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Friday, April 30, 2010
New Zealand And Australian Casinos Expect Changes, by Greg Tingle - 30th April 2010
Australian and New Zealand casino bosses, top brass and insiders expect significant changes to the Asia pacific casino, club and gaming sector.
The gaming sector down under in the land of Kiwi's, New Zealand, points out the substantial financial and other contributions they make in the community, while anti gaming campaigners say casinos, clubs and the like overstate their contribution. We cross over to the Tasman as Media Man and Gambling911 continue their probe for truth, justice and the American, Kiwi and Australian way...
It's time the true contribution of gaming machines to the New Zealand economy was recognised and acknowledged...that's part of the key message from conference participants at the 2010 New Zealand Gaming Expo.
The venue...the beautiful SKYCITY in Auckland, New Zealand.
Chief Executive Officer Gaming Technologies Association (GTA), Ross Ferrar, advised revenue from gaming machines benefited many...charities, schools, community bodies and sporting groups, to name but a few. The machines also returned a large proportion of their earnings back to the government in the form of compliance costs and taxes.
"Gaming machines are designed to entertain and the casino, and gaming rooms in pubs and clubs exist so people can do this in a safe, controlled and regulated environment. There are just under 20,000 gaming machines throughout New Zealand which contribute over $300 million to deserving groups around the country. The government earns around $242 million annually from the machines," points out Mr Ferrar.
SKYCITY CEO, Nigel Morrison, echoed the message in his opening address to the conference that the 2003 Gambling Act focused on harm minimisation and ignored the economic contribution gaming made to the economy.
Mr Morrison advised the gaming industry was struggling to grow within a tightly regulated framework and there continued to be uncertainty about the operating environment.
"We still don't know what the New Zealand reaction is going to be to the Australian Productivity Commission's report into gambling. There seems to be a focus on pre-commitment and we are concerned about the recommendations to limit player expenditure on gaming machines.
"We anticipate change within the industry and it's unlikely that the three main casino players in Australasia, SKYCITY, Crown and Tabcorp will remain as they are in the next two years."
Change was also the message from Chief Executive Pub Charity Mr Martin Cheer who told delegates the anti-gaming lobby had switched from its position of highlighting harm to challenging the integrity of the Trusts.
"Accusations of harm from gaming machines have run their course, largely because the claims can't be substantiated. The move now is to attack the gaming machine Trusts. This makes it important that everything they do is above board. The debate needs to come back to the centre because it's been one-side for too long. The gaming industry needs to participate and become more involved in taking charge of its own future."
The CEO of Hospitality Association Of NZ, Mr Bruce Robertson who told conference delegates gaming machines were a significant fundraising business which was slowly being strangled.
"The Department of Internal Affairs unfortunately has a single minded focus on optimising returns through cost minimisation. If the Trusts don't present a cohesive face to the industry the Department of Internal Affairs will be able to pick them off one by one. This will continue to weaken the industry."
Mr Robertson added that the current rules being applied to the sector were not sustainable. "The result will be a reduction in the money that goes to the community.
Minister of Revenue and Associate Minister of Health, Hon Peter Dunne told delegates that gaming machine operators needed to continue to find new and better ways to work with communities.
"The whole premise of charity gaming in New Zealand is that the proceeds are returned to the local community. The implicit partnership has always been that gaming machine proceeds were available for distribution for the betterment of local communities.
The call from the CEO of the Community Gaming Association, Mr Francis Wevers was the need for the industry to work together to protect its interests.
"The benefits of gaming to the local community are often overlooked in the welter of criticism but steps are being taken to bridge the gap between the anti-gambling sector and the Class 4 venues. We work in a market that has a unique set of parameters and we need to stop apologising for it."
Mr Ferrar reiterated that the gaming industry sector should be proud of the economic contribution it made.
"Gaming is good for the community because it can make a positive difference."
Should the Aussies follow the Kiwi ways and follow like sheep, or should the sheep follow the Aussie Kangaroos, or should both animals look further afield to the American eagles?
We think sustainable solutions and answers are likely to be found by looking globally, not just in our own backyards. Certainly there's many success stories in America with the Native American Indians being able to nurture and support communities thanks to gaming and casino tourism. Many tribes also have plans to suitable incorporate online poker and online casino ventures, rather than see it as a threat to their enterprise. If Las Vegas and Atlantic City was able to better embrace the online world perhaps they wouldn't be in the mess they are in, but that's another story. The late Charles Darwin famously pointed out that adapting to change was vital for the species who are to survive.
Media Man is currently in liaison with Australian based GenerationOne and other government bodies as to how best go about employing a couple more Australians (qualified and trained up Indigenous Aussies), whilst minimizing red tape. Australian mining magnate, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest and Aussie casino king, James Packer (Crown Limited) are driving forces behind the GenerationOne initiative.
Media Man and many of their business partners, associates and friends in the media, new media and interactive entertainment space are concerned that some of the online (internet filter) and offline censorship initiatives from Australia's Rudd government are going to cost Australian's jobs and international trade opportunities. In addition newspapers and magazines are forecast to become further censored. Companies set to be adversely effected in their trade with Australia and New Zealand include Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Sony, Sega, Playboy, AussieBum, Marvel Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Virgin Enterprises Limited, UFC, Hasbro, EA, MTV and News Corporation. Media Man recently documented some of their concerns to the United Nations, Virgin Unite, Reporters Without Borders and MP Tony Abbott's office, as was thanked for their contribution... no, not a 'Casino Jack' monetary contribution! No, we didn't have to play golf with any of the top brass concerned either.
Tell us what you think in the forum, and as our friends at New Corp - Fox say, keep it fair and balanced... can we trust you with that. Know the odds, and keep it fun.
*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 sectors they cover.
*The writer is a shareholder in Crown Limited, Virgin and a pro active member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, and Richard Branson's Virgin Unite
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The gaming sector down under in the land of Kiwi's, New Zealand, points out the substantial financial and other contributions they make in the community, while anti gaming campaigners say casinos, clubs and the like overstate their contribution. We cross over to the Tasman as Media Man and Gambling911 continue their probe for truth, justice and the American, Kiwi and Australian way...
It's time the true contribution of gaming machines to the New Zealand economy was recognised and acknowledged...that's part of the key message from conference participants at the 2010 New Zealand Gaming Expo.
The venue...the beautiful SKYCITY in Auckland, New Zealand.
Chief Executive Officer Gaming Technologies Association (GTA), Ross Ferrar, advised revenue from gaming machines benefited many...charities, schools, community bodies and sporting groups, to name but a few. The machines also returned a large proportion of their earnings back to the government in the form of compliance costs and taxes.
"Gaming machines are designed to entertain and the casino, and gaming rooms in pubs and clubs exist so people can do this in a safe, controlled and regulated environment. There are just under 20,000 gaming machines throughout New Zealand which contribute over $300 million to deserving groups around the country. The government earns around $242 million annually from the machines," points out Mr Ferrar.
SKYCITY CEO, Nigel Morrison, echoed the message in his opening address to the conference that the 2003 Gambling Act focused on harm minimisation and ignored the economic contribution gaming made to the economy.
Mr Morrison advised the gaming industry was struggling to grow within a tightly regulated framework and there continued to be uncertainty about the operating environment.
"We still don't know what the New Zealand reaction is going to be to the Australian Productivity Commission's report into gambling. There seems to be a focus on pre-commitment and we are concerned about the recommendations to limit player expenditure on gaming machines.
"We anticipate change within the industry and it's unlikely that the three main casino players in Australasia, SKYCITY, Crown and Tabcorp will remain as they are in the next two years."
Change was also the message from Chief Executive Pub Charity Mr Martin Cheer who told delegates the anti-gaming lobby had switched from its position of highlighting harm to challenging the integrity of the Trusts.
"Accusations of harm from gaming machines have run their course, largely because the claims can't be substantiated. The move now is to attack the gaming machine Trusts. This makes it important that everything they do is above board. The debate needs to come back to the centre because it's been one-side for too long. The gaming industry needs to participate and become more involved in taking charge of its own future."
The CEO of Hospitality Association Of NZ, Mr Bruce Robertson who told conference delegates gaming machines were a significant fundraising business which was slowly being strangled.
"The Department of Internal Affairs unfortunately has a single minded focus on optimising returns through cost minimisation. If the Trusts don't present a cohesive face to the industry the Department of Internal Affairs will be able to pick them off one by one. This will continue to weaken the industry."
Mr Robertson added that the current rules being applied to the sector were not sustainable. "The result will be a reduction in the money that goes to the community.
Minister of Revenue and Associate Minister of Health, Hon Peter Dunne told delegates that gaming machine operators needed to continue to find new and better ways to work with communities.
"The whole premise of charity gaming in New Zealand is that the proceeds are returned to the local community. The implicit partnership has always been that gaming machine proceeds were available for distribution for the betterment of local communities.
The call from the CEO of the Community Gaming Association, Mr Francis Wevers was the need for the industry to work together to protect its interests.
"The benefits of gaming to the local community are often overlooked in the welter of criticism but steps are being taken to bridge the gap between the anti-gambling sector and the Class 4 venues. We work in a market that has a unique set of parameters and we need to stop apologising for it."
Mr Ferrar reiterated that the gaming industry sector should be proud of the economic contribution it made.
"Gaming is good for the community because it can make a positive difference."
Should the Aussies follow the Kiwi ways and follow like sheep, or should the sheep follow the Aussie Kangaroos, or should both animals look further afield to the American eagles?
We think sustainable solutions and answers are likely to be found by looking globally, not just in our own backyards. Certainly there's many success stories in America with the Native American Indians being able to nurture and support communities thanks to gaming and casino tourism. Many tribes also have plans to suitable incorporate online poker and online casino ventures, rather than see it as a threat to their enterprise. If Las Vegas and Atlantic City was able to better embrace the online world perhaps they wouldn't be in the mess they are in, but that's another story. The late Charles Darwin famously pointed out that adapting to change was vital for the species who are to survive.
Media Man is currently in liaison with Australian based GenerationOne and other government bodies as to how best go about employing a couple more Australians (qualified and trained up Indigenous Aussies), whilst minimizing red tape. Australian mining magnate, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest and Aussie casino king, James Packer (Crown Limited) are driving forces behind the GenerationOne initiative.
Media Man and many of their business partners, associates and friends in the media, new media and interactive entertainment space are concerned that some of the online (internet filter) and offline censorship initiatives from Australia's Rudd government are going to cost Australian's jobs and international trade opportunities. In addition newspapers and magazines are forecast to become further censored. Companies set to be adversely effected in their trade with Australia and New Zealand include Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Sony, Sega, Playboy, AussieBum, Marvel Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Virgin Enterprises Limited, UFC, Hasbro, EA, MTV and News Corporation. Media Man recently documented some of their concerns to the United Nations, Virgin Unite, Reporters Without Borders and MP Tony Abbott's office, as was thanked for their contribution... no, not a 'Casino Jack' monetary contribution! No, we didn't have to play golf with any of the top brass concerned either.
Tell us what you think in the forum, and as our friends at New Corp - Fox say, keep it fair and balanced... can we trust you with that. Know the odds, and keep it fun.
*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 sectors they cover.
*The writer is a shareholder in Crown Limited, Virgin and a pro active member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, and Richard Branson's Virgin Unite
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Thursday, April 29, 2010
S.C. lottery tag-teams with Flair - 28th April 2010
One of Charlotte’s best-known celebrities will be pictured on South Carolina Education Lottery tickets, starting next week.
Former professional wrestling champion Ric Flair will be the subject of a $5 scratch-off ticket, starting Monday, according to representatives of Flair and of the South Carolina lottery.
This is not a first for Flair.
Flair’s photo -- and his trademark “Woooooo!” yell -- were pictured on a $5 scratch-off lottery ticket last fall in North Carolina. A representative for Flair said the tickets were among the state’s best-selling lottery items. The ticket sale was accompanied by television commercials featuring Flair.
Paula Harper Bethea, executive director of the South Carolina Education Lottery, said Flair will help promote the ticket sales in the Palmetto State, too.
“We look forward to hosting Ric Flair in South Carolina at various events and anticipate an increase in ticket sales to generate more funds for education,” Bethea said.
She said he is scheduled to appear on behalf of the lottery on May 8 at NASCAR’s Southern 500 race in Darlington; and June 5 at the Sun Fun Festival in Myrtle Beach.
(Credit: The Charlotte Observer)
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Former professional wrestling champion Ric Flair will be the subject of a $5 scratch-off ticket, starting Monday, according to representatives of Flair and of the South Carolina lottery.
This is not a first for Flair.
Flair’s photo -- and his trademark “Woooooo!” yell -- were pictured on a $5 scratch-off lottery ticket last fall in North Carolina. A representative for Flair said the tickets were among the state’s best-selling lottery items. The ticket sale was accompanied by television commercials featuring Flair.
Paula Harper Bethea, executive director of the South Carolina Education Lottery, said Flair will help promote the ticket sales in the Palmetto State, too.
“We look forward to hosting Ric Flair in South Carolina at various events and anticipate an increase in ticket sales to generate more funds for education,” Bethea said.
She said he is scheduled to appear on behalf of the lottery on May 8 at NASCAR’s Southern 500 race in Darlington; and June 5 at the Sun Fun Festival in Myrtle Beach.
(Credit: The Charlotte Observer)
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Crown Casino To Show Off Underbelly At Logie Awards, by Greg Tingle - 29th April 2010
Australia's tourism and entertainment icon, Crown Casino, gets to show of its wares on a national and international scale this coming Sunday night, with the TV smash hit 'Underbelly' in line for a number of awards. Folks, this event is all about entertainment, not table games, slots or the bottom line, or at least that's the official word. Mind you, someone has to put the 'Business' in show business, and Crown continues to deliver the goods, year after year.
Media Man and Gambling911 have been hitting the phones and pounding the pavement in order to work out who the smart money is on.
Casino tycoon, James Packer, owner of Crown, enjoys a long and largely very positive history with both Network Nine's David Gyngell, and print press publication, ACP Magazines, not that we are suggesting that would be instrumental in who gets gold, silver or a donut (0).
James Packer owned Crown Casino in Melbourne, will be host to the 2010 Logie Awards on Sunday 2nd May.
'Underbelly', which frequently features gambling (illegal dens in most cases), has been nominated for a modest bush tucker bag full of awards. The list, correct at time of publication:
Asher Keddie (Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities), broadcast on Network Nine is up for
the Outstanding Actress award.
'Underbelly' is also up for the Most Popular Drama award.
Anna Hutchison, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is nominated for the Graham Kennedy Award for Outstanding New Talent.
Last Word
Bouncers and security...a number of football and cricket stars will be present, many of which are known to get a bit boisterous when on the grog. Please don't bring out the plastic handcuffs, unless absolutely necessary. Mind you, it would make bloody good television and provide plenty of fodder for paparazzi attending the gala affair. Celebs, sportsmen... you've been forewarned.
Bert Newton is hosting this year, being seen by the powers that be as a safe bet. Meantime, Bert's son, Matthew, has recently booked himself into rehab, in a step we applaud. Newton Jr played Terry 'Mr Asia' Clark in 'Underbelly: A Tale Of Two Cities'.
Our loyal and worldwide readership is looking forward to the goss following the event, so have a couple of drinks on us, but don't overdo it either. Drink too much... just slip on over to Crown Towers or Crown Metropol. They will be happy to look after you, for a price.
*The writer 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
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Media Man and Gambling911 have been hitting the phones and pounding the pavement in order to work out who the smart money is on.
Casino tycoon, James Packer, owner of Crown, enjoys a long and largely very positive history with both Network Nine's David Gyngell, and print press publication, ACP Magazines, not that we are suggesting that would be instrumental in who gets gold, silver or a donut (0).
James Packer owned Crown Casino in Melbourne, will be host to the 2010 Logie Awards on Sunday 2nd May.
'Underbelly', which frequently features gambling (illegal dens in most cases), has been nominated for a modest bush tucker bag full of awards. The list, correct at time of publication:
Asher Keddie (Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities), broadcast on Network Nine is up for
the Outstanding Actress award.
'Underbelly' is also up for the Most Popular Drama award.
Anna Hutchison, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is nominated for the Graham Kennedy Award for Outstanding New Talent.
Last Word
Bouncers and security...a number of football and cricket stars will be present, many of which are known to get a bit boisterous when on the grog. Please don't bring out the plastic handcuffs, unless absolutely necessary. Mind you, it would make bloody good television and provide plenty of fodder for paparazzi attending the gala affair. Celebs, sportsmen... you've been forewarned.
Bert Newton is hosting this year, being seen by the powers that be as a safe bet. Meantime, Bert's son, Matthew, has recently booked himself into rehab, in a step we applaud. Newton Jr played Terry 'Mr Asia' Clark in 'Underbelly: A Tale Of Two Cities'.
Our loyal and worldwide readership is looking forward to the goss following the event, so have a couple of drinks on us, but don't overdo it either. Drink too much... just slip on over to Crown Towers or Crown Metropol. They will be happy to look after you, for a price.
*The writer 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
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Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Australian Sports Betting Scandals: NRL Football Cricket Next?, by Greg Tingle - 27th April 2010
It's been a bad news and bitterly disappointing week for the world of Australian sports and sports betting. First the NRL with the Melbourne Storm, now other clubs and being dragged into to it, and today more revelations that the integrity of Australian and Indian cricket is being questioned. It's enough to make your throw up your curry. Media Man and Gambling911 extend their tentacles to India - Bollywood and it's underworld, certainly not restricted to Australia's Underbelly or the U.S Sopranos.
Indian tax officials have denied issuing a paper naming at least 27 cricketers, including a "famous Australian"... let us guess...for spot-fixing during last year's Indian Premier League.
The news broke via Mumbai's Mid-Day paper last Friday, quoted an income tax report as stating, "during IPL, the match fixing and betting racket has scaled new heights." It added that suspended IPL commissioner Lalit Modi "is apparently deeply embroiled in both generation of black money, money laundering, betting in cricket" and accused "superstars of Indian cricket and even an international player, who is a captain of one of the teams" in fixing matches!
Additional reports on NDTV and the Times of India strongly suggested cricket matches were compromised during early round IPL matches played in Cape Town. Both organisations have distanced themselves from the earlier reports.
An official from the Indian tax office notified some Australian press that no report had been released alleging impropriety on the part of 27 IPL players.
Shane Warne's name has also come up in the discussions. Warnie's management has also strongly denied suggestions that the "famous Australian" mentioned in media reports last Friday was the Rajasthan Royals captain.
Cricket officials have expressed concerns about the integrity of the IPL due illegal bookmakers. Last year's tournament was conducted without the presence of the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security unit.
This was linked to Modi arguing at the time that the groups $1.2 million operating costs were over the limit already.
Insiders and whistle blowers advise illegal bookmakers and the like have become more daring and pro active in their devious approaches to cricketers following their apparent success in infiltrating Twenty20 tournaments such as the IPL.
Two Aussie's were approached during last year's tour to England. One at the time of the World Twenty20 and the other during The Ashes. To their merit, they immediately reported the matter to the teams team management.
Indian news media reports have "credible information" that two bomb blasts outside an IPL match in Banglaore on 17th April were related and "linked" to underground gambling operators.
"There are signs that the IPL betting racket wanted the semi-finals to be held in Mumbai," Karnataka state Home Minister Acharya said. "We have received credible information from intelligence sources that the betting racket is behind the blasts. We are carrying out investigations. It could be a betting lobby that is behind moving the semi-final matches out of Bangalore or some other lobby. We had assured them that we would take control of the stadium and ensure safe conduct of the tournament. They did not listen to us."
Gambling911 and Media Man are hopeful that the world's sporting scandals, most of which are linked to sports betting, get extinguished before any more damage is done to the integrity of sports, with or without sports betting. It's just not in the spirit of the game. Punters and fans want so see real winners, and can do without Underbelly-like and underworld involvement. Let's get sport back to being fun again, anything else is just not cricket.
*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 also publishers the Australian Sports Entertainment website portal
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Indian tax officials have denied issuing a paper naming at least 27 cricketers, including a "famous Australian"... let us guess...for spot-fixing during last year's Indian Premier League.
The news broke via Mumbai's Mid-Day paper last Friday, quoted an income tax report as stating, "during IPL, the match fixing and betting racket has scaled new heights." It added that suspended IPL commissioner Lalit Modi "is apparently deeply embroiled in both generation of black money, money laundering, betting in cricket" and accused "superstars of Indian cricket and even an international player, who is a captain of one of the teams" in fixing matches!
Additional reports on NDTV and the Times of India strongly suggested cricket matches were compromised during early round IPL matches played in Cape Town. Both organisations have distanced themselves from the earlier reports.
An official from the Indian tax office notified some Australian press that no report had been released alleging impropriety on the part of 27 IPL players.
Shane Warne's name has also come up in the discussions. Warnie's management has also strongly denied suggestions that the "famous Australian" mentioned in media reports last Friday was the Rajasthan Royals captain.
Cricket officials have expressed concerns about the integrity of the IPL due illegal bookmakers. Last year's tournament was conducted without the presence of the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security unit.
This was linked to Modi arguing at the time that the groups $1.2 million operating costs were over the limit already.
Insiders and whistle blowers advise illegal bookmakers and the like have become more daring and pro active in their devious approaches to cricketers following their apparent success in infiltrating Twenty20 tournaments such as the IPL.
Two Aussie's were approached during last year's tour to England. One at the time of the World Twenty20 and the other during The Ashes. To their merit, they immediately reported the matter to the teams team management.
Indian news media reports have "credible information" that two bomb blasts outside an IPL match in Banglaore on 17th April were related and "linked" to underground gambling operators.
"There are signs that the IPL betting racket wanted the semi-finals to be held in Mumbai," Karnataka state Home Minister Acharya said. "We have received credible information from intelligence sources that the betting racket is behind the blasts. We are carrying out investigations. It could be a betting lobby that is behind moving the semi-final matches out of Bangalore or some other lobby. We had assured them that we would take control of the stadium and ensure safe conduct of the tournament. They did not listen to us."
Gambling911 and Media Man are hopeful that the world's sporting scandals, most of which are linked to sports betting, get extinguished before any more damage is done to the integrity of sports, with or without sports betting. It's just not in the spirit of the game. Punters and fans want so see real winners, and can do without Underbelly-like and underworld involvement. Let's get sport back to being fun again, anything else is just not cricket.
*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 also publishers the Australian Sports Entertainment website portal
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Global Gaming Directory
Australian Sports Entertainment
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Australia Gambling With NRL Salary Cap, by Greg Tingle - 27th April 2010
Australian sports betting scandals are far bigger than just the recent Melbourne Storm football club revelations. Comments echoed by ex Storm chief Brian Waldron. A number of other NRL clubs also broke the rules and an amnesty may be required to clean up the game. A couple of odd bets on Melbourne Storm getting the "wooden spoon" were the recent trigger, but now it appears its a situation much wider in scope, going back years, even before the Storm arrived on the scene (of the crime).
Media Man and Gambling911 have been digging for dirt (and truth), and can now reveal more details on arguable Australia's biggest and dirtiest sports and sports betting scandal of all time, and that covers a lot of ground...
Waldron has got himself in quite the way of words, hitting back Rupert Murdoch's News Limited and the National Rugby League for their involvement in the club's salary cap rorts. He vehemently denies he is the "sole architect" of the scheme.
Waldron is calling for a public inquiry into salary cap cheating, strongly linked with elements of the sports betting world, which he says has spread through NRL clubs over several years. Make no mistake, there's an Underbelly and underworld element to this.
Waldron notified Fairfax Media (News Limited print and online competitor) he would "tell everything I know" (quite a bit we understand) to any properly constituted, transparent inquiry that required evidence under oath.
He's gone on the front foot and says to News "I am … prepared to give the entire background to Rupert Murdoch so that he has a full understanding of how his company has managed a $66 million investment in the Melbourne Storm since its inception."
The art of war maneuvers are in full swing with the disgraced chief speaking "off the record", having secured advise from legal eagles.
"At times like this you stick to the closest 30 people in your life".
Word has leaked to Media Man that a number of NRL clubs were (or are) breaking the rules. The Storm is most recent to get busted, but the cancer has spread far and wide.
There's considerable chance police will investigate the rorting and other potentially criminal going ons.
It was last Thursday, when the NRL announced it had stripped Storm of its last two premierships, fined it half a million dollars and forced it to return $1.1 million in prizemoney, and banned it from accruing any premiership points this season to boot. Ouch! Talk about a crash tackle, followed up by a clothesline that even Hulk Hogan would rate. Hogan did a deal with Sydney Rooster's a few months ago, Rooster's later sporting Full Tilt Poker branding on the players shorts, but that's another scandal ready for probe. The Rooster's caught Hulk-A-Mania, but that's not all they caught! The Canterbury Bulldogs also got done for rorting the cap system back in 2002 and the doggies also have a sex scandal or two under their leg.. er..wing.
Insiders say Waldron told Fairfax (and maybe others) he is determined not to let powerful interests use him as a scapegoat for a payment system he says was compromised and corrupted well before he joined Melbourne Storm in 2005.
A bridie hinted News Limited executives including NRL chief David Gallop as being aware of widespread salary cap cheating for years.
Waldron has apparently notified many folks he told Gallop three years ago that systemic salary rorting was "a cancer" that affected every NRL club except Canberra, which was too broke to pay players more than it should!
But, Waldron said later, Gallop had ignored the warning and had never raised the matter with him again.
Whispers states Waldron told Gallop about rorts at Newcastle Knights in 2007, after a former Knights bean counter alleged rorts.
Our birdie friend tweated (not Twittered like Warnie has quite the habit)... without some sort of amnesty it would be impossible even for those clubs that wanted to do the right thing to straighten out their books.
Gallop said that such a deal couldn't be an option...if extensive details came out about breaches in the salary cap...it would be too damaging to the sport's reputation...could lead to fans questioning results they'd seen on the pitch...
A new player to the clean up.. politics...Frank Stanton in a troubleshooter role..
Stanton is there to kick heads and clean up the salary cap issue.
Waldron said in a media statement "There is a great deal I would like to say about my five years at the Melbourne Storm, a club that I have the highest regard for and whose players are the finest and most courageous group of sportsmen I have ever seen run onto the field of play. They are a great team that will now be remembered for the wrong reason".
The sport awaits a final answer on the amnesty suggestion, and sports betting - bookie agencies are starting to return to normal, the bookies looses on the rort estimated to be well over $100,000, but the real figure may never be know, nor the entire scope of the NRL cancer, as to who knew what, when, ala former U.S president Nixon.
Media Man and Gambling911 thinks its a time to cut out the cancer, not so much of a time for diplomacy and politics. Let's get it back to football fellas, not so much about the "green" on and off the field. NRL punters are looking for assurance that the matches are "for real" and that dark forces are not spoiling the great game that is Australian Rugby League. "Punters want an Australian sport for sports betting and passion, not an Australian casino for gambling. If we want gambling and the possibility of funny business, we will go to the casino. Time to tame and cage the wild animal that is sports rorting", whispered a Media Man insider.
*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 / sports betting is one of a bakers dozen of industry verticals covered
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Media Man and Gambling911 have been digging for dirt (and truth), and can now reveal more details on arguable Australia's biggest and dirtiest sports and sports betting scandal of all time, and that covers a lot of ground...
Waldron has got himself in quite the way of words, hitting back Rupert Murdoch's News Limited and the National Rugby League for their involvement in the club's salary cap rorts. He vehemently denies he is the "sole architect" of the scheme.
Waldron is calling for a public inquiry into salary cap cheating, strongly linked with elements of the sports betting world, which he says has spread through NRL clubs over several years. Make no mistake, there's an Underbelly and underworld element to this.
Waldron notified Fairfax Media (News Limited print and online competitor) he would "tell everything I know" (quite a bit we understand) to any properly constituted, transparent inquiry that required evidence under oath.
He's gone on the front foot and says to News "I am … prepared to give the entire background to Rupert Murdoch so that he has a full understanding of how his company has managed a $66 million investment in the Melbourne Storm since its inception."
The art of war maneuvers are in full swing with the disgraced chief speaking "off the record", having secured advise from legal eagles.
"At times like this you stick to the closest 30 people in your life".
Word has leaked to Media Man that a number of NRL clubs were (or are) breaking the rules. The Storm is most recent to get busted, but the cancer has spread far and wide.
There's considerable chance police will investigate the rorting and other potentially criminal going ons.
It was last Thursday, when the NRL announced it had stripped Storm of its last two premierships, fined it half a million dollars and forced it to return $1.1 million in prizemoney, and banned it from accruing any premiership points this season to boot. Ouch! Talk about a crash tackle, followed up by a clothesline that even Hulk Hogan would rate. Hogan did a deal with Sydney Rooster's a few months ago, Rooster's later sporting Full Tilt Poker branding on the players shorts, but that's another scandal ready for probe. The Rooster's caught Hulk-A-Mania, but that's not all they caught! The Canterbury Bulldogs also got done for rorting the cap system back in 2002 and the doggies also have a sex scandal or two under their leg.. er..wing.
Insiders say Waldron told Fairfax (and maybe others) he is determined not to let powerful interests use him as a scapegoat for a payment system he says was compromised and corrupted well before he joined Melbourne Storm in 2005.
A bridie hinted News Limited executives including NRL chief David Gallop as being aware of widespread salary cap cheating for years.
Waldron has apparently notified many folks he told Gallop three years ago that systemic salary rorting was "a cancer" that affected every NRL club except Canberra, which was too broke to pay players more than it should!
But, Waldron said later, Gallop had ignored the warning and had never raised the matter with him again.
Whispers states Waldron told Gallop about rorts at Newcastle Knights in 2007, after a former Knights bean counter alleged rorts.
Our birdie friend tweated (not Twittered like Warnie has quite the habit)... without some sort of amnesty it would be impossible even for those clubs that wanted to do the right thing to straighten out their books.
Gallop said that such a deal couldn't be an option...if extensive details came out about breaches in the salary cap...it would be too damaging to the sport's reputation...could lead to fans questioning results they'd seen on the pitch...
A new player to the clean up.. politics...Frank Stanton in a troubleshooter role..
Stanton is there to kick heads and clean up the salary cap issue.
Waldron said in a media statement "There is a great deal I would like to say about my five years at the Melbourne Storm, a club that I have the highest regard for and whose players are the finest and most courageous group of sportsmen I have ever seen run onto the field of play. They are a great team that will now be remembered for the wrong reason".
The sport awaits a final answer on the amnesty suggestion, and sports betting - bookie agencies are starting to return to normal, the bookies looses on the rort estimated to be well over $100,000, but the real figure may never be know, nor the entire scope of the NRL cancer, as to who knew what, when, ala former U.S president Nixon.
Media Man and Gambling911 thinks its a time to cut out the cancer, not so much of a time for diplomacy and politics. Let's get it back to football fellas, not so much about the "green" on and off the field. NRL punters are looking for assurance that the matches are "for real" and that dark forces are not spoiling the great game that is Australian Rugby League. "Punters want an Australian sport for sports betting and passion, not an Australian casino for gambling. If we want gambling and the possibility of funny business, we will go to the casino. Time to tame and cage the wild animal that is sports rorting", whispered a Media Man insider.
*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 / sports betting is one of a bakers dozen of industry verticals covered
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Sunday, April 25, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Australian Sports Betting Scandal: Melbourne Storm NRL, by Greg Tingle - 23rd April 2010
Sports betting scandals, rorts and the like, are nothing new, however the latest scandal to hit Australia's NRL footy via the Melbourne Storm team, linked in with major Australian sports betting bookies is one of the darkest days ever in Australian sporting history.
The warning signs came on Wednesday evening when a couple of punters placed bets with bookies on Melbourne to win the 'wooden spoon'.
Storm busted for a massive $1.7 million salary cap breach.
Two NRL premiership titles appear so tainted that no one wants to own them!
Media Man and Gambling911 probe the situation as we dig into what happened, how, why, the fallout, and what next.
Australian Rugby league has entered its greatest crisis in history with premiers the Melbourne Storm stripped of their two premierships after being caught out for a massive $1.7 million salary cap breach.
It's a terrible day for fans and the game, and its going to likely taint the NRL forever. 2010 will go down as the darkest year ever for the game.
The Melbourne Storm has been accused of executing a systematic plan to cheat their way to four successive grand finals and two premierships - in 2007 and 2009. The cheating system is understood to have been running since 2005.
The Storm were yesterday stripped of the two premierships they claimed against the Manly Sea Eagles in 2007 and the Parramatta Eels last season.
Disgraced and shamed, Storm were also stripped of their three minor premierships in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and fined a considerable $500,000 for salary cap breaches totalling $1.7 million over the past five years. They will also return $1.1 million in prizemoney.
Sports Betting Feeding Frenzy!
Wednesday night a couple of bets were placed with bookmakers on Melbourne to win the 'wooden spoon' (last place).
Come yesterday morning, alarm bells rang off the hook as an increasing amount of bookies took bets on Storm coming last in the 2010 NRL season.
Early yesterday morning, leading bookmaker Sportingbet shut down its 'wooden spoon' market, after fielding several bets at 250-1, with three punters standing to win $10,000 each.
"We took three bets to win $10,000 and another to win $8000 for the Storm to win the wooden spoon, all within 10 minutes of each other," tells Sportingbet Australia spokesman Bill Richmond. "You don't take a series of bets like that unless someone knows something."
SportsAlive and Sportsbet followed soon afterwards. TAB Sportsbet spokesman Glenn Munsie said he didn't think much of the first bet until further bets followed. "The spark starts, becomes a brushfire, becomes a bushfire," Mr Munsie said. "It all started in a couple of places this morning, and they're now coming from everywhere."
By high noon, it was evident something huge was about to happen (and it wasn't good for the game). A number of betting agencies admitted they had been stung.
Mr Munsie said he intended to honour all bets taken on the Storm to win the wooden spoon and it is understood the agency is looking at a payout of just under $100,000.
Mr Munsie said he took a bet of $200 at 200-1 on the Storm to win the 'wooden spoon' on Wednesday night, but didn't suspend the market until 1pm yesterday.
"(Wednesday) night just slipped through to the keeper - every now and then you get crazy bets," he admitted. "The alarm bells started to ring about 11 o'clock, when people were just trying to back them."
Sportingbet Australia said it was facing a payout to backers exceeding $40,000. It reacted by slashing Melbourne's wooden spoon odds from $250 to $1.01, which it claimed was the biggest betting move in history.
"Melbourne has gone from $251 to no betting in the space of six hours, which has to be the biggest shortener in betting history," Sportingbet spokesman Michael Sullivan said.
The Storm had been one of the favoured teams to win the title alongside St George Illawarra and Parramatta
Shame Of The Game In Australian Sports Betting History Ever Says Insiders And Fans
The revelations end Melbourne's dominance and dynasty, leaving what's left in shame.
No team in 102 years of Australian rugby league has ever been stripped of a competition title.
Melbourne Storm chairman Dr Rob Moodie last night apologised to the team's fans with many of them stripping themselves of their Storm colours in a sign of disgust.
"We are appalled and angry but we accept the referee's decision," Dr Moodie said. "We are devastated. This is the lowest day for our club. We have betrayed the trust of the Australian people. We haven't played by the rules."
News Media, Police And Legal Consequences Tipped
Police will be called and civil or criminal charges may be made against Melbourne employees who were aware.
3 sports betting agencies suspended betting yesterday after word leaked out of the impending punishment.
Investigation into which players benefited from the illegal payments.
Sources claim a former Melbourne worker, now understood to be at an AFL club, had turned whistle-blower.
Five Melbourne Storm employees have been stood down with News Limited, owners of the Storm and publisher of The Daily Telegraph, pointing an accusing finger at former Melbourne chief executive Brian Waldron, being the "architect" of the fraud. Acting CEO Matt Hanson has also been relieved of his duties.
"There are a couple of rats in the ranks," News Limited chief executive and chairman John Hartigan said.
News Limited advised that the systematic rorting had been concealed from the company over the past five years. "News Limited had no knowledge," Dr Moodie said.
Mr Hartigan said he only became aware three days ago.
NRL CEO David Gallop said salary cap auditor Ian Schubert found a second salary cap book containing details of the extra player payments in a separate room at on club premises.
"They went to elaborate lengths to hide the payments," he said.
"There were two sets of books. It was quite extraordinary. These payments allowed Melbourne to recruit and retain the best players in the game."
Senior Melbourne Storm officials signed statutory decs annually stating the club had remained under the game's $4.1 million salary cap.
It is understood some former Melbourne players are prepared to come forward and admit they were illegally paid.
Mr Hartigan said he felt "angry and very disappointed" due to Melbourne's deliberate campaign of "collusion". "I feel sick in the stomach," he said. "News Limited will not tolerate behaviour like this. It is a regrettable day in the history of the game.
"I don't think there will be a league fan anywhere who is not outraged by what appears to be a highly orchestrated, deeply deceptive fraud in which there was systematic and deliberate concealment of unlawful payments to certain players over an extended period."
Mr Hartigan questioned whether Mr Waldron should remain in his new job as CEO of the Melbourne Rebels' Australian Rugby Union franchise.
"It is only early days but he appears to be the architect of this whole shooting match," Mr Hartigan said.
Quizzed how Manly and Parramatta fans would feel about the situation, Mr Gallop said: "I feel sorry for them. It is a massive blow to everyone in the game."
Parramatta CEO Paul Osborne said last night: "I'm shocked."
Melbourne players will not not be asked to return their premiership rings.
Melbourne Storm players were in shock last night with five-eighth Brett Finch saying: "It is disappointing for everyone."
Yesterday's revelations were the biggest scandal to hit the game since Canterbury was fined $500,000 and deducted 37 competition points in 2002 for salary cap rorting.
Media Man and Gambling911 will continuing digging for dirt (and truth) on what most people agree is the biggest scandal in Australian sports and sports betting history.
These scandals are not the only ones. A few weeks ago Full Tilt Poker was busted for having sponsorship on the shorts of Easts Roosters and 888 Poker were outed in the Australian newspaper as being illegal. Last week Shane Warne, 888 Poker front man, tweaked about signing up for some free money to his followers to play.
Ethical and trustworthy online gaming and poker firms such as PartyGaming - PartyCasino, PartyPoker and PartyBets, BetUS and Virgin's Virgin Casino - Virgin Poker, have not stooped to such levels. Betfair is also staying out of trouble, and is hoping to soon offer Aussie's a casino and poker product, in addition to their sports betting portfolio (which has endured minor scandals over the years... compared to Melbourne Storm!)
Bet with your head, not over it (if you feel like having a bet after this read). There's always online casino slots and online poker, if you don't feel like a bet today. We understand.
*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 is an Easts and Manly fan and has conducted b2b with Betfair, PartyGaming, Virgin Games and others. His former client is Betezy. He is not involved in the scandals, other than reporting!
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The warning signs came on Wednesday evening when a couple of punters placed bets with bookies on Melbourne to win the 'wooden spoon'.
Storm busted for a massive $1.7 million salary cap breach.
Two NRL premiership titles appear so tainted that no one wants to own them!
Media Man and Gambling911 probe the situation as we dig into what happened, how, why, the fallout, and what next.
Australian Rugby league has entered its greatest crisis in history with premiers the Melbourne Storm stripped of their two premierships after being caught out for a massive $1.7 million salary cap breach.
It's a terrible day for fans and the game, and its going to likely taint the NRL forever. 2010 will go down as the darkest year ever for the game.
The Melbourne Storm has been accused of executing a systematic plan to cheat their way to four successive grand finals and two premierships - in 2007 and 2009. The cheating system is understood to have been running since 2005.
The Storm were yesterday stripped of the two premierships they claimed against the Manly Sea Eagles in 2007 and the Parramatta Eels last season.
Disgraced and shamed, Storm were also stripped of their three minor premierships in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and fined a considerable $500,000 for salary cap breaches totalling $1.7 million over the past five years. They will also return $1.1 million in prizemoney.
Sports Betting Feeding Frenzy!
Wednesday night a couple of bets were placed with bookmakers on Melbourne to win the 'wooden spoon' (last place).
Come yesterday morning, alarm bells rang off the hook as an increasing amount of bookies took bets on Storm coming last in the 2010 NRL season.
Early yesterday morning, leading bookmaker Sportingbet shut down its 'wooden spoon' market, after fielding several bets at 250-1, with three punters standing to win $10,000 each.
"We took three bets to win $10,000 and another to win $8000 for the Storm to win the wooden spoon, all within 10 minutes of each other," tells Sportingbet Australia spokesman Bill Richmond. "You don't take a series of bets like that unless someone knows something."
SportsAlive and Sportsbet followed soon afterwards. TAB Sportsbet spokesman Glenn Munsie said he didn't think much of the first bet until further bets followed. "The spark starts, becomes a brushfire, becomes a bushfire," Mr Munsie said. "It all started in a couple of places this morning, and they're now coming from everywhere."
By high noon, it was evident something huge was about to happen (and it wasn't good for the game). A number of betting agencies admitted they had been stung.
Mr Munsie said he intended to honour all bets taken on the Storm to win the wooden spoon and it is understood the agency is looking at a payout of just under $100,000.
Mr Munsie said he took a bet of $200 at 200-1 on the Storm to win the 'wooden spoon' on Wednesday night, but didn't suspend the market until 1pm yesterday.
"(Wednesday) night just slipped through to the keeper - every now and then you get crazy bets," he admitted. "The alarm bells started to ring about 11 o'clock, when people were just trying to back them."
Sportingbet Australia said it was facing a payout to backers exceeding $40,000. It reacted by slashing Melbourne's wooden spoon odds from $250 to $1.01, which it claimed was the biggest betting move in history.
"Melbourne has gone from $251 to no betting in the space of six hours, which has to be the biggest shortener in betting history," Sportingbet spokesman Michael Sullivan said.
The Storm had been one of the favoured teams to win the title alongside St George Illawarra and Parramatta
Shame Of The Game In Australian Sports Betting History Ever Says Insiders And Fans
The revelations end Melbourne's dominance and dynasty, leaving what's left in shame.
No team in 102 years of Australian rugby league has ever been stripped of a competition title.
Melbourne Storm chairman Dr Rob Moodie last night apologised to the team's fans with many of them stripping themselves of their Storm colours in a sign of disgust.
"We are appalled and angry but we accept the referee's decision," Dr Moodie said. "We are devastated. This is the lowest day for our club. We have betrayed the trust of the Australian people. We haven't played by the rules."
News Media, Police And Legal Consequences Tipped
Police will be called and civil or criminal charges may be made against Melbourne employees who were aware.
3 sports betting agencies suspended betting yesterday after word leaked out of the impending punishment.
Investigation into which players benefited from the illegal payments.
Sources claim a former Melbourne worker, now understood to be at an AFL club, had turned whistle-blower.
Five Melbourne Storm employees have been stood down with News Limited, owners of the Storm and publisher of The Daily Telegraph, pointing an accusing finger at former Melbourne chief executive Brian Waldron, being the "architect" of the fraud. Acting CEO Matt Hanson has also been relieved of his duties.
"There are a couple of rats in the ranks," News Limited chief executive and chairman John Hartigan said.
News Limited advised that the systematic rorting had been concealed from the company over the past five years. "News Limited had no knowledge," Dr Moodie said.
Mr Hartigan said he only became aware three days ago.
NRL CEO David Gallop said salary cap auditor Ian Schubert found a second salary cap book containing details of the extra player payments in a separate room at on club premises.
"They went to elaborate lengths to hide the payments," he said.
"There were two sets of books. It was quite extraordinary. These payments allowed Melbourne to recruit and retain the best players in the game."
Senior Melbourne Storm officials signed statutory decs annually stating the club had remained under the game's $4.1 million salary cap.
It is understood some former Melbourne players are prepared to come forward and admit they were illegally paid.
Mr Hartigan said he felt "angry and very disappointed" due to Melbourne's deliberate campaign of "collusion". "I feel sick in the stomach," he said. "News Limited will not tolerate behaviour like this. It is a regrettable day in the history of the game.
"I don't think there will be a league fan anywhere who is not outraged by what appears to be a highly orchestrated, deeply deceptive fraud in which there was systematic and deliberate concealment of unlawful payments to certain players over an extended period."
Mr Hartigan questioned whether Mr Waldron should remain in his new job as CEO of the Melbourne Rebels' Australian Rugby Union franchise.
"It is only early days but he appears to be the architect of this whole shooting match," Mr Hartigan said.
Quizzed how Manly and Parramatta fans would feel about the situation, Mr Gallop said: "I feel sorry for them. It is a massive blow to everyone in the game."
Parramatta CEO Paul Osborne said last night: "I'm shocked."
Melbourne players will not not be asked to return their premiership rings.
Melbourne Storm players were in shock last night with five-eighth Brett Finch saying: "It is disappointing for everyone."
Yesterday's revelations were the biggest scandal to hit the game since Canterbury was fined $500,000 and deducted 37 competition points in 2002 for salary cap rorting.
Media Man and Gambling911 will continuing digging for dirt (and truth) on what most people agree is the biggest scandal in Australian sports and sports betting history.
These scandals are not the only ones. A few weeks ago Full Tilt Poker was busted for having sponsorship on the shorts of Easts Roosters and 888 Poker were outed in the Australian newspaper as being illegal. Last week Shane Warne, 888 Poker front man, tweaked about signing up for some free money to his followers to play.
Ethical and trustworthy online gaming and poker firms such as PartyGaming - PartyCasino, PartyPoker and PartyBets, BetUS and Virgin's Virgin Casino - Virgin Poker, have not stooped to such levels. Betfair is also staying out of trouble, and is hoping to soon offer Aussie's a casino and poker product, in addition to their sports betting portfolio (which has endured minor scandals over the years... compared to Melbourne Storm!)
Bet with your head, not over it (if you feel like having a bet after this read). There's always online casino slots and online poker, if you don't feel like a bet today. We understand.
*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 is an Easts and Manly fan and has conducted b2b with Betfair, PartyGaming, Virgin Games and others. His former client is Betezy. He is not involved in the scandals, other than reporting!
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Thursday, April 22, 2010
Media Man Casino - Captain Cooks Casino - Review And Profile
Captain Cooks Casino is one of the world's greatest online casinos periods.
Ahoy there!
A long time favorite of Australians aka Aussies and the English aka Pommies.
Established in 1999, powered by Microgaming and well over 300 games.
Classics and Hollywood movie blockbusters such as Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider: Secret Of The Sword, Hitman and more. Cleo fans will like Mega Moolah Isis, and Aussies into bush and the outback will dig Bush Telegraph.
Slots, Table Games, Roulette, Blackjack, side games and lots more.
Excellent customer service, trustworthy, and a great range of multi language and multi currency options.
New players get up to $500 sign up bonus and can enjoy up to 1 hour free play.
4.7 stars out of 5. Fair winds maties.
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Global Gaming Directory
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Aussie Online Casino
World Slots Directory
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Multi Currency Casino
Australian Casinos
Ahoy there!
A long time favorite of Australians aka Aussies and the English aka Pommies.
Established in 1999, powered by Microgaming and well over 300 games.
Classics and Hollywood movie blockbusters such as Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider: Secret Of The Sword, Hitman and more. Cleo fans will like Mega Moolah Isis, and Aussies into bush and the outback will dig Bush Telegraph.
Slots, Table Games, Roulette, Blackjack, side games and lots more.
Excellent customer service, trustworthy, and a great range of multi language and multi currency options.
New players get up to $500 sign up bonus and can enjoy up to 1 hour free play.
4.7 stars out of 5. Fair winds maties.
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Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Australian Racecourse Super Sharks On And Off The Track, by Greg Tingle - 21st April 2010
It's said that the racecourse is a sunny place for shady characters.
We probe Australian racing down under and learn that shady happenings in racing are certainly not restricted to the race track. Racecorse workers superannuation savings have been left in the lurch. Media Man and Gambling911 crack the whip at Aussie racing which already had plenty of challenges before the latest black mark to hit their green and gold place in the sun...
Australian racing and media identity, Alan Jones, recently spoke of challenges, opportunities and the need for unity at the 33rd Asian Racing Conference in Sydney. Little did he know of a new challenge very much related to the employment and sustainably of Australian racing.
The superannuation earnings of hundreds of racecourse workers have been dragged into in a $123 million fraud that may become the biggest super theft in Australian history... the super fraud equivalent of the Fine Cotton Affair and Great Bookie Robbery. With the world's financial markets in the deep end, some being probed by the Australian and United States government, I guess we shouldn't be surprised. There's no 'Underbelly' hype here friends, just the unfortunate facts surrounding the further downward spiral of the racing and financial services industry.
Tabcorp's New South Wales racecourse casuals wagering workers say they have not been advised how much money they are down after their Astarra Superannuation Fund was frozen by financial regulators in October last year.
A staff member for 33 years, Rosemary Walker, 72, who works at Randwick Racecourse, asks how Tabcorp could have approved Astarra as a suitable company for her superannuation.
"I'm puzzled as to why we started off in a reputable fund when we were with (former employer) AWA and ultimately we finished up in Astarra," she said.
The losses are understood to be in the region of 10,000 superannuation investors after their investments were placed with Albury-based fund manager Trio Capital. Trio
managed more than $400 million in investments including the Astarra Superannuation.
Last Friday New South Wales Supreme Court justice, George Palmer, ruled that a separate offshore hedge fund managed by Trio Capital had all the signs of a "fraudulent scam" as he detailed "inherent vices" in Trio Capital's business model.
The hedge fund entitled Astarra Strategic moved some $123 million in "investments" through the British Virgin Islands using companies based in obscure Caribbean tax havens including Belize, Nevis, St Lucia and Anguilla.
Justice Palmer advised to wind up the scheme and wrote of the matter "If one wants to conduct financial operations dishonestly or illegally - then it is to these jurisdictions that one goes to incorporate puppet companies with puppet directors in order to operate fraudulent schemes and to move money around the world in secrecy.".
As of time of publication regulators have been unable to locate any funds, nor have charges been laid upon perpetrators.
Interestingly, Astarra Super is not the corporate superannuation fund used by official Tabcorp staff.
Tabcorp spokesman, Bruce Tobin, advised the company had written to all staff affected and was working with the union.
Justice Palmer said these sobering words of the matter "that there was a very high prospect that the funds would simply disappear into the ether - as has almost certainly happened in this case".
He said the use of the tax havens had not been disclosed in Trio Capital's statements to investors.
Superannuation losses from Astarra Strategic would represent the largest superannuation fraud or theft since current super laws were put in place 1993.
James Packer 50% owned Betfair will be glad this isn't a mark on their name. The matter may potentially assist seeing additional (quality) companies enter the Aussie racing and financial sector, be it PartyGaming or Virgin. Certainly the current mix is not quite right, based upon the latest scandal. Word of the street is its time for some "new blood" to shake things up and put the old guard and crooks on notice.
It's unfortunate the late 'Big' Tim Bristow and George Freeman of 'Underbelly' fame are not around to sort out these crooks who have attacked everyday Australians. Bristow aka 'Earthquake' would have likely seen them off at what he called 'The See You Later Club', understood to be have somewhere off the heads of Palm Beach on Sydney's northern beaches...something about concrete blocks at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean!
The crooks are not totally off the hook yet... the matter happening to the lifeblood of Australian horse racing is going to put some noses out of joint. Some of those effected are bound to have some very strong industry connections... both on the light side and the dark side. "Fixers" and "Can Do" types are part of the industry, and there's certainly motivation for the out of pocket racing staff to call upon extra powers of persuasion if needed. Add this to the 'Catch Me If You Can' file, already bursting at the seams with Aussie Daniel Tzvetkoff, Canadian Calvin Ayre, and Yankee Howard Lederer jockeying for position. All good fodder for an Australian and international themed version of 'Underbelly'. Ya wouldn't be dead for quids. Good hunting and happy punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company
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We probe Australian racing down under and learn that shady happenings in racing are certainly not restricted to the race track. Racecorse workers superannuation savings have been left in the lurch. Media Man and Gambling911 crack the whip at Aussie racing which already had plenty of challenges before the latest black mark to hit their green and gold place in the sun...
Australian racing and media identity, Alan Jones, recently spoke of challenges, opportunities and the need for unity at the 33rd Asian Racing Conference in Sydney. Little did he know of a new challenge very much related to the employment and sustainably of Australian racing.
The superannuation earnings of hundreds of racecourse workers have been dragged into in a $123 million fraud that may become the biggest super theft in Australian history... the super fraud equivalent of the Fine Cotton Affair and Great Bookie Robbery. With the world's financial markets in the deep end, some being probed by the Australian and United States government, I guess we shouldn't be surprised. There's no 'Underbelly' hype here friends, just the unfortunate facts surrounding the further downward spiral of the racing and financial services industry.
Tabcorp's New South Wales racecourse casuals wagering workers say they have not been advised how much money they are down after their Astarra Superannuation Fund was frozen by financial regulators in October last year.
A staff member for 33 years, Rosemary Walker, 72, who works at Randwick Racecourse, asks how Tabcorp could have approved Astarra as a suitable company for her superannuation.
"I'm puzzled as to why we started off in a reputable fund when we were with (former employer) AWA and ultimately we finished up in Astarra," she said.
The losses are understood to be in the region of 10,000 superannuation investors after their investments were placed with Albury-based fund manager Trio Capital. Trio
managed more than $400 million in investments including the Astarra Superannuation.
Last Friday New South Wales Supreme Court justice, George Palmer, ruled that a separate offshore hedge fund managed by Trio Capital had all the signs of a "fraudulent scam" as he detailed "inherent vices" in Trio Capital's business model.
The hedge fund entitled Astarra Strategic moved some $123 million in "investments" through the British Virgin Islands using companies based in obscure Caribbean tax havens including Belize, Nevis, St Lucia and Anguilla.
Justice Palmer advised to wind up the scheme and wrote of the matter "If one wants to conduct financial operations dishonestly or illegally - then it is to these jurisdictions that one goes to incorporate puppet companies with puppet directors in order to operate fraudulent schemes and to move money around the world in secrecy.".
As of time of publication regulators have been unable to locate any funds, nor have charges been laid upon perpetrators.
Interestingly, Astarra Super is not the corporate superannuation fund used by official Tabcorp staff.
Tabcorp spokesman, Bruce Tobin, advised the company had written to all staff affected and was working with the union.
Justice Palmer said these sobering words of the matter "that there was a very high prospect that the funds would simply disappear into the ether - as has almost certainly happened in this case".
He said the use of the tax havens had not been disclosed in Trio Capital's statements to investors.
Superannuation losses from Astarra Strategic would represent the largest superannuation fraud or theft since current super laws were put in place 1993.
James Packer 50% owned Betfair will be glad this isn't a mark on their name. The matter may potentially assist seeing additional (quality) companies enter the Aussie racing and financial sector, be it PartyGaming or Virgin. Certainly the current mix is not quite right, based upon the latest scandal. Word of the street is its time for some "new blood" to shake things up and put the old guard and crooks on notice.
It's unfortunate the late 'Big' Tim Bristow and George Freeman of 'Underbelly' fame are not around to sort out these crooks who have attacked everyday Australians. Bristow aka 'Earthquake' would have likely seen them off at what he called 'The See You Later Club', understood to be have somewhere off the heads of Palm Beach on Sydney's northern beaches...something about concrete blocks at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean!
The crooks are not totally off the hook yet... the matter happening to the lifeblood of Australian horse racing is going to put some noses out of joint. Some of those effected are bound to have some very strong industry connections... both on the light side and the dark side. "Fixers" and "Can Do" types are part of the industry, and there's certainly motivation for the out of pocket racing staff to call upon extra powers of persuasion if needed. Add this to the 'Catch Me If You Can' file, already bursting at the seams with Aussie Daniel Tzvetkoff, Canadian Calvin Ayre, and Yankee Howard Lederer jockeying for position. All good fodder for an Australian and international themed version of 'Underbelly'. Ya wouldn't be dead for quids. Good hunting and happy punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company
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Movie Box Office Futures Betting Market Proposal Moving Forward, by Greg Tingle - 21st April 2010
Gambling and Hollywood do apparently mix, based on the proliferation of branded slot games found in online casinos and the Hollywood movie betting proposals currently being shuffled around the desks of Hollywood money men, legal eagles and bean counters.
Much of the Hollywood - gambling action started with the adaption of Hollywood titles from the likes of Paramount Pictures, StudioCanal, Warner Bros and Marvel Entertainment, later to find them in the likes of PartyGaming's PartyCasino and Virgin's Virgin Casino, it would certainly appear so, however that's not the end of the story.
Media Man and Gambling911 do a follow up probe of Hollywood, AussieWood and Bollywood, learning that proposals are moving forward. Hollywood must need the money!
Despite numerous attempts to stop the proposals, a second exchange proposing box office-based commodity trading has won preliminary go ahead by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC on Tuesday advised the proposed Cantor Exchange has green lighted in a review of its online technology and innovation et al.
The commission has previously approved similar technical underpinnings of the proposed Trend Exchange, which many budding gambling and internet entrepreneurs are grinning about.
The CFTC also must rule on product details of the exchanges, which the major film studios are opposing.
To get readers up to speed you you get a handle on it, the first two decisions have gone against Hollywooders, the MPAA and other industry groups continue to battle against the proposals.
Cantor Exchange and Trend Exchange had planned to begin trading as soon as this this week! The dates have been delayed pending final regulatory review procedure.
Cantor proposes to allow direct access to its online exchange, where users would purchase contracts selling box office projections, be it long or short, from six months prior to films' wide releases through the first four weeks movies screen in theaters. Trend Exchange would utilize brokered trades and halt trading once flix hit theaters.
In addition to lobbying the CFTC, Hollywood has recently opened a second front in its fight against the proposed exchanges in Congress.
A Hollywood-backed amendment was also added to the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act...a financial-reform Senate bill...to prohibit boxoffice commodity exchanges! The amendment is set for discussion this Wednesday by the Senate Agriculture Committee. There is a clear sense or urgency on this matters, and everyone is looking to make an extra dollar our of show business, but gambling entrepreneurs and Hollywood whales and wheeler dealers have different views as to how to go about it.
This Thursday, a House subcommittee that oversees the CFTC also will review the two exchange proposals.
We reckon Lew Wasserman from 'The Last Mogul' fame would love this stuff, however these happenings are leaving a significant paper trail, where as Wasserman basically left none!
Media Man birdies tell us that the likes of Google (Ventures and Enterprise), PartyGaming - InterTrader, Virgin Enterprises Limited inc Virgin Games and James Packer, Australian casino king - 50% owned Betfair, are watching this space very closely, as are Australian iconic actors and film entrepreneurs, Paul "Hoges" Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) Shane Jacobson (Kenny) and Mel Gibson (Mad Max). Australian talent agents and professional business spruikers, Harry M. Miller and Max Markson are also understood to have recently become aware of these happenings via Media Man and Gambling911 reports, and are finding the developments "interesting". Media Man plans to incorporate b2b elements of this specific sector into its business model.
Cantor Exchange and Trend Exchange, putting extra Business in Show Business. Without the Business, there is no show. If anyone gets a cut, including yours truly at Gambling911 and Media Man, we reckon its "deal on" for Deal Or No Deal, and just a case of Show Me The Money!
*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and intenet portal development company. Gaming is just one over a dozen industry verticals they cover
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited, Virgin, and has conducted b2b with Crown, Virgin, PartyGaming, Betfair and others.
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American Gaming News
Australian Casino News
Much of the Hollywood - gambling action started with the adaption of Hollywood titles from the likes of Paramount Pictures, StudioCanal, Warner Bros and Marvel Entertainment, later to find them in the likes of PartyGaming's PartyCasino and Virgin's Virgin Casino, it would certainly appear so, however that's not the end of the story.
Media Man and Gambling911 do a follow up probe of Hollywood, AussieWood and Bollywood, learning that proposals are moving forward. Hollywood must need the money!
Despite numerous attempts to stop the proposals, a second exchange proposing box office-based commodity trading has won preliminary go ahead by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC on Tuesday advised the proposed Cantor Exchange has green lighted in a review of its online technology and innovation et al.
The commission has previously approved similar technical underpinnings of the proposed Trend Exchange, which many budding gambling and internet entrepreneurs are grinning about.
The CFTC also must rule on product details of the exchanges, which the major film studios are opposing.
To get readers up to speed you you get a handle on it, the first two decisions have gone against Hollywooders, the MPAA and other industry groups continue to battle against the proposals.
Cantor Exchange and Trend Exchange had planned to begin trading as soon as this this week! The dates have been delayed pending final regulatory review procedure.
Cantor proposes to allow direct access to its online exchange, where users would purchase contracts selling box office projections, be it long or short, from six months prior to films' wide releases through the first four weeks movies screen in theaters. Trend Exchange would utilize brokered trades and halt trading once flix hit theaters.
In addition to lobbying the CFTC, Hollywood has recently opened a second front in its fight against the proposed exchanges in Congress.
A Hollywood-backed amendment was also added to the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act...a financial-reform Senate bill...to prohibit boxoffice commodity exchanges! The amendment is set for discussion this Wednesday by the Senate Agriculture Committee. There is a clear sense or urgency on this matters, and everyone is looking to make an extra dollar our of show business, but gambling entrepreneurs and Hollywood whales and wheeler dealers have different views as to how to go about it.
This Thursday, a House subcommittee that oversees the CFTC also will review the two exchange proposals.
We reckon Lew Wasserman from 'The Last Mogul' fame would love this stuff, however these happenings are leaving a significant paper trail, where as Wasserman basically left none!
Media Man birdies tell us that the likes of Google (Ventures and Enterprise), PartyGaming - InterTrader, Virgin Enterprises Limited inc Virgin Games and James Packer, Australian casino king - 50% owned Betfair, are watching this space very closely, as are Australian iconic actors and film entrepreneurs, Paul "Hoges" Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) Shane Jacobson (Kenny) and Mel Gibson (Mad Max). Australian talent agents and professional business spruikers, Harry M. Miller and Max Markson are also understood to have recently become aware of these happenings via Media Man and Gambling911 reports, and are finding the developments "interesting". Media Man plans to incorporate b2b elements of this specific sector into its business model.
Cantor Exchange and Trend Exchange, putting extra Business in Show Business. Without the Business, there is no show. If anyone gets a cut, including yours truly at Gambling911 and Media Man, we reckon its "deal on" for Deal Or No Deal, and just a case of Show Me The Money!
*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and intenet portal development company. Gaming is just one over a dozen industry verticals they cover
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited, Virgin, and has conducted b2b with Crown, Virgin, PartyGaming, Betfair and others.
Website Network
Media Man
Media Man Canada
Media Man Australia
Media Man Asia
Media Man Casino
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
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Australian Casino News
Monday, April 19, 2010
Gaming And Racing On The Cards Down Under For Australian Families Of Crime, by Greg Tingle - 19th April 2010
Australians are lapping up their weekly, almost daily, dose of crime and all matters of vice.
Media Man and Gambling911 continue their probe into both real crime and TV entertainment drama down under.
Australian viewers can't get enough of crime TV, so it appears, with Network Nine Australia doing a first showing of the 'Australian Families Of Crime' featuring Melbourne underworld figure, Carl Williams, on the very same day as his real life death in HM Prison Barwon.
Williams was bashed to death by two inmates using a blunt instrument. It occurred in or around the prison gym, around the middle of the day, occurring to various media reports.
His death comes just days after Sydney's 'King Of The Cross' John Ibrahim, featured in Nine's 'Underbelly' left for an overseas trip to Dubai.
The debut and following episodes of the seven-part series are expect to draw big numbers as Australia's TV networks roll out the big guns as the TV ratings war goes ballistic.
Underbelly's Vince Colosimo is narrator and the documentary-drama will be probing the likes of Carl Williams, original 'King of the Cross' aka 'Mr Sin' Abe Saffron, serial killer Ivan Milat and George Freeman aka 'The Gambling Man', among others.
Freeman's illegal gambling dens are part of Australian folklaw, not to romanticize his illegal enterprises. Media Man long time friend and sometime associate, the late Tim 'Earthquake' Bristow, mixed in some of the same circles as Freeman. Some similarities could be drawn between Bristow and Melbourne's most famous "consultant and mediator" Mick Gatto. Both men were very high up on the food chain and many people would think of them as 'Godfather' type identities. Williams on the other hand was a drug dealer who attained some financial wealth and was well known to pay others to do his dirty work (killings) for him, in order to try to protect and grow his criminal enterprise.
Killer Carl has described himself as a semi-professional gambler, and was banned from James Packer's Crown Casino on the 2nd April 2004 by Australian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon under the Casino Control Act.
Punters and readership at large, please note that crime usually doesn't pay, and frequently leads to bad consequences. 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. Gaming is just one of a dozen industry verticals they cover.
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Australian Casino News
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Sports Entertainment
Media Man and Gambling911 continue their probe into both real crime and TV entertainment drama down under.
Australian viewers can't get enough of crime TV, so it appears, with Network Nine Australia doing a first showing of the 'Australian Families Of Crime' featuring Melbourne underworld figure, Carl Williams, on the very same day as his real life death in HM Prison Barwon.
Williams was bashed to death by two inmates using a blunt instrument. It occurred in or around the prison gym, around the middle of the day, occurring to various media reports.
His death comes just days after Sydney's 'King Of The Cross' John Ibrahim, featured in Nine's 'Underbelly' left for an overseas trip to Dubai.
The debut and following episodes of the seven-part series are expect to draw big numbers as Australia's TV networks roll out the big guns as the TV ratings war goes ballistic.
Underbelly's Vince Colosimo is narrator and the documentary-drama will be probing the likes of Carl Williams, original 'King of the Cross' aka 'Mr Sin' Abe Saffron, serial killer Ivan Milat and George Freeman aka 'The Gambling Man', among others.
Freeman's illegal gambling dens are part of Australian folklaw, not to romanticize his illegal enterprises. Media Man long time friend and sometime associate, the late Tim 'Earthquake' Bristow, mixed in some of the same circles as Freeman. Some similarities could be drawn between Bristow and Melbourne's most famous "consultant and mediator" Mick Gatto. Both men were very high up on the food chain and many people would think of them as 'Godfather' type identities. Williams on the other hand was a drug dealer who attained some financial wealth and was well known to pay others to do his dirty work (killings) for him, in order to try to protect and grow his criminal enterprise.
Killer Carl has described himself as a semi-professional gambler, and was banned from James Packer's Crown Casino on the 2nd April 2004 by Australian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon under the Casino Control Act.
Punters and readership at large, please note that crime usually doesn't pay, and frequently leads to bad consequences. 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. Gaming is just one of a dozen industry verticals they cover.
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Australian Casino News
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Sports Entertainment
PartyGaming News: AB Groupe to join PartyGaming’s French Poker Network
19th April 2010
Websites
PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com PartyBingo.com WPTPoker.com WPTCasino.com
PartyGaming, the world’s leading listed online gaming company, today announces its second B2B deal in France with an exclusive multi-year agreement to provide a white label online poker service for AB Groupe, one of the country’s leading TV broadcasters.
The new service will be branded ‘LuckyJeux’ and will join PartyGaming’s French poker network which will also include www.partypoker.fr. Once PartyGaming obtains the required licence and is operational, players on the network will benefit from a shared pool of player liquidity operating on a single platform.
AB Groupe has approximately 52 million paid subscribers and offers 15 subscription channels in France and other French speaking countries, including RTL9, AB1 and AB MOTEURS. The new LuckyJeux poker service will be extensively promoted across the AB Groupe network both on air and online.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of PartyGaming, said:
"AB Groupe is a first rate addition to our French poker network and is consistent with our stated strategy of combining B2C and B2B offerings in newly regulated markets. Together with our recently announced alliance with PMU, we are in great shape ahead of the market opening and are excited about our prospects."
Editor’s Notes
About PartyGaming:
PartyGaming Plc is the world’s leading listed online gaming company. The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY. In the year to 31 December 2009, PartyGaming’s Continuing operations generated revenue of $446.2m and Clean EBITDA of $135.0m. PartyGaming’s principal brands are www.PartyPoker.com, one of the world’s largest online poker rooms, www.PartyCasino.com, the world’s largest online casino, www.PartyBingo.com, www.PartyGammon.com, www.PartyBets.com, www.InterTrader.com, www.FoxyBingo.com, www.GetMinted.com, www.Gamebookers.com and www.WorldPokerTour.com. None of the Group’s sites accept real money customers located in the US.
PartyGaming is regulated and licensed by the Government of Gibraltar and by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission and it is also certified as a responsible gaming operator by GamCare, the leading UK authority on the provision of advice, practical help, support and counselling in addressing the social impact of gambling. PartyGaming’s shares are also a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which enables investors to identify companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
Websites
PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com PartyBingo.com WPTPoker.com WPTCasino.com
PartyGaming, the world’s leading listed online gaming company, today announces its second B2B deal in France with an exclusive multi-year agreement to provide a white label online poker service for AB Groupe, one of the country’s leading TV broadcasters.
The new service will be branded ‘LuckyJeux’ and will join PartyGaming’s French poker network which will also include www.partypoker.fr. Once PartyGaming obtains the required licence and is operational, players on the network will benefit from a shared pool of player liquidity operating on a single platform.
AB Groupe has approximately 52 million paid subscribers and offers 15 subscription channels in France and other French speaking countries, including RTL9, AB1 and AB MOTEURS. The new LuckyJeux poker service will be extensively promoted across the AB Groupe network both on air and online.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of PartyGaming, said:
"AB Groupe is a first rate addition to our French poker network and is consistent with our stated strategy of combining B2C and B2B offerings in newly regulated markets. Together with our recently announced alliance with PMU, we are in great shape ahead of the market opening and are excited about our prospects."
Editor’s Notes
About PartyGaming:
PartyGaming Plc is the world’s leading listed online gaming company. The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY. In the year to 31 December 2009, PartyGaming’s Continuing operations generated revenue of $446.2m and Clean EBITDA of $135.0m. PartyGaming’s principal brands are www.PartyPoker.com, one of the world’s largest online poker rooms, www.PartyCasino.com, the world’s largest online casino, www.PartyBingo.com, www.PartyGammon.com, www.PartyBets.com, www.InterTrader.com, www.FoxyBingo.com, www.GetMinted.com, www.Gamebookers.com and www.WorldPokerTour.com. None of the Group’s sites accept real money customers located in the US.
PartyGaming is regulated and licensed by the Government of Gibraltar and by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission and it is also certified as a responsible gaming operator by GamCare, the leading UK authority on the provision of advice, practical help, support and counselling in addressing the social impact of gambling. PartyGaming’s shares are also a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which enables investors to identify companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
AFL Players' Association And Eddie Everywhere McGuire Et Al Get Behind Punter Fev, by Greg Tingle - 18th April 2010
Australia's Brendan "Fev" Fevola is one of Australia's greatest football players. He's also now known as one of down under's most passionate punters of all time, however Fev's now focused on the footy and family, and putting gambling behind and on the back burner, at least for the time being.
Media Man and Gambling911 probe the situation of Fev, of when having a punt and enjoying it, can turn troublesome and stops being fun.
Overkill on casino and club pokies, blackjack, online poker, the horse racing... Fev used to be up for a punt on just about anything... betting on two flys up a wall sort of thing, but after the winning turned to loosing, on and off the punt, Fev's now battling financial and emotional distress. Fortunately, he's on field play is still world class, and as real life 'Underbelly' Melbourne identity went on record with, "Focus on the footy".
If any smart operator knows about strengths and weaknesses, that would be Mick Gatto, managed by our media PR mate and sometime mentor, Max Markson of Markson Sparks! fame. Max has also offered media advise to Sydney bombshell, Lara Bingle, who enjoyed a bit of a mingle... er fling, with Our Fev circa 2006. Markson is is also the agent for Mr Gatto, and we will say Maxy did a fine job of book promotion for Mick's 'I Mick Gatto' autobiography released a few months back. Markson's book by the way is entitled appropriately 'Show Me The Money', but that's another story, related none the less.
Let's address the situation at hand...
Fevola owes up to $300,000 AUD depending upon who tend to believe. Most owing is to leading corporate bookies.
A parade of bookies and betting agencies yesterday revealed a history of fraught dealings with the wayward Brisbane Lions superstar.
"Yes, the reports you are hearing are right - Brendan Fevola does owe us, but it's not a really big amount of money," Betezy's Ryan Kay told the Herald Sun.
"We understand other places are owed more than us. We're good friends with Brendan and we don't have problems with him.
"He hasn't had a bet with us for a while, probably not since pre-season in the spring carnival."
A leading rails bookmaker, who did not want to be named, admitted Fevola had only recently paid off a $20,000 debt.
To Fev's credit, he's identified has has a problem and early this week took the ballsy step of writing to betting agencies requesting that they No Longer extend him credit. If they did so, Fevola declared he would not be responsible for paying the debts!
A number of bookies owed large sums by Fevola have understandably been somewhat reluctant to speak on record.
"His modus operandi was having $10,000 on short-priced horses regularly," one bookie said, on condition of anonymity.
Our friends at Aussie casino king James Packer's Crown Casino are also part of the saga. Some patrons at Crown Casino's poker room have disclosed how good hands, sharks et al would queue up to play into the night games with Fevola, considered a bit of a Texas hold 'em easybeat.
Collingwood Football Club president Eddie "Everywhere" McGuire, host of TV hit 'Millionaire', Fevola's friend and mentor, has advised Fev was receiving monetary and personal counselling.
"He's in the hole for about a couple of hundred grand. He realises all the fun and games of being Fev and the excess is now taking its toll on him and his family. It's time to at long last pull the head in on a number of fronts, including the gambling."
Fevola's gambling came to light midway through his Brownlow Medal night "show" last year, when he was captured on Crown Casino surveillance cameras running to place a bet in the Mahogany Room during a TV ad break. Security bosses who reviewed Fevola's behaviour that night watched him dart off to the high-roller room on his own and place three quick bets before galloping back to his table in the Palladium room. Many hours prior to Brownlow function, footage showed Fevola and Carlton skipper Chris Judd drinking and dropping few grand playing blackjack.
Such passion did Fev possess he attempted to return to the punt after being evicted from the Brownlow function and had to be restrained by a squad of security officers. We understand that no plastic handcuffs were required.
AFL Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said he believed Fevola was not alone as a "problem gambler" in AFL ranks. "He's not the first one and I dare say he won't be the last. "From time to time, players are going to fall into the trap of getting involved in that sort of stuff, but our education programs and money spent on those programs has been as good as at any time I've spent in the game."
The AFL Players' Association said fewer than 1% of registered players had approached it requesting assistance with gambling problems in recent years. "Our statistics show it is not an increasing problem," spokesman Ben Hart said.
Crown Casino in Melbourne will host the 2010 Logies in a few short weeks. Network Nine Australia, also home to 'Underbelly' will broadcast the event.
Gambling911 and Media Man wish Fev success and all power off and on the field, and we remind our readers who enjoy a punt to do so responsibly. We're delighted to help get his story out there on a national and international scale. Many ethical online casinos and online sports books have player exclusion options. Know the odds, party on, and 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 dozen industries they report on. They are currently redeveloping Australian Sports Entertainment http://www.australiansportsentertainment.com
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Casino News
Australian Sports Entertainment
Sports Entertainment News
Media Man and Gambling911 probe the situation of Fev, of when having a punt and enjoying it, can turn troublesome and stops being fun.
Overkill on casino and club pokies, blackjack, online poker, the horse racing... Fev used to be up for a punt on just about anything... betting on two flys up a wall sort of thing, but after the winning turned to loosing, on and off the punt, Fev's now battling financial and emotional distress. Fortunately, he's on field play is still world class, and as real life 'Underbelly' Melbourne identity went on record with, "Focus on the footy".
If any smart operator knows about strengths and weaknesses, that would be Mick Gatto, managed by our media PR mate and sometime mentor, Max Markson of Markson Sparks! fame. Max has also offered media advise to Sydney bombshell, Lara Bingle, who enjoyed a bit of a mingle... er fling, with Our Fev circa 2006. Markson is is also the agent for Mr Gatto, and we will say Maxy did a fine job of book promotion for Mick's 'I Mick Gatto' autobiography released a few months back. Markson's book by the way is entitled appropriately 'Show Me The Money', but that's another story, related none the less.
Let's address the situation at hand...
Fevola owes up to $300,000 AUD depending upon who tend to believe. Most owing is to leading corporate bookies.
A parade of bookies and betting agencies yesterday revealed a history of fraught dealings with the wayward Brisbane Lions superstar.
"Yes, the reports you are hearing are right - Brendan Fevola does owe us, but it's not a really big amount of money," Betezy's Ryan Kay told the Herald Sun.
"We understand other places are owed more than us. We're good friends with Brendan and we don't have problems with him.
"He hasn't had a bet with us for a while, probably not since pre-season in the spring carnival."
A leading rails bookmaker, who did not want to be named, admitted Fevola had only recently paid off a $20,000 debt.
To Fev's credit, he's identified has has a problem and early this week took the ballsy step of writing to betting agencies requesting that they No Longer extend him credit. If they did so, Fevola declared he would not be responsible for paying the debts!
A number of bookies owed large sums by Fevola have understandably been somewhat reluctant to speak on record.
"His modus operandi was having $10,000 on short-priced horses regularly," one bookie said, on condition of anonymity.
Our friends at Aussie casino king James Packer's Crown Casino are also part of the saga. Some patrons at Crown Casino's poker room have disclosed how good hands, sharks et al would queue up to play into the night games with Fevola, considered a bit of a Texas hold 'em easybeat.
Collingwood Football Club president Eddie "Everywhere" McGuire, host of TV hit 'Millionaire', Fevola's friend and mentor, has advised Fev was receiving monetary and personal counselling.
"He's in the hole for about a couple of hundred grand. He realises all the fun and games of being Fev and the excess is now taking its toll on him and his family. It's time to at long last pull the head in on a number of fronts, including the gambling."
Fevola's gambling came to light midway through his Brownlow Medal night "show" last year, when he was captured on Crown Casino surveillance cameras running to place a bet in the Mahogany Room during a TV ad break. Security bosses who reviewed Fevola's behaviour that night watched him dart off to the high-roller room on his own and place three quick bets before galloping back to his table in the Palladium room. Many hours prior to Brownlow function, footage showed Fevola and Carlton skipper Chris Judd drinking and dropping few grand playing blackjack.
Such passion did Fev possess he attempted to return to the punt after being evicted from the Brownlow function and had to be restrained by a squad of security officers. We understand that no plastic handcuffs were required.
AFL Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said he believed Fevola was not alone as a "problem gambler" in AFL ranks. "He's not the first one and I dare say he won't be the last. "From time to time, players are going to fall into the trap of getting involved in that sort of stuff, but our education programs and money spent on those programs has been as good as at any time I've spent in the game."
The AFL Players' Association said fewer than 1% of registered players had approached it requesting assistance with gambling problems in recent years. "Our statistics show it is not an increasing problem," spokesman Ben Hart said.
Crown Casino in Melbourne will host the 2010 Logies in a few short weeks. Network Nine Australia, also home to 'Underbelly' will broadcast the event.
Gambling911 and Media Man wish Fev success and all power off and on the field, and we remind our readers who enjoy a punt to do so responsibly. We're delighted to help get his story out there on a national and international scale. Many ethical online casinos and online sports books have player exclusion options. Know the odds, party on, and 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 dozen industries they report on. They are currently redeveloping Australian Sports Entertainment http://www.australiansportsentertainment.com
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Casino News
Australian Sports Entertainment
Sports Entertainment News
Aussie Footballer Brendan Fevola Called Real Life Underbelly Types For Gambling Help, by Greg Tingle - 18th April 2010
Self confessed gambling addict Brendan Fevola was so desperate for cash he approached gangland king of the kids Mick Gatto for financial assistance, says Australia's underworld grapevine.
Media Man and Gambling911 further explore the real life 'Underbelly' of Australia down under that is. No hype, just the facts Jack...
Informers allege Fev telephone to Mr Gatto last year asking for tens of thousands of dollars in short-term cash loans in attempt stave off loan sharkies. Gatto runs a construction and "consulting" business.
The octopus tentacles spread far and wide in our info net advise Gatto told Fev to concentrate on football rather than on the punt and declined to give the moolah. To date, Gatto's declined to comment on the allegation.
A Gold Coast underworld heavy made death threats Fev. Incidentally Australia's Surfers Paradise will be featured in an upcoming Underbelly series - slot 5 or 6 as Gambling911 understands.
Mr X claims the illegal moneylender threatened Fevola over an outstanding $70,000 grand.
"When they found out the loan shark had form, they paid up that day," Mr X said.
We understand that loan sharks from Victoria and the Gold Coast are on the hunt for Fev over a seven-figure debt, however proof of this is not in the public domain, unlike Fev's gambling addiction.
The self-confessed addict is understood to be paying a daily interest payment of $1,250 a day, or $8,750 a week!
"Even if Fev pays one debt, he owes money all over the place - it's a house of cards," a source said.
The rumour mill also says a Sydney based debt collector contacted the Carlton Football Club last September on behalf of an online betting agency to which Fevola owed a modest $5000. The call and flow on effects saw the situation resolved within hours after it looked like media leaks were about to factor in.
Melbourne based horse racing folks say Fev "desperately needs help".
Alex Fevola says reports that the family car had been repossessed were false with "I will be speaking to my solicitor."
Fev has pleaded with bookmakers not to accept his bets. He also advised reporters that he's relieved addiction was now public.
"He has a real feeling of relief now that it is out there in the public," manager Alastair Lynch said.
Media Man and Gambling911 remind punters to bet with your head, not over it, know the odds, and have fun. If your punting starts becoming a problem please seek professional assistance.
Australian readers, Underbelly screens tonight on Network Nine. Fev or Mick Gatto are not featured, but some gambling references are on the cards.
*The writer 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 verticals covered.
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Media Man and Gambling911 further explore the real life 'Underbelly' of Australia down under that is. No hype, just the facts Jack...
Informers allege Fev telephone to Mr Gatto last year asking for tens of thousands of dollars in short-term cash loans in attempt stave off loan sharkies. Gatto runs a construction and "consulting" business.
The octopus tentacles spread far and wide in our info net advise Gatto told Fev to concentrate on football rather than on the punt and declined to give the moolah. To date, Gatto's declined to comment on the allegation.
A Gold Coast underworld heavy made death threats Fev. Incidentally Australia's Surfers Paradise will be featured in an upcoming Underbelly series - slot 5 or 6 as Gambling911 understands.
Mr X claims the illegal moneylender threatened Fevola over an outstanding $70,000 grand.
"When they found out the loan shark had form, they paid up that day," Mr X said.
We understand that loan sharks from Victoria and the Gold Coast are on the hunt for Fev over a seven-figure debt, however proof of this is not in the public domain, unlike Fev's gambling addiction.
The self-confessed addict is understood to be paying a daily interest payment of $1,250 a day, or $8,750 a week!
"Even if Fev pays one debt, he owes money all over the place - it's a house of cards," a source said.
The rumour mill also says a Sydney based debt collector contacted the Carlton Football Club last September on behalf of an online betting agency to which Fevola owed a modest $5000. The call and flow on effects saw the situation resolved within hours after it looked like media leaks were about to factor in.
Melbourne based horse racing folks say Fev "desperately needs help".
Alex Fevola says reports that the family car had been repossessed were false with "I will be speaking to my solicitor."
Fev has pleaded with bookmakers not to accept his bets. He also advised reporters that he's relieved addiction was now public.
"He has a real feeling of relief now that it is out there in the public," manager Alastair Lynch said.
Media Man and Gambling911 remind punters to bet with your head, not over it, know the odds, and have fun. If your punting starts becoming a problem please seek professional assistance.
Australian readers, Underbelly screens tonight on Network Nine. Fev or Mick Gatto are not featured, but some gambling references are on the cards.
*The writer 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 verticals covered.
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Sports Entertainment
Sports Entertainment News
Underbelly Hype Says Australia's Ibrahim Family, by Greg Tingle - 18th April 2010
Underbelly: The Golden Mile - explosive TV featuring mobsters (Aussie style), drugs, guns, gambling, hookers, crooked coppers, rock n roll, good times and some very bad times - how much is or was real, and how much is hype?
Media Man and Gambling911 embed themselves in Sydney's underworld to bring you news from the mean streets down under.
From the get go, let's just say that over the years crooks, gangsters, mobsters or whatever you care to call them, have usually enjoyed quite the love - hate relationship with the public and the media, and in some cases, even the police.
Aussie's love a good yard (story - true or false), as does much of the world, and crime based TV (and movies) has proven to be some of the most popular ever... from The Godfather, The Sopranos, Goodfellas, The Untouchables, Casino, Growing Up Gotti, CSI, Gangs Of Oz, to everyones (almost) Underbelly.
Criminals by nature are a colourful lot, with some very bright in the mix, and some not so smart ones to boot.
Our old mate and sometimes associate, Tim "Earthquake" Bristow was always good for a story and mixed in interesting company. Big Tim called himself "retired gangster and Godfather of Sydney" where yours truely quizzed him about his role only weeks before his (natural) death.
Some very smart operators were in and around the clan, and a few knuckleheads for good measure. Bristow has a ton of connections, man power, power, money, influence and information at his disposal. He talked it up, but his contacts and inner circle was the whose whose, and it included judges, police detectives, politicians, news media, celebrities and you get the idea.
We're not exactly certain of the connection and / or relationship our friend Bristow had with the late George Freeman, as witnessed on Network Nine's Underbelly, but its fair to say that they co-existed... neither fell prey to the other, and there was plenty of good times and money to go around for all.
Let's probe Sin City Sydney, Australia...
Fadi Ibrahim is now hitting back (no, not that type of hit) at police and news media attention on his family, claiming the focus on his family's life was "just hype" and would end after Underbelly stops screening.
The only main problem with Ibrahim Jr's argument is that Network Nine are going to keep pumping out 'Underbelly's', albeit it with more of the action taking place in the Gold Coast - Surfers Paradise region, near the NSW - QLD boarder, for our out of town readership.
The brother of Kings Cross well known identity John Ibrahim was shot five times in his Lamborghini last last year and is currently on strict conditional bail after being charged with conspiracy to murder.
But he claims the focus on his family's life was "just hype".
"I think it's all hype and it will calm down when Underbelly is finished," Mr Ibrahim told Rupert Murdoch's The Sunday Telegraph. Media Man can back up many of the media reports as numerous first hand and some second hand reports are regularly being e-mailed into the office.
'The Cross' has been in face targeted by police in recent weeks with uniformed, plainclothed and riot-squad officers patrolling the streets. While news media may have added some hype and color to the situation, it doesn't change the facts.
Numerous police sources advise there was continuing intelligence the Bandidos and Comanchero bikie gangs may confront rival gang Notorious, which is associated with the family of nightclub owner, John Ibrahim aka "King Of The Cross".
He remains the focus of the current Underbelly television series and it is feared Ibrahim's enemies and dark forces may plan to take advantage of his leaving the country for Dubai last week, while the series is being screened.
Operation Eaglehawk continues to gain intel in the meantime which has been targeting licensed venues in and around 'The Cross' and Sydney for over a month.
Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli said Operation Eaglehawk was not a one-off operation and police would continue targeting anti-social behaviour and violence, regardless of the publicity generated by Underbelly.
"We have police on the streets 24 hours a day, 365 days a year targeting criminal, anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime," Mr Mennilli said.
"Police constantly run these operations in Kings Cross, as well as in Oxford St, the CBD, The Rocks and other areas where there is a high density of people and alcohol.
"The public can rest assured police have been targeting Kings Cross for years and will continue to do so, regardless of some passing publicity generated by a TV drama."
Last week, coppers from Operation Eaglehawk made 11 arrests, conducted 46 person searches, inspected 56 businesses and issued 72 traffic infringement notices, reports News Limited.
Some more impressive (real life) numbers ... Operation Eaglehawk has investigated 294 businesses, conducted 286 person searches, issued 117 traffic infringement notices and made 73 arrests.
Fadi Ibrahim, his bodyguard Neil Cummings, and his fiancee Shayda Bastani said Underbelly was not an entirely accurate account of events, but they had watched the first episode and enjoyed it.
Mr Ibrahim said actor Firass Dirani was doing a great job playing his brother. "He's like a Lebanese John Travolta. He's doing a top job."
David Freeman, who joined Mr Ibrahim at Randwick Racecourse yesterday for the Doncaster, did not comment on the portrayal of his father George in Underbelly's first episode. Some say the races in Australia is a "sunny place for shady persons", but no one is currently commenting on that well known expression.
Fadi was bailed out after he and his younger brother Michael were charged with conspiracy to murder. Police allege it was in retaliation for the attempt on Fadi's life.
Aussie readers, its you're lucky day (technically night). Underbelly is on Channel Nine tonight - that's right, its Sunday... you wouldn't want to miss it for quids. Starts at 8.30pm, and it might warm you up to a bit of Kings Cross gambling action later in the week. Betfair Pink Pigeon birdies tell us if you have a want, need or desire, 'The Cross' is still the place to go. If you're out of luck and can't find it, you can always hope a cab and swing on over to Sydney's Star City Casino, and high rollers, if that still doesn't do it for you, Mr James Packer and co at Billionaire Inc - Crown Casino Casino in Melbourne, have those Gulfsteam jets ready and engines fired up for those who are financially qualified. Of course, you can stay at home and even play the pokes. PartyGaming even offers 'The Godfather' and Captain Cooks 'Hitman'. We know you're keen for an Underbelly and UFC slot game and the powers that be have been tipped off. Just be grateful that Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy and their bible bashing conspirators were not successful in their miserable attempts to ban your beloved Underbelly.
Enjoy the show, some of which is available for preview on the NineMSN website portal, and some of which may be getting leaked to YouTube and elsewhere.
In this world we live, information can be key, be it gambling, TV, legal, internet or whatever, and Gambling911 and Media Man are delighted to continue to bring you the news and info you won't find anywhere else. Underbelly - the verdict: Fact is stranger than fiction, but also keep in mind it's also produced to entertain the audience and bring in big numbers to advertisers and sponsors...something it is doing a smashing job of. Over 2 million Australia's are expected to tune into again tonight.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company, gaming being just one of over a dozen industries covered
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
Website Network
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Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Casino News
Australian Sports Entertainment
Sports Entertainment News
Media Man and Gambling911 embed themselves in Sydney's underworld to bring you news from the mean streets down under.
From the get go, let's just say that over the years crooks, gangsters, mobsters or whatever you care to call them, have usually enjoyed quite the love - hate relationship with the public and the media, and in some cases, even the police.
Aussie's love a good yard (story - true or false), as does much of the world, and crime based TV (and movies) has proven to be some of the most popular ever... from The Godfather, The Sopranos, Goodfellas, The Untouchables, Casino, Growing Up Gotti, CSI, Gangs Of Oz, to everyones (almost) Underbelly.
Criminals by nature are a colourful lot, with some very bright in the mix, and some not so smart ones to boot.
Our old mate and sometimes associate, Tim "Earthquake" Bristow was always good for a story and mixed in interesting company. Big Tim called himself "retired gangster and Godfather of Sydney" where yours truely quizzed him about his role only weeks before his (natural) death.
Some very smart operators were in and around the clan, and a few knuckleheads for good measure. Bristow has a ton of connections, man power, power, money, influence and information at his disposal. He talked it up, but his contacts and inner circle was the whose whose, and it included judges, police detectives, politicians, news media, celebrities and you get the idea.
We're not exactly certain of the connection and / or relationship our friend Bristow had with the late George Freeman, as witnessed on Network Nine's Underbelly, but its fair to say that they co-existed... neither fell prey to the other, and there was plenty of good times and money to go around for all.
Let's probe Sin City Sydney, Australia...
Fadi Ibrahim is now hitting back (no, not that type of hit) at police and news media attention on his family, claiming the focus on his family's life was "just hype" and would end after Underbelly stops screening.
The only main problem with Ibrahim Jr's argument is that Network Nine are going to keep pumping out 'Underbelly's', albeit it with more of the action taking place in the Gold Coast - Surfers Paradise region, near the NSW - QLD boarder, for our out of town readership.
The brother of Kings Cross well known identity John Ibrahim was shot five times in his Lamborghini last last year and is currently on strict conditional bail after being charged with conspiracy to murder.
But he claims the focus on his family's life was "just hype".
"I think it's all hype and it will calm down when Underbelly is finished," Mr Ibrahim told Rupert Murdoch's The Sunday Telegraph. Media Man can back up many of the media reports as numerous first hand and some second hand reports are regularly being e-mailed into the office.
'The Cross' has been in face targeted by police in recent weeks with uniformed, plainclothed and riot-squad officers patrolling the streets. While news media may have added some hype and color to the situation, it doesn't change the facts.
Numerous police sources advise there was continuing intelligence the Bandidos and Comanchero bikie gangs may confront rival gang Notorious, which is associated with the family of nightclub owner, John Ibrahim aka "King Of The Cross".
He remains the focus of the current Underbelly television series and it is feared Ibrahim's enemies and dark forces may plan to take advantage of his leaving the country for Dubai last week, while the series is being screened.
Operation Eaglehawk continues to gain intel in the meantime which has been targeting licensed venues in and around 'The Cross' and Sydney for over a month.
Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli said Operation Eaglehawk was not a one-off operation and police would continue targeting anti-social behaviour and violence, regardless of the publicity generated by Underbelly.
"We have police on the streets 24 hours a day, 365 days a year targeting criminal, anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime," Mr Mennilli said.
"Police constantly run these operations in Kings Cross, as well as in Oxford St, the CBD, The Rocks and other areas where there is a high density of people and alcohol.
"The public can rest assured police have been targeting Kings Cross for years and will continue to do so, regardless of some passing publicity generated by a TV drama."
Last week, coppers from Operation Eaglehawk made 11 arrests, conducted 46 person searches, inspected 56 businesses and issued 72 traffic infringement notices, reports News Limited.
Some more impressive (real life) numbers ... Operation Eaglehawk has investigated 294 businesses, conducted 286 person searches, issued 117 traffic infringement notices and made 73 arrests.
Fadi Ibrahim, his bodyguard Neil Cummings, and his fiancee Shayda Bastani said Underbelly was not an entirely accurate account of events, but they had watched the first episode and enjoyed it.
Mr Ibrahim said actor Firass Dirani was doing a great job playing his brother. "He's like a Lebanese John Travolta. He's doing a top job."
David Freeman, who joined Mr Ibrahim at Randwick Racecourse yesterday for the Doncaster, did not comment on the portrayal of his father George in Underbelly's first episode. Some say the races in Australia is a "sunny place for shady persons", but no one is currently commenting on that well known expression.
Fadi was bailed out after he and his younger brother Michael were charged with conspiracy to murder. Police allege it was in retaliation for the attempt on Fadi's life.
Aussie readers, its you're lucky day (technically night). Underbelly is on Channel Nine tonight - that's right, its Sunday... you wouldn't want to miss it for quids. Starts at 8.30pm, and it might warm you up to a bit of Kings Cross gambling action later in the week. Betfair Pink Pigeon birdies tell us if you have a want, need or desire, 'The Cross' is still the place to go. If you're out of luck and can't find it, you can always hope a cab and swing on over to Sydney's Star City Casino, and high rollers, if that still doesn't do it for you, Mr James Packer and co at Billionaire Inc - Crown Casino Casino in Melbourne, have those Gulfsteam jets ready and engines fired up for those who are financially qualified. Of course, you can stay at home and even play the pokes. PartyGaming even offers 'The Godfather' and Captain Cooks 'Hitman'. We know you're keen for an Underbelly and UFC slot game and the powers that be have been tipped off. Just be grateful that Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy and their bible bashing conspirators were not successful in their miserable attempts to ban your beloved Underbelly.
Enjoy the show, some of which is available for preview on the NineMSN website portal, and some of which may be getting leaked to YouTube and elsewhere.
In this world we live, information can be key, be it gambling, TV, legal, internet or whatever, and Gambling911 and Media Man are delighted to continue to bring you the news and info you won't find anywhere else. Underbelly - the verdict: Fact is stranger than fiction, but also keep in mind it's also produced to entertain the audience and bring in big numbers to advertisers and sponsors...something it is doing a smashing job of. Over 2 million Australia's are expected to tune into again tonight.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company, gaming being just one of over a dozen industries covered
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
Website Network
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Casino News
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Sports Entertainment News
PartyCasino News: PartyCasino Slot-tastic Sunday
PartyCasino.com Slot-tastic Sunday
Play for big prizes when you spin the reels on Slot-tastic Sundays
Put yourself in the running for superb prizes simply by playing your favourite slots every Slot-tastic Sunday. It’s so simple; spin the reels on any title in our huge range of slots and jackpot slots and the points you collect will boost your position on the Slot-tastic Sunday leader board.
Play Sunday 18th April to climb your way to the huge rewards on offer.
But that’s not all. You'll also get 100% more PartyPoints when you play the specially selected slots of Tarzan and Resident Evil between 00:00 ET and 23:59 ET on a Slot-tastic Sunday*. Check your PartyAccount now to see how few points you have to earn in order to get limitless double points.
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Sundays have never been more rewarding. Check your PartyAccount for more details on our Slot-tastic Sundays.
*New players get up to $500 bonus
Terms and conditions apply:
* Minimum points requirement, check your PartyAccount
** This promotion is only open to players who can see the promotion in their PartyAccount
Please read our standard promotional terms and conditions
TARZAN (TM) Owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. and Used By Permission. ©CAPCOM CO. LTD. 2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Website
PartyCasino.com
Profiles
Tarzan
Resident Evil
PartyCasino.com
PartyPoints
Palladium Lounge
PartyGaming
Play for big prizes when you spin the reels on Slot-tastic Sundays
Put yourself in the running for superb prizes simply by playing your favourite slots every Slot-tastic Sunday. It’s so simple; spin the reels on any title in our huge range of slots and jackpot slots and the points you collect will boost your position on the Slot-tastic Sunday leader board.
Play Sunday 18th April to climb your way to the huge rewards on offer.
But that’s not all. You'll also get 100% more PartyPoints when you play the specially selected slots of Tarzan and Resident Evil between 00:00 ET and 23:59 ET on a Slot-tastic Sunday*. Check your PartyAccount now to see how few points you have to earn in order to get limitless double points.
Remember, finish a Slot-tastic Sunday in the top 200 of our leader board and we'll give you a cash bonus of between $20 and $400**. If you're a Palladium Lounge player we'll give you a bonus of between $100 and $1,500** for placing in the top 50 of the exclusive Slot-tastic Sunday Palladium Lounge leader board.
Sundays have never been more rewarding. Check your PartyAccount for more details on our Slot-tastic Sundays.
*New players get up to $500 bonus
Terms and conditions apply:
* Minimum points requirement, check your PartyAccount
** This promotion is only open to players who can see the promotion in their PartyAccount
Please read our standard promotional terms and conditions
TARZAN (TM) Owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. and Used By Permission. ©CAPCOM CO. LTD. 2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Website
PartyCasino.com
Profiles
Tarzan
Resident Evil
PartyCasino.com
PartyPoints
Palladium Lounge
PartyGaming
Friday, April 16, 2010
PartyCasino delivers world's best in online casino entertainment; Cleopatra, Rambo, Sinatra, Circus, Call Of Duty 4, Classic Slots, Marvel and more
PartyCasino.com continues to deliver the best that the online gaming world has to offer.
The company is maintaining its top position in Asia Pacific and Europe and has released more world class slot games and "Avatar" type technology is on the way. Just last week Party released Circus Slot, the world's first online igaming role playing slot game.
PartyGaming and in particular, its PartyCasino.com are on a roll.
Under the leadership of CEO Jim Ryan, PartyGaming is maintaining its darling status in the news media and gaming world. Quite an accomplishment since the days when they pulled out of the U.S market.
PartyGaming's leading brands, PartyCasino.com, PartyPoker.com and World Poker Tour continue to release new features that satisfy their existing clients, in addition to seeing new clients and partners come on board.
They have also built upon the world famous World Poker Tour brand with WPTCasino.com and WPTPoker.com, offering up to $600 bonus for new players.
Some of the key strengths of PartyGaming and its brands include:
Listed on the London Stock Exchange
Branded slot games that can be played for free or played for money. Rambo by StudioCanal, Sinatra by Frank Sinatra Enterprises, Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Cleopatra by IGT, Monopoly and Cluedo by Hasbro, Mission: Impossible, Top Gun, The Naked Gun, Saturday Night Fever and High Noon by Paramount Pictures, Resident Evil by Capcom and Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four by Marvel Entertainment, Call Of Duty 4 by Activision, King Kong by Universal Studios, The Terminator and Gone With The Wind by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and so the list goes on. As Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee says, "Excelsior!".
PartyGaming also have their own in house game development team entitled 'The Games Studio', that works in collaboration with their business partners. Circus is the teams most recent release and its been called a world beater.
New technologies have enabled PartyCasino.com to offer "Live Dealer", in collaboration with EvolutionGaming and "Single Wallet" sees players only having to have one account with PartyGaming even if they choose to play a number of games in the portfolio, from slots, to poker, backgammon, sports betting, bingo et al.
The company has ramped up activities and campaigns across the global from Channel Five in Europe, to business deals with Dutch lottery operators and London Capital Group, PMU in France, all the way down to Australia where world class poker player, Stewart Scott is the regions brand ambassador for PartyPoker.com
Government b2b dealings - PartyGaming announced an exclusive, five-year agreement to provide an online gaming platform for poker and casino games in Denmark for Danske Spil A/S (‘Danske Spil’). Danske Spil is controlled by the Danish Government. PartyGaming also recently announced a multi year deal with France gaming and racing operator Pari-Mutuel Urbain.
Industry Awards and Commendations: PartyGaming's PartyCasino.com and PartyPoker.com are multi-time award winners of the Media Man - Casino News Media - Global Gaming Directory "Online Casino of the Month" and all entities have also won a range of annual awards handed out by the well respected eGaming Review.
Exclusives - branded slots, Live Dealer, PartyPoints, Palladium Lounge, Single Wallet and more.
For these reasons and more, if you like games, be it playing for free and fun or playing for money, PartyGaming more than likely has a game for you. Numerous multi language and multi currency options are also available, and the customer service is second to none. Don't just play the game, be the game and feel it at PartyCasino.com
PartyGaming Plc is the world’s leading listed online gaming company. The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY.
*The writer has a b2b relationship with PartyGaming and a number of its brands, as they do with dozens of companies in the gaming and igaming world
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Party Casino News
Party Gaming Media
Media Man Casino
The company is maintaining its top position in Asia Pacific and Europe and has released more world class slot games and "Avatar" type technology is on the way. Just last week Party released Circus Slot, the world's first online igaming role playing slot game.
PartyGaming and in particular, its PartyCasino.com are on a roll.
Under the leadership of CEO Jim Ryan, PartyGaming is maintaining its darling status in the news media and gaming world. Quite an accomplishment since the days when they pulled out of the U.S market.
PartyGaming's leading brands, PartyCasino.com, PartyPoker.com and World Poker Tour continue to release new features that satisfy their existing clients, in addition to seeing new clients and partners come on board.
They have also built upon the world famous World Poker Tour brand with WPTCasino.com and WPTPoker.com, offering up to $600 bonus for new players.
Some of the key strengths of PartyGaming and its brands include:
Listed on the London Stock Exchange
Branded slot games that can be played for free or played for money. Rambo by StudioCanal, Sinatra by Frank Sinatra Enterprises, Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Cleopatra by IGT, Monopoly and Cluedo by Hasbro, Mission: Impossible, Top Gun, The Naked Gun, Saturday Night Fever and High Noon by Paramount Pictures, Resident Evil by Capcom and Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four by Marvel Entertainment, Call Of Duty 4 by Activision, King Kong by Universal Studios, The Terminator and Gone With The Wind by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and so the list goes on. As Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee says, "Excelsior!".
PartyGaming also have their own in house game development team entitled 'The Games Studio', that works in collaboration with their business partners. Circus is the teams most recent release and its been called a world beater.
New technologies have enabled PartyCasino.com to offer "Live Dealer", in collaboration with EvolutionGaming and "Single Wallet" sees players only having to have one account with PartyGaming even if they choose to play a number of games in the portfolio, from slots, to poker, backgammon, sports betting, bingo et al.
The company has ramped up activities and campaigns across the global from Channel Five in Europe, to business deals with Dutch lottery operators and London Capital Group, PMU in France, all the way down to Australia where world class poker player, Stewart Scott is the regions brand ambassador for PartyPoker.com
Government b2b dealings - PartyGaming announced an exclusive, five-year agreement to provide an online gaming platform for poker and casino games in Denmark for Danske Spil A/S (‘Danske Spil’). Danske Spil is controlled by the Danish Government. PartyGaming also recently announced a multi year deal with France gaming and racing operator Pari-Mutuel Urbain.
Industry Awards and Commendations: PartyGaming's PartyCasino.com and PartyPoker.com are multi-time award winners of the Media Man - Casino News Media - Global Gaming Directory "Online Casino of the Month" and all entities have also won a range of annual awards handed out by the well respected eGaming Review.
Exclusives - branded slots, Live Dealer, PartyPoints, Palladium Lounge, Single Wallet and more.
For these reasons and more, if you like games, be it playing for free and fun or playing for money, PartyGaming more than likely has a game for you. Numerous multi language and multi currency options are also available, and the customer service is second to none. Don't just play the game, be the game and feel it at PartyCasino.com
PartyGaming Plc is the world’s leading listed online gaming company. The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY.
*The writer has a b2b relationship with PartyGaming and a number of its brands, as they do with dozens of companies in the gaming and igaming world
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Party Casino News
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Aussie Footballer Has Gambling Problem, by Greg Tingle - 16th April 2010
Australian AFL footballer Brendan Fevola has a significant gambling addiction.
Media Man and Gambling911 investigate and tell it like it is...
The star athlete is seeking professional help in a bid to "knock it on the head".
Fev who plays for the Brisbane Lions confirmed speculation and scuttlebutt about his gambling problem. He remains steadfast that he didn't on football with a solid statement "I absolutely have not had a bet on footy,". We're not sure if his sponsors or business partners wanted to hear those words or not, given the now high profile sponsorship and advertising deals Australian sport has in place with betting firms.
Fev appeared on Network Nine blokey television program 'The Footy Show' and declared "I have a gambling issue and I want to knock it on the head". The shows audience is broken into sections and their is a corner in the studio sporting heavy Centrebet signage!
Fev goes on "It's been going on for a few years. You don't think you have a problem, and it's a bit of fun, and then it catches up to you. When you have a punt, you have ups and downs and it does affect you. It hasn't affected my footy. But by addressing it, I hope I come out the other end a better person."
The footballer plays poker and bets on horses, and is said to owe at least three bookmakers a six-figure total!
Some people have addictive personalities, and in this case gambling has proved to be a problem for Mr Fevola. We commend him for owning up to the issues and it does appear that he's doing something about it. Self awareness and taking responsibility for your own actions goes along way in the healing process, and we think he's got a good chance of bouncing back in champion fashion.
Gambling911 and Media Man remind punters to bet with your head, not over it, know the odds, and keep it fun. If you're gambling catches up with you and stops being fun, please seek professional assistance.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Casino News
Australian Sports Entertainment
Sports Entertainment News
Media Man and Gambling911 investigate and tell it like it is...
The star athlete is seeking professional help in a bid to "knock it on the head".
Fev who plays for the Brisbane Lions confirmed speculation and scuttlebutt about his gambling problem. He remains steadfast that he didn't on football with a solid statement "I absolutely have not had a bet on footy,". We're not sure if his sponsors or business partners wanted to hear those words or not, given the now high profile sponsorship and advertising deals Australian sport has in place with betting firms.
Fev appeared on Network Nine blokey television program 'The Footy Show' and declared "I have a gambling issue and I want to knock it on the head". The shows audience is broken into sections and their is a corner in the studio sporting heavy Centrebet signage!
Fev goes on "It's been going on for a few years. You don't think you have a problem, and it's a bit of fun, and then it catches up to you. When you have a punt, you have ups and downs and it does affect you. It hasn't affected my footy. But by addressing it, I hope I come out the other end a better person."
The footballer plays poker and bets on horses, and is said to owe at least three bookmakers a six-figure total!
Some people have addictive personalities, and in this case gambling has proved to be a problem for Mr Fevola. We commend him for owning up to the issues and it does appear that he's doing something about it. Self awareness and taking responsibility for your own actions goes along way in the healing process, and we think he's got a good chance of bouncing back in champion fashion.
Gambling911 and Media Man remind punters to bet with your head, not over it, know the odds, and keep it fun. If you're gambling catches up with you and stops being fun, please seek professional assistance.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company
Website Network
Media Man
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Casino News
Australian Sports Entertainment
Sports Entertainment News
Australia Likely To Get Online Gambling Legalisation Soon, by Greg Tingle - 16th April 2010
Australia is heading towards getting new laws, legislation... the works, to cover the online gaming - gambling sector, following the global trend.
Media Man and Gambling911 continue to probe, as the global war for online gambling domination heats up.
It appears that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for most, certainly in the Asia Pacific - Australian sector at this stage, is the general feeling from the vast majority of people we speak to. Legal eagles, company CEOs, webmasters, media entrepreneurs, financial analysts, even most politicians, say that legalisation is the the way forward.
As Media Man and Gambling911 have previously covered, when things become illegal or go into "grey area", they go often go "underground". Often the industry will thrive, but will be at least somewhat hidden by public view. When this happens some consumer protection can be lost. Gambling and other "vices" still exist, and word is that Sydney's Kings Cross could be on the verge of become a bit of a gambling mecca, albeit attracting a somewhat different patronage to those who frequent our friends at Star City Casino and Crown Casino in Melbourne. Network Nine's TV smash hit show 'Underbelly' has of course brought some underground industries back into the public spotlight, but that's another story.
New laws to officially permit gaming companies to offer online gambling products and services in Australia are "inevitable," as the federal government stands to benefit from the tax brought into government coffers, corporate bean counting outfit KPMG says.
The firm has released a report into the global growth of online gaming suggesting the global market will grow by approximately 42% to $32 billion by 2012 from 2008 levels.
The Australian Productivity Commission states Aussies spent $790 million on online gambling through overseas websites in 2008! Media Man recalls that 2008 was a big growth year for business, building up the website portfolio into double digits to keep up with consumer and b2b demand.
"While illegal and invisible in official records, online gaming appears to have grown very rapidly, and could amount to 4 per cent of gambling expenditure," the commission writes in its recent draft report on Australian gambling.
The commission recommended the Aussie government liberalise online gambling by allowing Aussie companies to provide internet poker and casino games to local customers. Online wagering as well as sports betting is already permitted by law.
Of course, all of the current excitement about Australia's online gaming and gambling industry has attracted the ire of bible bashers and anti gaming campaigners.
Senator Nick Xenophon says the Australian government should resist the lure of extra tax revenue.
"If you open the floodgates to online gambling you will see a new tidal wave of problem gamblers, particularly younger people. Governments shouldn't cave into the temptation of regulating this on the basis that they can get taxes".
Both Australian and (quality) global gaming giants are also expected to benefit, through greater consolidation of the industry. Gibraltar based PartyGaming, the world's leading gaming and igaming company looks to be in a strong position, just coming of a deal with France based PMU, and Richard Branson's Virgin Games also has an outstanding record of ethics, customer service, b2b and giving back to society. At present Branson's Virgin Games does not accept Australian players, while PartyGaming casino, poker, betting, bingo and sports brands can. Playtech, Sega, William Hill and others are expected to make a play, but Media Man's top international picks are Virgin and PartyGaming. Betfair is also poised to soon add casino and poker to their impressive sports betting portfolio. Betfair is half owned by Australia's casino king, James Packer, which won't go astray. Packer also enjoys a long time relationship with many Hollywood A-listers and money men, with Tom Cruise being featured in PartyGaming's Top Gun and Mission: Impossible online games, Stallone in 'Rambo', Travolta in 'Saturday Night Fever' and Arnie in 'The Terminator'. Marvel Entertainment has also strategically embedded themselves in the online gambling sector. Marvel's 'Thor', 'Captain America' and 'Wolverine' - 'X-Men' are rumored for game remakes, and PartyGaming and Playtech have "branded" slot games at high priority. Australia's Hugh Jackman, featuring in a couple of Marvel slot games, has not spoken on the igaming - online gambling industry to date. Jackman also enjoys a friendship with News Corp king of the world, Rupert Murdoch. PKR enjoy a b2b relationship with Nuts and FHM, however it is unclear if Nuts and FHM magazines containing PKR Poker advertising have appeared in Australian news agencies.
Australians currently rate in the world's top ten Forbes, Hitwise and Google lists for online gambling, offline gambling, movie attendance and comic books.
Some inside the Australian gambling industry believe it is unlikely the government will move to liberalise online gambling during an election year, as the government has so many fires to attend to in the meantime like health reform, illegal boat people, not to mention the so called "blacklist" and proposed Australian internet filter, all said to quite likely increase the odds of the Australian Government loosing the next election. One punter bet $10,000 that Labor will loose.
Some Australian anti-gambling entities advise that regulation of the igaming sector could have some benefits. Legalising the service would enable authorities to better control it and protect "problem gamblers", who are already gambling online via offshore websites.
Senator Xenophon interestingly opposes the Australian internet filter, but states policing offshore gaming websites is possible with "political will".
Readers... gamblers, entrepreneurs and media owners... what do you think? Are you with the "coalition of the willing" to use George Bush's expression, or are you for outlaws? Tell us what you think in the forum.
*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 being just one of over a dozen sectors they cover.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Virgin, and has conducted b2b with PartyGaming, Virgin and Betfair.
Website Network
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Asia
Media Man Casino
Casino News Media
Casino News Media.net
Australian Casino News
Australian Casinos
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Global Gaming Directory.net
Australian Sports Entertainment
Media Man and Gambling911 continue to probe, as the global war for online gambling domination heats up.
It appears that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for most, certainly in the Asia Pacific - Australian sector at this stage, is the general feeling from the vast majority of people we speak to. Legal eagles, company CEOs, webmasters, media entrepreneurs, financial analysts, even most politicians, say that legalisation is the the way forward.
As Media Man and Gambling911 have previously covered, when things become illegal or go into "grey area", they go often go "underground". Often the industry will thrive, but will be at least somewhat hidden by public view. When this happens some consumer protection can be lost. Gambling and other "vices" still exist, and word is that Sydney's Kings Cross could be on the verge of become a bit of a gambling mecca, albeit attracting a somewhat different patronage to those who frequent our friends at Star City Casino and Crown Casino in Melbourne. Network Nine's TV smash hit show 'Underbelly' has of course brought some underground industries back into the public spotlight, but that's another story.
New laws to officially permit gaming companies to offer online gambling products and services in Australia are "inevitable," as the federal government stands to benefit from the tax brought into government coffers, corporate bean counting outfit KPMG says.
The firm has released a report into the global growth of online gaming suggesting the global market will grow by approximately 42% to $32 billion by 2012 from 2008 levels.
The Australian Productivity Commission states Aussies spent $790 million on online gambling through overseas websites in 2008! Media Man recalls that 2008 was a big growth year for business, building up the website portfolio into double digits to keep up with consumer and b2b demand.
"While illegal and invisible in official records, online gaming appears to have grown very rapidly, and could amount to 4 per cent of gambling expenditure," the commission writes in its recent draft report on Australian gambling.
The commission recommended the Aussie government liberalise online gambling by allowing Aussie companies to provide internet poker and casino games to local customers. Online wagering as well as sports betting is already permitted by law.
Of course, all of the current excitement about Australia's online gaming and gambling industry has attracted the ire of bible bashers and anti gaming campaigners.
Senator Nick Xenophon says the Australian government should resist the lure of extra tax revenue.
"If you open the floodgates to online gambling you will see a new tidal wave of problem gamblers, particularly younger people. Governments shouldn't cave into the temptation of regulating this on the basis that they can get taxes".
Both Australian and (quality) global gaming giants are also expected to benefit, through greater consolidation of the industry. Gibraltar based PartyGaming, the world's leading gaming and igaming company looks to be in a strong position, just coming of a deal with France based PMU, and Richard Branson's Virgin Games also has an outstanding record of ethics, customer service, b2b and giving back to society. At present Branson's Virgin Games does not accept Australian players, while PartyGaming casino, poker, betting, bingo and sports brands can. Playtech, Sega, William Hill and others are expected to make a play, but Media Man's top international picks are Virgin and PartyGaming. Betfair is also poised to soon add casino and poker to their impressive sports betting portfolio. Betfair is half owned by Australia's casino king, James Packer, which won't go astray. Packer also enjoys a long time relationship with many Hollywood A-listers and money men, with Tom Cruise being featured in PartyGaming's Top Gun and Mission: Impossible online games, Stallone in 'Rambo', Travolta in 'Saturday Night Fever' and Arnie in 'The Terminator'. Marvel Entertainment has also strategically embedded themselves in the online gambling sector. Marvel's 'Thor', 'Captain America' and 'Wolverine' - 'X-Men' are rumored for game remakes, and PartyGaming and Playtech have "branded" slot games at high priority. Australia's Hugh Jackman, featuring in a couple of Marvel slot games, has not spoken on the igaming - online gambling industry to date. Jackman also enjoys a friendship with News Corp king of the world, Rupert Murdoch. PKR enjoy a b2b relationship with Nuts and FHM, however it is unclear if Nuts and FHM magazines containing PKR Poker advertising have appeared in Australian news agencies.
Australians currently rate in the world's top ten Forbes, Hitwise and Google lists for online gambling, offline gambling, movie attendance and comic books.
Some inside the Australian gambling industry believe it is unlikely the government will move to liberalise online gambling during an election year, as the government has so many fires to attend to in the meantime like health reform, illegal boat people, not to mention the so called "blacklist" and proposed Australian internet filter, all said to quite likely increase the odds of the Australian Government loosing the next election. One punter bet $10,000 that Labor will loose.
Some Australian anti-gambling entities advise that regulation of the igaming sector could have some benefits. Legalising the service would enable authorities to better control it and protect "problem gamblers", who are already gambling online via offshore websites.
Senator Xenophon interestingly opposes the Australian internet filter, but states policing offshore gaming websites is possible with "political will".
Readers... gamblers, entrepreneurs and media owners... what do you think? Are you with the "coalition of the willing" to use George Bush's expression, or are you for outlaws? Tell us what you think in the forum.
*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 being just one of over a dozen sectors they cover.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Virgin, and has conducted b2b with PartyGaming, Virgin and Betfair.
Website Network
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Asia
Media Man Casino
Casino News Media
Casino News Media.net
Australian Casino News
Australian Casinos
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Global Gaming Directory.net
Australian Sports Entertainment
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Australian And American Newspaper And Magazines Get Gambling Deals, by Greg Tingle - 15th April 2010
Mainstream newspapers in Australia and the United States are starting to plug into the streets paved with gold - online gambling, following the lead from our United Kingdom based media mates.
Media Man and Gambling911 probe the situation in an Aussie - Yankee double investigation, with earlier indicators showing that newspapers are seeing the "green", following the money trail to gambling, be it in AUD, USD, GBP or monetary other denominations.
New York based media baron Mort Zuckerman, top brass at The New York Daily News, US News and World Report, last year publicly advised that online b2b and advertising deals in the gambling - gaming sector could be a way for mainstream newspapers to loose their sinking feeling - diminished revues, and in extreme cases, some newspapers going out of business, unable to compete with their online counterparts. Zuckerman was largely referring to sports betting (which can also include a sub group in what's commonly known as "Fantasy Betting").
Let's face it, Media Man and Gambling911 don't have the overheads of The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media), The Daily Telegraph (News Limited), The Sun or The New York Times for that matter.
Let's take a look at the landscape of the land...
Google - a few years ago headlines like "Google follows the money trail to gambling' were the order of the day, however the business model is getting more complex, as Google deals with both technical and legal considerations.
Though Google CEO Eric Schmidt and seemingly everyone else is telling publishers they should place some bets on potential new business models, The Philadelphia Inquirer venture may not be exactly what they had in mind. Google is also working on some gaming and igaming models for its YouTube platform and top ten website, so maybe Google is working a deal with The Philly behind the scenes. Stranger things have happened.
Philly.com, the online arm of the Inquirer and "sister" newspaper the Philadelphia Daily News, has recently launched an apparently legal online betting service called Instant Fantasy Games. The firm advised last week that they are the first in their industry to make a foray into online betting, according to a report in Editor & Publisher, a newspaper trade journal. Gambling911 and Media Man think this may be correct for the U.S sector, but certainly not taking into account the U.K newspaper industry, who appear to be light years ahead, with bingo, poker, sports, fantasy and more.
"We're trying to serve two goals," said Yoni Greenbaum, VP of Product Development at Philly.com. "Those are content differentiation and revenue. If you're looking at the sports sites out there, a lot of them have the same stuff...The challenge that this creates is we need to offer more. In this day and age, sports fans have insatiable appetites."
FanDuel, a British wagering company helped Philly.com launch Instant Fantasy. Part fantasy league and part sports book, the service enables bettors to pick groups of players from professional baseball, hockey, or basketball leagues. It operates much like the fantasy leagues from Yahoo.com, CBSSports.com (parent company of CNET), and ESPN--except those games are just for fun.
With Instant Fantasy, players pay $5 to $50 a game with the chance to win as much as $90, Greenbaum said. It's one-on-one, and players can compete with a friend or family member. If they don't have anyone they want to play against, the game's system will match them up with someone five minutes before competition begins. Games are held daily.
Internet gambling is current illegal in the United States (depending who you want to believe as opinions vary, even from legal eagles) but in 2006, the government made some exceptions involving fantasy sports leagues, Editor & Publisher reported.
Last Sunday evening, Google's Schmidt addressed a group of newspaper execs in Washington D.C. at the American Society of News Editors. "We have a business model problem," Schmidt told the crowd. "We don't have a news problem."
Schmidt said newspapers are "fundamental" to democracy and predicted they would find a new business model based on advertising and subscription revenue. Maybe he should have included creating a sports book.
Our friend Mort seems to share a few similar thoughts on the newspaper - gambling model as Schmidt.
Zuckerman goes on record with "There is something that can be done, and the federal government ought to do it: allow sports betting on newspaper Websites. That would save every newspaper in America. The New York Times.com could do it. Plenty of British papers do this; for them it's a crucial part of their net revenue stream. I know a major newspaper in London that makes $15 million a year from sports betting alone".
Australia Update
New Limited newspapers (hard copy and online) continue to ramp up with both advertising a range of sports betting brands, in the past 2 months pushing their own in-house brands which look to be white label and things are strongly featured next to online sports news and on the world famous Fox Sports (Australian version) website. 'Fantasy NRL' looks to be their prime white label brand and they are also accepting a number of online sports betting adds, with Packer 50% share Betfair featuring prominently. Packer is also a huge fan of Premier Media Group, which has also has an investment in as we understand.
Fairfax Media (inc The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age) newspapers websites, along with their online only sites including Brisbane Times and WA Today. 'Pro Tipping' by all accounts is the Fairfax Media white label sports betting branding.
Media Man remains independent, despite having grown to over 20 website portals. The group has previously declined offers to by all or part of the company, still riding a wave of growth. The company is considering "white label" deals, but has enjoyed excellent results "teaming up" with a handful of the world's leading igaming brands, mixed in with some traditional and new media publicity campaigns, so has stuck to the a global based business model that is working well on a marketing, branding, legal, financial and overall basis. Media Man sees Google, PartyGaming, Betfair, Crown Limited, Virgin (and maybe Tabcorp and NextGen Gaming) being a big part of its further development in the gaming and igaming sector, with Crown and Tabcorp moving forward casino travel and tourism ventures. Media Man remains in close liaison with GenerationOne, the Indigenous Australian employment initiative championed by Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest and James Packer, as to how to best collaborate, grow the business, and employ a few more hard working Australians in the progress.
Summary
The business model of newspapers (and other media companies) has changed... it had to, just to see its survival, with owners and editors even advising their journalists that they are to adapt their style for the internet, and some who failed to change have indeed lost their jobs. Some high up in the Murdoch and Fairfax Media empires even refer to their journalists and "content writers" or "content producers"... so much for the good old days when Clark Kent "Superman" types paved the pavements in search of a good story!
The bottom line is what counts to owners, bean counters and investors, and while media purists have a case to be "Not Happy Jan", it is part of the evolution of media, for better of worse.
One of the main dangers to the credibility of print newspapers is when too much focus is given to the bottom line and advertisers, and not enough on hard nosed journalism.
For these reasons and more Gambling911 readers can be assured that more hard nosed articles are on the way, sourced from the worldwide "freelance" contacts and relationships formed over many years. Freelance and independent generally means less PR spin jobs (as often found in some mainstream press) and a more gutsy, in your face style... the sort of stuff that sometimes sees legal eagles writing in trying to save face for their clients! (when the truth gets out). Media Man recently dealt with a couple of these sorts of scenarios, hard news being the catalyst, so we knew were were doing a great job.
We foresee a continuation of mainstream media companies plugging into the gaming and igaming sector, just at PartyGaming top brass Jim Ryan has rightly predicted would happen almost 2 years ago... that's why Ryan takes home (and secures for Party) the big bucks... the man is a visionary. Ryan has also smartly got in place a number of strategic alliances and purchased solid businesses such as the World Poker Tour. The combination of these things has made PartyGaming very appealing to Government departments, be it in France (hello our friends at PMU), Canada (poker tour on the radar) and Australia. The Party deals with Marvel Entertainment and Paramount Pictures also continue to serve the company, partners and affiliates well. Strong branding and even stronger financials, see PartyGaming stand head and shoulders about the rest in the igaming sector on a global scale. Virgin (Games) has the potential to be a real challenge to PartyGaming, in our opinion, as Richard Branson and his group have developed such a strong a loyal Virgin following over the years. When Virgin expand into new markets they automatically pick up new customers who were waiting for them. Virgin thinks this may be the case with their AWOMO (A World Of My Own) platform, a deal they have with Game Domain International, however Virgin is seeking more investors before taking the project ballistic and entering new markets. Rupert Murdoch's Sky (Vegas and family) is strong in the UK but is hardly on the radar in Australia (or anywhere else) from what we can make out. Sega and Sony have the potential to be major top ten players in the igaming space, but as of this writing, PartyGaming is our top pick, on a global scale, with Betfair sitting pretty for strong growth down under in Australia.
Readers may recall that earlier in the week that Australia media entrepreneur and and racing horse owner, Alan Jones, spoke at the Asian Racing Conference in Sydney. Jones called for united, as his certainly smart enough to see the potential threat from overseas based companies "invading" Australia, and doing it better. Australia's TAB isn't exactly known for having world class efficiencies, however they had previously enjoyed an almost monopoly and stranglehold in the Australian sector, however its no longer the case. TAB legal eagles are going to remain busy in the months ahead and Betfair is well prepared for a lengthy and expensive war, Betfair pink pigeon birdies have told us.
For dynamic media - new media enterprises such as Gambling911 and Media Man, the future continues to look bright. Low staff overheads, quick turnaround on articles, and business relationships in place with some of the world's top gaming, igaming, poker and sports betting brands. Just as important, the websites are Google and Google News friendly, and they don't discriminate against Yahoo! or Bing either, as well as being referenced in "bible" and top ten sites like Wikipedia. Social media brands such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter continue to be a benefit to the agile business models, and mobile / WAP looks to be a logic area to develop in the months ahead... can't wait for that Google mobile phone, that looks likely to take a huge bite out of Apple. Google is clearly the internet giant in the prime position to best capitalise on the growth of the gaming and gambling sector, at least by Media Man estimations (sorry Richard Branson, Yahoo and Wikipedia).
If good business is about adapting to the times and spreading risk, we think a number of American newspapers like The Philly and Aussie titles such as The Tele and The Herald, are doing a mighty fine job... we're pretty happy with our own efforts also.
Wild cards that may potentially develop a significant gaming business down under include Network Nine Australia (perhaps with a Hey Hey It's Saturday 'Pluka Duck' tie in along with the possibility of a rumored 'Underbelly' online and offline slot machine offering which punters are crying out for). The late Big Tim Bristow and George Freeman would have loved to see what's come of the igaming and gambling business now, we're certain.
Loyal readers, until next time, keep it legal, stay safe, bet with your head, not over it, know the odds, and above all, 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
Website Network
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Casino
Casino News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Australian Casino News
Poker News Media
Australian Sports Entertainment
Sports Entertainment News
Media Man and Gambling911 probe the situation in an Aussie - Yankee double investigation, with earlier indicators showing that newspapers are seeing the "green", following the money trail to gambling, be it in AUD, USD, GBP or monetary other denominations.
New York based media baron Mort Zuckerman, top brass at The New York Daily News, US News and World Report, last year publicly advised that online b2b and advertising deals in the gambling - gaming sector could be a way for mainstream newspapers to loose their sinking feeling - diminished revues, and in extreme cases, some newspapers going out of business, unable to compete with their online counterparts. Zuckerman was largely referring to sports betting (which can also include a sub group in what's commonly known as "Fantasy Betting").
Let's face it, Media Man and Gambling911 don't have the overheads of The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media), The Daily Telegraph (News Limited), The Sun or The New York Times for that matter.
Let's take a look at the landscape of the land...
Google - a few years ago headlines like "Google follows the money trail to gambling' were the order of the day, however the business model is getting more complex, as Google deals with both technical and legal considerations.
Though Google CEO Eric Schmidt and seemingly everyone else is telling publishers they should place some bets on potential new business models, The Philadelphia Inquirer venture may not be exactly what they had in mind. Google is also working on some gaming and igaming models for its YouTube platform and top ten website, so maybe Google is working a deal with The Philly behind the scenes. Stranger things have happened.
Philly.com, the online arm of the Inquirer and "sister" newspaper the Philadelphia Daily News, has recently launched an apparently legal online betting service called Instant Fantasy Games. The firm advised last week that they are the first in their industry to make a foray into online betting, according to a report in Editor & Publisher, a newspaper trade journal. Gambling911 and Media Man think this may be correct for the U.S sector, but certainly not taking into account the U.K newspaper industry, who appear to be light years ahead, with bingo, poker, sports, fantasy and more.
"We're trying to serve two goals," said Yoni Greenbaum, VP of Product Development at Philly.com. "Those are content differentiation and revenue. If you're looking at the sports sites out there, a lot of them have the same stuff...The challenge that this creates is we need to offer more. In this day and age, sports fans have insatiable appetites."
FanDuel, a British wagering company helped Philly.com launch Instant Fantasy. Part fantasy league and part sports book, the service enables bettors to pick groups of players from professional baseball, hockey, or basketball leagues. It operates much like the fantasy leagues from Yahoo.com, CBSSports.com (parent company of CNET), and ESPN--except those games are just for fun.
With Instant Fantasy, players pay $5 to $50 a game with the chance to win as much as $90, Greenbaum said. It's one-on-one, and players can compete with a friend or family member. If they don't have anyone they want to play against, the game's system will match them up with someone five minutes before competition begins. Games are held daily.
Internet gambling is current illegal in the United States (depending who you want to believe as opinions vary, even from legal eagles) but in 2006, the government made some exceptions involving fantasy sports leagues, Editor & Publisher reported.
Last Sunday evening, Google's Schmidt addressed a group of newspaper execs in Washington D.C. at the American Society of News Editors. "We have a business model problem," Schmidt told the crowd. "We don't have a news problem."
Schmidt said newspapers are "fundamental" to democracy and predicted they would find a new business model based on advertising and subscription revenue. Maybe he should have included creating a sports book.
Our friend Mort seems to share a few similar thoughts on the newspaper - gambling model as Schmidt.
Zuckerman goes on record with "There is something that can be done, and the federal government ought to do it: allow sports betting on newspaper Websites. That would save every newspaper in America. The New York Times.com could do it. Plenty of British papers do this; for them it's a crucial part of their net revenue stream. I know a major newspaper in London that makes $15 million a year from sports betting alone".
Australia Update
New Limited newspapers (hard copy and online) continue to ramp up with both advertising a range of sports betting brands, in the past 2 months pushing their own in-house brands which look to be white label and things are strongly featured next to online sports news and on the world famous Fox Sports (Australian version) website. 'Fantasy NRL' looks to be their prime white label brand and they are also accepting a number of online sports betting adds, with Packer 50% share Betfair featuring prominently. Packer is also a huge fan of Premier Media Group, which has also has an investment in as we understand.
Fairfax Media (inc The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age) newspapers websites, along with their online only sites including Brisbane Times and WA Today. 'Pro Tipping' by all accounts is the Fairfax Media white label sports betting branding.
Media Man remains independent, despite having grown to over 20 website portals. The group has previously declined offers to by all or part of the company, still riding a wave of growth. The company is considering "white label" deals, but has enjoyed excellent results "teaming up" with a handful of the world's leading igaming brands, mixed in with some traditional and new media publicity campaigns, so has stuck to the a global based business model that is working well on a marketing, branding, legal, financial and overall basis. Media Man sees Google, PartyGaming, Betfair, Crown Limited, Virgin (and maybe Tabcorp and NextGen Gaming) being a big part of its further development in the gaming and igaming sector, with Crown and Tabcorp moving forward casino travel and tourism ventures. Media Man remains in close liaison with GenerationOne, the Indigenous Australian employment initiative championed by Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest and James Packer, as to how to best collaborate, grow the business, and employ a few more hard working Australians in the progress.
Summary
The business model of newspapers (and other media companies) has changed... it had to, just to see its survival, with owners and editors even advising their journalists that they are to adapt their style for the internet, and some who failed to change have indeed lost their jobs. Some high up in the Murdoch and Fairfax Media empires even refer to their journalists and "content writers" or "content producers"... so much for the good old days when Clark Kent "Superman" types paved the pavements in search of a good story!
The bottom line is what counts to owners, bean counters and investors, and while media purists have a case to be "Not Happy Jan", it is part of the evolution of media, for better of worse.
One of the main dangers to the credibility of print newspapers is when too much focus is given to the bottom line and advertisers, and not enough on hard nosed journalism.
For these reasons and more Gambling911 readers can be assured that more hard nosed articles are on the way, sourced from the worldwide "freelance" contacts and relationships formed over many years. Freelance and independent generally means less PR spin jobs (as often found in some mainstream press) and a more gutsy, in your face style... the sort of stuff that sometimes sees legal eagles writing in trying to save face for their clients! (when the truth gets out). Media Man recently dealt with a couple of these sorts of scenarios, hard news being the catalyst, so we knew were were doing a great job.
We foresee a continuation of mainstream media companies plugging into the gaming and igaming sector, just at PartyGaming top brass Jim Ryan has rightly predicted would happen almost 2 years ago... that's why Ryan takes home (and secures for Party) the big bucks... the man is a visionary. Ryan has also smartly got in place a number of strategic alliances and purchased solid businesses such as the World Poker Tour. The combination of these things has made PartyGaming very appealing to Government departments, be it in France (hello our friends at PMU), Canada (poker tour on the radar) and Australia. The Party deals with Marvel Entertainment and Paramount Pictures also continue to serve the company, partners and affiliates well. Strong branding and even stronger financials, see PartyGaming stand head and shoulders about the rest in the igaming sector on a global scale. Virgin (Games) has the potential to be a real challenge to PartyGaming, in our opinion, as Richard Branson and his group have developed such a strong a loyal Virgin following over the years. When Virgin expand into new markets they automatically pick up new customers who were waiting for them. Virgin thinks this may be the case with their AWOMO (A World Of My Own) platform, a deal they have with Game Domain International, however Virgin is seeking more investors before taking the project ballistic and entering new markets. Rupert Murdoch's Sky (Vegas and family) is strong in the UK but is hardly on the radar in Australia (or anywhere else) from what we can make out. Sega and Sony have the potential to be major top ten players in the igaming space, but as of this writing, PartyGaming is our top pick, on a global scale, with Betfair sitting pretty for strong growth down under in Australia.
Readers may recall that earlier in the week that Australia media entrepreneur and and racing horse owner, Alan Jones, spoke at the Asian Racing Conference in Sydney. Jones called for united, as his certainly smart enough to see the potential threat from overseas based companies "invading" Australia, and doing it better. Australia's TAB isn't exactly known for having world class efficiencies, however they had previously enjoyed an almost monopoly and stranglehold in the Australian sector, however its no longer the case. TAB legal eagles are going to remain busy in the months ahead and Betfair is well prepared for a lengthy and expensive war, Betfair pink pigeon birdies have told us.
For dynamic media - new media enterprises such as Gambling911 and Media Man, the future continues to look bright. Low staff overheads, quick turnaround on articles, and business relationships in place with some of the world's top gaming, igaming, poker and sports betting brands. Just as important, the websites are Google and Google News friendly, and they don't discriminate against Yahoo! or Bing either, as well as being referenced in "bible" and top ten sites like Wikipedia. Social media brands such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter continue to be a benefit to the agile business models, and mobile / WAP looks to be a logic area to develop in the months ahead... can't wait for that Google mobile phone, that looks likely to take a huge bite out of Apple. Google is clearly the internet giant in the prime position to best capitalise on the growth of the gaming and gambling sector, at least by Media Man estimations (sorry Richard Branson, Yahoo and Wikipedia).
If good business is about adapting to the times and spreading risk, we think a number of American newspapers like The Philly and Aussie titles such as The Tele and The Herald, are doing a mighty fine job... we're pretty happy with our own efforts also.
Wild cards that may potentially develop a significant gaming business down under include Network Nine Australia (perhaps with a Hey Hey It's Saturday 'Pluka Duck' tie in along with the possibility of a rumored 'Underbelly' online and offline slot machine offering which punters are crying out for). The late Big Tim Bristow and George Freeman would have loved to see what's come of the igaming and gambling business now, we're certain.
Loyal readers, until next time, keep it legal, stay safe, bet with your head, not over it, know the odds, and above all, 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
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