Australian Gambling, Casino And Entertainment News, by Greg Tingle - 4th January 2011

Punters, continuing to start the new right on the front foot, here's our jam packed bush tucker bag Australian gambling, casino and entertainment news report. After this you're bound to want to try lady luck at some casinos or at the races, but for the moment, get ready for new year's feast of news. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to deliver the best in gambling, entertainment and sports news found anywhere on the world wide web...

Punter Fev On Leave After Huge New Years Eve; Into Rehab...

AFL's most notorious (and nocturnal we understand) play, bad ass Brendan 'Punter Fev' Fevola has been granted indefinite leave from the Queensland's Brisbane Lions after being arrested during drunken New Year’s Eve celebrations in Bris Vegas (Brisbane), not be be confused with 'Sin City' Sydney! Feb might be trying to get Brissy a reputation for sin, but you will still have to try harder next time mate... just kidding. Fev was released from lockup about 11am after spending in excess of 5 hours in the watchhouse. You know, in "the can". He was bailed out on charges of public nuisance and obstructing police and will appear in a court of law on January 18. QLD police confirmed a 29-year-old Norman Park chap was arrested in the nightclub lurks of Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley aka 'The Valley' (where Underbelly 4 and perhaps 5 will be featured). In a statement yesterday, the Brisbane Lions advised Fevola had request indefinite leave "in order to receive professional assistance for a number of personal issues. The request for leave was made by Fevola following an incident in the early hours of this morning where he was arrested and charged with public nuisance and obstructing police in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley," the statement says. "Fevola was released from police custody at around 11am and immediately sought leave from the Lions to receive professional assistance. As a result, Fevola will not be at training this Monday when the team resumes its preparations for the 2011 AFL Season. While the Brisbane Lions AFC places the well being of all its staff as a primary focus, the club will hold talks next week regarding what action may be required as a direct result of this morning’s incident." AFL General Manager Football Operations Adrian Anderson said the Lions had told him of Fevola's latest incident, the latest in a string, with Crown Casino's antics likely being the most famous, captured on film. He advised the club was still gathering the full details and the AFL would await Brisbane's detailed report before considering any action. It’s believed Lions officials are seething about this latest incident and he now faces an uncertain future. Club officials state it’s unlikely the Lions will have an emergency board meeting to discuss Fevola’s future. However, that could change. The Lions investigated terminating Fevola’s hefty contract last year after claims he allegedly exposed himself to a mum of four at a local football club function. The club had major salary cap issues which played a major role in key midfielders Michael Rischitelli and Jared Brennan leaving to join the Gold Coast Suns. As was the case then, Fevola could also face action from the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute. An AFL spokesman said the league could issue a statement this afternoon. This latest incident is another black mark on Fevola’s chequered career. On New Year’s Eve Fevola tweeted: ‘‘Good bye 2010 thank god! Bring on 2011 lions will roar again :)’’. The Lions full-forward endured a turbulent 2010. He was accused of releasing nude photos of former lover and model Lara Bingle, who at the time was engaged to stand-in Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke. The AFL later said there was "insufficient evidence" to show Fevola had distributed the photograph. Queensland police were later unable to lay charges he had exposed himself to the mother of four because of a lack of evidence. He was only cleared in recent weeks by the AFL of bringing the game into disrepute. Fevola also confirmed he had major gambling debts, with some estimating these were as high as $200,000. In his first year at the club since he was dumped by Carlton, Fevola also endured a wretched on-field season because of a serious groin injury as the Lions, finalists in 2009, tumbled to the bottom wrungs of the AFL ladder.

South Australia: Adelaide Clubs Get Tough On Gaming And Drinking Law For 2011...

Strict pokies rules. Gaming venues will face on-the-spot fines ranging from $160 to $1200 for clear-cut licence breaches, removing the need for costly and time-consuming court action, which also makes legal eagles only more rich. Pubs and other gaming venues that don't have a copy of their licence displayed can be fined on the spot, while stronger penalties still apply for repeat or serious offences. On-the-spot fines also can be given to employees caught using gaming machines at their own venue, or without visible identification. Gambling Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the changes to gaming machine laws will put pokie venues "on notice" and that cases can then be resolved quicker and outside of court. "These changes significantly strengthen compliance and enforcement provisions under the Gaming Machines Act," he said. The changes came into effect on New Years Day! Additional changes include a 33% increase in the maximum penalty for repeat offenders.'

Canberra: Casino History Of Deals Documented In Cabinet; Fraser Razor Gang!...

Cabinet documented released by the National Archives reveal the Fraser government chose to fund a convention centre in Canberra itself, rather than approve a casino for the capital. The shame! Just kidding. Proponents of the casino plan believed it would help fund the convention centre. Supporters were very keen for the project to go ahead because they believed it would be a boost for the local building and construction industry. Submissions to the Cabinet reveal it was costed at $60 million. The Cabinet records show one of the unsuccessful submissions for the project came from Harry Seidler representing a Malaysian group, with strong ties to gambling and casinos, of course. The plan for the casino was rejected on "moralistic" grounds.
The 1980 documents also reveal details of a plan to slash government services. The review of government functions was led by minister Phillip Lynch and dubbed the "razor gang". Everything from the Reserve Bank to the Prime Minister's Office was targeted. The initial list included abolishing many government agencies, including the National Capital Development Commission. Ultimately the Commission remained in place until the ACT gained self-government in 1988. Another agency on the list was ACT TAB, which the Fraser government wanted to merge with the New South Wales agency.
1980 was also the year cabinet signed off on the final plans for the new Parliament House just as the High Court and the Black Mountain Tower were formally opened. Well, that's a bit of Aussie history for you. Aussies are still some of the biggest gamblers in the world, despite many not being happy about that rep, trying to hold back gambling, to little or no avail. Illegal gambling dens are currently understood to be springing up in Kings Cross, Surry Hills, The Valley, Perth and Canberra.

NSW Pubs On Struggle Street; Over 300 May Close; Adds To Pokies VS Music Debate...

Australian banks are preparing to seize the keys of as many as 300 pubs across New South Wales, with at dozens facing immediate foreclosure in the sweep of the industry since the 1991-92 recession. News Limited reports industry leaks said the banks had lost patience with loss-making firms and heavily indebted individuals who bought pubs at the height of the boom, only to see values dive by 40%. Australian Hotels Association secretary Colin Waller advised rumours sweeping the industry pointed towards banks seizing control of 300 troubled pubs - roughly 1 in 5 of the state's hotels - setting the scene for firesales on steroids. Leaks also claim a renowned pub identity, squarely in the sights of the big banks having amassed substantial debt, is hanging on to his portfolio by a thread. "I think the banks are only starting to realise the folly of their own lending practices,'' Waller said. They were lending to anyone and up to 90% of the value to people with no experience. The value of those hotels are now 40 per cent down. "The grapevine is saying the banks are about to move ... and the rumour is there are as much as 300 hotels, which is just under 20% (of all pubs in NSW), which could soon be placed under bank management." The majority of pubs on the chopping block are owned by firms that were heavily reliant on the poker machine dollar and which bought assets at inflated prices from 2003 and 2008. Sources said that in their pursuit of pokie revenue, they neglected their primary asset - their drinkers. When pokie revenues started to dip, suddenly the pubs realised their public bar was empty. It's also the drinks VS live music VS pub pokies lover debates. Not all parties have been satisfied. "I estimate 50 or 60 forced sales early in the new year. That's on top of the thousand odd hotels that are currently for sale in NSW," one pub owner said. "Any suggestion that pubs have turned the corner is ridiculous. There will be a tsunami of foreclosures next year. The bankers are becoming very impatient. "I play golf with the bankers, they tell me it is bad, very bad. They have had enough and are ready to move. It is frightening." The biggest collection of fire sales is tipped to come from the debt-ravaged Redcape Property Fund and ING Real Estate Entertainment Fund, with the pair having lost a combined $357 million in the last two years, while Woolworths 'The Fast Food People', who do some b2b with Bruce Mathieson's ALH Group, are poised to cull its under-performing assets. Both companies could not be reached, mind you, its still holidays for many, so fair cop. One corporation getting the evil eye from the financial sector is pub lessee National Leisure and Gaming. Its recently departed CEO Andrew Jolliffe confirmed that the banks were circling several big players, but maintained it would be difficult for the lenders to proceed with a mass clean-out. "There are simply not enough buyers," he said. There you go folks. Are you with the banks, the live music, the punters or the bands. Ok, we know your not with the banks, so who is your money on?

Online Casinos, Online Poker and Sports Betting...

Ok readers, we hear you... you also want to know some of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies) if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia (including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...

PartyCasino.com

Captain Cooks Casino

Betfair (sports betting only)

PKR.com (mainly poker and some casino and sports betting)

PartyPoker.com (online poker at one of the world's most respected poker rooms and gaming brands)

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Readers... er, punters, how did you like our report? How did you see in the new year? Tell us in the forum.

If you have a bet, please 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. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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