I just read an interesting article in the Huffington Post discussing how gambling has been accepted by psych professionals as in the same category as substances in which they consider “addictable”. But what the writer found strange was that they still have not included sex or games within the same category, despite the overwhelming anecdotal evidence of people sharing that they have indeed been addicted to those things. So what gives? The addiction “specialists” say they have found the same chemical response in the brain related to pleasure with both drugs and gambling – but have they run similar tests when it comes to sex and World of War Craft? Something tells me no. Is addiction really only a set chemical response pattern that biologically plays out exactly the same in every individual? Once again, something tells me no. I believe, and feel that there is much observable evidence to

We all knew that Atlantic City’s casino profits fell in 2011. The only question was how far they fell. According to a new report, it was a 7.4% drop from 2010, which is troubling because 2010 was also a bad year. On Wednesday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement released comprehensive figures for the 11 casinos that operated in the state during 2011. According to the report, the casinos posted a total gross operating profit of $494.9 million, which is a 7.4% decline from the $534.6 million they made in 2010. With a new casino, Revel Casino, opening this week, the city’s casino industry has fresh blood and is hoping it can bring new casino dollars to the state. Last year’s numbers, though, are discouraging. This came in a year when New Jersey lost its status as America’s second-largest casino market, with Pennsylvania taking that spot (and Nevada obviously

At the top end of the Atlantic City boardwalk sits a 47-story behemoth named Revel, and on its shoulders rests the hopes of a city suffering from over five years of steadily declining gambling revenues. Revel Atlantic City, the long awaited casino resort, opened for business on Monday morning at 7am.  New Jersey resident Jerry Colonna, the casino’s first customer that day, managed to win $1,100 in a matter of minutes playing roulette.  And while the casino is ultimately interested in taking money from players rather than giving it to them, Colonna’s quick strike only added to the feeling of excitement that everyone seemed to be enjoying that morning. The main reason for the excitement surrounding Revel’s opening involves the serious economic woes that Atlantic City has been facing for some time now.  The first big blow came from the economic crisis that took hold in 2008.  At that time,

Atlantic City is a casino town, right? Since the first casinos were legalized in 1976, the public image of Atlantic City has been that of a town full of casino resorts. It was a place to go to do some gambling if Vegas was too far. The problem is that as time went on, Vegas and other casino locations continued to add frills, making the resorts more appealing, while Atlantic City’s casinos have become older and more run-down. To many, Atlantic City is a second-rate Vegas, an old city whose best days are behind it. But there is so much more to Atlantic City. The Boardwalk, opening in 1870, was the first in the United States. It has one of the best shopping districts on the east coast. Governor Christie is trying to hitch the city’s reputation to those other aspects, creating a tourism district designed to improve the city

The Argosy Casino, located in downtown Sioux City, was fined $20,000 on Thursday by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.  The fine was part of a settlement that the casino agreed to pay after an underage gambler hit a slot machine jackpot in October of last year. Of the fifty U.S. states, Iowa has one of the strictest policies in regards to its minimum age for gambling.  To enter a casino, an individual must be 21 years old.  The same goes for making a wager of any kind, including lottery tickets. As reported by Dave Dreeszen in the Sioux City Journal, a minor entered the casino floor in the late hours of October 8th, 2011.  The young male was accompanied by an adult, though he still should have been required to provide ID indicating that he was of legal age to enter – which he was not asked to do.

Seemingly unrelated pieces of news coming out of Atlantic City this week, when combined, suggest a certain direction where things are headed regarding New Jersey’s gambling industry. First came the news that a bill permitting NJ residents to gamble via the Internet at Atlantic City casinos received approval from the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee – an important step towards bringing online gambling to New Jersey in a way that protects the state’s land-based casinos. Then today, an announcement that, after a three year go of it, Atlantic City casinos are shutting down the New York to AC express train they set up and paid for as part of an effort to bring more gambling business to the city. While a clear motivation for ending the Atlantic City Express Service train came from the fact that it was simply not a profitable endeavor, there is certainly

If you think Steve Wynn, images of the Las Vegas strip probably flash across your mind.  You may picture any of his Wynn Resorts hotel casinos – from The Mirage to Bellagio, to the more recent additions Wynn and Encore.  Wynn’s empire is certainly associated with success when it comes to operating first class casino resorts. What you probably won’t think of though is Foxborough, Massachusetts – home of the New England Patriots, and not much else.  Of course, Foxborough has strong communities and its fair share of New England beauty, but it is by no means a major city and not the kind of place you would normally associate with the Wynn brand.  But if Steve Wynn succeeds in his current efforts, that may soon change. In an effort to create more jobs and increase tax dollars for the state, Massachusetts has recently expanded its gambling laws to allow

Many US states are still feeling the negative effects of the economic crisis that took hold in 2008.  The historic recession may be over officially, but actual economic growth remains at a near standstill in many parts of the country.  For this reason, legislators have been seeking creative methods by which they can generate the necessary tax revenue needed for critical programs like education. One of the more popular approaches has been for states to consider expanding their gambling laws.  At the moment, at least half a dozen states are in the process of considering online gambling programs now that the Department of Justice has indicated it no longer feels state-by-state legalization would conflict with federal law.  Other states, like Massachusetts, are expanding their gambling laws to allow for casino resorts to bring in additional tax income.  Earlier this week, a republican in the Georgia House of Representatives put forth

A unique situation exists today involving the Texas lottery.  A debate is taking place to determine whether the state’s Lottery Commission is in violation of Texas law.  At the heart of the matter is a controversial topic popping up in states across the country on a seemingly daily basis.  That of course is the topic of online gambling. At the moment, states like New Jersey, Mississippi, Iowa, New York and California are all considering initiating their own online gambling programs in one form or another.  The motivation for doing so is, of course, the potential for huge increases in state revenue.  At the same time, proponents are consistently pointing to the benefits of regulation as one of the strongest arguments for legalization. While some states are considering more expansive programs that would permit games like online poker, other states are considering a more conservative approach.  A usual first step suggested

It seems that more and more states are considering legalizing online gambling every day.  A recent ruling from the Department of Justice indicating a perceived tolerance for states to initiate their own online gambling programs has paved the way for state legislators across the country to consider the benefits of such a move.  This week it’s Mississippi joining in with House Bill 1373 – a piece of proposed legislation that seeks to legalize and regulate online gambling within the state. House Minority Leader Bobby Moak, a democrat from Bogue Chitto and former chairman of the House Gaming Committee, introduced HB 1373.  The bill seeks to create The Mississippi Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2012.  It specifically addresses the recent statements of the Department of Justice regarding the Interstate Wire Act of 1961.  These statements seemed to reverse the DOJ’s previously held position about state-by-state legalization. Proponents of Moak’s bill will