Gaming news briefs for December 29, 2003

Monday, Dec. 29, 2003 | 11:41 a.m.

Dealer charged with cheating

ATLANTIC CITY -- A blackjack dealer and two players have been charged with defrauding Park Place Entertainment Corp.'s Caesars Atlantic City casino out of more than $72,000, authorities said.

Blackjack and three card poker dealer Jumont Robinson, 32, of Atlantic City is accused of paying on losing and tie bets or of not collecting on the losing hands.

State police said the dealer's transactions were taped by surveillance cameras in the casino and that the alleged thefts occurred beginning Dec. 6.

Also charged were David Charlton, 32, and David Mobley, 26, both of Atlantic City.

Unions back racino measure

PORTLAND, Maine -- Representatives from two unions are giving their support to a horse track with slot machines in either Westbrook or Saco.

Members of the Local 567 chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Local 716 chapter of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry rallied Saturday in Portland to show their support for development of a "racino" in southern Maine.

Westbrook and Saco are holding referendums on Tuesday asking voters whether they want to allow racinos in their cities.

Gene Ellis, president of the electrical workers' union, said a racino would create jobs and provide property tax relief for the racino's host community.

Hall suffers from loss of poker

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Members of a fraternal lodge that lost its bingo license for one year for using video poker machines say they were forced to sell their meeting hall after suffering a $2.6 million loss in gambling revenue.

The Indiana Department of Revenue, which oversees charity gaming licenses and enforces video gambling laws, closed down the video gambling operation at Eagles Lodge 231 in August 2002. At one point, the lodge had as many as 29 video poker machines.

Eagles secretary Ron Hughes said the loss of $2.6 million in annual gambling revenue "almost bankrupted us," and forced the lodge to sell its longtime meeting hall and move to a former restaurant.

The lodge's five-year license suspension was reduced to one year on appeal, however, and its bingo license will be reinstated in February, said Cathy Henninger of the Department of Revenue.