“Amid a lot of questions, it seems clear this isn’t any kind of economic panacea, though it might do more good than harm. And whatever we can say about the wisdom of it, the whole process of quickly developing a casino in northern Connecticut is now officially a joke.”
—Dan Haar, writing for the Hartford Courant, about the process by which the Mohegan-Mashantucket Pequot tribes hope to pick a location for a third tribal casino in Connecticut
“On Tuesday came more evidence that Connecticut is better off letting the two tribes partner on construction of a third casino in the greater Hartford area, rather than sitting idly by as a new MGM casino in Springfield, Massachusetts draws Connecticut gamblers across the border.”
—Editorial, New London Day, urging that Connecticut’s two gaming tribes continue forward in their efforts to site a third tribal casino in the state
“We do not wish that they gamble. If they win, they won’t be in the mood for work. And if they lose, they also won’t be in the mood for work.”
—Ambrose So, CEO, SJM Holdings, on a proposed ban that would keep casino dealers from gambling in their spare time
“There cannot be an introduction of new anti-smoking measures on the one hand—stricter than ever before which will be applied to hotels, public buildings, clubs etc.—and on the other, you have a casino that will be exempt of smoking restrictions.”
—Phanos Leventis, Pancyprian Association of Leisure Centre Owners, on the possibility of smoking at a Cyprus casino, though the gaming license has not even been awarded yet
“You just do the job and don’t think about the numbers, but there are times when you are staring down a bet that could essentially buy you a house. You tend to think about it a little then, because these guys put it down and don’t even blink. There’s a lot of characters here and, while a lot of people are tucked up in bed, usually we are grinding away.”
—Aaron Ranie, dealer, SkyCity Darwin, who’s accustomed to seeing high rollers place $250,000 bets
“These are dangerous machines that have the capacity to ruin people’s lives, so I think we should be treating them like other harmful products, and looking very carefully at them.”
—Peter Adams, director, Auckland Centre for Addiction Studies, on rising rates of gambling addiction in New Zealand
“We need to have a complete overhaul and review of fixed-odds betting terminals and hopefully come up with a solution which, it’s not going to suit the bookies, but at least will help all the associated problems with these machines, including anti-social behavior, money laundering and violence.”
—Carolyn Harris, Swansea, UK MP, calling for a review of FOBTs in high-street betting shops
“Once you’re in that zone it’s like nothing matters around you. There’s nothing in the world that’s more important than that machine, like making you play, put more money in, and nothing could have stopped me unless the place burned down, and even then I would have still hit the buttons till the fire brigade came.”
—Anonymous bettor, who told the BBC his gambling on FOBTs got out of control
“It’s very easy for the anti-gambling lobby to make really quite strong false claims about the industry. These machines have been in shops for 15 years, there have been reviews, and when the evidence is put in front of government, they come to the same conclusions: it’s absolutely right they should be there.”
—Malcolm George, CEO, Association of British Bookmakers, on charges that fixed-odds betting machines in high street shops are predatory and boost addiction
“I was surprised when my friends suggested I take my son here to Macau. Macau is different now. It’s become a place where we can stay for a few days, find good restaurants and the kid can enjoy a magic show.”
—Derek Chen, Macau visitor, who has witnessed the ongoing transformation of the city from an emphasis on gaming to broader tourist appeal
“For reasons we still don’t understand, people were upset that we were trying to get world-class brands to visit the island.”
—Richard Schuetz, executive director for the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission, complaining that some local politicians were discouraging an unnamed gaming operator from investing in gaming on the island
“I am proud to join the PartyPoker team of ambassadors and am extremely excited about the opportunities I see for us in Australia and surrounding territories. I have been closely monitoring the progress PartyPoker has been making over recent months and look forward to helping them to grow in the Australian market that I know so well. I am confident that together our passion will help us to expand the game of poker in my country.”
—Jackie Glazier, Australian poker pro on her new sponsorship deal with PartyPoker
“I would be open to a general discussion regarding a statewide lottery. However, I would be opposed to this particular revenue being dedicated to specific expenses, such as public education. Our children’s future should not be left to a game of chance.”
—Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant to the Jackson Clarion Ledger, indicating openness to discussion on creation of a state lottery, which has failed in the legislature repeatedly over the past 30 years thanks to a coalition of casino and religious interests
“I am a firm believer in the notion that we should continue to enhance and remain competitive with slot wagering offerings but also retain the flexibility to allow other types of games and innovations.”
—Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman AG Burnett, in a Yogonet interview, on introducing skill-based games to casinos in his state
