Monthly Archives: May 2015

US court to examine Sheldon Adelson’s dealings in Macau

A Nevada court will consider Sheldon Adelson’s dealings in Macau after the Las Vegas Sands boss lost his bid to keep former Sands China CEO Steve Jacobs’ wrongful termination suit out of US courts.

On Friday, District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez ruled that there was sufficient cause to hear Jacobs’ lawsuit in Nevada. Adelson had argued that Sands China was a distinct entity from Las Vegas Sands and thus Macau had jurisdiction. Jacobs countered by producing evidence showing Adelson’s extremely hands-on approach to his Macau casinos.

Gonzalez said Jacobs’ attorneys had convinced her that Adelson and Las Vegas Sands exerted a degree of control over Sands China that “goes far beyond the ordinary relationship of parent and subsidiary.” Gonzalez said Adelson and LVS COO Michael Leven had been managing Sands China both before and after its first Macau casino opened.

Adelson plans to appeal the ruling, as his lawyers have done at every opportunity since Jacobs was abruptly sacked in 2010. Gonzalez noted the number of years the case had taken to get this far and believed “judicial economy would be served” by letting Nevada courts have at it, already.

A casino delaer at work.

When Mercedes Stephens recently hit a jackpot at SugarHouse Casino, her slot machine flashed the faces of 12 cartoon buffaloes – and then it locked up. Stephens, 47, had won more than $1,200, which meant she had to stop playing and sign an IRS tax form that reports her winnings.

Woman Shot & Killed By Campbell County Sheriff's Deputies Identified

A woman who was fatally shot by Campbell County Sheriff’s deputies has been identified as 39-year-old Nikki Jo Burtsfield, of Gillette. The Gillette News Record reports that authorities say Burtsfield was killed after she brandished a knife at deputies Wednesday night and refused commands to drop it.

Minnesota Phases Out State Lottery-Operated Online Games

Minnesota’s legislature recently passed a bill that bars the Minnesota Lottery from offering online games, following a four month transition period. Specifically, the new law bans the lottery director from offering “the play of, on an electronic terminal, through a Web site, or by any other means or device, casino-style games, including but not limited to blackjack, craps, keno, dice games, roulette, or poker.”