Monday, October 31, 2011

Guide to picking the Melbourne Cup winner - 31st October 2011

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Americain's defence of the Melbourne Cup makes him the benchmark horse for tomorrow's running of the great race.

As the favourite and the topweight, the French stayer is a logical choice, but winning the cup two years in a row has always been a difficult task and how he stacks up against other historical aspects of the race also have be taken into account.

Only five horses have won the cup two or more times.

The great Makybe Diva won it three years in a row from 2003 to 2005 but the only other horses to win in successive years were the first ever winner Archer (1861-62), Rain Lover (1968-69) and Think Big (1974-75), while Peter Pan won in split years (1932 and 1934).

Americain will carry the prestigious number one as the topweight and since saddlecloths were first recorded in 1877, it has won 10 cups, second only to number four, (Drunken Sailor) and number 12 (Red Cadeaux) with 11 wins each.

Lucas Cranach has drawn gate 11, the same barrier Americain won from last year, and which has won a record eight cups since barriers were first allocated in 1924 and six since starting stalls as we know them, were first used in 1958.

The bogey barrier is 18 (Hawk Island) which is winless.

Liking a horse's name has been a popular way for many to make their cup selection and clearly horses starting with the initial "T" (The Verminator and Tullamore) have had the edge in the cup with 16 wins.

Four and five-year-olds share a record 43 cups each but the recent trend has been towards the more seasoned stayer.

While six-year-olds have only won 29 cups, six have been in the past 13 years while two of 10 seven-year-old winners figure in the same period.

Looking at the jockeys, and it is best to choose those with plain-bodied silks (56 wins) such as Jukebox Jury, Fox Hunt, Illo, Lost In the Moment, Modun, At First Sight and Shamrocker.

It is best to follow in-form horses as 20 of the 30 winners have won or placed at their last start.

Americain would be the 27th outright favourite to win the cup while seven equal favourites have won but horses at $9 and $11 have been the most successful with 12 and 14 wins respectively.

Horses at $5 and $17 (11 wins each) and $6 (10 wins) also have good records while there have been 16 winners at $31 or longer. *Prediction: *Illo from Fox Hunt, Tullamore, and Shamrocker.

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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Expendables 2 stuntman killed in Bulgaria; Follows Australian stunt Hangover in Bangkok, by Greg Tingle - 30th October 2011

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A fatal accident on the set of the action star-packed action sequel "The Expendables 2" killed one stuntman and left another seriously injured Thursday night, stirring the industry memories of Australian stunty Scott McLean going into a coma last November while doing 'The Hangover Part II' near Bangkok, Thailand.

The Expendables 2 accident occurred while shooting at the Ognyanovo reservoir in Bulgaria at about 7 p.m., when an explosion went off. The injured stunty is now reportedly in stable condition.

"It is with great regret that we confirm this unfortunate accident," a representative for the film's studio, Nu Image/Millennium Films, said in a statement "Our hearts go out to the families and those on the production affected by this tragedy. The filmmakers are working closely with the authorities in responding to and investigating this accident."

The identities of the killed and injured stuntmen have not yet been released.

The film's stars, which include Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Chuck Norris, were not present during the accident.

This is the most recent tragic accident to occur on an overseas film set.

The accident on the set of 'The Hangover Part II in Thailand saw an oncoming car slid into a truck. Wet weather that left the roads slick was believed to have played a significant part in the accident.

Australia's Media Man agency who has managed and worked with stuntmen and actors such as Colin Handley, John 'Vulcan' Seru and Paul 'Maxx-G' Bennett quizzed some of their talent on the dangers of working in stunts.

Handley, who also runs Australian Stunt Academy and has worked with Stallone and Schwarzenegger offered "Safety is our main priority".

Seru, also a professional wrestler and gym owner / operator of 'Gladiators' and 'James Bond' fame said "Working as a stunt man or as a pro wrestler is extremely dangerous. Injuries occur more often that people realise".

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Stallone copied work for "The Expendables" - lawsuit - 25th October 2011

Action movie star Sylvester Stallone is accused in a lawsuit of copying another writer's screenplay to make "The Expendables," a movie about mercenaries hired to defeat a military dictator.

The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday by writer Marcus Webb, who said the screenplay for "The Expendables" is "strikingly similar and in some places identical" to his work entitled "The Cordoba Caper."

Webb seeks unspecified damages for copyright infringement and an order from the court stopping further infringement in any sequel by Stallone, his credited co-author David Callaham, Millennium Films, its Nu Image Films unit and Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation .

Stallone's publicist, Michelle Bega, declined to comment.

Millennium Films' general counsel, Frank DeMartini, said the company had not been served with the lawsuit, and he declined further comment. A spokeswoman for Lions Gate was not immediately available for comment.

"The Expendables" -- produced by Millennium and Nu Image and distributed by Lions Gate -- was released worldwide on Aug. 13, 2010. It featured a cameo appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger after he left his post as California governor, along with other aging action heroes Stallone and Jet Li.

According to the lawsuit, Webb registered "The Cordoba Caper" screenplay and a short story with the same title and plot with the U.S. Copyright Office in June 2006. Between 2006 and 2009, the lawsuit said, the screenplay was made widely available by Webb for consideration in the movie industry.

"There can be no dispute that Stallone and/or Callaham had access to and copied protectable elements of the screenplay," the lawsuit said.

"The Cordoba Caper" tells the story of a team of elite, highly-trained mercenaries hired to defeat General Garza, a rogue army general of a small Latin American country," the lawsuit said.

The court document provides details of the ways in which Webb sees similarities between his screenplay and the released movie, including the opening "with a hostage rescue at sea, off a foreign coast, which has nothing to do with the main plot."

It said the main villain in both is a General Garza, a military dictator with a notorious human rights record.

Webb said he has been deprived of benefits from the screenplay such as potential earnings from the production, distribution and performance of "The Expendables."

"Expendables 2," a sequel to "The Expendables," is due for release on Aug. 17, 2012.

The case is Marcus Webb v Sylvester Stallone, et al, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 11-7517.

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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Packer upset by suggestions Crown profits from victims - 28th October 2011

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Crown Casino chairman James Packers says suggestions his business relies on problem gamblers are upsetting and he is not ignoring the human cost of profits.

Transcript

ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: Crown Casino chairman James Packer says suggestions his casino business relies on problem gamblers is upsetting.

Mr Packer is now publicly attacking the Federal Government's laws to put compulsory betting limits on poker machines.

But he says he's not ignoring the human cost of casino profits.

JAMES PACKER, CROWN CASINO CHAIRMAN (FAIRFAX RADIO): This perception that the only people that come to Crown are helpless victims and we are just sitting there praying on them, you know, I reject that absolutely and that does upset me. And I think that that is, you know, that is a spin line from the latte set, which is completely wrong.

ALI MOORE: Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says James Packer is in as much denial as a problem gambler.

He has challenged the Crown Casino chair to open his gambling books for public scrutiny.

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Thursday, October 27, 2011

In The News

James Packer Shane Warne Leonardo DiCaprio Crown Casino The Star Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Richard Branson Stan Lee Jim Ryan WWE Hulk Hogan John Cena The Rock Ric Flair Kevin Nash NextGen Gaming

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James Packer Whacks Poker Machine Reforms - 27th October 2011

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James Packer, chairman of casino owner Crown, says proposed poker machine reforms will not tackle problem gambling.

Speaking at Crown’s annual general meeting in Melbourne this morning, Mr Packer said mandatory pre-commitments for high-intensity poker machines was not the right solution.

"We don’t have an issue with the federal government taking action against problem gambling, but it must be the right solution," he said.

"In my view, there is no evidence that introducing mandatory pre-commitment or introducing a one dollar maximum bet will be effective in tackling problem gambling, but it will hurt recreational players, and that will cost jobs and investment across the industry and cost the state government tax revenue used for essential community services.

"It’s not enough to identify the right problem, we need the right solution." Crown, which owns the Crown Casino in Melbourne and Burswood Casino in Perth, is concerned about problem gambling and always has been, Mr Packer said. "I believe no one in this country, or, in fact, in the world-wide casino industry, has done more to address problem gambling," he said.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Crown Casino Bar Club 23: Shane Warne, Elizabeth Hurley and Tiger Woods Tomorrow Night, by Greg Tingle - 26th October 2011

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Australian sporting icon and poker celebrity, Shane Warne, is hosting 50 odd close friends at his new Crown Casino bar Club 23 tomorrow night.

It is believed Shane's fiancee Elizabeth Hurley will attend, but the event is not being promoted as an engagement party.

The rumour mill says its a get together of Warne's family and friends will include Crown Limited top brass James Packer and his lovely wife, Erica.

Ms Hurley jetted into Australia on Monday morning with her son Damian.

Club 23, which Warnie part-owns with poker player and entrepreneur, Joe Hachem, opened on the quite last week. It will enjoy an official launch on November 7.

A few associates of Warne's may also attend, including golf and nightclub lover Tiger Woods.

The club is an initiative to try to keep ahead of the game, with Crown powers that be well aware that Sydney's The Star has been making a lot of noise in the media as of late.

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Al Pacino to visit The Star Sydney with An Evening with Al Pacino, by Greg Tingle - 26th October 2011

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"Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever." - The Godfather (1972)

Legendary actor Al Pacino will be bringing his one-man show, An Evening with Al Pacino, to Sydney next month as part of a special happening on the 17th and 18th November at The Lyric Theatre, The Star.

In a unique performance Al Pacino entertains audiences as he revisits his amazing career and most memorable roles.

Part of the gig includes an intimate on stage interview followed by audience members pitching questions to the living legend.

We've heard the night also concludes with an unforgettable acting finale which needs to be witnessed to be believed.

Pacino has performed for over 40 years and some of his best known work includes The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, Heat and Scent of a Woman and Scarface.

Tickets are now on sale via Ticketek and range from $109 to $199.

Echo Entertainment and The Star powers that be continue to impress with their entertainment offerings, and Pacino has obviously embraced the opportunity, as have many other showbiz legends such as Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Crown Casino's top brass including James Packer are watching this space closely, so expect Crown to pull a rabbit or two out of the hat as the battle between The Star and Crown Casino continues.

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Monday, October 24, 2011

Coke Zero Accepts Paramount Pictures' Mission for Global Partnership with Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol

Tie-in with Tom Cruise Film Rolls Out Around the World with Robust Television, In Cinema, Retail, and Digital Media Campaign

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ATLANTA, Oct 19, 2011 - Coke Zero(TM) today announces a global promotional campaign with Paramount Pictures for the fourth installment of the timeless franchise, Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol. The campaign is set to begin rolling out around the world over the next several weeks, leading up to the film's worldwide release this December.

Leveraging the brand thematic "Make it Possible," the Coke Zero team has developed a fully integrated marketing program, including TV spots, in cinema advertising, product packaging and digital activation utilizing custom assets from the movie. As part of the campaign, Coke Zero consumers in key markets across the globe, including the U.S., Japan, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, will be privy to exclusive content and interactive experiences centred around the intriguing world of Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol.

"The Mission: Impossible franchise is a cultural phenomenon built on the premise that even seemingly insurmountable challenges can be met when approached from a place of passion and drive," said Chip York, Worldwide Entertainment Marketing Director, The Coca-Cola Company. "This is in line with the values of the Coke Zero brand, and we are excited to contribute to the energy around the release of this highly-anticipated film by giving fans the opportunity to engage with Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol through a unique digital program."

In addition to the promotional campaign, Coke Zero markets around the world are utilizing on-pack graphics and packaging themed to the film. Retail display materials incorporate imagery from the movie, including the iconic Mission: Impossible fuse, secret codes and exterior of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, the world's tallest building in Dubai, which served as the location for a key stunt sequence in the film.

"We are thrilled to be aligning one of the most iconic film franchises in history with a leading global brand like Coke Zero," commented LeeAnne Stables, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Partnerships, Paramount Pictures. "The Mission: Impossible franchise and Coke Zero brand share an audience of fans who appreciate excitement and risk-taking, and this partnership creates a platform to build a unique engagement with consumers before the film's release."

Television and In-Cinema Campaign

For a key pillar of the program, the Coke Zero team has collaborated with Paramount Pictures to create a co-branded TV and cinema spot promoting the partnership, featuring what is sure to be one of the most iconic scenes in the film.

The spot is graphically driven and includes a scene where Tom Cruise jumps from the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, counting down to "Zero": that breath-taking moment of jump-off. The commercial breaks in Japan and Switzerland in October and will roll out globally through the end of the year.

To connect directly with consumers in theatres, Coke Zero is activating global cinema channel concession programs and on-site promotions that include branded cups and popcorn bags.

Digital -- CocaColaZero.com/Mission

In an effort to provide consumers with a dynamic pre-release experience of Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol, the Coke Zero team collaborated with the studio and filmmakers to create www.CokeZero.com/Mission . Visitors to the site will join the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) and complete an escalating series of missions in order to attain agent-level access to special content and exclusive film assets.

Visitors to CokeZero.com/Mission will be able to access exclusive Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol imagery, scenes, wallpapers, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews.

SCVNGR Mobile Application

Coke Zero is teaming up with SCVNGR, a social gaming platform for mobile phones, to promote the partnership. Players can download SCVNGR for iPhone(1), iPod Touch(2) or Android(3) and start playing the location-based game at select movie theaters and convenience stores across the United States. Akin to the desktop game-play offered at CokeZero.com/Mission, SCVNGR players will be secret agents in a real-life game, participating in spy-themed missions. The stakes are high for fans as they complete fun challenges, earn points and unlock chances to win rewards like exclusive film collateral, passes to pre-screenings, premiere tickets, and Coke Zero products.

"As we get closer to the movie release we will be rolling out additional elements of the program to further excite fans of the franchise and fans of the brand," York commented.

Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol will be released worldwide this December.

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company KO +1.59% is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com .

Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol

This holiday season, two-time Academy Award(R)-winner Brad Bird directs, with producers Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams, the action-packed spy adventure Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol.

Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates "Ghost Protocol." Left without any resources or backup, Ethan must find a way to clear his agency's name and prevent another attack. To complicate matters further, Ethan is forced to embark on this mission with a team of fellow IMF fugitives whose personal motives he does not fully know.

Tom Cruise returns in the starring role as Ethan Hunt and is joined by an international cast that includes Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Josh Holloway, Anil Kapoor and Lea Seydoux. Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol is directed by Brad Bird, in his live action film debut, and written by Josh Appelbaum & Andre Nemec and Christopher McQuarrie. Cruise, who produces the Mission: Impossible films, is joined by producers J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk. The film will be co-financed by Skydance Productions. Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Paul Schwake and Dana Goldberg are the executive producers.

Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom VIA +2.61% VIA.B +3.05% , a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group and Paramount Television & Digital Distribution.

(1) "iPhone" is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.

(2) "iTouch" is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.

(3) "Android" is a registered trademark of Google Inc.

SOURCE: The Coca-Cola Company

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Friday, October 21, 2011

Donald Trump says US should legalize Internet betting - 21st October 2011

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Donald Trump has witnessed lots of money side slipping him, and he's hoping that situation changes soon.

The real estate, gaming and entertainment tsar, and founder of an Atlantic City casino company says the US should legalize internet gambling. The company that bears his name, Trump Entertainment Resorts, is moving forward with plans to establish an online betting venture... just as soon as it is legal to do so.

The company says it wants to get in on the ground floor of the internet gambling industry, and is close to selecting a joint venture partner to run an online gambling operation. The idea is to be well-placed and ready to go as soon as such activity is legalized in the United States.

"It should be approved here," Trump told news media. "An awful lot of money is leaving the U.S. that should and could stay in this country."

Trump Entertainment, which includes Donald Trump and daughter, Ivanka, and the Avenue Capital hedge fund, would own 10% of the new business venture.

Donald Trump advised the key to success in the online gambling market is having the best brand.

"We think we have the hottest brand there is, the Trump brand, my personal brand," he said. "We think it's going to do phenomenally well."

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Trump Entertainment said it has "determined that such a joint venture represents the most advantageous way for the company to participate in opportunities in online gaming at minimal cost to the company."

No cost estimates were given, and Robert Griffin, the company's CEO, declined to comment Thursday. But in March, after Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill passed by New Jersey lawmakers that would have allowed Internet betting solely within New Jersey's borders, Griffin said the money lost to offshore operators should benefit New Jersey.

The new law would seen New Jersey become the first state in the nation to allow Internet betting.

"Currently, millions of Americans engage in online gaming with illegal offshore operators, and do so with no oversight, no regulation or no consumer protections," Griffin said at the time. "It makes sense for the state of New Jersey to regulate this activity, enforce strict standards to ensure games are fair and safe, and in turn be able to collect tax revenue instead of having those dollars and the jobs they support leaving New Jersey and going illegally overseas."

Christie advised he vetoed the law fearing it was unconstitutional and could lead to an explosion of betting parlors throughout the state. By law, gambling in New Jersey is restricted to gaming hotspot Atlantic City.

But a New Jersey lawmaker is asserting that individual states in fact have the legal right to offer in-state Internet gambling within their own borders.

State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, wrote in July to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asserting that New Jersey and all other states can legally offer online betting within their borders.

Lesniak said he will introduce legislation in November to address the prime concerns expressed by Christie.

The filing said the company, Donald and Ivanka Trump, and Avenue Capital have signed an agreement authorizing the joint venture once it becomes legal, and that prohibits any of them from seeking other online gambling ventures through May 2012.

Atlantic City is in the midst of a nearly 5-year revenue slump brought on by increasing competition from casinos in neighboring states, and worsened by the continuing unsteady economy. It's also speculated that many AC businesses have not adapted well to the internet medium.

Just a few online gaming companies that are understood to be interested in coming to business terms with Trump include Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Richard Branson's Virgin Games and PKR. Most experts see Bwin.Party as the best bet, as they don't have any outstanding issues with the US Department of Justice, and have been playing by the rules (law) for many years, while other gambling companies continue to go after U.S players.

Internet gambling is legal in many countries, with the U.S being a glaring exception.

Media Man is following up.

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Betting On United States, by Greg Tingle - 20th October 2011

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Jim Ryan, the co-chief executive of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment is a very busy man.

In fact, he's invested three of the past five weeks in the United States pushing a presentation that advertised to investors the strengths of the world’s largest publicly-traded online gambling - gaming firm. Ryan’s presentation included a one-page chart that listed the top online poker brands in the U.S. market. The names of once fierce competitors PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, were crossed out in red. Is Party the only real game left in town? Time will tell.

“Where you see the red lines, those organizations have been indicted, so although one can’t predict the future, it’s unlikely you will see those brands back in the U.S.,” Ryan said during an interview. “The brand that has the most consumer awareness is in fact the PartyPoker brand.”

Ryan’s company happens to own both PartyPoker and the World Poker Tour, two of the top online poker brands that did not have their U.S. operations shut down by the U.S. Justice Department in April because they were not facilitating for-money online poker play in America—in the case of PartyPoker since 2006. They also own PartyCasino, a top online casino destination website. The fact that Ryan, who is based in Gibraltar, has recently been spending so much time in the U.S. demonstrates he is optimistic and hopeful for a U.S. comeback. “My focus is on the U.S.,” says Ryan, who is in the final stages of negotiating partnerships with two U.S. companies. “Even though there is no guarantee that online gaming will ever regulate in the U.S.”

For years Ryan and his staff at PartyGaming, which merged with Bwin earlier this year, had to sit on the sidelines, watching how much money PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker were snatching. It was a difficult thing to watch for the top brass and workers at PartyGaming, which was the biggest online gambling company in the world thanks to its domination of the U.S. online poker market until Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006. PartyGaming exited the U.S. market and saw its stock price take a massive hit, while PokerStars and Full Tilt kept their U.S. facing .com websites on air. Party competitors enjoyed somewhat of an unfair advantage, with the rouges using the U.S. market to expand globally at PartyGaming’s expense. “We were beyond the point of frustration,” says Ryan.

Next PartyGaming struck a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, paying $105 million and admitting its U.S. operations had for years violated U.S. law. Meanwhile, PokerStars and Full Tilt continued to operate in the U.S. and claimed that their U.S. operations did not violate U.S. law, pointing to legal opinions the companies had received from top American legal eagles. To many, it appeared like PartyGaming had given a lucrative business away. Even at the company’s headquarters there were doubts until April 2011, when federal prosecutors in Manhattan closed down the U.S. operations of PokerStars and Full Tilt, naming them illegal gambling businesses, and indicted some of their key execs. "I think Party has been vindicated now in getting out when they did and in dealing with the Department of Justice," says Behnam Dayanim, a partner at Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider, who negotiated PartyGaming’s agreement with federal prosecutors in downtown Manhattan.

With all that said, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment is not exactly holding a management party quite yet. It's so close, yet so far, from reclaiming online poker’s crown. Operating in highly-regulated and taxed European markets while competing against well-run companies like PokerStars is not for the faint-hearted. Bwin.Party’s stock, which trades on the prestigious London Stock Exchange, has dipped by 50% in 2011. Big corporate mergers can be problematic, but the outfit has also suffered a setback in Germany, where the nation’s top civil court recently decided to uphold an online gambling ban, and been dissed by higher gaming duties across Europe. When the company attempted to take advantage of the April U.S. shutdown of PokerStars and Full Tilt, Bwin.Party found that while some new European players were attracted to its poker brands, revenues remained flat-ish. It wasn’t until Full Tilt’s European regulator suspended Full Tilt’s license in late June that Bwin.Party’s increased advertising and promotional expenditures started to pay dividends. PartyPoker is now the second-biggest online poker room in the world, according to PokerScout, averaging 4,150 cash players during any given time. PokerStars has 22,800.

Ryan, who joined PartyGaming as CEO in 2008, has been waiting for this moment for what seems like forever. He long ago took Bwin’s Norbert Teufelberger to a McDonald’s in La Linea, Spain, and chatted to him at length about the pros of combining Bwin’s strong online sportsbook business with PartyGaming’s poker brands, resulting in the merger that was first announced in 2010. Ryan also fine-tuned his company’s business-to-business capabilities over the last few years with an eye toward finding a U.S. partner with whom he can re-conquer America. "We had to be realistic about where we sat in the food chain," says Ryan. "We figured if the U.S. regulated it would be unlikely that we would secure a license directly, that the laws of the land would be written to allow existing land operators and equipment manufacturers in the U.S. to secure the licenses." Ryan is optimistic about current efforts in Washington, driven by the American Gaming Association and powerful casino companies like Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts, to potentially get some sort of online gambling legislation through a divided Congress. Ryan notes he is also preparing for the possibility that online poker gets regulated first on a state-by-state basis.

"We have to be ready for both federal or state," he says. "It feels good to have American taxpaying companies finally driving this.".

If an offshore operator is to succeed in American, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment looks like the firm to place bets with.

Bwin.Party has identified Australia and New Zealand as places to further expand their business, even sponsoring high profile poker players such as Tony G and Stewart Scott (a former Crown Casino 'Aussie Millions' champion.) PartyPoker is one of a number of rumoured brands set to take over the sponsorship spot at James Packer's Crown Casino that FTP once enjoyed. Party look to have as much chance as anyone, probably more so.

In the meantime, poker and casino game players in regions such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, South America, South Africa and beyond can continue to enjoy their gaming.

Poker playing celebs such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Tobey McGuire are understood to be open to sponsorship approaches from Bwin.Party.

Governments of the world - you're throw of the dice.

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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Visual Effects Society Lauds Stan Lee - Comic book icon to receive Lifetime Achievement Award. - 19th October 2011

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Comic book publisher and entrepreneur Stan Lee has been selected by the VES Board of Directors as the recipient of the VES 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be presented at the 10th Annual VES Awards, which will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on February 7, 2012.

The VES Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals whose "lifetime body of work has made a significant and lasting contribution to the art and/or science of the visual effects industry by way of artistry, invention and/or groundbreaking work." Stan Lee is known to millions as the man whose Super Heroes propelled Marvel Comics to its preeminent position in the comic book industry. His famous co-creations include Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Daredevil, The Avengers, Silver Surfer and Dr. Strange, among many others.

Lee first became publisher of Marvel Comics in 1972 and is presently the Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Enterprises, Inc. and a member of the Editorial Board of Marvel Comics. In 1977, he introduced Spider-Man as a syndicated newspaper strip that went on to become the most successful of all syndicated adventure strips. Spider-Man now appears in more than 500 newspapers worldwide -- making it the longest running of all Super Hero strips. Lee founded, and is currently Chief Creative Officer, of POW! Entertainment, where he continues to write and create new characters.

"Stan Lee's imagination has created a completely original and profitable niche in the entertainment world and has allowed visual effects to flex its muscle in service to it!" said VES Chair Jeffrey A. Okun. "Thanks to Mr. Lee's fantastic creations and amazing stories he not only created a future filled with gadgets and inventions that we aspire to create for real – but all while inspiring the minds and imaginations of storytellers, visual effects artists and computer wizards everywhere," added Okun.

"As a writer there is nothing more rewarding than to see your creations brought to life on the screen and I am indebted to all of the incredibly talented artists who have contributed to my projects," said Lee. "Visual effects have played a pivotal role in the ongoing success of Marvel's characters and allowed fans to experience their stories in an entirely new way. It is truly a great honor to receive this award from the Visual Effects Society."

Without question, Stan 'the Man' Lee has exerted more influence over the comic book industry than anyone in history. He created or co-created 90 percent of Marvel's recognized characters, which have been successfully licensed and marketed since 1965. The numbers are staggering -- more than 2 billion of his comic books have been published in 75 countries and in 25 languages.

In 1981 Stan Lee transformed his Spider-Man and Hulk creations into Saturday morning and syndicated television cartoons. When Marvel Comics and Marvel Productions were acquired by New World Entertainment in 1986, Stan's horizons expanded even further, giving him the opportunity to become more deeply involved in the creation and development of filmed projects for both the big and small screen. He supervised such diverse animated series as X-Men, Spider-Man and The Hulk. To date, Stan's characters have populated over 24 separate television series, all of which continue in syndication around the world.

In 2001, Stan founded POW! Entertainment, Inc., a multi-media entertainment company, where he is creating a myriad of new characters, stories and franchises for traditional and emerging media.

Previous recipients of the VES Lifetime Achievement Award are George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, Dennis Muren, Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy & Frank Marshall, James Cameron and Ray Harryhausen.

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Marvel Entertainment Marvel Entertainment YouTube.com

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Crown Casino Caught Out By Fake VIP Gambling Whale - 19th October 2011

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Crown Casino Crown Limited James Packer Politics Melbourne Gaming


It took a "high-value" casino whale type gambler snatched by Crown Casino about five minutes to create the paperwork that duped the venue into advancing him $125,000 that he hoped would recoup what he had lost at its tables.

Jung Hwan Choi dropped $200,000 there last year and yesterday a Melbourne court heard how his "inherently simplistic" scam beat the house.

The County Court was told that Choi was flown to Melbourne from Sydney in November last year in a visit organised by a casino marketing executive.

Prosecutor Amanda Ring advised Choi accessed his bank account at an internet cafe to transfer from his mother's account $1 and then copied the screen shot of the receipt's transaction and his balance.

With the images stored on a USB device, Ms Ring said he then imported them onto a PowerPoint program from which he changed his bank balance from $12.87 to $284,000.

Choi also altered the $1 transfer receipt to reflect a transfer of $100,000 from his account to Crown.

Arriving cashless at the casino on November 14, he was greeted by an executive host who sighted Choi's account balance and the transfer receipt and was advanced $100,000.

After gambling "heavily and unsuccessfully" that night, Ms Ring said Choi the next day was advanced $25,000 in gaming chips.

Arrested in February, Choi told police he had been "desperate" and had lost $200,000 at Crown over several months and "I wanted it back".

Defence barrister Geoffrey Steward said Crown's reaction to that "windfall" had been to ring him and invite him to dinner.

Mr Steward said Choi, 38, dined with a casino marketing executive and was gifted a $600 Louis Vuitton wallet.

"The cynical may say, 'Thank you for losing $200,000, you are welcome any time'," Mr Steward said of Choi's VIP status, which included plane trips, accommodation, limousines, food and beverages.

"You feel like a king, but he was more of a pauper than a king," he said.

Mr Steward told Judge Wendy Wilmoth that Crown did not deserve to lose its money, but to his client it was ''like a monolithic piranha dangling carrots'' of seduction, love and luxuries that were "incapable of resisting".

Choi, a married father of two, described himself as a now-reformed "gamblerholic" who had lost more than $2 million at casinos.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one of making a false document.

Judge Wilmoth sentenced Choi to two years and three months jail, the term suspended for three years, with an order he pay compensation of $125,000.

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Monday, October 17, 2011

ACCC to appeal Google court decision

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The competition watchdog says it will appeal a court decision that rejected its claim Google was engaging in misleading conduct.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) lost its Federal Court case against Google last month in which it claimed the search engine failed to distinguish properly between advertisements and search results.

Justice John Nicholas rejected the ACCC's claim that Google was engaged in conduct likely to mislead or deceive the public.

On Thursday, the ACCC said it would appeal the decision to the Full Federal Court.

ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the role of search engine providers as publishers of paid content needed to be closely examined in the online age.

"It is very important that the law in this area is clarified and fully understood," Mr Sims said.

The ACCC's case related to 11 distinct claims involving various advertisers and sponsored links which Google is alleged to have published on its results pages.

The ACCC claimed the links were misleading because they included a headline consisting of a trading name, a product name or a website address of the advertiser's competitor but which also served as a link to the advertiser's website.

However, Justice Nicholas ruled that Google merely communicated representations made by the advertiser and as such, it had not breached the Trade Practices Act.

The ACCC said its appeal would be in respect of four advertisements.

"Justice Nicholas found that Google would have been unable to show that it had no reason to suspect that publication of these advertisements was a breach of the Act," it said in a statement.

"The ACCC considers that the Full Court may find that Google made the representations in question and find Google directly responsible for the publication.

"The ACCC takes the view that Google's key word insertion system, plus the role of Google staff, were fundamental to the representations being made."

It is estimated that online search advertising in Australia through search engines such as Google is worth around $830 million per year.

Google is the dominant search engine in the Australian market.

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WSOP Europe: Michael Mizrachi, Philippe Boucher Capture Bracelets As Championship Event Enters Day 1B - 16th October 2011

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As the €10,000 Championship Event of the 2011 World Series of Poker Europe enters its second Day One on Sunday, poker pros Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi and Philippe Boucher captured the final two preliminary bracelets awarded on Saturday.

In the €10,000 Split Format No Limit Hold’em event, Mizrachi came back yesterday as a member of the Final Four who would determine the title. In his semi-final match against Roger Hairabedian, Michael slowly worked the heads up match to what was a startling conclusion. On the final hand of their matchup, Hairabedian flopped a set of fives on a J-8-5 board, but Mizrachi was able to best that by turning a straight with his 7-6 when a four found the turn. Once the board didn’t pair on the river, Michael Mizrachi was on to the final.

In the other semi-final match, Shawn Buchanan and Noah Schwartz battled it out for the right to face “The Grinder.” Buchanan methodically worked his way into a comfortable lead against Schwartz before getting him to commit his final chips with a mediocre offering. After a minimum raise from Shawn, Noah decided to make a three-bet stand for his last chips with only an A-5 off suit. Buchanan quickly called, tabling his pocket Kings, and once the board ran dry (albeit with a bit of a flush sweat), Shawn Buchanan was the winner of the match.

As predicted here yesterday, the Mizrachi/Buchanan battle was a fierce one, although Michael came to the felt with a 2:1 chip lead over Shawn. “The Grinder,” true to his name, was able to gradually add on to his lead over the two hours of play; nothing that Buchanan attempted seemed to work as his chip stack slowly slipped southward. The end of the tournament was particularly brutal for Buchanan as, holding an A-J against Mizrachi’s A-10, a ten came on the flop to flip the lead to Mizrachi. Turn and river deuces sealed the deal for the 2010 $50K Poker Players’ Champion, giving him his second bracelet in as many years.

1. Michael Mizrachi (United States), €336,008
2. Shawn Buchanan (Canada), €207,624
3. Roger Hairabedian (France), €112,092
4. Noah Schwartz (United States), €112,092

The final table of the €1500 Six Handed Pot Limit Omaha tournament seemed to be more of a sprint than a marathon, highly unlike major championship final tables. Chile’s Nicolas Fierro came to the final table with the chip lead, but it was a one man wrecking ball by the name of Philippe Boucher who stole the show.

After taking almost an hour and a half before the first player, Jack Ellwood, was eliminated by Boucher, the Canadian pro would then storm his way through the remainder of the field. He would go on to knock off the entire table on his run to the title, only pausing slightly during heads up play against Michel Dattani. On the final hand, Dattani would commit his final chips holding an A-A-J-7 against the A-Q-10-9 of Boucher. After the board ran 6-6-8-J-Q to give him the winning straight, Philippe Boucher would pick up his first WSOP bracelet in just under four hours.

1. Philippe Boucher (Canada), €124,584
2. Michel Dattani (Portugal), €76,982
3. Nicolas Fierro (Chile), €53,426
4. Alexander Dovzhenko (Ukraine), €37,529
5. Jared Solomon (South Africa), €26,676
6. Jack Ellwood (United Kingdom), €19,181

While these two final tables wrapped up action, the first Day One of the €10,000 Championship Event was in play. 310 players eventually wound their way to the tables in the battle for the next WSOP Europe Main Event championship, guaranteeing that this will be the biggest Championship Event in the history of the WSOP Europe. Last year’s total number of players was “only” 346 and the record field for the tournament was in 2007 and 2008, when the tournament drew 362 players.

At the end of Day 1A, 173 players remained, with Jamie Rosen holding the chip lead with 162,700 in chips. Notable names in the Top Ten include the U. K.’s Chris Moorman and Erik Friberg, but there are threats looming down the leaderboard. Two time World Champion Johnny Chan is just off the leaderboard in eleventh place with 108,350 in chips, while Ramzi Jelassi, 2011 WSOP November Niner Ben Lamb, Carlos Mortensen, Will “The Thrill” Failla, Chad Brown and Arnaud Mattern are just some of the names in the Top 25.

Day 1B is currently in play, with 165 players stepping up for the action on Sunday. Some of the players who have made early moves during Day 1B include 2010 WSOP November Niner Filippo Candio, Robert Mizrachi, Tommy Vedes, Shannon Shorr, Bryan Devonshire, Sandra Naujoks, Mike “Timex” McDonald and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier. Defending World Champion Jonathan Duhamel, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Jean-Robert Bellande and Sorel Mizzi are all below their starting stacks, with “The Grinder” and Steve Billirakis two of this year’s WSOP Europe bracelet winners already eliminated from the tournament.

Final numbers for the Championship Event aren’t in yet, so the prize pool hasn’t been determined or the first place prize. However it plays out, the 2011 World Series of Poker Europe has been a record breaking schedule with its final stories yet to play out. (Credit: Poker News Daily)

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Australian Mel Gibson Gets Lift From Robert Downey Jr., by Greg Tingle - 16th October 2011

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Robert Downey, Jr. took great advantage of his tribute at the American Cinematheque Award Show to ask Hollywood to please forgive his friend inn the biz, Mel Gibson.

The gala evening was held to honor the work of Downey, whose professional comeback from drugs, prison... you name it, has been incredible. Mega stars including Michael Douglas, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx, Jodie Foster and Gwyneth Paltrow poured praise on the Marvel Entertainment aligned Iron Man star in both live and taped tributes at famous Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The most emotional and dramatic parts of the show came after unannounced guest Gibson (Bombshell) came onstage to present Downey with the Cinematheque honor.

During Downey’s darkest hours, Gibson famously stood up for the actor, helping him get gigs. Not easy at the time as he was quite a "insurance risk".

It was now apparently time for Downey to return the favor.

“When I couldn’t get sober, he told me not to give up hope and encouraged me to find my faith. It didn’t have to be his or anyone else’s, as long as it was rooted in forgiveness,” explained Downey.

"Gibson kept a roof over my head and food on the table and, most importantly, he said if I accepted responsibility for my wrongdoing and embraced the part of my soul that was ugly – ‘hugging the cactus’ he calls it – he said that if I ‘hugged the cactus’ long enough, I’d become a man."

“I would ask that you join me – unless you are completely without sin, in which case you picked the wrong fucking industry...in forgiving my friend his trespasses and offering him the same clean slate you have me, allowing him to continue his great and ongoing contribution to our collective art without shame,” said Downey.

The crowd applauded as Downey said of mate Gibson, "He’s hugged the cactus long enough."

Gibson’s transgressions are now part of history, but much of Hollywood, AussieWood, and news media feels that its time to move forward. Much like Downey Jr, Gibson has paid for his sins and deserves and second (or third) chance.

Downey Jr is up for Marvel flick, Iron-Man 3, while Gibson is a very long shot for Mad Max 4, but the Media Man agency was just one source that leaked to the effect of 'Our Mel' having a number of other exciting projects in the pipeline.

Gibson's role in 'The Beaver' saw review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, give the film a score of 63% based on reviews from 125 critics and reports a rating average of 6.4 out of 10. It reported the overall consensus, "Jodie Foster's visual instincts and Mel Gibson's all-in performance sell this earnest, straightforward movie."

Our advise to 'Our Mel'... Keep selling son. You've done a swell job in the past month, and an even better job in the 48 hours. More of the same and she will be right mate.

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Friday, October 14, 2011

DiCaprio may take codebreaker role after Great Gatsby in Sydney, by Greg Tingle - 14th October 2011

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Leonardo DiCaprio may be enjoining a working holiday or sorts (more working we understand), while enjoying the company of models in and around The Star (formally Star City Casino), but he's still thinking ahead.

As just about all of Australia, if not the world knows by now, 'Our Leo' is currently filming Bazmark's The Great Gatsby at Fox Studios, Moore Park. Ok, yes, he's catching up with a model or two also when the opportunity arises.

It's now been revealed that DiCaprio is tipped to play Enigma codebreaker Alan Turing in a biopic feature of the famed British mathematician.

Various media reports are surfacing that Warner Bros. have outbid several indi studios with a seven figure cheque for the rights to the 'The Imitation Game'...penned by virginal screenwriter Graham Moore...as Leo is keen as a Skippy kangaroo to play the lead.

Now get this. Turing was prosecuted by British thought police after the war for having a sexual relationship with another man, and forced to undergo "chemical castration" rather than being sent to prison for his sexuality.

The genius mathematician and computer scientist committed suicide by eating an apple laced with cyanide and it is claimed Steve Jobs named his company Apple as a tribute to him. We are not suggesting Jobs was gay, but readers will make their own minds up on that point.

Turing appeared to be written out of the 2001 film Enigma, about the Bletchley Park codebreakers, despite being the leading figure in World War II.

Dougray Scott's character Jerico seemed to resemble Turing, but he was heterosexual and had an affair with Kate Winslet's character.

Director Ron Howard is said to be interested in the film, but no deals have yet been made.

Leo, who will next be seen playing the title role in Clint Eastwood's J Edgar, has been shooting Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.

Not long after that, he is due to play the bad guy in Quentin Tarantino's controversial spaghetti western Django Unchained.

For the world's producers and directors, let's hope Leo doesn't get too carried away with the Aussie spirit of "Work hard, play harder", as is likely to hold true at his current residence - an entire floor of The Star, thanks to the generous folks at Echo Entertainment and Star, many of which the management team just happen to be Leo's fellow Americans.

Long live the Australian - Hollywood - AussieWood connection. Thus far Leo's gamble to do Australia for business and pleasure looks to be paying off. Kendal Schuler and a bush tucker bag of Aussie models are not commenting. Baz sure seems happy with Leo's "down under" visit. Leo, you're throw of the dice.

News just in: Paramount Pictures is currently developing a remake of The Gambler with the original producers, Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler. Intended as a new directorial project for Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio has snatched the lead and William Monahan will write the screenplay.

Websites

The Star

Echo Entertainment

Baz Luhrmann - Bazmark official website

Fox Studios Australia

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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Australian Casinos And Sports Use Celeb Push Of Gambling

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Gambling Celebrities Australian Sports Media Companies Australia


G'day punters, sports nuts, one and all. Australia continues to be one of the world's hot spots for gambling and casino news. Sports stars and celebs are a couple of the biggest weapons gambling companies are using to promote gambling down under.

Australian Casinos, Clubs, Poker, Sports Use Celebs To Promote Gambling...

A boom in online sports betting has seen punters' overall losses double in 5 years.

Sports commentators (mainly in cricket, and to a lesser extent, AFL and NRL) are feeding the gambling beast and some say, putting Aussie kids at risk.

Pick the odds the promoters shout. "Check out our betting promotions", says a sports commentator, and you get the picture.

The leap in online betting firms and smartphone tech has allowed Aussies access to would you believe 2319 or so online gambling websites.

Say G'day to Alex Blaszczynski, a psychologist who is treating a growing number of sports betting addicts. He's called for a crackdown on how gambling is marketed.

"These sports stars are role models that people look up to," Prof Blaszczynski said.

"My concern is over the next few years we're going to see a steady rise in sports-related problem gambling."

Aussie punters are tipped to lose $611 million via online sports betting this year, up from $264 million in 2006, Global Betting and Gaming Consultants figures state.

Total sports betting is much higher as the amounts do not include bets through phone calls, TAB outlets and some sports betting sites also offer casino games.

One commentators called the marketing campaign techniques "blitzkrieg" in nature, which sounds pretty effective, if not evil.

Sporting figures spruiking brands, promos and odds during matches are very big.

"That is normalising gambling. Let's be sensible about it now and have a balance of appropriate advertising," Prof Blaszczynski said.

We understand there were 24 new sports betting clients at Prof Blaszczynski's University of Sydney gambling treatment clinic last year...a 70% jump from 14 new clients the previous year.

Organisations Relationships Australia and Gamblers Anonymous also told press of a new trend towards problem sports betting.

Addiction concerns come as match fixing now beats drugs as sport's biggest challenge, says numerous insiders.

Sports betting was the vice of choice, or brand of poison if you will, for a growing number of passionate gamblers, driven by smartphones which provide constant internet access, according to Southern Cross University researcher Dr Sally Gainsbury, who is conducting a major survey of the nation's gamblers.

"My figures indicate sports gambling is the fastest growing form of gambling in Australia," Dr Gainsbury said.

"Within Australia and internationally these online gambling companies are increasing their expenditure on marketing, anywhere from 30 to 50% in the last year alone.

"For problem gamblers there's that trigger, that impulse to gamble. For children...there is this link between the celebrity or sporting figure endorsing a gambling site.

"Kids look at that as something to aspire to. That certainly is of concern."

Mission Australia's Queensland state director Penny Gillespie said there was a growing sense sport could only be enjoyed with a bet.

"For children, they're are going to grow up thinking sport goes hand-in-hand with gambling."

On an international scale with online casinos, bingo and poker PartyGaming has used retired Formula 1 racing car drivers Jaime Alguersuari Giancarlo Fisichella to promote PartyPoker and cricket identity Phil 'Tufers' Tufner to promote both PartyCasino and their poker brand. Virgin's Richard Branson has also placed himself in the spotlight to promote his poker and bingo brands, thanks to a look-a-like animated character Ricardo Jalapeno. Party are regarded the strongest gambling brand linked to Hollywood, with an emphasis on games with themes such as The Godfather, The Terminator, Saturday Night Fever, Mission: Impossible and more. More and more Aussiewood and Hollywood themes are being used as the battle for the entertainment and gambling dollar continues to heat up.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Star Casino Hosts Leonardo DiCaprio; Casino VIP Super Whale With Models, by Greg Tingle

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Media and insider reports state Leo is dating Sydney model Alyce Crawford, Murdoch's The Daily Tele... that Leonardo DiCaprio has been gifted a whole floor at The Star (formally Star City Casino) to live in during his four-month stay.

He's been bunkered down there since passing on his former Vaucluse digs because of privacy issues (unwelcome paps), casino spies have revealed that Echo Entertainment top brass Larry Mullin was so keen to get DiCaprio under their roof that a whole floor was transformed into a luxury super-suite.

"Mountains were moved," said our friend at The Star, who reckons the famous actor has a private entrance to his Astral Tower pad to evade the paparazzi.

"The entire thing was refurbished and rebuilt from scratch. It cost a fortune but the directive was 'spare no expense'."

Asked about the plush situation for 'Our Leo' at Star, Tabcorp: "No comment."

DiCaprio does apparently say G'day on occasion with casino workers and others who cross his path.

"He was spotted in Black By Ezard and kept his cap on and head down and didn't engage with anyone. And a few nights later Hugh "Wolverine" Jackman was in there and couldn't have been nicer," said the deep throat.

"He was chatting to staff and taking pictures and having a great time. It was interesting to see the difference."

His ex-girlfriend Blake Lively has moved on, as has Bar Refaeli, with the model photographed in an embrace with Pierre Sarkozy, 25, the son of French Prez Nicolas Sarkozy, at the Paris nightclub Rasputin.

Stay tuned as Media Man and its ever growing "spy" network. As 'Our Leo' says, 'Catch Me If You Can' (and no, it won't likely be at The Star casino).

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.


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Sunday, October 09, 2011

Exciting News for Online Poker Site, PKR as USA Legalisation of Gambling Sites Edges Closer - 6th October 2011

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The popular UK 3D poker site, PKR could soon go transatlantic and launch in the US after the American Gaming Association's (AGA) contributed to the push for online poker regulation in the country.

Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., president and CEO of the AGA, commented: 'There are no longer any good reasons to put USA citizens at risk by continuing to outlaw online poker in the U.S.' The statement comes after the USA Justice Department tried to shut down illegal gambling sites but the number of Americans playing online poker unprotected continues to grow.

PKR has established itself as one of the most playable and secure online poker websites in the UK over the last five years. The campaign in the US for lawful online poker now has the backing of certain state reps from Massachusetts and the prospect of legalisation could open the gates for PKR to expand into a massive market.

The AGA had once condemned online gambling altogether and only changed their opinion due to reports of a threat of unregulated sites currently endangering American players. The prospect of US legalisation of online poker could be potentially huge for PKR as their fully regulated and licensed site already has the foundations to become a massive hit among gamers in the States.

Massachusetts state rep, Dan Winslow also added to the argument for legalisation by arguing the flailing US economy could benefit from the introduction of online poker because of the jobs it will create in game design and regulatory software upkeep - a notion America's 14 million unemployed will welcome.

Back in the UK, it's business as usual for PKR for the meantime but they are very excited by the suggestion of expanding their business across the pond. A spokesperson for the poker games site commented:

'It is still early days yet but it would be a massively exciting prospect to take PKR to the States. The whole regulation of online poker sites debate is unlikely to be resolved overnight however, but at PKR we will be watching closely as we are always keen to develop playing opportunities to improve the gaming experience for everyone'.

It is rumoured the AGA campaign may prompt online poker legislation on a state level first before the whole nation accepts it. However, the campaign certainly looks to have some weight behind it and as far as PKR is concerned, it is a matter of watch this space.

To find out more about PKR or to join in the fun, sign up today www.pkr.com


About PKR

PKR is a revolutionary new concept in online poker that has changed the way the game is played.

Featuring stunning real-time 3D graphics and a uniquely engaging and immersive gaming system, PKR brings an unparalleled and previously unseen level of realism to online poker.

Developed by some of the brightest stars in the video games and poker industries, PKR continues to be the most innovative poker room in the world.

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