Australian Sports Entertainment

Monday, May 31, 2010

Media Man International Take On Australian Online Gaming, by Greg Tingle - 31st May 2010

News media and gaming insiders, outsiders, and everyone else...Media Man breaks its recent silence (patch) regarding the Australian online gaming, gambling and sports betting sector. We only went quite for less than a week, but with most major Australian media making a lot of noise, some of it very intelligently, we thought it should be our turn, given that for over a decade we have ramped up our global coverage of the sector, part of which thanks to our friends at beloved (and often controversial) Gambling911. Before we swing into things further, for the record, as recently told to The Sydney Morning Herald, Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and portal development company, established a decade. Gaming and igaming (including sports betting), is just one sector we cover. We are not a casino, nor are we a gaming company, or adult company. And furthermore, I am a qualified journalist - 5 years and established media agent - 5 years). A decade in business. It hasn't been easy, but what a journey it continues to be.

What is a website portal?...

In essence, a very popular website. Think like NineMSN, iGoogle, MSNBC, Wikipedia. Media Man is not as slick (or as well funded), but developed a niche and successful business model none the less. The Media Man website network is a work in progress, and is never completly finished (as is the dynamic nature of the web medium).


Background to iGaming and online sports betting...

PartyGaming, London Stock Exchange listed powerhouse, is understood to be the world's first igaming giant and firm of considerable name values.


What is an online affiliate program?...

An affiliate program is a largely commission based incentive b2b structure where an affiliate (i.e a web publisher) receives a % for generating successful sales / bringing in business. Website portals (and media companies) make for some of the most successful affiliates, as they have compelling unique content, high traffic, loyal readership interested in certain niche areas and the like. Some affiliate programs are quality and worthwhile, and some are not, and could be viewed as a waste of time.

Affiliate marketing (reference: Wikipedia)...

Affiliate marketing is a marketing practice in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought about by the affiliate's marketing efforts. Examples include rewards sites, where users are rewarded with cash or gifts, for the completion of an offer, and the referral of others to the site. The industry has four core players: the merchant (also known as 'retailer' or 'brand'), the network, the publisher (also known as 'the affiliate') and the customer. The market has grown in complexity to warrant a secondary tier of players, including affiliate management agencies, super-affiliates and specialized third parties vendors.
Affiliate marketing overlaps with other Internet marketing methods to some degree, because affiliates often use regular advertising methods. Those methods include organic search engine optimization, paid search engine marketing, e-mail marketing, and in some sense display advertising. On the other hand, affiliates sometimes use less orthodox techniques, such as publishing reviews of products or services offered by a partner.

Affiliate marketing—using one website to drive traffic to another—is a form of online marketing, which is frequently overlooked by advertisers. While search engines, e-mail, and website syndication capture much of the attention of online retailers, affiliate marketing carries a much lower profile. Still, affiliates continue to play a significant role in e-retailers' marketing strategies.


Disclaimers Explained...

Responsible publishers such as Media Man put appropriate disclaimers on their work. ie: Media Man has a b2b relationship with X. Media Man owns shares in X. X is a client of Media Man. Media Man newsfeeds powered by Fairfax Media, The New York Times and Google News. X is not a client of Media Man, X is a former client of Media Man, and you get the idea...

Some History - 1998, Australia...

Professor Jan McMillen, executive director of the Australian Institute for Gambling Research, and Dr Peter Grabosky, director of research at the Australian Institute of Criminology, argued that strict prohibition of internet gambling would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. "While prohibition would quite likely reduce online gambling to some extent it might detract from the capacity to address other, more pressing forms of online illegality such as fraud, child pornography, or other more serious forms of computer hacking."

International History...

The UK was one of the first countries to fully regulate online gambling. This greatly assisted in both consumer protection, innovation and correct government taxation. Companies such as Virgin Games, PartyGaming (PartyCasino and PartyPoker etc), Paddy Poker and William Hill have traditional enjoyed strong success in the United Kingdom.


United States Key Historical Development...

U.S. legislation

On September 29, 2006, the U.S. Congress passed the Safe Port Act and attached unrelated anti-gambling language to the act. This legislation is known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

On October 2, 2006, PartyGaming announced that it would "suspend all real money gaming business with US customers" in light of the passage of the Safe Port Act.

George W. Bush signed the act into law on October 13, and PartyGaming suspended offerings of real-money games to U.S. players. Free play games and non-US customers were not affected.

As a result of this news being released to investors, PartyGaming's publicly traded stock dropped almost 60% in 24 hours. The company was moved from the FTSE 100 to the FTSE 250 Index on October 11.

In April 2009 the company made a settlement with the United States government where they agreed to pay a penalty of $105 million over the next four years as part of a "non-prosecution agreement". As part of the deal, Party put its name to a "statement of facts" in which it admits for the first time that, before October 2006, it had targeted US citizens, resulting in the processing of transactions that were "contrary to certain US laws".

*A number of online gaming companies continue to pro actively market to Americans. There are a widely accepted grey area in the law, one that could be viewed to exploit "loop holes" in American law.

Canada is generally regarded as much more igaming friendly that the U.S. PartyGaming, owner of the World Poker Tour brand, is currently rumoured to be looking at stepping up their activity in Canada, including eyeing off the Canadian Poker Tour.


Early Days Of White Australia History...

Gambling thrived, largely underground, since settlers arrived in Australia, firstly via Captain Cook (depending upon what history books you wish to believe). Gambling was a favorite pastime and provided for hours, sometimes months, of entertainment.

Circa 1950 - 70s Australia...

Illegal gambling dens thrived in Australia. Mainly on the east coast. George Freeman, as featured on some Network 'Underbelly' episodes was the king. Abe Saffron, subject of an 'Australian Families of Crime' feature was also considered king for many years.

Crown Casino Takes Casino Mainstream Down Under...

Circa 1980, the late, great, Kerry Packer, sees Crown Casino launch in Melbourne Australia. Crown Casino also becomes home of many great entertainment industry events, including The Logies! (broadcast on Network Nine). Crown grows the empire acquiring a casino in Perth (1984), re named as Burswood Entertainment Centre. In 2005 Kerry passes away, having cheated death a number of times, and James takes the reigns. Packer Jr's aptitude was questioned (mainly by the Aussie press) for many years, but last year he proved the knockers wrong, with Crown Casino and Burswood powering along, followed by his City Of Dreams, Macau, holding up well in a global financial crisis. The Crown empire has showed itself to be recession resilient, but not recession proof. Packer is still standing while many lost their shirts and went down for the count. Packer key business strengths include (other than being seriously cashed up), networking, enjoying relationships with company such as Richard Branson, David Gyngell, Eddie McGuire, Shane Warne, Damian Aspinall (long family history), Sen Stephen Conroy, and a bush tucker bag of Australian state and federal politicians, and a number of the Aussie media and entertainment A-Listers. Packer's teaming up with Aussie mining giant, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest (Team GenerationOne) earned him browny points, and some say well needed, PR, but both Packer Jr and 'The Twiggster' have both enjoyed long and largely positive history and relationships with Indigenous Australia. By all accounts, their hearts are in it.


Australian Productivity Commission Report - May 2010...

Recommends that internet gambling be legalised and regulated

Australians are spending an estimated $1 billion per year on internet gambling (casino, poker and sports betting)

Firms offering online casino products are theoretically subject to fines of up to $1.1 million per day, but Australian Federal Police are refusing to lay charges against illegal operators.

Numbers just in show Aussies are expected to spend $968 million this year on online casino games, poker and bingo, approx 30% on online poker.

iGaming is thriving in Australia, and its cousin, videogaming, also remains one of the more financial stable business sectors.

*The below is credit to the Australian Productive Commission official website
http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/gambling-2009


The Productivity Commission's final report on Gambling has been completed and sent to the Australian Government for its consideration.

The release of the final report by the Government is the next step in the process. Under the Productivity Commission Act 1998, the Government is required to table the report in each House of the Parliament within 25 sitting days of receipt.

When the Government releases the report, a copy will be sent to all registered participants including those who made submissions, appeared at the public hearing, or were visited by the Commission. At that time, the report will also be available for download from the inquiry website.

The Commission thanks all those who have contributed to the inquiry.

Following a decision by the Council of Australian Governments, the Australian Government asked the Productivity Commission to undertake a public inquiry into gambling.

The inquiry provides an update on developments since the Commission's 1999 report, and can consider a wide range of issues, including:

the nature and definition of gambling and the range of activities incorporated within this definition
the participation profile of gambling, including problem gamblers and those at risk of problem gambling
the economic impacts of the gambling industries, including industry size, growth, employment, organisation and interrelationships with other industries, such as tourism, leisure, other entertainment and retailing
the social impacts of the gambling industries, the incidence of gambling abuse and the cost and nature of welfare support services necessary to address it
the contribution of gambling revenue on community development activity and employment
the effects of the regulatory structures - including licensing arrangements, entry and advertising restrictions, application of the mutuality principle and differing taxation arrangements - governing the gambling industries, including the implications of differing approaches for industry development and consumers
the implications of new technologies (such as the Internet), including the effect on traditional government controls on the gambling industries
the impact of gambling on Commonwealth, State and Territory budgets
the impact that the introduction of harm minimisation measures at gambling venues has had on the prevalence of problem gambling and on those at risk
evaluate the effectiveness and success of these harm minimisation measures used by the State and Territory Governments.

ends...

Media Man coverage continued...

Forms Of Gambling...


Casino games - land based

Online casino games - games of chance, games of skill and sports betting

Sports betting - horse racing, AFL, NRL, UFC, Boxing, Cricket etc - (online or offline)

Illegal gambling - ie: betting at gambling dens, unregulated, be it in Las Vegas, Kings Cross, Maroubra Beach or China!


Australian News Media And Google Factor...

Both major Australian media companies / Newspaper firms, Fairfax and News Limited (The Daily Telegraph) advertise gambling, both in their newspaper and online newspapers. Gambling ("targeting" Australians) is carried in Google ads. Fairfax and News Limited both have branded and non branded gaming offerings. Some of them are "in house" and "white label" and some are not. The deals are well kept secrets, but obviously a deal was made between the powers that be at News Limited and a gambling firm, or number of firms, or Fairfax and News wouldn't be able to offer a gambling product / service. Fairfax and News Limited offering games of skill, games of chance and sports betting does not make them a gambling company or a casino. It just means its 1 of a number of matters they cover both online and offline. News and Fairfax both also offer journalism and advertising content and services.

TV in Australia...

Both Australian network TV and pay TV companies have broadcast footage of World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. Australian former WSOP champion, Joe Hachem, has appeared on a number of Australian TV shows including The Poker Star and Network Ten's 7PM Project. Hachem also writes for The Age. Australia's Shane Warne has appeared on a number of Australian TV shows with the 888 - Pacific Poker connection being clear, and 888 - Pacific is well branded and covered on Mr Warne's numerous websites. Sydney Roosters players previously carried Full Tilt Poker branding on their shorts, but this is understood to be no longer the case. Years ago 'Joker Poker' was screened on Network Nine, and closely associated with James Packer's Crown Casino in Melbourne. Aussie celebrities such as Dave Hughes and Bessie Bardot appears. NRL, AFL and numerous Australian sports broadcasts carry betting odds which appear on the TV screen. TV announcers will often reference the odds as part of the sports commentating. Last year it's understood that somehow an overseas online casino brand was advertised on Australian terrestrial TV late at night. The facts are not known on that matter, or in the public domain. Australia's ACMA is likely to have a file on the case.


Media Man Fact Snapshot...

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

The founder is a qualified journalist (freelance), media agent and social and community entrepreneur

Media Man own and operate over 20 website portals, approx 99% are hosted overseas

Media Man covers approximately a bakers dozen different sectors including: technology, entertainment and celebrity, travel, tourism and lifestyle, property and investment, sports, political analysis, social and community

Established 10 years and founded by Greg Tingle, built from the ground up

Global audience / readership / coverage

Website network ranked in Hitwise top ten (entertainment category) and Google 'Best Of The Web'

Member of MEAA and pro active member of Virgin Unite and modest supporter of GenerationOne and The Salvation Army

Founder owns shares in both Crown Limited and Virgin


Summary...

Online Gaming Regulation In Australia - Yes Or No?

Media Man believes that online gambling, poker, casino, sports betting et al should be regulated in Australia. That's a "Yes". As we advised Fairfax Media, we think there are good guys and bad guys. Good guys in our opinion include World Poker Tour (owned and operated by PartyGaming), World Series of Poker, PartyPoker, PartyCasino, Virgin Games - Virgin Casino (not currently available to Australians), PKR, Betfair, Centrebet, Betezy, PokerStars, Rewards Affiliates, DGM (admin for Betfair affiliates), and of course, Gambling911 (who cover the sector, but are not a casino as such, but are a gaming, sports and entertainment website portal). Regulation will assist greatly administering correct taxation of companies and and around the sector, and will likely bring in extra millions into Australian government coffers. Last, but not least, regulation should help ease the small % of what is named "problem gamblers". Readers, keep in mind, many people have a range of problems or issues, "problem gambling" is just 1 of dozens of issues a person may have. The "problem gambler" angle has been the topic of a number of "attack journalism" style news stories in Australia over recent years. Media Man, covering over a dozen different industry sectors... sports, entertainment, community, technology, property etc... believes the gambling (and gaming - video gaming etc) believes that gambling and igaming are "easy or soft targets" (as is the case for oil companies), but that's another story.

Censorship - Blacklist et al...

At one point last year, Packer 50% owned Betfair was on the so called 'Blacklist'! Why, a simple mistake or something more sinister? The Australian Communications Minister is understood to have earmarked, some insiders say, singled out, the online poker and online casino sector. Religion and other "controversial" matter said to be "not acceptable to a reasonable adult" is also on the hit list. Folks, keep in mind the Wikileaks is understood to be on the list. You know, the guys who exposed the crimes against humanity in Iraq via their world famous website. That should have the reader concerned. Who is next on the list, and why? Richard Branson's Virgin is soon to do a hard launch of Virgin Gaming in Los Angeles. Virgin also have AWOMO (in collaboration with GDI), both of which are non gambling (at least at this stage). Branson also has the very successful Virgin Games - offering Virgin Casino, Virgin Poker and Virgin Bingo. The Virgin gambling products are not available to Australians. The question begs, will Branson's AWOMO and Virgin Gaming be available to Aussies, given its accessed via the internet? They may be an answer that needs addressing from both the Australian Labor and Liberal Party. The Greens are against censorship, and the Greens political preference is Liberal.

Wrap Up

Media Man is hopeful that this relatively basic write up will help further explain the igaming sector in Australia - Asia Pacific, and will form part of the road map for law makers and those in and around the industry. It's a complex subject, one where the legal eagles will likely be winners, but one we hope responsible brands and punters alike will also be in the winners circle. Any haters or detractors out there, keep in mind that this news report is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to be. It's some commentary and information put into the public domain while the subject matter is so politically hot in Australia. Media Man has a number of disclaimers on this article to add some balance to the ongoing discussion.

We look forward to continued balance coverage from the likes of Fairfax Media, News Limited, the ABC, SBS and others. We thank Gambling911 as a global media platform to put our thoughts into the public domain.

As always, bet with your head, not over it, know the odds and have fun. Good hunting and happy punting.

Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' PartyCasino.com

Media Man 'Online Casino Game Of The Month'
Sinatra Slot, 2nd place - Cleopatra, 3rd place - The Godfather

Runner-Up VirginCasino.com

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a bakers dozen of industry verticals covered

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Virgin

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Australian Motorsport: Is Aussie Mark Webber F1 Ace A Turkey?, by Greg Tingle - 31st May 2010

Australian motorsport sensation, Mark Webber, is (or was) on fire, following his stunning performances this F1 season. Insiders including Red Bull teammate and pit crew, and a swag of insiders are now wondering if a curse stemming from the country he's racing in - Turkey, has effected his judgement, and are jokingly (we think) naming Webber 'Turkey Of The Month'. Media Man and Gambling911 rev up the situation...

Mark Webber last night secured 3rd place in (country) Turkey after a controversial collision with teammate Sebastien Vettel while the Matildas won the Asian Cup. The punters had not bargained for this and numbers are being crunched as we go to print.

Hamilton leading McLaren: 1st - 2nd

ISTANBUL: Lewis Hamilton led a McLaren 1-2 at the Turkish Grand Prix following an exciting dust up between teammates Webber and Sebastian Vettel vetoed Team Red Bull a double dip.

The Bull's daily double collided as Vettel attempted a pass along the Istanbul Park Circuit's fast section, facilitating the German into a spin, and mental spin out or of sorts.

Aussie Webber, who was leading the entire 40 laps, some how recovered for 3rd behind the cunning Jenson Button as Red Bull's pit-lane team scratched their heads.

The McLaren team also tensed up near the conclusion as its drivers exchanged the lead but Hamilton eventually earned his first win of the season, getting bragging rights, and the Brit's second top 2 finish this season... by 2.6 seconds after rain had slipped up the circuit.

Red Bull was heading for a second straight 1-2 that would have given them a huge lead in both the drivers' and constructors' standings. Neither driver was willing to accept the blame, with Vettel insisting he had the right of way as he moved up the inside, and Webber believing his teammate closed too quickly.

Webber labelled it "a disaster."

Media Man and Gambling911 labelled it "good fodder for motorsport write ups"!

Despite the incident, for the record, Media Man does not think Webber is a Turkey, despite the country of the clash, nor do we suspect a sports betting "rat".

When placing bets, don't be a Turkey, know the odds, get insider info if you can (without getting caught), bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming inc sports betting is just one of a dozen business sectors covered.

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Australian Gaming And Racing News: Aussie Racing Club Buys Pokies Clubs, by Greg Tingle - 31st May 2010

The Australian gaming, igaming, racing and overall business sector continues to evolve, as the old adage of only the strong will survive continues to hold true. Media Man and Gambling911 crack the whip at the Aussie racing and pokies sector with this special report...

The illustrious Melbourne Racing Club has further ramped up its business interests, solidifying its future, with a $50 million fab deal to buy what is understood luck seven pubs. In the purchase the MRC will pocket ownership of up to 380 pokies aka "one armed bandits". Something tells us the 'Virtual Racing' and 'Gone To The Races' slots are going to be the most popular, but old favorites 'Cleopatra Queen Of The Nile', 'Penguin Pays', 'Black Rhino' are going to be hard to beat. Aussie punter's are also calling for a 'Monopoly Slot' upgrade.

Key Players And Deal Makers Inc

Vendor - was receiver and manager PPB on behalf of former owner Rick Munday.

NAB (National Australia Bank) is the primary lender (appointed PPB after loans were not paid).

The well known and cashed up racing club finally bit the bullet and got knee deep in the pokies sector. They will own the leasehold on the popular hotels strategically scattered around Melbourne.

The Munday family had to sell up after what you could call overcapitalising, a time when the world's financial sector started bleeding.

The PPB was appointed to sell the portfolio in April, when it was discovered Mr Munday could not participate in the Victorian government's well publicized auction of 27,500 or so gaming licences...breaking up the Tabcorp and the Tatts Group duopoly and virtual strangle hold on the sector.

Upgrades including to accommodate for smoking laws are partly responsible for the blow out in financials.

The agent, Mr Musca lists the following in the portfolio: Golden Nugget Hotel in The Players, Court Jester, Golden Fleece, The Sugar Gum, The Cove, and The Grand.

As in a global financial crisis, there's big winners and losers, and the Australian racing industry is doing what it needs to do to shore up its future. If it means them getting into bed with pokies and the like, that's what they will do. Media and racing identity Alan Jones has called for unity in the sector.

Meanwhile, further aboard in France PartyGaming has shored up its deal with PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain). Party is incorporating its online poker product - solution into the deal.

We think the France - Party deal may have lit a fire in the belly of Australian racing and tipped them it was time for some off track action, if they are to survive in the long haul. Credit where credit is due.

Media Man is preparing a proposal for "the powers that be" in and around the current Asia Pacific racing sector to further shore up their financial future.

Gambling911 and Media Man remind readers to bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming inc sports betting and racing, is just one of a dozen business sectors covered.

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Sunday, May 30, 2010

PartyCasino News: Superstar Award From PartyCasino

PartyCasino.com made one lucky slots player richer to the tune of over $1.8 million earlier this month while awarding another with a new Maserati Gran Tourismo automobile.

The Gibraltar-licensed site revealed that a player using the pseudonym ‘Arkry222’ took home its life-changing Gold Mega Jackpot on May 7 from just a two-dollar spin on its SuperStar game.

The 48-year-old player, who lives on a horse farm, won $1,888,198 and, as the Gold Mega Jackpot was tied into the Grand Win Auto leaderboard promotion, his fortune saw another rewarded with the new car.

"It was a Friday night and I wasn't far off going to bed and I was sat at the computer," said ‘Arky222’.

"I actually had the volume down on the computer as I had the television on. I was playing SuperStar and all of a sudden these squares came up. I hit complete and the screen lit up in loads of colour. Then the number appeared on the screen. I had never seen so many numbers in my life; it was an international phone number."

The player’s partner of 13 years was similarly disbelieving and called out ‘that's play money’. However, the realisation of what had just happened soon hit home with the ‘infrequent player’ revealing that the win would definitely alter his life.

"I was numb," said ‘Arky222’.

"I was on a different planet. It was then that I realised that I had missed a call from the VIP team at PartyCasino.com and it started to sink in a little bit more. I hadn't been feeling well all week but now I was just in this strange kind of happy limbo. I went back into my account and there it was, over $1.8 million

"I think I am going to have to spend the money on the standards of a holiday, a new car and new house. It will also allow me to be become more flexible with my working hours as I am going to go freelance. I will also have time to play a few more games on PartyCasino.com and I love the concepts of Melon Madness and The Circus."

The Grand Win Auto leaderboard promotion was due to run from May 6 to 19 and would see the player sitting at the top when the Gold Mega Jackpot was hit awarded with the new Maserati car or a cash equivalent.

"It didn't hit me until the next day that by winning the Gold Mega Jackpot someone else had won a Maserati," said ‘Arky222’.

"All I can say is to enjoy your drive, mate, and get in touch. Fancy taking me for a spin?"

"We'd like to congratulate ‘Arkry222’ on winning the Gold Mega Jackpot," read a statement from PartyCasino.com

"He is a super guy and very deserving.

"We would also like to congratulate the winner who enjoyed the spin-off from this win. We thought the Grand Win Auto promotion would last longer than one day but that's casino."

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Saturday, May 29, 2010

PartyCasino News: Safari Soccer Cup, Monthly Players’ Bonus, Viva Las Vegas and more

PartyCasino.com News

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UFC® 114 Officially Sold Out - 27th May 2010

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – UFC announced today that tickets for UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. are officially sold out. The war of words between former UFC light heavyweight champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “Suga” Rashad Evans has created one of the fiercest rivalries in the history of the sport. It’s also created one of the hottest tickets in Sin City.

Tickets are still available for the closed circuit telecast of UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans to be held at MGM Grand Conference Center. Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino) and at any MGM Grand box office outlet. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at UFC.com, www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans will also be available live on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, GERMANY.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Ultimate Fighting Championship® - www.ufc.com
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Gaming News: 44 Million Stolen Gaming Accounts Found, by Greg Tingle - 28th May 2010

Security concerns are just as bigger concern in the gaming - video gaming industry, as in the igaming - online casino and online poker biz. Gambling911 and Media Man, encouraged by the massive response to Google's Pac-Man story, once again grab the gaming console to investigate...

Internet security outfit Symantec, posted on their website they have uncovered a "cache of stolen gaming accounts". Not just any old cache... its a "whale".

The untoward cache is around 17GB in size and contains the details of around 44 million gaming accounts.

A large proportion of the accounts details stolen are for popular games World of Warcraft and Aion.

The data was apparently stolen using software such as Infostealer. Gamepass and then verified with a threat known as Trojan. Lognick, which tests account details and logs all successful login and password combinations.

Of the accounts stolen around 210,000 were for World of Warcraft with online values between 35 and 28,000 USD.

Early this year Gambling911 reported that a number of British bookmakers and online casino companies were being investigated for stealing and attempted selling of players data. Media Man has been approached a number of times over the years by criminals attempting to sell "players lists" (name, email, $ value, casino name, address etc), of which Media Man did not purchase, and in fact tipped off law enforcement agencies.

Symantec, maker of Norton Antivirus, recommends that you keep your antivirus protection up to date and change you passwords regularly.

Media Man and Gambling911 also recommend you have different passwords for both your videogaming account and online casino account.

Security will be one of hundreds of topics discussed and displayed at the upcoming E3 Expo in Los Angeles on 15th June. The expo will feature the worldwide hard launch of Richard Branson's Virgin Gaming, and you can bet security will be tight.. an Aussie MP reckons "gamers are more scary than bikers"... lets see if he's right. Good punting, happy hunting, and good gaming.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Media Man International also publish Global Gaming Directory

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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Aussie Mildura Casino Jewel Conflict Of Interest Disclaimer, by Greg Tingle - 26th May 2010

Australian casinos remain hot political fodder on both a state, national and international front. So hot is the current climate (despite buckets of rain on the east coast of Australia), local council meetings regarding casino proposals become international news. 'Casino Jack' would be proud... we think. Media Man and Gambling911 go undercover, so to speak, exploring the ever interesting relationships between local, state and federal government and the casino and gaming sector...

In the world of news media, politics, sports and gaming, Gambling911 and Media Man are of the general belief that disclaimers are a very good thing. The ethical and legal cases for such are almost bullet proof.

We get off the beaten track via planes, trains and automobiles, and "meet the locals" in regional "Jewel" of a country town, Mildura, rapidly cementing itself on the national and international tourism and casino map.

The region's proposed casino - resort will be down one advocate tomorrow when the council decides if the gaming - tourism proposal fits its Riverfront blueprint.

Cr Nick Cavallo yesterday advised he was unable to vote at tomorrow’s big Mildura Rural City Council meeting due to a good old fashioned conflict of interest. Almost sounds like some PR that would come from 1 or 2 of Melbourne's media savvy AFL clubs, but wait... the devil is in the detail...

"Under conflict laws, I will not be able to be involved in council discussions or voting in relation to the Jewel Entertainment Development, as a company in which I am a director has business relationships which are seen as a conflict under the Local Government Act," he said in champion and straight shooting fashion.

"The views put to me by hundreds of people from all walks of life throughout the municipality are of overwhelming support for the Jewel Development to go ahead.".

Local, state, national and international businesses are all tipped to benefit from Jewel. It's forecast that the development could also provide a shot in the arm for Richard Branson's Virgin Blue, and any other airlines and aviation firms that wish to plug into the action.

Gambling911 and field correspondents have been following the Mildura 'Jewel' matter for a number of months and have concluded to date that there is mega support, MegaJackpots style included... overall, for the casino to be build.

A Media Man spokesperson said "There's been enormous interest in the Mildura Jewel proposed casino case. News media, tourism heads, switched on MPs and locals can see the massive return on investment and boost to the regions economy, should the proposal go ahead. There's just a small by vocal group of detractors, but bean counters, locals and those wanting to see the region bounce back can see the benefits. The casino of course will abide by laws and regulations and is very big on responsible gambling. Tourism and lifestyle will take as much importance as the gaming element, and funds will be poured back into the community. The potential is there for Team Mildura Jewel and the locals to show the world what they can do, Mildura country charm style, with just a dash of Vegas neon lights".

Gambling911 and Media Man remind readers to bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Virgin and is a pro active member of Virgin Unite

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NRL State Of Origin Series In 3D Starts Tonight, by Greg Tingle - 26th May 2010

Punters, sports fans, nuts, techo geeks... tonight's the night, at least down under in Australia.

Network Nine Australia makes history at 7.30pm as they go to air with the Harvey Norman 'State of Origin' Series which will be the first sporting event ever to be broadcast live in 3D on free-to-air television production! Are you pumped, we sure are. Media Man and Gambling911 don the 3D glasses and grapple tackle the situation.

This years 'State Of Origin' NRL series, best of 3, is set to break a number of records (if not necks).

It's a rainy and windy day in Sydney, Australia, but that's unlikely to put a damper on fans attending ANZ Stadium, and the nasty weather may actually help it becoming a huge TV night. The 3D broadcast is also tipped to attract extra TV viewers who don't normally watch any or much NRL footy.

James Packer 50% owned Betfair, and competitor, Centrebet, are expecting record betting over the 3 match series, with Australian Productivity Gaming Report showing that sports betting in Australia was the #1 growth area. Former Media Man client, Betezy, is also hopeful of shattering their previous betting records. Most Aussie sports betting bookies who are still in business, are looking to recover from the loss they took at the hands of the Melbourne Storm "wooden spoon" sports betting scandal, which say bookies lost up to an estimated $300,000 AUD.

Tonight both The Blues (NSW) and The Maroons (QLD) will not only be fighting for bragging rights and pride in the game, but also for the ongoing support of their sports, currently trying to get out of the shadow of sports betting and salary cap mischief. Players and coaches will not want suspicion pointing at them.

Let's now cross to analyst Nick Tedeschi, for a snapshot of his informed opinion on State Of Origin , and a public thank you to the good folks at Team Betfair...

State of Origin 2010 betting has Queensland as a heavy favourite to win the series, a victory that would be Queensland's fourth in a row. Neither New South Wales nor Queensland have won more than three series in a row in the nearly thirty year history of Origin football.

Queensland are deserved favourites with State of Origin 2010 betting quoting Queensland around the 1.60 mark with New South Wales offered at about 2.30. It has been an absolute rarity over the last decade, with the exception of last year, that Queensland are viewed by punters, bookmakers and traders as the pre-series favourite.

At this stage of the year, it would seem only cruel fate could stop Queensland from rewriting history. If anything, State of Origin 2010 betting has Queensland over the odds at 1.60.

Queensland have an embarrassment of riches. Combined with a level of stability rarely seen in Origin football and the confidence that comes with three consecutive series victories under a coach that personifies the Maroons ethos, Queensland enter the 2010 series in as good a position as has been seen in Origin football.

Remarkably, nearly every position in the Queensland team has already been settled. Billy Slater will play fullback. Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston will be the halves pairing. Cameron Smith will wear the nine. Steve Price and Petero Civoniceva will lead the way up front. Greg Inglis, Israel Folau, Justin Hodges and Darius Boyd will fill the three-quarter line. Dallas Johnson and Sam Thaiday have two of the three back-row positions locked-up. It is really only the final backrow position and a number of bench spots that need to be filled. Only injury will prevent Queensland from fielding one of the most lethal and effective Origin line-ups ever.

It is little wonder that Queensland are dominating State of Origin 2010 betting.

A look at the New South Wales situation only serves to reinforce Queensland's apparent dominance of the series.

To start with, New South Wales are without a captain with no obvious heir apparent waiting to replace retired legend Danny Buderus. Few positions have been settled. New South Wales will be forced to field an inexperienced halves line-up with Peter Wallace the favourite to wear the seven and the choice for six a lottery. A new hooker will need to be found to replace Buderus. Up front the Blues are clearly lacking with three of Luke Bailey, Justin Poore, Brent Kite, Luke Douglas, Michael Weyman, and Josh Perry to take on the ferocious Queensland pack. Bailey and Kite are the only two with Origin experience. It is anybody's guess who will line-up against the brilliant and lethal Queensland three-quarter line.

To complicate matters, New South Wales selectors have made a habit of choosing certain types of players who have proved impotent in Origin football. If they persist with the likes of Ryan Hoffman, Willie Mason, Anthony Tupou et al, the series is as good as over.

Traders should take the State of Origin 2010 betting odds available for Queensland. At this stage, they are well and truly over the odds.

Gambling911 back with you... you got to give it to Nick... credit where credit is due! Now, place a bet with Betfair to show your support and appreciation! ... just kidding, betting is still optional (not mandatory, like Sen Stephen Conroy and the Aussie Govt wants to do with the internet filter), but that's another story. Conroy has his own 'State Of Origin' battle with tech giant Google at the moment... think "Don't Be Evil" matters regarding rights to privacy and the like.

Queenslander Comments

Queensland coach Mal Meninga has this to say on tonight's clash, moving forward from last years round 3 team bashing....

"We haven't even talked about what happened in game three really - it's just about going forward, new beginnings and heading into this series in a confident mode... they think they've found the formula to victory and we have to just make sure we focus on what we do best and that's get out there and play for each other. I don't suspect there's going to be a stink - it's going to be a physical encounter and that's what Origin's all about. You've got to have an aggressive mindset. We didn't handle that very well in game three last year."

Know The Odds!

NSW VS QLD Match One

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NSW 1.86

QLD 2.1

Tech Head And Geek Scoop

On the 31st January 2010, UK Pay TV provider, BSKYB became the first broadcaster in the world to show a live sport event in 3D. This featured a football match between Manchester United and Arsenal to a selected audience in several pubs around the UK.

May the best and fairest team win. Gambling911 and Media Man remind the loyal readers to bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Oh, most importantly, know the odds, so keep checking websites like Betfair and Centrebet, and G911 will be delivering follow up stories on both a betting, techno, news and gossip front. Happy hunting and good punting.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.

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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Australian Casino, Gaming And Sports Betting Trends, by Greg Tingle - 25th May 2010

It's a red hot week, month in fact, for the Australian and Asia Pacific gaming and igaming sector. Following the public release of the Aussie government Australian Productivity Report. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to dissect the report, and what it means to both casual and hardcore gamblers, gamers, punters et al...

Australians are as passionate as ever about having a punt.. slots, poker, online casino games, bingo, horse racing, and sports betting is enjoying massive growth, fuelled by deals with Australian and international news media broadcasters, see punting talked about and referenced considerably in cricket, NRL, AFL, and even MMA via Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Typical Australian households are investing 3% of its income on gambling.

Online and offline sports betting has picked up the slack from bricks and mortar casinos, clubs and hotels, with the majority of gamblers being well aware of the number of attacks and criminal matters having accorded at licensed premises. Those who prefer to smoke while gambling are largely staying home and betting online.

Casino and Club Poker Machines

Aussies are keeping up the tradition of trying their luck on the pokies. Over 70% of punters money allocation going to the "one armed bandits". The pokies sector, much of which is controlled by Woolworths and Mr Bruce Mathieson has grown an average 1.2% per year over the past five years. Machines bring in $109.4 billion a year!

Horse Racing

Following pokies, racing comes in with 11.5% of spending, a .5% lift in five years. Spending rose from $15.6 billion to $17.6 billion during the past five years. The sector grew 2.5%. Horse racing and a "day at the races" is a totally acceptable form of gambling and social pastime to women and their families, with fashion houses, brands and the like getting in the thick of the action.

Casinos (land based)

Casinos are down, despite James Packers' Crown Casino in Melbourne make things appear their up. Tabcorp's Star City in Sydney and Jupiters Hotel & Casino on the Gold Coast have been spending up big on renovations, PR and advertising, and further plugging into the tourism and entertainment sector, attracting the creme of the world's performing artists and sporting events. 'Aussie Millions' remains Australia's biggest poker tournament by far, Crown being its home.

Casinos are understood to have lost market share in the past five years, down from 12.3% total spend in the 2004 - 2005 window to 11.9% currently. Total spending in casinos has risen in the window from $17.5 billion up to $18.3 billion. Despite what many consider to be a long period of national and international recession, the Aussie casino sector has somehow expanded by 0.9% per annum.

Lottery (via newsagents)

Staying steady. 3.5% of gambling spend. Up .2% from 5 years ago. $5.3 billion a year is invested in Aussies each year in attempt to win 'The Big One'. The sector is up by 2.3% over the past 5 years.

Sports Betting

Increased market share of gambling spend up from 1.1% in 2004-2005 to 1.9%.

Annual spend - $2.9 billion. In 2005 it was only $1.6 billion! 12% growth on average. Online sports betting has taken off, attracting a wide and passionate audience. Australians enjoy the skill element to it, just as they do with poker and online poker. Punters test their knowledge, inside info, and try to best their mates, putting down money where their mouth is. Despite a number of sports betting scandals, punters can't get enough. 50% Packer owned Betfair is powering along, also pushing attracting affiliate programs offerings to web publishers such as Media Man via agencies like DGM. Betfair main competitor Centrebet is in the top 2 sports betting firms for Australia based on revenues and active accounts. Betfair and Centrebet are looking to expand into other gambling offerings, with Centrebet already starting to offer online slots, including Marvel Entertainment, no doubt become aware of PartyGaming's popularity with branded online slot games. TAB sub group, Luxbet, entered the market a few months ago, along with Bet365 with a mixed result. SportingBet, Betstar are in the top 10. Many NRL Footy clubs joined up with Betezy (former Media Man client), with sports club branded betting ie: TitanBet (Gold Coast Titans and SharksBet (Cronulla Sharks). Punters are generally remaining very loyal to Betfair and Centerbet. Fairfax (inc The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald) and News Limited (inc The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Advertiser, Perth Now and The Courier-Mail and The Australian) are both advertising sports betting firms and also have what are understood to be "white label" in house deals, the details of which appear to be closely guarded. Google ads are often featured on Australia's leading newspaper websites and print ads for sports betting and gaming appear in newspaper print weekly.

What's Hot For Betting

State Of Origin, UFC, World Cup Soccer

Other Growing Areas

Female Gambling - online bingo, online sports betting, celebrity betting ala reality TV, politics

Areas Expecting More Growth

Online Casinos, following PartyGaming's global success of branded slot games, incorporating the likes of Marvel Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, IGT. Virtual worlds continue to enjoy popularity, especially with the younger audience, and rumors persist that SecondLife may once again incorporate a gambling - casino element. PKR's 3D poker room appears to be driving a popularity with the 3D casino sector. Richard Branson's Virgin Games has a global push, including with both gaming and gambling, with a launch of a new Virgin Games product in the US next month. It's expected to be related to AWOMO (A World Of My Own), a project in association with Game Domain International.

Concerns

Numerous gaming and igaming companies, both national and international, are concerned with the Australia government's stance on censorship, both online and offline, as well as government attempting to crack down on independent press and freelance journalists, be it Wikileaks or other.

Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Winner

PartyCasino.com

The New Wave

Tech giant Google is expected to do a hard launch of Google Games in the near future, already pushing classic game 'Pac Man'. Just when they release Google gambling remains to be seen. Google already brings in substantial revenue accepting gambling and gaming ads via its AdWords etc, which are advertised in most parts of the western word. Google's YouTube portal is expected to become a massive gaming hub. Google TV was put into the public domain via news media late last week, but Media Man understands gambling was not discussed, but gaming was. 'Play For Free' or 'Play For Money' options looks to stay part of the new wave, and multi currency casino options and internet portals incorporating games - skill and games of chance is a growing trend. Sports betting is tipped go start a 3D trend and mobile gaming, on phones, SmartPhones etc is on the upswing, despite news media reports advising punters to be alert to heavy data charges associated with so called Smart Phones.

Australia remains in the world's top ten, a number of insiders saying approximately 3rd biggest gambling national on earth.

The general population finds gambling totally acceptable, with only a small but vocal group of campaigners continuing to bombard newspapers with negative stories in an attempt to facilitate "attack journalism".

Gambling is stronger than ever in the land down under, becoming almost one with the world of sports, mainstream entertainment and the general internet landscape.

Media Man and Gambling911 encourage gamblers to know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming (including sports betting) is just one of a bakers dozen of sectors they cover on a global basis. Media Man's casino news flagship brand is Casino News Media
They also publish Australian Sports Entertainment

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Virgin

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Australian Gambling Report Asks Federal Government Control, by Greg Tingle - 24th May 2010

The Australian Productivity report into gaming, gambling et al... you've heard about it for over a year, and now Media Man and Gambling911 are delighted to deliver some meat and potatoes information on the once secretive paper... gaming insiders, outsiders and everyone else... the news you need to know, and relax, its not all bad news...

A report tells the Aussie federal government to basically take over the regulation of gambling, which Australians spend $18 billion a year on, states collecting $4.69bn in tax revenue annually, and that's only the figures they know about.

Education powerhouse - think tanks, Deakin University and the Australia Institute, urge the Rudd government to put a 2 per cent tax on all gambling revenue. Furthermore, using some of the $378 million to give state governments that reduce gambling levels "incentive payments" (not a bribe of sorts?!) to reduce their "reliance" on pokies tax.

The report argues that the land down under Australia should establish a national gambling regulator that would set poker machine quotas and bet limits. They also call for the establishment of a national (not-for-profit) lottery to replace revenue states would lose. North and South Carolina has the Education Lottery, which gambling and wrestling fans will be aware of 'The Nature Boy' Ric Flair fronting.

The Aussie reports goes as far to state the commonwealth should establish a national player tracking system to detect "abnormal or risky playing patterns".

Associate Professor Hancock said problem gambling was a serious health risk. "This whole approach . . . needs to be a central plank in the Rudd government's health plan," she stressed.

Media Man and Gambling911 acknowledge the existence of "problem gamblers", but in society many people have problems, be it gambling, employment, relationships, health, time management and all sorts of matter, so it does point an accusing finger at the gaming and gambling sector. Some types of personalities are more likely to encounter problems with gambling, and that's just part of the human make up.

Some serious and concerning information... In the state of Victoria, one in five people arriving at The Alfred Hospital's emergency unit after suicide attempts were gamblers in crisis, Professor Hancock said.

Some Australian politicians are buying right into the argument. Well known anti-pokies campaigner and independent senator Nick Xenophon advised he was inspired to run for federal politics because Kevin Rudd said he would act against gambling.

"Can I suggest to the Prime Minister that now the emissions trading scheme is off the agenda, there's a lot more time in the Senate to consider legislation," Senator Xenophon said.

"State governments are the No 1 jackpot junkies. They can't be trusted when it comes to gambling regulation. And despite his promise to deal with gambling, the Prime Minister had done nothing to reduce rates".

Labor clubs operating "one armed bandits" provide the Labor Party with $1m plus in campaign donations per annum.

Mr Rudd pledged to do something about the rise of poker machines across the country.

"I hate poker machines and I know something of their impact on families," he said.

The Productivity Commission draft report on gambling late last year recommended that pokie bets be restricted to $1 a play, and cash withdrawal limits should be placed on adjacent ATMs.

The report states Australians lost $18bn a year on gambling, and about 15% of Aussies gambled regularly (excluding Lotto), scratchies and the like.

Its estimated 10% of regular gamblers are "problem gamblers".

The new report says the commonwealth should add to the "Grants Commission formula incentives" for state governments to reduce their reliance on gambling taxes or reduce their commonwealth grants if they did not do so.

At present much discussion in the gaming and igaming sector revolves around if full regulation of the sector, both globally and in the Asia Pacific region is the way forward, with the vast majority saying Yes.

Media Man and Gambling911 encourage gamblers to know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a bakers dozen of sectors they cover.

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Monday, May 24, 2010

Australian Sports Form Anti-Corruption Alliance, by Greg Tingle - 24th May 2010

The reputation of Aussie sports, thus sports business, and to a broader degree, entertainment industry, has a take a bashing of late. Desperate to fix up ala "fix the fix" et al, a broad range of Australian sports are teaming up for the greater good. A sports betting fix and salary cap rorting re Melbourne Storm was the recent trigger, but most insiders agree there's been issues with the integrity of Australia sports for decades, and we're not just talking about Aussie Olympic team and management stuff ups. Media Man and Gambling911 go crash tackling, body slamming and Hills Hoist clotheslining with this report...

Australian sports have formed an alliance to share information that could help guard against corruption arising from the burgeoning sports gaming industry.

Sports heads from Aussie Rules, rugby, soccer, tennis and netball (no NRL or MMA) formed the Coalition of Major Professional & Participation Sports (COMPPS) this week.

The group said in a media statement last Friday its formation reflected "the importance of continuing public confidence in the integrity of major sports' results".

"There have been concerns about corrupt gaming's influence in some sports in some parts of the world and the newly constituted COMPPS group sees the importance of guarding against corruption in Australian sports gaming as one of our priorities," Executive Director Malcolm Speed said.

"Australia has an excellent sports gaming integrity reputation, which we want to maintain and as a first step, we will start sharing information within the COMPPS membership." ...well, that's what they said, but we detected a bit of spin. It's not the word on the street or in balanced news media reports. Mind you, the Storm, snooker championship and Aussie - Indian cricket got everyone very suspicious and tainted Australian sports across the board.

This new collaborating would share information about codes of conduct, education and disciplinary processes in a bid to strengthen sports integrity, the statement said.

The group's establishment comes off the back of the probe by the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit into Pakistan's under-performing tour of Australia this year.

The unit's outgoing chairman Paul Condon, who confirmed the probe on Thursday, warned that match-fixing could be ruinous to cricket if the sport was not vigilant about rooting it out.

Significant, ok, huge, match-fixing scandals have also broken in snooker, and European and Chinese soccer in recent months. These attracted international headlines.

Former world snooker champion John Higgins was suspended by the sport's governing body earlier this month after a newspaper reported he had agreed to take a bribe to lose frames, and published damaging photographs of a handshake deal.

German police dismantled a gang of more than 200 suspects operating in nine European leagues in November, while Chinese authorities have arrested in excess of 20 league and club officials for match-fixing offences as part of a probe sparked last year.

Team Media Man, Gambling911 and the loyal readership are hoping things return to normal, and the way they should be, for Australian and international sport in the near future.

Good hunting and happy punting, and may the best and fairest team win.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They also publish Australian Sports Entertainment
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Wrestling News: Why did WWE put the U.S. Title on Bret Hart?

Bret Hart became the U.S. champion for the fifth time on Monday night, defeating The Miz in a chaotic title match. This interference-packed encounter was further evidence that Bret Hart is relishing his return to the spotlight.

It surely won't be long before The Hitman gives the title up. However, it seems strange that WWE would decide to put the title on him in the first place.

At the age of 52, and collecting on an insurance policy that is being paid to him on the basis of him being unable to wrestle, Bret Hart is not capable of having anything more than matches filled with interference. It is a shame for a wrestler whose career comprised an outstanding body of work to be unable to perform at a level he could in his prime.

Nevertheless, it seems that Bret Hart still has something to offer professional wrestling in 2010. As limited as he may be in the ring, The Hitman has been consistently excellent on the microphone since returning to WWE this year. One of the biggest fears about bringing Bret Hart back to WWE was that he would be irrelevant to a new generation of fans who never witnessed him in his prime. That has not been the case.

The Hitman has more than held his own in verbal exchanges with the likes of Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Jericho, and his acting has helped to create sympathy for a character that younger fans may be unfamiliar with. The storyline with Vince McMahon was overbooked, but it had its moments, such as when Bret revealed that he had been faking his injury to get McMahon to agree to a WrestleMania match.

The problem occurred when The Hitman stepped in the ring at WrestleMania 26. Limited by what he could do, Bret Hart beat down McMahon for over ten minutes, which coupled with a contrived storyline about the Hart family, made for arguably the worst match of his career. This inability to wrestle at a decent standard is the main problem with the return of Bret Hart, as there is no point in cutting great promos if the matches they lead to are a disappointment.

Thankfully, his title match was kept short on Monday night, and his shortcomings were covered by a string of run-ins. The crowd was into the match, and reacted with jubilation for Bret Hart's win. Slightly tarnishing The Hitman's victory was the commentary of Michael Cole, who inexplicably started heeling on Bret Hart, saying that he did not deserve the title. We can only speculate as to why he was produced to say this. He is much better on NXT as a heel announcer than he is as an announcer on Raw, so maybe it will be a good thing if Cole brings this aspect of his character to Monday nights.

While the title change was well-executed, there is the question of why they wanted to give The Hitman the title in the first place. He certainly can't go on the road to defend his title, and will be surely giving the title up in the near future. Hopefully he will drop the title back to The Miz rather than vacating it on Monday night.

It seems as though every time The Miz comes close to heading to the next level as a cocky heel, WWE cuts his legs out from underneath him. The loss to Bret Hart this week, Tyson Kidd the week before, and being made to look like a jobber by Big Show recently has not done The Miz any favors. His alliance with Chris Jericho has potential, but the number of times he has been pinned recently suggests that he won't be rising above the mid-card any time soon.

Bret Hart's title win was a nice piece of nostalgia, but TNA has shown that regular nostalgia is not conducive to drawing money for a modern wrestling company. Dropping the title back to The Miz as soon as possible would probably be the best way forward, as Miz would clearly benefit from a pinfall victory over The Hitman.

Bret Hart can't wrestle the way he used to, but as his performance on Monday night showed, he is more than capable of working a crowd. Hopefully there will be a meaningful role for him after he loses the U.S. Title.

(Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)

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Saturday, May 22, 2010

Australian Burswood Casino Crime News Report, by Greg Tingle - 22nd May 2010

Loyal readers, Americans, Australians, Canadians, Asians... the world over... it didn't take long for Burswood Casino aka Burswood Entertainment Complex, to make the news again (for the wrong reasons). It's not the casinos fault again, a mug punter tried to sell a gun there. Didn't the ratbag every hear of security? Media Man and Gambling911 attack the situation with baton and plastic handcuffs in hand...

A 22-year-old punter was arrested this morning after he "allegedly" attempted to sell a gun on the gaming floor no less, at James Packer owned Burswood Casino. Burswood is in the Crown Limited portfolio.

Burswood security officers aka "bouncers" called police to the casino premises around 3.30am. It's those wee hours of the morning when a lot of serious crime happens in society, under the darkness of night. Crims are also known to drink a bit before committing crimes in an attempt to drum up a bit of "Dutch Courage".

Events Following:

Police searched the punters quarters at Burswood Hotel, where they are understood to have located a handgun and a quantity of ecstasy (illegal and popular drug) tablets.

The mug has been charged with possession of a firearm and possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply.

Cobber, you've been watching too many episodes of 'Underbelly' and 'Gangs Of Oz'.

The apparent smallish time criminal has been refused bail and is expected to appear in court today or Monday.

No shots were fired, but as Gambling911 and Media Man readers would know too well, things can change in a hurry when it comes to criminal behaviour at casinos, hotels and resorts. This year there's been dozens of arrests and gun shots at Australian, European and American land based casinos and clubs.

We commend the Burswood casino staff and management, and WA Police for taking care of this fella before things further escalated.

Not sure about visiting your local casino or club? Check out the casino and online casino profiles at Gambling911 and Media Man International. Last week a comprehensive report on Australian - Asia Pacific casinos was filed. Media Man online games of the month: Cleopatra and Sinatra, neck and neck. MM 'Online Casino Of The Month' winner:
PartyCasino.com

Media Man Land Based Casino Of The Month winner: Crown Casino, Melbourne Australia (extra points to Crown and James Packer for leading the charge with GenerationOne), helping employ thousands of Indigenous Australians, as the continue to get trained up. Mr Packer also gets the "sympathy vote" for copping an "ear bashing" at the hands of rock legend and fellow humanitarian, Bob Geldof, who alluded to numerous "rich bastards" at a recent GenerationOne conference in Western Australia.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen industry sectors they cover.

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited (and others)

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WWE News: WWE continuing to play up Daniel Bryan vs. Michael Cole scrap with more "shoot" comments

WWE is continuing to play up the Daniel Bryan vs. Michael Cole "fight" from NXT on Tuesday with more "shoot comments" from Daniel Bryan after the angle played out.

WWE published a story today on their website with Bryan commenting on Cole "burying" him on commentary, Cole "putting over" David Otunga (who Bryan said "can't even run the ropes right), WWE "pushing" big wrestlers, and WWE trying to "hold him down."

It all adds up to WWE attempting to get a reaction out of hardcore fans by making it seem shocking that insider verbiage would be used in a WWE story and that WWE would "allow" Bryan to criticize WWE.

In actuality, it's a WWE-approved angle meant to get a reaction. One part of Bryan's interview that could point to the future direction of the storyline is Bryan saying in-character that he was "out of line" for attacking Cole on NXT.

"I think my actions were unprofessional and I'd do them all over again," Bryan said. "You can only be pushed so much before you get to that breaking point, you know, and at some point you need to stand up for yourself."

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(Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)

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Friday, May 21, 2010

WWE mogul charges into Conn. political smackdown

HARTFORD, Conn. — Linda McMahon has had some infamous moments in the ring — kicking a man in the groin, getting slapped across the face by her daughter, and sitting in a wheelchair, feigning a coma, as her famous husband cavorted before thousands of screaming fans with a scantily clad "Diva."

McMahon last year stepped away from her wild World Wrestling Entertainment empire to climb into the political ring, where she has parlayed some of her experience with attention-getting stunts into a viable Republican candidacy to succeed the retiring Chris Dodd in the U.S. Senate.

As the state GOP prepares to endorse a candidate Friday, McMahon unabashedly acknowledges her campaign used some of the $50 million she has pledged for the race to provide "some things" for a news report that front runner Richard Blumenthal, the state's popular Democratic attorney general, had distorted his record of military service during the Vietnam War.

She also continues to deflect criticism about the WWE, which over the years has come under fire for the health of its performers and some of its stunts, including a developmentally disabled character being beaten and a performer simulating sex with a woman's corpse in a casket.

"It's push-back that WWE has heard over time. To produce seven hours of fresh programming every single week, with no reruns for 52 weeks a year, you do some story lines, you know, better than others," McMahon, a political novice, told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "It becomes a matter of taste."

McMahon, who stepped down as chief executive officer of WWE last fall to run for the Senate, is now pitching herself as a successful entrepreneur with than 30 years of business experience, someone who knows how to manage a budget, create jobs and stimulate the economy.

Her early salvo has left a blemish in Blumenthal's tidy record in addition to stirring up renewed attention to her own record with the Greenwich-based WWE, where she helped grow a 13-person operation into a global business with more than 500 employees.

Democrats and McMahon's main GOP rival, former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, are attempting to turn the tables and use the controversy that McMahon helped to create, as well as her campaign's words, as political ammunition.

Simmons points to McMahon's statements about the health and wellness of her WWE performers. His campaign recently produced an Internet video that flashes pictures of seven wrestlers who appeared in a 1991 Wrestlemania Event and later died, most of them in their 40s. It points out how the WWE stopped its drug testing in 1996 and didn't resume it until 2006.

"Evaluating Linda McMahon, the candidate begins with evaluating Linda McMahon's WWE business experience — the good, the bad, the ugly," read one recent Simmons mailer.
Another reads: "Linda McMahon made hundreds of millions of dollars she's using to fund her Senate campaign by selling graphic sex and violence to children of all ages."

It's questionable whether that rhetoric will influence Republican delegates on Friday, though.

"Rob Simmons, since September, has been attacking Linda, has run a nonstop negative campaign against Linda, he has been talking exclusively about wrestling, WWE," said Ed Patru, a McMahon campaign spokesman. "The result has been a nose dive in the polls for him."

While Simmons was the front runner for the Republican nomination earlier this year, actually leading Dodd back in January when the senator was still in the race, a March 17 Quinnipiac University Poll showed McMahon, who has already run numerous television ads, had taken the apparent lead among Republican primary voters. While Simmons is expected to win the endorsement Friday, some Republicans acknowledge McMahon has a shot.

Even if McMahon doesn't win the nod Friday, she's still expected to win enough delegates needed to challenge Simmons to a primary on Aug. 10. Simmons has said he won't seek a primary if he does not secure the endorsement.

A 2009 congressional committee investigation into steroid use in professional wrestling, one that included interviews with McMahon and her husband, Vince, criticized the WWE for a "lack of independence and transparency."

McMahon pointed out the WWE has improved its wellness program, telling the AP that there are now full cardiac evaluations and physicals for performers, and that the WWE was the first wrestling organization to put mats outside the ring to protect falling wrestlers.

"It's always interesting that you are seemingly punished or looked at askant for what maybe you weren't doing 20 years ago, instead of being credited for how you've evolved it, learned in the process, taken better care of people, and all of the evolutions of content and programming and been in business that long and been on television," McMahon said.

"It's a testament really to the creativity and ingenuity that's the product, I think."

Now McMahon is using that ingenuity in her political race.

A report this week by The New York Times, the newspaper to which McMahon's campaign acknowledges it supplied information, included quotations and a video of Blumenthal saying in 2008 that he had served "in Vietnam" even though his service in the Marine Reserve did not take him overseas.

Blumenthal, who appeared to have a lock on the Senate seat before this with double-digit leads in recent polls, has since said that he "misspoke" on several occasions and that his statements were "totally unintentional" errors.

Referring to McMahon campaign claims that Blumenthal's mistakes about his military record show "deeply disturbing disconnects between the image he sought to portray and reality," Simmons said the same can be said about McMahon.

"Just as Blumenthal's unscrutinized record has now caused consternation for Democrats," Simmons said, "so will McMahon's for Republicans."

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Australian Aboriginals And Casinos Generate Bob Geldof Heat, by Greg Tingle - 20th May 2010

Gaming and community entrepreneurs, what do Aussie indigenous peoples, casinos and pop icon Bob Geldof share in common? No, its not a game of what's red, white and black all over... ok, bad joke... the answer is "a nun in a blender". Getting serious, wonderful Australian initiative GenerationOne, has once again brought together an eclectic mix of society, business, rock stars, humanitarians... the whole box and dice. Media Man, passionate community campaigner and media entrepreneur, and Gambling911, new media powerhouse, hit the Aussie Outback in search of answers...

Live Aid humanitarian and rock star "rat" tells us Australia has "exiled" indigenous Australians from the nation.

Australian and Asia Pacific casino and lifestyle king, James Packer of Crown, copped an earful, as did others... more on that later, but here's an overview... the calm before the storm friends...

"They were forced to be exiled from themselves and that must stop," he preached.

"You need to pull them back into themselves because you’ve acknowledged them as being. The spiritual core of yourselves will only be filled when this is done.".

Mr Boobtown Rat was speaking to a breakfast for Perth, WA mining baron Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest’s nation-touring GenerationOne movement. "Twiggy" and the team aims to halt indigenous disparity within this generation. Geldof likened indigenous affairs in Australia to situations he’d witnessed in 3rd-world Africa, and you get the idea.

"I said on the radio back in 1984 that to die of want in a world of surplus is not only intellectually absurd, it is morally repulsive. Well let’s add economically illiterate to that.

It already started to sound that he was talking to the casino, development and mining industry... he has a captive audience, that much is for certain, and news media caught every word!

"You’ve removed from your society of 'having a go' 500,000 of your own. That is absurd. It’s economically stupid.

"Just like those 44 million African children (given access to education from the Live Aid campaign) will be a massive driving force in the world economy, so your own Aboriginal people require to be allowed in. The access point is education."

Geldof urged the "rich bastards" (Mr Packer et al) in attendance at the breaky to contribute wholeheartedly and dig deep re Mr Forrest’s fight to end indigenous disparity. It's a shame 'Our Richard' (Branson), Steve Wynn (still winning big), and billionaire 'Google Guys' weren't in attendance.

Taking shots at a guest representative of Mr Frank Lowy’s Westfield empire and GenerationOne benefactor and key supporter, casino king James Packer, Geldof said "You can build a small shop and then you can build very, very big shop. You can build a casino and then you can build five casinos, you’re still building fu...king casinos."

But Geldof was more than happy to take a pot shot at himself, thereby covering his ass for later heat...

"Or you could be singularly responsible for two of the worst pop records ever made (We Are the World and Do They Know It’s Christmas?).

"You can do all that, but it’s just not enough. It’s all sort of empty. It doesn’t mean very much. Of course, what it is is being able to take what you’re doing, which is less than some and more than others, and extend it out. Well that’s what Twiggy (Andrew Forrest) is doing."

8 minutes of Geldoff speak, poetic tongue, relating to all, Dreamtime included, it was appropriate that Geldof (Mr Rat) signed off with a quote from German writer Johann von Goethe "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.".

Media Man and Gambling911 wish the loyal readership magic of Enchanted Unicorn proportions and genius, be it poker, casino classics, sports betting, or friends and relationships. Geldof is not interested to have a 'Boomtown Rats' themed slot machine, despite fellow rocker, Aussie Angry Anderson doing well with his 'Rose Tattoo' casino club themes. Packer has not publicity commented on a Kerry Packer or 'Underbelly' casino slot game to date, which means its still a possibility. Rock on my brothers, white, black or other! We are one.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen industry sectors they cover

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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