Gaming - VEGAS INC

Affinity Gaming posts fourth-quarter profit

Las Vegas-based Affinity Gaming LLC rebounded to profitability in the fourth quarter, according to the company’s filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

2 April 2012

By Richard N. Velotta

Lucky seven: Some of the most popular slot machines made in Las Vegas

A Vegas Hits slot machine by Bally Technologies is displayed in the company's showroom Thursday, March 29, 2012.

Blinking, spinning, ringing and jangling, slot machines are ubiquitous casino floors. With so many, which do you choose? Here are some of the most popular models selected by casinos worldwide from Las Vegas manufacturer Bally Technologies, which has been making slot machines for the past 80 years:

2 April 2012

By Ron Sylvester

High-tech Vegas designs bring arcade game experiences to casinos

Yolanda Vales of Saratoga, Calif., tries out a Skee-Ball bonus game on a Bally Technologies video slot machine during the first day of the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) convention at the Sands Expo Center Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011.

Bill Wadleigh remembered how much he loved playing Skee-Ball as a boy and how disappointed he was with the cheap sunglasses he received in return for the tickets he won.

2 April 2012

By Ron Sylvester

Did gaming regulators let Jimmy Buffett cruise through the licensing process?

Singer Jimmy Buffett, center, laughs as Michael Utley (not pictured), keyboardist for the Coral Reefer Band, answers questions during a Gaming Control Board hearing at the Sawyer State Building Wednesday, March 7, 2012. With Buffett are attorney Jeffrey Smith, left, and John Cohlan of Margaritaville Holdings.

When popular entertainer Jimmy Buffett received his Nevada gaming license last month, a number of skeptics immediately jumped to the conclusion that star-struck gaming regulators allowed him to skate through the process unchecked.

31 March 2012

Las Vegas has ace in the hole against Macau, speaker says — it's a better tourism draw

The Wynn Macau as seen Aug. 17, 2011. Riding a wave of revenue from Macau, Wynn Resorts Ltd. reported third-quarter earnings of $127.1 million on net revenue of $1.29 billion.

Although Macau has surpassed Las Vegas as the largest generator of gaming revenue in the world, it still can’t match it as a tourism destination, says an emeritus professor at UNLV. And that could eventually hurt the Chinese city.

30 March 2012

By Richard N. Velotta

Lottery players dream of ways to spend half a billion in winnings

Mega Millions madness was in full effect Thursday at the Primm Valley Lotto Store near the Nevada-California border, where thousands of people lined up to purchase a ticket for a chance to win the record $540 million jackpot.

30 March 2012

By Conor Shine

Hundreds of dreamers line up for nanoscale shot at $640 million lottery jackpot

People line up to buy Mega Millions lottery ticket at the Primm Valley Lotto Store across the state line at Primm Thursday, March 29, 2012. About 1,000 people were in line at about noon with a wait time of 4-5 hours. The jackpot had grown to $640 million on Friday.

The line started forming early Thursday, with hundreds of people showing up at sunrise at the Primm Valley Lotto Store for a chance — albeit a minuscule one — to turn $1 into a half a billion dollars. Over the next several hours, the line swelled to more than 1,000 people, each anxiously awaiting the chance to buy a ticket for the record $640 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot.

30 March 2012

By Conor Shine

Compared to winning the lottery, what are the chances of other things happening?

The odds of winning the $500 million-plus Mega Millions jackpot are long. Really long. One in 176 million, to be exact. So how does that compare with other occurrences?

30 March 2012

By Ron Sylvester

$540 million lottery has states anticipating tax jackpot

People queuing up for Mega Millions tickets aren't the only ones salivating over the record $540 million jackpot that could be won Friday — some state governments struggling through lean times know a hometown winner would bring a tax bonanza.

29 March 2012

Erika Niedowski, Associated Press

Station Casinos cuts losses in fourth quarter

Locals casino giant Station Casinos LLC says cash flow is up and operations are improving, but not enough to prevent a $4.2 million loss for the fourth quarter.

29 March 2012

By Richard N. Velotta

Internet gambling prompts rare meeting of Gaming Policy Committee

Gov. Brian Sandoval will solicit all viewpoints on Internet gambling — including those of Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson and other critics — to develop policies to manage and regulate the rapidly changing industry that could be headed to the United States someday.

28 March 2012

By Richard N. Velotta

Nobody hits Mega Millions, pushing Friday's jackpot to record $476 million

No one hit all six Mega Millions numbers pulled Tuesday night, upping the $363 million jackpot to an estimated record $476 million for Friday’s drawing, according to the lottery’s website.

27 March 2012

By Gregan Wingert

MGM abandons plans for casino in Massachusetts town

MGM Resorts International is abandoning a plan to build a resort-style casino in Brimfield and will seek an alternative location in western Massachusetts. The Las Vegas casino company indicated in a statement Tuesday that there were too many complications to pursuing the project.

27 March 2012

Associated Press

City of Henderson reverses course on Roadhouse Casino license

The USA Lounge restaurant features artifacts from the Roadhouse Casino and Lounge, which closed in 2002. Both properties are owned by local developer Robert Mc Mackin.

Station Casinos LLC of Las Vegas has scored a big win in its lawsuit against the City of Henderson over plans for the closed Roadhouse Casino to reopen as a nonrestricted casino.

26 March 2012

By Steve Green

Las Vegas Sands facing new suit over 2008 stock price decline

Las Vegas Sands Corp. may be in sound financial condition today, but some shareholders are still trying to recover losses from a steep decline in the company’s stock price in late 2008.