Ranong Province warns state officials not to get involved in all forms of gambling, especially lottery. They will face both criminal charges and disciplinary punishments if they do.

Ranong Governor Kanchanapa Keeman added that the province also bans officials from listening to or watching programs broadcasting government lottery drawing. She said officials should set a good example for the general public by exempting from immoral activities.

A bill on On gambling industry has been considered at today’s plenary sitting of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan.

The draft law foresees certain locations for gambling establishments, requirements for acquisition of licenses and their activity standards.

The senators inserted an amendment on expanding the area to have the gambling establishments placed.

Remittance of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to the national coffers reached P8.76 billion during the first 11 months of the year, data from the Bureau of Treasury show.

Data also showed Pagcor infused P779 million worth of dividends to the treasury in November.

Pagcor remitted P9.6 billion last year to the national coffers or 6.4 percent more than the P9.01 billion it remitted in 2004. As a government-owned and -controlled corporation, it is required by Republic Act 7656 or the Dividend Law to remit as much as 50 percent of its annual gross earnings to the government.

WALL Street investors have found the golden touch of the Packer and Ho families to be irresistible, listing their Macau casino interests at the upper end of expectations.

Melco PBL raised about $US1.065 billion ($A1.365 billion) by selling 60.25 million American Depositary Shares for $US19 each, rather than the expected amount of 53 million shares for $US16-$US18.

Trading was due to start last night on Wall Street's Nasdaq exchange.

The biggest floating casino in India, Caravela, is located on a yatch moored offshore near Goa's capital Panaji.

Till few days back Caravela had the monopoly over legalized gambling in the state but if things go according to Goa government's plans it could soon be facing stiff competition.

The state government has decided to issue licenses for three more casinos to be opened up in Goa.

SEOUL -- The Supreme Prosecutors' Office (SPO) will donate tens of thousands of personal computers seized during crackdowns on illegal video gambling parlors across the country to underprivileged people, SPO officials said Sunday.

About 32,833 used computers will be repaired and donated to the disabled and economically underprivileged through the Ministry of Information and Communication next year, the officials said.

The computers were used to operate slot-machine-style programs that were determined to be illegal by prosecutors. South Korea authorizes only one casino for its nationals, which is in Jeongseon, an isolated mountain resort in eastern South Korea.

Prosecutors are tracing the bank account transactions of former Culture and Tourism Minister Chung Dong-chea as they investigate suspicions that government officials were bribed by businessmen looking for licenses to sell gift vouchers used as payouts in an illegal gambling scheme.

A former assistant of Chung, identified only as Yoo, was arrested last month on charges of taking 137 million won ($149,000) from executives of CS Club Korea, one of the country’s 19 companies authorized to issue the gift certificates used at adults-only game arcades.

PacificNet Inc., a vendor of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), mobile internet, e-commerce and gambling technology in China, has announced it has acquired an additional six percent interest in PacificNet Games Limited (PacGames).

Prior to this, in connection with the acquisition of Able Entertainment previously announced during the Q3 earnings conference call, PacificNet owned 45 percent of PacGames. PacificNet now owns 51 percent of PacGames.

Hotel and casino company MGM Mirage Inc. (MGM.N) said on Wednesday it is in advanced talks with Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing to create a joint venture to develop non-gaming luxury hotels and resorts globally.

MGM Mirage and Diaoyutai would target initially locations in China, MGM Mirage said, adding that a definitive agreement is expected in the first quarter of 2007.