Las Vegas Sands Corp. has struck out in its bid to set aside a $58.6m judgment won by a Hong Kong businessman. The next step in the case, that has been weaving its way through the court system for more than four years, will be a date with the Nevada Supreme Court sometime in 2009.

The casino industry and the wider business community have long disagreed on how to subsidize Nevada's multi-billion-dollar biennial budget. Gaming leaders, whose casinos provide almost half of the state's general fund revenues, want non-gaming businesses to share the burden through a period of deep recession, either through an increase in the modified business tax or the implementation of a gross receipts tax.

A leading Macau casino operator has announced plans to offer in-flight gambling to its high rolling guests as they travel in private luxury from Hong Kong to Las Vegas. While the move has so far not encountered any regulatory objections, it raises unusual questions about tax, safety and sky-high jurisdiction.