It would seem that Harrah's was trying to take over the global casino gambling industry if it were not true that construction costs in Las Vegas were indeed rising.  This is the reason Harrah's Entertainment has given for their interest in buying out UK casino operators, Stanley Leisure and London Clubs International - both of which are looking at possible merger options as well.

With the merger taking place between Stanley Leisure and London Clubs, the combined value of the resulting conglomerate will be over £634 million. Just how much Harrah's is willing to pay for the two casino gambling companies remains to be seen. Now that their intentions have been made known, it is probable that the three gambling giants are in financial discussions.

Analysts say that two factors could deter Harrah's Entertainment from buying out both companies.  The first is the merger itself, and the second is because of stricter casino gambling laws in the UK now that the UK Gambling Act is going into effect.  Since last year, London Clubs International lost over 6 million. However, it appears that trend is beginning to change as new figures are being posted.  Stanley Leisure has reported increased attendance numbers at their casinos by seventeen percent and a two percent increase in turnover, while London Clubs saw a sharp rise in stock value at the beginning of 2006, which has settled to a strong value almost 200p higher than last year.

Just what Harrah's is up to remains to be seen.  The majority of speculation regarding their interest in the UK casino operators is that Harrah's is trying to keep them from merging and offering separate deals that is lucrative to both parties. Yet, even if the merger does indeed go into effect, Harrah's is still poised to make an offer and expand its global empire into the expanding casino gambling markets in Europe and Asia.