Fifty years ago, the Tropicana Casino opened with an elegance and glamour that distinguished it from other casinos. Its luxurious rooms and splendid gardens earned it the nickname of “Tiffany of the Strip”. Rudy Spinosa, an 82-year-old employee who helped open the casino, says: “The tulip-shaped fountain at the front and tropical landscaping set the Tropicana apart from its contemporaries. Definitely nothing came close to it”.

The Tropicana was purchased in January by Columbia Entertainment, an affiliate of Columbia Sussex Corp. During the celebration of the Casino’s golden anniversary, the company will announce its plans for a $2.5 billion makeover that will change most of the existing complex, an upgrade the Tropicana has needed for a long time.

Some weeks ago, 87 video slot machines were pulled from several casinos in Canada, because they showed subliminal messages to players. Now, Canadian casino operator Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. is to decide whether to return the machines to the gaming floors after the manufacturer delivered software to fix the failure.

"We are looking at several weeks before we implement the new software, and at this point it hasn't been fully decided if we will," a spokeswoman for the government agency explained. She added that a decision is expected next week.

There has been made a study in Argentina, in the province of Buenos Aires, that reveals the fact that 60% of the people who go to the centers asking for help because of gambling problems, are men.

About the games that tend to cause more addiction, there are, in the first place, slot machines with a 51 per cent, followed by the traditional and very popular game of the roulette with a 20 per cent.

Slot machine manufacturers are planning to develop what is considered by some members of the industry as the most important innovation in slot machines since the invention of the one arm bandit itself. The new machines will be able to remember players’ names, take their drink order and sell them tickets to a show.

“I consider that we are in the casino industry today where the Internet was seven years ago,” Jeff Allen, Bally Technologies director of business development explained. “Once you have all the gaming technologies in place, you'll be able to change the gaming experience much faster than you can today, and that is revolutionary.”

Only a few months after the first slot-machine casinos opened in Pennsylvania, the state is considering whether to accept lifelike electronic table games that allow multiple players and feature video dealers. This type of machines have already been accepted in states where only video games are legal, like Delaware and Arkansas.

Pennsylvania could be the big jackpot for electronic table games manufacturers since it is expected to become one of the nation’s biggest slot states. Under Pennsylvania’s 2004 gaming law, up to 61,000 machines are allowed in the state.

The House approved this week a bill that, according to its supporters, will help the racing industry and give to the State millions of dollars in taxes. This new legislation would allow up to 5,000 slot machines at Indiana horse racing tracks.

The bill passed 54-39 and it requires the state’s two racetracks to pay a $100 million fee to install the machines. The money obtained with the machines would be taxed at a rate of 37.5 percent, of which a 35 percent would be given to Indiana counties without racetracks or riverboat casinos.

This week, tribal leaders will meet in Rapid City to discuss economic development matters and, in particular, gambling compacts signed by American Indian Tribes and the State. The eight Sioux tribes that operate casinos in South Dakota have contracts with the State by which they can only have up to 250 slot machines each.

“Adding more slots at the tribe’s casino would help the tribe and the state,” John Yellowbird Steele, Chairman of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, said. "Our customers come from Wyoming and Nebraska. We're bringing people into South Dakota. We're actually helping the economy of South Dakota.”

Political changes in the Indiana House and Senate plus the state’s need to find new funds sources, have created the most favorable setting for the approval of slot machines in Indiana horse racing tracks.

Rep. Reske, D-Anderson, has presented the House Bill 1402 which would allow 1,500 slot machines at the Hoosier Park track in Anderson and the Indiana Downs track in Shelbyville and also at two betting parlors in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.

The Gaming Control Board is expected to award a slots license in Pittsburgh and four other cities in the state. The companies competing for the Pittsburgh license are Forest City, Isle of Capri and PITG Gaming.

Shannon Biggard, from Pittsburgh is pleased with the news "I think it would be a great change, something different, something that has to add to Pittsburgh, something for it to offer."

The Judicial Power has promulgated a law that has the intention of reorganizing as well as formalizing the exploitation of casino games and the slot machines too.

Also, it has been created an entity to be in charge of the supervision and is going to be called General Direction of Casino Games and Slot Machines, and is going to be controlled by de vice minister of the Mincetur.