Gaming briefs for July 2, 2004

Friday, July 2, 2004 | 11:03 a.m.

Gaming Commission delays decision on new casino

ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Gaming Commission will not consider a new casino for the St. Louis area at its meeting July 8, citing a need for more study, the commission's chairman said Thursday.

"Due to the volume and complexity of the information prepared by the staff, I believe the commission will benefit from additional time to study the material," Chairman Floyd Bartch said. "This is an important decision. I know I need more time and I suspect the other commissioners do as well."

The St. Louis County Council on Tuesday supported a plan for Pinnacle Entertainment's proposed $300 million casino in the Lemay area of south St. Louis County. But that casino is just one of six under consideration by the Gaming Commission.

Bartch would not speculate on when the commission would consider the proposals.

The region is already home to casinos in St. Louis, Maryland Heights and St. Charles, as well as two casinos on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River -- in Alton and East St. Louis.

'Net operator's shares soar

LONDON -- Shares of Gaming Corp. Plc, the operator of the U.K.'s largest Internet casino, soared after the company said the number of visitors to its Web site more than doubled in recent months.

Gaming Corp. also said the performance of its portal and casino businesses matched the company's forecasts, as they generated monthly sales of more than 1 million pounds ($1.82 million), according to a Regulatory News Service statement.

The shares rose 0.38 penny, or 20 percent, to 2.25 pence in London, giving the company a market value of 3.71 million pounds.