Thursday, September 30, 2010

PartyCasino News: New Instant Play PartyCasino Jackpot Time? The Big One Is Over $2,500,000!

PartyCasino News: New Instant Play PartyCasino.com Jackpot Time? The Big One Is Over $2,500,000!

Gibraltar – 22nd September 2010 – PartyCasino.com, the world’s largest online casino, is pleased to announce that it has launched its new instant casino! In addition, ‘The Big One’ at PartyCasino.com, the largest progressive seeded jackpot in the online gaming industry, is now over $2,500,000, while the Gold Mega Jackpot currently exceeds $1,300,000! In total PartyCasino.com’s jackpots total over $4,000,000!

A PartyCasino.com spokesman said: "The new instant casino is now live. Play direct from the website in 14 languages with the improved user interface. Everything else remains the same - continue to enjoy a huge range of casino games, jackpots and promotions! The Big One was last hit on the 29th May this year and we have seen frantic activity in recent days – it seems customers think someone is going to hit it very soon now the $2,500,000 landmark has been crossed. The Gold Mega Jackpot also looks ripe to payout and hasn’t been hit since the 1st June.”

The Big One is structured as a five tiered pool. The highest tier - Colossal Cash - seeds at $1.5 million, the biggest online jackpot seed in the industry and currently stands at over $2.1 million. Customers can play for ‘The Big One’ through traditional slot Melon Madness. PartyCasino.com has also recently introduced another way of hitting ‘The Big One’ in the form of Snow Business. This slot is a five-reel, 30 line jackpot slot game with a Free Spins feature. When three or more scattered iceberg symbols appear anywhere in view, the feature screen is displayed where the player is required to catch a random number of fish, each of which reveals a random number of free spins or a random free spins multiplier.

For more information see: PartyCasino.com

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.

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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

PartyCasino Wins Media Man Online Casino Of The Month Award, by Greg Tingle - September 2010

PartyCasino.com Wins Media Man Online Casino Award

PartyCasino.com has been awarded the Media Man and Casino News Media "Online Casino Of The Month".

PartyGaming's igaming suite has grown a custom to winning awards since they first opened for business in 1997.

The competition for the coveted award was intense again this month with massive bids from both WPTCasino.com, Captain Cooks Casino, Virgin Casino, Betfair, PKR and Noble Casino however there can only be one winner... ladies and gentlemen, that's PartyCasino.com

The award follows PartyPoker's EGR Poker Operator Of The Year and PartyGaming also made the shortlist for EGR Operator Of The Year. Recently PartyGaming's PartyPoker.com also won the Casino News Media "Online Poker Website Of The Month".

The Media Man - Casino News Media accolade is based on a combination of elements including user experience, innovation, trustworthiness, customer service, gameplay, affiliate program offerings, newsworthiness and company values.

PartyCasino.com is one of a number of PartyGaming brands.

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

The PartyCasino.com jackpot is currently approaching the $2 million mark. Players can also compete for The Big One and Marvel Hero Jackpot, playing the Marvel super hero themed online slot games.

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

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

PartyCasino.com and PartyPoker.com customers can also benefit from rewards and bonuses via PartyPoints and the Palladium Lounge. Be certain to check out the PartyCasino exclusive "Cash Machine" that is being championed as one of the greatest online casino promos ever.

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

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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Australian Casino And Gambling News, by Greg Tingle - 27th September 2010

The news keeps keep pouring out of Australia. We've got more world class entertainment acts and concerts at Crown Casino in Melbourne, a proposal to build a casino on Queensland's Gold Coast, a massive Intralot stuff up costing the Victorian government millions, a host of political fun and games and much more. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to deliver hard hitting and entertaining news in the fashion that you've grown a customer to over the years. Ok, let's hop to it Skippy Kangaroos and gambling mad koalas...

Crown Casino Ramps Up World Class Entertainment Acts; Combats War With Sydney's Star City...

Tommy Fleming
1 - 2 October 2010
Ireland's biggest selling artist

Village People
8 - 10 October 2010
Celebrating their 33rd Anniversary

Cirque Mother Africa
12 - 24 October 2010
An exciting and spectacular circus of senses

Rock of Ages 3
29 October 2010
The third instalment of our popular Baby Boomer concerts

Diesel | 7 Axes to Grind
30 October
National Tour

Tom Burlinson
5 November 2010
A feast for lovers of swing

Time Warp
6 November 2010
A musical tribute to Rocky Horror

Gary Puckett
12 November 2010
A night filled with Rock’n’roll hits and great memories

Bjorn Again
18 - 21 November 2010
The world’s number 1 ABBA show present The ABBA Gold Concert

Kate Ceberano
26 November 2010
A special evening with Kate Ceberano and special guest Mark Vincent

Leo Sayer
27 November 2010
Come and celebrate Leo's 40 year career in the music industry

Burlesque Royale
28 January 2011
A never before seen spectacular of old fashioned showgirl glamour

Freddie Mercury - Let Me Entertain You...

The music of Queen and the spirit of Freddie Mercury like you've never experienced before. Craig Pesco is widely regarded and respected around the world for keeping the spirit and music of Freddie Mercury & Queen alive over the last decade. Since 2001 he has toured the world, performing to sell out audiences in over 13 countries, and Pesco's portrayal of Freddie Mercury was also witnessed by over 47,000 people in Hamburg, Germany at the 2006 World Cup. Closer to home, Craig Pesco has sold out many theatres across the country including seven sold out shows at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre. Craig Pesco is the only person to be endorsed by Peter Freestone, PA and best friend to Freddie Mercury from 1979. Peter was Freddie's constant companion and by his side when he passed away on November 24, 1991. "It was an eye-opener for me" Freestone says of his first encounter with Pesco. "Craig is Freddie down to his fingertips. There is an amazing energy."

FREDDIE MERCURY - LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU
A 2 hour spectacular with an emphasis on Queen's hard rock sound and the brilliance of Freddie Mercury!
*Tickets on sale Monday 27 September 2010

DATE & SHOW TIME:
Friday 4 - Saturday 5 February 2011
Time:
Doors / Pre show bar opens: 7:15pm

Sunshine Coast, Queensland: Casino Plan To Shine Bright Or Rain On Parade?...

Another land based casino for the great state of Queensland - home of the banana benders. Yippy? Not so fast. Just as in the case in most part of Australia there si a small, yet vocal, casino hater mob, just as there are also the flocks of slots and poker lovers. So far the haters on the sunny Sunshine Coast have made the most noise, so give the devils they're due. The plan is to have the land based casino open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. Of course just about all online casinos already offer that, but it's still an experience to stroll through a real life casino (and another experience all together to loose bit on the slots, tables and whatever), but on with the story, as we are winners and grinner's right? The anti casino establishment up north which includes Relationships Australia on the Sunshine Coast is not keen on the local casino plan for downtown Maroochydore.Lend Lease, the giant property firm has floated the idea of a land cased casino for the redeveloped Horton Park Golf Course, as it looked to find an "anchor tenant" for the prime positioned establishment. Relationships Australia is sticking to the line that it wants to see harm minimisation in relation to gambling and gaming if the prop was to to go ahead. Sue Miller, head of Relationships Australia said "If a casino were to be on the Coast, then we need to be looking at what we can do to make sure it's a safe enough environment so we can help problem gamblers to work through their own issues or better manage their gambling. One of the best strategies is that gaming venues usually have strict opening and closing times but most casinos are 24 hours, which would mean they have 24 hours access to gambling. It could be said it's the same as online gambling, but there is a pull for people who want the face to face of casinos, not apparently totally content with the 'Live Dealer' offered by firms like PartyGaming. At the moment, with a casino at Brisbane and the Gold Coast, a problem gambler has time to think about whether it's a good idea because of the distance to get there. The ease of accessibility on the Sunshine Coast could be a problem. Miller said part of RA's role as gambling educators and counsellors was to work with all the gaming venues across the Coast. This is at least part of the reason online casino reviews found at the likes of Gambling911, Media Man, Global Gaming Directory and Casino News Media are so popular. A Media Man spokesperson said "I think the Sunshine Coast should get a land based casino. Punters go online anyway. At a land based casino there's also safeguards, entertainment and tourism aspects, so why should they miss out on all the fun. Of course some people prefer online casinos, but we have found that most prefer to have both options. Our casino, casino reviews and games sections of our website portals have performed well, and data is indicating a climb in activity on both the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Yep, Queensland is a growing market."

Victorian Government Down Over $100 Million Thanks To Intralot Stuff Ups...

The Vic Brumby Government has missed out big time on $109 million in gambling tax revenue because shambled lotteries provider Intralot is delivering only 14% of the sales it committed to deliver last year. A bush swag of negative news stories on them across television, print, gaming media and alternative media can't be helping them much either. Intralot's bad sales performance of $55 million for 2009/10 was a long way off the $395 million it had originally forecast to deliver in its 2007 agreement with the Victorian government. The result was revealed in the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation's annual report, which showed tax paid by Intralot dropped from $18.46 million in 2009 to $16.3 million in 2010. The company's main revenues come from scratchies, keno and other games sold over the counter at newsagents. The same report showed that in March 2009 the commission began a review of "Intralot's operations with a view to assessing Intralot's compliance with its obligations to the state of Victoria and whether any of these areas may be contributing to Intralot's sales forecasts not being met". The Gaming Minister Tony Robinson has confirmed the government has received the review and is considering its findings, and insiders tip it's not looking good for the big I. Opposition gaming spokesman Michael O'Brien said "the lottery tax black hole is at the feet of John Brumby. He bungled the introduction of Intralot to the market and taxpayers continue to pay the price". Intralot Australia's acting chief executive Leo 'Warlord' (MM tag) Watling advised the company was in the third year of a 10-year licence and had always anticipated the first few years would be loss making. He said sales were "trending upwards", but many news media outlets and the know are understood to smell spin. The 2009/10 sales forecast included $82 million from TV Bingo that Intralot did not proceed with. Bean counters and numbers men have noted that more than $5 billion was lost gambling in Victoria last financial year...that's $26 million more than the previous year. An extra $102 million lost at Packers' Crown Casino and an increase in wagering losses meant total gambling losses increased despite a $110 million dip in poker machine losses outside the casino. Gamblers flushed down the john $1.32 billion at Crown and almost $2.6 billion on the state's 27,500 pokies located outside the casino. Folks, they are the numbers. Please, set limits, an stick to them.

What sort of other Aussie news would you like to see? Tell us in the forum.

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Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month: PartyCasino.com Marvel Entertainment deep throat suggest more themed Marvel games may arrive in the coming months. Sly Stallone does want to further expand gaming and gambling interests. Playboy's Hugh Hefner is eying Australia for tourism, lifestyle and gambling business. Hulk Hogan is understood to see more games with his likeness hitting the internet, mobile phones, land based and online casinos. Experts says a Hulk Hogan online or offline slot game would do record business down under. Check out the casino reviews at Media Man. Oh, friendly reminder punters... bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. As the late, great, Kerry Packer would say, "I'll toss you for it".

*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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Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man and Fantastic Four: Don't just watch the movies; Play the games at PartyCasino; New players get up to $500 sign up bonus

Casino News Media: Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man and Fantastic Four: Don't just watch the movies; Play the games at PartyCasino; New players get up to $500 sign up bonus

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Friday, September 24, 2010

Australian Casino, Gambling And Political News, by Greg Tingle - 24th September 2010

Another big news week for the Australian casino, gambling and political sector news. It's almost all that same thing these days isn't it, with politics playing a role in many aspects of business. Then of course the internet is connected up to all of these also, so little wonder it makes for interesting fun and games, as just as a little reminder - no one owns the internet and its a global medium, and a favorite of news media companies (and punters) these days, hence the News Limited, Fairfax Media and Google push of games of skill and games of chance. Readers familiar with PartyGaming may recall their CEO Jim Ryan going on record a few years ago about media getting into gaming and gambling, and as usual 'Our Jimbo' was right on the money. Casino and media tycoon watchers, don't be surprised if you spot James Packer, David Gyngell and a host of Network Nine, Seven, Ten and newspaper big shots at Bondi Beach this Saturday morning, possibly surrounded by casino babes, bodypainted goddess babes or both!. Media Man and Gambling911 voyage down under, doing the coast to coast from 'Sin City' Sydney, Bondi Beach, Melbourne, Brisbane - Bris Vegas, Perth... you name it. Tasmania tigers, Kiwis, dolphins and super whales, we've got it all for the loyal and vast audience...

Crown Casino Numbers Up; But Baby And Pram In (But Not For Long)...

Readers will recall the Gambling911 - Media Man news item showing a baby playing poker at the WWE poker room. Well, recently one "lucky" baby got wheeled in to Crown Casino, but didn't get to play! Where's the justice punters? .... just kidding. The baby and pram story is spreading like wildfire, and makes for a good media and hotel yarn you must admit. This matter was just one of the law breaches for which our friends and Crown Casino got fined for over the past year. It was only a $2500 fine, nothing to seriously impact the record $1.32 billion backers punters lost to the gaming giant. Punters might like to cut down expenses and play a bit more online next time, with the rising cost of car parking in Melbourne, and then there's always the risk of an incident - scuffle at a casino, but thankfully Crown have boosted security a great deal over the years, keep to improve safety and image, and give more reasons to spend a dollar (or million) at the 'World Of Entertainment', as the tag like once said. The Crown coffers are up than $100 million on the previous year, so certainly management and staff might like to but some more big boys toys.

Baby Into Crown Via Pram But Doesn't Gamble - Cries...

Baby-and-pram matters are a classic. Not quite up there with Crown Casino Shaft Man or Ferrari Thief Man, but getting there Pink Panther fans. The baby and pram fine was one of 9 incidents for which the casino was disciplined over for breaking the Casino Control Act, but Crown was fined a modest $50,000 for indiscretions... you know, slipping up. The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation annual report shows Crown's security failed when "a minor in a pram gained entry into the casino".
Crown casino said the woman who entered the gaming area was immediately ejected and did not play machines or tables during the brief visit. Gaming Minister Tony Robinson advised international visitors had contributed much of Crown's increase in takings in the past year, and heavy speculation a number of casino "whales" and "super whales" tried their luck, some possibly connected with Tiger Woods and Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible and Top Gun fame). The Victorian Government netted in almost $1.7 billion in gaming taxes and other fees in the year to June, just slightly down on last year. The commission received $984 million in gaming taxes and $380 million from Tattersall's Lotteries. Crown paid out $151 million in taxes and licence fees, while racing taxes and licences boosted the state's bottom line by a cool $137 million. All up, punters lost $5.14 billion from all forms of gaming. Gambling critic aka "hater" and World Vision chief Tim Costello said the losses translated into bankruptcies and home losses for families. Inter-Church Gambling Taskforce chairman Mark Zirnsak said the figures showed Crown's "rolled gold" tax treatment. "They get half of what suburban pokie venues earn but they only pay one-sixth the amount of tax," Mr Zirnsak said. "If we have legalised gambling, at the very least we want to be seeing more money flowing back into services for the community and not into the pockets of the already overly wealthy gambling industry."

Legal Eagles Talk Aussie Government VS Clubs; Government Tipped To Loose Fight; Punters Rejoice...

Law experts have tipped that independent MP Andrew 'Wild and Witty' (MM tag) Wilkie's demand for federal government action on pokies is doomed to fail. They predict gaming companies and state governments would manoeuvre to protect their revenue. Wilkie described poker machine reform as a potential "show stopper" for either major party seeking his support in a hung parliament, saying he had made it clear in a meeting with caretaker prime minister Julia 'Jungle Girl' (MM tag) Gillard that "inaction is not an option". The Tassie independent and South Australian independent senator Nick 'Mr X' (MM tag) Xenophon have united as a tag team to push for changes to federal legislation which would limit poker machines to a $1 bet limit or a maximum loss of $120 an hour. Wilkie said amendments to the Corporations Act or telecommunications law would enable the changes, but University of NSW law professor George 'Why Is It So' (MM tag) Williams said loopholes would still exist. "The way the states would get around it is by licensing non-corporate bodies to operate poker machines," he said. "Then you don't have the commonwealth power any more. It could lead to a bit of a jurisdictional tug-of-war between the commonwealth and the states if the states were determined to fight." The Australian Hotels Association declined to comment, while state governments refused to say if they would support federal moves to tighten poker machine restrictions. NSW has already outlined opposition to a $1 bet limit, saying it would have "a significant impact" on the viability of NSW clubs and hotels, given the current highest bet limit is $10. A spokesman for the Victorian government said: "We are not commenting on conversations that may or may not have taken place between the Prime Minister and Andrew Wilkie." Mr Wilkie said stories of lives "destroyed by the virtually unregulated rise of poker machines" had brought him to tears. "Hence I have told the Prime Minister that a really good place to start would be to introduce a $1 bet limit on all poker machines in the country," he said. "I would hope that the federal government would be able to steer the states in the right direction and there wouldn't be a need for the federal government to legislate. "I'm advised that there is a range of commonwealth legislation which is relevant which could be used to force change if the states don't agree." Senator Xenophon said a lack of political will was responsible for holding back poker machine reform, suggesting the federal government took a "carrot and stick" approach to wean the states off poker machine revenue. "If there was a package of reforms where the commonwealth said 'We will make sure you're not out of pocket' in terms of loss of revenue, that would be another way of looking at it," he said. "There could be an assurance the states will not be out of pocket, but I think you'll find if states have $3 billion or $4bn less from poker machines, that money will invariably be spent in other areas of the economy where you'll have a greater multiplier effect on jobs and spending on retail where GST will be collected. The sooner the states wean themselves off pokies tax, the better off all of us will be." Senator Xenophon said 'Wild And Witty' Wilkie's potential power in the hung parliament would have "acutely focused" the minds of Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony 'The Bruiser' Abbott on the need for poker machine reform. Stay tuned as the lovers vs haters war continues.

Man Of God Tells Christan Follows To Sell Woolworths Shares; Pokies King Connection...

We learn that among synod highlights, the Bishop of Bendigo, Andrew Curnow, urged Christians to sell Woolworths shares, saying they were not an ethical investment because the company was one of the country's biggest poker machine operators. Through its 75% stake in Australian Leisure and Hospitality, Woolworths runs more than 12,000 pokies. Bishop Curnow said the Victorian Premier, John Brumby, was "a bit dismissive" of gambling concerns and predicted the issue might be a "sleeper" for the state election. Wollongong minister, Sandy 'Greener' (MM tag) Grant, said every state except Western Australia was addicted to a regressive form of tax on gambling profits. He said the harm arising from problem gambling included suicide, depression, bankruptcy and criminality.

Casinos in Australia - Industry Risk Rating Report - New Market Analysis Released...

A handy list and report into casinos down under is available. It's the replacement for the July 2009 edition of Casinos in Australia Industry Risk Ratings Report. Industry Risk Ratings Synopsis This Industry Risk Ratings report evaluates the inherent risks associated with the Casinos in Australia industry. Industry Risk is assumed to be ´the difficulty, or otherwise, of the business operating environment´. The report is available from Companies And Markets.

Australian Land Based Casino And Gaming Brands Don't Get High Marks On Branding Report...

Aussies are punishing brands that commit "major transgressions", with Vegemite and Toyota slipping down the latest list of top Aussie brands. Tech brands, lead by Google and Microsoft, dominate our daily lives, followed by Nokia, Sony and Apple, according to a study of 2000 Australians conducted last month by Brand Asset Consulting, which is part of the global Y&R Brands advertising group. Trailing at the bottom of the list were casinos Star City and Jupiters, magazines FHM and InStyle, Nutrient Water and Smart Water, Tiger Airlines, social media brands MySpace and LinkedIn and betting site Betfair. Some of the biggest improvers included phone brand HTC, Colgate Total and wholegrain snack brand Grainwaves. Apple has 5 brands in the study, all of which ranked 90% or higher in the study, including the iPad, after just 13 weeks in market. The study follows a global list of top brands released by brand consultancy Interbrand last week. Coca-Cola topped that list, followed by IBM, Microsoft, Google and GE.

Aussie Millions Coming Back To Crown Casino, Melbourne, Australia In January 2011...

Yep card shark and newbies, young and old, Australia's richest poker championships is coming up again in a few short months. Stay tuned to Gambling911 and Media Man for the finer details, like deals, and even fights, gossip from the tables and hotel rooms, and more. Oh, yep... PartyPoker's Tyron Krost and Stewart Scott are both expected to turn up, with Tony G a possibly also. Aussie celebs Shane Warne and Jeff Fenech are as close to 100% of attending as you can get. No word on Pam Anderson or Daniel 'She's a Hunt' Negreanu or Lover Not! Annie Duke as yet. Mike Tyson appears to be no longer campaigning to come down under to play or even watch poker, as his spiritual path continues. Crown Casino is understood to have security at max levels at the famed poker tourney this year with all the heat that exists between certainly players.

Australian Clubs VS Australian Government On Pokie Reform - And Update...

Clubs Australia executive director Anthony Ball said the undertaking to implement a mandatory pre-commitment system for all poker machines across Australia as well as to limit ATM cash withdrawals to just $250 a day were completely untested. He said the measures would close rural clubs, cost jobs, inconvenience recreational gamblers and club users, and do nothing to alleviate problem gambling. "She's done this without consultation and without any evidence to support it as an effective harm minimisation measure," Ball said. "Julia Gillard wrote to Clubs Australia and committed herself to consultation in developing gambling policy. "That commitment has been broken. We won't just take that sitting down." The NSW Government alone reaped more than $1 billion from pokies taxes in the past financial year. Mandatory "pre-commitment" technology, largely untested, will put computers in charge of 160,000 problem gamblers, placing self-imposed limits on the amount they can put through machines.
But most poker machine users could still bet to maximum limits. Gillard said it was not a total solution to problem gambling "but it's a good way forward". The politic pokie war continues. Same time, same channel again next week punters.

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Australian 'Gumleaf Mafia', Media Man and Gambling911 crew hear of a few casino babes and bodypainted babes heading to Bondi Beach for this Saturday. Think a James Packer - David Gyngell tie in. If either can't make it, fear not, there will be one of two other media men on hand to look after the goddesses. Oh, Sydney bodypainting artist Eva Rinaldi will also be present, and Eva's creations have actually appeared at the Australian Gaming Expo before, so top of the class to Eva, who is getting closer to Media Man all the time. Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month: PartyCasino.com Shane Warne rumoured to ramp up bricks and mortar casino interests further with Packer with a branded Warnie poker room, and more online ventures too. Before you ask, more rumblings about a Kerry Packer and 'Mr Sin' Abe Safron slot game, but its its just talk or actually going to happen, time will tell. PartyGaming, Virgin Games, Slots3 and NextGen Gaming are favorites to develop titles such as those, and Marvel Entertainment leaks say more themed Marvel games may arrive in the coming months, in sync with Marvel Hollywood movie releases like Thor, The Avengers, Captain America, and whatever else legend Stan Lee and friends dream up for us. Hollywood hunk Sly Stallone is also said to be keen to see a 'The Expendables' online slot game and adaption for land based casinos get unleashed sooner rather than later, and his mate Hulk Hogan is also looking to ramp up casino and gambling interests, which should help cover his medical expenses. Check out the casino reviews at Media Man. Oh, friendly reminder punters... bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. As Stan Lee says, Excelsior!

*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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PartyCasino News: New Instant Play PartyCasino Jackpot Time? The Big One Is Over $2,500,000!

PartyCasino News: New Instant Play PartyCasino.com Jackpot Time? The Big One Is Over $2,500,000!

Gibraltar – 22nd September 2010 – PartyCasino.com, the world’s largest online casino, is pleased to announce that it has launched its new instant casino! In addition, ‘The Big One’ at PartyCasino.com, the largest progressive seeded jackpot in the online gaming industry, is now over $2,500,000, while the Gold Mega Jackpot currently exceeds $1,300,000! In total PartyCasino.com’s jackpots total over $4,000,000!

A PartyCasino.com spokesman said: "The new instant casino is now live. Play direct from the website in 14 languages with the improved user interface. Everything else remains the same - continue to enjoy a huge range of casino games, jackpots and promotions! The Big One was last hit on the 29th May this year and we have seen frantic activity in recent days – it seems customers think someone is going to hit it very soon now the $2,500,000 landmark has been crossed. The Gold Mega Jackpot also looks ripe to payout and hasn’t been hit since the 1st June.”

The Big One is structured as a five tiered pool. The highest tier - Colossal Cash - seeds at $1.5 million, the biggest online jackpot seed in the industry and currently stands at over $2.1 million. Customers can play for ‘The Big One’ through traditional slot Melon Madness. PartyCasino.com has also recently introduced another way of hitting ‘The Big One’ in the form of Snow Business. This slot is a five-reel, 30 line jackpot slot game with a Free Spins feature. When three or more scattered iceberg symbols appear anywhere in view, the feature screen is displayed where the player is required to catch a random number of fish, each of which reveals a random number of free spins or a random free spins multiplier.

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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Australian Casino And Gambling News, by Greg Tingle - 22nd September 2010

A huge week for Australian casino and gambling news. We're got the Betfair float, Crown Casino king James Packer training on the Bondi Beach to Bronte walk, casino tourism tie ins, casino lovers VS casino haters, casino gossip, lifestyle updates and more. Media Man and Gambling911 voyage down under, from 'Sin City' Sydney, Bondi Beach, Melbourne, Tasmania tigers, Kiwis, dolphins and super whales, we've got it all for the loyal and vast audience...

Crown Casino King James Packer Spotted Power Walking Bondi Beach To Bronte Walk...

Yep, the undisputed lifestyle and casino king of Bondi Beach, and the greater Asia Pacific region, James Packer, is working on his work - life balance, as is the Media Man, with power walks a plenty, accompanied by his personal trainer. Packer is pounding the payment on the world famous Bondi Beach to Bronte coastal walk. Packer is understood to have the eye of the tiger and the power and the passion, as does a certain other Bondi Based Media Man, poised to do an massive publicity stunt at Bondi Beach - Packer's "front yard" (on the beach) this Saturday morning. Not sure about if casino babes are likely to be spotted, but dozens of Bondi Beach babes and blonde goddesses are frequently spotted with Bondi Beaches premier media man, including Packer, mate David Gyngell, and that Media Man fella... something about 'The Gumleaf Mafia'. Be on the lookout for pained "Neon Lights", and a special shout out to Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Nicole Kidman and Jack Thompson (Australia The Movie). Let's get a casino in Australia The Movie 2 mate, if Baz can put it together. Long live the 'Aussie Gumleaf Mafia' and 'Team Goanna Gold'. Oh, hi Oprah - see you at the beach. Go Packer Go.

Conrad Jupiters Hotel and Casino Working Political PR And Campaigning Card...

Gold Coast Minister of Parliament Ray 'Sure Thing' (Media Man tag) Stevens has rocketed the Bligh Government, strongly urging it to get right behind Tabcorp's planned $300 million revamp and expansion of Jupiter's Hotel and Casino to surge the city's roller coaster like construction industry. Could be this a bit of real life Underbelly at play? As usual, only part of the real story will make the news, with only some Chinese whispers and 'dark side' x factor seeing the light of day. Make no mistake, casinos in Australia have a bit of a 'Casino Jack' and 'Underbelly' side to them, as Gambling911, Media Man, friends and spies keep finding out the more they probe. Stevens advised the Government should get over its "electoral jitters" and grant Jupiters Casino more pokie licences so that the upgrade could proceed full steam ahead captain courageous. He firmly spoke to the State Parliament this week Tabcorp's proposal to redevelop Jupiters showed passionate belief in the city at a time when business confidence was the lowest in a decade. "Jupiters Casino is an iconic tourism attraction for the Gold Coast, but is in desperate need of an upgrade to compete with southern state casinos. We have to accept the economic reality that there will be no change to existing casino facilities without the financial incentive to fund these upgrades. Government should be oblivious to the short-term media pain of a necessary decision." Treasurer Andrew 'Beancounter' (MM tag) Fraser said Tabcorp's proposed investment had an 'exciting' potential to deliver jobs and a life to tourism infrastructure on the Gold Coast. He said "This is a massive proposal and one that obviously has many issues to consider. The Government is not poll driven. We will make a decision in the interests of Queensland. That means, as ever, balancing the interests of economic development with the interests of the community such as adequate control on gambling." Tabcorp is seriously considering spending up to $600 million on Jupiters and Brisbane's Treasury casino but the amount it throws around gets down to securing permission to buy the rights to machines the Government has taken back, or otherwise be able to purchase existing one armed bandits and licences from pubs and clubs in Queensland. Media Man and G911 understands that 1000 gaming licences would be required across both casinos for the $600 million plan. If the extra licences were not not in fact granted, for whatever reason, Tabcorp most likely would downgrade its total spend to a modest $150 million. This would leave it further behind competitor Crown Limited, famous for its Crown Casino in Melbourne. An public - press announcement is expected before the end of the year. Well, Christmas is coming. Stevens told Parliament that failure to grant the extra licences would result in 'second-rate casinos being the hallmark of Queensland'. Yep, second rate banana benders, in a second rate second skin scenario. Well, we heard there was something in the water up that way. "Yes, there is community sentiment that enough is enough in the growth of slot machines throughout Queensland. Should this be the reason to reject the enhancement of our major tourism casino icons, which are by their very nature designated gambling destinations? No is the clear and unequivocal answer. This is about jobs, jobs, jobs for the Gold Coast." It's hard to argue against the jobs and tourism cards, something our friends at GenerationOne and Crown Limited have become masters of the art at. We're not sure Jupiters gets a special $1 a year rent deal... not likely, so you can't blame them for wanting a bigger slice of the action. Reef Hotel and Casino in far North Queensland is not commenting at the moment, and the Aus Vegas proposal pitched a few months back has gone quite, but insiders tip it may be a "Sleeping Giant", just as James Packer and Media Man generals have been called over the years. Brace yourselves punters, heavy incoming is expected in the 'Age Of Aquarius'.

Betfair Stock Floats On Market...

Online sports betting powerhouse Betfair said Tuesday it was going ahead with a flotation expected to value the company at around 1.5 billion pounds (1.8 billion euros, 2.3 billion US dollars). The planned listing on the London Stock Exchange will enable founders Ed Wray and Andrew Black to sell some of their holdings in the company. They launched Betfair 11 years back and own a combined 24 percent stake in the firm, which has become the world's leading online sports betting site with three million registered users. Betfair is 50% owned by Australia's casino and gaming king, James Packer. The float has been expected for some time, driven by the company's strong financial performance and massive growth. In the year to April, net profit was 15.1 million pounds while revenue grew 13% to 340.9 million pounds. Betfair was one of the pioneers of person-to-person sports betting by developing a market place, or what is now known as a "betting exchange" which allows customers to bet at odds sought by themselves or offered by other customers, bypassing the need for a traditional bookmaker, which got bookies of bit off side as you might imagine. Betfair is a key force and deep throat for UK and Australian gaming regulators and news media, looking to help to try to clean up the sports betting world. 'Exotic bets' are not expected to be part of the Australian ramping up of Betfair, thanks for the numerous sports betting scandals down under.

President Miss Universe Organization Announces the celebration of 59th beauty pageant; Miss Congeniality Title To Australian Jesinta Campbell...

"It is a celebration of universal beauty. All of them come from different parts of the world and it’s a celebration of beauty all across the world,” says Paula Shugart, President Miss Universe Organization. The annual beauty pageant was the 59th edition of the prominent contest and was held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. on August 23, 2010 in a glittering ceremony that saw the top 84 beauties in the world compete for the most coveted prize in the modeling circles. Far from personal glory, the Miss Universe competition is a platform for the beautiful girls to showcase their national cultures and heritage to the rest of the world in a grand fashion. “The girls who really succeeds from this event, and wins not just the title, but WINS from this experience is the girl who looks outside of herself and appreciates what she is getting, who she is meeting,” emphasizes Roselie Monte, the Contestant Manager at this year’s event. Farouk Shami (Founder & Chairman – Farouk Systems Inc.) is all praises for the contest and says, “This is actual United Nations! This is actual world peace! This is actual bridging the world together!” Multi-billionaire Donald Trump (Co-owner of Miss Universe) says that by bringing 83 beauties together, Miss Universe brings together all countries, even those that do not go well with each other and it is a real personal honour for him to organize an event of such grandeur. One contestant says, “This is a mini United Nations! It is a chance to get to get know all the different cultures in the world, know that everyone around the world faces the same problems. None of these women (contestants) will be the same when they leave!” Miss Thailand Fonthip Watcharatrakul was one contestant who stood out from the rest with her golden national costume in the National Costume contest and also bagged the title of ‘Best National Costume’ as well as the ‘Miss Photogenic’ title. The Miss Congeniality title went to the beauty from down under Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell. The crowning glory went to Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete, 22 with Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillips coming in as the 1st runner-up and Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell the 2nd runner up. Incidentally, Mexico won Miss Universe for the second time; the first was Lupita Jones in 1991. Coincidentally, Jones was also crowned in Las Vegas. Miss Universe Jimena Navarrete was born and raised in the Jaliscan capital Guadalajara. She is one of two children, born to dentist parents Carlos Navarrete and Gabriela Rosete. She was born on 22nd February 1988 and began modeling locally at the age of sixteen, and studied nutrition at the Valle de Atemajac University, prior to taking part in the pageant world. Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela was the winner of the previous edition in 2009. For the record, Venezuela along with USA and Puerto Rico are some of the most successful countries in Miss Universe contest. Indian beauties Sushmita Sen (1994) and Lara Dutta (2000) have been crowned Miss Universe previously. Standing at 5 feet 7 inches Ushoshi Sengupta, 22 represented India at the contest this year. Indian beauties have always left their mark at the celebrated contest and so did Ushoshi, with her dusky and beautiful features. Her photo shoot was one of the most viewed among internet circles at this year’s competition.

More Casino And Sporty Babes...

Casino Babes And Sports Babes At Brownlow Medal 2010; Crown Casino Last Night...

First the news...Chris Judd won the Brownlow at Crown Casino last night.

WAGs set tongues wagging (on site and no doubt back in hotel rooms and bedrooms), facilitated by the blue carpet.

The buxom sporty babe Brynne 'Extra Buxom' (Media Man tag) Edelsten is the one to catch more flash bulbs that most. Yep, she raised the bar and blood levels. Ms Edelsten wowed the Brownlow blue carpet in a fancy, cheeky zip ensemble. Ms Edelsten excited the assembled news media in a glittering, cheeky zip ensemble. The better half aka wife, of ex-Sydney Swans owner Geoffrey Edelsten will made her tele reporting debut to mixed reviews we understand. 10 for looks anyway. She was one of the first cabs of the rank at Crown in a glittering dress that unzipped in half, likey Geoff at the real afterparty hey fellas!. Her man sported a glittering watch to match. The televised blue carpet arrivals of the Brownlow Medal awards has almost become bigger that the actual event with the WAGs battling it out for best-dressed. The babes downplayed the sexy a touch, and turned up the Hollywood glamour. Yep, Glamour with a capital G - G marks the spot at the real after party. Soft, classic shades, trains was the theme of the night with the masses of cleavage and a touch of eye-popping boobs, bling etc, but not as fully as last seasons babe fest. For the record, footballers who did not meet black tie dress standards were refused entry this year, at least that's the PR. The AFL advised it enforced a strict dress code. Charcoal and navy suits, colourful shirts and ties, and white shoes were not be permitted. Media Man sent spies, we had to attend our own party and after party, let's say it was the Bondi Beach gaming, club and body painted babe thing. A fun night and an absolute ball (or two), was has ball all. Yep, plenty of 6 pointers between the goal posts boys. Well done to all players (and WAGS). Tongues wag one more time!

'Mr X' Calls For Online Gaming And Online Gambling Review Down Under...

Independent Nick Xenophon says a review of gambling must also be extended to include online betting to avoid addicts simply migrating to other gambling sources. The federal government on Tuesday agreed to establish a ministerial expert advisory group on gambling following a meeting with anti-pokies independent MP Andrew Wilkie. Senator Xenophon, a long-time anti-pokies campaigner, participated with news media via a phone hook-up. Under the deal, "pre-commitment technology" such as smart cards would eventually be installed in every poker machine in Australia to track gambling use and limit losses. But Senator Xenophon has warned that there must be a holistic approach to gambling addiction if the problem is to be addressed, and has called for there to also be a review of online gambling. "Obviously you don't want to close down or deal effectively with one problem and another is created," Senator Xenophon told the press on Tuesday night. "I think you'll find the most significant source of gambling addiction in this country is because of poker machines - something like 85 per cent of gamblers." "But we also need to review online gambling laws so we don't have an emerging problem in years to come." Earlier this month, Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledged to tackle problem gambling in exchange for Mr Wilkie's support in forming a minority government. The advisory group, to be chaired by former Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Peter Shergold, will include problem gambling counsellors, club and hotel representatives, gaming software specialists and academics. It will provide advice to the government and a yet to be established Joint Select Parliamentary Committee on Gambling on the implementation of gambling reforms. The government has also committed to implementing ATM withdrawal limits in venues with poker machines, excluding casinos, and poker machine dynamic warning and cost of play displays.

Casino Haters, Gaming Haters, Bible Bashers Make More Noise; Gaming May Go Underground Thanks To Jackass Policy Under Labor Government!...

The federal government has agreed to establish a ministerial expert advisory group on gambling following a meeting with anti-pokies independent MP Andrew Wilkie. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledged to tackle problem gambling in exchange for Mr Wilkie's support in parliament's lower house. Under the deal, pre-commitment technology - such as smart cards - will eventually be installed in every poker machine in Australia. Families Minister Jenny Macklin and Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten met with the Tasmanian independent in Canberra on Tuesday. 'As a first step, Ms Macklin, Mr Shorten, Mr Wilkie and Senator Xenophon announced the establishment of a ministerial expert advisory group on gambling,' the four said in a joint statement. 'The group will provide advice from their members and interested parties to the government and the (yet to be established) Joint Select Parliamentary Committee on Gambling on the implementation of the reforms.' The advisory group will be chaired by former Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Peter Shergold. It will include problem gambling counsellors, club and hotel representatives, gaming software specialists and academics. Apart from pre-commitment technology - which allow punters to nominate the maximum amount they can lose in a certain period - the government, Mr Wilkie and Senator Xenophon have also committed to implementing 'ATM withdrawal limits in venues with poker machines, excluding casinos, and poker machine dynamic warning and cost of play displays'. Punters are advised to research casino and gaming rules, online and offline before playing. Media Man of course only lists the world's most trusted and respected casinos and online poker rooms, so look for the most prominent casinos, and you will know they are the best. PartyCasino, Captain Cooks, Virgin Casino and Roxy Palace remain some of the most popular with Aussies and Kiwis, with PartyCasino.com maintaining top pick for Aussies in the online sector.

Cruise Ships Voyaging Australia Promote Casino...

Folks, like to gamble? (at sea). You must look this guys up. Apparently the floating casino is a big selling point with big spending high rollers and also with the men looking to impressive the ladies out on sea, and the play Sea Man finds himself a sun babe at sea. As always, the after party in the decks below (or even up to), are the highlight. A Media Man insider whisphered "It's the escapism, the privacy at sea, being away from everyday life distractions that helps get people in the mood for casino and... looooove. The casino tables and bar is said to enjoy a roaring trade with lovers, young and old come aboard the love boat. It's not understood to be a competitive threat to James Packer's Crown Limited empire, not yet anyway, but some punters in WA thinking of Burswood might do well to look up the floating casino."

So punters, how did you enjoy today's voyage. What sort of other Aussie and Kiwi news would you like to see? Tell us in the forum.

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Australian 'Gumleaf Mafia', Media Man and Gambling911 crew hear of yet more Americans on the way to show the Aussies how its done - running land based casinos. The political, media and people power fun and games have only just begin. What happens on the Gold Coast and Bondi Beach, does not stay "down under". Quite the opposite of the motto of our friends in Vegas and what happens in Vegas... you know the drum folks. Surfs up kangaroos, koalas, goannas, sea snakes, serpents and all manner of Aussie and Yankee critters. Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month: PartyCasino.com Slot Game Of The Month: The Godfather. Check out the casino reviews at Media Man. Oh, friendly reminder... bet with your head, not over it, and 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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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Casino News Media: IGT's Double Diamond(R) Slots Named Favorite Reel Slot

IGT's Double Diamond(R) Slots Named Favorite Reel Slot

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IGT International Gaming Technology WagerWorks Double Diamond Slots Classic Slots Classic Casino Games MegaJackpots Virgin Casino Virgin Games Las Vegas Media Man

LAS VEGAS, Sept 16, 2010

International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT), a global leader in creating the major slot games players love and casino network systems that improve the player experience, received first place in the "Favorite Reel Game" category for its Double Diamond(R) slots in Casino Player magazine's "Best of Gaming" awards for 2010. In addition, three more IGT games took top honors in the same category.

The Double Diamond(R) theme was introduced in 1989 by IGT. With its introduction, IGT brought the concept of themed gaming machines to life. And since its first placement on the casino floor, Double Diamond slots have continued to be a favorite among players.

"IGT has a long and proud history of developing the very best slot themes and Double Diamond(R) is a prime example of this," said Ron Rivera, IGT senior vice president of North America sales. "It is truly an honor that one of our games, that is over twenty years old, is still a player favorite."

Double Diamond(R) reel slots remains popular for many reasons including its fun and classic game play. The Double Diamond(R) symbol matches any other symbol on the payline and doubles any corresponding award. Two Double Diamond(R) symbols on the payline earns four times the standard award amount. And if three Double Diamond(R) symbols land on the payline, the player wins the top award. According to Casino Player, Double Diamond(R) is "a game that contributed a lot to the general popularity of the slot floor when it was introduced in the late 1980s, and has remained a player favorite ever since."

The popularity of Double Diamond(R) also extends to IGT's MegaJackpots(R) line where it is a common base game on a number of favorites including Wheel of Fortune(R). And, the latest addition to the Double Diamond(R) family is Double Diamond(R) Reel MultiPLAY, which features 3D graphics and gives players a chance to play their favorite game up to four times at once on one machine.

In addition to Double Diamond(R), three more IGT games were named in the Favorite Reel Slot category: Wheel of Fortune(R); Red, White & Blue(R); and Triple Diamond(R).

Wheel of Fortune(R) offers players a chance to win big and is a constant favorite. With over $2.5 billion in jackpots hit on Wheel of Fortune(R) games, it continues to be on the top of players' lists year after year.

Red, White & Blue(R) slots was also introduced in 1989 as one of the first themed slot games and benefits from the same longevity and following as Double Diamond(R). This classic spinning reel game comes in a number of varieties and denominations to fit any player's needs.

And finally, Triple Diamond(R) rounds out the IGT reel slots winners. Another classic game, Triple Diamond(R) offers players an entertaining gaming experience with classic symbols and slot play.

The 2010 'Best of Gaming' awards were conducted by Casino Player magazine. This is the 15th annual survey done by Casino Player to its readers on their favorite aspects of gaming. Along with casino games, the survey included polls on reader's favorite casinos, hotels, and amenities.

About IGT

International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) is a leader in the design, development and manufacture of gaming machines and systems products worldwide.

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Monday, September 20, 2010

Australian Casino Wars: Gold Coast MP Behind Jupiters Casino, by Greg Tingle - 20th September 2010

The Australian casino wars show no sign of slowing down and keep taking off in new tangents with political 'art of war' tactics taking hold on the Gold Coast. The tourism, employment and supporting big business card is being played out, something competitor Crown Casino did to T, while the casino haters also ramp up their campaigns. Media Man and Gambling911 play 'Casino Jack' as we ride the wave into Surfers' Paradise with a tidal wave of Gold Coast fodder for the loyal and vast audience...

Gold Coast Minister of Parliament Ray 'Sure Thing' (Media Man tag) Stevens has rocketed the Bligh Government, strongly urging it to get right behind Tabcorp's planned $300 million revamp and expansion of Jupiter's Hotel and Casino to surge the city's roller coaster like construction industry.

Could be this a bit of real life Underbelly at play? As usual, only part of the real story will make the news, with only some Chinese whispers and 'dark side' x factor seeing the light of day. Make no mistake, casinos in Australia have a bit of a 'Casino Jack' and 'Underbelly' side to them, as Gambling911, Media Man, friends and spies keep finding out the more they probe.

Stevens advised the Government should get over its "electoral jitters" and grant Jupiters Casino more pokie licences so that the upgrade could proceed full steam ahead captain courageous.

He firmly spoke to the State Parliament this week Tabcorp's proposal to redevelop Jupiters showed passionate belief in the city at a time when business confidence was the lowest in a decade.

"Jupiters Casino is an iconic tourism attraction for the Gold Coast, but is in desperate need of an upgrade to compete with southern state casinos. We have to accept the economic reality that there will be no change to existing casino facilities without the financial incentive to fund these upgrades. Government should be oblivious to the short-term media pain of a necessary decision."

Treasurer Andrew 'Beancounter' (MM tag) Fraser said Tabcorp's proposed investment had an 'exciting' potential to deliver jobs and a life to tourism infrastructure on the Gold Coast.

He said "This is a massive proposal and one that obviously has many issues to consider. The Government is not poll driven. We will make a decision in the interests of Queensland. That means, as ever, balancing the interests of economic development with the interests of the community such as adequate control on gambling."

Tabcorp is seriously considering spending up to $600 million on Jupiters and Brisbane's Treasury casino but the amount it throws around gets down to securing permission to buy the rights to machines the Government has taken back, or otherwise be able to purchase existing one armed bandits and licences from pubs and clubs in Queensland.

Media Man and G911 understands that 1000 gaming licences would be required across both casinos for the $600 million plan. If the extra licences were not not in fact granted, for whatever reason, Tabcorp most likely would downgrade its total spend to a modest $150 million. This would leave it further behind competitor Crown Limited, famous for its Crown Casino in Melbourne.

A public - press announcement is expected before the end of the year. Well, Christmas is coming.

Stevens told Parliament that failure to grant the extra licences would result in 'second-rate casinos being the hallmark of Queensland'. Yep, second rate banana benders, in a second rate second skin scenario. Well, we heard there was something in the water up that way.

"Yes, there is community sentiment that enough is enough in the growth of slot machines throughout Queensland. Should this be the reason to reject the enhancement of our major tourism casino icons, which are by their very nature designated gambling destinations? No is the clear and unequivocal answer. This is about jobs, jobs, jobs for the Gold Coast."

It's hard to argue against the jobs and tourism cards, something our friends at GenerationOne and Crown Limited have become masters of the art at.

We're not sure Jupiters gets a special $1 a year rent deal... not likely, so you can't blame them for wanting a bigger slice of the action.

Reef Hotel and Casino in far North Queensland is not commenting at the moment, and the Aus Vegas proposal pitched a few months back has gone quite, but insiders tip it may be a "Sleeping Giant", just as James Packer and Media Man generals have been called over the years. Brace yourselves punters, heavy incoming is expected in the 'Age Of Aquarius'.

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Australian 'Gumleaf Mafia', Media Man and Gambling911 crew hear of more Americans on the way to show the Aussies how its done - running land based casinos. Talk persists that Australian former Prime Minster John Howard may land a major job in Australia as part of the anti corruption in Australian sports betting directive. Cricket, AFL, NRL and Tennis are all under the microscope. The Blue Carpet to be rolled out from the AFL Brownlow Medal at Crown Casino. Lots of footy and casino babes. Should be an awesome afterparty, even without 'Punter Fev'. Aussie business and horse racing tycoon John Singleton, and Network Nine top gun David Gyngell to get a proposal from a certain media man sooner rather than later, with a strong charity and giving back to the community element we hear. Yep, the political, media and people power fun and games has only just begin. What happens on the Gold Coast and Bondi Beach, does not stay "down under". Quite the opposite of the motto of our friends in Vegas and what happens in Vegas... you know the drum folks. Surfs up kangaroos, koalas, goannas, sea snakes, serpents and all manner of Aussie and Yankee critters.

*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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3D Movies And Games VS 2D, by Greg Tingle - 19th September 2010

3D movies and online casino games are all the rage, but is 2D better, at least sometimes? Media Man and Gambling911 don the 3D glasses and take a look at the sector dominated by such brands as Avatar, 20th Century Fox, MGM, IMAX, Marvel Entertainment, PartyGaming, and PKR...

The Avatar movie (and perhaps game) is now legendary. "Alice in Wonderland" is a blockbuster and "How to Train Your Dragon" looks like it's a sure thing.

MGM and associates are giving mixed messages as to if or when the next James Bond flick will me in 3D, and Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures are understood to be giving Thor, Captain America and The Avengers the 3D treatment, but nothing in this world is 100% until it happens.

Numerous media commentators and a host of experts now say that some games and movies are better left "flat".

Should most movies be in 3D? Which are right for 3D? Will the conversions from 2D prove effective or will only the "high-end" process pay off? Will the early days of 3D play out like the start of Technicolor or will the studios embrace?

In the online casino world PKR was one of the first to offer 2D poker, soon to be 3D, and a few months ago PartyCasino released the Heist 3D online slot, in a collaborative effort with Betsoft Gaming - Slots3.

Media Man research indicates that many online casino players and insiders don't want to see casino classics like Cleopatra, Wheel of Fortune and Monopoly go down the 3D path. Maybe the original is best, just like movies such as Jaws, Crocodile Dundee, Mad Max, Iron-Man and you get the idea.

There's a lot at stake here - in both the movie and gaming genre, and these days bean counters are frequently looking at both this mediums to keep getting their return on investment back, and lots more.

Some harsh words have been written and said about "Clash of the Titans"..."Trash of the Titans" now... thank you Warner Bros. for rushing its "low-end" conversion in an attempt to steal theaters away from "Alice" and "Dragon." By contrast, Universal went with a 2D "Robin Hood" despite the urgings of director Ridley Scott. Maybe Australia's Russell Crowe may have some creative influence, such is his swing.

Folks, insiders ponder if the genre can survive the flying projectiles of "Jackass 3D" (from Paramount Pictures in October) or "Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore" (from Warner Bros. in July). Bound to be a "dog" or not? Time will tell.

There are economic bait factors to jump movies to 3D, since exhibitors are increasing ticket prices by up to 26% in some markets. Hence the first cycle of 3D flicks is under massive pressure to deliver or face audience backlash.

Movie studios were extremely cautious about the advent of color 50 years back in time, confining the process mainly to spectacles and showcases of foreign locales that offered a contrast to TV. When TV went to color in the 1960s, the major players quickly panicked and embraced the technology pronto.

Based on the 3D movie release schedule, filmmakers are being more aggressive. The 3D agenda in coming months is packed with obvious goodies like "Toy Story 3," "Harry Potter 7" and "Shrek Ever After" but also more risky titles like "Drive Angry," "Puss in Boots," and "The Smurfs."

Disney (parent of Marvel Entertainment these days) wants most of its flicks in 3D, however the outfit is instantly becoming Hollywood's answer to Procter & Gamble if you follow. Its main product may run the risk of becoming a brand in search of a movie.

Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks Animation believes filmmakers, using the proper tools, will catch on that 3D provides "an immersive experience" that amplifies audience feelings. That means shooting in true 3D, not rushing into 11th-hour conversion. Certainly he's proved that in animation: When the dragon soars in "How to Train Your Dragon," with the kid riding atop him, the movie itself starts to soar.

Katzenberg says he would like to have seen "Hurt Locker" in 3D. He feels that film could have been even more stirring in that format.

But slot down...some believe "Alice" was more effective in 2D than in 3D.

The failure of "Green Zone" provides another example of a decent flick that bombed trying to be a blockbuster rather than a tightly budgeted thriller carrying less-expansive expectations.

Green Zone, a stirring movie about Iraq, was shot like a $100 million "Bourne" sequel, starring Matt Damon. As such, it was reminiscent of "Valkyrie," which became a Tom Cruise megavehicle rather than a more rounded success. The same might be same for last year's Russell Crowe thriller "State of Play."

What's the lesson: Some movies deserve to be small, and some online games are better left basic or flat.

Ok, we hear you - you want sports and Underbelly. Network Nine's State Of Origin was well revived in 3D, but it cost our Bondi Beach - Crown Limited - TV friend, David Gyngell, about 10 millions bucks to do. 'Underbelly', mostly or totally (depends upon the source) is shot in 3D. Fact is 'Underbelly' is always going to be a ratings winner, whether they show boobs, illegal gambling dens, men's privates, or whatever. The cult following is huge and the brand now sells itself, much like the James Bond franchise. Having said that, the marketing still needs to be watched closely, and financial bean counters still need to do the sums.

Swing into igaming and the likes of PartyGaming, Virgin and PKR are set to ramp up 3D offers, but flat games like Cleopatra are hear to stay.

What we do know for sure is that some movies are perfect for game adaptions. As they say with Thor, Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk and the Fantastic Four - Don't just watch the movie, play the game.

Yet, frequently original is best. A few months back Google released the original arcade classic Pac-Man onto the website portal, becoming one of the world's most popular games within days of its launch.

Folks, its horses for courses. At least we have the technology. Insert coin, play for free or play for money, the battle for the entertainment and gambling dollar says options rule, but if the original was awesome, usually its best to stick to tradition. Ok, that's entertainment. See you on the internet as well all continues to enjoy our 15 seconds of fame, and be watching out for Media Man TV - soon on the way onto your laptop computer and god knows what else. As Marvel icon Stan Lee would say, Excelsior!

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Readers... er, punters, what's your preference? 2D or 3D, or back to pure basics? Tell us in the forum.

*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.

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Sunday, September 19, 2010

Australian And Asia Pacific Casino News, by Greg Tingle - 19th September 2010

The Australian and Asia Pacific gambling and gaming sector remains red hot. Today we've got casino tycoon James Packer ramping up Crown Casino and City of Dreams Macau, reaping the benefits, Star City Casino management changes, Australian online casino wars, the pro casino VS the anti casino establishment and more. Media Man and Gambling911 load up the sniffer dogs and navigate the compass encountering kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, koalas, wombats, whales, and even a few Asia dragons...

City Of Dreams Powering Ahead In Orient; James Packer And Friends Delighted And Dancing On Water...

Packers' Macau JV has opened its highly anticipated HKD$2 billion ($267 million) stage show at its Oriental flagship City of Dreams casino. The first performance of the big-budget water-themed show is an important breakthrough for the casino, and comes at a critical time for the Melco Crown Entertainment gods and powers that be. Stage shows like The House of Dancing Water are used as draws or "bait" to lure tourists and the business folks into the casino. Media Man breaks down the categories as whales, dolphins, tuna and algae. The late, great, Kerry Packer was in the super whale category. VIP's who land of hard times after big looses are known in some circles as beached whales. News media types including journalists are understood to be called "marks" buy some sector, however Packer casino types are understood to respect fair and balanced news media outlets, and even do business with them from time to time, via third party promotions, deals and the like. COD's (City of Dreams)... not cod fish...management is relying on the show and glitz to boost gambling revenues in the midst of a casino customer price war that has been speculated as perhaps even bigger than the one it encountered when it opened its more modest Altira casino just two years ago. The opening is less than a month after a management reshuffle in which the gaming company lost its long-serving and loyal president of City of Dreams, and its chief financial officer. The company is aiming to demonstrate that the management cleanout was the smart chess move to make and also that it is more than capable of stealing yet more market share from its competitors - like Steve Wynn (not a favorite of the online casino crowd either). This 'Art Of War' attack has already begun, with Melco Crown besting its rival Wynn Macau last month to enter the top 3 ranking casinos in terms of gross gambling revenue, according to official figures. Melco Crown had a market share of 16%, just 1% more than in July, but a significant jump from the 13% it had 3 months back. It has achieved this by offering attractive enticements to gamblers - free money to gamble with for whales and high rollers, or free buffets and raffles for those with less money to bet with.
Historically these types of bait are not particularly good for the casino's bottom line because the profit margins are squeezed. Despite its aggressive marketing, Melco Crown still sits behind the market leaders, Stanley Ho's Sociedade de Jogos de Macau and Sands China, with 29% and 20% respectively of the overall market. The competitors will argue that Melco Crown has been "buying" these new customers with free gambling credits, a risky strategy that is not sustainable in the long term. Money does talk the gamblers language, and if they can keep their customer and build loyalty, smart money says the tactical bet from the casino would have won. Yep, the casino is betting on itself also. Ticket sales for the first weekend of the water-themed 'House Of Dancing Water' attraction are officially sold out but it remains to be seen whether it will boost the company's bottom line. A somewhat similar show at the rival Venetian casino failed to attract sufficient numbers willing to fork out p to $160 a ticket. There are high aspirations for the show, with the co-chairman of Melco Crown Entertainment, Lawrence Ho, describing it as 'destined to be the most extravagant and thrilling live production ever seen in the world'. Tickets to the Melco Crown show will sell at $HK380 to $HK1280 each, certainly a lot more than visiting a pokie palace or RSL Club show. The creator and mastermind of the show at the City of Dreams is the Belgian Franco Dragone, who directed nearly all of Cirque du Soleil's shows until 1998. The show is showcased in a gigantic swimming pool and involves 77 performers, many of whom perform impressive acrobatics and other moves difficult to describe, and even harder to pull of, we're sure Those lucky enough to be invited to the opening of City of Dream's sister casino the Altira in 2008 were given a preview of Dragone's work. Media Man spies tell us that roughly half left well before it finished, but that may be because they rushed back to slots or gaming tables.

PartyGaming VS Virgin Games VS MicroGaming Casino Wars Heat Up...

PartyGaming's brands including their mega popular PartyCasino and PartyPoker continue to maintain most popular online gaming website status in Australia for casino and poker. Richard Branson's Virgin Games is looking to move forward in the Australia Pacific, and is understood to also be in touch with Australian authorities. Microgaming powered Captain Cooks has lost a bit of steam, with newer challenger Roxy Casino now offering Aussies The Lord Of The Rings - Fellowship of the Ring slot. Party's Sinatra, Cleopatra, The Godfather, Mission: Impossible, Monopoly, Wheel of Fortune, Rambo, The Terminator, King Kong and Heist are some of the most popular online slots of all for the Aussies, with their sign up bonus of $500 all told being very attractive to most punters. Many of Party's online slot games are in fact very good versions of the land based casino equivalents. In fact, IGT has its own online arm, WagerWorks, which often supplies games to both PartyCasino and Virgin Casino. Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider: Secret of the Sword is still widely regarded as the most popular Microgaming powered game, but again, PartyGaming rules for branded slots in Australia. The play for free or play for money option has also proved to be a winning formula, as are the multi currency options, and the set betting limits option. All these brands have impressive security in place, and have been established for almost 30 years between them. Aussie's have been begging for a 'Kerry Packer', 'Underbelly' and 'Andre The Giant' slot game, but it still hasn't happened, but Christmas is coming. PKR is the most popular place still for 3D poker games and now also offer sport betting, taking a little chuck out of the likes of Betfair and Centrebet. PartyGaming is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is considered the world's most successful online gambling company, and that was even before the bwin deal being announced. Movie and TV show themes remain very appealing to players, with the games being an extension of the greater entertainment industry.

Australian Punters Bet More Via Online Pokies In Show Of Defiance...

Aussies are spending about $850 million a year on overseas gambling websites according to insiders. Having a punt is one of strongest attributes of Australian culture. Australians are also some of the world's highest users of the internet for work or play. What's driving more punters to online casinos? The Australian government's crackdown on hotels and pubs, and this trend looks to have also swept to Tasmania and New Zealand. Gambling911 and Media Man will be proving frequent news updates, and also the odd game review on their world famous website portals.

Sydney - Aussie Oriental High Roller In Hot Water With Legal System...

The trial trial of a Wollstonecraft man has revealed some clues of the world of the high roller whale. Zheng Tan was charged with dealing with the proceeds of crime because a stolen cheque for $500,000 was put into his bank account. Tan told the District Court it was the repayment of a loan he had made to a fellow gambler he met in the VIP room of the Crown Casino in Melbourne. First he lent the man $120,000 and received as surety a $300,000 Patek watch. Later, he lent him even more, in return for an IOU backed by property in his homeland China. When he later received the cheque (which he advised he did not know was stolen), he withdrew the $500,000 in cash and took it to gamble in Canberra, where it was stolen from his car, so the story goes. The prosecutor went on to suggest he had, in effect, laundered the money in return for a fee of $29,000 AUD. Tan denied this, saying he had put $10 million bucks through the Crown Casino over the years and "$29,000 is nothing to me. I would do nothing to break the Australian law for $29,000". The jury agreed, and found him not guilty on all charges. Confuses say, 'You out of luck my friend.'

Americans Taking Over To Management Jobs At Star City Casino...

Management who have departed Sydney's Star City casino say the company has swept the table of senior Australian employees in a move to "Americanise" the icon formally known to Sydneysiders at The Pyrmont Workers Club - RSL Club on steroids. Would you believe lucky ten execs have left in less than a year, including managing director Craig Garvin, celebrity chef Sean Connolly and 4 general managers last week. This poses a question - its it a sinking ship, or management can not deal with the aggressive 'Aussie Casino Wars', adding to the bodycount. Count em folks - 10 casualties. Down south in Melbourne insiders tip only 3 or 4 management changes occurred in the past 12 months. A leak advised American or US-trained executives now held critical senior positions, including head of casinos, managing director and head of hospitality. "The Americans have so far indicated they have a poor impression of Australians by replacing senior posts with people from overseas," the mystery source said leaked. "It's more like stars and stripes city than Star City." The Tabcorp-owned casino is in the midst of an $860 million refurbishment by Yankee designers that will include a new hotel, an events centre with restaurants and gambling facilities to be ready next year. Yeah, ready for the next round of the 'Aussie Casino Wars'. It is also expected to be given a name change and this may include the possibly of loosing the "city" - as part of the rebranding as it attempts to match the bombs and warheads from Melbourne's Crown Casino, which lures off the line about 17 million visitors a year, about double that of Star City. Insiders say Crown has better relationships, marketing and bait than Star. Melbourne is known as Australia's casino hot spot, something Star will be looking to change. 'Cunning' (Media Man tag) Connolly, a former Australian Hotels Association chef of the year who had been working at the casino for about 15 years, politely declined to comment. He is is now understood to be working with a chefs' international consultancy company. One deep throat still employed by the casino said "It is anticipated that the $7 million Sean's Kitchen will soon be renamed and totally revamped as part of a plan to remove Connolly's name from the casino.". Yep, the cunning one is about to have the history books re written in a roundabout way. Apart from Connolly, outbound Aussies in the past year have included gaming general manager Michael Ahearn, hotel food and beverage general manager Richard 'Moneybags' (MM tag) Munro, entertainment general manager Bicci 'Happy' (MM tag) Henderson and marketing general manager Richard Whaite. Last week, 4 additional senior staff departed from the departments of security, beverage and operations. And you thought security was being beefed up. Hopefully it was deadwood they lost. Incoming executives include 2 former bosses from Borgata Casino in Atlantic City: Larry Mullin, who is now head of casinos at Star City, and Sid 'Viscous' (MM tag) Vaikunta, now MD. The deep throat said there were fears that some of the blunders that led to the casino being condemned by some as crass and ugly when it opened in 1997 would be repeated. The Lagoon Bar, designed by the US firm Landmark Entertainment Group, was described by Fairfax publication, The Sydney Morning Herald, as "gobsmackingly gaudy" for its fake desert rock and palm tree. Philip Cox, the acclaimed Sydney architect whose firm designed the building's exterior, distanced himself from "the rock and the tree", as the bar decor became known. The leak said: "There are concerns that the company now has little Australian expertise and that the new development will be very American." Vaikunta was invited on Friday to discuss the matter but a spokeswoman said he had to cancel because of extensive meetings. In a statement, he said "There have been some changes to the management team at Star City as part of the redevelopment project as we transform the casino complex into a world-class entertainment destination. The vast majority of our management team is made up of highly experienced local managers. In fact, 7 of our 11 senior managers are high-performing local managers and many are long-serving managers of Star City."

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Readers... er, punters, what's on your mind pertaining to the casino, online casino, poker and entertainment industry? What's your favorite slot game? Tell us in the forum.

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Wrap Up...

James Packer has continued to hold his place at the Australian casino king, and if things keep going his way, may also be soon considered the Asia Pacific - Oriental region casino king also. He's certainly got out nod for Media Man casino entrepreneur of the month. Online casinos continue to build in popularity, despite the market being somewhat flooded. Strong brands like PartyGaming, PartyCasino, Virgin, Playtech, Microgaming, World Poker Tour and World Series of Poker maintain their hold on punters and the majority of mainstream and gaming news headlines. Australian publishers, gaming entrepreneurs and a good portion of politicians are calling for gaming and igaming reforms, but its not happening quick enough for some. Liberal Malcolm 'No Bull' Turnbull is now the minister for Communications in the new Tony 'The Bruiser' Abbott cabinet reshuffle, and is known to have high intelligence when it comes to all manner of internet b2b matters. He made millions from the internet himself, so expect 'No Bull' to not put up with bull from Labor or The Greens, and will keeping Labor on their toes with with NBN national broadband rollout proposal. Website portals like Media Man and Gambling911 are expected to maintain their strong position as key news sources, traffic and balanced information when it comes to casinos, online casinos, sports, and the greater entertainment industry sector.

*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.

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