Market8 is emerging as the frontrunner in the competition for a Philadelphia casino license. Three area politicians have come forward in support of Ken Goldenberg‘s project, which will be run by Mohegan Sun. As part of a joint communique, First District Councilman Mark Squilla said, “We have an unprecedented opportunity with this remaining casino license to transform East Market Street in a way that no other development can.” City government has already made its preference for a downtown project known, so Squilla and his colleagues have provided further grist for that mill. If location weighs as heavily with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, then it’s between Bart Blatstein‘s The Provence and Market8, end of story.
Market8’s design, which would inoculate pedestrians from gambling by putting the casino on the second floor must be part of the project’s appeal. Whatever the case, it’s got city fathers talking about “unprecedented” opportunity and transformation, and generally sending Valentine’s Day cards to Goldenberg’s proposal.
Two gray-market Internet casinos got punched out by the long arm of the 
Connecticut law yesterday. The Mouse Pad Business Center & Tech Solutions, in Enfield, and Bloomfield Business Center were raided and had their property confiscated. The businesses were targeted by state Sen. Dante Bartolomeo (D, left) for offering “slot machines disguised as computers.” They conduct sweepstakes for patrons who buy Internet time or phone cards. (Sounds pretty dicey to me.) Bloomfield Police Chief Paul Hammick is already talking about an interstate investigation and more arrests are said to be on the way.
He might want to talk to state Sen. Garrett Richter (R), who is trying to re-
widen last year’s narrowing of storefront Internet casinos in Florida. As it stands, you have to have at least 50 machines, prizes can’t exceed $0.75 and everything has to be done in coin. Richter would essentially void all those requirements and add a distinction between “amusement” machines and ones from which merchandise is dispensed. For a legally nebulous industry, those Internet casinos have a lot of clout.
Both the Florida and Kentucky legislatures are in elaborate “You first” mode, with both houses deferring to the other when it comes to making the first step on casino expansion. In Florida, there’s a third party to consider: the Seminole Tribe, which is sending coded messages that it is happy with the status quo and intends to see it preserved.
