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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Belle Rock Entertainment
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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.
Profiles
PartyGaming
Euro Partners
Belle Rock Entertainment
Aspinalls
Titan Casino
Titan Poker
Playtech
Microgaming
Virgin Games
PKR
World Series of Poker
BetUS.com
Sports Betting
Horse Racing
Online Casino
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Marvel Slots Online
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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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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.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Poker
Asian Poker Tour
Asian Gaming
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Poker News Media
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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Friday, July 17, 2009
Hitwise's Top 10 "Gambling -- Poker" sites for the week ending 23rd May 2009
Australia: Pacific Poker
United Kingdom: PKR
United States: Pokerstars.net
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2009 WSOP Main Event November Nine Features Phil Ivey, by Earl Burton - Poker News Daily - 16th July 2009
After 56 events and 13 days of play in the Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the final table of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event was determined.
A total of 27 players came back to the Amazon Room at Noon on Wednesday with dreams of being at the final table of the most prestigious poker tournament in the world. Everyone remaining would receive $352,832, but the true focus was on making the final table, which once again will be delayed until November. Leading the pack was newcomer Darvin Moon, a logger from Maryland, who held slightly over 20 million chips as play began.
Leo Margets, who came to the start of play on Wednesday as one of the shorter stacks in the room, was the first to depart in 27th place. She was followed by notable players including Antonio Esfandiari (24th place for his largest WSOP cash ever) and Day Six leader Warren Zackey, who dropped from the tournament in 22nd place after his pocket deuces were out-raced by Ian Tavelli’s Qs-Js.
Tavelli’s aggressive play eventually caught up with him after he ran pocket nines into Steven Begleiter’s pocket kings. After the board didn’t bring him either of his two outs, the 21-year old Tavelli was eliminated in 17th place ($500,557). Almost immediately after Tavelli’s departure, one of France’s top professional players, Ludovic Lacay, was defeated by Jeff Shulman in 16th place. After Lacay’s elimination, everyone at the tables was guaranteed $633,022.
As the field continued to dwindle down, both Moon and Begleiter used their chips to climb to astronomical levels at the tables. Moon never seemed to be in jeopardy during play on Wednesday and Begleiter, using the chips he had earned from Tavelli, continued his march up the leaderboard. For all of their work, however, most of the eyes in the Amazon Room followed poker professional Phil Ivey.
The perennial pick by ESPN commentator Norm Chad to win the Main Event, Ivey had come to the 2009 WSOP with his skills at their highest point ever. He captured two bracelets during the six weeks of preliminary tournaments and had been at or around the top of the Main Event leaderboard since it began. Starting the day with over 11 million in chips, Ivey seemed content to sit back and maintain his stack, scouting potential opponents should they reach the November Nine final table.
After over 11 hours of battle, the final table of the Main Event was determined. The unlucky Bubble Boy was pro player Jordan Smith, who fell in tenth place ($896,730) at the hands of Moon. Facing a raise to 650,000 from Eric Buchman and a call from Moon, Smith popped a 2.6 million bet into the pot, which was called by Moon after Buchman folded. The seemingly innocent flop of
8 Clubs, 4 Diamonds, 2 Diamonds
hit the table, at which time the fireworks went off. Smith checked his option to Moon, who put four million chips out, and Smith moved all-in over the top. Moon called and tabled pocket eights for top set; Smith dejectedly turned up
Ace Hearts, Ace Diamonds.
After the turn and river failed to come an ace, the November Nine was determined.
These are the nine players who will gather at the Rio in November to determine the next WSOP Main Event Champion:
Darvin Moon (Oakland, Maryland) – 58,930,000
Eric Buchman (Valley Stream, New York) – 34,800,000
Steve Begleiter (Chappaqua, New York) – 29,885,000
Jeff Shulman (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 19,580,000
Joe Cada (Shelby Township, Michigan) – 13,215,000
Kevin Schaffel (Coral Springs, Florida) – 12,390,000
Phil Ivey (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 9,765,000
Antione Saout (Paris, France) – 9,500,000
James Ankenhead (London, England) – 6,800,000
With such professional players as Ivey, Shulman (Editor of CardPlayer Magazine), and Ankenhead in the mix, some are concluding that this will be one of the strongest Main Event final tables of the past few years.
Play will pause on the Las Vegas leg of this year’s WSOP, but there are still four events to go. The 2009 WSOP Europe, which will be held in London beginning in September, will offer a chance for the survivors of the Main Event to tune up their games. The November Nine then will emerge from their respite. All are now millionaires, but the eventual winner takes the $8.5 million first place prize. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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After 56 events and 13 days of play in the Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the final table of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event was determined.
A total of 27 players came back to the Amazon Room at Noon on Wednesday with dreams of being at the final table of the most prestigious poker tournament in the world. Everyone remaining would receive $352,832, but the true focus was on making the final table, which once again will be delayed until November. Leading the pack was newcomer Darvin Moon, a logger from Maryland, who held slightly over 20 million chips as play began.
Leo Margets, who came to the start of play on Wednesday as one of the shorter stacks in the room, was the first to depart in 27th place. She was followed by notable players including Antonio Esfandiari (24th place for his largest WSOP cash ever) and Day Six leader Warren Zackey, who dropped from the tournament in 22nd place after his pocket deuces were out-raced by Ian Tavelli’s Qs-Js.
Tavelli’s aggressive play eventually caught up with him after he ran pocket nines into Steven Begleiter’s pocket kings. After the board didn’t bring him either of his two outs, the 21-year old Tavelli was eliminated in 17th place ($500,557). Almost immediately after Tavelli’s departure, one of France’s top professional players, Ludovic Lacay, was defeated by Jeff Shulman in 16th place. After Lacay’s elimination, everyone at the tables was guaranteed $633,022.
As the field continued to dwindle down, both Moon and Begleiter used their chips to climb to astronomical levels at the tables. Moon never seemed to be in jeopardy during play on Wednesday and Begleiter, using the chips he had earned from Tavelli, continued his march up the leaderboard. For all of their work, however, most of the eyes in the Amazon Room followed poker professional Phil Ivey.
The perennial pick by ESPN commentator Norm Chad to win the Main Event, Ivey had come to the 2009 WSOP with his skills at their highest point ever. He captured two bracelets during the six weeks of preliminary tournaments and had been at or around the top of the Main Event leaderboard since it began. Starting the day with over 11 million in chips, Ivey seemed content to sit back and maintain his stack, scouting potential opponents should they reach the November Nine final table.
After over 11 hours of battle, the final table of the Main Event was determined. The unlucky Bubble Boy was pro player Jordan Smith, who fell in tenth place ($896,730) at the hands of Moon. Facing a raise to 650,000 from Eric Buchman and a call from Moon, Smith popped a 2.6 million bet into the pot, which was called by Moon after Buchman folded. The seemingly innocent flop of
8 Clubs, 4 Diamonds, 2 Diamonds
hit the table, at which time the fireworks went off. Smith checked his option to Moon, who put four million chips out, and Smith moved all-in over the top. Moon called and tabled pocket eights for top set; Smith dejectedly turned up
Ace Hearts, Ace Diamonds.
After the turn and river failed to come an ace, the November Nine was determined.
These are the nine players who will gather at the Rio in November to determine the next WSOP Main Event Champion:
Darvin Moon (Oakland, Maryland) – 58,930,000
Eric Buchman (Valley Stream, New York) – 34,800,000
Steve Begleiter (Chappaqua, New York) – 29,885,000
Jeff Shulman (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 19,580,000
Joe Cada (Shelby Township, Michigan) – 13,215,000
Kevin Schaffel (Coral Springs, Florida) – 12,390,000
Phil Ivey (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 9,765,000
Antione Saout (Paris, France) – 9,500,000
James Ankenhead (London, England) – 6,800,000
With such professional players as Ivey, Shulman (Editor of CardPlayer Magazine), and Ankenhead in the mix, some are concluding that this will be one of the strongest Main Event final tables of the past few years.
Play will pause on the Las Vegas leg of this year’s WSOP, but there are still four events to go. The 2009 WSOP Europe, which will be held in London beginning in September, will offer a chance for the survivors of the Main Event to tune up their games. The November Nine then will emerge from their respite. All are now millionaires, but the eventual winner takes the $8.5 million first place prize. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Thursday, July 16, 2009
Full Tilt Poker Set to Host World's Largest Tournament
DUBLIN, 15th July 2009
Full Tilt Poker announced today that it will attempt to break the official Guinness World Record(TM) for Largest Online Poker Tournament by attracting more than 35,000 players to the table on July 19th at 15:05ET.
The Record Breaker tournament was unveiled as the finale to FIVE, http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/five - a week of events and promotions honoring the fifth birthday of Full Tilt Poker.
Team Full Tilt members and WSOP bracelet winners Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Phil Ivey are expected to participate, offering players the chance to sit down at this historic event with some of the best high stakes and tournament players in the world.
"By extending the limits of what is possible in online poker tournaments, Full Tilt Poker will allow players to compete for a big payout without the big buy-in," said Team Full Tilt member Howard Lederer.
Staging a poker tournament of this size would be nearly impossible in the brick and mortar world. The current record for the largest "live" poker tournament was set at the 2006 WSOP Main Event with 8,772 players.
Full Tilt Poker will need to attract nearly four times that number if the Record Breaker is to live up to its name and secure the official Guinness World Record. If successful, this tournament will establish Full Tilt Poker as both a World Record holder and a world leader in online gaming technology.
The Record Breaker will begin on July 19, 2009 at 15:05 ET. Players can be a part of the world record attempt for US$5 or 1000 Full Tilt Points and compete for a share of a US$250K guaranteed with US$250K added prize pool.
Find out more at http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/the-record-breaker.
About Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker is the host of a worldwide virtual poker cardroom service. It is not in the business of betting or wagering and does not participate in the games as a player. It merely provides a service to those who wish to test their skills against others for fun, prizes or money. It is duly regulated and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and in the United Kingdom by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. With innovative graphics, superior customer service and a safe, secure interface, the software is geared to enhance and personalize the online poker experience. Although virtual poker is legal where the games are hosted and played, it may not be legal where individual players are located. Players at all skill levels may download the software at http://www.fulltiltpoker.com but it is their responsibility to determine if participating in the games is permitted under the laws of the jurisdiction where they are located.
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DUBLIN, 15th July 2009
Full Tilt Poker announced today that it will attempt to break the official Guinness World Record(TM) for Largest Online Poker Tournament by attracting more than 35,000 players to the table on July 19th at 15:05ET.
The Record Breaker tournament was unveiled as the finale to FIVE, http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/five - a week of events and promotions honoring the fifth birthday of Full Tilt Poker.
Team Full Tilt members and WSOP bracelet winners Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Phil Ivey are expected to participate, offering players the chance to sit down at this historic event with some of the best high stakes and tournament players in the world.
"By extending the limits of what is possible in online poker tournaments, Full Tilt Poker will allow players to compete for a big payout without the big buy-in," said Team Full Tilt member Howard Lederer.
Staging a poker tournament of this size would be nearly impossible in the brick and mortar world. The current record for the largest "live" poker tournament was set at the 2006 WSOP Main Event with 8,772 players.
Full Tilt Poker will need to attract nearly four times that number if the Record Breaker is to live up to its name and secure the official Guinness World Record. If successful, this tournament will establish Full Tilt Poker as both a World Record holder and a world leader in online gaming technology.
The Record Breaker will begin on July 19, 2009 at 15:05 ET. Players can be a part of the world record attempt for US$5 or 1000 Full Tilt Points and compete for a share of a US$250K guaranteed with US$250K added prize pool.
Find out more at http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/the-record-breaker.
About Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker is the host of a worldwide virtual poker cardroom service. It is not in the business of betting or wagering and does not participate in the games as a player. It merely provides a service to those who wish to test their skills against others for fun, prizes or money. It is duly regulated and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and in the United Kingdom by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. With innovative graphics, superior customer service and a safe, secure interface, the software is geared to enhance and personalize the online poker experience. Although virtual poker is legal where the games are hosted and played, it may not be legal where individual players are located. Players at all skill levels may download the software at http://www.fulltiltpoker.com but it is their responsibility to determine if participating in the games is permitted under the laws of the jurisdiction where they are located.
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Monday, July 13, 2009
PartyGaming.com CEO Jim Ryan speaks on igaming industry at Gaming Executive Summit, Spain
"The world is changing as regulation takes different shape in different markets. But upcoming regulation means new entrants and competition in the market, and I worry less about direct competitors such as those sitting on this panel than I do about government-licensed operators and major media firms targeting their own markets in the future."
"While not ideal, it has been a humbling experience and has forced us to improve our products and offers and to really up our game."
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"The world is changing as regulation takes different shape in different markets. But upcoming regulation means new entrants and competition in the market, and I worry less about direct competitors such as those sitting on this panel than I do about government-licensed operators and major media firms targeting their own markets in the future."
"While not ideal, it has been a humbling experience and has forced us to improve our products and offers and to really up our game."
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Does Poker Stand a Chance in Asia? - TIME - 10th July 2009
From the towering, pineapple-shaped Grand Lisboa to the vast campus of the Venetian, there's no shortage of casinos to choose from in Macau. The only place in China where casinos are legal, Macau opened up its gambling industry in 2004, spurring the number of casinos to jump from 11 to 32. While there may be a question of where this city's gamblers like to play, there's no debating which game is king. Baccarat, a 15th century Italian table game, contributed 86% of Macau's $14.1 billion in gambling revenue last year.
Despite baccarat's dominance, a 2006 ban on Internet gambling in the U.S. is prompting poker promoters to take their card game across the Pacific in hopes of setting down roots in Asia's Las Vegas. Since the Macau government approved Texas Hold'em cash games and tournaments in January 2008, three casinos have opened designated poker rooms. In its first year in Macau, Texas Hold'em brought in less than $7 million, but that number is set to rise: in the first quarter of 2009 alone, the game took in more than $4 million. "Poker has exploded in Macau," says Celina Lin, 26, an Australian poker player who competes in Macau. "The skill level of the players here has increased dramatically just in the last year."
From July 9 through July 12, the Macau Poker Cup, a bimonthly tournament sponsored by PokerStars Macau, will see more than 100 players competing for a minimum of $129,000 in the main event. The event pales in comparison with the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, which draws in 7,000 players for a grand prize of $8.5 million at its main event, but the Macau tournament's organizers have high hopes for the game's potential in Asia. "The gold standard is the World Series of Poker," says Fred Leung, marketing manager for poker company PokerStars Macau. "In my mind, there's no better place that could beat the World Series of Poker than Macau."
Still, there are challenges to cultivating a poker following in this part of the world. The WSOP is taking place right now, but most Asians won't have a chance to watch it. Unlike in the U.S., where the WSOP and celebrity poker tournaments have developed a sports following enabled by ESPN and Bravo coverage, poker is frowned upon — along with other forms of gambling — in some parts of Asia, and many markets ban televised tournaments and any mention of gambling in traditional advertising. In 2007, mainland Chinese censors banned a television commercial for the Altira Macau hotel and casino (formerly known as the Crown Macau) that featured Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-Fat flipping hotel key cards and ice cubes in an allusion to gambling.
To get around these marketing challenges, promoters across Asia are sponsoring rising talents and relying on word of mouth to popularize the game. In South Korea, gaming company AsianLogic is hoping poker will take off among the legions of video gamers in that country. "We're converting Korean [World of ] WarCraft players into poker players," says Tom Hall, AsianLogic's CEO. "If we dangle $5,000 in front of them, they'll blog about it."
Asia might be new to the game, but some of the most famous American poker players are of Asian descent. That includes five of the top 20 World Series of Poker players: Men (The Master) Nguyen, Scotty Nguyen, John Juanda, David Chiu and Johnny (Orient Express) Chan, who holds two WSOP main event titles. Still, without media exposure, these names remain unknown in Macau, leaving organizers to develop local heroes who can inspire the masses to take up the game.
Singaporean Bryan Huang, 24, is one such rising star and a favorite in this week's tournament. Last year, he moved to Macau to develop his career as a professional poker player. He spends his days betting on as many as 12 simultaneous tables online, and then plays into the night in cash games at the Grand Lisboa. "Once people understand that poker's a game of skill, they'll grow into it and definitely prefer it over baccarat," says Huang, referring to the fact that baccarat players bet against the house while poker players bet against each other. "Give it another three or five years. Poker here is going to be as huge as anywhere else in the world." It's a tempting bet, but can you ever really trust a poker player? (Credit: Time)
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From the towering, pineapple-shaped Grand Lisboa to the vast campus of the Venetian, there's no shortage of casinos to choose from in Macau. The only place in China where casinos are legal, Macau opened up its gambling industry in 2004, spurring the number of casinos to jump from 11 to 32. While there may be a question of where this city's gamblers like to play, there's no debating which game is king. Baccarat, a 15th century Italian table game, contributed 86% of Macau's $14.1 billion in gambling revenue last year.
Despite baccarat's dominance, a 2006 ban on Internet gambling in the U.S. is prompting poker promoters to take their card game across the Pacific in hopes of setting down roots in Asia's Las Vegas. Since the Macau government approved Texas Hold'em cash games and tournaments in January 2008, three casinos have opened designated poker rooms. In its first year in Macau, Texas Hold'em brought in less than $7 million, but that number is set to rise: in the first quarter of 2009 alone, the game took in more than $4 million. "Poker has exploded in Macau," says Celina Lin, 26, an Australian poker player who competes in Macau. "The skill level of the players here has increased dramatically just in the last year."
From July 9 through July 12, the Macau Poker Cup, a bimonthly tournament sponsored by PokerStars Macau, will see more than 100 players competing for a minimum of $129,000 in the main event. The event pales in comparison with the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, which draws in 7,000 players for a grand prize of $8.5 million at its main event, but the Macau tournament's organizers have high hopes for the game's potential in Asia. "The gold standard is the World Series of Poker," says Fred Leung, marketing manager for poker company PokerStars Macau. "In my mind, there's no better place that could beat the World Series of Poker than Macau."
Still, there are challenges to cultivating a poker following in this part of the world. The WSOP is taking place right now, but most Asians won't have a chance to watch it. Unlike in the U.S., where the WSOP and celebrity poker tournaments have developed a sports following enabled by ESPN and Bravo coverage, poker is frowned upon — along with other forms of gambling — in some parts of Asia, and many markets ban televised tournaments and any mention of gambling in traditional advertising. In 2007, mainland Chinese censors banned a television commercial for the Altira Macau hotel and casino (formerly known as the Crown Macau) that featured Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-Fat flipping hotel key cards and ice cubes in an allusion to gambling.
To get around these marketing challenges, promoters across Asia are sponsoring rising talents and relying on word of mouth to popularize the game. In South Korea, gaming company AsianLogic is hoping poker will take off among the legions of video gamers in that country. "We're converting Korean [World of ] WarCraft players into poker players," says Tom Hall, AsianLogic's CEO. "If we dangle $5,000 in front of them, they'll blog about it."
Asia might be new to the game, but some of the most famous American poker players are of Asian descent. That includes five of the top 20 World Series of Poker players: Men (The Master) Nguyen, Scotty Nguyen, John Juanda, David Chiu and Johnny (Orient Express) Chan, who holds two WSOP main event titles. Still, without media exposure, these names remain unknown in Macau, leaving organizers to develop local heroes who can inspire the masses to take up the game.
Singaporean Bryan Huang, 24, is one such rising star and a favorite in this week's tournament. Last year, he moved to Macau to develop his career as a professional poker player. He spends his days betting on as many as 12 simultaneous tables online, and then plays into the night in cash games at the Grand Lisboa. "Once people understand that poker's a game of skill, they'll grow into it and definitely prefer it over baccarat," says Huang, referring to the fact that baccarat players bet against the house while poker players bet against each other. "Give it another three or five years. Poker here is going to be as huge as anywhere else in the world." It's a tempting bet, but can you ever really trust a poker player? (Credit: Time)
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Illawarra poker king's wedding was in the cards, by Laurel-Lee Roderick - Illawarra Mercury - 13th July 2009
Illawarra's poker king has won plenty of prizes at the table, including his fiancee's heart.
Gary Parker of Oak Flats went into Saturday's Australian Poker League State Finals at Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club as the region's top poker player.
And, while the cards didn't go his way on the weekend, the 48-year-old still has plenty to celebrate.
Mr Parker has already scored himself an entry into a $500,000 national poker tournament next month at Melbourne's Crown Casino.
And he has his wedding to plan, to his queen of hearts, fiancee Deb Green who, ironically, he met while playing poker.
"We have been going out since February last year, but we knew each other for about 12 months before that," Mr Parker said.
The couple has yet to plan the big day, but Mr Parker joked that the ultimate dream would be to get married in the world's casino capital, Las Vegas.
The pair plays poker seven nights a week, at clubs from Shellharbour to Corrimal. On Sundays, they play in two poker tournaments.
"I always try to make it to the state finals and this was my fifth time," Mr Parker said.
"It is a good game and you always hope to get through the last table, but it didn't happen this time."
About 500 poker players from across NSW competed on Saturday, including 45 Illawarra players.
The highest placed Illawarra player was Mick Samways, who finished in seventh place.
The day was won by Kearns man Antony Vidal, who took home $3500 prize money and will now head to Melbourne for next month's tournament.
(Credit: Illawarra Mercury)
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Illawarra's poker king has won plenty of prizes at the table, including his fiancee's heart.
Gary Parker of Oak Flats went into Saturday's Australian Poker League State Finals at Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club as the region's top poker player.
And, while the cards didn't go his way on the weekend, the 48-year-old still has plenty to celebrate.
Mr Parker has already scored himself an entry into a $500,000 national poker tournament next month at Melbourne's Crown Casino.
And he has his wedding to plan, to his queen of hearts, fiancee Deb Green who, ironically, he met while playing poker.
"We have been going out since February last year, but we knew each other for about 12 months before that," Mr Parker said.
The couple has yet to plan the big day, but Mr Parker joked that the ultimate dream would be to get married in the world's casino capital, Las Vegas.
The pair plays poker seven nights a week, at clubs from Shellharbour to Corrimal. On Sundays, they play in two poker tournaments.
"I always try to make it to the state finals and this was my fifth time," Mr Parker said.
"It is a good game and you always hope to get through the last table, but it didn't happen this time."
About 500 poker players from across NSW competed on Saturday, including 45 Illawarra players.
The highest placed Illawarra player was Mick Samways, who finished in seventh place.
The day was won by Kearns man Antony Vidal, who took home $3500 prize money and will now head to Melbourne for next month's tournament.
(Credit: Illawarra Mercury)
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PartyGaming boss sees casino threats and opportunities with media companies
Microgaming sees more casinos start up
Playtech sees online casino revamps
International Game Technology to release more branded slots online
Aspinalls Online Casino and Aspinalls Online Poker make push online, via Asia Pacific
Virgin Games bingo promotion a hit
PKR Casino and poker website revamp a hit with punters and industry
JackpotCity to boost presence via news media and Australian connections
888.com to launch five more CryptoLogic games this year
Slots tournaments to be promoted by Media Man Australia
James Packer, Australian gambling king, shores up Consolidated Media Holdings for $24m
World Series of Poker fraternity agree Doyle Brunson the best
Classic Slots Online.com boosts popularity of Cleopatra, Monopoly, Cluedo, Tomb Raider
Marvel Slots Online.com sees record numbers for The Hulk, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and Thor
Casino Travel Media.com a hit with multi currency players and world travellers
DC Comics rumoured to release Batman and Superman online slot this year
Mafia, mobster and crime themes some of the most popular; The Godfather, Sinatra, HITMAN
PartyPoker.com reports success with Italian-based Intralot www.Intralot.it
Harrah's Entertainment online casino plans on track, advises insiders
CasinoClub.com expands multi language and multi currency options
City Of Dreams lures locals and tourists to venue, however revenue forecasts down
Queensland government sees gambling bring in $1ba year
Salvos welcome gambler support service funds
Australian pokies $20 limit scrapped in Queensland
Hitwise Australia secretive on online casino statistics
Play4Property.com to use online game of skill in property marketing sector
Facebook reviews policy regarding online gaming
Google working on secretive gaming projects and aiming to make web more fun
Media Man Australia attracting investor interest
Online Casino News
Australian Casino News
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PartyGaming boss sees casino threats and opportunities with media companies
Microgaming sees more casinos start up
Playtech sees online casino revamps
International Game Technology to release more branded slots online
Aspinalls Online Casino and Aspinalls Online Poker make push online, via Asia Pacific
Virgin Games bingo promotion a hit
PKR Casino and poker website revamp a hit with punters and industry
JackpotCity to boost presence via news media and Australian connections
888.com to launch five more CryptoLogic games this year
Slots tournaments to be promoted by Media Man Australia
James Packer, Australian gambling king, shores up Consolidated Media Holdings for $24m
World Series of Poker fraternity agree Doyle Brunson the best
Classic Slots Online.com boosts popularity of Cleopatra, Monopoly, Cluedo, Tomb Raider
Marvel Slots Online.com sees record numbers for The Hulk, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and Thor
Casino Travel Media.com a hit with multi currency players and world travellers
DC Comics rumoured to release Batman and Superman online slot this year
Mafia, mobster and crime themes some of the most popular; The Godfather, Sinatra, HITMAN
PartyPoker.com reports success with Italian-based Intralot www.Intralot.it
Harrah's Entertainment online casino plans on track, advises insiders
CasinoClub.com expands multi language and multi currency options
City Of Dreams lures locals and tourists to venue, however revenue forecasts down
Queensland government sees gambling bring in $1ba year
Salvos welcome gambler support service funds
Australian pokies $20 limit scrapped in Queensland
Hitwise Australia secretive on online casino statistics
Play4Property.com to use online game of skill in property marketing sector
Facebook reviews policy regarding online gaming
Google working on secretive gaming projects and aiming to make web more fun
Media Man Australia attracting investor interest
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Thursday, July 09, 2009
PartyGaming CEO Addresses Gaming Executive Summit
9th July 2009
Madrid, Spain
PartyGaming CEO, Jim Ryan, spoke at the Gaming Executive Summit earlier today.
Mr Ryan said "The world is changing as regulation takes different shape in different markets. But upcoming regulation means new entrants and competition in the market, and I worry less about direct competitors such as those sitting on this panel than I do about government-licensed operators and major media firms targeting their power markets in the future.”
Also on the panel were Bwin co-chief executive Norbert Teufelberger, 888 chief executive Gigi Levy and Playtech chief executive Mor Weizer.
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9th July 2009
Madrid, Spain
PartyGaming CEO, Jim Ryan, spoke at the Gaming Executive Summit earlier today.
Mr Ryan said "The world is changing as regulation takes different shape in different markets. But upcoming regulation means new entrants and competition in the market, and I worry less about direct competitors such as those sitting on this panel than I do about government-licensed operators and major media firms targeting their power markets in the future.”
Also on the panel were Bwin co-chief executive Norbert Teufelberger, 888 chief executive Gigi Levy and Playtech chief executive Mor Weizer.
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Shane Warne's poker ace, by David Hastie - Sunday Herald Sun - 5th July 2009
He conquered the world on the cricket pitch. He is rumoured to have reunited with his former wife. Now Shane Warne is taking the poker world by storm.
The spin king stormed into the next round of the World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas last night, finishing day one with more than $110,000 in chips.
Warne has been accompanied in Las Vegas by former wife Simone Callahan and their three children, fuelling speculation of a reunion.
And last night he was celebrating a windfall at the lucrative tournament, where he is set to go up against some big names, including actors Jason Alexander and Matt Damon. (Credit: Sunday Herald Sun)
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He conquered the world on the cricket pitch. He is rumoured to have reunited with his former wife. Now Shane Warne is taking the poker world by storm.
The spin king stormed into the next round of the World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas last night, finishing day one with more than $110,000 in chips.
Warne has been accompanied in Las Vegas by former wife Simone Callahan and their three children, fuelling speculation of a reunion.
And last night he was celebrating a windfall at the lucrative tournament, where he is set to go up against some big names, including actors Jason Alexander and Matt Damon. (Credit: Sunday Herald Sun)
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Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Poker push to be ranked with Melbourne Cup, GP, by Michael Warner - Herald Sun - 8th July 2009
Crown casino wants its annual Aussie Millions poker tournament given official status on the major events calendar.
Casino chiefs have confirmed they are planning a submission to the Victoria Major Events Company.
If successful, Crown could be eligible for funding under the State Government's $83 million major events cap like the Formula One Grand Prix, Australian Open tennis and Australian Masters golf.
But Crown CEO David Courtney says the casino does not want financial support -- just official recognition.
"Crown is not looking for funding or subsidy from the Government -- far from it. "But we believe the Aussie Millions meets the criteria for a major event in Victoria and we would like to see it given that status alongside the Spring Racing Carnival and the other major events here," Mr Courtney said.
The move will require final approval from a Cabinet sub-committee.
Industry sources say the casino will have little trouble demonstrating that the Aussie Millions delivers significant economic benefits to Victoria, as required under qualification criteria.
It attracts thousands of international and interstate participants and generates more than 8000 hotel room nights.
The Herald Sun revealed on Saturday that Crown has raised the first prize purse for next January's Aussie Millions to $2.5 million - making it the nation's second-biggest first prize event behind the Melbourne Cup.
Anti-gambling groups yesterday scoffed at suggestions a poker championship could offer either cultural or social benefits.
"Why don't we make Sexpo a major event as well?" the Rev Tim Costello said.
"There's a fundamental difference between a major sporting event that excites and transcends our human condition than a gambling tournament."
Australian world poker champion Joe Hachem told the Herald Sun from Las Vegas the Aussie Millions was worthy of major event status.
"It deserves the title as one of Australia's majors alongside the Australian Open, Spring Racing Carnival and F1 Grand Prix," Hachem said.
Hachem, spin king Shane Warne and a host of other Australians are in Las Vegas this week vying for the World Championship of Poker. (Credit: Herald Sun)
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Crown casino wants its annual Aussie Millions poker tournament given official status on the major events calendar.
Casino chiefs have confirmed they are planning a submission to the Victoria Major Events Company.
If successful, Crown could be eligible for funding under the State Government's $83 million major events cap like the Formula One Grand Prix, Australian Open tennis and Australian Masters golf.
But Crown CEO David Courtney says the casino does not want financial support -- just official recognition.
"Crown is not looking for funding or subsidy from the Government -- far from it. "But we believe the Aussie Millions meets the criteria for a major event in Victoria and we would like to see it given that status alongside the Spring Racing Carnival and the other major events here," Mr Courtney said.
The move will require final approval from a Cabinet sub-committee.
Industry sources say the casino will have little trouble demonstrating that the Aussie Millions delivers significant economic benefits to Victoria, as required under qualification criteria.
It attracts thousands of international and interstate participants and generates more than 8000 hotel room nights.
The Herald Sun revealed on Saturday that Crown has raised the first prize purse for next January's Aussie Millions to $2.5 million - making it the nation's second-biggest first prize event behind the Melbourne Cup.
Anti-gambling groups yesterday scoffed at suggestions a poker championship could offer either cultural or social benefits.
"Why don't we make Sexpo a major event as well?" the Rev Tim Costello said.
"There's a fundamental difference between a major sporting event that excites and transcends our human condition than a gambling tournament."
Australian world poker champion Joe Hachem told the Herald Sun from Las Vegas the Aussie Millions was worthy of major event status.
"It deserves the title as one of Australia's majors alongside the Australian Open, Spring Racing Carnival and F1 Grand Prix," Hachem said.
Hachem, spin king Shane Warne and a host of other Australians are in Las Vegas this week vying for the World Championship of Poker. (Credit: Herald Sun)
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Tuesday, July 07, 2009
The Genius
The experts at PartyPoker.com have tapped into the brilliance of the finest scientific minds around to formulate a new promotion that's absolute genius.
Starting on Monday, 6th July, we're going to square the pot of every 50,000th hand that's played on our cash tables to create some mind-blowing jackpots, from a minimum of $100 up to staggering $5,000. Better still, everyone involved in the hand will get an equal share of the payout, while the winner will also take the original pot.
That's not all. Every millionth hand during The Genius will have a guaranteed $10,000 prize pool and the final 10 millionth hand of the promotion will be worth an astounding guaranteed $100,000. All the players dealt into these special Genius hands will share these fantastic cash prizes.
The promotion runs for 10 million hands, counted from 12:00 ET on Monday, 6th July.
Here's how it works:
If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $70, we'll square it to give all the players an equal share of $4,900: $70 x $70 = $4,900
If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $20, we'll square it to give all the players an equal share of $400: $20 x $20 = $400
If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $8, we'll give all the players an equal share of $100 (the minimum Genius jackpot)
You don't have to be a poker professor to make the most of The Genius. Just take your seat and play.
Party Poker Introduces "The Genius" Promotion
Starting Monday, July 6th, Party Poker is running "The Genius" promotion. For every 50,000th hand played at Party Poker's cash tables, they are going to "square" the pot.
For example if the 50,000th hand played hits on a table where the pot stands at $70, the pot will automatically increase to give all players a share of $4,900. This "Genius" promotion at PartyPoker.com, will run for a total of 10 Million hands starting today.
The minimum "Genius" jackpot will be $100 and the maximum all the way up to a whopping $5,000. But that's not all, every millionth hand played will have a guaranteed $10,000 prize pool and the final 10 millionth hand will give all players dealt a share of a huge guaranteed $100,000 prize pool.
To take part in this great Party Poker promotion, all you need to do is start playing. You don't need to be a "genius" to get the most out of this great poker promotion.
Terms and Conditions
* The Genius promotion will start at 12:00 ET on Monday, 6th July and will end after 10 million hands
* The Genius will only apply to cash-game tables from 10c/25c and above, including limit (25c/50c minimum stake on limit), no-limit and pot-limit Hold?em, pot-limit Omaha and 7 Card Stud
* The Genius will apply to jackpot tables.
* The Genius will not apply on any heads-up tables at any level on any game variant
* The Genius will hit every 50,000th hand, which will see us square the value of the pot at the table where the hand hits
* Each Genius jackpot will have a minimum value of $100 and a maximum value of $5,000
* There will be a special $10,000 guaranteed prize paid out for every 1 millionth applicable Genius hand
* The 10 millionth applicable Genius hand will have a guaranteed $100,000 payout
* All players involved in an Genius hand will receive an equal share of the payout
* Players must have been dealt into the Genius hand to be considered as taking part in the Genius hand
* The hand winner will receive the original pot value as well as their share of the winning Genius pot value
* Only called pots will be used for pot calculations: no uncalled bets will be included
* Please read our terms and conditions
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The experts at PartyPoker.com have tapped into the brilliance of the finest scientific minds around to formulate a new promotion that's absolute genius.
Starting on Monday, 6th July, we're going to square the pot of every 50,000th hand that's played on our cash tables to create some mind-blowing jackpots, from a minimum of $100 up to staggering $5,000. Better still, everyone involved in the hand will get an equal share of the payout, while the winner will also take the original pot.
That's not all. Every millionth hand during The Genius will have a guaranteed $10,000 prize pool and the final 10 millionth hand of the promotion will be worth an astounding guaranteed $100,000. All the players dealt into these special Genius hands will share these fantastic cash prizes.
The promotion runs for 10 million hands, counted from 12:00 ET on Monday, 6th July.
Here's how it works:
If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $70, we'll square it to give all the players an equal share of $4,900: $70 x $70 = $4,900
If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $20, we'll square it to give all the players an equal share of $400: $20 x $20 = $400
If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $8, we'll give all the players an equal share of $100 (the minimum Genius jackpot)
You don't have to be a poker professor to make the most of The Genius. Just take your seat and play.
Party Poker Introduces "The Genius" Promotion
Starting Monday, July 6th, Party Poker is running "The Genius" promotion. For every 50,000th hand played at Party Poker's cash tables, they are going to "square" the pot.
For example if the 50,000th hand played hits on a table where the pot stands at $70, the pot will automatically increase to give all players a share of $4,900. This "Genius" promotion at PartyPoker.com, will run for a total of 10 Million hands starting today.
The minimum "Genius" jackpot will be $100 and the maximum all the way up to a whopping $5,000. But that's not all, every millionth hand played will have a guaranteed $10,000 prize pool and the final 10 millionth hand will give all players dealt a share of a huge guaranteed $100,000 prize pool.
To take part in this great Party Poker promotion, all you need to do is start playing. You don't need to be a "genius" to get the most out of this great poker promotion.
Terms and Conditions
* The Genius promotion will start at 12:00 ET on Monday, 6th July and will end after 10 million hands
* The Genius will only apply to cash-game tables from 10c/25c and above, including limit (25c/50c minimum stake on limit), no-limit and pot-limit Hold?em, pot-limit Omaha and 7 Card Stud
* The Genius will apply to jackpot tables.
* The Genius will not apply on any heads-up tables at any level on any game variant
* The Genius will hit every 50,000th hand, which will see us square the value of the pot at the table where the hand hits
* Each Genius jackpot will have a minimum value of $100 and a maximum value of $5,000
* There will be a special $10,000 guaranteed prize paid out for every 1 millionth applicable Genius hand
* The 10 millionth applicable Genius hand will have a guaranteed $100,000 payout
* All players involved in an Genius hand will receive an equal share of the payout
* Players must have been dealt into the Genius hand to be considered as taking part in the Genius hand
* The hand winner will receive the original pot value as well as their share of the winning Genius pot value
* Only called pots will be used for pot calculations: no uncalled bets will be included
* Please read our terms and conditions
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Harrah's Entertainment releases list of celebrity guest invited to 3rd Annual Ante Up For Africa Tournament
Harrah's Entertainment has released the list of celebrities playing in the third annual Ante Up for Africa poker event held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino during the World Series of Poker.
The event will take place on Thursday, July 2nd at 2:00 pm and will gather some of the best poker players, actors, sports celebrities, musicians, etc. Stated to play this year are poker pros Howard Lederer, Team Full Tilt pro Andy Bloch, Erik Seidel, Phil Hellmuth, Peter Eastgate, NBA stars Dennis Rodman, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Reggie Miller, actors Matt Damon, 'Seinfeld' star Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, 'Everybody Loves Raymond' star Brad Garrett, comedian Marlon Wayans, actress and comedian Sarah Silverman, 'Oceans 11' co-star Casey Affleck and talk show host Montel Williams. More celebrity guests will be confirmed in the coming weeks. For the first time since its inception in 2007, the Ante Up For Africa Celebrity-Charity Poker Tournament hosted by Annie Duke and actor Don Cheadle will be recorded and broadcast on ESPN sports network on Tuesday, August 11th from 8:00 to 10:00 pm ET. The event open to the public for viewing and admission is free.
"It is an honor and very exciting to have ESPN turn the cameras on for our event," said Annie Duke. "This will make great strides in raising awareness about this ongoing crisis."
Created by Oscar nominee Don Cheadle and Celebrity Apprentice star and WSOP bracelet winner Annie Duke, the Ante Up For Africa is a unique charity tournament created to raise funds and public awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan. To date, Ante Up For Africa has raised close to $2 million for the cause.
"I am very pleased that we have raised almost 2 million to date and appreciative of everyone who has participated and donated to help us on our mission of bringing the plight of the refugees of Darfur to the forefront of people's minds," said actor and philanthropist Don Cheadle.
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Harrah's Entertainment has released the list of celebrities playing in the third annual Ante Up for Africa poker event held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino during the World Series of Poker.
The event will take place on Thursday, July 2nd at 2:00 pm and will gather some of the best poker players, actors, sports celebrities, musicians, etc. Stated to play this year are poker pros Howard Lederer, Team Full Tilt pro Andy Bloch, Erik Seidel, Phil Hellmuth, Peter Eastgate, NBA stars Dennis Rodman, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Reggie Miller, actors Matt Damon, 'Seinfeld' star Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, 'Everybody Loves Raymond' star Brad Garrett, comedian Marlon Wayans, actress and comedian Sarah Silverman, 'Oceans 11' co-star Casey Affleck and talk show host Montel Williams. More celebrity guests will be confirmed in the coming weeks. For the first time since its inception in 2007, the Ante Up For Africa Celebrity-Charity Poker Tournament hosted by Annie Duke and actor Don Cheadle will be recorded and broadcast on ESPN sports network on Tuesday, August 11th from 8:00 to 10:00 pm ET. The event open to the public for viewing and admission is free.
"It is an honor and very exciting to have ESPN turn the cameras on for our event," said Annie Duke. "This will make great strides in raising awareness about this ongoing crisis."
Created by Oscar nominee Don Cheadle and Celebrity Apprentice star and WSOP bracelet winner Annie Duke, the Ante Up For Africa is a unique charity tournament created to raise funds and public awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan. To date, Ante Up For Africa has raised close to $2 million for the cause.
"I am very pleased that we have raised almost 2 million to date and appreciative of everyone who has participated and donated to help us on our mission of bringing the plight of the refugees of Darfur to the forefront of people's minds," said actor and philanthropist Don Cheadle.
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Monday, July 06, 2009
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Sunday, July 05, 2009
New PKR site set to demonstrate value of brand communities in online gaming space
17th June 2009
Next-generation online poker room PKR.com has today announced the re-launch of its consumer facing website at www.pkr.com. Showcasing a new look and feel, the site brings PKR’s 2.75m registered customers a range of new social networking and community features designed to increase engagement levels and enhance customer experience.
Developed with London based web design agency Zone Content (www.zonecontent.com), highlights of the new PKR.com site include;
A fully upgraded ‘MyPKR’ section that offers players a range of social networking features including personal profiles, friends management system, PKR related newsfeeds and player-to-player messaging.
A new community section that offers daily original content providing coverage of events taking place on the site together with profiles of the personalities involved with PKR. Users will be able to have get involved via article comments systems through the highly used PKR forum. The community section also offers PKR customers access to a branded online TV station (www.PKR.tv) and a digital version of Stacked, its highly acclaimed customer magazine.
A free to access collection of poker strategy content provided by Dennis Publishing.
Simon Prodger, Marketing Director at PKR said of the new site; “PKR has always recognised the value that a meaningful brand community can deliver in such a competitive market as online gaming. Our new website gives us the tools to deliver our customers exactly the sort of content they want, and we’re confident that increasing customer engagement levels will have a hugely beneficial effect on customer retention.”
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17th June 2009
Next-generation online poker room PKR.com has today announced the re-launch of its consumer facing website at www.pkr.com. Showcasing a new look and feel, the site brings PKR’s 2.75m registered customers a range of new social networking and community features designed to increase engagement levels and enhance customer experience.
Developed with London based web design agency Zone Content (www.zonecontent.com), highlights of the new PKR.com site include;
A fully upgraded ‘MyPKR’ section that offers players a range of social networking features including personal profiles, friends management system, PKR related newsfeeds and player-to-player messaging.
A new community section that offers daily original content providing coverage of events taking place on the site together with profiles of the personalities involved with PKR. Users will be able to have get involved via article comments systems through the highly used PKR forum. The community section also offers PKR customers access to a branded online TV station (www.PKR.tv) and a digital version of Stacked, its highly acclaimed customer magazine.
A free to access collection of poker strategy content provided by Dennis Publishing.
Simon Prodger, Marketing Director at PKR said of the new site; “PKR has always recognised the value that a meaningful brand community can deliver in such a competitive market as online gaming. Our new website gives us the tools to deliver our customers exactly the sort of content they want, and we’re confident that increasing customer engagement levels will have a hugely beneficial effect on customer retention.”
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Saturday, July 04, 2009
Casino News Media Update
Australian online casino games continue to rise in popularity
Crown Casino Aussie Millions event aims to top Melbourne Cup money stakes
Aspinall's Online Casino - Aspers - Star Partner poised to shake up Asia Pacific region
World Series of Poker parties rate with world's best say insiders
WSOP Ante Up for Africa won by Alex “Diesel” Boloton
Russian casinos to increase focus on poker
PartyGaming's PartyCasino sees massive popularity in Australian region, boosted by new games, site revamp and multi currency facilities
Microgaming sees more branded casinos open, Expekt.com, Captain Cooks Casino discusses Microgaming offering's with media man
Gambling911.com parent company, Costigan Media, files suit to open warrant in online poker $30 million seizure
Mobile casino games, mobile gaming poised to reach new levels, PartyGaming, Slotland ramp up
TOMB RAIDER online slot classic a favorite of Aussies
Tom Cruise visit to Australia sees Party Gaming's Mission: Impossible and Top Gun games enjoy spike in popularity
Marvel Entertainment slot games collaboration with PartyCasino.com on track
Virgin Games considering more Hollywood themed slot games, following Transformers success
CasinoClub Launches Two New Slot Machine Games
Harrah's Entertainment gaming boss predicts consolidation; legal US online gambling
Lottery news media jackpot coverage in Australia sees rise in online bingo players
Rouge pit casinos changing names in attempt to become reborn, Affiliate Guard Dog and Casino Meister watch dogs tracking closely
Titan Casino, Titan Poker increase accountability and ramp up global awareness
Titan Poker extends Wimbledon tennis action extends off the court
JackpotCity.com rumoured to embark on global television campaign
DC Comics to release super hero themed slot games
Play4Property.com to release online game of skill
Paris Hilton being pursued by online casino, poker companies
WWE wrestling legends express interest in casino game deals, following Hulk Hogan's Hulk-A-Mania Experience and upcoming Andre The Giant NextGen gaming release
Network Ten rumoured to show poker themed TV show
Media companies turning to gaming to boost revenues, as traditional channels drying up
UFC expecting significant sports betting and PPV buy rates, Australian tour plans
American gambling online soon to be legal across the board advises Goldman Sachs
Bigpond adds gambling themed games to online shop offerings
Poker tournaments leading to legal can of worms; sponsorships, loan shark territory
Partypoker, 888 highest profile in United Kingdom
Australian pokies in clubs fuelled by Woolworths and Coles, News Limited and Fairfax reports
Online gaming more popular that TV or sex with youth sector
Sports betting industry in Australia under spotlight and government enquiry begins; some players rumoured to be betting
James Packer's City of Dreams maintains focus on goals, despite economic recession
Media Man Australia group of companies enter business negotiations with Mob Candy Magazine
Australian Casino News.com website adds more classic casino games
Property News Media.com adds more Australian casino news to coverage
Casino News Media.com approaching Hitwise "top ten" status, to match Media Man parent
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Australian online casino games continue to rise in popularity
Crown Casino Aussie Millions event aims to top Melbourne Cup money stakes
Aspinall's Online Casino - Aspers - Star Partner poised to shake up Asia Pacific region
World Series of Poker parties rate with world's best say insiders
WSOP Ante Up for Africa won by Alex “Diesel” Boloton
Russian casinos to increase focus on poker
PartyGaming's PartyCasino sees massive popularity in Australian region, boosted by new games, site revamp and multi currency facilities
Microgaming sees more branded casinos open, Expekt.com, Captain Cooks Casino discusses Microgaming offering's with media man
Gambling911.com parent company, Costigan Media, files suit to open warrant in online poker $30 million seizure
Mobile casino games, mobile gaming poised to reach new levels, PartyGaming, Slotland ramp up
TOMB RAIDER online slot classic a favorite of Aussies
Tom Cruise visit to Australia sees Party Gaming's Mission: Impossible and Top Gun games enjoy spike in popularity
Marvel Entertainment slot games collaboration with PartyCasino.com on track
Virgin Games considering more Hollywood themed slot games, following Transformers success
CasinoClub Launches Two New Slot Machine Games
Harrah's Entertainment gaming boss predicts consolidation; legal US online gambling
Lottery news media jackpot coverage in Australia sees rise in online bingo players
Rouge pit casinos changing names in attempt to become reborn, Affiliate Guard Dog and Casino Meister watch dogs tracking closely
Titan Casino, Titan Poker increase accountability and ramp up global awareness
Titan Poker extends Wimbledon tennis action extends off the court
JackpotCity.com rumoured to embark on global television campaign
DC Comics to release super hero themed slot games
Play4Property.com to release online game of skill
Paris Hilton being pursued by online casino, poker companies
WWE wrestling legends express interest in casino game deals, following Hulk Hogan's Hulk-A-Mania Experience and upcoming Andre The Giant NextGen gaming release
Network Ten rumoured to show poker themed TV show
Media companies turning to gaming to boost revenues, as traditional channels drying up
UFC expecting significant sports betting and PPV buy rates, Australian tour plans
American gambling online soon to be legal across the board advises Goldman Sachs
Bigpond adds gambling themed games to online shop offerings
Poker tournaments leading to legal can of worms; sponsorships, loan shark territory
Partypoker, 888 highest profile in United Kingdom
Australian pokies in clubs fuelled by Woolworths and Coles, News Limited and Fairfax reports
Online gaming more popular that TV or sex with youth sector
Sports betting industry in Australia under spotlight and government enquiry begins; some players rumoured to be betting
James Packer's City of Dreams maintains focus on goals, despite economic recession
Media Man Australia group of companies enter business negotiations with Mob Candy Magazine
Australian Casino News.com website adds more classic casino games
Property News Media.com adds more Australian casino news to coverage
Casino News Media.com approaching Hitwise "top ten" status, to match Media Man parent
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Crown Casino wants to trump Australia's richest horse race, by Michael Warner - Herald Sun - 4th July 2009
A poker tournament is looking to trump the Melbourne Cup as Australia's biggest-paying major event.
Crown casino has raised the first-prize purse for its annual "Aussie Millions" poker championships to $2.5 million, putting its main event just $800,000 short of last year's Melbourne Cup winner's cheque of $3.3 million.
And the poker prize pool will soar again in 2010 on the back of a TV series tipped to reach more than 100 million lounge rooms across the globe.
The Australian Open, offering $2 million for both men's and women's championships, now sits in third place ahead of the AFL Grand Final ($1 million) and the Australian Masters Golf ($270,000).
Podium prizes for the Albert Park Formula One Grand Prix and the Phillip Island MotoGP are minimal.
"A first prize of $2.5 million gives the Aussie Millions a status it deserves on Melbourne's major events program," Crown CEO David Courtney said yesterday.
"Crown is now sharing the limelight with some of Victoria's other major events, including the Melbourne Cup, Australian Open, and the AFL Grand Final."
The Aussie Millions, running each January in conjunction with the Australian Open, is now the world's fifth largest poker tournament and the biggest outside the US.
"Huge growth in the number of overall participants reflects the increasing popularity of the game locally and internationally," Mr Courtney said.
He said the tournament generated more than 8000 hotel-room nights across Melbourne, rivalling all other Victorian major events.
This week, Melbourne poker champ Joe Hachem and cricket legend Shane Warne are heading a band of Aussie hopefuls in Las Vegas vying for the World Championship of poker and a bumper first prize of more than $9 million. (Credit: Herald Sun).
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A poker tournament is looking to trump the Melbourne Cup as Australia's biggest-paying major event.
Crown casino has raised the first-prize purse for its annual "Aussie Millions" poker championships to $2.5 million, putting its main event just $800,000 short of last year's Melbourne Cup winner's cheque of $3.3 million.
And the poker prize pool will soar again in 2010 on the back of a TV series tipped to reach more than 100 million lounge rooms across the globe.
The Australian Open, offering $2 million for both men's and women's championships, now sits in third place ahead of the AFL Grand Final ($1 million) and the Australian Masters Golf ($270,000).
Podium prizes for the Albert Park Formula One Grand Prix and the Phillip Island MotoGP are minimal.
"A first prize of $2.5 million gives the Aussie Millions a status it deserves on Melbourne's major events program," Crown CEO David Courtney said yesterday.
"Crown is now sharing the limelight with some of Victoria's other major events, including the Melbourne Cup, Australian Open, and the AFL Grand Final."
The Aussie Millions, running each January in conjunction with the Australian Open, is now the world's fifth largest poker tournament and the biggest outside the US.
"Huge growth in the number of overall participants reflects the increasing popularity of the game locally and internationally," Mr Courtney said.
He said the tournament generated more than 8000 hotel-room nights across Melbourne, rivalling all other Victorian major events.
This week, Melbourne poker champ Joe Hachem and cricket legend Shane Warne are heading a band of Aussie hopefuls in Las Vegas vying for the World Championship of poker and a bumper first prize of more than $9 million. (Credit: Herald Sun).
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Friday, July 03, 2009
Poker star in court after win - AAP - 3rd July 2009
A top New Zealand poker player has been dragged through the courts by his closest card-playing mate after a big cash haul at a Melbourne casino.
Lebanese men Jamil Dia and Constantine Harach used to be the best of friends, playing competitively for years as afar afield as Russia, often agreeing to share each others wins and losses to spread the gambling risk.
But all turned sour for the Wellington immigrants at Melbourne's Crown Casino in January 2005 and the saga has been playing out in Kiwi courts ever since.
As the facts go, Mr Dia, a bakery owner, won more than NZ$700,000 ($554,000) that day at the casino when he was crowned 2005 Australian poker champion.
Mr Harach, a hairdresser, was rankled by the win and has claimed since that they'd agreed this time to share 20 per cent of each other's winnings, a claim denied by Mr Dia.
The pair are now locked in a bitter dispute that has ended up in court five times to date, the Dominion Post newspaper reports.
Mr Dia appears to have the winning hand this time around, with a District Court judge unconvinced that the two men did have an agreement.
But Mr Harach appealed the decision in New Zealand's High Court yesterday, with a decision by Justice Forrie Miller reserved. (Credit: AAP)
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A top New Zealand poker player has been dragged through the courts by his closest card-playing mate after a big cash haul at a Melbourne casino.
Lebanese men Jamil Dia and Constantine Harach used to be the best of friends, playing competitively for years as afar afield as Russia, often agreeing to share each others wins and losses to spread the gambling risk.
But all turned sour for the Wellington immigrants at Melbourne's Crown Casino in January 2005 and the saga has been playing out in Kiwi courts ever since.
As the facts go, Mr Dia, a bakery owner, won more than NZ$700,000 ($554,000) that day at the casino when he was crowned 2005 Australian poker champion.
Mr Harach, a hairdresser, was rankled by the win and has claimed since that they'd agreed this time to share 20 per cent of each other's winnings, a claim denied by Mr Dia.
The pair are now locked in a bitter dispute that has ended up in court five times to date, the Dominion Post newspaper reports.
Mr Dia appears to have the winning hand this time around, with a District Court judge unconvinced that the two men did have an agreement.
But Mr Harach appealed the decision in New Zealand's High Court yesterday, with a decision by Justice Forrie Miller reserved. (Credit: AAP)
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Crown Casino Crown Towers ready for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes stay in Melbourne
Russian land based casinos shut down
Twitter Changing Professional Poker: Report
World Poker Tour Season Eight Announced
PartyGaming rumoured to release more Hollywood blockbuster theme slots, Alien, Andre The Giant
Virgin Games website removes Michael Jackson promo
CasinoClub.com and SlotsClub.com ramp up multi currency facilities and revamp websites
Media Man Australia revamps Casino News Media, Classic Slots Online and Australian Casino News websites
Lottery jackpot draw held tonight; Australia
American gaming changes on the way, California, Texas; could be windfall to U.S states
UIGEA: Odds are Good on Overturning U.S. Online Gambling Ban
Online poker proving popular with world's financial wizards
Donald Trump to revisit land based casino business in Vegas, Atlantic City
Gambling911.com revamps Australian content
Star City Casino model gunman court trial on the way
Tabcorp chasing payments to former director
PartyPoker.com climbing way back up PokerScout rankings
CAP Euro Goes to Budapest
JackpotCity.com to embark on Australian media and new media campaign
William Hill likely to leave UK base
Elle MacPherson still dating casino king, Damian Aspinall
Calvin Ayre eying off Philippines, Australia
UFC enjoying solid success with BetUS sports betting
Captain Cooks Casino releases more Microgaming titles
Playtech to sign a deal 2 or 3 times bigger than William Hill agreement
Australian online gambling landscape heats up between Centrebet, Betfair, PartyGaming, and overseas operators
Marvel Entertainment online slots deal with PartyCasino.com exceeding expectations
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Crown Casino Crown Towers ready for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes stay in Melbourne
Russian land based casinos shut down
Twitter Changing Professional Poker: Report
World Poker Tour Season Eight Announced
PartyGaming rumoured to release more Hollywood blockbuster theme slots, Alien, Andre The Giant
Virgin Games website removes Michael Jackson promo
CasinoClub.com and SlotsClub.com ramp up multi currency facilities and revamp websites
Media Man Australia revamps Casino News Media, Classic Slots Online and Australian Casino News websites
Lottery jackpot draw held tonight; Australia
American gaming changes on the way, California, Texas; could be windfall to U.S states
UIGEA: Odds are Good on Overturning U.S. Online Gambling Ban
Online poker proving popular with world's financial wizards
Donald Trump to revisit land based casino business in Vegas, Atlantic City
Gambling911.com revamps Australian content
Star City Casino model gunman court trial on the way
Tabcorp chasing payments to former director
PartyPoker.com climbing way back up PokerScout rankings
CAP Euro Goes to Budapest
JackpotCity.com to embark on Australian media and new media campaign
William Hill likely to leave UK base
Elle MacPherson still dating casino king, Damian Aspinall
Calvin Ayre eying off Philippines, Australia
UFC enjoying solid success with BetUS sports betting
Captain Cooks Casino releases more Microgaming titles
Playtech to sign a deal 2 or 3 times bigger than William Hill agreement
Australian online gambling landscape heats up between Centrebet, Betfair, PartyGaming, and overseas operators
Marvel Entertainment online slots deal with PartyCasino.com exceeding expectations
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Mike Sexton Reviews the 2009 World Series of Poker, by Mike Sexton - Poker News Daily - 25th June 2009
It’s once again time for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) – the 40th edition. For poker players, the WSOP is the ultimate in “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” It’s where dreams come true and also where dreams are shattered. Many of us dote about the bracelets, the history, and the tradition that set the WSOP apart from other tournaments, but the beauty is that most players really can win life-changing money.
This year’s kickoff event was a $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th annual WSOP. Personally, I think it’s a dumb idea to ever have a bigger buy-in for a No Limit Hold’em tournament than the Main Event, so I wasn’t for it. I didn’t play in it because I missed the first week of the WSOP this year. I took a vacation with my wife Karen and son Ty (nine months old) to Yellowstone National Park – and it was great! It was a vacation for our second anniversary and Ty is the first child for either of us. It’s official - my priorities have changed from poker to parenting!
I do love the WSOP, though. I’m guessing I will play in 10 to 12 events this year. It may be their 40th, but it’s my 25th WSOP, my Silver Anniversary. One thing’s for sure: I will never forget my first-ever WSOP. It was 1984. I lived in North Carolina back then and had been a professional poker player for about six years. I always wanted to go the WSOP and play against the best. I never went, though, because I was an avid Little League coach back then (which, incidentally, was the greatest joy of my life). We started practicing in April and our season started in May – the same time as the WSOP in those days – and, therefore, I couldn’t go.
In 1984, I finally decided to take a week off from Little League and go to my first WSOP. Back then, they only had one tournament every other day. That meant in a week’s time, you could only play in three events. So, I entered three events, made two final tables, and was hooked for life on the WSOP. Because of my success in that first WSOP, I decided to move to Las Vegas a few months later and I’ve lived there ever since. I’ve often wondered where I’d be today if I hadn’t cashed in any of those three tournaments.
Here’s the bad part: 25 years later, I still remember how I was knocked out of those tournaments at my first WSOP – and it still hurts! Why can’t I just let it go? Because it’s my Silver Anniversary WSOP, I’ll relive the pain and tell you what happened (If you don’t like bad beat stories, skip the next couple of paragraphs).
With five players left in the Pot Limit Omaha tournament, I was average in chips and the leader was Tom McEvoy, who happened to be the reigning World Champion of Poker at the time. Noted author David Sklansky was also still there as well as a high-stakes Pot Limit Omaha player named Bill Bennett, the eventual winner.
McEvoy was playing extremely aggressive, too much so for Pot Limit Omaha, in my opinion. Even though he was the World Champion at No Limit Hold’em, I wasn’t convinced he played Pot Limit Omaha that well. Tom was raising nearly every pot and once again raised the max pre-flop. I was on the button and picked up a nice hand, A-K-Q-8 (A-Q of diamonds, K-8 of Clubs). I called, as did the big blind. The flop was Q-8-3 with two hearts and one club. The big blind checked and McEvoy led out and bet the pot. I was contemplating raising and going for it all right there. McEvoy must have sensed it because he blurted out, “If you raise it, I’m going to put you all-in.” After that statement, I decided to go with this hand for sure. So I then said, “Well, I guess you’re going to put me all-in then, because I’m raising it!” I raised, the big blind folded, and true to his word, McEvoy set me all-in. I can still remember how much my heart was pounding when I called him.
I was shocked and thrilled when he turned up his hand. He had a 3-4-5-8 and no heart draw! Yippee!! I had the top two pair and he had the bottom two pair. Then it happened - a seven came on the turn and a six on the river. Wham! Bam! He made a straight and won the pot. Instead of me being the chip leader, I was out. I won’t forget that hand as long as I live. That bracelet could/should have been mine!
Even with all the pain, I love the WSOP. I like that, for the first time ever at the WSOP, there are no rebuys in any tournaments. I’ve always campaigned for that because I think everyone should have an equal chance to win a bracelet. Rebuy tournaments are not equal to everyone; they favor the deep pockets.
Sadly, I must say that I can’t believe the $50,000 HORSE tournament is not being televised this year. In my opinion, this is a poor decision and not good for poker. And even though they’re doing it again, I still think it’s a bad idea to put the Main Event final table four months down the road. Whether or not I like the final table in November, however, you can be sure of this: If I’m breathing, I’ll be playing in the Main Event. Needless to say, it would be a dream come true to get to that final table. If it happens, I hope to meet you there! (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Mike Sexton
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World Series of Poker
It’s once again time for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) – the 40th edition. For poker players, the WSOP is the ultimate in “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” It’s where dreams come true and also where dreams are shattered. Many of us dote about the bracelets, the history, and the tradition that set the WSOP apart from other tournaments, but the beauty is that most players really can win life-changing money.
This year’s kickoff event was a $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th annual WSOP. Personally, I think it’s a dumb idea to ever have a bigger buy-in for a No Limit Hold’em tournament than the Main Event, so I wasn’t for it. I didn’t play in it because I missed the first week of the WSOP this year. I took a vacation with my wife Karen and son Ty (nine months old) to Yellowstone National Park – and it was great! It was a vacation for our second anniversary and Ty is the first child for either of us. It’s official - my priorities have changed from poker to parenting!
I do love the WSOP, though. I’m guessing I will play in 10 to 12 events this year. It may be their 40th, but it’s my 25th WSOP, my Silver Anniversary. One thing’s for sure: I will never forget my first-ever WSOP. It was 1984. I lived in North Carolina back then and had been a professional poker player for about six years. I always wanted to go the WSOP and play against the best. I never went, though, because I was an avid Little League coach back then (which, incidentally, was the greatest joy of my life). We started practicing in April and our season started in May – the same time as the WSOP in those days – and, therefore, I couldn’t go.
In 1984, I finally decided to take a week off from Little League and go to my first WSOP. Back then, they only had one tournament every other day. That meant in a week’s time, you could only play in three events. So, I entered three events, made two final tables, and was hooked for life on the WSOP. Because of my success in that first WSOP, I decided to move to Las Vegas a few months later and I’ve lived there ever since. I’ve often wondered where I’d be today if I hadn’t cashed in any of those three tournaments.
Here’s the bad part: 25 years later, I still remember how I was knocked out of those tournaments at my first WSOP – and it still hurts! Why can’t I just let it go? Because it’s my Silver Anniversary WSOP, I’ll relive the pain and tell you what happened (If you don’t like bad beat stories, skip the next couple of paragraphs).
With five players left in the Pot Limit Omaha tournament, I was average in chips and the leader was Tom McEvoy, who happened to be the reigning World Champion of Poker at the time. Noted author David Sklansky was also still there as well as a high-stakes Pot Limit Omaha player named Bill Bennett, the eventual winner.
McEvoy was playing extremely aggressive, too much so for Pot Limit Omaha, in my opinion. Even though he was the World Champion at No Limit Hold’em, I wasn’t convinced he played Pot Limit Omaha that well. Tom was raising nearly every pot and once again raised the max pre-flop. I was on the button and picked up a nice hand, A-K-Q-8 (A-Q of diamonds, K-8 of Clubs). I called, as did the big blind. The flop was Q-8-3 with two hearts and one club. The big blind checked and McEvoy led out and bet the pot. I was contemplating raising and going for it all right there. McEvoy must have sensed it because he blurted out, “If you raise it, I’m going to put you all-in.” After that statement, I decided to go with this hand for sure. So I then said, “Well, I guess you’re going to put me all-in then, because I’m raising it!” I raised, the big blind folded, and true to his word, McEvoy set me all-in. I can still remember how much my heart was pounding when I called him.
I was shocked and thrilled when he turned up his hand. He had a 3-4-5-8 and no heart draw! Yippee!! I had the top two pair and he had the bottom two pair. Then it happened - a seven came on the turn and a six on the river. Wham! Bam! He made a straight and won the pot. Instead of me being the chip leader, I was out. I won’t forget that hand as long as I live. That bracelet could/should have been mine!
Even with all the pain, I love the WSOP. I like that, for the first time ever at the WSOP, there are no rebuys in any tournaments. I’ve always campaigned for that because I think everyone should have an equal chance to win a bracelet. Rebuy tournaments are not equal to everyone; they favor the deep pockets.
Sadly, I must say that I can’t believe the $50,000 HORSE tournament is not being televised this year. In my opinion, this is a poor decision and not good for poker. And even though they’re doing it again, I still think it’s a bad idea to put the Main Event final table four months down the road. Whether or not I like the final table in November, however, you can be sure of this: If I’m breathing, I’ll be playing in the Main Event. Needless to say, it would be a dream come true to get to that final table. If it happens, I hope to meet you there! (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Monday, June 29, 2009
PartyGaming to build first grassroots poker team; Signs Ian Fraser - 26th June 2009
PartyPoker is to create its first ever grassroots poker team to compete at major poker events.
PartyPoker.com has previously stayed out of the player sponsorship market with the exception of main site ambassador Mike Sexton, but has sponsored UK player Ian Frazer as the new team’s first member.
A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: “The sponsored player and grassroots team initiative will continue to grow, with all VIPs reviewed for suitability. We are looking for players that have shown themselves to have star quality in their play but who are also fun, humorous and possess a strong character and willingness to co-operate. Our extensive international television distribution gives players the chance of brilliant exposure.”
VIPs, loyal players and players with historic links to PartyPoker will form the basis of the team.
Ian ‘The Raiser’ Frazer, a 50-year-old building contractor from London with live tournament winnings of over US$1.3m, started playing online at the site in 2004, and has finished on the final table of five offline Party tournaments.
Frazer will host invitation-only private tournaments on PartyPoker.com and represent PartyPoker.com at events at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, on which he has started blogging on the PartyPoker blog.
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PartyPoker is to create its first ever grassroots poker team to compete at major poker events.
PartyPoker.com has previously stayed out of the player sponsorship market with the exception of main site ambassador Mike Sexton, but has sponsored UK player Ian Frazer as the new team’s first member.
A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: “The sponsored player and grassroots team initiative will continue to grow, with all VIPs reviewed for suitability. We are looking for players that have shown themselves to have star quality in their play but who are also fun, humorous and possess a strong character and willingness to co-operate. Our extensive international television distribution gives players the chance of brilliant exposure.”
VIPs, loyal players and players with historic links to PartyPoker will form the basis of the team.
Ian ‘The Raiser’ Frazer, a 50-year-old building contractor from London with live tournament winnings of over US$1.3m, started playing online at the site in 2004, and has finished on the final table of five offline Party tournaments.
Frazer will host invitation-only private tournaments on PartyPoker.com and represent PartyPoker.com at events at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, on which he has started blogging on the PartyPoker blog.
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How Internet Gambling is Keeping Wall Street Rich - Gambling911 - 28th June 2009
Using skills honed on the Street, he's turned poker into just one more exotic financial transaction. Now, though, instead of commuting to midtown Manhattan in a suit, he flies to Las Vegas for million-dollar tournaments or sits at home in boxer shorts, playing five online tables simultaneously. "Some friends have told me that my greatest trade ever was Lehman for poker," Pahuja says. "Other people act kind of snide about the fact that I gamble for a living. I shrug it off and tell them that I must be doing okay since I'm not one of the guys out there looking for a job. I'm making more money at poker than I could make on Wall Street right now."
It's not just the recently unemployed who've moved from monitoring interest-rate fluctuations on Bloomberg terminals to searching out games on Full Tilt-it's guys who still have jobs but are looking to make up for the shortfall in their once-hefty bonuses. One hedge-fund trader, who competes under the name chosenpromise, is compensating for a withered paycheck by playing high-stakes Texas Hold'em. "There is not as much immediate upside on Wall Street as there used to be," he says. "After things got bad I upped my poker hours significantly."
Though some ex-Wall Streeters prefer taking risks with other people's money, Pahuja enjoys putting his own on the line, believing that playing poker taps into his entrepreneurial side. Besides, with their shared reliance on probability, psychology, and swagger, playing the market and playing cards have always been two sides of the same coin. And in an era when an entire cohort of Ph.D.-level quants have been discredited as speculative fools, risking next month's car payment on a bluff seems like a perfectly reasonable application of statistical expertise. "More than ever before, I'm seeing a lot of my guys playing online poker," says Jin Zeng Joshi, a vice president at Dynamics Associates, a Manhattan-based executive-recruiting firm that focuses on the financial industry.
The perceived correlation between playing cards and trading stocks is so strong that when the markets were booming some managers even looked favorably on potential employees with poker chops. Trainees at the investment firm Susquehanna International Group are given Getting the Best of It, a book on gambling technique by David Sklansky, as assigned reading. On the other hand, Wall Street skill sets are hardly guaranteed to be transferable; the wolves of Vegas are more than happy to take on players from mathematical and financial backgrounds. Chosenpromise, who's the most seasoned of the players interviewed for this story, considers a million hands played to be the test of time. He's hit that number and has emerged as a big winner.
The high odds against major-league success haven't dampened the enthusiasm of 26-year-old Dante Conti. He recognized the parallels between the game and money management soon after his division got axed from Bank of America's Los Angeles office early this year. Looking to unwind after the trauma of being fired, he went to Las Vegas for a weekend. A couple of his friends are professional poker players, and Conti took notice. "Poker seems easy compared to investment banking," he says. "Reading people's betting styles and knowing what to do against them, it all came to me pretty naturally."
Conti spent the next few weeks playing $500 single-table poker tournaments for three to five hours a night, and developed a winning habit. He's found a new job in finance, but continues to play online poker at night. "Weirdly," he says, "considering all that's happened, there seems to be way less uncertainty in poker than there is on Wall Street." (Credit: Gambling911)
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Using skills honed on the Street, he's turned poker into just one more exotic financial transaction. Now, though, instead of commuting to midtown Manhattan in a suit, he flies to Las Vegas for million-dollar tournaments or sits at home in boxer shorts, playing five online tables simultaneously. "Some friends have told me that my greatest trade ever was Lehman for poker," Pahuja says. "Other people act kind of snide about the fact that I gamble for a living. I shrug it off and tell them that I must be doing okay since I'm not one of the guys out there looking for a job. I'm making more money at poker than I could make on Wall Street right now."
It's not just the recently unemployed who've moved from monitoring interest-rate fluctuations on Bloomberg terminals to searching out games on Full Tilt-it's guys who still have jobs but are looking to make up for the shortfall in their once-hefty bonuses. One hedge-fund trader, who competes under the name chosenpromise, is compensating for a withered paycheck by playing high-stakes Texas Hold'em. "There is not as much immediate upside on Wall Street as there used to be," he says. "After things got bad I upped my poker hours significantly."
Though some ex-Wall Streeters prefer taking risks with other people's money, Pahuja enjoys putting his own on the line, believing that playing poker taps into his entrepreneurial side. Besides, with their shared reliance on probability, psychology, and swagger, playing the market and playing cards have always been two sides of the same coin. And in an era when an entire cohort of Ph.D.-level quants have been discredited as speculative fools, risking next month's car payment on a bluff seems like a perfectly reasonable application of statistical expertise. "More than ever before, I'm seeing a lot of my guys playing online poker," says Jin Zeng Joshi, a vice president at Dynamics Associates, a Manhattan-based executive-recruiting firm that focuses on the financial industry.
The perceived correlation between playing cards and trading stocks is so strong that when the markets were booming some managers even looked favorably on potential employees with poker chops. Trainees at the investment firm Susquehanna International Group are given Getting the Best of It, a book on gambling technique by David Sklansky, as assigned reading. On the other hand, Wall Street skill sets are hardly guaranteed to be transferable; the wolves of Vegas are more than happy to take on players from mathematical and financial backgrounds. Chosenpromise, who's the most seasoned of the players interviewed for this story, considers a million hands played to be the test of time. He's hit that number and has emerged as a big winner.
The high odds against major-league success haven't dampened the enthusiasm of 26-year-old Dante Conti. He recognized the parallels between the game and money management soon after his division got axed from Bank of America's Los Angeles office early this year. Looking to unwind after the trauma of being fired, he went to Las Vegas for a weekend. A couple of his friends are professional poker players, and Conti took notice. "Poker seems easy compared to investment banking," he says. "Reading people's betting styles and knowing what to do against them, it all came to me pretty naturally."
Conti spent the next few weeks playing $500 single-table poker tournaments for three to five hours a night, and developed a winning habit. He's found a new job in finance, but continues to play online poker at night. "Weirdly," he says, "considering all that's happened, there seems to be way less uncertainty in poker than there is on Wall Street." (Credit: Gambling911)
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