In a high-stakes game in which the government had no intention of losing, the Nevada Gaming Commission shut down Binion's Horseshoe over the weekend. If the name sounds familiar it's because you either have a fond recollection of when downtown Las Vegas ruled the legal gaming circuit or you recognize the establishment as the creator of World Series of Poker competition. No doubt the inspiration behind Lakes Entertainment's
Poker's prime time exposure should have been a major boost to the 52-year-old hotel and casino, but it apparently wasn't enough to cover some of the millions in employee benefits that had gone unpaid since June.
How hot is poker? It's everywhere. Shares of Lakes Entertainment have nearly quadrupled since its springtime lows. That's not too shabby for a company that was dabbling in everything from fantasy football sites to making a buyout offer to what is now Landry's
Investors looking to find some coattails might like to know that while Travel Channel is owned by privately held Discover Communications, the parent company counts publicly traded media conglomerates Liberty Media
As for Binion's minions, while most of the diversified casino players like Mandalay
Are casino stocks a hold 'em at this point? What's behind all the prime-time buzz of poker? Want to share some card-playing tips? All this and more -- in the On Tilt discussion board. Only on Fool.com.