Inside Asian Gaming

March 2010 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING “GSA members who are both operators and manufacturers are very interested in understanding how an Internet gaming standard would benefit the gaming industry at large,” he added. The committee expects to report on its findings by this summer. The GSA is an international trade association for gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators and regulators. It was set up in 1998 to develop, promote and implement open technical and regulatory standards across the industry. Foxwoods fined by Pennsylvania regulator Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has voted to fine the Foxwoods group US$2,000 per day for reportedly failing to provide documentation on its plans for a US$600 million casino in South Philadelphia. The ruling from the board came despite a personal appearance by Steve Wynn. Mr Wynn, the Chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts, has indicated he is willing to front the project. His detailed verbal submission wasn’t enough however to satisfy the regulator. The seven board members voted unanimously to continue to fine the Foxwoods group US$2,000 a day until Wynn and the original investors produce documents detailing how the casino would be paid for, how it would look, and how long it would take to build. The financing information must be presented by 31st March. The architectural drawings and construction timetable are due by 26th April. The board will reassess the sanctions at a meeting on 29th of that month, by which time Foxwoods will have clocked up a bill of US$114,000 in fines. Nordic but nice Finland is the latest European country to take steps towards offering online gaming to its population. The Finnish slot machine association (RAY) and State lottery Veikkhaus Oy have been given permission to offer online casino, poker and bingo games to citizens. But despite new licensing laws in the country to allow the organisations to operate online from the 1st March, RAY has chosen to delay proceedings until the launch in August. Kaisa Fahllund, a partner and head of the technology group at the Helsinki office of law firm Hannes Snellman said in comments reported in Gaming Alerts and Yogonet: “Basically Finland sticks to its [state gaming] monopoly but the reason that RAY has been allowed to offer these games is to compete with the foreign operators.” 47 Briefs Chile casino sector shaken—not stirred A newly opened casino in Chile suffered a collapsed roof in the country’s recent 8.8 magnitude earthquake. The incident happened at the recently inaugurated Monticello casino run by Sun International in the southern suburbs of the capital Santiago. The property was one of the casinos nearest to the epicentre of the quake that happened off the coast south west of Santiago on 27th February. Monticello CEO David Coutts-Trotter said in a statement reported by Yogonet that only five people were injured. He added 3,500 people were evacuated from the property in fewer than eight minutes. “Miraculously given the strength of the quake and aftershocks, only five people were injured, one seriously who is receiving medical treatment and every assistance from us,” said Mr Coutts-Trotter. “There has been significant damage to the casino and retail complex including the convention centre and administration areas, some of it due to the quake and aftershocks and some due to the sprinkler system, which was activated during the tremor. As an indication of the severity of the quake, a two-ton safe moved over a metre during the tremor.” Monticello was immediately closed, all services switched off, the complex secured and cordoned off he added. Mr Coutts-Trotter said the complex would remain closed for the foreseeable future, while the damage is assessed and the building cleared up and essential remedial works are completed. The company says it has earthquake insurance in place for both the damage to property and the costs of business interruption. There will however be a deductible in terms of the policy amounting to some US$ 8 million the company added. Elsewhere in the country Pucón Casino and Resort in Pucón, 780- kilometres to the south of Santiago, managed by the Enjoy Group, suffered some minor damage to the roof and some equipment Casino Viña del Mar in Vina del Mar, Valparaíso, in the centre of the country, also run by the Enjoy Group, was temporarily evacuated and had some damage to its pool filtration system but had reopened for business by 4th March. Poker—all in the mind Poker will soon be officially classified as a‘mental sport’under the definition of an international regulatory body. Don’t expect however to see Texas hold’em at the 2012 Olympics in London. The International Association of Mental Sports (IMSA), has announced the aim to accept the International Poker Federation as a member at its April meeting. The IPF claims however that its membership of the IMSA will mean the International Olympic Committeewill have to acknowledge poker automatically in its list of games of skill, such as chess or bridge. That in turnmakes poker eligible for consideration as an addition to a summer Olympics programme in the future. Peter DeRaedt Finnish slot machine association HQ Monticello casino