Thursday, August 07, 2008

Wizard of Odds at Oz Gaming Expo - Media Release - 28th July 2008

World gaming guru and ‘Wizard of Odds’ Michael Shackleford, will address the Gaming Conference at the Australasian Gaming Expo on 24-26 August 2008, according to organisers of the event, the Australasian Gaming Machine Manufacturers Association (“AGMMA”).

Mr Shackleford will deliver a keynote presentation to the Gaming Conference on Sunday 24 August and will also speak on Tuesday 26 August.

“Michael Shackleford brings an international flavour to the Gaming Expo, and we are delighted that he is attending our event and will address our conference,” said AGMMA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ross Ferrar.

“It will be fascinating to hear what he has to say about gaming machine and table gaming odds, mathematically correct strategies, his perspective on our gaming industry here in Australia, as well as the overall global market.”

Based in Las Vegas, Mr. Shackleford is a professional actuary who has made a career of analysing casino games. He sometimes teaches the course in Casino Math at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Mr. Shackleford’s landmark research into the actual returns of slot machines on the Las Vegas strip garnered international attention in 2002, and he has appeared numerous times on US national television as a recognised expert on gambling strategy. His expertise also extends to inventing and marketing new casino games.

“I am looking forward to speaking at the AGE in August – the premier gaming event in Australia and one of the most popular in the region,” said Michael Shackleford, otherwise known as “The Wizard of Odds”.

“My gambling advice is a combination of themes that are true to all games, and advice specific to each game. I think of every game as a math problem, in most cases using computers to crunch the numbers together.”

“My presentations at the AGE will focus on both electronic and table games. Attention will be paid to the mathematical design of both single-line and multi-line slots. Many myths will be debunked in both games. The odds of live table games, such as Baccarat, Blackjack, Caribbean Stud Poker, Craps, Let it Ride, Pai Gow, Pai Gow Poker, Roulette, and Sic Bo will also be covered.

The Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE), now in its 19th year, is renowned as the region’s premier annual gaming occasion for the Hospitality Industry. Comprising a trade exhibition and the Gaming Conference, the event is held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. Entry to both the trade exhibition and the Gaming Conference is complimentary for representatives of Gaming Industry Organisations.

Further information about Mike Shackleford is available at www.wizardofodds.com

Further information about the Australasian Gaming Expo is available at www.austgamingexpo.com

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Tabcorp books a loss - The Sydney Morning Herald - 7th August 2008

Tabcorp Holdings, Australia's top gaming group, reported a net loss after tax of $164.6 million after taking a charge on Victorian gaming licences, the company said in a statement.

Tabcorp, which owns Sydney's Star City casino, TAB wagering and Keno games, took a $487.7 million charge reflecting the Victoria state government's view that Tabcorp was not entitled to a licence fee refund.

The company reported a normalised net profit after tax before items of $516.9 million for fiscal year ended June 30.

Tabcorp shares are down about 42% in 2008, nearly double the drop in the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index.

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Wednesday, August 06, 2008

CasinoAffiliatePrograms Kicks Off Voting for 2nd Annual CAP Awards - 5th August 2008

IRVINE, CA – August 5, 2008 – CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com (http://www.casinoaffiliateprograms.com, commonly referred to as “CAP”), a leading online marketing resource and community website for Internet casino affiliates, announced today the kickoff of the voting stage in its highly anticipated Second Annual CAP Awards.

Scheduled to take place in January 2009 during CAP Euro: London, the CAP Awards is a yearly event held by CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com in collaboration with its sister site, PokerAffiliatePrograms.com (http://www.pokeraffiliateprograms.com, “PAP”), to recognize and honor the most successful and innovative members of the worldwide Internet gaming affiliate marketing community.

The CAP Awards recognize superior achievement for Best Affiliate, Best Affiliate Program, and Best Affiliate Manager in the categories of Casino, Poker, Bingo, Sports Betting, Skill Gaming, and Lottery. There are also awards for Best iGaming Software in the categories of Casino, Poker, and Bingo. Rounding out the awards are Best Overall Affiliate, Best Overall Affiliate Manager, Best iGaming Affiliate Network, and Best Payment System.

Now entering its second year, the CAP Awards are already an important annual tradition for this industry. CAP has made it clear that this year’s ceremony will top last year’s, an extravagant black tie gala event that drew more than 500 guests from all corners of the gaming industry during CAP’s 2008 London conference.

“We were overwhelmed with positive responses to last year’s CAP Awards, which was our first ever,” commented Lou Fabiano, founder and president of CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com (CAP). “And this year, the ceremony will be even bigger and better. We want to encourage everybody in the CAP and PAP communities to visit www.capawards.com and start voting today.”

Representing the largest and longest-running community of its type, with the most popular and highly trafficked user forums in the industry, CAP and PAP are uniquely qualified to empower online gaming’s affiliates and affiliate managers with the decision of naming who has made the year’s greatest achievements among them — and therefore who deserves to take home a coveted CAPPY award.

“This ceremony is unique in that the nominations process is peer-led,” states the official CAP Awards website (http://www.capawards.com), which allows CAP and PAP members to nominate and vote in each category. Nominations submitted from members of the CAP and PAP communities via the site account for about 75 percent of the final result. Overseeing the process is an independent judiciary panel made up of ten respected operators, affiliates, and vendors. In addition to providing important industry insight and expertise, these individuals help ensure that the nominations are well-placed and the awards operate in a fair and non-biased manner.

The democratic nature of the process is designed to ensure that the awards represent a consensus of the online gaming affiliate community as a whole, and are not just the decision of the CAP administrators.

“We are delighted to win this award, especially since we know that this has come directly from the whole affiliate community at large,” stated Roger Raatgever, CEO for Microgaming, 2008’s winner for Best iGaming Software for Affiliates. “As one of the founders of this industry, we feel we have a responsibility to drive it forward, both in terms of games and technology development. To receive recognition for our work from the people that draw the players to the sites in the first place is personally very rewarding and we would like to thank all those that voted for us.”

“This award is a great achievement for us AND our affiliates as they were the people who saw the potential in our product and were instrumental in building us up to the company we are today,” added 2008’s winner for Best Poker Affiliate Program, Margaret Burke, Affiliate Manager for PKR.

“I am truly honored for this distinction ‘Best Casino Affiliate’,” commented Bryan Bailey, Owner and Founder of Casinomeister, 2008’s Best Casino Affiliate. “In the past, I have received awards from players, magazine editors, and industry folk, but to be awarded by my peers is a significant event for me. I am very appreciative for this.”

The voting stage runs through December, leading up to January’s CAP Awards ceremony. For more information please visit www.capawards.com or email news@casinoaffiliateprograms.com.

About The CAP Awards

The Cap Awards are brought to you by iGaming Business and CAP who also organize the leading iGaming affiliate event CAP Euro. The awards are voted for by affiliates and operators throughout the industry over a 6 month period and truly reflect the opinion of our industry which is exactly why they are so important.

About iGaming Business

iGaming Business is the number one trade publication for the online gambling industry. Its comprehensive editorial covers existing and emergent technologies, events and progressions in the iGaming industry. Read by more than 7,000 iGaming professionals, iGaming Business is the most widely read publication in the sector.

About CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com

CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com is the largest and longest-running online gaming affiliate resource, featuring an active community forum, chat rooms, affiliate marketing tools, industry news/articles, scam alerts and a rigorous and distinguished certification process for casino affiliate programs. CAP Certified Partners are held in the highest regard and expected to protect the integrity of their affiliates and the industry as a whole.

About PokerAffiliatePrograms.com

The world's largest poker affiliate community and resource website, PokerAffiliatePrograms.com was established to provide webmasters interested in promoting online poker a place to research, discuss, and gain insight into the business. The company's mission is to provide the best community forum of its kind online, as well as a list of quality affiliate programs and a comprehensive collection of articles, resources, tips, and program alerts to help assist affiliate marketing webmasters.

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Media Man Australia - Virgin Games - Going Places

Virgin Games will be exhibiting at CAP Euro Barcelona and the A4U Expo London, and roaming the alleys of EIG Barcelona again this year.

CAP Euro Barcelona 08 is an exciting, interactive four day event taking place on September 25th – 28th and is free of charge for all affiliates. Set in Europe's most cosmopolitan city, our Catalan host guarantees all the sun, sangria, and cultured refinery you could wish for. More details...

EIG Barcelona 08 will take place between the 23rd and 25th September (just before CAP Euro Barcelona), and is adding this year an Affiliate Zone to its world-renowned conference and exhibition experience.

Now established as the premier global i-gaming networking and learning experience, EIG already draws in over 1300 senior-level gambling executives from around the world. More details...

The A4U Expo London 2008 will take place on the 14th and 15th of October at the London Excel conference center, and will feature speakers from across the globe, over 1000 international delegates, and interactive Q&A sessions and panels. More details...

Do not hesitate to contact us if you want to set up a meeting at one of these events. Alternatively, you can walk up to our stand once there; we'll welcome you with a smile and a freebie! (Credit: Virgin Games)

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Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Club PKR Members To Cash In Every Month - 4th August 2008

Coming hot on the heels of the launch of its ground-breaking loyalty programme and customer magazine, there's more good news for PKR players as the next-gen poker room announced the start of monthly reload bonuses.

Available to all Club PKR members, the reload bonuses will be available at the start of each month to help set players up for the coming month's poker.

Each Club PKR level will have its own monthly offer, and players will notified directly by email.

The move represents just the latest in a long line of benefits offered to players as part of the Club PKR loyalty programme that include regular freerolls, money added tournaments, prize draws and more. Full information is available at www.pkr.com/club-pkr.

Player feedback to the launch of Club PKR has been overwhelmingly positive, with members expressing delight at the large range of benefits on offer - even to those who have only reached the bottom rung of the loyalty ladder.

The 'Always Up, Never Down' feature has drawn widespread praise.

Card Room Manager Neil Wright said, 'Our community is a very important part of the overall PKR experience. We are always looking for ways to repay our players' loyalty and this bonus ensures that all player benefits at PKR are unrivalled elsewhere.'

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Casinos Of The Month: Virgin Casino and PKR Casino
APT Confirm Macau For Next Leg

The Asian Poker Tour have announced that the next leg of the tour will be held in Macau between 26th August to 31st August.

The CEO of Asian Logic Mr Chris Parker confirmed the Macau dates and also announced that the guaranteed prizepool will be a fantastic $1.5 million US. In addition the winner is guaranteed $500k for what promises to be a sensational next leg of the tour.

Macau is a former Portuguese colony which has flourished since becoming a gambling haven. It has followed the Las Vegas blueprint for success and now features many of the top Vegas Hotel Brands such as Venetian and Wynn.

There are dedicated poker rooms at some of the hotels and the gaming explosion within this gambling mecca has seen turnover and revenue surge past even that of Las Vegas.

Monday, August 04, 2008

Stars Turn Out For One To one PKR Charity Tournament - 14th July 2008

Poker-playing celebrities such as Jamie Oliver, Dexter Fletcher and Teddy Sheringham joined forces with some of the UK’s top poker pros, including WSOPE runner-up John Tabatabai, to raise over £200,000 for the One to One Children’s Fund, which helps children in the UK, Middle East, Africa, Kosovo, India and Indonesia.

Returning once again to London’s glamorous Sketch restaurant for a night of poker and backgammon, the annual event raised over £200,000 for children in need. The £365 entry fee (which represents the cost of sponsoring one child for a year at £1 per day) included a champagne reception plus the buy-in to either the PKR.com-sponsored poker tournament or the Omar Sharif Backgammon Tournament. After hours of solid play, the tournament was won by Leticia White, daughter of another famous chef - Marco Pierre White.

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Saturday, August 02, 2008

Online Casino Co-Sponsors Poker In the Park - 1st August 2008

If you're a poker player, enthusiast or fan, you'll want to check out the Poker in the Park event taking place in the heart of London on August 15-16.

The two-day event will start on Friday at 4pm till 9pm. Saturday's events will take place from 10am-6pm in Leicester Square Park. The event will draw over 25,000 players and will include free roll tournaments, professional player, lectures and book and merchandise sales.

PKR, one of the worlds leading online poker sites is co-sponsoring and co-hosting hourly tournaments in the Poker Dome. Managing Director Simon Prodger said of the event, 'This year's Poker in the Park is going to be even bigger and better than last year's and, because it's free to participate, it creates an interesting experience for all kinds of people passing through the heart of the city.'

PKR is an incredible poker site with state of the art, video game-like game play. Recently ranked number 1 in the UK for online poker in a recent poll by Hitwise, PKR has fantastic 3-d gameplay, unique Emote Control System, fully rendered 3D environments, realistic settings, character development and customization, player to player interaction, different camera and view modes and of course, a great range of games and tournaments!

To find out more about the festivals and view the list of lecturers and companies participating go to www.bluffeurope.com/pokerinthepark

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What can Celebrity Endorsement Do for Your Brand?

Using celebrities to endorse and add credibility to gaming brands is becoming increasingly popular among major operators. Sportsbook.com has Brooke Burke, Paradise Poker has Caprice, 32 Red has Patsy Kensit and the list goes on. Tagging a credible and recognised personality to a gaming site instantly creates an image of “bigness” and allows users to create lifestyle, personal and aspiration associations with the celebrity used. This not only increases a person’s likeliness to join the gaming site, but can also increase the lifetime of the customer.

Increasing customer lifetime by using a celebrity requires a managed roll-out of new uses for your celebrity personality. Occasional emails from the personality, visits by the personality to the chat room or tables, and the incorporation of the celebrity image into different locations on the site, should produce the desired results if you have chosen the right representative for your site.

Brian Balsbaugh, owner of poker talent agency Poker Royalty explains. “Many poker sites have been successful using top professionals by having them provide content for the site. This gives customers a reason to revisit the site to get updates and instructional information from the top names in poker. That’s done through trip reports and ‘Hand of the Week’ kind of articles, as well as offering the ability to interact with the players themselves.”

According to Balsbaugh, “The message that a site is sending about its services and product in general is important. Coming up with players that fit the identity of that message is imperative.”

For example, if you want people to perceive your brand as reliable then someone like Michael Jordan may provide the right endorsement; if you want to have people to believe you have the most fun and exciting brand on the net, a celebrity like Dennis Rodman may be a better fit.

Poker rooms commonly use celebrity poker players to get their brand association broadcast on the television, but the sponsorship of a poker pro does more than provide the brand with a personality.

“Another aspect is exposure. Celebrities can bring in new players to the site. Like many of the dotcoms of the late nineties, they’re driven by the need for brand awareness and brand exposure. They need to come up with as many creative ways as possible to make sure that their potential customer base is aware of their products and services, and the one way they can do that is to align themselves with a professional player or celebrity who will wear their logo on televised tournaments to get them exposure on TV, making their logo visible to the mass market,” says Balsbaugh.

Beyond the promotion and credibility brought on by celebrity endorsement, online gaming sites can leverage celebrities to provide testimony to the quality of the product.

“Take a broad view and look at why companies use celebrity endorsements. You can look at golf, basketball, football, other sports and entertainment properties. Let’s take basketball and tennis shoes as an example. Firstly, it provides credibility from a performance and quality perspective: ‘If that pair of Basketball shoes is good enough for Michael Jordan, it’s good enough for me.’ By the same token, I believe that translates into the online gaming world so that, when you’re spending your money through a Neteller account with an overseas country, you want to believe that that company is credible and that your money is not just going to evaporate. So what the companies are doing is having a face associated with the brand – if Howard Lederer or Phil Hellmuth are associated, and they’re quality people, it must be a quality product. So credibility is an important aspect.”

Celebrity endorsement does not guarantee success. Porn starlet Jenna Jameson had her own-branded casino, and it barely got off the ground. Rodney Dangerfield, Dennis Rodman and Kenny Rogers had theirs too, and each met a similar fate. The important thing to remember is that a celebrity spokesperson is part of the marketing mix, not the lynchpin.

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Poker and Casino News Media Update, by Greg Tingle

Australian Gaming mogul, James Packer, became a new father today with the birth of his daughter, Indigo. Packer's ex, Jodhi Meares, has found Scientology at the same time, following her woes with Foxtel and 'Top Model'.

Media Man Australia is seeing continued growth in the online casino business (as opposed to the bricks and mortar) casino business. Virgin Casino and PKR Casino continue to impress.

Packer ops out of a second casino deal, this time in the Philippines, following his exit of Macau. Lawrence Ho saw challenges early in the peace, and now Ho's got family challenges as an ongoing distraction to the running of his gaming empire. You can bet Packer's looking for his Aussie Millions of Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, to turn a dollar. Speaking of Millions, Australian media and advertising tycoon, John Singleton, is travelling along nicely with his Magic Millions (horse racing).

Online gaming mainstays, Lasseters, Bwin, 888.com and GoldenPalace stay in the race, however many media analysts and gaming insiders are of the opinion that PKR.com and Virgin Games have more credibility and usability, and in short are more trusted and reliable than many in the gaming and online casino business.

Gaming convention, Australasian Gaming Expo, a 3-day affair, kicks off Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia on the 24th August.

Donald Trump, property developer kingpin, is looking to offload some of his hotel and casino interests abroad, and is locked in to speak in Australia at the first time in Australia this November with his Think Like A Billionaire Seminars to be held in Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast. Not Perth however, which has more millionaires and billionaires per capita than anywhere else in Australia and by the way, James Packer just happens to have Burswood Casino running at a profit in the wild west. If only he can achieve this offshore, unless he's tossed that aside, with his new found status are Australia's 3rd richest individual (down one place from a few months back).

Media Man Australia recently attended the Climate Change Summit and was inspired to get up a green eco friendly casino... hang on a moment, Media Man Australia is already green, having sold the V8 and with pro active assistance to the likes of Universal Peace Centre Retreat, Greenfest and Virgin Unite. Media Man is in the final stages of establishing casino tour packages with Travel Tourism Media
( www.traveltourismmedia.com ), and is still taking business proposals from potential partners for the project. A birdie told us they were checking out the World Poker Tour as a potential partner, but their status is not right for the Australian market. In anticipation of the formal launch, Media Man Australia has established Casino News Media
( www.casinonewsmedia.com ) to oversee the growth of the business.

Richard Branson, Virgin King, has done well to stay out of the traditional casino business, however a number of casinos are going very cheap at the moment. Branson might do well to pick up a couple and add to one of his latest ventures, Virgin Hotel, which will complement his Virgin Vacations business beautifully. His Virgin Games remains impressive, and offshoot, Challenge Jackpot, recently hit the screens in Europe to rave reviews. Pikum!, who he also lent his name (and money via Virgin Mobile) to is also on a wave of momentum.

Down under in Australia there's whispers of TAB teaming up with another gaming operator, and this likely has something to do with attempting to adept to the ever changing market, as more punters continue to hit the internet to try their luck.

We recently stumbled upon a board game (on the web) entitled Media Mogul, and we help to soon review it, as it features Murdoch, Branson and Simon.

Thank you to the folks are iGaming Business and CAP Magazine, we enjoyed the read and did find strong relevance to the online gaming sector

Media Man Australia casinos of the month... you guessed it, Virgin Casino and PKR Casino.

Media Man Australia Profiles

Virgin Casino

Virgin Games

PKR Casino

PKR

James Packer

Richard Branson

Donald Trump

John Singleton

Travel Tourism Media

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Casino News

Websites

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NZ Gaming Expo moves to Christchurch for 2009

MEDIA RELEASE

29 July 2008: for immediate release

The New Zealand Gaming Expo will be held at the Christchurch Convention Centre in 2009 according to the Australasian Gaming Machine Manufacturers Association (“AGMMA”).

“After 3 successful annual events in Auckland, our Board felt that the time is now right to shift the focus for this national Expo to another major centre in New Zealand” said AGMMA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ross Ferrar. “The Christchurch Convention Centre is a superb facility for this type of event and is supplemented by great accommodation and hospitality facilities nearby.

“The last few Gaming Expos have showcased the best available equipment at top-drawer trade exhibitions, along with Gaming Conferences addressed by memorable presenters who really left their mark on the audience.

“And as a special bonus for New Zealand’s gaming executives, entry to the conference as well as the exhibition will be complimentary for bona fide representatives of Gaming Industry Organisations.

“Planning is already well under way and we’re pleased to announce that long-time rugby rivals – Eric Rush and Peter FitzSimons – have accepted our invitation to speak at the Conference.

Eric Rush, former All-Black, current Rugby Sevens captain, barrister and businessman is also a very entertaining and motivational speaker in his own right. He talks about the parallels of coaching for excellence, in business and sport.

Peter FitzSimons played 7 Tests for the Wallabies. He is a well respected newspaper columnist, television presenter on Fox Sports, speaks four languages, has co-hosted several radio shows, interviewed famous people around the globe from George Bush to Diego Maradona and written eighteen best-selling books.

The Gaming Conference will operate from 9am on Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd April; and the trade exhibition will be open from 12 noon until 5 pm on both days.

Further information about Christchurch Convention Centre is available at www.vbase.co.nz.

Further information about the New Zealand Gaming Expo is available at www.nzgamingexpo.com.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact

Ross Ferrar on +61 2 9960 0125 or +61 418 686 075

Australasian Gaming Machine Manufacturers Association (AGMMA)

PO Box 420, Spit Junction NSW 2088 Australia

Tel: +61 2 9960 0125 Fax: +61 2 9960 0124 Web: www.agmma.com

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Monday, July 28, 2008

Poker and Casino News Media Update, by Greg Tingle

Australian Gaming mogul, James Packer, became a new father today with the birth of his daughter, Indigo. Packer's ex, Jodhi Meares, has found Scientology at the same time, following her woes with Foxtel and 'Top Model'.

Media Man Australia is seeing continued growth in the online casino business (as opposed to the bricks and mortar) casino business. Virgin Casino and PKR Casino continue to impress.

Packer ops out of a second casino deal, this time in the Philippines, following his exit of Macau. Lawrence Ho saw challenges early in the peace, and now Ho's got family challenges as an ongoing distraction to the running of his gaming empire. You can bet Packer's looking for his Aussie Millions of Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, to turn a dollar. Speaking of Millions, Australian media and advertising tycoon, John Singleton, is travelling along nicely with his Magic Millions (horse racing).

Online gaming mainstays, Lasseters, Bwin, 888.com and GoldenPalace stay in the race, however many media analysts and gaming insiders are of the opinion that PKR.com and Virgin Games have more credibility and usability, and in short are more trusted and reliable than many in the gaming and online casino business.

Gaming convention, Australasian Gaming Expo, a 3-day affair, kicks off Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia on the 24th August.

Donald Trump, property developer kingpin, is looking to offload some of his hotel and casino interests abroad, and is locked in to speak in Australia at the first time in Australia this November with his Think Like A Billionaire Seminars to be held in Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast. Not Perth however, which has more millionaires and billionaires per capita than anywhere else in Australia and by the way, James Packer just happens to have Burswood Casino running at a profit in the wild west. If only he can achieve this offshore, unless he's tossed that aside, with his new found status are Australia's 3rd richest individual (down one place from a few months back).

Media Man Australia recently attended the Climate Change Summit and was inspired to get up a green eco friendly casino... hang on a moment, Media Man Australia is already green, having sold the V8 and with pro active assistance to the likes of Universal Peace Centre Retreat, Greenfest and Virgin Unite. Media Man is in the final stages of establishing casino tour packages with Travel Tourism Media
( www.traveltourismmedia.com ), and is still taking business proposals from potential partners for the project. A birdie told us they were checking out the World Poker Tour as a potential partner, but their status is not right for the Australian market. In anticipation of the formal launch, Media Man Australia has established Casino News Media
( www.casinonewsmedia.com ) to oversee the growth of the business.

Richard Branson, Virgin King, has done well to stay out of the traditional casino business, however a number of casinos are going very cheap at the moment. Branson might do well to pick up a couple and add to one of his latest ventures, Virgin Hotel, which will complement his Virgin Vacations business beautifully. His Virgin Games remains impressive, and offshoot, Challenge Jackpot, recently hit the screens in Europe to rave reviews. Pikum!, who he also lent his name (and money via Virgin Mobile) to is also on a wave of momentum.

Down under in Australia there's whispers of TAB teaming up with another gaming operator, and this likely has something to do with attempting to adept to the ever changing market, as more punters continue to hit the internet to try their luck.

We recently stumbled upon a board game (on the web) entitled Media Mogul, and we help to soon review it, as it features Murdoch, Branson and Simon.

Thank you to the folks are iGaming Business and CAP Magazine, we enjoyed the read and did find strong relevance to the online gaming sector

Media Man Australia casinos of the month... you guessed it, Virgin Casino and PKR Casino.

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Players Can Win a Trip to France with Lasseters Sportsbook - Press Release - 20th July 2008

Lasseters is offering a trip for 2 to France from anywhere in the world as well as a $500 cash bonus for the affiliate who refers the winning player.

Montreal, QC (PRWEB) July 20, 2008 -- Lasseters Casino and Sportsbook, an Income Access partner, is offering players an exciting promotion for the Tour de France, a trip for 2 to France for seven days. The prize is valued at $10,000 AUD. Also, if the winner of the drawing is referred to Lasseters by an affiliate, that affiliate will receive a $500 bonus.

"We're very excited about offering this promotion to Lasseters' players," says Andrew Housego, Senior Advertising Executive at Lasseters. "Plus, this is a promotion that affiliates can really take advantage of to refer traffic to Lasseters".

Sportsbook players will be entered once into the drawing for the trip once they deposit at least €20 / £20 / $20 on one leg of the race, which has 21 legs. If a player deposits €20 / £20 / $20 on each leg of the race, the player will be entered into the drawing 21 times.

Casino players will be entered into the drawing by placing a bet of $ £ € 20 for each day of the promotion, which will be for a total of 14 days.

Affiliates can promote the trip by using new targeted banners in their affiliate Banner Manager in their Income Access account. New creative is available for both casino and sportsbook affiliates featuring Le Paris or Tour de France.

Lasseters Sportsbook was launched in the spring of 2007 as part of the Lasseters Corporation, which has been an online gaming operator since 1998. The Sportsbook offers promotions for players and affiliates alike that allow both to take advantage of major sporting and entertainment events like Euro 2008 and the Miss Universe pageant.

Lasseters was the first bricks and mortar casino in Australia to offer cash gaming on the Internet in a fully regulated environment. Lasseters Casino offers traditional table games, poker and a variety of slot machines.

Lasseters offers affiliates a hybrid commission of a tiered 15%-25% rev share and $25 CPA (for players who generate at least $100 net revenue in the first month) as well as updated creative to reflect the player promotions or a targeted sport or event. Lasseters Casino affiliates earn up to 30% rev share.

About Lasseters Online
Lasseters Online is regulated and licensed by the Northern Territory Government of Australia. Lasseters is committed to giving players a safe, entertaining, and competitive gaming environment as well as a variety of promotions and cash offers and a strong customer support base.

About Income Access
A leading provider of affiliate marketing solutions for the online gaming space, Income Access works with some of the most respected names in the industry. With an emphasis on developing proactive relationships, they've amassed a network of over 17,000 affiliates and established partnerships with over 60 operators. Providing merchants and affiliates the tools they need to succeed in online gaming, Income Access works with a variety of Sportsbooks, Casino, Poker, Bingo, Mobile, and Softgames partners.

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Punters shop for best Geelong price, by Michael Manley - Herald Sun - 28th July 2008

AS EXPECTED after its brave win against Hawthorn, Geelong has tightened from its already short quote to win the 2008 flag.

TAB Sportsbet has the Cats in from $1.70 to $1.60, while Sportingbet Australia has Geelong at $1.50.

Eskander Betstar will have Geelong at the best odds of $1.65.

TAB Sportsbet's Gary Davies said if Geelong was ever vulnerable, it was on Friday night when it went into the match without four key players and then lost Paul Chapman before halftime.

Lasseters Sports' Gerard Daffy said betting on the premiership had become a two-team race.

"It may well be a one-team race, but after the weekend it's certainly down to two," Daffy said.

He has Sydney, St Kilda and Collingwood at $21 for the flag.

Hawthorn is at $5 and the Western Bulldogs are out to $8.

"This time last year the Dogs fell off their perch and history may be about to repeat itself," Daffy said.

Two punters moved on the Cats for the flag before they played Hawthorn.

A Sportingbet Australia punter put $30,000 on Geelong at $1.70 and Darwin Sportsbet's "Cat Man" had $50,000 on the Geelong flag and Gary Ablett Brownlow double at $3.75.

Punters had a Grand Final-like betting spree on the Geelong-Hawthorn clash. Davies said TAB Sportsbet had a record hold of more than $400,000 on head-to-head betting on the game.

Sportingbet Australia's Stephen Fletcher said the betting on the game rivalled grand finals, with more than $500,000 bet, while Betfair's Hugh Taggart said it had a season-high $450,000 bet on the game.

Punters once again outsmarted themselves after Matthew Pavlich was a late withdrawal yesterday.

Flemington Sportsbet's Norm Short said Port Adelaide firmed from $1.61 into $1.38 and Fremantle drifted from $2.50 to $3.

He said history was repeating itself.

"This has happened several times this season when a big-name player has been a late withdrawal. Punters latch on to the team they are playing against, but as it turns out they rarely win. It tends to muck up the other side's pre-game plans," Short said.

There were some big winners. Darwin Sportsbet's "Cat Man" put $50,000 on Geelong at $1.42, while a Sportingbet Australia punter put $40,000 on the Cats at $1.40.

The luckiest punter was the Darwin Sportsbet client who put $60,000 on North Melbourne at $1.92 at -27 1/2 points - the Roos won by 28 - while a TAB Sportsbet punter had $40,000 on Adelaide at $3.25.

A Sportingbet Australia punter put $30,000 on Port Adelaide at $1.62.

Last year's Brownlow medallist, Jimmy Bartel, continues to firm. He was $81 after Round 13 with TAB Sportsbet but is now into $7.

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Sask. First Nations to manage casinos for Taiwan aboriginals, by Jason Warick - Canada.com - 25th July 2008

Deal to land group $600 million annually for a quarter century

SASKATOON - Saskatchewan's First Nations hit the jackpot during a recent trade trip to Taiwan, inking a casino deal expected to earn them up to $600 million a year for 25 years.

The Saskatoon StarPhoenix has learned officials with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to manage one, and likely two casinos for the Thao Tribe, a Taiwanese aboriginal group. The arrangement was finalized during a recent trade mission by Saskatchewan First Nations officials that included major deals for Taiwanese companies to invest in northeast Saskatchewan's oilsands.

Taiwan's new president is receptive to casinos on the island, said Saskatoon First Nations consultant Ken Thomas, who has been to Taiwan several times over the past 15 years and brokered the casino deal.

A Las Vegas consortium is already signed on to run one major casino on Taiwan's Penghu Island, Thomas said.

The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority has signed the memorandum to operate one, with two more likely at Kinmen Island and Sun Moon Lake for 25 years, he said. Annual revenue for each casino is estimated at $1 billion, he said. As the operator, SIGA's cut would be up to 30 per cent, for a potential total of $600 million.

"This is a global industry," Thomas said Thursday afternoon. "This is expertise SIGA already possesses. We have all the trainers."

SIGA operates five casinos in Saskatchewan, with a sixth in Swift Current, Sask., set to open later this year. Thomas was a negotiator for the original deal with the provincial government, which created SIGA in 1996.

The Taiwan casinos would dwarf any of those in this province.

Many of SIGA's current staff have the skills to help run these Taiwanese operations, and they may be asked to take senior positions there, he said.

Taiwan currently has no casinos, and mainland China allows them only in Macau, a special administrative district on the South China Sea. Macau's casinos are extremely profitable, but are largely controlled by Vegas interests, Thomas said. That's one reason the Thao Tribe wants SIGA to run their casinos, Thomas said.

"They're scared of the Vegas guys. They'd take over."

Thao officials are waiting for approval of their casino-permit applications.

The one at Kinmen Island could begin construction within a matter of months, but the Sun Moon Lake casino may take longer, Thomas said.

Thomas said more details should be available in October after SIGA officials return from another trip to Taiwan.

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Gaming Conference features Communication and Sport

Media Release

28 July 2008: for immediate release

The Australasian Gaming Expo Conference sessions on 24 August 2008 will feature communication and sport, according to the Australasian Gaming Machine Manufacturers Association (“AGMMA”).

“Our focus for the first day of the 3-day conference is firstly, how people communicate and secondly, a look at how two true sporting legends feel about life and business” said AGMMA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ross Ferrar.

Allan & Barbara Pease are Australia’s most successful publishing team and they specialise in communications topics including ‘Body Language’ series and ‘How to be a People Magnet’. Their inspirational products boost personal and organisational growth around the globe – and this inspiration will be brought to the Gaming Conference audience in Allan’s rousing presentation.

Local marketing specialist Peter Capp will also look at communication, with a local neighbourhood focus. Peter specialises in connecting with your local market, which is particularly important in these tough economic times.

Sporting legends Mark Taylor AO and Sir Richard Hadlee will look at ‘Playing the Game’.

The influential international cricket bible Wisden saluted Mark Taylor on his retirement as ‘the greatest modern day captain’. Sir Richard Hadlee was one of the greatest all rounders in the history of cricket, as he captured 431 test wickets & scored over 3000 test runs.

Their last Test cricket match together was in 1990 – a match won by New Zealand. Taylor lbw to Hadlee for 5 runs was the result and there’s no doubt that old rivalries will be rekindled during this one-on-one showdown, to be hosted by ‘Tan José’ of Thank God You’re Here fame – so anything could happen!

The Australasian Gaming Expo, now in its 19th year, is renowned as the region’s premier annual gaming occasion for the Hospitality Industry. Comprising a trade exhibition and the Gaming Conference, the event is held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. Entry to both the trade exhibition and the Gaming Conference is complimentary for representatives of Gaming Industry Organisations.

Further information about the Australasian Gaming Expo is available at www.austgamingexpo.com

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact

Ross Ferrar on (02) 9960 0125 or 0418 686 075

Australasian Gaming Machine Manufacturers Association (AGMMA)

PO Box 420, Spit Junction NSW 2088 Australia

Tel: 02 9960 0125 Fax: 02 9960 0124 Web: www.agmma.com

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Drop-off in gambling at Packer's casino a chip off the new block, by Vanda Carson - 28th July 2008

James Packer's Crown Ltd has been hit by a fall in the amount of cash gambled at its flagship Macau casino in the past two months, according to the company that provides its VIP gamblers.

A-Max Holdings, a Hong Kong-based "junket consolidator" responsible for introducing to Crown Macau more than three-quarters of its gambling turnover, told investors that the value of gambling-chip turnover was down an average of 10%.

At its results briefing A-Max chief executive Ted Chan said the key measure of casino profitability, referred to in the industry as rolling chip turnover, was down to $HK36 billion ($A4.8 billion) a month from an average of $HK40 billion. The turnover figure was 27% below analysts' expectations of up to $HK49 billion a month.

A-Max is a key partner of Crown's joint venture in Macau called Melco Crown Entertainment because it brings together several agents who entice big-spending, mostly Chinese VIP customers to Crown Macau and finances their gambling.

In the three months to the end of March, these VIPs turned over chips worth $HK151 billion at Crown Macau or an average of $HK50 billion a month.

Crown will report its figures to the end of June next month. Last week Citi slashed its target price for Melco Crown and its two major shareholders, Crown and Melco.

A-Max usually turns over chips worth $HK40 billion but said in June this had slipped to $HK36 billion and in July it had continued to be below average.

Its business is based on being a middleman that brings customers to casinos, then lends them money to gamble and helps casinos collect their debts.

"We experienced some drop in terms of rolling volume and also visitation in June," Mr Chan said. "We also witnessed this change in July as well."

Credit Suisse had predicted A-Max would generate on average $US6.3 billion rolling chip turnover a month in 2008.

Mr Chan blamed the fall on "lower volume" gamblers and said A-Max had tried to make up by targeting middle and high-volume players to spend more.

He said he believed the problem had been nipped in the bud because in the past 10 days turnover had improved.

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Da Vinci Diamonds® now at Virgin Casino - June 2008

Mine for riches with the launch of Da Vinci Diamonds® on Virgin Casino

London, 25 June 2008 – Virgin Casino (www.virgincasino.com) today announced the introduction of Da Vinci Diamonds® to its site – an exotic 5 reel, 20-payline slot game, offering opulent cash prizes of up to £125,000 with a 100-credit maximum bet. Da Vinci Diamonds invites players to explore the wonders of The Renaissance as they play the Tumbling Reels™, feature, enabling them to win over and over again on a single play. With a re-triggering ‘Free Spins Bonus’, where players can win up to 300 free spins, Da Vinci Diamonds offers players the chance to enjoy the wealth and splendour of a Medici.

By triggering the ‘Free Spins Bonus’, players receive six free spins and all 20 lines are active. Free Spins can be re-triggered over and over again, giving players up to a maximum 300 free spins in a single go!

The reels are richer in the ‘Free Spins Bonus’ too and there are more ways to win. In addition to paying on lines, several of the symbols also pay as scatter pays. For these scatter pay symbols, players only need to get three or more of the same symbol anywhere on the reels to win.

To win the £125,000 top prize, simply match up five ‘Da Vinci Diamonds’ symbols on any played payline, with maximum bet.

Da Vinci Diamonds is available to play now on www.virgincasino.com.

As with all Virgin Casino games, players can also earn V*Points - Virgin Games’ loyalty points - every time they play. Offering players the chance to redeem their points for further Virgin rewards, including Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles or cold, hard cash, V*Points can be transferred across Virgin Games portfolio of products, including Virgin Poker and Virgin Bingo.

Premium releases including Cleopatra II™ and Vegas, Baby!™ have already been added to Virgin Casino’s portfolio of games in 2008. Further big IGT names will be added to Virgin Games in the coming months, ensuring a constant stream of new and exciting games to keep players’ adrenalin going.

Virgin Casino launched under the Virgin Games brand in June 2004. The site was refreshed in June 2006, providing players with a greater choice of games and additional means of earning bonus points and rewards.

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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

New Vegas Slot: Da Vinci Diamonds! - 28th June 2008

Immerse yourself in the opulence and beauty of Da Vinci Diamonds®. Experience the unique wonder of the Tumbling Reels™ where you can win again and again on a single play. Featuring 20 paylines of richly detailed Renaissance elegance and a retriggering Free Spins Bonus where you can win up to 300 free spins!

Take a trip back to the glory of the Renaissance, and maybe you, too, can enjoy the wealth and splendor of a Medici.

Game Features

• 5-reel, 20-payline, 100-credit maximum bet.
• Available in multi-denominations and multi-currency.
• Win again and again with the Tumbling Reels™ feature!
• Win up to 300 free spins with retriggers.
• Free Spins Bonus features richer reels and more ways to win!

Free Spin Bonus

• Free Spins Bonus is triggered by getting three Bonus symbols on a wagered payline. The player can only trigger the Bonus once on a given play of the reels.
• Upon triggering the Free Spins Bonus, the player receives six free spins.
• During the Free Spins Bonus, the player can retrigger the Bonus multiple times. The Free Spins Bonus continues until there are 0 spins remaining, or until 300 free spins have been played.
• Three or more Bonus symbols anywhere on the Free Spins Bonus reels retrigger the bonus.
• Three Bonus symbols win an additional 2, 3, or 4 free spins. Four Bonus symbols win an additional 4, 6, 8, or 10 free spins. Five Bonus symbols win an additional 6, 8, 10, 12 or 15 free spins.
• During the Free Spins Bonus, all 20 lines are active. The bet per line in the Bonus is equal to the bet per line on the reel spin that triggered the Bonus.
• The reels are richer and there are more ways to win. In addition to paying on lines, the three portrait symbols act as scatter pay symbols. For these scatter pay symbols, the player only needs to get three or more of the same symbol anywhere on the reels to win!
• Free spins are played out automatically.

Top Award

• Five Da Vinci Diamond logo symbols on any played payline,
• With maximum bet, wins the top award of 25,000 credits.

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Friday, July 11, 2008

Casino, Gaming and Poker Sector Continues To Heat Up Down Under In Australia

Media Man Australia director, Greg Tingle, reports the ongoing trend for punters to hit the internet for their gaming and poker fix.

Virgin Games, and in particular, Virgin Casino and PKR (the world's most animated online casino) lead the pack in Media Man's assessment.

Australia mainstays Centrebet and Lasseters recent affiliation and collaboration with Media Man Australia are forcast to further shake up the sector.

James Packer's Crown is sticking to the line that they are not interested in either the Ameristar opportunity, or acquiring part of Media Man Australia.

Pikum!, which even Virgin Money and and Richard Branson have put their name to, is in negotiation with at least one Australian media and new media company.

International online gaming brands GoldenPalace.com, 888.com, Bodog and a few others are likely to be unsettled by recent developments in the online casino world, however it's not expected to deliver a devastating blow, but certainly will heat up competition for eyeballs, web traffic, and the slice of online casino revenues.

Casinos of the month as picked by Media Man Australia and close associates - Virgin Casino and PKR.

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Crown not interested in Ameristar - The Sydney Morning Herald - 10th July 2008

Gaming firm Crown Ltd denied that it was interested in acquiring United States "local" casino operator Ameristar.

"Crown Ltd has had no discussions with Ameristar or any other party in relation to any matters pertaining to Ameristar," the company said in a statement.

"Crown has not undertaken or commissioned any evaluation of Ameristar and nor is it proposing to do so.

"Crown is unaware of any basis for the recent media and analyst speculation relating to this issue."

Ameristar has eight casinos in the US.

Financial services firm UBS said in a recent research note that an industry journal had cited Crown as a potential acquirer of Ameristar and that Ameristar's casinos would add scale to Crown's $1.84 billion acquisition announced in December last year, of US casino operator Cannery Casino Resorts.

Crown shares were nine cents lower at $8.51 at 1120 AEST.

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Packer runs eye over US casino chain, by Vanda Carson - The Sydney Morning Herald - 10th July 2008

James Packer is reported to be eyeing a $US2.4 billion ($2.5 billion) chain of US casinos which spreads across six states, a move which would instantly triple his presence in the American market.

According to a note to clients of broker UBS, which cites a US gambling industry journal, Crown is a likely bidder for takeover target Ameristar Casino as its collection of eight casinos is considered a perfect fit for Crown's growing collection.

Mr Packer is executive chairman of Crown, the gambling group which emerged from Publishing and Broadcasting as part of the split-up of the company late last year.

He has rapidly created a global casino empire since he freed up cash in the demerger.

Shares of Ameristar, which have been trading at record lows, have risen in recent days on speculation of an imminent bid.

More than half of the company is owned by the family of the late chief executive, Craig Nielsen, who died two years ago.

UBS gambling analyst Sam Theodore said Crown had the financial strength to add more US casinos to its portfolio.

He said Crown could buy the company through a joint venture with a financial partner. If Crown wanted to go it alone, it would have to sell some of its valuable Australian properties, possibly by rolling them into a property trust.

In December Crown announced the purchase of three casinos on the outskirts of Las Vegas, and a racetrack-casino on the other side of the US in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

However the company does not have to hand over the $1.8 billion until later this year when regulators are expected to give the green light to the deal.

Gaming companies worldwide, including Crown, have been hit by recession worries, with half a dozen of the top US companies trading at record lows, but some observers believe it is an opportunity to increase market share through consolidation.

Most of Ameristar's casinos are in the Midwest, with two in Missouri and one each in Illinois, Iowa and Mississippi. It also has two casinos on the border of Nevada, in the aptly named town of Jackpot, and one in Colorado.

They are similar to Crown's existing US casinos as they also cater to local residents and are downmarket compared with the flashy, big-name resorts on the famed Las Vegas Strip.

Crown pulled the plug on a plan to take part in the development of a $5.2 billion casino on the Strip last month after financiers failed to support the deal.

In Macau, Crown has preferred to focus on the other extreme, luring VIP gamblers to its private, luxurious gaming rooms.

UBS has valued Crown at $9.4 billion, including $7 billion for the Melbourne and Burswood casinos, and $1.5 billion for its 37 per cent stake of the Macau venture Melco Crown Entertainment.

Crown declined to comment yesterday. Its shares2c lower at $8.60 yesterday.

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Sunday, July 06, 2008

Casino and poker comps heat up in news media business

Online casinos, traditional casinos and online poker and gaming rooms are battling for headlines, as the stakes continue to raise in the gaming and gabling world. Media companies such as ours are now associated with such brands such as Virgin Games, Virgin Casino, PKR, Bwin, GoldenPalace.com, 888.com and Jamster. Virgin and PKR are setting the pace.

The Media Man Australia most improved new entry goes to PKR. Next month we expect big things from both Virgin Games and Bwin, and a major announcement from our friends at Virgin Media. We also expect Bodog to bounce back, and expect to see more bricks and mortar casinos close down or go up for sale, as online casinos dominate, with the collaboration of major news media players and celebrity support.

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Saturday, July 05, 2008

VMTV launches gaming channel - 2nd July 2008

Virgin Media Television has launched a fully interactive gaming channel in collaboration with Two Way Media.

Channel Jackpot is now available on digital TV, via interactive television, and online. It will sit in the entertainment section of the Virgin TV EPG at channel 154, immediately alongside Challenge and Challenge+1.

After midnight, Virgin1 and Bravo 2 will also carry daily simulcasts of Challenge Jackpot, meaning it will be available to Freeview and Sky homes. It is also available at www.challengejackpot.com

Two Way Media will produce all of Challenge Jackpot's live output and all of the transactional elements will be run by Two Way Gaming, a subsidiary of Two Way Media.

The channel will carry at least eight hours of live studio games every day. At launch, the flagship slot will be Roulette Nation, but this will be joined later by other casino-style games.

Outside the live broadcast hours, viewers will be able to play along with a range of automated games that will include Get Set Roulette, Face Up Hold 'Em and Hot Shot Keno.

VMTV managing director Jonathan Webb said: "Challenge Jackpot is the first step in reinventing Challenge for the twenty-first century. We want this new channel to continue the values of fun and excitement that have long been synonymous with Challenge – but also to take the relationship with our viewers to the next level of interactivity."

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Friday, July 04, 2008

Name change for Australian Casino Association

The members of the Australian Casino Association have voted to change the name of the association to Australasian Casino Association, to better reflect its 18 casino members.

The Association has been in existence since 1992, when a group of casino operators in Australia decided that it was more effective to approach government as a united industry then as separate entities.

Executive director Chris Downy said that today all 13 Australian casinos and five of New Zealand's casinos are members of the association. "The name change reflects the membership base of the association and was a logical step to take."

The Association has also moved its main office to Sydney but still maintains its former office in Canberra, Australia's national capital.

Each year Australia and New Zealand casinos attract over 56 million visitors, who spend over $AU3.6bn at Australian casino properties alone.

The casino industry's substantial economic contribution provides over $AU1bn in Australian and $AU94.7m in New Zealand government taxes and contributes $AU54.9m combined to the Australian and New Zealand communities through sponsorship and support.

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Thursday, July 03, 2008

Virgin backs gaming channel - 1st July 2008

Virgin television is set to back interactive gaming channel Challenge Jackpot.

Today´s launch is being pushed into the spotlight with a £3 million campaign created by London advertising firm Publicis.

The multi-media venture includes an interactive service on Virgin Media, a casino website and a live TV broadcast, which brings together Virgin Television and Two Way Gaming.

Challenge Jackpot´s television offering will run eight hours of live gaming shows a day and its flagship show will be Roulette Nation.

Publicis, which created the TV, print and online ad campaign is the fastest growing advertising agency in the world.

Neil Simpson, chief executive of Publicis, said: "Online gaming in the UK is evolving rapidly away from functional betting into a rounded entertainment experience."

According to gambling.co.uk, Richard Branson won the multi-million pound on-line gambling website Bodog.com in a hand of poker.

Calvin Ayre, founder of the company, was forced to step down as CEO after losing a no-limit texas hold ´em poker game to the ginger entrepreneur.

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Home alone makes it easier to gamble the lot, by Peter Newell - The Sydney Morning Herald - 30th June 2008

I like to think I know a thing or two about gambling.

After all, I've been associated with the industry for almost 40 years, the past decade as president of my local club. I have also spent countless Saturday afternoons at the track with a form guide full of tips and a pocket full of losing tickets.

However, because of my role for the past three years chairman of ClubsNSW, people have been reluctant to see my warnings about online gambling as anything more than scaremongering about a competitor to the club industry.

Perhaps last week's revelation by the Herald that people are being randomly called and offered $60 of free betting credit if they go to a sports betting website might start to change things.

The marketing practices of these companies do not stop with random phone calls. Sportsbet offers up to $100 when you join. Centrebet, whose gambling revenue increased 49 per cent last year, offers a $100 refund on your first bet. We have all heard it said before: the first one is free. Some of these online companies will even call you if your account has been inactive for a time and tell you they have placed $50 credit in it, but only for the next 24 hours.

The typical profile of an internet gambler varies according to the type of betting (for instance, casino or sports) but internet gamblers have a one-in-five chance of being a "severe problem gambler", according to recent report from the school of psychology at the University of Sydney (Monaghan 2007).

That's right, 20 per cent of all online gamblers are severe problem gamblers. To place it in perspective, "land-based" severe problem gambling is 0.8 per cent.

The US Government has responded to the problems of internet gambling by making it illegal. To ensure the law is upheld, federal laws restrict US banks and credit card companies from processing transactions to and from internet gambling sites.

The Australian Government permits us to bet with online casinos if they are based overseas. However, no restrictions apply to online sports betting companies such as Tabcorp, whose internet revenue grew 23 per cent last year, topping $1 billion for the first time.

The appeal of internet gambling is obvious. It is confidential, available 24 hours a day, accessible from anywhere and accepts credit cards. This appeal applies equally to both responsible and irresponsible gamblers.

People such as the senator-elect Nick Xenophon demonise poker machines and those who play them. The consequence of such unfounded claims is to drive gamblers away from the supportive environment of the clubs and into the unregulated world of the internet.

Consider for a moment what I mean by support for gamblers. In a club you bet only with cash. Online gambling companies accept credit cards, allowing you to bet until your card is at its limit. When you place this first credit-card bet, online betting companies give you 90 days to provide photo identification, creating enormous potential for fraud.

Every club offers a problem gambling service as well as dedicated staff to speak with those who request help. When you gamble online you deal with a computer. Clubs allow you to identify yourself as someone who is better off not gambling. Should you later attempt to gamble, the club can use reasonable force to prevent you from entering the venue.

The Family First senator Stephen Fielding is pushing a bill that if successful would ban poker machines from clubs, while leaving them at casinos and race tracks. Not only does his bill fail to recognise that problem gambling rates have fallen by up to 50 per cent in recent years, largely thanks to the work of the club industry and state governments, he also fails to acknowledge the real threat of online gambling. How ironic that a politician would campaign to ban gambling inside clubs when it is so clearly the safest way to gamble.

Peter Newell is chairman of Clubs NSW.

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Ban Mike Tyson from Australia, say crime victims, by Peta Hellard and Ben Packham - Herald Sun

* Mike Tyson to play poker in Australia
* The former boxing champ has rape conviction
* Victims of crime say 'ban him'


A storm has erupted over plans by ex-heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson, a convicted rapist, to come to Melbourne to play poker.

Crime victims have called for the ex-con, who once bit a boxing opponent's ear off in the ring, to be banned from entering Australia.

Tyson, 42 - who's playing poker with spin king Shane Warne in Las Vegas this week - says he plans to head to Melbourne in January for the $10 million Aussie Millions Poker Championships.

He said he'd finalised a deal with Crown casino that would see him compete in the rich tournament.

"I love Australia, but I've never been before," he told the Herald Sun. "I really want to come and see the country."

But Crime Victims Support Association president Noel McNamara said a visa should be refused.

"He has bitten off ears. He has done all sorts of things," he said.

"If we sent someone over there with a record like that he wouldn't get into the United States."

A spokesman for Immigration Minister Chris Evans said it was premature to speculate on whether Tyson would get a visa: "The minister won't speculate on a person's visa application."

Tyson would usually have to pass a character test to gain entry.

This could be difficult, considering he served three years' jail for the rape of an 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant.

But he could appeal directly to the minister.

US rapper Snoop Dogg was barred from Australia last year by then immigration minister Kevin Andrews after the "gangsta" rapper failed to reveal a conviction for drugs and gun offences for which he got five years' probation.

Tyson served three years of a six-year jail sentence for the rape of Miss Black Rhode Island, Desiree Washington, in 1991. He also served 3 1/2 months of a 12-month jail sentence in 1998 after bashing a motorist in Maryland.

And he served another day in jail and was put on three years' probation last November for cocaine possession and driving under the influence.

Undisputed heavyweight champion for over two years before losing to underdog Buster Douglas in 1990, Tyson is also infamous for biting off part of opponent Evander Holyfield's ear in 1997.

Mr McNamara said: "To bring a bloke like that out here . . . who is a rapist and not of good character - it is absolutely outrageous."

He said it was insulting that Tyson might profit from the poker trip: "I am disgusted."

This week, Tyson is joining Warne and 9000 of the world's best poker players in a World Series of Poker tournament.

Warne will be joined by boxer Jeff Fenech, who coached Tyson in the latter stages of his career, in an Australian team.

Tyson did not know of Warne - whom he met for the first time last night through Fenech - but said he knew of cricket.

"I know what cricket is-- you throw a ball and then you hit it with a paddle," he said.

"I've seen it on TV before."

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Andy Transplant Foundation World Series of Poker and VIP Party Great Success

VIP Party and World Series Championship Yields 10K Winner

Raleigh, NC- The Andy Transplant Foundation sponsored Satellite World Series of Poker (WSOP) Championship occurred over the weekend. A live feed of the beginning of the final round appeared on the website of NBC17 and more footage will be released on The Susan Thompson Show. Actor and model Andrea Ciliberti, Miss Italia, Miss Missouri USA Title 2005 and who appeared on Beauty and the Geek, dealt the final round and the excitement rose to a crescendo as the field narrowed. The last five standing were Stewart Wildman, Talton Earp, Kyu Kang, Craig Hill and grand-prize winner, Frank Douglas. As the last hands for Hill and Douglas were dealt, observers crowded the table to watch and cheer. Douglas' winning entitles him to a $10,000 stake at the WSOP at Harrah's in Las Vegas as well as travel. The top 10 winners all received prizes.

"The whole weekend was a lot of fun," exclaimed Douglas minutes after winning the whole thing. "I can't believe that out of the whole field, I was the winner." When asked what he attributed his success to, Douglas said, "I play the people as much as I play the cards."

The VIP party followed. Celebrities Andrea Ciliberti and Chad Tulik of MTV's A Shot at Love 2 mixed with guests during the party. Unique items included a house, a car, jewelry and other donations. Some were sold by a live auctioneer at the event; others are part of the silent auction continuing on-line available through the Andy Transplant Foundation website, www.andytransplantfoundation.org. Proceeds from the weekend will go to the Andy Transplant Foundation, and donations on the part of the foundation will be made to North Carolina organ research institutions.

The Andy Transplant Foundation was established by Susan Thompson after her brother passed away waiting for an organ in 2005. Susan worked with a handful of volunteers and set up a contest between two local talent agencies members who competed and were televised on "The Susan Thompson Show."

###

About Andy' Transplant Foundation:
Established in 2004, The Andy Transplant Foundation’s (ATF) main objective is to save lives through charitable fund-raising that supports transplant research and increases awareness of the need for individual organ transplant donations. The foundation is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina with operations throughout North America. www.andytransplantfoundation.org.

About Harrah's Entertainment Inc.
Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. is the world’s largest provider of branded casino entertainment through operating subsidiaries.

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Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Virgin Games - Virgin Casino - Virgin Poker - Media Man Australia - Record Breaking Month


May provided another huge month for Virgin Games and Media Man Australia

Press Release - summary

London, 10th June 2008

Virgin Games scoops "Best Gaming Affiliate Program 2008" Award.

We are proud to announce that Virgin Games Affiliates has been voted "Best Casino and Gaming Affiliate Programme 2008" at the affiliate marketing industry’s A4UAwards 2008 - the most prestigious affiliate awards ceremony in the UK.

Media Man Australia

We are delighted to announce yet another record setting month with Virgin Games as our preferred gaming, online casino and online poker partner.

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Sunday, June 29, 2008

Virgin Casino: Mine for money with the launch of Da Vinci Diamonds on Virgin Casino - 26th June 2008

London -- Virgin Casino (www.virgincasino.com) today announced the introduction of Da Vinci Diamonds to its site - an exotic 5 reel, 20-payline slot game, offering opulent cash prizes of up to GBP125,000 with a 100-credit maximum bet.

Da Vinci Diamondsinvites players to explore the wonders of The Renaissance as they play the Tumbling Reels, feature, enabling them to win over and over again on a single play. With a re-triggering Free Spins Bonus', where players can win up to 300 free spins, Da Vinci Diamonds offers players the chance to enjoy the wealth and splendour of a Medici.

By triggering the Free Spins Bonus', players receive six free spins and all 20 lines are active. Free Spins can be re-triggered over and over again, giving players up to a maximum 300 free spins in a single go!

The reels are richer in the Free Spins Bonus' too and there are more ways to win. In addition to paying on lines, several of the symbols also pay as scatter pays. For these scatter pay symbols, players only need to get three or more of the same symbol anywhere on the reels to win.

To win the GBP125,000 top prize, simply match up five Da Vinci Diamonds' symbols on any played payline, with maximum bet.

As with all Virgin Casino games, players can also earn V*Points - Virgin Games' loyalty points - every time they play. Offering players the chance to redeem their points for further Virgin rewards, including Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles or cold, hard cash, V*Points can be transferred across Virgin Games portfolio of products, including Virgin Poker and Virgin Bingo.

Premium releases including Cleopatra II and Vegas, Baby! have already been added to Virgin Casino's portfolio of games in 2008. Further big IGT names will be added to Virgin Games in the coming months, ensuring a constant stream of new and exciting games to keep players' adrenalin going.

Virgin Casino launched under the Virgin Games brand in June 2004. The site was refreshed in June 2006, providing players with a greater choice of games and additional means of earning bonus points and rewards.

Da Vinci Diamondsis available to play now on www.virgincasino.com.

*Da Vinci Diamonds is a trademark or registered trademark of IGT in the U.S. and/or other countries, and is used with permission. Copyright 2008 WagerWorks - an IGT Company. All rights reserved

About Virgin Games

Virgin Games (http://www.virgingames.com), a subsidiary of Virgin.com Ltd, launched in June 2004 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading gaming websites in the UK. Virgin Games comprises four distinct offerings:

Virgin Casino, part of the Wagerworks network, brings consumers classic casino offerings like blackjack and roulette, as well as great feature slots like Monopoly, Cluedo and The Wheel of Fortune Virgin Poker, part of the Boss Media network, offers a huge array of games and content for beginners through to experienced pros - as well as the most generous loyalty scheme in the industry

Virgin Bingo, part of the St Minver network, offers cash prizes worth thousands of pounds in the progressive jackpots, as well as featuring regular celebrity guests in the Virgin chatroom.

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Monday, June 23, 2008

Poker News, Casino News, Virgin Casino, Virgin Poker

Casino Of The Month:

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Bond bombshell Sydney bound?, by Christine Sams - The Sun-Herald - 23rd June 2008

Daniel Craig is negotiating to return to Sydney for the premiere of the next Bond film, Quantum Of Solace.

The suave star, who wowed Australian film fans with his cool portrayal of James Bond, may be here in late November for a red carpet premiere of the film.

A source from the film's Australian distributor, Sony Pictures, said: "We're in negotiations about that at the moment - we're certainly trying."

Asked whether Craig would be the star guest at an Australian-based Bond event, she added: "We hope so."

Of course, Craig is in demand all over the world as the hype begins to build towards the next Bond instalment. Quantum Of Solace is a sequel to Casino Royale - the film that was a smash-hit starring Craig - and picks up the storyline only hours after the last movie finished.

At this stage, the film is due for release in Australia in late November. If Craig visits for a Bond premiere, he is likely to make a whirlwind trip to Sydney as part of a global jaunt promoting the film.

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World Series of Poker and Gaming Lifestyle Expo Highly Anticipated

Poker Pilgrims Descend on Las Vegas for World Series of Poker

Las Vegas, Nevada 6/20/2008

Well, poker fans, it's that time of year again. The World Series of Poker is closing in, and in turn, thousands of poker enthusiasts will be making pilgrimages to Las Vegas to take part in the festivities. And whether it's a first time attendance or an annual ritual, there are events available for both alike.

The World Series of Poker boasts games such as Pot Limit Hold'em, No Limit Hold'em, Omaha, H.O.R.S.E. and Razz, just to name a few. And for players of all skill levels there’s single-tables and super mega satellite games that can turn a small investment into a life-changing tournament buy-in for a major event. There will be plenty of action and plenty to choose from at the many high-quality poker rooms in Vegas during the three months of the 2008 World Series of Poker (May, June & July of 2008). Tournaments and cash games, including the main event, will be held at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Special events have also been thrown in the mix for ladies, seniors and charity (Ante up for Africa).

Those who have attended the W.S.O.P. in the past are fully aware that the poker excitement doesn’t end with the poker tournaments, for the Gaming Lifestyle Expo will also be on the menu (July 3-6, 11am-6pm), bringing a huge selection of the most recent gaming lifestyle products, cars, liquors and gadgets. Essentially, the Gaming Lifestyle Expo offers the opportunity to experience and purchase the newest poker and card playing products, while complimenting the poker happenings with live entertainment, celebrity appearances and giveaways. A notable amount of booths grace the expo with unique poker apparel and accessory retailers that portray original poker themes, such as DonkeyGear.net, which anticipates a joyous involvement this year, and has mentioned the possibility of being accompanied by their Mascot, Jack.

Even though there will undoubtedly be a substantial growth in the number of participants at this year’s World Series of Poker and Gaming Lifestyle Expo, the familiar excitement and enjoyment from previous years is sure to be found once again.

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