12/28/2011

The Star Lyric Theatre To Open Annie The Musical In Sydney

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The Star, owned and operated by Echo Entertainment, has organised a media call for this coming Tuesday 3rd January at the Lyric Theatre.

We will be attending to cover the ever-popular Broadway musical Annie prior to the official opening night of the show at 7pm on Thursday January 5, 2012.

Three musical numbers from the show will be performed, and afterwards producer John Frost and lead cast members Anthony Warlow, Nancye Hayes, Todd McKenney, Chloe Dallimore, Julie Goodwin and Alan Jones will be giving interviews and be available for photograph opportunities and more.

The musical numbers will be:

It’s the Hard Knock Life – featuring the children’s cast

Easy Street – featuring Nancye Hayes, Todd McKenney and Chloe Dallimore

A New Deal for Christmas – featuring Anthony Warlow, Julie Goodwin, Alan Jones and the ensemble cast.

Based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie”, the musical Annie burst into popularity in 1977 when it opened on Broadway. After running there for nearly six years, it has played in over 22 countries worldwide including the UK, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Australia. Annie became a smash-hit movie musical in 1982 starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett that is adored worldwide and a fixture of popular culture references.

Annie is full of toe-tapping hits which have become staples of musical theatre repertoires worldwide and now, 34 years on, it remains one of the most loved and universally appealing musicals of all time.

Annie plays in Sydney until March 25 before a national tour.

It all marks another interesting development in the Australian casino wars, as agency, Media Man has been calling it for a few years now, and it will be interesting to see how Melbourne based competitor of The Star, Crown Casino, responds with their entertainment line up, which is also ramping up on the west coast on Australia with the newly named Crown Perth (formally Burswood Entertainment Centre).

The battle for the Australian entertainment dollar continues, and certainly Sydney's The Star is going full speed ahead and betting that world class entertainment will remain paramount in the quest to bring more punters to land based casinos and entertainment complexes.

Media blurb we secured...

The timeless tale of Little Orphan Annie is back, giving a whole new generation the chance to experience this classic musical about never giving up hope. Boasting one of Broadway's most memorable scores, including It's the Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street, N.Y.C. and the ever-optimistic Tomorrow, Annie is one of the most awarded and loved musicals of all time. Reprising one of his all-time favourite roles as the charismatic and sophisticated New York ‘zillionaire' Daddy Warbucks, is Anthony Warlow. He will be joined by the ever-popular Nancye Hayes playing everyone's favourite villain, Miss Hannigan. Todd McKenney, ChloĆ« Dallimore and Julie Goodwin also bring their talents to this delightful musical. And in a special treat, radio star Alan Jones will join the cast in the role of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

A MESSAGE FROM PRODUCER JOHN FROST

It gives me great pleasure to bring ANNIE back to Australian audiences. When I produced this show 12 years ago I was overwhelmed by the response it received. ANNIE is such a well known, well loved production that appeals to so many different age groups. Its popularity means that it is staged once a year in many countries around the world, and I have no doubt that the Australian audiences are well and truly ready to see it again.

This time around, I am especially delighted to be able to work once more with Australia's favourite leading man, Anthony Warlow and theatrical legend Nancye Hayes.

To be taking this wonderful show and the star studded cast on tour in 2012 presents a unique and exciting opportunity to reach a new generation of Australians and it gives me enormous pleasure to think that people Australia wide will again be able to experience this special production.

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Nevada approves online poker framework - 23rd December 2011

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In the United States, the Nevada Gaming Commission unanimously approved a set of proposed regulations on Thursday that would permit companies to apply for licences in order to operate online poker for residents of the western state.

The proposals were widely supported by the industry and require applicants to prove their ability to maintain controls on registration, prevent underage play and establish the location of players before being licensed.

Regulation 5A was one of six draft proposals adopted or amended yesterday by the Nevada Gaming Commission and also addresses what information is to be presented on websites and establishes procedures for record keeping, dispute resolution, fees, taxation and problem gambling notifications.

The Nevada Gaming Commission is already considering applications from six companies in Cantor Gaming, Shuffle Master Incorporated, International Game Technology, Bally Technologies Incorporated, Caesars Entertainment Corporation and the South Point Hotel Casino and officials are optimistic that approving the regulations will lead to technology firms opening operations in Nevada and expanding current business.

The push to legalise online poker in Nevada goes back to mid-March when Las Vegas Assemblyman William Horne submitted his AB258 bill. This proposed legislation was approved by the Nevada Assembly in May before being passed by the Democrat-controlled Nevada Senate and signed into law by Republican governor Brian Sandoval less than a month later.

Yesterday’s public hearing to pass the framework required to implement Horne’s legislation saw no opposition or major amendments as it had already been revised eleven times and state officials now await the repeal of the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) before being able to legally license operators.

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12/27/2011

Web gambling gets boost from Obama administration - 26th December 2011

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The Obama administration cleared the way for U.S. states to legalize Internet poker and certain other online betting in a switch that may help them reap billions in tax revenue and spur web-based gambling.

A Justice Department opinion dated September and made public on Friday reversed decades of previous policy that included civil and criminal charges against operators of some of the most popular online poker sites.

Until now, the department held that online gambling in all forms was illegal under the Wire Act of 1961, which bars wagers via telecommunications that cross state lines or international borders.

The new interpretation, by the department's Office of Legal Counsel, said the Wire Act applies only to bets on a "sporting event or contest," not to a state's use of the Internet to sell lottery tickets to adults within its borders or abroad.

"The United States Department of Justice has given the online gaming community a big, big present," said I. Nelson Rose, a gaming law expert at Whittier Law School who consults for governments and the industry.

The question at issue was whether proposals by Illinois and New York to use the Internet and out-of-state transaction processors to sell lottery tickets to in-state adults violated the Wire Act.

But the department's conclusion would eliminate "almost every federal anti-gambling law that could apply to gaming that is legal under state laws," Rose wrote on his blog at www.gamblingandthelaw.com

If a state legalized intra-state games such as poker, as Nevada and the District of Columbia have done, "there is simply no federal law that could apply" against their operators, he said.

The department's opinion, written by Assistant Attorney General Virginia Seitz, said the law's legislative history showed that Congress's overriding goal had been to halt wire communications for sports gambling, notably off-track betting on horse races.

Congress also had been concerned about rapid transmission of betting information on baseball, basketball, football and boxing among other sports-related events or contests, she summarized the legislative history as showing.

"The ordinary meaning of the phrase 'sporting event or contest' does not encompass lotteries," Seitz wrote. "Accordingly, we conclude that the proposed lotteries are not within the prohibitions of the Wire Act."

The department expressed no opinion about a provision in the law that lets prosecutors shut down phone lines where interstate or foreign gambling is taking place.

Many of the 50 U.S. states may be interested in creating online lotteries to boost tax revenues and help offset the ripple effect of a federal deficit-reduction push.

The global online gambling industry grew 12 percent last year to as much as $30 billion, according to a survey in March by Global Betting and Gaming Consultancy, based on the Isle of Man, where online gambling is legal.

Federal prosecutors in April charged three of the biggest Internet poker companies with fraud and money-laundering along with violations of another federal law, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act of 2006.

The government outlined an alleged scheme by owners of the three largest online poker companies - Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and PokerStars - to funnel gambling profits to online shell companies that would appear legitimate to banks processing payments. (Credit: Google News, Reuters)

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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Profiles; PartyCasino And PartyPoker Get New Promotions And Games

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12/23/2011

Global Gaming Directory Website Updated

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Casino To Be Built On Fiji's Denarau Island; American Multimillionaire Wins Development Contract, by Greg Tingle

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An American multimillionaire has won the development contract to build a massive land based casino on Fiji's Denarau Island, one of the nations prime tourist destinations for New Zealanders.

Military ruler Voreqe Bainimarama has over-ruled long standing chiefly and church objections to announce that Larry Claunch, who describes himself as an investor, will get an exclusive license to build a casino on the island that will be home to at least 500 slot machines and 54 tables, and they home - lots of happy punters and entertainment lovers.

The well-to-do entrepreneur will also be permitted to construct a smaller casino in Suva.

The regime advertised internationally for expressions of interest earlier this year. New Zealand's well known casino group, SkyCity, was in the mix of those interested.

The license will be held by Claunch's One Hundred Sands Ltd, which will operate the casino with the Snoqualmie Tribe from Washington state and Seventh Generation LLC, a Native American company.

The impressive deal includes a US$290 million ($378 million) five star, 190-room resort on the manmade Denarau Island, which already has several hotels on it and timeshares.

Bainimarama said they would protect the rights and interests of Fijian people. A casino "provides a malleable fusion between the Western ideals of casino gaming with the strong cultural virtues of tribal and community life", he said.

He also pointed out that the casino would provide 800 jobs.

"Fiji does not wish to imitate Las Vegas in the Pacific. Fiji already has a unique brand, one defined by its uniquely pristine environment, tranquillity and world class hospitality."

Claunch advised the casino was "a union of both economic and cultural endeavours".

He also owns Nukudrau, a 19 hectare island in Savusavu Bay.

Claunch is confident he will be able to continue to ride his wave of success into Fiji, despite the casino industry hitting a number of ripples in recent years - a flow on effect from the global economic downturn. Just don't tell Claunch it won't work - he's a winner, and needless to say- his house always wins. Might see you in Fiji.

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12/21/2011

Internet poker boss says he broke U.S. gambling law - 21st December 2011

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One of the owners of three of the world's biggest internet poker firms pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a criminal charge of deceiving U.S. banks over the processing of gambling proceeds.

Absolute Poker co-owner Brent Beckley, 31, admitted in Manhattan federal court to conspiring to break U.S. laws against gambling on the Internet. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.

Twelve people have been charged thus far in the high profile case, including 11 in April when the U.S. government seized the Internet domain names of the three largest Internet poker companies: Absolute Poker, Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars.

Full Tilt Poker owner Raymond Bitar, PokerStars owner Isai Scheinberg and Absolute Poker owners Beckley and Scott Tom were also charged with breaking the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and other laws.

Beckley told U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis that at Absolute Poker between 2006 and April 2011 he accepted credit cards from players so they could bet on the Internet. He said he disguised the purpose of the payments.

"I knew it was illegal to deceive the banks in this way," Beckley told the judge.

The bank fraud charge carries a possible maximum prison sentence of 30 years, but under a plea agreement in the court record, Beckley will likely serve a much lesser term of between 12 months and 18 months.

His lawyer, Robert Cleary, declined comment.

The indictment said that between 2008 and 2011 Beckley hired so-called "payment processor" Ira Rubin to help the company avoid U.S. gambling laws. Rubin would process e-checks for Absolute Poker disguised as payroll processing, affiliate marketing and online electronics merchants, according to the indictment.

Rubin, who lived in Central America for years in his attempt to avoid a telemarketing fraud charge, is nearing close to a plea agreement, according to his legal eagle.

Prosecutors said that of the billions of dollars the poker companies tricked U.S. banks into processing, approximately one-third or more of the money went directly to the companies as revenue through the "rake" charged to players on almost every poker hand played over the internet.

The government has also filed a civil lawsuit against the Full Tilt Poker website. They accused self-styled "Poker Professor" Howard Lederer and professional poker champion Christopher Ferguson and others of paying themselves more than $440 million while defrauding other players.

The case is USA v Tzvetkoff et al, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 10-00336.

Not only are online poker and online casino players watching closely, but also online gambling companies which are interested to offer their product to the lucrative U.S market. Just a few of those firms include Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment (owner of PartyCasino.com, PartyPoker.com, World Poker Tour and others), Virgin Games and PKR.

In the meantime some land based U.S casinos are getting deals in place, with Bwin.Party recently getting a well publicised b2b agreement inked with MGM Resorts International.

Business entrepreneurs Donald Trump and Steve Wynn are just two high profile Americans who are supportive of 100% legal online gambling in the U.S. Online poker may become legal in the U.S in the coming year, followed by online casino games however... this prediction has proved wrong year after year on U.S soil, but then again - the subject matter has never been hotter, nor has the U.S government ever need a cash boost to their coffers as much as they currently do.

Some of the most popular games with online players include Cleopatra, Sinatra, Wheel of Fortune, poker, Texas Hold'Em, Blackjack, Video Poker and Roulette. Some online gambling companies offer new players a generous sign up bonus to encourage them to become money players.

In many parts of the world including Canada, Italy, Australia and New Zealand, online gambling is just as popular as gambling in traditional casinos, pubs and hotels.

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12/19/2011

bwin.party Awarded Danish Online Gaming Licences

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16 December 2011

bwin.party, the world’s leading listed online gaming company, is pleased to announce that it is in the first rank of operators to be awarded online gaming licences by the Danish Gambling Authority.

Having successfully passed all financial, legal and technical tests, the Group has been awarded two separate licences, allowing it to offer online sports betting, poker and casino in Denmark from 1 January 2012. The licenced brands include bwin, PartyPoker, PartyCasino, PartyBets and World Poker Tour.

The successful licence applications and early market entry is in line with Group’s strategy to be a leading operator in all regulated online gaming markets.

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12/17/2011

Casino Stocks Report (MGM) (WYNN) (LVS) (CNTY) (MPEL) - 16th December 2011

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MGM Resorts International (MGM) stock moved 0.43% higher to $9.33 per share in today's trading. Stock volume in MGM Resorts International was 5 million shares in the trading session.

Wynn Resorts advanced 1.87% in today's session to $106.54 per share. In the last 12 months, Wynn Resorts has seen a high of $172.58 and a low of $100.51 per share.

Las Vegas Sands Corp moved 1.91% higher to $41.57 per share in today's trading. Shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp have traded as high as $51.05 per share and as low as $36.05 in the last year.

Century Casinos advanced 0.87% in today's session to $2.32 per share. 6,800 shares were traded so far in today's session. On average, a total of 14,172 shares are exchanged in CNTY each day.

Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (MPEL) stock moved 3.11% higher to $8.9909 per share in today's trading. In the last 12 months, Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd has seen a high of $16.15 and a low of $6.1 per share.

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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12/16/2011

Casino Celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio And George Clooney Do Sydney; Spider-Man Tobey Hides From Media; Melbourne Next?, by Greg Tingle

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Leonardo DiCaprio and mystery blonde

A number of the world's most famous and talented Hollywood movies stars (and social and community entrepreneurs) have recently been spotted on Australian soil, in 'Sin City' Sydney no less. Who are we talking about. Just Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney.

These boys are fast and hard to nail down, with both the ladies and news media we understand, so by the time you read this, Clooney might be back to Hollywood in the U.S and 'Our Leo' (affectionate) might have hopped a lear jet back to the States, or maybe he's hiding out back at The Star (ex Star City Casino), where 'Georgy Boy' (affectionate satire) has also been spotted.

Both DiCaprio and Clooney have a thing for casinos. DiCaprio has played quite a bit of Hollywood Poker in his time, getting some major headlines in media including TMZ, as well as did the Rounders poker movie back in 1998. Clooney of course played Danny Ocean Ocean's Eleven (and 12 and 13). Movie and history buffs will be interested to know that in the 1960's version of Ocean's Eleven Danny was played by Frank Sinatra, and he was joined by four other members of the original Rat Pack: Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Joey Bishop.

Ok, back to matters at hand in Sydney...




George Clooney and Sid Vaikunta

George Clooney

Clooney was in town last week doing his talk at Darling Habour Convention Centre (the one where people paid up to $1100 a ticket). His girlfriend, former WWE wrestling diva Stacy Keibler, did not come. It's not like they are married and have to be side by side 24/7. Keibler is understood to be more keen on a full time commitment type of thing than Clooney at this stage of the game.

Being a bit of casino fan, Clooney made time to meet with The Star’s managing director, Sid Vaikunta at The Darling hotel, where George Clooney was the hotel's virgin (first) customer to stay in the hotel’s new luxurious penthouse suite. The Darling is 'Sin City' Sydney’s latest and greatest five-star boutique hotel and is a paramount part of The Star’s $870 million master plan which is focussed on expansion, refurbishment and The Star being known as a premier Australian integrated hotel - casino - resort and entertainment hub, comparable to the best that Las Vegas and Macau have to offer. The Star and The Darling want their casino whales, but they are also happy to have dolphins and regular punters. Celeb, casino whale, food lover, poker professional or just passing by - The Star wants you!

Leo DiCaprio...

DiCaprio continues to enjoy Sydney. About a month ago he celebrated his birthday party at Kings Cross, followed by a fantastic afterparty.

For about a month Leo was hanging out with Blake Lively, but that particular blonde is currently in New York, so it wasn't her at the Vaucluse House park surroundings.

Yet another lucky blonde was caught walking around with Leo, this time in the grounds of the historic Vaucluse House in Sydney.

It's handy for Leo, since he's doing some of the Gatsby movie shoots at Fox Studios, Moore Park, and Leo's also hired out some private digs at Vaucluse.

For the record it was not Carey Mulligan who was spotted walking around the pack with Leo.

The blonde was not the bikini-wearing brunette who was paped with Leo back in October after a spot of paddle-boarding at the rented waterfront mansion.

A well connected source tells us that there's a certain group of models based in Sydney who all share a bit of time with Leo. Sort of a personal introduction kind of thing. Aussie models Alyce Crawford and Kendal Schuler are understood to be in the thick of the action. Lucky girls.

Tobey Maguire...

The star of the past couple of Spider-Man movies (and keen Hollywood Poker player) Maguire, has kept things very quite in recently weeks. He's been spotted driving and taxi-ing around Sydney, but is not talking or doing photographs with fans we hear. We haven't even seen him at The Star's gaming room. Maguire is understood to be enjoying time with his family when he's not busy on the set of The Great Gatsby.

The boys were all offered rooms at The Stars 'The Darling', and all accepted, but they are also understood to have also spent time elsewhere in Sydney.

In the meantime, we understand that James Packer owned Crown Melbourne aka Crown Casino, is also keen to see more Hollywood stars stay at their fancy Crown Towers. That's where the likes of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have also enjoyed the five star accommodation. The Melbourne venue will also see the Aussie Million Poker Championship come January 2011, and Packer's poker tourney men would be keen to see Leo and George in their celeb poker games. Packer is also overseeing the revamp of his Western Australian complex, formally known as Burswood Entertainment Complex, and now known as Crown Burswood. In any event, Crown is keen for more star power and world class attractions, plus of course casino whales aka "high rollers".

Jay Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald and maybe even the late J. Edgar would be proud of the cat and mouse games that Clooney, DiCaprio and Maguire are playing with the Australian media.

Websites

The Star

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12/15/2011

Bwin.Party anticipates Spain and Denmark licences - 14th December 2011

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The world’s largest listed online gambling operator, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, has released a pre-close trading update stating that its performance since the end of September has been ‘solid’ and ‘in-line with management’s expectations’.

Gibraltar-based Bwin.Party was born in late-March following the union of online betting and gaming provider Bwin Interactive Entertainment with PartyGaming and the operator revealed that it expects continuing clean earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the full year to be between 22 percent and 24 percent.

In addition, Bwin.Party declared that its integration ‘remains on-track’ and is expected to deliver around €40 million in annualised synergies next year before producing approximately €65 million in 2013 with the company already repurchasing 14 million shares at an average price of £1.26 each.

Bwin.Party also announced that the sale of its OnGame Network Limited business-to-business subsidiary is at an ‘advanced stage’ but is unlikely to be completed before the end of the year.
However, possibly the most interesting news from Bwin.Party was the revelation that it is anticipating approvals for its Spanish online sports, casino, poker and bingo products to be issued by authorities in the country as part of the ‘first wave of licences’ ahead of the market opening next year.

“The group’s licence applications for Spain were submitted on November 25 and it is expected that approvals for our sports, casino, poker and bingo products will be issued in the first wave of licences to be issued ahead of the market opening in 2012,” read a statement from Bwin.Party.

In Denmark, the firm revealed that it lodged licence applications on October 17 and also expects to be among the first group of operators to become authorised to offer online poker, casino and sports from the beginning of January.

“In Germany, the next meeting of the Minister Presidents is due to take place on December 15,” read the statement from Bwin.Party.

“Schleswig-Holstein, Germany’s most northern land, has stated its intention to press ahead with its law to regulate and license all forms of online gaming with a 20 percent tax on gross gaming revenue. Schleswig Holstein’s law has already been approved by the European Commission.

“While we hope that the other 15 Lander will revise their proposal, they may choose to press ahead with it in its current form, one that we believe fails to comply with European Union law or meet the requirements set out by the Court of Justice of the European Union. While we welcome the move to regulate the online gaming market in Germany, this must be in a consistent and coherent manner in line with European Union law that also enables licensed operators to compete effectively with black market operators. Any other approach, if sustained, will create a commercially unviable market and result in consumers being driven outside the regulated framework.

“In the United States, there remain a number of initiatives seeking to regulate Internet poker at both a Federal and a state level. Which route will reach the statute book first and when remains unclear but we remain optimistic that regulation will take a step forward in 2012. Either way, through our agreements with MGM and Boyd, the group is well-positioned to take advantage of any such opportunity.”


Bwin.Party gets ready for new markets - 14th December 2011...

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment expects to be in the mix of the first group of firms who are issued with a licence for the Spanish market ahead of it opening next year.

In its pre-close trading update yesterday, the group stated that its licence applications for Spain were submitted on November 25 and it is expected that approvals for its sports, casino, poker and bingo products will be issued ahead of the market opening in 2012.

Bwin.Party also expects to be among the first group of operators to become licensed to offer online poker, casino and sports in Denmark at the beginning of January after its licence applications were lodged on October 17.

In Germany, the next meeting of the Minister Presidents is due to take place tomorrow and Bwin.Party hopes that the other 15 German states will revise their proposal in a consistent and coherent manner in line with European Union law, which also enables licensed operators to compete effectively with black market operators.

The group remains optimistic that US regulation will take a step forward in 2012. Via its agreements with MGM and Boyd, Bwin.Party believes it is well positioned to pounce on any such opportunity that may present.

The sale process of Ongame's B2B business is at an advanced stage, but although it has attracted a number of interested parties, the sale is unlikely to be finalised before the end of the year.

Bwin.Party is likely to retain its world leading position for the foreseeable future.

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12/11/2011

Virgin Games Signs Up Video Content Technology Provider; Superman Slot Game Launches At Virgin Casino

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Virgin Casino is licensed in the gambling jurisdiction of Alderney in accordance with British Law. New players are offered a 100% match bonus up to £$€100.

Friday 9th December, 2011

Virgin Games the leading online gaming company, has today announced that it has signed up vzaar as its video content technology provider. The Company will use the vzaar technology to serve videos on all its casino, bingo, poker and mobile sites.

Vzaar is industry leading in the world of video technology and provides professional quality online video platforms for a number of industries including media companies, e-commerce, web applications and non-profit organizations. The new functionality provided by vzaar follows a complete re-launch of all Virgin Games websites in September of this year. All Virgin Games sites, which include Casino, Bingo and Poker, were redesigned to be more engaging for the user. The latest introduction of video technology enhances the interactive and user friendly experience by allowing Virgin Games customers to see video previews of slot games before having a go via the demo play option.

Pierrick Leveque, Head of Acquisition at Virgin Games, commented: "In the past year we’ve worked hard to improve our site navigation, usability and content quality through large-scale site redesign projects. Video was on the map from day one, and we’re delighted to have found in vzaar a content technology partner flexible enough to accommodate all our video needs. We’re looking forward to a long and successful partnership."

Launched in 2004, Virgin Games is one of the UK’s leading online gaming sites.

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

Virgin Casino can not currently be accessed by Australian, New Zealand or American players, but a range of other online casinos can be located via the Global Gaming Directory.

Superman Slot Game Launches At Virgin Casino

This slot game is a classic. It’s powered by Cryptologic and has 5 reels and 50 paylines. It has a 10,000 coin jackpot which means you can win up to £100,000.

Superman has a Bonus Bet feature where you can add an extra paylines – if you activate this, you will then have a chance to trigger the Save The World feature (bonus round). Here you will see Superman destroying missiles in a meteor shower resulting in prizes. Once he reaches Earth, you will have a choice of 3 doors. 1 door will take you to a room full of kryptonite and end the bonus round. The one to look out for is the one that leads you to Lex Luthor – Superman will then capture him and reward you win 100 times your stake.

Superman also comes with a Free Games bonus round where you will get 10 free spins. If you’re lucky enough to get an expanded Superman on any reel during the free spins, expect a 5x multiplier to be added. That means you can potential win 10 free spins with a 5x multiplier!

This is a super slot game that you will love. Virgin Casino also offer many great slots such as Alice’s Wonderland, Captain Cannon’s Circus of Cash and favourites such as Cleopatra, Da Vinci Diamonds and Monopoly. They offer £100 free when you join (sorry, no U.S, Canadian or Australian players) and weekly promotions to keep you coming back for more.

Virgin Casino Releases Siberian Storm Slot Game...

Virgin Casino released a new slot game entitled Siberian Storm and it is set to cause just that at Richard Branson's very popular online casino.

The new slot game has a Siberian wild life theme to it and includes the mesmerizing MultiWay Extra™ format of wagering where players can win in up to 720 different ways.

The scatter pays and the stacked wilds make sure for an exciting slot game experience. The free spin bonus round gives the player the opportunity to win up to 240 free spins to win a huge reward. During the free spin bonus round, the player begins with 8 free spins. However, these can be re-triggered to attain the potential 240 free spins.

The stand-out features for Siberian Storm include superb graphics, a high quality soundtrack and the chance for players to win very big with a variety of ways to win a cash prize.

In Siberian Storm, players can win by hitting symbols diagonally as well as just from left to right. There is a single lines jackpot of 1,000 coins. This can be won when the player hits five Siberian Storm logos and there is a total jackpot of £250,000.

Siberian Storm is available to play at Virgin Casino right now.

Virgin Casino can not currently be accessed by Australian, New Zealand or American players, but a range of other online casinos can be located via the Global Gaming Directory.

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12/08/2011

Casino Executive Based In Las Vegas Not A Fan Of Online Gambling; Competitor Is Pro Online Casino - Poker, by Greg Tingle - 8th December 2011

World's Richest Casino Exec Not So Keen On Online Casinos, Poker...

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You may not of heard of this cashed up gambling and property tycoon, but he's happy to share his thoughts on online gambling, especially when it comes to his U.S turf. No, it's not Donald Trump, Steve Wynn or even Richard Branson. Meet Sheldon Adelson.

Adelson is by all accounts the world's wealthiest casino executive and top dog of the industry's largest publicly traded company, says he is against online gambling because he doesn't believe available technology is good enough at the moment to prevent young people from making wagers on the Internet, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Adelson's sharing his personal viewpoint is just that - personal - rather than a formal stance taken by his firm that owns and operates casino-resorts in Las Vegas, Macau, Singapore and Bethlehem, Pa., Las Vegas Sands spokesman Ron Reese said.

Reese advised Adelson hasn't spoken with the company's board about his position, nor has the board decided an online gambling plan.

"It's a personal observation of concerns about technology," Reese said.

The opposition comes at a time when numerous other operators, including Caesars Entertainment Corp and MGM Resorts International, have backed an industry push to legalize online poker and let established land based casinos offer the service in the U.S. MGM Resorts International even went as far as to ink a deal with world's leading igaming firm Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.

Poker, which involves a combination of skill and luck (as ruled in legal cases), now huge on the internet (see World Poker Tour and World Series of Poker), has been illegal online for real money since a 2006 law was brought in and ruled against igaming operators from providing games by preventing financial institutions from processing funds for the majority of online gaming.

The land based casino sector has swayed over the years from anti online gambling to largely pro online gambling, of course, with them getting some of the financial rewards. The bricks and mortar casinos have seen some of their punters go online to bet, with the traditional casinos missing out of the action. It's unclear how much revenue traditional casinos are down, thanks to online casinos, but a Media Man spokesperson said "Online casinos have cost land based casinos in the U.S and elsewhere, many millions, if not billions of dollars. Vegas and Atlantic City land based casinos are down. People still like to bet and the internet serves them well, be it for poker, casino, sports betting or slots".

The American Gaming Association, the leading U.S gaming lobby group, has switched from a neutral stance to pro actively pursuing federal legislation that would allow for legalization and regulation of online poker. Online poker could be a lead in to online casino games.

Frank Fahrenkopf, CEO of the American Gaming Association, said he met with Adelson on Monday and Adelson advised him he'll oppose legislation to legalize online poker on U.S soil.

"Sheldon has long had concerns about this issue, and it is perfectly within his right to make this decision," Fahrenkopf said in a statement. "However, the AGA, at the direction of our board of directors, will continue to support federal legislation to allow states to license and regulate online poker."

The online gambling industry is not seeking to legalize other games like blackjack, craps and slots online. Those games are a different kind of animal because players wager against the house. In poker, players wager against each other and operators take a fee from each pot in exchange for hosting the game. Of course if online poker becomes totally legal in the U.S, this may lead to online casino games also becoming totally legal in the states.

The matter of online poker has heated up among players and casino executives in the past 12 months. U.S. Senate Majority Leader last year pitched a blueprint to legalize poker that fell short without legislation being introduced. Last April, three of the largest online gaming operators who offered online poker in defiance of the law had their websites seized and executives indicted by the U.S. Justice Department, accused of financial crimes including fraud and money laundering for disguising payments for gambling funds as transactions for things like flowers and golf balls. The day it all went down, including sites going down et al, is known in igaming circles as 'Black Friday'.

After the indictments, the estimated $6 billion U.S. online poker market dived overnight, leaving many players unable to access funds in online poker bankrolls.

Then, with the "big three" poker websites closed out of the U.S, the American Casino Association became more active in urging lawmakers to close loopholes and draw up better regulations.

One thing is for certain. Online poker and online casino players are not going to want to stop playing the games they love. Players are mainly sticking to brands they know and trust with some of the leading contenders being PartyPoker.com PartyCasino.com PKR.com World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker.

Australian casino mogul James Packer's Crown Casino has the 'Aussie Millions Poker Championship' coming up in Melbourne this January and providers such as PartyPoker.com are even offering qualifying poker matches, where players get to 'Win a seat to Aussie Millions'. Bwin.Party's World Poker Tour is also broadcast of American and Australian pay television, which online helps fuel the popularity of online gambling.

Fahrenkopf advised his casino association wants federal legislation that allows U.S states to decide whether to offer poker to its residents, keeps youngsters from gambling online and lets law enforcement shut down illegal operators.

If you enjoy a punt, please bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

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Donald Trump says US should legalize Internet betting...

Donald Trump has witnessed lots of money side slipping him, and he's hoping that situation changes soon.

The real estate, gaming and entertainment tsar, and founder of an Atlantic City casino company says the US should legalize internet gambling. The company that bears his name, Trump Entertainment Resorts, is moving forward with plans to establish an online betting venture... just as soon as it is legal to do so.

The company says it wants to get in on the ground floor of the internet gambling industry, and is close to selecting a joint venture partner to run an online gambling operation. The idea is to be well-placed and ready to go as soon as such activity is legalized in the United States.

"It should be approved here," Trump told news media. "An awful lot of money is leaving the U.S. that should and could stay in this country."

Trump Entertainment, which includes Donald Trump and daughter, Ivanka, and the Avenue Capital hedge fund, would own 10% of the new business venture.

Donald Trump advised the key to success in the online gambling market is having the best brand.

"We think we have the hottest brand there is, the Trump brand, my personal brand," he said. "We think it's going to do phenomenally well."

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Trump Entertainment said it has "determined that such a joint venture represents the most advantageous way for the company to participate in opportunities in online gaming at minimal cost to the company."

No cost estimates were given, and Robert Griffin, the company's CEO, declined to comment Thursday. But in March, after Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill passed by New Jersey lawmakers that would have allowed Internet betting solely within New Jersey's borders, Griffin said the money lost to offshore operators should benefit New Jersey.

The new law would seen New Jersey become the first state in the nation to allow Internet betting.

"Currently, millions of Americans engage in online gaming with illegal offshore operators, and do so with no oversight, no regulation or no consumer protections," Griffin said at the time. "It makes sense for the state of New Jersey to regulate this activity, enforce strict standards to ensure games are fair and safe, and in turn be able to collect tax revenue instead of having those dollars and the jobs they support leaving New Jersey and going illegally overseas."

Christie advised he vetoed the law fearing it was unconstitutional and could lead to an explosion of betting parlors throughout the state. By law, gambling in New Jersey is restricted to gaming hotspot Atlantic City.

But a New Jersey lawmaker is asserting that individual states in fact have the legal right to offer in-state Internet gambling within their own borders.

State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, wrote in July to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asserting that New Jersey and all other states can legally offer online betting within their borders.

Lesniak said he will introduce legislation in November to address the prime concerns expressed by Christie.

The filing said the company, Donald and Ivanka Trump, and Avenue Capital have signed an agreement authorizing the joint venture once it becomes legal, and that prohibits any of them from seeking other online gambling ventures through May 2012.

Atlantic City is in the midst of a nearly 5-year revenue slump brought on by increasing competition from casinos in neighboring states, and worsened by the continuing unsteady economy. It's also speculated that many AC businesses have not adapted well to the internet medium.

Just a few online gaming companies that are understood to be interested in coming to business terms with Trump include Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Richard Branson's Virgin Games and PKR. Most experts see Bwin.Party as the best bet, as they don't have any outstanding issues with the US Department of Justice, and have been playing by the rules (law) for many years, while other gambling companies continue to go after U.S players.

Internet gambling is legal in many countries, with the U.S being a glaring exception.

Media Man is following up.

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12/06/2011

Casino And Gaming Stock Report: Australia And New Zealand, by Greg Tingle - 5th November 2011

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Australian land based casinos continue their entertainment push, with big name celebrities and more expensive casino re-vamps in the works. The share market continues to react to the political hotbed that is the Aussie casino and gambling industry. Southern neighbour, New Zealand, is also prone to gaming being quite the punching bag. Can't wait to the next election. How about you?

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.8 percent to 4,321.3 at the close of trading in Sydney. New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index gained 0.6 percent to 3,301.22 in Wellington.

Echo Entertainment Group Ltd. (EGP AU) rose 1.3 percent to A$3.83 after the owner of four Australian casinos had its rating raised to “hold” from “sell” by Adam Alexander, an analyst at Goldman Sachs Australia Pty.

Sky City Entertainment Group Ltd. (SKC NZ) rose 0.3 percent to NZ$3.40 after the New Zealand casino owner agreed a NZ$185 million ($144 million) seven-year banking facility to repay U.S. private placement debt of around NZ$250 million.

Tabcorp Holdings Ltd. (TAH AU) declined 0.7 percent to A$2.80 after Australia’s biggest owner of betting shops was cut to “sell” from “hold” at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which said earnings may stall in the next two years on higher license costs and a "lack of positive catalysts."

The Late News...

European gaming giant Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, along with PKR and Virgin Games, are all understood to be keen to officially enter the Australian market. Bwin.Party has done some good warm up work on the political and business side, including now offering online poker players to win a seat at James Packer's annual poker championship in Melbourne 'Aussie Millions'. The Media Man agency has been filing regular reports here and on portals such as Casino News Media, Gambling911 and Poker News Daily are following suit. Mr Packer is understood to be pleased with the lead up news stories on the 2012 'Aussie Millions', at a time when Crown appear to be welcoming any balanced and especially positive coverage of Crown with open arms. Sydney's 'The Star' is also having a poker tourney, with much less fanfare than that of Crown. Any would be James Bond poker players out there? Comon' sport, try your luck and tell 'em the Media Man agency sent you.

*the writer owns shares in Crown Limited
*the writer is a member of The Star's 'Absolute Rewards' program

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12/05/2011

Crown Casino Attacked By Thieves; Crown Worse Than Competitor The Star - Crims, Robbers Et Al, by Greg Tingle

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Australian land based casinos continue their entertainment push, with big name celebrities and more expensive casino re-vamps in the works. The massive casino image make-over may have started in 'Sin City' Sydney and spread to Melbourne, but now Perth is centre stage, but not without the usual hassles that are known to hit casinos. Now we learn that the crime rates in Australian land based casinos is higher than most had previously thought and Crown Casino appears to have a higher crime rate than Sydney's The Star (formally known as Star City Casino). As they say, high risk, high rewards, and sometimes even the house doesn't win, which is good news for punters, but casino visitors need to make sure they don't get stolen from in what call "thieves paradise".

James Packer controlled land based casino, Crown Casino, has punters and other patrons out of pocket by roughly $400,000 in property and cash that has been reported stolen from customers in a six month period.

Both Crown Casino and competitor, Sydney's The Star (formally Star City Casino) talk up the "entertainment" aspects of their business, but new information coming to light shows more focus could well be put on the safety of visiting punters belongings to help ensure they don't get stolen from (in the traditional way - not just loosing at slots or table games)... if you follow us. It's said in casino circles that 'the house always wins', but police reports show that thieves are "winning" by stealing from punters bags, cars and just about everywhere else.

The details of such are located in police documents released under Freedom of Information laws.

The documents show officers were called to Crown Casino 167 times in the first six months of 2011. Reports of stolen property and thefts from motor vehicles make up the bulk of alleged offences at the complex.

We also learn thanks to a Rupert Murdoch's News Limited report that a Logie award-winning TV star was caught in possession of drugs.

The shock discovery was made after the actor became embroiled in a row with bouncers and police were called. He was let off the hook ie: not charged it's believed that he just got a caution.

The Victoria Police incident reports, pulled from its LEAP database, cover some 523 pages of crime files.

Crown spokesman Gary O'Neil said the number of incidents was small but emphasised each was treated seriously.

"Crown aims to provide the safest and most secure environment possible for our customers and staff," he said.

"However, dealing with those numbers and operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there will inevitably be those types of incidents.

"Crown's view is that its security and surveillance teams do an outstanding job given the size of the task."

There were 54 thefts and 4 attempted thefts from motor vehicles from January 1 to July 1 this year - with 44 still in the "unsolved" category.

In one case, almost $8500 of property was allegedly stolen within an hour of a woman parking her car at Crown.

"The victim returned to her vehicle to locate a smashed rear window on the driver's side," a statement on the June 16 incident reads.

Another punter had his wallet containing $6500 nicked from the high-rolling exclusive Mahogany Room.

"The victim has placed his wallet beside him whilst gaming," the police report states.

"When the victim went to pick up the wallet he found that it had been taken."

Despite extensive CCTV footage of the 58 incidents of theft or stolen property reported, 47 remained "unsolved".

Police have also advised there may be many more incidents which have not been disclosed due to the way in which officers file information.

"The limitations of the system and manner in which information, particularly information related to locations, is captured on the LEAP database restricts the manner in which information can be extracted," it said.

Police also confirmed two Safe Street Patrol teams solely patrol the Crown complex every Friday and Saturday night in an attempt to prevent public order offences and any offences they deal with would not be classified as call-outs as they are already on site.

"We have a close working relationship with Crown Casino," a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

Mr O'Neil said Crown Casino had the most comprehensive security and surveillance system of any entertainment complex in Australia.

"The operating procedures and standards, plus the resources Crown commits, are constantly being reviewed and upgraded to maintain world's best practice," he said.

CASE 1

$9000 cash theft

A victim took $18,000 of business takings to Crown in a blue Guess handbag but spent $9000 in an hour on tables in the main gaming room. She then placed her bag, containing the remaining $9000, on a chair but when she went to pick it up, it had been stolen.

CASE 2

Theft of a $260,000 Porsche

The sale of a Porsche Coupe Cabriolet turned into a police investigation when the buyer gave a $50 deposit and drove away. The balance was not paid within the agreed five days. After a five-month search the vehicle was located but the victim has indicated he does not want to press charges.

CASE 3

A cinema goer with a foot fetish

"During the course of the movie the victim put her feet up in between the two seats in front of her," the report reads. "Every time she did this, the male in front tickled and rubbed her feet. This occurred three times," it adds. The suspect was apprehended outside the Crown complex and arrested for unlawful assault.

Echo Entertainment's The Star casino in 'Sin City' Sydney is not off the hook either, but its understood their crime rate for the past 6 months is less than that of Melbourne's Crown. Jupiter's Hotel and Casino on the Gold Coast last year was named by a number of gaming journals to be one of the most dangerous land based casinos in the world. Jupiter's did not comment on the unflattering title of "most dangerous".

Most Australian land based casinos have enjoyed upgraded security measures over the past 12 months but its understood that criminals and unethical punters will always look for ways to beat the system, and casinos have long been known as a hangout for thief's and other people of questionable nature.

If you visit a casino you are taking a gamble - a bigger one that you first bargained for. Little wonder for the rise in popularity of online casino games like the ones offered by Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment which now even has competitions where online poker players can win qualifiers to see them seated at Crown Casino 'Aussie Millions Poker Tournament' this coming January. Good luck.

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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Crown Casino Chip Thief - 27th November 2011...

A large amount of casino chips have been pinched from Melbourne's Crown Casino in an early-Sunday morning heist.

The robber, believed to be aged about 20, executed his daring deed in the gaming area near the Clarendon St exit about 1.40am on Friday, November 4.

Murdoch owned Herald Sun was notified that opportunistic chip thefts are on the rise as pit bosses struggle to cope with increasing workloads. Word has got around to Australia's underground, as well as to news media who report on these matters.

A Crown leak advised since Crown's opening in 1994 the number of dealers a supervisor had to monitor had climbed from 4 to 24.

"One pit boss looks after 48 tables. It's absolutely bananas," he said.

The leak claimed a lack of supervision was helping lead to less than honest behaviour among some dealers, chip thefts and a massive increase in threats directed at dealers.

"Crown is running amok and the Government is allowing them to do it," he said.

But Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill denied chip thefts were increasing and said staff were fully supported by a world class security system.

"Chip thefts unfortunately occur from time to time. However, there is no evidence whatsoever to support the suggestion that there has recently been an increase in the number of these incidents," he said.

"Staff on the Crown gaming floor are fully supported by the most comprehensive security and surveillance systems and standards of any casino in Australia."

O'Neill said staffing arrangements were fully approved by the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation.

Police have described this month's thief as being of African appearance with short hair and a thin build.

He was wearing a jumper and baggy pants.

It is understood a second man, also described as African in appearance, fled the scene of the crime with the offender.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Stay tuned for more in the epic friendly war between Packer's Crown Entertainment and Echo Entertainment. Who are you tipping, and are you buying shares to prove your loyalty?

*the writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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12/03/2011

Facebook To Enter Into Real Money Online Poker? - 1st December 2011

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Rumors were abuzz yesterday about the possibility of the social networking behemoth Facebook entering into the online poker arena, but it may be that was the extent of the issue…simply rumors.

According to the popular blog “Friending Facebook” written by Emil Protalinski on ZDNet.com, Facebook has been rumored to be in discussions with several outlets regarding the future of online poker on the site. Currently, Facebook only offers “credits” that players can purchase to use to play a multitude of games that the site promotes, but it hasn’t stepped into the realm of a “real money” offering. Protalinski details out how some of the buzz regarding the possibility of Facebook stepping into online poker has gotten started.

Apparently, clandestine meetings were held over the summer between Facebook and “approximately twenty online gaming experts, consultants and social gaming entrepreneurs,” according to Protalinski. If this were to become a reality, it would happen at some point within the first three months of 2012, with the potential for up to eight licenses to be offered to potential online gaming operations through Facebook.

Protalinski notes, via eGaming Review Magazine, that two of those potential outlets have already been named as potential licensees. One of the top game developers, Gamesys, is potentially in the running for one of those licenses. Gamesys, which has been in the online gaming industry since 2001, offers bingo software as well as games based on television shows such as The Price Is Right and Deal or No Deal. The company also has a contract with Caesars Entertainment for CaesarsBingo.com.

The other operation named specifically as a potential suitor for Facebook also has connections with Caesars Entertainment, the owners of the World Series of Poker. 888 Holdings PLC, founded in 1997 and the ownership behind such offerings as 888Poker.com and the Caesars Entertainment owned WSOP.com online poker site, is rumored to be one of the companies at the front of the line for a potential Facebook partnership. 888Poker is currently the fourth ranked online poker network in the industry, having a seven day average of 2150 cash game players, according to PokerScout.com.

Protalinski points out several issues that will have to be overcome before any such partnerships can reach fruition. Age verification issues, something that anti-online gaming zealots have said would be problematic, are something that Facebook would have to deal with, as people do not always put their year of birth on their Facebook record for privacy reasons. Finding an outlet that could process real money transactions at a bulk rate would also be problematic as well as how Facebook and any partners would divvy up the proceeds.

In looking at how Facebook handles its “credits” transactions, Protalinski points out some significant numbers. Protalinski states that Facebook takes a 30% cut of revenues earned through the purchases of Facebook Credits, with the remaining 70% going to the developers of the games. To possibly see how much money is potentially involved in this partnership, PartyGaming – before it joined forces with Bwin early this year – pulled in $497.9 million in revenue in 2010. If that type of activity was seen with a Facebook gaming site – and using the same percentages as Facebook currently operates under – it would mean Facebook would make approximately $149.3 million and their partner company would pull in $348.5 million.

For American citizens, however, there is no glimmer of hope. Real money online poker through Facebook isn’t an option per the current status of online gaming in the United States. The offerings would first be done in the United Kingdom and potentially branch out to the rest of the world, Protalinski reports.

Then again, this could all just be conjecture. Protalinski contacted Facebook officials regarding this issue and quoted a representative of Facebook as saying, “We’re always in discussions with companies about lots of different ideas, but we don’t comment on future plans or speculation.” After the ringing in of the New Year, however, we may learn if these plans are true or false. (Credit: Poker News Daily)

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12/01/2011

Facebook Gamblers Taking Bigger Risks Than They Know, by Greg Tingle - 1st December 2011

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A massive loophole in Australian - federal gambling legislation is allowing an online casino to receive funds from Facebook punters but not pay out winnings in cold hard cash, leaving punters in the lurch, out of moolah, and angry - and there's not much they can do about it at present.

Only recently have media companies such as Media Man and Fairfax Media been able to warn punters of the dangers of betting - especially on some Facebook affiliated websites.

Media and gaming commentators are advising gamblers to only bet with websites they can trust, and to avoid Facebook gambling websites until loopholes have been fixed up. Big name gambling brands which are considered ethical and trustworthy by most media and igaming experts include Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Virgin Games (not available in Australia), Betfair, Centrebet and PKR.

The DoubleDown casino on Facebook is one brand in question. They "give" players "free" chips - but once they are used up, punters are required to purchase credits to continue to play online casino games such as poker, blackjack, slots and roulette (not Russian Roulette) - even more dangerous then the website in question.

As they say - always read the fine print! The terms and conditions explicitly say "regardless of the terminology used, Virtual Currency and Virtual Goods may never be redeemed for "real world" money, goods or other items of monetary value from the Site or any other party."

A wave of complaints has hit independent senator Nick "Mr X" (satire) Xenophon. A Facebook page condemning the site and warning others has also been established by anger players. A constituent contacted Senator Xenophon after he attempted to withdraw the chips, made a complaint, but was subsequently blocked from the site by administrators. So much for ethics and consumer confidence.

Senator Xenophon wrote to the Australian Communications and Media Authority complaining that the US-based website was misleading and was in breach of online gaming laws.

ACMA told Senator Xenophon the website's content is not prohibited because it was not possible to win 'money or anything else of value' from playing the games provided, so it does not in fact constitute a gambling website.

The Senator yesterday wrote to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy requesting an urgent meeting to discuss "a loophole in the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 which has allowed hundreds of Australians to lose money".

"People are paying real money to gamble on these sites," Senator Xenophon advised. "But because these gamblers are forbidden by the sites from converting that virtual money back into real money, the sites aren't technically breaking any laws. This needs to change."

A review of igaming - online gambling laws commenced earlier this year and Senator Conroy's spokesman advised online casino games were prohibited and could not be provided to Australians.

"Consumers participating in games purporting to be such things should think carefully as they are not regulated by Australian law," he said.

A spokesman for DoubleDown Casino said it took great pride in having established the world's largest virtual casino game on Facebook.

"We couldn't have done that without the millions of customers who return every day to enjoy free chips and our entertaining game. Casual gamers can play every day for free and it is entirely up to the user to decide if they wish to purchase virtual chips to play longer," he said.

"There are hundreds if not thousands of games on Facebook which accept virtual currency in the form of Facebook credits and we're proud to be one of Facebook's top 12 game partners."

Established gaming companies such as Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, PKR, Virgin Games, Betfair and Centrebet offer both play for free and play for money options, and have not received complaints like the ones directed towards DoubleDown.

Those who enjoy a punt are advised to bet with their head, not over it, and to have fun. If gambling stops being fun, its a strong sign to stop playing and seek help.

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