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Online gamer bwin.party defends stance in Belgian licence row...
Online gaming company bwin.party digital entertainment PLC defended its actions today after Belgian authorities questioned its co-CEO for two hours in an escalating dispute over licences.
Co-CEO Norbert Teufelberger has now left Belgium, after the authorities took advantage of his presence at a conference to summon him for questioning on Tuesday.
"The request to attend the interview arose from the Belgium Gambling Commission's view that bwin.party was in breach of the country's gambling legislation," the company said in a statement.
"Bwin.party maintains the position that it is acting and has always acted in compliance with applicable laws," it added, saying it planned further talks with the Belgian gambling authorities.
The case brings into sharp focus the risks faced by companies in the growing online gaming sector that operate in countries where regulations are either unclear or restrictive.
Bwin, the world's largest listed online gaming group, is in dispute with Belgium over licences, and access to three of its websites has been blocked this year.
The company says the ban is costing it 700,000 euro ($1 million) per month in revenues.
Bwin.party says rules in Belgium do not comply with European law.
"We have been at the forefront of regulatory change in Europe for several years and we have licences in Gibraltar, Alderney, Denmark, France, Germany (Schleswig-Holstein), Italy and Spain," Teufelberger and co-CEO Jim Ryan said.
"We continue to strive for a regulatory framework in European Member States that is compliant with EU law."
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Thursday, November 15, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Media Man news update: entertainment, wrestling, Marvel Entertainment, Hollywood movies, gaming
Media Man news update...
The Media Man Media Man agency with the latest news stories...
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Australian casino king James Packer defends Sydney casino bid process; Entering virgin territory
World class performing artists and entertainers to tour Sydney, Melbourne...Australia
Human Statue Bodyart helping brands, companies and individuals to stand out from pack; Xmas
Two Day Ones Complete At WPT BestBet Jacksonville, Tom Nguyen Leads John Racener - 11th November 2012
WWE inks deal with The Rolling Stones - Virgin Enterprises Limited - Virgin 'Live' and Dainty Group - 15th October 2012
Movies, Hollywood, Entertainment and gaming - casino news; WWE, pro wrestling, Marvel Entertainment - Star Wars, James Bond Skyfall, WWE Studios...
PartyCasino.com Wins Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award
Movie, celebrity, entertainment and gaming news: James Bond, WWE
Movies, Hollywood, Entertainment and gaming - casino news
Marvel Entertainment news; Marvel Entertainment VS DC Comics / Warner Bros; 2005 movie previews
WrestleMania 29 could set records in New York/New Jersey area
Marvel Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2, The Avengers Et Al Boost Popularity Of Marvel Slot Games
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The Media Man Media Man agency with the latest news stories...
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Australian casino king James Packer defends Sydney casino bid process; Entering virgin territory
World class performing artists and entertainers to tour Sydney, Melbourne...Australia
Human Statue Bodyart helping brands, companies and individuals to stand out from pack; Xmas
Two Day Ones Complete At WPT BestBet Jacksonville, Tom Nguyen Leads John Racener - 11th November 2012
WWE inks deal with The Rolling Stones - Virgin Enterprises Limited - Virgin 'Live' and Dainty Group - 15th October 2012
Movies, Hollywood, Entertainment and gaming - casino news; WWE, pro wrestling, Marvel Entertainment - Star Wars, James Bond Skyfall, WWE Studios...
PartyCasino.com Wins Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award
Movie, celebrity, entertainment and gaming news: James Bond, WWE
Movies, Hollywood, Entertainment and gaming - casino news
Marvel Entertainment news; Marvel Entertainment VS DC Comics / Warner Bros; 2005 movie previews
WrestleMania 29 could set records in New York/New Jersey area
Marvel Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2, The Avengers Et Al Boost Popularity Of Marvel Slot Games
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Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Australian casino king James Packer defends Sydney casino bid process; Entering virgin territory
Australia's casino king has grand plans for another Sydney land based casino / hotel, but Media Man discovers that not quite everyone is as positive as Team Packer, but Australian news media and political types seem to be closely coming around to JP's line of business thinking...
The Media Man agency has another in depth report on the Australian casino, gaming, tourism and property wars.
Profiles
Casinos Crown Limited Barangaroo Property Sydney Australia
Australian casino king James Packer defends Sydney casino bid process; Entering virgin territory...
Tycoon James Packer has defended the way he and the New South Wales Government have gone about securing a second Sydney casino at a new harbour-side development.
Recently the New South Wales Government gave a preliminary tick of approval for the casino-hotel proposal at the Barangaroo site.
The Government says any new casino will not be allowed to start operation until 2019 because of an exclusivity arrangement with Star Casino.
And the project will not go out to tender - although Mr Packer insists he would have won any tender had it been conducted.
Recently Packer told a business dinner in Sydney that he was not just interested in making money, but wanted to build something "special" on the site at Barangaroo.
"I spent a lot of time in casinos as a kid with my dad, and I ended up thinking, f***, this must be a good business," he said.
"My dad was a lot smarter than I am and a lot more successful than I'll ever be, but he got his adrenalin rushes from going to a casino.
"That's the customer that we want. And there are a lot people out there who can afford it, and who you're selling adrenalin to, and they're happy to pay for that experience."
Mr Packer and his gaming company Crown Limited are having an especially good run of luck.
He says the latest project has been given the preliminary tick not because of lobbying, but because it is a really good idea.
This is more than just about money for me. My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something that is special.
"The Labor Party and the Liberal Party were prepared to look at this – or the Labor Party especially – in a bipartisan manner and Premier O'Farrell was willing to say 'let's just do it'," he said.
"There's three stages, and we've got to get through stages two and three ... Premier O'Farrell's made it very clear that we're not done and I don't think we're done, we're a long way from done, but we've had a very good day."
Mr Packer also defended his decision not to wait for a competitive tender process.
"The unsolicited proposal legislation was designed for good ideas and this is a good idea and we took advantage of the legislation that was in place," he said.
"So I think frankly if there was a tender it would be very hard to see how we wouldn't have won it."
So far, the gaming venue has been touted as one that would lure high rollers, especially international tourists, and it would not have pokies.
But Mr Packer says that could change.
"This is not an economic no-brainer," he said.
"You know, there has never been a casino in the world built for a billion dollars without slot machines.
"So we're entering virgin territory, and we're sitting there and saying we'll wait until 2019, as we should."
At the same time as promising to give Sydney an economic kickstart, he says he wants to be the one to leave a legacy in keeping with his father's.
"This is more than just about money for me," he said.
"I am a great believer in Sydney, this country has been incredibly kind to my family, this city has been incredibly kind to my family.
"My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something, you know, that is special."
Build new casino over water says Paul Keating...
The new hotel and casino at Barangaroo should be built over the water so it becomes an iconic landmark, former prime minister Paul Keating said yesterday.
He called on Premier Barry O'Farrell to reverse his decision for the Barangaroo Hotel to be erected on solid ground, blaming it on "Clover Moore, Darling Island residents and The Sydney Morning Herald".
That decision had led to Barangaroo builders Lend Lease being given a bigger hotel which requires the city's second casino to fund it.
Mr Keating said the compensation was forced because Lend Lease already had a contract with the government to have a hotel on the water and Mr O'Farrell broke that contract. (Full story at The Daily Telegraph)
Packer rural estate added to licence pitch: report...
The Business Spectator reports...The Packer family's Ellerston country estate is be included as part of Crown Ltd's pitch to secure Sydney's second casino licence for its Barangaroo development, The Australian Financial Review reports.
According to the newspaper, Crown chairman James Packer said the inclusion of the New South Wales rural property, with its golf course and polo complex, would be a unique tourist offering.
“If we are successful with the project, Crown will attempt to build an airstrip at Ellerston and purchase brand new seaplanes to fly our guests from Rose Bay straight to the property,” Mr Packer said.
The news of the Ellerston complex's inclusion comes on the back of Mr Packer's comments that high-end attractions are vital to attracting visitors to Australian resorts.
Plenty of celebs but no Echo in Crown marquee (Fairfax Media)...
Melbourne newspaper The Age had nice and cheeky write up on the Crown Casino marquee at yesterday's Melboourne Cup. The article reads...
CBD at the Melbourne Cup
Crown Casino's marquee at the Melbourne Cup was just like chairman James Packer - small but perfectly formed.
The trim billionaire spent much of the afternoon deep in conversation with equally lithe bowler of maiden overs Shane Warne, who lends his name to a bar at Packer's Southbank sin pit.
While Packer's wife Erica was by the billionaire's side, there was no sign of Warne's fiancee, actress Liz Hurley.
Others in Crown's tent included ALP hardman turned Crown lobbyist Mark Arbib, and AFL boss Andrew Demetriou, with wife Symone.
While lacking in largeness, Crown's teepee was immaculately carpeted and featured plenty of deep-cushioned furniture, possibly to make sure there wasn't an Echo in the room.
Casino boss Rowen Craigie was keen to get to the mounting yard to check out his horse Sanagas, but he remained downbeat about the nag's chances.
''If it can run in the first six I will be delighted, realistically top 10.''
Sanagas came in 18th.
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The Media Man agency has another in depth report on the Australian casino, gaming, tourism and property wars.
Profiles
Casinos Crown Limited Barangaroo Property Sydney Australia
Australian casino king James Packer defends Sydney casino bid process; Entering virgin territory...
Tycoon James Packer has defended the way he and the New South Wales Government have gone about securing a second Sydney casino at a new harbour-side development.
Recently the New South Wales Government gave a preliminary tick of approval for the casino-hotel proposal at the Barangaroo site.
The Government says any new casino will not be allowed to start operation until 2019 because of an exclusivity arrangement with Star Casino.
And the project will not go out to tender - although Mr Packer insists he would have won any tender had it been conducted.
Recently Packer told a business dinner in Sydney that he was not just interested in making money, but wanted to build something "special" on the site at Barangaroo.
"I spent a lot of time in casinos as a kid with my dad, and I ended up thinking, f***, this must be a good business," he said.
"My dad was a lot smarter than I am and a lot more successful than I'll ever be, but he got his adrenalin rushes from going to a casino.
"That's the customer that we want. And there are a lot people out there who can afford it, and who you're selling adrenalin to, and they're happy to pay for that experience."
Mr Packer and his gaming company Crown Limited are having an especially good run of luck.
He says the latest project has been given the preliminary tick not because of lobbying, but because it is a really good idea.
This is more than just about money for me. My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something that is special.
"The Labor Party and the Liberal Party were prepared to look at this – or the Labor Party especially – in a bipartisan manner and Premier O'Farrell was willing to say 'let's just do it'," he said.
"There's three stages, and we've got to get through stages two and three ... Premier O'Farrell's made it very clear that we're not done and I don't think we're done, we're a long way from done, but we've had a very good day."
Mr Packer also defended his decision not to wait for a competitive tender process.
"The unsolicited proposal legislation was designed for good ideas and this is a good idea and we took advantage of the legislation that was in place," he said.
"So I think frankly if there was a tender it would be very hard to see how we wouldn't have won it."
So far, the gaming venue has been touted as one that would lure high rollers, especially international tourists, and it would not have pokies.
But Mr Packer says that could change.
"This is not an economic no-brainer," he said.
"You know, there has never been a casino in the world built for a billion dollars without slot machines.
"So we're entering virgin territory, and we're sitting there and saying we'll wait until 2019, as we should."
At the same time as promising to give Sydney an economic kickstart, he says he wants to be the one to leave a legacy in keeping with his father's.
"This is more than just about money for me," he said.
"I am a great believer in Sydney, this country has been incredibly kind to my family, this city has been incredibly kind to my family.
"My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something, you know, that is special."
Build new casino over water says Paul Keating...
The new hotel and casino at Barangaroo should be built over the water so it becomes an iconic landmark, former prime minister Paul Keating said yesterday.
He called on Premier Barry O'Farrell to reverse his decision for the Barangaroo Hotel to be erected on solid ground, blaming it on "Clover Moore, Darling Island residents and The Sydney Morning Herald".
That decision had led to Barangaroo builders Lend Lease being given a bigger hotel which requires the city's second casino to fund it.
Mr Keating said the compensation was forced because Lend Lease already had a contract with the government to have a hotel on the water and Mr O'Farrell broke that contract. (Full story at The Daily Telegraph)
Packer rural estate added to licence pitch: report...
The Business Spectator reports...The Packer family's Ellerston country estate is be included as part of Crown Ltd's pitch to secure Sydney's second casino licence for its Barangaroo development, The Australian Financial Review reports.
According to the newspaper, Crown chairman James Packer said the inclusion of the New South Wales rural property, with its golf course and polo complex, would be a unique tourist offering.
“If we are successful with the project, Crown will attempt to build an airstrip at Ellerston and purchase brand new seaplanes to fly our guests from Rose Bay straight to the property,” Mr Packer said.
The news of the Ellerston complex's inclusion comes on the back of Mr Packer's comments that high-end attractions are vital to attracting visitors to Australian resorts.
Plenty of celebs but no Echo in Crown marquee (Fairfax Media)...
Melbourne newspaper The Age had nice and cheeky write up on the Crown Casino marquee at yesterday's Melboourne Cup. The article reads...
CBD at the Melbourne Cup
Crown Casino's marquee at the Melbourne Cup was just like chairman James Packer - small but perfectly formed.
The trim billionaire spent much of the afternoon deep in conversation with equally lithe bowler of maiden overs Shane Warne, who lends his name to a bar at Packer's Southbank sin pit.
While Packer's wife Erica was by the billionaire's side, there was no sign of Warne's fiancee, actress Liz Hurley.
Others in Crown's tent included ALP hardman turned Crown lobbyist Mark Arbib, and AFL boss Andrew Demetriou, with wife Symone.
While lacking in largeness, Crown's teepee was immaculately carpeted and featured plenty of deep-cushioned furniture, possibly to make sure there wasn't an Echo in the room.
Casino boss Rowen Craigie was keen to get to the mounting yard to check out his horse Sanagas, but he remained downbeat about the nag's chances.
''If it can run in the first six I will be delighted, realistically top 10.''
Sanagas came in 18th.
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Saturday, November 3, 2012
Australian gaming, casino and property wars; James Paker, Crown Limited, Barangaroo...
Australian gaming, casino and property wars; James Packer, Crown Limited; Barangaroo, Zynga, Marvel Entertainment - Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment and much more from 'Sin City' and the land down under...
The Media Man agency has another look at the world famous Australian casino wars.
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Shareholders approve Murdoch buyout of Australia's CMH...
Shareholders in James Packer's majority-owned Consolidated Media Holdings on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favour of a US$2 billion takeover by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited.
The deal will see News, the Australian arm of News Corp, emerge with 50 percent control of Foxtel, the country's biggest pay TV operator, and all of Fox Sports. Telecommunications giant Telstra holds the other half of Foxtel.
"At the meeting held today CMH shareholders approved the scheme of arrangement... under which News Pay TV Financing Pty Ltd, a 100 percent owned subsidiary of News Corporation, will acquire all of the shares in CMH," the subscription TV-focused media firm said in a statement.
CMH said 90.13 percent of shareholders present or voting by proxy at the meeting voted in favour of the deal, with 99.91 percent of all votes cast in favour.
It will be taken to the Federal Court of Australia on Friday for formal assent and lodged with the securities regulator the same day, with the intention that trading in CMH's shares cease by the end of that day.
CMH said the deal, which has already been cleared by the competition and investment regulators, was expected to be implemented on November 19.
The Aus$3.45-per-share deal was in little doubt given CMH's largest shareholders -- James Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings (50 percent) and Kerry Stokes' Seven Group Holdings (25 percent) -- had already indicated their approval.
Seven had wanted to mount a rival bid but it was knocked back by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
It will be the first time in a century that the Packer family will have no media interests in Australia, apart from a small stake in the Ten Network.
For News Corp, the takeover is its most significant investment in pay television since its bid to buy out British Sky Broadcasting broke down.
Consolidated Media chairman John Alexander told shareholders ahead of the vote, which was held in Perth, that board members unanimously supported the takeover.
"I think that when you get an offer which basically makes overwhelming sense -- and our two biggest shareholders thought it made overwhelming sense, the independent expert thought it made overwhelming sense -- you have to act in the best interests of shareholders," Alexander was quoted in The Australian newspaper as saying after the meeting.
Consolidated Media Holdings was formed when Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd, founded by Packer's grandfather Frank and run by his father Kerry, a one-time arch-rival to Murdoch, changed its name in 2007.
Since Kerry's death in 2005, billionaire Packer has been moving away from the family's traditional media business and focusing on creating a worldwide gambling empire.
He has casino interests in Australia and Macau, the world's biggest gaming hub, and is pushing to build Sydney's second casino as part of a huge gambling and hotel development on the harbour foreshore.
Critics slam approval process for Packer casino...
Critics of James Packer's plan to build a second Sydney casino say the billionaire has had a free ride through the planning approvals process.
The New South Wales Government and Opposition have both thrown their support behind the project, which would see a high-rollers' haven built at the northern end of the CBD - right on Sydney Harbour.
Mr Packer thanked both the Liberal and the Labor parties for their support.
But current and former politicians are questioning why the community apparently had no say in approving the development.
Mr Packer already owns Crown in Melbourne, the casino in Perth, and has a large stake in BetFair. He also has casino interests in London, Las Vegas and Macau.
The proposal for the Barangaroo site in Sydney is a little different, in that mug punters will not be allowed in through the front door.
"We don't want a customer that can't afford to be there," Mr Packer told a business dinner.
"There's a lot of people out there who can afford it and who you're selling adrenalin to, and they're happy to pay for that experience."
'Appalling process' Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the city's people have been locked out of the approvals process, and it has been too easy for Mr Packer.
"I think if Australians, if ordinary punters want to go to the casino they should be able to," she said.
"I think the process is appalling. This is a site, it's public land, it's probably one of the most important sites in Australia, it is harbour-side, adjacent to the global city of Australia, and yet there's no consultation.
"The Government knows that before it came to office... there was real concern in the Sydney community about the process that the previous Labor government had gone through, and they came in saying that they were going to do it differently.
"And here we have a situation, this major, major development where there's no tendering and there is no public consultation and it's all been done behind closed doors and it's been done by both the major parties to Jamie Packer.
"I just think the people of Sydney will be appalled by what is going on."
Crown predicts when it is finished, the casino complex could inject $400 million into the local economy and support 1,400 jobs.
But former federal opposition leader John Hewson says whichever way you look at it, the approval looks bad.
"Perception is the problem here, people perceive that Packer's bulldozed this through," he said.
Wealth and power
Current Greens MP John Kaye went further, saying the integrity of the political process was being undermined.
"Mr Packer's wealth and Mr Packer's power has given him an easy access to the second stage of the O'Farrell Government's process," he said.
"There will be no public consultation on whether we have a second casino or not, that's now a done deal, with four parties in the New South Wales Upper House signing off on it.
"At least there should have been a debate."
Mr Hewson dealt with the late Kerry Packer during the tender process for Sydney's first casino.
On ABC Local radio recently, he was scathing in his assessment of the latest approvals process - especially of James Packer's assumption he would win any tender process.
"I think that's the height of arrogance and I think it pre-judges the processes of government," Mr Hewson said.
"It's not clear to me that an international gaming group wouldn't have been an effective competitor, we don't know that.
"We've been told it wouldn't apply but we don't know that.
"It reminds me of his father telling me in pretty colourful language that you know the country doesn't need pay TV, but if we have to have pay TV I'm going to own it.
"And it's that sort of arrogance, there's sort of two sets of rules, one for the Packers and one for the rest of us."
But there is a long way to go before anyone starts building anything. This is the first approval in a three-stage process.
Still to come is a tick-off by a Government-appointed panel and a design competition for the six-star hotel.
Australian casino king James Packer defends Sydney casino bid process; Entering virgin territory...
Tycoon James Packer has defended the way he and the New South Wales Government have gone about securing a second Sydney casino at a new harbour-side development.
Recently the New South Wales Government gave a preliminary tick of approval for the casino-hotel proposal at the Barangaroo site.
The Government says any new casino will not be allowed to start operation until 2019 because of an exclusivity arrangement with Star Casino.
And the project will not go out to tender - although Mr Packer insists he would have won any tender had it been conducted.
Recently Packer told a business dinner in Sydney that he was not just interested in making money, but wanted to build something "special" on the site at Barangaroo.
"I spent a lot of time in casinos as a kid with my dad, and I ended up thinking, f***, this must be a good business," he said.
"My dad was a lot smarter than I am and a lot more successful than I'll ever be, but he got his adrenalin rushes from going to a casino.
"That's the customer that we want. And there are a lot people out there who can afford it, and who you're selling adrenalin to, and they're happy to pay for that experience."
Mr Packer and his gaming company Crown Limited are having an especially good run of luck.
He says the latest project has been given the preliminary tick not because of lobbying, but because it is a really good idea.
This is more than just about money for me. My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something that is special.
"The Labor Party and the Liberal Party were prepared to look at this – or the Labor Party especially – in a bipartisan manner and Premier O'Farrell was willing to say 'let's just do it'," he said.
"There's three stages, and we've got to get through stages two and three ... Premier O'Farrell's made it very clear that we're not done and I don't think we're done, we're a long way from done, but we've had a very good day."
Mr Packer also defended his decision not to wait for a competitive tender process.
"The unsolicited proposal legislation was designed for good ideas and this is a good idea and we took advantage of the legislation that was in place," he said.
"So I think frankly if there was a tender it would be very hard to see how we wouldn't have won it."
So far, the gaming venue has been touted as one that would lure high rollers, especially international tourists, and it would not have pokies.
But Mr Packer says that could change.
"This is not an economic no-brainer," he said.
"You know, there has never been a casino in the world built for a billion dollars without slot machines.
"So we're entering virgin territory, and we're sitting there and saying we'll wait until 2019, as we should."
At the same time as promising to give Sydney an economic kickstart, he says he wants to be the one to leave a legacy in keeping with his father's.
"This is more than just about money for me," he said.
"I am a great believer in Sydney, this country has been incredibly kind to my family, this city has been incredibly kind to my family.
"My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something, you know, that is special."
CALIFORNIA ONLINE POKER ASSOCIATION COLLAPSES...
They certainly had noble intentions, but the ride is over for the California Online Poker Association after several million dollars spend and a handful of failed legislative bills caused the organisation to cease its lobbying efforts.
COPA had poured a lot of money into ensuring that online poker was both legalised and regulated in the state, but after spending $1.2 million on its efforts in the first half of 2012 alone without making any headway, it was decided that the group must fold.
Despite outspending companies like Chevron and the California Teachers Association, COPA’s two-year run saw a handful of proposed bills fall through the legislative cracks as interest dissipated or the state could not agree on the financial rewards for those who were involved.
COPA’s operating agreement had stated that the organisation would dissolve if significant progress had not been made by January 2013, but the decision was made to pull the plug ahead of schedule earlier this month, with Ryan Hightower, the group’s spokesman, confirming: “The decision was based upon insufficient progress within the legislature towards the passage of an online poker bill.”
The San Manuel and Morongo tribe who had affiliated themselves with COPA, however, are not giving up the fight just yet and have stated that they believe it is only a matter of time before online gambling happens in California. If legislation does change after 2013’s proceedings, don’t be surprised to see the efforts of COPA and its partners reassessed in light of the new online climate.
Marvel Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2, The Avengers Et Al Boost Popularity Of Marvel Slot Games...
The Media Man agency reports that Marvel themed online slot games across the network, and featured at partner, PartyCasino.com , are boosting the popularity of the superhero themed online slot games. Bwin.Party currently offers The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, with more expected to soon hit the popular gaming and entertainment website destination.
Zynga partners with bwin.party to offer real-money gaming...
Social gaming giant Zynga has signed a partnership agreement with bwin.party digital entertainment to launch real-money poker and casino offerings for the UK market.
'Bringing together Zynga's expertise in social gaming with the top international real money gaming operator is the best way to create the highest quality gaming experiences for our players in the UK,' said Barry Cottle, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Business Development, Zynga. 'Partnering with an established leader like bwin.party is a strategic and prudent way for us to enter a key RMG market while giving local players the real money games they've been asking us for.'
The new real-money poker and 180 game casino suite are set to launch in the first half of 2013 and will include table games such as slots, roulette and blackjack. Zynga also revealed that it will also offer UK players the first-ever, online FarmVille-branded real money slots game.
'Today's announcement is another example of our success in leveraging our assets through strategic blue-chip partners,' said Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger, Co-CEOs of bwin.party. 'Zynga is the world's leader in social games with hundreds of millions of active players worldwide and a significant player base in the UK. We are delighted to have been selected as their chosen partner for this important step in their evolution, and hope to expand our relationship into other products and markets.'
*Media Man is a shareholder in Crown Limited, Network Ten and Virgin
*Media Man has conducted b2b with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Crown Limited, Virgin Enterprises Limited and Marvel Entertainment
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The Media Man agency has another look at the world famous Australian casino wars.
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World Casino Directory
Shareholders approve Murdoch buyout of Australia's CMH...
Shareholders in James Packer's majority-owned Consolidated Media Holdings on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favour of a US$2 billion takeover by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited.
The deal will see News, the Australian arm of News Corp, emerge with 50 percent control of Foxtel, the country's biggest pay TV operator, and all of Fox Sports. Telecommunications giant Telstra holds the other half of Foxtel.
"At the meeting held today CMH shareholders approved the scheme of arrangement... under which News Pay TV Financing Pty Ltd, a 100 percent owned subsidiary of News Corporation, will acquire all of the shares in CMH," the subscription TV-focused media firm said in a statement.
CMH said 90.13 percent of shareholders present or voting by proxy at the meeting voted in favour of the deal, with 99.91 percent of all votes cast in favour.
It will be taken to the Federal Court of Australia on Friday for formal assent and lodged with the securities regulator the same day, with the intention that trading in CMH's shares cease by the end of that day.
CMH said the deal, which has already been cleared by the competition and investment regulators, was expected to be implemented on November 19.
The Aus$3.45-per-share deal was in little doubt given CMH's largest shareholders -- James Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings (50 percent) and Kerry Stokes' Seven Group Holdings (25 percent) -- had already indicated their approval.
Seven had wanted to mount a rival bid but it was knocked back by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
It will be the first time in a century that the Packer family will have no media interests in Australia, apart from a small stake in the Ten Network.
For News Corp, the takeover is its most significant investment in pay television since its bid to buy out British Sky Broadcasting broke down.
Consolidated Media chairman John Alexander told shareholders ahead of the vote, which was held in Perth, that board members unanimously supported the takeover.
"I think that when you get an offer which basically makes overwhelming sense -- and our two biggest shareholders thought it made overwhelming sense, the independent expert thought it made overwhelming sense -- you have to act in the best interests of shareholders," Alexander was quoted in The Australian newspaper as saying after the meeting.
Consolidated Media Holdings was formed when Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd, founded by Packer's grandfather Frank and run by his father Kerry, a one-time arch-rival to Murdoch, changed its name in 2007.
Since Kerry's death in 2005, billionaire Packer has been moving away from the family's traditional media business and focusing on creating a worldwide gambling empire.
He has casino interests in Australia and Macau, the world's biggest gaming hub, and is pushing to build Sydney's second casino as part of a huge gambling and hotel development on the harbour foreshore.
Critics slam approval process for Packer casino...
Critics of James Packer's plan to build a second Sydney casino say the billionaire has had a free ride through the planning approvals process.
The New South Wales Government and Opposition have both thrown their support behind the project, which would see a high-rollers' haven built at the northern end of the CBD - right on Sydney Harbour.
Mr Packer thanked both the Liberal and the Labor parties for their support.
But current and former politicians are questioning why the community apparently had no say in approving the development.
Mr Packer already owns Crown in Melbourne, the casino in Perth, and has a large stake in BetFair. He also has casino interests in London, Las Vegas and Macau.
The proposal for the Barangaroo site in Sydney is a little different, in that mug punters will not be allowed in through the front door.
"We don't want a customer that can't afford to be there," Mr Packer told a business dinner.
"There's a lot of people out there who can afford it and who you're selling adrenalin to, and they're happy to pay for that experience."
'Appalling process' Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the city's people have been locked out of the approvals process, and it has been too easy for Mr Packer.
"I think if Australians, if ordinary punters want to go to the casino they should be able to," she said.
"I think the process is appalling. This is a site, it's public land, it's probably one of the most important sites in Australia, it is harbour-side, adjacent to the global city of Australia, and yet there's no consultation.
"The Government knows that before it came to office... there was real concern in the Sydney community about the process that the previous Labor government had gone through, and they came in saying that they were going to do it differently.
"And here we have a situation, this major, major development where there's no tendering and there is no public consultation and it's all been done behind closed doors and it's been done by both the major parties to Jamie Packer.
"I just think the people of Sydney will be appalled by what is going on."
Crown predicts when it is finished, the casino complex could inject $400 million into the local economy and support 1,400 jobs.
But former federal opposition leader John Hewson says whichever way you look at it, the approval looks bad.
"Perception is the problem here, people perceive that Packer's bulldozed this through," he said.
Wealth and power
Current Greens MP John Kaye went further, saying the integrity of the political process was being undermined.
"Mr Packer's wealth and Mr Packer's power has given him an easy access to the second stage of the O'Farrell Government's process," he said.
"There will be no public consultation on whether we have a second casino or not, that's now a done deal, with four parties in the New South Wales Upper House signing off on it.
"At least there should have been a debate."
Mr Hewson dealt with the late Kerry Packer during the tender process for Sydney's first casino.
On ABC Local radio recently, he was scathing in his assessment of the latest approvals process - especially of James Packer's assumption he would win any tender process.
"I think that's the height of arrogance and I think it pre-judges the processes of government," Mr Hewson said.
"It's not clear to me that an international gaming group wouldn't have been an effective competitor, we don't know that.
"We've been told it wouldn't apply but we don't know that.
"It reminds me of his father telling me in pretty colourful language that you know the country doesn't need pay TV, but if we have to have pay TV I'm going to own it.
"And it's that sort of arrogance, there's sort of two sets of rules, one for the Packers and one for the rest of us."
But there is a long way to go before anyone starts building anything. This is the first approval in a three-stage process.
Still to come is a tick-off by a Government-appointed panel and a design competition for the six-star hotel.
Australian casino king James Packer defends Sydney casino bid process; Entering virgin territory...
Tycoon James Packer has defended the way he and the New South Wales Government have gone about securing a second Sydney casino at a new harbour-side development.
Recently the New South Wales Government gave a preliminary tick of approval for the casino-hotel proposal at the Barangaroo site.
The Government says any new casino will not be allowed to start operation until 2019 because of an exclusivity arrangement with Star Casino.
And the project will not go out to tender - although Mr Packer insists he would have won any tender had it been conducted.
Recently Packer told a business dinner in Sydney that he was not just interested in making money, but wanted to build something "special" on the site at Barangaroo.
"I spent a lot of time in casinos as a kid with my dad, and I ended up thinking, f***, this must be a good business," he said.
"My dad was a lot smarter than I am and a lot more successful than I'll ever be, but he got his adrenalin rushes from going to a casino.
"That's the customer that we want. And there are a lot people out there who can afford it, and who you're selling adrenalin to, and they're happy to pay for that experience."
Mr Packer and his gaming company Crown Limited are having an especially good run of luck.
He says the latest project has been given the preliminary tick not because of lobbying, but because it is a really good idea.
This is more than just about money for me. My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something that is special.
"The Labor Party and the Liberal Party were prepared to look at this – or the Labor Party especially – in a bipartisan manner and Premier O'Farrell was willing to say 'let's just do it'," he said.
"There's three stages, and we've got to get through stages two and three ... Premier O'Farrell's made it very clear that we're not done and I don't think we're done, we're a long way from done, but we've had a very good day."
Mr Packer also defended his decision not to wait for a competitive tender process.
"The unsolicited proposal legislation was designed for good ideas and this is a good idea and we took advantage of the legislation that was in place," he said.
"So I think frankly if there was a tender it would be very hard to see how we wouldn't have won it."
So far, the gaming venue has been touted as one that would lure high rollers, especially international tourists, and it would not have pokies.
But Mr Packer says that could change.
"This is not an economic no-brainer," he said.
"You know, there has never been a casino in the world built for a billion dollars without slot machines.
"So we're entering virgin territory, and we're sitting there and saying we'll wait until 2019, as we should."
At the same time as promising to give Sydney an economic kickstart, he says he wants to be the one to leave a legacy in keeping with his father's.
"This is more than just about money for me," he said.
"I am a great believer in Sydney, this country has been incredibly kind to my family, this city has been incredibly kind to my family.
"My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something, you know, that is special."
CALIFORNIA ONLINE POKER ASSOCIATION COLLAPSES...
They certainly had noble intentions, but the ride is over for the California Online Poker Association after several million dollars spend and a handful of failed legislative bills caused the organisation to cease its lobbying efforts.
COPA had poured a lot of money into ensuring that online poker was both legalised and regulated in the state, but after spending $1.2 million on its efforts in the first half of 2012 alone without making any headway, it was decided that the group must fold.
Despite outspending companies like Chevron and the California Teachers Association, COPA’s two-year run saw a handful of proposed bills fall through the legislative cracks as interest dissipated or the state could not agree on the financial rewards for those who were involved.
COPA’s operating agreement had stated that the organisation would dissolve if significant progress had not been made by January 2013, but the decision was made to pull the plug ahead of schedule earlier this month, with Ryan Hightower, the group’s spokesman, confirming: “The decision was based upon insufficient progress within the legislature towards the passage of an online poker bill.”
The San Manuel and Morongo tribe who had affiliated themselves with COPA, however, are not giving up the fight just yet and have stated that they believe it is only a matter of time before online gambling happens in California. If legislation does change after 2013’s proceedings, don’t be surprised to see the efforts of COPA and its partners reassessed in light of the new online climate.
Marvel Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2, The Avengers Et Al Boost Popularity Of Marvel Slot Games...
The Media Man agency reports that Marvel themed online slot games across the network, and featured at partner, PartyCasino.com , are boosting the popularity of the superhero themed online slot games. Bwin.Party currently offers The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, with more expected to soon hit the popular gaming and entertainment website destination.
Zynga partners with bwin.party to offer real-money gaming...
Social gaming giant Zynga has signed a partnership agreement with bwin.party digital entertainment to launch real-money poker and casino offerings for the UK market.
'Bringing together Zynga's expertise in social gaming with the top international real money gaming operator is the best way to create the highest quality gaming experiences for our players in the UK,' said Barry Cottle, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Business Development, Zynga. 'Partnering with an established leader like bwin.party is a strategic and prudent way for us to enter a key RMG market while giving local players the real money games they've been asking us for.'
The new real-money poker and 180 game casino suite are set to launch in the first half of 2013 and will include table games such as slots, roulette and blackjack. Zynga also revealed that it will also offer UK players the first-ever, online FarmVille-branded real money slots game.
'Today's announcement is another example of our success in leveraging our assets through strategic blue-chip partners,' said Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger, Co-CEOs of bwin.party. 'Zynga is the world's leader in social games with hundreds of millions of active players worldwide and a significant player base in the UK. We are delighted to have been selected as their chosen partner for this important step in their evolution, and hope to expand our relationship into other products and markets.'
*Media Man is a shareholder in Crown Limited, Network Ten and Virgin
*Media Man has conducted b2b with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Crown Limited, Virgin Enterprises Limited and Marvel Entertainment
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Casinos of the world: land based and online
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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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PartyCasino Gets New Games...
Aztec Gold, Atomic Fruit, Nag's To Riches and Fairies Forest. Check out the new games here.
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Hulkamania Online Slot Game Launches...
Keep checking your favorite online casinos for the slot game based on legendary pro wrestler, Hulk Hogan.
Hulk Hogan, is an American professional wrestler, actor and television personality. He is a 12-time world champion and the second longest-reigning WWF Champion of all time. Play as the greatest wrestler of all time in this 20 line slot game, and try to reach the 2 bonus rounds!
Australian casino king James Packer defends Sydney casino bid process; Entering virgin territory...
Tycoon James Packer has defended the way he and the New South Wales Government have gone about securing a second Sydney casino at a new harbour-side development.
Recently the New South Wales Government gave a preliminary tick of approval for the casino-hotel proposal at the Barangaroo site.
The Government says any new casino will not be allowed to start operation until 2019 because of an exclusivity arrangement with Star Casino.
And the project will not go out to tender - although Mr Packer insists he would have won any tender had it been conducted.
Recently Packer told a business dinner in Sydney that he was not just interested in making money, but wanted to build something "special" on the site at Barangaroo.
"I spent a lot of time in casinos as a kid with my dad, and I ended up thinking, f***, this must be a good business," he said.
"My dad was a lot smarter than I am and a lot more successful than I'll ever be, but he got his adrenalin rushes from going to a casino.
"That's the customer that we want. And there are a lot people out there who can afford it, and who you're selling adrenalin to, and they're happy to pay for that experience."
Mr Packer and his gaming company Crown Limited are having an especially good run of luck.
He says the latest project has been given the preliminary tick not because of lobbying, but because it is a really good idea.
This is more than just about money for me. My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something that is special.
"The Labor Party and the Liberal Party were prepared to look at this – or the Labor Party especially – in a bipartisan manner and Premier O'Farrell was willing to say 'let's just do it'," he said.
"There's three stages, and we've got to get through stages two and three ... Premier O'Farrell's made it very clear that we're not done and I don't think we're done, we're a long way from done, but we've had a very good day."
Mr Packer also defended his decision not to wait for a competitive tender process.
"The unsolicited proposal legislation was designed for good ideas and this is a good idea and we took advantage of the legislation that was in place," he said.
"So I think frankly if there was a tender it would be very hard to see how we wouldn't have won it."
So far, the gaming venue has been touted as one that would lure high rollers, especially international tourists, and it would not have pokies.
But Mr Packer says that could change.
"This is not an economic no-brainer," he said.
"You know, there has never been a casino in the world built for a billion dollars without slot machines.
"So we're entering virgin territory, and we're sitting there and saying we'll wait until 2019, as we should."
At the same time as promising to give Sydney an economic kickstart, he says he wants to be the one to leave a legacy in keeping with his father's.
"This is more than just about money for me," he said.
"I am a great believer in Sydney, this country has been incredibly kind to my family, this city has been incredibly kind to my family.
"My dad was a larger-than-life figure and I think this is my chance to do something, you know, that is special."
NWA Response to Australia controversy...
The NWA professional wrestling organization issued a response to the incident that occurred in Australia over the weekend, where their champion Adam Pearce tossed the world title down and quit the organization. 411mania.com reported on Oct. 29 that NWA president R. Bruce Tharpe sent out a press release teasing a new champion.
"The NWA World Heavyweight Title has been vacated. The Board of Governors wish former champion Adam Pearce the best in his future endeavors. There will be a new NWA World Heavyweight Champion crowned on Friday, November 2nd in Clayton, New Jersey."
The entire situation came to a head when champion Adam Pearce defended his world title against Colt Cabana in a "Seven Levels of Hate" challenge series. Pearce said if he lost, he would leave the NWA forever. The series was tied at 3-3 and the seventh match took place last weekend.
However, the NWA had a falling out with their Los Angeles affiliate so Pearce and Cabana moved their match to Australia. Apparently, the decision was for Cabana to win the match and become the new NWA World Champion.
The problem is that the NWA is ran by a governing body and they decide as a voting body who the champion will be. They refused to sanction the match as a title match, therefore proclaiming they would not back Colt Cabana as their champion.
When the match ended, and Cabana won, both men took turns on the microphone to bury the NWA. Cabana said it was an organization ran by idiots who lived in the past and refused to represent them. Pearce tossed down the title saying that when they pushed out Cabana, they pushed him out too.
With both men leaving, it is unclear who the NWA plans to put in the match for the title in November.
bwin.party Gaming Platforms to Be Powered by Lightstreamer Real-Time Technology...
The Lightstreamer Technology Will Be Used by bwin.party, a Global Leader in Digital Entertainment, for Pervasive Live Data Delivery Over the Web
MILAN, ITALY--(Marketwire - Oct. 29, 2012) - Weswit, a global leader in real-time web solutions, today announced that bwin.party (LSE:BPTY), the global online gaming company, has re-selected Lightstreamer to power its world-class gaming and betting platforms.
bwin.party, which has millions of customers worldwide and pro forma net revenue in 2011 of EUR816.0 million, will progressively deploy Lightstreamer in its online poker, casino, and bingo product verticals.
Lightstreamer is a massively scalable solution for pushing live data over WebSockets and other web protocols, to millions of users. With a growing number of customers ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, the Lightstreamer technology enables the streaming of real-time gaming data and messaging across multiple channels and apps, including HTML5, Android, iPhone, iPad, and many other platforms.
"Lightstreamer was the clear scalable solution to handle the complex real-time data communication required by our state-of-the-art gaming products," commented Tod Martin, bwin.party's Group Technology Director. "We are confident the Lightstreamer solution will provide the highest quality gaming experience for our customers." "We are honoured that Lightstreamer will be part of bwin.party's online gaming platforms," declared Mauro Fantechi, Co-CEO and Chairman at Weswit. "Being deployed in such well-known, cross-platform gaming environments, our solution keeps confirming its value for the betting and entertainment industries, which are at the forefront of technological development and innovation."
"It is truly exciting to know that bwin.party has selected our Lightstreamer real-time web technology," added Alessandro Alinone, co-CEO and CTO at Weswit.
"Lightstreamer takes care of all the complexity of delivering real-time data over the web, reducing the technological risks and drastically enhancing the pervasiveness of games."
Lightstreamer is made up of a high-performance server, which routes the real-time messages over the web protocols, and a rich set of client libraries, which easily enable any application to send and receive live data in an efficient and reliable way. Lightstreamer can reach any desktop and mobile client, whatever connectivity the user experiences, passing through any kind of proxies and firewalls. Features include bandwidth optimisation, adaptive throttling, data conflation, delta delivery, and total control over the quality of service.
About Weswit Weswit, with its flagship product Lightstreamer, is a global leader in real-time web streaming solutions. Since the beginning, Weswit has been focused on real-time technologies aimed at making the Web a live environment, and superseding the traditional web paradigm, where any update had to be "pulled" by the client, rather than "pushed" by the server.
Weswit has provided Lightstreamer to a growing number of companies ranging from small size startups to Fortune 500 corporations, including top-tier financial institutions, as well as aerospace, military, energy, gaming, sporting, and entertainment companies. In 2012, Weswit has been recognized as a "Cool Vendor in Application and Integration Platforms" by Gartner, the world's leading information technology research and advisory company.
Weswit has thousands of free users and hundreds of customers worldwide, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, NASA, Sony Music, Honeywell, SocGen, UBS, IG Group, City Index, ICAP, and Fixnetix. www.weswit.com www.lightstreamer.com
About bwin.party digital entertainment bwin.party digital entertainment plc (LSE:BPTY) is a global online gaming company, formed from the merger of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming Plc on 31 March 2011. Incorporated, licensed and regulated in Gibraltar, the Group also has licences in France, Italy, Spain and Denmark. With offices in Europe, India, Israel and the US, the Group generated total pro forma revenue of EUR816.0m and pro forma Clean EBITDA of EUR199.3m in 2011. bwin.party commands leading market positions in each of its four key product verticals: online sports betting, poker, casino and bingo with some of the world's biggest online gaming brands including bwin, PartyPoker, PartyCasino and Foxy Bingo. The Group's scale, technology and strong portfolio of games collectively differentiate its customer offer from those of its competitors. bwin.party is a constituent member of the FTSE 250 Index and the FTSE4Good Index Series, which identifies companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
CALIFORNIA ONLINE POKER ASSOCIATION COLLAPSES...
They certainly had noble intentions, but the ride is over for the California Online Poker Association after several million dollars spend and a handful of failed legislative bills caused the organisation to cease its lobbying efforts.
COPA had poured a lot of money into ensuring that online poker was both legalised and regulated in the state, but after spending $1.2 million on its efforts in the first half of 2012 alone without making any headway, it was decided that the group must fold.
Despite outspending companies like Chevron and the California Teachers Association, COPA’s two-year run saw a handful of proposed bills fall through the legislative cracks as interest dissipated or the state could not agree on the financial rewards for those who were involved.
COPA’s operating agreement had stated that the organisation would dissolve if significant progress had not been made by January 2013, but the decision was made to pull the plug ahead of schedule earlier this month, with Ryan Hightower, the group’s spokesman, confirming: “The decision was based upon insufficient progress within the legislature towards the passage of an online poker bill.”
The San Manuel and Morongo tribe who had affiliated themselves with COPA, however, are not giving up the fight just yet and have stated that they believe it is only a matter of time before online gambling happens in California. If legislation does change after 2013’s proceedings, don’t be surprised to see the efforts of COPA and its partners reassessed in light of the new online climate.
Spider-Man Inspired By Masked Luchadors...
In The Amazing Spider-Man, which hit theaters Tuesday, Peter Parker is inspired to create a mask after winding up inside a wrestling ring surrounded by posters of masked luchadors. It is not the first wrestling connection in the movie franchise as in the premiere film released in 2002, Peter enters a wrestling tournament and squares off against a character portrayed by the late Randy "Macho Man" Savage.
Spider-Man movie has strong ties to pro wrestling; "Macho Man" Randy Savage connection...
The Amazing Spider-Man was released during the Independence Day week and so far the flick has performed well.
The Spider-Man franchise is awesome, it is something else which has pro wrestling fans excited about the latest reboot of the superhero franchise.
In the original film, starring Tobey Maguire, we witnessed Spider-Man enter a pro wrestling match in order to win a sum of cash which would allow him to purchase a used car he thought would impress Mary Jane.
Initially, Peter Parker wanted to be called The Human Spider, but Bruce Campbell put a stop to that nonsense and sent him down to the ring as Spider-Man.
As if seeing the man most famously known as Ash Williams wasn't enough, we were treated to a second cameo within seconds.
Spidey was facing off against Bonesaw McGraw, who was played by the late, great Randy "Macho Man" Savage.
It was here where Spidey first faced off against a foe who put him through hell.
This cameo by the legendary "Macho Man" was warmly welcomed by wrestling fans who had missed Savage. The new film, featuring Andrew Garfield as the webby one has gone back to its roots and given Peter Parker another wrestling-based inspiration.
At one point in the film Peter Parker is walking away from a group of hoodlums he had just schooled when he falls through a roof, landing in the middle of a wrestling ring.
When he stood up and looked around he saw what provided him with the inspiration for his signature mask.
The small arena was filled with signs featuring Lucha Libre masks, one of which catches Parker's eye more than the others.
The mask is red with dark-colored designs surrounding the eyes, nearly an exact copy of Spidey's look sans the webbing all over the face area.
Director Marc Webb made a lot of wrestling fans happy by inserting another inspiration for Spider-Man which is based in the world of pro wrestling.
Wrestling fans and comic book fans have a large cross over audience which these film makers have smartly plugged into - further casting their own web, to help increase net profits of course.
Comics and pro wrestling have a few elements in common. They both feature people dressed in fancy outfits, have signature attacks / finishing moves, and have a good VS evil theme for the most part.
Both Marc Webb and Sam Raimi chose to use wrestling as a launching pad for Peter Parker is also another point that wrestling fans are high on.
This latest part of the Hollywood - pro wrestling connection has gone over well and may even lead to the wrestling themes been further cast out in the Hollywood movie web and the movie industry wrestles attempting to get back some of the glory and money it used to make.
Marvel Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2, The Avengers Et Al Boost Popularity Of Marvel Slot Games...
The Media Man agency reports that Marvel themed online slot games across the network, and featured at partner, PartyCasino.com , are boosting the popularity of the superhero themed online slot games. Bwin.Party currently offers The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, with more expected to soon hit the popular gaming and entertainment website destination.
WWE Keen To Work With UFC Fighter; Ties To C.M Punk And "Stone Cold" Steve Austin...
Various news media has reported that WWE is interested in working with 35 year old UFC fighter "The American Gangster" Chael Sonnen. There's been mixed reports on whether Sonnen will one day try his hand at pro wrestling, post MMA, following the lead of 'King Mo' who now wrestles in TNA Wrestling. Oh, did you hear... Batista may soon be returning to professional wrestling WWE style - watch this space, and be sure to check him out in the new flick 'The Man With The Iron Fists', where he plays 'Brass Body'.
Back to the talented big mouth fighter Sonnen...he has ties to WWE as he is mates with WWE Champion CM Punk. Punk was ready to accompany Sonnen to the Octagon for a fight several months back but that was nixed.
Sonnen is also close to WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin. Austin has been bringing Sonnen out to his Broken Skull Ranch in Texas to help him with strength and conditioning training.
Ric Flair may soon return to WWE; Next Monday on Raw?...
Various pro wrestling websites and "dirt sheets" are reporting that folks close to Ric Flair are stating that he will be returning WWE at the October 29th RAW from Charlotte, North Carolina. Many fans are of course hoping this rumour is true.
The general understanding is that he will be getting involved in the storyline with AJ Lee, Vickie Guerrero and John Cena.
Flair will be a most welcome addition to the roster which is thin on depth at the moment, with big name iconic wrestlers such as The Rock, The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar nowhere to be seen. Lots of internet buzz about a potential return to the WWE from Dave Bautista, but nothing's 100% until it happens.
Hardcore and casual fans are excited about seeing Flair work with his modern day equivalent of sorts - Dolph Ziggler. How cool what that be? You can smell the improved TV ratings already.
WWE needs to pull a rabbit or two out of the hat, and the likes of Flair, Bautista, The Rock and The Undertaker are just what the doctor ordered. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin is also strongly rumoured to make some WWE appearances in 2013, which may or may not result in a fued or match with CM Punk.
Lot's of rumors around and all up it should make a more entertaining that usual Raw, and new WWE program, Main Event, would also do well to see legendary wrestlers return.
Yes fans, there's a lot of buzz and excitement around at the moment, so let's hope that the WWE powers that be do what is required to get some legendary wrestlers back on the active roster.
One more thing for us Ryback fans, and there's millions - Feed Me More!
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Wednesday, October 24, 2012
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