Inside Asian Gaming

september 2016 inside asian gaming 77 Sochi becomes Russia’s latest gambling zone Sochi, the former home of the Winter Olympic Games, is set to become Russia’s newest gambling hub after being signed into law by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The Krasnaya Polyana zone covers 165,000 square meters and becomes just the fifth area across the country to allow gambling other than through licensed bookmakers and betting machines. Although the weather could prove to be a small problem, Sochi’s location is its greatest asset given it is closer to China’s northern provinces than Macau. A lack of visa restrictions for Chinese tour groups could also prove beneficial. Sochi’s population has grown to around 500,000 people in recent years thanks largely to improved infrastructure built specifically for the Olympics in 2014. Riviera demolition complete INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS The second tower of the Riviera has been demolished, bringing an end to the Las Vegas icon’s colorful 60-year history. Two months after the 24-storey Monaco Tower was brought crashing down, the job is now complete with the smaller Monte Carlo Tower having followed suit in an early morning implosion broadcast live on local television. Demolition of the second tower had been delayed due to the presence of asbestos which required workers to wrap the entire building in plastic and manually remove much of the debris to prevent asbestos particles becoming airborne. The Riviera opened in 1955 and alongside other famous Las Vegas Strip properties of the time such as the Flamingo, Dunes and Stardust played a key role in the city’s mobster history. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which purchased the property for US$182.5 million last year, will use the site to expand its Las Vegas Convention Center. New Jersey Assemblyman warns against anti-casino group New Jersey Assemblyman Ralph Caputo has urged voters to ignore opponents of the state’s upcoming casino referendum and back a move to build two new casinos in North Jersey. Speaking after a major media campaign was launched by a group called No North Jersey Casinos, Caputo accused the group of having a vested financial interest in opposing the proposed New Jersey properties and said the state was losing out on valuable revenue to nearby states New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New England and Delaware. “There’s no doubt about it – powerful and well-heeled political, corporate and labor interests outside New Jersey will spend whatever it takes to defeat the referendum for North Jersey casinos in order to keep billions of dollars of our gaming revenue flowing out of New Jersey and into their pockets,” he said. “They like things exactly the way they are and will use innuendo and outlandish accusations to convince New Jersey taxpayers to vote against our own best interests because it benefits them. That offends me.” Caputo is Chairman of the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee. He also used to work as a marketing executive for Trump Castle, the Tropicana and the Showboat in Atlantic City. The referendum is due to be held on 8 November.