Entries in the 'Gambling' Category

Harrah’s Entertainment To Be Renamed Caesars Entertainment

LAS VEGAS, April 9 /PRNewswire/ — Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. said today its board of directors has approved a plan to change the company’s name to Caesars Entertainment Corporation, pending regulatory approvals.(Logo: )The name change is designed to capitalize on the high international name recognition enjoyed by the Caesars brand and to appeal to customers attracted by its connotation of luxury, opulence and world-renowned entertainment, dining and shopping options.”Adoption of the name Caesars Entertainment Corporation will provide our company with greater prestige and help attract strategic business partners as we pursue expansion opportunities in new jurisdictions,” said Gary Loveman, Harrah’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “The change also reflects our evolution into a full-service entertainment company that offers a rich range of gaming and non-gaming amenities to our guests.”The Harrah’s name will continue to be one of the company’s three primary casino brands, along with Caesars and Horseshoe. Loveman said the name change will not alter the company’s culture or its adherence to a Code of Commitment that governs its relationships with employees, customers and communities.”Our employees will remain dedicated to the innovation, customer-service excellence and corporate citizenship that have been hallmarks of our company for decades,” Loveman said. “But this re-branding of the corporate name can open exciting new opportunities for us in the future.”Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. is the world’s largest provider of branded casino entertainment. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Harrah’s has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions, and now owns or manages casinos on four continents. The Company’s properties operate primarily under the Harrah’s(R), Caesars(R) and Horseshoe(R) brand names; Harrah’s also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos and the World Series of Poker(R). Harrah’s Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. For more information, please visit .This release includes “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements contain words such as “may,”"will,”"project,”"might,”"expect,”"believe,”"anticipate,”"intend,”"could,”"would,”"estimate,”"continue” or “pursue,” or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. In particular, they include statements relating to, among other things, future actions, new projects, strategies, future performance, the outcomes of contingencies and future financial results of Harrah’s. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events.Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified and, consequently, the actual performance of Harrah’s may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following factors, as well as other factors described from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained therein): the outcome of any legal proceedings that have been, or will be, instituted against the Company related to the acquisition of the Company by affiliates of TPG Capital and Apollo Management; the impact of the substantial indebtedness incurred to finance the consummation of the acquisition of the Company by affiliates of TPG Capital and Apollo Management; the effects of local and national economic, credit and capital market conditions on the economy in general, and on the gaming and hotel industries in particular; construction factors, including delays, increased costs for labor and materials, availability of labor and materials, zoning issues, environmental restrictions, soil and water conditions, weather and other hazards, site access matters and building permit issues; the effects of environmental and structural building conditions relating to our properties; access to available and reasonable financing on a timely basis; the ability to timely and cost-effectively integrate acquisition into our operations; changes in laws, including increased tax rates, smoking bans, regulations or accounting standards, third-party relations and approvals, and decisions of courts, regulators and governmental bodies; litigation outcomes and judicial actions, including gaming legislative action, referenda and taxation; the ability of our customer-tracking, customer loyalty and yield-management programs to continue to increase customer loyalty and same store sales or hotel sales; our ability to recoup costs of capital investments through higher revenues; acts of war or terrorist incidents or natural disasters; abnormal gaming holds; the potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the sale of the Company to affiliates of TPG Capital and Apollo Management; and the effects of competition, including locations of competitors and operating and market competition.Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date made. Harrah’s disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date of this press release. Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.

Harrah’s Entertainment Names Four Additional Members to Board of Directors

LAS VEGAS, April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire/ — Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. said today Charles Atwood, Jeanne Jackson, Lynn Swann and Christopher Williams have been named to the company’s board of directors, subject to regulatory approvals.(Logo: )Atwood, 59, has been vice chairman of Harrah’s Entertainment since 2006. He previously served in a variety of executive positions with the company and was chief financial officer and senior vice president for five years before assuming his current position. He served as a director of Harrah’s from July 2005 until January 2008. Atwood is also a director of Equity Residential, a New York Stock Exchange company that owns and operates multi-family properties, and serves on community boards for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center, as well as on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Business School.Jackson, 56, is founder and chief executive officer of MSP Capital, a private investment company. She is a former CEO of Walmart.com, former CEO and president of Banana Republic, a division of Gap, Inc., and former CEO of Gap, Inc. Direct. Jackson is also a director of Nike, Inc., McDonald’s Corporation and Nordstrom, Inc. She is President of the Board of Trustees of the United States Ski and Snowboard Team. She has held management positions at Victoria’s Secret, The Walt Disney Company, Saks Fifth Avenue and Federated Department Stores.Swann, 56, is president of Swann, Inc., a marketing and communications consulting firm, and managing director of Diamond Edge Capital Partners, LLC, a New York-based finance company. He was an All-American for the University of Southern California football team and All-Pro wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League when the Steelers won four Super Bowls. A member of the college and pro football Halls of Fame, Swann was a broadcaster for ABC Sports, chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Republican candidate for governor of Pennsylvania. He is also a director of H.J. Heinz Company and Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company and a national spokesman and former board president of Big Brothers and Sisters of America.Williams, 50, is chairman and CEO of Williams Capital Group, L.P., an investment bank, and of Williams Capital Management, LLC, an investment management firm. He is also a director of The Partnership for New York City, the National Association of Securities Professionals and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He is also a member of the board of trustees of Teachers College, Columbia University and a member of the board of directors of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. He was a director of Harrah’s Entertainment from November 2003 until January 2008 and served on the board’s audit committee.These appointments set the board at 13 members. Other board members include Harrah’s Chairman, President and CEO Gary Loveman and individuals affiliated with TPG Capital, LP and Apollo Global Management, LLC.”Each of these four individuals brings a unique viewpoint and wealth of business experience that will help the board as it charts an ambitious course for our future,” Loveman said. “Chuck Atwood’s business acumen and 30-plus years of extraordinary gaming-industry success with Harrah’s make him a key member of our board. And Jeanne Jackson, Lynn Swann and Chris Williams add strong and experienced independent voices whose counsel will be invaluable.”Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. is the world’s largest provider of branded casino entertainment. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Harrah’s has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions, and now owns or manages casinos on four continents. The Company’s properties operate primarily under the Harrah’s(R), Caesars(R) and Horseshoe(R) brand names; Harrah’s also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos and the World Series of Poker(R). Harrah’s Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. For more information, please visit . Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.

New Managing Director for Century Casinos Africa

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, April 4 /PRNewswire/ — Century Casinos, Inc. (Vienna Stock Exchange and Nasdaq: CNTY) announcedtoday that the company has appointed Paul Campbell as new Managing Directorof its South African subsidiary Century Casinos Africa (Pty) Ltd. starting onApril 1, 2008. As Managing Director of Century Casinos Africa, Paul Campbell, who hasbeen working as General Manager of The Caledon Hotel, Spa and Casino for twoyears, will be responsible for the management of Century Casinos’ SouthAfrican operations comprising The Caledon Hotel, Spa and Casino, CenturyCasino Newcastle and the food & beverage company Celebrations. Besides his role as General Manager of Century Casinos Caledon, PaulCampbell has more than 16 years experience in the gaming and entertainmentindustry, where he mainly held Management and Senior Management positionssuch as Director of Slots for Storm International in Moscow or Deputy SlotsManager for GrandWest Casino & Entertainment World, Sun International, inCape Town. Rossouw Lubbe, who joined Century Casinos Africa as Managing Director inJuly last year, will shift his focus from operations to strategic compliancematters, corporate governance and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment forthe South African operations.”This decision is a result of growing dynamic operations in South Africaand will ensure that our approach to strategic decision making and corporategovernance as well as our commitment to Broad Based Black EconomicEmpowerment will be augmented to an even higher level”, said Erwin Haitzmannand Peter Hoetzinger, Co CEOs of Century Casinos, Inc. About Century Casinos, Inc.: Century Casinos, Inc. is an international casino entertainment companythat owns and operates the Womacks Casino and Hotel in Cripple Creek,Colorado, the Century Casino & Hotel in Central City, Colorado, the CenturyCasino & Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and the Century CasinoMillennium in the Marriott Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic. The company alsooperates casinos aboard the Silver Cloud, The World of ResidenSea, and thevessels of Oceania Cruises. Through its subsidiary Century Casinos Africa(Pty) Limited, it owns and operates The Caledon Hotel, Spa & Casino near CapeTown, South Africa, as well as 60ACIORFIPROCENTE of, and provides technical casino servicesto, Century Casino Newcastle, in Newcastle, South Africa. Furthermore, thecompany’s Austrian subsidiary, Century Casinos Europe GmbH, holds a 33.3ACIORFIPROCENTEownership interest in Casinos Poland Ltd., the owner and operator of sevenfull casinos and one slot casino in Poland. The company continues to pursueother international projects in various stages of development. For more information about Century Casinos, visit our website athttp://www.centurycasinos.com. Century Casinos’ common stock trades on TheNASDAQ Capital Market(R) and the Vienna Stock Exchange under the symbol CNTY. This release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaningof the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements arebased on the beliefs and assumptions of the management of Century Casinosbased on information currently available to management. Such forward-lookingstatements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that couldcause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed orimplied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that couldcause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statementsinclude, among others, the risks described in the section entitled “RiskFactors” under Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 16,2007. Century Casinos disclaims any obligation to revise or update anyforward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by it or on itsbehalf. Web site: http://www.centurycasinos.comCentury Casinos, Inc.

PacificNet to Oppose Involuntary Bankruptcy Petition

- Company working to resolve issues - Company to operate as usualBEIJING, March 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ — PacificNet, Inc. , a leading provider of gaming technology, e-commerce, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in China, announced today that three holders of PacificNet’s Convertible Subordinated Debentures filed an involuntary petition for Chapter 11 relief in federal bankruptcy court late Saturday, March 22nd in Wilmington, DE. The Company has retained counsel to oppose the filing because the petition fails to meet the standard for invoking an involuntary bankruptcy and fails to take into consideration other binding agreements between the Company and the petitioning creditors that control the relationships between them. The Company intends to vigorously oppose the petition and move for dismissal of the filing, and if successful will seek damages and attorneys fees.”PacificNet intends to take all appropriate actions and remedies regarding the involuntary petition,” said CEO Tony Tong. “We are working very hard with the advice of counsel to resolve this issue as soon as possible. We regret the action taken by these bondholders, however, we must be sure that any settlement reached is fair to all parties involved, including our shareholders. In the meantime, we will continue to operate as usual with no changes to our day-to-day operations. “About PacificNetPacificNet, Inc. is a leading provider of gaming and mobile game technology worldwide. Having established itself with e-commerce and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions for the Chinese market, the company has diversified to focus on systems and games development for the global gaming market. Through its highly experienced gaming subsidiaries including PactGames, Take1 Technologies and Octavian International, PacificNet is able to offer world-leading solutions in casino equipment supply and the development, installation and support of systems and game content for the casino, lottery and AWP markets. Positioning itself as the systems integrator for the gaming industry, with a special focus on the emerging markets, PacificNet enables customers to integrate gaming operations, linking electronic gaming machines, tables and larger networks so that operators can build efficient and highly attractive gaming operations that drive revenue growth and profit opportunity for operators and enhance the customer experience. PacificNet’s gaming clients include leading hotels, casinos, and gaming operators in Asia, Europe, Latin America, Russia and other gaming markets around the world. The Company employs around 1,800 staff in its various subsidiaries with offices in Argentina, Australia, China, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, UK and the US.Safe Harbor StatementThis Company’s announcement contains forward-looking statements. We may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in our periodic reports to the SEC on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, etc., in our annual report to shareholders, in our proxy statements, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by our officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, PacificNet’s historical and possible future losses, limited operating history, uncertain regulatory landscape in China, and fluctuations in quarterly and annual operating results. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in PacificNet’s Form 10K and other filings with the SEC. For more information, please contact: PacificNet USA office: Jacob Lakhany Tel: 1-605-229-6678 Email: PacificNet, Inc.