Dubai Tourism Chief States City Won’t Become Gaming Destination, Despite MGM and Caesars Projects

Dubai will quickly become house to hotel properties branded by MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, but area officials say don’t obtain the wrong concept: casinos and gambling are not coming to the spot.

Dubai is home to the world’s building that is tallest plus some of the most fascinating artificial islands, but casinos won’t presumably be coming anytime soon.

Gambling is considered ‘haram’ under Islamic law: an activity that is forbidden goes against sacred texts found in the Quran.

During an meeting with Gulf News this week, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce CEO Issam Kazim was asked if there was an increasing appetite to welcome casinos to the city.

‘No, there is not a desire for casinos,’ Kazim declared. ‘ We must bear in mind that there are cultural things that are a concern to us.’

Non-Gaming Horizons

MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, respectively ranked # 2 and #5 in terms of gross gaming revenue of the world’s casino operators, are starting the Middle East for the very first time by way of Dubai.

In March 2017, MGM reached a working agreement with Dubai-based Wasl Hospitality and Leisure to advise on the development of a location resort, and as soon as completed in 2021, run its operations.

The beachfront that is 26-acre will feature the MGM resort, MGM Residences, and Bellagio Hotel.

Early in the day this month, Caesars Entertainment announced a partnership with Meraas, also a Dubai development firm, to handle and operate part of the $1.6 billion man-made Bluewaters Island. Caesars will be responsible for hospitality and entertainment on the land that is artificial measures roughly 80 acres.

Caesars CEO Mark Frissora stated the venture into Dubai is element of its post-bankruptcy focus on expanding to markets that are international lending the brand to hoteliers. Bob Morse, the company’s president of hospitality, said its Bluewaters partners Meraas put any gambling talk ‘to rest very quickly.’

Expanding Tourism

The biggest and most populated town in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), throughout the last decade Dubai leaders have made an effort to become less reliant on oil. Expanding the tourism sector happens to be a focal point, and billions of dollars have been spent, lots of which are monies linked with the home of Al Falasi, the Dubai family that is royal.

One of the town’s main draws are the islands that are artificial within the Persian Gulf.

Dubai is now the sixth most-visited city in the world, based on the entire world Economic Forum. Nearly 15 million individuals visited in 2017, lots that’s behind only Hong Kong, Bangkok, London, Singapore, therefore the world’s richest gambling hub, Macau.

Dubai is considered to be a city that is progressive and has now eased some restrictions about what’s otherwise considered haram vices. Adult non-Muslims are permitted to consume liquor in licensed venues typically present in city resorts.

But gambling — usually included on so-called ‘sin industry’ lists, along with alcohol, tobacco, weapons manufacturing, and sex-related products — is not likely to be coming to Dubai anytime soon, if ever.

However, city officials in Dubai have an ambitious goal of inviting 20 million tourists a year by 2020, which would make it the third most-visited locale in the globe.

Shocker, Not: Nevada Most Gambling-Addicted State, Learn Reveals

Nevada is America’s most gambling-addicted state, based on a new study conducted by WalletHub.com, an online finance website that is personal. It’s possibly the least surprising study outcomes since one that revealed that more than 50 percent of teens are dependent on their cellular devices.

Nevada holds the record for the many addicted gamblers, a study that is new. And no one is surprised. (Image: File/Getty)

That will come as surprise that is little nevertheless the placement of some other states into the study results could be worthy of several raised eyebrows.

The old-fashioned way, WalletHub says it studied 19 key metric indicators to determine where excessive gambling is most prevalent in its third year evaluating which US states are the most addicted to taking chances with their money.

The assessment considered two areas that are main ‘gambling friendliness’ (a quotient that combined many different video gaming factors for each state) and ‘gambling issue and treatment.’ The weighted categories included factors such as for example the wide range of commercial and tribal casinos per capita, and percentage of grownups with gambling disorders and parallel available number of behavioral counselors.

Nevada topped the list of all gambling-addicted states with a total rating of 62.43. It rated very first in gambling friendliness, and 10th in gambling treatment and problem.

Nevada has the most gambling enterprises and gaming devices per capita, and fifth-highest rate of gambling addiction.

One might suspect New Jersey or Pennsylvania in the future next, but that ‘honor’ goes to South Dakota, which scored 53.1. Rounding out the top five most gambling-addicted states are Montana (52.9), Mississippi (51.8), and Louisiana (44.7).

Four of the top five are repeat offenders. Louisiana could be the entry that is newest, up from no. 9 in 2017, while West Virginia (#5 in 2017), dropped back again to #6 in 2010.

Detailing Down And Up

Pennsylvania — which creates the second-most gaming that is gross revenue behind only Nevada — put #27 on final years WalletHub list. But using the Keystone State in the process of further expanding its commercial industry with as many as 10 new satellite casinos, along with impending online gambling and daily fantasy recreations, and slots inside truck stops and airport video gaming lounges, Pennsylvania has surged a dozen spots, up to #15.

Illinois ended up being another mover-upper, going from #18 in 2017 to #9 on this year’s list. No state has more gambling-related arrests per capita, according to WalletHub though Illinois ranks 25th in gaming machines per capita and 21st in lottery sales.

Atlantic City’s New Jersey fell two spots to #8. The Garden State ranks 2nd in gambling treatment and problem, with nearly three % of all of the adults recognized as have a gambling disorder.

Implications of Legal Sports Betting

A lot of the US might find their ‘gambling friendliness’ score increase, should activities betting be legalized for several 50 states. The Supreme Court is expected to soon hand straight down its opinion on the present federal ban that prohibits the game in every but four states.

WalletHub asked five behavioral and psychology experts whether sports betting should be permitted at the level that is federal. All five said it will, using the general viewpoint that eliminating unregulated illegal offshore and underground sportsbooks is within the interest that is best of both consumers and the gaming industry.

‘ The reason that is main states want gambling is money. Why not make sports wagering legal? Gamblers will gamble anyway,’ Indiana University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences Professor Emeritus Jim Sherman noted.

as 20 states would be likely to pass sports betting laws in the coming years should SCOTUS repeal the ban that is federal.

Land in Sight for Louisiana Riverboat Casinos as State Senate Passes ‘River to Shore’ Bill

On Tuesday, the day that is very the Horseshoe Southern Indiana had been granted authorization by the Indiana Gaming Commission to move its operations onto dry land, hundreds of miles south the Louisiana Senate had been approving a bill that would additionally propel its own riverboat casinos onto terra firma.

State Senator Ronnie Johns believes Louisiana riverboat casinos should be permitted to come onto dry land after 25 years into the beverage. He would like to modernize their state’s casino industry so that it can compete featuring its neighbors. (Image: Sarah Camard/Gambit Weekly)

The Louisiana Senate voted 22-14 to pass through State Senator Ronnie Johns’ (R-Lake Charles) SB316, which would let the state’s 15 riverboat casinos to really make the leap that is evolutionary provided all gambling activities are conducted within 1,200 feet of their licensed berths.

Johns’ bill would also remove a quirky statute from Louisiana gamble law that calls for each center to have a paddle wheel that is operational.

Horseshoe Gets Lucky

Indiana passed a bill that is similar 2015, and not just a moment too quickly for the Horseshoe that has been shut down on at minimum five occasions as a result of the flooding of the Ohio river where it offers been permanently docked since its establishment in 1998. The absolute most recent closure was in February, at great expense to the state.

The Indiana regulator on Tuesday approved a $85 million facility that is land-based should that be ‘above-land-based center,’ because the Caesars-owned casino will be slightly elevated to negate the possibility of flooding.

‘This project further demonstrates our http://1xbets-giris.top/ continued enthusiasm for and commitment to the state,’ said Brad Siegel, senior vice president at the Horseshoe. ‘We appreciate the Commission’s decision today and appear forward to continuing our positive working relationships at the State and local level.’

Expansion or development?

Much of the debate in Louisiana, meanwhile, was whether Johns’ bill constituted expansion that is gambling since it proposes reworking the cap on casino floor space. The limit that is current of square feet would be replaced by a limit on gambling positions or the amount of seats in front side of slots at 2,365.

Johns said his bill would modernize the state’s creaking casino sector, enabling it to incorporate bigger slots utilizing the cutting-edge technology that is latest, which will surely help it to deflect competition from the casinos of Oklahoma and Mississippi.

State Senator Danny Martiny (R-Dist. 10) agreed, and berated fellow senators who thought otherwise.

We have got a market that’s providing us with income, thank Jesus,’ Martiny said. ‘Everybody that’s against it, sure doesn’t shy far from coming to Appropriations and asking for some of that cash.