, Teachers, and Students. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2001. 174 pages. This brief guide to writing personal narrative has several useful insights. Gornick’s biggest and best idea is that good narrative non-fiction must capture both the situation–the factual account of what happened and
Book Review: The Situation and the Story Read More »
book reviewsAtlantic City’s oldest casino is in bad shape. From the AC Press: Resorts is struggling for survival. Its owner is possibly facing the same fate as scores of recession-ravaged Americans who have defaulted on their mortgage – foreclosure. In an unprecedented move, Resorts' chief lender is seeking New Jersey Casino Control Commission approval to take
Big trouble at Resorts Read More »
atlantic cityI’m pleased to announce a new Gaming Research Colloquium event at UNLV: February 23, 2009 Gaming Research Colloquium Series: Bill Zender Special Event with the author of “Casino-ology: The Art of Managing Casino Games” Monday, February 23, 2:00 pm Extended Study Area, Lied Library Refreshments will be served and books will be available for purchase.
New UNLV event announced Read More »
what's newIn the past year we’ve heard talk of lowering the gambling age to 18 and allowing strip clubs in Strip casinos. Now comes another trial balloon: legal prostitution in Las Vegas. From the LV Sun: In these tough budgetary times, the chairman of a key state Senate committee is willing to consider the world’s oldest
Legalized prostitution in Vegas? Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingCentral City has become the last Colorado town to liberalize its betting rules. From the Denver Post: This gambling town Tuesday became the third and final town in Colorado to expand gambling. By a vote of 212 to 16, with nine provisional votes to be counted today, residents agreed to expand the maximum bet in
More gambling in Central City Read More »
news about gamblingAs you can tell from the title, I’m back from the Winter Getaway and hard at work on several projects. I’m trying to line up an exciting author event in February and have several other gaming research irons in the fire. I’ve also gotten a new recording device and may post a mini-test podcast later
Back from the Getaway Read More »
what's new