The economic slowdon is apparently now global and, depending on what you read, the UK is either just months away from certain recession or around a year away. Is this affecting the casino industry?

Gene Chayevsky, a director of Cadillac Jack since 2004, has succeeded founder Mike Macke as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company.

Dermot Ahern, the Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, published the Report of the Irish Casino Committee, Regulating Gaming in Ireland, in advance of the summer recess. He aims to set up an informal cross-party committee this Autumn to examine all aspects of gaming in Ireland.

Cleaning card manufacturer KICTeam has developed a new Waffletechnology cleaning card that incorporates a larger waffle pattern to clean international currency validators made by JCM Global.

Octavian International's ExtraCash mini-jackpot and staffless payout games system has gained worldwide GLI (Gaming Laboratories International) approval. The system, which operates on a local network, is designed to generate high levels of interest and involvement among playing and non-playing customers.

Using the slogan "The White Orchid game graphics are so real, you can almost smell the tropical flowers," IGT claims that its latest video slot offers one of the most intense gaming experiences on the market.

Aristocrat Technologies has opened a central warehouse facility at its European headquarters in Uxbridge, west London, which concludes a process of decentralising the company's European operations from Sydney, Australia. The 2,050m2 facility will serve as an assembly, testing, quality control, despatch and stores workshop for the vast majority of Aristocrat and PokerPro equipment sold throughout Europe.

René de Jong is the International Sales Manager for WMS, based in Holland. René 37, formerly of Philips Electronics NV and Scantech ID BV, joins WMS with more than 16 years of sales experience. René previously served as Commercial Director for a global IT hardware company, specialising in sales of laser-based optical solutions.

Shares in Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM), Stanley Ho's casino company, finally began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after last-minute legal challenges from his sister.

As part of a refocus on its core business of gaming, New Zealand's Skycity Entertainment Group has appointed four senior executives.

This summer, Ritzio International launched three new entertainment venues in the cities of Gomel, Brest, and Grodno. The company believes this makes it the largest gaming provider in Belarus, with 27 gaming clubs and 1,300 machines.

Progressive Gaming International Corporation and IGT are entering into further agreements to expand their strategic technology alliance, which was established in April 2008 to address server-based gaming opportunities jointly.

The 21-member judging panel for the 2009 International Gaming Awards has been finalised, and entries are being invited. The Awards will be presented on the 26th January at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London during ICE, the International Casino Exhibition.

Zagreb's Golden Sun Casino won Aristocrat's Golden Boot award for the best promotion for Pelé Golden Goals Hyperlink during the Euro 2008 Football Championships.

Timothy Cullimore is the new Chief Executive of The Ritz Club, charged with supervising a phase of growth and development. Before joining The Ritz Club, Cullimore was Managing Director of Operations for Casinos Austria International's UK Representation.

Cantor Gaming has acquired the assets of Michael "Mickey" Wichinsky's businesses, which include a catalogue of casino games, an art library, and other intellectual property.

The European Casino Association (ECA) will be holding its 2009 European Dealer Championship from 21st to 22nd April 2009 in Casino Cosmopol, Malmö, Sweden. It is anticipated that all 23 ECA member countries will participate.

Michael J Carlotti has joined Bally Technologies as VP of Investor Relations and Capital Markets. Robert Caller, Bally Technologies' Chief Financial Officer, said: "I am very pleased to welcome Michael to our management team. His Wall Street background will help Bally streamline its investor communications and will assist the Company with its ongoing capitalmarket initiatives."

The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) has launched a Protocol Certification Program that aims to help manufacturers ensure consistent GSA protocol implementation, and allow operators to search for products that have been tested and certified to meet GSA protocol standards.

Gary Platt Manufacturing has shipped 250 Sierra-style X-Tended Play seats to John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino in Sparks, Nevada. "It is fabulous when casinos support local manufacturers," said a company spokeswoman.

Aristocrat Technologies Europe has promoted Daniel Lindsay to the newly-created post of General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Europe. Daniel has 15 years of industry experience, having worked for John Huxley Ltd and TCS John Huxley Group before joining Aristocrat in 2005 to spearhead its new business development.

Casinos Austria International launched Gran Casino Los Angeles at the end of July. "We are very excited," said Gabriel Benvenuto, General Manager of the new casino, which is situated in the capital of Bio-Bio province in southern Chile.

Casino Technology's representative in Romania and the Republic of Moldavia, Advanced Technology Innovations (ATI), has hired two more sales managers to join the team, and was on hand to demonstrate the full range of Casino Technology's video-slot games at the August Entertainment Arena expo in Bucharest.

3M's Touch Systems sales team in Europe has grown with the appointment of Fernando Fandiño Oliver as Sales Manager, Spain and Portugal. Fernando is responsible for day-to-day account management of existing and prospective customers in the gaming, banking and finance, and industrial markets.

Bally Technologies has formed an Innovation Lab that will focus on researching and developing new gaming technologies and features across all the company's product lines.

The Chinese authorities are seeking to slow down the rate at which mainland residents visit, and gamble, in Macau. Further travel restrictions have been placed on citizens of mainland China.

Nick Grimshaw has been appointed Director of Loyalty Marketing by casino operator London Clubs International. The move underscores a trend towards top-level gaming industry hires coming from outside the sector, according to Steven Jackson of specialist recruitment and executive search consultancy, Sports Recruitment International.

Gaming Partners International (GPI) has received approval for RFIDPoker from the French Interior and Finance Ministries following two field trials.

Weike Gaming has launched Yokoso Japan (Welcome to Japan), the third in its ‘Around the World' series of video slot games. Preceded by Uniquely Singapore and Truly Malaysia, and due to be followed by Discovering Macau, Yokoso Japan is a 25-line, 5-reel, game running on Windows XP. All four games run on Weike's two twin-touch-screen cabinets - the upright Triton 3,0 and the slant-top Cytron 3.0.

Two years after it was passed, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is proving impossible to enforce because the Federal Reserve Board and Treasury Department have yet to set up the regulations that will guide American banks and credit institutions so that they can identify and block illegal online gambling transactions.

Casino International Managing Editor Jon Bruford talks about… Well, not a lot, really.

Sharon Harris looks at what the American public is up to in lean economic times…

Enjoy the English language edition of Ricki Chavez-Munoz's popular Casino International column…

Ricki Chavez Munoz reports on what’s happening in South America in our Spanish-language version of his popular monthly column

Casino International recently met Peter Brooks, Executive Deputy Chairman of Genting Stanley and asked him about the company’s plans for the future, the renovations at Crockfords in London and much more besides…

While server-based gaming variants are doing well in some emerging markets, the gloomy economic outlook isn’t helping the roll-out of server-based gaming, at least not in traditional, established casino markets. And regulatory approaches in North America are not exactly enabling the opportunities. Server-based gaming is still very much a work in progress, as Graeme Kidd discovers.

At the forefront of the currency business for 150 years, De La Rue is making a name for itself with cash handling products in the casino Industry. Ed Brindley, Managing Director, UK, for the Cash Processing Solutions division, spoke to Casino International about the company…

EGM Green aims to bring a 'greener', more environmentally friendly edge to gaming furniture. Company President Eric Hansel spoke to Casino International about the company and what they do…

The digital security specialists talk about their recent successful installation at one of Germany’s premier casinos…

Following an intensive product evaluation Visimetrics FASTAR range of Digital Video Recorders have been installed in “The Casino” at Portomaso, Malta.

Little River Casino in Manistee, Michigan is among several new clients who are now implementing SCI’s FOOD-TRAK F&B (Food and Beverage) Management System.

Sweden is a country with a relatively short casino history. The first casino was inaugurated in 2001, its fourth in 2003. The four casinos form the Casino Cosmopol group, a subsidiary of Svenska Spel, the largest gaming company in Sweden. The four casinos are located in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Sundsvall.

The collaboration between Dutch sign builder Signs4U & Suzo-Happ South America turns out to be a very effective one.
 Last year the two companies joined forces to produce casino signs in a new production facility in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Atronic Systems’ Chain Reaction went live for the Schleswig-Holstein Spielbanken group in their Flensburg casino in April.  Players at Casino Flensburg now have the chance to share in the winnings with Atronic Systems’ Chain Reaction Mystery Jackpot concept.

Earlier this year, prominent Bulgarian operator Gameprom unveiled its new Wide Area Media Solution from Progressive Gaming.

TransAct’s Epic 950 printer has been installed in all 1,500 slot games at the new MGM Grand at Foxwoods casino in Connecticut. The MGM Grand at Foxwoods includes an 825-room hotel, 4,000-seat grand theater, a convention center and ballroom, nightclubs, and 1,500 more slot machines.

M Resort, Spa and Casino property officials have signed a long-term agreement with Cantor Gaming to provide cutting-edge mobile gaming technology to the casino floor and race and sports book of the $1 billion M Resort, Spa and Casino, scheduled to be completed in spring 2009 on South Las Vegas Boulevard.

Portugal has seen its casino industry grow rapidly in recent years and now boasts over 5000 slots with two major casino groups present – Estoril Sol Group and the Solverde Group. Similarly, MEI has seen the same performance and demand for its products.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida has announced it will implement Bally’s TableView table-rating and player-tracking system at its six casinos in south Florida. Bally’s award-winning TableView allows Seminole casino staff to enter player ratings, request chip fills and credits, and issue customer comps and markers in real time.

Inspired Gaming Group has deployed 60 new Open SBG terminals to the five-star NagaWorld hotel, casino and entertainment complex in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This deal is the latest in Inspired’s ongoing expansion into the Asian market.

Casino Rodos, located on the northern tip of the island of Rhodes in Greece, has followed an increasingly popular trend by specifying the MEI CASHFLOW SC for all new games.

Casino da Madeira has chosen Signs4U and its Portuguese partner Trade Game to supply new designs for their existing casino signage. Currently refurbished in lively colours and to the very highest standard, it offers an area devoted to slot machines with more than 200 of the latest models.

Aristocrat has scored recent success with its Oasis 360 Casino Management System, with an installation in two Nevada casinos. M Resort, Spa and Casino, opening Spring 09 on South Las Vegas Boulevard plans to leverage its Ethernet casino floor network with the use of Aristocrat’s SpeedMedia Marketing and Promotions applications on more than 1,900 Sentinel III in-game displays across the casino.

Novomatic has completed the first Novo Multi-Roulette installation in Spain’s autonomous region, Aragon. Casino Zaragoza, owned by the Galician gaming group Comar, now features a brand new Novo Multi-Roulette.