Australia is home to some of the world's great casinos, hotels and resorts.
While the land down under has over a dozen land based casinos, there's only three that both rate highly and grab the majority of headlines on a global stage. Enter James Packer's Crown Casino in Melbourne, Tabcorp's Star City in Sydney, and Jupiters Hotel & Casino on the Gold Coast.
Media Man and Gambling911 take our eye in the sky look at the landscape of the Aussie land based casino sector and bring you up to speed with what's news down under...
Readers will be aware that there's a "casino war" in the land of kangaroos, koalas and goannas at the moment. You would have to be Blind Fredy not to know about the ultra competitive showdown (and hunt for whales and dolphins) between Packer's Crown Casino down south and Tabcorp's Star City in 'Sin City' Sydney.
Crown Casino and Star City are following the global trend, largely driven forward from Las Vegas and Macau, of offering a total entertainment experience... not just gambling... you know, slots, poker, table games and the like. Whales aka high-rollers, have also demanded the changing face of the sector. Don't get us wrong, the gambling aspect remains vital to the business model and to the punters, but for a variety of reasons Australian casino kings have employed a more holistic models. The reasons include being more government friendly, legal eagle elements and complimenting the larger casino, entertainment and lifestyle realms.
Some of the ramped up services and offerings as part of the industry development include but are not limited to:
Entertainment complex upgrades (including securing more world class acts, more often, to attract the crowds and keep all clients and business partners happy)
Hotel suite refurbishments
Private gambling room upgrades for high rolling VIP's
Sports bar upgrades
Enhanced security - technology and more staff
Gulf Stream Jets aka Lear Jets for international high rollers in a hurry and who demand and casino afford the best
Aussie Casino News Bytes
Crown Casino: Hosted the Logies last week with 1000 guests in attendance. Broadcast on Network Nine Australia. Bert Newton did a fine job as host. One journalist / columnist was fired for what many saw as inappropriate Twitter - ing, including the editor of The Age newspaper. Upgraded website. Management in regular contact with sister casinos, City of Dreams Macau and Altira Macau. 100s more staff to be employed, some of which under the GenerationOne employment initiative, dedicated to helping get Indigenous Australians back into the workforce.
Star City: Has expanded their budget by another $100,000 or so. Is ordering 1 or 2 Lear Jets to help better compete with Crown Casino. Upgraded website.
Jupiters Gold Coast: Upgraded their poker room to the tune of a few hundred thousand dollars, Mother Africa Circus of the Senses is showing at Jupiters Theater. Last week a casino courtesy bus was allegedly nabbed by a disgruntle contractor owned money. The case is currently in the courts. Jupiters is nearby to the beaches where major surfing competitions take place annually. Dreamworld (Hollywood On The Gold Coast) is only a short drive away from the casino. Upgraded website.
Burswood Entertainment Complex: Upgraded security, shows include Nitro Circus Live,
Cats, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson Tribute Show and Mammi Mia! Burswood is known to put on fantastic community fundraisers. American pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan drew a massive crowd at Burswood lat last year for his charity work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Virgin's Richard Branson also did some impressive fundraising on site last month, with folks the world over keen to meet and speak to the entrepreneur. Branson's Virgin Games remains keen to expand the gaming globally, including the AWOMO (A World Of My Own), and perhaps the face to face meetings with the media and political savvy Aussie Casino king, James Packer, won't go astray. Upgraded website.
Casino Canberra: Blast From The Past: Are you a baby boomer? Then don’t dare miss Baby Boomers Blast from the Past, the ultimate live entertainment experience. Laugh, dance, party Friday 14 May at Casino Canberra. Watch comic impersonator Chris De Havilland bring to life the likes of Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond, and many more baby boomer entertainers. On the 3rd of June - Aussie comedian legends...Austen Tayshus and Elliot Goblet! Austen Tayshus is described as a drunken yobbo's worst nightmare, someone who can out gross you, out yell you and out last you. Austen Tayshus walks a skillful line between the truly offensive and the truly funny. And Elliot Goblet, the master of oodles of clever but unrelated one liners and the odd two liner as well. Both comedians are on one night of classic Aussie humour. Meet the Canberra Raiders NRL Raiderettes! Before Raiders games you have the opportunity to meet some of the Raiderettes and take advantage of the beer and snack footy pack. Galaxy Nightclub - Canberra's hottest nightclub opens from 9pm every Saturday with the beats of the 70's and the best of the 80's. Come and hear the soundtrack of our lives. Galaxy has a NO GLASS policy!
The Reef Hotel Casino: 13th, 14th and 15th May - Lisa Hunt Returns. Soul, Disco & Motown. The way it should sound!
Lasseters Hotel Casino: Dead Centre Show N Shine - Today! - 8th May. Outlaw Drags Spectacular - 9th May
Australian Casino Directory List
New South Wales
Star City Casino (Sydney)
Victoria
Crown Casino (Melbourne)
Queensland
Conrad Treasury Casino (Brisbane)
Jupiters Hotel & Casino (Gold Coast)
Jupiters Townsville Casino (Townsville)
The Reef Hotel Casino (Cairns)
South Australia
Skycity Adelaide (Adelaide)
Western Australia
Burswood Entertainment Complex aka Burswood Casino (Perth)
Tasmania
Wrest Point Hotel Casino (Hobart)
Country Club Casino (Launceston)
Australian Capital Territory
Casino Canberra (Canberra)
Northern Territory
Lasseters Hotel Casino (Alice Springs)
Skycity Darwin (formerly MGM Grand Casino) (Darwin)
Media Man International Profile On Australia
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/australia.html
Online Casinos, Online Poker and Sports Betting
Ok readers, we hear you... you also want to know some of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies) if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia (including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...
PartyCasino.com
Captain Cooks Casino
Betfair (sports betting only)
PKR (mainly poker and some casino and sports betting)
PokerStars
Media Man and Gambling911 remind our readers to keep the following in mind:
Take the time to research and learn games before placing down money
Media Man and Gambling911 are website portals. Not casinos as such, however are recognised as world leading websites that cover the sector and act as central points to games, news, reviews and more
Know the odds, set limits 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 sectors covered
*The writer owns shares in Crown Casino
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