On Wednesday, July 1, 2009 thousands of Russian gambling halls shut down because of new restrictions that provided for gambling businesses only in four remote regions.

Just past midnight, on Thursday, July 2nd., a new era of gambling began in Colorado thanks to voter-approved changes to Colorado gambling laws.

Harrah's World Series of Poker has become a global tournament franchise.  They plan to develop the World Series brand globally and utilize online gaming in countries that do not prohibit internet gambling.

This year's expo featured exhibits from 135 companies from 20 regions including Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Subject to approval from the Louisiana Gaming Board, Pinnacle Entertainment Inc's $407 million dollar Sugarcane Bay Casino Resort construction may begin in August or September.

The Tropicana and other casino assets have been under the control of a government appointed trustee since December of 2007 after the parent company had its license revoked by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.

The city of Lakewood, Washington hasn't allowed new gambling businesses since 2005.  There were six minicasinos at the time of the moratorium.  Happy Days Casino, Bar & Restaurant was one of those six.

The casinos included in the bankruptcy are the already closed Silver Club in Sparks, the Commercial Casino and Stockmen's Casino Hotel in Elko, the Scoreboard Casino in Spring Creek, the El Capitan in Hawthorne, and Parker's Model T in Winniemucca.

The industry has been hard hit by a combination of the rough economy and tightened travel restrictions by China this year. Many are seeing the opening of the City of Dreams as a sign that things are finally turning around.