Statement from Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. BILOXI, Miss., March 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The following is a statement by Timothy M. Hinkley, President and COO of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.: "The selection of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. as the winning bidder for the Illinois 10th gaming license has generated much attention. Most recently, there has been a question regarding a 1993 fine incurred by Isle Chairman and CEO Bernard Goldstein in Illinois, as well as the speculation that Goldstein agreed that he would never again seek a gaming license in that state. There are specific points we wish to express with regard to this subject: 1. Bernard Goldstein never agreed to forego the opportunity to again hold a license in Illinois. There was absolutely no agreement, oral, written or otherwise, between Goldstein and the Illinois Gaming Board that he would not hold a license in the future. 2. Goldstein did agree with the IGB in 1993 to pay a fine in full settlement of allegations that equipment used for training purposes, not for gaming, was leased from an unlicensed entity in which Goldstein was a shareholder to a related company. It is important to note that Goldstein did not agree with the allegations and had no personal involvement in the transactions alleged in the complaint; however, he made the business decision to settle. Goldstein and the company view regulatory compliance as a serious matter and recognize fines do occur within our industry. 3. A negotiated settlement was approved and signed by the IGB outlining the terms of the fine. The terms of the settlement absolutely include no agreement that Goldstein would relinquish his licenseor no longer be eligible for a license in Illinois. Goldstein surrendered his Illinois license in connection with the sale of his interests in an Illinois gaming operation in a transaction which was completed months prior to thesettlement. In fact, immediate members of Goldstein's family, who were also shareholders in the same company and were involved in the settlement proceedings, continued to hold licenses for several more years. This matter was fully reviewed by the IGB staff as part of the bidding process in which Isle of Capri was selected as the 10th gaming winner. 4. We support Governor Blagojevich's call for a full open and public review of the selection process. We believethat this investigation will reaffirm that the process was fair and that Isle does have the best proposal for the people of Illinois. Isle of Capri Casinos and its management have been through more than 50 licensing, renewal and suitability reviews in our company's history and are currently licensed in six states and two foreign jurisdictions. We are proud of our reputation." Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., a leading developer and owner of gaming and entertainment facilities, operates 16casinos in 14 locations. The company owns and operates riverboat and dockside casinos in Biloxi, Vicksburg, Lula and Natchez, Mississippi; Bossier City and Lake Charles (2 riverboats), Louisiana; Bettendorf, Davenport and Marquette, Iowa; and Kansas City and Boonville, Missouri. The company also owns a 57 percent interest in and operates land-based casinos in Black Hawk (two casinos) and Cripple Creek, Colorado. Isle of Capri's international gaming interests include a casino that it operates in Freeport, Grand Bahama, and a two-thirds ownership interest in a casino in Dudley, England. The company also owns and operates Pompano Park Harness Racing Track in Pompano Beach, Florida. Additional information concerning potential factors that could affect the Company's financial condition, results of operations and expansion projects, is included in the filings of the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 27,2003 and Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended since that date. Contacts: Lori Hutzler, Director of Corporate Communications-228.396.7031 Web site: http://www.islecorp.com/ http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020502/ISLELOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. CONTACT: Lori Hutzler, Director of Corporate Communications of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., +1-228-396-7031 Web site: http://www.theislecorp.com/

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