Gaming briefs for June 14, 2004

Monday, June 14, 2004 | 11:12 a.m.

Video game giant drops 'Net gambling ads

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Electronic Arts Inc., whose "Madden NFL" games sell more copies than any other sports video game, said it will stop posting online casino advertisements in its Web site, the New York Times reported.

The California-based company told South Africa-based casino Forward Slash that it would no longer run its ads on the EA Web site, which allows users to play interactive games for free, the newspaper reported.

Electronic Arts is following Internet search engine companies Google Inc. and Yahoo! Inc., which stopped taking online casino advertisements in recent months, the Times said.

Online advertising makes up "a tiny fraction" of EA's almost $3 billion in annual revenue, the Times said, citing spokesman Jeffrey Brown.

Tribal donation aimed at reviving treatment program

SEATTLE -- The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe says it is donating $350,000 toward problem gambling treatment.

The donation, to the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse within the state Department of Social and Health Services, is aimed at restarting a state-sponsored gambling treatment program that was abandoned last year. It was unclear if, or how quickly, the state agency might use the money to restart the program.

"I think it's great," said Gary Hanson with the Washington State Council on Problem Gambling. "I think it demonstrates what we've seen -- that the Muckleshoots have been in the forefront of the issue."

In a letter to Gov. Gary Locke, Muckleshoot Tribal Council Chairman John Daniels Jr. said that as Locke, the tribe and others work to develop a permanent solution, "the Muckleshoot Tribe is stepping up to address the urgent and immediate funding problem faced today by contributing $350,000 to support problem gambling treatment and training programs."

"We're very pleased" with the donation, Locke policy adviser Dick Van Wagenen said. "We hope others follow as well."

Gambling revenue totaled more than $1.3 billion in Washington last year.