As the gaming industry gets ready for the UK Government's approval of new gaming legislation, hopefully next year, leading betting shop and hotel Hilton Group prepares to turn some of its larger properties in tourist cities, like Blackpool in the north-east and Brighton some 60 miles south of London, into Las Vegas-styled gaming complexes.

Hilton sold their casino division to bingo operators Gala some few years back, and now that their hotel side begins to catch up to levels before the 9/11 tragedy, and profits rising by 72% to STG 189.7 million ($350 million), the group believes the time is right to go back to the gaming tables and become a major player in the industry that 3 years ago reported revenues of STG 235.3 million ($430 million) when they sold their casinos to Gala.

Already American casino giant MGM-Mirage has entered into important contracts with local developers Peels Holdings to set up at least four casinos in important cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow. They have also signed a deal to invest close to $260 million on a casino property in the site of exhibition venue Earl's Court in the west of Central London where the American group proposes to build a mega casino complex.

On the other side of the English capital Casino industry mogul Sol Kerzner has acquired the rights to build a casino in what has become known as the Millennium Dome Folly on the banks of the Thames River. It would not come as a total surprise to us if Sol not only built a casino on the site but also another majestic re-incarnation of some architectural gem (past or present) like the one he built in his own South Africa, where The Lost City complex is a Versaillesque palace near an artificial lake that boasts artificial waves. A real touch of genius!

Of course, local and international casino operators are also busy with their casino projects post- deregulation. European operators Accor Casinos have signed an agreement with major entertainment group Luminar to develop casinos in most of the company's city venues. So, to paraphrase some near historical character: "Times, they are getting to be rather interesting."

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