Monday, October 17, 2011

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

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World Series of Poker Poker. Online Poker Casinos Europe World Casino Directory


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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Gibson Robert Downey Jr. Hollywood Movies United States Australia


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.

Websites

The American Cinematheque Award

Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment - Iron-Man

Mad Max Online

The Beaver

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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 The Star Sydney Baz Luhrmann Fox Studios Australia Paramount Pictures Hollywood Movies Actors Australia


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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Saturday, October 08, 2011

Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards: Winners And Chaos, by Eva Rinaldi - 7th October 2011

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What a day and what a night. This was Australia's night of nights for kids and teenagers.

Thousands of fans, mainly teenage girls, swamped outside the Sydney Entertainment Centre, some from as early as 5am, waiting for their favorite entertainment industry stars.

By around 2pm, the line ups behind barracades were 30 people deep, and much of the press pack turned animal. Some teenage girls had home-made signs listing their mobile phone numbers, which I thought was not appropriate, and potential dangerous for the young ladies who advertised them. I don't know if I was fortunate or not to be taking photographs alongside the fans on this big outing. The million dollar question at big red carpet events like this is "Who is worse: The media, the fans, the kids or parents?"

Finally, at 6pm, the indoor part of the Nick awards kicked off and the audience went banana.

Ok, you want event results we hear...

Bindi and Bob Irwin have scored top bragging rights at the Australian Nickelodeon Kids' Choice awards, taking home the Hall of Slime Award for 2011 (the slime is green in case you wondered, and CM Punk won't forget it in a hurry).

Bindi and Bob beat Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Guy Sebastian and LA - USA planted Rove McManus, were splurted with green slime as popular Daniel MacPherson announced them as the first ever winners of the award.

"It is such an honour just to be nominated. It's a wonderful award," Bindi told the media.

"We're carrying on in our dad's footsteps. He originally got the Burp Award here at Nickelodeon," she said.

Hosted by iCarly mega stars Jennette McCurdy and Nathan Kress, the evening showcased bowls of maggots, an orange carpet, big and small envelopes and 5 tonnes of slime at the Sydney Entertainment Centre to mark the 16th annual Australian Kids' Choice Awards.

Australia's own teen idol Cody Simpson kicked booty, snatching up all three of his nominated categories - Super Fresh Award, Awesome Aussie and Fave Aussie Musos.

"I might not live in Australia at the moment, but Australia always lives in me," he told the crowd as he accepted his third award for the night, Awesome Aussie. The pop star performed a medley of some of his numbers 'Just For You' and 'On My Mind' for the thousands of screaming fans (80% girls), entering the grand stage with his guitar before ripping it up with dancers, and he even picked a one in a million young lady fan from the sold out crowd to sing to.

A record breaking 1.6 million kids' votes were counted to determine the winners.

Ten's Masterchef judge Matt Preston, who also took out the award for Awesome Oldie, dipped his arm into a big tank of green slime to rip out the word Julia, announcing Julia Gillard as the Slime Minister.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard (look-a-like) accepted the award. The real one wasn't there. The very same one who also didn't watch the ABC tele sexy tribute to her since she "had better things to do".

"Tonight, I'm proud to go green because you voted me Slime Minister," Julia Gillard's look-a-like announced to the audience.

"I'd like to ban budgie smugglers", she added before dancing with Australia's Got Talent winners, Justice Crew and being covered in slime along with "Mr Masterchef" Matt Preston.

Kyle Sandilands beat WWE superstar CM Punk ('The Best In The World'... in case you didn't hear) to win Baddest Baddie, accepting the award electronically from Los Angeles, US of A).

A bush tucker bag of pre-recorded video messages were heard from international superstar Justin Bieber who snatched the Hottest Guy Hottie Award, LMFAO who won Fave Song for Party Rock Anthem, Katy Perry who nicked home Fave International Artist and Victoria Justice who grabbed Hottest Girl Hottie.

Jennette McCurdy proved that she was a fab choice to co-host the night, besting Camp Oranges Luke and Wyatt, Hamish and Andy and Josh Thomas to take out the LOL Award.

Cody Simpson returned to the grand stage to wrap up the night, performing his hit number All Day before being covered in green slime from head to toe.

Insiders tip it was one of the better Nick Australia Kid's Choice Awards from a paid audience perspective, but also one of the most chaotic in history from a red carpet planted fan perspective.

What a crazy day. We hope no one got hurt - big ego's or otherwise. Ok, get nicked.

Replays of the event can be found on Foxtel's Nickelodeon channel this Saturday (Noon) and Sunday at 10.30pm.







Websites

Nickelodeon (Australia)
http://www.nickelodeon.com.au

Nick.com
http://www.nick.com

Foxtel
http://www.foxtel.com.au

Sydney Entertainment Centre
http://www.sydentcent.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography
http://www.evarinaldi.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Music News Australia
http://www.musicnewsaustralia.com

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Thursday, October 06, 2011

Crown Limited - Burswood Casino Nabs Tiger Woods By The Tail, by Greg Tingle - 5th October 2011

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Wednesday, October 05, 2011

IGT and Aristocrat settle patent lawsuits

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American computerised gaming equipment designer and manufacturer International Game Technology (IGT) has settled a trio of patent litigation lawsuits with Aristocrat Leisure Limited.

Land-based gaming machine manufacturer Aristocrat Leisure is based in Sydney and sued IGT in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in 2006 regarding patents related to multi-level progressives such as its Hyperlink product.

In 2010, IGT filed a patent lawsuit against Aristocrat Leisure in the United States District Court for the Central District of California regarding the authentication of software in slot machines while a third suit initiated later that year was brought before the Federal Court of Australia, New South Wales District Registry by the Australian firm concerning a patent related to a side bet slot feature.

IGT stated that the pair have now cross-licensed their patents giving both the right ‘to offer all the products that were the subject matter of the litigations subject to certain royalty obligations’.

“IGT is pleased that we were able to reach an agreement with Aristocrat Leisure and put these disputes behind us,” said Robert Melendres, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for Reno-based IGT.

“This settlement confirms and reinforces the importance of intellectual property to IGT and this industry.”

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Pokie Wars: Abbott VS Wilkie, by Greg Tingle - 1st October 2011

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The Coalition's decision to oppose slot machine reform has made "independent" Andrew Wilkie even more gun ho in pushing the law for change even if it comes to bringing down the unpopular Gillard Government.

"I will not budge on mandatory pre-commitment on high intensity poker machines," he said.

It goes something like this...

Prime Minister Julia Gillard promised to introduce curbs on problem gamblers in return for his support of the minority Labor Government. He has set the budget in May as the deadline for the delivery of the promise, either by voluntary agreement by the states and territories or by overriding federal legislation.

The Federal Government is trying to work out how to implement the mandatory pre-commitment technology, with the states and territories unlikely to agree on firm action by Wilkie's deadline.

The tech would basically force poker machine players to register before playing and to use a card to choose how much they wanted to gamble in one session. It's understood some punters will find loopholes around the mousetrap, such is their desire to play.

Some Labor MPs are disturbed by the aggressive campaign being waged by clubs...a key Labour support area...against mandatory restrictions on problem gambling.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott advised this week the Coalition would vote against the legislation if the Government decided to bring it to Parliament.

Although independent Tony Windsor has concerns about the move, Wilkie believes the legislation would be successful.

"I think the numbers are there in the Parliament for this to pass into law but I have obviously made it the Government's challenge to out and get those numbers," he said.

Wilkie is super determined to act if the legislation hasn't been approved, even though this would result in mayhem, something Labour is used to by now, and would not actually achieve poker-machine reform.

"The next morning I'd call a press conference and tear up my agreement with the Prime Minister," he said. "If I was Opposition Leader, I'd probably move very quickly to bring on a no confidence motion in the Government on its inability to deliver poker machine reform, which, on the fact of it, I'd probably support.

"Mind you, the new Opposition could then turn around and bring on a no confidence motion in Tony Abbott on poker machine reform and I'd have to support that as well, because he is not going to help me out there. But the Government has made things a bit simpler for me, because the Labor Party now has a worse policy than the Coalition on irregular immigration. I assume Tony Abbott would race to an election ... I reckon he'd go out to Government House that day and say the situation is unstable."

Wilkie predicted the Coalition would win an election held next year in those circumstances.

"I don't think the Labor fortunes are going to turn around for some time yet," he said.

What party are you going to gamble on? Make your vote count.

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Gaming, Politics, Hulk Hogan, WWE, Marvel Entertainment, Crown Limited, Crown Macau, Shane Warne, Gene Simmons, by Greg Tingle - 4th October 2011

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Scoop: Hulk Hogan TNA retirement announcement may be real says insiders; Sting angle suggests part "work" YouTube link

Hulk Hogan slashes the price of his Florida mansion by a whopping $16 million...

He is said to be worth a staggering $32 million.

But former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan is so keen to add to his millions that he is slashing the price of his Florida mansion by $16m in a bid to sell it as fast as possible.
The 58-year-old muscle man just reduced the price of the huge home to just $8.85m - the fourth reduction in price since the home was originally listed back in 2006 at $25m.

And it seems he's not above using his celebrity status to help unload the 17,000sq ft Mediterranean-style mansion, which has five bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, and sits on the scenic Gulf of Mexico, in Clearwater.

The description on Realtor.com reads: 'Located on an exclusive tree lined street in the residential Town of Belleair, this exquisite residence is owned by television personality Hulk Hogan.'

The two story home, which was built in 1996, features a gym and spa, five-car garage and a pool with a two-tier waterfall.

The Tudor style property also boasts vaulted beamed ceilings and dark hardwood or tiled floor throughout as well as expansive living areas and lush gardens.

Hulk, whose real name is Terry Bollea, originally lived in the home with his ex-wife Linda, who filed for divorce from the star in November 2007.

The couple, along with their two children, Nick, 21, and Brooke, 23, filmed their reality show 'Hogan Knows Best' in the home.

Meanwhile, Hogan is currently getting slammed by mini wrestler Steve Richardson - aka 'Puppet the Psycho Dwarf' for allegedly ripping off his TV idea.

Steve, who is behind the little-person wrestling programme 'Half-Pint Brawlers' says that he's considering suing the Hulk for copying his venture.

Hulk's latest TV idea is also a dwarf-fighting show - Hulk Hogan's Micro Championship Wrestling (MCW) and Steve says it's just not fair.

"I have no ill feelings toward Hogan, but loads of his wrestlers are the guys I fired," The 42-year-old said. "They're using all the ideas everything I came up with. There's no individuality. They're following the same concepts. It's a violation of intellectual property rights," fumed the 4'4" strongman.

MCW owner Johnny Greene says Steve is flipping out over nothing: "We had this idea first, but they rushed to the network to get their show on the air first, figuring whoever got on the air first would capture the audience," he said.

"But their show sucked. They were doing midgets and 'Jackass,' and ours is a real wrestling show." Holding no punches Greene added: "Puppet's just trying to jump on the bandwagon because their business is dying."

Half Pint Brawlers, Inc was started 15 years ago but they have been having trouble holding down a TV series.

A spokesperson for Hogan declined to comment.


How Hulk Hogan blew his millions: Cars, houses, holidays...

Hulk Hogan blew "hundreds of millions" of dollars on palatial homes and fast cars.

The wrestling legend - real name Terry Bollea - admitted he wasted the vast sums of money he earned during his years in the WWE and WCW and is living in a rented home after slashing US$16 million (NZ$21m) off the price of his Florida mansion in order to get a quick sale.

The WWE Hall of Fame inductee told Good Morning America: "There were houses being bought, and cars being bought, and vacations for family members. There was eight, nine, $10 million, $11 million going out, so it got way off."

Despite his financial troubles, Hulk seemingly announced his retirement from professional wrestling on TNA TV show Impact Wrestling, claiming he wanted to break the news to his fans first because they always stuck by him through the major difficulties in his life, including a divorce from wife Linda in 2007.

However, speculation is rife his retirement is a 'work' - part of a wrestling storyline - and he will step inside the squared circle again against Sting at upcoming pay-per-view Bound For Glory.

Meanwhile, Hulk has run into trouble after attempting to boost his finances with his latest venture, a reality TV show on US network TruTV featuring miniature wrestlers, after midget competitor Steve Richardson - aka 'Puppet the Psycho Dwarf' - accused him of stealing his idea.

He said: "I have no ill feelings toward Hogan, but loads of his wrestlers are the guys I fired. They're using all the ideas everything I came up with. There's no individuality. They're following the same concepts. It's a violation of intellectual property rights."

MCW wrestling owner Johnny Greene said: "We had this idea first, but they rushed to Spike TV to get their show on the air first, figuring whoever got on the air first would capture the audience.

"But their show sucked. They were doing midgets and Jackass, and ours is a real wrestling show. Puppet's just trying to jump on the bandwagon because their business is dying."


NRL Football Broadcast Attack On Slot Machine Reform Came From 'Up Top'...

A respected NRL commentator has admitted that ostensibly off-the-cuff remarks during a rugby league final attacking proposed poker machine reforms were provided to him by Channel Nine management.

The admission by Ray Warren, one of Australia's most famous sports commentators and a former gambler, emerge as the two independent politicians backing the pokie reforms lodge a formal complaint with the broadcaster over the remarks, which they say break the law.

Warren and fellow commentator Phil Gould have been criticised for statements made just after half-time in the preliminary final between Manly and Brisbane on September 23. ''The proposed mandatory pre-commitment that they've put forward is a rubbish policy. It won't work,'' Gould said.

"It won't solve the problem they say they're going to target, and it will do irreparable damage to the hospitality industry. It won't work and it will hurt." Click here for the full story via The Sydney Morning Herald


Shane, Liz confirm engagement on Twitter...

Shane Warne and Liz Hurley are to marry after the former cricketer proposed to the British actress and model during a trip to Scotland.

Warne proposed to Hurley, who became famous as actor Hugh Grant's long-time girlfriend, after a romantic dinner on Friday at an exclusive hotel in St Andrews, on Scotland's east coast, where the bowler was taking part in a golf tournament.

"Thanks for all your congratulations," they said on their Twitter pages, attaching a photograph of themselves about to go to dinner in St Andrews.

Spin legend Warne, 42, got down on one knee and popped the question in front of other diners and when Hurley agreed the couple were given a standing ovation, The Mail on Sunday and The Sunday Telegraph newspapers reported.

Pictures showed the couple smiling as they walked arm in arm across a golf course on Saturday, with Hurley, 46, wearing a large sapphire and diamond engagement ring.

They were greeted by shouts of congratulations from well-wishers as the pro-amateur Alfred Dunhill Links Championship got under way, the Mail said.

The couple first met at an English race meeting in July last year and have since been spotted together regularly.

When she met Warne, Hurley was still married to Indian businessman Arun Nayar but the couple divorced in December.

Warne has dramatically lost weight since starting to date Hurley and new pictures of the noticeably slimmer star caused astonishment when they emerged in August.

His romances have sparked almost as much media attention as his performances on the pitch and his energetic love life is widely thought to have cost him the Australian captaincy.

Hurley and actor Hugh Grant were one of Britain's leading celebrity couples in the 1990s but separated in 2000.


Gene Simmons marries former Playmate...

Rocker Gene Simmons and his longtime girlfriend, erotic actress and former Playboy model Shannon Tweed, have tied the knot.

Publicist Dawn Miller offered her congratulations to "the new married couple" on Facebook.

Simmons and Tweed, 54, have been a couple for years. Their engagement announcement last month surprised many fans. Tweed was Playboy's Playmate of the Year in 1982.

People magazine reported the couple exchanged vows they wrote themselves.

The magazine said about 400 guests attended the Saturday evening ceremony outside a Beverly Hills hotel.

The 62-year-old Kiss bassist and the 54-year-old Tweed have two children.

The new season of the reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels premieres in America this week.


IGT Reaches Agreement with Aristocrat to Settle Patent Litigation...

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 3, 2011

International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) announced today that it has settled its patent litigation with Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL). IGT and Aristocrat have cross-licensed each other to their patents and they will have the right to offer all the products which were the subject matter of the litigations subject to certain royalty obligations. This settlement ends all present patent litigation between IGT and Aristocrat and their subsidiaries.

"IGT is pleased that we were able to reach an agreement with Aristocrat and put these disputes behind us," said Robert G. Melendres, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at IGT. "This settlement confirms and reinforces the importance of intellectual property to IGT and this industry."

Two of the settled lawsuits were pending in the United States. In 2006, Aristocrat sued IGT in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on patents related to multi-level progressives such as Aristocrat's HYPERLINK and IGT's FORT KNOX products. In 2010, IGT sued Aristocrat in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on patents related to the authentication of software in slot machines. The other lawsuit was pending in Australia. In 2010, Aristocrat sued IGT AU in the Federal Court of Australia, New South Wales District Registry, on an Australian patent related to a side bet feature on slot machines.

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.


Australia could cash-in on casino tourism...

Australia’s concerns on gambling are turning us into a “nanny state’, according to Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) chief executive John Lee who said embracing casinos could assist the industry.

Mr Lee explained Aussies need to drop the outdated view that casinos are just for gambling because it does not represent the fact that they are used for more than just their gaming facilities, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

TTF’s head continued that properties such as the Crown in Melbourne are popular for more than just their pokie machines, with “spas, dining, bars – a while plethora of things people can do”.
With a Euromonitor International survey ranking Crown Casino as the highest Australian attraction and seventeenth most popular worldwide, Mr Lee said Australia should not have to apologise for developing properties that attract international tourists.

"In terms of inbound tourism, the biggest forward market is the Chinese market and they enjoy their food and enjoy a bet - we shouldn't have to apologise for developing the right sort of product to accommodate that," he explained to the newspaper.

Mr Lee was concerned for the long term restrictions of the proposed law that allows gamblers to notify the venue of a maximum loss before playing.

Earlier this year Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson concurred with Mr Lee’s ideas, arguing that casino tourism “is real”.

''Unfortunately, this is a fact of life - high-roller tourism is big-yield tourism,” Mr Ferguson said.

Topping Euromonitor’s list of worldwide attractions was the Great Wall of China followed by Walt Disney World.


Comic Book Movies, Games Et Al...

Be it movies, comics or games, we think that Marvel Entertainment leads the pack, followed by DC Comics, with Dark Horse Comics getting a third, based on the positive news leaks and insider tip offs we've been getting.

As Marvel living legend Stan Lee would say, Excelsior!

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Dominic Monaghan Thriller 'The Day' Picked Up by WWE Studios

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The Day, which played in the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness sidebar, has found a home at WWE Studios, which announced it has picked up U.S. distribution rights to the post-apocalyptic action thriller.

Directed by Doug Aarniokoski and written by Luke Passmore, the movie stars Shawn Ashmore, Ashley Bell, Cory Hardrict, Dominic Monaghan and Shannyn Sossamon as a group of survivors fighting to stay alive.

"The Day is a renegade thrill-ride that will not disappoint audiences," Michael Luisi, the newly named president of WWE Studios, said. "We went to Toronto looking for films to showcase and expand the WWE Studios brand and found exactly that with Doug's exceptional film.”

"The Day has been a wild ride from start to finish and we are very excited that we have found the right home to get the film out to the fans in a big way,” said director Aarniokoski, who is currently directing Nurse 3D for Lionsgate.

The film was produced by Guy A. Danella. Aarniokoski, Michael Finley, Tim James, Antonina Armato and Ross M. Dinerstein served as executive producers.

Kevin Iwashina of Preferred Content handled the sale, with Luisi and vp of business and legal affairs Bradley Buchanan negotiating for WWE Studios.

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Toronto 2011: Dominic Monaghan Thriller 'The Day' Picked Up by WWE Studios

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The Day, which played in the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness sidebar, has found a home at WWE Studios, which announced it has picked up U.S. distribution rights to the post-apocalyptic action thriller.

Directed by Doug Aarniokoski and written by Luke Passmore, the movie stars Shawn Ashmore, Ashley Bell, Cory Hardrict, Dominic Monaghan and Shannyn Sossamon as a group of survivors fighting to stay alive.

"The Day is a renegade thrill-ride that will not disappoint audiences," Michael Luisi, the newly named president of WWE Studios, said. "We went to Toronto looking for films to showcase and expand the WWE Studios brand and found exactly that with Doug's exceptional film.”

"The Day has been a wild ride from start to finish and we are very excited that we have found the right home to get the film out to the fans in a big way,” said director Aarniokoski, who is currently directing Nurse 3D for Lionsgate.

The film was produced by Guy A. Danella. Aarniokoski, Michael Finley, Tim James, Antonina Armato and Ross M. Dinerstein served as executive producers.

Kevin Iwashina of Preferred Content handled the sale, with Luisi and vp of business and legal affairs Bradley Buchanan negotiating for WWE Studios.

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Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Media Man News: Gaming, Politics, Hulk Hogan, WWE, Marvel Entertainment, Crown Limited, Crown Macau, Shane Warne, Gene Simmons, by Greg Tingle - 4th October 2011

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Scoop: Hulk Hogan TNA retirement announcement may be real says insiders; Sting angle suggests part "work" YouTube link

Hulk Hogan slashes the price of his Florida mansion by a whopping $16 million...

He is said to be worth a staggering $32 million.

But former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan is so keen to add to his millions that he is slashing the price of his Florida mansion by $16m in a bid to sell it as fast as possible.
The 58-year-old muscle man just reduced the price of the huge home to just $8.85m - the fourth reduction in price since the home was originally listed back in 2006 at $25m.

And it seems he's not above using his celebrity status to help unload the 17,000sq ft Mediterranean-style mansion, which has five bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, and sits on the scenic Gulf of Mexico, in Clearwater.

The description on Realtor.com reads: 'Located on an exclusive tree lined street in the residential Town of Belleair, this exquisite residence is owned by television personality Hulk Hogan.'

The two story home, which was built in 1996, features a gym and spa, five-car garage and a pool with a two-tier waterfall.

The Tudor style property also boasts vaulted beamed ceilings and dark hardwood or tiled floor throughout as well as expansive living areas and lush gardens.

Hulk, whose real name is Terry Bollea, originally lived in the home with his ex-wife Linda, who filed for divorce from the star in November 2007.

The couple, along with their two children, Nick, 21, and Brooke, 23, filmed their reality show 'Hogan Knows Best' in the home.

Meanwhile, Hogan is currently getting slammed by mini wrestler Steve Richardson - aka 'Puppet the Psycho Dwarf' for allegedly ripping off his TV idea.

Steve, who is behind the little-person wrestling programme 'Half-Pint Brawlers' says that he's considering suing the Hulk for copying his venture.

Hulk's latest TV idea is also a dwarf-fighting show - Hulk Hogan's Micro Championship Wrestling (MCW) and Steve says it's just not fair.

"I have no ill feelings toward Hogan, but loads of his wrestlers are the guys I fired," The 42-year-old said. "They're using all the ideas everything I came up with. There's no individuality. They're following the same concepts. It's a violation of intellectual property rights," fumed the 4'4" strongman.

MCW owner Johnny Greene says Steve is flipping out over nothing: "We had this idea first, but they rushed to the network to get their show on the air first, figuring whoever got on the air first would capture the audience," he said.

"But their show sucked. They were doing midgets and 'Jackass,' and ours is a real wrestling show." Holding no punches Greene added: "Puppet's just trying to jump on the bandwagon because their business is dying."

Half Pint Brawlers, Inc was started 15 years ago but they have been having trouble holding down a TV series.

A spokesperson for Hogan declined to comment.


How Hulk Hogan blew his millions: Cars, houses, holidays...

Hulk Hogan blew "hundreds of millions" of dollars on palatial homes and fast cars.

The wrestling legend - real name Terry Bollea - admitted he wasted the vast sums of money he earned during his years in the WWE and WCW and is living in a rented home after slashing US$16 million (NZ$21m) off the price of his Florida mansion in order to get a quick sale.

The WWE Hall of Fame inductee told Good Morning America: "There were houses being bought, and cars being bought, and vacations for family members. There was eight, nine, $10 million, $11 million going out, so it got way off."

Despite his financial troubles, Hulk seemingly announced his retirement from professional wrestling on TNA TV show Impact Wrestling, claiming he wanted to break the news to his fans first because they always stuck by him through the major difficulties in his life, including a divorce from wife Linda in 2007.

However, speculation is rife his retirement is a 'work' - part of a wrestling storyline - and he will step inside the squared circle again against Sting at upcoming pay-per-view Bound For Glory.

Meanwhile, Hulk has run into trouble after attempting to boost his finances with his latest venture, a reality TV show on US network TruTV featuring miniature wrestlers, after midget competitor Steve Richardson - aka 'Puppet the Psycho Dwarf' - accused him of stealing his idea.

He said: "I have no ill feelings toward Hogan, but loads of his wrestlers are the guys I fired. They're using all the ideas everything I came up with. There's no individuality. They're following the same concepts. It's a violation of intellectual property rights."

MCW wrestling owner Johnny Greene said: "We had this idea first, but they rushed to Spike TV to get their show on the air first, figuring whoever got on the air first would capture the audience.

"But their show sucked. They were doing midgets and Jackass, and ours is a real wrestling show. Puppet's just trying to jump on the bandwagon because their business is dying."


NRL Football Broadcast Attack On Slot Machine Reform Came From 'Up Top'...

A respected NRL commentator has admitted that ostensibly off-the-cuff remarks during a rugby league final attacking proposed poker machine reforms were provided to him by Channel Nine management.

The admission by Ray Warren, one of Australia's most famous sports commentators and a former gambler, emerge as the two independent politicians backing the pokie reforms lodge a formal complaint with the broadcaster over the remarks, which they say break the law.

Warren and fellow commentator Phil Gould have been criticised for statements made just after half-time in the preliminary final between Manly and Brisbane on September 23. ''The proposed mandatory pre-commitment that they've put forward is a rubbish policy. It won't work,'' Gould said.

"It won't solve the problem they say they're going to target, and it will do irreparable damage to the hospitality industry. It won't work and it will hurt." Click here for the full story via The Sydney Morning Herald


Shane, Liz confirm engagement on Twitter...

Shane Warne and Liz Hurley are to marry after the former cricketer proposed to the British actress and model during a trip to Scotland.

Warne proposed to Hurley, who became famous as actor Hugh Grant's long-time girlfriend, after a romantic dinner on Friday at an exclusive hotel in St Andrews, on Scotland's east coast, where the bowler was taking part in a golf tournament.

"Thanks for all your congratulations," they said on their Twitter pages, attaching a photograph of themselves about to go to dinner in St Andrews.

Spin legend Warne, 42, got down on one knee and popped the question in front of other diners and when Hurley agreed the couple were given a standing ovation, The Mail on Sunday and The Sunday Telegraph newspapers reported.

Pictures showed the couple smiling as they walked arm in arm across a golf course on Saturday, with Hurley, 46, wearing a large sapphire and diamond engagement ring.

They were greeted by shouts of congratulations from well-wishers as the pro-amateur Alfred Dunhill Links Championship got under way, the Mail said.

The couple first met at an English race meeting in July last year and have since been spotted together regularly.

When she met Warne, Hurley was still married to Indian businessman Arun Nayar but the couple divorced in December.

Warne has dramatically lost weight since starting to date Hurley and new pictures of the noticeably slimmer star caused astonishment when they emerged in August.

His romances have sparked almost as much media attention as his performances on the pitch and his energetic love life is widely thought to have cost him the Australian captaincy.

Hurley and actor Hugh Grant were one of Britain's leading celebrity couples in the 1990s but separated in 2000.


Gene Simmons marries former Playmate...

Rocker Gene Simmons and his longtime girlfriend, erotic actress and former Playboy model Shannon Tweed, have tied the knot.

Publicist Dawn Miller offered her congratulations to "the new married couple" on Facebook.

Simmons and Tweed, 54, have been a couple for years. Their engagement announcement last month surprised many fans. Tweed was Playboy's Playmate of the Year in 1982.

People magazine reported the couple exchanged vows they wrote themselves.

The magazine said about 400 guests attended the Saturday evening ceremony outside a Beverly Hills hotel.

The 62-year-old Kiss bassist and the 54-year-old Tweed have two children.

The new season of the reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels premieres in America this week.


IGT Reaches Agreement with Aristocrat to Settle Patent Litigation...

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 3, 2011

International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) announced today that it has settled its patent litigation with Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL). IGT and Aristocrat have cross-licensed each other to their patents and they will have the right to offer all the products which were the subject matter of the litigations subject to certain royalty obligations. This settlement ends all present patent litigation between IGT and Aristocrat and their subsidiaries.

"IGT is pleased that we were able to reach an agreement with Aristocrat and put these disputes behind us," said Robert G. Melendres, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at IGT. "This settlement confirms and reinforces the importance of intellectual property to IGT and this industry."

Two of the settled lawsuits were pending in the United States. In 2006, Aristocrat sued IGT in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on patents related to multi-level progressives such as Aristocrat's HYPERLINK and IGT's FORT KNOX products. In 2010, IGT sued Aristocrat in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on patents related to the authentication of software in slot machines. The other lawsuit was pending in Australia. In 2010, Aristocrat sued IGT AU in the Federal Court of Australia, New South Wales District Registry, on an Australian patent related to a side bet feature on slot machines.

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.


Australia could cash-in on casino tourism...

Australia’s concerns on gambling are turning us into a “nanny state’, according to Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) chief executive John Lee who said embracing casinos could assist the industry.

Mr Lee explained Aussies need to drop the outdated view that casinos are just for gambling because it does not represent the fact that they are used for more than just their gaming facilities, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

TTF’s head continued that properties such as the Crown in Melbourne are popular for more than just their pokie machines, with “spas, dining, bars – a while plethora of things people can do”.
With a Euromonitor International survey ranking Crown Casino as the highest Australian attraction and seventeenth most popular worldwide, Mr Lee said Australia should not have to apologise for developing properties that attract international tourists.

"In terms of inbound tourism, the biggest forward market is the Chinese market and they enjoy their food and enjoy a bet - we shouldn't have to apologise for developing the right sort of product to accommodate that," he explained to the newspaper.

Mr Lee was concerned for the long term restrictions of the proposed law that allows gamblers to notify the venue of a maximum loss before playing.

Earlier this year Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson concurred with Mr Lee’s ideas, arguing that casino tourism “is real”.

''Unfortunately, this is a fact of life - high-roller tourism is big-yield tourism,” Mr Ferguson said.

Topping Euromonitor’s list of worldwide attractions was the Great Wall of China followed by Walt Disney World.


Comic Book Movies, Games Et Al...

Be it movies, comics or games, we think that Marvel Entertainment leads the pack, followed by DC Comics, with Dark Horse Comics getting a third, based on the positive news leaks and insider tip offs we've been getting.

As Marvel living legend Stan Lee would say, Excelsior!

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Saturday, October 01, 2011

Australian Pokie Wars: Abbott VS Wilkie, by Greg Tingle - 1st October 2011

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The Coalition's decision to oppose slot machine reform has made "independent" Andrew Wilkie even more gun ho in pushing the law for change even if it comes to bringing down the unpopular Gillard Government.

"I will not budge on mandatory pre-commitment on high intensity poker machines," he said.

It goes something like this...

Prime Minister Julia Gillard promised to introduce curbs on problem gamblers in return for his support of the minority Labor Government. He has set the budget in May as the deadline for the delivery of the promise, either by voluntary agreement by the states and territories or by overriding federal legislation.

The Federal Government is trying to work out how to implement the mandatory pre-commitment technology, with the states and territories unlikely to agree on firm action by Wilkie's deadline.

The tech would basically force poker machine players to register before playing and to use a card to choose how much they wanted to gamble in one session. It's understood some punters will find loopholes around the mousetrap, such is their desire to play.

Some Labor MPs are disturbed by the aggressive campaign being waged by clubs...a key Labour support area...against mandatory restrictions on problem gambling.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott advised this week the Coalition would vote against the legislation if the Government decided to bring it to Parliament.

Although independent Tony Windsor has concerns about the move, Wilkie believes the legislation would be successful.

"I think the numbers are there in the Parliament for this to pass into law but I have obviously made it the Government's challenge to out and get those numbers," he said.

Wilkie is super determined to act if the legislation hasn't been approved, even though this would result in mayhem, something Labour is used to by now, and would not actually achieve poker-machine reform.

"The next morning I'd call a press conference and tear up my agreement with the Prime Minister," he said. "If I was Opposition Leader, I'd probably move very quickly to bring on a no confidence motion in the Government on its inability to deliver poker machine reform, which, on the fact of it, I'd probably support.

"Mind you, the new Opposition could then turn around and bring on a no confidence motion in Tony Abbott on poker machine reform and I'd have to support that as well, because he is not going to help me out there. But the Government has made things a bit simpler for me, because the Labor Party now has a worse policy than the Coalition on irregular immigration. I assume Tony Abbott would race to an election ... I reckon he'd go out to Government House that day and say the situation is unstable."

Wilkie predicted the Coalition would win an election held next year in those circumstances.

"I don't think the Labor fortunes are going to turn around for some time yet," he said.

What party are you going to gamble on? Make your vote count.

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