Profiles
Hilton Hotel Property Hotels Events Celebrities Clubs and Bars Brands Sydney Australia
You've probably heard of it, and we think about half of Sydney has likely been there at least once in its glorious history. We're talking about the famous Marble Bar of course.
It's nestled away and underground the even more famous Hilton Sydney. The Marble Bar is a groovy music and arts themed hangout right in the centre of 'Sin City' Sydney. It’s a funky, cool and sexy place to enjoy live artists in luxurious surroundings and you must check out the bar of course, offering up a world class selection of wines, cocktails and beers from across the globe.
Marble Bar could be considered an ideal venue to chill with friends and associates, as well as make new ones - business, pleasure or both.
It was originally constructed in 1893. History buffs will be interested to learn that's older than the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1932) and Sydney Opera House (1973).
The joint has been a huge hit with both young and old over the decades, and that's sure to be the case looking into the future.
It's also proved to be popular with both celebrities - the beautiful people, as well as Joe and Jane Doe. Ok, you want celebrities names so try this one for size...Liza Minnelli, George Benson, Wyclef Jean, Kelly Rowland, Mischa Barton, Ewan McGregor, Adam Lambert, Kate Ceberano and Slash have all partied amongst its breathtaking and original marble features.
Music lovers will be wrapt to hear that iconic Australian band Cold Chisel announced their comeback tour at Marble Bar just last month. Now get this, that's the scene of their 1979 record album cover 'Breakfast at Sweethearts' which was famously photographed at the bar of the moment.
The 118 year old Heritage-listed drinking spot and entertainment hub is amazing. You have to touch up the bar and fittings to truly appreciate the quality, much like a fine women (or man).
We understand that the original George Adams Bar, named after its builder, was constructed costing a whopping 32,000 pounds.
The bar was relocated from Tattersall’s in 1973 and Hilton Sydney’s original architect J.H. Bryant took on the role of Marble Bar historian, even facilitating numerous articles on the colourful history of the bar.
In the following decades the Marble Bar enjoyed the patronage of visitors from around Australia, and around the world, and eventually the gloss started to come off (but there's a happy ending, so stay with us).
As the Hilton Sydney underwent its own renovation, Marble Bar stayed hidden away, waiting for its time to one again shine.
It was a massive job to get the venue back to its former glory, but in 2005 the job was done.
Hilton Hotel - Marble Bar marketing blurb (and a few insiders) tell us its a 15th Century Italian Renaissance influence of the Marble Bar including 35 different varieties of Italian, Belgian and African marble, plus stained glass doors and ceilings, ornate carved bars of mahogany and a gallery of 14 Julian Ashton paintings valued at an estimated $1.6 million AUD.
We're pleased to report that it was a delightful 118th Birthday Party for the Marble Bar. The vibe was assuredly cool, sexy and funky with live music from G3 featuring Glenn Cunningham.
Happy Birthday Marble Bar, and may you enjoy at least another 118 years of the best.
Where Is It?: Marble Bar, Hilton Hotel Sydney, Basement level, 488 George Street, Sydney
*photography by Eva Rinaldi Photography
Websites
Hilton Hotel Sydney
Marble Bar
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
Eva Rinaldi Photography
Website Network
Media Man Int
Media Man
Media Man News
Media Man Entertainment
Media Man Worldwide is part of the Media Man Group of companies aka Media Man. Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Who You Gonna Call For IGT's Ghostbusters(TM) Slots? MGM Resorts International(TM) Properties
Partnership Gives MGM Resorts a 30-Day First-to-Market Exclusive
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX
Ghost-tracking Psycho Kinetic Energy meters will be going crazy at MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) properties when the frighteningly fun Ghostbusters(TM) Slots come to The Strip as part of a 30-day, exclusive first-to-market partnership with International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT). The Ghostbusters(TM) Slots featuring Slimer, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and the hilarious Ghostbusters team was launched throughout the MGM Resorts' Las Vegas properties Monday, Sept. 19.
Debuting on IGT's new Center Stage Duo(TM) model, the game features the mischievous and lovable character Slimer teasing, mocking and awarding players with antics, multipliers and credits as he leads them through the game. A vivid 55-inch overhead LCD screen and chest-pumping MEGAfx Surround Chairs will send players' adrenaline racing during spectacular bonus rounds including:
Ballroom Busters Pick Bonus: Holdin! Smokin! Ready! Players are awarded five proton shots to blow up the ballroom to find ghosts.
Stay Puft Free Games Feature: Marshmallows fall from the sky, stick to symbols and turn them wild during this sweet feature.
Are You Psychic? Bonus: Guess the correct card to win credits and advance to the next round!
Paranormal Pick Bonus: Five levels of Paranormal Pick Bonuses allow players to select from phantasm clouds for a chance to win the progressive jackpot.
"Based on the blockbuster film franchise from Sony Pictures, the memorable characters, a catchy song and many unforgettable scenes have made Ghostbusters a pop culture mainstay, and I think we've captured the fun of the brand in the Ghostbusters Slots," said Eric Tom, executive vice president, North America Sales and Global Operations. "Players will be thrilled by the constant action and our graphic and sound technology will make for a ghoulishly good time."
Sherri Gilligan, senior vice president of marketing for MGM Resorts International, said, "Our guests deserve to have an amazing experience each time they arrive at one of our properties and the Ghostbusters Slots will add to that overall experience. The partnership with IGT allows us to create new opportunities for our guests and this is another example of an exclusive game we will feature on the casino floors throughout our company during the festive Halloween season."
To help kick off the Ghostbusters(TM) Slots fun, MGM Resorts and IGT will launch a sweepstakes featuring a grand prize VIP trip to Las Vegas.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. In addition to its 51% interest in MGM China Holdings and the MGM Macau, the Company has significant holdings in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, owns and operates 15 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, and has 50% investments in three other properties in Nevada and Illinois. One of those investments is CityCenter, an unprecedented urban resort destination on the Las Vegas Strip featuring its centerpiece ARIA Resort & Casino. Leveraging MGM Resorts' unmatched amenities, the M life loyalty program delivers one-of-a-kind experiences, insider privileges and personalized rewards for guests at the Company's renowned properties nationwide. Through its hospitality management subsidiary, the Company holds a growing number of development and management agreements for casino and non-casino resort projects around the world. MGM Resorts International supports responsible gaming and has implemented the American Gaming Association's Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming at its gaming properties. The Company has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions for its industry-leading Diversity Initiative, its community philanthropy programs and the Company's commitment to sustainable development and operations. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's Web site at www.mgmresorts.com.
About IGT
International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of gaming machines and systems products, as well as online and mobile gaming solutions for regulated markets. More information about IGT is available at www.IGT.com or follow IGT on Twitter at @IGTNews or Facebook at www.facebook.com/IGT.
Ghostbusters: TM & ©2011 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
SOURCE IGT; MGM Resorts International
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX
Ghost-tracking Psycho Kinetic Energy meters will be going crazy at MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) properties when the frighteningly fun Ghostbusters(TM) Slots come to The Strip as part of a 30-day, exclusive first-to-market partnership with International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT). The Ghostbusters(TM) Slots featuring Slimer, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and the hilarious Ghostbusters team was launched throughout the MGM Resorts' Las Vegas properties Monday, Sept. 19.
Debuting on IGT's new Center Stage Duo(TM) model, the game features the mischievous and lovable character Slimer teasing, mocking and awarding players with antics, multipliers and credits as he leads them through the game. A vivid 55-inch overhead LCD screen and chest-pumping MEGAfx Surround Chairs will send players' adrenaline racing during spectacular bonus rounds including:
Ballroom Busters Pick Bonus: Holdin! Smokin! Ready! Players are awarded five proton shots to blow up the ballroom to find ghosts.
Stay Puft Free Games Feature: Marshmallows fall from the sky, stick to symbols and turn them wild during this sweet feature.
Are You Psychic? Bonus: Guess the correct card to win credits and advance to the next round!
Paranormal Pick Bonus: Five levels of Paranormal Pick Bonuses allow players to select from phantasm clouds for a chance to win the progressive jackpot.
"Based on the blockbuster film franchise from Sony Pictures, the memorable characters, a catchy song and many unforgettable scenes have made Ghostbusters a pop culture mainstay, and I think we've captured the fun of the brand in the Ghostbusters Slots," said Eric Tom, executive vice president, North America Sales and Global Operations. "Players will be thrilled by the constant action and our graphic and sound technology will make for a ghoulishly good time."
Sherri Gilligan, senior vice president of marketing for MGM Resorts International, said, "Our guests deserve to have an amazing experience each time they arrive at one of our properties and the Ghostbusters Slots will add to that overall experience. The partnership with IGT allows us to create new opportunities for our guests and this is another example of an exclusive game we will feature on the casino floors throughout our company during the festive Halloween season."
To help kick off the Ghostbusters(TM) Slots fun, MGM Resorts and IGT will launch a sweepstakes featuring a grand prize VIP trip to Las Vegas.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. In addition to its 51% interest in MGM China Holdings and the MGM Macau, the Company has significant holdings in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, owns and operates 15 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, and has 50% investments in three other properties in Nevada and Illinois. One of those investments is CityCenter, an unprecedented urban resort destination on the Las Vegas Strip featuring its centerpiece ARIA Resort & Casino. Leveraging MGM Resorts' unmatched amenities, the M life loyalty program delivers one-of-a-kind experiences, insider privileges and personalized rewards for guests at the Company's renowned properties nationwide. Through its hospitality management subsidiary, the Company holds a growing number of development and management agreements for casino and non-casino resort projects around the world. MGM Resorts International supports responsible gaming and has implemented the American Gaming Association's Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming at its gaming properties. The Company has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions for its industry-leading Diversity Initiative, its community philanthropy programs and the Company's commitment to sustainable development and operations. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's Web site at www.mgmresorts.com.
About IGT
International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of gaming machines and systems products, as well as online and mobile gaming solutions for regulated markets. More information about IGT is available at www.IGT.com or follow IGT on Twitter at @IGTNews or Facebook at www.facebook.com/IGT.
Ghostbusters: TM & ©2011 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
SOURCE IGT; MGM Resorts International
War Of The Worlds Comes To Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment; War of the Worlds game - Coming This Fall!
Profiles
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com War Of The Worlds Steven Spielberg Paramount Pictures Hollywood Movies World Casino Directory iGaming Media Man
An adventure of a lifetime is waiting for players at PartyCasino with the launch of a brand new “War of the Worlds” themed game, based on Spielberg’s 2005 Hollywood blockbuster. This five reel 100-line slot will put you right in the centre of the action for as little as 1p per line and will give you a chance to win a massive jackpot of up to £250,000!
The most attractive feature of this slot is the great bonus round that players have access to by getting three bonus symbols anywhere on the reel. Winning the round will give players a chance to win up to 500 times their total stake and, for some, could be a good reason to make “War of the Worlds” a regular stop.
From outstanding graphics to a larger-than-life bonus round, it is clear that this game was designed with absolute precision, giving the player a superb game play experience that will keep you wanting more.
New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
Enter the casino wars with 'War Of The Worlds', Media Man and Casino News Media.
War of the Worlds game - Coming This Fall!
The War of the Worlds Is a dark and breathtaking new vision of the classic H.G. Wells novel, retold as a videogame, narrated by the acclaimed actor, Patrick Stewart. The game follows the exploits of an unknown everyman struggling to escape the Martian invasion of 1950s London and rescue his family. Forced to think through insurmountable odds, players will outsmart an army of alien tripods, spidersbots and drones as they make their way through a landscape of total devastation.
Gamespot says “War of the Worlds is perfectly written and spoken.”
IGN declares “War of the Worlds is out of this world.”
A WORLD APART - Massive levels and dozens of different areas rife with Martian Tripods, mechanical spiders, drones, blood-harvesting ‘red weeds’, and lethal ‘black smoke’. Humans flee in terror and players must think their way through the ultimate journey of mankind’s survival.
SURVIVING THE EXTINCTION - As a survivor of the Martian attack, voiceover from Patrick Stewart’s character tells the tale of how he survived mankind’s near-extinction event, serving both as a way of fleshing out the world around players AND as a useful hint mechanism.
AN UNIMAGINABLE ENEMY - Players must avoid the unruly Martian invaders and stay aware of their surroundings. Players should be mindful of the alien heat beams, one zap could mean the beginning of the end of humankind’s survival.
Profiles
PartyGaming PartyCasino PartyPoker PartyBingo Circus PartyCasino Marvel Slots The Big One Melon Madness Casino World Poker Tour PartyCasino Promotions
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com War Of The Worlds Steven Spielberg Paramount Pictures Hollywood Movies World Casino Directory iGaming Media Man
An adventure of a lifetime is waiting for players at PartyCasino with the launch of a brand new “War of the Worlds” themed game, based on Spielberg’s 2005 Hollywood blockbuster. This five reel 100-line slot will put you right in the centre of the action for as little as 1p per line and will give you a chance to win a massive jackpot of up to £250,000!
The most attractive feature of this slot is the great bonus round that players have access to by getting three bonus symbols anywhere on the reel. Winning the round will give players a chance to win up to 500 times their total stake and, for some, could be a good reason to make “War of the Worlds” a regular stop.
From outstanding graphics to a larger-than-life bonus round, it is clear that this game was designed with absolute precision, giving the player a superb game play experience that will keep you wanting more.
New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
Enter the casino wars with 'War Of The Worlds', Media Man and Casino News Media.
War of the Worlds game - Coming This Fall!
The War of the Worlds Is a dark and breathtaking new vision of the classic H.G. Wells novel, retold as a videogame, narrated by the acclaimed actor, Patrick Stewart. The game follows the exploits of an unknown everyman struggling to escape the Martian invasion of 1950s London and rescue his family. Forced to think through insurmountable odds, players will outsmart an army of alien tripods, spidersbots and drones as they make their way through a landscape of total devastation.
Gamespot says “War of the Worlds is perfectly written and spoken.”
IGN declares “War of the Worlds is out of this world.”
A WORLD APART - Massive levels and dozens of different areas rife with Martian Tripods, mechanical spiders, drones, blood-harvesting ‘red weeds’, and lethal ‘black smoke’. Humans flee in terror and players must think their way through the ultimate journey of mankind’s survival.
SURVIVING THE EXTINCTION - As a survivor of the Martian attack, voiceover from Patrick Stewart’s character tells the tale of how he survived mankind’s near-extinction event, serving both as a way of fleshing out the world around players AND as a useful hint mechanism.
AN UNIMAGINABLE ENEMY - Players must avoid the unruly Martian invaders and stay aware of their surroundings. Players should be mindful of the alien heat beams, one zap could mean the beginning of the end of humankind’s survival.
Profiles
PartyGaming PartyCasino PartyPoker PartyBingo Circus PartyCasino Marvel Slots The Big One Melon Madness Casino World Poker Tour PartyCasino Promotions
Monday, September 26, 2011
The Hunter Sydney Australia Movie Premiere - 26th September 2011
Profiles
Movies Hollywood Tasmania Sydney Australia
Our hunt is just about over for the Australian premiere of 'The Hunter'.
Sydney might not be home to the Tasmanian Devil, but it's hard to argue with the choice of Dendy Opera Quays being the venue for tonight's Aussie premiere.
Willem Dafoe was most generous in his time with Australian press.
Defoe portrays a mercenary on the trail of the now extinct Tasmanian Tiger.
"It's true," Dafoe concedes in his instantly recognisable, gravelly voice over the phone from his home in Rome. "And that's not a bad thing."
The actor was wrapt to play the lead part of Martin in The Hunter, based on Julia Leigh's acclaimed novel of the same title.
The rising star actor told our friends at News Limited "First of all I didn't know it was freezing. But the fact that we were going to shoot in Tasmania was very important. Clearly you had this very good story set against this epic backdrop and that appealed to me not only for the adventure personally but it's also nice to find a movie that can do the things movies do best, something that television can't do for example.
"I liked the fact that it was the central character with a slow transformation and that you got to spend a lot of time with him in the bush."
"The landscape is very tough and the weather is very tough but it really rooted what we were doing. One day it would be beautiful and sunny and the next day it would be snowing and freezing cold. And button grass - unless you have walked through a field of button grass you have no idea how difficult it is."
Dafoe advised he loves to travel the world to make motion pictures, thinking that exposure to different locations and new things helps makes actors "reconsider your condition and the condition of the world". He loved that Tasmania was so faraway from the movies business and was as "a magical place to film".
"You can really concentrate on what you are doing and the further you get away from the world, then that becomes the only world," he says. "Because it is so far away from everything it has a special charm."
The Hunter also stars Frances O'Connor and Sam Neill, with whom Dafoe has worked before.
Be sure to watch out for the ongoing struggle between loggers and tree huggers.
Dafoe has worked with some huge names in the modern era of movie making. Try on for size David Lynch (Wild At Heart), Martin Scorsese (The Last Temptation of Christ), Oliver Stone (Platoon) and Sam Raimi (Spider-Man). The Hunter was directed by Daniel Nettheim, in his first feature, but Dafoe says he enjoyed the opportunity to lend his considerable expertise.
"Let's face it," he says, "Martin Scorsese and David Lynch had to start somewhere. Also you are afforded a sense of collaboration. It's always difficult to adapt a very strong piece of literature and since you spend so much time with this character it was important to really suit him to me.
"So there was lots of back and forth and working to make it a good fit. After I met Daniel I knew he was very bright and knew he was very open to working with me in that way."
Tasmania may be home for his current flick, but next stop is Mars for the rising star, thanks to Disney. Dafoe will play Tars Tarkas, a six-limbed, green Martian warrior.
For now, its apparent that Dafoe has found his place in the motion picture universe, and insiders tip he is an actor expected to go a long way, with his name up for some Hollywood awards later this year.
The Hunter opens Australia on Thursday.
Websites
The Hunter
http://www.thehuntermovie.com
Dendy Opera Quays
http://www.dendy.com.au/Page/Dendy-Opera-Quays-Location
NIX Co
http://www.nixco.com.au
Cast
Willem Dafoe - Martin David
Sam Neill - Jack Mindy
Frances O’Connor - Lucy Armstrong
Sullivan Stapleton
Dan Wyllie
Callan Mulvey
Jacek Koman
Morgana Davies - Sass Armstrong
John Brumpton - Publican
Maia Thomas - Shakti
Jamie Timony - Free
Dan Spielman - Simon
Finn Woodlock - Bike Armstrong
Director: Daniel Nettheim
Writers: Julia Leigh (novel), Wain Fimeri (original adaptation)
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
Eva Rinaldi Photography
Website Network
Media Man Int
Media Man
Media Man News
Media Man Entertainment
Movies Hollywood Tasmania Sydney Australia
Our hunt is just about over for the Australian premiere of 'The Hunter'.
Sydney might not be home to the Tasmanian Devil, but it's hard to argue with the choice of Dendy Opera Quays being the venue for tonight's Aussie premiere.
Willem Dafoe was most generous in his time with Australian press.
Defoe portrays a mercenary on the trail of the now extinct Tasmanian Tiger.
"It's true," Dafoe concedes in his instantly recognisable, gravelly voice over the phone from his home in Rome. "And that's not a bad thing."
The actor was wrapt to play the lead part of Martin in The Hunter, based on Julia Leigh's acclaimed novel of the same title.
The rising star actor told our friends at News Limited "First of all I didn't know it was freezing. But the fact that we were going to shoot in Tasmania was very important. Clearly you had this very good story set against this epic backdrop and that appealed to me not only for the adventure personally but it's also nice to find a movie that can do the things movies do best, something that television can't do for example.
"I liked the fact that it was the central character with a slow transformation and that you got to spend a lot of time with him in the bush."
"The landscape is very tough and the weather is very tough but it really rooted what we were doing. One day it would be beautiful and sunny and the next day it would be snowing and freezing cold. And button grass - unless you have walked through a field of button grass you have no idea how difficult it is."
Dafoe advised he loves to travel the world to make motion pictures, thinking that exposure to different locations and new things helps makes actors "reconsider your condition and the condition of the world". He loved that Tasmania was so faraway from the movies business and was as "a magical place to film".
"You can really concentrate on what you are doing and the further you get away from the world, then that becomes the only world," he says. "Because it is so far away from everything it has a special charm."
The Hunter also stars Frances O'Connor and Sam Neill, with whom Dafoe has worked before.
Be sure to watch out for the ongoing struggle between loggers and tree huggers.
Dafoe has worked with some huge names in the modern era of movie making. Try on for size David Lynch (Wild At Heart), Martin Scorsese (The Last Temptation of Christ), Oliver Stone (Platoon) and Sam Raimi (Spider-Man). The Hunter was directed by Daniel Nettheim, in his first feature, but Dafoe says he enjoyed the opportunity to lend his considerable expertise.
"Let's face it," he says, "Martin Scorsese and David Lynch had to start somewhere. Also you are afforded a sense of collaboration. It's always difficult to adapt a very strong piece of literature and since you spend so much time with this character it was important to really suit him to me.
"So there was lots of back and forth and working to make it a good fit. After I met Daniel I knew he was very bright and knew he was very open to working with me in that way."
Tasmania may be home for his current flick, but next stop is Mars for the rising star, thanks to Disney. Dafoe will play Tars Tarkas, a six-limbed, green Martian warrior.
For now, its apparent that Dafoe has found his place in the motion picture universe, and insiders tip he is an actor expected to go a long way, with his name up for some Hollywood awards later this year.
The Hunter opens Australia on Thursday.
Websites
The Hunter
http://www.thehuntermovie.com
Dendy Opera Quays
http://www.dendy.com.au/Page/Dendy-Opera-Quays-Location
NIX Co
http://www.nixco.com.au
Cast
Willem Dafoe - Martin David
Sam Neill - Jack Mindy
Frances O’Connor - Lucy Armstrong
Sullivan Stapleton
Dan Wyllie
Callan Mulvey
Jacek Koman
Morgana Davies - Sass Armstrong
John Brumpton - Publican
Maia Thomas - Shakti
Jamie Timony - Free
Dan Spielman - Simon
Finn Woodlock - Bike Armstrong
Director: Daniel Nettheim
Writers: Julia Leigh (novel), Wain Fimeri (original adaptation)
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
Eva Rinaldi Photography
Website Network
Media Man Int
Media Man
Media Man News
Media Man Entertainment
Hugh Jackman denies breaking wrestler's jaw - 26th September 2011
Profiles
WWE Hugh Jackman Hollywood Movies Media Man
Hugh Jackman admits that he punched a professional wrestler with all of his might - but disputes claims that he broke his jaw.
The Australian actor attended a WWE wrestling match on September 19 to promote his upcoming boxing film Real Steel. A guest of honour, Jackman was able to hang out in wrestler Zack Ryder's corner while the tournament took place.
At one point during the fight, Jackman travelled over to Dolph Ziggler's corner, Ryder's opponent. Jackman and Ziggler exchanged words and Ziggler received a clean punch to the jaw by the actor quickly thereafter.
"I hit him," Jackman told Entertainment Weekly.
"[Dolph] said, 'Hit me as hard as you can.' So I hit him pretty hard. And you can see it in my eyes. I watched [the clip] again, and you can see me going 'Uh oh' a little. I'm acting like, 'Yeah!' but I'm really like, 'S***, I kinda really clocked him in the jaw'."
Jackman insists that he didn't mean to clock Ziggler with so much force. Ziggler tweeted soon after the incident with claims that Jackman put a hairline fracture in his jaw.
"It was scripted that I would go for that punch," Jackman explained.
"But just before we went on, Dolph was yelling at me, 'You hit me man! Just f***ing hit me!' During rehearsal I said, 'I'd like to do it, but I've spent 20 years pulling punches, trying not to hit. Trying to make it look real, but not really hit.'
"He said, 'There's no way. There's cameras everywhere, there's crowd everywhere, there's no way we can 'whiff it', as they call it'."
Jackman is convinced that Ziggler may be embellishing the extent of his injury a little bit.
"The next day I read he really broke his jaw and I wasn't surprised - but I don't think he did," Jackman said.
"He's prone to exaggeration - which is why I hit him! Nah, just kidding!"
Website Network
Media Man Int
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Wrestling News Media
Greg Tingle.com
Australian Sports Entertainment
WWE Hugh Jackman Hollywood Movies Media Man
Hugh Jackman admits that he punched a professional wrestler with all of his might - but disputes claims that he broke his jaw.
The Australian actor attended a WWE wrestling match on September 19 to promote his upcoming boxing film Real Steel. A guest of honour, Jackman was able to hang out in wrestler Zack Ryder's corner while the tournament took place.
At one point during the fight, Jackman travelled over to Dolph Ziggler's corner, Ryder's opponent. Jackman and Ziggler exchanged words and Ziggler received a clean punch to the jaw by the actor quickly thereafter.
"I hit him," Jackman told Entertainment Weekly.
"[Dolph] said, 'Hit me as hard as you can.' So I hit him pretty hard. And you can see it in my eyes. I watched [the clip] again, and you can see me going 'Uh oh' a little. I'm acting like, 'Yeah!' but I'm really like, 'S***, I kinda really clocked him in the jaw'."
Jackman insists that he didn't mean to clock Ziggler with so much force. Ziggler tweeted soon after the incident with claims that Jackman put a hairline fracture in his jaw.
"It was scripted that I would go for that punch," Jackman explained.
"But just before we went on, Dolph was yelling at me, 'You hit me man! Just f***ing hit me!' During rehearsal I said, 'I'd like to do it, but I've spent 20 years pulling punches, trying not to hit. Trying to make it look real, but not really hit.'
"He said, 'There's no way. There's cameras everywhere, there's crowd everywhere, there's no way we can 'whiff it', as they call it'."
Jackman is convinced that Ziggler may be embellishing the extent of his injury a little bit.
"The next day I read he really broke his jaw and I wasn't surprised - but I don't think he did," Jackman said.
"He's prone to exaggeration - which is why I hit him! Nah, just kidding!"
Website Network
Media Man Int
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Wrestling News Media
Greg Tingle.com
Australian Sports Entertainment
Kate Winslet's "Sexy" Fling With Richard Branson's Nephew
Profiles
Virgin Enterprises Limited Richard Branson
News
Virgin News Entertainment News
Rocknroll new romance for Kate Winslet!
The Oscar winning actress, 35, is dating Richard Branson's nephew Ned Abel Smith -- a.k.a. Ned Rocknroll -- a source confirms to Us Weekly.
The duo arrived together at last Tuesday's memorial service for Ted Branson (Richard Branson's father) at the Royal Geographical Society in London. The Daily Mail reports that Ned, 33, legally changed his name to "Ned Rocknroll" several years back, and recently separated from his wife Eliza, the daughter of a British viscount.
"Ned is really happy with Kate," the source tells Us, adding that the couple are currently spending a romantic weekend in the English countryside. Mildred Pierce star Winslet is "mature and has it all together," the source explains. "[Ned] feels he can learn so much from her. It's sexy -- a boy toy situation!"
An old friend of the Branson family, Winslet was famously a guest on Richard Branson's private Necker Island in late August when the house she was staying in caught fire; Winslet ended up carrying Eve, Branson's elderly mother, out of the burning building.
Winslet wasn't a solo visitor during her momentous Necker Island stay. In addition to her kids Mia, 10, and Joe, 7, the star's fellow guest was Louis Dowler, her on-and-off model beau.
No word yet on exactly when Winslet and Dowler parted ways.
Website Network
Media Man Int
Media Man News
Media Man
Virgin Enterprises Limited Richard Branson
News
Virgin News Entertainment News
Rocknroll new romance for Kate Winslet!
The Oscar winning actress, 35, is dating Richard Branson's nephew Ned Abel Smith -- a.k.a. Ned Rocknroll -- a source confirms to Us Weekly.
The duo arrived together at last Tuesday's memorial service for Ted Branson (Richard Branson's father) at the Royal Geographical Society in London. The Daily Mail reports that Ned, 33, legally changed his name to "Ned Rocknroll" several years back, and recently separated from his wife Eliza, the daughter of a British viscount.
"Ned is really happy with Kate," the source tells Us, adding that the couple are currently spending a romantic weekend in the English countryside. Mildred Pierce star Winslet is "mature and has it all together," the source explains. "[Ned] feels he can learn so much from her. It's sexy -- a boy toy situation!"
An old friend of the Branson family, Winslet was famously a guest on Richard Branson's private Necker Island in late August when the house she was staying in caught fire; Winslet ended up carrying Eve, Branson's elderly mother, out of the burning building.
Winslet wasn't a solo visitor during her momentous Necker Island stay. In addition to her kids Mia, 10, and Joe, 7, the star's fellow guest was Louis Dowler, her on-and-off model beau.
No word yet on exactly when Winslet and Dowler parted ways.
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Sunday, September 25, 2011
WWE Internet Championship In Works; Zack Ryder Pushed By Top Brass And Hugh Jackman - 23rd September 2011
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WWE's Zack Ryder is maintaining his rage to see an official WWE Internet Championship come to pass. Woo Woo Woo.
Contracted pro wrestler Dolph Ziggler tweeted that his mandible was fractured after the actor hit him this past Monday Night Raw, but some insiders say it was all an elaborate stunt. Wouldn't be the first time would it.
Aussie actor Hugh Jackman made a special appearance on Monday night's WWE Raw to promote his upcoming boxing film Real Steel, and got a little more than he bargained for, such is life in and around the WWE.
The actor, who has played beefed-up character Wolverine in Marvel's X-Men films since 2000, got into a been with notorious heel wrestler Dolph Ziggler, who insulted Jackman by calling him the wrong superhero name: Batman.
While this back-and-forth was surely staged, as WWE match-ups are, when Jackman delivered the planned punch, it may have achieved extra impact.
"MRI scheduled for 1 pm.....possible fractured jaw #thanksBatman," Ziggler wrote from his HEELZiggler Twitter account Tuesday. He later seemed to confirm the injury, following up with, "hairline mandibular fracture" tweet.
But, some are claiming that the entire injury is a hoax. TMZ reports that sources close to the wrestler say the entire thing was made up, but that the WWE wasn't in on Ziggler's joke.
Whatever the case, we here at Media Man love it. Keep it up.
Rumours remain that the likes of Mick Foley, Hulk Hogan and another former NWO member will soon return to WWE rings.
We can also confirm the return of the late, great, Andre The Giant this year (but in an online slot game - not in a wrestling ring). Ric Flair may also be following suit, and Kevin Nash is also understood to be keen to further explore online gaming opportunities. Don't change your dial.
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WWE's Zack Ryder is maintaining his rage to see an official WWE Internet Championship come to pass. Woo Woo Woo.
Contracted pro wrestler Dolph Ziggler tweeted that his mandible was fractured after the actor hit him this past Monday Night Raw, but some insiders say it was all an elaborate stunt. Wouldn't be the first time would it.
Aussie actor Hugh Jackman made a special appearance on Monday night's WWE Raw to promote his upcoming boxing film Real Steel, and got a little more than he bargained for, such is life in and around the WWE.
The actor, who has played beefed-up character Wolverine in Marvel's X-Men films since 2000, got into a been with notorious heel wrestler Dolph Ziggler, who insulted Jackman by calling him the wrong superhero name: Batman.
While this back-and-forth was surely staged, as WWE match-ups are, when Jackman delivered the planned punch, it may have achieved extra impact.
"MRI scheduled for 1 pm.....possible fractured jaw #thanksBatman," Ziggler wrote from his HEELZiggler Twitter account Tuesday. He later seemed to confirm the injury, following up with, "hairline mandibular fracture" tweet.
But, some are claiming that the entire injury is a hoax. TMZ reports that sources close to the wrestler say the entire thing was made up, but that the WWE wasn't in on Ziggler's joke.
Whatever the case, we here at Media Man love it. Keep it up.
Rumours remain that the likes of Mick Foley, Hulk Hogan and another former NWO member will soon return to WWE rings.
We can also confirm the return of the late, great, Andre The Giant this year (but in an online slot game - not in a wrestling ring). Ric Flair may also be following suit, and Kevin Nash is also understood to be keen to further explore online gaming opportunities. Don't change your dial.
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Global Gaming Directory
Wrestling News Media
Greg Tingle.com
Australian Sports Entertainment
Clubs back NRL-AFL pokies campaign - 25th September 2011
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The clubs industry is backing rugby league and the AFL's alliance to campaign against the federal government's poker machine reforms.
The NRL and the AFL are planning to run television advertisements against mandatory pre-commitment during Grand Final week.
Clubs Australia executive director Anthony Ball said he welcomed the decision of the two rival codes to speak out against the technology being demanded by independent MP Andrew Wilkie.
"Millions of Australians are AFL and rugby league fans," he said in a statement.
"By backing Andrew Wilkie's demand for mandatory pre-commitment, the federal government is directly attacking the ability of clubs across the country to support AFL and rugby league teams."
Mr Ball said no sporting club would escape the "massive financial hit" of the mandatory pre-commitment regime, which Mr Wilkie wants implemented by 2014.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and individual club presidents are meeting on Monday to map out campaign strategies.
New Ltd reports Mr Demetriou has held talks with Families Minister Jenny Macklin, who would have carriage of the pokies legislation, along with Sports Minister Mark Arbib and Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten.
It added that 25 Labor MPs had threatened to vote against the plan in Caucus.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has described mandatory pre-commitment as a "footy tax".
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) president Ged Kearney said the government should be allowed to implement its pokies reforms.
She said although Clubs Australia was arguing there could be job losses, the harmful effects of problem gambling on peoples' lives should not be downplayed.
"I think let the reforms be implemented, monitor them closely and see what happens," she said.
"I'm sure we can help workers and businesses from an adverse impact as we go along."
Ms Kearney said the policy allowing people to set their own gambling limits was sensible.
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The clubs industry is backing rugby league and the AFL's alliance to campaign against the federal government's poker machine reforms.
The NRL and the AFL are planning to run television advertisements against mandatory pre-commitment during Grand Final week.
Clubs Australia executive director Anthony Ball said he welcomed the decision of the two rival codes to speak out against the technology being demanded by independent MP Andrew Wilkie.
"Millions of Australians are AFL and rugby league fans," he said in a statement.
"By backing Andrew Wilkie's demand for mandatory pre-commitment, the federal government is directly attacking the ability of clubs across the country to support AFL and rugby league teams."
Mr Ball said no sporting club would escape the "massive financial hit" of the mandatory pre-commitment regime, which Mr Wilkie wants implemented by 2014.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and individual club presidents are meeting on Monday to map out campaign strategies.
New Ltd reports Mr Demetriou has held talks with Families Minister Jenny Macklin, who would have carriage of the pokies legislation, along with Sports Minister Mark Arbib and Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten.
It added that 25 Labor MPs had threatened to vote against the plan in Caucus.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has described mandatory pre-commitment as a "footy tax".
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) president Ged Kearney said the government should be allowed to implement its pokies reforms.
She said although Clubs Australia was arguing there could be job losses, the harmful effects of problem gambling on peoples' lives should not be downplayed.
"I think let the reforms be implemented, monitor them closely and see what happens," she said.
"I'm sure we can help workers and businesses from an adverse impact as we go along."
Ms Kearney said the policy allowing people to set their own gambling limits was sensible.
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Saturday, September 24, 2011
PartyCasino Casino War Via The War Of The Worlds Online Slot Game
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An adventure of a lifetime is waiting for players at PartyCasino with the launch of a brand new “War of the Worlds” themed game, based on Spielberg’s 2005 Hollywood blockbuster. This five reel 100-line slot will put you right in the centre of the action for as little as 1p per line and will give you a chance to win a massive jackpot of up to £250,000!
The most attractive feature of this slot is the great bonus round that players have access to by getting three bonus symbols anywhere on the reel. Winning the round will give players a chance to win up to 500 times their total stake and, for some, could be a good reason to make “War of the Worlds” a regular stop.
From outstanding graphics to a larger-than-life bonus round, it is clear that this game was designed with absolute precision, giving the player a superb game play experience that will keep you wanting more.
New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
Enter the casino wars with 'War Of The Worlds', Media Man and Casino News Media.
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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com War Of The Worlds Steven Spielberg Hollywood Movies World Casino Directory iGaming Media Man
An adventure of a lifetime is waiting for players at PartyCasino with the launch of a brand new “War of the Worlds” themed game, based on Spielberg’s 2005 Hollywood blockbuster. This five reel 100-line slot will put you right in the centre of the action for as little as 1p per line and will give you a chance to win a massive jackpot of up to £250,000!
The most attractive feature of this slot is the great bonus round that players have access to by getting three bonus symbols anywhere on the reel. Winning the round will give players a chance to win up to 500 times their total stake and, for some, could be a good reason to make “War of the Worlds” a regular stop.
From outstanding graphics to a larger-than-life bonus round, it is clear that this game was designed with absolute precision, giving the player a superb game play experience that will keep you wanting more.
New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
Enter the casino wars with 'War Of The Worlds', Media Man and Casino News Media.
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Friday, September 23, 2011
Media Man Website Network Consolidates Online - 23rd September 2011
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The well known Media Man brand has consolidated online for the foreseeable future.
While Media Man still owns and operates over 20 website domain names, they have for the meantime consolidated the amount of online website portals that they operate.
Media Man will publish their most up to date news via their web blogs, as well as having some of them syndicated via a range of news media and entertainment website portals.
Their flagship websites are Media Man Int, Casino News Media, Global Gaming Directory, Wrestling News Media, Greg Tingle.com and Australian Sports Entertainment.
Greg Tingle remains the founder and director of Media Man.
Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.
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Greg Tingle.com
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Media Man Portals Media Companies Greg Tingle
News
Media Man Int News Entertainment News Casino News Poker News Financial News
The well known Media Man brand has consolidated online for the foreseeable future.
While Media Man still owns and operates over 20 website domain names, they have for the meantime consolidated the amount of online website portals that they operate.
Media Man will publish their most up to date news via their web blogs, as well as having some of them syndicated via a range of news media and entertainment website portals.
Their flagship websites are Media Man Int, Casino News Media, Global Gaming Directory, Wrestling News Media, Greg Tingle.com and Australian Sports Entertainment.
Greg Tingle remains the founder and director of Media Man.
Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.
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Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Wrestling News Media
Greg Tingle.com
Australian Sports Entertainment
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Crown Casino Online Set For UK - European Launch, by Greg Tingle - 22nd September 2011
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Crown Casino Crown Limited James Packer Aspinall’s UK World Casino Directory World Directory
G'day punters, casino whales, journos and everyone else. It's time for a super hot rumour, and most of this one has been verified by the powers that be. Media Man and Casino News Media reports...
Australia's Crown Casino brand prepares to launch online and land based casino in the United Kingdom.
Firstly, take note... there is an Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) 2001 – this pertains to online casinos and poker rooms that are unregulated in Australia and are therefore also illegal. This does not however prevent Australian gamblers from playing online!
As Crown Casino prepares for their UK launch, they are also set to have their brand Trademarked for use in the UK. The trademark was published in the UK Trade Marks Journal on 12th August 2011, and as there is already a Crown Bingo and Crown Games operating online in the UK, they have a 2-month period to raise any potential objections. Apparently the software firm tied in up the deal was notified of this application on or around the 10th August.
Crown Casino is one of the largest and most successful land based casino operators in the Southern Hemisphere; owned by parent company – Crown Limited.
The firm is owned by James Packer’s (son of the late, great, Kerry Packer).
The UK Intellectual Property Office has rubber-stamped their brand for use in three areas, these are:
Gambling and casino services – both online and off
Sponsorship of entertainment services – for example poker tournaments
Hotels
In May 2011 Crown Limited acquired Aspinall’s private gambling club in London. They also have a 50% share in Aspers land casino group.
There's currently three Aspers-branded casinos in the UK, with a fourth on its way in late 2011.
This company is also a 50% shareholder in Betfair Australasia. Also interesting to note is that Betfair Australasia CEO Andrew Twaits resigned earlier this week. Crown has significant shareholdings in USA casinos also and has helped to develop Macau’s Cotai Strip.
Something tells us that James Packer's Crown Casino is going to make worldwide headlines and enjoy massive success in the UK market as Crown Limited's Crown Casino prepares to take things to the next level.
Australia, Macau, the UK, and next the world? James Bondi, if not the late Kerry Packer, would be proud.
We can't wait to see Kerry Packer, Underbelly and Crown Casino themed online slot games. Comon JP, we think that the powers that be can make it happen, and our spies tell us that it would be a jackpot all round. Go Aussie Go, Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.
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G'day punters, casino whales, journos and everyone else. It's time for a super hot rumour, and most of this one has been verified by the powers that be. Media Man and Casino News Media reports...
Australia's Crown Casino brand prepares to launch online and land based casino in the United Kingdom.
Firstly, take note... there is an Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) 2001 – this pertains to online casinos and poker rooms that are unregulated in Australia and are therefore also illegal. This does not however prevent Australian gamblers from playing online!
As Crown Casino prepares for their UK launch, they are also set to have their brand Trademarked for use in the UK. The trademark was published in the UK Trade Marks Journal on 12th August 2011, and as there is already a Crown Bingo and Crown Games operating online in the UK, they have a 2-month period to raise any potential objections. Apparently the software firm tied in up the deal was notified of this application on or around the 10th August.
Crown Casino is one of the largest and most successful land based casino operators in the Southern Hemisphere; owned by parent company – Crown Limited.
The firm is owned by James Packer’s (son of the late, great, Kerry Packer).
The UK Intellectual Property Office has rubber-stamped their brand for use in three areas, these are:
Gambling and casino services – both online and off
Sponsorship of entertainment services – for example poker tournaments
Hotels
In May 2011 Crown Limited acquired Aspinall’s private gambling club in London. They also have a 50% share in Aspers land casino group.
There's currently three Aspers-branded casinos in the UK, with a fourth on its way in late 2011.
This company is also a 50% shareholder in Betfair Australasia. Also interesting to note is that Betfair Australasia CEO Andrew Twaits resigned earlier this week. Crown has significant shareholdings in USA casinos also and has helped to develop Macau’s Cotai Strip.
Something tells us that James Packer's Crown Casino is going to make worldwide headlines and enjoy massive success in the UK market as Crown Limited's Crown Casino prepares to take things to the next level.
Australia, Macau, the UK, and next the world? James Bondi, if not the late Kerry Packer, would be proud.
We can't wait to see Kerry Packer, Underbelly and Crown Casino themed online slot games. Comon JP, we think that the powers that be can make it happen, and our spies tell us that it would be a jackpot all round. Go Aussie Go, Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.
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Friday, September 16, 2011
FTSE 250 Movers: Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment rises after ruling - 14th September 2011
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LONDON - Bwin.party Digital Entertainment got a welcome boost after the German state of Schleswig-Holstein passed a new rule which enables companies to operate sports-betting websites in the area.
The new law was narrowly passed 46 to 45 in a move which sees the region break away from the country's 15 other states on the ruling of online betting.
Bus and train firm FirstGroup lost some ground on news its finance director, Jeff Carr, is going Dutch, heading off to be chief financial officer at Netherlands-based retailer Royal Ahold.
Carr will be on his bike on 11 November, at which point Nick Chevis, who has held a number of senior finance posts at FirstGroup, will take over as acting finance director until a permanent appointment is made.
FTSE 250 - Risers
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment (BPTY) 123.40p +8.25%
Debenhams (DEB) 56.60p +7.91%
Inchcape (INCH) 289.90p +6.93%
Thomas Cook Group (TCG) 36.15p +6.79%
Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 378.10p +4.85%
Carpetright (CPR) 525.50p +3.96%
easyJet (EZJ) 323.50p +3.92%
Howden Joinery Group (HWDN) 102.50p +3.90%
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 30.95p +3.69%
Lamprell (LAM) 277.60p +3.62%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Kesa Electricals (KESA) 88.95p -5.12%
Hansteen Holdings (HSTN) 74.25p -3.51%
F&C Asset Management (FCAM) 64.95p -2.55%
Devro (DVO) 234.40p -2.50%
Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 1,038.00p -2.44%
Afren (AFR) 103.30p -2.27%
Savills (SVS) 290.80p -1.76%
International Public Partnerships Ltd. (INPP) 114.00p -1.64%
Phoenix Group Holdings (DI) (PHNX) 511.50p -1.54%
FirstGroup (FGP) 341.90p -1.27%
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LONDON - Bwin.party Digital Entertainment got a welcome boost after the German state of Schleswig-Holstein passed a new rule which enables companies to operate sports-betting websites in the area.
The new law was narrowly passed 46 to 45 in a move which sees the region break away from the country's 15 other states on the ruling of online betting.
Bus and train firm FirstGroup lost some ground on news its finance director, Jeff Carr, is going Dutch, heading off to be chief financial officer at Netherlands-based retailer Royal Ahold.
Carr will be on his bike on 11 November, at which point Nick Chevis, who has held a number of senior finance posts at FirstGroup, will take over as acting finance director until a permanent appointment is made.
FTSE 250 - Risers
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment (BPTY) 123.40p +8.25%
Debenhams (DEB) 56.60p +7.91%
Inchcape (INCH) 289.90p +6.93%
Thomas Cook Group (TCG) 36.15p +6.79%
Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 378.10p +4.85%
Carpetright (CPR) 525.50p +3.96%
easyJet (EZJ) 323.50p +3.92%
Howden Joinery Group (HWDN) 102.50p +3.90%
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 30.95p +3.69%
Lamprell (LAM) 277.60p +3.62%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Kesa Electricals (KESA) 88.95p -5.12%
Hansteen Holdings (HSTN) 74.25p -3.51%
F&C Asset Management (FCAM) 64.95p -2.55%
Devro (DVO) 234.40p -2.50%
Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 1,038.00p -2.44%
Afren (AFR) 103.30p -2.27%
Savills (SVS) 290.80p -1.76%
International Public Partnerships Ltd. (INPP) 114.00p -1.64%
Phoenix Group Holdings (DI) (PHNX) 511.50p -1.54%
FirstGroup (FGP) 341.90p -1.27%
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Monday, September 12, 2011
Casino News Media: Australia, Asia Pacific, American; Sports Betting And More, by Greg Tingle
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Sport bosses want veto on spot betting...
Australia's seven major sports want to be able to veto types of spot betting, with Federal Sports Minister Mark Arbib on board and urging his state counterparts to follow suit.
The state sports ministers will meet on the Gold Coast on Friday to consider a proposal which would greatly increase the criminal penalties for corruption in sport.
The NRL, AFL and Cricket Australia are among those to push for the power to ban spot betting, while they have also joined calls for 10-year jail sentences for gambling-related corruption.
Spot betting, where gamblers place wagers on sometimes relatively incidental elements of games such as no-balls in cricket or corner kicks in soccer, is considered the area of sports gambling most susceptible to corruption.
The problem was highlighted by the scandal involving three Pakistani cricketers on last year's tour of England.
Mr Arbib says it is vital there is a national approach to what is a growing problem in sport.
"There must be national consistent laws in relation to criminality; that is something I am urging all states to sign up to at the state sports ministers conference on Friday," he said.
"We must have in place integrity agreements between sports and the betting agencies."
Sports gambling in Australia, worth $2.8 billion in 2008, is a major growth industry, although there have been relatively few cases of corruption to date.
"Even the perception that something could be wrong is enough to undermine a sport's public credibility," Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said.
The veto proposal was contained in an Anti-Corruption Working Paper endorsed on Wednesday by the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS), which represents rugby (union and league), cricket, AFL, soccer, tennis and netball.
The paper, brought together by former International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Malcolm Speed, had three main proposals.
These included calls for severe penalties for the offence of "cheating in connection with sports wagering" and a requirement that betting providers hand over details of suspicious betting patterns.
The sports also want betting companies to pay a fee for using their "intellectual property rights".
"The recommendations detailed in the working party paper set out to preserve the integrity of Australian sport and stem from a desire from professional sports to stamp out betting related corruption," Sutherland said.
"They are individual and collective actions designed to minimise opportunities for corruption and arm sports governing bodies with the ability to deal with corruption effectively if and when it affects Australian sport."
Gambling is becoming increasingly linked with Australian sport as TV broadcasts exhort viewers to bet on events and odds are displayed on perimeter advertising.
Some of the bodies represented by COMPPS also generate revenue from gambling through sponsorship by betting companies.
"The answer that the sports give to that, and I think it's a good one, is that one of the key aspects is intelligence - to get an early warning," Speed said back in March.
"The best way of doing that is for the betting agencies and the sports to be on the same page so that if there are suspicious betting patterns, they can report that to the sports and the police.
"So it's good they have a close relationship. Whether it needs to be as close as it is, in terms of sponsorship, I think that's the issue they face."
International Gaming Awards 2012 Announced...
International Gaming Awards (IGA) seeks to reward excellence in all areas of the gaming industry. It covers both land casino operations and online gambling operations. IGA has held four successful awards ceremonies and has just announced the dates for the fifth consecutive one. The prestigious event will take place on January 23 2012 at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in London. The extravagant event will unite industry professionals from all around the world. The delegates use the awards ceremony to build their brands and also their networks within the industry.
Nominations have been invited for the various categories of awards and will close on October 18 2011. The nominees will be assessed by an expert panel of judges. The categories related to online gambling will be of greater interest. The iGaming Software Supplier category will look at features like originality, competitiveness and innovation in supplying software to online gaming operators. Playtech won the award in 2011. The Mobile Operator of the Year award will recognize simplicity of use, access, reliable technology and integration with other platforms. This is a new category introduced because of the high growth in the mobile sector. Support for responsible gambling is in the limelight and the IGA will felicitate the Socially Responsible Operator of the Year Online. The judges will look for efforts in implementing procedures and safeguards for customers, availability of problem gambling assistance by customer support and initiatives in campaigning for socially responsible gaming.
The Online Casino Operator of the Year award will be one of the most awaited for online casino players. The award will go to the online casino operator that has shown innovation and invention in the casino sector during 2011. The judges will also look at brand identity, marketing, payment processing, usability and games offered. Last year PartyGaming received the award in this category. Awards on similar lines will be given to the Online Bingo Operator of the Year, the Online Poker Operator of the Year and the Online Sportsbook Operator of the Year. Online slots are the heart of online gambling. The winner in the category Slots Operator of the Year (Online) will be a slots operator that has shown growth, offers an array of different slots games to players and has created a brand identity in this sector.
IGA has a tradition of charity as well. It uses the awards ceremonies to raise awareness and financial assistance towards its chosen charities. Proceeds from the 2012 event will support Care International and Children with Leukemia. In a special initiative this year IGA has tied up with the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) for aid to the Horn of Africa crisis.
Council wants more say on pokies...
The Bendigo council is calling for local government to be given a bigger say on poker machine developments.
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has approved a bid for the Bendigo Stadium to install 30 additional machines, despite the council's opposition.
Bendigo Mayor Rod Fyffe says he is disappointed by the decision and says the council will consider an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
"Local government should have a greater say in the fact that we represent the community, we speak on behalf of the community and certainly I think that our voice should be heard," he said.
Crown Casino resolves taxi dispute...
Crown Casino says it has resolved a complaint by taxi drivers who held a snap strike outside the Melbourne complex overnight.
About 100 drivers refused to take passengers leaving the casino after police issued a number of fines for parking in a no-standing zone.
The taxi drivers say they was not enough space to legally park while they waited for a fare.
Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill says the main taxi feeder at the complex will be fully operational from tonight.
"We will increase the resources of that taxi feeder rank but also ensure that all of the taxi drivers themselves know how the feeder system operates," he said.
"You know, you've got new generations of taxi drivers coming in all the time and maybe they don't fully understand how the feeder rank system works."
Wilkie accuses clubs of bullying Salvos...
Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie has accused some sections of the poker machine industry of bullying the Salvation Army into opposing his gambling reforms.
On Thursday the Salvation Army's eastern territory of NSW, Queensland and the ACT said it wanted further trials of pre-commitment technologies before fully endorsing the mandatory pre-commitment legislation.
Mr Wilkie says he has been told some clubs are denying Salvation Army officers access to their venues for fundraising.
"Today Clubs Australia and Clubs NSW have truly plumbed new depths," he said.
"To be bullying the Salvation Army, threatening the Salvation Army, misrepresenting the views of the Salvation Army of all organisations, an iconic organisation in this country."
The Salvation Army says when the reforms were announced, some individual committee members at local clubs had told the charity it was no longer welcome to raise funds on their premises.
"Some people said, 'We don't agree and the Salvation Army shouldn't be coming here if it's not in support of the clubs,'" Salvation Army spokesman Major Paul Moulds said, adding there had been a couple of incidents in NSW clubs.
"It was like, 'If you're going to ruin our business, you're not welcome to come here'."
But Major Moulds says the charity's current position on the reforms is not because of pressure from Clubs NSW.
Great work
A Club Australia spokesman says community clubs have continued to support the Salvation Army's great work with donations and access to premises for fundraising, despite its stance on pokies reform.
He says NSW community clubs donated $503,000 to the Salvation Army in the past financial year.
Mr Wilkie has rejected Opposition claims the reforms do not have enough support to pass Parliament.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says a lack of support from regional independent MPs means the changes would not become law and should be abandoned.
However, Mr Wilkie says he believes the reforms do have enough support.
"I remain as confident as ever that these harm minimisation measures will be brought in; that in fact, the Parliament will by May next year pass into law the necessary legislation to force poker machine venues throughout the country to implement these poker machines reforms," he said.
Feeling the heat
The Government must introduce the gambling reforms next year under a deal with Mr Wilkie.
Mr Wilkie says he will walk away from supporting the Government if it does not make an effort to pass the laws.
He says he knows government MPs are feeling the heat over the reforms.
"Full marks to my parliamentary colleagues who are having to go out into their electorates and sell these reforms," he said.
"It is difficult, I understand that.
"It is clear that these reforms are unpopular in some parts of the community, and the industry is capitalising on that and it is making for some tough times for some government MPs in their electorates.
"But I am confident the Government would be aware that these reforms are overwhelmingly popular."
Media Man And Casino News Media Awards
Media Man and Casino News Media have awarded their casino award winners and finalists for August 2011.
Land Based Australian Casino Of The Month: Crown Casino, 2nd The Star (formally Star City Casino), 3rd Burswood Casino, 4th The Reef Hotel Casino (Cairns)
Online Casino Of The Month: PartyCasino.com
*Online casino awards are based on a combination of gameplay, trustworthiness, ethics, customer feedback, affiliate program offerings, word of mouth, customer experience and overall offerings
*Media Man and Casino News Media have been awarding the 'Casino Of The Month' accolade for the land based and online sector since 2009.
Punters, here's 10 of the world's top land based casinos for you to mark down in your travel plans.
Monte Carlo, Monaco: Perched above the Mediterranean and bounded by the French
and Italian coastlines on either side, Monaco provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and the wannabees. Home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, this isn't the place for those on a tight
budget. The magnificent Casino hosts the annual European Poker Tour and was also the scene of several James Bond Films, including the original "Casino Royale" and "Golden Eye".
Paradise Island, Bahamas: Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Paradise
Island is best known for its sprawling 'Vegas-by-the-sea' resort, Atlantis. The resort spans seven acres along a lagoon, where guests can soak up the Caribbean sun and choose from a variety of outdoor gaming areas. When in need of a break from
the tables, guests can enjoy the private beach or one of the resorts 20 sunlit pools.
Melbourne, Australia: As Australia's sporting and entertainment capital, Melbourne
offers the perfect option for high rollers looking for a local break. Aussies need look no further than Crown Casino on the southern bank of the Yarra River, which is one of the largest casino complexes in the southern hemisphere. The main gambling
floor stretches more than half a kilometre and the casino was the first to introduce the new game Rapid Roulette, which allows players to place bets on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel.
Macau, China: Known as the 'Monte Carlo of the Orient,' and the gambling capital of Asia, Macau now rivals Monaco and Las Vegas as one of the premier gambling destinations in the world. With no less than 33 casinos, in addition to local horse and greyhound racing venues, Macau is perfect for the betting junkie. The Wynn Macau
casino is a standout, highlighted by 24-carat gold 'Tree of Prosperity' at the entrance, extravagant water displays and Moon Jellyfish Aquarium at reception.
Baden-Baden, Germany: Situated on the western foothills of the Black Forest and on
the banks of the Oos River, Baden-Baden is not your typical casino town. However, in addition to its hot springs and picturesque countryside, the town is also known for its 200-year-old 'Spielbank' casino - the oldest of its type in Germany. With French chateau-style salons rooms named after historical figures such as Madame Pompadour and Louis XV's mistress, the quirky casino provides visitors with a very unique
gaming experience.
Las Vegas, United States: With over 1700 licensed casinos in operation, Las Vegas
offers the ultimate package for travellers who fancy a flutter. A visit to the famous 'Strip' is a must for any player, whether they're looking for a spin on the roulette table or a game of blackjack - this city has it all. The iconic Caesar's Palace
hotel and casino offers 129,000 square feet of casino space plus an endless smorgasbord of entertainment, shopping and fine dining options, including Cleopatra's barge, a floating lounge perfect for a relaxing drink after a jam-packed night on the
casino floor.
Manila, The Philippines: With a favourable exchange rate, Manila provides great value
for Aussies wanting to live the high-life overseas. The city offers a range of shopping and entertainment options, along with a world-class casino at the Hyatt Hotel. Spread across three levels, the sparkling casino offers the newest in gaming
facilities for both hotel guests and visitors, and is just a short distance from Manila's tourist hub.
Sun City, South Africa: Known as 'Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure,' this luxury resort
and casino complex, just two hours from Johannesburg, boasts two large casinos, two 18-hole golf courses and a wildlife reserve. At the extravagant yet picturesque Palace of the Lost City, guests are treated to stunning valley views from the guestrooms, along with exclusive access to the Grand Pool. The nearby Sun City Casino is the entertainment Mecca of the resort, featuring a myriad of gaming options as well as an indoor jungle of native foliage and water fountains.
Atlantic City, United States: Regarded as the US's 'Las Vegas of the East', Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned for its gambling, shopping and fine dining. Towering above the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, the Trump Taj Mahal casino is an icon of the city, with an on-site shopping district and an abundance of restaurants and bars. The
157,000 square-foot casino is also hard to miss, with 3,500 slot machines and 200 table games. Unveiled in 1990 by a number of celebrities, including the late Michael Jackson, the casino is the second-largest in Atlantic City and well worth a visit.
Genting Highlands, Malaysia: Nestled on the Titiwangsa mountain range, just an hour's
drive from Kuala Lumpur and 6,000 feet above sea level, the Resorts World Genting offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. This spectacular resort has first-class accommodation, dining and entertainment, while avoiding the hustle and bustle of a capital city. The on-site casino, which covers 200,000 square feet, is Malaysia's sole gaming venue and is divided into separate themed areas, such as Hollywood and Monte Carlo, for the ultimate gambling experience.
Online Casinos:
PartyCasino.com : The world's leading online casino brand and part of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. Play for free or play for money at PartyCasino.com New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
VirginCasino.com : Virgin Casino is part of Virgin Games. The parent company is Virgin Enterprises Limited, the creation of the world's most famous and celebrated entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately the casino does not accept players from many countries due to what is known in legal circles as "grey areas". Most European players can play, but no Americans, Canadians, Australians or New Zealanders.
Captain Cooks Casino : Was once a very popular online casino with Australians and New Zealanders, however we understand these days they can only accept players from a few regions such as Europe, South Africa, Canada and South America.
PKR : Once only a 2D online poker room, they are now more 3D and offer online poker and a good range of online casino games, including classics, Marvel slots and table games.
Media Man's top online casino choice: PartyCasino.com PartyCasino is a multi-time Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' winner and have also won awards from EGR. Earlier this year PartyGaming merged with Bwin to create the worlds leading igaming company, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.
PartyCasino Gets New Games...
Aztec Gold, Atomic Fruit, Nag's To Riches and Fairies Forest. Check out the new games here.
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Sport bosses want veto on spot betting...
Australia's seven major sports want to be able to veto types of spot betting, with Federal Sports Minister Mark Arbib on board and urging his state counterparts to follow suit.
The state sports ministers will meet on the Gold Coast on Friday to consider a proposal which would greatly increase the criminal penalties for corruption in sport.
The NRL, AFL and Cricket Australia are among those to push for the power to ban spot betting, while they have also joined calls for 10-year jail sentences for gambling-related corruption.
Spot betting, where gamblers place wagers on sometimes relatively incidental elements of games such as no-balls in cricket or corner kicks in soccer, is considered the area of sports gambling most susceptible to corruption.
The problem was highlighted by the scandal involving three Pakistani cricketers on last year's tour of England.
Mr Arbib says it is vital there is a national approach to what is a growing problem in sport.
"There must be national consistent laws in relation to criminality; that is something I am urging all states to sign up to at the state sports ministers conference on Friday," he said.
"We must have in place integrity agreements between sports and the betting agencies."
Sports gambling in Australia, worth $2.8 billion in 2008, is a major growth industry, although there have been relatively few cases of corruption to date.
"Even the perception that something could be wrong is enough to undermine a sport's public credibility," Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said.
The veto proposal was contained in an Anti-Corruption Working Paper endorsed on Wednesday by the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS), which represents rugby (union and league), cricket, AFL, soccer, tennis and netball.
The paper, brought together by former International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Malcolm Speed, had three main proposals.
These included calls for severe penalties for the offence of "cheating in connection with sports wagering" and a requirement that betting providers hand over details of suspicious betting patterns.
The sports also want betting companies to pay a fee for using their "intellectual property rights".
"The recommendations detailed in the working party paper set out to preserve the integrity of Australian sport and stem from a desire from professional sports to stamp out betting related corruption," Sutherland said.
"They are individual and collective actions designed to minimise opportunities for corruption and arm sports governing bodies with the ability to deal with corruption effectively if and when it affects Australian sport."
Gambling is becoming increasingly linked with Australian sport as TV broadcasts exhort viewers to bet on events and odds are displayed on perimeter advertising.
Some of the bodies represented by COMPPS also generate revenue from gambling through sponsorship by betting companies.
"The answer that the sports give to that, and I think it's a good one, is that one of the key aspects is intelligence - to get an early warning," Speed said back in March.
"The best way of doing that is for the betting agencies and the sports to be on the same page so that if there are suspicious betting patterns, they can report that to the sports and the police.
"So it's good they have a close relationship. Whether it needs to be as close as it is, in terms of sponsorship, I think that's the issue they face."
International Gaming Awards 2012 Announced...
International Gaming Awards (IGA) seeks to reward excellence in all areas of the gaming industry. It covers both land casino operations and online gambling operations. IGA has held four successful awards ceremonies and has just announced the dates for the fifth consecutive one. The prestigious event will take place on January 23 2012 at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in London. The extravagant event will unite industry professionals from all around the world. The delegates use the awards ceremony to build their brands and also their networks within the industry.
Nominations have been invited for the various categories of awards and will close on October 18 2011. The nominees will be assessed by an expert panel of judges. The categories related to online gambling will be of greater interest. The iGaming Software Supplier category will look at features like originality, competitiveness and innovation in supplying software to online gaming operators. Playtech won the award in 2011. The Mobile Operator of the Year award will recognize simplicity of use, access, reliable technology and integration with other platforms. This is a new category introduced because of the high growth in the mobile sector. Support for responsible gambling is in the limelight and the IGA will felicitate the Socially Responsible Operator of the Year Online. The judges will look for efforts in implementing procedures and safeguards for customers, availability of problem gambling assistance by customer support and initiatives in campaigning for socially responsible gaming.
The Online Casino Operator of the Year award will be one of the most awaited for online casino players. The award will go to the online casino operator that has shown innovation and invention in the casino sector during 2011. The judges will also look at brand identity, marketing, payment processing, usability and games offered. Last year PartyGaming received the award in this category. Awards on similar lines will be given to the Online Bingo Operator of the Year, the Online Poker Operator of the Year and the Online Sportsbook Operator of the Year. Online slots are the heart of online gambling. The winner in the category Slots Operator of the Year (Online) will be a slots operator that has shown growth, offers an array of different slots games to players and has created a brand identity in this sector.
IGA has a tradition of charity as well. It uses the awards ceremonies to raise awareness and financial assistance towards its chosen charities. Proceeds from the 2012 event will support Care International and Children with Leukemia. In a special initiative this year IGA has tied up with the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) for aid to the Horn of Africa crisis.
Council wants more say on pokies...
The Bendigo council is calling for local government to be given a bigger say on poker machine developments.
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has approved a bid for the Bendigo Stadium to install 30 additional machines, despite the council's opposition.
Bendigo Mayor Rod Fyffe says he is disappointed by the decision and says the council will consider an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
"Local government should have a greater say in the fact that we represent the community, we speak on behalf of the community and certainly I think that our voice should be heard," he said.
Crown Casino resolves taxi dispute...
Crown Casino says it has resolved a complaint by taxi drivers who held a snap strike outside the Melbourne complex overnight.
About 100 drivers refused to take passengers leaving the casino after police issued a number of fines for parking in a no-standing zone.
The taxi drivers say they was not enough space to legally park while they waited for a fare.
Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill says the main taxi feeder at the complex will be fully operational from tonight.
"We will increase the resources of that taxi feeder rank but also ensure that all of the taxi drivers themselves know how the feeder system operates," he said.
"You know, you've got new generations of taxi drivers coming in all the time and maybe they don't fully understand how the feeder rank system works."
Wilkie accuses clubs of bullying Salvos...
Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie has accused some sections of the poker machine industry of bullying the Salvation Army into opposing his gambling reforms.
On Thursday the Salvation Army's eastern territory of NSW, Queensland and the ACT said it wanted further trials of pre-commitment technologies before fully endorsing the mandatory pre-commitment legislation.
Mr Wilkie says he has been told some clubs are denying Salvation Army officers access to their venues for fundraising.
"Today Clubs Australia and Clubs NSW have truly plumbed new depths," he said.
"To be bullying the Salvation Army, threatening the Salvation Army, misrepresenting the views of the Salvation Army of all organisations, an iconic organisation in this country."
The Salvation Army says when the reforms were announced, some individual committee members at local clubs had told the charity it was no longer welcome to raise funds on their premises.
"Some people said, 'We don't agree and the Salvation Army shouldn't be coming here if it's not in support of the clubs,'" Salvation Army spokesman Major Paul Moulds said, adding there had been a couple of incidents in NSW clubs.
"It was like, 'If you're going to ruin our business, you're not welcome to come here'."
But Major Moulds says the charity's current position on the reforms is not because of pressure from Clubs NSW.
Great work
A Club Australia spokesman says community clubs have continued to support the Salvation Army's great work with donations and access to premises for fundraising, despite its stance on pokies reform.
He says NSW community clubs donated $503,000 to the Salvation Army in the past financial year.
Mr Wilkie has rejected Opposition claims the reforms do not have enough support to pass Parliament.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says a lack of support from regional independent MPs means the changes would not become law and should be abandoned.
However, Mr Wilkie says he believes the reforms do have enough support.
"I remain as confident as ever that these harm minimisation measures will be brought in; that in fact, the Parliament will by May next year pass into law the necessary legislation to force poker machine venues throughout the country to implement these poker machines reforms," he said.
Feeling the heat
The Government must introduce the gambling reforms next year under a deal with Mr Wilkie.
Mr Wilkie says he will walk away from supporting the Government if it does not make an effort to pass the laws.
He says he knows government MPs are feeling the heat over the reforms.
"Full marks to my parliamentary colleagues who are having to go out into their electorates and sell these reforms," he said.
"It is difficult, I understand that.
"It is clear that these reforms are unpopular in some parts of the community, and the industry is capitalising on that and it is making for some tough times for some government MPs in their electorates.
"But I am confident the Government would be aware that these reforms are overwhelmingly popular."
Media Man And Casino News Media Awards
Media Man and Casino News Media have awarded their casino award winners and finalists for August 2011.
Land Based Australian Casino Of The Month: Crown Casino, 2nd The Star (formally Star City Casino), 3rd Burswood Casino, 4th The Reef Hotel Casino (Cairns)
Online Casino Of The Month: PartyCasino.com
*Online casino awards are based on a combination of gameplay, trustworthiness, ethics, customer feedback, affiliate program offerings, word of mouth, customer experience and overall offerings
*Media Man and Casino News Media have been awarding the 'Casino Of The Month' accolade for the land based and online sector since 2009.
Punters, here's 10 of the world's top land based casinos for you to mark down in your travel plans.
Monte Carlo, Monaco: Perched above the Mediterranean and bounded by the French
and Italian coastlines on either side, Monaco provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and the wannabees. Home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, this isn't the place for those on a tight
budget. The magnificent Casino hosts the annual European Poker Tour and was also the scene of several James Bond Films, including the original "Casino Royale" and "Golden Eye".
Paradise Island, Bahamas: Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Paradise
Island is best known for its sprawling 'Vegas-by-the-sea' resort, Atlantis. The resort spans seven acres along a lagoon, where guests can soak up the Caribbean sun and choose from a variety of outdoor gaming areas. When in need of a break from
the tables, guests can enjoy the private beach or one of the resorts 20 sunlit pools.
Melbourne, Australia: As Australia's sporting and entertainment capital, Melbourne
offers the perfect option for high rollers looking for a local break. Aussies need look no further than Crown Casino on the southern bank of the Yarra River, which is one of the largest casino complexes in the southern hemisphere. The main gambling
floor stretches more than half a kilometre and the casino was the first to introduce the new game Rapid Roulette, which allows players to place bets on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel.
Macau, China: Known as the 'Monte Carlo of the Orient,' and the gambling capital of Asia, Macau now rivals Monaco and Las Vegas as one of the premier gambling destinations in the world. With no less than 33 casinos, in addition to local horse and greyhound racing venues, Macau is perfect for the betting junkie. The Wynn Macau
casino is a standout, highlighted by 24-carat gold 'Tree of Prosperity' at the entrance, extravagant water displays and Moon Jellyfish Aquarium at reception.
Baden-Baden, Germany: Situated on the western foothills of the Black Forest and on
the banks of the Oos River, Baden-Baden is not your typical casino town. However, in addition to its hot springs and picturesque countryside, the town is also known for its 200-year-old 'Spielbank' casino - the oldest of its type in Germany. With French chateau-style salons rooms named after historical figures such as Madame Pompadour and Louis XV's mistress, the quirky casino provides visitors with a very unique
gaming experience.
Las Vegas, United States: With over 1700 licensed casinos in operation, Las Vegas
offers the ultimate package for travellers who fancy a flutter. A visit to the famous 'Strip' is a must for any player, whether they're looking for a spin on the roulette table or a game of blackjack - this city has it all. The iconic Caesar's Palace
hotel and casino offers 129,000 square feet of casino space plus an endless smorgasbord of entertainment, shopping and fine dining options, including Cleopatra's barge, a floating lounge perfect for a relaxing drink after a jam-packed night on the
casino floor.
Manila, The Philippines: With a favourable exchange rate, Manila provides great value
for Aussies wanting to live the high-life overseas. The city offers a range of shopping and entertainment options, along with a world-class casino at the Hyatt Hotel. Spread across three levels, the sparkling casino offers the newest in gaming
facilities for both hotel guests and visitors, and is just a short distance from Manila's tourist hub.
Sun City, South Africa: Known as 'Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure,' this luxury resort
and casino complex, just two hours from Johannesburg, boasts two large casinos, two 18-hole golf courses and a wildlife reserve. At the extravagant yet picturesque Palace of the Lost City, guests are treated to stunning valley views from the guestrooms, along with exclusive access to the Grand Pool. The nearby Sun City Casino is the entertainment Mecca of the resort, featuring a myriad of gaming options as well as an indoor jungle of native foliage and water fountains.
Atlantic City, United States: Regarded as the US's 'Las Vegas of the East', Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned for its gambling, shopping and fine dining. Towering above the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, the Trump Taj Mahal casino is an icon of the city, with an on-site shopping district and an abundance of restaurants and bars. The
157,000 square-foot casino is also hard to miss, with 3,500 slot machines and 200 table games. Unveiled in 1990 by a number of celebrities, including the late Michael Jackson, the casino is the second-largest in Atlantic City and well worth a visit.
Genting Highlands, Malaysia: Nestled on the Titiwangsa mountain range, just an hour's
drive from Kuala Lumpur and 6,000 feet above sea level, the Resorts World Genting offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. This spectacular resort has first-class accommodation, dining and entertainment, while avoiding the hustle and bustle of a capital city. The on-site casino, which covers 200,000 square feet, is Malaysia's sole gaming venue and is divided into separate themed areas, such as Hollywood and Monte Carlo, for the ultimate gambling experience.
Online Casinos:
PartyCasino.com : The world's leading online casino brand and part of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. Play for free or play for money at PartyCasino.com New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.
VirginCasino.com : Virgin Casino is part of Virgin Games. The parent company is Virgin Enterprises Limited, the creation of the world's most famous and celebrated entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately the casino does not accept players from many countries due to what is known in legal circles as "grey areas". Most European players can play, but no Americans, Canadians, Australians or New Zealanders.
Captain Cooks Casino : Was once a very popular online casino with Australians and New Zealanders, however we understand these days they can only accept players from a few regions such as Europe, South Africa, Canada and South America.
PKR : Once only a 2D online poker room, they are now more 3D and offer online poker and a good range of online casino games, including classics, Marvel slots and table games.
Media Man's top online casino choice: PartyCasino.com PartyCasino is a multi-time Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' winner and have also won awards from EGR. Earlier this year PartyGaming merged with Bwin to create the worlds leading igaming company, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.
PartyCasino Gets New Games...
Aztec Gold, Atomic Fruit, Nag's To Riches and Fairies Forest. Check out the new games here.
Website Network
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Global Gaming Directory
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Saturday, September 10, 2011
Hilton Hotel Zeta Bar ‘extreme cabaret’ students excel, by Greg Tingle - 9th September 2011
Profiles
Hilton Hotel Property Hotels Events Celebrities Clubs and Bars Brands Sydney Australia
Hilton Sydney’s Zeta Bar continued to bring guests back to the extreme cabaret, now a famous fixture of Friday nights in 'Sin City'.
It was on for young and old tonight as celebrated Australian - Italian creative artist Eva Rinaldi and her team delivered an extremely impressive cabaret presentation.
Tonight's artistic creation was more complex to create than usual so Ms Rinaldi took the opportunity to offer school students Kayleb Cantali and her son, Joseph Rinaldi, some valuable work experience.
Ms Rinaldi said "We absolutely love working with our friends at the Hilton Hotel and the Zeta Bar. Tonight was very special for us because I was able to also include my son Joseph and my nephew Kayleb in our creative arts team. It's work experience time for them and what a fun activity for their high school curriculum. Work experience was never quite this fun in my day. I did the most complicated parts of the painting and design, but I am very proud of the students contribution. The performance and end result was just amazing and oozed extreme cabaret."
Cabaret connoisseurs will be over the moon to hear that the the rumours are getting stronger that the 'Extreme Cabaret' theme will continue at Hilton much longer than the originally forecast 12 weeks. A spy also whispered that Hilton Hotels in New Zealand and even as far as the United Statues are keen to incorporate extreme cabaret into their big entertainment nights.
Tonight it was Human Statue model Anastasiya Bakss made up in a bodypainting based black and red number featuring all manner of risque words like "sexy", "tease", "burlesque" and you get the idea. She read like a book (of the teasing variety). Insiders were overheard comparing it to a famous photo of model Bar Refaeli, who graced the cover of Esquire Magazine a few years back.
The extreme cabaret performances have really added new life into the Hilton's Zeta bar, and we understand it's been great for business as well as far the larger Sydney social scene.
The unlikely joining of extreme cabaret, live music, education and photography really hit the "X" spot tonight and nightlife lovers can't wait for next flirty Friday night to do it all over again at the Zeta.
Special thanks as always to Grant, Manual, Dave and Karina at the Hilton for keeping things running so great for us. Oh, we heard some some guests got tempted to do an overnighter at the Hilton and add themselves to the Hilton Hotel Honours Club. Trust me, its highly recommended.
Up to be tantalised in an acceptable, cool and risque fashion? Snatch the opportunity to do 'Sin City' Sydney like it should be done. It's quite an education, and they do say that there should be fun in learning. Join us in the classroom next week guys and dolls.
*photography by Eva Rinaldi Photography
*artistic creations by Human Statue Bodyart
Websites
Hilton Hotel Sydney
Zeta Bar
Zeta Bar - Extreme Cabaret profile
Beauty and Spa Solutions
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
Eva Rinaldi Photography
Human Statue Bodyart
Website Network
Media Man Int
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Media Man News
Media Man Entertainment
Hilton Hotel Property Hotels Events Celebrities Clubs and Bars Brands Sydney Australia
Hilton Sydney’s Zeta Bar continued to bring guests back to the extreme cabaret, now a famous fixture of Friday nights in 'Sin City'.
It was on for young and old tonight as celebrated Australian - Italian creative artist Eva Rinaldi and her team delivered an extremely impressive cabaret presentation.
Tonight's artistic creation was more complex to create than usual so Ms Rinaldi took the opportunity to offer school students Kayleb Cantali and her son, Joseph Rinaldi, some valuable work experience.
Ms Rinaldi said "We absolutely love working with our friends at the Hilton Hotel and the Zeta Bar. Tonight was very special for us because I was able to also include my son Joseph and my nephew Kayleb in our creative arts team. It's work experience time for them and what a fun activity for their high school curriculum. Work experience was never quite this fun in my day. I did the most complicated parts of the painting and design, but I am very proud of the students contribution. The performance and end result was just amazing and oozed extreme cabaret."
Cabaret connoisseurs will be over the moon to hear that the the rumours are getting stronger that the 'Extreme Cabaret' theme will continue at Hilton much longer than the originally forecast 12 weeks. A spy also whispered that Hilton Hotels in New Zealand and even as far as the United Statues are keen to incorporate extreme cabaret into their big entertainment nights.
Tonight it was Human Statue model Anastasiya Bakss made up in a bodypainting based black and red number featuring all manner of risque words like "sexy", "tease", "burlesque" and you get the idea. She read like a book (of the teasing variety). Insiders were overheard comparing it to a famous photo of model Bar Refaeli, who graced the cover of Esquire Magazine a few years back.
The extreme cabaret performances have really added new life into the Hilton's Zeta bar, and we understand it's been great for business as well as far the larger Sydney social scene.
The unlikely joining of extreme cabaret, live music, education and photography really hit the "X" spot tonight and nightlife lovers can't wait for next flirty Friday night to do it all over again at the Zeta.
Special thanks as always to Grant, Manual, Dave and Karina at the Hilton for keeping things running so great for us. Oh, we heard some some guests got tempted to do an overnighter at the Hilton and add themselves to the Hilton Hotel Honours Club. Trust me, its highly recommended.
Up to be tantalised in an acceptable, cool and risque fashion? Snatch the opportunity to do 'Sin City' Sydney like it should be done. It's quite an education, and they do say that there should be fun in learning. Join us in the classroom next week guys and dolls.
*photography by Eva Rinaldi Photography
*artistic creations by Human Statue Bodyart
Websites
Hilton Hotel Sydney
Zeta Bar
Zeta Bar - Extreme Cabaret profile
Beauty and Spa Solutions
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
Eva Rinaldi Photography
Human Statue Bodyart
Website Network
Media Man Int
Media Man
Media Man News
Media Man Entertainment
Monday, September 05, 2011
Uronimo Announces the World’s First Mobile Social Network with its Charity Partner, The North American Andy Transplant Foundation
URONIMO, the first mobile social network & The North American Andy Transplant Foundation, Inc. (a 501(c)3) non profit organization) will have an official press conference in Hollywood, Ca. with it’s hosting partner, 3D Film Festival during Sept. 22 – 25, 2011. The 3D Film Festival is the World’s first and largest film and music festival over 4 days with 40 events in the city blocks district of Sunset and Vine. (www.3dff.org)
Hollywood has used its strength to promote philanthropy in its communities and around the world. The NAATF aspires to maximize and recognize the changes needed in today’s world and has partnered with the 3D Film Festival. Its new flagship to be, Mother Teresa’s website, www.andytransplantfoundation.org MT EXCLUSIVELY BRANDED for URONIMO.org in celebration of her 100th Birthday will participate in a “love sees no diversity & embraces all” screening and concert benefit. The NAATF will also raise funds with Save the Music, a fundraiser to buy music equipment to benefit the Hollywood High School Students.
Uronimo.org is the next social mobile platform (The first mobile social network that will stream all 40 events) Charities can start to log on for FREE and start to make money for their non-profits by sending out SMS and MMS messages with no applications anymore. The best part is that they can build their own database of phone numbers and keep in touch with all of their customers via any mobile phone throughout the world. Companies can donate to the charity and non-profits can use these green credits to get started to make money for their causes.
This event will be televised by Uronimo’s network and other media including “The Susan Thompson Show” as seen on CNN’s queue Jan. 2011 with CNN’S Hero’s and other media. Details of this spectacular venue will announce a message, key players, guest artists and dignitaries, upcoming events and other humanitarian efforts and activities. Producers, media and initiatives are in place regarding charity fundraising and empowerment including a VIP contest with Uronimo.org.
Celebrities, Models, Sport Athletes, Musicians, Distinguished Authors, Renowned Master Chefs, Famous Writers, Politicians & more are now invited to participate in this popularity venue to become “Starlight Ambassadors”.
Go to www.uronimo.com or to www.andytransplantfoundation.org for more information. Additional information about The Susan Thompson Show is available on its website, www.thesusanthompsonshow.com
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Hollywood has used its strength to promote philanthropy in its communities and around the world. The NAATF aspires to maximize and recognize the changes needed in today’s world and has partnered with the 3D Film Festival. Its new flagship to be, Mother Teresa’s website, www.andytransplantfoundation.org MT EXCLUSIVELY BRANDED for URONIMO.org in celebration of her 100th Birthday will participate in a “love sees no diversity & embraces all” screening and concert benefit. The NAATF will also raise funds with Save the Music, a fundraiser to buy music equipment to benefit the Hollywood High School Students.
Uronimo.org is the next social mobile platform (The first mobile social network that will stream all 40 events) Charities can start to log on for FREE and start to make money for their non-profits by sending out SMS and MMS messages with no applications anymore. The best part is that they can build their own database of phone numbers and keep in touch with all of their customers via any mobile phone throughout the world. Companies can donate to the charity and non-profits can use these green credits to get started to make money for their causes.
This event will be televised by Uronimo’s network and other media including “The Susan Thompson Show” as seen on CNN’s queue Jan. 2011 with CNN’S Hero’s and other media. Details of this spectacular venue will announce a message, key players, guest artists and dignitaries, upcoming events and other humanitarian efforts and activities. Producers, media and initiatives are in place regarding charity fundraising and empowerment including a VIP contest with Uronimo.org.
Celebrities, Models, Sport Athletes, Musicians, Distinguished Authors, Renowned Master Chefs, Famous Writers, Politicians & more are now invited to participate in this popularity venue to become “Starlight Ambassadors”.
Go to www.uronimo.com or to www.andytransplantfoundation.org for more information. Additional information about The Susan Thompson Show is available on its website, www.thesusanthompsonshow.com
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Sunday, September 04, 2011
Australian Movie News: Red Dog passes The Castle, Shine at the local box office - 29th August 2011
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Aussie drama Red Dog has passed local classics Shine and The Castle at the box office, to become the 21st biggest Australian film of all time.
The feel-good film, about a hitchhiking dog that unites an isolated mining town, posted another strong performance in its fourth weekend, raking in $1.9 million from 257 screens. The film had a screen average of $7548, but unlike past weeks, the result was down (13 per cent). It's now grossed $10.5 million.
It has, as a result, passed a number of classic Australian films including The Castle ($10.3m), Shine ($10.2m), Pharlap ($9.3m), The Man Who Sued God ($8.5m) and Babe: Pig In The City ($7.8).
Directed by Kriv Stenders (Boxing Day), Red Dog was filmed in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and in parts of South Australia.
Melbourne rom-com Big Mamma’s Boy posted a 19 per cent increase for Madman, taking in $9282 from just eight screens. It has now grossed $268,030 at the local box office.
Melbourne-shot horror film Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark opened at number three in the US with $US8,689,317 from 2760 theatres, according to Rentrak.
The film, produced by Guillermo del Toro and starring Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes, currently has a November 3 release date in Australia, however the project keeps getting pushed back for release, initially due to Disney’s sale of Miramax. Hopscotch Films ended up acquired the rights to Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, which is a remake of a 1970s horror film.
In other box office news, Warner Bros-distributed comedy Horrible Bosses led the way, grossing $3.2 million from 339 screens. The black comedy film, starring Jason Bateman, centres on three friends who plan on murdering their bosses.
Other mainstreams films didn’t fare well in their second weekends at the local box office, with Friends With Benefits and Cowboys & Aliens both posting half their earnings from their opening weekend. Friends With Benefits, distributed by Sony Pictures, grossed just $1.3 million – a 44 per cent drop on last week, while Cowboys & Aliens took in $1 million – a 50 per cent drop.
In their opening weekend, Sony’s Priest took in $312,009 from 104 screens, while Entertainment One/Hopscotch’s Beginners made $142,389 from 25 screens. The Guard, written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, made $296,807 across 49 screens – giving the controversial film a $6057 screen average.
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Sydney International Shooting Center hosts Grand Australian ISSF Championships / NSW State ISSF Titles
Sydney International Shooting Center hosted the Grand Australian ISSF Championships in cognition with the New South Wales State ISSF Titles on the 27th August 2011.
The event attracted the countries greatest shooters, including international competitors from New Zealand and as far away as Lebanon.
Yellow Tail Wines, the major sponsor, helped make it the biggest annual event for the Olympic ISSF trap shooting discipline in Australia.
The top 3 places went to:
1st Brett Dunstan from Victoria
2nd Tony Cantali from NSW
3rd to Nidal Asmar from Lebanon
It's great to have such a major sponsor on board, supporting Australian shooters! A huge thank you to Marcello Cassella from Yellow Tail Wines.
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Cecil Park Clay Target Club
Cecil Park Clay Target Club (Upcoming)
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Friday, September 02, 2011
Preview: Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, 888 Holdings, Gaming Business News, by Greg Tingle
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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com Playtech Caesars Entertainment IGN World Poker Tour United States Casinos Gaming World Directory Brands Media Man
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Financial Heads Up...
Wednesday could be one for the gamblers with online gaming operators Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and 888 Holdings both reporting.
888 has already revealed its revenue figure for the first half – it made $153.m, an improvement of 18.1% on a year earlier. Panmure Gordon thinks earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) will be up 52% from last year at $19.1m, giving earnings per share of 4.5 cents.
“With the strong start to Q3 and, despite the planned increased investment, we believe the risk to our forecasts is on the upside,” the broker added.
As for Bwin.Party, UBS thinks the company will report a drab set of figures, with first half revenues of €425m. Even that is better than Panmure Gordon is expecting; the latter is predicting revenue of €410m.
Bwin.Party And 888 Update - 31st August 2011...
888’s rival bwin.party digital saw its shares rally 15.3p to 125.3p, as investors warmed to its first set of results since it was created by the merger of PartyGaming and Austria’s bwin earlier this year.
The numbers revealed cost savings from the deal would be £8.9m more than expected and recent trading had been strong.
But it plunged to a half-year loss of £27m from profits of £53m after a £54.4m accounting charge.
The half-year dividend is 1.56p. Bwin.party said it was benefiting from the suspension of rival Full Tilt Poker’s license.
It hopes the US may one day reopen its doors. In the meantime, it is grappling with increased regulation in some European markets and the higher taxes this brings.
Bwin blames poker for drop in profits...
Online gaming firm Bwin.party revealed a drop in profits after it was dealt a blow from greater competition in poker markets.
The owner of PartyCasino, Foxy Bingo and PartyPoker said like-for-like revenues dropped three per cent to 398 million euros (£352.2 million) in the six months to June 30.
In its first set of results since the merger of Bwin and PartyGaming in March, the group said it came up against stronger comparatives with the previous year, which was boosted by the World Cup.
Revenues at its poker business declined 10 per cent to 104.9 million euros (£92.8 million) amid greater competition, including a campaign from rival 888 fronted by former Australian cricketer Shane Warne.
Underlying profits fell 21 per cent to 72.4 million euros (£64.1 million) after the group, which generates a quarter of its income in Germany, was hit by increased gaming duties as it launched in newly regulated markets.
Bwin said the number of new poker players signing up to its brands increased six per cent to 373,700 in the period, but active player days were down 11 per cent.
Revenues at its bingo arm were down eight per cent to 33 million euros (£29.2 million) amid intense competition in the UK, while sports betting revenues were down two per cent. But its casino and poker division saw revenues increase two per cent to 124.3 million euros.
*The writer has conducted b2 with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment
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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com Playtech Caesars Entertainment IGN World Poker Tour United States Casinos Gaming World Directory Brands Media Man
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Financial Heads Up...
Wednesday could be one for the gamblers with online gaming operators Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and 888 Holdings both reporting.
888 has already revealed its revenue figure for the first half – it made $153.m, an improvement of 18.1% on a year earlier. Panmure Gordon thinks earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) will be up 52% from last year at $19.1m, giving earnings per share of 4.5 cents.
“With the strong start to Q3 and, despite the planned increased investment, we believe the risk to our forecasts is on the upside,” the broker added.
As for Bwin.Party, UBS thinks the company will report a drab set of figures, with first half revenues of €425m. Even that is better than Panmure Gordon is expecting; the latter is predicting revenue of €410m.
Bwin.Party And 888 Update - 31st August 2011...
888’s rival bwin.party digital saw its shares rally 15.3p to 125.3p, as investors warmed to its first set of results since it was created by the merger of PartyGaming and Austria’s bwin earlier this year.
The numbers revealed cost savings from the deal would be £8.9m more than expected and recent trading had been strong.
But it plunged to a half-year loss of £27m from profits of £53m after a £54.4m accounting charge.
The half-year dividend is 1.56p. Bwin.party said it was benefiting from the suspension of rival Full Tilt Poker’s license.
It hopes the US may one day reopen its doors. In the meantime, it is grappling with increased regulation in some European markets and the higher taxes this brings.
Bwin blames poker for drop in profits...
Online gaming firm Bwin.party revealed a drop in profits after it was dealt a blow from greater competition in poker markets.
The owner of PartyCasino, Foxy Bingo and PartyPoker said like-for-like revenues dropped three per cent to 398 million euros (£352.2 million) in the six months to June 30.
In its first set of results since the merger of Bwin and PartyGaming in March, the group said it came up against stronger comparatives with the previous year, which was boosted by the World Cup.
Revenues at its poker business declined 10 per cent to 104.9 million euros (£92.8 million) amid greater competition, including a campaign from rival 888 fronted by former Australian cricketer Shane Warne.
Underlying profits fell 21 per cent to 72.4 million euros (£64.1 million) after the group, which generates a quarter of its income in Germany, was hit by increased gaming duties as it launched in newly regulated markets.
Bwin said the number of new poker players signing up to its brands increased six per cent to 373,700 in the period, but active player days were down 11 per cent.
Revenues at its bingo arm were down eight per cent to 33 million euros (£29.2 million) amid intense competition in the UK, while sports betting revenues were down two per cent. But its casino and poker division saw revenues increase two per cent to 124.3 million euros.
*The writer has conducted b2 with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment
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