Like most countries, Australia has an underbelly or underground of various industries, be it security, sex, tourism, drugs and you guessed it - gambling. While most of Australia's casino, poker and other gambling sub sectors are out in the open, some are not we learn. Media Man and Gambling911 dig beneath the underbelly of the Australian gambling sector and uncover some interesting facts...
Down Under Gambling's Secret Millionaires...
Some are Australia's secret millionaires and some are anything but, but they both love the punt... often via online poker. They have ups and downs. Many players make a full time living out of it, while others job hop, visit Centrelink for their fortnight welfare payment, and keep their poker dream alive. Once in a while some win the big one or even get lucky on online slots. The smart ones stick with games of skill, where there's not so much "luck" involved.
For many young Australian entrepreneurs normal jobs are out of the question, and turn to the web in search of something better and riches, and a growing number have found online poker and website portal creation as a way to rise up and express their entrepreneurial spirit and enjoy playing, even creating, games for financial reward.
They "work" pretty much when they like, make money sometimes tax free, party with mates when they choose, hang out in internet cafes, and you get the idea.
Banana Bender land in Queensland, as well as a growing number of young guys in 'Sin City' Sydney is where most of the gurus call home.
Up in Northern Queensland, Townsville to be precise, there's a talented online poker player... lets call him Dominic. He's ranked second in Queensland, according to poker tracking website Pocket Fives. He's played full-time since 2007, bringing in thousands via tournaments that sometimes only last half a working day.
He trained as a teacher, got a psychology degree and then discovered online poker. Coombe knew full time poker was the way to go after winning a $40,000 jackpot during a seven-hour online tournament. His biggest win has been $101,000.
"With poker, I started winning small tournaments and then gradually bigger and bigger ... and the snowball just started rolling. I love the game and I love being my own boss. It's just the flexibility and not having to answer to someone else."
Many of the online poker sharks are pretty low key when it come to news media reports. Coombe won't say what his total career winnings are.
We understand that the top 10 ranked players earn up to $750,000 a year, but basically all of the players have to put in a big days work to help make sure they come out on top at the end of the week - day - month. Over 12 hours a day, 7 days a week... whatever it takes.
"For a high stakes player it's quite normal to have downswings of $50,000 or $100,000. You could have a year when you could make $200,000 and another year that's nowhere near that," Coombe said.
The Australian Tax Office said gambling winnings were only taxed if it was part of "business operations" but the definition remained unclear in the online world.
Australian online poker players have watch with keen interest last week's US indictment of the founders of the three largest websites - PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.
The FBI charged 11 people with bank fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling and most players in the US were unable to withdraw their bankroll from websites.
Online poker comes with many grey areas in the legal area, keeping many a legal eagle employed.
A Media Man spokesperson said "I don't play online poker and have hardly ever played online slots for money. We run a media and new media company and covering the online gambling sector is just one of a dozen sectors we cover. We write articles on all matter of things and participate in a number of affiliate programs across a wide range of industries from property to mobiles, travel, as well as doing some for games. We also have ran some media and publicity campaigns and assist celebrities campaigns from time to time. We're not a gambling company or an adult company. We're a media and new media company, who cover the gaming and gambling sector from a global perspective, in addition to many other industries. It's pretty much business as usual, but also hope to expand to Canada and Italy later this year where they are not so many grey areas. The internet and online poker encourage the entrepreneurial spirit and help many people achieve their dreams and aspirations away from the grind of a normal job. The internet is one of the greatest inventions ever and online poker and casino games are perfect for the medium. It's not going away and will only grow in popularity".
U.S - Aussie Banks and Online Poker American - Sydney Sin City Web Host Connection...
Australian banks have been handling payments to overseas-based online poker sites that have been illegally taking up to a $1 billion a year in bets from local punters.
Several of the major Australian financial institutions have been used by Sydney-based payment processors to take deposits from punters on the world's biggest online poker sites, which were targeted last weekend in a US money-laundering sting.
St George Bank -- one of the institutions named by the the poker websites to use for "local bank transfers" -- said it was unaware that one of its clients, Envoy Services, was processing payments of local punters to outlawed online gaming operators PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.
"We were not aware of their links to these online companies and will be investigating further," a St George Bank spokesman said after being shown evidence by the media.
Australian Bank Caught Up In U.S Online Poker Scandal...
The United States major crime fighting unit, the FBI smacked money-laundering, bank-fraud and gambling charges last weekend against the three huge online poker firms - PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker - after targeting US-based payment processors that had tricked banks into handling the financial transactions.
Down under in Australia federal legislation introduced in 2001 prohibits gambling sites offering poker, bingo and casino games to Australians. The websites thought to be required to include warnings to this effect, but online gambling comes with a lot of grey areas and legally untested areas. The legislation allows Australian-based firms to offer the same services to overseas-based players, at least in most cases, but again, many gray areas exist. A website can change web hosts from Australia, then to Europe, Canada, and so the list goes on. Think like Wikipedia with back ups around the world.
Last year a Productivity Commission report advised many overseas-based websites were openly flouting the law by only instructing users to check the law in their jurisdiction before using the website, and predicted that about $1bn in online bets would be snatched from Aussies last year. The commission called for the online gaming industry to be legalised so it could be regulated and taxed.
Aussie celebs such as Shane Warne, and poker celebs such as Stewart Scott, are the face of some online poker rooms, which often cross sell online casino games. Australia's have taken to the Hollywood themed online slot games from PartyGaming, which recently merged with bwin to become bwin.party digital entertainment. Even the WWE, yes, the wrestling giant, has an online poker brand, so does Hustler - the hard core men's adult magazine, and Marvel Comics themed slot games are all the rage, with Thor and The Incredible Hulk enjoying massive patronage with Australians.
Australian regulators such as the Australian Communication and Media Authority and the Australian Federal Police have not enforced the ban, despite ACMA confirming it had received 46 "valid complaints" about the websites in the 2009-10 financial year.
An ACMA spokesperson said those complaints were "still being investigated". Online gambling companies and website portal operators are known to be well lawyer ed up... you know, legal eagles in abundance to protest the nest eggs, and a massive amount of legal "grey area" remains.
It has also come to light that all three major online gaming operators targeted in the US investigation had their sites hosted by Sydney-based IP servers. Yep, 'Sin City' Sydney did it again.
The news comes as the Gillard Labor government attempts to put limits on pokies following a push by the independent MP Andrew Wilkie to reduce problem gambling. Internet Industry Association chief executive Peter Coroneos said the 2001 laws were ineffective.
Reports and rumours have surfaced in the past few weeks that the big 3 poker websites have lost a lot players but PartyPoker, PartyCasino and PKR are all up. Website portals such as Media Man have showcased some games available, in addition to rules of play, legal aspects and commentary, and so on.
A Media Man spokesperson said "How do you mandate human behavior. Many Aussies just love a punt, and that's just the way it is. When you make something illegal or hard to get, more often than not it becomes more popular. The thought police have experienced a backlash in Australia and the gambling debate has proved a major trigger point for it. If you can bet on it, most Aussies will give it a go mate. Good luck".
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on Australian pokies and gaming wars.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
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Welcome to the Media Man Group blog. The Media Man Group includes but is not limited to Media Man Australia, Media Man Int, Australian Sports Entertainment, Australian Sports Entertainment, Greg Tingle Photography and Eastern Suburbs Media.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
European Poker Websites Sites Boom; Australian Looking Up, by Greg Tingle - 25th April 2011
Online poker websites traffic; Shares Boom - Players Triggered By UIGEA charges
European poker websites, pretty much immune to the issues in the United States, have reported a boom in player activity following the indictment by American authorities of the owners of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.
American land based casino and resort tycoon Steve Wynn, a long time detractor of online casinos, had overseen a deal with PokerStars inked on approx 25th March, but only two weeks took the option to get out of the deal after PokerStars got named in what is now known in gambling circles as 'Black Friday'. Wynn's press release read:
LAS VEGAS, April 15, 2011—Wynn Resorts, Limited announced today thаt іt terminated іtѕ alliance wіth PokerStars, thе online poker company. Thе сhοісе wаѕ reached аѕ a result οf thе indictment unsealed bу thе U.S. Attorney fοr thе Southern District οf Nеw York.
Online casino websites such as bwin.party digital entertainment's PartyCasino are also understood to be up following the announcement.
Since the US Attorney's Office announced last Friday that it was pressing charges against 11 people over alleged fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling, PKR has seen a rise of around 21% in weekly traffic, while PartyPoker has risen 9%, 888Poker 5% and the iPoker network 4%. In contrast, Full Tilt dropped 48%. The data comes from our friends at Pokerscout.
Several business-savvy poker rooms have launched major promos to capitalize on the unique situation.
Shares in several British online gambling companies have soared in the last week. Bwin shares rose by 30%, 888 was up 18% and online gaming software provider Playtech saw its stocks climb by 8%.
Many media companies including Forbes, Reuters, Bloomberg, Gambling911 and EGR indicate that bwin.party digital entertainment may be the igaming company that ends up doing best out of the situation, given their recent successful merger, settlement with the US Department of Justice in April 2009, and government b2b dealings in a number of countries. Party is also looking to expand is b2b and news media deals with its World Poker Tour brand, currently broadcast in Australia on Rupert Murdoch's Fox Sports via Foxtel subscriber television.
Richard Branson's Virgin Games is watching the situation closely, however as of print Virgin Games are not available to Australians, New Zealanders or Canadians, whereas Party is.
Australian land based casino, Crown Casino in Melbourne, has accepted numerous PartyGaming - PartyPoker satellite poker players over the past few years, a trend that looks to continue. Party and NetGen Gaming are strongly rumoured to want to release a Kerry Packer, Underbelly and Andre The Giant online slot game, but have not publicly commented. Party has existing b2b deals with Marvel Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Infinity Ward, StudioCanal, Frank Sinatra Enterprises and Edgar Rice Burroughs, so don't bet against them.
Crown Limited top brass James Packer is yet to publicly comment specifically about online casino or online poker, but he did however sign off an investment deal with online retailing giant DealsDirect.
Ellerston Capital, a fund management company owned by the Packer family's Consolidated Press Holdings, took a “minority cornerstone” investment in the online retailing site DealsDirect yesterday.
“It signals a real coming of age for online retail, with businesses like Ellerston getting into the game, it is well and truly 'game on',” said DealsDirect's co-founder Paul Greenberg.
The transaction, estimated by the Australian Financial Review to be worth $10 million, underscores the deeper embrace of online retail by the media sector and the investment community.
A Media Man spokesperson said of the Packer - Deals Direct deal "James Packer's recent investment into the online retail space shows just how keen he is on the online business. Crown Limited have an impressive portfolio of websites for their properties, however that did not do the man or company justice. Crown Casino Aussie Millions also accepts poker players from a number of online poker brands. Packer also has the 50% investment in Betfair, and rumours persist of a Crown online casino, a venture with a strong possibility of Packer mate Shane Warne getting in on the action. Packer is also keen to see more interaction between Australian television broadcasts of poker on Fox Sports and his traditional media ventures. Mr Packer famously went on recent a few years ago with 'Internet is like electricity', something this very news reports proves correct".
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and has conducted b2b with a number of companies cited in this article.
*Greg Tingle is a regular contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover over a dozen different business sectors, including gaming
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Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
European poker websites, pretty much immune to the issues in the United States, have reported a boom in player activity following the indictment by American authorities of the owners of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.
American land based casino and resort tycoon Steve Wynn, a long time detractor of online casinos, had overseen a deal with PokerStars inked on approx 25th March, but only two weeks took the option to get out of the deal after PokerStars got named in what is now known in gambling circles as 'Black Friday'. Wynn's press release read:
LAS VEGAS, April 15, 2011—Wynn Resorts, Limited announced today thаt іt terminated іtѕ alliance wіth PokerStars, thе online poker company. Thе сhοісе wаѕ reached аѕ a result οf thе indictment unsealed bу thе U.S. Attorney fοr thе Southern District οf Nеw York.
Online casino websites such as bwin.party digital entertainment's PartyCasino are also understood to be up following the announcement.
Since the US Attorney's Office announced last Friday that it was pressing charges against 11 people over alleged fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling, PKR has seen a rise of around 21% in weekly traffic, while PartyPoker has risen 9%, 888Poker 5% and the iPoker network 4%. In contrast, Full Tilt dropped 48%. The data comes from our friends at Pokerscout.
Several business-savvy poker rooms have launched major promos to capitalize on the unique situation.
Shares in several British online gambling companies have soared in the last week. Bwin shares rose by 30%, 888 was up 18% and online gaming software provider Playtech saw its stocks climb by 8%.
Many media companies including Forbes, Reuters, Bloomberg, Gambling911 and EGR indicate that bwin.party digital entertainment may be the igaming company that ends up doing best out of the situation, given their recent successful merger, settlement with the US Department of Justice in April 2009, and government b2b dealings in a number of countries. Party is also looking to expand is b2b and news media deals with its World Poker Tour brand, currently broadcast in Australia on Rupert Murdoch's Fox Sports via Foxtel subscriber television.
Richard Branson's Virgin Games is watching the situation closely, however as of print Virgin Games are not available to Australians, New Zealanders or Canadians, whereas Party is.
Australian land based casino, Crown Casino in Melbourne, has accepted numerous PartyGaming - PartyPoker satellite poker players over the past few years, a trend that looks to continue. Party and NetGen Gaming are strongly rumoured to want to release a Kerry Packer, Underbelly and Andre The Giant online slot game, but have not publicly commented. Party has existing b2b deals with Marvel Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Infinity Ward, StudioCanal, Frank Sinatra Enterprises and Edgar Rice Burroughs, so don't bet against them.
Crown Limited top brass James Packer is yet to publicly comment specifically about online casino or online poker, but he did however sign off an investment deal with online retailing giant DealsDirect.
Ellerston Capital, a fund management company owned by the Packer family's Consolidated Press Holdings, took a “minority cornerstone” investment in the online retailing site DealsDirect yesterday.
“It signals a real coming of age for online retail, with businesses like Ellerston getting into the game, it is well and truly 'game on',” said DealsDirect's co-founder Paul Greenberg.
The transaction, estimated by the Australian Financial Review to be worth $10 million, underscores the deeper embrace of online retail by the media sector and the investment community.
A Media Man spokesperson said of the Packer - Deals Direct deal "James Packer's recent investment into the online retail space shows just how keen he is on the online business. Crown Limited have an impressive portfolio of websites for their properties, however that did not do the man or company justice. Crown Casino Aussie Millions also accepts poker players from a number of online poker brands. Packer also has the 50% investment in Betfair, and rumours persist of a Crown online casino, a venture with a strong possibility of Packer mate Shane Warne getting in on the action. Packer is also keen to see more interaction between Australian television broadcasts of poker on Fox Sports and his traditional media ventures. Mr Packer famously went on recent a few years ago with 'Internet is like electricity', something this very news reports proves correct".
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and has conducted b2b with a number of companies cited in this article.
*Greg Tingle is a regular contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover over a dozen different business sectors, including gaming
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man News
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Friday, April 22, 2011
Australia To Crack Down On Internet Betting, by Greg Tingle - 23rd April 2011
Australian internet gamers - gamblers, and was as many sectors of the media are going to welcome the news that greater consumer protection measures are coming up in the near future. More regulation may also be in order as a result of information Australian Daniel Tzvetkoff has been passing to the FBI and other authorities in relation to gaming and the financial services sector. Media Man and Gambling911 continues to deliver news you need to know...
Aussie Internet Gamblers To Get More Protection...
Australian gamblers who lose money, rather that make a quid, playing internet poker or online casino games like slots, would be able to void unsuccessful credit card wagers under legislation to be tabled in Parliament next month. It's part of the plan to crack down on illegal internet betting. Independent senator Nick Xenophon will also put forward proposals re advertising controls on companies with gaming products and their affiliated websites. It's understood laws prohibit gambling houses from allowing Aussies to play poker and casino games for money across the web, however no company has been prosecuted for breaching these regulations. Roughly $1 billion is bet by Aussies over these websites annually.
"With voided credit card bets, I have to say there's something appealing to me about online casinos losing their shirts rather than the punters," Xenophon said. "It would certainly make online casinos think twice about accepting Australian cards." The Australian government is in a wrestling match to introduce pokies reform under which the maximum individual bet would be reduced from $10 to $1. That change is part of a deal the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, struck with the independent MP Andrew Wilkie to help snatch his support after the election last year. Some dramas hit betting sites became worldwide news last weekend after America's Federal Bureau of Investigation laid charges against the major players in the global online poker industry - PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker - alleging bank fraud, money laundering and breaches of US gambling laws. It boosted the popularity of some gambling brands not in trouble such as bwin.party digital entertainment and PKR. The FBI also sought to recover more than $US3 billion ($2.8 billion) as the proceeds of crime. Although the "Big Three' being probed by the FBI cannot advertise in Australia, some use affiliated websites...like "play for fun" (not money)...sponsorship of sports teams also happen such as with NRL clubs Cronulla and the Sydney Roosters, and then already one brand has a stadium named after them. Brands offering prohibited poker and casino betting can also operate from within Australia. It's understand a company called GP Information Services, which has an office in 'Sin City' Sydney, is a subsidiary of PokerStars, running a 200-strong office in downtown Chatswood, just 15 minutes from the heart of Sydney's CBD. Firms that breach the law can be fined up to $1.1 million a day, but none has been prosecuted, but a spokesman for the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy advised "a number of instances … have been referred to the AFP".
Daniel Tzvetkoff Gets Witness Protection For Gaming Information...
Ex Australian internet whiz kid Daniel Tzvetkoff is likely to have entered the FBI's witness protection program and could be put up in a jail facility on the US east coast, a former FBI special agent believes. Tzvetkoff's last known location was a prison in New York where US government prosecutors fought at bail hearings to keep him but, on August 23 last year, he was moved under a veil of secrecy. It is believed the 28-year-old Gold Coast entrepreneur, once worth about $82 million, has become a star witness for the FBI and prosecutors. Last week, the FBI charged 11 people - including the founders of the giant PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker internet poker companies - with bank fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling offences. "He's in a lock-up somewhere," said James Wedick, a decorated former FBI special agent who worked with the crime-fighting agency for 34 years and specialised in handling confidential informants and co-operating witnesses. Tzvetkoff was arrested a year ago in Vegas and faces 75 years in US federal prison for allegedly creating a scheme to illegally process more than $US500 million in transactions between US gamblers and internet gaming websites. Wedick said if Tzvetkoff had agreed to become a government witness, it would not guarantee his release from custody.
"There's no way they'd let him walk out," he told the press after examining details of the cases. It was also unlikely Tzvetkoff would be held in a safe house. Jails had special wings or floors for prisoners in the witness protection program and these were separate from the general prison population, he said. "If he's gone into the witness protection program, he is merely in one of the protection wings of the prison," Wedick said. The FBI and prosecutors from the US Attorney's Southern District of New York office have declined to comment on Tzvetkoff's whereabouts.
Court proceedings in Tzvetkoff's case are held behind closed doors and filings sealed from the public. "You are going to have to call the US Attorney's office on this," said a FBI spokesman, declining to comment on the Tzvetkoff case. A call to the US Attorney's office came with the same info. "It's our policy to not comment on ongoing cases and investigations," the spokeswoman said. A couple of years back, Tzvetkoff was pushed as one of Australia's smartest and most successful young businessmen after creating Brisbane-based internet payment processing company Intabill. Tzvetkoff drove Lamborghinis, Ferraris, showed off his wealth, and now its come back to haunt him. Other companies with some links to the gaming industry are understood to be doing house keeping and getting more legal advise to make sure their business won't suffer a similar fate to Tzvetkoff's.
A Media Man spokesperson said "We will continue to cover the gaming sector, just as we cover a dozen industry vertical markets. Online property, celebrity and entertainment news, travel, politics and overall expansion of website portals remains a focus point for us. We're not a casino, but we will certainly continue to cover the casino, online casino and poker sector. We've been offering alternative news and online media for a decade, and we are not about to stop covering it just because some questionable gambling websites based in the US closed down. We will also continue to rank a online casino and online poker website of the month also. It's pretty much business as usual across our international network".
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on Australian pokies and gaming wars.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man News
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Aussie Internet Gamblers To Get More Protection...
Australian gamblers who lose money, rather that make a quid, playing internet poker or online casino games like slots, would be able to void unsuccessful credit card wagers under legislation to be tabled in Parliament next month. It's part of the plan to crack down on illegal internet betting. Independent senator Nick Xenophon will also put forward proposals re advertising controls on companies with gaming products and their affiliated websites. It's understood laws prohibit gambling houses from allowing Aussies to play poker and casino games for money across the web, however no company has been prosecuted for breaching these regulations. Roughly $1 billion is bet by Aussies over these websites annually.
"With voided credit card bets, I have to say there's something appealing to me about online casinos losing their shirts rather than the punters," Xenophon said. "It would certainly make online casinos think twice about accepting Australian cards." The Australian government is in a wrestling match to introduce pokies reform under which the maximum individual bet would be reduced from $10 to $1. That change is part of a deal the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, struck with the independent MP Andrew Wilkie to help snatch his support after the election last year. Some dramas hit betting sites became worldwide news last weekend after America's Federal Bureau of Investigation laid charges against the major players in the global online poker industry - PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker - alleging bank fraud, money laundering and breaches of US gambling laws. It boosted the popularity of some gambling brands not in trouble such as bwin.party digital entertainment and PKR. The FBI also sought to recover more than $US3 billion ($2.8 billion) as the proceeds of crime. Although the "Big Three' being probed by the FBI cannot advertise in Australia, some use affiliated websites...like "play for fun" (not money)...sponsorship of sports teams also happen such as with NRL clubs Cronulla and the Sydney Roosters, and then already one brand has a stadium named after them. Brands offering prohibited poker and casino betting can also operate from within Australia. It's understand a company called GP Information Services, which has an office in 'Sin City' Sydney, is a subsidiary of PokerStars, running a 200-strong office in downtown Chatswood, just 15 minutes from the heart of Sydney's CBD. Firms that breach the law can be fined up to $1.1 million a day, but none has been prosecuted, but a spokesman for the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy advised "a number of instances … have been referred to the AFP".
Daniel Tzvetkoff Gets Witness Protection For Gaming Information...
Ex Australian internet whiz kid Daniel Tzvetkoff is likely to have entered the FBI's witness protection program and could be put up in a jail facility on the US east coast, a former FBI special agent believes. Tzvetkoff's last known location was a prison in New York where US government prosecutors fought at bail hearings to keep him but, on August 23 last year, he was moved under a veil of secrecy. It is believed the 28-year-old Gold Coast entrepreneur, once worth about $82 million, has become a star witness for the FBI and prosecutors. Last week, the FBI charged 11 people - including the founders of the giant PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker internet poker companies - with bank fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling offences. "He's in a lock-up somewhere," said James Wedick, a decorated former FBI special agent who worked with the crime-fighting agency for 34 years and specialised in handling confidential informants and co-operating witnesses. Tzvetkoff was arrested a year ago in Vegas and faces 75 years in US federal prison for allegedly creating a scheme to illegally process more than $US500 million in transactions between US gamblers and internet gaming websites. Wedick said if Tzvetkoff had agreed to become a government witness, it would not guarantee his release from custody.
"There's no way they'd let him walk out," he told the press after examining details of the cases. It was also unlikely Tzvetkoff would be held in a safe house. Jails had special wings or floors for prisoners in the witness protection program and these were separate from the general prison population, he said. "If he's gone into the witness protection program, he is merely in one of the protection wings of the prison," Wedick said. The FBI and prosecutors from the US Attorney's Southern District of New York office have declined to comment on Tzvetkoff's whereabouts.
Court proceedings in Tzvetkoff's case are held behind closed doors and filings sealed from the public. "You are going to have to call the US Attorney's office on this," said a FBI spokesman, declining to comment on the Tzvetkoff case. A call to the US Attorney's office came with the same info. "It's our policy to not comment on ongoing cases and investigations," the spokeswoman said. A couple of years back, Tzvetkoff was pushed as one of Australia's smartest and most successful young businessmen after creating Brisbane-based internet payment processing company Intabill. Tzvetkoff drove Lamborghinis, Ferraris, showed off his wealth, and now its come back to haunt him. Other companies with some links to the gaming industry are understood to be doing house keeping and getting more legal advise to make sure their business won't suffer a similar fate to Tzvetkoff's.
A Media Man spokesperson said "We will continue to cover the gaming sector, just as we cover a dozen industry vertical markets. Online property, celebrity and entertainment news, travel, politics and overall expansion of website portals remains a focus point for us. We're not a casino, but we will certainly continue to cover the casino, online casino and poker sector. We've been offering alternative news and online media for a decade, and we are not about to stop covering it just because some questionable gambling websites based in the US closed down. We will also continue to rank a online casino and online poker website of the month also. It's pretty much business as usual across our international network".
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on Australian pokies and gaming wars.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man News
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Friday, April 08, 2011
Kiwi Christchurch Casino Quake Staff Fail Redundancy, by Greg Tingle - 9th April 2011
New Zealand land based casino news is the order of the day. Christchurch Casino workers have failed in their attempt to snatch a larger redundancy payout. Media Man and Gambling911 check out the employment and legal scene in New Zealand...
Financial and emotional aftershocks are still be felt by the casino sector after a series of earthquakes that rocked the Asia Pacific - Japan and New Zealand region.
Christchurch Casino workers are feeling disappointed and even depressed after having failed attempt to get a bigger redundancy payday.
In excess of 500 formally happy and motivated casino employees were offered redundancy at the central Christchurch casino last weekend, which was badly damaged in the February 22 quake and has stayed closed ever since the act of mother nature.
Anyone who wants to stay at the casino will be paid their holiday pay as either a weekly amount or in a "lump sum". Simply put, they will remain as employees of the land based casino on leave without pay until the the gambling den opens again.
The SFWU (Service and Food Workers' Union), which reps for 100 plus casino workers, has a meeting with the casino's managers on Thursday.
SFWU strategic industry boss Len 'Razor' (MM tag) Richards said workers were sombre but firm in their desire about securing a more attractive redundancy package.
The union power that be were also asking for continued pay for employees that choose to stay on until the casino opens again.
However, he advised management was not prepared to increase the amount of redundancy pay for staff, but did agree to request for a government wage subsidy.
Due to a private insurance deal and policy in place, the land based casino has not relied upon the $1.5 million government subsidy available for quake-affected businesses.
Richards stated that the union has contacted earthquake recovery minister Gerry Brownlee to request assistance to help pay workers who remain employed.
SkyCity, half owner of the famous Christchurch Casino, has projected a $130 million plus profit this year. It's not known how much financially the quake cost Christchurch Casino or SkyCity.
Christchurch Casino top sheep er top dog...chief executive Brett 'Ask Him' (MM satire) Anderson said about 70% of employees have indicated they will stay with the company rather than take the offered redundancy.
He said a number of employees are also being offered jobs offshore.
Anderson elaborated "I'm getting phone calls from Australia looking for our people and likewise all over New Zealand, and a few of them have spread their wings. More than a few have gone over to the Gold Coast. It's a lot warmer, it's a lot more stable, you can swim in the sea, the pay rates are better."
Anderson said he still does not know when the casino will reopen.
Employees have a deadline until Monday to decide whether they will take the redundancy package or stay on. Yep, it's the money or the box.
Workers who have not contacted the company by showdown at 5pm on Monday will be deemed to have left their jobs and will be paid out a four-weeks-notice payment, along with their annual leave entitlements. Casino workers, did you get that. D Day is approaching.
A Media Man spokesperson said "In the current global economy anyone with a decent job should be grateful, especially in the casino or gaming sector. Well done to Christchurch Casino management for doing their utmost to assist in their difficult times. Employers will always want to ask for more... its in the nature. Land based casinos generally remain popular around the world so good staff will always be in demand."
Media Man and Gambling911 wish all parties well with their dealings, and hopefully some win - win - wins will still be possible.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on Australian, New Zealand and global casino news, wars, and general land based and online casino news.
Media Man Profiles
New Zealand
Australian Casinos
Casinos
So, whether you prefer land based casinos or online, please take precautions. As always, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good luck.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Financial and emotional aftershocks are still be felt by the casino sector after a series of earthquakes that rocked the Asia Pacific - Japan and New Zealand region.
Christchurch Casino workers are feeling disappointed and even depressed after having failed attempt to get a bigger redundancy payday.
In excess of 500 formally happy and motivated casino employees were offered redundancy at the central Christchurch casino last weekend, which was badly damaged in the February 22 quake and has stayed closed ever since the act of mother nature.
Anyone who wants to stay at the casino will be paid their holiday pay as either a weekly amount or in a "lump sum". Simply put, they will remain as employees of the land based casino on leave without pay until the the gambling den opens again.
The SFWU (Service and Food Workers' Union), which reps for 100 plus casino workers, has a meeting with the casino's managers on Thursday.
SFWU strategic industry boss Len 'Razor' (MM tag) Richards said workers were sombre but firm in their desire about securing a more attractive redundancy package.
The union power that be were also asking for continued pay for employees that choose to stay on until the casino opens again.
However, he advised management was not prepared to increase the amount of redundancy pay for staff, but did agree to request for a government wage subsidy.
Due to a private insurance deal and policy in place, the land based casino has not relied upon the $1.5 million government subsidy available for quake-affected businesses.
Richards stated that the union has contacted earthquake recovery minister Gerry Brownlee to request assistance to help pay workers who remain employed.
SkyCity, half owner of the famous Christchurch Casino, has projected a $130 million plus profit this year. It's not known how much financially the quake cost Christchurch Casino or SkyCity.
Christchurch Casino top sheep er top dog...chief executive Brett 'Ask Him' (MM satire) Anderson said about 70% of employees have indicated they will stay with the company rather than take the offered redundancy.
He said a number of employees are also being offered jobs offshore.
Anderson elaborated "I'm getting phone calls from Australia looking for our people and likewise all over New Zealand, and a few of them have spread their wings. More than a few have gone over to the Gold Coast. It's a lot warmer, it's a lot more stable, you can swim in the sea, the pay rates are better."
Anderson said he still does not know when the casino will reopen.
Employees have a deadline until Monday to decide whether they will take the redundancy package or stay on. Yep, it's the money or the box.
Workers who have not contacted the company by showdown at 5pm on Monday will be deemed to have left their jobs and will be paid out a four-weeks-notice payment, along with their annual leave entitlements. Casino workers, did you get that. D Day is approaching.
A Media Man spokesperson said "In the current global economy anyone with a decent job should be grateful, especially in the casino or gaming sector. Well done to Christchurch Casino management for doing their utmost to assist in their difficult times. Employers will always want to ask for more... its in the nature. Land based casinos generally remain popular around the world so good staff will always be in demand."
Media Man and Gambling911 wish all parties well with their dealings, and hopefully some win - win - wins will still be possible.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on Australian, New Zealand and global casino news, wars, and general land based and online casino news.
Media Man Profiles
New Zealand
Australian Casinos
Casinos
So, whether you prefer land based casinos or online, please take precautions. As always, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good luck.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Casino News Media - Media Man: Broker snap: bwin.party has potential post merger
Press Release
5th April 2011
Broker snap: bwin.party has potential post merger
Panmure Gordon ups its target price for PartyGaming following its merger with bwin, saying that the newly-formed bwin.party Digital Entertainment has the potential to deliver above-average earnings growth, underpinned by €55m of merger synergies.
“Recent regulatory developments have been overwhelmingly positive for eGaming operators, in our view and we think eGaming stocks are well placed for a period of sustained outperformance,” said the broker.
Panmure estimates that bwin.party will be almost twice the size of its closest peers in 2012, and its scale benefits give it a significant advantage in the French and Italian poker markets, where the broker thinks it will be among the top three poker liquidity providers.
The broker keeps its ‘buy’ rating, but increases the target price from 275p to 288p.
Press Release
1st April 2011
Beyond the Deal Selected to Support Merger Integration of PartyGaming and bwin
Beating stiff competition, Beyond the Deal LLP has been chosen to support the integration of PartyGaming and bwin, following their announced transformational merger inJuly 2010 to form bwin.party digital entertainment plc (Ticker: BPTY). The deal, completed today, makes bwin.party, the world's largest listed online gaming company.
Conducted across key bwin and PartyGaming locations across Europe, and working with senior executives and management in the merged entity, Beyond the Deal's work is focused on supporting integration planning, internal communications and cultural alignment.
Kathy Swindley, Group HR Director for bwin.party digital entertainment, said:
"We have chosen to work with Beyond the Deal due to its skills and understanding of the complex challenges that arise from merging different international cultures."
Carlos Keener, Managing Partner, Beyond the Deal LLP, stated:
"Our appointment by bwin.party continues to highlight our ability to support the largest multi-national deals in a way that is responsive, flexible, and makes the best use of clients' own capabilities and experience in merger integration. We look forward to working with many other companies as M&A activity resumes in the coming months."
Notes to Editors
1. Established by Carlos Keener in 2001, Beyond the Deal (http://www.beyondthedeal.com) is an advisory and resources firm specialising in post merger integration, based in the UK & US.
2. The company focuses on acquisition and integration strategy, business model design, integration planning and management, and other post-acquisition areas such as business process change, organisational design, HR, IT, branding, culture, communications, and risk management.
3. Beyond the Deal's Cultural Snapshot Survey helps businesses address the need for cultural assessment alongside more commonplace pre-deal processes, and certainly as part of acquisition target assessment and integration planning. The survey considers both organisational and national culture, links it to post-deal business models and integration planning, and provides practical ways forward for cultural alignment post-deal.
News
PartyPoker Unleashes Card Rush Instant Win Promotion - 5th April 2011
PartyPoker, the world’s third largest online poker room, is offering up 1.8 million prize cards as part of its Card Rush Instant Win promotion in April. The promotion will run through April 30th or until the prize cards are given away and offers numerous chances to earn extra cash by playing on the site this month.
You can obtain a Card Rush card simply by playing in a real money game on PartyPoker and earning points. The first card will cost five points and subsequent cards will cost 15 points. Players may obtain up to 50 cards per day, but the promotion will end when all 1.8 million are assigned.
Each card will instantly give players a monetary prize between $1 and $5,000, a points prize up to 25,000, or entry into a freeroll. The freerolls will run on the following days:
Card Rush $2,000 Freeroll – May 5th at 1:00pm ET
Card Rush $15,000 Freeroll – May 5th at 2:30pm ET
Card Rush $3,000 Freeroll – May 6th at 1:00pm ET
Card Rush $10,000 Freeroll – May 6th at 2:30pm ET
Card Rush $5,000 Freeroll – May 7th at 1:00pm ET
Card Rush $7,000 Freeroll – May 7th at 2:30pm ET
Card Rush $20,000 Freeroll – May 8th at 1:00pm ET
Players can also earn cash in the Card Rush Race, a leaderboard that will pay the top 200 point-earners a minimum of $100. Points will be awarded as part of the Card Rush promotion ranging from one to 20 points per card. The more points a player earns, the more money they’ll receive. Here’s a look at the payouts:
1st place – $9,000
2nd place – $7,000
3rd place – $5,250
4th place – $4,000
5th place – $3,500
6th place – $3,000
7th place – $2,500
8th place – $2,000
9th place – $1,500
10th place – $1,000
11th-18th places – $800
19th-30th places – $700
31st-45th places – $600
46th-60th places – $500
61st-75th places – $400
76th-100th places – $300
101st-125th places – $200
126th-150th places – $150
151st-200th places – $50
In addition, every 20th spot from 220 to 2,000 will earn a Hot Spot prize of $50.
PartyPoker is also running daily qualifiers to the 2011 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas. Qualifiers are running now until June 19th, with satellites available for as little as $2. Each $14,000 package includes the $10,000 Main Event buy-in, travel and eight days’ hotel accommodations, and $2,000 spending money.
There are also special qualifiers exclusively for first-time depositors. Every month, new players can enter an exclusive freeroll to win one of 10 seats, each worth $750, in the WSOP weekly satellite.
PartyGaming, which owns and operates PartyPoker, recently merged with bwin to form the largest gambling group in the world. With the merger, Party Gaming hopes to even the playing field in the online poker arena as it positions itself to re-enter the U.S. market.
The new company also hopes the merge will expand the PartyPoker brand in Europe. bwin previously resided on the Ongame Network, but now combines its client base with PartyPoker to create the third largest online poker room in the world. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man, Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory do have a b2b relationship with PartyGaming, as they do with dozens of other companies in the gaming, igaming, media and entertainment industry.
Websites
PartyCasino.com
PartyPoker.com
Profiles
PartyGaming PartyCasino PartyPoker PartyBingo Circus PartyCasino Marvel Slots The Big One Melon Madness Casino World Poker Tour PartyCasino Promotions
5th April 2011
Broker snap: bwin.party has potential post merger
Panmure Gordon ups its target price for PartyGaming following its merger with bwin, saying that the newly-formed bwin.party Digital Entertainment has the potential to deliver above-average earnings growth, underpinned by €55m of merger synergies.
“Recent regulatory developments have been overwhelmingly positive for eGaming operators, in our view and we think eGaming stocks are well placed for a period of sustained outperformance,” said the broker.
Panmure estimates that bwin.party will be almost twice the size of its closest peers in 2012, and its scale benefits give it a significant advantage in the French and Italian poker markets, where the broker thinks it will be among the top three poker liquidity providers.
The broker keeps its ‘buy’ rating, but increases the target price from 275p to 288p.
Press Release
1st April 2011
Beyond the Deal Selected to Support Merger Integration of PartyGaming and bwin
Beating stiff competition, Beyond the Deal LLP has been chosen to support the integration of PartyGaming and bwin, following their announced transformational merger inJuly 2010 to form bwin.party digital entertainment plc (Ticker: BPTY). The deal, completed today, makes bwin.party, the world's largest listed online gaming company.
Conducted across key bwin and PartyGaming locations across Europe, and working with senior executives and management in the merged entity, Beyond the Deal's work is focused on supporting integration planning, internal communications and cultural alignment.
Kathy Swindley, Group HR Director for bwin.party digital entertainment, said:
"We have chosen to work with Beyond the Deal due to its skills and understanding of the complex challenges that arise from merging different international cultures."
Carlos Keener, Managing Partner, Beyond the Deal LLP, stated:
"Our appointment by bwin.party continues to highlight our ability to support the largest multi-national deals in a way that is responsive, flexible, and makes the best use of clients' own capabilities and experience in merger integration. We look forward to working with many other companies as M&A activity resumes in the coming months."
Notes to Editors
1. Established by Carlos Keener in 2001, Beyond the Deal (http://www.beyondthedeal.com) is an advisory and resources firm specialising in post merger integration, based in the UK & US.
2. The company focuses on acquisition and integration strategy, business model design, integration planning and management, and other post-acquisition areas such as business process change, organisational design, HR, IT, branding, culture, communications, and risk management.
3. Beyond the Deal's Cultural Snapshot Survey helps businesses address the need for cultural assessment alongside more commonplace pre-deal processes, and certainly as part of acquisition target assessment and integration planning. The survey considers both organisational and national culture, links it to post-deal business models and integration planning, and provides practical ways forward for cultural alignment post-deal.
News
PartyPoker Unleashes Card Rush Instant Win Promotion - 5th April 2011
PartyPoker, the world’s third largest online poker room, is offering up 1.8 million prize cards as part of its Card Rush Instant Win promotion in April. The promotion will run through April 30th or until the prize cards are given away and offers numerous chances to earn extra cash by playing on the site this month.
You can obtain a Card Rush card simply by playing in a real money game on PartyPoker and earning points. The first card will cost five points and subsequent cards will cost 15 points. Players may obtain up to 50 cards per day, but the promotion will end when all 1.8 million are assigned.
Each card will instantly give players a monetary prize between $1 and $5,000, a points prize up to 25,000, or entry into a freeroll. The freerolls will run on the following days:
Card Rush $2,000 Freeroll – May 5th at 1:00pm ET
Card Rush $15,000 Freeroll – May 5th at 2:30pm ET
Card Rush $3,000 Freeroll – May 6th at 1:00pm ET
Card Rush $10,000 Freeroll – May 6th at 2:30pm ET
Card Rush $5,000 Freeroll – May 7th at 1:00pm ET
Card Rush $7,000 Freeroll – May 7th at 2:30pm ET
Card Rush $20,000 Freeroll – May 8th at 1:00pm ET
Players can also earn cash in the Card Rush Race, a leaderboard that will pay the top 200 point-earners a minimum of $100. Points will be awarded as part of the Card Rush promotion ranging from one to 20 points per card. The more points a player earns, the more money they’ll receive. Here’s a look at the payouts:
1st place – $9,000
2nd place – $7,000
3rd place – $5,250
4th place – $4,000
5th place – $3,500
6th place – $3,000
7th place – $2,500
8th place – $2,000
9th place – $1,500
10th place – $1,000
11th-18th places – $800
19th-30th places – $700
31st-45th places – $600
46th-60th places – $500
61st-75th places – $400
76th-100th places – $300
101st-125th places – $200
126th-150th places – $150
151st-200th places – $50
In addition, every 20th spot from 220 to 2,000 will earn a Hot Spot prize of $50.
PartyPoker is also running daily qualifiers to the 2011 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas. Qualifiers are running now until June 19th, with satellites available for as little as $2. Each $14,000 package includes the $10,000 Main Event buy-in, travel and eight days’ hotel accommodations, and $2,000 spending money.
There are also special qualifiers exclusively for first-time depositors. Every month, new players can enter an exclusive freeroll to win one of 10 seats, each worth $750, in the WSOP weekly satellite.
PartyGaming, which owns and operates PartyPoker, recently merged with bwin to form the largest gambling group in the world. With the merger, Party Gaming hopes to even the playing field in the online poker arena as it positions itself to re-enter the U.S. market.
The new company also hopes the merge will expand the PartyPoker brand in Europe. bwin previously resided on the Ongame Network, but now combines its client base with PartyPoker to create the third largest online poker room in the world. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man, Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory do have a b2b relationship with PartyGaming, as they do with dozens of other companies in the gaming, igaming, media and entertainment industry.
Websites
PartyCasino.com
PartyPoker.com
Profiles
PartyGaming PartyCasino PartyPoker PartyBingo Circus PartyCasino Marvel Slots The Big One Melon Madness Casino World Poker Tour PartyCasino Promotions
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Australian And NZ Land Based Casino Gossip, by Greg Tingle - 4th April 2011
G'day punters, casino and gambling millionaires and billionaires, sports nuts, politicians, legal eagles, one and all. We've got lots of Aussie casino and poker news and gossip for you today, but a few big developments from our friends down in Kiwi land - New Zealand. Media Man and Gambling911 voyage across the Pacific Ocean and across into the Tasman with this special report...
Melbourne Press Club Does Crown Casino...
The Melbourne Press Club did Crown casino and interesting goss is coming in. Julia Gillard impersonator Amanda Bishop got em talking with a line on Crown Casino and media commentators Andrew Bolt's head...the venue reminded her of nothing so much as the inside of Andrew Bolt’s head. Bolt being a soft target, since he's currently in court fighting for his good name. The joke got mixed reactions. Crown media and events hotshot Anne Peacock is understood to be concerned about Crown's image with the Press Club connection. Master of ceremonies Peter Mitchell gave Peacock special thanks in his address to the crowd. There was no on the record response from Crown Casino powers that be. It's understood that its hard to censor a Press Club speech. or news media in general.
Aussie Politics: Bob Katter Pokies Support May Assist Labor Party...
Independent MP Bob Katter says he won't support national slot machine reforms demanded by fellow crossbencher Andrew Wilkie, who gave Julia Gillard a bit of life support as she tries to hold together her minority government. But he has called for “some pullback” from Wilkie on the slot machine pre-commitment scheme. Wilkie keeps saying the anti-gambling measure is non-negotiable, warning all he will withdraw his support for the Labor party if reforms are not implemented. The Gillard government suffered quite a setback on Friday when independent MP Tony Windsor said he would not back Wilkie's proposed slots reform. This may further destabilize the Labor party. Katter said he "strongly supported" the reform push with "I am four square behind where they will want to go, but I'll have a bit of an argument with them about how to get there. We have to go at this very, very carefully, I'm seeking discussions with Nick (Xenophon) and Andrew but I'm very supportive of the idea of tackling problem gamblers. There needs to be a bit of compromise. It's fine for them to make an ambit claim." Katter advised that a number of clubs in his electorate of Kennedy had closed recently, and that he wouldn't want to see more go the same way. "But we shouldn't keep them open if people are spending their kids' money in them," he said. Under the agreement reached with MP Wilkie, Labor still has until May to strike a deal with state governments on a reform package designed to reduce problem gambling. If it falls flat on its face in getting a deal the states, the government has agreed to enact federal legislation to put in place limits on pokies including a mandatory pre-commitment scheme that will force gamblers to carry smartcards that enforce bet limits before spinning to win. Withdrawal limits on ATMs near poker machines will also be limited to $250. With the support of the Greens, Wilkie and Katter, Labor appears to have locked a potential 75 of 76 necessary votes, leaving the fate of any federal legislation up to of crossbenchers Rob Oakeshott and Tony Crook. Yep, the soap opera that is Australian politics and gambling continues.
James Packer Casino King May Sell Consolidated Media Holdings...
James Packer still may sell his $790 million stake in pay-television investment company Consolidated Media Holdings. Packer has 49.9% of ConsMedia which owns a quarter of Foxtel and half of Fox Sports... has put the word out he will sell if someone is prepared to pay a reasonable price. There is speculation on what developments will happen in Australian media, but internet and gaming continues to ramp up. Packer remains high on pay-TV and there's the $2 billion merger talks between Foxtel and regional counterpart Austar. Some say his is unclear about the medium-term view for the pay-TV industry, one which has copped weak subscriber growth over the past couple of years. The media seem to love it when Packer gets in a verbal fight with another media personality however. How can we forget Packer VS Seven exec David Leckie stoush in October 2009 at the 70th birthday of ex Nine boss Sam Chisholm was reminiscent of his late father, Kerry. JP generally likes to keep the peace its understood. We also recall Last month, when Ten Network Holdings stole senior Seven exec James Warburton to be its new boss. Packer, who owns 9% of Ten, did not want to damage his close relationship with Seven executive chairman Kerry Stokes. Stokes owns 24.4% of ConsMedia. Packer is believed to not want to cause further strain on his relationship with acting Ten chief executive Lachlan Murdoch. Both these relationships somehow survived the Warburton appointment. Flogging ConsMedia is a way to avoid drams with media personalities. Insiders speculate a ConsMedia sale won't happen in a hurry. It was not so long ago that he was at war with Stokes in the C7 case. It was less than six months ago that he favoured media rub enough to buy into Ten. There are also only three potential buyers: Foxtel's other shareholders, Telstra and News Limited as well as Channel Seven. Stokes is in the midst of selling Seven Media Group to West Australian Newspapers while News Limited's parent, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, is consumed with the much bigger challenge of buying the 61% of BSkyB it does not already own. News and Seven are understood to not be that keen on ConsMedia.
Aussie Grant Levy Wins ANZPT Perth Event...
Sydney’s Grant Levy took down the PokerStars ANZPT Perth championship this past weekend. He snatched he ANZPT trophy and the $131,500 prize. Levy also became the second player in history with able to get the APPT and ANZPT titles. 220 players entered the AUD$2,500 buy-in main event at Perth's Burswood Casino. A prize of $506,000 was put together, and the top 24 finalists were guaranteed $4,550. The field dissolved to a final table featuring only Aussies except for Ireland’s Patrick Kearns. After more than 3 hours Levy made won. Corr took $83,500 as runner-up. The next stop for the ANZPT is in Sydney, Australia April 13-17.
Results:
1. Grant Levy: $131,500
2. John Corr: $83,500
3. Tim Marsters: $47,000
4. Aaron Lim: $38,000
5. Patrick Kearns: $31,600
6. Han Luu: $26,600
7. Peter Parsons: $21,500
8. Ted Nguyen: $16,450
Poker Cup In Perth Does Good Work For Charity...
Sport, fashion, music and pop culture mixed it up at the the Poker Cup held at Burswood Casino last week. Ex Wildcats star Nik Lackovic put together the cool event, which is an spring off from the Australia and New Zealand Poker Tour. Lackovic said he was keen to create something which gave back to the Strike a Chord for Cancer Foundation, run by local music promoter John Zaccaria and his wife, Noeleen. "I have known John since we were 10," Lackovic told the press "He is a cancer survivor so I wanted to put on a charity event which would raise some money and create some awareness for his foundation." A regular big-time poker player, Lackovic said he had a nice win at the Aussie Millions in January where he won more than $80,000. He also said he had given his fiancee Nicole McKendry some poker tips for her first time. Also playing at the event were Tony Sage, Ryan Crowley, Josh Catalano, Steve Nelkovski, Sal Fazzino, Tony Barlow, Lydia and Zhenya Tsvetnenko. Well done to all.
New Zealand's Christchurch Casino Staff To Accept Redundancy Or Take Unpaid Leave...
Christchurch Casino's management is doing its best for its workers, Prime Minister John Key said today on the eve of a deadline where employees have to decide if they will accept redundancy or take unpaid leave. The Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU), which represents the workers, has called a meeting on Friday morning and is urging members not to make decisions before then. About 520 full-time and part-time workers have been offered redundancy with 4 weeks pay, or they can take unpaid leave until the casino opens again. Christchurch Casino chief executive Brett Anderson said the company had little choice after the post-quake closure of its business and an uncertain timeframe for reopening. "The key for us was giving people the choice," he said. "There is a lot of uncertainty. We are uncertain ourselves. This is not something we wanted to do." Key said the casino hoped to reopen. "I think actually SkyCity are doing a very good job here, they've paid their workers for six weeks," he told Breakfast on TV One. "They are saying if you leave at any time and you take your annual leave and you eventually decide to leave, we will still give you four weeks redundancy. "I think in defence of SkyCity they are doing everything they can." Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said yesterday the casino might be able to reopen elsewhere. "I think one of the issues that we've got to discuss with the casino is whether or not they can reopen with their licence in another location if it's possible," he said. However, Key said that could be costly for the casino and ideally it would be able to reopen at its existing site. Casino licences were geographically specific, but Brownlee said the Earthquake Recovery Bill could give the flexibility for the premises to move. Anderson said his priority was to reopen the casino on its existing site, and to "get our people back in there", but he did not know when that would happen. The Victoria St building, which has a yellow sticker, sustained minor damage. However, it is within the cordon and close to unstable buildings. Anderson said it would take only three to four weeks to repair the casino damage once the cordon was lifted. SFWU tourism and hospitality industry leader Len Richards was advising workers not to accept the redundancy package because it was no more than the four-week notice period they were eligible for anyway. Workers should be receiving 18 weeks redundancy, which was in line with the redundancy provisions at SkyCity Casino in Auckland. "The loss of jobs that has already occurred, plus the inevitable further job losses to come, will create huge social costs," Richards said. The union was seeking an urgent meeting with casino management. However, Anderson said he had yet to receive a union request. He said the union was forgetting staff had already been paid for the past six weeks, at a cost of $410,000 a week. The casino had not been eligible for the Government subsidy because of its ownership structure, Anderson said. It was owned by SkyCity Casinos and Skyline Enterprises. Christchurch Casino employees could express an interest in working at other casinos in New Zealand and Australia. However, the casino would not pay relocation costs. Anderson said three Christchurch staff already had jobs in Dunedin and two were working in Queenstown. SkyCity in Auckland, which had more than 100 jobs available, would give Christchurch staff priority, he said. Casino employee Kelly Hamlin, who has worked in security at the casino for seven years, said he was unsure what to do. "It's just a blow to all the staff. In a way I think we were expecting a wee bit more than what we have been given." Hamlin said he knew the company was in a difficult position but he would have liked to see the casino keep staff. The union is meeting workers at the Hornby Working Men's Club on Friday. We wish our Kiwi friends well on their earthquake recovery.
Readers... er, punters, how did you like our report? Tell us in the forum.
If you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered
Online Casinos, Online Poker and Sports Betting...
Ok readers, we hear you... you also want to know some of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies) if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia (including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...
PartyCasino.com (Many of the world's best slot games. Aussies and Kiwi's welcome).
Captain Cooks Casino
Betfair (sports betting only)
PKR.com (poker, slots including Marvel slot games and sports betting)
PartyPoker.com (online poker at one of the world's most respected poker rooms and gaming brands)
Profiles
Australian Casinos
World Casino Directory
Global Gaming Directory
Casino Travel
Casinos
Australia
Media Man and Gambling911 remind our readers to keep the following in mind:
Take the time to research and learn games before placing down money
Media Man, Casino News Media and Gambling911 are website portals. Not casinos as such, however are recognised as world leading websites that cover the sector and act as central points to games, news, reviews and more.
If you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Australian Casino News
Casino News Australia
Global Gaming Directory
Melbourne Press Club Does Crown Casino...
The Melbourne Press Club did Crown casino and interesting goss is coming in. Julia Gillard impersonator Amanda Bishop got em talking with a line on Crown Casino and media commentators Andrew Bolt's head...the venue reminded her of nothing so much as the inside of Andrew Bolt’s head. Bolt being a soft target, since he's currently in court fighting for his good name. The joke got mixed reactions. Crown media and events hotshot Anne Peacock is understood to be concerned about Crown's image with the Press Club connection. Master of ceremonies Peter Mitchell gave Peacock special thanks in his address to the crowd. There was no on the record response from Crown Casino powers that be. It's understood that its hard to censor a Press Club speech. or news media in general.
Aussie Politics: Bob Katter Pokies Support May Assist Labor Party...
Independent MP Bob Katter says he won't support national slot machine reforms demanded by fellow crossbencher Andrew Wilkie, who gave Julia Gillard a bit of life support as she tries to hold together her minority government. But he has called for “some pullback” from Wilkie on the slot machine pre-commitment scheme. Wilkie keeps saying the anti-gambling measure is non-negotiable, warning all he will withdraw his support for the Labor party if reforms are not implemented. The Gillard government suffered quite a setback on Friday when independent MP Tony Windsor said he would not back Wilkie's proposed slots reform. This may further destabilize the Labor party. Katter said he "strongly supported" the reform push with "I am four square behind where they will want to go, but I'll have a bit of an argument with them about how to get there. We have to go at this very, very carefully, I'm seeking discussions with Nick (Xenophon) and Andrew but I'm very supportive of the idea of tackling problem gamblers. There needs to be a bit of compromise. It's fine for them to make an ambit claim." Katter advised that a number of clubs in his electorate of Kennedy had closed recently, and that he wouldn't want to see more go the same way. "But we shouldn't keep them open if people are spending their kids' money in them," he said. Under the agreement reached with MP Wilkie, Labor still has until May to strike a deal with state governments on a reform package designed to reduce problem gambling. If it falls flat on its face in getting a deal the states, the government has agreed to enact federal legislation to put in place limits on pokies including a mandatory pre-commitment scheme that will force gamblers to carry smartcards that enforce bet limits before spinning to win. Withdrawal limits on ATMs near poker machines will also be limited to $250. With the support of the Greens, Wilkie and Katter, Labor appears to have locked a potential 75 of 76 necessary votes, leaving the fate of any federal legislation up to of crossbenchers Rob Oakeshott and Tony Crook. Yep, the soap opera that is Australian politics and gambling continues.
James Packer Casino King May Sell Consolidated Media Holdings...
James Packer still may sell his $790 million stake in pay-television investment company Consolidated Media Holdings. Packer has 49.9% of ConsMedia which owns a quarter of Foxtel and half of Fox Sports... has put the word out he will sell if someone is prepared to pay a reasonable price. There is speculation on what developments will happen in Australian media, but internet and gaming continues to ramp up. Packer remains high on pay-TV and there's the $2 billion merger talks between Foxtel and regional counterpart Austar. Some say his is unclear about the medium-term view for the pay-TV industry, one which has copped weak subscriber growth over the past couple of years. The media seem to love it when Packer gets in a verbal fight with another media personality however. How can we forget Packer VS Seven exec David Leckie stoush in October 2009 at the 70th birthday of ex Nine boss Sam Chisholm was reminiscent of his late father, Kerry. JP generally likes to keep the peace its understood. We also recall Last month, when Ten Network Holdings stole senior Seven exec James Warburton to be its new boss. Packer, who owns 9% of Ten, did not want to damage his close relationship with Seven executive chairman Kerry Stokes. Stokes owns 24.4% of ConsMedia. Packer is believed to not want to cause further strain on his relationship with acting Ten chief executive Lachlan Murdoch. Both these relationships somehow survived the Warburton appointment. Flogging ConsMedia is a way to avoid drams with media personalities. Insiders speculate a ConsMedia sale won't happen in a hurry. It was not so long ago that he was at war with Stokes in the C7 case. It was less than six months ago that he favoured media rub enough to buy into Ten. There are also only three potential buyers: Foxtel's other shareholders, Telstra and News Limited as well as Channel Seven. Stokes is in the midst of selling Seven Media Group to West Australian Newspapers while News Limited's parent, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, is consumed with the much bigger challenge of buying the 61% of BSkyB it does not already own. News and Seven are understood to not be that keen on ConsMedia.
Aussie Grant Levy Wins ANZPT Perth Event...
Sydney’s Grant Levy took down the PokerStars ANZPT Perth championship this past weekend. He snatched he ANZPT trophy and the $131,500 prize. Levy also became the second player in history with able to get the APPT and ANZPT titles. 220 players entered the AUD$2,500 buy-in main event at Perth's Burswood Casino. A prize of $506,000 was put together, and the top 24 finalists were guaranteed $4,550. The field dissolved to a final table featuring only Aussies except for Ireland’s Patrick Kearns. After more than 3 hours Levy made won. Corr took $83,500 as runner-up. The next stop for the ANZPT is in Sydney, Australia April 13-17.
Results:
1. Grant Levy: $131,500
2. John Corr: $83,500
3. Tim Marsters: $47,000
4. Aaron Lim: $38,000
5. Patrick Kearns: $31,600
6. Han Luu: $26,600
7. Peter Parsons: $21,500
8. Ted Nguyen: $16,450
Poker Cup In Perth Does Good Work For Charity...
Sport, fashion, music and pop culture mixed it up at the the Poker Cup held at Burswood Casino last week. Ex Wildcats star Nik Lackovic put together the cool event, which is an spring off from the Australia and New Zealand Poker Tour. Lackovic said he was keen to create something which gave back to the Strike a Chord for Cancer Foundation, run by local music promoter John Zaccaria and his wife, Noeleen. "I have known John since we were 10," Lackovic told the press "He is a cancer survivor so I wanted to put on a charity event which would raise some money and create some awareness for his foundation." A regular big-time poker player, Lackovic said he had a nice win at the Aussie Millions in January where he won more than $80,000. He also said he had given his fiancee Nicole McKendry some poker tips for her first time. Also playing at the event were Tony Sage, Ryan Crowley, Josh Catalano, Steve Nelkovski, Sal Fazzino, Tony Barlow, Lydia and Zhenya Tsvetnenko. Well done to all.
New Zealand's Christchurch Casino Staff To Accept Redundancy Or Take Unpaid Leave...
Christchurch Casino's management is doing its best for its workers, Prime Minister John Key said today on the eve of a deadline where employees have to decide if they will accept redundancy or take unpaid leave. The Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU), which represents the workers, has called a meeting on Friday morning and is urging members not to make decisions before then. About 520 full-time and part-time workers have been offered redundancy with 4 weeks pay, or they can take unpaid leave until the casino opens again. Christchurch Casino chief executive Brett Anderson said the company had little choice after the post-quake closure of its business and an uncertain timeframe for reopening. "The key for us was giving people the choice," he said. "There is a lot of uncertainty. We are uncertain ourselves. This is not something we wanted to do." Key said the casino hoped to reopen. "I think actually SkyCity are doing a very good job here, they've paid their workers for six weeks," he told Breakfast on TV One. "They are saying if you leave at any time and you take your annual leave and you eventually decide to leave, we will still give you four weeks redundancy. "I think in defence of SkyCity they are doing everything they can." Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said yesterday the casino might be able to reopen elsewhere. "I think one of the issues that we've got to discuss with the casino is whether or not they can reopen with their licence in another location if it's possible," he said. However, Key said that could be costly for the casino and ideally it would be able to reopen at its existing site. Casino licences were geographically specific, but Brownlee said the Earthquake Recovery Bill could give the flexibility for the premises to move. Anderson said his priority was to reopen the casino on its existing site, and to "get our people back in there", but he did not know when that would happen. The Victoria St building, which has a yellow sticker, sustained minor damage. However, it is within the cordon and close to unstable buildings. Anderson said it would take only three to four weeks to repair the casino damage once the cordon was lifted. SFWU tourism and hospitality industry leader Len Richards was advising workers not to accept the redundancy package because it was no more than the four-week notice period they were eligible for anyway. Workers should be receiving 18 weeks redundancy, which was in line with the redundancy provisions at SkyCity Casino in Auckland. "The loss of jobs that has already occurred, plus the inevitable further job losses to come, will create huge social costs," Richards said. The union was seeking an urgent meeting with casino management. However, Anderson said he had yet to receive a union request. He said the union was forgetting staff had already been paid for the past six weeks, at a cost of $410,000 a week. The casino had not been eligible for the Government subsidy because of its ownership structure, Anderson said. It was owned by SkyCity Casinos and Skyline Enterprises. Christchurch Casino employees could express an interest in working at other casinos in New Zealand and Australia. However, the casino would not pay relocation costs. Anderson said three Christchurch staff already had jobs in Dunedin and two were working in Queenstown. SkyCity in Auckland, which had more than 100 jobs available, would give Christchurch staff priority, he said. Casino employee Kelly Hamlin, who has worked in security at the casino for seven years, said he was unsure what to do. "It's just a blow to all the staff. In a way I think we were expecting a wee bit more than what we have been given." Hamlin said he knew the company was in a difficult position but he would have liked to see the casino keep staff. The union is meeting workers at the Hornby Working Men's Club on Friday. We wish our Kiwi friends well on their earthquake recovery.
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*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered
Online Casinos, Online Poker and Sports Betting...
Ok readers, we hear you... you also want to know some of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies) if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia (including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...
PartyCasino.com (Many of the world's best slot games. Aussies and Kiwi's welcome).
Captain Cooks Casino
Betfair (sports betting only)
PKR.com (poker, slots including Marvel slot games and sports betting)
PartyPoker.com (online poker at one of the world's most respected poker rooms and gaming brands)
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*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered
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