Spain-based Gextech are going places - and in the Fantastic League product, they may have created a global brand we'll be seeing in casinos, on TV and on mobiles everywhere before long...

Casinos are an accepted part of the average cruise experience, but how do they differ from their land-based counterparts? Jon Bruford sopke to Rodney Dofort, Vice President Casino Operations of Carnival Corporation, a major player in the cruise ship industry.

Andrew Sharpe of law firm Charles Russell takes a closer look at the Gambling Commission's early moves in regulating the UK casino industry, and what the future holds for regulation.

The rumour going around World of Games on day one was vague at best. The word was, AGI – specifically Jens Halle, Managing Director – was planning something for 1pm on day two. Nobody seemed to know any more than this. Day two, and the rumour had gathered both speed and weight – we now knew it would involve the theft of AGI’s intellectual property, and copied cabinets.

Did Moscow's World of Games 2006 survive the insecurity plaguing the Russian casino industry, or is the once-blossoming marketing heading for a single major trade show - or even none at all?

The Yaroslavl administration, together with its deputies and businessmen, will soon meet at the session in local Duma to discuss the future of gaming venues. The situation with the Yaroslavl gaming machines is almost critical.

According to Vladimir Malyshkov, head of consumer market and services department in Moscow, the process of moving slot machines away from market places, transport stations and some other social establishments is actively happening.

An owner of gaming machines in Omsk city is short in payments of 23 million rubles to the budget. Understandably, a criminal case was initiated.

Mr. Serge Darkin, governor of Primoriye region, has signed a draft law supporting restrictive measures in gambling. With the law coming into force some limitations would be imposed on gaming venues.

An amendment to law No. 58 (“On order of Moscow gaming venues location”) is to be introduced to Moscow City Duma by a Russian political faction “Yabloko” (“Apple”). The draft law imposes prohibition to settle gaming venues not only in living areas but also within uninhabited zones.

Gaming halls in the Urals have flouted advertising laws recently. According to a Ural Gaming Business Development Association representative, it happens quite regularly and it is caused by ignorance of gaming legislation by entrepreneurs.

Vologda is now in fully occupied in developing the new law “On gaming venues location within Vologda Region.”

The Internet in Russia is quickly becoming the home of those who want to enjoy the benefits of the gaming industry without the hassle of building a casino – and the taxes.

In the near future the deputies of Sverdlovsk district Duma will discuss a possibility to increase gaming taxation rates.

Commission inspection of gaming venues is planned for Novokuznetsk City. S. D. Martin, the head of the city, has already signed the resolution.

As a result of the last hearings the new law in Bashkiria has been passed recently.

Union of Gaming Business Associations is formed in Russia. Gaming Business Association (ADIB), National Association of Handbook men (NAB) and Association of Gaming Business in Internet (AIBI) have announced about the foundation of the new alliance.

It might have been only the second SAGSE-Centroamerica show but figures demonstrate its continued success and the growing importance of the Panama exhibition.

The nervy political and business situation in Peru abated as soon as the forecast of an Alan Garcia win at the run-in for president was confirmed by the National Election Office.

Following the proposal by Chilean parliamentarians to present a bill to strengthen some areas of the Gaming Law that have been called into question, and the Supreme Court decision to rule in favour of the Casino Commission (SCJ) and against the North American Thunderbird Resorts Inc., came news of the legal suit filed by CIRSA.

The Municipality of San Andres Cholula has become the foundation of an ambitious project by Televisa of Mexico to open 65 gaming halls in the country.

The National Assembly in Venezuela has approved the first reading of a bill that could impact severely on the country’s gaming industry. Casinos, bingos, race tracks, lotteries, slot machines and any future gaming model will all face heavy taxation.

Soon after the Panama expo, where we could appreciate the success of operations like Fiesta, Crown and Majestic, amongst others, and also the brand new simulcasting betting salon that Codere has opened at the Presidente Remon racetrack, we arrived in Lima, Peru to visit friends and to enjoy the delightful cuisine.

Sharon Harris sees that, while compulsory land acquisition is not always a bad thing, forcing people from their homes for business expansion can amount to bullying - yet still end with a smile.

Gaming Laboratories International has announced its move to a new, spacious 43,000 square foot building for the Las Vegas lab.

Gaming Support are celebrating the installation of table game Caribbean Dice Roulette at Casino’ Sanremo, Italy. The casino were apparently seeking an innovative but simple game which could keep players enthralled, and settled on Gaming Support’s CDR.

As FutureLogic cements its place as the world’s leading provider of thermal printer solutions, the company has announced the appointment of Lu Hanna as Vice President of Operations.

Gamshare Limited, following the apparently successful relaunch of its flagship Pokershare.com web site, has launched a sister site which encompasses the other key games in the casino environment.

Thermal printer experts FutureLogic has announced that during the last 18 months Suzo Americas has surpassed expectations for South American market penetration, and has helped establish the largest installed base of thermal gaming printers in the region.

The UK Gambling Commission has set out how it will monitor and regulate the activities of British gambling operators, and the action it will take against those who fail to comply with its rules or who run illegal gambling operations.

Inspired Gaming Group announced its admission to the AIM in early June, in a move designed to allow the company to extend its apparent lead in the UK server-based gaming market.

Thanks to increased demand from the burgeoning market in Macau, Gaming Partners International has announced its French subsidiary, GPI SAS, has made both larger and sooner-than-expected expansion plans to accommodate the high demand for its gaming chips, particularly low- and high-frequency RFID chips.

Bally Technologies, Inc. announced today the appointment of Gavin Isaacs as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, effective September 1, 2006. Isaacs will report to CEO Richard Haddrill, who has also extended his employment agreement with Bally through December 2008.

This is an exciting issue for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it’s the first issue of Casino International that will be available digitally – not only will it be on our web site at www.casinointernational-online.com, which is currently being put together, it will be available as a streaming Flash object online, in a perfect digital representation of the print publication, ads and all.