Saturday, August 14, 2010
Australian Casino, Poker and Political News, by Greg Tingle - 14th August 2010
Australia is once again home to some of the world's most interesting and unique casino, gambling, poker and political news this week. Movie stars with 3D presentations at Aussie casinos, casino gang crime, Australian rock legend to release slot game to pubs, poker tours, political election betting, shake ups in Australian gaming and gambling landscape and more. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to bring you the best. The late, great Kerry Packer would love this edition, we're sure... proxy if need be... its worth it punters...
Crown Casino Chinatown Crime Figures Busted...
A Crown Casino VIP high roller and a Chinatown restaurateur personality are accused of heading up a Melbourne crime syndicate targeted by police over the past 48 hours in a series of explosive raids, arrests and record-breaking asset seizures. The alleged crime bosses of the multi-million dollar Melbourne drug ring that spent massive sums on property, gambling and overseas interests are set to appear in court after overnight out-of-sessions hearing. Crown Casino high roller Thi Nho Le and husband Thanh Hai Pham, both 46, spent the night in police cells with 6 other alleged members of the syndicate. Police allege it trafficked more than 30 kilograms of heroin in Melbourne and earned over $20 million in the past 9 months. Named and known as the Le Syndicate after the family that allegedly controls it, Ms Le's younger sister Thi Nho Em Le, her brother and their partners all faced a court hearing at St Kilda Road police complex early yesterday morning. Thi Nho Em Le's partner, businessman and restaurateur Kai Sin Mong, is also alleged to be a key player in the syndicate that police state has built a business empire including a Chinatown restaurant and a western-suburbs based petrol station. The group is accused of manufacturing and distributing large amounts of heroin, from locations including a flat in Napier Street, Fitzroy, laundering money and loaning money to other drug cartels and gamblers. Detective Acting Sergeant James Cole told the court that members did business at James Packers' Crown Casino's high-roller Mahogany Room, purchased a number of properties and businesses to conceal the proceeds of crime and sent money offshore to Vietnam, including a recent whopping $920,000 money transfer. This was allegedly used to create a multi-million dollar property portfolio, which may have been kicked along by plans to purchase a United States $2.5 million hotel. The mob aka triad were among 21 people arrested in a series of raids at properties in Melbourne's western and inner-northern suburbs, including Fitzroy commission flats, after a painstaking 10-month investigation.
Stay tuned to Gambling911 and Media Man for more details.
Jupiters Hotel and Casino: Avatar 3D Celebs Connection...
Film director James Cameron is backing up at the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC) on the Gold Coast this season showing footage of his 3D underwater epic Sanctum. Cameron impressed delegates away when he showed exclusive footage from his blockbuster Avatar last year, now, 12 months later, he plans to wow the town again. Star of the Sanctum, Rhys Wakefield, and producer Andrew Wight, will attend the happening at Jupiters Hotel and Casino this Wednesday when Universal Studios will present the scenes. The media opp will help combat some mixed media reports on the crime rate at the Tabcorp owned casino. Sanctum, shot (pun intended) at Surfers Paradise - Gold Coast earlier this year, is understood to be in post-production down south in Melbourne (home to 'Underbelly' - real and TV) where the visual effects and the like are being meshed in. Director Alister Grierson says it will be a 'very exciting' event. "It won't be the fully finished version but what you will see will be in 3D. Universal pictures are really excited and pumped up to do the release and it's rare an Australian film gets this amount of positive review and anticipation before it's out. We're doing some pick-up shots and have built a mini set here for visual effects, so we're very close to finishing." He won't be present, nor will exec producer Cameron. "I flew over to LA and screened a version for Jim about a month ago and he really enjoyed that. He had some tips on how to improve it and a few nips and tucks." Sanctum is just one of the dozens of films that will be previewed over the 5 day convention, which commences with the Queensland premiere of Tomorrow When The War Began at Jupiters Hotel and Casino tomorrow night. Hollywooders Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell will walk the red carpet at Event Cinemas, Robina, this Wednesday night for the Australian premiere of The Other Guys. Great to see Jupiter's playing the Aussiewood - Hollywood card.
ANZPT - Australian New Zealand Poker Tour - Jupiters Hotel And Casino, Gold Coast - 14th August...
42 players are in the ANZPT on the Gold Coast for day 3. 32 players are going to at least break even. Mainly short stacks and a couple of big stacks. Hong Kong shark, er player, Nick Wong has the largest stack at time to press. Chip leading at 376,500. The top 5 players at this time are Nauv Kashyap, Darko Balaban, Liam O'Rourke and PokerStars branded Aaron Benton. Hello PartyPoker... pick up your game Tyron Krost and what's the story with your name Stewart Scott... you guys don't get paid the big bucks for nothing. You're only as good as your last game. Benton is on a roll winning at the season-ending APPT Grand Final in Sydney last December. Benton cashed at the ANZPT in Perth, before reaching the final table at the ANZPT Canberra for win of $12 grand. Journeyed to the WSOP and returned to get runner up spoils at ANZPT in Queenstown.
ANZPT - 12th August Update...
PartyPoker sponsored 2010 Aussie Millions Champ Tyron Krost joined the field Thursday, as did PokerStars Team Australia Professional Tony Hachem, ANZPT Canberra champ and high-stakes cash game pro Jason Gray and 2009 Aussie Millions $100k winner David Steicke. PokerStars Qualifier Darko Balaban finished at the top of the list of 63 survivors from the day. Go Aussies Go!
Pokie Rock N Roller With Rose Tatto; Some Angry, Some Not!...
Aristocrat Leisure has done a smart move to kill concerns that its pokie have been largely responsible for murdering the live music scene around Australia. The company has invented a new contraption that will allow pub rock bands and gambling machines to co-exist... get this...a pokie machine based on one of the country's iconic pub rock bands, the Angry Anderson-headed Rose Tattoo. "We are confident that our Rose Tattoo game will be a hit in pubs across Australia, said Aristocrat's MD for Australia, Trevor Croker, at the Australasian Gaming Expo in Darling Harbour, Sydney."The striking red and black colour scheme will make a statement on the gaming floor and patrons will enjoy the experience of playing along with some Rose Tattoo classics," he said. The Aristocrat website describes the game as "Reel Rock 'n' Roll''. "Rose Tattoo multi-game is guaranteed to rock your venue," the company claims. Next an 'Underbelly', 'Madame Lash', 'Mr Sin' or 'Kerry Packer' themed game? Stranger things have happened.
Australian Federal Election Betting Update...
Aussie betting markets moved firmly to Gillard's Labor by about 4.5% on the aggregate implied probability of victory, with all agencies moving in the same direction. Centrebet moved strongest with an 8.5% ALP boost while Sportingbet moved the least with a 3.5% boost to Labor. Betting odds and people putting their money where their mouth is has traditionally been more accurate to pick the winner than other types of political polling. You can still jab ahead Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott... go son...fight to the finish.
Tabcorp VIP Casino Upgrades...
Tabcorp’s casino expansion plans are not much exiting the market. One source said "deep dark money pit"! The press announcement brought a downgrade of the company’s rating and outlook. The Tabcorp plans to capture the Australasian VIP market, one that Crown Limited largely dominates. Ratings agency Standard & Poors (S&P) reduced the Australian-facing company’s A$1.99m debt outlook from “stable” to “negative” over concerns on the further A$285m investment in its Star City casino in Sydney announced as part of full year results last week. This came with the warning that Tabcorp’s capital expenditure plans could further risk its new rating as the company faces the possible loss of its Victorian wagering licence later this year. Gambling industry analyst Andrew Hills (Wilson HTM) said "The capital expenditure required to operate a competitive casino is oppressive and we question whether Tabcorp is throwing good money after bad. The New South Wales and Queensland casinos are attractive for the respective state governments but not for shareholders, in our view." Nathan Gee (Merrill Lynch) advised Tabcorp will either have to protect their new credit rating by an equity raising, or bite the bullet and incur higher debt costs from a further ratings downgrade, which he suggests may be the better option. Last week, Tabcorp chief Elmer Funke Kupper advised the aim of Star City was to create a destination for VIP’s and said the investment was a "no-brainer addition" to the company’s plans. In the full-year results, the Australian casino and gaming operator reported a 9.4% drop in its casino division’s EBITDA, however predicted that it would see an estimated A$130m-140m EBITDA uplift from its Star City investment by 2014. A concern for Tabcorp will be the expiration of its Victorian wagering licence, due to end in 2012. Aussie rival Tatts Group and the UK's Ladbrokes, no stranger to Media Man and Gambling911, have indicated their intentions to compete with Tabcorp for the next 12-year licence which will grant the winner a virtual monopoly on wagering and sports betting in that state of Victoria. Earlier this week the Victorian Government tabled legislation that would give valuable premium wagering tax concessions to the licence holder, but while analysts believe the license to be worth A$4bn, they also reckon renewing it could cost Tabcorp anywhere between A$300m and A$600m! "Tabcorp winning the Victorian wagering licence might put pressure on its S&P credit rating depending on the eventual price paid" said an insider. "Interestingly Tabcorp missing out on the Victoria wagering licence would ease the pressure around a credit rating downgrade or an equity raising," but over-paying for the licence may be better in the long haul than missing out full stop. Tabcorp has a war on its hands for the bid, as Australia’s Productivity Commission specifically recommended at the start of the year that it was against the renewal of wagering monopolies in New South Wales and Victoria. Tabcorp’s main investment program, the Star City Casino, is expected to now cost A$860m in addition to a A$100m payment to the New South Wales government for the pleasure, but Funke Kupper last week argued that the high price of investments would pay off by pulling in the big spending VIPs. That's his vision, but not that of the whole markets. The company reported that Star City’s 10% year-on-year EBITDA growth was offset by a 29% drop year-on-year in the company’s 3 "banana bender" Queensland casinos. Tabcorp is in negotiations with the government over increasing investment in its Queensland properties, where sliding trade is being caused by weak economic conditions in the region. A no-brainer? Readers, you be the judge.
NSW Government Keno Jackpot...
24 months after permitting Keno into hotels, the NSW state government has approved the installation into pubs and clubs of an expected 800 electronic Keno gambling machines which knockers say are a "gateway" to pokies. WSW will be #1 state to provide 'Touch Keno' after the government reviewed the results of a 3 month trial of 30 terminals at 15 venues including Star City Casino and Souths Juniors Rugby League Club. The devices are due to be installed in clubs from the coming month. Unlike the existing version, in which punters mark numbers with a pencil and paper and place bets at the bar, Touch Keno allows players to feed cold hard cash directly into the mouth of the machine, but payouts must still be collected from an human operator. Tabcorp, co-owner of the NSW Keno licence with ClubsNSW, is kindly offering to pay the cost of installing the machines if venues sign up for at least 24 months. Long enough to get the gambling bug. The government advised the terminals must be placed in a restricted area that cannot be accessed by minors". This may be a venue's lounge, bar area or gaming area. The government has recently introduced a $250 bet limit and said machines must carry information about gambling counselling and self-exclusion services. "The terminals were subject to a comprehensive trial to assess technology and harm minimisation issues," the Minister for Gaming and Racing, Kevin Greene, told press. There's no proposal to phase out the old form of Keno in favour of the new terminals. The "traditional" Keno game must be retained when a terminal is installed. The ClubsNSW chief executive, Anthony Ball, said the terminals would remove the need for punters to wait for a bartender to finish serving drinks before placing a bet. "This new technology means customers will instead be able to walk up to a screen and play Keno with, in most cases, no delay or waiting line. Self-service technology has existed at the TAB for a number of years and has proved very successful in reducing player waiting times." The anti-gambling campaigner, Senator Nick Xenophon aka "Mr X", advised the introduction of Touch Keno was worrying. "My concern is that Touch Keno will serve as a kind of gateway for casual gamblers to become poker machine gamblers. And as the Productivity Commission reported earlier this year, poker machines are far and away the biggest source of problem gambling." World Vision chief executive, Tim Costello, said he was concerned about the removal of an attendant from the betting process. "Human intervention is a natural restraint on access for problem gamblers." Last week, Tabcorp reported annual revenue of $157.2 million from its Keno operations in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. NSW down for $32 million, an annual increase of 5.4 per cent. Last month, the government said it would allow a Tabcorp-owned virtual racing game, Trackside, into pubs and clubs to pay for the refurbishment of Randwick Racecourse.
Both punters and insiders continue to enjoy the weekly Australian Casino Wars, largely dominated by Tabcorp and Crown Limited, but always watch out for an X Factor, be it PartyGaming, Ladbrokes, Genting or other.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian media, gaming, casino and political wars.
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Wrap Up...
Readers... er, punters, what's your view on online poker, online casinos, censorship, internet censorship and freedom of the press? Who will win the Aussie Casino Wars? Could you live without online poker? Do you enjoy adult content (that is legal)? Who are your betting on, and why? Make your voice heard. Tell us in the forum. The big wigs of Australian politics and business read and hang on every word at your beloved Gambling911. From Australia's answer to 'Casino Jack' to 'Outback Jack', they're all her folks. Keep checking daily for updates, Yes Minister, and have another cup of Full Strength Coffee (no caffeine or web filter thanks).
The Late News...
If your going to have a bet, please bet your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
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Crown Casino Chinatown Crime Figures Busted, by Greg Tingle - 13th August 2010
A Crown Casino VIP high roller and a Chinatown restaurateur personality are accused of heading up a Melbourne crime syndicate targeted by police over the past 48 hours in a series of explosive raids, arrests and record-breaking asset seizures.
The alleged crime bosses of the multi-million dollar Melbourne drug ring that spent massive sums on property, gambling and overseas interests are set to appear in court after overnight out-of-sessions hearing.
Crown Casino high roller Thi Nho Le and husband Thanh Hai Pham, both 46, spent the night in police cells with 6 other alleged members of the syndicate.
Police allege it trafficked more than 30 kilograms of heroin in Melbourne and earned over $20 million in the past 9 months.
Named and known as the Le Syndicate after the family that allegedly controls it, Ms Le's younger sister Thi Nho Em Le, her brother and their partners all faced a court hearing at St Kilda Road police complex early yesterday morning.
Thi Nho Em Le's partner, businessman and restaurateur Kai Sin Mong, is also alleged to be a key player in the syndicate that police state has built a business empire including a Chinatown restaurant and a western-suburbs based petrol station.
The group is accused of manufacturing and distributing large amounts of heroin, from locations including a flat in Napier Street, Fitzroy, laundering money and loaning money to other drug cartels and gamblers.
Detective Acting Sergeant James Cole told the court that members did business at James Packers' Crown Casino's high-roller Mahogany Room, purchased a number of properties and businesses to conceal the proceeds of crime and sent money offshore to Vietnam, including a recent whopping $920,000 money transfer.
This was allegedly used to create a multi-million dollar property portfolio, which may have been kicked along by plans to purchase a United States $2.5 million hotel.
The mob aka triad were among 21 people arrested in a series of raids at properties in Melbourne's western and inner-northern suburbs, including Fitzroy commission flats, after a painstaking 10-month investigation.
The Australian Crime Commission and Victoria Police operation, code-named Sethra, seized an estimated $3 million of heroin and about $20 million in houses and assets - a Victorian record.
All 8 accused, speaking through a Vietnamese interpreter during the out-of-sessions hearing, applied for bail, with most advising they had to care for their children or grandchildren.
Each alleged syndicate member, ages from 32 to 60, was deemed an unacceptable flight risk to say the least.
The court heard that the alleged drug ring operated partly out of the Napier Street commission flats, with Thi Nho Em Le, her brother Muoi Van Le and their partners sharing an apartment.
Detective Acting Sergeant Cole told the hearing that covert surveillance detected people regularly going there to purchase heroin.
One of the accused, Kim Thi Huynh, who lived in a nearby flat, allegedly used a minor (human - not bird breed) to pick up heroin that she then sold to street dealers.
Police allegedly recovered a modest $21,000 from the Le residence in Napier Street in yesterday's raids.
They also are understood to have located $345,970 in cash, $54,500 in Crown Casino chips and 350 grams of heroin.
A raid earlier this month on a Carlton flat linked to the syndicate allegedly netted police around $595,000 in cash, $50,000 in Crown Casino chips and 1.66 kilograms of heroin.
This allegedly prompted Thi Nho Le and her sister to discuss selling the property without ever returning there, in a conversation captured on phone intercepts and relayed to the court.
Thi Nho Le and Thanh Hai Pham, of Keilor Downs, and Thi Nho Em Le, Kai Sin Mong, Muoi Van Le and Nea Thi Pham, of Fitzroy, all face charges relating to trafficking large commercial quantities of a "drug of dependence".
Houng Vo, of Fitzroy, faces one charge of trafficking a large commercial quantity of a drug of dependence while Kim Thi Huynh faces a similar charge along with trafficking a drug of dependence to a child.
They will face Melbourne Magistrates Court, along with four other alleged members of the organisation who were charged with drug related offences in and bailed in.
The syndicate is 1 of many connected multimillion-dollar crime cells targeted by the ACC and police agencies in Melbourne and Sydney in the 7. It's understood only a small amount of these crime fun and and games were covered in Network Nine hit 'Underbelly', next season tipped to cover Brisbane as well as the Gold Coast.
ACC national manager Richard Grant alleged that "this is a group that, not that long ago, we seized 5 blocks of heroin and $645,000 cash and this group didn't miss a heartbeat".
Victoria Police sources advised the operation was successful due to the powers and reach of the small but powerful ACC, which targets Australia's most senior crime figures.
The $40 million in assets expected to be seized in Operation Sethra equates to almost half the ACC's yearly budget! Go the bean counters.
The operation flowed from an earlier ACC inquiry into the movement of suspected drug money offshore via money remitters, international airline staff and bank transfers.
The 2005 inquiry, code-named Gordian-Katakan, confirmed that the majority of illicit drug shipments enter down under Australia undetected and are then distributed for massive profits, often sent offshore. The inquiry uncovered more than a dozen drug-trafficking cells operating down the east coast, netting hundreds of millions of dollars.
Victoria Police Detective Inspector Doug Potter said further arrests would be made.
"The syndicate that has been operating in Melbourne has international links and we will be following up a number of inquiries in regards to those links."
Crown Casino powers that be have been cooperating with Police and the crime syndicate arrests are music to the ears of Crown. The Mahogany Room will not miss the alleged triad element.
A leak advised, "Crown loves their whales and high rolling VIPs, but not those engaged in criminal enterprises. Crown is focused on a total entertainment experience and undesirables are not welcome. It's been out pleasure to assist Australian and international law enforcement agencies".
Crown Casino is considering if they should upgrade their casino chips policy and procedures.
The Late News...
Crown Casino (and Burswood Entertainment Complex in WA) budgets to further open up, partly in response to aggressive moves and counter strike by Australia's other gaming giant, Tabcorp. Crown Casino is playing its cards right with Australian government powers that be. Crown Casino security is frequently reviewed and a repeat case of a client's Ferrari been nicked has odds of about 1 in a million, so the Crown bar talk says. Crown is aware that Aussie punters would like to see an online and / or offline Kerry Packer, 'Underbelly', and Mark Webber - Red Bull themed slot game. PartyGaming NextGen Gaming and IGT online games are on the radar of Crown Limited. PartyPoker b2b online poker satellite qualifiers likely to start again circa November 2010, ready for January 2011 'Aussie Millions'. PartyGaming is tipped to give away more Aston Martin's and Maserati's following the PartyCasino 'Grand Win Auto' and PartyPoker 'Drive The Dream' promotions, but Media Man and others reckon Party should get a deal in place with Ferrari pronto.
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Wrap Up...
Readers, do you think Crown Casino should ride off the publicity and get an Underbelly or Kerry Packer themed slot game? What's your predication for the next colourful crime to happen at an Australian land based casino? Should online casinos like PartyCasino, PKR Casino and Virgin Casino plug more into the casino crime connection? Tell us in the forum or jump on Twitter and see if you can create your own version of Twitter-Gate.
Crown Casino Connection Colourful Crimes...
'Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-client-ferrari-stolen-virgin-valet-051410.html
Background on the Crown Casino shaft man case...
'Crown Casino Shaft Man Probed and Charged'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-shaft-man-probed-and-charged-080310.html
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Don't mix your passion for casinos and gaming with crime, and don't do anything we wouldn't do.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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PartyCasino News: PartyCasino Offers 10 Packages To Landmark Oktoberfest
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6th August 2010 – This year marks the 200th Oktoberfest and what promises to be the biggest, best and most memorable edition of one of the world’s biggest parties ever! Palladium VIP’s on PartyCasino.com can secure their place there very simply: be one of the first 10 players to collect 10,000 PartyPoints by playing slots and jackpot slots between 16th and 31st August and they will win a package.
A PartyCasino.com spokesman said: “Once all 10 packages have been claimed the promotion is over, so it is first come first served! The Palladium VIP hospitality at Oktoberfest is already legendary and with the big beer party celebrating its 200th birthday this year promises to be even bigger. PartyCasino.com has the most frequent game launches and largest jackpots in the industry so customers are spoiled for choice for games through which to earn the points needed to secure the trip to Germany’s biggest party.”
The package is from 24th – 26th September and includes:
·Two night’s accommodation, with breakfast, at a five-star hotel in Munich for the winner and a guest.
·Dinner with an open bar followed by a poker tournament in the Davidoff Lounge at the Allianz Arena.
·Activity or Spa treatment.
·Two passes to the Oktoberfest on Saturday night.
·Entry to a VIP party at Pacha nightclub.
·Exclusive VIP hospitality provided by Palladium VIP’s expert events team, on hand and available to you throughout your trip.
Please note that customers have to opt-in to this promotion.
PartyPoker.com also has 35 Oktoberfest prize packages available through a promotion that is running now until the 29th August. See: PartyPoker.com
Palladium VIP’s had a memorable trip to the Oktoberfest last year. See: Palladium Lounge
PartyGaming is regulated and licensed by the Governments of Gibraltar, Italy and France and by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. The Group is also certified as a responsible gaming operator by GamCare, the leading UK authority on the provision of advice, practical help, support and counselling in addressing the social impact of gambling. PartyGaming’s shares are also a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which enables investors to identify companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
Australian Media And Publishers Look To U.S To Beat Aussie Censors, by Greg Tingle - 12th August 2010
Australian publishers, both traditional and new media, will be extremely tempted to move their businesses and assets to the United States in the wake of a new law shielding US journos and publishers from defamation from outside the country, a Sydney legal eagle says.
The rather outspoken eagle, Barrister Tim Robertson, SC, who represented US newswire Dow Jones when it was sued by Australian mining tycoon Joseph Gutnick (no, not Twiggy), said the law, signed by President Barack Obama, would be seen as "a line in the sand".
"The law simply reflects the constitutional position in the United States where there is freedom of speech, and there isn't in most other countries," Robertson told wires.
"The US courts, as a matter of public policy, have always refused to enforce defamation verdicts from countries which don't respect free speech rights, and that would include Australia."
He advised the law, which prevents US federal courts from recognising or enforcing a foreign judgment for defamation that is inconsistent with the first amendment of the American Constitution, has serious long-term implications for Australia!
"Unless Australia cleans up its act it will find publishers, such as Australian-based Crikey, relocating to the US, so that their website is published in the US and their assets are in the US," Robertson said.
Media Man, Global Gaming Directory and Casino News Media are already following this tact, and will continue to run more business out of the U.S, Canada, and Europe.
"This will be the incentive for publishers to move there because people won't be able to enforce verdicts against them. Australian "thought police"... are your reading this?
"It's the line in the sand for protection of web publishers.
"It means many web publishers who publish controversial material critical of politicians and business people are going to gravitate to the United States."
Robertson said that the long-running Gutnick case never went to trial and was settled out of court in 2004.
Gutnick had sued Dow Jones because of an article it ran with in Barron's magazine website falsely accusing him of associating with a man who had been jailed for tax evasion and money laundering.
Robertson said 99.9% of Barron's readers were in the US yet Mr Gutnick chose to sue in Victoria.
"This law is a reaction to the long-arm jurisdiction of Australia and British courts in defamation cases - the imperialistic jurisdiction asserted by Australian and UK courts over what is essentially US subject matter," he said.
Supporters of the new law said that so-called "libel tourists" were undermining free speech rights in the first amendment.
A Media Man spokesperson said "With the way the legal system is in Australia, including the freedom of the press situation and complex publishing laws, coupled by red tape and expensive web hosting, little wonder a number of Australian media companies and publishers, including us, are looking to more offshore, be it totally, or 90%. The Labor government is continuing to make it expensive to operate and be based out of Australia. The Australian online and offline censorship is also a real worry. We spoke at the Anti internet filter conference on this and make no mistake, Labor policy is costing black and white Australia jobs. We had to spend extra on legal, such is the media and internet landscape... that's money I had personally earmarked to employ people, including part of the GenerationOne initiative, headed up by Andrew Twiggy Forrest and supported by other Bondi local James Packer (gaming and media tycoon). The Liberal party seems to have better ideas than Labor on employment, technology, indigenous and business. Many Liberal party representatives have ran business's, so they know of the challenges from first hand experience. It seems too many Labor reps have been stuck behind desks and pushing pens for far too long. So, Media Man and others will send more business overseas, especially to the U.S, Canada, and Europe, and that will send a clear message to Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her Labor party. We want to support the Aussie battler also, but Australian red tape is starting to turn some medium and big business folks into Aussie battlers, sending us backwards, so its time for us to take action into own own hands. If we wait any longer for Labor to make things right it could further damage our business, so we're not going to give Team Gillard that opportunity. Labor, your time is up. If Liberal win government we will move more of our business operations back to Australia as a sign of support. As leader of the opposition Tony Abbott says, Stand Up Australia... and we are. Liberal's Malcolm Turnbull, former founder of OzEmail, also understands the essence of where we are coming from. Here's to the global economy and freedom of the press".
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian media, gaming, casino and political wars.
Gambling911 Politics
http://www.gambling911.com/politics.html
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Wrap Up...
Readers... er, punters, what's your view on censorship, internet censorship and freedom of the press? Could you live without online poker? Do you enjoy adult content (that is legal)? Who are your betting on, and why? Make your voice heard. Tell us in the forum. The big wigs of Australian politics and business read and hang on every word at your beloved Gambling911. From Australia's answer to 'Casino Jack' to 'Outback Jack', they're all here folks. Keep checking daily for updated, Yes Minister, and have another cup of Full Strength Coffee (no caffeine or web filter thanks).
The Late News...
A bush tucker bag of Australian publishers are going online only and are tipped to go for offshore web hosting which is almost already cheaper and of course, the U.S laws re more in favor of traditional media and internet media than Australian laws. Yet another example of the Australian Labor Party costing more jobs for white and black Australia. Media Man continues to collaborate with community groups, GenerationOne and others to help combat Australia's rising unemployment problems. Reporters Without Boarders, Virgin Unite, the U.N and the Electronic Frontiers Foundation will be kept abreast of developments.
If your going to have a bet, please bet your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
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PartyCasino News: There's No Business Like Snow Business
New Slot Offering Industry's Largest Progressive Seeded Jackpot
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For more information see PartyCasino.com
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Gunned Down Casino Model Holly Graham Finally Faces Crazed Ex In Court, by Greg Tingle
Star City Casino Gunman Stared Down In Court; Ex Casino Model Moves Forward With Life...
Former model Holly Graham has faced the violent and crazed ex-boyfriend who aimed a hand gun at her and opened fire at Sydney's Star City Casino.
This was the first time the 30-year-old former model and fitness instructor had seen Todd Devaney since he attempted to murder her on 5th May 2008.
She was overheard whispering to her parents that she was "scared". The still attracting and brave Holly said it was important that she was there at the District Court in Sydney when he finally pleaded guilty to the crime.
Holly had not seen the mongrel for close to 5 years on the day she was shot, having cut off their troubled relationship in August 2004.
One needs little imagine to how frightened Holly was when he suddenly emerged inside the exclusive Star City gym, accessible only by members and casino guests.
Devaney proceed to move his right hand from behind his back and revealed a gun, which he cold bloodily pointed at the middle of Holly's, "like something out of the movies", before shooting 3 rounds.
The then casino model turned and ran for her life, "never been so scared".
Round 1 passed through her ribs and a 2nd shattered a glass window. The 3rd hit Holly's lower abdomen and exited close to her right hip.
She was certain death was coming with medical records documenting she was extremely lucky to have not passed away.
Evidence emerged that a casino cleaner who witnessed the shooting advised Devaney turned towards him after opening fire "seeming confident and not afraid as he placed the pistol into his backpack and walked to the fire exit door."
On his way out of the casino he has the nerve to ask a staff member for directions, this time appearing "breathless". Soon after police cornered him in a nearby street where he was sweating profusely and had put on a fake moustache and beard attempting to hide this true identity. Needless to say it didn't work.
In the crims clothing were 3 guns, a latex face mask, a police badge and a set of rosary beads.
A police search of his backpack revealed yet another another police badge, multiple rounds of ammunition, gloves, a balaclava, a black wig and two Star City swipe cards - one to access the gym.
He had gone to some effort to plan and get away with the murder, however his devious vision had been foiled. He was known to be a dangerous and edgy individual and some people were not surprised the evil one has attempted such a crime.
Devaney pleaded guilty to shooting Holly with intent to murder her and 3 counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm.
Outside the court, with a brave smile, Holly said she was lucky to have made a full recovery and that seeing Devaney again had been "nerve-wracking".
"I'm very, very happy he has pleaded guilty. I wanted to hear the words. It means he accepted what he did. I just hope he's put away for a long time."
Happy Holly said she had to summon all of her courage to see him and was helped by her parents and a male friend.
Those close to the former model advise she is moving forward with her life in leaps and bounds.
Media Man has confirmed that security at Star City has been beefed up considerably at the premises since the shooting.
Devaney will be sentenced in red October.
Greg Tingle of Media Man Int. is a Special Contributor to the Gambling911.com Website
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Tuesday, August 10, 2010
www.mediaman.com.au is a Hitwise Top 10 Award Winner!
9th August 2010
Dear Greg,
Congratulations! Experian Hitwise is pleased to announce that www.mediaman.com.au is an Experian Hitwise Top 10 Award winner for January - June 2010.
During this period, www.mediaman.com.au ranked No. 8 based on market share of visits among all Australian websites in the Hitwise Entertainment - Personalities industry.
The Hitwise Top 10 Award recognises websites from over 165 industries that are leaders in their industry and brings with it the benefit of using the Hitwise Top 10 Award shield (pictured right).
If you would like to display the award shield on your website please click on the image (or this link) and follow the instructions. To ensure that the purpose of the award is clear, display of the shield is permitted on the condition that a hyperlink to its explanation is included.
If you are not the appropriate person to receive this email, please click here to enter the details of the relevant recipient in your company.
Again, congratulations on your award.
Best regards,
Robyn Anderson
Marketing Communications Manager, ANZ
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Monday, August 09, 2010
Media Man World Blog: SEO News via Media Man: Ways to Improve your Site’s Ranking (SEO); New strategies for Search Engine Optimization
Media Man World Blog
SEO News via Media Man: Ways to Improve your Site’s Ranking (SEO)
Ways to Improve your Site’s Ranking (SEO)
New strategies for Search Engine Optimization
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential digital marketing practice that plays a vital role in making your website visible to both visitors and search engine crawlers. The primary objective of SEO is to optimize relevant and authoritative content to assist visitors in finding solutions to their queries efficiently.
The ultimate aim of SEO is to create high-quality and informative content that increases the volume of traffic that your website receives daily. Optimizing your website involves creating and expanding your content to ensure that search engines will choose your site over its competitors.
The focus of SEO is to perfect the quality and quantity of your webpage to make sure that your website has an edge over others. Therefore, SEO plays an essential role in driving traffic to your website, which is crucial for the visibility and success of your online Business.
1. Publish Relevant, Authoritative Content
This article provides valuable suggestions on how to improve search engine optimization (SEO) and enhance website ranking on search engine results. Creating quality content that caters to the user’s needs is the driving factor of SEO marketing, and the article emphasizes that there is no substitute for great content.
The article further provides guidance on identifying appropriate keyword phrases for each authoritative content page and making use of them strategically throughout the content. Creating distinct web pages for each distinct targeted keyword phrase is advisable to enhance ranking.
The article suggests using keywords in headings, subheadings, URLs, and titles, and stressing the importance of readability and user-friendliness of the content. Using emphasis tags and strategically linking to relevant sources is also encouraged. By following these valuable suggestions, users can create SEO-friendly content that benefits the readers while improving their website’s overall ranking.
2. Update Your Content Regularly
Maintaining updated content is crucial to improve your website’s relevancy, and it is a crucial factor that search engines prioritize as well. We highly recommend scheduling regular content audits, for instance, on a semesterly basis, to update your webpages and blog posts accordingly.
Writing additional content frequently on your departmental news blog can enhance your search engine rankings by incorporating relevant keyword phrases. Brief blog posts can also be helpful if they offer specific updates related to your targeted topics.
Moreover, interlinking your related CMS webpages and blog posts can provide readers with a better understanding of your website’s content and additional information on the subject. Thus, keep your website updated and relevant to improve your visitor’s user experience and attract more traffic to your site.
3. Metadata
Website designers use metadata to provide information about a website’s content. When creating a webpage, a space between the “head” tags is reserved for metadata.
If you use a CMS website produced by the UMC web team, they have already filled in the metadata. However, as your content changes, it is important to review and update the metadata.
Title Metadata
Title metadata is the most important because it determines the page title that appears at the top of a browser window and in search engine results. For those with a CMS website, the web team has automated this process based on your page title. Therefore, it is essential to use well-thought-out page titles that include keyword phrases.
Description Matadata
Description metadata is a brief and interesting summary of what your website contains. It’s like a store’s attractive display that encourages people to visit. Usually, it should be two sentences long. Search engines may or may not use this summary, but it’s good to have it in case they do.
Kayword Metadata
Keyword metadata is not very helpful in improving your search engine ranking. However, it’s useful to include some of your important keywords in the metadata. You should select a few phrases with one to four words each and add three to seven of them. For example, “computer science degree” is a good keyword phrase to use.
4. Have a Link-worthy Site
Making your website popular involves efforts in developing valuable content and enhancing its search results. To achieve this, you must focus on creating informative and unbiased content that caters to the readers’ interests and queries.
Furthermore, your website might earn a backlink from other websites if it provides good value to the readers. This can improve its search engine ranking immensely, which can bring in more visitors. It is also crucial to incorporate descriptive hyperlinks in the text as opposed to generic “click here” links.
This helps in giving proper context to people who use screen readers and makes it easier for search engines to crawl your website. You can lift your website SEO performance by using appropriate keywords in your content and developing internal links. These techniques can help you build a better online presence and increase your website’s popularity.
5. Use ALT Tags
Want search engines to find your website and to make it more accessible for people who use text-only browsers or screen readers? Simply put, use alt tags to describe your media content, like images and videos, with alternative text descriptions.
These descriptions act as labels for search engines and help them identify your page better. They also provide context for those who cannot view the media directly. By making your website more accessible and searchable, you can improve its overall user experience.
News
New strategies for Search Engine Optimization
New areas of digital marketing are as changeable and require so much adaption and new-thinking as the world of SEO. Search Engine Optimization has come a long way from its beginnings in the 1990s, and the technologies deciding what is “good SEO” or not changes from year to year.
That’s why tech companies such as IncRev are launching new strategies aimed at long-term goals in both data-driven and relations-based SEO all over the world, by implementing tactics from both traditional PR and modern SEO and link-building.
Below, we will discuss the nature of SEO, how SEO is changing, and why choosing an agency such as IncRev will be the key to your SEO success.
Best SEO practices 2023:
Find your customers with data-driven market analysis
Find authoritative marketing partners using data-driven PR
Reach your customers with high quality outreach and credible link-building
What is SEO?
In order to discuss the ways in which SEO works, it’s important to understand the basic principles on which the concept is built. SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization, and is an umbrella term for processes in which users optimize their websites in order to rank higher on search engines such as Google whenever customers search for keywords relevant to their website.
By optimizing the various aspects of a website, SEO aims to improve its ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs), thereby increasing the quantity and quality of traffic. In layman’s terms, it helps more people to find your website by increasing its digital visibility.
Why is SEO important?
There’s an old SEO joke that goes like this: A man asks a detective “Where’s the best place to hide a body?” The detective answers “Why, on the second page of Google, of course!”. In other words, ranking on the first page of Google is the key to getting traffic and therefore sales or viewings on your webpage, as few people bother to look past the first results page.
In fact, the first spot on Google is ten times more likely to get a click than results number ten, and the top three results receive over half of all clicks. That’s why the goal of every SEO strategist is to get a website into the top ten search results on Google, and preferably in the top three.
That’s why SEO marketing lives on, despite some people saying that SEO is dead. The answer is: it’s more alive than ever. It just doesn’t fit into the mold of the quick-results culture of the modern world, but it is still effective.
The evolution of SEO
SEO as a term first came into use in 1997, despite the first website being published in 1991. The coin was termed John Audette of Multimedia Marketing Group early that year, and so the hunt for the top of the search engine results pages began.
In the beginning, there were several competing names for the concept, including search engine ranking, website promotion, etc. The strongest competitor was the term “search engine marketing”, which was originally pitched as a successor to SEO. But ultimately, search engine optimization proved to be the most steadfast and all-encompassing term, while SEM is used to describe concepts like paid search marketing and advertising.
Google’s rise to power
In the 2000s, Google grew to become the search engine giant we know it as today. Soon enough, the organization was able to survive on its own. At that time, they also launched effective web crawlers and PageRank algorithms, which changed the SEO game.
Google began measuring both on-page and off-page content to decide SERP listings, forcing SEO to expand their work sphere and link-building took off as a popular tactic. Around the same time, Google also introduced PageRank scores, a website score between 1-10, which was an early version of today’s Domain Authority.
These measures were broken down further with the introduction of Google Analytics and the Google Webmaster Tools (Search Console) in 2006. Later major updates, such as Panda and Penguin in 2011 and 2012 respectively, were put in place to sort out poor quality SEO work and reward those with quality websites.
To this day, Google continues to release core and minor updates that impact the way that SEO can work. The platform has grown to be such a reputable platform that in 2022 it was estimated that Google accounted for more than 85 percent of the search engine usage, which is why it’s the platform that most SEO strategies focus on today.
The big three: Local, social, mobile
There have been three major changes in the way that people search the web, that has not been a result of search engine updates. The first of these came in the mid-2000s, when there was an adaptation toward geographical searches, which birthed local SEO. This meant that people were now searching for businesses near them, such as restaurants or car washes, thus increasing the need for separate local search engine strategies. This development also resulted in the advancement of end-user data, including search history and personalized interests.
Fast-forward another decade into the 2010s, and a whole new set of searching and web-using emerged. Rather than just using the universal search-functions, users were now turning to medias such as YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social medias for news and knowledge. Most importantly for SEO, these networks became revolutionary in building brand awareness. As such, the old term of search engine marketing (SEM) became ever more important on these platforms.
As users started to bring their lives and entertainment from the big screens, such as laptops or TVs, they also began to use search engines straight from their mobile phones. This third change in user patterns led to mobile searching overtaking desktop searches in 2015, and added mobile adaptability to the list of SEO tools.
The 2020s, AI, and the future of SEO
We’ve finally arrived at our current time. The 2020s have brought with it a continued increase in digital usage and SEO is perhaps more important than ever. One of the biggest challenges the world of SEO stands before today is generative AI. Chat GPT, the free global access to generative AI as a search function, was released in the winter of 2022/2023, and has garnered instant attraction from both customers and competitors, including Google. It is still unclear what impact generative AI will have on SEO practices such as keywords analysis, although it is already affecting the quality of content on the web.
New strategies for new challenges
As new SEO directives arrive from Google’s updates, they also require new strategies. However, some companies – such as IncRev – have decided to create new strategies with a focus on longevity. Among IncRev’s new strategies are both traditional link-building and outreach including, in combination with inspiration from the traditional PR marketing sphere.
The other two strategies that they’ve developed are strongly data-driven market research and PR. The market research is a process in which the company can help customers who want to scale globally to find the best geographical place for them to start their SEO journey, based on SEO factors such as demand and competition.
The market-driven PR can build on that market research or stand alone, as a new way of reaching new marketing partners in international business circles. From these new partners, it is then possible to continue with link-building as well as traditional PR strategies. This is a unique way of piercing niche markets across the globe to attract potential customers.
How does SEO work?
Now that we’ve seen the evolution of SEO it’s time to get to the real question: what is SEO marketing actually, and how does it actually work? In order to understand how SEO works, it’s important to understand these two things: what Google wants and what the customers want. Only by doing so will you understand how you should optimize your web page.
What Google wants
One of the reasons why Google rose to such immense heights early on was due to the founders’ initiative to implement RankPage, or clear guidelines for how to rank content on their platform. Initially, the program worked by ranking content dependent on the linkstructure of the website, that built the foundation for the modern linkbuilding strategies. Simply put, links to the webpage acted as votes of confidence for the webpage.
Today, this concept has developed into the E-E-A-T formula, where Google ranks content based on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These measures are interpreted by what the site’s linkbuilding looks like, such as what EEAT websites include links back to their landing page. They then ensure that the webpage produces reliable and accurate information, and are most likely to answer their customers’ questions.
Ultimately, the reason why Google wants to prioritize high quality content is because happy Google customers are more likely to return to Google for more information, and therefore generating income for the search engine.
So, how does Google find and rank the webpages? They do this through three stages: crawling, indexing, and serving results.
Crawling means that Google sends “bots” or computer programs to scan through large chunks of the internet to find new or updated pages. They can only find it by going through a link.
Googles then sorts through and organizes the content and puts it in the huge Google Index – a database for webpages.
Lastly, Google serves the results by how relevant they are to the customer queries.
What the customer wants
Broadly speaking, there are three types of searches that customers make, and they can be described as Do-Know-Go. Whenever we search the internet, we either want to do something (such as make a purchase or visit a tourist attraction), know something, or go somewhere. These three types of searches can be further broken down, but these are the basic concepts.
These three prompts can help you optimize your content so that you are answering the demand of the people. By realizing what your customer wants, you can provide SEO-optimized content which is relevant and fresh, which Google will reward you for.
SEO components, or how to do SEO
So how does a webpage get to that top of the search engine results page? While there is no quick fix, SEO provides a long-term strategy which aims at doing just that. SEO incorporates several different tactics in this long-term strategy, in which there are three main components:
Technical SEO
On-page SEO
Off-page SEO
Technical SEO refers to optimization on your webpage. This can for example mean implementing site maps so that Google can crawl the page more easily, increasing the website speed, or making the site mobile adaptable.
On-page SEO refers to edits to the content that is already on the webpage, rather than the technicalities behind it. This can for example include keyword optimizing headings, producing SEO-optimized blog posts, URL and picture optimization, and adding meta titles and descriptions.
Off-page SEO, on the other hand, is part of the link-building strategy. The focus here lies on building credibility and brand awareness by for example writing guests posts and linking to your webpage on other, reputable sources. The key here is to create backlinks, which give authority and endorsement to your website, and thus giving Google a sign that you are a credible source too.
To get good results, it’s important to implement all of the tactics above in a combined effort to get Google’s attention. However, these general descriptions are only scraping the top of the iceberg of SEO. Beneath these lay a whole science of various methods and strategies to rank at the top of the results page.
Link-building
The on-page and off-stage SEO practices can also be called SEO link-building. That’s because they both refer to building a link-system which Google will reward, whether it’s by driving links to your website from other credible sources or creating a seamless link-flow internally on your webpage.
Links to and on your website act as votes of trust, credibility and authority, which is why they are a crucial part of your SEO strategy. However, the links need to be carefully and thoughtfully crafted so that they maintain the right level of relevance and credibility, which can be done through producing high quality SEO content.
SEO content
For both on-page and off-page work, SEO content plays a huge role. As mentioned earlier, Google ranks webpages depending on both their link-building and how credible, authoritative, and expert their content is. However, these two factors are not as separate as one might think: with high quality content, it is also easier to build a good SEO link-building network.
Often when we discuss SEO content, we tend to think of texts of lesser quality that are packed with poor quality links. However, due to Google’s updates, such as Penguin, poor content is continually being phased out. That means individuals and agencies are having to spend more time recruiting better writers and spending more time on content.
As we discussed earlier, SEO content needs to be adapted to both the demands from the customer (a.k.a. the searching person) and Google. That means texts need to be relevant, authoritative, credible, and high quality. These texts also need to be SEO optimized using meta-data, such as titles and descriptions, and keywords in the headings in order for Google’s crawlers to pick up better on the relevancy factor.
That being said, the research and preparation for both good and bad content remains the same – all SEO content needs proper keyword research.
Keyword research
Finding the right keywords will not only make you more competitive as an SEO user, but will also help you understand your audience better. That’s because keywords are clues to who your audience is. For example, the keywords “how to ski” and “ski maintenance” could technically be placed in the same text contextually, but they imply that we’re dealing with skiers of different skill levels.
The keywords are both guides for the link-building process and the content. When building links, it’s important that both the link, the placement, and the publishing website are relevant in the context in order for Google’s crawlers to give it a credible ranking.
There are several tools on the market for finding the best keywords, and there are also a ton of metrics for understanding how good a keyword is and what the chances are of breaking into the competition for that specific keyword. Common metrics include keyword difficulty, traffic potential, cost-per-click, etcetera.
Brand awareness
Ultimately, what these various tactics aim to do is to bring brand awareness to your website. People are twice as likely to purchase from a brand they recognize. An American study found that 75 percent of shoppers tend to go for known retailers, and nearly 70 percent do the same when deciding what search result to click on.
Doing SEO: alone or SEO agency?
As you can tell, there is a lot of information and knowledge that goes into producing and completing good SEO strategies. If you are considering adapting some SEO strategies, you may be wondering whether you should do it all on your own or hire an agency.
Without sugarcoating it, doing SEO alone is a lot of hard work. First and foremost, you got to have basic understandings of both SEO tools, Google Analytics, and good writing skills. Then you need good networking skills and a sense of price bargaining to get your links out to credible sources. On top of this, you need to stay up to date with all the latest developments within Google updates, market changes, and new technologies such as generative AI which can impact your SEO strategies. All of this can be both time consuming and costly.
If it feels overwhelming, there are a ton of SEO agencies on the market that are ready to help. Some of them focus solely on SEO content production, whereas others focus solely on technical SEO or solely on SEO link-building.
Some agencies, such as IncRev, offer entire packages, where staying SEO updated, building and optimizing webpages, link-building, content production, and publishing is included. Together with the new data-driven strategies and tactics, IncRev offers services that are great for both those who are somewhat new as to those who are already familiar and wanting to grow beyond.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about SEO
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is a digital marketing form that focuses on creating digital visibility on search engines such as Google by improving websites’ rankings in the search results.
What is the difference between SEO and SEM?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and works with creating organic ranking improvements on platforms like Google. SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing and focuses on paid promotions and marketing on platforms like Google.
How long does SEO take?
Good SEO typically takes between 4 months to a year to see good results. However, it’s crucial to understand that SEO is a long-term strategy, that is never really finished. If you are lucky enough to rank at 1 on Google, the job doesn’t stop there: then you want to maintain that spot by continuing your SEO work.
Why do you need SEO?
SEO helps to build brand awareness, which is key in gaining credibility amongst both Google and potential customers. That’s why SEO is worth it, even if it is a long game.
Media Man
The Media Man Group is primarily and online news, media and sports management firm and website portal developer. By default Media Man developed many effective SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) techniqes and strategies since their launch in 2001. SEO helped elevate Media Man websites into Hitwise "Top 10" status (entertainment - personalities) category. Media Man also offers a range of media and convergent media services including article copy, PR (public relations), text link based campaigns, product placement and endorsement, buzz marketing (via websites and social media) and brand building. The company is best known for insightful media analysis, specalising in pop culture/entertainment, streaming and subscriber television including PPV (Pay-Per-View), pro wrestling aka sports entertainment coverage, MMA (mixed martial arts), and commentary and coverage on an array of trending topics, with strong focus on Twitter, Alphabet (Google, YouTube, Blogger etc) and new and emerging technology and news platforms and developments. Media Man is often referenced in both mainstream, niche and alternative news media stories. The company motto remains "Putting Your Name Out There".
Sunday, August 08, 2010
PKR Poker And PKR Casino Promotions Updated
New PKR.com players get up to $800 sign up bonus
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Saturday, August 07, 2010
Friday, August 06, 2010
PartyGaming News: Half year report for the six months ended 30 June 2010
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PartyBingo.com Gamebookers.com PartyGammon.com PartyBets.com
Total revenue up 30% to €181.2m (2009: €139.9m) driven by acquisitions and strong growth in casino and sports betting
Continuing Clean EBITDA* up 14% to €48.1m (2009: €42.3m)
Continuing Basic Clean EPS* of 6.0 € cents (2009: 6.7 € cents); Total Basic Clean EPS of 6.0 € cents (2009: 6.6 € cents)
Transformational Proposed Merger with bwin expected to complete in first quarter 2011
Solid progress in newly regulated markets (France and Italy); Denmark is on-track to open early in 2011
Net cashflow from Continuing operations up 65% to €55.3m (2009: €33.5m) with net cash at 30 June 2010 of €146.8m (2009: €166.7m)
* EBITDA/EPS before the provision for costs associated with the Group’s Non-Prosecution Agreement, reorganisation costs, and before non-cash charges relating to share-based payments (see reconciliation of Clean EBITDA to operating profit (loss) below).
# Operations located physically outside of the US but which relate to US customers that were no longer accepted following the enactment of the UIGEA.
Commenting on today’s results announcement, Jim Ryan, PartyGaming Chief Executive Officer, said:
“We delivered another robust financial performance in the first half and also made great progress in executing our strategy. While poker was impacted by the football World Cup and remained difficult from a competitive perspective, our other verticals continued to perform strongly. Total revenue was up 30% and Clean EBITDA from Continuing Operations was up 14% versus the prior year. As previously announced, Clean EBITDA margins in the first half were slightly lower than expected due to the delayed launch of cash game poker in Italy but we retain our previous full year guidance of approximately 28%, subject to the returns achieved on planned marketing spend in both France and Italy where we are continuing to expand the share of our respective poker networks.
‘‘Our proposed merger with bwin is a transformational opportunity for the Group and we expect that it will provide significant strategic, operational and financial benefits for the shareholders of both companies. Whilst there is much work to do ahead of completion in early 2011, we are excited about the prospects for what will then be the clear market leader in online gaming with strong positions in all key product verticals and territories.”
On current trading and outlook Jim Ryan added:
“Since 30 June 2010, the Group has continued to perform in-line with the Board’s expectations. Seizing a strong position in newly regulated markets is a key focus for us. Our strategy of combining a strong B2C franchise with significant local brands is already proving to be a powerful force as evidenced by our network’s position in French poker. As other markets follow Italy and France, we expect that a limited number of large networks and brands will emerge to become market leaders – we are determined that together PartyGaming/bwin will be one of them. This natural consolidation of the marketplace will accelerate through corporate mergers and acquisitions and as one of the largest players in the sector we remain committed to continue playing an active role. Whilst the macroeconomic and competitive environments remain challenging, we remain confident about the Group’s prospects for the rest of the year and beyond.”
Contacts:
PartyGaming Plc +44 (0) 207 337 0100
Peter Reynolds, Director of Corporate Affairs
John Shepherd, Director of Corporate Communications
Interview with Jim Ryan and Martin Weigold
An interview with Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer, and Martin Weigold, Group Finance Director, in video/audio and text will be available from 7.00am BST on 6 August 2010 on: http://www.partygaming.com and on http://www.cantos.com.
Analyst meeting, webcast, dial-in and conference call details: 6 August 2010
There will be an analyst meeting for invited UK-based analysts at Numis Securities, The London Stock Exchange Building, 10 Paternoster Square, London, EC4M 7LT starting at 9.30am BST. There will be a simultaneous webcast and dial-in broadcast of the meeting. To register for the live webcast, please pre-register for access by visiting the Group website (www.partygaming.com). Details for the dial-in facility are given below. A copy of the webcast and slide presentation given at the meeting will be available on the Group’s website later today.
Dial-in details to listen to the analyst presentation: 6 August 2010
9.20 am Please call +44 (0) 20 3003 2666
Title PartyGaming Interim Results
9.30 am Meeting starts
A recording of the meeting will be available for a period of seven days from 6 August 2010. To access the recording please dial the following replay telephone number:
Replay telephone number +44 (0) 208 196 1988
Replay passcode: 9050397#
About PartyGaming Plc
The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY. In the year ended 31 December 2009, PartyGaming’s Continuing operations generated revenue of €310.1m and Clean EBITDA of €93.8m.
PartyGaming is regulated and licensed by the Governments of Gibraltar, Italy and France and by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. The Group is also certified as a responsible gaming operator by GamCare, the leading UK authority on the provision of advice, practical help, support and counselling in addressing the social impact of gambling. PartyGaming’s shares are also a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which enables investors to identify companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
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Thursday, August 05, 2010
Australian Gambling And Political News, by Greg Tingle - 5th August 2010
Casino Casino Expansion Raises Ire Of Anti Gaming Campaigners Once Again...
Aussie Anti-gambling campaigners have criticised a proposed expansion of Melbourne's Crown Casino. The casino wants to redevelop or replace 6 waterside restaurants and introduce new landscaping. The project would also make more room, paving the way for 150 new gambling tables approved by the Victorian Government last year. Anti-gambling campaigner, the Reverend Tim Costello told the media the extra tables are effectively expanding the casino by half. "No-one objects to extra restaurants. But the extra restaurants are only there not because they subsidise themselves. They are massively subsidised by this increase in gambling which is really driving this refurbishment," he advsised.
Regulator Endorses Poker Machine Licences...
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has endorsed licences for more than 650 poker machines across the Wimmera-Mallee. The State Government held an auction in May to allow pubs and clubs across Victoria to bid for 10 year pokie licences. Licences were approved for venues in Mildura, Merbein, Red Cliffs, Horsham, Swan Hill, Ouyen, Kerang, Stawell and St Arnaud. The biggest spender was the Horsham Sports and Community Club, with $6.8 million for 78 licences. Licences will not be finalised until locals council give their approval. The pokies auction was a major happening in the history of the Australian gambling industry.
Gambling Addict Won't Get Jail...
A South Australian gambling addict who nicked more than $170,000 from her boss has been given a suspended jail sentence by the Adelaide District Court. Susan Jayne Sykes, aged an even 50, stole the money over a 17 month period while working as an accounts clerk for the Midway Tavern at Elizabeth Downs. Judge Julie McIntyre said the woman had not been a gambler until she began playing poker machines in 2005. The jail sentence was suspended in favour of a 2-year bond and Sykes was ordered to do 120 hours of community service. Sykes is paying back the money at $60 per week. She is understood to be very pleased with the outcome.
Bally Technology (BYI) Returns To Australia...
Bally Technologies announced this week that they are a few months ahead of scheduled plans, originally announced in January, to re-enter the Australian gaming market by 2011. Bally Technologies Chief Operating Officer Gavin Isaacs said they would use the Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) at the Sydney Convention and Expo Centre on August 8 through August 10 to bring “years of innovation back to the Australian market.”
The Expo will be used to showcase Bally’s award winning portfolio of slot machines, player-tracking and marketing systems. Since the original announcement Bally has established a sales and service office in Sydney and staffed it with gaming industry experts that can oversee daily operations and help lead their re-entrance into the countries casino market. Bally Australia will be led by Michael McNee as Managing Director and Ron Jeffrey as Sales Manager. “This experienced team’s understanding of the gaming market in Australia and New Zealand ensures that we will hit the ground running as we introduce our award-winning portfolio of industry-leading games and systems technology to Australia.” commented Isaacs.
Aristocrat Commands Strong Presence at Australasian Gaming Expo...
Australia's leading gaming machine provider, Aristocrat, will display new games tailored for the Australian market and the latest innovations in gaming from around its global operations at this year's Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE), to be held in Sydney from August 8 to 10, 2010. Trevor Croker, Aristocrat's Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, said, "For more than 50 years, Aristocrat has been leading the gaming industry in Australia with innovative games that players love and powerful management systems that help increase the bottom line for our customers. "We plan to enhance our position by becoming more responsive to customer feedback, making market-specific games and introducing more customer-focused sales model -- all of which will be on display at the AGE," he added. Aristocrat will debut new titles for the Australian hotel market at AGE, including Rose Tattoo™ and Player's Choice™ Class Act. The new Rose Tattoo™ game is themed around the iconic Australian cult rock band, Rose Tattoo™, featuring rock legend Angry Anderson. Mr. Croker said, "We are confident that our Rose Tattoo™ game will be a hit in pubs across Australia. The striking red and black colour scheme will make a real statement on the gaming floor while patrons will enjoy the experience of playing along with some Rose Tattoo™ classics." The number one performing multigame product in New South Wales, Player's Choice™ by Demand(1), will be joined at AGE by the new Player's Choice™ Class Act, which contains the popular games 5 Dragons™, Lucky 88™, Dollar Bear™ and Top Banana™.
Also being introduced at AGE is Beat the Bandits™, an innovative new hyperlink with a central wild western theme supported by two exciting base games. Each jackpot feature involves player interaction, giving players a chance to win one of the four jackpot levels. Operators can also expect to see Fa Fa Fa™, a leading one cent link product in NSW, and Hit The Heights™ series (four games), both of which are proving very popular in overseas markets. Aristocrat will also provide operators with a glimpse of the exciting future innovations, with the VERVE hd™ cabinet. Developed in the United States, the VERVE hd™ features better ergonomics for player comfort, a wider screen and improved sound, providing greater levels of player entertainment. Mr. Croker concluded, "AGE is one of the key opportunities we have to showcase our product and we looking forward to meeting hoteliers and discussing how we can grow their business through innovative product and services." The Aristocrat display will be at stand 320. Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) is a leading global provider of gaming solutions. The Company is licensed by more than 200 regulators and its products and services are available in over 90 countries around the world. Aristocrat offers a diverse range of products and services including electronic gaming machines, interactive video terminal systems and casino management systems.
Aussie Scratchies Scam Warning Issued...
Punters who think they have scratched their way to a a lottery prize could be duped by overseas scammers. The police Major Fraud Section has received "a number of reports from members of the public" about the scam. The scratch tickets are mailed with a glossy travel brochure. One ticket reveals the punter as winning a "substantial monetary prize" and they must contact the promoter via international phone. "The victims are then advised of the need to cover legal fees and are required to make a payment via a money transfer agent to enable the prize to be released," police said. However, after the initial funds are sent there are further demands for cash payments, then personal information including bank details for prize payment.
"Once these requests are complied with the victims are unable to re-establish contact with the company. No prize winnings have been paid."Police said the tickets and brochure link back to a website which is "professional in appearance and provides significant credibility to the company". However, they warn punters to be "wary" of any lotteries which require "winners" to send funds or provide bank account details.
Australia has a long history of gambling scams and crime. Read the Gambling911 classic...
'Australia Lotto Goose Doesn’t Lay Golden Gambling Egg'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/australia-lotto-goose-doesn%E2%80%99t-lay-golden-gambling-egg-040210.html
and
'Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-client-ferrari-stolen-virgin-valet-051410.html
Tabcorp increases investment at Star City...
Tabcorp Holdings Limited today announced plans to invest an additional $285 million on the redevelopment of Star City, including a 3,000-seat multi-purpose entertainment venue and new VIP customer facilities.
Australian Politics: 'No Bull' Turnbull To Host Anti-Filter Forum...
Former Opposition leader and Federal member of Wentworth, Malcolm Turnbull, is hosting an Internet filtering forum in Sydney this Saturday. The panel members will include former Telstra BigPond group manager, Justin Milne, Getup! national director, Simon Sheikh, and Mr Turnbull himself! Internet projects of Mr Turnbull helped make him a millionaire including the famed OzEmail. "The proposed filter is a hot issue in Wentworth, with many voters expressing concerns over the Government’s plans," the Facebook events page said. "… Informed discussion among forum participants will ensure community views on the filter are heard. The internet forum will consider adopting community resolutions to capture the views. The event will be held on August 7 at Paddington RSL Club. Go the diggers! "If adopted, these resolutions will be presented to Senator Steven Conroy and Prime Minister Gillard as a reminder of the community’s determination to fight the proposal," the events page outlaid. Mr Turnbull is widely regarded as Australia's most internet savvy member of Parliament.
He was dumped by as Liberal Leader in December 2009, with his views on climate change seen to be a key factor. Mr Turnbull was replaced by Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott, however Media Man street surveys indicated many Australian's think the "No Bull" man will be a future Australian Prime Minister if he wants to be. He remains one of Australia's most respected and financially wealthy politicians and is seen as quite the 'Peoples Champion'.
Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian casino and political wars.
Gambling911 Politics
http://www.gambling911.com/politics.html
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Wrap Up...
Some online poker and online casino brands are understand to have made secret Australian internet blacklist. The Gillard Government is staying on messages that its mainly about protecting children, however the vast majority of media companies and the population at large now firmly believes its more about attempting to censor the news, filter out negative political commentary (as done in China) and banning things that don't fit their political agenda. The government is trying to get Australian ISP's to agree to enforcing its laws. Overall the current government trying to control the population and this is documented on various Australian newspaper reports. The reader could be forgiven for having flashbacks to movies such as 'They Live', '1984', 'Clockwork Orange' and 'The Net'. Malcolm "No Bull" Turnbull is the representative for Wentworth, a Liberal Party member, and many people believe is a future Australian Prime Minister. Liberal's Tony Abbott is the current leader of the Liberal party and Lib's are now favored to become the new government of Australia is a few short weeks, with political betting trends at Centrebet and elsewhere backing this up. Mr Turnbull enjoys a colourful history with Australia's original casino and gambling tycoon, Kerry Packer, and has spoken highly of James Packer friend and associate, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, who spearheads GenerationOne which is focused on creating sustainable employment opportunities for thousands of Indigenous Australians. Packer has already employed hundreds and Turnbull has been encouraged, some say even inspired, by the Forrest - Packer collaboration. Packer is a resident in Turnbull's political electorate which includes Bondi Beach. Turnbull, being a team player, fully supports Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott in his quest to become the new Aussie Prime Minister. The smart money says Liberal will win the election and that this weekends Anti-Filter forum will be a rip snorter.
The Late News...
Aussie casino players rejoice in the release of the new PartyGaming - PartyCasino 3D online slot game: Heist. As reported by Gambling911 earlier in the week, PartyGaming is to merge with bwin forming the world's undisputed biggest igaming company. Maybe Australia might get the Kerry Packer and Underbelly online slot games now hey. Party have also just released the Rocky online slot with Pink Panther on the way (good timing after the Crown Casino 'Shaft Man' incident).
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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