2008 April 16 Gambling News, Events and Happenings

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Senate late Wednesday rejected a proposal that would have allowed patrons at the Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria or any of the state’s other casinos to smoke and gamble at the same time.

Three sisters at loggerheads over a £50,000 bingo win have taken their dispute to court.

Reacting to a national economic slump that has depressed gambling revenues and room rates along the tourist zone known as the Las Vegas Strip, casino and hotel operators are offering up a buffet of spring time deals normally reserved for the hot, slow summer months.

SPRINGFIELD Lawmakers moved forward in an effort to allow smoking in Illinois casinos, but the effort may face a tough future if history is an indicator.

Mason City, IA- Lawmakers want to cut Iowa’s treatment budget in half. They say more money is being spent on gambling addiction, than on drug and alcohol abuse. But some opponents argue that gambling addiction is harder to treat.

Maryland’s battle over legalizing slot machine gambling sharply escalated yesterday, with Gov. Martin O’Malley attacking Comptroller Peter Franchot as a hypocrite shortly before Franchot helped kick off a campaign to defeat a November referendum on the issue.

MONTGOMERY The Alabama House brought up a bingo constitutional amendment twice for procedural votes to put the bill in position for discussion but it failed by narrow margins each time.

The Senate is moving ahead with a plan to allow smoking again in riverboat casinos, but its fate remains unclear.

The Alabama House refused Wednesday to consider a bill that would have legalized electronic bingo games at greyhound dog tracks in Mobile and Birmingham.