Briefs | Minor injuries after roof collapse at California casino

Eleven people suffered mostly minor injuries when a roof collapsed Monday at a Los Angeles area casino, raining debris into the lobby area, authorities said. The Los Angeles County Fire Department received multiple calls following the collapse around 10 a.m. at Larry Flynt’s Lucky Lady Casino in Gardena. Aerial TV images showed rooftop equipment structures that had partially fallen through the roof. Ten people reported minor injuries such as bumps and bruises. One person was hospitalized in moderate condition because of a pre-existing condition. Seven people total were taken to hospitals, fire officials said. The casino was evacuated, and a search-and-rescue team combed the building with dogs. No other victims were found. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

Pennsylvania rolling out online gambling

Pennsylvania is joining the short list of states where online casino-style gambling is available. Parx Casino in suburban Philadelphia and Penn National’s Hollywood Casino near Hershey launched online gambling portals to patrons statewide as part of a three-day test watched by state regulators. Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware are the only other states where online casino gambling is legal. A 2017 Pennsylvania law authorized an aggressive expansion of gambling and allowed the state’s casinos to operate a full slate of casino-style gambling on websites and mobile applications for a license fee of USD10 million. The two casinos aren’t ready to roll out poker, however. American Gaming Association figures show Pennsylvania is already the nation’s No. 2 state for commercial casino revenue, behind Nevada, at $3.2 billion last year.

Sports, horse betting bill for Cherokee approved

North Carolina’s only federally recognized American Indian tribe could soon offer sports and horse wagering to patrons at its two casinos. The General Assembly on Monday gave final approval to a measure that would give the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians the authority to offer the additional types of betting. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for review, before making a decision on whether to sign it into law. The sports-book option took shape after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that made most sports gambling illegal last year. State law already lets the Eastern Band offer live poker, slot machines and video-style games. Sneed said the tribe projects an additional USD14 million annually by offering sports and off-track horse betting, of which $1 million annually would go to state coffers.