This Week in the Gambling World

Silver Slipper gives away a million

HANCOCK COUNTY, Mississippi -- As reported by the Mississippi Sun Herald: "The million dollars on display has tantalized Silver Slipper Casino visitors for long enough and this weekend, 'We're going to make somebody a millionaire,' said General Manager John Ferrucci.

"The million dollars was secured inside a glass case on the casino floor months ago and the drawing scheduled for early January.

"...Other Coast casinos have had million-dollar winners but this is the largest single casino cash drawing ever held in Mississippi and the first time $1 million is guaranteed to be given away..."

Macau gaming numbers break records

MACAU -- As reported by the Macau Daily Times: "Casino revenues recorded a record high 8.1 billion patacas in December, closing the year with a total 8.3 billion patacas in gaming revenues.

"Portuguese news agency, Lusa, reported that in December alone, casinos in Macau gross revenue was up 47 per cent compared to 2006.

"In addition to the revenue from casinos, Macau also summed around one billion patacas in revenue from the betting on races, horses, dogs, football games and other lotteries that will raise the accounts of the gaming sector to a total of about 84 billion patacas..."

Google and Yahoo! civil trial set for February

CITY OF INDUSTRY, California -- As reported by FinancialNewsUSA.com: "While Internet search engine giants Yahoo! and Google recently settled with the United States government on claims the companies made millions through promoting illegal online gambling, a civil trial set to begin on February 11 will further test the liability of these companies in California, and will ask the courts to further restrict the ability of these Internet giants from similar action in the future.

"The class-action lawsuit filed in California Superior Court in August 2004 alleges that Yahoo! and Google, along with several other popular Web sites, made hundreds of millions of dollars by allowing advertisements for illegal online gambling…"

Colorado casino tunnel back on track

COLORADO -- As reported by the Denver Post: "After a years-long delay, work has resumed on a study for a proposed tunnel and other road improvements to cut the travel time to Black Hawk and Central City.

Detroit casinos add music to the mix

DETROIT, Michigan -- As reported by the Detroit Free Press: "Amid the whirring and clanging and clinking of slot machines, a different sort of sound is emerging these days from Detroit's casinos.

"As the city's gaming houses ease into their next phase, moving from temporary facilities into permanent homes, music -- of all sorts -- is an increasingly important part of the picture.

"...The Detroit casinos' forays into entertainment began quietly and under the radar with bookings of local talent at their bars and lounges. At the MGM Grand's old temporary building, big names were occasionally hired to play the 500-capacity stage bar, mostly easy-listening acts such as Smokey Robinson and Christopher Cross.

"Now, as the casinos' permanent facilities begin to settle into place, the nightlife pace is picking up. And staffers say even more is in store as the casinos seek to attract new customers.