Slot Machines

BANGOR - A new era in gambling arrived in Maine on Friday with the spinning of a roulette wheel, the shuffling of cards, and shouts of "blackjack. " About 60 people were waiting outside Hollywood Casino in Bangor when it opened its doors at 8 a.m., and the poker and blackjack tables were filled by midmorning at the casino. It had been limited to slot machines since its opening in 2005 until Penobscot County voters in November approved the addition of table games. "It's about time," said Dennis Stevens, 64, of Sabattus, as he watched the betting at a blackjack table.

Casino regulators are investigating whether the 19-year-old daughter of late pop singer Whitney Houston gambled at a Las Vegas Strip resort. State Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli told the Las Vegas Review-Journal ( http://bit.ly/KhSuZN) that investigators are checking if Bobbi Kristina Brown played slot machines at the MGM Grand, and whether casino employees knew if she did. The legal gambling age in Nevada is 21. Underage gambling is a misdemeanor, and resort owner MGM Resorts International could face fines.

Trotters returned to Plainridge Racecourse last weekend, but a horse race of a different sort was already out of the gate in Plainville. The track owners hope to expand their gambling operation to include the first slot-machine parlor in Massachusetts. Within the last month, Plainridge president Gary Piontkowski formally notified the town of his company's intention to seek a Class 2 license from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, and opened a public information office in downtown Plainville to answer questions about its $160 million plan to expand the racetrack.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas criticized the behavior of a few of his peers Wednesday, saying the actions of a few recent Kentucky Derby winners have tarnished the reputation of his profession. Speaking at Pimlico Race Course, site of Saturday's Preakness, Lukas said, "I'm very disappointed as a trainer that we have the stigma of some of our Derby winners not carrying the banner. " He cited Rick Dutrow, who is appealing a 10-year suspension in New York for multiple medication violations, and Chip Woolley, who last year allegedly urinated on slot machines at a track in...

A casino in Oxford, Maine has taken another step toward opening with the installation of the first slot machines. The first of more than 500 video-screen machines were installed in the casino on Thursday and a spokesman says the goal is to open the casino in June. Spokesman Scott Smith told the Sun Journal that hiring will begin soon in earnest for positions in security as well as food and beverage services. Training for table-game dealers began Monday and will continue for more than two months.

Casino regulators are investigating whether the 19-year-old daughter of late pop singer Whitney Houston gambled at a Las Vegas Strip resort. State Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli told the Las Vegas Review-Journal ( http://bit.ly/KhSuZN) that investigators are checking if Bobbi Kristina Brown played slot machines at the MGM Grand, and whether casino employees knew if she did. The legal gambling age in Nevada is 21. Underage gambling is a misdemeanor, and resort owner MGM Resorts International could face fines.

The Maine Gambling Control Board has approved a license for the Oxford Casino, which is due to open in two months. The board's 4-to-0 vote Tuesday removed one of the final obstacles to the casino. Spokesman Scott Smith says casino operators are now putting their focus on ensuring 350-plus full-time workers are hired and trained to create a smooth opening in early June. The casino has already taken delivery of 500 slot machines, which are being installed.

The House could vote on legislation this week to legalize two casinos in New Hampshire and use the state's profit to lower business taxes. Gov. John Lynch promises to veto the bill if it reaches his desk, casting doubt on the measure's chances of passing. The proposal calls for the Lottery Commission to grant two $50 million licenses two years apart for casinos that would offer slot machines and table games. Each casino could install 5,000 video slot machines. Lynch argues the state does not have an adequate regulatory structure in place.

LAS VEGAS - A speeding car crashed through the entrance of a casino and into a bank of slot machines yesterday in the Southern Nevada resort town of Laughlin, killing two patrons and injuring at least eight other people, authorities said. The driver, a 70-year-old man, told investigators he fainted while driving toward the Edgewater Hotel & Casino on the Colorado River waterfront, Las Vegas police Officer Jacinto Rivera said. Witnesses said the Pontiac Vibe drove through a red light, crossed Casino Drive, and careered down a horseshoe-shaped driveway into the 26-story hotel.

A casino slated to open later this year in western Maine now has a name and a logo. The developers of the casino under construction in Oxford have named the facility the Oxford Casino. The casino logo features the name of the facility with a mountain peak symbol above the words to convey the image of a Maine lodge and outdoors recreational opportunities. The Oxford Casino will be the second casino in Maine when it opens in late spring or early summer. It will have slot machines as well as poker, black jack and other table games.

Trotters returned to Plainridge Racecourse last weekend, but a horse race of a different sort was already out of the gate in Plainville. The track owners hope to expand their gambling operation to include the first slot-machine parlor in Massachusetts. Within the last month, Plainridge president Gary Piontkowski formally notified the town of his company's intention to seek a Class 2 license from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, and opened a public information office in downtown Plainville to answer questions about its $160 million plan to expand the racetrack.

The Maine Gambling Control Board has approved a license for the Oxford Casino, which is due to open in two months. The board's 4-to-0 vote Tuesday removed one of the final obstacles to the casino. Spokesman Scott Smith says casino operators are now putting their focus on ensuring 350-plus full-time workers are hired and trained to create a smooth opening in early June. The casino has already taken delivery of 500 slot machines, which are being installed.

A casino in Oxford, Maine has taken another step toward opening with the installation of the first slot machines. The first of more than 500 video-screen machines were installed in the casino on Thursday and a spokesman says the goal is to open the casino in June. Spokesman Scott Smith told the Sun Journal that hiring will begin soon in earnest for positions in security as well as food and beverage services. Training for table-game dealers began Monday and will continue for more than two months.

The American Indian tribe that owns Foxwoods Resort Casino has won a federal lawsuit against the town of Ledyard over property taxes levied on leased slot machines. U.S. District Court Judge Warren Eginton ruled this week in favor of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe in the 6-year-old lawsuit. He ruled the town's interest in taxing the leased equipment fails to justify the economic burden on the tribe and cited the tribe's self-determination and self-government. The tribe argued the taxes, collected since 2003, violated federal law. The town has argued that...

BANGOR - A new era in gambling arrived in Maine on Friday with the spinning of a roulette wheel, the shuffling of cards, and shouts of "blackjack. " About 60 people were waiting outside Hollywood Casino in Bangor when it opened its doors at 8 a.m., and the poker and blackjack tables were filled by midmorning at the casino. It had been limited to slot machines since its opening in 2005 until Penobscot County voters in November approved the addition of table games. "It's about time," said Dennis Stevens, 64, of Sabattus, as he watched the betting at a blackjack table.

A casino slated to open later this year in western Maine now has a name and a logo. The developers of the casino under construction in Oxford have named the facility the Oxford Casino. The casino logo features the name of the facility with a mountain peak symbol above the words to convey the image of a Maine lodge and outdoors recreational opportunities. The Oxford Casino will be the second casino in Maine when it opens in late spring or early summer. It will have slot machines as well as poker, black jack and other table games.

Never underestimate the value of pennies -- or at least of nickels, dimes, and quarters. For casino operators, fortunes are built on pocket change. From 2001 to 2002, enough people wandered into Mohegan Sun and started pouring nickels, quarters, and dollars into the video games and slot machines that it added up to an astonishing $8 billion, according to figures from the Connecticut Division of Special Revenue. (This does not take into account the money spent at table games, such as craps and baccarat.)

The House could vote on legislation this week to legalize two casinos in New Hampshire and use the state's profit to lower business taxes. Gov. John Lynch promises to veto the bill if it reaches his desk, casting doubt on the measure's chances of passing. The proposal calls for the Lottery Commission to grant two $50 million licenses two years apart for casinos that would offer slot machines and table games. Each casino could install 5,000 video slot machines. Lynch argues the state does not have an adequate regulatory structure in place.