Gambling On Australia's Anti-Money Laundering Counter Terrorism Hit List, by Greg Tingle - 17th January 2011

G'day punters, journos, high rollers - casino whales, entertainment news junkies, politicians, insiders, outsiders, legal eagles... one and all. Today we cover the serious subject of money laundering and what's news on that front down under in Australia. Not to anyone's surprise gambling is one of the sub sectors on the radar of Australia's anti-money laundering watchdog, and its bigger than a bit of funny money being put down the slots of pub pokies to collect a "winners payout". We've also got gambling lifestyle news, a Crown Casino - Aussie Millions update and much more.. Media Man and Gambling911 play private detective down under with this special report...

The Australian government is getting more heat as it plans to levy banks and businesses that report suspicious financial transactions. Approximately 17,000 businesses registered with the Government's anti-money laundering regulator, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), will be charged an annual levy ranging from $240 to $1000 to register and file transaction reports from this coming July. They will also pay per-report fees based on reporting volumes and the value of the transactions reported. The new levy will give AUSTRAC extra funds to target serious and organised crime, revenue evasion and financial fraud and save the Federal Government roughly $90 million over 3 years.

Anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws introduced some 4 years back require banks, foreign exchange dealers, financial services firms and gambling companies...sometimes referred to as "reporting entities"...to submit yearly compliance reports to AUSTRAC.

Companies have been obliged to verify the identity of every customer before conducting business with them, and report anomalies in behaviour that may suggest involvement in money laundering or terrorism financing. Businesses have invested millions in training staff and adopting the "know your customer" rules. For example, they may want to verify address, date of birth, see current bank account documentation and more. They have also implemented systems for reporting "suspicious activity" and "designated services", such as opening an account, taking out a loan, overseas funds transfers over $10,000 and placing a wager or receiving winnings worth $10,000 or more. AUSTRAC has the authority to issue fines of up to $11 million on companies and up to $2.2 million on individuals for non-compliance. The regulator's latest annual report reveals it received an average of 82,900 reports each business day last financial year, up 9% on the previous year. In 2008-09 it took enforcement action against five separate businesses to secure their compliance with legislation designed to crack down on money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. These included a hotel group providing gambling services, businesses offering overseas money transfer services and a bank. Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said the proposed AUSTRAC Supervisory Levy would fund the financial intelligence unit's tracking of money flows from organised crime, drug importation, people smuggling and the black market weapons trade. "This intelligence has a broad public benefit, and is funded from our taxes," he said. "Law enforcement agencies use this intelligence to protect businesses and keep the public safe." Institute of Chartered Accountants executive general manager Lee White said members already incurred significant costs in supporting AUSTRAC's regulatory aims, and it was unreasonable to ask them to bear more. "Our members provide legitimate services to clients who overwhelmingly are law-abiding individuals and businesses. If these legitimate services are exploited by criminals, it is these wrong-doers who create the need for regulation and who should contribute to the costs through the confiscated proceeds of their crimes."

Crown Casino Assists Queensland Flood Clean Up With Aussie Millions Poker Tourney Assist...

Australia last week suffered the worst floods in 100 years, perhaps ever, and the clean up continues, with other states such as Victoria now also reporting flooding. Thus far approximately 20 people have been reported as dead, with many more injured. James Packer owned Crown Casino is doing their bit to chip in we are pleased to report. Collection tins for the appeal have been placed at dozens on sports at Crown. The funds raised via collection tins will be donated directly to the Queensland Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal fund via our friends at the Salvation Army. Whatever is collected from all the collection tins around the complex, Crown Casino will match dollar for dollar. Players and visitors, please give generously.

Aussie Millions: Martin Drewe Wins First Round...

The 2011 Aussie Millions got on the way with the $1,100 Opening Event to kick off Down Unders' biggest poker tourney series. 1,000 or so entries have equalled a 1 million dollar plus prize pool. After 3 openers, only 143 players made it into Day 2 with Martin Drewe, Jon Overbeek and Tolly Sakellariou leading the pack.

Crown Casino Continues To Get Great Entertainment Boost...

Fusion at Crown Casino, Melbourne gig guide
Filed under: Dance Party, Nightclubs, hip hop / rap music, pop music, contemporary music — site admin @ 2:54 pm
Event Name: SOUNDS OF FUSION

Don’t miss Phil Ross bringing an electric style and big house sounds to the dance floor. Whether its belting out fist pumping anthems to a massive crowd or bringing the house vibe to a room full of rockstars, you can count on him getting the job done.
Resident Acts: DJ’s Phil Ross, Dean T, DJ Atomik and Johnny M.
Genre: Room 1: Commercial House, Room 2: RnB
Date: Friday 20 January
Time: 9.30pm – 4am
Cost: $10 Guest List / $15 on the door
Venue: FUSION Level 3 | Crown
Tickets: Guest List: 9292 5750 or fusion@crownmelbourne.com.au

Event Name: REPLAY
Act: Jody McLeod
Effortlessly gliding between dirty underground cuts and commercially-friendly crowd-pleasers, it’s no surprise that Mcleod’s skills have made her a wanted woman. Head down to Fusion to hear her set that will be a club killing-triumph.
Resident Acts: DJ’s Tate Strauss, Dean T, Johnny M & DJ Nova.
Genre: Room 1: Commercial House, Room 2: RnB
Date: Saturday 21 January
Time: 9.30pm – 4am
Cost: $15 Guest List before 11pm
Venue: FUSION Level 3 | Crown
Tickets: Guest List: 9292 5750 or fusion@crownmelbourne.com.au

Marvel Slots Maintain Popularity With Australians; More Brands Get Marvel In Fight For Asia Pacific Domination...

Stan Lee's Marvel Comics - Entertainment branded slots have been a big hit since going live into a number of the world's online casinos over a year ago. PartyGaming's PartyCasino, a favorite with Aussies has hinted that Marvel slot games played a bit part of their success in Australia. Virgin got the slots, but Aussies can't play at Virgin. Perhaps smartly both PKR Casino and Winner Casino has picked up on this fact and is now offering the Marvel slot games to the Asia Pacific region, with Australia's adopting them like a duck to water.

A Media Man spokesperson said "Australians just love the Marvel Comics and Marvel Entertainment brands. You just have to look at the popularity of the Marvel blockbuster movies that hit the movie theatres a few times a year. When the Marvel games hit the internet we noticed a spike in numbers, and its been strong ever since. The Winner and PKR brands have smartly worked out that adding Marvel slots to their portfolio should be very good for business. The games can be played for free and played for money, a concept that Australians have found very appealing. As Stan Lee says, Excelsior!"

Melbourne, Victoria: Gambling Thought Required Says Counsellor...

A Ringwood gambling counsellor is encouraging the Victorian Government to "rethink" its anti-gambling advertising campaign. The call comes as new research by the Australian National University shows Maroondah’s problem gamblers lost an average of $2902 each last year. Gamblers Help Eastern manager Bernie Durkin said the Government’s “Think what you’re really gambling with” campaigns had initially increased public awareness about the dangers of gambling, but their effect had "worn off". Durkin said the initial campaign, in 2002, led to a 50% increase in people connecting to counselling services, but that had dropped to just 9% in recent years. "Between 10 and 20% of the population are directly impacted by their own or others’ gambling but only a fraction of this total seek assistance," Durkin. "We know that there are still a lot of people out there who need help." Government spokesman Michael Sinclair said the Government’s campaigns were spread across TV, print, radio and outdoor advertising as well as gaming venues, the Yellow Pages and in partnership with Radio Sport 927. State Opposition gaming spokesman Michael O’Brien accused the Government of slashing funding for anti-gambling advertising by 35%. O’Brien advised a Public Accounts and Estimates Committee report showed campaign spending fell from $4.75 million in 2005/06 to $3.09 million in 2006/07. But Sinclair said those figures were wrong and that spending on problem gambling awareness programs went from $3.1 million to $3.9 million over that period.

Cairns: Taipans Shoot Moneyball To Flood Relief Appeal; Centerbet Leads Action...

Shooters line up beyond the 3-point arc and hit a long-range shot, it gives their offence a massive lift. The Taipans VS Melbourne Tigers which took place at the convention centre raised considerable money for the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal. The Taipans’ corporate sponsors will donate a combined total of $1900 for every three-pointer the team makes against the Tigers. With the Taipans averaging between 6 and 7 long bombs a match, the club is hoping to raise in excess of $10,000 to help flood relief efforts throughout the state.

Real Life Underbelly In Sin City Sydney; Lingerie Babe Hides Overseas Following Shooting...

A well known lingerie babe has gone MIA, believed overseas, after claims her close relationship with Sam Ibrahim allegedly led to his attempted murder just last week.
The former bikie boss, shot once in each thigh, may have been attacked over fears he was getting too close to someone else's girlfriend. Ex girlfriend trouble has sparked many murders and attempted murders over the years, which goes well behind 'real life Underbelly'. The word is also out that those fears are unfounded, so readers and the public at large are making their own minds up. Senior police confirmed last night they were examining the possibility the woman's jealous boyfriend was behind the shooting outside the Ibrahim family home in Merrylands on Thursday. It is understood the man, who cannot be identified, had earlier become enraged because she was getting "too close" to another man associated with a bikie club. A source, who asked not to be named, said the bloke has been shot at last year in a way not unlike the Ibrahim hit. Elder brother to nightclub boss John Ibrahim broke his silence at Sydney's Westmead Hospital, saying rumours of a "bikie gang war" were simply untrue. "This is not club related, it has nothing to do with any other club - it's a personal matter," Sam said. "It starts and finishes with that." His lawyer Brett Galloway said Ibrahim, a life member of the Nomads who has "retired" from motorcycle gangs, wanted everyone to know "he has no problem with any other club, or anybody in them". "There's no war, there's no gang tension, it's a personal issue," Galloway said. The men's magazine lingerie babe - model is believed to have hoped on a plane out of the country. A police leak advised the personal nature of the attack was one of the strongest lines of inquiry being chased up on.

Hobart, Tasmania: Gambler David Walsh's Museum Of Old And New Art Gets Attention...

Next week MONA, the $80 million private museum of Hobart-born David Walsh, will open to the public, some two years late. Walsh is a millionaire, a professional gambler and entrepreneur. Walsh was happy to go on the record with a few candid quotes on his collection... "We don't know what 'good' is. We're never going to know what 'good' is because there is no such thing as 'good'. There's taste and there's style and there's charisma and pizzazz and charm and chutzpah. We've got a million words for describing the same thing and nobody really knows what it is." He welcomes feedback on the collection. "Let's bring the disputation and uncertainty back into the gallery. It's an un-museum, that's why it's underground, I guess." Walsh is lapping up the publicity, and its provided him with a more artistic outlet away from the gambling and business endeavors. We will be keeping an eye on this chap who commentators are just starting to call Tasmania's answer to Britain's Damian Aspinall (casino owner and zoo lifestyle lover - owner) who at one time was dating hot Aussie model Elle Macpherson. If you can get down to Tassie, do your best to check out the exhibit. You will be found to go animal. If you can't make it, maybe check out PartyGaming's 'Goanna Gold' and other nature themed slots, and also spare a thought for Captain Cooks Casino and other nature - gaming themed entities. Experts predict that the Walsh exhibit will bring in some solid dollars to Tasmania, with it understood to appeal to cashed up arty types.

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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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

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