Sunday, May 30, 2010

Media Man International Take On Australian Online Gaming, by Greg Tingle - 31st May 2010

News media and gaming insiders, outsiders, and everyone else...Media Man breaks its recent silence (patch) regarding the Australian online gaming, gambling and sports betting sector. We only went quite for less than a week, but with most major Australian media making a lot of noise, some of it very intelligently, we thought it should be our turn, given that for over a decade we have ramped up our global coverage of the sector, part of which thanks to our friends at beloved (and often controversial) Gambling911. Before we swing into things further, for the record, as recently told to The Sydney Morning Herald, Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and portal development company, established a decade. Gaming and igaming (including sports betting), is just one sector we cover. We are not a casino, nor are we a gaming company, or adult company. And furthermore, I am a qualified journalist - 5 years and established media agent - 5 years). A decade in business. It hasn't been easy, but what a journey it continues to be.

What is a website portal?...

In essence, a very popular website. Think like NineMSN, iGoogle, MSNBC, Wikipedia. Media Man is not as slick (or as well funded), but developed a niche and successful business model none the less. The Media Man website network is a work in progress, and is never completly finished (as is the dynamic nature of the web medium).


Background to iGaming and online sports betting...

PartyGaming, London Stock Exchange listed powerhouse, is understood to be the world's first igaming giant and firm of considerable name values.


What is an online affiliate program?...

An affiliate program is a largely commission based incentive b2b structure where an affiliate (i.e a web publisher) receives a % for generating successful sales / bringing in business. Website portals (and media companies) make for some of the most successful affiliates, as they have compelling unique content, high traffic, loyal readership interested in certain niche areas and the like. Some affiliate programs are quality and worthwhile, and some are not, and could be viewed as a waste of time.

Affiliate marketing (reference: Wikipedia)...

Affiliate marketing is a marketing practice in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought about by the affiliate's marketing efforts. Examples include rewards sites, where users are rewarded with cash or gifts, for the completion of an offer, and the referral of others to the site. The industry has four core players: the merchant (also known as 'retailer' or 'brand'), the network, the publisher (also known as 'the affiliate') and the customer. The market has grown in complexity to warrant a secondary tier of players, including affiliate management agencies, super-affiliates and specialized third parties vendors.
Affiliate marketing overlaps with other Internet marketing methods to some degree, because affiliates often use regular advertising methods. Those methods include organic search engine optimization, paid search engine marketing, e-mail marketing, and in some sense display advertising. On the other hand, affiliates sometimes use less orthodox techniques, such as publishing reviews of products or services offered by a partner.

Affiliate marketing—using one website to drive traffic to another—is a form of online marketing, which is frequently overlooked by advertisers. While search engines, e-mail, and website syndication capture much of the attention of online retailers, affiliate marketing carries a much lower profile. Still, affiliates continue to play a significant role in e-retailers' marketing strategies.


Disclaimers Explained...

Responsible publishers such as Media Man put appropriate disclaimers on their work. ie: Media Man has a b2b relationship with X. Media Man owns shares in X. X is a client of Media Man. Media Man newsfeeds powered by Fairfax Media, The New York Times and Google News. X is not a client of Media Man, X is a former client of Media Man, and you get the idea...

Some History - 1998, Australia...

Professor Jan McMillen, executive director of the Australian Institute for Gambling Research, and Dr Peter Grabosky, director of research at the Australian Institute of Criminology, argued that strict prohibition of internet gambling would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. "While prohibition would quite likely reduce online gambling to some extent it might detract from the capacity to address other, more pressing forms of online illegality such as fraud, child pornography, or other more serious forms of computer hacking."

International History...

The UK was one of the first countries to fully regulate online gambling. This greatly assisted in both consumer protection, innovation and correct government taxation. Companies such as Virgin Games, PartyGaming (PartyCasino and PartyPoker etc), Paddy Poker and William Hill have traditional enjoyed strong success in the United Kingdom.


United States Key Historical Development...

U.S. legislation

On September 29, 2006, the U.S. Congress passed the Safe Port Act and attached unrelated anti-gambling language to the act. This legislation is known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

On October 2, 2006, PartyGaming announced that it would "suspend all real money gaming business with US customers" in light of the passage of the Safe Port Act.

George W. Bush signed the act into law on October 13, and PartyGaming suspended offerings of real-money games to U.S. players. Free play games and non-US customers were not affected.

As a result of this news being released to investors, PartyGaming's publicly traded stock dropped almost 60% in 24 hours. The company was moved from the FTSE 100 to the FTSE 250 Index on October 11.

In April 2009 the company made a settlement with the United States government where they agreed to pay a penalty of $105 million over the next four years as part of a "non-prosecution agreement". As part of the deal, Party put its name to a "statement of facts" in which it admits for the first time that, before October 2006, it had targeted US citizens, resulting in the processing of transactions that were "contrary to certain US laws".

*A number of online gaming companies continue to pro actively market to Americans. There are a widely accepted grey area in the law, one that could be viewed to exploit "loop holes" in American law.

Canada is generally regarded as much more igaming friendly that the U.S. PartyGaming, owner of the World Poker Tour brand, is currently rumoured to be looking at stepping up their activity in Canada, including eyeing off the Canadian Poker Tour.


Early Days Of White Australia History...

Gambling thrived, largely underground, since settlers arrived in Australia, firstly via Captain Cook (depending upon what history books you wish to believe). Gambling was a favorite pastime and provided for hours, sometimes months, of entertainment.

Circa 1950 - 70s Australia...

Illegal gambling dens thrived in Australia. Mainly on the east coast. George Freeman, as featured on some Network 'Underbelly' episodes was the king. Abe Saffron, subject of an 'Australian Families of Crime' feature was also considered king for many years.

Crown Casino Takes Casino Mainstream Down Under...

Circa 1980, the late, great, Kerry Packer, sees Crown Casino launch in Melbourne Australia. Crown Casino also becomes home of many great entertainment industry events, including The Logies! (broadcast on Network Nine). Crown grows the empire acquiring a casino in Perth (1984), re named as Burswood Entertainment Centre. In 2005 Kerry passes away, having cheated death a number of times, and James takes the reigns. Packer Jr's aptitude was questioned (mainly by the Aussie press) for many years, but last year he proved the knockers wrong, with Crown Casino and Burswood powering along, followed by his City Of Dreams, Macau, holding up well in a global financial crisis. The Crown empire has showed itself to be recession resilient, but not recession proof. Packer is still standing while many lost their shirts and went down for the count. Packer key business strengths include (other than being seriously cashed up), networking, enjoying relationships with company such as Richard Branson, David Gyngell, Eddie McGuire, Shane Warne, Damian Aspinall (long family history), Sen Stephen Conroy, and a bush tucker bag of Australian state and federal politicians, and a number of the Aussie media and entertainment A-Listers. Packer's teaming up with Aussie mining giant, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest (Team GenerationOne) earned him browny points, and some say well needed, PR, but both Packer Jr and 'The Twiggster' have both enjoyed long and largely positive history and relationships with Indigenous Australia. By all accounts, their hearts are in it.


Australian Productivity Commission Report - May 2010...

Recommends that internet gambling be legalised and regulated

Australians are spending an estimated $1 billion per year on internet gambling (casino, poker and sports betting)

Firms offering online casino products are theoretically subject to fines of up to $1.1 million per day, but Australian Federal Police are refusing to lay charges against illegal operators.

Numbers just in show Aussies are expected to spend $968 million this year on online casino games, poker and bingo, approx 30% on online poker.

iGaming is thriving in Australia, and its cousin, videogaming, also remains one of the more financial stable business sectors.

*The below is credit to the Australian Productive Commission official website
http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/gambling-2009


The Productivity Commission's final report on Gambling has been completed and sent to the Australian Government for its consideration.

The release of the final report by the Government is the next step in the process. Under the Productivity Commission Act 1998, the Government is required to table the report in each House of the Parliament within 25 sitting days of receipt.

When the Government releases the report, a copy will be sent to all registered participants including those who made submissions, appeared at the public hearing, or were visited by the Commission. At that time, the report will also be available for download from the inquiry website.

The Commission thanks all those who have contributed to the inquiry.

Following a decision by the Council of Australian Governments, the Australian Government asked the Productivity Commission to undertake a public inquiry into gambling.

The inquiry provides an update on developments since the Commission's 1999 report, and can consider a wide range of issues, including:

the nature and definition of gambling and the range of activities incorporated within this definition
the participation profile of gambling, including problem gamblers and those at risk of problem gambling
the economic impacts of the gambling industries, including industry size, growth, employment, organisation and interrelationships with other industries, such as tourism, leisure, other entertainment and retailing
the social impacts of the gambling industries, the incidence of gambling abuse and the cost and nature of welfare support services necessary to address it
the contribution of gambling revenue on community development activity and employment
the effects of the regulatory structures - including licensing arrangements, entry and advertising restrictions, application of the mutuality principle and differing taxation arrangements - governing the gambling industries, including the implications of differing approaches for industry development and consumers
the implications of new technologies (such as the Internet), including the effect on traditional government controls on the gambling industries
the impact of gambling on Commonwealth, State and Territory budgets
the impact that the introduction of harm minimisation measures at gambling venues has had on the prevalence of problem gambling and on those at risk
evaluate the effectiveness and success of these harm minimisation measures used by the State and Territory Governments.

ends...

Media Man coverage continued...

Forms Of Gambling...


Casino games - land based

Online casino games - games of chance, games of skill and sports betting

Sports betting - horse racing, AFL, NRL, UFC, Boxing, Cricket etc - (online or offline)

Illegal gambling - ie: betting at gambling dens, unregulated, be it in Las Vegas, Kings Cross, Maroubra Beach or China!


Australian News Media And Google Factor...

Both major Australian media companies / Newspaper firms, Fairfax and News Limited (The Daily Telegraph) advertise gambling, both in their newspaper and online newspapers. Gambling ("targeting" Australians) is carried in Google ads. Fairfax and News Limited both have branded and non branded gaming offerings. Some of them are "in house" and "white label" and some are not. The deals are well kept secrets, but obviously a deal was made between the powers that be at News Limited and a gambling firm, or number of firms, or Fairfax and News wouldn't be able to offer a gambling product / service. Fairfax and News Limited offering games of skill, games of chance and sports betting does not make them a gambling company or a casino. It just means its 1 of a number of matters they cover both online and offline. News and Fairfax both also offer journalism and advertising content and services.

TV in Australia...

Both Australian network TV and pay TV companies have broadcast footage of World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. Australian former WSOP champion, Joe Hachem, has appeared on a number of Australian TV shows including The Poker Star and Network Ten's 7PM Project. Hachem also writes for The Age. Australia's Shane Warne has appeared on a number of Australian TV shows with the 888 - Pacific Poker connection being clear, and 888 - Pacific is well branded and covered on Mr Warne's numerous websites. Sydney Roosters players previously carried Full Tilt Poker branding on their shorts, but this is understood to be no longer the case. Years ago 'Joker Poker' was screened on Network Nine, and closely associated with James Packer's Crown Casino in Melbourne. Aussie celebrities such as Dave Hughes and Bessie Bardot appears. NRL, AFL and numerous Australian sports broadcasts carry betting odds which appear on the TV screen. TV announcers will often reference the odds as part of the sports commentating. Last year it's understood that somehow an overseas online casino brand was advertised on Australian terrestrial TV late at night. The facts are not known on that matter, or in the public domain. Australia's ACMA is likely to have a file on the case.


Media Man Fact Snapshot...

Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company

The founder is a qualified journalist (freelance), media agent and social and community entrepreneur

Media Man own and operate over 20 website portals, approx 99% are hosted overseas

Media Man covers approximately a bakers dozen different sectors including: technology, entertainment and celebrity, travel, tourism and lifestyle, property and investment, sports, political analysis, social and community

Established 10 years and founded by Greg Tingle, built from the ground up

Global audience / readership / coverage

Website network ranked in Hitwise top ten (entertainment category) and Google 'Best Of The Web'

Member of MEAA and pro active member of Virgin Unite and modest supporter of GenerationOne and The Salvation Army

Founder owns shares in both Crown Limited and Virgin


Summary...

Online Gaming Regulation In Australia - Yes Or No?

Media Man believes that online gambling, poker, casino, sports betting et al should be regulated in Australia. That's a "Yes". As we advised Fairfax Media, we think there are good guys and bad guys. Good guys in our opinion include World Poker Tour (owned and operated by PartyGaming), World Series of Poker, PartyPoker, PartyCasino, Virgin Games - Virgin Casino (not currently available to Australians), PKR, Betfair, Centrebet, Betezy, PokerStars, Rewards Affiliates, DGM (admin for Betfair affiliates), and of course, Gambling911 (who cover the sector, but are not a casino as such, but are a gaming, sports and entertainment website portal). Regulation will assist greatly administering correct taxation of companies and and around the sector, and will likely bring in extra millions into Australian government coffers. Last, but not least, regulation should help ease the small % of what is named "problem gamblers". Readers, keep in mind, many people have a range of problems or issues, "problem gambling" is just 1 of dozens of issues a person may have. The "problem gambler" angle has been the topic of a number of "attack journalism" style news stories in Australia over recent years. Media Man, covering over a dozen different industry sectors... sports, entertainment, community, technology, property etc... believes the gambling (and gaming - video gaming etc) believes that gambling and igaming are "easy or soft targets" (as is the case for oil companies), but that's another story.

Censorship - Blacklist et al...

At one point last year, Packer 50% owned Betfair was on the so called 'Blacklist'! Why, a simple mistake or something more sinister? The Australian Communications Minister is understood to have earmarked, some insiders say, singled out, the online poker and online casino sector. Religion and other "controversial" matter said to be "not acceptable to a reasonable adult" is also on the hit list. Folks, keep in mind the Wikileaks is understood to be on the list. You know, the guys who exposed the crimes against humanity in Iraq via their world famous website. That should have the reader concerned. Who is next on the list, and why? Richard Branson's Virgin is soon to do a hard launch of Virgin Gaming in Los Angeles. Virgin also have AWOMO (in collaboration with GDI), both of which are non gambling (at least at this stage). Branson also has the very successful Virgin Games - offering Virgin Casino, Virgin Poker and Virgin Bingo. The Virgin gambling products are not available to Australians. The question begs, will Branson's AWOMO and Virgin Gaming be available to Aussies, given its accessed via the internet? They may be an answer that needs addressing from both the Australian Labor and Liberal Party. The Greens are against censorship, and the Greens political preference is Liberal.

Wrap Up

Media Man is hopeful that this relatively basic write up will help further explain the igaming sector in Australia - Asia Pacific, and will form part of the road map for law makers and those in and around the industry. It's a complex subject, one where the legal eagles will likely be winners, but one we hope responsible brands and punters alike will also be in the winners circle. Any haters or detractors out there, keep in mind that this news report is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to be. It's some commentary and information put into the public domain while the subject matter is so politically hot in Australia. Media Man has a number of disclaimers on this article to add some balance to the ongoing discussion.

We look forward to continued balance coverage from the likes of Fairfax Media, News Limited, the ABC, SBS and others. We thank Gambling911 as a global media platform to put our thoughts into the public domain.

As always, bet with your head, not over it, know the odds and have fun. Good hunting and happy punting.

Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' PartyCasino.com

Media Man 'Online Casino Game Of The Month'
Sinatra Slot, 2nd place - Cleopatra, 3rd place - The Godfather

Runner-Up VirginCasino.com

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a bakers dozen of industry verticals covered

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Virgin

Website Network

Media Man International

Media Man Australia

Media Man Canada

Media Man Asia

Media Man Games

Australian Sports Entertainment

PartyCasino News: Superstar Award From PartyCasino

PartyCasino.com made one lucky slots player richer to the tune of over $1.8 million earlier this month while awarding another with a new Maserati Gran Tourismo automobile.

The Gibraltar-licensed site revealed that a player using the pseudonym ‘Arkry222’ took home its life-changing Gold Mega Jackpot on May 7 from just a two-dollar spin on its SuperStar game.

The 48-year-old player, who lives on a horse farm, won $1,888,198 and, as the Gold Mega Jackpot was tied into the Grand Win Auto leaderboard promotion, his fortune saw another rewarded with the new car.

"It was a Friday night and I wasn't far off going to bed and I was sat at the computer," said ‘Arky222’.

"I actually had the volume down on the computer as I had the television on. I was playing SuperStar and all of a sudden these squares came up. I hit complete and the screen lit up in loads of colour. Then the number appeared on the screen. I had never seen so many numbers in my life; it was an international phone number."

The player’s partner of 13 years was similarly disbelieving and called out ‘that's play money’. However, the realisation of what had just happened soon hit home with the ‘infrequent player’ revealing that the win would definitely alter his life.

"I was numb," said ‘Arky222’.

"I was on a different planet. It was then that I realised that I had missed a call from the VIP team at PartyCasino.com and it started to sink in a little bit more. I hadn't been feeling well all week but now I was just in this strange kind of happy limbo. I went back into my account and there it was, over $1.8 million

"I think I am going to have to spend the money on the standards of a holiday, a new car and new house. It will also allow me to be become more flexible with my working hours as I am going to go freelance. I will also have time to play a few more games on PartyCasino.com and I love the concepts of Melon Madness and The Circus."

The Grand Win Auto leaderboard promotion was due to run from May 6 to 19 and would see the player sitting at the top when the Gold Mega Jackpot was hit awarded with the new Maserati car or a cash equivalent.

"It didn't hit me until the next day that by winning the Gold Mega Jackpot someone else had won a Maserati," said ‘Arky222’.

"All I can say is to enjoy your drive, mate, and get in touch. Fancy taking me for a spin?"

"We'd like to congratulate ‘Arkry222’ on winning the Gold Mega Jackpot," read a statement from PartyCasino.com

"He is a super guy and very deserving.

"We would also like to congratulate the winner who enjoyed the spin-off from this win. We thought the Grand Win Auto promotion would last longer than one day but that's casino."

Profiles

PartyCasino.com

Gold Mega Jackpot

PartyGaming

Website Network

Media Man International

Media Man Australia

Media Man Canada

Media Man Asia

Media Man Games

Media Man Casino

Media Man Poker

Global Gaming Directory

Casino News Media

Friday, May 28, 2010

UFC® 114 Officially Sold Out - 27th May 2010

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – UFC announced today that tickets for UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. are officially sold out. The war of words between former UFC light heavyweight champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “Suga” Rashad Evans has created one of the fiercest rivalries in the history of the sport. It’s also created one of the hottest tickets in Sin City.

Tickets are still available for the closed circuit telecast of UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans to be held at MGM Grand Conference Center. Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino) and at any MGM Grand box office outlet. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at UFC.com, www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans will also be available live on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, GERMANY.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Ultimate Fighting Championship® - www.ufc.com
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s Versus network. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 130 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 430 million homes worldwide, in 20 different languages. Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.

Media Man Profiles

UFC

MMA

MGM Grand

Las Vegas

United States

Events

Website Network

Wrestling News Media

Australian Sports Entertainment

Sports Entertainment News

Media Man International

Media Man Australia

Media Man

Media Man Canada

Media Man Games

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Gamers Worse Than Bikers; Gaming Like Cocaine Scum, by Greg Tingle - 28th May 2010

Gamblers, gamers, insiders, outsiders and everyone else...you are likely familiar with some of the "attack journalism" having been thrown around at the Australian, UK and American gambling industry. Now, a new wave of attack by another small but vocal part of the community, media and academics has hit the gaming industry... yep, video games and the like. Media Man and Gambling911 take the consul by the hand, throw on our 3D glasses, wire up the Wiki and Wii and plug into The Matrix with this special report...

Australia Down Under

History - circa 16th Feb 2010

Ex South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson tells news media and anyone that will listen "Gamers were scarier than bikers", and then psych Wayne Warburton... "Gaming was worse than smoking". Interesting, since a number of Australian teachers and parents have found that by incorporating video games in class has helped children learn some subject matter better! Folks, always be on the lookout for "junk science".

Scary Elders And Thought Police Go Global

The appropriately named "Pope" ... Steve Pope in Pommie Land UK tells us 2 hours of playing video games is equivalent to doing a line of cocaine. Pope, tell us, where do you get your coke and games from, so we can check it out? ... just kidding dear Pope.

"Spending two hours on a game station is equivalent to taking a line of cocaine in the high it produces". It is the fastest growing addiction in the country and this is affecting young people mentally, as well as leading to physical problems such as obesity".

Media Man and G911 are interested in seeing the proof in the bold Godly claims.

UK's Evening Post has digging for dirt er facts, regarding youth and gaming. Their message ala "stay on message" as in the political world...

A trend in young people in the county are seeking professional help after becoming hooked on the fantasy world of console games. Skipping meals, class and stealing from parents to feed the habit.

Kids stealing from parents is nothing new, and it goes back long before video games were invested. Unfortunately, stealing is part of the human make up. For the record, Gambling911 and Media Man do not steal, but we're just saying ok.

Two hours of playing good, entertaining games (not boring ones) can produce the same high as taking a line of cocaine! Well, that's what the apparent self appointed expert claims.

Figures are being quoted by the so called experts which we think don't deserve the space here, as the figures are not scientific ala (Japanese Whaling). G911 and Media Man will get back to covering the casino "whales" and "super whales" soon enough, for those of you scratching your head at this point.

Ok, a couple of quotes from "Jack", thanks to the UK rag...

"Playing on my games console was all I wanted to do and it was the first thing I thought of as soon as I woke up. I would play for hours on end without even realising. It was like it was a demon that had got inside my brain and I just couldn't’t stop. If my parents tried to stop me playing, I would just flip. I lost touch with my mates, started doing badly at school and became an angry and aggressive person that wasn’t the real me.".

Sounds like he might have been playing Grand Theft Auto, or maybe Resident Evil, Hellboy, The Terminator, Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare or a combination whopper burger with the works.

Pope, a counsellor and therapist, advises he is seeing increasing numbers of youngsters suffering from game addiction. "

"A lot of young people get themselves into a situation where they use video games as an escape from the world and they get hooked on the release of adrenaline it gives.
Spending two hours on a game station is equivalent to taking a line of cocaine in the high it produces. It is the fastest growing addiction in the country and this is affecting young people mentally, as well as leading to physical problems such as obesity. It gives parents peace and quiet, but it becomes a concern when it is all the child wants to do. I saw one 14-year-old Preston boy who played on games for 24 hours non stop and had not eaten and was showing signs of dehydration. When his parents tried to take his console away, he became aggressive and threatened to jump out of a window. We have also dealt with children who have been skipping school and others who have been stealing from their parents to buy games. Computer game addiction can also spiral into violence as after playing violent games, they may turn their fantasy games into reality. But it is not just children who are suffering - a growing number of adults are addicted to the Internet and to sites like Facebook. I am working with one family where a 74-year-old grandmother is addicted to online poker, her daughter is addicted to eBay and has bought 270 pairs of shoes and her grand-daughter is addicted to Facebook. The poisoned chalice is being handed down through the generations".

Premiership footballers have also said to come under the apparent evil spell.

"Many footballers are playing on hand-held consoles and computer games before a game and this is resulting in a natural high which is causing a chemical imbalance which is leading to them not performing their best on the pitch. I am the psychotherapist for Fleetwood Town and they ban their players from using any form of console for at least 24 hours before a game.". Interesting timing with the FIFA World Cup (and associated video games coming up).

The UK Interactive Entertainment Association politely declined to comment on the matter re gaming addiction and whether they believed it was an issue they needed to tackle.

Media Man and G11 have also recently warned readers that iphones and "smart phones" can be more dangerous that gambling! A Media Man spokesperson said, "Gambling can be a problem for some people, but people can have all sorts of problems, gambling being just one of 100s or 1000s of potential problems to a person. When gaming or gambling we recommend you now what the data charges, download limits and the like are, so you don't go over quote. That, and also don't go over budget either. Know your limits, in both categories, know the odds, and have fun".

Gamers in the meantime look forward to learning more of the upcoming e3 Gaming Expo in Los Angeles come 15th to 17 June. Don't just play the game, be the game! (but know your limits). As Alex Jones says, "InfoWars, because there is a war on for your mind!"

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Media Man International also publish Global Gaming Directory

http://www.globalgamingdirectory.com

Website Network

Media Man International

Global Gaming Directory

Media Man Games

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Media Man Website Network Updated

Website Network

Media Man International

Media Man Australia

Media Man Canada

Media Man Asia

Media Man Games

Media Man Casino

Media Man Poker

Global Gaming Directory

Casino News Media

Former defendant in Vegas exec murder case paroled - 20th May 2010

LAS VEGAS — A man who was convicted then acquitted of killing a well-known Las Vegas casino executive has been released on parole.

Richard "Rick" Tabish, 45, was required to find a job and live with his parents in Missoula, Mont., where parole agents will supervise him until his prison term ends in March, the governor's office said Monday.

"Thank goodness he was paroled to the state of Montana," said District Attorney David Roger, who prosecuted Tabish during his murder trial. "Hopefully, we'll never see Mr. Tabish in Las Vegas again."

Tabish gained notoriety at his sensational Las Vegas murder trial in 2000, when he and co-defendant Sandra Murphy were convicted of murdering 55-year-old Ted Binion at his Las Vegas home in 1998 and stealing from his vault.

The trial wove together tales of greed, drugs, sex, money and casino lore.

Murphy, a former stripper, was Binion's girlfriend. Tabish, Murphy's secret lover, was a contractor who helped Binion build an underground vault in the desert town of Pahrump to store his $7 million silver fortune.

Prosecutors alleged that Murphy and Tabish forced Binion to ingest lethal levels of heroin and the antidepressant Xanax before suffocating him.

Tabish and Murphy were later acquitted of the murder charges in 2004 after the Nevada Supreme Court granted a new trial. The second jury convicted them of charges related to silver theft.

Murphy was released for time already served and now lives in Laguna Beach, Calif. Tabish remained in prison on an extortion conviction. He was granted parole on Jan. 13 and released after officials reviewed his plan for re-entering society.

Website Network

Media Man International

Media Man Australia

Media Man Canada

Media Man Asia

Media Man Games

Media Man Casino

Media Man Poker

Global Gaming Directory

Casino News Media

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Virgin Casino Launches New Fire Hawk Slot

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - 05/20/10 - Virgin Casino, part of the leading online gaming company - Virgin Games, has today announced the launch of Fire Hawk, developed by NextGen Gaming. Fire Hawk is a 5-reel, 20-payline slot game with a free games feature and a bonus feature to multiply winnings.

Players are treated to a Native American themed game featuring great graphics and the potential for fantastic wins. The free games feature is triggered when three or more scattered Fire Hawk appear anywhere. Players can receive either 10 free spins with quadrupled winnings; 15 free spins with tripled winnings; or 20 free spins with doubled winnings.

Warren Eloff, Product Manager at Virgin Casino, commented:

"This Native American themed slot is a visually stunning with Indian Chiefs, Dreamcatchers and Pipes, but what will really keep players coming back for more is the fantastic free games feature. I can see Fire Hawk becoming a firm favourite with our customers."

Fire Hawk is as easy to play as it is exciting. After just a few spins of this game, players will have figured out everything they need to know to play it easily.

Founded in 2004, Virgin Casino has over 1,000,000 players and 198 casino games on its site. Through the introduction of a custom built Virgin Games platform in 2008, Virgin Casino seeks to provide its players with the widest possible choice of casino games. Fire Hawk adds to a growing selection of games that can be found at Virgin Casino from games producers including WagerWorks, Cryptologic, Freemantle, Endemol, Electracade, NextGen Gaming and Ash Gaming.

To play Fire Hawk visit www.virgincasino.com

Notes to editors:

About Virgin Games:

Virgin Games launched in June 2004 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading gaming websites in the UK. Virgin Games comprises three distinct offerings:

- Virgin Casino, offers content from a range of games suppliers including WagerWorks, Cryptologic, Freemantle and Ash Gaming, bringing consumers classic casino games like blackjack and roulette, as well as great feature slots like Monopoly, Rubik's, X-Factor and the highly popular MegaJackpots progressive games, with a jackpot value of over GBP 1,500,000

- Virgin Poker, part of the Boss Media network, offers a huge array of games and content for beginners through to experienced pros - as well as the most generous loyalty scheme in the industry

- Virgin Bingo, part of the Virtue Fusion network, offers cash prizes worth thousands of pounds in the progressive jackpots, as well as Virgin prize bingo and a range of unique Virgin Games bingo games

*Sorry, no U.S or Australian players. See World Casino Directory

Profiles

Fire Hawk

NextGen Gaming

Virgin Casino

Virgin Games

Virgin Enterprises Limited

Richard Branson

Website Network

Media Man International

Media Man Australia

Media Man Canada

Media Man Asia

Media Man Games

Media Man Casino

Media Man Poker

Global Gaming Directory

Casino News Media

World Slots Directory

Friday, May 21, 2010

3D For Australian Sports, TV Series, Web And Casinos, by Greg Tingle - 21st May 2010

3D technology is on fire, a bushfire on steroids in fact, down under in Australia. Media Man, Gambling911 and readers don the 3D glasses and look and see what's cooking in Aussie sports, movies, casinos, poker and more...

It's all about entertainment, eyeballs, and the entertainment dollar. 'Entertainment' is something that PartyGaming, Virgin Games (and Media Man and Gambling911) are big on. What's the point in advanced technology if its not fun and entertaining to the punter or consumer at large? Content producers and platforms have largely also realised that a product or service for gamblers, gamers or combo, needs to be compelling, or they won't come back and will find another game, website, live event or whatever. Have you checked out the Gambling911 forum or Media Man YouTube lately?

With that in mind check out the huge amount of entertainment on now, and coming up for gamers, gamblers, sports punters and even tech heads and geeks...

FIFA World Cup in South Africa

SBS has announced it will form a three-way partnership with Sony and Harvey Norman to bring Australian soccer nuts the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 3D.

The partnership means up to 15 matches throughout the World Cup tournament will be available on a dedicated 3D channel in addition to SBS’s coverage – including Australia’s opening match against Germany.

FIFA will provide a 3D broadcast feed of matches throughout the tournament, which will then be broadcast live by SBS and then repeated on a "loop" until the next 3D match is made available.

"The Australian Communications and Media Authority has been working with us on a spectrum solution and we will be using our digital transmission network for the broadcast," said SBS’s chief operating officer Richard Finlayson.


Australian Socceroos Catch 3D Fever

The Socceroos 2010 World Cup team anthem will feature what Sony music claims as the first 3D music video in Australia. The video clip for the Rogue Traders new single, Hearts Beat as One, will be shot in 3D as the official Qantas Socceroos team anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"The potential of movies, sports and gaming in 3D is already evident and as the hype around 3D continues to build, Sony remains at the forefront of delivering unique experiences from the lens to the lounge room," said Carl Rose, Managing Director, Sony Australia and New Zealand.

3D technology in Australia continues to generate unprecedented hype in Australia with SBS to trial 3D TV broadcasts for the duration of the 2010 World Cup, Channel 9 screening the State of Origin in 3D, and Foxtel strongly hinted its intention to start broadcasting in 3D later this year.

Major television manufacturers including Sony have also been pushing 3D technology hard after the widespread theatrical success of Avatar in 3D.

Sony expects the 3D music video to premiere in early June.


Google TV To Including Gaming And Lots More

Internet king Google is out to expand its kingdom to the living room with an new service that lets punters mesh television viewing with surfing the web.

Google TV, developed in partnership with technology big shots Sony, Intel and Logitech and launched in the US overnight, fuses the freedom of the internet with television programming.

Google executives vowed their TV platform would succeed where offerings such as Apple TV have foundered and hopefully capture some of the $US70 billion ($85 billion) American TV advertising market.

Google TV product manager Salahuddin Choudhary said in a blog post that Google TV will allow TV viewers to get "all the (TV) channels and shows you normally watch and all of the websites you browse all day.

"You can access all of your favorite websites and easily move between television and the Web," Choudhary said.

"This opens up your TV from a few hundred channels to millions of channels of entertainment across TV and the Web," he said.

"With the entire Internet in your living room, your TV becomes more than a TV - it can be a photo slideshow viewer, a gaming console, a music player and much more," he added.

Google is not the first technology company to attempt to unite the TV set and the Internet and a number of electronics manufacturers are already offering Web-enabled televisions or digital set-top boxes.

Choudhary said the Internet-enabled televisions, Blu-ray players and companion boxes from Sony and Logitech, which are powered by Intel Atom computer chips, would be available soon in the U.S via Best Buy stores. No dates for Australia yet.

A wireless computer keyboard and box were used during the on-stage demonstration here of Google TV, which uses traditional search to find TV channels or websites.

Sony chief executive Howard Stringer described it as "a very big deal."

"I can't stress that enough," Stringer said on stage. "When you put all this, as we've done for the fall, into the world's first Internet television, the opportunities are, in a sense, just mind boggling."

Google did not announce pricing for the TV sets or the set-top boxes.

Other Developments

PartyGaming

Not to be outdone, PartyGaming's PartyCasino has released the Circus Slot, more a 2D experience, but is understood to be the world's first interactive role playing online slot game. Party insiders say to expect "Avatar" type technologies with the Sly Stallone name coming up in Chinese whispers. Rocky or The Expendables? Who knows, but its going to be even bigger and better than Evolution Gaming 'Live Dealer' we hear. 'Rambo' is already available at Party, which is a good sign of substance to the buzz.

PartyCasino.com

Virgin

Richard Branson's Virgin Games is expanding globally, with virtual world platform, AWOMO (A World Of My Own) to be a major focus. Think Tomb Raider: Underworld ... in 2D, maybe 3D at some stage. Whatever the case, its going to be out of this world, fast and value for money. How long till Aussies and Americans can get the downloads remains to be seen, but Branson is to hard launch the product at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles next month.

VirginCasino.com


PKR Poker, Casino And Now Sports Betting

Yep, world famous 3D poker rooms, PKR, now not only offers poker, but also casino games and sports betting. The virtual reality live poker remains their main drawcard, however they smartly realised that poker players generally also like a bit of casino games and sports punting on the side

PKR.com


SEGA

Understood to have done a considerable deal with Playtech. Casino and poker is on the menu Sega style. Media Man is not impressed yet...with the technology, however, that's not to say that we won't be in coming weeks and months. Next...


FOXTEL - Microsoft Xbox LIVE deal (not gambling, but speculation)


FOXTEL has signed a deal with Microsoft to deliver 30 channels of pay TV over the internet.

FOXTEL and Microsoft today announced a new partnership offering Australians a brand new way of receiving FOXTEL – over the internet and direct to television sets through Xbox 360’s online service Xbox LIVE.

FOXTEL by Xbox LIVE will allow Xbox 360 owners in Australia to access FOXTEL channels including FOX Sports, Discovery, Nickelodeon, Disney, MTV, and other leading channels via their Xbox 360 entertainment console.

FOXTEL by Xbox LIVE will also provide a wide range of Video-on-Demand (VoD) services, including television series and movies. When the ground-breaking service launches later this year it will enable Australians, for the first time, to access FOXTEL without the need for a FOXTEL set-top-box.

FOXTEL by Xbox LIVE will be accessible in FOXTEL areas across Australia to all homes with a broadband internet connection. All you need is an Xbox 360, an Xbox Gold subscription and a FOXTEL by Xbox LIVE subscription.

The agreement brings together two of Australia’s most recognised and respected brands combining each company’s profound entertainment and consumer offerings.FOXTEL by Xbox LIVE provides Australians a new way of enjoying FOXTEL, and cements Xbox 360 as one of this country’s leading innovative social entertainment platforms. Xbox LIVE connects more than 23 million people across 26 countries to an ever-expanding world of games, movies, TV, music, sport and social entertainment.

FOXTEL Chief Executive and Managing Director, Kim Williams AM said, “This is a very exciting new frontier. FOXTEL by Xbox LIVE will provide our 1.6 million subscribing households, as well as new customers, a transformative way of receiving and enjoying FOXTEL over the internet. We will offer FOXTEL by Xbox LIVE with various packages and prices and under flexible agreements. It is an exciting new way of exploring FOXTEL’s universe of content for a new generation of customers.”

SecondLife

Rumors persist that as different countries get their communications laws up to speed that SecondLife.com may once again offer pro active virtual casinos as part of their offering. The parent of SecondLife is Linden Research, and Linden Labs is understood to be where the "cool kids" hang out. The virtual currency is the Linden dollar L$


Network Nine Underbelly And NRL State Of Origin In 3D

Nine advise they will carry Rugby League's 'State of Origin' clash in 3D on 26th May. It's forecast to cost the network $10 million to broadcast, and Nine have flown over technology experts from the United States to make it happen.

Underbelly continues to drive forward the crime genre, and not just on TV. Wires are reporting that at least 3 Australian crime shows are due to be released over the next 12 months, quite likely soon, such is the current appetite of Australian audiences.

The next series of Underbelly, featuring the Gold Coast - up Surfers Paradise way, will be shot, pardon the pun, in 3D. The rumour mill says some scenes and footage is already "in the can" (also Aussie for in jail)!


Free Gaming VS Paid Gaming - Trends Summary

The US currently leads the world in online business revenues, but general belief is that the EU and other territories will continue to grow gaming revenue.

"These free options are definitely broadening the appeal of video games among older and female demographics, and a lot of these consumers don't actually consider themselves gamers at all," Michael Cai, vice president of video game research at Interpret.

"Without casual gaming portals like Pogo, Real Networks, and Big Fish Games, many older female gamers would have never paid for gaming content."

Interpret discovered that 21 per cent of the US population, or over 46.1 million Americans, play social network games. Over 11 million Americans only play social network games. The median age for social network gamers is 38.8, versus 30.9, which is the median age of console gamers.

Cai found that 12 per cent of these social network gamers plan on buying a Wii, which would be their first game console.

More console game makers are offering consumers free play, including downloadable game demos through Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Sony's PlayStation Network Store.

"Handing over free content to gamers can be tremendously beneficial to developers and publishers, even if it comes in the form of a short playable demo of a game that's not spectacular," said Patrick Shaw, features editor, GamePro Magazine.

Gaming on Facebook is becoming more popular, and players like to check out games on YouTube before signing up for accounts at game portals and online casinos. PartyGaming PartyCasino 'Pay For Free' (before 'Play For Money') option continues to be mega popular. Media Man has quizzed the powers that be on this matter, and has some data to prove this is the case. YouTube remains the king of internet streaming for the masses, and owned by Google, it can afford for it to be a loss leader if need be.


Censorship In Australia - Online, Offline and Everywhere

Richard Branson's Virgin and Google's 'Google Guys' remain in the long list of new media entrepreneurs seeking clarity on Australia's censorship laws, both current and upcoming. The current guidelines are an absolute mess and out of line with laws in other development countries such as the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

The Aussie government initiative to filter the internet down under is currently due to be actioned in 1 to 3 months, depending upon what report and source you choose to believe. Govt legal eagles and policy makers are still deciding what to do as far as policy relating to video game ratings that are sold off the shelf, and technologies such as AWOMO (A World Of My Own) are likely to also be effected from Australian censorship laws (even if some quarters of the Australian government doesn't want to call it "censorship", we know better!

Media Man International TV Not (YouTube)

Check out games, poker, even the 'Sin City' expo on Media Man YouTube! Go on, we know you want to

http://www.youtube.com/mediamanint


So, gamers, gamblers, square eyes, couch potatoes, or whatever is your poison.

There's a universe of 2D, 3D and interactive entertainment coming up.

We know your already in information overload, so just wait until you check out the above mentioned new big boys toys. Know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen industry sectors they cover.

Website Network

Media Man International

Media Man Australia

Media Man Canada

Media Man Asia

Media Man Games

Media Man Casino

Media Man Poker

Global Gaming Directory

Casino News Media

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

PartyCasino delivers world's best in online casino entertainment; Cleopatra, Rambo, Sinatra, Circus, Call Of Duty 4, Classic Slots, Marvel and more

PartyCasino.com continues to deliver the best that the online gaming world has to offer.

The company is maintaining its top position in Asia Pacific and Europe and has released more world class slot games and "Avatar" type technology is on the way. Party has also recently released Circus Slot, the world's first online igaming role playing slot game.

PartyGaming and in particular, its PartyCasino.com are on a roll.

Under the leadership of CEO Jim Ryan, PartyGaming is maintaining its darling status in the news media and gaming world. Quite an accomplishment since the days when they pulled out of the U.S market.

PartyGaming's leading brands, PartyCasino.com, PartyPoker.com and World Poker Tour continue to release new features that satisfy their existing clients, in addition to seeing new clients and partners come on board.

They have also built upon the world famous World Poker Tour brand with WPTCasino.com and WPTPoker.com, offering up to $600 bonus for new players.

Some of the key strengths of PartyGaming and its brands include:

Listed on the London Stock Exchange

Branded slot games that can be played for free or played for money. Rambo by StudioCanal, Sinatra by Frank Sinatra Enterprises, Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Cleopatra by IGT, Monopoly and Cluedo by Hasbro, Mission: Impossible, Top Gun, The Naked Gun, Saturday Night Fever and High Noon by Paramount Pictures, Resident Evil by Capcom and Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four by Marvel Entertainment, Call Of Duty 4 by Activision, King Kong by Universal Studios, The Terminator and Gone With The Wind by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and so the list goes on. As Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee says, "Excelsior!".

PartyGaming also have their own in house game development team entitled 'The Games Studio', that works in collaboration with their business partners. Circus is the teams most recent release and its been called a world beater.

New technologies have enabled PartyCasino.com to offer "Live Dealer", in collaboration with EvolutionGaming and "Single Wallet" sees players only having to have one account with PartyGaming even if they choose to play a number of games in the portfolio, from slots, to poker, backgammon, sports betting, bingo et al.

The company has ramped up activities and campaigns across the global from Channel Five in Europe, to business deals with Dutch lottery operators and London Capital Group, PMU in France, all the way down to Australia where world class poker player, Stewart Scott is the regions brand ambassador for PartyPoker.com

Government b2b dealings - PartyGaming announced an exclusive, five-year agreement to provide an online gaming platform for poker and casino games in Denmark for Danske Spil A/S (‘Danske Spil’). Danske Spil is controlled by the Danish Government. PartyGaming also recently announced a multi year deal with France gaming and racing operator Pari-Mutuel Urbain.

Industry Awards and Commendations: PartyGaming's PartyCasino.com and PartyPoker.com are multi-time award winners of the Media Man - Casino News Media - Global Gaming Directory "Online Casino of the Month" and all entities have also won a range of annual awards handed out by the well respected eGaming Review.

Exclusives - branded slots, Live Dealer, PartyPoints, Palladium Lounge, Single Wallet and more.

For these reasons and more, if you like games, be it playing for free and fun or playing for money, PartyGaming more than likely has a game for you. Numerous multi language and multi currency options are also available, and the customer service is second to none. Don't just play the game, be the game and feel it at PartyCasino.com

PartyGaming Plc is the world’s leading listed online gaming company. The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY.

*The writer has a b2b relationship with PartyGaming and a number of its brands, as they do with dozens of companies in the gaming and igaming world

Website Network

Media Man

Casino News Media

Global Gaming Directory

Party Casino News

Party Gaming Media

Media Man Casino

Media Man Games

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet, by Greg Tingle - 14th May 2010

Down under in Melbourne, Australia, one casino punter was feeling extremely lucky, pouncing on an opportunity to steal (not win) a Ferrari F430, when a casino valet handed him the keys. Media Man and Gambling911 follow the story in high speed pursuit...

Melbourne Police have now arrested the formally lucky punter after a Crown Casino valet mistakenly handed over the keys to a Ferrari F430 Spider and he took off for a joyride lasting half a day to Coolaroo of all places.

The 32-year cheeky fella was reportedly wearing a tracksuit when a casino valet gave him the keys to the bright red, V8 supercar about 12.30am today.

Police advise the punter drove north up the Tullamarine Freeway but was pinched by police about 6.30am as he fuelled up at a servo in Coolaroo, on Melbourne's outer northern region.

"He is currently assisting police with their inquiries," she said.

Forensic police will today examine the car, which has been towed to a holding yard in Campbellfield.

The attendant at the servo advised the man filled the beast up with petrol before police nabbed the bandit.

"He just filled up with petrol, came in here, paid for it and the cops were outside and just got him," he said.

"The cops I think were already after him."

The happening starting to generate a serious of state, national and international news stories, with Melbourne 3AW radio enjoying banter with a witness "Mark".

"Someone walked out of the casino past me and the security guard, got in and drove off,". The security guard said to me - because he only had an old tracksuit on - and he said 'you can't pick 'em can you'."

Crown Casino spokesman, top brass, Gary O’Neill said the incident was a first for the casino. He explained customers using valet parking were provided with a ticket to be returned to the casino parking attendant when time to collect your car.

"It has happened in the past from time to time that people lose their tickets, and in these circumstances we ask for proof of identification and a valid driver’s licence. Those procedures were followed on this occasion," he said.

"The procedures that we have followed in the past have not resulted in this particular incident, but that’s not to say our system is perfect," he said.

"We’re cooperating fully with the police investigation."

Mr O’Neill said the incident had been caught on film by their CCTV cameras and the footage would be handed over to police. Crown Casino is known for its world class security, as is it's Sydney competitor Star City. The Australian land casino industry was forced to upgrade security in recent years following a succession of undesirable incidents. Industry insiders sometimes joke about the plastic handcuffs initiative and footy and cricket stars getting pissed at casino events but this matter was very serious in nature. The casino wants its VIPs, high-rollers, whales and the like to know that their transport is in safe hands at Crown Casino.

Melbourne's Police 'Highway Patrol' is known to be world class and its understood that at least 99% of police corruption as featured on Network Nine 'Underbelly' has been cleaned up.

Crown tag lines include 'World Of Entertainment' and 'Wear The Crown'.

Mr James Packer, Australian and Asia Pacific casino and gaming king, remains the owner of Crown Limited. He also owns Burswood Casino aka Burswood Entertainment Complex in Western Australia, and has a number of interests in Macau and Britain, as well as new media - internet entities. Packer remains passionate for sport, meeting Virgin king Richard Branson last year at the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix and enjoys polo, as did his late father Kerry Packer.

Ok you want more on the sports car...we hear you...

The F430 went on sale in 2005 with the Spider convertible going for a cool $444,000 AUD, plus options and on-road costs.

F430 production was ceased earlier this year and will be replaced by the flashy458 Italia, which we understand has a two-year waiting list.

Casinos have long been associated with fast cars (and fast, sexy women). In recent years the online casino and online poker sector has plugged into the demo, with PartyGaming and PKR offering sports car as high level prizes.

A few months ago PartyGaming and PKR Poker had a Porsche up for grabs, but no one qualified to win. Not to be disheartened, Party's casino and poker brands are once again offering dream machine grand prizes...

Last week Richard Branson's Virgin Racing came to sponsorship terms with online poker powerhouse Full Tilt Poker. The massive exposure of Virgin's F1 involvement on a international scale was a key reason the deal went ahead.

A number of weeks before the public Virgin - Full Tilt Poker deal, PartyGaming's PartyPoker signed up F1 superstars Jaime Alguersuari and Giancarlo Fisichella as brand ambassadors. Poker legend and World Poker Tour mainstay Mike Sexton remains the global PartyPoker ambassador. Last month following the sporting theme, PartyPoker also signed up Italian football legend Francesco Totti. The financial terms of the poker sponsorship deals are not currently known, as all parties appear to want to keep the details under wraps. Speaking of big names, rumours are circulating that PartyGaming may be in the midst of doing another deal and announcement with movie legend of Rambo and Rocky fame, Sylvester Stallone. Sly is featured in the Rambo online slot game, exclusive to PartyGaming.

PartyGaming's PartyCasino

and

PartyPoker.com

PartyCasino - Grand Win Auto - Win A Maserati GranTurismo

PartyPoker - Drive The Dream - Win a Aston Martin DB9 Coupe

Crown Casino Share Price - CWN: 8.290

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

Website Network

Media Man International

Media Man

Media Man Australia

Media Man Canada

Media Man Casino

Casino News Media

Media Man Poker

Poker News Media

Australian Casinos

Global Gaming Directory

Australian Casino News

Australian Sports Entertainment

Friday, May 07, 2010

Australian Land Based Casino News Update, by Greg Tingle - 8th May 2010

Australia is home to some of the world's great casinos, hotels and resorts.

While the land down under has over a dozen land based casinos, there's only three that both rate highly and grab the majority of headlines on a global stage. Enter James Packer's Crown Casino in Melbourne, Tabcorp's Star City in Sydney, and Jupiters Hotel & Casino on the Gold Coast.

Media Man and Gambling911 take our eye in the sky look at the landscape of the Aussie land based casino sector and bring you up to speed with what's news down under...

Readers will be aware that there's a "casino war" in the land of kangaroos, koalas and goannas at the moment. You would have to be Blind Fredy not to know about the ultra competitive showdown (and hunt for whales and dolphins) between Packer's Crown Casino down south and Tabcorp's Star City in 'Sin City' Sydney.

Crown Casino and Star City are following the global trend, largely driven forward from Las Vegas and Macau, of offering a total entertainment experience... not just gambling... you know, slots, poker, table games and the like. Whales aka high-rollers, have also demanded the changing face of the sector. Don't get us wrong, the gambling aspect remains vital to the business model and to the punters, but for a variety of reasons Australian casino kings have employed a more holistic models. The reasons include being more government friendly, legal eagle elements and complimenting the larger casino, entertainment and lifestyle realms.

Some of the ramped up services and offerings as part of the industry development include but are not limited to:

Entertainment complex upgrades (including securing more world class acts, more often, to attract the crowds and keep all clients and business partners happy)
Hotel suite refurbishments
Private gambling room upgrades for high rolling VIP's
Sports bar upgrades
Enhanced security - technology and more staff
Gulf Stream Jets aka Lear Jets for international high rollers in a hurry and who demand and casino afford the best


Aussie Casino News Bytes

Crown Casino: Hosted the Logies last week with 1000 guests in attendance. Broadcast on Network Nine Australia. Bert Newton did a fine job as host. One journalist / columnist was fired for what many saw as inappropriate Twitter - ing, including the editor of The Age newspaper. Upgraded website. Management in regular contact with sister casinos, City of Dreams Macau and Altira Macau. 100s more staff to be employed, some of which under the GenerationOne employment initiative, dedicated to helping get Indigenous Australians back into the workforce.

Star City: Has expanded their budget by another $100,000 or so. Is ordering 1 or 2 Lear Jets to help better compete with Crown Casino. Upgraded website.

Jupiters Gold Coast: Upgraded their poker room to the tune of a few hundred thousand dollars, Mother Africa Circus of the Senses is showing at Jupiters Theater. Last week a casino courtesy bus was allegedly nabbed by a disgruntle contractor owned money. The case is currently in the courts. Jupiters is nearby to the beaches where major surfing competitions take place annually. Dreamworld (Hollywood On The Gold Coast) is only a short drive away from the casino. Upgraded website.

Burswood Entertainment Complex: Upgraded security, shows include Nitro Circus Live,
Cats, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson Tribute Show and Mammi Mia! Burswood is known to put on fantastic community fundraisers. American pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan drew a massive crowd at Burswood lat last year for his charity work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Virgin's Richard Branson also did some impressive fundraising on site last month, with folks the world over keen to meet and speak to the entrepreneur. Branson's Virgin Games remains keen to expand the gaming globally, including the AWOMO (A World Of My Own), and perhaps the face to face meetings with the media and political savvy Aussie Casino king, James Packer, won't go astray. Upgraded website.

Casino Canberra: Blast From The Past: Are you a baby boomer? Then don’t dare miss Baby Boomers Blast from the Past, the ultimate live entertainment experience. Laugh, dance, party Friday 14 May at Casino Canberra. Watch comic impersonator Chris De Havilland bring to life the likes of Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond, and many more baby boomer entertainers. On the 3rd of June - Aussie comedian legends...Austen Tayshus and Elliot Goblet! Austen Tayshus is described as a drunken yobbo's worst nightmare, someone who can out gross you, out yell you and out last you. Austen Tayshus walks a skillful line between the truly offensive and the truly funny. And Elliot Goblet, the master of oodles of clever but unrelated one liners and the odd two liner as well. Both comedians are on one night of classic Aussie humour. Meet the Canberra Raiders NRL Raiderettes! Before Raiders games you have the opportunity to meet some of the Raiderettes and take advantage of the beer and snack footy pack. Galaxy Nightclub - Canberra's hottest nightclub opens from 9pm every Saturday with the beats of the 70's and the best of the 80's. Come and hear the soundtrack of our lives. Galaxy has a NO GLASS policy!

The Reef Hotel Casino: 13th, 14th and 15th May - Lisa Hunt Returns. Soul, Disco & Motown. The way it should sound!

Lasseters Hotel Casino: Dead Centre Show N Shine - Today! - 8th May. Outlaw Drags Spectacular - 9th May


Australian Casino Directory List

New South Wales
Star City Casino (Sydney)

Victoria
Crown Casino (Melbourne)

Queensland
Conrad Treasury Casino (Brisbane)
Jupiters Hotel & Casino (Gold Coast)
Jupiters Townsville Casino (Townsville)
The Reef Hotel Casino (Cairns)

South Australia
Skycity Adelaide (Adelaide)

Western Australia
Burswood Entertainment Complex aka Burswood Casino (Perth)

Tasmania
Wrest Point Hotel Casino (Hobart)
Country Club Casino (Launceston)

Australian Capital Territory
Casino Canberra (Canberra)

Northern Territory
Lasseters Hotel Casino (Alice Springs)
Skycity Darwin (formerly MGM Grand Casino) (Darwin)


Media Man International Profile On Australia
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/australia.html


Online Casinos, Online Poker and Sports Betting

Ok readers, we hear you... you also want to know some of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies) if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia (including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...

PartyCasino.com

Captain Cooks Casino

Betfair (sports betting only)

PKR (mainly poker and some casino and sports betting)

PokerStars


Media Man and Gambling911 remind our readers to keep the following in mind:

Take the time to research and learn games before placing down money

Media Man and Gambling911 are website portals. Not casinos as such, however are recognised as world leading websites that cover the sector and act as central points to games, news, reviews and more

Know the odds, set limits and have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered

*The writer owns shares in Crown Casino

Website Network

Media Man

Media Man Australia

Media Man Casino

Media Man Poker

Casino News Media

Global Gaming Directory

Casino Travel Media

Australian Casino News

Monday, May 03, 2010

World Casino Directory: Australian Casino News: Jenny Woo Poker Babe of Month, by Greg Tingle

It's been a huge week for Australian gambling, gaming, sports betting and censorship news. This is likely the biggest Australian casino and gambling news week in modern history. Let's see... NRL Melbourne Storm sports betting scandal, Melbourne Gangland Killer Carl Williams dies and gets buried, Sin City Sydney Crime & Corruption Expo, Computer kiosk gambling device tested by law, Aussie Daniel Tzvetkoff to remain in Vegas jail facing money laundering charges, Aussie internet filter delayed for months, Melbourne's Crown Casino to host The Logies tomorrow night, with 'Underbelly' nominated for awards... wait, there's more!...

Australia - Asia Pacific casino king, James Packer and his City Of Dreams Macau also faces its latest challenge with the opening of competitor casino, Marina Bay Sands in downtown Singapore, and New Zealand's SKYCITY was host to the 2010 New Zealand Gaming Expo.

Oh, how could we forget...Gambling911's Jenny Woo, wooing us (and 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair), picked up Media Man 'Poker Babe Of The Month' and PartyPoker's Kara Scott grabbed 'Casino Babe Of The Month', so it was a jam packed week and month.

Media Man and Gambling911 advise its time to take our the probe and dig a little deeper...

NRL Melbourne Storm Sports Betting Scandal...

Apart from whispers in the industry, it all started when punters starting betting on The Storm to take out the "wooden spoon" (last place). A day or two late alarm bells were ringing loud and sports betting outlets effected are estimated to be out of pocket by at least $100,000, possibly at much as $200,000. The Storm are fighting for survival and now allegations are being laid against other NRL footy teams are are also understood to have cheated their way to winning. This story is far from over.

Melbourne Gangland Killer Carl Williams dies in prison bashing; Gets buried in gold coffin

Not a well known gambler, but self described "semi professional gambler" Williams was buried yesterday, in a gold plated coffin no doubt. Police warned the grave diggers and other "need to know" people (like direct family) not to disclose where the coffin is buried. We wonder why... just kidding. Williams luck ran out for good, that much we know. More real life 'Underbelly' news is bound to surface in the near future, helped in part by our sometimes contact Bert Wrout, 'Underbelly' survivor, leaking news and and information to the press. Insiders say the killings are over, and no one is (smartly) willing to attempt to hurt Melbourne "consultant" Mick Gatto.

Sin City Sydney Crime & Corruption Expo - Opens 1st May

Gambling themes and figures a plenty. Touted as the real 'Underbelly' history, focusing on the 1940's to 1980's, George Freeman ('Colourful Racing Identity) and 'Mr Sin' Abe Saffron are the main event (dead) draw cards.

Of all the black-market trades, casinos played the most active role in corrupting police and politicians, paying them thousands of dollars a week in bribes.

Baccarat king Richard Reilly was shot dead in 1967. With him gone, other operators moved in and transformed the city's basic gambling houses into substantial, plush 'Las Vegas'-style casinos. Business-minded criminals such as George Freeman, Lennie McPherson and Stan Smith joined forces to revolutionise gambling and protection rackets in a massive restructuring of the underworld.

Illegal SP (‘starting price') bookmaking exploited off-track betting restrictions to generate huge profits for savvy criminal operators. George Freeman, at one time the largest SP operator in the state, bought influence by using his ability to guarantee winning bets as a powerful form of bribery. Freeman was not alone. Illegal bookies were both the favoured betting choice for punters and the most consistent earner for Sydney's criminal syndicates until the 1980s, collectively turning over as much as $6.4 billion in today's dollars each year. The very integrity of racing was threatened nationwide by corrupt bookmaking that encouraged horse doping and race fixing.

I'm the toughest man in f***king Sydney. I can kill anyone I f***king well want to, but I can't get my f***king dinner on time!

Lennie McPherson to his first wife, 1960

... there was only one thing I wanted out of life. I wanted to be a crook. Not just any crook, but the crook, the BIGGEST - the man with money, power, influence. Working for a living never entered my head.

George Freeman, 1988

Mr saffron should be employed by the Australian forces as a camouflage expert, sir. He's done it successfully for many many years.

Jim Anderson, 1983

Website

http://www.hht.net.au/sincity


Marina Bay Sands VS Aussie James Packer's City of Dreams Macau

The land based casino wars continue to heat up, and 'Our James'... Australian James Packer is in the thick of the action. Packer's Crown Casino faces increased competition down under in Australia from Sydney's revamped Star City, and now Sands has opened in Singapore, in a move that insiders say will lure whales and dolphins away from Crown Macau, but don't underestimate the loyalty to Packer. Many have bet against the Aussie - Asia Pacific casino king before and lost. The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is one of the biggest and most expensive casinos every built. Having opened its doors two days ago, throwing down the gauntlet... the dust is just starting to settle. Insiders say James Packer is at the top of the list of other operators who need to stay on guard and answer the challenge. Packer has enough top line connections to stay on top and in favor with the whales, should an all out "war" erupt, as is the case in Australia, where Tabcop Owned Star City Casino has now spent $600 on a revamp, part of which is designed to lure "whales" and the world's top entertainers.

Computer Kiosk Gambling Device (Not) Tested By Law (And Returned)

Following our report on the 25th of the month, there's been some very important developments on the legal situation re the internet kiosks located in Australian pubs and hotels that Australia's Tabcorp called a "gambling device". The courts do not agree! Victory for VenueNet and Australian internet lovers... Media Man and Gambling911 with the story...

Yesterday a computer terminal with internet access that gaming authorities claim is an "unauthorised instrument of betting", was reinstalled! A computer being plugged back in is not normally so newsworthy, but because of the gaming, legal and political connection, it is, so there you go! Back to the pub from where you were seized, you good computer. The (kangaroo not) court ordered it, so hop to it son.

The manufacture of the device er machine, VenueNet, has a business arrangement with Darwin-based bookmaker Sportsbet to offer customers access to their betting accounts through the computer kiosk. The full details of the agreement are commercially sensitive in nature, but its a win-win.

VenueNet is hopeful the court's ruling will facilitate a planned roll out by the truck full of some 200 devices er machines.. up and down the east coast of Australia.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation confiscated the device er machine from the Rising Sun Hotel in South Melbourne last August, after receiving a complaint from Aussie gaming and racing giant Tabcorp, which currently holds Victoria's exclusive retail wagering licence. Tabcorp are also the current owners of Star City Casino in Sydney (which James Packer of Crown is rumored to have an interest in... a deal once stopped by his late farther Kerry, close to a decade ago).

The 'Kiosk Case' as its now known as in gaming circles is seen as being a test of Australian gambling and igaming laws that have failed miserably to keep pace with technology and has raised doubts about the value of the Victorian wagering licence, which is up for tender. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Senator Stephen Conroy take note "failed miserably"..."raised doubts"... its the Kiosk Case, not the Aussie internet filter case.

Aussie Daniel Tzvetkoff To Remain In Vegas Jail Facing Money Laundering Charges

Tzvetkoff, also exposed as also processing porn company transactions, remains in jail. He faces up to a 75 year term (if he lives that long). Federal prosecutors said that Intabill utilized the automated clearinghouse system to transfer funds between U.S. checking accounts and various Internet gambling businesses, including online gambling and porn. They charge that Tzvetkoff and others disguised those gambling transactions as repayment of payday loans that consumers had taken out online, as well as transferred funds applied to pre-paid debit cards. He was indicted for money laundering.

"Tzvetkoff and his co-conspirators obtained unique websites and toll-free numbers for these shell companies and developed phony websites to make the companies appear to have a valid, non-gambling purpose," the indictment said.

Aussie Internet Filter Delayed

The prospect of Internet filtering in Australia is highly unlikely in either the May or June sittings of Federal Parliament. Online gambling websites were among those that appeared on a leaked list of "banned sites".

The Late Mail

Report urges government to take over gambling regulation

A new report urges the federal government to take over the regulation of gambling, which costs Australians $18 billion a year and which states rely on for $4.69bn in tax revenue annually.

The report by Deakin University and the Australia Institute urged the Rudd government to put a 2% tax on all gambling revenue, while using some of that $378 million to give state governments that reduce gambling levels incentive payments to reduce their reliance on tax from poker machines.

Crown Casino Groupier's Scammers Caught

A Crown Casino croupier and his gambling housemate (almost inmate) who teamed up to try beat the house have had the scheme die out.

Quoc Tran, 27, manned the roulette wheel as his mate Hoa Nguyen, 34, placed bets over at least three days in April last year.

A Melbourne court heard while Nguyen placed some legal wagers, other chips downed after Tran called "no more bets" and the ball had landed on its number!

Mr Tran allowed Nguyen to repeat such illegal transactions 15 times, which got them "winnings" of $15,750.

Crown security spied them and called police who arrested the pair, later to plead guilty to charges of theft.

David Grace, QC, advised Nguyen had turned his life around and had also repaid his $7857 to Crown. Nguyen's legal eagle said he had so far repaid $900 bucks.

Deputy chief magistrate Jelena Popovic said the men's efforts went in their favour.

The Footscray pair were released on non-conviction undertakings with orders they pay $750 to the "court fund". Media Man and Gambling911 with them well with their rehab from their past ways.

So readers, er punters, what a week its been. Freeman, Saffron and our old mate, 'Big' Tim Bristow would be proud, and most likely reading the world famous Gambling911 website for updates, if there were still with us. Network Nine's 'Hey Hey' top bloke, 'Pluka Duck', and his handlers, have been reading with great interest.

Till next time, don't do anything we wouldn't do. Know the odds, good hunting and happy punting.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen industry sectors covered

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

Website Network

Media Man

Media Man Australia

Media Man Canada

Media Man Asia

Casino News Media

Global Gaming Directory

Australian Casino News

Australian Casinos

Australian Sports Entertainment

Poker News Media

Media Man Poker

Media Man Casino