The $240 billion U.S. gambling industry is looking to bolster its political influence with a national effort to mobilize workers behind its policy agenda heading into the 2016 elections. The American Gaming Association (AGA), a trade group representing mainly casinos and lotteries, boasts a growing membership covering 40 states, and the trade group’s leadership vowed Wednesday to increase its clout in Washington, despite the loss of retiring Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), an influential congressional ally. “We’re going to be more active in political discussion,” MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren told reporters Wednesday at the AGA’s shiny new D.C. digs….

The American Gaming Association has spoken out against a proposal by the Internal Revenue Service that would involve electronic player tracking on casino gaming devices. During a recent IRS hearing, CEO and President of the American Gaming Association, Geoff Freeman, testified that the gaming group is in disagreement with the recent proposal that involves player tracking. The IRS has proposed that casino loyalty cards used by players, be used as an electronic tracking device to be used for the purpose of tax reporting. However, the process of equipping the marketing tool for such activity would prove to be difficult as…

New Jersey gambling regulators won’t prosecute companies that help facilitate illegal Internet gambling if they knock it off within 150 days. In an advisory bulletin last week, New Jersey Gaming Enforcement Director David Rebuck said his agency will not prosecute any company that promoted, marketed or directed New Jersey customers to illegal Internet betting sites after legal Internet gambling began here in November 2013, provided they cease such activity in the next five months. The same amnesty will apply to companies that helped facilitate Internet bets after passage of a 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling law. “It is clear that those…

Danish national gambling regulatory body Spillemyndigheden has entered into a partnership with the UK Gambling Commission. Under the agreement, the regulatory bodies will cooperate on projects and share information related to the gambling industry. The partnership will help both bodies with their respective processes surrounding the fight against money-laundering, in addition to the ongoing protection of consumers and prevention of problem gambling. The two organisations will also collaborate on projects to boost the management of player accounts as well as the supervision of advertising in the UK and Danish markets. “The signature of this agreement with Gambling Commission pursues cooperation…

Gov. Chris Christie says he’d be in favor of approving partnerships of the kind soon to be announced between the Florida-based Hard Rock gaming company and the Meadowlands Racetrack for a casino in north Jersey — as long as tax revenues from such ventures would help pay to revitalize ailing Atlantic City. Speaking on his monthly radio show, Christie said that while no one had presented the proposal to him, he had heard “rumblings” that the state Legislature planned to place the idea on the November ballot for a statewide referendum on expanding gaming to the northern part of the…

The second phase of Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd’s Galaxy Macau casino-resort is due to open tomorrow. The company says the development will add 150 gaming tables, a Ritz Carlton hotel with over 250 suites, a JW Marriott hotel with over 1,000 rooms and the Promenade Central shopping arcade to its inventory. Galaxy Entertainment is also due to open tomorrow its Broadway Macau, containing a 3,000-seat theatre which will show performances at least every weekend. Story on Macau Business