Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Odds Look Good For Gamblers - Forbes - 10th July 2009

Internet gambling seems like a recession-proof business and even the reluctant U.S. might ride the train.

LONDON - Despite warmer weather and tough economic conditions, sofa spuds are still playing high rollers in virtual casinos. On Thursday online gaming firm PartyGaming, reportedly a takeover target of Nasdaq-listed rival Gigamedia, saw a jump in shares as much a 7% after it said trading in the second quarter has been robust with revenues in line with the first quarter.

Gibraltar-based PartyGaming, one of the world's biggest online gambling firms, also said casino sales had significantly increased from the previous quarter, driven by a substantial increase in the number of games being offered on its PartyCasino site.

"Casino is developing into a major success story and recent poker initiatives are getting traction. We are maintaining our forecasts at this stage but there are increasing grounds for optimism," said Wyn Ellis, an analyst at Numis in London.

The recent jump in PartyGaming shares might be just a premonition of a much bigger rally next September as industry analysts expect a 2006-anti online gambling law to be scrap in the U.S. by the end of the fall.

"There is a reasonably good chance that the U.S. will introduce some positive online legislation in terms of gambling first at a state level in September and then at a federal level," said Nick Batram, an analyst at KBC Peel Hunt, a brokerage firm in London.

Last May, Rep. Barney Frank introduced a bill to propose that online gambling be legalized and regulated in the United States. PartyGaming's shares have hovered around the $3.80 mark ever since they dropped from nearly $15.00, just after to the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in October 2006.

But PartyGaming shares, along with rival 888 Holdings, could see a rebound soon. "Some of the share prices have already discounted the U.S. opening up the online gambling markets and the possibility of some sector consolidation, but shares in European online gambling companies will rally European rally there is an element some of the share prices already discounting the US opening to a degree or some sector consolidation," said Batram, adding he still expects shares to rally once regulation for companies in the U.S. is relaxed.

Yet he warns PartyGaming's shares and other stocks like Gigamedia probably won't reach the historic highs they enjoyed before the outlaw act of 2006.

The U.S. government could raise more than $50 billion over 10 years from taxes on legalized online gambling, according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Online gambling generated revenue of $6 billion last year in North America, more than a quarter the global total of $22.6 billion, up from $17.6 billion in 2006, according to H2 Gambling Capital. (Credit: Forbes.com)

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Virgin Poker Points - Get More With Virgin Games!

London, 29th July 2009 – Virgin Games, the online gaming service is improving its V*POINTS customer loyalty scheme by giving players up to five times more points when they play for real money online.

The Virgin Games’ V*POINTS customer loyalty scheme offers players the chance to earn V*POINTS in return for money wagered across Virgin Casino, Virgin Bingo and Virgin Poker.

Points accumulated can then be swapped up for cash, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles, Virgin Experience days, Virgin vouchers or donations to the Virgin Unite charity ensuring the great Virgin experience extends beyond online play.

And that’s not all, to celebrate; Virgin Casino has 50,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles up for grabs throughout the month of July.

To qualify, customers simply play cash at Virgin Casino and at the end of the month 26 lucky winners will be drawn and awarded a share of the prize! Players automatically receive a V*POINTS account when they register at Virgin Games so that they can start accumulating points straight away.

Simon Burridge, CEO Virgin Games, comments: "The new V*POINTS loyalty rates offer our players greater added value and return as well as the chance to earn points every time they play. Our new and improved customer experience program allows us to continue to deliver the unique Virgin experience and reward our loyal customers." For more information on Virgin Games please visit http://www.virgingames.com

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors: Players earn V*POINTS across Virgin Casino, Virgin Bingo and Virgin Poker, see a further point breakdown below:

Virgin Games Group V*POINTS earned for every £100 wagered
Slots 10
Blackjack 5
Roulette 7.5
Tables and Poker 7.5
Instant Win & Keno 10
Jackpots 10
Bingo 60


About Virgin Games Virgin Games launched in June 2004 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading gaming websites in the UK. Virgin Games comprises four distinct offerings:

Virgin Casino, part of the Wagerworks network, brings consumers classic casino offerings like blackjack and roulette, as well as great feature slots like Monopoly, Cluedo, Dungeons and Dragons Fortress of Fortunes™ and the highly popular MegaJackpots progressive games, with a seeding value of £1,500,000

Virgin Poker, part of the Boss Media network, offers a huge array of games and content for beginners through to experienced pros – as well as the most generous loyalty scheme in the industry

Virgin Bingo, part of the Virtue Fusion network, offers cash prizes worth thousands of pounds in the progressive jackpots, as well as Virgin prize bingo and a range of unique Virgin Games bingo games.

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10million US Poker players despite UIEGA ban

Despite US restrictions, America still remains as the largest online poker market.

Market research company, Poker players research (PPR) has found that despite the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIEGA) which banned online gambling back in 2006, there are still over 10million real money poker player in the USA. This figure shows more than 5 times the amount of players in the UK, the second largest market in the world with 1.9million poker fans.

Germany came in third from the research, with a market size of 1.6million which was slightly ahead of France who has 1.3 million players. Scandinavia’s mature market has just 1.4 million real money players.

PokerStars and Full Tilt have taken more than half of the market share as they stayed in the US throughout the legislative struggles, at the expense of those who pulled out after the UIEGA was passed. Operators that pulled out include PartyGaming, the new owners of Cashcade, who settled with authorities for $105m in April.

PartyGaming took a calculated risk by settling with the authorities, so that it may be able to re-enter the market if efforts to regulate the American online gambling industry succeeds. However operators 888 haven’t shown any signs of moving towards a settlement with the US Department of Justice.

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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Online Poker Room Extends Genius Promotion

Online poker site PartyPoker.com has extended its current Genius promotion over an additional five million hands offering players even more chances at winning some serious cash for just pennies.

The world's second busiest online poker site, PartyPoker.com began its Genius promotion on July 6 offering to square the pot for every 50,000th hand that is played at the site's cash tables for a minimum $100 jackpot up to a maximum $5,000 bonanza.

Initially set to run for ten million hands, the promotion has now been extended to 15 million hands with every player involved in the unique game receiving an equal share of the payout with the winner taking home the original pot.

As part of the promotion, PartyPoker.com stated that every millionth hand would have a guaranteed $10,000 prize pool while the final game will see $100,000 up for grabs.

As an example, the Genius promotion will pay $4,900 if a game has a pot standing at $70 and happens to be one of the lucky squared contests. That is $70 multiplied by $70 for a total $4,900 for each player. However, if the pot for a game stands at only eight dollars, then PartyPoker.com will kick in a bit more to take the jackpot up to $100, the minimum amount.

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Saturday, July 25, 2009

PartyPoker - Track down a fortune with The Jackpot Hunter

Claim a share of $80,000 when you win five tournaments in a row

Start Date: 20th July
End Date: 2nd August

Show us that your poker skills are up to the challenge of The Jackpot Hunter and we’ll reward your efforts with a big-money prize.

Three huge jackpots totalling $80,000 will be won by players good enough to win five single-table tournaments in a row.

The Jackpot Hunter’s prizes are:
$50,000 gold jackpot ($55+ buy-in tournaments)
$20,000 silver jackpot ($12 to $54 buy-in tournaments)
$10,000 bronze jackpot ($3 to $11 buy-in tournaments)

There’s only one jackpot at each level so you’ve got to move fast. Once you’ve won five consecutive STTs at a particular buy-in, email your ACCOUNT NAME immediately at jackpot@partypoker.com. If you’re the first person to contact us the jackpot will be yours.

Track down The Jackpot Hunter’s cash now.

Please note:

Players must win five consecutive STTs within the buy-in ranges listed above in order to claim the corresponding jackpot prize (tournaments can be of different game type).

The five consecutive STT wins must be won in the same buy-in level in order to be eligible for a jackpot claim: for example, players cannot claim a jackpot if they win four $11 buy-in tournaments and a fifth $22 buy-in tournament

Only 10-seat STT games are eligible for jackpot claims

Only one jackpot prize is available for each jackpot level: jackpots will be awarded on a first come, first served basis based on who sent the confirmation mailer the earliest

Players may claim a jackpot prize in more than one jackpot prize level

To make a claim, players must send an email to jackpot@partypoker.com and confirm their ACCOUNT NAME

PartyPoker.com will respond to all claims within 48 hours in order to verify all claims and ensure no fraudulent play has taken place

PartyPoker.com reserves the right to refuse any claim of consecutive wins on the basis of fraudulent play without justification

All clarified winning claims will be paid in full within 48 hours

The “Double or Nothing” Sit & Go’s will not be taken into account

Please read our full terms and conditions

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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Internet Gambling Makes Push in Asia Pacific Region

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Howard Stern Joins PPA

Press Release

21st July 2009

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

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

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

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

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Tuesday, July 21, 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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Sunday, July 19, 2009

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

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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Sunday, July 12, 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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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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Wednesday, July 08, 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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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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Tuesday, July 07, 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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Monday, July 06, 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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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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Saturday, July 04, 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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Friday, July 03, 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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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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Thursday, July 02, 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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