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Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Australian Casino, Gaming And Sports News, by Greg Tingle - 27th August 2010
Australian casino, gaming and sporting news continues a full warp speed. Crown Casino is powering ahead for bean counters, investors and the like. We've got the pro casino and pokies mob vs the anti casino and pokie establishment, scandal, bookies speaking out, F1 ace Mark Webber, more Aussie sports betting scandals and more. Media Man and Gambling911 give you a front row ringside seat to enjoy the no holds barred action once again, blood, guts and caffeine included (most assuredly non filtered and non censored)...
Crown Casino Back To Profit: Red Turns To Black...
The impressive casino, gaming and tourism - lifestyle operator hit paydirt as it swung back to net profit of $292.3 million, delivering a near-$1.5 billion turnaround after a net loss of $1.2bn in 2009-10. Last year's results at Crown were hit by a $1.44bn writedown on the value of the group's North American investments as the impact of the global financial crisis shook up the sector. On a normalised basis, Crown's net profit rose 2.7% to $288.4m, from $280.7m a year before. Financial and gaming industry analysts were expecting normalised earnings of $276.7m, according to a Dow Jones poll of seven brokers - market-watchers typically forecast normalised earnings because it evens out in VIP - high roller gaming. Revenue from operations rose nearly 2% to $2.34bn. Crown declared a final dividend of 19 cents. Shares in Crown were 2.91% higher in the past 24 hours, adding 24 cents to settle at $8.48, after having gained 1.6% immediately after the profit result. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was 0.7% higher. For the first 7 weeks of the current 2010-11 financial year, Crown advised main floor gaming revenue grew by roughly 4% at its Australian casinos. VIP program play volumes have started the year "encouragingly", management said. Crown's gaming venues include Burswood in Western Australia and the flagship Crown Melbourne casino. Their Macau ventures are are also performing strongly, with City of Dreams beating bean counter, public and news media expectations. Seems 'Our James' (Packer) can't put a wrong wrong lately. On ya Packer. You're doing Australia and and family name proud.
Crown Casino Gets Pro And Anti Casino Commentary...
High rolling VIP whales and a mix of dolphins have pumped a record $27 billion through Crown Casino over the past year. Latest numbers demonstrate the casino shrugged off strong competition like Star City in 'Sin City' Sydney, to retain its status as a favoured destination of some of Asia Pacific's most well to do high rollers and big spenders. Well to do whales and dolphins gambled their way through roughly $74 million every day at the Melbourne based casino in the year to June, up from the previous year's figure of "only" $67 million a day. Senator and anti-gambling crusader - campaigner Nick Xenophon aka 'Mr X' Media Man tag) said it was challenging to screen such large amounts of money. "That is a staggering amount of money and we need to ask whether the current rules can guarantee that none of that $27 billion was laundered money or embezzled money," he said. News Limited has previously revealed how Crown offers the use of VIP Lear jets, extravagant hotel rooms and an assortment of gifts on some of its most well to do international guests, who often stay weeks or months. Crown has now embarked on a $440 million program to refurbish and extend the casino with more gaming tables, restaurants and new VIP facilities. Crown chief executive Rowen Craigie advised high rollers spent less in the second half of the financial year after 2 new casinos opened in Singapore. Senator Xenophon advised there was a false perception that high-rollers were not hurt by gambling. "Just because you're a high roller, doesn't mean you are immune to having a gambling problem," he said. Throwing in her 2 cents, Anne Holland, CEO of Relationships Australia, went on record with "Rich people could have families, they could have mental health problems, they could have the same issues around gambling and problem gambling as anyone." The 10% boom in VIP turnover at Crown Melbourne came as regular punters ("tuna" and "average joes") trimmed back their gambling.
Revenue on the main floor of the famous casino jumped 2.5% over the 12 months. This is less than the 3.1 of inflation recorded in Melbourne over the same period. Tatts chief Dick 'Machine' (MM tag) McIlwain has also thrown in his 2 cents...advising the controversy surrounding pokies was making consumers reconsider the machines. The Tatts Group and Tabcorp lost their stranglehold - monopoly of sorts on the poker machine market in May when the State Government sold 10-year gaming machine entitlements to new and existing operators. "The constant controversy that poker machines generate leaves consumers and players wondering what they are doing," 'Machine' McIlwain said. Tatts' after-tax profits tumbled more than 50 per cent to about $120 million in the year to June, with revenue from its (soon to be defunct poker machine division) falling 5% to $1.22 billion. "It's been tough," 'Machine' McIlwain advised. The withdrawal of the spending stimulus, a reduction in the maximum bet per spin and regulatory changes all contributed to the decline in pokie spending, he shared. The exact impact and all round popularity of online gaming in Australia isn't exactly known, but what is known is that the online sector continues to chip away at the traditional land based casinos, hotels and clubs. Switched on traditional gaming operators are adapting to the web, with the business models of PartyGaming including the World Poker Tour, Harrah's Entertainment and Virgin Games being examined. Crown Limited is understood to be moving forward with their online gaming and gambling plans, and insiders think a deal with PartyGaming, NextGen Gaming, Virgin or a combination is on the cards. Media Man and Gambling911 will be following up with more details in the coming days and weeks.
Crown Casino Bribes 4 Jobs Accusation Raised...
A number of senior staff in Crown's food and beverage arm are accused of demanding sums of $5000 plus to help secure jobs or internal promotions for foreign workers and international students. Some alleged bribes were paid by folks hoping to increase their chance of "winning" (game or skill or chance) permanent Australian residency with a superior job. A leak said the scam had operated for many years and involved primarily Indian and Asian students. "They are employed with 'no questions asked' and no pressure until they gain their permanent residency status," the leaker whispered. Roughly a bakers dozen staff have been caught up in the scam. 2, perhaps 3 staff and a former employee are believed to be behind the evil scheme. A long-serving employee has been sacked. Alarm bells were raised by a foreign student who is understood to have been pressured by those behind the scam to work in excess of the 20 hours allowed under his student visa. "Some of them wanted a higher grading on their job or a better job description which would help them in applying for permanent residency," another leak said. Crown spokesman Gary 'Overloaded' (Media Man tag) O'Neill confirmed police had been called in to investigate. "A few months ago we became aware there were allegations that some of our staff were being exploited. "Crown spends a huge amount of money and time recruiting and training its staff who come from a very broad section of the Melbourne community, both culturally and ethnically, and we will not stand for even one of them being exploited and we are treating the matter very, very seriously." O'Neill confirmed a staff member had been dismissed as the result of an internal investigation. He said Crown was assisting staff caught in the scam. The sacked worker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied accepting bribes and said the matter was in the hands of his lawyer. He confirmed he had been questioned by Crown management but said he had no idea why he had been accused. "I refuted (the allegations) with my solicitor when I went there," he said. The man advised he had already decided to leave Crown over an earlier matter. Police overnight said they were investigating the allegations of fraud at Crown. Crown Limited are taking a very pro active role in the investigation and embrace a fair go for all, but it for punters or employees.
NRL Investigates Betting Surge On Penalty Goal Sector...
The NRL is now investigating an extremely unusual betting plunge on what is normally a low-interest option in last Saturday's no big deal game between North Queensland and Canterbury at Dairy Farmers Stadium. The plunge on the first scoring play...in which a Cowboys penalty goal was heavily backed...convinced various bookmakers, including TAB Sportsbet, to cease betting on the option hours before the game officially kicked off. NRL media and communications director John Betman' (MM tag) Brady overnight confirmed an investigation was in progress..."We're looking into some betting activity and seeking information on any trends surrounding that. We're talking to some people about it, and we're open to receiving any further information that is around on it." The plunge did not come off however North Queensland did have the option of taking an easy shot at penalty goal to open the scoring after the Bulldogs were penalised in the 2nd minute for not getting off the tackled player (Cowboys halfback Grant Rovelli) quickly enough, following the rule book type of thing. The penalty was awarded only 9 metres out, and right in front of the posts to book, but the Cowboys elected to take a quick tap and scored a try out wide! A change of plans perhaps to cover other plans? We might never know. The NRL was first alerted to the plunge by TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie, who told the News Limited "It was unusual to see the bets that went on that option. It was an inordinate amount of money to be placed on a (North Queensland) penalty goal as the first scoring play, in what was a nothing match. "The money started coming for it on the Thursday, and kept coming until Saturday. It had been backed from $13 to $7 by the time we turned it off a few hours before the game. I contacted the league on Saturday afternoon, and handed the information to them." Gerard 'Duck' (MM tag) Daffy, understood to be the most experienced man in sports betting in Australia, said he turned the first scoring play option off at his agency...Sports Alive - shortly after a punter tried to place a bet to win $8000 on a Cowboys penalty goal. "It's extremely rare for anyone to seriously back an option like that unless it's bad weather. We took some bets, and then someone tried to have $1000 on at $8, which obviously rang alarm bells. I let him on for a reduced amount. It was still Saturday morning, so I checked around the other bookies, and could only find one still betting on it, and they had a Cowboys penalty goal at $5.50. I turned it off after that." Michael Sullivan, of Sporting Bet advised his agency had also stopped betting on the option. "Increased interest would be the best way to describe it. No doubt we did turn it off, but I don't want to make any further comment because people just think bookmakers are whingeing." Centrebet's Neil 'Even Odds' (MM tag) Evans advised the odds on a Cowboys penalty goal was cut "from $13 to $3". He went on record with "It was certainly hot property. It was an inordinate go that you would normally never get." There were allegations of a betting rort in the final round of last season. The Cowboys were heavily backed to win by 13-plus against Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs), and came from well behind to win 32-16. There were suggestions the Roosters had thrown the game, but the league investigated the match and announced that it could find no evidence of anything untoward. Quizzed if this was a time of the year when the NRL was particularly alert to the possibility of something untoward happening in games, Brady went with "We're alert at all times. This can be a time of the year when results are naturally hard to pick, because we're getting to the end of a long season, and some teams are heading for the finals and others are just trying to finish the season off well." Sports betting follows are understood to be finding these times very interesting to follow or participate, and the news media business is generating more colourful stories from the fun and games, on and off the field.
South Australian Govt Missing Millions Thanks To Online Gambling; Could Be National Trend...
Online gambling is clearly understood to be diverting tax money from state coffers as punters go colder on poker machines and give online pokies from the likes of PartyGaming, Centrebet, PKR, Virgin, Roxy Palace, Captain Cooks Casino and Media Man white label type deals a go. The most recent figures show a significant dip in the amount gamblers pour into the state's pokies and a $10 million annual fall in tax revenue. State Government analysis shows punters put $729 million into pokies in the past financial year, compared with $750 million in the 12 months to June 30, 2009. The result is the lowest annual outlay on poker machines for 6 years and has resulted in a Government gaming tax revenue drop from $292 million to $282 million in the past year. Experts say mass-media advertising campaigns have driven a dramatic rise in the popularity of internet gambling, which sidesteps traditional tax regulations. South Australian pubs and clubs have also suffered an $11 million revenue hit, which comes as smoking bans look to further harm the sector. Australian Hotels Association general manager Ian Horne said competition from both sports betting and online gambling outlets was placing major pressure on the industry. "The sports betting market is expanding enormously," he said. "Just look at the betting options for the federal election. The promotion of betting odds was unprecedented. It's becoming the normal way of life to bet on anything and everything." Horne said poker machines had been unfairly "demonised" while other gambling options were considered socially acceptable. A spokeswoman for Gambling Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the decline could be attributed to reduced household expenditure for recreational activities. "This expenditure is also affected by the Reserve Bank's increasing of interest rates over the past 12 months," she said. The spokeswoman also said the Government was working to reduce the number of pokies, despite figures showing 7 more in use now than last year. "There is always some variation in the number of live machines, as gaming venues may not use all of their entitlements, for example during renovations," she said.
"The Rann Government is committed to reducing pokie machine entitlements by 3000. "So far the Government has removed more than 2200 gaming machine entitlements from SA venues." Treasurer Kevin Foley has warned the state to brace for a tough September 14 Budget, saying the lingering impact of the global financial crisis has diminished revenue. Media Man and Gambling911 have strong reason to believe that online gaming and gambling will continue to grow in the Australian - Asia Pacific region, and many land based venues will continue to be hit hard.
Tasmania: $8 Million Jump With Betfair Deal...
A taxation cut offered to James Packer 50% owned betting agency Betfair will cost Tasmania about $8 million more than first promised over the next two years, the Liberal Party claim. The deal Labor offered Betfair just before the state election is now up in the air with the Liberals holding off on giving their support to the legislation. With the Greens Party already declaring they are opposed to the deal to cut Betfair's tax rate, the legislation's success now depends on the support from the Liberals. The tax break has created a split between Labor and the Greens' Cabinet representatives, leader Nick McKim and Cassy 'O God' (MM tag) O'Connor. As part of the power-sharing arrangement between the two parties, the Greens can choose to remove themselves from a Cabinet vote if they disagree with the legislation being discussed. When the tax break was announced in February Bartlett claimed the deal would reduce state revenues by about $2 million over two years. However, in the State Budget in June that figure had jumped to about $5 million a year, reducing revenue from Betfair from $7.3 million to just $2.4 million. The Liberals and the Greens sought a clarification this week on the exact costing. Treasury yesterday confirmed the cost would be more than first thought. The tax cut, already budgeted, will put a $5.3 million dent in state coffers this year, $5.1 million in the next financial year, increasing to $6.7 million in 2012-13 and $7 million in 2013-14. Treasurer Michael Aird said the Budget clearly outlined the reduced tax revenue from Betfair. He advised the Government had been transparent about the revenue dip. "The level of fees, licences and taxes relating to that arrangement with Betfair would incur loss of revenue to the state. The figures in the Budget are a very clear indication of our estimate of the revenue we expect from Betfair," Aird said. A spokesman for the Liberals said the party would vote on whether or not to accept the legislation. The key component of the deal is Betfair's tax rate, which is to drop from between 10 and 15% of gross earnings to 5%. Labor offered Betfair tax cuts to keep the company and its 130 employees in Tasmania. Betfair continues to enjoy boom times, getting a huge urge thanks to the Australian political election and the betting feeding frenzy.
A Media Man spokesperson said "Packer's 50% owned Befair is now well and truly part of Australian culture. Having a punt is in our blood. It goes back to the convict ships, Captain Cooks crew and the like. We all used to have our favorite SP bookie, back in the good old days. Betfair identified market and gave the public a chance to get much better odds than the Government TAB, and they lapped is up. NRL and Australian political betting is powering along. It's what people discuss at home, work, cafes. I guess we all like to know who the smart money is on. Packer always wins, but in the information age, the web and all, we can all win. A lot of it gets down to where you get your information from. Not sure? Just ask horse jockeys and footy players. Hey, they were going to give them training for what constitutes insider trading. That's got to tell you a story punters".
F1 Ace Aussie Mark Webber Has World Championship In Mind This Weekend...
With only 7 races remaining, Australian Mark Webber has admitted that he will be driving with the world championship title in mind at this Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix. The 33-year-old Red Bull driver believes that the most consistent driver will win the championship and admitted that he will not be taking as many risks as he would have earlier in the season. "Finishing is certainly something that you think of," said the Aussie. "With this points system, you need to finish so consistency is important. "That's something you sign up for straight away because you don't want to win races but have non-finishes. You have to capitalise on the days when you are not potentially going to win to get the next best thing, whatever that may be. That comes down to reliability, the decisions made - when you roll the dice as a midfield team you take a gamble but for us, McLaren and Ferrari there are obviously bigger things at stake. You have to be mindful of the fact that you might not get anything out of it so you need to realise that four points is better than none and gambling." Webber denied that this weekend's race in Spa and the forthcoming Italian Grand Prix will be a case of damage limitation, despite the tracks' potentially highlighting his car's weakness at high speeds. He went on record with "Always when you are running medium downforce on these cars, it's for a reason. And that reason is long straights. We know that it's not a strength of the car and hasn't been for quite a few years and we know why. "But we work incredibly hard to make the car strong in other areas and when we go to those venues obviously we are strong. "We can still keep up at these tracks, but whether we have an advantage remains to be seen. We still weren't uncompetitive in Montreal, but we weren't the pacesetters as we were in some other venues. "I think if we had to have 17 races in a championship, we wouldn't choose Spa and Monza to have races at, but it's part of the calendar and we have to make the car quick everywhere." However, Webber added that many had assumed that his team would struggle in Valencia, but his team-mate Sebastian Vettel won the race. He said "We were worried about Valencia, and Sebastian won. "Last year were very poor in Valencia and got blown away, but this year we were quick. Let's see how the top speeds are tomorrow in sector one and sector three and see where people are pitched." Webber reclaimed the championship lead from McLaren's Lewis Hamilton when he won in Hungary four weeks ago, but his advantage is just four points. Webber is credited with helping make F1 fun and exciting again, and needless to say interest in the sport down under in Australia is running sky high. Richard Branson's Virgin Racing also created some buzz, with Branson a fave in Australia, but they have lacked the results to date that Aussies crave for sports stars and teams. Webber is now thought of as a living legend by many, but he downplays the suggestion.
A Media Man insider was overhead with "If Mark wins the world championship many close think he will then be more than happy to have the tag 'legend' but until that time, champ or just mate, will do him fine."
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Readers, is it time for Crown and Burswood to get their own branded online casino games like 'Underbelly' and 'Kerry Packer'? Has Crown now got its security levels to the right level? Is Mark Webber going to win the world championship? What's your favorite casino games and why? Tell us in the forum.
Crown Limited Shares...
$8.510
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Want more good Aussie fodder... check out Media Man and the 'Australian Casino Wars' portfolio at Gambling911 of course. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Crown Casino Back To Profit: Red Turns To Black...
The impressive casino, gaming and tourism - lifestyle operator hit paydirt as it swung back to net profit of $292.3 million, delivering a near-$1.5 billion turnaround after a net loss of $1.2bn in 2009-10. Last year's results at Crown were hit by a $1.44bn writedown on the value of the group's North American investments as the impact of the global financial crisis shook up the sector. On a normalised basis, Crown's net profit rose 2.7% to $288.4m, from $280.7m a year before. Financial and gaming industry analysts were expecting normalised earnings of $276.7m, according to a Dow Jones poll of seven brokers - market-watchers typically forecast normalised earnings because it evens out in VIP - high roller gaming. Revenue from operations rose nearly 2% to $2.34bn. Crown declared a final dividend of 19 cents. Shares in Crown were 2.91% higher in the past 24 hours, adding 24 cents to settle at $8.48, after having gained 1.6% immediately after the profit result. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was 0.7% higher. For the first 7 weeks of the current 2010-11 financial year, Crown advised main floor gaming revenue grew by roughly 4% at its Australian casinos. VIP program play volumes have started the year "encouragingly", management said. Crown's gaming venues include Burswood in Western Australia and the flagship Crown Melbourne casino. Their Macau ventures are are also performing strongly, with City of Dreams beating bean counter, public and news media expectations. Seems 'Our James' (Packer) can't put a wrong wrong lately. On ya Packer. You're doing Australia and and family name proud.
Crown Casino Gets Pro And Anti Casino Commentary...
High rolling VIP whales and a mix of dolphins have pumped a record $27 billion through Crown Casino over the past year. Latest numbers demonstrate the casino shrugged off strong competition like Star City in 'Sin City' Sydney, to retain its status as a favoured destination of some of Asia Pacific's most well to do high rollers and big spenders. Well to do whales and dolphins gambled their way through roughly $74 million every day at the Melbourne based casino in the year to June, up from the previous year's figure of "only" $67 million a day. Senator and anti-gambling crusader - campaigner Nick Xenophon aka 'Mr X' Media Man tag) said it was challenging to screen such large amounts of money. "That is a staggering amount of money and we need to ask whether the current rules can guarantee that none of that $27 billion was laundered money or embezzled money," he said. News Limited has previously revealed how Crown offers the use of VIP Lear jets, extravagant hotel rooms and an assortment of gifts on some of its most well to do international guests, who often stay weeks or months. Crown has now embarked on a $440 million program to refurbish and extend the casino with more gaming tables, restaurants and new VIP facilities. Crown chief executive Rowen Craigie advised high rollers spent less in the second half of the financial year after 2 new casinos opened in Singapore. Senator Xenophon advised there was a false perception that high-rollers were not hurt by gambling. "Just because you're a high roller, doesn't mean you are immune to having a gambling problem," he said. Throwing in her 2 cents, Anne Holland, CEO of Relationships Australia, went on record with "Rich people could have families, they could have mental health problems, they could have the same issues around gambling and problem gambling as anyone." The 10% boom in VIP turnover at Crown Melbourne came as regular punters ("tuna" and "average joes") trimmed back their gambling.
Revenue on the main floor of the famous casino jumped 2.5% over the 12 months. This is less than the 3.1 of inflation recorded in Melbourne over the same period. Tatts chief Dick 'Machine' (MM tag) McIlwain has also thrown in his 2 cents...advising the controversy surrounding pokies was making consumers reconsider the machines. The Tatts Group and Tabcorp lost their stranglehold - monopoly of sorts on the poker machine market in May when the State Government sold 10-year gaming machine entitlements to new and existing operators. "The constant controversy that poker machines generate leaves consumers and players wondering what they are doing," 'Machine' McIlwain said. Tatts' after-tax profits tumbled more than 50 per cent to about $120 million in the year to June, with revenue from its (soon to be defunct poker machine division) falling 5% to $1.22 billion. "It's been tough," 'Machine' McIlwain advised. The withdrawal of the spending stimulus, a reduction in the maximum bet per spin and regulatory changes all contributed to the decline in pokie spending, he shared. The exact impact and all round popularity of online gaming in Australia isn't exactly known, but what is known is that the online sector continues to chip away at the traditional land based casinos, hotels and clubs. Switched on traditional gaming operators are adapting to the web, with the business models of PartyGaming including the World Poker Tour, Harrah's Entertainment and Virgin Games being examined. Crown Limited is understood to be moving forward with their online gaming and gambling plans, and insiders think a deal with PartyGaming, NextGen Gaming, Virgin or a combination is on the cards. Media Man and Gambling911 will be following up with more details in the coming days and weeks.
Crown Casino Bribes 4 Jobs Accusation Raised...
A number of senior staff in Crown's food and beverage arm are accused of demanding sums of $5000 plus to help secure jobs or internal promotions for foreign workers and international students. Some alleged bribes were paid by folks hoping to increase their chance of "winning" (game or skill or chance) permanent Australian residency with a superior job. A leak said the scam had operated for many years and involved primarily Indian and Asian students. "They are employed with 'no questions asked' and no pressure until they gain their permanent residency status," the leaker whispered. Roughly a bakers dozen staff have been caught up in the scam. 2, perhaps 3 staff and a former employee are believed to be behind the evil scheme. A long-serving employee has been sacked. Alarm bells were raised by a foreign student who is understood to have been pressured by those behind the scam to work in excess of the 20 hours allowed under his student visa. "Some of them wanted a higher grading on their job or a better job description which would help them in applying for permanent residency," another leak said. Crown spokesman Gary 'Overloaded' (Media Man tag) O'Neill confirmed police had been called in to investigate. "A few months ago we became aware there were allegations that some of our staff were being exploited. "Crown spends a huge amount of money and time recruiting and training its staff who come from a very broad section of the Melbourne community, both culturally and ethnically, and we will not stand for even one of them being exploited and we are treating the matter very, very seriously." O'Neill confirmed a staff member had been dismissed as the result of an internal investigation. He said Crown was assisting staff caught in the scam. The sacked worker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied accepting bribes and said the matter was in the hands of his lawyer. He confirmed he had been questioned by Crown management but said he had no idea why he had been accused. "I refuted (the allegations) with my solicitor when I went there," he said. The man advised he had already decided to leave Crown over an earlier matter. Police overnight said they were investigating the allegations of fraud at Crown. Crown Limited are taking a very pro active role in the investigation and embrace a fair go for all, but it for punters or employees.
NRL Investigates Betting Surge On Penalty Goal Sector...
The NRL is now investigating an extremely unusual betting plunge on what is normally a low-interest option in last Saturday's no big deal game between North Queensland and Canterbury at Dairy Farmers Stadium. The plunge on the first scoring play...in which a Cowboys penalty goal was heavily backed...convinced various bookmakers, including TAB Sportsbet, to cease betting on the option hours before the game officially kicked off. NRL media and communications director John Betman' (MM tag) Brady overnight confirmed an investigation was in progress..."We're looking into some betting activity and seeking information on any trends surrounding that. We're talking to some people about it, and we're open to receiving any further information that is around on it." The plunge did not come off however North Queensland did have the option of taking an easy shot at penalty goal to open the scoring after the Bulldogs were penalised in the 2nd minute for not getting off the tackled player (Cowboys halfback Grant Rovelli) quickly enough, following the rule book type of thing. The penalty was awarded only 9 metres out, and right in front of the posts to book, but the Cowboys elected to take a quick tap and scored a try out wide! A change of plans perhaps to cover other plans? We might never know. The NRL was first alerted to the plunge by TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie, who told the News Limited "It was unusual to see the bets that went on that option. It was an inordinate amount of money to be placed on a (North Queensland) penalty goal as the first scoring play, in what was a nothing match. "The money started coming for it on the Thursday, and kept coming until Saturday. It had been backed from $13 to $7 by the time we turned it off a few hours before the game. I contacted the league on Saturday afternoon, and handed the information to them." Gerard 'Duck' (MM tag) Daffy, understood to be the most experienced man in sports betting in Australia, said he turned the first scoring play option off at his agency...Sports Alive - shortly after a punter tried to place a bet to win $8000 on a Cowboys penalty goal. "It's extremely rare for anyone to seriously back an option like that unless it's bad weather. We took some bets, and then someone tried to have $1000 on at $8, which obviously rang alarm bells. I let him on for a reduced amount. It was still Saturday morning, so I checked around the other bookies, and could only find one still betting on it, and they had a Cowboys penalty goal at $5.50. I turned it off after that." Michael Sullivan, of Sporting Bet advised his agency had also stopped betting on the option. "Increased interest would be the best way to describe it. No doubt we did turn it off, but I don't want to make any further comment because people just think bookmakers are whingeing." Centrebet's Neil 'Even Odds' (MM tag) Evans advised the odds on a Cowboys penalty goal was cut "from $13 to $3". He went on record with "It was certainly hot property. It was an inordinate go that you would normally never get." There were allegations of a betting rort in the final round of last season. The Cowboys were heavily backed to win by 13-plus against Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs), and came from well behind to win 32-16. There were suggestions the Roosters had thrown the game, but the league investigated the match and announced that it could find no evidence of anything untoward. Quizzed if this was a time of the year when the NRL was particularly alert to the possibility of something untoward happening in games, Brady went with "We're alert at all times. This can be a time of the year when results are naturally hard to pick, because we're getting to the end of a long season, and some teams are heading for the finals and others are just trying to finish the season off well." Sports betting follows are understood to be finding these times very interesting to follow or participate, and the news media business is generating more colourful stories from the fun and games, on and off the field.
South Australian Govt Missing Millions Thanks To Online Gambling; Could Be National Trend...
Online gambling is clearly understood to be diverting tax money from state coffers as punters go colder on poker machines and give online pokies from the likes of PartyGaming, Centrebet, PKR, Virgin, Roxy Palace, Captain Cooks Casino and Media Man white label type deals a go. The most recent figures show a significant dip in the amount gamblers pour into the state's pokies and a $10 million annual fall in tax revenue. State Government analysis shows punters put $729 million into pokies in the past financial year, compared with $750 million in the 12 months to June 30, 2009. The result is the lowest annual outlay on poker machines for 6 years and has resulted in a Government gaming tax revenue drop from $292 million to $282 million in the past year. Experts say mass-media advertising campaigns have driven a dramatic rise in the popularity of internet gambling, which sidesteps traditional tax regulations. South Australian pubs and clubs have also suffered an $11 million revenue hit, which comes as smoking bans look to further harm the sector. Australian Hotels Association general manager Ian Horne said competition from both sports betting and online gambling outlets was placing major pressure on the industry. "The sports betting market is expanding enormously," he said. "Just look at the betting options for the federal election. The promotion of betting odds was unprecedented. It's becoming the normal way of life to bet on anything and everything." Horne said poker machines had been unfairly "demonised" while other gambling options were considered socially acceptable. A spokeswoman for Gambling Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the decline could be attributed to reduced household expenditure for recreational activities. "This expenditure is also affected by the Reserve Bank's increasing of interest rates over the past 12 months," she said. The spokeswoman also said the Government was working to reduce the number of pokies, despite figures showing 7 more in use now than last year. "There is always some variation in the number of live machines, as gaming venues may not use all of their entitlements, for example during renovations," she said.
"The Rann Government is committed to reducing pokie machine entitlements by 3000. "So far the Government has removed more than 2200 gaming machine entitlements from SA venues." Treasurer Kevin Foley has warned the state to brace for a tough September 14 Budget, saying the lingering impact of the global financial crisis has diminished revenue. Media Man and Gambling911 have strong reason to believe that online gaming and gambling will continue to grow in the Australian - Asia Pacific region, and many land based venues will continue to be hit hard.
Tasmania: $8 Million Jump With Betfair Deal...
A taxation cut offered to James Packer 50% owned betting agency Betfair will cost Tasmania about $8 million more than first promised over the next two years, the Liberal Party claim. The deal Labor offered Betfair just before the state election is now up in the air with the Liberals holding off on giving their support to the legislation. With the Greens Party already declaring they are opposed to the deal to cut Betfair's tax rate, the legislation's success now depends on the support from the Liberals. The tax break has created a split between Labor and the Greens' Cabinet representatives, leader Nick McKim and Cassy 'O God' (MM tag) O'Connor. As part of the power-sharing arrangement between the two parties, the Greens can choose to remove themselves from a Cabinet vote if they disagree with the legislation being discussed. When the tax break was announced in February Bartlett claimed the deal would reduce state revenues by about $2 million over two years. However, in the State Budget in June that figure had jumped to about $5 million a year, reducing revenue from Betfair from $7.3 million to just $2.4 million. The Liberals and the Greens sought a clarification this week on the exact costing. Treasury yesterday confirmed the cost would be more than first thought. The tax cut, already budgeted, will put a $5.3 million dent in state coffers this year, $5.1 million in the next financial year, increasing to $6.7 million in 2012-13 and $7 million in 2013-14. Treasurer Michael Aird said the Budget clearly outlined the reduced tax revenue from Betfair. He advised the Government had been transparent about the revenue dip. "The level of fees, licences and taxes relating to that arrangement with Betfair would incur loss of revenue to the state. The figures in the Budget are a very clear indication of our estimate of the revenue we expect from Betfair," Aird said. A spokesman for the Liberals said the party would vote on whether or not to accept the legislation. The key component of the deal is Betfair's tax rate, which is to drop from between 10 and 15% of gross earnings to 5%. Labor offered Betfair tax cuts to keep the company and its 130 employees in Tasmania. Betfair continues to enjoy boom times, getting a huge urge thanks to the Australian political election and the betting feeding frenzy.
A Media Man spokesperson said "Packer's 50% owned Befair is now well and truly part of Australian culture. Having a punt is in our blood. It goes back to the convict ships, Captain Cooks crew and the like. We all used to have our favorite SP bookie, back in the good old days. Betfair identified market and gave the public a chance to get much better odds than the Government TAB, and they lapped is up. NRL and Australian political betting is powering along. It's what people discuss at home, work, cafes. I guess we all like to know who the smart money is on. Packer always wins, but in the information age, the web and all, we can all win. A lot of it gets down to where you get your information from. Not sure? Just ask horse jockeys and footy players. Hey, they were going to give them training for what constitutes insider trading. That's got to tell you a story punters".
F1 Ace Aussie Mark Webber Has World Championship In Mind This Weekend...
With only 7 races remaining, Australian Mark Webber has admitted that he will be driving with the world championship title in mind at this Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix. The 33-year-old Red Bull driver believes that the most consistent driver will win the championship and admitted that he will not be taking as many risks as he would have earlier in the season. "Finishing is certainly something that you think of," said the Aussie. "With this points system, you need to finish so consistency is important. "That's something you sign up for straight away because you don't want to win races but have non-finishes. You have to capitalise on the days when you are not potentially going to win to get the next best thing, whatever that may be. That comes down to reliability, the decisions made - when you roll the dice as a midfield team you take a gamble but for us, McLaren and Ferrari there are obviously bigger things at stake. You have to be mindful of the fact that you might not get anything out of it so you need to realise that four points is better than none and gambling." Webber denied that this weekend's race in Spa and the forthcoming Italian Grand Prix will be a case of damage limitation, despite the tracks' potentially highlighting his car's weakness at high speeds. He went on record with "Always when you are running medium downforce on these cars, it's for a reason. And that reason is long straights. We know that it's not a strength of the car and hasn't been for quite a few years and we know why. "But we work incredibly hard to make the car strong in other areas and when we go to those venues obviously we are strong. "We can still keep up at these tracks, but whether we have an advantage remains to be seen. We still weren't uncompetitive in Montreal, but we weren't the pacesetters as we were in some other venues. "I think if we had to have 17 races in a championship, we wouldn't choose Spa and Monza to have races at, but it's part of the calendar and we have to make the car quick everywhere." However, Webber added that many had assumed that his team would struggle in Valencia, but his team-mate Sebastian Vettel won the race. He said "We were worried about Valencia, and Sebastian won. "Last year were very poor in Valencia and got blown away, but this year we were quick. Let's see how the top speeds are tomorrow in sector one and sector three and see where people are pitched." Webber reclaimed the championship lead from McLaren's Lewis Hamilton when he won in Hungary four weeks ago, but his advantage is just four points. Webber is credited with helping make F1 fun and exciting again, and needless to say interest in the sport down under in Australia is running sky high. Richard Branson's Virgin Racing also created some buzz, with Branson a fave in Australia, but they have lacked the results to date that Aussies crave for sports stars and teams. Webber is now thought of as a living legend by many, but he downplays the suggestion.
A Media Man insider was overhead with "If Mark wins the world championship many close think he will then be more than happy to have the tag 'legend' but until that time, champ or just mate, will do him fine."
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Readers, is it time for Crown and Burswood to get their own branded online casino games like 'Underbelly' and 'Kerry Packer'? Has Crown now got its security levels to the right level? Is Mark Webber going to win the world championship? What's your favorite casino games and why? Tell us in the forum.
Crown Limited Shares...
$8.510
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Want more good Aussie fodder... check out Media Man and the 'Australian Casino Wars' portfolio at Gambling911 of course. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Sunday, August 22, 2010
PartyCasino News: NextGen Gaming to release three hot new titles to PartyCasino
NextGen Gaming to release three hot new titles to PartyCasino.com - 17th August 2010
Gaming innovators NextGen Gaming have announced that www.partycasino.com, the world's largest online casino, is releasing three games under their Slide-a-Wild™, SuperBet™ and Select-a-Play™ brands.
These 3 innovative brands have been specifically designed to give players control of their gameplay. Players can 'Slide their Wild' to different reels, engage in 'Super' play by adding extra symbols to reels and 'Select' their preferred volatility in feature play.
Look out for Crocodopolis Slide-a-Wild™, Shaaark! SuperBet™, and Unicorn Legend Select-a-Play™ on PartyCasino.com
Matt Davey CEO of NextGen Gaming stated "We are very proud to work with PartyCasino.com. Their efficient and focused technology team has enabled us to release market-leading innovative games in record time. Crocodopolis, Shaaark! and Unicorn Legend capture a new level of entertainment and design, providing an excellent complement to PartyCasino.com's product suite. Through these brands and future games we look forward to supporting PartyCasino.com and its talented team".
A spokesman for PartyCasino.com said: "PartyCasino.com has the most frequent game launches and largest jackpots in the industry and we're delighted to offer these 3 new titles from NextGen Gaming to a portfolio of over 150 games. NextGen are great partners and we look forward to the delivery of more games in the near future."
For more information see PartyCasino.com and NextGen Gaming.
PartyCasino.com has the most frequent game launches and largest jackpots in the industry and offers over 150 games, including over 100 slots. PartyCasino.com pays out easily over $10 million EVERY DAY to players. This year marks the 200th Oktoberfest in Germany and what promises to be the biggest, best and most memorable edition of one of the world’s biggest parties ever! Palladium VIP’s on PartyCasino.com can secure their place there very simply: be one of the first 10 players to collect 10,000 PartyPoints by playing slots and jackpot slots between 16th and 31st August and they will win a package. Please note these packages are for the weekend of the 1st – 3rd October. See: PartyCasino.com for more information.
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Gaming innovators NextGen Gaming have announced that www.partycasino.com, the world's largest online casino, is releasing three games under their Slide-a-Wild™, SuperBet™ and Select-a-Play™ brands.
These 3 innovative brands have been specifically designed to give players control of their gameplay. Players can 'Slide their Wild' to different reels, engage in 'Super' play by adding extra symbols to reels and 'Select' their preferred volatility in feature play.
Look out for Crocodopolis Slide-a-Wild™, Shaaark! SuperBet™, and Unicorn Legend Select-a-Play™ on PartyCasino.com
Matt Davey CEO of NextGen Gaming stated "We are very proud to work with PartyCasino.com. Their efficient and focused technology team has enabled us to release market-leading innovative games in record time. Crocodopolis, Shaaark! and Unicorn Legend capture a new level of entertainment and design, providing an excellent complement to PartyCasino.com's product suite. Through these brands and future games we look forward to supporting PartyCasino.com and its talented team".
A spokesman for PartyCasino.com said: "PartyCasino.com has the most frequent game launches and largest jackpots in the industry and we're delighted to offer these 3 new titles from NextGen Gaming to a portfolio of over 150 games. NextGen are great partners and we look forward to the delivery of more games in the near future."
For more information see PartyCasino.com and NextGen Gaming.
PartyCasino.com has the most frequent game launches and largest jackpots in the industry and offers over 150 games, including over 100 slots. PartyCasino.com pays out easily over $10 million EVERY DAY to players. This year marks the 200th Oktoberfest in Germany and what promises to be the biggest, best and most memorable edition of one of the world’s biggest parties ever! Palladium VIP’s on PartyCasino.com can secure their place there very simply: be one of the first 10 players to collect 10,000 PartyPoints by playing slots and jackpot slots between 16th and 31st August and they will win a package. Please note these packages are for the weekend of the 1st – 3rd October. See: PartyCasino.com for more information.
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PartyCasino.com
Profiles
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PartyCasino.com New Games
PartyGaming
NextGen Gaming
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
Australian Casino, Poker and Political News, by Greg Tingle - 14th August 2010
Australian Casino, Poker And Political News
Australia is once again home to some of the world's most interesting and unique casino, gambling, poker and political news this week. Movie stars with 3D presentations at Aussie casinos, casino gang crime, Australian rock legend to release slot game to pubs, poker tours, political election betting, shake ups in Australian gaming and gambling landscape and more. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to bring you the best. The late, great Kerry Packer would love this edition, we're sure... proxy if need be... its worth it punters...
Crown Casino Chinatown Crime Figures Busted...
A Crown Casino VIP high roller and a Chinatown restaurateur personality are accused of heading up a Melbourne crime syndicate targeted by police over the past 48 hours in a series of explosive raids, arrests and record-breaking asset seizures. The alleged crime bosses of the multi-million dollar Melbourne drug ring that spent massive sums on property, gambling and overseas interests are set to appear in court after overnight out-of-sessions hearing. Crown Casino high roller Thi Nho Le and husband Thanh Hai Pham, both 46, spent the night in police cells with 6 other alleged members of the syndicate. Police allege it trafficked more than 30 kilograms of heroin in Melbourne and earned over $20 million in the past 9 months. Named and known as the Le Syndicate after the family that allegedly controls it, Ms Le's younger sister Thi Nho Em Le, her brother and their partners all faced a court hearing at St Kilda Road police complex early yesterday morning. Thi Nho Em Le's partner, businessman and restaurateur Kai Sin Mong, is also alleged to be a key player in the syndicate that police state has built a business empire including a Chinatown restaurant and a western-suburbs based petrol station. The group is accused of manufacturing and distributing large amounts of heroin, from locations including a flat in Napier Street, Fitzroy, laundering money and loaning money to other drug cartels and gamblers. Detective Acting Sergeant James Cole told the court that members did business at James Packers' Crown Casino's high-roller Mahogany Room, purchased a number of properties and businesses to conceal the proceeds of crime and sent money offshore to Vietnam, including a recent whopping $920,000 money transfer. This was allegedly used to create a multi-million dollar property portfolio, which may have been kicked along by plans to purchase a United States $2.5 million hotel. The mob aka triad were among 21 people arrested in a series of raids at properties in Melbourne's western and inner-northern suburbs, including Fitzroy commission flats, after a painstaking 10-month investigation.
Stay tuned to Gambling911 and Media Man for more details.
Jupiters Hotel and Casino: Avatar 3D Celebs Connection...
Film director James Cameron is backing up at the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC) on the Gold Coast this season showing footage of his 3D underwater epic Sanctum. Cameron impressed delegates away when he showed exclusive footage from his blockbuster Avatar last year, now, 12 months later, he plans to wow the town again. Star of the Sanctum, Rhys Wakefield, and producer Andrew Wight, will attend the happening at Jupiters Hotel and Casino this Wednesday when Universal Studios will present the scenes. The media opp will help combat some mixed media reports on the crime rate at the Tabcorp owned casino. Sanctum, shot (pun intended) at Surfers Paradise - Gold Coast earlier this year, is understood to be in post-production down south in Melbourne (home to 'Underbelly' - real and TV) where the visual effects and the like are being meshed in. Director Alister Grierson says it will be a 'very exciting' event. "It won't be the fully finished version but what you will see will be in 3D. Universal pictures are really excited and pumped up to do the release and it's rare an Australian film gets this amount of positive review and anticipation before it's out. We're doing some pick-up shots and have built a mini set here for visual effects, so we're very close to finishing." He won't be present, nor will exec producer Cameron. "I flew over to LA and screened a version for Jim about a month ago and he really enjoyed that. He had some tips on how to improve it and a few nips and tucks." Sanctum is just one of the dozens of films that will be previewed over the 5 day convention, which commences with the Queensland premiere of Tomorrow When The War Began at Jupiters Hotel and Casino tomorrow night. Hollywooders Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell will walk the red carpet at Event Cinemas, Robina, this Wednesday night for the Australian premiere of The Other Guys. Great to see Jupiter's playing the Aussiewood - Hollywood card.
ANZPT - Australian New Zealand Poker Tour - Jupiters Hotel And Casino, Gold Coast - 14th August...
42 players are in the ANZPT on the Gold Coast for day 3. 32 players are going to at least break even. Mainly short stacks and a couple of big stacks. Hong Kong shark, er player, Nick Wong has the largest stack at time to press. Chip leading at 376,500. The top 5 players at this time are Nauv Kashyap, Darko Balaban, Liam O'Rourke and PokerStars branded Aaron Benton. Hello PartyPoker... pick up your game Tyron Krost and what's the story with your name Stewart Scott... you guys don't get paid the big bucks for nothing. You're only as good as your last game. Benton is on a roll winning at the season-ending APPT Grand Final in Sydney last December. Benton cashed at the ANZPT in Perth, before reaching the final table at the ANZPT Canberra for win of $12 grand. Journeyed to the WSOP and returned to get runner up spoils at ANZPT in Queenstown.
ANZPT - 12th August Update...
PartyPoker sponsored 2010 Aussie Millions Champ Tyron Krost joined the field Thursday, as did PokerStars Team Australia Professional Tony Hachem, ANZPT Canberra champ and high-stakes cash game pro Jason Gray and 2009 Aussie Millions $100k winner David Steicke. PokerStars Qualifier Darko Balaban finished at the top of the list of 63 survivors from the day. Go Aussies Go!
Pokie Rock N Roller With Rose Tatto; Some Angry, Some Not!...
Aristocrat Leisure has done a smart move to kill concerns that its pokie have been largely responsible for murdering the live music scene around Australia. The company has invented a new contraption that will allow pub rock bands and gambling machines to co-exist... get this...a pokie machine based on one of the country's iconic pub rock bands, the Angry Anderson-headed Rose Tattoo. "We are confident that our Rose Tattoo game will be a hit in pubs across Australia, said Aristocrat's MD for Australia, Trevor Croker, at the Australasian Gaming Expo in Darling Harbour, Sydney."The striking red and black colour scheme will make a statement on the gaming floor and patrons will enjoy the experience of playing along with some Rose Tattoo classics," he said. The Aristocrat website describes the game as "Reel Rock 'n' Roll''. "Rose Tattoo multi-game is guaranteed to rock your venue," the company claims. Next an 'Underbelly', 'Madame Lash', 'Mr Sin' or 'Kerry Packer' themed game? Stranger things have happened.
Australian Federal Election Betting Update...
Aussie betting markets moved firmly to Gillard's Labor by about 4.5% on the aggregate implied probability of victory, with all agencies moving in the same direction. Centrebet moved strongest with an 8.5% ALP boost while Sportingbet moved the least with a 3.5% boost to Labor. Betting odds and people putting their money where their mouth is has traditionally been more accurate to pick the winner than other types of political polling. You can still jab ahead Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott... go son...fight to the finish.
Tabcorp VIP Casino Upgrades...
Tabcorp’s casino expansion plans are not much exiting the market. One source said "deep dark money pit"! The press announcement brought a downgrade of the company’s rating and outlook. The Tabcorp plans to capture the Australasian VIP market, one that Crown Limited largely dominates. Ratings agency Standard & Poors (S&P) reduced the Australian-facing company’s A$1.99m debt outlook from “stable” to “negative” over concerns on the further A$285m investment in its Star City casino in Sydney announced as part of full year results last week. This came with the warning that Tabcorp’s capital expenditure plans could further risk its new rating as the company faces the possible loss of its Victorian wagering licence later this year. Gambling industry analyst Andrew Hills (Wilson HTM) said "The capital expenditure required to operate a competitive casino is oppressive and we question whether Tabcorp is throwing good money after bad. The New South Wales and Queensland casinos are attractive for the respective state governments but not for shareholders, in our view." Nathan Gee (Merrill Lynch) advised Tabcorp will either have to protect their new credit rating by an equity raising, or bite the bullet and incur higher debt costs from a further ratings downgrade, which he suggests may be the better option. Last week, Tabcorp chief Elmer Funke Kupper advised the aim of Star City was to create a destination for VIP’s and said the investment was a "no-brainer addition" to the company’s plans. In the full-year results, the Australian casino and gaming operator reported a 9.4% drop in its casino division’s EBITDA, however predicted that it would see an estimated A$130m-140m EBITDA uplift from its Star City investment by 2014. A concern for Tabcorp will be the expiration of its Victorian wagering licence, due to end in 2012. Aussie rival Tatts Group and the UK's Ladbrokes, no stranger to Media Man and Gambling911, have indicated their intentions to compete with Tabcorp for the next 12-year licence which will grant the winner a virtual monopoly on wagering and sports betting in that state of Victoria. Earlier this week the Victorian Government tabled legislation that would give valuable premium wagering tax concessions to the licence holder, but while analysts believe the license to be worth A$4bn, they also reckon renewing it could cost Tabcorp anywhere between A$300m and A$600m! "Tabcorp winning the Victorian wagering licence might put pressure on its S&P credit rating depending on the eventual price paid" said an insider. "Interestingly Tabcorp missing out on the Victoria wagering licence would ease the pressure around a credit rating downgrade or an equity raising," but over-paying for the licence may be better in the long haul than missing out full stop. Tabcorp has a war on its hands for the bid, as Australia’s Productivity Commission specifically recommended at the start of the year that it was against the renewal of wagering monopolies in New South Wales and Victoria. Tabcorp’s main investment program, the Star City Casino, is expected to now cost A$860m in addition to a A$100m payment to the New South Wales government for the pleasure, but Funke Kupper last week argued that the high price of investments would pay off by pulling in the big spending VIPs. That's his vision, but not that of the whole markets. The company reported that Star City’s 10% year-on-year EBITDA growth was offset by a 29% drop year-on-year in the company’s 3 "banana bender" Queensland casinos. Tabcorp is in negotiations with the government over increasing investment in its Queensland properties, where sliding trade is being caused by weak economic conditions in the region. A no-brainer? Readers, you be the judge.
NSW Government Keno Jackpot...
24 months after permitting Keno into hotels, the NSW state government has approved the installation into pubs and clubs of an expected 800 electronic Keno gambling machines which knockers say are a "gateway" to pokies. WSW will be #1 state to provide 'Touch Keno' after the government reviewed the results of a 3 month trial of 30 terminals at 15 venues including Star City Casino and Souths Juniors Rugby League Club. The devices are due to be installed in clubs from the coming month. Unlike the existing version, in which punters mark numbers with a pencil and paper and place bets at the bar, Touch Keno allows players to feed cold hard cash directly into the mouth of the machine, but payouts must still be collected from an human operator. Tabcorp, co-owner of the NSW Keno licence with ClubsNSW, is kindly offering to pay the cost of installing the machines if venues sign up for at least 24 months. Long enough to get the gambling bug. The government advised the terminals must be placed in a restricted area that cannot be accessed by minors". This may be a venue's lounge, bar area or gaming area. The government has recently introduced a $250 bet limit and said machines must carry information about gambling counselling and self-exclusion services. "The terminals were subject to a comprehensive trial to assess technology and harm minimisation issues," the Minister for Gaming and Racing, Kevin Greene, told press. There's no proposal to phase out the old form of Keno in favour of the new terminals. The "traditional" Keno game must be retained when a terminal is installed. The ClubsNSW chief executive, Anthony Ball, said the terminals would remove the need for punters to wait for a bartender to finish serving drinks before placing a bet. "This new technology means customers will instead be able to walk up to a screen and play Keno with, in most cases, no delay or waiting line. Self-service technology has existed at the TAB for a number of years and has proved very successful in reducing player waiting times." The anti-gambling campaigner, Senator Nick Xenophon aka "Mr X", advised the introduction of Touch Keno was worrying. "My concern is that Touch Keno will serve as a kind of gateway for casual gamblers to become poker machine gamblers. And as the Productivity Commission reported earlier this year, poker machines are far and away the biggest source of problem gambling." World Vision chief executive, Tim Costello, said he was concerned about the removal of an attendant from the betting process. "Human intervention is a natural restraint on access for problem gamblers." Last week, Tabcorp reported annual revenue of $157.2 million from its Keno operations in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. NSW down for $32 million, an annual increase of 5.4 per cent. Last month, the government said it would allow a Tabcorp-owned virtual racing game, Trackside, into pubs and clubs to pay for the refurbishment of Randwick Racecourse.
Both punters and insiders continue to enjoy the weekly Australian Casino Wars, largely dominated by Tabcorp and Crown Limited, but always watch out for an X Factor, be it PartyGaming, Ladbrokes, Genting or other.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian media, gaming, casino and political wars.
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Wrap Up...
Readers... er, punters, what's your view on online poker, online casinos, censorship, internet censorship and freedom of the press? Who will win the Aussie Casino Wars? Could you live without online poker? Do you enjoy adult content (that is legal)? Who are your betting on, and why? Make your voice heard. Tell us in the forum. The big wigs of Australian politics and business read and hang on every word at your beloved Gambling911. From Australia's answer to 'Casino Jack' to 'Outback Jack', they're all her folks. Keep checking daily for updates, Yes Minister, and have another cup of Full Strength Coffee (no caffeine or web filter thanks).
The Late News...
If your going to have a bet, please bet your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
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Australia is once again home to some of the world's most interesting and unique casino, gambling, poker and political news this week. Movie stars with 3D presentations at Aussie casinos, casino gang crime, Australian rock legend to release slot game to pubs, poker tours, political election betting, shake ups in Australian gaming and gambling landscape and more. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to bring you the best. The late, great Kerry Packer would love this edition, we're sure... proxy if need be... its worth it punters...
Crown Casino Chinatown Crime Figures Busted...
A Crown Casino VIP high roller and a Chinatown restaurateur personality are accused of heading up a Melbourne crime syndicate targeted by police over the past 48 hours in a series of explosive raids, arrests and record-breaking asset seizures. The alleged crime bosses of the multi-million dollar Melbourne drug ring that spent massive sums on property, gambling and overseas interests are set to appear in court after overnight out-of-sessions hearing. Crown Casino high roller Thi Nho Le and husband Thanh Hai Pham, both 46, spent the night in police cells with 6 other alleged members of the syndicate. Police allege it trafficked more than 30 kilograms of heroin in Melbourne and earned over $20 million in the past 9 months. Named and known as the Le Syndicate after the family that allegedly controls it, Ms Le's younger sister Thi Nho Em Le, her brother and their partners all faced a court hearing at St Kilda Road police complex early yesterday morning. Thi Nho Em Le's partner, businessman and restaurateur Kai Sin Mong, is also alleged to be a key player in the syndicate that police state has built a business empire including a Chinatown restaurant and a western-suburbs based petrol station. The group is accused of manufacturing and distributing large amounts of heroin, from locations including a flat in Napier Street, Fitzroy, laundering money and loaning money to other drug cartels and gamblers. Detective Acting Sergeant James Cole told the court that members did business at James Packers' Crown Casino's high-roller Mahogany Room, purchased a number of properties and businesses to conceal the proceeds of crime and sent money offshore to Vietnam, including a recent whopping $920,000 money transfer. This was allegedly used to create a multi-million dollar property portfolio, which may have been kicked along by plans to purchase a United States $2.5 million hotel. The mob aka triad were among 21 people arrested in a series of raids at properties in Melbourne's western and inner-northern suburbs, including Fitzroy commission flats, after a painstaking 10-month investigation.
Stay tuned to Gambling911 and Media Man for more details.
Jupiters Hotel and Casino: Avatar 3D Celebs Connection...
Film director James Cameron is backing up at the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC) on the Gold Coast this season showing footage of his 3D underwater epic Sanctum. Cameron impressed delegates away when he showed exclusive footage from his blockbuster Avatar last year, now, 12 months later, he plans to wow the town again. Star of the Sanctum, Rhys Wakefield, and producer Andrew Wight, will attend the happening at Jupiters Hotel and Casino this Wednesday when Universal Studios will present the scenes. The media opp will help combat some mixed media reports on the crime rate at the Tabcorp owned casino. Sanctum, shot (pun intended) at Surfers Paradise - Gold Coast earlier this year, is understood to be in post-production down south in Melbourne (home to 'Underbelly' - real and TV) where the visual effects and the like are being meshed in. Director Alister Grierson says it will be a 'very exciting' event. "It won't be the fully finished version but what you will see will be in 3D. Universal pictures are really excited and pumped up to do the release and it's rare an Australian film gets this amount of positive review and anticipation before it's out. We're doing some pick-up shots and have built a mini set here for visual effects, so we're very close to finishing." He won't be present, nor will exec producer Cameron. "I flew over to LA and screened a version for Jim about a month ago and he really enjoyed that. He had some tips on how to improve it and a few nips and tucks." Sanctum is just one of the dozens of films that will be previewed over the 5 day convention, which commences with the Queensland premiere of Tomorrow When The War Began at Jupiters Hotel and Casino tomorrow night. Hollywooders Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell will walk the red carpet at Event Cinemas, Robina, this Wednesday night for the Australian premiere of The Other Guys. Great to see Jupiter's playing the Aussiewood - Hollywood card.
ANZPT - Australian New Zealand Poker Tour - Jupiters Hotel And Casino, Gold Coast - 14th August...
42 players are in the ANZPT on the Gold Coast for day 3. 32 players are going to at least break even. Mainly short stacks and a couple of big stacks. Hong Kong shark, er player, Nick Wong has the largest stack at time to press. Chip leading at 376,500. The top 5 players at this time are Nauv Kashyap, Darko Balaban, Liam O'Rourke and PokerStars branded Aaron Benton. Hello PartyPoker... pick up your game Tyron Krost and what's the story with your name Stewart Scott... you guys don't get paid the big bucks for nothing. You're only as good as your last game. Benton is on a roll winning at the season-ending APPT Grand Final in Sydney last December. Benton cashed at the ANZPT in Perth, before reaching the final table at the ANZPT Canberra for win of $12 grand. Journeyed to the WSOP and returned to get runner up spoils at ANZPT in Queenstown.
ANZPT - 12th August Update...
PartyPoker sponsored 2010 Aussie Millions Champ Tyron Krost joined the field Thursday, as did PokerStars Team Australia Professional Tony Hachem, ANZPT Canberra champ and high-stakes cash game pro Jason Gray and 2009 Aussie Millions $100k winner David Steicke. PokerStars Qualifier Darko Balaban finished at the top of the list of 63 survivors from the day. Go Aussies Go!
Pokie Rock N Roller With Rose Tatto; Some Angry, Some Not!...
Aristocrat Leisure has done a smart move to kill concerns that its pokie have been largely responsible for murdering the live music scene around Australia. The company has invented a new contraption that will allow pub rock bands and gambling machines to co-exist... get this...a pokie machine based on one of the country's iconic pub rock bands, the Angry Anderson-headed Rose Tattoo. "We are confident that our Rose Tattoo game will be a hit in pubs across Australia, said Aristocrat's MD for Australia, Trevor Croker, at the Australasian Gaming Expo in Darling Harbour, Sydney."The striking red and black colour scheme will make a statement on the gaming floor and patrons will enjoy the experience of playing along with some Rose Tattoo classics," he said. The Aristocrat website describes the game as "Reel Rock 'n' Roll''. "Rose Tattoo multi-game is guaranteed to rock your venue," the company claims. Next an 'Underbelly', 'Madame Lash', 'Mr Sin' or 'Kerry Packer' themed game? Stranger things have happened.
Australian Federal Election Betting Update...
Aussie betting markets moved firmly to Gillard's Labor by about 4.5% on the aggregate implied probability of victory, with all agencies moving in the same direction. Centrebet moved strongest with an 8.5% ALP boost while Sportingbet moved the least with a 3.5% boost to Labor. Betting odds and people putting their money where their mouth is has traditionally been more accurate to pick the winner than other types of political polling. You can still jab ahead Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott... go son...fight to the finish.
Tabcorp VIP Casino Upgrades...
Tabcorp’s casino expansion plans are not much exiting the market. One source said "deep dark money pit"! The press announcement brought a downgrade of the company’s rating and outlook. The Tabcorp plans to capture the Australasian VIP market, one that Crown Limited largely dominates. Ratings agency Standard & Poors (S&P) reduced the Australian-facing company’s A$1.99m debt outlook from “stable” to “negative” over concerns on the further A$285m investment in its Star City casino in Sydney announced as part of full year results last week. This came with the warning that Tabcorp’s capital expenditure plans could further risk its new rating as the company faces the possible loss of its Victorian wagering licence later this year. Gambling industry analyst Andrew Hills (Wilson HTM) said "The capital expenditure required to operate a competitive casino is oppressive and we question whether Tabcorp is throwing good money after bad. The New South Wales and Queensland casinos are attractive for the respective state governments but not for shareholders, in our view." Nathan Gee (Merrill Lynch) advised Tabcorp will either have to protect their new credit rating by an equity raising, or bite the bullet and incur higher debt costs from a further ratings downgrade, which he suggests may be the better option. Last week, Tabcorp chief Elmer Funke Kupper advised the aim of Star City was to create a destination for VIP’s and said the investment was a "no-brainer addition" to the company’s plans. In the full-year results, the Australian casino and gaming operator reported a 9.4% drop in its casino division’s EBITDA, however predicted that it would see an estimated A$130m-140m EBITDA uplift from its Star City investment by 2014. A concern for Tabcorp will be the expiration of its Victorian wagering licence, due to end in 2012. Aussie rival Tatts Group and the UK's Ladbrokes, no stranger to Media Man and Gambling911, have indicated their intentions to compete with Tabcorp for the next 12-year licence which will grant the winner a virtual monopoly on wagering and sports betting in that state of Victoria. Earlier this week the Victorian Government tabled legislation that would give valuable premium wagering tax concessions to the licence holder, but while analysts believe the license to be worth A$4bn, they also reckon renewing it could cost Tabcorp anywhere between A$300m and A$600m! "Tabcorp winning the Victorian wagering licence might put pressure on its S&P credit rating depending on the eventual price paid" said an insider. "Interestingly Tabcorp missing out on the Victoria wagering licence would ease the pressure around a credit rating downgrade or an equity raising," but over-paying for the licence may be better in the long haul than missing out full stop. Tabcorp has a war on its hands for the bid, as Australia’s Productivity Commission specifically recommended at the start of the year that it was against the renewal of wagering monopolies in New South Wales and Victoria. Tabcorp’s main investment program, the Star City Casino, is expected to now cost A$860m in addition to a A$100m payment to the New South Wales government for the pleasure, but Funke Kupper last week argued that the high price of investments would pay off by pulling in the big spending VIPs. That's his vision, but not that of the whole markets. The company reported that Star City’s 10% year-on-year EBITDA growth was offset by a 29% drop year-on-year in the company’s 3 "banana bender" Queensland casinos. Tabcorp is in negotiations with the government over increasing investment in its Queensland properties, where sliding trade is being caused by weak economic conditions in the region. A no-brainer? Readers, you be the judge.
NSW Government Keno Jackpot...
24 months after permitting Keno into hotels, the NSW state government has approved the installation into pubs and clubs of an expected 800 electronic Keno gambling machines which knockers say are a "gateway" to pokies. WSW will be #1 state to provide 'Touch Keno' after the government reviewed the results of a 3 month trial of 30 terminals at 15 venues including Star City Casino and Souths Juniors Rugby League Club. The devices are due to be installed in clubs from the coming month. Unlike the existing version, in which punters mark numbers with a pencil and paper and place bets at the bar, Touch Keno allows players to feed cold hard cash directly into the mouth of the machine, but payouts must still be collected from an human operator. Tabcorp, co-owner of the NSW Keno licence with ClubsNSW, is kindly offering to pay the cost of installing the machines if venues sign up for at least 24 months. Long enough to get the gambling bug. The government advised the terminals must be placed in a restricted area that cannot be accessed by minors". This may be a venue's lounge, bar area or gaming area. The government has recently introduced a $250 bet limit and said machines must carry information about gambling counselling and self-exclusion services. "The terminals were subject to a comprehensive trial to assess technology and harm minimisation issues," the Minister for Gaming and Racing, Kevin Greene, told press. There's no proposal to phase out the old form of Keno in favour of the new terminals. The "traditional" Keno game must be retained when a terminal is installed. The ClubsNSW chief executive, Anthony Ball, said the terminals would remove the need for punters to wait for a bartender to finish serving drinks before placing a bet. "This new technology means customers will instead be able to walk up to a screen and play Keno with, in most cases, no delay or waiting line. Self-service technology has existed at the TAB for a number of years and has proved very successful in reducing player waiting times." The anti-gambling campaigner, Senator Nick Xenophon aka "Mr X", advised the introduction of Touch Keno was worrying. "My concern is that Touch Keno will serve as a kind of gateway for casual gamblers to become poker machine gamblers. And as the Productivity Commission reported earlier this year, poker machines are far and away the biggest source of problem gambling." World Vision chief executive, Tim Costello, said he was concerned about the removal of an attendant from the betting process. "Human intervention is a natural restraint on access for problem gamblers." Last week, Tabcorp reported annual revenue of $157.2 million from its Keno operations in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. NSW down for $32 million, an annual increase of 5.4 per cent. Last month, the government said it would allow a Tabcorp-owned virtual racing game, Trackside, into pubs and clubs to pay for the refurbishment of Randwick Racecourse.
Both punters and insiders continue to enjoy the weekly Australian Casino Wars, largely dominated by Tabcorp and Crown Limited, but always watch out for an X Factor, be it PartyGaming, Ladbrokes, Genting or other.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian media, gaming, casino and political wars.
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Wrap Up...
Readers... er, punters, what's your view on online poker, online casinos, censorship, internet censorship and freedom of the press? Who will win the Aussie Casino Wars? Could you live without online poker? Do you enjoy adult content (that is legal)? Who are your betting on, and why? Make your voice heard. Tell us in the forum. The big wigs of Australian politics and business read and hang on every word at your beloved Gambling911. From Australia's answer to 'Casino Jack' to 'Outback Jack', they're all her folks. Keep checking daily for updates, Yes Minister, and have another cup of Full Strength Coffee (no caffeine or web filter thanks).
The Late News...
If your going to have a bet, please bet your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
Australian Politics: Fun And Games, by Greg Tingle - 12th August 2010
Australia is enjoying fun and games galore with the Aussie election about one week away as. We enter round 12 of Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott VS reigning champion, Julia "Jungle Girl" Gillard. Gillard appears to be leading by a nose no pun intended). Most money is going on Gillard and Abbott has his not so secret weapon, Malcolm "No Bull" Turnbull, no strangers to our loyal audience who are packed to the rafters. Harrah's and MGM Grand would be proud of the betting, casino and internet censorship components that all form part of Aussie political party policy. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to follow the campaign trail, jabbing, dodging and weaving around the election and Aussie casino wars with another politically red hot report...good thing that Aussie internet filter is not up, but we know you passionate punters would be hitting the proxy or whatever to get your fix anyway...
Labor VS Liberal; More Money Backing Labor (At This Second)...
Labor has been attracting a lot of punters money in recent weeks, with activity skyrocketing in recent days. 21 August is election day and punters keep splashing money on their top picks.
Centrebet has received bets of $20,000, $40,000 and even $150,000 we hear. This shorted up Labor's odds of winning but we won't know until the final bell in round 12.
Odds on Julia Gillard becoming (staying) prime minister are around $1.51, but keep checking as experts forecast turbulence in the upcoming days.
Centrebet agency's analyst, Neil Evans, said hundreds of thousands of bucks had been wagered on the election, alot of it in recent days.
Almost all of the money had been for Labor, but not Liberal is getting more bets and bigger ones.
Media coverage is keeping punters interested. ABC's Q&A program, The Chaser and more.
The return of The Chaser, with election special Yes, We Canberra, in the 9.30pm slot two weeks ago snatched about 1.5 million viewers.
The betting surge had also followed prominent media reporting of an interview from former Labor leader Mark Latham, who accused PM Gillard of patronising him and "stroking" his front!
The opposition had originally been backed in at $2.27 over the weekend, its shortest price, after Gillard was confronted by Mr Latham and endured what is being described as an awkward get together for press with Kevin Rudd.
"Despite being heavily backed in many key marginal seats, budgetary pressures on the Coalition's senior team are mounting, and Mr Abbott must now get right on the policy front foot," Mr Evans said.
"Right now, Labor is winning ... but this is a bizarre and unique election.
"The shortening of the odds for Labor in just half a day is a massive statement."
Mr Evans said he thinks Labor's latest advertisements where it shows former Treasurer Peter Costello seemingly ridiculing Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's economic credentials had been working in the minds of punters who were now switching sides to Labor.
Today Media Man has heard around the cafes of Sydney that 1 punter put $150,000 on Labor to win, another $175,000 on Liberal to win. Ah, some folks have money to burn don't they. God knows how much both parties have spent on advertising this campaign, but its got to be 6 figures, maybe 7. A million... yep, they have it and the war continues at fever pitch.
Aussie Racing And Media King John Singleton VS Labor Party...
Julie Gillard is in a fight and she keeps getting reminded of political figures who have previously run a muck. Who? Kevin "Bloody" Rudd and Mark "Maniac" (affectionate MM tag) Latham. Now John "Singo" Singleton enters the fight in his own Aussie larikan (but strategic) way.
Singleton again asserted his presence over the election campaign when his ad agency, Banjo, launched what may be the most controversial ad - promo of the election campaign.
They feature the fictional story of a woman told she is dying of cancer that could have been treated if she had had an earlier pap smear.
Written up by Alan Johnson, one of the founders of Mojo, now a partner with Singo in Banjo, the adverts have been funded by Australia's largest GP clinic group, Primary Health Care.
The TV campaign sees health initiatives promised by Labor being buried in a grave and the campaign is highlighted by "Don't let Labor's health cuts be the death of you."
The campaign was commissioned by Primary Health Care managing director Edmund Bateman and its the 5th time Singo has inserted himself into the election campaign.
Singleton's presence first appeared in May when overtures were made to Tony Abbott's camp apparently offering the services of the man Bob Hawke credited with helping orchestrate his second election win, to help 'Bruiser' Abbott into The Lodge.
His move to the Coalition is understood to have been driven by projects Banjo did for the National Party in Queensland, plus with his own opposition to Kevin Rudd's resource super-profits tax...influenced by his friendships with those in the mining industry. Think "Twiggy" Forrest types.
Singleton was prominent in the media attacking Labor as a failed experiment.
Banjo created an anti-mining tax ad for a Perth-based action group, but the ad was put on ice mear hours before it was to go to tele and web after new PM Julia Gillard cut a deal with a host of big Aussie bases mines.
The campaign, another true blue Singo styled masterpiece using the mafia line "You're going to get whacked", came back to hatch roughly 3 weeks ago as the campaign for the group known as Association of Mining Exploration Companies.
Singleton has kept up the good fight, commenting during a TV cross on the Nine's Today show to the launch of the new Blue Tongue brewery about the mess Labor was in.
His radio network, Macquarie, has also heard its key announcers, Alan Jones and Ray Hadley, offer less than complimentary comments against the government. Ah, the media wars in full force.
Singo has just become a grandfather for the first time and insiders speculate this may have triggered his political pro active stance.
The so called Twilight Zone election is largely enjoying the Singo X Factor, and Team Gillard know they are in a fight to the death... er, end.
Gillard VS Abbott: Town Hall Type Action In Rooty Hill Sydney...Rooting Or Rooted?...
Political pollster Galaxy says it will investigate why the son of a former Liberal MP was part of the audience at yesterday's Rooty Hill RSL Club forum.
Joel Scalzi, the son of former South Australian Liberal MP Joe Scalzi, was one of the undecided voters selected by the polling company to quiz PM Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in a town hall-style meeting.
He asked Abbott what the Coalition could offer him as an unmarried voter with no children.
"All I've got is a big DVD collection," the 27-year-old told the room.
David Briggs, the principal at Galaxy Research, would not comment on whether there was a Liberal Party bias in the audience, proclaiming "We are looking into that."
But he said that Mr Scalzi was only one of 200 "real people" selected by his company.
"I don't know those people," he said when probed about last night's debate among Twitter users on the audience's impartiality.
"I think the proof of the pudding last night was we certainly had 200 real people in there and they asked real questions from a range of topics."
Briggs said neither of the candidates was given an easy or difficult ride from the voters.
"The audience was responding to how the leaders treated them. Julia Gillard was reserved and the audience was reserved in return. Tony Abbott was more outgoing and the audience was more outgoing in return."
Briggs said the 200 or so voters were selected from "market research-type databases" that Galaxy had, and from the good old fashioned White Pages.
They were first asked about their voting intentions. Those who declared they were undecided or leaned towards one party but had not made their minds up were those Galaxy attempted to recruit for the audience, he said.
The audience was split 50 / 50 of male and female, and reflected the population's age brackets. Where they lived was not one of the criteria, Mr Briggs said.
Galaxy had to "spread the net quite broadly" in order to secure the 200 required for the debate.
"Anyone who classified themselves as an uncommitted voter, we were more than happy to have along, because obviously it's not everyone's cup of tea and we need to screen a fair number of people to get to those uncommitted voters," Mr Briggs added.
"There are many tiers which people can disqualify themselves or not qualify for the type of people we want."
A range of Australian media companies say that Mr Scalzi was a 2007 'Big Brother' reality TV show contestant and said then he was a Young Liberal.
A spokeswoman for the South Australian branch of the Liberals advised Scalzi was not a member of the young Liberals or the Liberal Party. The president of the NSW Division of the young Liberals, Scott Farlow, said he was not aware Mr Scalzi was a member either.
Mr Scalzi wrote on his Facebook page that he had a "hilarious night at the Rooty Hill RSL with my mate Billy".
"Doing work there for Jonesy and Amanda, i think i invited Tony Abbott over my place to watch The Notebook lol!!!"
Galaxy is the polling organisation used by News Ltd's metropolitan newspapers, including News Limited's The Daily Telegraph.
The debate was organised by The Telegraph and broadcast on Sky News Australia. The audience members were selected this week.
Some observers watching the debate claimed the audience was stacked with supporters of Abbott.
Tweeter Geeksrulz said "Sky News and Galaxy just leave the TV Audience debates to the professionals like [the ABC's panel show] QandA. They know how to sample."
Stan04676 came up with "Rooty Hill audience reminds me of Paul Keating's comments on the Senate Unrepresentative swill."
Others defended the Rooty Hill sample audience and criticised Q&A as a left-leaning forum.
"Ahaha, I love that people are already leveling accusations of Liberal bias in the audience. Same thing happens on Q and A," justinbarbour said.
We told you it was fun and games hey. Oh, Julia Gillard is regarded by the Australian public as is Tony Abbott (especially when wearing his budgie smugglers). Jules has yet to wear a bikini in the campaign. The Sex Party candidate for Abbott's patch, Austen Tayshus, has been spotted in a Man Kini, that even 'Borak' would be proud of. The Tayshus stunt is understood to have triggered a flasher who showed hit bits in public, later to be arrested. We told you this was soap opera. Aussie soapie starts 'Kath and Kim' did not comment to the comparisons.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian casino and political wars.
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Politics
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Wrap Up...
Readers... er, punters, how good was that. Who are your betting on, and why? Make your voice heard. The big wigs of Australian politics and business read and hang on every word at your beloved Gambling911. From Australia's answer to 'Casino Jack' to 'Outback Jack', they're all hear folks. Keep checking daily for the greatest soap opera coverage on earth... casino, gambling and politics style...Underbelly, The Sopranos... you get the idea. Yes Minister, and have another cup of Full Strength Coffee (no Caffeine or web Filter thanks).
The Late News...
A media insider leaked that PartyGaming continue to watch the Australian political and gambling scene very closely. Some interest in the right media and political connections we hear. Interesting timing with Party now getting mixed reports in the United States. Insiders note that Richard Branson, the champion of Virgin Games and Virgin Gaming is doing the rounds in Australia. Aussie Branson detractor of sorts, Sir Dick Smith (not a gaming or gambling fan and more aligned with Mr X we hear), is using blondes to try to get extra attention for his campaigns, with mixed results. Ah, political fun and games everywhere, and Gambling911 remains available for your reading pleasure just about everywhere on earth (expect for China), with Chinese Thought Police minding their firewall around the clock in bit of a Clockwork Orange meets They Live capacity. Remember your freedoms (what is left of them) when you vote, if you didn't already. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to keep up the good fight so you're appetite for censorship free news continues. Mums and dads, kids of all ages, thank you for your support. We couldn't do it without you. Now, play for free or play for money, but always bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
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Labor VS Liberal; More Money Backing Labor (At This Second)...
Labor has been attracting a lot of punters money in recent weeks, with activity skyrocketing in recent days. 21 August is election day and punters keep splashing money on their top picks.
Centrebet has received bets of $20,000, $40,000 and even $150,000 we hear. This shorted up Labor's odds of winning but we won't know until the final bell in round 12.
Odds on Julia Gillard becoming (staying) prime minister are around $1.51, but keep checking as experts forecast turbulence in the upcoming days.
Centrebet agency's analyst, Neil Evans, said hundreds of thousands of bucks had been wagered on the election, alot of it in recent days.
Almost all of the money had been for Labor, but not Liberal is getting more bets and bigger ones.
Media coverage is keeping punters interested. ABC's Q&A program, The Chaser and more.
The return of The Chaser, with election special Yes, We Canberra, in the 9.30pm slot two weeks ago snatched about 1.5 million viewers.
The betting surge had also followed prominent media reporting of an interview from former Labor leader Mark Latham, who accused PM Gillard of patronising him and "stroking" his front!
The opposition had originally been backed in at $2.27 over the weekend, its shortest price, after Gillard was confronted by Mr Latham and endured what is being described as an awkward get together for press with Kevin Rudd.
"Despite being heavily backed in many key marginal seats, budgetary pressures on the Coalition's senior team are mounting, and Mr Abbott must now get right on the policy front foot," Mr Evans said.
"Right now, Labor is winning ... but this is a bizarre and unique election.
"The shortening of the odds for Labor in just half a day is a massive statement."
Mr Evans said he thinks Labor's latest advertisements where it shows former Treasurer Peter Costello seemingly ridiculing Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's economic credentials had been working in the minds of punters who were now switching sides to Labor.
Today Media Man has heard around the cafes of Sydney that 1 punter put $150,000 on Labor to win, another $175,000 on Liberal to win. Ah, some folks have money to burn don't they. God knows how much both parties have spent on advertising this campaign, but its got to be 6 figures, maybe 7. A million... yep, they have it and the war continues at fever pitch.
Aussie Racing And Media King John Singleton VS Labor Party...
Julie Gillard is in a fight and she keeps getting reminded of political figures who have previously run a muck. Who? Kevin "Bloody" Rudd and Mark "Maniac" (affectionate MM tag) Latham. Now John "Singo" Singleton enters the fight in his own Aussie larikan (but strategic) way.
Singleton again asserted his presence over the election campaign when his ad agency, Banjo, launched what may be the most controversial ad - promo of the election campaign.
They feature the fictional story of a woman told she is dying of cancer that could have been treated if she had had an earlier pap smear.
Written up by Alan Johnson, one of the founders of Mojo, now a partner with Singo in Banjo, the adverts have been funded by Australia's largest GP clinic group, Primary Health Care.
The TV campaign sees health initiatives promised by Labor being buried in a grave and the campaign is highlighted by "Don't let Labor's health cuts be the death of you."
The campaign was commissioned by Primary Health Care managing director Edmund Bateman and its the 5th time Singo has inserted himself into the election campaign.
Singleton's presence first appeared in May when overtures were made to Tony Abbott's camp apparently offering the services of the man Bob Hawke credited with helping orchestrate his second election win, to help 'Bruiser' Abbott into The Lodge.
His move to the Coalition is understood to have been driven by projects Banjo did for the National Party in Queensland, plus with his own opposition to Kevin Rudd's resource super-profits tax...influenced by his friendships with those in the mining industry. Think "Twiggy" Forrest types.
Singleton was prominent in the media attacking Labor as a failed experiment.
Banjo created an anti-mining tax ad for a Perth-based action group, but the ad was put on ice mear hours before it was to go to tele and web after new PM Julia Gillard cut a deal with a host of big Aussie bases mines.
The campaign, another true blue Singo styled masterpiece using the mafia line "You're going to get whacked", came back to hatch roughly 3 weeks ago as the campaign for the group known as Association of Mining Exploration Companies.
Singleton has kept up the good fight, commenting during a TV cross on the Nine's Today show to the launch of the new Blue Tongue brewery about the mess Labor was in.
His radio network, Macquarie, has also heard its key announcers, Alan Jones and Ray Hadley, offer less than complimentary comments against the government. Ah, the media wars in full force.
Singo has just become a grandfather for the first time and insiders speculate this may have triggered his political pro active stance.
The so called Twilight Zone election is largely enjoying the Singo X Factor, and Team Gillard know they are in a fight to the death... er, end.
Gillard VS Abbott: Town Hall Type Action In Rooty Hill Sydney...Rooting Or Rooted?...
Political pollster Galaxy says it will investigate why the son of a former Liberal MP was part of the audience at yesterday's Rooty Hill RSL Club forum.
Joel Scalzi, the son of former South Australian Liberal MP Joe Scalzi, was one of the undecided voters selected by the polling company to quiz PM Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in a town hall-style meeting.
He asked Abbott what the Coalition could offer him as an unmarried voter with no children.
"All I've got is a big DVD collection," the 27-year-old told the room.
David Briggs, the principal at Galaxy Research, would not comment on whether there was a Liberal Party bias in the audience, proclaiming "We are looking into that."
But he said that Mr Scalzi was only one of 200 "real people" selected by his company.
"I don't know those people," he said when probed about last night's debate among Twitter users on the audience's impartiality.
"I think the proof of the pudding last night was we certainly had 200 real people in there and they asked real questions from a range of topics."
Briggs said neither of the candidates was given an easy or difficult ride from the voters.
"The audience was responding to how the leaders treated them. Julia Gillard was reserved and the audience was reserved in return. Tony Abbott was more outgoing and the audience was more outgoing in return."
Briggs said the 200 or so voters were selected from "market research-type databases" that Galaxy had, and from the good old fashioned White Pages.
They were first asked about their voting intentions. Those who declared they were undecided or leaned towards one party but had not made their minds up were those Galaxy attempted to recruit for the audience, he said.
The audience was split 50 / 50 of male and female, and reflected the population's age brackets. Where they lived was not one of the criteria, Mr Briggs said.
Galaxy had to "spread the net quite broadly" in order to secure the 200 required for the debate.
"Anyone who classified themselves as an uncommitted voter, we were more than happy to have along, because obviously it's not everyone's cup of tea and we need to screen a fair number of people to get to those uncommitted voters," Mr Briggs added.
"There are many tiers which people can disqualify themselves or not qualify for the type of people we want."
A range of Australian media companies say that Mr Scalzi was a 2007 'Big Brother' reality TV show contestant and said then he was a Young Liberal.
A spokeswoman for the South Australian branch of the Liberals advised Scalzi was not a member of the young Liberals or the Liberal Party. The president of the NSW Division of the young Liberals, Scott Farlow, said he was not aware Mr Scalzi was a member either.
Mr Scalzi wrote on his Facebook page that he had a "hilarious night at the Rooty Hill RSL with my mate Billy".
"Doing work there for Jonesy and Amanda, i think i invited Tony Abbott over my place to watch The Notebook lol!!!"
Galaxy is the polling organisation used by News Ltd's metropolitan newspapers, including News Limited's The Daily Telegraph.
The debate was organised by The Telegraph and broadcast on Sky News Australia. The audience members were selected this week.
Some observers watching the debate claimed the audience was stacked with supporters of Abbott.
Tweeter Geeksrulz said "Sky News and Galaxy just leave the TV Audience debates to the professionals like [the ABC's panel show] QandA. They know how to sample."
Stan04676 came up with "Rooty Hill audience reminds me of Paul Keating's comments on the Senate Unrepresentative swill."
Others defended the Rooty Hill sample audience and criticised Q&A as a left-leaning forum.
"Ahaha, I love that people are already leveling accusations of Liberal bias in the audience. Same thing happens on Q and A," justinbarbour said.
We told you it was fun and games hey. Oh, Julia Gillard is regarded by the Australian public as is Tony Abbott (especially when wearing his budgie smugglers). Jules has yet to wear a bikini in the campaign. The Sex Party candidate for Abbott's patch, Austen Tayshus, has been spotted in a Man Kini, that even 'Borak' would be proud of. The Tayshus stunt is understood to have triggered a flasher who showed hit bits in public, later to be arrested. We told you this was soap opera. Aussie soapie starts 'Kath and Kim' did not comment to the comparisons.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian casino and political wars.
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Wrap Up...
Readers... er, punters, how good was that. Who are your betting on, and why? Make your voice heard. The big wigs of Australian politics and business read and hang on every word at your beloved Gambling911. From Australia's answer to 'Casino Jack' to 'Outback Jack', they're all hear folks. Keep checking daily for the greatest soap opera coverage on earth... casino, gambling and politics style...Underbelly, The Sopranos... you get the idea. Yes Minister, and have another cup of Full Strength Coffee (no Caffeine or web Filter thanks).
The Late News...
A media insider leaked that PartyGaming continue to watch the Australian political and gambling scene very closely. Some interest in the right media and political connections we hear. Interesting timing with Party now getting mixed reports in the United States. Insiders note that Richard Branson, the champion of Virgin Games and Virgin Gaming is doing the rounds in Australia. Aussie Branson detractor of sorts, Sir Dick Smith (not a gaming or gambling fan and more aligned with Mr X we hear), is using blondes to try to get extra attention for his campaigns, with mixed results. Ah, political fun and games everywhere, and Gambling911 remains available for your reading pleasure just about everywhere on earth (expect for China), with Chinese Thought Police minding their firewall around the clock in bit of a Clockwork Orange meets They Live capacity. Remember your freedoms (what is left of them) when you vote, if you didn't already. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to keep up the good fight so you're appetite for censorship free news continues. Mums and dads, kids of all ages, thank you for your support. We couldn't do it without you. Now, play for free or play for money, but always bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Media Man Tourism Blog: Imagination will take you everywhere
Media Man Tourism Blog
Imagination will take you everywhere
Jockey club dreams of days at the drive-in - 15th March 2010
The Australian Jockey Club has entered the drive-in cinema business. Plans to host drive-ins in the centre of Randwick racecourse from May through to August are being thrashed out in Randwick council. ''It is an exciting new revenue stream for the club which is strategically important,'' AJC acting chief executive Darren Pearce told the Herald. ''It is a different experience going to the drive-in rather than the cinema. We'd like families to experience the fun of the drive-in and we are hoping the council will support this new initiative for the community.'' A giant inflatable screen will be used on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and sound will be broadcast to viewers' car radios. ''It is low impact on the community and low impact on the horses stabled at Randwick,'' Pearce said. (Credit: Fairfax Media)
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AJC reveals plan to turn revamped Randwick into a money-spinner - The Sydney Morning Herald - 28th July 2010
The Australian Jockey Club yesterday unveiled plans to turn Randwick racecourse into a money-making, multi-purpose venue.
The plan features improved facilities for patrons and owners and a multi-storey hotel on Alison Road with an AJC-run licensed club underneath.
Randwick's concrete cancer-ridden QEII grandstand and the public's Paddock stand will be gutted to form an interconnecting, seven-tier grandstand. It will be bisected by a cantilevered platform, which will provide patrons and racehorse owners with views over the racetrack. The new ''theatre of the horse'' parade ring will be at the back of the stands.
The plan includes designated floors for owners with plenty of hospitality services.
Two giant pavilions will be connected to the refurbished grandstands. They will provide facilities for corporate players on major race days and attract events and functions on non-race days.
Double-storey stabling complexes will be built oncourse but trainers can remain in their old yards if they wish.
AJC vice-chairman and master plan driver, John Cornish, unveiled the vision with chairman Ron Finemore and chief executive Darren Pearce.
Cornish said the ''theatre of the horse'', which will be tiered to provide patrons with clear viewing, would have an ''alfresco dining'' terrace. He said the racehorse owner was racing's most ''critical feature'' and ''the least looked after person in our industry''.
The AJC was not in the accommodation business but several hotel companies would be keen to pay a management and rental fee and there had been ''substantial interest in leasing some buildings'', including commercial property space.
''Racing NSW would be a good tenant for us,'' Cornish said. He suggested Randwick would be a good home for Tabcorp and the NRL.
The plan is funded by a $150 million grant from the state government, which is dependent on the AJC merging with Sydney Turf Club. The STC is set to receive $24m from the government for improvements to Rosehill.
Cornish admitted facilities at Randwick were ''rotten'' and hadn't been maintained or modernised. Race-day attendances were dropping ''at an alarming rate'' and ''competition for the dollar is enormous''. The plan was not just about hosting 40 race meetings a year but turning Randwick into a year-round, income-making operation.
The AJC is working closely with the government to be given ''event consent'' status so it doesn't have to apply for approval for every time it wants to hold a concert, event or function.
Funding of $50m for the new centralised stabling precinct must be found. The double-storey barns housing up to 100 horses each will allow for 600 thoroughbreds to be trained at Randwick. Finemore didn't rule out offering trainers long-term leases or allowing them to buy them. ''We must come to a commercial agreement with the trainers,'' he said. (Credit: Fairfax Media)
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The plan features improved facilities for patrons and owners and a multi-storey hotel on Alison Road with an AJC-run licensed club underneath.
Randwick's concrete cancer-ridden QEII grandstand and the public's Paddock stand will be gutted to form an interconnecting, seven-tier grandstand. It will be bisected by a cantilevered platform, which will provide patrons and racehorse owners with views over the racetrack. The new ''theatre of the horse'' parade ring will be at the back of the stands.
The plan includes designated floors for owners with plenty of hospitality services.
Two giant pavilions will be connected to the refurbished grandstands. They will provide facilities for corporate players on major race days and attract events and functions on non-race days.
Double-storey stabling complexes will be built oncourse but trainers can remain in their old yards if they wish.
AJC vice-chairman and master plan driver, John Cornish, unveiled the vision with chairman Ron Finemore and chief executive Darren Pearce.
Cornish said the ''theatre of the horse'', which will be tiered to provide patrons with clear viewing, would have an ''alfresco dining'' terrace. He said the racehorse owner was racing's most ''critical feature'' and ''the least looked after person in our industry''.
The AJC was not in the accommodation business but several hotel companies would be keen to pay a management and rental fee and there had been ''substantial interest in leasing some buildings'', including commercial property space.
''Racing NSW would be a good tenant for us,'' Cornish said. He suggested Randwick would be a good home for Tabcorp and the NRL.
The plan is funded by a $150 million grant from the state government, which is dependent on the AJC merging with Sydney Turf Club. The STC is set to receive $24m from the government for improvements to Rosehill.
Cornish admitted facilities at Randwick were ''rotten'' and hadn't been maintained or modernised. Race-day attendances were dropping ''at an alarming rate'' and ''competition for the dollar is enormous''. The plan was not just about hosting 40 race meetings a year but turning Randwick into a year-round, income-making operation.
The AJC is working closely with the government to be given ''event consent'' status so it doesn't have to apply for approval for every time it wants to hold a concert, event or function.
Funding of $50m for the new centralised stabling precinct must be found. The double-storey barns housing up to 100 horses each will allow for 600 thoroughbreds to be trained at Randwick. Finemore didn't rule out offering trainers long-term leases or allowing them to buy them. ''We must come to a commercial agreement with the trainers,'' he said. (Credit: Fairfax Media)
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Vintage adman John Singleton works against Labor - The Australian - 9th August 2010
The ghosts of Kevin Rudd and Mark Latham may be haunting Julia Gillard, but another Labor stalwart continues to make his presence felt.
As the final two weeks of the campaign begin, John Singleton again asserted his presence over the election campaign when his ad agency, Banjo, last night launched what could prove to be the most controversial ads of the campaign.
They feature the fictional story of a woman told she is dying of cancer that could have been treated if she had had an earlier pap smear.
Written by renowned adman Alan Johnson, one of the founders of Mojo and now a partner with Singleton in Banjo, the ads have been bankrolled by Australia's largest GP clinic group, Primary Health Care, but they are vintage Singleton, channelling the ghosts of campaigns past.
The TV campaign sees health initiatives promised by Labor being buried in a grave and the campaign is highlighted by the tagline: "Don't let Labor's health cuts be the death of you."
The campaign was commissioned by Primary Health Care managing director Edmund Bateman and it marks the fifth time Singleton has inserted himself into the election campaign, subtly, or otherwise.
Singleton's presence first appeared in May when overtures were made to Tony Abbott's camp offering the services of the man Bob Hawke credited with helping engineer his second election win, to help Abbott into The Lodge.
His shift to the Coalition had been driven by work Banjo did for the Nationals in Queensland, coupled with his own opposition to Kevin Rudd's resource super-profits tax -- doubtless influenced by his close friendships with those in the mining industry.
His overtures to Abbott were rebuffed after the two had a private meeting, but Singleton was prominent in the press attacking Labor as a failed experiment -- reflecting his political stance against Gough Whitlam in the 1970s that led him to set up the anti-Labor Workers Party. Banjo created an anti-mining tax ad for a Perth-based action group, but the ad was shelved just hours before it was to go to air after new PM Julia Gillard cut a deal with the big mines.
The campaign, another Singo classic using the line "You're going to get whacked", re-emerged two weeks ago as the campaign for the Association of Mining Exploration Companies.
Singleton has kept up the pressure, commenting during a cross on the Today show to the launch of the new Blue Tongue brewery about the mess Labor was in.
His radio network, Macquarie, has also seen its key announcers, Alan Jones and Ray Hadley, run vociferous campaigns against the government.
But what has driven Singleton, who was largely silent during the 2007 campaign, to become so active? He has lamented that the current crop of leaders has nothing on Hawke and Keating, or even Howard and Costello.
At the same time, he has gone through a life-changing moment, having become a grandfather for the first time, possibly leading him to cast his gaze further into the future of Australia. Or perhaps he is suffering a touch of relevance deprivation.
Whatever has prompted the larrikin adman and media mogul's sudden re-emergence on the political scene over the past three months, it has added a strange twist in what some have called the twilight zone election. (Credit: News Limited)
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As the final two weeks of the campaign begin, John Singleton again asserted his presence over the election campaign when his ad agency, Banjo, last night launched what could prove to be the most controversial ads of the campaign.
They feature the fictional story of a woman told she is dying of cancer that could have been treated if she had had an earlier pap smear.
Written by renowned adman Alan Johnson, one of the founders of Mojo and now a partner with Singleton in Banjo, the ads have been bankrolled by Australia's largest GP clinic group, Primary Health Care, but they are vintage Singleton, channelling the ghosts of campaigns past.
The TV campaign sees health initiatives promised by Labor being buried in a grave and the campaign is highlighted by the tagline: "Don't let Labor's health cuts be the death of you."
The campaign was commissioned by Primary Health Care managing director Edmund Bateman and it marks the fifth time Singleton has inserted himself into the election campaign, subtly, or otherwise.
Singleton's presence first appeared in May when overtures were made to Tony Abbott's camp offering the services of the man Bob Hawke credited with helping engineer his second election win, to help Abbott into The Lodge.
His shift to the Coalition had been driven by work Banjo did for the Nationals in Queensland, coupled with his own opposition to Kevin Rudd's resource super-profits tax -- doubtless influenced by his close friendships with those in the mining industry.
His overtures to Abbott were rebuffed after the two had a private meeting, but Singleton was prominent in the press attacking Labor as a failed experiment -- reflecting his political stance against Gough Whitlam in the 1970s that led him to set up the anti-Labor Workers Party. Banjo created an anti-mining tax ad for a Perth-based action group, but the ad was shelved just hours before it was to go to air after new PM Julia Gillard cut a deal with the big mines.
The campaign, another Singo classic using the line "You're going to get whacked", re-emerged two weeks ago as the campaign for the Association of Mining Exploration Companies.
Singleton has kept up the pressure, commenting during a cross on the Today show to the launch of the new Blue Tongue brewery about the mess Labor was in.
His radio network, Macquarie, has also seen its key announcers, Alan Jones and Ray Hadley, run vociferous campaigns against the government.
But what has driven Singleton, who was largely silent during the 2007 campaign, to become so active? He has lamented that the current crop of leaders has nothing on Hawke and Keating, or even Howard and Costello.
At the same time, he has gone through a life-changing moment, having become a grandfather for the first time, possibly leading him to cast his gaze further into the future of Australia. Or perhaps he is suffering a touch of relevance deprivation.
Whatever has prompted the larrikin adman and media mogul's sudden re-emergence on the political scene over the past three months, it has added a strange twist in what some have called the twilight zone election. (Credit: News Limited)
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Friday, August 06, 2010
PartyGaming News: Half year report for the six months ended 30 June 2010
PartyGaming News: Half year report for the six months ended 30 June 2010
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Total revenue up 30% to €181.2m (2009: €139.9m) driven by acquisitions and strong growth in casino and sports betting
Continuing Clean EBITDA* up 14% to €48.1m (2009: €42.3m)
Continuing Basic Clean EPS* of 6.0 € cents (2009: 6.7 € cents); Total Basic Clean EPS of 6.0 € cents (2009: 6.6 € cents)
Transformational Proposed Merger with bwin expected to complete in first quarter 2011
Solid progress in newly regulated markets (France and Italy); Denmark is on-track to open early in 2011
Net cashflow from Continuing operations up 65% to €55.3m (2009: €33.5m) with net cash at 30 June 2010 of €146.8m (2009: €166.7m)
* EBITDA/EPS before the provision for costs associated with the Group’s Non-Prosecution Agreement, reorganisation costs, and before non-cash charges relating to share-based payments (see reconciliation of Clean EBITDA to operating profit (loss) below).
# Operations located physically outside of the US but which relate to US customers that were no longer accepted following the enactment of the UIGEA.
Commenting on today’s results announcement, Jim Ryan, PartyGaming Chief Executive Officer, said:
“We delivered another robust financial performance in the first half and also made great progress in executing our strategy. While poker was impacted by the football World Cup and remained difficult from a competitive perspective, our other verticals continued to perform strongly. Total revenue was up 30% and Clean EBITDA from Continuing Operations was up 14% versus the prior year. As previously announced, Clean EBITDA margins in the first half were slightly lower than expected due to the delayed launch of cash game poker in Italy but we retain our previous full year guidance of approximately 28%, subject to the returns achieved on planned marketing spend in both France and Italy where we are continuing to expand the share of our respective poker networks.
‘‘Our proposed merger with bwin is a transformational opportunity for the Group and we expect that it will provide significant strategic, operational and financial benefits for the shareholders of both companies. Whilst there is much work to do ahead of completion in early 2011, we are excited about the prospects for what will then be the clear market leader in online gaming with strong positions in all key product verticals and territories.”
On current trading and outlook Jim Ryan added:
“Since 30 June 2010, the Group has continued to perform in-line with the Board’s expectations. Seizing a strong position in newly regulated markets is a key focus for us. Our strategy of combining a strong B2C franchise with significant local brands is already proving to be a powerful force as evidenced by our network’s position in French poker. As other markets follow Italy and France, we expect that a limited number of large networks and brands will emerge to become market leaders – we are determined that together PartyGaming/bwin will be one of them. This natural consolidation of the marketplace will accelerate through corporate mergers and acquisitions and as one of the largest players in the sector we remain committed to continue playing an active role. Whilst the macroeconomic and competitive environments remain challenging, we remain confident about the Group’s prospects for the rest of the year and beyond.”
Contacts:
PartyGaming Plc +44 (0) 207 337 0100
Peter Reynolds, Director of Corporate Affairs
John Shepherd, Director of Corporate Communications
Interview with Jim Ryan and Martin Weigold
An interview with Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer, and Martin Weigold, Group Finance Director, in video/audio and text will be available from 7.00am BST on 6 August 2010 on: http://www.partygaming.com and on http://www.cantos.com.
Analyst meeting, webcast, dial-in and conference call details: 6 August 2010
There will be an analyst meeting for invited UK-based analysts at Numis Securities, The London Stock Exchange Building, 10 Paternoster Square, London, EC4M 7LT starting at 9.30am BST. There will be a simultaneous webcast and dial-in broadcast of the meeting. To register for the live webcast, please pre-register for access by visiting the Group website (www.partygaming.com). Details for the dial-in facility are given below. A copy of the webcast and slide presentation given at the meeting will be available on the Group’s website later today.
Dial-in details to listen to the analyst presentation: 6 August 2010
9.20 am Please call +44 (0) 20 3003 2666
Title PartyGaming Interim Results
9.30 am Meeting starts
A recording of the meeting will be available for a period of seven days from 6 August 2010. To access the recording please dial the following replay telephone number:
Replay telephone number +44 (0) 208 196 1988
Replay passcode: 9050397#
About PartyGaming Plc
The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY. In the year ended 31 December 2009, PartyGaming’s Continuing operations generated revenue of €310.1m and Clean EBITDA of €93.8m.
PartyGaming is regulated and licensed by the Governments of Gibraltar, Italy and France and by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. The Group is also certified as a responsible gaming operator by GamCare, the leading UK authority on the provision of advice, practical help, support and counselling in addressing the social impact of gambling. PartyGaming’s shares are also a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which enables investors to identify companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
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Total revenue up 30% to €181.2m (2009: €139.9m) driven by acquisitions and strong growth in casino and sports betting
Continuing Clean EBITDA* up 14% to €48.1m (2009: €42.3m)
Continuing Basic Clean EPS* of 6.0 € cents (2009: 6.7 € cents); Total Basic Clean EPS of 6.0 € cents (2009: 6.6 € cents)
Transformational Proposed Merger with bwin expected to complete in first quarter 2011
Solid progress in newly regulated markets (France and Italy); Denmark is on-track to open early in 2011
Net cashflow from Continuing operations up 65% to €55.3m (2009: €33.5m) with net cash at 30 June 2010 of €146.8m (2009: €166.7m)
* EBITDA/EPS before the provision for costs associated with the Group’s Non-Prosecution Agreement, reorganisation costs, and before non-cash charges relating to share-based payments (see reconciliation of Clean EBITDA to operating profit (loss) below).
# Operations located physically outside of the US but which relate to US customers that were no longer accepted following the enactment of the UIGEA.
Commenting on today’s results announcement, Jim Ryan, PartyGaming Chief Executive Officer, said:
“We delivered another robust financial performance in the first half and also made great progress in executing our strategy. While poker was impacted by the football World Cup and remained difficult from a competitive perspective, our other verticals continued to perform strongly. Total revenue was up 30% and Clean EBITDA from Continuing Operations was up 14% versus the prior year. As previously announced, Clean EBITDA margins in the first half were slightly lower than expected due to the delayed launch of cash game poker in Italy but we retain our previous full year guidance of approximately 28%, subject to the returns achieved on planned marketing spend in both France and Italy where we are continuing to expand the share of our respective poker networks.
‘‘Our proposed merger with bwin is a transformational opportunity for the Group and we expect that it will provide significant strategic, operational and financial benefits for the shareholders of both companies. Whilst there is much work to do ahead of completion in early 2011, we are excited about the prospects for what will then be the clear market leader in online gaming with strong positions in all key product verticals and territories.”
On current trading and outlook Jim Ryan added:
“Since 30 June 2010, the Group has continued to perform in-line with the Board’s expectations. Seizing a strong position in newly regulated markets is a key focus for us. Our strategy of combining a strong B2C franchise with significant local brands is already proving to be a powerful force as evidenced by our network’s position in French poker. As other markets follow Italy and France, we expect that a limited number of large networks and brands will emerge to become market leaders – we are determined that together PartyGaming/bwin will be one of them. This natural consolidation of the marketplace will accelerate through corporate mergers and acquisitions and as one of the largest players in the sector we remain committed to continue playing an active role. Whilst the macroeconomic and competitive environments remain challenging, we remain confident about the Group’s prospects for the rest of the year and beyond.”
Contacts:
PartyGaming Plc +44 (0) 207 337 0100
Peter Reynolds, Director of Corporate Affairs
John Shepherd, Director of Corporate Communications
Interview with Jim Ryan and Martin Weigold
An interview with Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer, and Martin Weigold, Group Finance Director, in video/audio and text will be available from 7.00am BST on 6 August 2010 on: http://www.partygaming.com and on http://www.cantos.com.
Analyst meeting, webcast, dial-in and conference call details: 6 August 2010
There will be an analyst meeting for invited UK-based analysts at Numis Securities, The London Stock Exchange Building, 10 Paternoster Square, London, EC4M 7LT starting at 9.30am BST. There will be a simultaneous webcast and dial-in broadcast of the meeting. To register for the live webcast, please pre-register for access by visiting the Group website (www.partygaming.com). Details for the dial-in facility are given below. A copy of the webcast and slide presentation given at the meeting will be available on the Group’s website later today.
Dial-in details to listen to the analyst presentation: 6 August 2010
9.20 am Please call +44 (0) 20 3003 2666
Title PartyGaming Interim Results
9.30 am Meeting starts
A recording of the meeting will be available for a period of seven days from 6 August 2010. To access the recording please dial the following replay telephone number:
Replay telephone number +44 (0) 208 196 1988
Replay passcode: 9050397#
About PartyGaming Plc
The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY. In the year ended 31 December 2009, PartyGaming’s Continuing operations generated revenue of €310.1m and Clean EBITDA of €93.8m.
PartyGaming is regulated and licensed by the Governments of Gibraltar, Italy and France and by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. The Group is also certified as a responsible gaming operator by GamCare, the leading UK authority on the provision of advice, practical help, support and counselling in addressing the social impact of gambling. PartyGaming’s shares are also a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which enables investors to identify companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
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Thursday, August 05, 2010
Australian Gambling And Political News, by Greg Tingle - 5th August 2010
Australia is currently enjoying a boon in interesting and colourful gambling, gaming and political news, thanks in part to the upcoming federal election and the bush tucker bag or pro and anti casino, gaming and internet filter campaigners. Media Man and Gambling911 pound the pavement gauging the vibe of the Australian gambling and political landscape even bumping into a couple of billionaires and political legends in the process...
Casino Casino Expansion Raises Ire Of Anti Gaming Campaigners Once Again...
Aussie Anti-gambling campaigners have criticised a proposed expansion of Melbourne's Crown Casino. The casino wants to redevelop or replace 6 waterside restaurants and introduce new landscaping. The project would also make more room, paving the way for 150 new gambling tables approved by the Victorian Government last year. Anti-gambling campaigner, the Reverend Tim Costello told the media the extra tables are effectively expanding the casino by half. "No-one objects to extra restaurants. But the extra restaurants are only there not because they subsidise themselves. They are massively subsidised by this increase in gambling which is really driving this refurbishment," he advsised.
Regulator Endorses Poker Machine Licences...
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has endorsed licences for more than 650 poker machines across the Wimmera-Mallee. The State Government held an auction in May to allow pubs and clubs across Victoria to bid for 10 year pokie licences. Licences were approved for venues in Mildura, Merbein, Red Cliffs, Horsham, Swan Hill, Ouyen, Kerang, Stawell and St Arnaud. The biggest spender was the Horsham Sports and Community Club, with $6.8 million for 78 licences. Licences will not be finalised until locals council give their approval. The pokies auction was a major happening in the history of the Australian gambling industry.
Gambling Addict Won't Get Jail...
A South Australian gambling addict who nicked more than $170,000 from her boss has been given a suspended jail sentence by the Adelaide District Court. Susan Jayne Sykes, aged an even 50, stole the money over a 17 month period while working as an accounts clerk for the Midway Tavern at Elizabeth Downs. Judge Julie McIntyre said the woman had not been a gambler until she began playing poker machines in 2005. The jail sentence was suspended in favour of a 2-year bond and Sykes was ordered to do 120 hours of community service. Sykes is paying back the money at $60 per week. She is understood to be very pleased with the outcome.
Bally Technology (BYI) Returns To Australia...
Bally Technologies announced this week that they are a few months ahead of scheduled plans, originally announced in January, to re-enter the Australian gaming market by 2011. Bally Technologies Chief Operating Officer Gavin Isaacs said they would use the Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) at the Sydney Convention and Expo Centre on August 8 through August 10 to bring “years of innovation back to the Australian market.”
The Expo will be used to showcase Bally’s award winning portfolio of slot machines, player-tracking and marketing systems. Since the original announcement Bally has established a sales and service office in Sydney and staffed it with gaming industry experts that can oversee daily operations and help lead their re-entrance into the countries casino market. Bally Australia will be led by Michael McNee as Managing Director and Ron Jeffrey as Sales Manager. “This experienced team’s understanding of the gaming market in Australia and New Zealand ensures that we will hit the ground running as we introduce our award-winning portfolio of industry-leading games and systems technology to Australia.” commented Isaacs.
Aristocrat Commands Strong Presence at Australasian Gaming Expo...
Australia's leading gaming machine provider, Aristocrat, will display new games tailored for the Australian market and the latest innovations in gaming from around its global operations at this year's Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE), to be held in Sydney from August 8 to 10, 2010. Trevor Croker, Aristocrat's Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, said, "For more than 50 years, Aristocrat has been leading the gaming industry in Australia with innovative games that players love and powerful management systems that help increase the bottom line for our customers. "We plan to enhance our position by becoming more responsive to customer feedback, making market-specific games and introducing more customer-focused sales model -- all of which will be on display at the AGE," he added. Aristocrat will debut new titles for the Australian hotel market at AGE, including Rose Tattoo™ and Player's Choice™ Class Act. The new Rose Tattoo™ game is themed around the iconic Australian cult rock band, Rose Tattoo™, featuring rock legend Angry Anderson. Mr. Croker said, "We are confident that our Rose Tattoo™ game will be a hit in pubs across Australia. The striking red and black colour scheme will make a real statement on the gaming floor while patrons will enjoy the experience of playing along with some Rose Tattoo™ classics." The number one performing multigame product in New South Wales, Player's Choice™ by Demand(1), will be joined at AGE by the new Player's Choice™ Class Act, which contains the popular games 5 Dragons™, Lucky 88™, Dollar Bear™ and Top Banana™.
Also being introduced at AGE is Beat the Bandits™, an innovative new hyperlink with a central wild western theme supported by two exciting base games. Each jackpot feature involves player interaction, giving players a chance to win one of the four jackpot levels. Operators can also expect to see Fa Fa Fa™, a leading one cent link product in NSW, and Hit The Heights™ series (four games), both of which are proving very popular in overseas markets. Aristocrat will also provide operators with a glimpse of the exciting future innovations, with the VERVE hd™ cabinet. Developed in the United States, the VERVE hd™ features better ergonomics for player comfort, a wider screen and improved sound, providing greater levels of player entertainment. Mr. Croker concluded, "AGE is one of the key opportunities we have to showcase our product and we looking forward to meeting hoteliers and discussing how we can grow their business through innovative product and services." The Aristocrat display will be at stand 320. Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) is a leading global provider of gaming solutions. The Company is licensed by more than 200 regulators and its products and services are available in over 90 countries around the world. Aristocrat offers a diverse range of products and services including electronic gaming machines, interactive video terminal systems and casino management systems.
Aussie Scratchies Scam Warning Issued...
Punters who think they have scratched their way to a a lottery prize could be duped by overseas scammers. The police Major Fraud Section has received "a number of reports from members of the public" about the scam. The scratch tickets are mailed with a glossy travel brochure. One ticket reveals the punter as winning a "substantial monetary prize" and they must contact the promoter via international phone. "The victims are then advised of the need to cover legal fees and are required to make a payment via a money transfer agent to enable the prize to be released," police said. However, after the initial funds are sent there are further demands for cash payments, then personal information including bank details for prize payment.
"Once these requests are complied with the victims are unable to re-establish contact with the company. No prize winnings have been paid."Police said the tickets and brochure link back to a website which is "professional in appearance and provides significant credibility to the company". However, they warn punters to be "wary" of any lotteries which require "winners" to send funds or provide bank account details.
Australia has a long history of gambling scams and crime. Read the Gambling911 classic...
'Australia Lotto Goose Doesn’t Lay Golden Gambling Egg'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/australia-lotto-goose-doesn%E2%80%99t-lay-golden-gambling-egg-040210.html
and
'Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-client-ferrari-stolen-virgin-valet-051410.html
Tabcorp increases investment at Star City...
Tabcorp Holdings Limited today announced plans to invest an additional $285 million on the redevelopment of Star City, including a 3,000-seat multi-purpose entertainment venue and new VIP customer facilities.
Australian Politics: 'No Bull' Turnbull To Host Anti-Filter Forum...
Former Opposition leader and Federal member of Wentworth, Malcolm Turnbull, is hosting an Internet filtering forum in Sydney this Saturday. The panel members will include former Telstra BigPond group manager, Justin Milne, Getup! national director, Simon Sheikh, and Mr Turnbull himself! Internet projects of Mr Turnbull helped make him a millionaire including the famed OzEmail. "The proposed filter is a hot issue in Wentworth, with many voters expressing concerns over the Government’s plans," the Facebook events page said. "… Informed discussion among forum participants will ensure community views on the filter are heard. The internet forum will consider adopting community resolutions to capture the views. The event will be held on August 7 at Paddington RSL Club. Go the diggers! "If adopted, these resolutions will be presented to Senator Steven Conroy and Prime Minister Gillard as a reminder of the community’s determination to fight the proposal," the events page outlaid. Mr Turnbull is widely regarded as Australia's most internet savvy member of Parliament.
He was dumped by as Liberal Leader in December 2009, with his views on climate change seen to be a key factor. Mr Turnbull was replaced by Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott, however Media Man street surveys indicated many Australian's think the "No Bull" man will be a future Australian Prime Minister if he wants to be. He remains one of Australia's most respected and financially wealthy politicians and is seen as quite the 'Peoples Champion'.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian casino and political wars.
Gambling911 Politics
http://www.gambling911.com/politics.html
Media Man Profiles
Australia
Politics
Censorship
Portals
Wrap Up...
Some online poker and online casino brands are understand to have made secret Australian internet blacklist. The Gillard Government is staying on messages that its mainly about protecting children, however the vast majority of media companies and the population at large now firmly believes its more about attempting to censor the news, filter out negative political commentary (as done in China) and banning things that don't fit their political agenda. The government is trying to get Australian ISP's to agree to enforcing its laws. Overall the current government trying to control the population and this is documented on various Australian newspaper reports. The reader could be forgiven for having flashbacks to movies such as 'They Live', '1984', 'Clockwork Orange' and 'The Net'. Malcolm "No Bull" Turnbull is the representative for Wentworth, a Liberal Party member, and many people believe is a future Australian Prime Minister. Liberal's Tony Abbott is the current leader of the Liberal party and Lib's are now favored to become the new government of Australia is a few short weeks, with political betting trends at Centrebet and elsewhere backing this up. Mr Turnbull enjoys a colourful history with Australia's original casino and gambling tycoon, Kerry Packer, and has spoken highly of James Packer friend and associate, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, who spearheads GenerationOne which is focused on creating sustainable employment opportunities for thousands of Indigenous Australians. Packer has already employed hundreds and Turnbull has been encouraged, some say even inspired, by the Forrest - Packer collaboration. Packer is a resident in Turnbull's political electorate which includes Bondi Beach. Turnbull, being a team player, fully supports Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott in his quest to become the new Aussie Prime Minister. The smart money says Liberal will win the election and that this weekends Anti-Filter forum will be a rip snorter.
The Late News...
Aussie casino players rejoice in the release of the new PartyGaming - PartyCasino 3D online slot game: Heist. As reported by Gambling911 earlier in the week, PartyGaming is to merge with bwin forming the world's undisputed biggest igaming company. Maybe Australia might get the Kerry Packer and Underbelly online slot games now hey. Party have also just released the Rocky online slot with Pink Panther on the way (good timing after the Crown Casino 'Shaft Man' incident).
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Asia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Casino Casino Expansion Raises Ire Of Anti Gaming Campaigners Once Again...
Aussie Anti-gambling campaigners have criticised a proposed expansion of Melbourne's Crown Casino. The casino wants to redevelop or replace 6 waterside restaurants and introduce new landscaping. The project would also make more room, paving the way for 150 new gambling tables approved by the Victorian Government last year. Anti-gambling campaigner, the Reverend Tim Costello told the media the extra tables are effectively expanding the casino by half. "No-one objects to extra restaurants. But the extra restaurants are only there not because they subsidise themselves. They are massively subsidised by this increase in gambling which is really driving this refurbishment," he advsised.
Regulator Endorses Poker Machine Licences...
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has endorsed licences for more than 650 poker machines across the Wimmera-Mallee. The State Government held an auction in May to allow pubs and clubs across Victoria to bid for 10 year pokie licences. Licences were approved for venues in Mildura, Merbein, Red Cliffs, Horsham, Swan Hill, Ouyen, Kerang, Stawell and St Arnaud. The biggest spender was the Horsham Sports and Community Club, with $6.8 million for 78 licences. Licences will not be finalised until locals council give their approval. The pokies auction was a major happening in the history of the Australian gambling industry.
Gambling Addict Won't Get Jail...
A South Australian gambling addict who nicked more than $170,000 from her boss has been given a suspended jail sentence by the Adelaide District Court. Susan Jayne Sykes, aged an even 50, stole the money over a 17 month period while working as an accounts clerk for the Midway Tavern at Elizabeth Downs. Judge Julie McIntyre said the woman had not been a gambler until she began playing poker machines in 2005. The jail sentence was suspended in favour of a 2-year bond and Sykes was ordered to do 120 hours of community service. Sykes is paying back the money at $60 per week. She is understood to be very pleased with the outcome.
Bally Technology (BYI) Returns To Australia...
Bally Technologies announced this week that they are a few months ahead of scheduled plans, originally announced in January, to re-enter the Australian gaming market by 2011. Bally Technologies Chief Operating Officer Gavin Isaacs said they would use the Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) at the Sydney Convention and Expo Centre on August 8 through August 10 to bring “years of innovation back to the Australian market.”
The Expo will be used to showcase Bally’s award winning portfolio of slot machines, player-tracking and marketing systems. Since the original announcement Bally has established a sales and service office in Sydney and staffed it with gaming industry experts that can oversee daily operations and help lead their re-entrance into the countries casino market. Bally Australia will be led by Michael McNee as Managing Director and Ron Jeffrey as Sales Manager. “This experienced team’s understanding of the gaming market in Australia and New Zealand ensures that we will hit the ground running as we introduce our award-winning portfolio of industry-leading games and systems technology to Australia.” commented Isaacs.
Aristocrat Commands Strong Presence at Australasian Gaming Expo...
Australia's leading gaming machine provider, Aristocrat, will display new games tailored for the Australian market and the latest innovations in gaming from around its global operations at this year's Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE), to be held in Sydney from August 8 to 10, 2010. Trevor Croker, Aristocrat's Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, said, "For more than 50 years, Aristocrat has been leading the gaming industry in Australia with innovative games that players love and powerful management systems that help increase the bottom line for our customers. "We plan to enhance our position by becoming more responsive to customer feedback, making market-specific games and introducing more customer-focused sales model -- all of which will be on display at the AGE," he added. Aristocrat will debut new titles for the Australian hotel market at AGE, including Rose Tattoo™ and Player's Choice™ Class Act. The new Rose Tattoo™ game is themed around the iconic Australian cult rock band, Rose Tattoo™, featuring rock legend Angry Anderson. Mr. Croker said, "We are confident that our Rose Tattoo™ game will be a hit in pubs across Australia. The striking red and black colour scheme will make a real statement on the gaming floor while patrons will enjoy the experience of playing along with some Rose Tattoo™ classics." The number one performing multigame product in New South Wales, Player's Choice™ by Demand(1), will be joined at AGE by the new Player's Choice™ Class Act, which contains the popular games 5 Dragons™, Lucky 88™, Dollar Bear™ and Top Banana™.
Also being introduced at AGE is Beat the Bandits™, an innovative new hyperlink with a central wild western theme supported by two exciting base games. Each jackpot feature involves player interaction, giving players a chance to win one of the four jackpot levels. Operators can also expect to see Fa Fa Fa™, a leading one cent link product in NSW, and Hit The Heights™ series (four games), both of which are proving very popular in overseas markets. Aristocrat will also provide operators with a glimpse of the exciting future innovations, with the VERVE hd™ cabinet. Developed in the United States, the VERVE hd™ features better ergonomics for player comfort, a wider screen and improved sound, providing greater levels of player entertainment. Mr. Croker concluded, "AGE is one of the key opportunities we have to showcase our product and we looking forward to meeting hoteliers and discussing how we can grow their business through innovative product and services." The Aristocrat display will be at stand 320. Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) is a leading global provider of gaming solutions. The Company is licensed by more than 200 regulators and its products and services are available in over 90 countries around the world. Aristocrat offers a diverse range of products and services including electronic gaming machines, interactive video terminal systems and casino management systems.
Aussie Scratchies Scam Warning Issued...
Punters who think they have scratched their way to a a lottery prize could be duped by overseas scammers. The police Major Fraud Section has received "a number of reports from members of the public" about the scam. The scratch tickets are mailed with a glossy travel brochure. One ticket reveals the punter as winning a "substantial monetary prize" and they must contact the promoter via international phone. "The victims are then advised of the need to cover legal fees and are required to make a payment via a money transfer agent to enable the prize to be released," police said. However, after the initial funds are sent there are further demands for cash payments, then personal information including bank details for prize payment.
"Once these requests are complied with the victims are unable to re-establish contact with the company. No prize winnings have been paid."Police said the tickets and brochure link back to a website which is "professional in appearance and provides significant credibility to the company". However, they warn punters to be "wary" of any lotteries which require "winners" to send funds or provide bank account details.
Australia has a long history of gambling scams and crime. Read the Gambling911 classic...
'Australia Lotto Goose Doesn’t Lay Golden Gambling Egg'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/australia-lotto-goose-doesn%E2%80%99t-lay-golden-gambling-egg-040210.html
and
'Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-client-ferrari-stolen-virgin-valet-051410.html
Tabcorp increases investment at Star City...
Tabcorp Holdings Limited today announced plans to invest an additional $285 million on the redevelopment of Star City, including a 3,000-seat multi-purpose entertainment venue and new VIP customer facilities.
Australian Politics: 'No Bull' Turnbull To Host Anti-Filter Forum...
Former Opposition leader and Federal member of Wentworth, Malcolm Turnbull, is hosting an Internet filtering forum in Sydney this Saturday. The panel members will include former Telstra BigPond group manager, Justin Milne, Getup! national director, Simon Sheikh, and Mr Turnbull himself! Internet projects of Mr Turnbull helped make him a millionaire including the famed OzEmail. "The proposed filter is a hot issue in Wentworth, with many voters expressing concerns over the Government’s plans," the Facebook events page said. "… Informed discussion among forum participants will ensure community views on the filter are heard. The internet forum will consider adopting community resolutions to capture the views. The event will be held on August 7 at Paddington RSL Club. Go the diggers! "If adopted, these resolutions will be presented to Senator Steven Conroy and Prime Minister Gillard as a reminder of the community’s determination to fight the proposal," the events page outlaid. Mr Turnbull is widely regarded as Australia's most internet savvy member of Parliament.
He was dumped by as Liberal Leader in December 2009, with his views on climate change seen to be a key factor. Mr Turnbull was replaced by Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott, however Media Man street surveys indicated many Australian's think the "No Bull" man will be a future Australian Prime Minister if he wants to be. He remains one of Australia's most respected and financially wealthy politicians and is seen as quite the 'Peoples Champion'.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian casino and political wars.
Gambling911 Politics
http://www.gambling911.com/politics.html
Media Man Profiles
Australia
Politics
Censorship
Portals
Wrap Up...
Some online poker and online casino brands are understand to have made secret Australian internet blacklist. The Gillard Government is staying on messages that its mainly about protecting children, however the vast majority of media companies and the population at large now firmly believes its more about attempting to censor the news, filter out negative political commentary (as done in China) and banning things that don't fit their political agenda. The government is trying to get Australian ISP's to agree to enforcing its laws. Overall the current government trying to control the population and this is documented on various Australian newspaper reports. The reader could be forgiven for having flashbacks to movies such as 'They Live', '1984', 'Clockwork Orange' and 'The Net'. Malcolm "No Bull" Turnbull is the representative for Wentworth, a Liberal Party member, and many people believe is a future Australian Prime Minister. Liberal's Tony Abbott is the current leader of the Liberal party and Lib's are now favored to become the new government of Australia is a few short weeks, with political betting trends at Centrebet and elsewhere backing this up. Mr Turnbull enjoys a colourful history with Australia's original casino and gambling tycoon, Kerry Packer, and has spoken highly of James Packer friend and associate, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, who spearheads GenerationOne which is focused on creating sustainable employment opportunities for thousands of Indigenous Australians. Packer has already employed hundreds and Turnbull has been encouraged, some say even inspired, by the Forrest - Packer collaboration. Packer is a resident in Turnbull's political electorate which includes Bondi Beach. Turnbull, being a team player, fully supports Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott in his quest to become the new Aussie Prime Minister. The smart money says Liberal will win the election and that this weekends Anti-Filter forum will be a rip snorter.
The Late News...
Aussie casino players rejoice in the release of the new PartyGaming - PartyCasino 3D online slot game: Heist. As reported by Gambling911 earlier in the week, PartyGaming is to merge with bwin forming the world's undisputed biggest igaming company. Maybe Australia might get the Kerry Packer and Underbelly online slot games now hey. Party have also just released the Rocky online slot with Pink Panther on the way (good timing after the Crown Casino 'Shaft Man' incident).
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Asia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Monday, August 02, 2010
F1 News: Webber Hungry For Victory Satisfied, by Greg Tingle - 2nd August 2010
Australian F1 ace Mark Webber has proved the knockers wrong again and snatched victory in Hungry. Webber's Aussie Grit was fueled by passion and massive fan and news media support, after his incident with team mate and crew in Germany. He's also lost the "Turkey" moniker, affectionately tagged by Media Man after the Turkey rear end smash. Media Man and Gambling911 dish up a bon appetite serving to satisfy the most deprived motorsport enthusiasts...2, 4, 6, 8, dig in, don't wait...
Red flag to a bull, and the Aussie Grit bull responded with flying colours.
Red Bull's 'Number 2' driver has snatched another victory to power ahead in Drivers' Championship but team "mate" Vettel still leads in the betting category, a hot button with the loyal readership.
Sebastien Vettel is the 2.94 favourite to win the individual crown with Webber currently available to back at 3.9.
Webber's impressive and ultra colourful (even for Red Bull) season continued with an unlikely victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix less than 24 hours ago.
The Aussie driving ace was trailing team-mate and title rival Sebastien Vettel when the young German was penalised for breaking safety car regulations. Karma hey mate?
That unexpected turn of events rewarded daring punters willing to back Webber at a high of 50.0 in-running on agency Betfair, Vettel was matched at a low of 1.13.
Red Bull's Australian driver, whose team notoriously appeared to favour his younger team "mate" at last month's British GP, now leads the Drivers' Championship however is still behind Vettel in the betting category. The gunning German is the 2.94 favourite to win the individual crown with Webber currently available to back at 3.9.
Former Championship leader, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, did not finish in Hungary and is now trading at 7.4. Fernando Alonso, finishing second at the Hungaroring, can be backed at 4.3.
Readers, still hungry for more? Check out the Gambling911 sports betting portfolio...
http://www.gambling911.com/sports.html
Media Man Profiles
Mark Webber
Formula 1
Red Bull
Sports Betting
Webber... man, bull, beast, devil (coming off #6) or a combination? Tell the world in the forum.
Stay hungry as Rocky would say, but bet with your head, not over it, as to only stay hungry in a mental state, not to upset your diet. Go Aussie Go.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Asia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Sports Entertainment
Red flag to a bull, and the Aussie Grit bull responded with flying colours.
Red Bull's 'Number 2' driver has snatched another victory to power ahead in Drivers' Championship but team "mate" Vettel still leads in the betting category, a hot button with the loyal readership.
Sebastien Vettel is the 2.94 favourite to win the individual crown with Webber currently available to back at 3.9.
Webber's impressive and ultra colourful (even for Red Bull) season continued with an unlikely victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix less than 24 hours ago.
The Aussie driving ace was trailing team-mate and title rival Sebastien Vettel when the young German was penalised for breaking safety car regulations. Karma hey mate?
That unexpected turn of events rewarded daring punters willing to back Webber at a high of 50.0 in-running on agency Betfair, Vettel was matched at a low of 1.13.
Red Bull's Australian driver, whose team notoriously appeared to favour his younger team "mate" at last month's British GP, now leads the Drivers' Championship however is still behind Vettel in the betting category. The gunning German is the 2.94 favourite to win the individual crown with Webber currently available to back at 3.9.
Former Championship leader, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, did not finish in Hungary and is now trading at 7.4. Fernando Alonso, finishing second at the Hungaroring, can be backed at 4.3.
Readers, still hungry for more? Check out the Gambling911 sports betting portfolio...
http://www.gambling911.com/sports.html
Media Man Profiles
Mark Webber
Formula 1
Red Bull
Sports Betting
Webber... man, bull, beast, devil (coming off #6) or a combination? Tell the world in the forum.
Stay hungry as Rocky would say, but bet with your head, not over it, as to only stay hungry in a mental state, not to upset your diet. Go Aussie Go.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Asia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Sports Entertainment
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