Friday, July 24, 2009

Internet Gambling Makes Push in Asia Pacific Region

The past month has seen a surge of both established and not so established Internet Gambling and other gaming companies make a push into the Asia Pacific region. Greg Tingle, Special Contributor to the Gambling911.com website and Australian correspondent, takes a look at the Internet gambling sector in that region. He also looks at the online poker component. Tingle is also the proprietor of Media Man out of Australia.

It appears apparent that some of the gaming entities have more than just a casual interest in Australia, judging by some of the game titles. Try "Goanna Gold", "Cool Bananas", "Kangaroo Zoo", and "Shaaark" on for size!

PartyGaming saw some of their PartyCasino.com titles enjoy a rise in popularity as Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible and Top Gun) fame, and his partner, Katie Holmes, have been spending time in Melbourne, using James Packer's Crown Towers as a base.

Aspinalls are making a push with their Aspinalls Online Casino and Aspinalls Online Poker. Aspinalls have quite a colourful history, with the late, great, John Aspinall said to have ties and friendships with Australia's Packer family. In recent years it has been reported that Australia's James Packer has done business deals with Damian Aspinall. No doubt Aspers would be most welcome to accommodate the needs of casino whales, in both an online and offline capacity. Aspinall Jr has been spotted out and about with Australia's Elle "The Body" MacPherson a number of times over the past year, so Aspers wins points for that alone.

Titan Casino and Titan Poker both Playtech powered casinos have also identified the Asia Pacific region as a go ahead region for growth. Titan have come up with some impressive and generous bonuses for signing up at their online casino brands.

JackpotCity and Lucky Nugget Online Casino, both part of the Belle Rock Entertainment family, rose to prominence in Australia last year with their promotion of blockbuster movie hits, Tomb Raider and Hitman. JackpotCity is powered by Microgaming, which incidentally is also the software that powers Australia's Captain Cooks Casino. Captain Cooks Casino is by all accounts a favorite with the Aussies, so it looks like a battle of sorts may be on the horizon for the patronage of players who prefer Microgaming.

Casino Club and Slots Club, both powered by Boss Media, proudly have "Kangaroo Zoo" in their casino game stable. In recent months they have added more games, revamped the websites, and enhanced multi currency options.

Euro Partners, the European gaming powerhouse is embarking on a campaign pushing forward their highly respect casino brands into the Asia Pacific. Sources advise to be watching out for Casino Tropez and Europa Casino, to name but a few.

Virgin Games maintains presence in Australia and their Transformers online slot game is impossible to miss, thanks to the blockbuster movie launch last month. Virgin looks to have taken a page out of the Marvel Entertainment book, pushing forward a traditional entertainment brand. Marvel Entertainment is working on a Thor movie, so one would expect the Thor slot game to enjoy some renewed popularity. Virgin Casino top brass has recently gone on record via the Virgin.com website portal about the ups and downs of the online casino and igaming industry. Virgin's Richard Branson has approximately 200 companies in a range of industry verticals, so Virgin are certainly spreading their risk. Virgin recently ceased their Pikum! brand, however they remain one of the world's strongest and most respected brands. Let us not forget that celebrated film producer and director, Steven Spielberg has made a financial killing in the gaming sector over the decades, however it's his movie making that most of the world knows him for.

PKR.com have ramped up their progressive games and online slot game offerings, so they can expect to see more casino fans flocking to their casino, better known for the 3D casino and online poker experience. PKR are looking to continue their red hot streak in media, building upon their recent promotions tied in with the World Series of Poker, and are said to be sponsoring a number of upcoming events including the Asian Poker Tour, which is enjoying strong presence in Macau and Philippines of late.

To help cope with the current interest from the world's igaming and gaming entities, Australia's Media Man Australia, the media and publicity company, has ramped up portal development operations and also plans to launch more website portals including more for the gaming sector. MMA's Casino News Media, Australian Casino News and Classic Slots Online have been reporting a rise in rankings in recent months, as they strive to achieve Hitwise Australia top ten status. Media Man director, Greg Tingle, reckons its online a matter of time before Australian gaming figures, John "Singo" Singleton and Gerry Harvey, make a major play into Australian online gaming space, most certainly in the horse racing sector. Pokies baron, Bruce Mathieson, continues to do very well out of his pub pokies deal with Woolworths and the like. Media Man Australia is preparing a pitch to put to their connections at TVS Channel 31 Community TV, and sees the igaming and gaming sector as a new source of revenue for the community media sector. The gaming sector is said to be a significant source of revenue to fund Media Man's philanthropic and community endeavours, so TVS would do well to consider their pitch. Australia's SBS are said to also be open to approaches on new revenue streams, and ABC online has increased their online gaming involvement, with an online "Grandstand's Ultimate Ashes" game available, adding to their "Good Game" offerings.

The Australian government would be watching the igaming developments unfold in the US and Europe, as the game of skill vs games of chance debate continues. Now many sports betting experts are arguing that sports betting is largely a game of skill, following recent court findings on poker. You can bet that the UFC is watching this space closely and a number of sports betting operations in the US are said to have broken records with UFC 100, including BetUS.com, with the Brock Lesnar fight being the prime money maker, both for betting and Pay-Per-View buy rates. One can bet that Sen Stephen Conroy's office would have now heard of the upcoming motion picture staring Kevin Spacey, 'Casino Jack'. Spacey plays lobbyist Jack Abramoff, known for his Indian casino connections and lobbying. His career sees him land him in jail. Expect to hear whispers about the movie by the Tabcorp and Crown Casino fraternity.

Australia has seen a number more incidents at bricks and mortar hotels, pubs and casinos, so having a bet on the pokies at an online casino may be even safer and more enjoyable that one might have first thought. As always, take note of the casino and brand names and reputation, and gamblers are advised to know their limits, meaning set a financial limit and stick to it. In addition, gamblers are advised to ensure their gambling stays enjoyable, and if it stops being fun, its most likely time to stop. As the old Aussie term goes, Bet with your head, not over it.

Our friends at Gambling911, CAP, GPWA and eGaming Review see the gaming and igaming industry as being one of the world's most recession resistant industries, but certainly not recession proof.

Certainly mainstream press in Australia is starting to cover the industry in more details, with regular coverage being offered to the likes of PartyGaming, Joe Hachem (PokerStars connection) and the World Series of Poker.

Whatever side of the gaming, igaming and gambling sector you look into, there's plenty of exciting developments, be it technology advancements, legal developments or just new games, as the industry does its best to be a good corporate citizen and do the right thing by authorities, gaming regulators and players.

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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Howard Stern Joins PPA

Press Release

21st July 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Former Senator Alfonse D'Amato, chairman of The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nationwide, today released the following statement commending radio host Howard Stern on joining the PPA.

"I can't think of a more fitting way to kick off National Poker Week than having my friend, Howard Stern, become a member of the PPA. I thank him for having me on his show this morning and for supporting the PPA's efforts to protect the freedom of American citizens to play the great game of poker at the time and place of their choosing - a freedom Congress voted to take away.

"National Poker Week is a way to shine the spotlight on this injustice and educate my former colleagues on why licensing and regulation of Internet poker is a much more effective - and revenue generating - alternative than an outright ban of this great American pastime.

"With Howard Stern as a member of the PPA, it shows Congress and the public that protecting Internet poker is about more than just poker - it's about protecting Internet freedom and personal responsibility."

Greg Tingle comment...

Howard Stern is quite the "Human Headline", just as Derryn Hinch is down under in Australia. Paris Hilton's name on the billboard these days can have the same effect, and PartyGaming recently tested the Hilton celebrity sells concept. It still works.

Stern reminds me a bit of New York's "Ugly George" (from BooB Tube fame). They may be crude at times, however they make some very good political and legal arguments, and of course freedom of speech and civil liberties are right up there).

It sound like Stern may be open to joining Australia's Sex Party (no joke). It's a political parties with some history attached to the Eros Association.

Stern has one again helped cement his place as "The King Of All Media" (sounds like a new poker brand and / or slot machine could be on the cards). I can see Stern's slot sitting side by side next to Sinatra at PartyCasino or Elvis with Virgin Casino. Stranger things have happened, and continue to. Arnie is the Governator and also has The Terminator online slot game at PartyCasino, and Sly Stallone with Rambo, and so it goes on. Fact is stranger than fiction.

Howard Stern, mate, you would love Bondi Beach in Sydney (and Star City and Crown Casinos) by the sound of it Ace.

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

PartyGaming, Aspinalls, Titan Casino, Titan Poker, JackpotCity, Casino Club, Slots Club, Belle Rock, Euro Partners and others target Asia Pacific

The past month has seen a surge of both established and not so established igaming and gaming companies make a push into the Asia Pacific region.

It appears apparent that some of the gaming entities have more than just a casual interest in Australia, judging by some of the game titles. Try "Goanna Gold", "Cool Bananas", "Kangaroo Zoo", and "Shaaark" on for size!

PartyGaming saw some of their PartyCasino.com titles enjoy a rise in popularity as Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible and Top Gun) fame, and his partner, Katie Holmes, have been spending time in Melbourne, using James Packer's Crown Towers as a base.

Aspinalls are making a push with their Aspinalls Online Casino and Aspinalls Online Poker. Aspinalls have quite a colorful history, with the late, great, John Aspinall said to have ties and friendships with Australia's Packer family. In recent years it has been reported that Australia's James Packer has done business deals with Damian Aspinall. No doubt Aspers would be most welcome to accommodate the needs of casino whales, in both an online and offline capacity. Aspinall Jr has been spotted out and about with Australia's Elle "The Body" MacPherson a number of times over the past year, so Aspers wins points for that alone.

Titan Casino and Titan Poker both Playtech powered casinos have also identified the Asia Pacific region as a go ahead region for growth. Titan have come up with some impressive and generous bonuses for signing up at their online casino brands.

JackpotCity and Lucky Nugget Online Casino, both part of the Belle Rock Entertainment family, rose to prominence in Australia last year with their promotion of blockbuster movie hits, Tomb Raider and Hitman. JackpotCity is powered by Microgaming, which incidentally is also the software that powers Australia's Captain Cooks Casino. Captain Cooks Casino is by all accounts a favorite with the Aussie's, so it looks like a battle of sorts may be on the horizon for the patronage of players who prefer Microgaming.

Casino Club and Slots Club, both powered by Boss Media, proudly have "Kangaroo Zoo" in their casino game stable. In recent months they have added more games, revamped the websites, and enhanced multi currency options.

Euro Partners, the European gaming powerhouse is embarking on a campaign pushing forward their highly respect casino brands into the Asia Pacific. Sources advise to be watching out for Casino Tropez and Europa Casino, to name but a few.

Virgin Games maintains presence in Australia and their Transformers online slot game is impossible to miss, thanks to the blockbuster movie launch last month. Virgin looks to have taken a page out of the Marvel Entertainment book, pushing forward a traditional entertainment brand. Marvel Entertainment is working on a Thor movie, so one would expect the Thor slot game to enjoy some renewed popularity. Virgin Casino top brass has recently gone on record via the Virgin.com website portal about the ups and downs of the online casino and igaming industry. Virgin's Richard Branson has approximately 200 companies in a range of industry verticals, so Virgin are certainly spreading their risk. Virgin recently ceased their Pikum! brand, however they remain one of the world's strongest and most respected brands. Let us not forget that celebrated film producer and director, Steven Spielberg has made a financial killing in the gaming sector over the decades, however it's his movie making that most of the world knows him for.

PKR.com have ramped up their progressive games and online slot game offerings, so they can expect to see more casino fans flocking to their casino, better known for the 3D casino and online poker experience. PKR are looking to continue their red hot streak in media, building upon their recent promotions tied in with the World Series of Poker, and are said to be sponsoring a number of upcoming events including the Asian Poker Tour, which is enjoying strong presence in Macau and Philippines of late.

To help cope with the current interest from the world's igaming and gaming entities, Australia's Media Man Australia, the media and publicity company, has ramped up portal development operations and also plans to launch more website portals including more for the gaming sector. MMA's Casino News Media, Australian Casino News and Classic Slots Online have been reporting a rise in rankings in recent months, as they strive to achieve Hitwise Australia top ten status. Media Man director, Greg Tingle, reckons its online a matter of time before Australian gaming figures, John "Singo" Singleton and Gerry Harvey, make a major play into Australian online gaming space, most certainly in the horse racing sector. Pokies baron, Bruce Mathieson, continues to do very well out of his pub pokies deal with Woolworths and the like. Bodog's Calvin Ayre is rumored to still being eyeing off Australia, and is making a splash on Facebook and Twitter. Media Man Australia is preparing a pitch to put to their connections at TVS Channel 31 Community TV, and sees the igaming and gaming sector as a new source of revenue for the community media sector. The gaming sector is said to be a significant source of revenue to fund Media Man's philanthropic and community endeavors, so TVS would do well to consider their pitch. Australia's SBS are said to also be open to approaches on new revenue streams, and ABC online has increased their online gaming involvement, with an online "Grandstand's Ultimate Ashes" game available, adding to their "Good Game" offerings.

The Australian government would be watching the igaming developments unfold in the US and Europe, as the game of skill vs games of chance debate continues. Now many sports betting experts are arguing that sports betting is largely a game of skill, following recent court findings on poker. You can bet that the UFC is watching this space closely and a number of sports betting operations in the US are said to have broken records with UFC 100, including BetUS.com, with the Brock Lesnar fight being the prime money maker, both for betting and Pay-Per-View buy rates. One can bet that Sen Stephen Conroy's office would have now heard of the upcoming motion picture staring Kevin Spacey, 'Casino Jack'. Spacey plays lobbyist Jack Abramoff, known for his Indian casino connections and lobbying. His career sees him land him in jail. Expect to hear whispers about the movie by the Tabcorp and Crown Casino fraternity.

Australia has seen a number more incidents at bricks and mortar hotels, pubs and casinos, so having a bet on the pokies at an online casino may be even safer and more enjoyable that one might have first thought. As always, take note of the casino and brand names and reputation, and gamblers are advised to know their limits, meaning set a financial limit and stick to it. In addition, gamblers are advised to ensure their gambling stays enjoyable, and if it stops being fun, its most likely time to stop. As the old Aussie term goes, Bet with your head, not over it.

Our friends at Gambling911, CAP, GPWA and eGaming Review see the gaming and igaming industry as being one of the world's most recession resistant industries, but certainly not recession proof.

Certainly mainstream press in Australia is starting to cover the industry in more details, with regular coverage being offered to the likes of PartyGaming, Joe Hachem (PokerStars connection) and the World Series of Poker.

Whatever side of the gaming, igaming and gambling sector you look into, there's plenty of exciting developments, be it technology advancements, legal developments or just new games, as the industry does its best to be a good corporate citizen and do the right thing by authorities, gaming regulators and players.

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Monday, July 20, 2009

PKR Poker and PKR Casino Gain Additional Exposure In Australia

PKR Poker and PKR Casino have gained some further exposure in the Asia Pacific region via both some more prominent exposure on the Media Man Australia and Casino News Media websites, in addition to their expansion of progressive games and slot games.

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The Asian Poker Tour Macau To Star As Backdrop For New Chinese Poker Film

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, July 19, 2009 - AsianLogic, owners of the Asian Poker Tour, are delighted to announce a historic first for poker in Asia. The hotly anticipated Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival, taking place 12-23 August 2009 at the Galaxy Starworld, will be featured in a ground-breaking Chinese language poker movie. Many believe the film will have a similar impact on poker in Asia as the 1998 Hollywood film Rounders did in the western world.

The movie is provisionally titled 'Poker King' and will be directed by famous Chinese language director Chan Hing-Kai and Janet Chun and, produced by Amy Chin and Chan Hing-Kai. It tells the story of two bitter poker rivals competing for world championship glory. The cast will be all-star, A list Chinese actors and pop stars with a cinema release across the region set for later this year. Actors with the coveted starring roles include Louis Koo, Sean Lau Ching -Wan, Stephy Tang, Cherrie In and Josie Ho.

There have been several famous gaming films in the region, most notably the 1989 Chinese language classic 'God of Gambler's' starring Chow-Yun-Fat which spawned dozens of spin-offs - but 'Poker King' is set to be the first release that focuses on poker.

Tom Hall, CEO of Asian Logic, owners of the Asian Poker Tour said: "This is a very exciting project and is sure to provoke even more excitement about The Asian Poker Macau Festival in August. Players across the region and throughout the world are encouraged to come to the Starworld and play at the Asian Poker Tour Macau - the movie crew will be needing lots of extras and even players to take on roles if they choose! Rounders, starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, is always highlighted as a key catalyst for the growth of poker in the western world. 'Poker King' has the promise to deliver this and potentially much more. Gross revenue from poker in Macau is estimated to have risen by 400% in 2008 alone and continues to rise and with this blockbuster movie the game could become even more popular in a land where baccarat is king. Think of how many people have seen Rounders and at least quadruple it and you can only speculate at the kind of impact 'Poker King' could have on the game. We're delighted to be involved."

Asian Poker Tour Macau is a hotbed for the world's top poker professionals and negotiations are ongoing about giving the Tour's sponsored ambassadors 'The Poker Pack' significant roles in the film. The Pack includes recent World Series of Poker bracelet winners JC Tran and Steve Sung, as well as Quinn Do, Nam Le, David 'Chino' Rheem and Kwang Soo Lee. Together, they are amongst the most feared players on the world circuit.

The Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will run from August 12-23, 2009 at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino in Macau. Last year, the event attracted some of the most famous names in the game. Poker legend Doyle Brunson was one of those that attended and said: "I thought Las Vegas was the gambling capital of the world but I was wrong, it feels like coming home." The Main Event was won by 20-year-old US hotshot Yevgeniy Timoshenko, who scooped US$500,000 after emerging triumphant from the star-studded field that featured players from over 40 countries. Timoshenko has gone on to become one of the hottest talents in the game after taking down the WPT Championship earlier this year.

This year's Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will be bigger and better with 12 days of non-stop poker action and fun. The buy-in is set at US$4,300 (US$4000+$300). Aside from the Main Event, the Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will feature the largest range of side events ever seen in Asia - guaranteed to make the poker fest even more exciting and appealing to players at all levels. Organizers and tournament director Matt Savage promise a lengthy and varied side event schedule that will appeal to all tastes, details of which will be confirmed in the near future. High-limit games and sit-n-go tables will run throughout the duration of the festival.

The last Asian Poker Tour event was held in the Philippines in January 2009 and was won by Manila rounder Neil Arce, who scooped US$185,000 for first prize after overcoming a field of 262 players from over 40 countries. The runner-up was the Republic of Korea's Steve Yea, who repeated his second place in the Asian Poker Tour Macau 2008.

Like 2008, online qualifiers are also expected to flock to the StarWorld as the Asian Poker Tour continues to gain support from leading online poker networks hosting satellites to the Main Event. The Asian Poker Tour is supported by the iPoker Network, Titan Poker, DafaPoker, PKR, PartyPoker, 32 Red Poker, Betfriends, Ongame Network, Red Kings, 888.com, and Bwin. Full details can be found at www.asianpt.com

World Series of Poker" and "WSOP" are registered trade marks of Harrah's License Company LLC. No license, affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement is claimed, or should be inferred from the use of these trademarks here. AsianLogic is not licensed by or otherwise affiliated with Harrah's License Company LLC or the World Series of Poker, in any way.

ABOUT ASIANLOGIC (ALOG) OWNERS OF THE ASIAN POKER TOUR
AsianLogic is a leading online and land-based gaming company focusing on the Asia-Pacific markets. AsianLogic owns and operates eight online casino brands and two online poker rooms as well as land-based sportsbook operations through its MegaSportsWorld brand. It is a specialist in Asia-specific games such as Mahjong, Cho-Da-Di, Do-Di-Zhu and 13 Card Poker. The Company owns and operates the Asian Poker Tour. The Company also maintains a corporate advisory team specialising in the gaming sector which is an active investor in gaming-related businesses as well as providing consultancy and analytical services. AsianLogic enjoys strong commercial relationships with leading gaming providers including Playtech, ID Games and LVS. Founded as ESL in 2002, AsianLogic employs over 300 employees, the majority of whom are based in the Philippines.

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