Monday, January 30, 2012

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment CEO Sees Legal Online Gaming In US Soon

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Legalized online gambling in the U.S. is now a case of 'when', not 'if', Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PLC (BPTY.LN) Co-CEO Jim Ryan said Wednesday, adding that he expects the foundations to be laid this year.

But speaking at the ICE online gambling conference in London, the co-chief executive advised that establishing it up will take time.

The process of passing legislation, drawing up regulation, vetting and licensing operators will likely last through 2012, he said, and he speculates that actual operations likely won't happen before next year.

Partygaming, which last year merged with Austrian peer Bwin to form Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, along with other European operators withdrew from the U.S. market in 2006 shortly after then-President George W. Bush signed a bill designed to prohibit U.S. banks and credit card companies from processing payments to gambling websites.

Partygaming paid a $105 million fine as part of a non-prosecution deal with the DOJ (Department Of Justice) in 2009, for admitting indirect contravention of US law, but in anticipation of a relaxation of the rules, Bwin.Party last year inked a joint venture with U.S. casino operators MGM and Boyd to operate online gaming if and when it became legal in the U.S.

Ryan's confidence comes after a recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Justice, which clarifies the scope of the Wire Act, a law that in the past has been used stop online gambling sites. The ruling essentially gives U.S. states the green light to allow gambling within their borders, according to online gambling experts.

Still, Ryan said this doesn't mean the company is in line to recoup any of the $105 million fine.

Bwin.Party and its joint venture partners have already applied for a preliminary suitability review in Nevada which will lay the groundwork for gaining a license there once regulation is agreed.

Ryan also told the press the sale process for its Ongame poker network is very advanced and he expects to be able to announce further news in the not too distant future.

He confirmed recent reports that the company is looking for an executive to head up its payments processing division CQR with a view to ultimately taking it public, but said this was several years away.

He said the company wants to expand its online payments operations outside of the gambling sector to build an online merchant market place, increasing the value of this asset and ultimately realising shareholder value by listing it on the stock market.

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Oliver Speidel Wins 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event Melbourne Native Earns $1,600,000 AUD

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The 2012 Aussie Millions Poker Championship Main Event was the talk of the land based casino and poker world.

With a field of 659 entrants from all around the world turning up at James Packer's Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia. But in the end the title stayed down under, with Melbourne’s own Oliver Speidel emerging victorious.

The 26-year-old banker was well rewarded for his win, taking home a cool $1,600,000 AUD, a diamond-encrusted gold ring, a Rolex watch, and and Aussie Millions trophy.

The $10,600 no-limit hold’em Main Event began on January 22nd, and went for seven days.

Speidel entered the final table second in chips with 3.415 million, likely feeling confidant in his game after making two final tables already at the 2012 Aussie Millions.

Speidel took the chiplead early on at the final table, and continued from there. By the time that play was four-handed, he controlled more than half of the chips in play. Speidel maintained his lead all the way into heads-up play with Kenneth Wong, of Hong Kong.

Wong started the heads-up battle off with a small comeback, but his ambitions of victory were soon history. The final hand was definitely a bit of a downer, with Wong getting the last of his chips in the middle with 9 hearts and 9 clubs, only to find himself in bad shape against Speidel’s A spades A clubs. The board brought was useless, and Wong was eliminated in second place. For outlasting all but one of the 659 entrants, Wong was awarded $1,000,000 AUD.

Here's the details from the seven-handed final table:

Place Player Earnings (AUD) POY Points
1 Oliver Speidel $1,600,000 2,100
2 Kenneth Wong $1,000,000 1,750
3 Mile Krstanoski $610,000 1,400
4 Mohamad Kowssarie $405,000 1,050
5 Patrick Healy $300,000 875
6 Bjorn Li $230,000 700
7 Yann Dion $170,000 525

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Aussie Millions At Crown Casino, Melbourne: Phil Ivey Wins 2012 Aussie Millions $250,000 Super High Roller




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James Packer’s Crown Casino continues to host the annual Aussie Millions Poker Championships. Here's the latest on one of the world's most prestigious poker tournaments.

The 2012 Aussie Millions $250,000 Super High Roller commenced on Saturday and went till the wee hours of the morning on Sunday.

Phil Ivey snatched the $2,000,000 first-place prize after defeating Patrik Antonius heads up.

The last live tourney Ivey showed for was back in November for the APPT Macau, but there was no win back then.

First, he placed 12th in the Main Event for $100,000, and then went on to get the largest score of his career by winning the Super High Roller.

The event attracted 16 players, and they all had to buy in with 6 figures - no misprint. The top three spots were set to be paid and a bubble of $800,000.

Among the stars taking part in the event were last year's champion Erik Seidel, last year's runner-up Sam Trickett, Tom Dwan, Jason Mercier, John Juanda and Sorel Mizzi. In addition, the event had a handful of businessmen including Richard Yong, Paul Phua and Winfred Yu.

The first player eliminated was Dwan, who went down at the hands of Gus Hansen. After the elimination of Nick Wong, Seidel busted during Level 5. He exited thanks to $100,000 Challenge winner Dan Smith after his pocket eights couldn't overcome Smith's jacks.

After Yu got out in sixth place and Mizzi in fifth, the largest bubble of the year was set to take place. The two players joining Ivey and Antonius were Daniel Negreanu and Gus Hansen. From that bunch, the only man not doing so well was Negreanu, who turned out to be the bubble boy.

On his final hand, Negreanu was all in from the big blind with the during the 5,000/50,000/5,000 level for around 750,000 after Antonius raised to 100,000 from the button. Antonius called holding two jacks and was able to hold up as the board ran out .

Hansen was the next to go down, collecting $800,000 for his finish after getting all in on the flop with the against Ivey's. Ivey built to full house and then the river completed the board.

When heads-up play began, Ivey held a slight lead with 2.2 million in chips to Antonius' 1.8 million. He won a big pot about 45 minutes into the match to extend his lead to 7:1 before the final hand came up.

Antonius was eliminated in second place. For his runner-up finish, Antonius snatched $1,200,000.

With his win, Ivey leaps over Negreanu into second place on the all-time money list. Even with his long absence from tournaments, Ivey performed awesomely at Aussie Millions. Many think Ivey is the greatest player in the world.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Entertainment News: Hollywood And AussieWood - WWE, IGT, Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Hemsworth, Underbelly, by Greg Tingle

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The Media Man agency has a bush tucker of interesting news to report today. We're got Hollywood, AussieWood, Australia's own Chris "Thor" Hemsworth, "Underbelly" from the mean streets of Sydney, Australia, and more. 3, 2, 1 and action...

WWE Sign Son of Legendary Country Singer Kris Kristofferson To Contract...

Country singer and actor Kris Kristofferson is currently celebrating his son Jody being signed by WWE. Jody Kristofferson had a tryout match at WWE last Summer and impressed Triple H.

The deal has apparently been in place for some time now, but the deal was kept quiet. Jody had been going by the nickname ‘Big County’ in All Pro Wrestling. APW is a California-based promotion and has helped trained many big stars in the industry including: Crash Holly, Great Khali and Sara Del Rey.

Jody has appeared on an episode of SmackDown in 2010. He wrestled against Big Show in a 3-on-1 handicap match on August 13. At the time, Matt Striker referenced him as the ‘Highway Man’. The Highwaymen were a group of country singers comprising Jody’s Dad Kris, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.

After impressing WWE officials against Brodus Clay this past Summer, Jody was signed to a developmental deal and is expected to start working with Florida Championship Wrestling very soon.

Triple H notably worked with Jody’s Dad in the 2004 movie Blade Trinity.

The WWE will be in Sydney on 31st August with its RAW World Tour.


WWE Superstar David Otunga -- Slams Competition in Triumphant Return to His Lawyer Life...

WWE superstar David Otunga took a break from his full time wrestling gig to return to his previous career -- attorney-at-law -- and much like his "Monday Night Raw" matches ... crushed the competition.

TMZ found out Otunga returned to court Thursday morning to represent a man who believes he was wrongfully terminated and denied unemployment benefits. Otunga tells us he was repping the man in his appeal to the NY State Department of Labor.

The proceedings took place before an administrative judge who heard witness testimony and arguments from both sides.

Otunga -- who graduated from Harvard Law School before wrestling -- told us he "smoked the witness during cross examination." The judge agreed ... Otunga's client won the appeal and will now get unemployment benefits.

Otunga says he enjoys keeping his legal skills sharp, and adds ... "If the outcome of the case is any indication of how I'll do in the Royal Rumble this weekend, then it looks like I'll be the winner."

By the way, Otunga didn't do it for the cash -- he took the case, pro bono. (Credit: TMZ)


New Terminator film to be R-rated...

Coming the week after Sylvester Stallone confirmed that The Expendables 2 was to be a PG-13 movie, at the wishes of Chuck Norris, there’s better news surrounding the planned Terminator 5.

The project is stuck in limbo at the moment, with planned director Justin Lin committed to two more Fast And The Furious movies. But Megan Ellison, who is funding the new Terminator movie, has answered one key question about the new film: Will it be stuck with a PG-13 rating? The answer? No, it won’t.

She wrote on Twitter, “We can't really tell you guys anything about Terminator BUT it will be an R rated film as God and James Cameron intended.”

More on Terminator 5 soon.


Sly and Arnie 'killing thousands of bats'...

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone are under fire from animal activists after they woke up one of Europe's biggest colonies of hibernating bats to film their latest movie.

They say the bats may starve in their thousands because the lights and cameras disturbed their winter sleep, leaving them disorientated and confused.

Stallone, Schwarzenegger and their crew entered the Devetashka cave in Bulgaria to film The Expendables 2, due to be screened this summer.


Sylvester Stallone Responds to The Expendables 2 PG-13 Rumor...

A few days back we got wind that that The Expendables 2, the follow-up to Sylvester Stallone's 2010 action flick that starred about half of Hollywood's action stars, would be rated PG-13. The story was instantly thought as a a rumor after Chuck Norris told a Polish news site that he only agreed to appear in the sequel if the "vulgar dialogue" was dropped so the movie could avoid a R-rating that would exclude "many young people" from watching.

Was Norris misquoted? Or was the translation off? Many thought the story couldn't be true, because the first Expendables movie didn't end up earning $274 million worldwide by playing nice. While it may be disappointing for some, Stallone wrote to AICN and revealed that, yes, Norris was telling the truth after all. He also warns that before fans "pass judgement", Expendables 2 is still going to "deliver."

Harry, the film is fantastic with (Jean-Claude) Van Damme turning in an inspired performance... Our final battle is one for the ages. The PG13 rumor is true, but before your readers pass judgement, trust me when I say this film is LARGE in every way and delivers on every level. This movie touches on many emotions which we want to share with the broadest audience possible, BUT, fear not, this Barbeque of Grand scale Ass Bashing will not leave anyone hungry...Sly

The Expendables 2 brings back the Expendables crew — Barney Ross (Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture), Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) and newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) — for a new mission where they will lose one of their own and seek revenge. Whether the movie will be the "barbeque" that Stallone promises remains to be seen, as the teaser trailer released in December spent its running time going through the movie's massive cast rather than revealing much footage from the sequel. We keenly await another trailer to help judge.

Directed by Simon West (Con Air), The Expendables 2 co-stars Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.


Underbelly 2012...

From the streets of 1920’s Darlinghurst to the back alleys of Melbourne in the 90’s, the Underbelly franchise has kept us engrossed by the extraordinary criminal stories in Australia. In 2012 Underbelly is back, along with one of its biggest characters ever...


Hemsworth in a constant honeymoon...

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky have been on a 'constant honeymoon' since they got married.

The couple - who are expecting their first child together - tied the knot in December 2010 after almost a year of dating and the actress says they have loved every minute of married life so far.

She said: 'Marriage has been wonderful. A constant honeymoon. I feel very lucky to have found the person who completes me.'

Though she doesn't know the gender of her unborn tot, Elsa is expecting their baby to be 'stubborn' because it is a characteristic shared by herself and her spouse.

She explained: 'Because it's our first child, we would be happy with either a boy or a girl. The only thing we care about is that it is healthy. But it's bound to be stubborn because we both have such strong personalities.'

Elsa - who is Spanish - also admitted she has no idea where she and Australian-born Chris will welcome their child into the world because her spouse is so busy.

Asked where the baby will be born, she told Britain's HELLO! magazine: 'We don't know yet. It depends where we are. We move about all the time. Chris has got a lot of projects on the go and at least four movies coming out this year, so it depends on that. Wherever he is, that's where I'll be.'


IGT Supports California Tribes Through Western Indian Gaming Conference Sponsorship...

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 27, 2012 - International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) announced today that the Company will sponsor the 2012 Western Indian Gaming Conference hosted by the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA). The conference runs from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, Calif.

"IGT is proud of our history of support for the California Nations Indian Gaming Association," said Knute Knudson, IGT's vice president of global business development. "We deeply value our relationship with CNIGA and our long-term commitment to CNIGA's member tribes as well as our continued support for the 2012 Western Indian Gaming Conference."

IGT has been a strong proponent of CNIGA for more than 10 years with contributions to their association to maintain Tribal Sovereignty and promote Indian Gaming. Most recently, IGT entered into an agreement with CNIGA called the IGT/CNIGA Wide Area Progressive (WAP). This mutually beneficial initiative included financial support for CNIGA while increasing MegaJackpots® WAP games on the floors of their members' properties.

"Revenues raised from the WIGC go directly to fund CNIGA's work to preserve and protect tribal government gaming rights," said Chairman Daniel J. Tucker, "Through this sponsorship, IGT continues their long standing support of the association. We are thankful to IGT for their ongoing dedication to the tribal government gaming industry."

About CNIGA
The California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), founded in 1988, is a non-profit organization comprised of federally-recognized tribal governments. CNIGA is dedicated to the purpose of protecting the sovereign right of Indian tribes to have gaming on federally-recognized Indian lands. It acts as a planning and coordinating agency for legislative, policy, legal and communications efforts on behalf of its members and serves as an industry forum for information and resources. Visit www.CNIGA.com for more information.

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.

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World's Biggest Gamblers; History Of Bets At Casinos - Kerry Packer, David Walsh Et Al




Lloyd Williams plays blackjack with the late Kerry Packer at Melbourne's Crown Casino

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Want to try your luck at a casino? ... Land based or online - there's all sorts of options out that, but first here's some real life stories regarding whales aka VIP high rollers at casinos, the racetrack and elsewhere.

PS: how about those Aussies - they will bet on anything won't they. World's biggest gamblers we heard.

Zeljko Ranogajec – Bookies beware! Allegedly, the world’s biggest gambler is an Australian billionaire of Croatian descent. After studying law in Tasmania, Ranogajec got a job in a casino where he learnt the tricks of the trade. Starting with an initial stake of hundreds, he went on to win millions on casino betting before turning his attention to horses. He now employs a full staff to compare odds and find him the best bets, putting around $1 billion a year on races around the world.

Kerry Packer – Staying Down Under, the late Kerry Packer was the media-mogul who was a thorn in Rupert Murdoch’s side – and a prolific gambler. This was the man who would happily walk into casinos and wager millions, supposedly losing $28 million in three weeks of gambling while in London. Another time he lost $15 million on the roulette tables, the staff saying he walked out with "no regrets". However, on his better days he has won up to $7 million in one casino betting session. There’s even a legend that Packer made a bet of $100 million dollars on the toss of a coin, but his opponent backed down.

Akio Kashiwagi – Known as ‘The Warrior’, this Japanese businessman became a casino legend before meeting a violent end. A master of baccarat, he regularly wagered $200,000 a time in US casinos, once winning $6 million in one night. However, he wasn’t always so lucky; he died in 1992 after being stabbed 150 times with a samurai sword while still owing casinos millions.

Archie Karas - Perhaps the most extraordinary of recent legendary streaks is possessed by Mr. Archie Karas, a Greek immigrant, who in 1992-1993 had one of the greatest runs in Vegas history. Starting with a borrowed stake of ten thousand dollars, Archie went on a rampage of poker at Binion's Horseshoe, defeating 15 of the world's greatest poker players in head-to-head competition, including World Champions Chip Reese, Stu Unger, Puggy Pearson, and Johnny Chan. When he ran out of poker competitors, Archie headed to the Horseshoe's craps tables where he won millions more. At one point in his run, Archie possessed all of the Horseshoe's $5,000 chips -- over 11 million dollars worth. When the run was over, Archie was up over 17 million dollars between poker and craps, all at the Horseshoe.

Betfred vs Betvictor – The names behind two of the biggest high street bookies were involved in what may have been the biggest sports betting wager in British history. Fred Done of Betfred fame and Victor Chandler of Betvictor bet on the outcome of the Premier League in 2005. Fred and Victor supported Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, so they wagered £1 million, as you do. It was Chelsea who came out on top and Done paid up in one of the best bets we’ve seen; what could be better than two sports betting giants walking it like they talk it?

Steve Whitely – Arriving by bus with a free ticket to watch racing at Exeter, 61-year-old heating engineer Steve Whitely turned a couple of quid into millions back in March last year. He didn’t bother to compare odds or make an effort to find the best bets, he just used his two pounds to make a Tote bet. A few hours later and he was minted after winning the jackpot when he correctly predicted all six of the winners. So, what is Steve’s sage advice to budding punters who want to win millions? “I like racing, yeah, but I don’t know nothing about it, do I?” Cheers Steve.

David Walsh - Not a great deal is know about this Tasmanian - Australian, but he founded MONA - (Museum of Old and New Art). Australian press has described him in a few colourful ways, such as - "multi-millionaire professional gambler and one of the nation's leading art collectors - dismisses himself as "just a privileged guy with a megaphone". He might be right. But the world is about to discover just how wonderful, disturbing, beautiful and occasionally challenging that megaphone is". In the second year of his science degree at the University of Tasmania, he was asked by friends to develop a model that would enable them to win at blackjack in the nearby Wrest Point Casino. When he discovered that the scope for winning at card games was limited he dropped out of his degree and, for most of the ’80s and early ’90s, spent 100 or more hours per week developing a mathematical model that would enable him and his partners to win at other forms of gambling, especially horseracing. This he now pursues on a large scale in a number of countries. There is a network of people involved in Walsh’s outfit, most notably his business partner of 30 years, Zeljko Ranogajec. Walsh met Ranogajec at university where the latter studied law and economics before he too dropped out to pursue a career in gambling. Walsh describes Ranogajec as a “relentless motivator and a loyal friend” who, despite not sharing his interest in art, has provided financial support for his collecting mania “whenever my cashflow dried to a trickle”. As Walsh inelegantly puts it: "I am throwing the shit, he is happy to be the fan. And he doesn’t even like the shit."

Other names whose win/loss positions move in the multiple millions in a single night include Malaysian tycoons Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and Quek Leng Chan, Indonesia’s Putera Sampoerna, and Hustler founder Larry Flynt.

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Casinos Of The World: Land Based And Online, Casino Awards By Media Man And Casino News Media



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Punters, here's 10 of the world's top land based casinos for you to mark down in your travel plans.

Monte Carlo, Monaco: Perched above the Mediterranean and bounded by the French
and Italian coastlines on either side, Monaco provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and the wannabees. Home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, this isn't the place for those on a tight budget. The magnificent Casino hosts the annual European Poker Tour and was also the scene of several James Bond Films, including the original "Casino Royale" and "Golden Eye".

Paradise Island, Bahamas: Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Paradise
Island is best known for its sprawling 'Vegas-by-the-sea' resort, Atlantis. The resort spans seven acres along a lagoon, where guests can soak up the Caribbean sun and choose from a variety of outdoor gaming areas. When in need of a break from the tables, guests can enjoy the private beach or one of the resorts 20 sunlit pools.

Melbourne, Australia: As Australia's sporting and entertainment capital, Melbourne
offers the perfect option for high rollers looking for a local break. Aussies need look no further than Crown Casino on the southern bank of the Yarra River, which is one of the largest casino complexes in the southern hemisphere. The main gambling floor stretches more than half a kilometre and the casino was the first to introduce the new game Rapid Roulette, which allows players to place bets on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel.

Macau, China: Known as the 'Monte Carlo of the Orient,' and the gambling capital of Asia, Macau now rivals Monaco and Las Vegas as one of the premier gambling destinations in the world. With no less than 33 casinos, in addition to local horse and greyhound racing venues, Macau is perfect for the betting junkie. The Wynn Macau casino is a standout, highlighted by 24-carat gold 'Tree of Prosperity' at the entrance, extravagant water displays and Moon Jellyfish Aquarium at reception.

Baden-Baden, Germany: Situated on the western foothills of the Black Forest and on the banks of the Oos River, Baden-Baden is not your typical casino town. However, in addition to its hot springs and picturesque countryside, the town is also known for its 200-year-old 'Spielbank' casino - the oldest of its type in Germany. With French chateau-style salons rooms named after historical figures such as Madame Pompadour and Louis XV's mistress, the quirky casino provides visitors with a very unique gaming experience.

Las Vegas, United States: With over 1700 licensed casinos in operation, Las Vegas offers the ultimate package for travellers who fancy a flutter. A visit to the famous 'Strip' is a must for any player, whether they're looking for a spin on the roulette table or a game of blackjack - this city has it all. The iconic Caesar's Palace hotel and casino offers 129,000 square feet of casino space plus an endless smorgasbord of entertainment, shopping and fine dining options, including Cleopatra's barge, a floating lounge perfect for a relaxing drink after a jam-packed night on the casino floor.

Manila, The Philippines: With a favourable exchange rate, Manila provides great value for Aussies wanting to live the high-life overseas. The city offers a range of shopping and entertainment options, along with a world-class casino at the Hyatt Hotel. Spread across three levels, the sparkling casino offers the newest in gaming facilities for both hotel guests and visitors, and is just a short distance from Manila's tourist hub.

Sun City, South Africa: Known as 'Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure,' this luxury resort and casino complex, just two hours from Johannesburg, boasts two large casinos, two 18-hole golf courses and a wildlife reserve. At the extravagant yet picturesque Palace of the Lost City, guests are treated to stunning valley views from the guestrooms, along with exclusive access to the Grand Pool. The nearby Sun City Casino is the entertainment Mecca of the resort, featuring a myriad of gaming options as well as an indoor jungle of native foliage and water fountains.

Atlantic City, United States: Regarded as the US's 'Las Vegas of the East', Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned for its gambling, shopping and fine dining. Towering above the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, the Trump Taj Mahal casino is an icon of the city, with an on-site shopping district and an abundance of restaurants and bars. The 157,000 square-foot casino is also hard to miss, with 3,500 slot machines and 200 table games. Unveiled in 1990 by a number of celebrities, including the late Michael Jackson, the casino is the second-largest in Atlantic City and well worth a visit.

Genting Highlands, Malaysia: Nestled on the Titiwangsa mountain range, just an hour's drive from Kuala Lumpur and 6,000 feet above sea level, the Resorts World Genting offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. This spectacular resort has first-class accommodation, dining and entertainment, while avoiding the hustle and bustle of a capital city. The on-site casino, which covers 200,000 square feet, is Malaysia's sole gaming venue and is divided into separate themed areas, such as Hollywood and Monte Carlo, for the ultimate gambling experience.

Online Casinos:

PartyCasino.com : The world's leading online casino brand and part of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. Play for free or play for money at PartyCasino.com New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.

VirginCasino.com : Virgin Casino is part of Virgin Games. The parent company is Virgin Enterprises Limited, the creation of the world's most famous and celebrated entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately the casino does not accept players from many countries due to what is known in legal circles as "grey areas". Most European players can play, but no Americans, Canadians, Australians or New Zealanders.

Captain Cooks Casino : Was once a very popular online casino with Australians and New Zealanders, however we understand these days they can only accept players from a few regions such as Europe, South Africa, Canada and South America.

PKR : Once only a 2D online poker room, they are now more 3D and offer online poker and a good range of online casino games, including classics, Marvel slots and table games.

Media Man's top online casino choice: PartyCasino.com PartyCasino is a multi-time Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' winner and have also won awards from EGR. Earlier this year PartyGaming merged with Bwin to create the worlds leading igaming company, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.

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Virgin Bingo launches brand new advertising campaign

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James Packer and Richard Branson

Wednesday 25th January, 2012: Virgin Games, the leading online gaming company, has launched a brand new television advertising campaign for its bingo site – Virgin Bingo.

The latest advert is part of a £500,000 marketing campaign to run in the first quarter of 2012. It is a new concept for Virgin Bingo and is a departure from its previous animated advertisements. The new ad takes on a Willy Wonka meets Virgin theme. Staged in an imaginary factory where Virgin Bingo is made, a woman is taken on a backstage tour of the fantastical premises where Oompa-Loompas have been replaced by happy, dancing Virgin staff. The new commercial also introduces Virgin Bingo’s new welcome bonus: “Deposit £10 and play with £35”, as well as new exclusive Virgin Group prizes.

The campaign focuses primarily on women aged between 25 and 54 - the core target market for online bingo - with day time scheduling on channels such as Five, a range of Sky UK and ITV digital channels.

The 30 second advert was produced by ABF Pictures with Manning Gottlieb OMD acting as media planners and buyers. The advert is scheduled to run for multiple campaigns throughout the year across both terrestrial and freeview channels.

Simon Burridge, CEO of Virgin Games, commented: “This new advert has a flavour of Willy Wonka for adults about it. It has lots of energy, excitement and fun – just what consumers have come to expect from a Virgin advert.

“We first advertised Virgin Bingo on TV in 2010 and have witnessed fantastic customer acquisition rates as a result. We’ve found that TV advertising is a natural fit for bingo. Consumer trust and a sense of security and familiarity are very important attributes for a bingo brand. Being part of the Virgin brand helps to reassure customers that they are playing with a reputable company, while TV ads raise awareness of our existence and help to reinforce that trust and brand awareness.”

Matt Barraclough, Creative Director at ABF Pictures, commented: “We were thrilled to have the opportunity of working with the Virgin Games team. A brand like Virgin allows us to think bigger and look at online bingo in a different way. We wanted to stand out from traditional bingo commercials and do it in a very Virgin way.

“The commercial itself was produced over three months. The action was captured on green screen and the entire factory backdrop was then created using 3D modelling and animation. The inspiration for the advert was the core Virgin brand values: Fun, Value for Money, Innovation, Quality, Competitive Challenge and Brilliant Customer Service. We combined these values and used iconic Virgin styles to create an exciting and memorable advert.”

Founded in 2004, Virgin Games has over 1,000,000 players and over 295 games on its site. Through the introduction of a custom built Virgin Games platform in 2008, Virgin Games seeks to provide its players with the widest possible choice of casino games.

*Sorry, Virgin Games does not currently accept U.S, Canadian, New Zealand or Australian players. See World Casino Directory.




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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Casino News Media - Media Man - Global Gaming Directory - News Update - 25th January 2012

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Clubs relieved over pokies backflip...

Clubs across the New South Wales mid-north coast are breathing a sigh of relief after the Gillard Government dumped Andrew Wilkie's pokies reform deal.

Instead of the independent MP's nationwide plan, the Commonwealth has proposed a two-year trial on the pre-commitment technology in the ACT.

The trial in the ACT will begin next year, ahead of possible national rollout in 2016.

The president of Clubs New South Wales for the far north coast and Clubs Taree, Carl Guy, says it will be a good way to test the effectiveness of the system.

"The costs are exorbitant on Wilkie's proposal," he said.

"Our club here [Taree] we'd be talking about $2.2 - 3 million.

"The end result of the trial will determine ... which system they will use and how much it'll cost.

"Irrespective it will cost clubs money to put these systems in which means changing the current machines."

Mr Guy says the trial will reveal the problems that regional clubs across the nation had been complaining about.

"Anything is better than what was proposed by Wilkie," he said.

"A trial, I think, will bring out the issues that the general public and a lot of people don't understand, the ramifications and the good that the clubs do for the community.

"It's just had such a flow-on effect, it was just disturbing for all directors right throughout the industry to think what is the next step."


E-gaming barrier is lifted in U.S...

The U.S. Department of Justice recently decided that the 1961 federal Wire Act only applies to sports-related gambling. This is huge news for the potentially lucrative state-sanctioned online gaming industry. It could pave the path for agreements between legal gaming states or internationally, claims renowned gambling legal expert I. Nelson Rose.

He writes that this virtually eliminates federal anti-gambling statutes. Multi-state lotteries have existed for years, and in any case federal law does not consider poker a lottery. The only laws left are those that go after organised crime, but that requires there be another legal violation.

With intra-state games like legalised poker, many other states may eventually allow some form of online gaming to boost their revenues. That is the main reason why gaming has enjoyed such expansion in the past 15 years.

The key question all operators should ask is: how will it affect us? Will there be opportunities for us to participate in some way? Or will online gaming prove to be a threat similar to home video games, which siphoned off revenues from street and arcade operators after their introduction in the mid-1980s?


OpenBet games update & challenge darts champ Phil the Power Taylor on our stand 5165 at ICE!...

Read on to find out about our latest games releases and the top land-based slots we're converting thanks to our partnerships with Aristocrat, Cool Games & Inspired Gaming

The Hoff
David Hasselhoff, a.k.a. "The Hoff", International Superstar and self-proclaimed King of the Internet, takes you for a spin with this great new game from MX Gaming. "Are you ready to hassle the Hoff? Check out my amazing new slot, packed with pure awesome, and you’ll hear me sing till money pours into your pockets!" The real thrill comes with two highly engaging bonus features: The Hoff Free Spin bonus and The Hoff Walk of Fame bonus. Help the Hoff navigate his high-profile celeb-life-path and make huge winnings along the way. Launching soon.

Geisha
Players have fallen in love with the Geisha, another fantastic game from Aristocrat®, makers of some of the most entertaining slot games in the world. Geisha's original creators developed this popular 5-reel, 20-line game with all the fun, excitement, colours and graphics of the original casino version now available online. Geisha waits for you in her exotic world where dragons roam, lotus flowers bloom, birds soar and majestic mountains touch the sky. Watch Geisha double your wins in the main game feature and even triple them in the free games!

Wicked Winnings II
Ready to get wicked? You'll have a devilishly good time with the online version of this incredibly hot slot game from Aristocrat. Remember, sometimes it's good to be bad - so check out the game that fires up the casino fun no matter where you are! Stick your pitchfork into great features such as Power Pay, for a chance to win 15 free games, and a special respin feature. Wicked Winnings II is the second title we're launching from Aristocrat's comprehensive games portfolio.

Masters Snooker Cashdrop
Having teamed up with renowned sports promoters, Matchroom Sport, Professional Darts Corporation and World Snooker, OpenBet offers a stellar line-up of new casino content including this latest release. Right on cue! Make a break and enjoy the red-hot atmosphere of this stylish slot game. Whether "kissing the pink" or "potting the black", you'll go potty for Masters Snooker Cashdrop. A spot-on game with more than 147 ways to fill your pockets! Are you in the frame?

The Cube
Based on a BAFTA Award-winning ITV1 prime time show on its 4th series, Electracade developed this exciting 20 line slot packed with special effects, 3D challenges based on some of the favourite games from the show and exciting bonus rounds. This game which lets your players take on The Cube is sure to get your players' adrenalin racing and drive incremental revenue to your games site.

Jungle Bucks
Monkey around in the magical world of Inspired Gaming’s latest HD slots game, Jungle Bucks, available online soon thanks to OpenBet and Inspired's partnership. Rich with HD graphics and bonus features, such as Monkey Madness, Rampant Rhino and Lucky Lizard, this game is also progressive-enabled to add jackpot excitement.

Treasure Island
Transport yourself to the magical world of Treasure Island and find the hidden booty to win big prizes. A number one game in the UK and Italian land-based markets, Inspired Gaming's Treasure Island is a bonus feature-rich game with high quality graphics and exciting bonus features. Spin five pirates to win the progressive Chest of Treasure for the ultimate jackpot excitement. Treasure Island is also available in multiple languages and currencies, as with all our games.

Double Dragon
Double Dragon, live and performing well across bookmakers’ retail estates, is coming online due to OpenBet’s partnership with Cool Games. Double Dragon captures the feeling of the Orient with rich graphics and classic casino features players love. The Dragons offer plenty of entertainment, with an innovative awards system rewarding players with free spins, cash awards and mystery bonuses. With beautifully crafted artwork, themed symbols and audio, Double Dragon is a sure favourite.


OPENBET INTRODUCES “THE HOFF” TO CUSTOMERS...

OpenBet Casino unveils new celebrity-branded content with partner, MX Gaming

Fast cars and famous faces meet fame and fortune in the online gaming world as OpenBet announces ‘The Hoff’ as the latest celebrity/big name to join OpenBet Casino. Working in partnership with MX Gaming, OpenBet will launch a fully branded David Hasselhoff slot game and scratchcard that will be available to all customers from early 2012.

Featuring one of the most recognisable faces in television and throughout the world, The Hoff online games will boast a broad demographic appeal with high-octane gameplay, rich graphics and compelling concepts featuring real life imagery and footage of the legendary David Hasselhoff. Aimed primarily at the bingo and casino markets and available in numerous different skins, the main concept of the games will be to help David Hasselhoff’s character along his eternal quest of becoming a millionaire celebrity and will include humorous twists along the way. Various free spins and a super wild feature will also boost player retention and chances of winning the main prize.

Star of iconic shows including Knight Rider, Baywatch, America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent, “The Hoff”’ and his global appeal will reach fans across the globe and entertain players off air and online. Known as a home to top brands, OpenBet’s leading casino portfolio is looking better than ever. These titles will slot neatly alongside other celebrity games including Baywatch and Hulkamania featuring Hulk Hogan.

David Loveday, Chief Executive of OpenBet, comments; “OpenBet is proud of its leading portfolio of branded content and the introduction of David Hasselhoff’s iconic “Hoff” character is further evidence of the innovative way OpenBet brings interesting content to its customers. The much loved Hoff persona allows OpenBet to bring games that are not only quirky and fun but appeal to a wide range of customers.”

David Hasselhoff, world-renowned actor, singer, producer, enthuses; “The name of the game is to work with the right partners to produce fun and new interesting material. I look forward to working with OpenBet and MX Gaming to give bookmakers, bingo providers and lotteries the opportunity to jump in on the action and rev up gaming audiences far and wide.”

Ike McFadden, Director of Business at MX Gaming, added; "We always look for ways to bring our film and TV experience to the gaming space, but our recent shoot in Hollywood with David was flat-out one of the most fun experiences we've ever had on-set. He's fun, energetic, and the perfect crossover act for the online gaming world."

Fans will have a chance to see him live in an exclusive London engagement 2 March, called “An Evening with David Hasselhoff” where he will debut his new album “This Time Around”.


NYX Gaming Group – providing the buzz at ICE...

NYX Gaming Group, the recently formed software provider incorporating NYX Interactive and NextGen Gaming, to provide a refreshing way to do business at ICE this year.

London, January 19, 2012:

The recent formation of the NYX Gaming Group incorporating Stockholm based NYX Interactive and Sydney’s NextGen Gaming will provide Operators with premium gaming innovation and flexible gaming systems in true partnership. At ICE 2012 not only will the group be showcasing its latest products, but they have enlisted the help of a professional coffee barrister to keep visitors alert during the busy week.

The NYX Gaming Group will be demonstrating several new products, including NextGen Gaming’s newest premium slot title, the 50-line Merlin’s Millions which will soon be available to Operators via new and existing aggregator partners. NextGen are proud of their reputation for delivering exceptional game performance and game longevity that translates into profit for partners and an immersive gaming experience for their players.

Also on show is the new and innovative NYX Bingo product alongside the NYX MOVE mobile gaming system, providing players with the superb functionality of the PC games they’re familiar with on their tablet and mobile devices. Completing the new product offering, ICE will exclusively host the first trade show airing of the group’s Social gaming application which launched in December 2011.

Matt Davey, CEO for the NYX Gaming Group, commented “The tie-up between NYX Interactive and NextGen Gaming creates a refreshing alternative for many Operators and World Lottery Members in the i-Gaming space. We are delighted to be able to showcase NYX innovations alongside new NextGen slot titles at ICE 2012”

Join the new NYX Gaming Group team at ICE on stand 5430.

Web: www.nyxgaminggroup.com

About NYX GG
The NYX Gaming Group has offices in London, Stockholm and Sydney providing flexible gaming solutions to some of the largest World Lottery Association members and gaming operators across the globe. NYX has previously won several awards including “Innovation in Bingo” at the 2010 E-Gaming Review Awards. Both NYX (EMEA) and NextGen (Asia Pacific) have been listed in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 listings for the respective regions.

NYX Interactive offer a top-level gaming portfolio of gaming products including the leading Bingo solution, built on a fully-flexible account and back office system which supports all parts of an Operator’s business.

NextGen Gaming is the industry’s leading platform agnostic provider of engaging and profitable repeat play Slots, providing entertainment for players and profits for Operators.


Playtech to acquire sportsbook developer...

After purchasing interactive gambling and betting games developer Ash Gaming last month for £23 million, online gaming software designer and supplier Playtech Limited has now agreed a deal to buy the entire issued share capital of Geneity Limited.

Established in 2006, Geneity is an online lottery and sportsbook software provider based in the London suburb of Chiswick and Playtech is set to pay an initial cash consideration of £11 million subject to working capital adjustments with £4 million of this due to be held in escrow for 30 months.

London-listed Playtech stated that a further £4 million will be payable ‘subject to certain agreed deliverables to be provided by Geneity’.

“Sportsbook is often the prime entry point for companies into online gaming,” said Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Officer for Playtech.

“Over the past year the pace of change in the sportsbook segment led us to believe that we needed to acquire experienced developers to immediately give us a market-leading capability. Geneity will deliver a range of features key to Playtech's sportsbook such as in-play betting and a broader range of sports on which to wager.”

Geneity currently has a deal to provide its sportsbook software to Gala Coral Group through to the end of the year while its lottery solution is being utilised by the Health Lottery. Other clients include Betfair and Ladbrokes with the firm reporting unaudited revenues for the year to the end of March of £2.3 million alongside profits before tax of £820,000.

“Geneity is delighted to be joining the Playtech family, the synergies between the respective companies and products are very strong,” said Will Slater, Managing Director for Geneity.
“At Geneity we've created a highly advanced sportsbetting platform with integrated in-play algorithms, per channel pricing and a scalable and modular architecture.

“It's very exciting to be able to offer our sportsbetting platform to a wider audience alongside Playtech's existing best-of-breed products.”


Amaya signs Aristocrat licensing deal...

Server and network-based gaming specialist Amaya Gaming Group has announced that it has entered into a three-year development and licensing agreement with a subsidiary of Australian land-based casino systems supplier Aristocrat Leisure Limited.

Montreal-based Amaya revealed that the deal will allow its Chartwell Technology subsidiary to adapt a number of Aristocrat gaming titles including Wild Panda, Pompeii and Where’s The Gold for use in online and video lottery terminal (VLT) applications.

“The online gaming opportunity is becoming increasingly attractive as a number of jurisdictions around the world are considering regulatory changes that would allow new domestic gaming websites to operate,” said Darcy Krogh, Business Development Vice-President for Amaya.

“This agreement strengthens Amaya’s position by supplementing our existing online gaming content with Aristocrat titles, which are well known among casino customers worldwide.”

Amaya stated that the online titles it will develop based on Aristocrat games are to be subsequently distributed through its virtual and land-based VLT channels.

“Aristocrat’s proven slot content is ideally suited to transition to the online space as our initial titles have shown,” said Gillian Findlay, Online Gaming General Manager for Sydney-based Aristocrat.

“Online gaming is growing rapidly and Amaya’s strong distribution helps expand the reach for our extensive portfolio to more players.”


iGaming Business Wins Best Industry Publication of the Year...

24th JANUARY 2012 (London, UK) - iGaming Business, information provider for the online Gambling Industry, was recognised last night as the Best Industry Publication of the Year 2012 at the International Gaming Awards (IGA). This category is rewarded to the publication that has pushed the boundaries in above-the-line reporting, with innovative special feature highlighting and involving the reader more effectively into the publication.

The organisers of the event explain the merits of the awards 'The International Gaming Awards 2012 is supported and enhanced by well renowned industry insiders as well as gaming clients from all tiers of the gaming world. Listening carefully to the views of gaming clients and industry professionals, we are able to recognise and celebrate the biggest and best charity event of the year with class.'

These awards are bestowed on nominees by expert judges who are deeply involved in the gaming sector, such as the Senior Vice President of Communications/Government Relations at Caesars Entertainment Corp, the Founder and Director of Sportingbet Plc, the Founder & Owner of
PokerScout.com, the Vice President of Public Affairs of the Canadian Gaming Association, the founder of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) and many more. This result is a reflection on the readership and scope of iGaming Business magazine.

'Winning was an incredible feeling, especially as we had such worthy competitors for the award.' Explains Alex Pratt, Head of iGaming Business 'But in the end, I'm glad that our efforts to continuously provide the industry with the best analysis, worldviews and high class editorial meant that we came home with the trophy. It makes us as determined as ever to win again next year and keep improving and innovating.'

More information on iGaming Business can be found at www.iGamingBusiness.com


Isle of Man calls renewed...

The Isle of Man government has renewed its calls for potential operators and developers to come forward and declare their interest in applying for the island’s newest casino licence.

The government is due to close its process of seeking expressions of interest for the new casino and five-star hotel on January 31. In previous statements, the government had indicated that hundreds of responses had been received.

“We have been pleased with the number of interesting responses we have received to date,” said John Shimmin, Minister for the Department of Economic Development. “The Isle of Man feels that the time is right to diversify its dynamic and growing economy through the establishment of a permanent hotel and casino resort, providing a further location for gaming activities for residents and visitors alike.”

Tenders submitted will involve consideration by the Department of Economic Development, which will be liaising with Global Betting and Gaming Consultants and the island ’s Gambling Supervision Commission.

“We hope that development of a new hotel and casino will be a catalyst for growing visitor business on the island through the next decade,” said Department of Economic Development Director Tim Craine.


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