6/26/2011

Australian Gambling Political War: James Packer VS Andrew Wilkie, by Greg Tingle - 26th June 2011

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Australia has its latest gambling and political war on the way. Enter James Packer VS Andrew Wilkie in a WrestleMania style main event for the ages. Packer is pro pokie, pro pokies, pro regulation and pro business while Wilkie is anti pokies, anti gambling and an increasing amount of people say, anti business. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has also copped heat from Packer in the newspapers and online forums, and now its Wilkie's time to cop a spray... Media Man , Gambling911 and James Packer dish it out in spades with today's ace update from down under...

James Packer, Australia's most successful and gambling entrepreneur and owner, is pissed at Australia's current stance on gambling re pokies, not too happy with the PM or anti gambling campaigner and "independent" MP Andrew Wilkie, and he's not going to take it anymore.

The gambling and media tycoon had on his time ex NSW Right strategist Karl Bitar to put forward his views and thinks the proposed gambling reforms will all but destroy the gaming, tourism and hospitality industries, all sub sectors of sorts of the entertainment and lifestyle industry.

Wilkie, an ex military man and spy has told the press and anyone else who will listen that he was more determined than ever to curb poker machines. Wilkie says he's received death threats, but these have not been proven.

Many high profile Labor party figures think Wilkie could totally destabilize the minority Government over the proposed reforms and may force an early election. Labor man Graham Richardson said on record that Wilkie is a "zealot" with "wild eyes" who "doesn't really care about being re-elected".

The Tasmanian "devil" (satire) MP and PM Julia Gillard agreed to executive poker-machine reforms by 31 May next year, with punters forced to use smart-cards with pre-determined betting limits and a tactic being called "Big Brother meets Nanny State". Wilkie has threatened to withdraw his support for Gillard...effectively bringing down the Government, should she renege on the handshake deal. Yep, deals a plenty under Labor.

Packer turned up the heat on the Gillard government this week with quote directed at the PM.

"The problem for the Prime Minister at the moment is that while she keeps saying she's pro-business, there is a real perception in the corporate world that she's not," he went on record with The Australian Financial Review.

JP, owner of Crown Casino in Melbourne and Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth own and operate about 4250 pokies aka "one armed bandits". Packer gave Wilkie a 2-hour guided tour of Crown and encouraged the MP to exempt land based casinos from the proposed laws.

Wilkie even praised Packer for attempting to communicated co-operatively, but said the rest of the gaming industry was "trying to bully me and intimidate me. If they think I'm the sort of character that will be intimidated and back off, they've badly misread me. It just hardens my resolve."

Wilkie advised he was "very disappointed that Mr Packer is now joining the pubs and clubs in resisting these reforms. I had hoped he would stay out of it, but so be it," Wilkie said.

The radical MP said he would be happy to exempt foreign tourists from the smart-cards. That would include the Oriental gamblers who are big customers at Crown Limited.

"I'm not too fussed," Wilkie said. "My interest is Australians in Australia, we have a duty of care for everyone in Australia and I'm not too fussed about how we'd deal with foreign tourists."

Packer may lose in excess of $302 million in revenue annually should the mandatory 'pre-commitment' smartcards be implemented, according to a Clubs Australia insider. The numbers are based on 50% of pokies requiring replacement, and uses Wilkie's own assessment that overall gambling revenue would dip by 40%.

Over the past few month Packer has also approached senior Government ministers including Treasure Wayne Swan, Jenny Macklin and Bill Shorten to Melbourne for discussion on the matter, as well as Opposition leader Tony Abbott and his finance spokesman Andrew Robb. Packer has hired former Labor national secretary Karl Bitar as a lobbyist, in a move that got the knockers talking.

PM Gillard brushed off the suggestion she is anti-business and reconfirmed she will honour her promise to Wilkie to force pokie operators to adopt 'pre-commitment technology' to help limit gamblers' losses.

"The Prime Minister is strongly pro-business," a spokeswoman for Gillard said. "Her ambitious reform agenda is squarely focused on creating long-term prosperity for the nation, led by strong businesses in a strong economy."

The Government's head negotiator on pokies, community services minister Jenny Macklin said the government would prefer States and territories to crack down on problem gambling, but insisted the deal with Wilkie for a full pre-commitment scheme would go ahead.

Wilkie's demand is that all pokies would get with the smart-card technology by 2014, with smaller venues given until 2018 to introduce the cards.

Independent Senator Nick "Mr X" Xenophon, the gambling hater said: "Don't underestimate Andrew Wilkie. This is a guy that chucked away a career with the Office of National Assessments on an issue of principle and went on to sell Persian rugs. He will sell Persian rugs again [if he loses his seat]. Andrew has nothing to lose and that's why people fear him."

Clubs Australia, which has a TV and billboard advertising campaign against the pokie reforms, joined Packer's attack on Gillard. "Mr Packer is 100% right on this issue," Clubs Australia executive director Anthony Ball said.

Next week promises to deliver more drama in the saga that is gambling lovers VS haters, as Aussie political and gaming fun and games continue.

Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports for more "can't miss" information on Australian pokies, gaming and casino wars.

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming. Media Man also publishes Media Man News

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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Virgin Casino introduces Midas Millions

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PartyCasino.com Virgin Casino PartyCasino VS Virgin Casino

Virgin Casino, one of the prominent names in the gambling industry, has launched yet another interesting and exciting novel game titled Midas Millions.

The slot game is featured by Ash Gaming and has been structured uniquely. It is devoid of the regular payline and the reels format. There are 18 cells which will be spinning independently. The payouts in the game will be solely based as per the symbols that are next to each other. Every group essentially needs to have at the least four symbols of the same kind. This will provide the player with more than 100,000 awesome ways for winning.

Wild symbols have got a significant role at the slot game in the Virgin Casino. King Midas will be there sitting at the semi transparent reels and touching the symbols in order to turn them in the golden wild symbols.

VirginCasino.com - No US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand players. £100 sign up bonus. Virgin Games is part of Richard Branson's Virgin Enterprises Limited. See Global Gaming Directory.

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PartyCasino.com - Accepts Canadian, Australian and New Zealand players. PartyCasino new players get up to $3000 sign up bonus. Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment is the world's largest and most succesful igaming company.

VirginCasino.com - No US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand players. £100 sign up bonus. Virgin Games is part of Richard Branson's Virgin Enterprises Limited.

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Crown Limited VS Tabcorp Star City, by Greg Tingle - 25th June 2011


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Media Man Crown Casino James Packer Tabcorp Holdings Asia Pacific Games Gambling911 Internet City Of Dreams Macau Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Australia

Asia Pacific gambling is on fire. Much of today's coverage involved Aussie gambling king James Packer from Crown Limited fame being none to impressed with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Packer is using the media as a war against the "anti business" and "business unfriendly" PM. In addition Crown is rumoured to be interested in Echo Entertainment owned Star City casino in Sydney, understood to be at risk of having a number of brothel's and other vice related enterprises close by to its city location. Up to Asia, Crown may sell it's stake in Crown Macau to help raise funds for the takeover of Star City... Media Man , Gambling911 and James Packer dish it out in spades with today's ace update from down under...

Crown Limited May Sell Out Macau Casino Investment To Raise Cash For Echo Entertainment Star City Bid...

JP's Crown could fund a $3.6 billion move on casino rival Echo Entertainment next year by exiting its growing Macau venture, analysts say. Crown this week confirmed a 4.9% interest in Echo and Tabcorp Holdings by way of derivatives, which it acquired before Tabcorp's demerger of the casino group this month. Crown talked down its interested in Echo and Star City et al. Despite Crown saying it has no "current" intention of increasing its interest in either, Merrill Lynch analyst Nathan Gee said it could make a move next year on Echo after the relaunch of its Star City casino in Sydney. Echo is also upgrading its three land based casinos in Queensland in a $1.6bn expansion investment. Gee advised Crown acquired a stake in its Burswood casino in Perth in 2003 before its full takeover in 2004. "The Star relaunch in late 2011 will be a critical time for Echo management, so we think it makes sense for bidders to allow management to concentrate," he said. "We can't discount a Crown takeover of Echo, but we think a deal is unlikely until 2012. A combination of Crown and Echo could create about $600m of net present value synergy benefits." Crown is expected to be weighed down by its holding in Echo and yesterday ended down 1.15%at $8.57. Echo dropped 1.7% to $4.10. Takeover speculation has been rife around Echo Entertainment and Tabcorp since its demerger in a similar vein to beer firm Foster's, which this week attracted a $9.5bn offer from brewing giant SAB Miller after it demerged its wine unit. While some analysts have seriously questioned Crown moving on Echo, particularly given its mixed merger and aquition record, Gee said Crown could pay up to $5.25 per share, or $3.6bn, for Echo and make the deal "valuation neutral". He said Crown could fund a bid without a large equity raising by selling its $2bn or so stake in its Macau venture, Melco Crown Entertainment (MPEL), plus up to $700m of debt. "We can't rule out Crown looking to divest MPEL, particularly if the Australian market continues to discount the value of Macau relative to the Melco Crown share price," Gee went on record with to the press. Crown currently holds a 33.4% stake in Melco Crown, which has signed a $US360m deal to secure the group's third casino resort in Macau. Citi yesterday initiated coverage of Echo at a buy and a $4.70 target price but said private equity was a more likely near-term buyer than Crown. "The numbers are challenging for Crown . . . private equity may have interest, as the casino cashflows facilitate high leverage, and the ultimate exit strategy is clear, through a sell-down of Star to Crown and Queensland casinos to Sky City," analyst Jenny Owen said. On Macquarie's numbers, predators would struggle to offer more than $5 a share for Echo. On Crown's Tabcorp holding, Gee said it could hold in the hope of Tatts making its mooted move on Tabcorp. A Media Man analyst said "The Star City casino opportunity could go either way. It's too early to tell but James Packer keeps downplaying interest in the opportunity for a buy out. Is he bluffing? Only time will tell, but expect to get a clearer picture in the next 6 to 12 months".

Aussie Gambling And Media King James Packer Not Impressed With PM Gillard...

Pokie machine reforms that considerably threaten earnings for casino owner James Packer have prompted Packer to label Prime Minister Julia Gillard as "anti-business", according to leading newspaper, the Australian Financial Review. Packer has expanded his casino holdings by taking a 4.9% stake in Tabcorp Holdings Ltd, which gives him a small stake in Echo Entertainment, which owns Star City casino in Sydney. Packer has engaged ex ALP national secretary Karl Bitar to raise the pressure of lobbying efforts against the government on gambling reforms, which have been led by Tasmanian Independent MP Andrew Wilkie. In recent weeks, many of Gillard's cabinet ministers have been reportedly meeting one-on-one with Packer to discuss the impact of the proposed reforms, according to the AFR. Packer appears to climb in popularity while Gillard's popularity is well... not. She's extremely unpopular in the polls and in the pubs, clubs and casinos!


Australian Economy Not Good; Packer Says Gillard Is Anti Business...

Casino and media magnate James Packer has publicly attacked prime minister Julia Gillard, claiming the corporate world believes her to be anti-business. In an interview with The Australian Financial Review, Packer was quoted" "I think the problem for the prime minister at the moment is that while she keeps saying she’s pro-business, there is a real perception in the corporate world that she’s not. This perception is a real problem which she needs to address soon.".

Star City Casino In Sin City Sydney Getting Surrounded By Brothels?...

The mean and sometimes seedy streets around 'Sin City Sydney's' Star City casino could be overrun by brothels, pawnbrokers and money-lending businesses if Sydney council's draft city plan is not urgently fixed, the government's casino regulator has warned. The Casino Liquor and Gaming Control Authority has written to the City of Sydney, asking it to amend its new draft city plan to continue a longstanding ban on money-lending businesses near the casino and to impose a new ban on brothels within 150 metres of the site. The letter puts the casino regulator in conflict with the Department of Planning, which refused the bans when council proposed them as part of the city plan. The risk of "illegal or undesirable activity" concentrating around Star City was identified as a problem in a series of reports before it opened in 1995. It resulted in a statutory ban on pawnshops and money-lending operations, and government working with council to actively discourage brothels opening nearby. In its submission on the draft city plan, the regulator told council "it is noted that pawnbrokers and money lending businesses will no longer be prohibited from operating in the Pyrmont area, nor have any reasons for the proposed lifting of this long-standing prohibition been articulated. In the circumstances, this proposed arrangement cannot be supported. "The letter from the acting chief executive, David Greenhouse, also said that the regulator and council had worked together many times to prevent brothels operating in the area. The best solution would be for council's draft plan to create a ban on brothels within 150 metres of the casino, Greenhouse wrote. However, the regulator appeared to be unaware the city had proposed the bans to the Department of Planning and been refused permission. A department spokesman said it did not support the proposed bans because they would have constituted a sub-zone, which is not permitted under the government's new standard template for local environment plans. However, the spokesman said the department "is not formally opposed to the general position on this issue put forward by the CLGCA and is keen to work with Council and the CLGCA on an alternative solution." Any ban would impact at least one legal brothel already operating near the casino in Pyrmont Street. It comes as a development application for a new 14-room brothel across the road from the casino in Union Square was withdrawn by the applicant following a community outcry in May. Elizabeth Elenius from the Pyrmont Action group said residents were alarmed about the consequences of standard zoning in the draft city plan, saying it would open the area to undesirable uses. "We don't know on what grounds council can knock back undesirable things like a brothel in Union Square, where we have our Anzac Day ceremonies and carol services, unless they did have [a ban on brothels close to the casino] in place," she said. Council planners are considering more than 1000 submissions on the draft LEP 2011, the document controlling development in central Sydney in the next decade.

Telstra-NBN Broadband Update; What Happens To Gaming?...

The federal government is today expected to unveil an $11 billion deal that will provide the National Broadband Network access to Telstra’s fixed-line network. The deal will involve the NBN renting Telstra’s underground network and taking over its fixed-line customers. The federal opposition has criticised the move, saying it will prove expensive and wipe out any competition to the NBN. What may happen to gaming on the Australian internet remains to be seen, but if PM Gillard is anti business as James Packer says, that's not a great sign of things to come.

Lucky Tasmanian Devils; Thanks James Packer...

Solid efforts to save the Tasmanian Devil have received a boost, with the first joeys arriving in an insurance population of the species at a Hunter Valley property. A year ago 50 devils were released in a free-range enclosure at a property owned by media mogul James Packer, as part of a plan to produce a thousand disease-free little devils by 2021. The Devil Ark program is run by the Australian Reptile Park and spokeswoman Liz Vella says the ambitious plan is paying off. "We have got several mums with babies," she said. "We can't really confirm numbers because the babies are so small. "We try not to interfere with them too much, until they are at a safe size. "So we won't really know numbers until spring time." The Reptile Park says the enormity of the fight to save the Tasmanian Devil population cannot be under-estimated, despite success with the local breeding program. Ms Vella says the situation in Tasmania is dire, with devils across more than 60 per cent of the state affected by a deadly facial tumour. "It's really been a rapid decrease in numbers," she said. "It's horrific the way that they go as well, so the best chance they've got is this insurance population to make sure the species doesn't die out. "So the more work and time that we can put into this program the better." Ms Vella says she could not have hoped for a better start to the program. "The devils arrived in January and they started breeding in February," she said. "We weren't sure if they had enough time to settle in prior to breeding and how they would go in these yards, it's all so new, so to have success in this first year is really amazing. "It just shows how the program is going to go."

Packer's Crown Cools On Echo Entertainment...

Casino operator Crown says it has no current plan to increase its 4.9% stake in Echo Entertainment, a casino owner seen as a ripe takeover target. Echo, the owner of Sydney's Star City casino and three casinos in Queensland, is seen as a potential fit for billionaire James Packer's Crown, but analysts said international casinos group or private equity firms may also have their eye the firm. Crown confirmed today it has a 4.9 per cent in both Echo and gaming firm Tabcorp, acquired before Tabcorp offloaded Echo and the casino assets earlier this month. "Crown has no current intention of increasing its interest in either company," the firm said in a statement today. The statement followed a report in the Australian Financial Review which said Packer had confirmed taking the stake in Tabcorp before the demerger, which automatically gave Crown an equivalent stake in Echo. Analysts are divided on whether a takeover is more likely to happen before or after Echo completes a $960 million renovation at Star City, designed to help it attract Asian high-rollers away from Crown's Melbourne casino. Tabcorp spun Echo off to shareholders after being hit by smoking bans, equine influenza, competition from new casinos in Singapore and Macau. The remaining Tabcorp is seen as ripe for a merger with rival Tatts , but not before the state of Victoria decides later in June whether to award Tabcorp a new wagering license from 2012. Crown shares are currently sitting on $8.570. Echo Entertainment is on $4.10.

Man Charged Over Legendary Lloyd Williams' Robbery...

A man has been charged over a burglary at a property owned by the high-profile business identity, Lloyd Williams. Police say thieves broke into Macedon Lodge, north of Melbourne, earlier this month and stole two vehicles and veterinary equipment, including an X-ray machine worth $40,000. A 21-year-old man from Coburg was arrested yesterday and charged. He will face the Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court next week. Detectives say they believe more people were involved and investigations are continuing. Williams is a prominent horse owner and former boss of Melbourne's Crown Casino, the Australian showcase casino of James Packer.

Constuction Worker Not Getting Ahead At Crown Casino; Banged In Head...

A Melbourne man is in a very serious condition in hospital after an a lift plummeted three storeys and struck him in the head. The 38-year-old was working on a construction site at Crown Casino at Southbank when the lift dropped on him at 8:30am (AEST). Paramedic Christine Edney states the punter suffered serious cuts to his neck and his jaw was fractured. "The man lost blood from injuries to his neck, face and parts of his head," she said. "Our priority was to control the bleeding." She says he was incredibly lucky that he did not sever any major arteries in his neck. "If he had been a few centimetres either way, he may not be with us today," she said.

Casino And Gaming Share Prices...

Symbol Company $AUD

CWN Crown Limited 8.57
EGP Echo Entertainment Group 4.10
RCT Reef Casino Trust 1.65
TAH Tabcorp Holdings Limited 3.12
NPT Netplay TV Plc 8.25
PREZQ President Casinos, Inc. 0.750
0628 Dore Holdings Limited 0.125
CGAQ Caribbean Casino and Gaming 0.0185
MNTG MTR Gaming Group, Inc. 2.86
SFCA Societe Francaise de Casino 2.38
LACO Lakes Entertainment, Inc. 2.22

PLS Paddy Power plc 35.26 EUR


Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports for more "can't miss" information on Australian pokies, gaming and casino wars.

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming. Media Man also publishes Media Man News

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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6/24/2011

Gambling Firms Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Ladbrokes, Sportingbet Et Al Jockey For Top Ten, by Greg Tingle - 24th June 2011

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The ultra competitive online gambling and gaming industry shows little sign of slowing down, despite many countries being in a recession.

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment continues to be largely recognised as the world's largest and most successful online gambling firm, with their PartyCasino.com online casino remaining their flagship brand.

In other news, Sportingbet has emerged as an apparent bid target for Ladbrokes...just weeks after the UK betting powerhouse failed it's attempt b2b Wink bingo owner, 888. Insiders often say that 888 attempt to copy much of Bwin.Party's strategic moves, but this has not been the case as of late.

The online firm, which nets about £2 billion a year in wagers, confirmed a highly preliminary approach from Ladbrokes but did not give further details.

Industry speculation has hinted that Ladbrokes could be looking to offer around 70p a share, equivalent to more than £450 million.

The spike in interest comes two months after a move for 888 Holdings worth around £240 million fell through because the two sides couldn't agree on a price.

The betting market is seen as ready for more takeovers, with some analysts stating that that Betfair and Sportingbet could merge, which also suggesting Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment may swallow up more igaming operators, as well as invest into some website portals and media companies.

Channel Islands-based Sportingbet offers wagers on sports and online casino games and poker. It has benefited from the growing popularity of 'in play' gaming...live betting during a sports match.

It recently paid out a £22.8 million settlement with the US Department of Justice, meaning it will now avoid being prosecuted for accepting online bets made by American players between 1998 and 2006.

Analysts said the deal cleared the path for potential mergers or takeovers. Last year, it held unsuccessful talks with Swedish online gaming firm Unibet as well as other parties. Rivals Bwin and PartyGaming, who merged earlier this year, have also been tipped as a possible buyer for the business.

Ladbrokes chief executive Richard Glynn, who has overseen a strategic review of the business since taking the helm last year, is keen to drive forward the company's online growth amid fears it is lagging behind rivals.

The group, which enjoys history back to 1886, has roughly 2,100 outlets in the UK and is also a market leader in Ireland, Belgium, Italy and Spain.

Bwin.Party continues full speed ahead with new slot game Sin City being released, and rumours that Knight Rider, Hulk Hogan's Hulk-A-Mania and Andre The Giant will also soon hit their premier online casino brand, PartyCasino.com Bwin's PartyPoker.com is also offering a chance to win a Porsche playing online poker.

Website portal operators such as Media Man are gearing up for an increase in online gaming traffic as many more games and very controversial news stories are tipped to be just around the corner.

Responsible publishers and igaming firms remind visitors and players to bet responsibly and never bet more than you can afford to use. Many games are offering both "play for free" and "play for money" options to help offer a customer friendly user experience, all aiming to get their share of eyeballs and the entertainment dollar.

Australia, New Zealand, United States and Canada are all seen as markets where igaming is likely to further build in popularity.

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Aussie James Packer Crown Casino; Not PM Gillard Fan, by Greg Tingle - 24th June 2011

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Australian gambling is on fire. Much of today's coverage involved Aussie gambling king James Packer from Crown Limited fame being none to impressed with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Packer is using the media as a war against the "anti business" and "business unfriendly" PM.. Media Man , Gambling911 and James Packer dish it out in spades with today's ace update from down under...

Aussie Gambling And Media King James Packer Not Impressed With PM Gillard...

Pokie machine reforms that considerably threaten earnings for casino owner James Packer have prompted Packer to label Prime Minister Julia Gillard as "anti-business", according to leading newspaper, the Australian Financial Review. Packer has expanded his casino holdings by taking a 4.9% stake in Tabcorp Holdings Ltd, which gives him a small stake in Echo Entertainment, which owns Star City casino in Sydney. Packer has engaged ex ALP national secretary Karl Bitar to raise the pressure of lobbying efforts against the government on gambling reforms, which have been led by Tasmanian Independent MP Andrew Wilkie. In recent weeks, many of Gillard's cabinet ministers have been reportedly meeting one-on-one with Packer to discuss the impact of the proposed reforms, according to the AFR. Packer appears to climb in popularity while Gillard's popularity is well... not. She's extremely unpopular in the polls and in the pubs, clubs and casinos!

Australian Economy Not Good; Packer Says Gillard Is Anti Business...

Casino and media magnate James Packer has publicly attacked prime minister Julia Gillard, claiming the corporate world believes her to be anti-business. In an interview with The Australian Financial Review, Packer was quoted" "I think the problem for the prime minister at the moment is that while she keeps saying she’s pro-business, there is a real perception in the corporate world that she’s not. This perception is a real problem which she needs to address soon.".

Telstra-NBN Broadband Update; What Happens To Gaming?...

The federal government is today expected to unveil an $11 billion deal that will provide the National Broadband Network access to Telstra’s fixed-line network. The deal will involve the NBN renting Telstra’s underground network and taking over its fixed-line customers. The federal opposition has criticised the move, saying it will prove expensive and wipe out any competition to the NBN. What may happen to gaming on the Australian internet remains to be seen, but if PM Gillard is anti business as James Packer says, that's not a great sign of things to come.

Lucky Tasmanian Devils; Thanks James Packer...

Solid efforts to save the Tasmanian Devil have received a boost, with the first joeys arriving in an insurance population of the species at a Hunter Valley property. A year ago 50 devils were released in a free-range enclosure at a property owned by media mogul James Packer, as part of a plan to produce a thousand disease-free little devils by 2021. The Devil Ark program is run by the Australian Reptile Park and spokeswoman Liz Vella says the ambitious plan is paying off. "We have got several mums with babies," she said. "We can't really confirm numbers because the babies are so small. "We try not to interfere with them too much, until they are at a safe size. "So we won't really know numbers until spring time." The Reptile Park says the enormity of the fight to save the Tasmanian Devil population cannot be under-estimated, despite success with the local breeding program. Ms Vella says the situation in Tasmania is dire, with devils across more than 60 per cent of the state affected by a deadly facial tumour. "It's really been a rapid decrease in numbers," she said. "It's horrific the way that they go as well, so the best chance they've got is this insurance population to make sure the species doesn't die out. "So the more work and time that we can put into this program the better." Ms Vella says she could not have hoped for a better start to the program. "The devils arrived in January and they started breeding in February," she said. "We weren't sure if they had enough time to settle in prior to breeding and how they would go in these yards, it's all so new, so to have success in this first year is really amazing. "It just shows how the program is going to go."

Packer's Crown Cools On Echo Entertainment...

Casino operator Crown says it has no current plan to increase its 4.9% stake in Echo Entertainment, a casino owner seen as a ripe takeover target. Echo, the owner of Sydney's Star City casino and three casinos in Queensland, is seen as a potential fit for billionaire James Packer's Crown, but analysts said international casinos group or private equity firms may also have their eye the firm. Crown confirmed today it has a 4.9 per cent in both Echo and gaming firm Tabcorp, acquired before Tabcorp offloaded Echo and the casino assets earlier this month. "Crown has no current intention of increasing its interest in either company," the firm said in a statement today. The statement followed a report in the Australian Financial Review which said Packer had confirmed taking the stake in Tabcorp before the demerger, which automatically gave Crown an equivalent stake in Echo. Analysts are divided on whether a takeover is more likely to happen before or after Echo completes a $960 million renovation at Star City, designed to help it attract Asian high-rollers away from Crown's Melbourne casino. Tabcorp spun Echo off to shareholders after being hit by smoking bans, equine influenza, competition from new casinos in Singapore and Macau. The remaining Tabcorp is seen as ripe for a merger with rival Tatts , but not before the state of Victoria decides later in June whether to award Tabcorp a new wagering license from 2012. Crown shares are currently sitting on $8.570. Echo Entertainment is on $4.10.

Man Charged Over Legendary Lloyd Williams' Robbery...

A man has been charged over a burglary at a property owned by the high-profile business identity, Lloyd Williams. Police say thieves broke into Macedon Lodge, north of Melbourne, earlier this month and stole two vehicles and veterinary equipment, including an X-ray machine worth $40,000. A 21-year-old man from Coburg was arrested yesterday and charged. He will face the Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court next week. Detectives say they believe more people were involved and investigations are continuing. Williams is a prominent horse owner and former boss of Melbourne's Crown Casino, the Australian showcase casino of James Packer.

Constuction Worker Not Getting Ahead At Crown Casino; Banged In Head...

A Melbourne man is in a very serious condition in hospital after an a lift plummeted three storeys and struck him in the head. The 38-year-old was working on a construction site at Crown Casino at Southbank when the lift dropped on him at 8:30am (AEST). Paramedic Christine Edney states the punter suffered serious cuts to his neck and his jaw was fractured. "The man lost blood from injuries to his neck, face and parts of his head," she said. "Our priority was to control the bleeding." She says he was incredibly lucky that he did not sever any major arteries in his neck. "If he had been a few centimetres either way, he may not be with us today," she said.

Casino And Gaming Share Prices...

Symbol Company $AUD

CWN Crown Limited 8.57
EGP Echo Entertainment Group 4.10
RCT Reef Casino Trust 1.65
TAH Tabcorp Holdings Limited 3.12
NPT Netplay TV Plc 8.25
PREZQ President Casinos, Inc. 0.750
0628 Dore Holdings Limited 0.125
CGAQ Caribbean Casino and Gaming 0.0185
MNTG MTR Gaming Group, Inc. 2.86
SFCA Societe Francaise de Casino 2.38
LACO Lakes Entertainment, Inc. 2.22

PLS Paddy Power plc 35.26 EUR


Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports for more "can't miss" information on Australian pokies, gaming and casino wars.

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming. Media Man also publishes Media Man News

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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6/23/2011

Spider-Man Tobey Maguire Star Caught In Web Of Gambling Ring; Leonardo DiCaprio Rounders Up, by Greg Tingle - 23rd June 2011

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Spider-Man star... Mr Spider-Man himself, Tobey Maguire, is one of a dozen or Hollywood stars being sued in connection with an illegal gambling ring that allegedly ran multi-million dollar underground poker games.

And you wonder why Hollywood so embraced the popular poker themed game 'Rounders'.

According to the suit, Maguire took more than $US300,000 worth of illegal funds embezzled from hedge fund investor Bradley Ruderman, who is currently in jail for a ponzi scheme.

The underground games, allegedly led by Ruderman, CEO of Ruderman Capital Partners, were unlicenced and thus illegal under California law.

According to the investigation, Ruderman lost $US25 million of investor money in the games, which were held bi-weekly in luxurious suites at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Viper Room and Four Seasons Hotel.

With Ruderman's company now in bankruptcy, trustees are attempting to seize some of Maguire's winnings to pay off creditors.

Nick Cassavetes, who directed The Notebook, and Welcome Back, Kotter star Gabe Kaplan are among the names facing hefty lawsuits for their participation in the high stakes Texas Hold'em games, according to leaks and a range of online and traditional media outlets.

Other stars who allegedly took part in the gatherings, which had a buy-in of $US100,000, included 'Catch Me If You Can' megastar Leonardo DiCaprio, Good Will Hunting actor Ben Affleck and Bourne star Matt Damon. Damon was also in the poker themed movie 'Rounders'.

Tens of millions of dollars is understood to have changed hands in the illegal games.

Marvel Entertainment does not offer marvel themed poker games but does offer Marvel Entertainment themed online slot games, available in website portals such as Media Man Int and via online gaming brands such as Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and Richard Branson's Virgin Casino. PartyCasino.com, the online casino leading brand by Bwin.Party is understood to be in negotiation with both the United States, Canadian and Australian governments regarding b2 gaming. Party came to a settlement with the United States Department Of Justice two years ago to the tune of approximately $100 million, and are looking to expand gaming in the U.S beyond their World Poker Tour brand.

Who are you betting on? Spider-Man or the 'Catch Me If You Can' man? Maybe you would prefer not to say and just place a silent bet!

Tobey Maguire sued over illegal poker winnings...

Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire and other celebrities have been caught in a web of lawsuits seeking to reclaim more than $US4 million ($3.8 million) won during unlicensed poker matches at upscale Beverly Hills hotels, court records show.

The lawsuits were filed by a bankruptcy trustee attempting to recoup money for investors who were duped in a Ponzi scheme.

The legal actions claim the clandestine Texas Hold 'em matches were played between 2006 and 2009, with some of the money taken in the Ponzi scheme used to pay off debts incurred by its architect, Bradley Ruderman.

Maguire is being sued for $US311,000 plus interest that the lawsuit says was won from Ruderman. In all, 22 people have been individually sued to try to recoup money.

Among them was Nick Cassavettes, director of The Notebook. The trustee is attempting to recover nearly $US73,000 plus interest from the actor-director.

Maguire's attorney, Robert Barta, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment but was expected to file a response to the suit later this week.

Cassavettes's agent Jeff Berg also did not immediately respond to a phone message.
Also being sued is billionaire businessman Alec Gores, who along with his brother attempted to buy Miramax Films last year.

Gores is being sued for $US445,500. Phone message left for Frank Stefanik, a spokesman at The Gores Group, and his attorney, Patricia Glaser, were not immediately returned.

Ruderman was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison earlier this year after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of investment adviser fraud and willful failure to file taxes.

Bankruptcy trustee Howard Ehrenberg filed the lawsuits in late March, attempting to recoup money on behalf of people who invested in what the legal action called a Ponzi scheme organised by Ruderman.

The suits contend the defendants have no right to keep money won from Ruderman, since the games did not have the appropriate government licenses.

Tournaments were held in luxury hotels in Beverly Hills and organised by a woman identified as Molly Bloom, who is being sued for nearly $US475,000 paid to her by Ruderman, the lawsuits said.

The claims were first reported Wednesday by RadarOnline and Star Magazine. (Credit: AP)

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6/21/2011

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment News: PartyPoker 'The Big Draw'; PartyCasino 'Sin City' Classic Game

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The Big Draw: Win a Porsche 911 Carrera!!

You have to be in it to win it and ‘The Big Draw’ is no exception. Every day in June we'll hold a prize draw where you can win heaps of prizes such as a Porsche, luxury holidays to Las Vegas and the Caribbean plus hundreds of gadgets such as iPads and TVs.

Earning tickets couldn’t be easier – simply play one raked hand to earn your first ticket! After that, you’ll then get another ticket for every point you earn playing on our tables in June.

All your tickets are re-usable, giving you the chance to win day after day. Every day you earn at least one ticket you'll be in that day’s draw and all the tickets you accumulated in previous draws will be included giving you even more chances to win.

There are over $500,000 worth of prizes up for grabs including:

60x Apple iPhone 4 16GB
60x Sony Bravia 46” Widescreen TV
150x Apple iPad 2 16GB
150x iPod Touch 64GB
210x LG 22” LCD monitor
Thousands of items of Branded merchandise including hoodies, shirts and caps
Cash prizes, free points to use in our loyalty store and free Big Draw tickets
Don't miss the Weekly Mega Draw:

Every Sunday we will boost the prizepool by adding some seriously big prizes.
5th June - VIP Vegas trip for two
12th June - Caribbean Cruise for two
19th June - Harley Davidson Fatboy Motorcycle
26th June - Porsche 911 Carrera

Taking part is exactly the same as the daily draws so make sure you earn at least one ticket on Sundays for all your previous tickets to come into play and the chance to win big.

Frank Miller's Sin City Comes To The World's Largest Online Casino; Cult Classic Comic Turned Into Slot Game...

Gibraltar - 17th June 2011 - Following up on last week’s release of Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye at Digital DarkHorse comes more exciting news around this legendary title. Sin City has now entered the online gaming world, with a new game at PartyCasino.com This new five-reel, fifty-line slot features art and story from the widely acclaimed series by comics legend Frank Miller. When Sin City originally appeared in Dark Horse Presents: Fifth Anniversary Special in April 1991, it was clear that the face of the comics medium had changed forever. Since that time, Miller’s groundbreaking comics noir has found its way into the public consciousness with toys, games, and even a feature-length motion picture. Frank Miller’s Sin City remains one of the most stylized works in the history of the medium, drawing heavily from film noir, including its use of shadow and stark backgrounds. The black-and-white comic was perfectly suited to the original format of Dark Horse’s flagship anthology, with occasional spot usage of primary colors added to later volumes and editions. "Frank Miller’s Sin City is a very different slot to any other we have launched in recent times. The striking artwork and mature content mean this isn’t a game for the faint hearted," said a spokesman for PartyCasino.com There are five featured games, which win the player free spins and multipliers: “Straight to Hell,” “The Hard Goodbye,” “He Never Screams,” “Deadly Little Miho,” and “Just Get Warmed Up.” The games feature the series’ main characters: Hartigan, Nancy, Miho, Marv, Kevin, the Yellow B*stard, and Dwight. The game includes mature content and scenes of violence, nudity, and deprivation.

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6/20/2011

Global Gaming Directory: PartyCasino VS Virgin Casino

PartyCasino.com - Accepts Canadian, Australian and New Zealand players. PartyCasino new players get up to $3000 sign up bonus. Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment is the world's largest and most succesful igaming company.

VirginCasino.com - No US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand players. £100 sign up bonus. Virgin Games is part of Richard Branson's Virgin Enterprises Limited.

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6/18/2011

James Packer Gambling On 3rd Macau Casino, by Greg Tingle - 18th June 2011



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Asia Pacific gambling news remains red hot with Crown Limited's James Packer busy in Macau with Mr Lawrence Ho aiming to build a third land based casino... Media Man and Gambling911 with the hottest Aussie and Asia Pacific gambling news available anywhere...

JP's Macau casino joint venture plans to build a massive $US2.5 billion ($2.3bn) casino resort...the group's lucky third in the Chinese territory. This will see them look capitalise on surging gaming revenues in the red hot part of the world.

Melco Crown Entertainment yesterday signed off on a $US360 million deal to gain control of the Macau Studio City project, an "integrated resort project" on hold since the global financial crisis and in planning for more than 10 years.

The firms chief executive, Lawrence Ho, advised the property's theme and demographic target focus would be differentiated from the company's existing Macau property assets, the City of Dreams and the Altira Macau.

Construction is due to start early next year and it is believed the partners have no plans for an equity issue to fund the project.

"We believe Macau Studio City's existing land grant and previously completed site work will allow us to significantly expedite its construction timetable," Ho told the press yesterday.

It will be Melco Crown's second project on Macau's Cotai strip, a vast stretch of reclaimed land situated between the islands of Taipa and Coloane that land based casino developers in Macau, such as Ho and Packer, are promoting as the orient's answer to the Las Vegas strip aka "Sin City". City of Dreams is in Cotai.

Last year, Ho said Melco Crown was prepared to build more casino resort developments in Macau and elsewhere in Asia. Packer's Crown holds a 33.4% stake in Melco Crown.

The Studio City site is one of the last prime land sites available in Macau for development.

It is located at the Lotus Bridge immigration point, making it the virgin resort that tourists encounter via entering Cotai.

Before the financial meltdown, Melco Crown had a management arrangement with Studio City's owners to run the casino at the site, but elected to take control of the project after it became troublesome for the owners to properly fund it within the prior structure.

Melco Crown is understood to have codenamed the deal Project Eagle.

The deal ends 3 long years of delays caused by legal matters and a range of dramas between the Hong Kong and US investors.

Studio City was previously owned by a joint venture between Hong Kong-listed entertainment company eSun Holdings and New Cotai Holdings, an entity controlled by funds managed by US firms Silver Point Capital and Oaktree Capital Management.

New Cotai Holdings will hold a 40% stake.

Melco Crown will pay New Cotai $US100m in 3 instalments over two years.

Before the financial crunch, the casino development was to have included a specially designed 4000-seat arena, a 2300-seat theatre, Asia's first "Playboy Mansion" and 4 new classy hotels - a Ritz-Carlton, a W Hotel, a Marriott and the world's first Tang Hotel.

Last month, Macau gaming revenues rose 42.4% to a record $US3.03bn, what Vegas casino operators dream of.

They were rocketed by the opening of Galaxy Entertainment Group's $US2bn resort development at Cotai, which is nearby to the City of Dreams.

"We remain bullish on Macau's prospects and believe high-quality new supply, such as Macau Studio City, will continue to drive incremental demand," Ho said.

Media Man has been speaking to property and gaming experts about the Packer - Macau developments, with 95% believing that the latest Packer Macau project with be a "good to great business and investment".

Friends, good punting, know your limits and bet with your head, not over it.

Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man and Gambling911 reports for more "can't miss" information on Asia Pacific pokies, gaming and casino wars.

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming. Media Man also publishes Media Man News

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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Casino News Media: Frank Miller's Sin City Comes To The World's Largest Online Casino


Casino News Media: Frank Miller's Sin City Comes To The World's Largest Online Casino

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Gibraltar - 17th June 2011 - Following up on last week’s release of Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye at Digital DarkHorse comes more exciting news around this legendary title. Sin City has now entered the online gaming world, with a new game at PartyCasino.com This new five-reel, fifty-line slot features art and story from the widely acclaimed series by comics legend Frank Miller.

When Sin City originally appeared in Dark Horse Presents: Fifth Anniversary Special in April 1991, it was clear that the face of the comics medium had changed forever. Since that time, Miller’s groundbreaking comics noir has found its way into the public consciousness with toys, games, and even a feature-length motion picture. Frank Miller’s Sin City remains one of the most stylized works in the history of the medium, drawing heavily from film noir, including its use of shadow and stark backgrounds. The black-and-white comic was perfectly suited to the original format of Dark Horse’s flagship anthology, with occasional spot usage of primary colors added to later volumes and editions.

"Frank Miller’s Sin City is a very different slot to any other we have launched in recent times. The striking artwork and mature content mean this isn’t a game for the faint hearted," said a spokesman for PartyCasino.com

There are five featured games, which win the player free spins and multipliers: “Straight to Hell,” “The Hard Goodbye,” “He Never Screams,” “Deadly Little Miho,” and “Just Get Warmed Up.” The games feature the series’ main characters: Hartigan, Nancy, Miho, Marv, Kevin, the Yellow B*stard, and Dwight. The game includes mature content and scenes of violence, nudity, and depravation.

PartyCasino.com has the most frequent game launches in the industry and offers over 160 games, including over 100 slots. PartyCasino.com pays out easily over $10 million EVERY DAY to players. “The Big One” is structured as a five-tiered pool. The highest tier—Colossal Cash—seeds at $1.5 million, the biggest online jackpot seed in the industry, and currently stands at over $1.6 million.

About Dark Horse Comics

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of licensed comics material.

SIN CITY, FRANK MILLER’S SIN CITY and all characters therein and all depictions thereof are trademarks of Frank Miller, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ©2011 Frank Miller, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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In the meantime PartyCasino.com continues to roll out new games and initiatives.

The most popular PartyCasino.com games of late include Sin City, Unicorn Legend, Heist, Circus, Rambo, Palladium Slot, The Godfather, Sinatra, Slotbox, Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Mission: Impossible, The Terminator, Cleopatra, Sinatra, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, The Amazing Spider-Man, Monopoly, Resident Evil, Melon Madness, Wheel Of Fortune and Mega Fortune Wheel.

The PartyCasino.com jackpot is currently approaching the $4 million mark. Players can also compete for The Big One and Marvel Hero Jackpot, playing the Marvel super hero themed online slot games.

PartyCasino's most recent game releases include Sin City, The Sting, Unicorn Legend, Shaaark! SuperBet, Crocodopolis, Alice's Wonderland, Glamour Puss, Super Cubes, Heist, Palladium Slot and Circus Slot.

PartyGaming CEO Jim Ryan has gone on record advising PartyCasino will soon feature more Hollywood blockbuster themed slots. A few in the know journalists and media agents have been recently tipped off that an all time classic movie adaption will be showcased in the PartyCasino portfolio within 1 month. PartyCasino has the world's most impressive line up of Hollywood themed games, and more are just around the corner.

Media Man, Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory do have a b2b relationship with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, as they do with dozens of other companies in the gaming, igaming, media and entertainment industry.

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6/09/2011

James Packer Gambling Tycoon: Echo's Of Takeover, by Greg Tingle - 9th June 2011

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Australian gambling news continues to be all the rage with the Tabcorp - Echo Entertainment deal dominating headlines, now with word that Crown Limited's James Packer is pretty bloody interested in a slice of the action. Yep, word is that Packer smells blood and quite an opportunity, but previously has downplayed his interest. Media Man and Gambling911 go shark and whale hunting in this titanic edition of Australian gambling news...

Crown's James Packer Smells Blood At Echo Entertainment - Tabcorp Connection...

Australian casino and media whale James Packer will possibly launch a takeover bid for Echo Entertainment. This has caused the casino operator's shares to spike on Tuesday, its first day as an independently listed company.

Shares in Echo Entertainment, which was last week born from gaming firm Tabcorp, jumped as high as $4.52 after reports that JP had snatched up 4.9% of his competitor Tabcorp.

The curious chess move would give Packer a matching stake in Echo, which owns Sydney's famous and rather controversial Star City casino.

Echo shares dropped back in late trading on Wednesday to finish at $4.36, giving the new kid on the block a market capitalisation of a cool $3 billion.

Tabcorp shares fell 57% to $3.35 Wednesday, a flow on effect from the removal of the company's casino assets. We told you there's money in casino products and services Casino Jack.

Now we learn that in a note to clients last Friday, Merrill Lynch analyst Nathan Gee named Packer's Crown group as the most likely company to mount a takeover bid for Echo, but advised there was unlikely to be any action until next year.

Gee estimated a Crown takeover would unlock $600 million worth of value in the combined group, comprised of cost savings and high-rolling VIP aka "whale" revenue.

But he said any move would be unlikely before Echo rolls out its $960 million Star City redevelopment, due to be finished by the end of the year or early next year.

Holding off on a takeover bid would enable Crown to see whether the extra investment in Star City had paid off and avoid distracting casino management, he said.

"The Star relaunch in late 2011 will be a critical time for Echo management, so we think it makes sense for bidders to allow management to concentrate its efforts on maximising the impact of the relaunch, rather than being distracted by corporate activity," he said.

Packer does not appear among Echo's top 20 shareholders, filed by the company with the stock exchange yesterday.

The top three shareholders are nominee companies, holding shares on behalf of unidentified investors.

NAB subsidiary National Nominees has emerged as Echo's No.1 shareholder with 17.9% of the company.

The bank's stake in Tabcorp has been hovering around the substantial shareholder threshold of 5 per cent for months.

Since January, it has filed 31 substantial shareholder notices with the ASX as its stake rose and fell above and below 5%.

Companies controlled by HSBC and JPMorgan are Echo's second and third-largest shareholders.


James Packer: Online Catch Of The Day Update...

Fresh from closing one of the biggest e-commerce deals in Australian history, the Melbourne brothers behind a daily deals website say they will use the backing of James Packer and other investors to launch two new sites. Just don't mention the impending lawsuit, which could see the Australian company and its new investors embroiled in a grisly court case with the US giant of the daily deals industry, Groupon. Gabby and Hezi Leibovich today confirmed they had sold a 40 per cent stake of their online retail business Catch Of The Day to a consortium of leading Australian businessmen - including Packer of Consolidated Press Holdings, Andrew Bassat of Seek and Glenn Poswell of Gannet Capital - and New York-based investment manger Tiger Global Management. The deal nets the brothers $80 million, which they say they will use to launch two new sites: one in the grocery space and one in the apparel fashion space. The business already operates two sites: Scoopon.com.au, which lists a daily deal which a certain number of users must commit to before it goes live, and Catchoftheday.com.au, which lists items for purchase at low prices. Gabby Leibovich told the press that a chunk of the $80 million received in the much-anticipated deal was in "big suitcases at my grandmother's house". Packer said he was "excited" to align with the "market leader in the online daily deals sector in Australia". However, Leibovich was less willing to comment on impending court cases brought by Groupon, the American giant that has launched legal action against the brothers. The legal action - launched both here and in the US - seeks to enable Groupon to get the Groupon.com.au domain name from the brothers, who purchased it before Groupon did, forcing Groupon to launch under the name Stardeals.com.au in Australia. When asked about the legal battle that could test the laws over cyber-squatting, Leibovich declined to comment. "Let's leave it" he said.

Star City Casino Plays Free Music Card; Accusers Say Turns Fans Into Punters...

A free music night held at Star City Casino in 'Sin City' Sydney has aroused suspicions from some quarters. The Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says it's an attempt to get young music fans addicted to gambling. He's called for the new venue, the Rock Lily to be moved away from the casino to protect young people. But the casino says the free night is filling an important void in the live music scene and shouldn't be stopped. The presser included: showcase the best Australian music acts plus a number of international performers. It also boasts the largest selection of tequila in Australia, plus an inviting, warm decor which encourages you to "come as you are". So far those top Aussie artists have included Aria award winner Washington and the festival favourite Art vs Science. The gigs held from Wednesday to Sunday are free. John Barwick from Hell City Glamours was interviewed...

"It was actually very awesome. Around 400 people - it was packed. Once there's a couple of hundred people in the place it was pretty kickin'."

"You've got to do the same thing everybody else does who's going there to gamble. You know you've got to go and get your ID checked. You go up the escalators. You've got to walk through the blackjack or backgammon or whatever they hell they're betting on these days. It's a casino. It's definitely a casino".


Victorian Sports Club Gets Pokies Green Light...

Victoria's gaming regulator will allow a Bendigo club to install more poker machines. The Kangaroo Flat Sports Club currently has 48 one armed bandits and the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has approved the lifting of that number to 60. Bendigo council has previously endorsed the move.


Media Man Online Casino Top Pick: Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment...

PartyCasino.com keep the Australian's happy with Robin Hood Mini (Russell Crowe connection) and the oldie but goodie, Goanna Gold. No Underbelly or Kerry Packer themed slots as yet, but Thor, Rambo and interestingly, The Terminator, all enjoyed a spike with Australian and New Zealander players. Similar results in Canada. Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment keep attempting to get back into the U.S, and are watching the online space in the Asia Pacific region very closely, where Centrebet, Sporting Bet and Tabcorp continue to shake things up. Party remains the top online casino brand for Hollywood themed slot games down under.

Australian Sports Codes Head Want Urgent Action On Online Betting...

Down under's top sporting bodies are demanding much stronger laws to safeguard the integrity of their codes against betting corruption, including veto power over "exotic" in-play bets and jail terms for match fixers. The proposals from the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports, which includes the AFL and NRL, will be included in proposals Sports Minister Mark Arbib takes to a meeting tomorrow of Australia's sports ministers on the Gold Coast. "There has been a proliferation in terms of sports betting. We need to ensure that government regulation keeps up with the changes that are taking place," Arbib said. The working group report and recommendations come a week after the NRL announced a crackdown on sports betting and follow Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's announcement that the promotion of betting odds during the broadcast of sporting events would be phased out by June next year.

Friends, good punting, know your limits and bet with your head, not over it.

Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man and Gambling911 reports for more "can't miss" information on Australian pokies, gaming and casino wars.

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming. Media Man also publishes Media Man News

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6/08/2011

PartyCasino VS Virgin Casino

PartyCasino.com - Accepts Canadian, Australian and New Zealand players. PartyCasino new players get up to $3000 sign up bonus. Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment is the world's largest and most succesful igaming company.

VirginCasino.com - No US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand players. £100 sign up bonus. Virgin Games is part of Richard Branson's Virgin Enterprises Limited.

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PartyCasino News: Let's Hear It For The Girls - $8 Million Worth Of Winners In One Month On PartyCasino

Let's Hear It For The Girls - $8 Million Worth Of Winners In One Month On PartyCasino.com

The Big One Hit For Over $4.3 Million

Gibraltar – 7th June 2011 -- PartyCasino.com the world’s largest online casino, would like to congratulate a female customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, for hitting ‘The Big One’ on Melon Madness, scooping a life changing $4,445,947.40!

Remarkably, this lucky lady had only been a customer for nine days when she hit the largest progressive online jackpot in the industry. She becomes the second woman in a matter of weeks to hit a life changing jackpot after Cameeq8 won $1,986,161.61 through the Gold Mega Jackpot playing SuperStar in early May. In total, over $8 million in big jackpots were won by women alone during the month of May!

After hitting ‘The Big One’ for over $4.3 million on the 23rd May the latest big winner at the world’s largest online casino instantly went on a two week break to help the news to sink in. "I still don't feel like a millionaire," she said. “It will take a while for me to really understand how much I won. My life has already changed as I do not have to worry about my mortgage or wonder how I will pay off my big bills. I can go and purchase something without thinking of where the money will come from!"

"I love Melon Madness and decided to splurge a little as I won $6,100 a few hours prior. When I say spurge I mean play the 30 lines at $0.50. I managed to hit the colossal wheel three times and each time I won approximately $9-$10. When I hit the fourth colossal wheel, I said to myself, just land on the $60,000 colour please and shut my eyes as I was just hoping to win that amount! I opened my eyes just as the wheel was about to stop and it landed on $4.3 million! I looked at the computer screen and could not believe the winnings and put left hand to my head and softly said I won big. I did not believe I won that amount. To this day I still don’t believe it," she added.

24 hours before this huge win, another female customer won big on PartyCasino.com Rebecca350 took down over $500k while another lucky female customer won over $800k days before.

A PartyCasino.com spokesman said: "We haven’t seen a winning streak of this magnitude from female players on our site before, the men haven’t had a look in. Women simply won everything in the last month and have scooped over $8 million in big jackpots. We are wondering whether this run is ever going to stop!"

PartyCasino.com has the most frequent game launches in the industry and offers over 160 games, including over 100 slots. PartyCasino.com pays out easily over $10 million EVERY DAY to players. The Big One is structured as a five tiered pool. The highest tier - Colossal Cash - seeds at $1.5 million, the biggest online jackpot seed in the industry and currently stands at over $1.6 million.

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