From the US to India, those involved in the world of casino entertainment are building out two very different projects, all for the sake of facilitating gambling within their territories.
India Turns to Gambling to Boost Profits
Watch out Macau, India’s caught on to what makes your market boom and plans to open its first world-class integrated resort and casino next year.
This major venture, spearheaded by Delta Corporation, involves a facility that includes a 187-room hotel and built-in casino spanning 10 acres and offering up 60,000 square feet of gaming space. In terms of amenities, guests will have a choice of three bars, various restaurants, indoor meeting rooms for corporate affairs, exhibition spaces and a combined 8,000 square feet of high-end retail shopping space.
At the end of the day, much of the success of these projects has to do with location – something which Delta Corp has certainly taken into consideration. Located in Daman, the complex is a little over two-and-a-half hours from Mumbai – the most densely populated city in India – and close enough to major districts in the state of Gujarat to facilitate the influx of locals and tourists alike with a knack for gambling.
According to Delta Corp, if all goes according to plan in the final stages, the facility will be up and running by early 2014. From there, the company will look to acquire new markets in neighbouring Sri Lanka and Sikkim.
Fenced in: New Jersey Erects Digital Borders
At midnight on Tuesday, November 26, online gambling was officially legalized in the state of New Jersey – a major victory for state governor Chris Christie, who fought valiantly to legalize state-owned and operated online gambling this year.
It’s no secret that online gambling has been quite the touchy subject, bordering on taboo, since the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act was passed in 2006. It therefore comes as no surprise that New Jersey’s victory in this arena would come with its own set of regulations and responsibilities.
Cue the massive digital fence being erected along New Jersey state borders – a mechanism by which the government can ensure that anyone residing outside of state lines be blocked from gambling on any state-run site.
This fence will have absolutely no impact on those living in the center of the state; however, those gamblers residing on the outskirts of New Jersey may find it hard to get in on any local online casino action unless they move away from the borders.
Taking into consideration the backlash surrounding the passing of this legislation, digital borders shouldn’t be considered such a bad idea. From the get-go, state-owned and operated gambling sites were expected to be run like a tight ship, and these digital fences help fulfill this expectation. They ensure that online gambling run by the state be kept solely within the state, while also protecting casinos from potential penalties and fines should they “unknowingly” allow out-of-state players to frequent and use their sites.
Though the process by which New Jersey residents are now able to gamble online could be viewed as a bit of a hassle, many Atlantic City executives welcome these rules and regulations, choosing to err on the side of caution while looking at the big picture instead (i.e. boosting state profits).
As of now, six New Jersey hotels have successfully partnered up with online gambling sites in order to offer residents the option to hit up their favorite tables and slot machines online.