Overseas-based gambling operators face having to pay millions of pounds in levies to support horseracing and research into gambling addiction, under new regulations being considered by ministers.
MPs have complained about the unfairness of British-based operators paying such levies while operators licensed offshore are allowed to advertise their products in the UK, yet pay nothing.
The view is shared by UK-based bookmakers who this week agreed to a further year of contributions to the Horserace Betting Levy, amounting to 10 per cent of their gross profits and adding up to about £100m ($148m).
Gerry Sutcliffe, sports minister, will announce on Thursday a review by the Gambling Commission and civil servants aimed at creating a fairer system of payments and “a more level playing field between British businesses and their overseas counterparts”.
As well as contributing to the horseracing levy, companies that have offshore servers such as PartyGaming, 888, Sportingbet and Betfair could be expected to help pay for regulating the industry and the treatment of problem gambling.
But the review faces complex issues, such as whether it would be possible to distinguish between the profits offshore companies make from UK and non-UK punters in order to determine the levy.
Mr Sutcliffe said the remit would also look into issues such as allegations of match fixing and what gambling operators are doing to preserve the integrity of sport.
He has already beefed up the commission’s investigations into betting irregularities by bringing in outside experts from sport, the betting industry and the police.
The commission and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will also review the controls introduced in the 2005 Gambling Act that created a regulated market for online operators.
Since September 2007, companies licensed in UK-recognised licensing jurisdictions such as Alderney, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man have been allowed to advertise under regulations policed by the commission.
MPs have been pressing ministers to explain why vast amounts of the £1.4bn generated by online gambling in the UK goes abroad.
Mr Sutcliffe said the Gambling Act, though freeing up the industry, was aimed at protecting consumers.
“We have taken steps in the right direction, but technology is changing and attitudes are changing,” he said.
Mr Sutcliffe said he recognised that Britain’s gaming taxation regime discouraged operators from basing their servers in the UK, but the issue was one for the Treasury to examine. (Credit: Financial Times)
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Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Crown confident in Macau growth outlook - 29th April 2009
Casinos operator Crown Ltd has bought more shares in its joint-venture casino operator and developer in Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (MPEL), and expressed confidence in the growth outlook for the Chinese enclave.
MPEL operates the Altira Macau, formerly known as Crown Macau, which opened in May 2007.
MPEL is also developing the City of Dreams casino resort at Cotai in Macau.
MPEL's major shareholders are Crown and the Hong Kong-listed Melco International Development Ltd (Melco).
Crown said on Wednesday that it had agreed to take $US45 million ($A63.71 million) in additional equity in MPEL's $US165 million ($A233.61 million) equity placement.
The placement may rise to $US180 million ($A254.85 million) if an over allotment option is exercised.
Melco has participated in the MPEL placement on the same terms as Crown.
Crown said the cost of its cash equity investment in MPEL, including the new shares, was now $US500 million ($A707.91 million).
Following the MPEL placement and assuming full exercise of the over allotment option, Crown's ownership interest in MPEL will be diluted slightly to 36.4 per cent.
"The substantial participation in this transaction by the founding shareholders of the company - Melco International and Crown Ltd - confirms our confidence in the growth outlook for Macau and Melco Crown Entertainment's competitive position within the market," Crown executive chairman James Packer, who is also co-chairman of MPEL, said.
"I am convinced that City of Dreams will set a new standard for casino development in Asia."
MPEL said that City of Dreams remained on track to open in early June and on budget.
Crown shares were steady at $6.42 at 1230 AEST on Wednesday.
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MPEL operates the Altira Macau, formerly known as Crown Macau, which opened in May 2007.
MPEL is also developing the City of Dreams casino resort at Cotai in Macau.
MPEL's major shareholders are Crown and the Hong Kong-listed Melco International Development Ltd (Melco).
Crown said on Wednesday that it had agreed to take $US45 million ($A63.71 million) in additional equity in MPEL's $US165 million ($A233.61 million) equity placement.
The placement may rise to $US180 million ($A254.85 million) if an over allotment option is exercised.
Melco has participated in the MPEL placement on the same terms as Crown.
Crown said the cost of its cash equity investment in MPEL, including the new shares, was now $US500 million ($A707.91 million).
Following the MPEL placement and assuming full exercise of the over allotment option, Crown's ownership interest in MPEL will be diluted slightly to 36.4 per cent.
"The substantial participation in this transaction by the founding shareholders of the company - Melco International and Crown Ltd - confirms our confidence in the growth outlook for Macau and Melco Crown Entertainment's competitive position within the market," Crown executive chairman James Packer, who is also co-chairman of MPEL, said.
"I am convinced that City of Dreams will set a new standard for casino development in Asia."
MPEL said that City of Dreams remained on track to open in early June and on budget.
Crown shares were steady at $6.42 at 1230 AEST on Wednesday.
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A New Chance for Online Gambling in the U.S., By Eric Pfanner - The New York Times - 26th April 2009
PARIS — Is online gambling coming in from the cold?
When the U.S. Congress cracked down on Internet betting in 2006, the big, publicly traded European companies that had dominated the business closed up shop in the United States. Growth in the booming industry shifted away from these companies, once the darlings of the stock market, to private operators in offshore locations like Antigua and the Isle of Man.
But now, executives of some of the European companies whisper excitedly that they may soon get a second chance in the United States. Meanwhile, a number of European countries that have long maintained barriers are moving, under pressure from regulators, to legalize, and tax, online gambling.
“There’s still a lot of gambling going on, where there’s no revenue coming in to the governments,” said Gavin Kelleher, an analyst at the research firm H2 Gambling Capital in Ireland. “They realize they could use the revenue.”
The biggest potential change would be in the United States, where, perhaps within days, Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, is expected to introduce legislation aimed at overturning the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
“He supports the repeal and wants to move forward on it,” said Steve Adamske, communications director for the House Financial Services Committee, of which Mr. Frank is chairman.
Mr. Frank tried and failed to do so once before, in 2007. But advocates of liberalization think they might get a friendlier hearing in Washington this time around. President Barack Obama, they note, boasted of his poker prowess during the election campaign. And the Democrats, who are seen as less hostile to Internet gambling than the Republicans, have tightened their grip on Congress.
A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers says the U.S. government could raise more than $50 billion over 10 years from taxes on legalized online gambling.
“I’d be amazed if it didn’t happen over the next two or three years,” said Clive Hawkswood, chief executive of the Remote Gambling Association, a trade group based in London. “It’s just a question of what exactly the regulations will say.”
Some analysts say that may be getting a little bit ahead of the game. Opponents of a repeal, including the Christian Coalition of America and the National Football League, have vowed to fight any new effort to end the ban.
Michele Combs, a spokeswoman for the Christian Coalition, said the group was gearing up for a “massive campaign” of letter-writing and lobbying to try to prevent any loosening of the law.
“We’re not saying people shouldn’t go to Las Vegas,” she said. “But when it’s in your home, it’s too easy. It breaks up families.”
U.S. sports leagues, meanwhile, worry that the ease of online betting increases the chances of game-fixing. Even the most bullish advocates of online gambling acknowledge that Internet sports betting — as opposed to poker or casino games — is highly unlikely to be legalized.
“There’s a better chance now for some sort of gaming legislation to be approved,” said Nick Batram, an analyst at KBC Peel Hunt, a brokerage firm in London. “But it took longer than expected to put anti-gaming legislation in place, and it will probably will take longer than expected to remove it.”
Since the 2006 law was passed, North America, once the biggest market, has been passed by Europe and Asia, according to figures from H2 Gambling Capital. The law makes it illegal for financial institutions to handle payments to online gambling sites. But enough people have found ways around it, some by using overseas payment processors, to ensure that online gambling remains a thriving business. H2 says online gambling generated revenue of $6 billion last year in North America, more than a quarter the global total of $22.6 billion, up from $17.6 billion in 2006.
Pulling out of the United States cost PartyGaming about three-quarters of its business. Its position as the biggest online poker provider has been taken over by PokerStars, a privately held operator based on the Isle of Man.
This month, PartyGaming agreed to a $105 million settlement with the U.S. attorney’s office in New York, involving the period before 2006, when it acknowledged that its activities had been “contrary to certain U.S. laws.” In turn, the U.S. authorities agreed not to prosecute the company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, or its executives.
The agreement fueled speculation that PartyGaming might be trying to position itself for a return to the U.S. market, if online gambling were legalized.
Analysts say one possibility for European companies like PartyGaming, should the ban be lifted, would be to form partnerships with American casino operators. That would allow the European companies to share their online expertise. Operating alone, they might struggle to obtain licenses, given their history of run-ins with U.S. law enforcement, analysts said.
“It’s my feeling that even if the market were opened up, the U.S. government, in a palatable way, would probably find a way to give local companies a favorable position,” Mr. Batram said.
So far, Las Vegas executives have maintained a cautious stance about legalization of online gambling. Steve Wynn, chief executive of Wynn Resorts, said in an e-mail message that he thought it would be “impossible to regulate.”
“Even though it would be a benefit to our company, we are strongly opposed,” he said.
But speculation that Las Vegas casino operators were looking into the possibilities was fueled by recent reports that Harrah’s Entertainment, which owns Caesars Palace and other casinos, recently hired Mitch Garber, former chief executive of PartyGaming, for an unspecified role. Harrah’s did not return calls.
Mr. Ryan said that PartyGaming planned to focus on acquisition opportunities to increase its market share in Europe and elsewhere, something that was difficult as long as investors were worried about the U.S. litigation. “We think Mr. Frank’s efforts are quite meaningful to the sector,” he said.
Several other online gambling companies whose shares are traded in London, including 888 Holdings and Sportingbet, are still in talks with the U.S. Justice Department. Analysts expect them, along with companies like Bwin International, whose stock is traded in Vienna, to be involved in a round of consolidation in the industry — along with a possible eventual move back into the United States.
As they await developments in Washington, online gambling companies are looking for growth in Europe and Asia. Under pressure from regulators in Brussels, several European Union members, including France, Italy, Spain and Denmark, have been moving to legalize some kinds of online gambling, turning it into a regulated and taxed business. Britain was the first big European country to do so, in 2005.
Other countries, like Germany, Greece and the Netherlands, continue to hold out, though, in what the European Commission sees as an effort to protect government-sponsored gambling monopolies from private competition.
The commission in March published a report arguing that the United States was violating World Trade Organization rules by keeping out European online gambling companies, given that online betting on horse racing is permitted in the United States. But the commission said that it favored negotiations, rather than legal action, to end the dispute.
Also in March, however, the European Parliament adopted a separate measure supporting the right of individual E.U. member states to make their own rules on online gambling.
“It’s interesting that the European Commission is telling the U.S. it’s persecuting European companies when it can’t even get its own house sorted out,” Mr. Batram said.
(Credit: The New York Times)
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When the U.S. Congress cracked down on Internet betting in 2006, the big, publicly traded European companies that had dominated the business closed up shop in the United States. Growth in the booming industry shifted away from these companies, once the darlings of the stock market, to private operators in offshore locations like Antigua and the Isle of Man.
But now, executives of some of the European companies whisper excitedly that they may soon get a second chance in the United States. Meanwhile, a number of European countries that have long maintained barriers are moving, under pressure from regulators, to legalize, and tax, online gambling.
“There’s still a lot of gambling going on, where there’s no revenue coming in to the governments,” said Gavin Kelleher, an analyst at the research firm H2 Gambling Capital in Ireland. “They realize they could use the revenue.”
The biggest potential change would be in the United States, where, perhaps within days, Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, is expected to introduce legislation aimed at overturning the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
“He supports the repeal and wants to move forward on it,” said Steve Adamske, communications director for the House Financial Services Committee, of which Mr. Frank is chairman.
Mr. Frank tried and failed to do so once before, in 2007. But advocates of liberalization think they might get a friendlier hearing in Washington this time around. President Barack Obama, they note, boasted of his poker prowess during the election campaign. And the Democrats, who are seen as less hostile to Internet gambling than the Republicans, have tightened their grip on Congress.
A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers says the U.S. government could raise more than $50 billion over 10 years from taxes on legalized online gambling.
“I’d be amazed if it didn’t happen over the next two or three years,” said Clive Hawkswood, chief executive of the Remote Gambling Association, a trade group based in London. “It’s just a question of what exactly the regulations will say.”
Some analysts say that may be getting a little bit ahead of the game. Opponents of a repeal, including the Christian Coalition of America and the National Football League, have vowed to fight any new effort to end the ban.
Michele Combs, a spokeswoman for the Christian Coalition, said the group was gearing up for a “massive campaign” of letter-writing and lobbying to try to prevent any loosening of the law.
“We’re not saying people shouldn’t go to Las Vegas,” she said. “But when it’s in your home, it’s too easy. It breaks up families.”
U.S. sports leagues, meanwhile, worry that the ease of online betting increases the chances of game-fixing. Even the most bullish advocates of online gambling acknowledge that Internet sports betting — as opposed to poker or casino games — is highly unlikely to be legalized.
“There’s a better chance now for some sort of gaming legislation to be approved,” said Nick Batram, an analyst at KBC Peel Hunt, a brokerage firm in London. “But it took longer than expected to put anti-gaming legislation in place, and it will probably will take longer than expected to remove it.”
Since the 2006 law was passed, North America, once the biggest market, has been passed by Europe and Asia, according to figures from H2 Gambling Capital. The law makes it illegal for financial institutions to handle payments to online gambling sites. But enough people have found ways around it, some by using overseas payment processors, to ensure that online gambling remains a thriving business. H2 says online gambling generated revenue of $6 billion last year in North America, more than a quarter the global total of $22.6 billion, up from $17.6 billion in 2006.
Pulling out of the United States cost PartyGaming about three-quarters of its business. Its position as the biggest online poker provider has been taken over by PokerStars, a privately held operator based on the Isle of Man.
This month, PartyGaming agreed to a $105 million settlement with the U.S. attorney’s office in New York, involving the period before 2006, when it acknowledged that its activities had been “contrary to certain U.S. laws.” In turn, the U.S. authorities agreed not to prosecute the company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, or its executives.
The agreement fueled speculation that PartyGaming might be trying to position itself for a return to the U.S. market, if online gambling were legalized.
Analysts say one possibility for European companies like PartyGaming, should the ban be lifted, would be to form partnerships with American casino operators. That would allow the European companies to share their online expertise. Operating alone, they might struggle to obtain licenses, given their history of run-ins with U.S. law enforcement, analysts said.
“It’s my feeling that even if the market were opened up, the U.S. government, in a palatable way, would probably find a way to give local companies a favorable position,” Mr. Batram said.
So far, Las Vegas executives have maintained a cautious stance about legalization of online gambling. Steve Wynn, chief executive of Wynn Resorts, said in an e-mail message that he thought it would be “impossible to regulate.”
“Even though it would be a benefit to our company, we are strongly opposed,” he said.
But speculation that Las Vegas casino operators were looking into the possibilities was fueled by recent reports that Harrah’s Entertainment, which owns Caesars Palace and other casinos, recently hired Mitch Garber, former chief executive of PartyGaming, for an unspecified role. Harrah’s did not return calls.
Mr. Ryan said that PartyGaming planned to focus on acquisition opportunities to increase its market share in Europe and elsewhere, something that was difficult as long as investors were worried about the U.S. litigation. “We think Mr. Frank’s efforts are quite meaningful to the sector,” he said.
Several other online gambling companies whose shares are traded in London, including 888 Holdings and Sportingbet, are still in talks with the U.S. Justice Department. Analysts expect them, along with companies like Bwin International, whose stock is traded in Vienna, to be involved in a round of consolidation in the industry — along with a possible eventual move back into the United States.
As they await developments in Washington, online gambling companies are looking for growth in Europe and Asia. Under pressure from regulators in Brussels, several European Union members, including France, Italy, Spain and Denmark, have been moving to legalize some kinds of online gambling, turning it into a regulated and taxed business. Britain was the first big European country to do so, in 2005.
Other countries, like Germany, Greece and the Netherlands, continue to hold out, though, in what the European Commission sees as an effort to protect government-sponsored gambling monopolies from private competition.
The commission in March published a report arguing that the United States was violating World Trade Organization rules by keeping out European online gambling companies, given that online betting on horse racing is permitted in the United States. But the commission said that it favored negotiations, rather than legal action, to end the dispute.
Also in March, however, the European Parliament adopted a separate measure supporting the right of individual E.U. member states to make their own rules on online gambling.
“It’s interesting that the European Commission is telling the U.S. it’s persecuting European companies when it can’t even get its own house sorted out,” Mr. Batram said.
(Credit: The New York Times)
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Switzerland to legalise Online Gambling - 24th April 2009
Online Gambling is still unregulated in many countries around the world, allowing players to play at illegal sites. However Switzerland are the latest nation to introduce a legal regulated framework, which will ensure sites operate securely and fairly.
The UK has one of the most impressive online gambling industries, with strict regulation and laws, resulting in impressive growth during the last 5 years. Hundreds of online bingo, poker, casino and betting sites operate in the UK under strict laws on advertising, finances and marketing.
Currently, only Lotto games and Sports betting products can be played online in Switzerland, however casino, bingo and poker games will now be made legal.
Some believe that the new legislation already needs to be changed, as operators outside the country will not be allowed to process payments at Swiss banks.
A quote from a Egaming review article, read how George Haeberling, a betting and gaming lawyer in Switzerland, said, “Practically, you can prohibit them from doing lots of advertising, but preventing the Swiss banks from processing payments from operators outside of the country is not going to be accepted. They may have to allow Swiss operators to go abroad.”
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The UK has one of the most impressive online gambling industries, with strict regulation and laws, resulting in impressive growth during the last 5 years. Hundreds of online bingo, poker, casino and betting sites operate in the UK under strict laws on advertising, finances and marketing.
Currently, only Lotto games and Sports betting products can be played online in Switzerland, however casino, bingo and poker games will now be made legal.
Some believe that the new legislation already needs to be changed, as operators outside the country will not be allowed to process payments at Swiss banks.
A quote from a Egaming review article, read how George Haeberling, a betting and gaming lawyer in Switzerland, said, “Practically, you can prohibit them from doing lots of advertising, but preventing the Swiss banks from processing payments from operators outside of the country is not going to be accepted. They may have to allow Swiss operators to go abroad.”
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Missing Lady Luck, by Paritosh Bansal - Reuters - 7th April 2009
There was a time not so long ago when “smart” investors and analysts believed that casinos were a sure bet, that gambling was recession proof, and that it was a vice people could not shake off even if money got tight. And so casino giant after casino giant started on mega projects that set to outdo each other and make glitzy Las Vegas, well, glitzier.
This recession is changing several of those plans. And despite the retirees putting their life savings into slot machines for fun in Atlantic City, casinos are taking a hit.
MGM Mirage, one of the biggest of them all, is trying to come up with funds amid a sharp downturn. The company, which is controlled by billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, is hoping to raise money to meet debt payments and also to fund CityCenter, a troubled project it jointly owns with Dubai World, in Las Vegas.
The No. 2 U.S. casino operator has hired Morgan Stanley to sell two resort-style properties - one each in Detroit and Biloxi, Mississippi. Los Angeles-based private equity firm Colony Capital is also considering an investment in the debt of the casino company.
Will Lady Luck smile again on Las Vegas? Chances are Sin City will look different again in a few years, with or without her.
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This recession is changing several of those plans. And despite the retirees putting their life savings into slot machines for fun in Atlantic City, casinos are taking a hit.
MGM Mirage, one of the biggest of them all, is trying to come up with funds amid a sharp downturn. The company, which is controlled by billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, is hoping to raise money to meet debt payments and also to fund CityCenter, a troubled project it jointly owns with Dubai World, in Las Vegas.
The No. 2 U.S. casino operator has hired Morgan Stanley to sell two resort-style properties - one each in Detroit and Biloxi, Mississippi. Los Angeles-based private equity firm Colony Capital is also considering an investment in the debt of the casino company.
Will Lady Luck smile again on Las Vegas? Chances are Sin City will look different again in a few years, with or without her.
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Monday, April 27, 2009
Macau Sands casino up for sale: report - 27th April 2009
Las Vegas Sands is considering selling one of its Macau casinos, a report said on Monday, as revenues plummet in the world's biggest gaming market.
It plans to put the Sands Macao up for about $US1.3 billion ($A1.8 billion) after failing to sell its luxury shopping centres in the southern Chinese territory, the South China Morning Post said without naming sources.
The report said Las Vegas Sands was considering selling the building and continuing to run the 21,274 sq m casino while paying the new landlord rent based on performance.
Talks kicked off last week, the daily said, as the company could not find a buyer for the shopping centres attached to the Venetian and Four Seasons resorts because the $US1 billion ($A1.39 billion) asking price was considered too high.
"It was kind of, 'OK then, if you don't want the malls, do you want the Sands?'," an unnamed source was quoted as saying. It said the source confirmed the company's gaming licence was not up for sale.
A spokesman for the US-based company declined to comment on a potential sale of the Sands Macao, the territory's first foreign-owned casino, the paper said.
The Sands Macao opened in 2004 and the company made back its initial investment in 12 months, the newspaper said, as gamers poured into the city.
However, Las Vegas Sands was in November forced to fire up to 11,000 mainly construction staff as it halted work at a new $US3.3 billion ($A4.58 billion), 6,400-room resort close to the Venetian.
The firm blamed a freezing of the global credit markets for the delay.
Macau has become a gambling paradise, with massive casinos springing up over the past few years, helping the city overtake the Las Vegas Strip in terms of revenue.
But income has been battered as gamblers tighten their belts amid the global slowdown, while visa restrictions placed by Beijing on Chinese visitors have also hit revenues.
Macau's casinos suffered a dismal second half of 2008, although the first three months of this year saw income rise for the first time in three quarters.
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It plans to put the Sands Macao up for about $US1.3 billion ($A1.8 billion) after failing to sell its luxury shopping centres in the southern Chinese territory, the South China Morning Post said without naming sources.
The report said Las Vegas Sands was considering selling the building and continuing to run the 21,274 sq m casino while paying the new landlord rent based on performance.
Talks kicked off last week, the daily said, as the company could not find a buyer for the shopping centres attached to the Venetian and Four Seasons resorts because the $US1 billion ($A1.39 billion) asking price was considered too high.
"It was kind of, 'OK then, if you don't want the malls, do you want the Sands?'," an unnamed source was quoted as saying. It said the source confirmed the company's gaming licence was not up for sale.
A spokesman for the US-based company declined to comment on a potential sale of the Sands Macao, the territory's first foreign-owned casino, the paper said.
The Sands Macao opened in 2004 and the company made back its initial investment in 12 months, the newspaper said, as gamers poured into the city.
However, Las Vegas Sands was in November forced to fire up to 11,000 mainly construction staff as it halted work at a new $US3.3 billion ($A4.58 billion), 6,400-room resort close to the Venetian.
The firm blamed a freezing of the global credit markets for the delay.
Macau has become a gambling paradise, with massive casinos springing up over the past few years, helping the city overtake the Las Vegas Strip in terms of revenue.
But income has been battered as gamblers tighten their belts amid the global slowdown, while visa restrictions placed by Beijing on Chinese visitors have also hit revenues.
Macau's casinos suffered a dismal second half of 2008, although the first three months of this year saw income rise for the first time in three quarters.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Australian Pokies
50 Lions
Highly distinctive due to its appearance – it’s the first 50 line slot in the world – this means that you’ll always have 20 symbols showing on the screen rather than the more standard 15.
Indian Dreaming
Released in 1999, this was the first pokie in which the player could win without having lined up matching symbols – this is due to Aristocrats unique 243 config – in which symbols that are on neighbouring reels can win.
Where’s the Gold?
Where’s the Gold is ‘free game’ heaven – the player can win up to 20 free games simply by picking a character – this character becomes wild when your free games are initiated.
Show me the Money
Another bend on the free games feature, this game was released in 2000 and enables the player to choose between 5 different multipliers or spins – you can also pick up a mystery prize for getting wilds on the first five reels.
Queen of the Nile
This hugely popular slot has (rather unsurprisingly) an ancient Egyptian theme. It can be played up to 20 lines and the player can get up to fifteen game bonuses absolutely free. It’s remained at the top of the charts for nearly 12 years!
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Cleopatra
Cleopatra II
MegaJackpots Cleopatra
Da Vinci Diamonds
The 50,000 Pyramid
Wheel Of Fortune
Goanna Gold
No Worries
Bush Telegraph
Tomb Raider
Highly distinctive due to its appearance – it’s the first 50 line slot in the world – this means that you’ll always have 20 symbols showing on the screen rather than the more standard 15.
Indian Dreaming
Released in 1999, this was the first pokie in which the player could win without having lined up matching symbols – this is due to Aristocrats unique 243 config – in which symbols that are on neighbouring reels can win.
Where’s the Gold?
Where’s the Gold is ‘free game’ heaven – the player can win up to 20 free games simply by picking a character – this character becomes wild when your free games are initiated.
Show me the Money
Another bend on the free games feature, this game was released in 2000 and enables the player to choose between 5 different multipliers or spins – you can also pick up a mystery prize for getting wilds on the first five reels.
Queen of the Nile
This hugely popular slot has (rather unsurprisingly) an ancient Egyptian theme. It can be played up to 20 lines and the player can get up to fifteen game bonuses absolutely free. It’s remained at the top of the charts for nearly 12 years!
Popular Online Pokies In Australia
Cleopatra
Cleopatra II
MegaJackpots Cleopatra
Da Vinci Diamonds
The 50,000 Pyramid
Wheel Of Fortune
Goanna Gold
No Worries
Bush Telegraph
Tomb Raider
Monday, April 20, 2009
NZ's Sky City raising NZ$214 mln through issue - 21st April 2009
WELLINGTON, April 21 - New Zealand casino company Sky City Entertainment Ltd (SKC.NZ) is planning to raise around NZ$214 million ($118 million) through a share issue to beef up its balance sheet, the company said on on Tuesday.
It said it was looking to place 71 million ordinary shares to institutional investors at NZ$2.52 each, a discount of 11.6 percent on the stock's last price, before it was placed on a trading halt.
Sky said it would also offer up to NZ$35 million worth of new shares to existing shareholders, as well as offer small shareholders the chance to top up their holdings to avoid being diluted by the new issue.
The company said earnings for the third quarter was 4.3 percent ahead of last year and it was also on track to post a full year profit "comfortably" in the NZ$99 million-NZ$106 million range of analysts' forecasts.
A ban on new casinos in New Zealand has given the company a virtual monopoly, while in Australia it faces rivals such as Tabcorp Ltd. (TAH.AX) and Crown Ltd (CWN.AX).
The company, which owns or has an interest in five casinos in New Zealand and two in Australia, said revenue for the group in the January and February was just ahead of a year ago, on the back of growth in its Australian operations. ($1=NZ$1.81)
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It said it was looking to place 71 million ordinary shares to institutional investors at NZ$2.52 each, a discount of 11.6 percent on the stock's last price, before it was placed on a trading halt.
Sky said it would also offer up to NZ$35 million worth of new shares to existing shareholders, as well as offer small shareholders the chance to top up their holdings to avoid being diluted by the new issue.
The company said earnings for the third quarter was 4.3 percent ahead of last year and it was also on track to post a full year profit "comfortably" in the NZ$99 million-NZ$106 million range of analysts' forecasts.
A ban on new casinos in New Zealand has given the company a virtual monopoly, while in Australia it faces rivals such as Tabcorp Ltd. (TAH.AX) and Crown Ltd (CWN.AX).
The company, which owns or has an interest in five casinos in New Zealand and two in Australia, said revenue for the group in the January and February was just ahead of a year ago, on the back of growth in its Australian operations. ($1=NZ$1.81)
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Station Casinos sues Internet company over Web sites, by Steve Green - Las Vegas Sun - 20th April 2009
Station Casinos Inc. is suing an Internet company based in Panama that it says is infringing on trademarks Station owns for three of its Las Vegas hotel-casinos.
Station filed suit Friday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas against Smart Answer, S.A.; and a woman living in Panama and associated with the company, Susana Gonzales.
The defendants could not immediately be reached for comment today.
The same defendants were sued by several MGM Mirage properties in the same court last year. After the defendants failed to respond to the complaint, MGM Mirage obtained an injunction and a $2.2 million judgment against them for infringing on the trademarks covering Bellagio, Circus Circus, Mandalay Bay, New York-New York and Treasure Island.
Jason Firth, an attorney with the intellectual property group at the Las Vegas law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, and other attorneys with that firm filed both lawsuits.
Firth said the MGM Mirage lawsuit succeeded in having the offending domain names shut down or transferred to MGM Mirage. But because of the expense involved and uncertainties about the potential for recovery, the plaintiff is not currently pursuing collection of the judgment, he said.
He said that besides the lawsuits, his firm is pursuing additional cases for Station Casinos and the Tropicana in Las Vegas through an international dispute resolution process.
Station's suit says the defendants are operating sites on the Internet with domain names that include the phrases "boulderstation'," "sunsetstation" and "palacestation" -- all allegedly infringing on Station's trademarks for its Boulder, Sunset and Palace Station properties.
These domain names, Station says, have also been linked to Web sites that further link to an online gambling Web site called "Golden Casino."
Firth said the business model of companies that register domain names by the thousands, capitalizing on trademarked names, is to generate revenue by directing Internet traffic to Web sites supported by advertisers.
The defendants in the Station suit, the complaint says, have violated a federal law outlawing cybersquatting by using domain names confusingly similar to Station's trademarks; and have violated a state law outlawing deceptive trade practices.
"Defendants' actions have disrupted or are intended to disrupt plaintiff's business by, among other things, diverting web users away from plaintiffs' Web sites and to the online gambling Web site defendants linked to the infringing domain names," Station alleged.
"Defendants knowingly made false representations as to an affiliation, connection and/or association with plaintiff by using marks identical and/or confusingly similar to plaintiff's marks and otherwise engaged in deceptive trade practices," Station's suit said.
Station's suit seeks an injunction barring the defendants from using its trademarks and unspecified damages. (Credit: Las Vegas Sun)
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Station filed suit Friday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas against Smart Answer, S.A.; and a woman living in Panama and associated with the company, Susana Gonzales.
The defendants could not immediately be reached for comment today.
The same defendants were sued by several MGM Mirage properties in the same court last year. After the defendants failed to respond to the complaint, MGM Mirage obtained an injunction and a $2.2 million judgment against them for infringing on the trademarks covering Bellagio, Circus Circus, Mandalay Bay, New York-New York and Treasure Island.
Jason Firth, an attorney with the intellectual property group at the Las Vegas law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, and other attorneys with that firm filed both lawsuits.
Firth said the MGM Mirage lawsuit succeeded in having the offending domain names shut down or transferred to MGM Mirage. But because of the expense involved and uncertainties about the potential for recovery, the plaintiff is not currently pursuing collection of the judgment, he said.
He said that besides the lawsuits, his firm is pursuing additional cases for Station Casinos and the Tropicana in Las Vegas through an international dispute resolution process.
Station's suit says the defendants are operating sites on the Internet with domain names that include the phrases "boulderstation'," "sunsetstation" and "palacestation" -- all allegedly infringing on Station's trademarks for its Boulder, Sunset and Palace Station properties.
These domain names, Station says, have also been linked to Web sites that further link to an online gambling Web site called "Golden Casino."
Firth said the business model of companies that register domain names by the thousands, capitalizing on trademarked names, is to generate revenue by directing Internet traffic to Web sites supported by advertisers.
The defendants in the Station suit, the complaint says, have violated a federal law outlawing cybersquatting by using domain names confusingly similar to Station's trademarks; and have violated a state law outlawing deceptive trade practices.
"Defendants' actions have disrupted or are intended to disrupt plaintiff's business by, among other things, diverting web users away from plaintiffs' Web sites and to the online gambling Web site defendants linked to the infringing domain names," Station alleged.
"Defendants knowingly made false representations as to an affiliation, connection and/or association with plaintiff by using marks identical and/or confusingly similar to plaintiff's marks and otherwise engaged in deceptive trade practices," Station's suit said.
Station's suit seeks an injunction barring the defendants from using its trademarks and unspecified damages. (Credit: Las Vegas Sun)
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Sunday, April 19, 2009
Melco Crown CEO Says ‘Pressure Is On’ With New Casino (Update2), by Paul Gordon and Chia-Peck Wong - 14th April 2009
April 14 (Bloomberg) -- Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. Chairman Lawrence Ho, son of Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho, said it’s “crucial” that its $2.1 billion City of Dreams casino defies the global recession and has a successful opening.
“We know the pressure is on us,” Ho said today in a Bloomberg Television interview in Macau. “The success of it will have major implications.”
Melco Crown, a joint venture between 32-year-old Ho and Australian billionaire James Packer, will open the casino in June, braving the worst global slump since World War Two and Chinese curbs on travel to Macau, the world’s biggest gambling hub. City of Dreams is located on Macau’s Cotai Strip, where Las Vegas Sands Corp. suspended construction of its partially-built gaming properties in November as credit markets seized up.
“In terms of China’s political matters, these are definitely out of our hands,” Ho said. “The bleakest days of the industry are past us, which was the fourth quarter.”
Melco Crown dropped 19 cents, or 4 percent, to $4.59 at 4:29 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading. The company plans to raise as much as $400 million selling American Depositary Shares, it said separately in a regulatory filing yesterday.
Gambling revenue in Macau, a former Portuguese colony that is the only region in China where casinos are legal, has fallen for the past year after the mainland tightened visa rules for visitors to the city. The decline in arrivals from China has compounded the effects of the global slowdown, which has dampened demand from Taiwan and South Korea.
China Cools
Growth in China, the world’s third-biggest economy, probably cooled to the slowest in almost 10 years in the first quarter, as a global recession led to a collapse in exports. Gross domestic product grew 6.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the median estimate of 12 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.
Macau’s economy shrank 7.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 as a result, the first contraction since June 2003, according to figures compiled by Bloomberg.
Still, the decline in monthly casino revenue has moderated, dropping 6 percent in March from a year earlier to 9.5 billion patacas ($1.2 billion), from a 15.5 percent fall in February and 17 percent decrease in January, figures from the Portuguese news agency Lusa show.
Hotel occupancy rates in February also fell 2 percent from a year earlier, the smallest drop in seven months, figures from the Macau Statistics and Census Service show.
Government officials from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, Macau and Hong Kong met in February, agreeing to enact measures allowing more mainland residents to visit the two cities. Guangdong may allow its residents to travel to Macau and Hong Kong more frequently in a policy that might be put in place before China’s week-long Labor Day holiday in May, Ming Pao reported on Feb. 20. (Credit: Bloomberg)
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“We know the pressure is on us,” Ho said today in a Bloomberg Television interview in Macau. “The success of it will have major implications.”
Melco Crown, a joint venture between 32-year-old Ho and Australian billionaire James Packer, will open the casino in June, braving the worst global slump since World War Two and Chinese curbs on travel to Macau, the world’s biggest gambling hub. City of Dreams is located on Macau’s Cotai Strip, where Las Vegas Sands Corp. suspended construction of its partially-built gaming properties in November as credit markets seized up.
“In terms of China’s political matters, these are definitely out of our hands,” Ho said. “The bleakest days of the industry are past us, which was the fourth quarter.”
Melco Crown dropped 19 cents, or 4 percent, to $4.59 at 4:29 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading. The company plans to raise as much as $400 million selling American Depositary Shares, it said separately in a regulatory filing yesterday.
Gambling revenue in Macau, a former Portuguese colony that is the only region in China where casinos are legal, has fallen for the past year after the mainland tightened visa rules for visitors to the city. The decline in arrivals from China has compounded the effects of the global slowdown, which has dampened demand from Taiwan and South Korea.
China Cools
Growth in China, the world’s third-biggest economy, probably cooled to the slowest in almost 10 years in the first quarter, as a global recession led to a collapse in exports. Gross domestic product grew 6.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the median estimate of 12 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.
Macau’s economy shrank 7.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 as a result, the first contraction since June 2003, according to figures compiled by Bloomberg.
Still, the decline in monthly casino revenue has moderated, dropping 6 percent in March from a year earlier to 9.5 billion patacas ($1.2 billion), from a 15.5 percent fall in February and 17 percent decrease in January, figures from the Portuguese news agency Lusa show.
Hotel occupancy rates in February also fell 2 percent from a year earlier, the smallest drop in seven months, figures from the Macau Statistics and Census Service show.
Government officials from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, Macau and Hong Kong met in February, agreeing to enact measures allowing more mainland residents to visit the two cities. Guangdong may allow its residents to travel to Macau and Hong Kong more frequently in a policy that might be put in place before China’s week-long Labor Day holiday in May, Ming Pao reported on Feb. 20. (Credit: Bloomberg)
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Packer bets $3b Macau casino will come up trumps, by Vanda Carson - The Sydney Morning Herald - 20th April 2009
Some of the croupiers shuffling cards at James Packer's huge new casino in Macau will don nose rings and wear blue wigs, as part of a punk-rock theme to attract wealthy Asian gamblers and holidaymakers.
The croupiers will work on tables at the Hard Rock Cafe-themed casino, itself part of the $US2.1 billion ($3.03 billion) City Of Dreams casino development in Macau.
While the popularity of Hard Rock-themed restaurants has waned in Australia, they are popular in Asia and there are three Hard Rock casinos in the US.
The final fit-out of the City Of Dreams project, owned by Mr Packer's joint-venture company, Melco Crown Entertainment, has begun after construction ended earlier this month.
The 520 gaming tables and 1350 poker machines are expected to be open for business in the first week of June, provided several local authorities give an occupancy permit for the site.
The venture will also include a 380-room Hard Rock-themed hotel and a Crown Towers hotel.
After a tour of the project with reporters last week, Mr Packer's co-chairman, Lawrence Ho, conceded there was a lot riding on the success of the project.
He told Bloomberg it was "crucial" that the casino defied the global recession and had a successful opening.
"We know the pressure is on us," Mr Ho said.
"The success of it will have major implications.
"The bleakest days of the industry are past us, which was the fourth quarter."
Mr Packer is also relying on the success of City Of Dreams to vindicate his decision to invest billions of dollars of his own and Crown shareholders' funds in the venture. Crown has a 37 per cent stake in Melco Crown.
The casino is opening in the midst of both the worst global slump since World War II and as the Chinese Government tightens restrictions on the number of visits its citizens can make.
Last week Melco Crown said it had just $US50.3 million in cash remaining from a $US1.75 billion debt facility for the project as at the end of March.
It announced plans to tap the market for a further $US400 million to bolster its balance sheet. It is not known whether Crown will take up its share.
Chinese who visit Macau mostly gamble on credit, using so-called junket operators because they can take only 20,000-yuan ($US3000) plus $US5000 with them.
The company warned it may not be able to recover all of the generous loans it makes to its mostly Chinese VIP gamblers.
Last week high-level representatives of Melco Crown and its five rival casino licence-holders met to discuss a proposed cap on how much commission casinos can pay to the junket operators.
with Bloomberg (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)
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The croupiers will work on tables at the Hard Rock Cafe-themed casino, itself part of the $US2.1 billion ($3.03 billion) City Of Dreams casino development in Macau.
While the popularity of Hard Rock-themed restaurants has waned in Australia, they are popular in Asia and there are three Hard Rock casinos in the US.
The final fit-out of the City Of Dreams project, owned by Mr Packer's joint-venture company, Melco Crown Entertainment, has begun after construction ended earlier this month.
The 520 gaming tables and 1350 poker machines are expected to be open for business in the first week of June, provided several local authorities give an occupancy permit for the site.
The venture will also include a 380-room Hard Rock-themed hotel and a Crown Towers hotel.
After a tour of the project with reporters last week, Mr Packer's co-chairman, Lawrence Ho, conceded there was a lot riding on the success of the project.
He told Bloomberg it was "crucial" that the casino defied the global recession and had a successful opening.
"We know the pressure is on us," Mr Ho said.
"The success of it will have major implications.
"The bleakest days of the industry are past us, which was the fourth quarter."
Mr Packer is also relying on the success of City Of Dreams to vindicate his decision to invest billions of dollars of his own and Crown shareholders' funds in the venture. Crown has a 37 per cent stake in Melco Crown.
The casino is opening in the midst of both the worst global slump since World War II and as the Chinese Government tightens restrictions on the number of visits its citizens can make.
Last week Melco Crown said it had just $US50.3 million in cash remaining from a $US1.75 billion debt facility for the project as at the end of March.
It announced plans to tap the market for a further $US400 million to bolster its balance sheet. It is not known whether Crown will take up its share.
Chinese who visit Macau mostly gamble on credit, using so-called junket operators because they can take only 20,000-yuan ($US3000) plus $US5000 with them.
The company warned it may not be able to recover all of the generous loans it makes to its mostly Chinese VIP gamblers.
Last week high-level representatives of Melco Crown and its five rival casino licence-holders met to discuss a proposed cap on how much commission casinos can pay to the junket operators.
with Bloomberg (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
PartyGaming agrees deal with US - 7th April 2009
PartyGaming has entered into a Non-Prosecution Agreement with the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Under the terms of the Non-Prosecution Agreement, the USAO will not prosecute PartyGaming or any of its subsidiaries for providing internet gambling services to customers in the US prior to the enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006.
As part of the agreement, the company has accepted a Statement of Facts regarding its business activities prior to the enactment of the UIGEA and has agreed to pay $105m, in semi-annual instalments over a period ending on September 30, 2012. Such payments will be made from the group’s existing financial resources.
“The agreement with the US authorities will be welcomed by the majority of those in the online industry as a break from the past with the opportunity now to move forward," said Warwick Bartlett, chief executive of Global Betting and Gaming Consultants.
“Some operators, however, will have misgivings. The admission of guilt is unlikely to rest easy with the 'Brit' companies who have traded from a country where gambling is entirely legal. As far as they are concerned, they have never done anything wrong.
“There is also a measure of hypocrisy at play - on the one hand the US has heaped a heavy fine on PartyGaming and yet sometime this year Congressman Frank will lay a Bill down that could lead to legalisation of online poker. So the sinners have been found guilty and redeemed, all in one year.
“The moot question is that after all of this will the UK-listed companies be granted US licences in the future? The US the land of the free? It is if you are American."
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Under the terms of the Non-Prosecution Agreement, the USAO will not prosecute PartyGaming or any of its subsidiaries for providing internet gambling services to customers in the US prior to the enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006.
As part of the agreement, the company has accepted a Statement of Facts regarding its business activities prior to the enactment of the UIGEA and has agreed to pay $105m, in semi-annual instalments over a period ending on September 30, 2012. Such payments will be made from the group’s existing financial resources.
“The agreement with the US authorities will be welcomed by the majority of those in the online industry as a break from the past with the opportunity now to move forward," said Warwick Bartlett, chief executive of Global Betting and Gaming Consultants.
“Some operators, however, will have misgivings. The admission of guilt is unlikely to rest easy with the 'Brit' companies who have traded from a country where gambling is entirely legal. As far as they are concerned, they have never done anything wrong.
“There is also a measure of hypocrisy at play - on the one hand the US has heaped a heavy fine on PartyGaming and yet sometime this year Congressman Frank will lay a Bill down that could lead to legalisation of online poker. So the sinners have been found guilty and redeemed, all in one year.
“The moot question is that after all of this will the UK-listed companies be granted US licences in the future? The US the land of the free? It is if you are American."
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Virgin king and Crown Casino king talk shop and Media Man makes a play
Media Man Australia and Casino News Media report Virgin's iGaming arm, Virgin Games aka Virgin Casino, is enjoying a huge comeback which can be attributed to a number of reasons.
New Virgin Games players now receive a 100% sign up bonus, which is of course double the original 50%!
New Virgin Games online slot releases include Battleship - Search & Destroy and MegaJackpots Cleopatra®. Cleopatra and Cleopatra II have long been the most popular games available on Virgin Casino and the merging with the mega popular MegaJackpots® has been an international big hit. Rumours are circulating that Dungeons and Dragons: Fortress of Fortunes will also soon be added to the already awesome Virgin Games portfolio.
Virgin boss, Richard Branson was recently spotted talking shop (or was it small talk? .. unlikely) at the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix with none other than Australian casino king, James Packer, head of Crown Casino and a number of other casino and lifestyle businesses.
Media and iGaming analyst, Greg Tingle, has long gone on record starting that these two gentlemen might do well to get their heads together and offer a 5 star plus package for the casino whales of the world. They could pick up where Donald Trump dropped the ball. Branson's V Australia and his Virgin empire coupled with Packer's group of casinos in Melbourne, Perth, Macau, Las Vegas and elsewhere, would appear to be an excellent match. Branson is of course a fan of news media coverage whilst Packer has proved to be more media shy. Perhaps that may change if the two were to team up on a win - win venture combining the best of air travel, casinos and accommodation. It could be packaged as an ultimate travel and lifestyle experience for the whale who demands the best! The next best thing to space travel, another dynamic offering from Virgin Enterprises Limited. Tingle has wasted no time in showcasing the photo of Branson and Packer talking shop on the Media Man Australia website and has advised "We're keen to be pro actively involved in a Virgin - Crown campaign, given our proven track record with Virgin Games, Virgin Unite, air travel bookings and casino lifestyle campaigns".
Tingle is the former manager and agent for Crown Casino poker trainer and commentary, Keith "Bendigo" Sloan, so stranger things have happened. In what appears to be a strategic move Tingle has also registered Casino Travel Tourism and looks to be building his own World Casino Directory, a move tipped to compete with the original world famous online casino portal.
More details as they come to hand.
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New Virgin Games players now receive a 100% sign up bonus, which is of course double the original 50%!
New Virgin Games online slot releases include Battleship - Search & Destroy and MegaJackpots Cleopatra®. Cleopatra and Cleopatra II have long been the most popular games available on Virgin Casino and the merging with the mega popular MegaJackpots® has been an international big hit. Rumours are circulating that Dungeons and Dragons: Fortress of Fortunes will also soon be added to the already awesome Virgin Games portfolio.
Virgin boss, Richard Branson was recently spotted talking shop (or was it small talk? .. unlikely) at the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix with none other than Australian casino king, James Packer, head of Crown Casino and a number of other casino and lifestyle businesses.
Media and iGaming analyst, Greg Tingle, has long gone on record starting that these two gentlemen might do well to get their heads together and offer a 5 star plus package for the casino whales of the world. They could pick up where Donald Trump dropped the ball. Branson's V Australia and his Virgin empire coupled with Packer's group of casinos in Melbourne, Perth, Macau, Las Vegas and elsewhere, would appear to be an excellent match. Branson is of course a fan of news media coverage whilst Packer has proved to be more media shy. Perhaps that may change if the two were to team up on a win - win venture combining the best of air travel, casinos and accommodation. It could be packaged as an ultimate travel and lifestyle experience for the whale who demands the best! The next best thing to space travel, another dynamic offering from Virgin Enterprises Limited. Tingle has wasted no time in showcasing the photo of Branson and Packer talking shop on the Media Man Australia website and has advised "We're keen to be pro actively involved in a Virgin - Crown campaign, given our proven track record with Virgin Games, Virgin Unite, air travel bookings and casino lifestyle campaigns".
Tingle is the former manager and agent for Crown Casino poker trainer and commentary, Keith "Bendigo" Sloan, so stranger things have happened. In what appears to be a strategic move Tingle has also registered Casino Travel Tourism and looks to be building his own World Casino Directory, a move tipped to compete with the original world famous online casino portal.
More details as they come to hand.
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Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Australians are Biggest Gamblers in the World, by Danielle Almond - Gambling Online Magazine - 27th March 2009
A Canadian report has recently discovered that Australia is the biggest nation for gambling in the world. The report showed that Aussies and New Zealanders spend an average of $435 online every month.
The report has obviously been seen by some as more ammunition for online gambling to be banned in the country as it allows punters to use credit. This is to come as sad news to many Australians as added to this there have been other reports that the government is anticipated to be the next to ban online poker rooms.
20,000 adults were surveyed for the study which was conducted by the University of Lethbridge professors Robert Wood and Robert Williams.
Professor Wood said, “Australian Internet gamblers do report high average monthly gambling spending than the overall average we observed among our sample. This would suggest that Australian Internet gambler do indeed spend more on gambling compared with Internet gamblers from most other countries.”
Australian gambler, Greg Tingle, said, “This report confirms my suspicions and my own findings. Online gambling is red hot in the land down under. I think this officially marks a gold rush for the promised land.” Those who believe these finding should bring about a ban on gambling include Gerard Byre, the Salvation Army’s problem-gambling service co-coordinator, who said, “We would encourage bans on any capacity to gamble on credit and believe the Federal Government should take a lead on this. People are certainly reporting more and more sage of online gaming. We’ve got a culture in NSW where gambling is the state past time.” (Credit: Gambling Online Magazine)
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The report has obviously been seen by some as more ammunition for online gambling to be banned in the country as it allows punters to use credit. This is to come as sad news to many Australians as added to this there have been other reports that the government is anticipated to be the next to ban online poker rooms.
20,000 adults were surveyed for the study which was conducted by the University of Lethbridge professors Robert Wood and Robert Williams.
Professor Wood said, “Australian Internet gamblers do report high average monthly gambling spending than the overall average we observed among our sample. This would suggest that Australian Internet gambler do indeed spend more on gambling compared with Internet gamblers from most other countries.”
Australian gambler, Greg Tingle, said, “This report confirms my suspicions and my own findings. Online gambling is red hot in the land down under. I think this officially marks a gold rush for the promised land.” Those who believe these finding should bring about a ban on gambling include Gerard Byre, the Salvation Army’s problem-gambling service co-coordinator, who said, “We would encourage bans on any capacity to gamble on credit and believe the Federal Government should take a lead on this. People are certainly reporting more and more sage of online gaming. We’ve got a culture in NSW where gambling is the state past time.” (Credit: Gambling Online Magazine)
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Friday, March 27, 2009
International Internet Betting Laws
It may seem difficult but it is important that all citizens across the world stay updated with Internet Betting laws. Below you will find what we understand as the laws to online betting in certain areas of the world.
US Internet Betting Laws
The United States of America has the most ambiguous online casino laws in the world. They have passed laws to ban banks from allowing transactions that are deemed illegal, but no one has any idea what the United States considers legal or illegal. Currently, all US citizens are advised to check with local laws before gambling online. Even the online casinos aren't sure if you should be allowed to bet at their site. Some companies don't allow US players, others allow some US players, and some could care less where a player is from.
UK Internet Casino Laws
The UK is the first major country to completely legalize and regulate online gambling. The Gambling Act of 2005 was passed while Prime Minister Tony Blair was in office. Blair had a flair for expanding gambling, but when Gordon Brown took over as Prime Minister in the UK he provided a tax structure that was so high that most online casino companies were not urged to relocate to England. Today, all web branded casinos that are in a UK approved jurisdiction are legal for UK citizens to play at.
International Online Betting Laws
As the world gets deeper into the 21st century and the Internet becomes a more common cultural tool more and more countries are realizing the reality that is Internet gambling. Currently, Spain, Italy, Germany and other countries have moved to legalize and regulate the industry, while few still look to protect their homeland gaming monopolies. It is extremely important to check all local, state, and federal laws before participating in any online gambling activities.
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US Internet Betting Laws
The United States of America has the most ambiguous online casino laws in the world. They have passed laws to ban banks from allowing transactions that are deemed illegal, but no one has any idea what the United States considers legal or illegal. Currently, all US citizens are advised to check with local laws before gambling online. Even the online casinos aren't sure if you should be allowed to bet at their site. Some companies don't allow US players, others allow some US players, and some could care less where a player is from.
UK Internet Casino Laws
The UK is the first major country to completely legalize and regulate online gambling. The Gambling Act of 2005 was passed while Prime Minister Tony Blair was in office. Blair had a flair for expanding gambling, but when Gordon Brown took over as Prime Minister in the UK he provided a tax structure that was so high that most online casino companies were not urged to relocate to England. Today, all web branded casinos that are in a UK approved jurisdiction are legal for UK citizens to play at.
International Online Betting Laws
As the world gets deeper into the 21st century and the Internet becomes a more common cultural tool more and more countries are realizing the reality that is Internet gambling. Currently, Spain, Italy, Germany and other countries have moved to legalize and regulate the industry, while few still look to protect their homeland gaming monopolies. It is extremely important to check all local, state, and federal laws before participating in any online gambling activities.
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Thursday, March 26, 2009
Australians Are The Biggest Gamblers In The World - Gambling911 - 26th March 2009
A report out of Canada paints Australians as the biggest gambling degenerates in the world. The report, obtained exclusively by The Sunday Telegraph, shows Australian and New Zealand gamblers spend an average of $435 online every month.
This is five times what punters put through poker machines and has prompted renewed calls for bans on online gambling, which allows people to bet using credit.
The study also found the prevalence of problem gambling was up to four times higher for Internet gamblers than those who used traditional means such as poker machines.
More than 20,000 adults from 105 countries were surveyed for the study, conducted by University of Lethbridge professors Robert Wood and Robert Williams.
"Australian Internet gamblers do report higher average monthly gambling spending than the overall average we observed among our sample," Prof Wood said.
"This would suggest that Australian Internet gamblers do indeed spend more on gambling compared with Internet gamblers from most other countries."
Australian Media Man for Gambling911.com, Greg Tingle, rejoiced at the news.
"Ahoy. This report confirms my suspicions and my own findings... online gambling is red hot in the land down under... Australia. I think this officially marks a gold rush for the promised land. Our phone hasn't stopped ringing, and there's a constant stream of overseas enquires.
"The Australian government's ACMA website blacklist doesn't appear to have slowed down those seeking to make a killing down under. We're seen a trend in more .net ventures taking off and online casinos are generally keeping the "play for free" or "play for money" option. Australian newsrooms are also starting to run more stories regarding the online gambling sector and most are surprisingly balanced stories. We're gladly assisting them on (some) of the inner workings of the online casino industry." (Credit" Gambling911)
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This is five times what punters put through poker machines and has prompted renewed calls for bans on online gambling, which allows people to bet using credit.
The study also found the prevalence of problem gambling was up to four times higher for Internet gamblers than those who used traditional means such as poker machines.
More than 20,000 adults from 105 countries were surveyed for the study, conducted by University of Lethbridge professors Robert Wood and Robert Williams.
"Australian Internet gamblers do report higher average monthly gambling spending than the overall average we observed among our sample," Prof Wood said.
"This would suggest that Australian Internet gamblers do indeed spend more on gambling compared with Internet gamblers from most other countries."
Australian Media Man for Gambling911.com, Greg Tingle, rejoiced at the news.
"Ahoy. This report confirms my suspicions and my own findings... online gambling is red hot in the land down under... Australia. I think this officially marks a gold rush for the promised land. Our phone hasn't stopped ringing, and there's a constant stream of overseas enquires.
"The Australian government's ACMA website blacklist doesn't appear to have slowed down those seeking to make a killing down under. We're seen a trend in more .net ventures taking off and online casinos are generally keeping the "play for free" or "play for money" option. Australian newsrooms are also starting to run more stories regarding the online gambling sector and most are surprisingly balanced stories. We're gladly assisting them on (some) of the inner workings of the online casino industry." (Credit" Gambling911)
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Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Aussies Biggest Betters In The World
Online punters Downunder wager more money online than gamblers elsewhere in the world, reports the Melbourne Sun Herald this weekend. The newspaper references a new Canadian study by University of Lethbridge professors Robert Wood and Robert Williams which used a research base of 20 000 adults in 105 countries to reach its conclusions.
The study claims that Australian and New Zealand gamblers spend an average of A$435 online every month - five times what punters put through land poker machines - and has prompted renewed calls for bans on online gambling in Australia, the newspaper reports.
The Uni Lethbridge study also found the prevalence of problem gambling was up to four times higher for Internet gamblers than those who used traditional means such as poker machines, an apparent conflict with previous studies including the regular gambling prevalence studies carried out in the UK by the Gambling Commission. Whether this is a conflict, or an indication that Aussie and Kiwi gamblers are more prone to addiction by higher usage, is unclear. The finding is also dependent on what the researchers define as "problem gambling."
Professors Robert Wood and Robert Williams, who conducted the Lethbridge study, concluded: "Australian Internet gamblers do report higher average monthly gambling spending than the overall average we observed among our sample.This would suggest that Australian Internet gamblers do indeed spend more on gambling compared with Internet gamblers from most other countries."
The Salvation Army's problem-gambling service co-ordinator for Australia, Gerard Byrne, said he was not surprised by the figures and called on the Federal Government to ban credit-based betting.
"People are certainly reporting more and more usage of online gambling," Byrne said. "I'm not surprised New South Wales is near the top in problem online gambling. We've got a culture where gambling is the state pastime."
Clubs NSW chief executive David Costello said online gambling should be subject to the same restrictions as the heavily regulated land gambling industry.
"This is a very real issue," Costello said. "It confirms what we've been saying for the past two years: the incidence of Internet gambling is infinitely increasing."
He said there was a danger of young people using their parent's credit cards, with not enough age checks completed.
The news comes after online gambling group Centrebet posted a 23 percent jump in Australian online revenue last month. The company is also expecting a 10 percent increase for the 12 months to June 2009.
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The study claims that Australian and New Zealand gamblers spend an average of A$435 online every month - five times what punters put through land poker machines - and has prompted renewed calls for bans on online gambling in Australia, the newspaper reports.
The Uni Lethbridge study also found the prevalence of problem gambling was up to four times higher for Internet gamblers than those who used traditional means such as poker machines, an apparent conflict with previous studies including the regular gambling prevalence studies carried out in the UK by the Gambling Commission. Whether this is a conflict, or an indication that Aussie and Kiwi gamblers are more prone to addiction by higher usage, is unclear. The finding is also dependent on what the researchers define as "problem gambling."
Professors Robert Wood and Robert Williams, who conducted the Lethbridge study, concluded: "Australian Internet gamblers do report higher average monthly gambling spending than the overall average we observed among our sample.This would suggest that Australian Internet gamblers do indeed spend more on gambling compared with Internet gamblers from most other countries."
The Salvation Army's problem-gambling service co-ordinator for Australia, Gerard Byrne, said he was not surprised by the figures and called on the Federal Government to ban credit-based betting.
"People are certainly reporting more and more usage of online gambling," Byrne said. "I'm not surprised New South Wales is near the top in problem online gambling. We've got a culture where gambling is the state pastime."
Clubs NSW chief executive David Costello said online gambling should be subject to the same restrictions as the heavily regulated land gambling industry.
"This is a very real issue," Costello said. "It confirms what we've been saying for the past two years: the incidence of Internet gambling is infinitely increasing."
He said there was a danger of young people using their parent's credit cards, with not enough age checks completed.
The news comes after online gambling group Centrebet posted a 23 percent jump in Australian online revenue last month. The company is also expecting a 10 percent increase for the 12 months to June 2009.
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Sunday, March 22, 2009
New Zealand And Australia The World Leaders In Online Gambling
Most people would think that the most online gambling is taking place in the US. Those people would be wrong if one is to believe the findings of a new study done by University of Lethbridge professors Robert Williams and Robert Wood.
The study was uncovered by The Sunday Telegraph and the results indicate that New Zealand and Australia are the world leaders in terms of online gambling. They both average over $400 a month worth of bets from gamblers.
The study consisted of surveying over 20,000 people from 105 countries. Australia and New Zealand gamblers admitted to betting $435 on an average online, per month. That figure exceeds any other countries.
"Australian Internet gamblers do report higher average monthly gambling spending than the overall average we observed among our sample," said Professor Wood, "This would suggest that Australian Internet gamblers do spend more on gambling compared with Internet gamblers from most other countries."
Some suggest that Internet gambling needs stricter regulations in Australia. The use of credit cards to gamble online is a main concern for at least one problem gambling coordinator from the Salvation Army.
"We would encourage bans on any capability to gamble on credit and believe the Federal Government should take a lead on this," said Gerard Byrne. Centrebet is at the center of the online gaming industry, with a ten percent revenue increase from online betting over the past year..
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The study was uncovered by The Sunday Telegraph and the results indicate that New Zealand and Australia are the world leaders in terms of online gambling. They both average over $400 a month worth of bets from gamblers.
The study consisted of surveying over 20,000 people from 105 countries. Australia and New Zealand gamblers admitted to betting $435 on an average online, per month. That figure exceeds any other countries.
"Australian Internet gamblers do report higher average monthly gambling spending than the overall average we observed among our sample," said Professor Wood, "This would suggest that Australian Internet gamblers do spend more on gambling compared with Internet gamblers from most other countries."
Some suggest that Internet gambling needs stricter regulations in Australia. The use of credit cards to gamble online is a main concern for at least one problem gambling coordinator from the Salvation Army.
"We would encourage bans on any capability to gamble on credit and believe the Federal Government should take a lead on this," said Gerard Byrne. Centrebet is at the center of the online gaming industry, with a ten percent revenue increase from online betting over the past year..
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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Virgin's Great Marketing Idea Pays Off
A tongue in cheek interpretation of gambler's luck has paid off big-time for online gambling firm
March 16, 2009 (InfoPowa News) -- The always-innovative marketers at online gambling firm Virgin Games.com achieved wide mainstream media -- including television -- coverage as well as online gambling publicity for an ingenious tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the luckiest and unluckiest places in the United Kingdom last week.
Triggering the exercise just before the notoriously unlucky date, a statement from the company commented: "With Friday 13th upon us for the second time already in 2009, those of a slightly superstitious disposition would be advised to take a trip to St.Albans -- according to data from Virgin Games, it's the luckiest place in the whole of the U.K. Residents of Sutton, Brighton and Luton also needn't get worried about Friday 13th as they follow second and third place respectively in the luck stakes!"
The statement went on to reveal that Virgin had analyzed more than 100,000,000 separate wagers, based purely on chance, placed over the past three years in order to create a map of the U.K.’s ‘luckspots’ -- handy advance information for those trying to protect themselves from bad luck on Friday the 13th. It identified the unluckiest spots in the U.K., too -- pointing to Belfast, Perth and Newbury with the advice that residents of those parts should hold on to a horseshoe or rabbit's foot for the duration of the year's unluckiest day.
Simon Burridge, CEO of Virgin Games, added momentum to the drive with an explanation: "Friday 13th falls three times in 2009, so we thought it would be interesting to see whether some regions in the U.K. are luckier than others." We matched the success of our huge database of players against the U.K.’s postcodes, and were surprised at just how much variation there was between regions.
"It’s just a bit of fun, of course -- but if I was at all superstitious I’d be heading to St. Albans this Friday 13th!”
The unusual and date-relevant nature of the story caught the attention of the Britsh media, ensuring wide coverage.
For those who worry when they walk under ladders, smash mirrors or spill salt perhaps a move to St. Albans would deliver more peace of mind, Virgin concluded. "Not only has the suburban district been crowned one of the best places to live in the U.K. -- it was recently selected as the 'Mayfair' spot on the British Cities version of Monopoly -- its residents can also consider themselves the luckiest, over four times more likely to win than residents living in Belfast.
"In St. Albans, a bet of £1 can expect to see an average profit of 83p -- compared to a loss of 60p if the same wager was made over the Irish Sea in Belfast," claimed the online gambling website.
For the superstitious, then, here's Virgin Games' take on the Luckiest and Unluckiest gambling spots in Britain:
Top 10 luckiest towns in the U.K.:
St. Albans
Sutton
Brighton
Luton
City of Manchester
South West London (SW postcodes)
Torquay
Bolton
Harrow
Stevenage
Top 10 unluckiest towns in the U.K.:
Belfast
Perth
Newport
Salisbury
Motherwell
Darlington
Dudley
Aberdeen
Doncaster
Colchester
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March 16, 2009 (InfoPowa News) -- The always-innovative marketers at online gambling firm Virgin Games.com achieved wide mainstream media -- including television -- coverage as well as online gambling publicity for an ingenious tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the luckiest and unluckiest places in the United Kingdom last week.
Triggering the exercise just before the notoriously unlucky date, a statement from the company commented: "With Friday 13th upon us for the second time already in 2009, those of a slightly superstitious disposition would be advised to take a trip to St.Albans -- according to data from Virgin Games, it's the luckiest place in the whole of the U.K. Residents of Sutton, Brighton and Luton also needn't get worried about Friday 13th as they follow second and third place respectively in the luck stakes!"
The statement went on to reveal that Virgin had analyzed more than 100,000,000 separate wagers, based purely on chance, placed over the past three years in order to create a map of the U.K.’s ‘luckspots’ -- handy advance information for those trying to protect themselves from bad luck on Friday the 13th. It identified the unluckiest spots in the U.K., too -- pointing to Belfast, Perth and Newbury with the advice that residents of those parts should hold on to a horseshoe or rabbit's foot for the duration of the year's unluckiest day.
Simon Burridge, CEO of Virgin Games, added momentum to the drive with an explanation: "Friday 13th falls three times in 2009, so we thought it would be interesting to see whether some regions in the U.K. are luckier than others." We matched the success of our huge database of players against the U.K.’s postcodes, and were surprised at just how much variation there was between regions.
"It’s just a bit of fun, of course -- but if I was at all superstitious I’d be heading to St. Albans this Friday 13th!”
The unusual and date-relevant nature of the story caught the attention of the Britsh media, ensuring wide coverage.
For those who worry when they walk under ladders, smash mirrors or spill salt perhaps a move to St. Albans would deliver more peace of mind, Virgin concluded. "Not only has the suburban district been crowned one of the best places to live in the U.K. -- it was recently selected as the 'Mayfair' spot on the British Cities version of Monopoly -- its residents can also consider themselves the luckiest, over four times more likely to win than residents living in Belfast.
"In St. Albans, a bet of £1 can expect to see an average profit of 83p -- compared to a loss of 60p if the same wager was made over the Irish Sea in Belfast," claimed the online gambling website.
For the superstitious, then, here's Virgin Games' take on the Luckiest and Unluckiest gambling spots in Britain:
Top 10 luckiest towns in the U.K.:
St. Albans
Sutton
Brighton
Luton
City of Manchester
South West London (SW postcodes)
Torquay
Bolton
Harrow
Stevenage
Top 10 unluckiest towns in the U.K.:
Belfast
Perth
Newport
Salisbury
Motherwell
Darlington
Dudley
Aberdeen
Doncaster
Colchester
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Monday, March 16, 2009
Playtech Signs Up Major Spanish Land Operator
Agreement could give gambling software provider a solid entry to a Spanish regulated online gambling market
March 16, 2009 (InfoPowa News) -- London-listed online gambling software developer Playtech plc has scored another important coup, signing up Casino Gran Madrid, one of the largest and most prestigious land-based gaming operators in Europe, as a licensee for its online casino and poker products.
Under the terms of the license agreement, Playtech will provide CGM with its casino platform and poker product, through its iPoker network, as the operator launches its online operations.
Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Officer of Playtech, said: "We are delighted to have secured this agreement with one of Europe's largest and most respected land-based operators. We expect this to be a significantly value accretive relationship, exemplifying our strategy to increase the number of regulated markets in which we operate."
Both parties are committed to meeting all the Spanish regulatory requirements, a Playtech spokesman stressed. CGM has already been working closely with Playtech's development and customer support teams to devise a suite of products tailored to meet the unique demands of CGM's players, offering a wide variety of games specifically designed to appeal to the gaming patterns of CGM's customer base.
Weizer continued: "We are pleased to add further regulated markets to our sphere of operations. Playtech's gaming platform is supported by a transparent and efficient management system which an increasing number of customers view as integral to their future business plans."
Jorge Casanova, Director of Information Systems of Casino Gran Madrid, commented: "Our agreement with Playtech strengthens CGM's leading position in the Spanish casino market. With our casino brand and games available online we are delighted to be leading gaming development in Spain through Playtech's innovative, secure and transparent system."
Industry analyst Collins Stewart described the deal as strengthening Playtech's credibility in a growing regional market. "The Madrid region is one of the leaders of Spain's online gambling regulation drive, meaning the deal also reinforces Playtech's strengthening regulated position," the company said.
Playtech plc is due to release its full-year results on Thursday this week, in what is anticipated to be a positive annual report.
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March 16, 2009 (InfoPowa News) -- London-listed online gambling software developer Playtech plc has scored another important coup, signing up Casino Gran Madrid, one of the largest and most prestigious land-based gaming operators in Europe, as a licensee for its online casino and poker products.
Under the terms of the license agreement, Playtech will provide CGM with its casino platform and poker product, through its iPoker network, as the operator launches its online operations.
Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Officer of Playtech, said: "We are delighted to have secured this agreement with one of Europe's largest and most respected land-based operators. We expect this to be a significantly value accretive relationship, exemplifying our strategy to increase the number of regulated markets in which we operate."
Both parties are committed to meeting all the Spanish regulatory requirements, a Playtech spokesman stressed. CGM has already been working closely with Playtech's development and customer support teams to devise a suite of products tailored to meet the unique demands of CGM's players, offering a wide variety of games specifically designed to appeal to the gaming patterns of CGM's customer base.
Weizer continued: "We are pleased to add further regulated markets to our sphere of operations. Playtech's gaming platform is supported by a transparent and efficient management system which an increasing number of customers view as integral to their future business plans."
Jorge Casanova, Director of Information Systems of Casino Gran Madrid, commented: "Our agreement with Playtech strengthens CGM's leading position in the Spanish casino market. With our casino brand and games available online we are delighted to be leading gaming development in Spain through Playtech's innovative, secure and transparent system."
Industry analyst Collins Stewart described the deal as strengthening Playtech's credibility in a growing regional market. "The Madrid region is one of the leaders of Spain's online gambling regulation drive, meaning the deal also reinforces Playtech's strengthening regulated position," the company said.
Playtech plc is due to release its full-year results on Thursday this week, in what is anticipated to be a positive annual report.
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Sunday, March 15, 2009
Macau still worth a gamble: analysts - AFP - 14th March 2009
MACAU (AFP) — Half-finished casinos and dropping revenues have fueled fears that Macau's staggering growth has faltered, but analysts insist the gaming haven remains a sure long-term bet.
The former Portuguese colony has transformed itself from a sleepy backwater to a dazzling entertainment centre in the last five years, with foreign and Chinese-owned casinos sprouting up across the territory.
The city of just 550,000 now takes in more gaming revenue than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined, thanks to the voracious gambling of Chinese visitors who have poured in from the mainland.
But worries over corruption, problem-gambling and foreign companies grabbing the spoils from China's recent economic boom led Chinese authorities to stem the flow of visitors last summer.
The tougher visa restrictions caused a sharp drop in revenue growth sparking a slew of negative stories, plummeting casino stocks and a hiatus in the city's construction boom.
But some analysts are adamant fears about Macau's demise are premature.
"Macau has been used to more than 40-percent growth -- that cannot be sustainable and a slowdown is natural," said Zeng Zhonglu, a professor in gaming economies at Macau Polytechnic Institute.
"My impression is that the economy generally is healthy."
Jonathan Galaviz, an analyst with Las Vegas-based consultancy Globalysis, said any disruption to economic growth will be temporary with Macau's performance short-term expected to fluctuate along with the Asian economy.
While gaming revenues dipped sharply over the second half of 2008, the city still raked in a total of 13.5 billion US dollars for the year, a 31 percent increase year-on-year. Revenues rose 46 percent in 2007.
Meanwhile, employment held steady in the three months to January and retail sales rose 34 percent in 2008. Gaming is a central part of the economy.
During a recent visit, there were lengthy queues at the immigration counter and the city centre jewellery and watch stores were humming with shoppers.
The tables at the Grand Lisboa, the flagship casino of local tycoon Stanley Ho, were three deep with heavy-smoking Chinese gamblers playing their favourites game of Baccarat.
But it is in the hidden world of the VIP gaming rooms where the city has suffered.
VIP revenues have played a central role in the success of Macau's economy with top casinos tussling with each other to attract high-rollers.
But many of the heaviest gamblers were Chinese government officials and the heads of state-owned companies, whose frittering away of public cash in Macau's private rooms has become a national scandal.
Unsurprisingly, official figures are not collated, but Zeng has combed through mainland media reports to establish a clearer picture.
Of the 99 cases he uncovered, he said each official or businessman lost an average of 20 million yuan (2.9 million US) on the tables.
One official lost 100 million yuan in one day in 2007, while another had to be carried out of a Macau casino as he was too weak to walk after six days and nights of constant gambling.
"The central government is highly concerned that so much money is disappearing in Macau," Zeng said.
"It leads to bribes and the theft of public funds, all of which greatly damages the government's reputation."
Glenn McCartney, a tourism academic at Macau University and local businessman, said the city had to change its business focus from VIPs to a genuine mass-market entertainment, attracting visitors from across Asia.
"I am very confident about Macau. The market is not anywhere near maturity level yet," he said.
"But Macau is not Las Vegas. If I was sitting in the marketing department of a casino firm, I would be asking what changes we have to make so we can attract more people from the mainland."
US firm Las Vegas Sands in particular is hoping China will allow more visitors in.
The most aggressive foreign investor in the city, it opened the world's biggest casino, The Venetian, in 2008.
But worsening credit markets have stalled its ventures across the world, and last November it was forced to sack 11,000 workers and halt work on a huge complex of new hotels opposite the gargantuan Venetian.
Four months later, the quiet building site remains the most potent symbol both of Macau's risks for investors, and its potential.
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The former Portuguese colony has transformed itself from a sleepy backwater to a dazzling entertainment centre in the last five years, with foreign and Chinese-owned casinos sprouting up across the territory.
The city of just 550,000 now takes in more gaming revenue than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined, thanks to the voracious gambling of Chinese visitors who have poured in from the mainland.
But worries over corruption, problem-gambling and foreign companies grabbing the spoils from China's recent economic boom led Chinese authorities to stem the flow of visitors last summer.
The tougher visa restrictions caused a sharp drop in revenue growth sparking a slew of negative stories, plummeting casino stocks and a hiatus in the city's construction boom.
But some analysts are adamant fears about Macau's demise are premature.
"Macau has been used to more than 40-percent growth -- that cannot be sustainable and a slowdown is natural," said Zeng Zhonglu, a professor in gaming economies at Macau Polytechnic Institute.
"My impression is that the economy generally is healthy."
Jonathan Galaviz, an analyst with Las Vegas-based consultancy Globalysis, said any disruption to economic growth will be temporary with Macau's performance short-term expected to fluctuate along with the Asian economy.
While gaming revenues dipped sharply over the second half of 2008, the city still raked in a total of 13.5 billion US dollars for the year, a 31 percent increase year-on-year. Revenues rose 46 percent in 2007.
Meanwhile, employment held steady in the three months to January and retail sales rose 34 percent in 2008. Gaming is a central part of the economy.
During a recent visit, there were lengthy queues at the immigration counter and the city centre jewellery and watch stores were humming with shoppers.
The tables at the Grand Lisboa, the flagship casino of local tycoon Stanley Ho, were three deep with heavy-smoking Chinese gamblers playing their favourites game of Baccarat.
But it is in the hidden world of the VIP gaming rooms where the city has suffered.
VIP revenues have played a central role in the success of Macau's economy with top casinos tussling with each other to attract high-rollers.
But many of the heaviest gamblers were Chinese government officials and the heads of state-owned companies, whose frittering away of public cash in Macau's private rooms has become a national scandal.
Unsurprisingly, official figures are not collated, but Zeng has combed through mainland media reports to establish a clearer picture.
Of the 99 cases he uncovered, he said each official or businessman lost an average of 20 million yuan (2.9 million US) on the tables.
One official lost 100 million yuan in one day in 2007, while another had to be carried out of a Macau casino as he was too weak to walk after six days and nights of constant gambling.
"The central government is highly concerned that so much money is disappearing in Macau," Zeng said.
"It leads to bribes and the theft of public funds, all of which greatly damages the government's reputation."
Glenn McCartney, a tourism academic at Macau University and local businessman, said the city had to change its business focus from VIPs to a genuine mass-market entertainment, attracting visitors from across Asia.
"I am very confident about Macau. The market is not anywhere near maturity level yet," he said.
"But Macau is not Las Vegas. If I was sitting in the marketing department of a casino firm, I would be asking what changes we have to make so we can attract more people from the mainland."
US firm Las Vegas Sands in particular is hoping China will allow more visitors in.
The most aggressive foreign investor in the city, it opened the world's biggest casino, The Venetian, in 2008.
But worsening credit markets have stalled its ventures across the world, and last November it was forced to sack 11,000 workers and halt work on a huge complex of new hotels opposite the gargantuan Venetian.
Four months later, the quiet building site remains the most potent symbol both of Macau's risks for investors, and its potential.
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Friday, March 13, 2009
James Packer Scraps Cannery Casino Resorts Crown Casino Deal - Gambling911 - 13th March 2009
Australian billionaire James Packer has a $1.75 billion takeover of Cannery Casino Resorts LLC and sold his Australian cattle ranches to Guy Hands U.K. buyout company, Terra Firma Capital Partners Ltd. Packer's Crown Casino enterprise, Australia's biggest, rose 13.5 percent on the news. Had the deal gone through, Packer would have obtained three Nevada casinos and a racetrack near Pittsburgh.
The 41 year old Packer's fortune shrank to half this past year according to Forbes Magazine. Crown lost 56 percent of its value and the Las Vegas casinos are not faring that much better.
"Anyone who is looking to borrow to buy an asset, particularly one whose value was set before the economic meltdown, has not been viewed kindly by investors," said Sean Fenton, who manages about $324 million at Tribeca Investment Partners in Sydney. "Some investors have been waiting for a resolution to this deal before getting back into the stock."
Australian media has been especially hard on Packer as of late, claims Media Man Greg Tingle.
Insiders close to the James Packer situation almost universally agree that he appears to have made two main business mistakes," Tingle told Gambling911.com last week.... "The One.Tel telco fiasco in Australia back in 2001. One.Tel was a 1 billion dollar mistake. The other more recent mistakes being buying land based casinos in the Macau region (at top dollar), but James was not to know the ass would fall out of the market. Some analysts say some of the casino investments are worth next to nothing. Hang on, wouldn't James Packer be paying people good advice on what to buy, what not to, and how much to pay? Packer didn't have a luxury of a crystal ball.
"The good news for Packer and the rest of us is that history shows us that global recessions don't last forever, or do they? The global economy has been punishing Packer for the past few years and it's largely matters which are outside his control, so I think the Australian's press should give him a break and try to reflect a more balanced approach to journalism in regards to covering the business of being James Packer."
The Cannery deal was part of more than $3 billion of North American gambling-industry acquisitions Packer has made since inheriting Australia's biggest fortune when his father died in December 2005.
Cannery is controlled by Bill Paulos and Bill Wortman's Millennium Gaming Inc. and Oaktree Capital Management LLC.
According to Bloombert, Crown will pay a termination fee of $50 million, which may go up to $250 million if it doesn't get regulatory approval to call off the deal. The casino operator will also pay Cannery $320 million to subscribe for a preferred instrument that could be converted into a 24.5 percent holding.
Packer's company will have the option over a two-year period to buy the rest of Cannery on the same terms as the original agreement, the gambling company said in a statement today.
Crown scrapped the deal less than a month after posting a first-half loss triggered by writedowns to its U.S., Canadian and U.K. casino investments.
Packer slashed the value of stakes in Harrah's Entertainment Inc., Station Casinos Group and Aspinalls by 90 percent as recessions in North America and Europe curbed gambling demand. (Credit: Gambling911)
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The 41 year old Packer's fortune shrank to half this past year according to Forbes Magazine. Crown lost 56 percent of its value and the Las Vegas casinos are not faring that much better.
"Anyone who is looking to borrow to buy an asset, particularly one whose value was set before the economic meltdown, has not been viewed kindly by investors," said Sean Fenton, who manages about $324 million at Tribeca Investment Partners in Sydney. "Some investors have been waiting for a resolution to this deal before getting back into the stock."
Australian media has been especially hard on Packer as of late, claims Media Man Greg Tingle.
Insiders close to the James Packer situation almost universally agree that he appears to have made two main business mistakes," Tingle told Gambling911.com last week.... "The One.Tel telco fiasco in Australia back in 2001. One.Tel was a 1 billion dollar mistake. The other more recent mistakes being buying land based casinos in the Macau region (at top dollar), but James was not to know the ass would fall out of the market. Some analysts say some of the casino investments are worth next to nothing. Hang on, wouldn't James Packer be paying people good advice on what to buy, what not to, and how much to pay? Packer didn't have a luxury of a crystal ball.
"The good news for Packer and the rest of us is that history shows us that global recessions don't last forever, or do they? The global economy has been punishing Packer for the past few years and it's largely matters which are outside his control, so I think the Australian's press should give him a break and try to reflect a more balanced approach to journalism in regards to covering the business of being James Packer."
The Cannery deal was part of more than $3 billion of North American gambling-industry acquisitions Packer has made since inheriting Australia's biggest fortune when his father died in December 2005.
Cannery is controlled by Bill Paulos and Bill Wortman's Millennium Gaming Inc. and Oaktree Capital Management LLC.
According to Bloombert, Crown will pay a termination fee of $50 million, which may go up to $250 million if it doesn't get regulatory approval to call off the deal. The casino operator will also pay Cannery $320 million to subscribe for a preferred instrument that could be converted into a 24.5 percent holding.
Packer's company will have the option over a two-year period to buy the rest of Cannery on the same terms as the original agreement, the gambling company said in a statement today.
Crown scrapped the deal less than a month after posting a first-half loss triggered by writedowns to its U.S., Canadian and U.K. casino investments.
Packer slashed the value of stakes in Harrah's Entertainment Inc., Station Casinos Group and Aspinalls by 90 percent as recessions in North America and Europe curbed gambling demand. (Credit: Gambling911)
Casino News Media Profiles
James Packer
Crown Casino
Las Vegas
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California Dealing?
27th February 2009
California is considering legalizing online poker to help boost its local economy. The state is best known for its white sandy beaches and Hollywood lifestyle, yet it could soon be famous for legalizing online poker.
Recent changes to US legislation have resulted in all online gambling activity being banned, however the sate of California is looking to try and boost it's struggling economy by legalizing the popular game of online poker.
State officials are in talks with several operators however have sated that they will avoid speaking to convicted Party Gaming co founder Anurag Dikshit, after he pleased guilty to fraud.
A spokes person at 911 quoted, a source saying, "California is not going to have an online poker room licensed in the state where one of the founders pleaded guilty before he was even charged with a crime."
They went onto add, "888.com is one that's been mentioned. They are looking at companies that are publicly traded and 888.com fits the bill." The fierce online gambling debate is still continuing in the U.S with growing numbers seeing a regulated industry as a viable option to help boost the economy.
Media Man Australia Profiles
American Gaming
American Casinos
Hollywood
World Gaming Directory
World Casino Directory
California is considering legalizing online poker to help boost its local economy. The state is best known for its white sandy beaches and Hollywood lifestyle, yet it could soon be famous for legalizing online poker.
Recent changes to US legislation have resulted in all online gambling activity being banned, however the sate of California is looking to try and boost it's struggling economy by legalizing the popular game of online poker.
State officials are in talks with several operators however have sated that they will avoid speaking to convicted Party Gaming co founder Anurag Dikshit, after he pleased guilty to fraud.
A spokes person at 911 quoted, a source saying, "California is not going to have an online poker room licensed in the state where one of the founders pleaded guilty before he was even charged with a crime."
They went onto add, "888.com is one that's been mentioned. They are looking at companies that are publicly traded and 888.com fits the bill." The fierce online gambling debate is still continuing in the U.S with growing numbers seeing a regulated industry as a viable option to help boost the economy.
Media Man Australia Profiles
American Gaming
American Casinos
Hollywood
World Gaming Directory
World Casino Directory
Thursday, March 12, 2009
France Opens Gaming Market to Competition
Budget Minister Eric Woerth unveils draft legislation that France hopes will stamp out illegal betting.
France announced on Thursday that it will open its gaming market to private competition, making it the latest European country to amend laws to bring it into line with its European Union obligations.
French Budget Minister Eric Woerth unveiled draft legislation for the regulation of the country's online gaming market at a press conference in Paris. The Council of Ministers must now review the bill before submitting it to Parliament. The law, to come into effect on January 1 2010, will allow French citizens to gamble online.
Woerth said the French gaming market would be expanded to help France "get out of an unsustainable situation in which the state is losing a growing part of the betting market."
France is the latest country to bow to pressure from a 2007 European demand, including the threat of a lawsuit, to end state gambling monopolies as outlined in EU competition laws.
Under the new laws, the French government will charge a levy of around 7.5 percent on online bets on sports events and horse races, and around two percent on online bets on poker. Given that France currently earns around $6.3 billion a year from its gaming industry, including online gambling, that will mean a large amount of revenue for the French government.
France follows the example of several smaller EU countries, including Sweden, Denmark and Poland, which all bowed to pressure in 2008 by introducing new laws that ended state-run gambling monopolies in compliance with EU regulations.
Media Man Australia Profiles
France
French Gaming
European Union
World Gaming Directory
World Casino Directory
France announced on Thursday that it will open its gaming market to private competition, making it the latest European country to amend laws to bring it into line with its European Union obligations.
French Budget Minister Eric Woerth unveiled draft legislation for the regulation of the country's online gaming market at a press conference in Paris. The Council of Ministers must now review the bill before submitting it to Parliament. The law, to come into effect on January 1 2010, will allow French citizens to gamble online.
Woerth said the French gaming market would be expanded to help France "get out of an unsustainable situation in which the state is losing a growing part of the betting market."
France is the latest country to bow to pressure from a 2007 European demand, including the threat of a lawsuit, to end state gambling monopolies as outlined in EU competition laws.
Under the new laws, the French government will charge a levy of around 7.5 percent on online bets on sports events and horse races, and around two percent on online bets on poker. Given that France currently earns around $6.3 billion a year from its gaming industry, including online gambling, that will mean a large amount of revenue for the French government.
France follows the example of several smaller EU countries, including Sweden, Denmark and Poland, which all bowed to pressure in 2008 by introducing new laws that ended state-run gambling monopolies in compliance with EU regulations.
Media Man Australia Profiles
France
French Gaming
European Union
World Gaming Directory
World Casino Directory
Virgin Casino Review
Virgin Casino launched under the Virgin Games brand in June 2004. The site was refreshed in June 2006, providing players with a greater choice of games and additional means of earning bonus points and rewards.
Virgin Casino is packed full of Vegas favourites with Elvis Multi-Strike™, Wheel of Fortune™, The Price is Right™, Cleopatra™ and the 50.000 Pyramid™, as well as 6 different versions of Blackjack and 4 different versions of Roulette. You'll also find some of the most entertaining and unique slots on the web with Monopoly on a Roll™ and Cluedo™, not to forget the groundbreaking Monopoly and Cluedo Megajackpots™ slot games, the larger start and reset progressive jackpot on the internet, with a whopping starting value of £1,500,000.00!
Premium releases including ELVIS - A Little More Action®, Cleopatra II™ and Da Vinci Diamonds® have also been added to Virgin Casino’s portfolio of games in 2008. Further big IGT names will be added to Virgin Games in the coming months, ensuring a constant stream of new and exciting games to keep your adrenalin going.
Virgin Casino runs a 24 hour call centre, credits casino payouts quickly (between 24 and 72 hours) and with full Gamcare Certification is one of the safest places to play online. The casino does not accept bets from the USA or jurisdictions where online gaming is illegal.
With all Virgin Casino games players can earn V*Points - Virgin Games’ loyalty points - every time they play. Offering players the chance to redeem their points for further Virgin rewards, including Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles, cold, hard cash or even charity donations, V*Points can be transferred across Virgin Games portfolio of products, including Virgin Poker and Virgin Bingo. Virgin Casino is the only online casino where, whether you win or lose, you get the chance to build up enough Flying Club miles to jet around the world to destinations like Vegas and Sydney.
If that's not enough, new players will also find signing up is sweetened by a 100% sign up bonus up to £50 and there are regular cash and prize bonus promotions that run throughout every month of the year.
Sign up for your £50 bonus now.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Virgin Casino
Virgin Games
Virgin Casino News
Virgin Enterprises Limited
Richard Branson
Virgin Casino is packed full of Vegas favourites with Elvis Multi-Strike™, Wheel of Fortune™, The Price is Right™, Cleopatra™ and the 50.000 Pyramid™, as well as 6 different versions of Blackjack and 4 different versions of Roulette. You'll also find some of the most entertaining and unique slots on the web with Monopoly on a Roll™ and Cluedo™, not to forget the groundbreaking Monopoly and Cluedo Megajackpots™ slot games, the larger start and reset progressive jackpot on the internet, with a whopping starting value of £1,500,000.00!
Premium releases including ELVIS - A Little More Action®, Cleopatra II™ and Da Vinci Diamonds® have also been added to Virgin Casino’s portfolio of games in 2008. Further big IGT names will be added to Virgin Games in the coming months, ensuring a constant stream of new and exciting games to keep your adrenalin going.
Virgin Casino runs a 24 hour call centre, credits casino payouts quickly (between 24 and 72 hours) and with full Gamcare Certification is one of the safest places to play online. The casino does not accept bets from the USA or jurisdictions where online gaming is illegal.
With all Virgin Casino games players can earn V*Points - Virgin Games’ loyalty points - every time they play. Offering players the chance to redeem their points for further Virgin rewards, including Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles, cold, hard cash or even charity donations, V*Points can be transferred across Virgin Games portfolio of products, including Virgin Poker and Virgin Bingo. Virgin Casino is the only online casino where, whether you win or lose, you get the chance to build up enough Flying Club miles to jet around the world to destinations like Vegas and Sydney.
If that's not enough, new players will also find signing up is sweetened by a 100% sign up bonus up to £50 and there are regular cash and prize bonus promotions that run throughout every month of the year.
Sign up for your £50 bonus now.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Virgin Casino
Virgin Games
Virgin Casino News
Virgin Enterprises Limited
Richard Branson
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 09, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Casino gambling in the islands, by Bill Ordine, The Philadelphia Inquirer - 23rd February 2009
The main attraction of a Caribbean vacation has always been the sugar-white sand and clear, turquoise sea of a quiet beach. But some visitors prefer to spice up their tropical getaway by trying their luck at the green-felt gaming tables.
Throughout the region, at least a dozen islands offer casino gaming. Island casinos range from the grand and luxurious, such as Atlantis Resort's 60,000-square-foot Vegas-style gambling palace on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, to the curiously named American Casino at Jack Tar Village in the Dominican Republic, which has about 40 slot machines and a dozen table games.
Gambling has carved out a niche in such tourist spots as the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Aruba and St. Maarten. But there are also casinos on islands less identified with gambling, such as St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. Kitts.
Undoubtedly, the most extravagant casino in the tropics is at Atlantis, with 80 table games, 875 slots, and a race and sports book. The casino caters not only to guests of the sprawling resort -- elaborately themed after the mythical lost continent, complete with a vast water park, aquariums and dolphin habitat -- but also to cruise-ship passengers, who arrive daily, and boaters, who tie up their yachts at one of the 170 slips.
The Atlantis motif is carried throughout the casino, which is decorated with Dale Chihuly glass sculptures. From some spots in the casino, gamblers can catch a glimpse of the resort's picturesque grounds.
"Gaming has evolved here as the property has evolved and expanded," says George Markantonis, president and managing director for Atlantis. For example, exclusive boutique gaming areas have been added outdoors and inside, as part of the upscale Cove -- one of the hotels at the luxury complex.
In addition to the Atlantis, the Bahamas has the Crystal Palace Casino at Cable Beach, on the north side of New Providence island, where there are Wyndham and Sheraton resorts, and the Westin and Sheraton Our Lucaya Beach and Golf Resort on Grand Bahama island.
Travelers looking to try their luck should be aware of local regulations on each island, such as the gambling age and currencies that can be used. For instance, while the gambling age in Las Vegas and Atlantic City is 21, casinos on many islands, such as the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten, allow 18-year-olds to play. And while casinos in the Bahamas and on St. Maarten use only U.S. dollars, in the Dominican Republic, dollars and pesos are accepted.
St. Maarten, the Dutch portion of the island shared with St. Martin (French), has 13 casinos. The Casino Royale is among the largest gaming halls and was recently renovated. The 14,000-square-foot casino has 30 tables, 400 ticket-in/ticket-out slots and Texas Hold 'em poker. The standalone casino is part of the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, which offers restaurants, shops and a new nightclub.
In Puerto Rico, there are nearly 20 casinos, each in a hotel or resort. Most are in the San Juan area, though some casinos are in Fajardo to the east and Ponce in the south. The El San Juan's 12,000-square-foot casino -- with carved-wood ceilings and crystal chandeliers reflecting its Old-World charm -- recently got new furnishings and coinless slots as part of the resort's $50 million renovation.
The so-called ABC islands -- Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao -- offer a range of gaming styles. In Aruba, the Marriott has the 15,000-square-foot Stellaris Casino, a relatively large gambling parlor by Caribbean standards. Meanwhile, Hotel Kura Hulanda in Curacao, which has 80 rooms in restored 18th- and 19th-century Dutch Colonial buildings, is associated with a "European-style, split-level boutique casino." The casino is nestled in a peaceful village complex with a spa, gardens and an anthropological museum.
On St. Kitts, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Royal Beach Casino at the Marriott offers 35,000 square feet of gaming and includes just about everything a player can find in Vegas, including 350 slots, about 30 table games, a sports and race book with large-screen plasma TVs, and poker tournaments. In keeping with a longstanding gambling tradition, the casino regularly runs junkets on charter jets for its high-rollers.
The challenge for gamblers is finding time to splash in those turquoise waters while avoiding being soaked at the green-felt tables.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Casino Travel and Tourism
Islands
The Caribbean
World Casino Directory
Throughout the region, at least a dozen islands offer casino gaming. Island casinos range from the grand and luxurious, such as Atlantis Resort's 60,000-square-foot Vegas-style gambling palace on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, to the curiously named American Casino at Jack Tar Village in the Dominican Republic, which has about 40 slot machines and a dozen table games.
Gambling has carved out a niche in such tourist spots as the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Aruba and St. Maarten. But there are also casinos on islands less identified with gambling, such as St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. Kitts.
Undoubtedly, the most extravagant casino in the tropics is at Atlantis, with 80 table games, 875 slots, and a race and sports book. The casino caters not only to guests of the sprawling resort -- elaborately themed after the mythical lost continent, complete with a vast water park, aquariums and dolphin habitat -- but also to cruise-ship passengers, who arrive daily, and boaters, who tie up their yachts at one of the 170 slips.
The Atlantis motif is carried throughout the casino, which is decorated with Dale Chihuly glass sculptures. From some spots in the casino, gamblers can catch a glimpse of the resort's picturesque grounds.
"Gaming has evolved here as the property has evolved and expanded," says George Markantonis, president and managing director for Atlantis. For example, exclusive boutique gaming areas have been added outdoors and inside, as part of the upscale Cove -- one of the hotels at the luxury complex.
In addition to the Atlantis, the Bahamas has the Crystal Palace Casino at Cable Beach, on the north side of New Providence island, where there are Wyndham and Sheraton resorts, and the Westin and Sheraton Our Lucaya Beach and Golf Resort on Grand Bahama island.
Travelers looking to try their luck should be aware of local regulations on each island, such as the gambling age and currencies that can be used. For instance, while the gambling age in Las Vegas and Atlantic City is 21, casinos on many islands, such as the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten, allow 18-year-olds to play. And while casinos in the Bahamas and on St. Maarten use only U.S. dollars, in the Dominican Republic, dollars and pesos are accepted.
St. Maarten, the Dutch portion of the island shared with St. Martin (French), has 13 casinos. The Casino Royale is among the largest gaming halls and was recently renovated. The 14,000-square-foot casino has 30 tables, 400 ticket-in/ticket-out slots and Texas Hold 'em poker. The standalone casino is part of the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, which offers restaurants, shops and a new nightclub.
In Puerto Rico, there are nearly 20 casinos, each in a hotel or resort. Most are in the San Juan area, though some casinos are in Fajardo to the east and Ponce in the south. The El San Juan's 12,000-square-foot casino -- with carved-wood ceilings and crystal chandeliers reflecting its Old-World charm -- recently got new furnishings and coinless slots as part of the resort's $50 million renovation.
The so-called ABC islands -- Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao -- offer a range of gaming styles. In Aruba, the Marriott has the 15,000-square-foot Stellaris Casino, a relatively large gambling parlor by Caribbean standards. Meanwhile, Hotel Kura Hulanda in Curacao, which has 80 rooms in restored 18th- and 19th-century Dutch Colonial buildings, is associated with a "European-style, split-level boutique casino." The casino is nestled in a peaceful village complex with a spa, gardens and an anthropological museum.
On St. Kitts, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Royal Beach Casino at the Marriott offers 35,000 square feet of gaming and includes just about everything a player can find in Vegas, including 350 slots, about 30 table games, a sports and race book with large-screen plasma TVs, and poker tournaments. In keeping with a longstanding gambling tradition, the casino regularly runs junkets on charter jets for its high-rollers.
The challenge for gamblers is finding time to splash in those turquoise waters while avoiding being soaked at the green-felt tables.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Casino Travel and Tourism
Islands
The Caribbean
World Casino Directory
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Monday, July 25, 2005
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
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