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Bwin.party stocks skyrockets after Schleswig-Holstein online gambling approval...
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment stocks rose over 12% after German state Schleswig-Holstein passed its new online gambling legislation. As reported earlier, the new bill which narrowly passed the Schleswig-Holstein Parliament poses more competition inducing rules and friendlier tax rates.
Bwin.party shares jumped 12.2% Wednesday while Betfair, an online betting exchange company, posted a 3.2% increase. Both Bwin.party and Betfair plan to apply for licenses to operate in Schleswig-Holstein as soon as the bill is implemented in January 2012.
Schleswig-Holstein is the first to implement such online gambling legislation among 16 German states and the remaining 15 continue to pose high tax rates that prohibit healthy online gambling market in the country in general.
PartyCasino Bwin.Party Online Casino Powerhouse Gets New Games...
Party's upped the ante again by adding yet more online casino games to their portfolio. They welcome in 'The War Of The Worlds' , 'Aztec Gold' and 'Loot'En Khanum'. PartyCasino has been awarded numerous industry awards and commendations over the years including Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' and EGR 'Socially Responsible Operator Of The Year'. The casino offers a range of slots, table games and also offers poker via its sister website PartyPoker.com
Online gambling site busted in 'Ponzi scheme'...
International online gambling site Full Tilt Poker stole $440 million from players around the world in a Ponzi scheme used to pay lavish fees to board members, US prosecutors said Tuesday.
Full Tilt "defrauded players by misrepresenting that their funds on deposit in online gambling accounts were safe, secure, and available for withdrawal at any time," the US Attorney's office for Southern Manhattan said.
"In reality, Full Tilt Poker did not maintain funds sufficient to repay all players, and in addition, the company used player funds to pay board members and other owners more than $440 million since April 2007."
The senior prosecutor, US Attorney Preet Bharara, said the site's top figures, including famed poker champions Howard Lederer and Christopher Ferguson, "lined their own pockets with funds picked from the pockets of their most loyal customers while blithely lying to both players and the public alike about the safety and security of the money deposited with the company."
In a classic pyramid scheme, gamblers were given the impression that they still had money deposited and were allowed to keep gambling, even when all that remained were "phantom" funds, prosecutors said. The company ended up owing $390 million worldwide, including $150 million to US customers.
"Full Tilt was not a legitimate poker company, but a global Ponzi scheme," Bharara said.
Full Tilt Poker was first sued by federal authorities in April as part of a broader crackdown on online gambling, which the Justice Department says is illegal. The suit was revised and refiled Tuesday in the still developing investigation.
In the original suit, Full Tilt Poker and two other online poker companies -- PokerStars and Absolute Poker -- were charged with bank fraud, money laundering, illegal gambling and other offenses.
Bharara said the Justice Department had filed an amended complaint against Full Tilt Poker to reflect the accusation that the company was running a Ponzi scheme.
Ferguson, the poker world's equivalent of a rock star and known to aficionados as "Jesus," and Lederer were not mentioned in the original complaint against Full Tilt Poker. They are alleged to have been paid $25 million and $42 million respectively by the site.
The amended complaint seeks the forfeiture of dividends received by Ferguson, Lederer, and other directors, and money laundering penalties.
While Internet gambling has been illegal in the United States since 2006, online poker remains a multi-billion-dollar industry with companies using a variety of ways to flout the law, including locating their operations offshore.
The US ban on Internet gambling has been challenged as an unfair trade restriction at the World Trade Organization and some US lawmakers are seeking to have online gambling legalized.
Crown Casino VS The Star Land Based Casino War Continues...
Greg Fraser has an interesting and intelligent article in today's Sydney Morning Herald. James Packer's Crown Limited still has the upper hand over rival The Star in many departments. The article reads...
Crown is still the king of Australian casino businesses.
There is a high-stakes game being played out between Crown’s Melbourne and Perth casinos and Echo Entertainment Group’s newly renamed The Star Casino in Sydney.
Echo has spent $960 million on its upgrade but Crown will have spent almost $2.1 billion across its two casinos by the time everything is finished.
Crown has consistently upgraded its properties to avoid the dangerous ‘‘tired’’ tag that can easily sap patronage and earnings.
The company has always produced a nice mixture of gaming and non-gaming earnings that has become the norm for all casino resorts.
But the headlines usually focus on the glamour and mystique of the high rollers, who last year put about $40 billion on Crown’s gaming tables in Australia.
This lucrative business generated $486 million of revenue for Crown last financial year and should continue to contribute earnings growth following the latest incarnation of its private gaming suites. Read the full article here
World Casino Directory Still A Big Hit With Industry And Punters...
Media Man's World Casino Directory and Global Gaming Directory are still a big hit, according to the numbers. Check out some of the world's best online and land based casino websites here and here.
PartyCasino VS Virgin Casino "War" Continues...
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and Richard Branson's Virgin Enterprises Limited are still at it, with both continuing to add new slot games. Bwin.Party's PartyCasino is more established and accepts players from more countries than Virgin, while Branson's Virgin enjoys a strong brand name in hundreds of other sectors. Party consistently offers higher sign up bonuses to new players.
Billionaire Solomon Lew in ugly Crown casino carpark row...
The Herald Sun reports...Billionaire businessman Solomon Lew was allegedly involved in an ugly fight with his estranged son-in-law at Crown casino on Saturday night.
It is believed Mr Lew and Adam Priester were captured on casino security cameras clashing heatedly in Crown's VIP carpark about 9pm. But the two men have given conflicting versions of events.
Mr Priester, a businessman who is separated from Mr Lew's daughter Jacqueline, is believed to have reported the incident to police.
The Avengers hero Chris Evans praises Marvel's Stan Lee...
Chris Evans who brought Captain America to life on the big screen in this year's Joe Johnston directed Marvel Comics adaptation Captain America: The First Avenger has praised Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee, describing him as "amazing".
Lee who has brought to life so many iconic characters over the years recently filmed his cameo in next year's superhero team up The Avengers describing it as "probably the funniest line that I've had to say yet".
Speaking to MTV News Evans said "It's great. He's an amazing human being, the guy is a living legend. He's so positive and so upbeat and so energetic and just a nice man."
Lee will also appear in Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man and previously said it would be his "best cameo yet".
The Avengers sees Evens star alongside Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo and hits cinemas on May 4 while The Amazing Spider-Man swings into cinemas in 3D on July 4.
Stan Lee talks about his cameos in The Amazing Spider-Man and The Avengers...
Appearing before a capacity crowd on Sunday at the 2011 Montreal Comic Con, Lee spoke about his cameo roles in movies based on the classic characters he co-created, such as Iron Man, X-Men, Spider-Man and Hulk.
“If you blink your eye, you might miss me”, he said, in reference to his brief on-screen appearances. Though Lee, not surprisingly, said that he did enjoy doing them, since “I get to meet all the actors.” He went on, “I just show up on the set and everybody treats me well. And I get my own trailer.” Lee was quick to point out that his cameos are “always big hits”, before jokingly adding, “I wonder if Brad Pitt looks at me and goes ‘hmmm.’”
Lee then really wowed the enthusiastic crowd when he mused, “I don’t know why DC doesn’t ask me to do cameos in their movies. Then their box office revenues would shoot up”. Pausing for audience applause, Lee then added, “Imagine how people would react if they saw me in one of those movies?”
In fact, Lee has made two appearances in DC-related documentaries. He was interviewed in the Shadows Of The Bat: The Cinematic Saga Of The Dark Knight, which appears as an extra on the Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray disc of the 1989 Batman movie. Lee was also interviewed for Kevin Burns’ 2006 documentary, Look Up In The Sky: The Amazing Story Of Superman.
Lee also mentioned his appearances in the upcoming Spider-Man reboot, and the highly anticipated Avengers movie. While he wasn’t able to reveal the details of his cameo in those films, Lee did say, “I tell you this. It is one of the funniest ones I’ve done. It’s about as funny as the one that I did in the new Spider-Man movie which hasn’t opened yet. Spider-Man and The Avengers, remember when you see ‘em, I told you that they are going to get very big laughs.”
The Avengers will arrive in UK cinemas on 27th April 2012, while The Amazing Spider-Man is due out on 4th July 2012.
Stay tuned for American and Australian dates.
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9/21/2011
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Casino News Media: Australia, Asia Pacific, American; Sports Betting And More, by Greg Tingle
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Sport bosses want veto on spot betting...
Australia's seven major sports want to be able to veto types of spot betting, with Federal Sports Minister Mark Arbib on board and urging his state counterparts to follow suit.
The state sports ministers will meet on the Gold Coast on Friday to consider a proposal which would greatly increase the criminal penalties for corruption in sport.
The NRL, AFL and Cricket Australia are among those to push for the power to ban spot betting, while they have also joined calls for 10-year jail sentences for gambling-related corruption.
Spot betting, where gamblers place wagers on sometimes relatively incidental elements of games such as no-balls in cricket or corner kicks in soccer, is considered the area of sports gambling most susceptible to corruption.
The problem was highlighted by the scandal involving three Pakistani cricketers on last year's tour of England.
Mr Arbib says it is vital there is a national approach to what is a growing problem in sport.
"There must be national consistent laws in relation to criminality; that is something I am urging all states to sign up to at the state sports ministers conference on Friday," he said.
"We must have in place integrity agreements between sports and the betting agencies."
Sports gambling in Australia, worth $2.8 billion in 2008, is a major growth industry, although there have been relatively few cases of corruption to date.
"Even the perception that something could be wrong is enough to undermine a sport's public credibility," Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said.
The veto proposal was contained in an Anti-Corruption Working Paper endorsed on Wednesday by the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS), which represents rugby (union and league), cricket, AFL, soccer, tennis and netball.
The paper, brought together by former International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Malcolm Speed, had three main proposals.
These included calls for severe penalties for the offence of "cheating in connection with sports wagering" and a requirement that betting providers hand over details of suspicious betting patterns.
The sports also want betting companies to pay a fee for using their "intellectual property rights".
"The recommendations detailed in the working party paper set out to preserve the integrity of Australian sport and stem from a desire from professional sports to stamp out betting related corruption," Sutherland said.
"They are individual and collective actions designed to minimise opportunities for corruption and arm sports governing bodies with the ability to deal with corruption effectively if and when it affects Australian sport."
Gambling is becoming increasingly linked with Australian sport as TV broadcasts exhort viewers to bet on events and odds are displayed on perimeter advertising.
Some of the bodies represented by COMPPS also generate revenue from gambling through sponsorship by betting companies.
"The answer that the sports give to that, and I think it's a good one, is that one of the key aspects is intelligence - to get an early warning," Speed said back in March.
"The best way of doing that is for the betting agencies and the sports to be on the same page so that if there are suspicious betting patterns, they can report that to the sports and the police.
"So it's good they have a close relationship. Whether it needs to be as close as it is, in terms of sponsorship, I think that's the issue they face."
International Gaming Awards 2012 Announced...
International Gaming Awards (IGA) seeks to reward excellence in all areas of the gaming industry. It covers both land casino operations and online gambling operations. IGA has held four successful awards ceremonies and has just announced the dates for the fifth consecutive one. The prestigious event will take place on January 23 2012 at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in London. The extravagant event will unite industry professionals from all around the world. The delegates use the awards ceremony to build their brands and also their networks within the industry.
Nominations have been invited for the various categories of awards and will close on October 18 2011. The nominees will be assessed by an expert panel of judges. The categories related to online gambling will be of greater interest. The iGaming Software Supplier category will look at features like originality, competitiveness and innovation in supplying software to online gaming operators. Playtech won the award in 2011. The Mobile Operator of the Year award will recognize simplicity of use, access, reliable technology and integration with other platforms. This is a new category introduced because of the high growth in the mobile sector. Support for responsible gambling is in the limelight and the IGA will felicitate the Socially Responsible Operator of the Year Online. The judges will look for efforts in implementing procedures and safeguards for customers, availability of problem gambling assistance by customer support and initiatives in campaigning for socially responsible gaming.
The Online Casino Operator of the Year award will be one of the most awaited for online casino players. The award will go to the online casino operator that has shown innovation and invention in the casino sector during 2011. The judges will also look at brand identity, marketing, payment processing, usability and games offered. Last year PartyGaming received the award in this category. Awards on similar lines will be given to the Online Bingo Operator of the Year, the Online Poker Operator of the Year and the Online Sportsbook Operator of the Year. Online slots are the heart of online gambling. The winner in the category Slots Operator of the Year (Online) will be a slots operator that has shown growth, offers an array of different slots games to players and has created a brand identity in this sector.
IGA has a tradition of charity as well. It uses the awards ceremonies to raise awareness and financial assistance towards its chosen charities. Proceeds from the 2012 event will support Care International and Children with Leukemia. In a special initiative this year IGA has tied up with the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) for aid to the Horn of Africa crisis.
Council wants more say on pokies...
The Bendigo council is calling for local government to be given a bigger say on poker machine developments.
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has approved a bid for the Bendigo Stadium to install 30 additional machines, despite the council's opposition.
Bendigo Mayor Rod Fyffe says he is disappointed by the decision and says the council will consider an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
"Local government should have a greater say in the fact that we represent the community, we speak on behalf of the community and certainly I think that our voice should be heard," he said.
Crown Casino resolves taxi dispute...
Crown Casino says it has resolved a complaint by taxi drivers who held a snap strike outside the Melbourne complex overnight.
About 100 drivers refused to take passengers leaving the casino after police issued a number of fines for parking in a no-standing zone.
The taxi drivers say they was not enough space to legally park while they waited for a fare.
Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill says the main taxi feeder at the complex will be fully operational from tonight.
"We will increase the resources of that taxi feeder rank but also ensure that all of the taxi drivers themselves know how the feeder system operates," he said.
"You know, you've got new generations of taxi drivers coming in all the time and maybe they don't fully understand how the feeder rank system works."
Wilkie accuses clubs of bullying Salvos...
Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie has accused some sections of the poker machine industry of bullying the Salvation Army into opposing his gambling reforms.
On Thursday the Salvation Army's eastern territory of NSW, Queensland and the ACT said it wanted further trials of pre-commitment technologies before fully endorsing the mandatory pre-commitment legislation.
Mr Wilkie says he has been told some clubs are denying Salvation Army officers access to their venues for fundraising.
"Today Clubs Australia and Clubs NSW have truly plumbed new depths," he said.
"To be bullying the Salvation Army, threatening the Salvation Army, misrepresenting the views of the Salvation Army of all organisations, an iconic organisation in this country."
The Salvation Army says when the reforms were announced, some individual committee members at local clubs had told the charity it was no longer welcome to raise funds on their premises.
"Some people said, 'We don't agree and the Salvation Army shouldn't be coming here if it's not in support of the clubs,'" Salvation Army spokesman Major Paul Moulds said, adding there had been a couple of incidents in NSW clubs.
"It was like, 'If you're going to ruin our business, you're not welcome to come here'."
But Major Moulds says the charity's current position on the reforms is not because of pressure from Clubs NSW.
Great work
A Club Australia spokesman says community clubs have continued to support the Salvation Army's great work with donations and access to premises for fundraising, despite its stance on pokies reform.
He says NSW community clubs donated $503,000 to the Salvation Army in the past financial year.
Mr Wilkie has rejected Opposition claims the reforms do not have enough support to pass Parliament.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says a lack of support from regional independent MPs means the changes would not become law and should be abandoned.
However, Mr Wilkie says he believes the reforms do have enough support.
"I remain as confident as ever that these harm minimisation measures will be brought in; that in fact, the Parliament will by May next year pass into law the necessary legislation to force poker machine venues throughout the country to implement these poker machines reforms," he said.
Feeling the heat
The Government must introduce the gambling reforms next year under a deal with Mr Wilkie.
Mr Wilkie says he will walk away from supporting the Government if it does not make an effort to pass the laws.
He says he knows government MPs are feeling the heat over the reforms.
"Full marks to my parliamentary colleagues who are having to go out into their electorates and sell these reforms," he said.
"It is difficult, I understand that.
"It is clear that these reforms are unpopular in some parts of the community, and the industry is capitalising on that and it is making for some tough times for some government MPs in their electorates.
"But I am confident the Government would be aware that these reforms are overwhelmingly popular."
Media Man And Casino News Media Awards
Media Man and Casino News Media have awarded their casino award winners and finalists for August 2011.
Land Based Australian Casino Of The Month: Crown Casino, 2nd The Star (formally Star City Casino), 3rd Burswood Casino, 4th The Reef Hotel Casino (Cairns)
Online Casino Of The Month: PartyCasino.com
*Online casino awards are based on a combination of gameplay, trustworthiness, ethics, customer feedback, affiliate program offerings, word of mouth, customer experience and overall offerings
*Media Man and Casino News Media have been awarding the 'Casino Of The Month' accolade for the land based and online sector since 2009.
Punters, here's 10 of the world's top land based casinos for you to mark down in your travel plans.
Monte Carlo, Monaco: Perched above the Mediterranean and bounded by the French
and Italian coastlines on either side, Monaco provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and the wannabees. Home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, this isn't the place for those on a tight
budget. The magnificent Casino hosts the annual European Poker Tour and was also the scene of several James Bond Films, including the original "Casino Royale" and "Golden Eye".
Paradise Island, Bahamas: Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Paradise
Island is best known for its sprawling 'Vegas-by-the-sea' resort, Atlantis. The resort spans seven acres along a lagoon, where guests can soak up the Caribbean sun and choose from a variety of outdoor gaming areas. When in need of a break from
the tables, guests can enjoy the private beach or one of the resorts 20 sunlit pools.
Melbourne, Australia: As Australia's sporting and entertainment capital, Melbourne
offers the perfect option for high rollers looking for a local break. Aussies need look no further than Crown Casino on the southern bank of the Yarra River, which is one of the largest casino complexes in the southern hemisphere. The main gambling
floor stretches more than half a kilometre and the casino was the first to introduce the new game Rapid Roulette, which allows players to place bets on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel.
Macau, China: Known as the 'Monte Carlo of the Orient,' and the gambling capital of Asia, Macau now rivals Monaco and Las Vegas as one of the premier gambling destinations in the world. With no less than 33 casinos, in addition to local horse and greyhound racing venues, Macau is perfect for the betting junkie. The Wynn Macau
casino is a standout, highlighted by 24-carat gold 'Tree of Prosperity' at the entrance, extravagant water displays and Moon Jellyfish Aquarium at reception.
Baden-Baden, Germany: Situated on the western foothills of the Black Forest and on
the banks of the Oos River, Baden-Baden is not your typical casino town. However, in addition to its hot springs and picturesque countryside, the town is also known for its 200-year-old 'Spielbank' casino - the oldest of its type in Germany. With French chateau-style salons rooms named after historical figures such as Madame Pompadour and Louis XV's mistress, the quirky casino provides visitors with a very unique
gaming experience.
Las Vegas, United States: With over 1700 licensed casinos in operation, Las Vegas
offers the ultimate package for travellers who fancy a flutter. A visit to the famous 'Strip' is a must for any player, whether they're looking for a spin on the roulette table or a game of blackjack - this city has it all. The iconic Caesar's Palace
hotel and casino offers 129,000 square feet of casino space plus an endless smorgasbord of entertainment, shopping and fine dining options, including Cleopatra's barge, a floating lounge perfect for a relaxing drink after a jam-packed night on the
casino floor.
Manila, The Philippines: With a favourable exchange rate, Manila provides great value
for Aussies wanting to live the high-life overseas. The city offers a range of shopping and entertainment options, along with a world-class casino at the Hyatt Hotel. Spread across three levels, the sparkling casino offers the newest in gaming
facilities for both hotel guests and visitors, and is just a short distance from Manila's tourist hub.
Sun City, South Africa: Known as 'Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure,' this luxury resort
and casino complex, just two hours from Johannesburg, boasts two large casinos, two 18-hole golf courses and a wildlife reserve. At the extravagant yet picturesque Palace of the Lost City, guests are treated to stunning valley views from the guestrooms, along with exclusive access to the Grand Pool. The nearby Sun City Casino is the entertainment Mecca of the resort, featuring a myriad of gaming options as well as an indoor jungle of native foliage and water fountains.
Atlantic City, United States: Regarded as the US's 'Las Vegas of the East', Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned for its gambling, shopping and fine dining. Towering above the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, the Trump Taj Mahal casino is an icon of the city, with an on-site shopping district and an abundance of restaurants and bars. The
157,000 square-foot casino is also hard to miss, with 3,500 slot machines and 200 table games. Unveiled in 1990 by a number of celebrities, including the late Michael Jackson, the casino is the second-largest in Atlantic City and well worth a visit.
Genting Highlands, Malaysia: Nestled on the Titiwangsa mountain range, just an hour's
drive from Kuala Lumpur and 6,000 feet above sea level, the Resorts World Genting offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. This spectacular resort has first-class accommodation, dining and entertainment, while avoiding the hustle and bustle of a capital city. The on-site casino, which covers 200,000 square feet, is Malaysia's sole gaming venue and is divided into separate themed areas, such as Hollywood and Monte Carlo, for the ultimate gambling experience.
Online Casinos:
PartyCasino.com : The world's leading online casino brand and part of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. Play for free or play for money at PartyCasino.com New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
VirginCasino.com : Virgin Casino is part of Virgin Games. The parent company is Virgin Enterprises Limited, the creation of the world's most famous and celebrated entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately the casino does not accept players from many countries due to what is known in legal circles as "grey areas". Most European players can play, but no Americans, Canadians, Australians or New Zealanders.
Captain Cooks Casino : Was once a very popular online casino with Australians and New Zealanders, however we understand these days they can only accept players from a few regions such as Europe, South Africa, Canada and South America.
PKR : Once only a 2D online poker room, they are now more 3D and offer online poker and a good range of online casino games, including classics, Marvel slots and table games.
Media Man's top online casino choice: PartyCasino.com PartyCasino is a multi-time Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' winner and have also won awards from EGR. Earlier this year PartyGaming merged with Bwin to create the worlds leading igaming company, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.
PartyCasino Gets New Games...
Aztec Gold, Atomic Fruit, Nag's To Riches and Fairies Forest. Check out the new games here.
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Sport bosses want veto on spot betting...
Australia's seven major sports want to be able to veto types of spot betting, with Federal Sports Minister Mark Arbib on board and urging his state counterparts to follow suit.
The state sports ministers will meet on the Gold Coast on Friday to consider a proposal which would greatly increase the criminal penalties for corruption in sport.
The NRL, AFL and Cricket Australia are among those to push for the power to ban spot betting, while they have also joined calls for 10-year jail sentences for gambling-related corruption.
Spot betting, where gamblers place wagers on sometimes relatively incidental elements of games such as no-balls in cricket or corner kicks in soccer, is considered the area of sports gambling most susceptible to corruption.
The problem was highlighted by the scandal involving three Pakistani cricketers on last year's tour of England.
Mr Arbib says it is vital there is a national approach to what is a growing problem in sport.
"There must be national consistent laws in relation to criminality; that is something I am urging all states to sign up to at the state sports ministers conference on Friday," he said.
"We must have in place integrity agreements between sports and the betting agencies."
Sports gambling in Australia, worth $2.8 billion in 2008, is a major growth industry, although there have been relatively few cases of corruption to date.
"Even the perception that something could be wrong is enough to undermine a sport's public credibility," Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said.
The veto proposal was contained in an Anti-Corruption Working Paper endorsed on Wednesday by the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS), which represents rugby (union and league), cricket, AFL, soccer, tennis and netball.
The paper, brought together by former International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Malcolm Speed, had three main proposals.
These included calls for severe penalties for the offence of "cheating in connection with sports wagering" and a requirement that betting providers hand over details of suspicious betting patterns.
The sports also want betting companies to pay a fee for using their "intellectual property rights".
"The recommendations detailed in the working party paper set out to preserve the integrity of Australian sport and stem from a desire from professional sports to stamp out betting related corruption," Sutherland said.
"They are individual and collective actions designed to minimise opportunities for corruption and arm sports governing bodies with the ability to deal with corruption effectively if and when it affects Australian sport."
Gambling is becoming increasingly linked with Australian sport as TV broadcasts exhort viewers to bet on events and odds are displayed on perimeter advertising.
Some of the bodies represented by COMPPS also generate revenue from gambling through sponsorship by betting companies.
"The answer that the sports give to that, and I think it's a good one, is that one of the key aspects is intelligence - to get an early warning," Speed said back in March.
"The best way of doing that is for the betting agencies and the sports to be on the same page so that if there are suspicious betting patterns, they can report that to the sports and the police.
"So it's good they have a close relationship. Whether it needs to be as close as it is, in terms of sponsorship, I think that's the issue they face."
International Gaming Awards 2012 Announced...
International Gaming Awards (IGA) seeks to reward excellence in all areas of the gaming industry. It covers both land casino operations and online gambling operations. IGA has held four successful awards ceremonies and has just announced the dates for the fifth consecutive one. The prestigious event will take place on January 23 2012 at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in London. The extravagant event will unite industry professionals from all around the world. The delegates use the awards ceremony to build their brands and also their networks within the industry.
Nominations have been invited for the various categories of awards and will close on October 18 2011. The nominees will be assessed by an expert panel of judges. The categories related to online gambling will be of greater interest. The iGaming Software Supplier category will look at features like originality, competitiveness and innovation in supplying software to online gaming operators. Playtech won the award in 2011. The Mobile Operator of the Year award will recognize simplicity of use, access, reliable technology and integration with other platforms. This is a new category introduced because of the high growth in the mobile sector. Support for responsible gambling is in the limelight and the IGA will felicitate the Socially Responsible Operator of the Year Online. The judges will look for efforts in implementing procedures and safeguards for customers, availability of problem gambling assistance by customer support and initiatives in campaigning for socially responsible gaming.
The Online Casino Operator of the Year award will be one of the most awaited for online casino players. The award will go to the online casino operator that has shown innovation and invention in the casino sector during 2011. The judges will also look at brand identity, marketing, payment processing, usability and games offered. Last year PartyGaming received the award in this category. Awards on similar lines will be given to the Online Bingo Operator of the Year, the Online Poker Operator of the Year and the Online Sportsbook Operator of the Year. Online slots are the heart of online gambling. The winner in the category Slots Operator of the Year (Online) will be a slots operator that has shown growth, offers an array of different slots games to players and has created a brand identity in this sector.
IGA has a tradition of charity as well. It uses the awards ceremonies to raise awareness and financial assistance towards its chosen charities. Proceeds from the 2012 event will support Care International and Children with Leukemia. In a special initiative this year IGA has tied up with the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) for aid to the Horn of Africa crisis.
Council wants more say on pokies...
The Bendigo council is calling for local government to be given a bigger say on poker machine developments.
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has approved a bid for the Bendigo Stadium to install 30 additional machines, despite the council's opposition.
Bendigo Mayor Rod Fyffe says he is disappointed by the decision and says the council will consider an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
"Local government should have a greater say in the fact that we represent the community, we speak on behalf of the community and certainly I think that our voice should be heard," he said.
Crown Casino resolves taxi dispute...
Crown Casino says it has resolved a complaint by taxi drivers who held a snap strike outside the Melbourne complex overnight.
About 100 drivers refused to take passengers leaving the casino after police issued a number of fines for parking in a no-standing zone.
The taxi drivers say they was not enough space to legally park while they waited for a fare.
Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill says the main taxi feeder at the complex will be fully operational from tonight.
"We will increase the resources of that taxi feeder rank but also ensure that all of the taxi drivers themselves know how the feeder system operates," he said.
"You know, you've got new generations of taxi drivers coming in all the time and maybe they don't fully understand how the feeder rank system works."
Wilkie accuses clubs of bullying Salvos...
Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie has accused some sections of the poker machine industry of bullying the Salvation Army into opposing his gambling reforms.
On Thursday the Salvation Army's eastern territory of NSW, Queensland and the ACT said it wanted further trials of pre-commitment technologies before fully endorsing the mandatory pre-commitment legislation.
Mr Wilkie says he has been told some clubs are denying Salvation Army officers access to their venues for fundraising.
"Today Clubs Australia and Clubs NSW have truly plumbed new depths," he said.
"To be bullying the Salvation Army, threatening the Salvation Army, misrepresenting the views of the Salvation Army of all organisations, an iconic organisation in this country."
The Salvation Army says when the reforms were announced, some individual committee members at local clubs had told the charity it was no longer welcome to raise funds on their premises.
"Some people said, 'We don't agree and the Salvation Army shouldn't be coming here if it's not in support of the clubs,'" Salvation Army spokesman Major Paul Moulds said, adding there had been a couple of incidents in NSW clubs.
"It was like, 'If you're going to ruin our business, you're not welcome to come here'."
But Major Moulds says the charity's current position on the reforms is not because of pressure from Clubs NSW.
Great work
A Club Australia spokesman says community clubs have continued to support the Salvation Army's great work with donations and access to premises for fundraising, despite its stance on pokies reform.
He says NSW community clubs donated $503,000 to the Salvation Army in the past financial year.
Mr Wilkie has rejected Opposition claims the reforms do not have enough support to pass Parliament.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says a lack of support from regional independent MPs means the changes would not become law and should be abandoned.
However, Mr Wilkie says he believes the reforms do have enough support.
"I remain as confident as ever that these harm minimisation measures will be brought in; that in fact, the Parliament will by May next year pass into law the necessary legislation to force poker machine venues throughout the country to implement these poker machines reforms," he said.
Feeling the heat
The Government must introduce the gambling reforms next year under a deal with Mr Wilkie.
Mr Wilkie says he will walk away from supporting the Government if it does not make an effort to pass the laws.
He says he knows government MPs are feeling the heat over the reforms.
"Full marks to my parliamentary colleagues who are having to go out into their electorates and sell these reforms," he said.
"It is difficult, I understand that.
"It is clear that these reforms are unpopular in some parts of the community, and the industry is capitalising on that and it is making for some tough times for some government MPs in their electorates.
"But I am confident the Government would be aware that these reforms are overwhelmingly popular."
Media Man And Casino News Media Awards
Media Man and Casino News Media have awarded their casino award winners and finalists for August 2011.
Land Based Australian Casino Of The Month: Crown Casino, 2nd The Star (formally Star City Casino), 3rd Burswood Casino, 4th The Reef Hotel Casino (Cairns)
Online Casino Of The Month: PartyCasino.com
*Online casino awards are based on a combination of gameplay, trustworthiness, ethics, customer feedback, affiliate program offerings, word of mouth, customer experience and overall offerings
*Media Man and Casino News Media have been awarding the 'Casino Of The Month' accolade for the land based and online sector since 2009.
Punters, here's 10 of the world's top land based casinos for you to mark down in your travel plans.
Monte Carlo, Monaco: Perched above the Mediterranean and bounded by the French
and Italian coastlines on either side, Monaco provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and the wannabees. Home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, this isn't the place for those on a tight
budget. The magnificent Casino hosts the annual European Poker Tour and was also the scene of several James Bond Films, including the original "Casino Royale" and "Golden Eye".
Paradise Island, Bahamas: Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Paradise
Island is best known for its sprawling 'Vegas-by-the-sea' resort, Atlantis. The resort spans seven acres along a lagoon, where guests can soak up the Caribbean sun and choose from a variety of outdoor gaming areas. When in need of a break from
the tables, guests can enjoy the private beach or one of the resorts 20 sunlit pools.
Melbourne, Australia: As Australia's sporting and entertainment capital, Melbourne
offers the perfect option for high rollers looking for a local break. Aussies need look no further than Crown Casino on the southern bank of the Yarra River, which is one of the largest casino complexes in the southern hemisphere. The main gambling
floor stretches more than half a kilometre and the casino was the first to introduce the new game Rapid Roulette, which allows players to place bets on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel.
Macau, China: Known as the 'Monte Carlo of the Orient,' and the gambling capital of Asia, Macau now rivals Monaco and Las Vegas as one of the premier gambling destinations in the world. With no less than 33 casinos, in addition to local horse and greyhound racing venues, Macau is perfect for the betting junkie. The Wynn Macau
casino is a standout, highlighted by 24-carat gold 'Tree of Prosperity' at the entrance, extravagant water displays and Moon Jellyfish Aquarium at reception.
Baden-Baden, Germany: Situated on the western foothills of the Black Forest and on
the banks of the Oos River, Baden-Baden is not your typical casino town. However, in addition to its hot springs and picturesque countryside, the town is also known for its 200-year-old 'Spielbank' casino - the oldest of its type in Germany. With French chateau-style salons rooms named after historical figures such as Madame Pompadour and Louis XV's mistress, the quirky casino provides visitors with a very unique
gaming experience.
Las Vegas, United States: With over 1700 licensed casinos in operation, Las Vegas
offers the ultimate package for travellers who fancy a flutter. A visit to the famous 'Strip' is a must for any player, whether they're looking for a spin on the roulette table or a game of blackjack - this city has it all. The iconic Caesar's Palace
hotel and casino offers 129,000 square feet of casino space plus an endless smorgasbord of entertainment, shopping and fine dining options, including Cleopatra's barge, a floating lounge perfect for a relaxing drink after a jam-packed night on the
casino floor.
Manila, The Philippines: With a favourable exchange rate, Manila provides great value
for Aussies wanting to live the high-life overseas. The city offers a range of shopping and entertainment options, along with a world-class casino at the Hyatt Hotel. Spread across three levels, the sparkling casino offers the newest in gaming
facilities for both hotel guests and visitors, and is just a short distance from Manila's tourist hub.
Sun City, South Africa: Known as 'Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure,' this luxury resort
and casino complex, just two hours from Johannesburg, boasts two large casinos, two 18-hole golf courses and a wildlife reserve. At the extravagant yet picturesque Palace of the Lost City, guests are treated to stunning valley views from the guestrooms, along with exclusive access to the Grand Pool. The nearby Sun City Casino is the entertainment Mecca of the resort, featuring a myriad of gaming options as well as an indoor jungle of native foliage and water fountains.
Atlantic City, United States: Regarded as the US's 'Las Vegas of the East', Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned for its gambling, shopping and fine dining. Towering above the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, the Trump Taj Mahal casino is an icon of the city, with an on-site shopping district and an abundance of restaurants and bars. The
157,000 square-foot casino is also hard to miss, with 3,500 slot machines and 200 table games. Unveiled in 1990 by a number of celebrities, including the late Michael Jackson, the casino is the second-largest in Atlantic City and well worth a visit.
Genting Highlands, Malaysia: Nestled on the Titiwangsa mountain range, just an hour's
drive from Kuala Lumpur and 6,000 feet above sea level, the Resorts World Genting offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. This spectacular resort has first-class accommodation, dining and entertainment, while avoiding the hustle and bustle of a capital city. The on-site casino, which covers 200,000 square feet, is Malaysia's sole gaming venue and is divided into separate themed areas, such as Hollywood and Monte Carlo, for the ultimate gambling experience.
Online Casinos:
PartyCasino.com : The world's leading online casino brand and part of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. Play for free or play for money at PartyCasino.com New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
VirginCasino.com : Virgin Casino is part of Virgin Games. The parent company is Virgin Enterprises Limited, the creation of the world's most famous and celebrated entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately the casino does not accept players from many countries due to what is known in legal circles as "grey areas". Most European players can play, but no Americans, Canadians, Australians or New Zealanders.
Captain Cooks Casino : Was once a very popular online casino with Australians and New Zealanders, however we understand these days they can only accept players from a few regions such as Europe, South Africa, Canada and South America.
PKR : Once only a 2D online poker room, they are now more 3D and offer online poker and a good range of online casino games, including classics, Marvel slots and table games.
Media Man's top online casino choice: PartyCasino.com PartyCasino is a multi-time Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' winner and have also won awards from EGR. Earlier this year PartyGaming merged with Bwin to create the worlds leading igaming company, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.
PartyCasino Gets New Games...
Aztec Gold, Atomic Fruit, Nag's To Riches and Fairies Forest. Check out the new games here.
Website Network
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9/07/2011
Casinos Of The World: Land Based And Online; Media Man And Casino News Media Awards, by Greg Tingle
Sin City Cleopatra Rambo The Godfather Sinatra The Terminator Thor Saturday Night Fever Unicorn Legend Palladium Slot
World Directory Global Gaming Directory World Casino Directory
Media Man And Casino News Media Awards - August 2011
Media Man and Casino News Media have awarded their casino award winners and finalists for August 2011.
Land Based Australian Casino Of The Month: Crown Casino, 2nd The Star (formally Star City Casino), 3rd Burswood Casino, 4th The Reef Hotel Casino (Cairns)
Online Casino Of The Month: PartyCasino.com 2nd Virgin Casino 3rd Grand Reef Online Casino 4th Paddy Power Online Casino 5th PKR Casino
*Online casino awards are based on a combination of gameplay, trustworthiness, ethics, customer feedback, affiliate program offerings, word of mouth, customer experience and overall offerings
*Media Man and Casino News Media have been awarding the 'Casino Of The Month' accolade for the land based and online sector since 2009.
Punters, here's 10 of the world's top land based casinos for you to mark down in your travel plans.
Monte Carlo, Monaco: Perched above the Mediterranean and bounded by the French
and Italian coastlines on either side, Monaco provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and the wannabees. Home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, this isn't the place for those on a tight
budget. The magnificent Casino hosts the annual European Poker Tour and was also the scene of several James Bond Films, including the original "Casino Royale" and "Golden Eye".
Paradise Island, Bahamas: Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Paradise
Island is best known for its sprawling 'Vegas-by-the-sea' resort, Atlantis. The resort spans seven acres along a lagoon, where guests can soak up the Caribbean sun and choose from a variety of outdoor gaming areas. When in need of a break from
the tables, guests can enjoy the private beach or one of the resorts 20 sunlit pools.
Melbourne, Australia: As Australia's sporting and entertainment capital, Melbourne
offers the perfect option for high rollers looking for a local break. Aussies need look no further than Crown Casino on the southern bank of the Yarra River, which is one of the largest casino complexes in the southern hemisphere. The main gambling
floor stretches more than half a kilometre and the casino was the first to introduce the new game Rapid Roulette, which allows players to place bets on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel.
Macau, China: Known as the 'Monte Carlo of the Orient,' and the gambling capital of Asia, Macau now rivals Monaco and Las Vegas as one of the premier gambling destinations in the world. With no less than 33 casinos, in addition to local horse and greyhound racing venues, Macau is perfect for the betting junkie. The Wynn Macau
casino is a standout, highlighted by 24-carat gold 'Tree of Prosperity' at the entrance, extravagant water displays and Moon Jellyfish Aquarium at reception.
Baden-Baden, Germany: Situated on the western foothills of the Black Forest and on
the banks of the Oos River, Baden-Baden is not your typical casino town. However, in addition to its hot springs and picturesque countryside, the town is also known for its 200-year-old 'Spielbank' casino - the oldest of its type in Germany. With French chateau-style salons rooms named after historical figures such as Madame Pompadour and Louis XV's mistress, the quirky casino provides visitors with a very unique
gaming experience.
Las Vegas, United States: With over 1700 licensed casinos in operation, Las Vegas
offers the ultimate package for travellers who fancy a flutter. A visit to the famous 'Strip' is a must for any player, whether they're looking for a spin on the roulette table or a game of blackjack - this city has it all. The iconic Caesar's Palace
hotel and casino offers 129,000 square feet of casino space plus an endless smorgasbord of entertainment, shopping and fine dining options, including Cleopatra's barge, a floating lounge perfect for a relaxing drink after a jam-packed night on the
casino floor.
Manila, The Philippines: With a favourable exchange rate, Manila provides great value
for Aussies wanting to live the high-life overseas. The city offers a range of shopping and entertainment options, along with a world-class casino at the Hyatt Hotel. Spread across three levels, the sparkling casino offers the newest in gaming
facilities for both hotel guests and visitors, and is just a short distance from Manila's tourist hub.
Sun City, South Africa: Known as 'Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure,' this luxury resort
and casino complex, just two hours from Johannesburg, boasts two large casinos, two 18-hole golf courses and a wildlife reserve. At the extravagant yet picturesque Palace of the Lost City, guests are treated to stunning valley views from the guestrooms, along with exclusive access to the Grand Pool. The nearby Sun City Casino is the entertainment Mecca of the resort, featuring a myriad of gaming options as well as an indoor jungle of native foliage and water fountains.
Atlantic City, United States: Regarded as the US's 'Las Vegas of the East', Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned for its gambling, shopping and fine dining. Towering above the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, the Trump Taj Mahal casino is an icon of the city, with an on-site shopping district and an abundance of restaurants and bars. The
157,000 square-foot casino is also hard to miss, with 3,500 slot machines and 200 table games. Unveiled in 1990 by a number of celebrities, including the late Michael Jackson, the casino is the second-largest in Atlantic City and well worth a visit.
Genting Highlands, Malaysia: Nestled on the Titiwangsa mountain range, just an hour's
drive from Kuala Lumpur and 6,000 feet above sea level, the Resorts World Genting offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. This spectacular resort has first-class accommodation, dining and entertainment, while avoiding the hustle and bustle of a capital city. The on-site casino, which covers 200,000 square feet, is Malaysia's sole gaming venue and is divided into separate themed areas, such as Hollywood and Monte Carlo, for the ultimate gambling experience.
Online Casinos:
PartyCasino.com : The world's leading online casino brand and part of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. Play for free or play for money at PartyCasino.com New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
VirginCasino.com : Virgin Casino is part of Virgin Games. The parent company is Virgin Enterprises Limited, the creation of the world's most famous and celebrated entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately the casino does not accept players from many countries due to what is known in legal circles as "grey areas". Most European players can play, but no Americans, Canadians, Australians or New Zealanders.
Captain Cooks Casino : Was once a very popular online casino with Australians and New Zealanders, however we understand these days they can only accept players from a few regions such as Europe, South Africa, Canada and South America.
PKR : Once only a 2D online poker room, they are now more 3D and offer online poker and a good range of online casino games, including classics, Marvel slots and table games.
Media Man's top online casino choice: PartyCasino.com PartyCasino is a multi-time Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' winner and have also won awards from EGR. Earlier this year PartyGaming merged with Bwin to create the worlds leading igaming company, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.
News
Wagering firms take fee case to High Court...
A legal battle between two wagering firms and NSW racing authorities has begun in the High Court.
Betfair says a 1.5 per cent turnover fee levied by Racing NSW reduces competition and discriminates against interstate operators.
Counsel for Betfair, Neil Young QC, on Tuesday told the court the fee was not uniform but in fact was discriminatory.
He said Betfair participated in a national market.
Betfair argues the turnover fee will affect its ability to operate because the company is a low-margin operation that matches punters against each other.
The company then takes its commission from winning bets.
In March, both Betfair and Sportsbet were granted leave to appeal against a decision by the Federal Court that they tender the fee as legislated.
Both firms say paying the fee on gross profit is a fairer way to operate.
Overseas based firms such as Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Paddy Power and PMU are watching the case closely.
Paddy Power Active Customers Already Exceeds All of 2010 Figures...
Ireland’s biggest online bookmaker, Paddy Power, is attributing mobile gaming to its massive surge in active customers. This year’s numbers already exceed that of the entire 2010.
Just over a third of its active customers made transactions via mobile devices. Online products are now contributing 81% of the group’s operating profit, according to the Financial Times of London.
Paddy Power CEO Patrick Kennedy told the Financial Times: "We invested in a very good product and backed it up with TV advertising and online marketing."
The online business generated €45.3m in operating profit, a rise of 25% compared to the same period in 2010. Its land-based shops continue to suffer, however.
Playtech Signs Gala Coral Contract, Acquires Mobile-Bet Company...
Playtech Ltd, the Internet gambling software maker and content developer which has a joint venture with William Hill Plc (WMH), said it signed a long-term contract with Gala Coral Group Ltd., and acquired Mobenga AB, a mobile-phone sports-betting company.
Playtech will pay as much as 15.8 million euros ($22.4 million) for Mobenga, the Isle of Man-based company said in a statement. Playtech also said second-quarter revenue rose 7 percent to 39.6 million euros over the same period a year earlier, led by online casino games.
Gala Coral, which has 2,000 betting shops in the U.K. and Italy, should become one of Playtech’s top three clients within a year after its software is transferred, in 2012, Playtech’s Chief Executive Officer Mor Weizer said in a telephone interview. Mobenga will help Playtech expand in mobile telephone gambling, which generates 30 percent of bets for some companies, he said.
“This is a very important win for us,” Weizer said. “We already have most of the established operators in the U.K., and Gala Coral we were after for a long time.”
Playtech gained 18.25 pence, or 5.4 percent, to 356.75 pence at 8:47 a.m. in London, after earlier rising as much as 6.3 percent. The shares have fallen 16 percent so far this year, giving the company a market value of 866.3 million pounds.
Stockholm-based Mobenga will give Playtech the ability to combine sports-betting, casino and poker games in one mobile- phone application, Weizer said.
Playtech generates more than 10 million pounds ($16.1 million) from its biggest client, Imperial E-Club Ltd., Weizer said.
‘Players’
Most of the company’s clients attract players through sports, though they make most of their money through games, so they’re always seeking to convert sports betters to game players, he said.
Second-quarter casino revenue gained 9 percent to 27.3 million euros, and bingo sales increased 32 percent to 3.6 million euros, the company said.
Poker sales dropped 32 percent to 5 million euros, the company said. The poker business declined even though the U.S. charged founders of online poker companies still accepting games in the country with money laundering in April.
Weizer said the companies still had cash to lure poker players. Poker numbers have been “picking up” since the end of June, when one of the companies stopped play, he said. Full Tilt Poker, then the world’s second-biggest poker site, lost its license from Alderney on June 29.
PartyCasino Gets New Games...
Aztec Gold, Atomic Fruit, Nag's To Riches and Fairies Forest. Check out the new games here.
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Media Man Games
9/05/2011
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Nears Finalizing US Deals, by Greg Tingle
Profiles
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com Playtech Caesars Entertainment IGN World Poker Tour United States Casinos Gaming World Directory Brands Media Man
The Co-Chief Executive of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Jim Ryan confirmed this past week that the group is close to finalizing a number of deals with US based gambling companies, in a bid to enter the US market when legislation passes in this sector on a federal level.
Ryan said that the recently merged Bwin and PartyGaming were negotiating with companies who reached across the country, and particularly those in states where the likelihood of online gambling reaching them in the near future was higher than other states.
Ryan said that Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment was "in contract negotiations with a partner from New Jersey." In addition, the group was lining up partners in California and Florida.
These states had the greatest potential to see online gambling legislation passed, he said.
Ryan stressed that the current negotiations were not for acquisitions, but for partnerships only.
Above Consensus Market Expectations...
The announcement by Ryan was made as Bwin.Party released its first half earnings, showing that they had fallen by more than a fifth. This was put down in part to increases in gaming taxes across Europe.
The group said, however, that its numbers were still above consensus market expectations, which boosted its share prices somewhat.
While European gambling regulation continued to be encouraging, there was still uncertainty coming from the German market, which makes up for 22% of Bwin.Party's revenues.
Analysts believe that it may be two to three years before Germany's stand on regulation becomes clear.
An analyst with Peel Hunt, Nick Batram said: "While the current trading may reflect a worst case German scenario, it is frustrating that the company does not quantify the potential impact from an effective shutout and what plan B might be."
Troubles facing Full Tilt Poker also worked to Bwin.Party's advantage as players sought new poker sites and migrated to its brands.
First half earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization fell 21% to €81.8 million.
Ryan said that the group's strategy was "to be a pan-European operator and it looks like we are the only organization that has the strategy and capability to do that."
REG - bwin.party digital - Dividend Declaration...
RNS Number : 2933N
bwin.party digital entertainment
31 August 2011
bwin.party digital entertainment plc
('bwin.party' or the 'Company')
Interim Dividend
The Board of bwin.party has today declared an interim dividend of 1.56 pence per ordinary share in respect of the six month period ended 30 June 2011. This dividend will be paid by the Company in accordance with the timetable set out below.
Shareholders and depositary interest holders may elect to receive the dividend payment in Euros by submitting currency elections to the Company's registrar (Capita Registrars) no later than 23 September 2011. Currency election forms are in the process of being dispatched to registered shareholders and the form will be available on the Company's website, www.bwin.party.com. Depositary interest holders wishing to receive the dividend in Euros may submit a currency election via CREST. The foreign exchange rate used for converting the pounds sterling dividend payment into Euros will be the rate quoted by the Company at or about 11.00 a.m. (BST) on 26 September 2011.
31 August 2011 Interim dividend declared
7 September 2011 Ex-dividend date
9 September 2011 Record date
23 September 2011 Deadline for receipt of currency elections
26 September 2011 Pounds sterling/Euros foreign exchange rate struck for Euro dividend currency elections
7 October 2011 Interim dividend paid
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Financial Heads Up...
Wednesday could be one for the gamblers with online gaming operators Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and 888 Holdings both reporting.
888 has already revealed its revenue figure for the first half – it made $153.m, an improvement of 18.1% on a year earlier. Panmure Gordon thinks earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) will be up 52% from last year at $19.1m, giving earnings per share of 4.5 cents.
“With the strong start to Q3 and, despite the planned increased investment, we believe the risk to our forecasts is on the upside,” the broker added.
As for Bwin.Party, UBS thinks the company will report a drab set of figures, with first half revenues of €425m. Even that is better than Panmure Gordon is expecting; the latter is predicting revenue of €410m.
Bwin.Party And 888 Update - 31st August 2011...
888’s rival bwin.party digital saw its shares rally 15.3p to 125.3p, as investors warmed to its first set of results since it was created by the merger of PartyGaming and Austria’s bwin earlier this year.
The numbers revealed cost savings from the deal would be £8.9m more than expected and recent trading had been strong.
But it plunged to a half-year loss of £27m from profits of £53m after a £54.4m accounting charge.
The half-year dividend is 1.56p. Bwin.party said it was benefiting from the suspension of rival Full Tilt Poker’s license.
It hopes the US may one day reopen its doors. In the meantime, it is grappling with increased regulation in some European markets and the higher taxes this brings.
Bwin blames poker for drop in profits...
Online gaming firm Bwin.party revealed a drop in profits after it was dealt a blow from greater competition in poker markets.
The owner of PartyCasino, Foxy Bingo and PartyPoker said like-for-like revenues dropped three per cent to 398 million euros (£352.2 million) in the six months to June 30.
In its first set of results since the merger of Bwin and PartyGaming in March, the group said it came up against stronger comparatives with the previous year, which was boosted by the World Cup.
Revenues at its poker business declined 10 per cent to 104.9 million euros (£92.8 million) amid greater competition, including a campaign from rival 888 fronted by former Australian cricketer Shane Warne.
Underlying profits fell 21 per cent to 72.4 million euros (£64.1 million) after the group, which generates a quarter of its income in Germany, was hit by increased gaming duties as it launched in newly regulated markets.
Bwin said the number of new poker players signing up to its brands increased six per cent to 373,700 in the period, but active player days were down 11 per cent.
Revenues at its bingo arm were down eight per cent to 33 million euros (£29.2 million) amid intense competition in the UK, while sports betting revenues were down two per cent. But its casino and poker division saw revenues increase two per cent to 124.3 million euros.
*The writer has conducted b2 with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment
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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com Playtech Caesars Entertainment IGN World Poker Tour United States Casinos Gaming World Directory Brands Media Man
The Co-Chief Executive of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Jim Ryan confirmed this past week that the group is close to finalizing a number of deals with US based gambling companies, in a bid to enter the US market when legislation passes in this sector on a federal level.
Ryan said that the recently merged Bwin and PartyGaming were negotiating with companies who reached across the country, and particularly those in states where the likelihood of online gambling reaching them in the near future was higher than other states.
Ryan said that Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment was "in contract negotiations with a partner from New Jersey." In addition, the group was lining up partners in California and Florida.
These states had the greatest potential to see online gambling legislation passed, he said.
Ryan stressed that the current negotiations were not for acquisitions, but for partnerships only.
Above Consensus Market Expectations...
The announcement by Ryan was made as Bwin.Party released its first half earnings, showing that they had fallen by more than a fifth. This was put down in part to increases in gaming taxes across Europe.
The group said, however, that its numbers were still above consensus market expectations, which boosted its share prices somewhat.
While European gambling regulation continued to be encouraging, there was still uncertainty coming from the German market, which makes up for 22% of Bwin.Party's revenues.
Analysts believe that it may be two to three years before Germany's stand on regulation becomes clear.
An analyst with Peel Hunt, Nick Batram said: "While the current trading may reflect a worst case German scenario, it is frustrating that the company does not quantify the potential impact from an effective shutout and what plan B might be."
Troubles facing Full Tilt Poker also worked to Bwin.Party's advantage as players sought new poker sites and migrated to its brands.
First half earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization fell 21% to €81.8 million.
Ryan said that the group's strategy was "to be a pan-European operator and it looks like we are the only organization that has the strategy and capability to do that."
REG - bwin.party digital - Dividend Declaration...
RNS Number : 2933N
bwin.party digital entertainment
31 August 2011
bwin.party digital entertainment plc
('bwin.party' or the 'Company')
Interim Dividend
The Board of bwin.party has today declared an interim dividend of 1.56 pence per ordinary share in respect of the six month period ended 30 June 2011. This dividend will be paid by the Company in accordance with the timetable set out below.
Shareholders and depositary interest holders may elect to receive the dividend payment in Euros by submitting currency elections to the Company's registrar (Capita Registrars) no later than 23 September 2011. Currency election forms are in the process of being dispatched to registered shareholders and the form will be available on the Company's website, www.bwin.party.com. Depositary interest holders wishing to receive the dividend in Euros may submit a currency election via CREST. The foreign exchange rate used for converting the pounds sterling dividend payment into Euros will be the rate quoted by the Company at or about 11.00 a.m. (BST) on 26 September 2011.
31 August 2011 Interim dividend declared
7 September 2011 Ex-dividend date
9 September 2011 Record date
23 September 2011 Deadline for receipt of currency elections
26 September 2011 Pounds sterling/Euros foreign exchange rate struck for Euro dividend currency elections
7 October 2011 Interim dividend paid
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Financial Heads Up...
Wednesday could be one for the gamblers with online gaming operators Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and 888 Holdings both reporting.
888 has already revealed its revenue figure for the first half – it made $153.m, an improvement of 18.1% on a year earlier. Panmure Gordon thinks earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) will be up 52% from last year at $19.1m, giving earnings per share of 4.5 cents.
“With the strong start to Q3 and, despite the planned increased investment, we believe the risk to our forecasts is on the upside,” the broker added.
As for Bwin.Party, UBS thinks the company will report a drab set of figures, with first half revenues of €425m. Even that is better than Panmure Gordon is expecting; the latter is predicting revenue of €410m.
Bwin.Party And 888 Update - 31st August 2011...
888’s rival bwin.party digital saw its shares rally 15.3p to 125.3p, as investors warmed to its first set of results since it was created by the merger of PartyGaming and Austria’s bwin earlier this year.
The numbers revealed cost savings from the deal would be £8.9m more than expected and recent trading had been strong.
But it plunged to a half-year loss of £27m from profits of £53m after a £54.4m accounting charge.
The half-year dividend is 1.56p. Bwin.party said it was benefiting from the suspension of rival Full Tilt Poker’s license.
It hopes the US may one day reopen its doors. In the meantime, it is grappling with increased regulation in some European markets and the higher taxes this brings.
Bwin blames poker for drop in profits...
Online gaming firm Bwin.party revealed a drop in profits after it was dealt a blow from greater competition in poker markets.
The owner of PartyCasino, Foxy Bingo and PartyPoker said like-for-like revenues dropped three per cent to 398 million euros (£352.2 million) in the six months to June 30.
In its first set of results since the merger of Bwin and PartyGaming in March, the group said it came up against stronger comparatives with the previous year, which was boosted by the World Cup.
Revenues at its poker business declined 10 per cent to 104.9 million euros (£92.8 million) amid greater competition, including a campaign from rival 888 fronted by former Australian cricketer Shane Warne.
Underlying profits fell 21 per cent to 72.4 million euros (£64.1 million) after the group, which generates a quarter of its income in Germany, was hit by increased gaming duties as it launched in newly regulated markets.
Bwin said the number of new poker players signing up to its brands increased six per cent to 373,700 in the period, but active player days were down 11 per cent.
Revenues at its bingo arm were down eight per cent to 33 million euros (£29.2 million) amid intense competition in the UK, while sports betting revenues were down two per cent. But its casino and poker division saw revenues increase two per cent to 124.3 million euros.
*The writer has conducted b2 with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment
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9/02/2011
Virgin Casino Launches New Retro Reels Game
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This week, Virgin Casino has launched a new slots game, Retro Reels, Diamond Glitz and to celebrate this launch it is offering its ever-popular slots wagering promotions. Players you wish to win huge amounts should try their luck on this game. All the players who do so this week will receive a bonus worth GBP650.
This Retro Ritz, Diamond Glitz promotion has started on 30th of August and will continue until 2nd of September. You can also win cash bonus, but for that, you have to wager at least GBP500 on any of the featured slots games. Higher the wager bigger will be the bonus you can win.
Slots games that are featured for this promotion include some of the very popular slots games such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Bejeweled 2 and the new Retro Reels, Diamond Glitz. For any other detail, visit Virgin Casino today.
Virgin Casino has become one of the most popular online gambling venues today. You will be satisfied with their supreme casino games and innovative bonus offers.
*Sorry, no US, Canadian or Australian players. See World Casino Directory.
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Casino Virgin Casino Virgin Games Richard Branson Media Man
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This week, Virgin Casino has launched a new slots game, Retro Reels, Diamond Glitz and to celebrate this launch it is offering its ever-popular slots wagering promotions. Players you wish to win huge amounts should try their luck on this game. All the players who do so this week will receive a bonus worth GBP650.
This Retro Ritz, Diamond Glitz promotion has started on 30th of August and will continue until 2nd of September. You can also win cash bonus, but for that, you have to wager at least GBP500 on any of the featured slots games. Higher the wager bigger will be the bonus you can win.
Slots games that are featured for this promotion include some of the very popular slots games such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Bejeweled 2 and the new Retro Reels, Diamond Glitz. For any other detail, visit Virgin Casino today.
Virgin Casino has become one of the most popular online gambling venues today. You will be satisfied with their supreme casino games and innovative bonus offers.
*Sorry, no US, Canadian or Australian players. See World Casino Directory.
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9/01/2011
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Making Friends In United States: California, New Jersey, Florida, by Greg Tingle - 1st September 2011
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Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month Award'...
PartyCasino.com has once again won the Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award. Richard Branson's VirginCasino.com picked up 2nd place, while new entrant into the Asia Pacific Region, Grand Reef Online Casino picks up 3rd. Well done to all brands.
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Continues To Make Friends In U.S Market; Talks Well Developed...
In a recent interview with eGaming Review, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Co-CEO, Jim Ryan, advised re his firm's goal to enter the lucrative US market: “We have made the decision to target strategic partners. At federal level, we are finalising agreements with a couple of parties positioned nicely to operate in that market. In California, we are well advanced with a particular party. The same in New Jersey, consistent with where we are at a federal level.”
California’s legislator announced it will not be pursuing the issue until the start of next year, quite possibly after federal legislation is enacted.
New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak introduced new draft legislation earlier month. His previous proposal made it all the way to Governor Chris Christie’s desk before Christie announced he would not be signing off in the final minutes of a deadline. The Governor cited specifics in the bill that Lesniak believes the latest incarnation addresses.
Media Man is following up the situation.
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Talk Of The Town...
Earlier this year, PartyGaming and bwin merged to create Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, which is traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol BPTY. In an news article that appeared in The Independent last Tuesday, it was noted that since the two online gaming giants merged, the combined company’s share price has dipped by nearly half. While part of the drop might be due to a slowing economic environment worldwide and so no action might be needed, other entities felt that an infusion could be in the offing. The news outlet cautioned, however, that investors might wait for the gaming environment in the United States to be sorted out first: "Not everyone agreed with the chatter, however, with one trader saying acquisitions in the sector were unlikely until there was further clarification over the potential regulation of online gambling in the U.S."
Despite the merger, PartyPoker.com remains the flagship site of its own network, while bwin makes its home on the Ongame Network alongside rooms such as Betfair.
Caesars Entertainment, one of the principal competitors of Wynn Resorts, has partnered with 888, also a publicly traded company in London. Prior to Black Friday, Full Tilt Poker teamed up with Fertitta Interactive, whose ownership group has strong ties to Station Casinos. Along with the PokerStars - Wynn deal, the latter fell by the wayside once the U.S. Department of Justice took action in April. Other members of TwoPlusTwo continued to cast doubt on the validity of The Independent’s report. One player wrote, "Party has never had any interest in selling. This feels like an absolute recycle of the previous such rumor that they were going to be bought out by Harrah’s. Unsurprisingly, it turns out there was never such a thing on the table and the only connection was former Party CEO Mitch Garber moving to Caesars Interactive." Rumors have also persisted that the Ongame Network could be sold outright. To that end, Sharecast.com noted in a recent article, "Bwin.Party, the world's largest online gaming group, already has its poker network, Ongame, on the auction block. The sale is expected to generate between 20M and 30M Euros ($28.5m to $42.7m), a modest figure reflecting the loss of players the network will incur through the sale." But could a deal between Wynn and Bwin.Party be finalized before online poker is legalized in the United States? And will it matter? This week, the New York Post published an article stating that online poker legislation could be coming sooner rather than later. One source told the Post, "I think there is becoming a feeling in Congress that this is something that needs to be regulated and be done. I believe there is a possibility a bill will pass towards the end of the year." Media Man will be following the story with weekly reports.
FTSE 250 Movers: Bwin.party bid may be on the cards...
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment saw its share price head north as rumours persist that a US company has it in its sights.
Casinos operator Wynn Resorts is one name in the frame, with a take-out price of 170p per share being talked about.
Bwin.party, the world's largest online gaming group, already has its US poker network, OnGame, on the auction block.
The sale is expected to generate between 20m and 30m euros ($28.5m to $42.7m), a modest figure reflecting the loss of players the network will encur through the sale.
Irish mining company Kenmare Resources was rapidly heading back down following a rally of 7.5% on Monday on the back of a tip in the Daily Telegraph which declared Kenmare a "bargain share".
FTSE 250 - Risers
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment (BPTY) 112.50p +6.43%
Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month Award'...
PartyCasino.com has once again won the Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award. Richard Branson's VirginCasino.com picked up 2nd place, while new entrant into the Asia Pacific Region, Grand Reef Online Casino picks up 3rd. Well done to all brands.
Betfair Poaches Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Executive...
A talent war of sorts has broken out between Bwin.Party and Betfair, with Betfair scoring the most recent strike.
Betfair has by all accounts poached bwin.party’s central marketing director Matt Robinson to become the firm's emerging markets director, a new role created for the top notch gaming executive.
Robinson, who has been at PartyGaming, today known as bwin.party, for two years and was previously at 888 for six years launching the brand in the UK, will join the betting exchange in September reporting to chief commercial officer Niall Wass.
Media Man wishes him well, and holds both Bwin.Party and Betfair in high regard.
*The writer has conducted b2 with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and Betfair.
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Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month Award'...
PartyCasino.com has once again won the Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award. Richard Branson's VirginCasino.com picked up 2nd place, while new entrant into the Asia Pacific Region, Grand Reef Online Casino picks up 3rd. Well done to all brands.
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Continues To Make Friends In U.S Market; Talks Well Developed...
In a recent interview with eGaming Review, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Co-CEO, Jim Ryan, advised re his firm's goal to enter the lucrative US market: “We have made the decision to target strategic partners. At federal level, we are finalising agreements with a couple of parties positioned nicely to operate in that market. In California, we are well advanced with a particular party. The same in New Jersey, consistent with where we are at a federal level.”
California’s legislator announced it will not be pursuing the issue until the start of next year, quite possibly after federal legislation is enacted.
New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak introduced new draft legislation earlier month. His previous proposal made it all the way to Governor Chris Christie’s desk before Christie announced he would not be signing off in the final minutes of a deadline. The Governor cited specifics in the bill that Lesniak believes the latest incarnation addresses.
Media Man is following up the situation.
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Talk Of The Town...
Earlier this year, PartyGaming and bwin merged to create Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, which is traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol BPTY. In an news article that appeared in The Independent last Tuesday, it was noted that since the two online gaming giants merged, the combined company’s share price has dipped by nearly half. While part of the drop might be due to a slowing economic environment worldwide and so no action might be needed, other entities felt that an infusion could be in the offing. The news outlet cautioned, however, that investors might wait for the gaming environment in the United States to be sorted out first: "Not everyone agreed with the chatter, however, with one trader saying acquisitions in the sector were unlikely until there was further clarification over the potential regulation of online gambling in the U.S."
Despite the merger, PartyPoker.com remains the flagship site of its own network, while bwin makes its home on the Ongame Network alongside rooms such as Betfair.
Caesars Entertainment, one of the principal competitors of Wynn Resorts, has partnered with 888, also a publicly traded company in London. Prior to Black Friday, Full Tilt Poker teamed up with Fertitta Interactive, whose ownership group has strong ties to Station Casinos. Along with the PokerStars - Wynn deal, the latter fell by the wayside once the U.S. Department of Justice took action in April. Other members of TwoPlusTwo continued to cast doubt on the validity of The Independent’s report. One player wrote, "Party has never had any interest in selling. This feels like an absolute recycle of the previous such rumor that they were going to be bought out by Harrah’s. Unsurprisingly, it turns out there was never such a thing on the table and the only connection was former Party CEO Mitch Garber moving to Caesars Interactive." Rumors have also persisted that the Ongame Network could be sold outright. To that end, Sharecast.com noted in a recent article, "Bwin.Party, the world's largest online gaming group, already has its poker network, Ongame, on the auction block. The sale is expected to generate between 20M and 30M Euros ($28.5m to $42.7m), a modest figure reflecting the loss of players the network will incur through the sale." But could a deal between Wynn and Bwin.Party be finalized before online poker is legalized in the United States? And will it matter? This week, the New York Post published an article stating that online poker legislation could be coming sooner rather than later. One source told the Post, "I think there is becoming a feeling in Congress that this is something that needs to be regulated and be done. I believe there is a possibility a bill will pass towards the end of the year." Media Man will be following the story with weekly reports.
FTSE 250 Movers: Bwin.party bid may be on the cards...
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment saw its share price head north as rumours persist that a US company has it in its sights.
Casinos operator Wynn Resorts is one name in the frame, with a take-out price of 170p per share being talked about.
Bwin.party, the world's largest online gaming group, already has its US poker network, OnGame, on the auction block.
The sale is expected to generate between 20m and 30m euros ($28.5m to $42.7m), a modest figure reflecting the loss of players the network will encur through the sale.
Irish mining company Kenmare Resources was rapidly heading back down following a rally of 7.5% on Monday on the back of a tip in the Daily Telegraph which declared Kenmare a "bargain share".
FTSE 250 - Risers
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment (BPTY) 112.50p +6.43%
Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month Award'...
PartyCasino.com has once again won the Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award. Richard Branson's VirginCasino.com picked up 2nd place, while new entrant into the Asia Pacific Region, Grand Reef Online Casino picks up 3rd. Well done to all brands.
Betfair Poaches Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Executive...
A talent war of sorts has broken out between Bwin.Party and Betfair, with Betfair scoring the most recent strike.
Betfair has by all accounts poached bwin.party’s central marketing director Matt Robinson to become the firm's emerging markets director, a new role created for the top notch gaming executive.
Robinson, who has been at PartyGaming, today known as bwin.party, for two years and was previously at 888 for six years launching the brand in the UK, will join the betting exchange in September reporting to chief commercial officer Niall Wass.
Media Man wishes him well, and holds both Bwin.Party and Betfair in high regard.
*The writer has conducted b2 with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and Betfair.
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8/27/2011
Media Man Gaming, Casino And Entertainment News Report, by Greg Tingle - 27th August 2011
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Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month Award'...
PartyCasino.com has once again won the Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award. Richard Branson's VirginCasino.com picked up 2nd place, while new entrant into the Asia Pacific Region, Grand Reef Online Casino picks up 3rd. Well done to all brands.
Coonan offered position on Crown Limited board...
Former Liberal Party senator Helen Coonan has a new job offer, just days after resigning from Parliament.
Crown Casino has announced its intention to appoint the former communications minister to its board.
The gaming regulator has to sign off on the appointment, but Crown hopes to have her on the board before Christmas.
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says he is saddened by the appointment.
"Helen Coonan's had a distinguished career and public life," she said.
"She's been a senior minister in the Howard government and to take a position on the board of a company, Crown Casino, where we know they peddle a product - poker machines, gambling - that causes so much misery to so many, is pretty sad."
Echo Entertainment $226m Casinos Profit...
Sin City Sydney's Star City casino redevelopment is on track, according owners Echo Entertainment.
Echo, which holds a portfolio of casinos including Star City and Jupiters on the Gold Coast, yesterday reported a maiden profit of $226 million after spinning off from gaming group Tabcorp in June.
While its profit result reflects a rise in casino earnings of 33 per cent, most of the money will flow through to Tabcorp shareholders as it was reaped before the demerger.
The company said revenue from its Queensland casinos, Jupiters and Treasury in Brisbane, rose despite the impact of deadly flooding from cyclone Yasi in February. Chief executive Larry Mullin said Echo was about to reap the benefits of its $870 million redevelopment of Star City.
The casino would be fully operational by the second quarter of the current financial year, he said.
Echo shares rose 1.8 per cent to close at $2.883. The company will not pay a dividend for the 12 months to the end of June.
Marvel Studios' Lackluster Inaugural Performance at the 2011 D23...
It’s important to note that the Marvel Universe, on the big screen, is a much more complicated place than it is on print
Prior to 2008, the movies based on many of Marvel’s marquee characters (household names like Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and X-Men) were produced via licensing agreements with a variety of studios – and as long as the studios continue to produce movies based on these characters, they maintain the licenses. That is to say that, though Marvel Entertainment still has a hand in the movies based on certain characters, they share the decision making (and profits) with companies like Sony Pictures (Spider-Man) and 20th Century Fox (X-Men). The end result of Marvel Studios becoming its own production entity has been overwhelmingly positive, as evidenced by the Disney Corporation’s interest in, and eventual acquisition of, Marvel Entertainment.
Marvel Studios’ underwhelming performance at the D23 Expo is pretty sad, especially with Disney’s resources behind them, they could have, and should have, done much, much better. Somebody dropped the ball. Either Marvel didn’t have enough to present, or Disney wouldn’t let them present what they had – and even if it was unintentional, either possibility is a bit of a snub to the fans who endured D23’s horrifyingly long lines in hopes of seeing Marvel deliver.
Disney Pixar not only brought in trailers and footage from works in progress and upcoming releases (Brave, Planes, and Monsters University), they brought in writers and directors of two projects that have recently been given the green light, but didn’t have titles, and won’t even begin production until sometime circa 2013.
Since late 2004 – when, in order to produce movies based on their characters independently, Marvel entered into a non-recourse deal with Merrill Lynch Commercial Finance Corp. to produce ten movies with Paramount as distributor – and as recently as last year, Marvel has said that they intended to develop films based on lesser-known characters such as Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and even more obscure characters like Shang Chi: Master of Kung-Fu and Guardians of the Galaxy. This spring, Marvel Studios’ President of Production, Kevin Feige, told D23 Magazine by way of IGN that the roster of films for the immediate future was heavy on Avengers-related titles [Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man sequels; plus possible Ant-Man, Black Widow and Nick Fury/S.H.I.E.L.D. projects] and even provided basic ideas of what the second Captain America and Thor movies would be like.
Perhaps a better, more tangible example is the Ant-Man film: for a couple years now [Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World writer/director] Edgar Wright, and Joe Cornish [Wright’s frequent collaborator, and director of this summer’s cult smash Attack the Block] have been attached to the project. Though the project hasn’t been fast-tracked, it’s got an IMDb page, and a proposed release year (2014). Wright is still listed as director; and Wright and Cornish are still listed as writers. The only speculation surrounding the project is whether or not Wright’s favorite leading man, and collaborator, actor Simon Pegg (Star Trek), will still play the titular tiny titan. Even without an official release date and leading man, let alone a date to begin production, there was plenty to talk about – especially for an audience that may or may not know anything about Marvel, let alone their movies.
Bottom line: Marvel and Disney - the powers that be can and must do better than this. It's a critical time in the industry and Marvel Entertainment needs to pull out all the stops to remain at the very top of the industry. Too many more stuff ups like D23, and the empire may take a great fall, one that even Marvel icon and living legend Stan Lee could not imagine.
For everyone's sake, we hope that Marvel Entertainment and other brains at Disney will soon excite us and restore the faith.
Martin Scorsese, William Monahan Teaming for 'The Gambler' at Paramount (The Hollywood Reporter)...
The duo are developing a remake of the 1974 movie starring James Caan as an English professor with a gambling addiction. They want Leo DiCaprio to star.
Paramount is going all-in on The Gambler, a remake of the 1974 James Caan addiction drama.
The studio has set Martin Scorsese to direct and William Monahan to write. Irwin Winkler, who produced the original, will again act as producer of the new film. They are interested in having Leonardo DiCaprio star, but no deal is in place for the actor.
The 1974 movie, an adaptation of the short novel The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, detailed a New York English professor who inspires his students but suffers from a secret gambling addiction. The affliction causes him to extort money from his mother and convince one of his students to shave points in a basketball game.
Caan received a Golden Globe nomination for best actor for his performance in the original. Lauren Hutton and Paul Sorvino co-starred for director Karel Reisz. (The project is not related to the series of Gambler TV movies that starred Kenny Rogers in the 1980s and 90s.)
The gritty New York setting of the original seems a perfect match for Scorsese, who teamed with Monahan on 2006 best picture Oscar winner The Departed.
The director has been especially active lately. He has his first family film, Hugo, slated for a Thanksgiving release, and he’s preparing to direct Silence, an adaptation of the Shusaku Endo novel. He’s also attached to The Wolf of Wall Street, an adaptation of the Jordan Belfort memoir that has attached DiCaprio, with whom Scorsese collaborated on Shutter Island.
Scorsese is repped by WME and Rick Yorn. Monahan is repped by WME and Anonymous.
Paramount declined to comment. (Credit: The Hollywood Reporter)
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment's bwin.fr and SAjOO.fr to Merge - 29th July 2011...
Given the challenging regulatory and fiscal regime that currently prevails in France and in order to drive greater value for both parties, bwin.party and Amaury Group have decided to merge their bwin France and SAjOO online gaming businesses.
While the terms of the merger are not being disclosed, the combination will deliver real financial benefits in a number of areas including marketing and shared resources and as a result, the combined entity will be much better placed to deliver attractive financial returns.
Both Amaury and bwin France share a common objective of delivering an exciting and competitive online offer, and have been working together since 2008. With an estimated 9% share of the French online betting market, SAjOO.fr has already surpassed the goals set at its launch back in 2010.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Norbert Teufelberger, Co-CEO of bwin.party, said:
“Combining the resources of SAjOO and bwin France makes perfect sense and will only enhance our already strong position in the French market. With the prospect of a more commercial regulatory framework in 2012, we look forward to building a market leading enterprise with our long-standing partner.”
Philippe Carli, Amaury Group’s Chief Executive Officer, said:
“This merger creates a new force in the French market, one that we expect will prosper over the months and years to come. We remain optimistic that the current review of the existing regulatory framework being conducted by the French Government will result in significant improvements to the legal and regulatory framework. In this context, Amaury group is strengthening its involvement with bwin France, one of the sector’s leading operators.”
Scratchie case loss a picture of pain...
Lotto lovers have been warned the odds might be even more stacked against them than they thought after a Sydney couple were ordered to hand back their $100,000 scratchie ticket winnings.
A lawyer for the couple says they are considering whether to take the matter further.
The Federal Court of Appeal ruled yesterday in favour of New South Wales Lotteries after the couple had won an earlier case over what looked like a winning ticket.
Elizabeth Kuzmanovski bought the Pictionary-themed ticket for her husband as a birthday present in July 2007.
Bale Kuzmanovski was elated when he scratched to reveal an image of a swimmer alongside the word "bathe".
NSW Lotteries refused to pay out, arguing the picture and word did not match.
But it was not on that basis that the appeal was won.
The appeals court accepted the lottery body's argument that a code on the bottom of the scratchie determined whether it was a winning ticket, not the pictures.
Mr Kuzmanovski's lawyer, Peter Ives, says they are considering a further appeal.
"Bill is extremely disappointed at what happened. He feels cheated. He has a feeling that he could never buy another Lotto ticket, knowing that he'll never know if he's won or not, even if it looks like he has won," Mr Ives said.
Christopher Zinn from Choice says the case shows consumers are vulnerable to fine print.
"What I take away from it is you can read the back of a ticket, you can read the back of a scratchie, but if there's going to be a dispute they can often pull various small print rabbits out of a hat, which are actually going to jinx any chance you might have of getting your hands on the money," Mr Zinn said.
"There are so many terms and conditions applying to the simplest things now, they're not always on the back of airline tickets or scratchie tickets or anything else.
"So it seems to be saying that you know you have to avail yourself of the maximum amount of information, certainly if you're going to take a challenge onto them."
IGT Wins Again with Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™...
The sequel to record-breaking Sex And The City™slot debuts
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 17, 2011 - It's a blockbuster summer for International Game Technology with the debut of Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ Reel MultiPLAY Slots, the sequel to the award-winning Sex And The City™ slot machine.
This new slot game is appearing in casinos worldwide where it is sure to be equally as fantastic as the original.
"The original Sex And The City™ Slots remain one of the most popular games on casino floors throughout the world," said Tom Mikulich, IGT senior vice president of MegaJackpots. "And if early reviews are any indication, we expect the new Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ title to be just as popular with players. The combination of unique game play and interactive bonuses will entertain fans of the original game and new players alike."
Players will experience even more glitz and glamour on the casino floor as Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ joins the award-winning, player-favorite original, Sex And The City™ Slots. And not only have players fallen in love with the smash-hit Sex And The City™ slot theme, it's also a favorite with the casino industry. According to the Roth Fantini Quarterly Slot Survey of January 2011, the original Sex And The City™ title, introduced in 2009, continues its lead as the top performing premium leased game in North America.
"It's hard to imagine a tougher act to follow than the original Sex And The City(TM) slot game, but with Sex And The City Big Diamonds!(TM), IGT clearly has another big winner," said Robert Allen, corporate vice president of Casino Operations at Pinnacle Entertainment.
Adorned with a diamond-lit cabinet, the Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ game is the perfect sequel. Along with its sophisticated presentation, Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ Reel MultiPLAY interface comes with all new bonus content and features five progressive pick bonus levels, one for each of the five characters of the hit series.
Mr. Big is back and his winning charm is bigger than ever. He steals players' hearts with a random wilds diamond shower feature in the base game.
Carrie's bonus is called The Right to Shoes, and in this version, players will experience a marvelous new twist using the "accept or reject" bonus feature. Charlotte's bonus is the Glamorous Gifts bonus, which awards the player a virtual wheel spin. In Miranda's Retail Therapy bonus, players touch the screen to spin the wheel to award shopping bags filled with credits, multipliers and maybe an additional spin. And in Samantha's Glimmer Ring bonus, players can populate gems in the top box display while a diamond ring moves back and forth, highlighting the potential for big wins.
Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ will be available throughout the U.S. Visit www.megajackpots.com/wheretoplay/bigdiamonds to find out where you can play the game now.
About IGT
International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of gaming machines and systems products, as well as online and mobile gaming solutions for regulated markets. More information about IGT is available at www.IGT.com or follow IGT on Twitter at @IGTNews or Facebook at www.facebook.com/IGT
Official HBO Licensed Product. © 2011 Home Box Office, Inc. All Rights Reserved. HBO and related trademarks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.
Ric Flair: Boozing Has Not Damaged My Heart...
Wrestling icon Ric Flair is furious over an article which claims the Nature Boy is suffering from a serious medical condition caused by years of hardcore boozing ... because Ric claims it's not true and now he's threatening to sue.
The unflattering article -- which paints Flair as a troubled, irresponsible mess of a person -- ran on an ESPN affiliated website called Grantland.com ... and the report is mostly based on court documents.
But Flair is particularly pissed about the reporter's claim that he suffers from Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy -- a disease caused by years of alcohol abuse which often leads to heart failure.
A rep for Flair whose real name is Richard Fliehr - tells TMZ, "While the information gleaned from courthouse records may be credible, Mr. Fliehr is currently evaluating his legal options with respect to falsehoods in the story, specifically the untrue statement that he suffers from alcoholic cardiomyopathy."
The rep adds, "Our client understands that these allegations are part of the territory when you are not only famous, but a living legend."
Hulk Hogan And Friends Tours American Casinos And Arenas; Gamble Paying Off...
Hulk and Friends, the live show that has been touring the country with stops at casinos, fairgrounds, arenas and other venues, announced that fans will have the chance to meet their favorite wrestlers in a unique and up-close setting on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 7:30 P.M. at the famous AG Hall, now known as the Agri-Plex within the Allentown Fairgrounds, in Allentown PA.
"I'm really looking forward to meeting all my fans in the Allentown area on October 8th" Hulk Hogan said. "We are having a great time doing this show. Meeting the fans, telling jokes, and brother, everybody's laughing more than we have in years" he continued. Not only will all the fan favorites be there but Hulk Hogan promises to bring some very special guests along with him. "You never know who is going to show up at a Hulk and Friends Show" he added.
Tickets will be going on sale August 5th through Ticketmaster. A limited number of ringside seats (which include a VIP Meet and Greet) are also available. For those interested in sponsorship opportunities, please go to the official website www.hulkandfriends.com
Coke's game plan...
Coca Cola is turning to gaming technology and ideas to market itself.
Coke is soon to roll out new marketing strategies using gaming for several key products, including Fanta, which is targeted at a teenage market.
David Elsworth, Coke's vice-president for creative excellence, said gaming offered untold opportunities for marketing a brand
''Gaming is as ancient as storytelling but it was never able to be used in marketing on a mass scale because we didn't have the tools to do that before.''
Mr Elsworth said gaming in marketing was not about using the games, but using the rules and approach of games to create a different relationship between consumers and the brand.
''Gaming is about getting people to move from passive receivers of a message to active collaborators … interacting and participating.''
Mr Elsworth said gaming offered a richer level of engagement with consumers. He said gaming was no longer the domain of ''pimply teenagers in their bedrooms playing Xbox'', but a massive industry worth more than the film and music industries put together.
Pokie kings have slots to be happy about - 26th August 2011
Poker machine maker Ainsworth Game Technology pipped its cross-town rival, Aristocrat Leisure, yesterday with its second profit upgrade this year.
After a 17 per cent share price jump on Wednesday, Ainsworth yesterday announced an unaudited $23.1 million net profit for the financial year ending June 30, compared with a $2.7 million loss for the previous year.
More details will be available next Wednesday when the audited results are released.
Excluding the benefit of tax losses, Ainsworth's net profit was $14.6 million. In May the company upgraded its earnings forecast to a range of $11 million to $13 million.
''This positive financial performance reflected further strong domestic and international demand for the company's range of products in the last two months of the financial year and a more favourable currency position as at the reporting date,'' Ainsworth said.
Aristocrat reported that its profit forecast for the year ending December 31 this year remains intact, although this relies on the Australian dollar remaining at parity with its US counterpart for the current half year.
The strong dollar and high interest costs - the latter a result of Aristocrat taking on debt to settle its long-running dispute over its convertible bonds last year - dragged down its results for the six months to June 30.
The company reported a net profit after tax of $24.9 million down from $49.3 million for the previous half year while revenues dropped to $312.7 million from $340.5 million.
The company declared a 2.5¢ unfranked dividend payable on September 30 and also announced a dividend reinvestment plan.
As with its smaller rival, Aristocrat reported strong results from the Australian market as well as promising signs from the US despite forecasts that this market will continue to shrink this year.
The company's chief executive, Jamie Odell, described the result as an important milestone in its five-year turnaround strategy with the company delivering on guidance of a 10 to 20 per cent improvement on last year's $55.2 million profit as well as demonstrating improved underlying performance in its core business.
Media Man Website Network Attracting Close To 6 Million Hits Per Month...
The well known Media Man website network, the online arm of Media Man, is attracting close to 6 million hits per month. The company was established in 2001 and coverage over a dozen different business sectors. Some of the Media Man website portals are listed in the Hitwise Australia top ten (entertainment - personalities category). Media Man is currently focused on the celebrity, film and television, technology, gaming and community sector. They plan to further ramp up their Casino News Media, Property News Media and Wrestling News Media brands.
*The writer has conducted b2 with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and Betfair.
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Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month Award'...
PartyCasino.com has once again won the Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award. Richard Branson's VirginCasino.com picked up 2nd place, while new entrant into the Asia Pacific Region, Grand Reef Online Casino picks up 3rd. Well done to all brands.
Coonan offered position on Crown Limited board...
Former Liberal Party senator Helen Coonan has a new job offer, just days after resigning from Parliament.
Crown Casino has announced its intention to appoint the former communications minister to its board.
The gaming regulator has to sign off on the appointment, but Crown hopes to have her on the board before Christmas.
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says he is saddened by the appointment.
"Helen Coonan's had a distinguished career and public life," she said.
"She's been a senior minister in the Howard government and to take a position on the board of a company, Crown Casino, where we know they peddle a product - poker machines, gambling - that causes so much misery to so many, is pretty sad."
Echo Entertainment $226m Casinos Profit...
Sin City Sydney's Star City casino redevelopment is on track, according owners Echo Entertainment.
Echo, which holds a portfolio of casinos including Star City and Jupiters on the Gold Coast, yesterday reported a maiden profit of $226 million after spinning off from gaming group Tabcorp in June.
While its profit result reflects a rise in casino earnings of 33 per cent, most of the money will flow through to Tabcorp shareholders as it was reaped before the demerger.
The company said revenue from its Queensland casinos, Jupiters and Treasury in Brisbane, rose despite the impact of deadly flooding from cyclone Yasi in February. Chief executive Larry Mullin said Echo was about to reap the benefits of its $870 million redevelopment of Star City.
The casino would be fully operational by the second quarter of the current financial year, he said.
Echo shares rose 1.8 per cent to close at $2.883. The company will not pay a dividend for the 12 months to the end of June.
Marvel Studios' Lackluster Inaugural Performance at the 2011 D23...
It’s important to note that the Marvel Universe, on the big screen, is a much more complicated place than it is on print
Prior to 2008, the movies based on many of Marvel’s marquee characters (household names like Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and X-Men) were produced via licensing agreements with a variety of studios – and as long as the studios continue to produce movies based on these characters, they maintain the licenses. That is to say that, though Marvel Entertainment still has a hand in the movies based on certain characters, they share the decision making (and profits) with companies like Sony Pictures (Spider-Man) and 20th Century Fox (X-Men). The end result of Marvel Studios becoming its own production entity has been overwhelmingly positive, as evidenced by the Disney Corporation’s interest in, and eventual acquisition of, Marvel Entertainment.
Marvel Studios’ underwhelming performance at the D23 Expo is pretty sad, especially with Disney’s resources behind them, they could have, and should have, done much, much better. Somebody dropped the ball. Either Marvel didn’t have enough to present, or Disney wouldn’t let them present what they had – and even if it was unintentional, either possibility is a bit of a snub to the fans who endured D23’s horrifyingly long lines in hopes of seeing Marvel deliver.
Disney Pixar not only brought in trailers and footage from works in progress and upcoming releases (Brave, Planes, and Monsters University), they brought in writers and directors of two projects that have recently been given the green light, but didn’t have titles, and won’t even begin production until sometime circa 2013.
Since late 2004 – when, in order to produce movies based on their characters independently, Marvel entered into a non-recourse deal with Merrill Lynch Commercial Finance Corp. to produce ten movies with Paramount as distributor – and as recently as last year, Marvel has said that they intended to develop films based on lesser-known characters such as Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and even more obscure characters like Shang Chi: Master of Kung-Fu and Guardians of the Galaxy. This spring, Marvel Studios’ President of Production, Kevin Feige, told D23 Magazine by way of IGN that the roster of films for the immediate future was heavy on Avengers-related titles [Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man sequels; plus possible Ant-Man, Black Widow and Nick Fury/S.H.I.E.L.D. projects] and even provided basic ideas of what the second Captain America and Thor movies would be like.
Perhaps a better, more tangible example is the Ant-Man film: for a couple years now [Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World writer/director] Edgar Wright, and Joe Cornish [Wright’s frequent collaborator, and director of this summer’s cult smash Attack the Block] have been attached to the project. Though the project hasn’t been fast-tracked, it’s got an IMDb page, and a proposed release year (2014). Wright is still listed as director; and Wright and Cornish are still listed as writers. The only speculation surrounding the project is whether or not Wright’s favorite leading man, and collaborator, actor Simon Pegg (Star Trek), will still play the titular tiny titan. Even without an official release date and leading man, let alone a date to begin production, there was plenty to talk about – especially for an audience that may or may not know anything about Marvel, let alone their movies.
Bottom line: Marvel and Disney - the powers that be can and must do better than this. It's a critical time in the industry and Marvel Entertainment needs to pull out all the stops to remain at the very top of the industry. Too many more stuff ups like D23, and the empire may take a great fall, one that even Marvel icon and living legend Stan Lee could not imagine.
For everyone's sake, we hope that Marvel Entertainment and other brains at Disney will soon excite us and restore the faith.
Martin Scorsese, William Monahan Teaming for 'The Gambler' at Paramount (The Hollywood Reporter)...
The duo are developing a remake of the 1974 movie starring James Caan as an English professor with a gambling addiction. They want Leo DiCaprio to star.
Paramount is going all-in on The Gambler, a remake of the 1974 James Caan addiction drama.
The studio has set Martin Scorsese to direct and William Monahan to write. Irwin Winkler, who produced the original, will again act as producer of the new film. They are interested in having Leonardo DiCaprio star, but no deal is in place for the actor.
The 1974 movie, an adaptation of the short novel The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, detailed a New York English professor who inspires his students but suffers from a secret gambling addiction. The affliction causes him to extort money from his mother and convince one of his students to shave points in a basketball game.
Caan received a Golden Globe nomination for best actor for his performance in the original. Lauren Hutton and Paul Sorvino co-starred for director Karel Reisz. (The project is not related to the series of Gambler TV movies that starred Kenny Rogers in the 1980s and 90s.)
The gritty New York setting of the original seems a perfect match for Scorsese, who teamed with Monahan on 2006 best picture Oscar winner The Departed.
The director has been especially active lately. He has his first family film, Hugo, slated for a Thanksgiving release, and he’s preparing to direct Silence, an adaptation of the Shusaku Endo novel. He’s also attached to The Wolf of Wall Street, an adaptation of the Jordan Belfort memoir that has attached DiCaprio, with whom Scorsese collaborated on Shutter Island.
Scorsese is repped by WME and Rick Yorn. Monahan is repped by WME and Anonymous.
Paramount declined to comment. (Credit: The Hollywood Reporter)
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment's bwin.fr and SAjOO.fr to Merge - 29th July 2011...
Given the challenging regulatory and fiscal regime that currently prevails in France and in order to drive greater value for both parties, bwin.party and Amaury Group have decided to merge their bwin France and SAjOO online gaming businesses.
While the terms of the merger are not being disclosed, the combination will deliver real financial benefits in a number of areas including marketing and shared resources and as a result, the combined entity will be much better placed to deliver attractive financial returns.
Both Amaury and bwin France share a common objective of delivering an exciting and competitive online offer, and have been working together since 2008. With an estimated 9% share of the French online betting market, SAjOO.fr has already surpassed the goals set at its launch back in 2010.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Norbert Teufelberger, Co-CEO of bwin.party, said:
“Combining the resources of SAjOO and bwin France makes perfect sense and will only enhance our already strong position in the French market. With the prospect of a more commercial regulatory framework in 2012, we look forward to building a market leading enterprise with our long-standing partner.”
Philippe Carli, Amaury Group’s Chief Executive Officer, said:
“This merger creates a new force in the French market, one that we expect will prosper over the months and years to come. We remain optimistic that the current review of the existing regulatory framework being conducted by the French Government will result in significant improvements to the legal and regulatory framework. In this context, Amaury group is strengthening its involvement with bwin France, one of the sector’s leading operators.”
Scratchie case loss a picture of pain...
Lotto lovers have been warned the odds might be even more stacked against them than they thought after a Sydney couple were ordered to hand back their $100,000 scratchie ticket winnings.
A lawyer for the couple says they are considering whether to take the matter further.
The Federal Court of Appeal ruled yesterday in favour of New South Wales Lotteries after the couple had won an earlier case over what looked like a winning ticket.
Elizabeth Kuzmanovski bought the Pictionary-themed ticket for her husband as a birthday present in July 2007.
Bale Kuzmanovski was elated when he scratched to reveal an image of a swimmer alongside the word "bathe".
NSW Lotteries refused to pay out, arguing the picture and word did not match.
But it was not on that basis that the appeal was won.
The appeals court accepted the lottery body's argument that a code on the bottom of the scratchie determined whether it was a winning ticket, not the pictures.
Mr Kuzmanovski's lawyer, Peter Ives, says they are considering a further appeal.
"Bill is extremely disappointed at what happened. He feels cheated. He has a feeling that he could never buy another Lotto ticket, knowing that he'll never know if he's won or not, even if it looks like he has won," Mr Ives said.
Christopher Zinn from Choice says the case shows consumers are vulnerable to fine print.
"What I take away from it is you can read the back of a ticket, you can read the back of a scratchie, but if there's going to be a dispute they can often pull various small print rabbits out of a hat, which are actually going to jinx any chance you might have of getting your hands on the money," Mr Zinn said.
"There are so many terms and conditions applying to the simplest things now, they're not always on the back of airline tickets or scratchie tickets or anything else.
"So it seems to be saying that you know you have to avail yourself of the maximum amount of information, certainly if you're going to take a challenge onto them."
IGT Wins Again with Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™...
The sequel to record-breaking Sex And The City™slot debuts
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 17, 2011 - It's a blockbuster summer for International Game Technology with the debut of Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ Reel MultiPLAY Slots, the sequel to the award-winning Sex And The City™ slot machine.
This new slot game is appearing in casinos worldwide where it is sure to be equally as fantastic as the original.
"The original Sex And The City™ Slots remain one of the most popular games on casino floors throughout the world," said Tom Mikulich, IGT senior vice president of MegaJackpots. "And if early reviews are any indication, we expect the new Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ title to be just as popular with players. The combination of unique game play and interactive bonuses will entertain fans of the original game and new players alike."
Players will experience even more glitz and glamour on the casino floor as Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ joins the award-winning, player-favorite original, Sex And The City™ Slots. And not only have players fallen in love with the smash-hit Sex And The City™ slot theme, it's also a favorite with the casino industry. According to the Roth Fantini Quarterly Slot Survey of January 2011, the original Sex And The City™ title, introduced in 2009, continues its lead as the top performing premium leased game in North America.
"It's hard to imagine a tougher act to follow than the original Sex And The City(TM) slot game, but with Sex And The City Big Diamonds!(TM), IGT clearly has another big winner," said Robert Allen, corporate vice president of Casino Operations at Pinnacle Entertainment.
Adorned with a diamond-lit cabinet, the Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ game is the perfect sequel. Along with its sophisticated presentation, Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ Reel MultiPLAY interface comes with all new bonus content and features five progressive pick bonus levels, one for each of the five characters of the hit series.
Mr. Big is back and his winning charm is bigger than ever. He steals players' hearts with a random wilds diamond shower feature in the base game.
Carrie's bonus is called The Right to Shoes, and in this version, players will experience a marvelous new twist using the "accept or reject" bonus feature. Charlotte's bonus is the Glamorous Gifts bonus, which awards the player a virtual wheel spin. In Miranda's Retail Therapy bonus, players touch the screen to spin the wheel to award shopping bags filled with credits, multipliers and maybe an additional spin. And in Samantha's Glimmer Ring bonus, players can populate gems in the top box display while a diamond ring moves back and forth, highlighting the potential for big wins.
Sex And The City Big Diamonds!™ will be available throughout the U.S. Visit www.megajackpots.com/wheretoplay/bigdiamonds to find out where you can play the game now.
About IGT
International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of gaming machines and systems products, as well as online and mobile gaming solutions for regulated markets. More information about IGT is available at www.IGT.com or follow IGT on Twitter at @IGTNews or Facebook at www.facebook.com/IGT
Official HBO Licensed Product. © 2011 Home Box Office, Inc. All Rights Reserved. HBO and related trademarks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.
Ric Flair: Boozing Has Not Damaged My Heart...
Wrestling icon Ric Flair is furious over an article which claims the Nature Boy is suffering from a serious medical condition caused by years of hardcore boozing ... because Ric claims it's not true and now he's threatening to sue.
The unflattering article -- which paints Flair as a troubled, irresponsible mess of a person -- ran on an ESPN affiliated website called Grantland.com ... and the report is mostly based on court documents.
But Flair is particularly pissed about the reporter's claim that he suffers from Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy -- a disease caused by years of alcohol abuse which often leads to heart failure.
A rep for Flair whose real name is Richard Fliehr - tells TMZ, "While the information gleaned from courthouse records may be credible, Mr. Fliehr is currently evaluating his legal options with respect to falsehoods in the story, specifically the untrue statement that he suffers from alcoholic cardiomyopathy."
The rep adds, "Our client understands that these allegations are part of the territory when you are not only famous, but a living legend."
Hulk Hogan And Friends Tours American Casinos And Arenas; Gamble Paying Off...
Hulk and Friends, the live show that has been touring the country with stops at casinos, fairgrounds, arenas and other venues, announced that fans will have the chance to meet their favorite wrestlers in a unique and up-close setting on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 7:30 P.M. at the famous AG Hall, now known as the Agri-Plex within the Allentown Fairgrounds, in Allentown PA.
"I'm really looking forward to meeting all my fans in the Allentown area on October 8th" Hulk Hogan said. "We are having a great time doing this show. Meeting the fans, telling jokes, and brother, everybody's laughing more than we have in years" he continued. Not only will all the fan favorites be there but Hulk Hogan promises to bring some very special guests along with him. "You never know who is going to show up at a Hulk and Friends Show" he added.
Tickets will be going on sale August 5th through Ticketmaster. A limited number of ringside seats (which include a VIP Meet and Greet) are also available. For those interested in sponsorship opportunities, please go to the official website www.hulkandfriends.com
Coke's game plan...
Coca Cola is turning to gaming technology and ideas to market itself.
Coke is soon to roll out new marketing strategies using gaming for several key products, including Fanta, which is targeted at a teenage market.
David Elsworth, Coke's vice-president for creative excellence, said gaming offered untold opportunities for marketing a brand
''Gaming is as ancient as storytelling but it was never able to be used in marketing on a mass scale because we didn't have the tools to do that before.''
Mr Elsworth said gaming in marketing was not about using the games, but using the rules and approach of games to create a different relationship between consumers and the brand.
''Gaming is about getting people to move from passive receivers of a message to active collaborators … interacting and participating.''
Mr Elsworth said gaming offered a richer level of engagement with consumers. He said gaming was no longer the domain of ''pimply teenagers in their bedrooms playing Xbox'', but a massive industry worth more than the film and music industries put together.
Pokie kings have slots to be happy about - 26th August 2011
Poker machine maker Ainsworth Game Technology pipped its cross-town rival, Aristocrat Leisure, yesterday with its second profit upgrade this year.
After a 17 per cent share price jump on Wednesday, Ainsworth yesterday announced an unaudited $23.1 million net profit for the financial year ending June 30, compared with a $2.7 million loss for the previous year.
More details will be available next Wednesday when the audited results are released.
Excluding the benefit of tax losses, Ainsworth's net profit was $14.6 million. In May the company upgraded its earnings forecast to a range of $11 million to $13 million.
''This positive financial performance reflected further strong domestic and international demand for the company's range of products in the last two months of the financial year and a more favourable currency position as at the reporting date,'' Ainsworth said.
Aristocrat reported that its profit forecast for the year ending December 31 this year remains intact, although this relies on the Australian dollar remaining at parity with its US counterpart for the current half year.
The strong dollar and high interest costs - the latter a result of Aristocrat taking on debt to settle its long-running dispute over its convertible bonds last year - dragged down its results for the six months to June 30.
The company reported a net profit after tax of $24.9 million down from $49.3 million for the previous half year while revenues dropped to $312.7 million from $340.5 million.
The company declared a 2.5¢ unfranked dividend payable on September 30 and also announced a dividend reinvestment plan.
As with its smaller rival, Aristocrat reported strong results from the Australian market as well as promising signs from the US despite forecasts that this market will continue to shrink this year.
The company's chief executive, Jamie Odell, described the result as an important milestone in its five-year turnaround strategy with the company delivering on guidance of a 10 to 20 per cent improvement on last year's $55.2 million profit as well as demonstrating improved underlying performance in its core business.
Media Man Website Network Attracting Close To 6 Million Hits Per Month...
The well known Media Man website network, the online arm of Media Man, is attracting close to 6 million hits per month. The company was established in 2001 and coverage over a dozen different business sectors. Some of the Media Man website portals are listed in the Hitwise Australia top ten (entertainment - personalities category). Media Man is currently focused on the celebrity, film and television, technology, gaming and community sector. They plan to further ramp up their Casino News Media, Property News Media and Wrestling News Media brands.
*The writer has conducted b2 with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and Betfair.
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