Media Man News

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Australian Gambling News, by Greg Tingle - 14th May 2011



It's been a big week for Australian gambling news, both down under in Australia, as well as Aussie gambling entities making waves overseas. Plus we're got the IGT VS Aristocrat legal update, Australian gambling and media stock price updates and loads more.

Media Man, Casino News Media, Media Man News, Property News Media and Global Gaming Directory team up to deliver this jam packed news update, with some help from friends at Fairfax Media, Google News and wires.

Credit To Gambling Companies And Players Where Credit Is Due...

Congrats to Crown's James Packer for his ongoing development of Crown Limited, creating employment opportunities for thousands of Australians, in addition to continuing to assist GenerationOne, focused on sustainable solutions for Aboriginal Australians, which employment and welling being key aspects. Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment's PartyCasino.com has snatched another Media Man 'Online Casino of The Month' award too, and Vegas gambling tycoon Steve Wynn has gotten himself married, and invited some of Australia's most notable citizens, including you guessed it - The Packers. We also thank Fairfax Media, The Daily Telegraph and The New York Times for their responsible reporting on the gaming and gambling industry, and also well done to Gambling911 and Poker News Daily for their daily colourful stories covering the sector. Life would be more dull around gambling if it wasn't for Chris, Jenny and the team and Gambling911. Media Man of course remains independent, certainly for new media and gaming coverage standards, but once in a while do an official campaign for quality brands and individuals.

Packer Family And Other Aussie Billionaires Attend Wynn Wedding In Las Vegas...

Gambling tycoon James Packer and wife, Erica, Wolverine Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-lee Furness, billionaire truck driver - transport entrepreneur Lindsay Fox and his wife, Paula, retail big wig Solomon Lew and wife, Rosie, were the Australian guests at casino king of the kids Steve Wynn's extravagant wedding. The Aussies enjoyed themselves big time at the ball that went for 3 days, which featured a swag of entertainment including Lionel Richie and Garth Brooks. Clint Eastwood was best man. Wynn married his Pommie sweetheart, divorcee Andrea Hissom, and the lovely couple have been named by the press "duke and duchess of Vegas". Wynn first met Hissom during a trip to the French Riviera circa 2008. Wynn aged 69, and Hissom, understood to be in her 40s, got married at the cost of $US5 million ($4.7 million), with 500 guests from around the globe. Other guests included Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone and Celine Dion. The super A-list guests were flown in for a poolside "white" party on the day prior to the elaborate wedding. A "Grand Celebration" was housed in Wynn's Encore Ballroom...was put together by Michael Jackson's ex musical - events et al genius Kenny Ortega. Brunch was held on the Sunday morning. Wynn's ex wife, Elaine, was not on the list. She's mum to Steve's two kids. Last year the ex was awarded one of the largest divorce settlements in US history - $US741 million in stock in Wynn Resorts. It's understood the Packers enjoyed napoleon of tuna with caviar and roasted turbot with red wine sauce and cauliflower puree. The Wynn's are understood to be delighted at the way everything went down, and the Australia's were equally delighted we understand.

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment's PartyCasino Wins Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month'

PartyCasino has once again won the Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month Award'. The well known and respected online casino brand has won the Media Man awards over a dozen times in the past three years. The award is given out based on a number of factors including gameplay, portfolio of games, customer services, affiliate partners offerings, value for money, innovation and overall customer service. Richard Branson's Virgin Casino has also won the award, but Branson's brand doesn't accept Australians which has held back the firm in recent years. PKR Casino and Captain Cooks Casino have been Media Man semi finalists over the years, but PartyCasino looks like a safe bet to maintain it's stranglehold on the title for now. Well done Party.

Las Vegas Live at Burswood Theatre...

When: Friday 20 May...Take a trip to Las Vegas without the airfare or expenses. Viva Las Vegas has all the razzle dazzle and glitz of the entertainment capital of the world, and is coming to Burswood for one night only! The show combines sensational song and dance numbers with exciting specialty acts. Viva Las Vegas will take viewers on a spellbinding journey to Las Vegas, without leaving their seat. Show-goers will witness the gorgeous Vegas Showgirls in spectacular costumes and dazzling choreography, plus the remarkable illusions of Magic2. Audiences will also experience the best celebrity impersonators, Tom Jones tribute artist and world class Elvis impersonator Rick Charles performing together with a live band. This is 90 minutes of spectacular Las Vegas entertainment, a fabulous night to be remembered forever.

UK Gaming Giant Keen On Centrebet...

Alice Springs-based online gaming - gambling giant Centrebet International has confirmed a London-listed company is proposing a takeover bid. A spokesman for Centrebet says discussions are being held with Sportingbet. The UK gaming company is proposing to acquire shares and performance rights for starters. The spokesman says no agreement has been reached as yet. He says the Centrebet licence would most likely remain in Alice Springs if a takeover bid is successful.

MP Wilkie Keen To Discuss Poker Machines With Victoria...

Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie says he is happy to talk to Victoria about its concerns regarding his planned poker machine changes. Wilkie is insisting on a compulsory scheme where pokie players will have to pre-set how much they are willing to lose or play on machines, which will only accept $1 bets. Victoria opposes a mandatory scheme and says Mr Wilkie should see the voluntary scheme it is putting in place. Mr Wilkie, who is threatening to bring down the Federal Government if he does not get his way, says he is happy to speak with the Victorian Government. "But I want to make one thing perfectly clear: it is not an option for Victoria to be exempted from these national reforms. It is as simple as that," he said. "There will be mandatory pre-comittment on these high-intensity poker machines, full stop."

Aussie Lottery Winners Unlucky With Love Life...

They used to be a couple whose relationship would not endure for love or money - not even $3 million bucks. They split up a year after the woman bought a winning lottery ticket, and the Federal Magistrates Court had to decide how to divide the fortune. Known by the pseudonyms Ms Kneen and Mr Crockford, the pair - aged in their 20s - had lived together on and off for a while. In September 2008, after spending much of the year in women's shelters, Ms Kneen moved back in with Mr Crockford. A month later she bought a Powerball ticket at a Canberra newsagency and was stunned when she learnt she had won $3 million. Establishing the facts was not easy; the federal magistrate who determined the property settlement, Stuart Lindsay, said both parties were "very poor witnesses" who lied to help their own case. Kneen claimed she was the only one who bought lottery tickets and that Mr Crockford was "dismissive of her buying tickets and encouraged her not to". ''She said that she always referred to the tickets as her tickets,'' Mr Lindsay said. ''She said that she had only ever won small amounts … and that she always kept those winnings for herself.'' But Mr Crockford said they both played Powerball or Lotto every week and each contributed to the tickets, on the understanding that "whoever bought it, it was a joint ticket and that they would share the winnings," Mr Lindsay said. After the $3 million windfall, they bought three properties. The pair flew to Melbourne together to claim the winnings and Ms Kneen was with Mr Crockford when the cheque was made payable to his account, Mr Lindsay said, suggesting a relationship where the money would likely "be regarded by them both as having been jointly won". Mr Lindsay allocated $100,000 to Ms Kneen because she earned less than her former partner, but split the rest equally. (Credit: www.smh.com.au)

One.Tel Legal Case Against James Packer And Lachlan Murdoch Dismissed...

The New South Wales court has dismissed a civil case against James Packer and Lachlan Murdoch in relation to the collapse of phone company, One.Tel. Some of One Tel's creditors appointed a special purpose liquidator, Paul Weston, to investigate why the board withdrew financial support for the company and put it into voluntary administration in 2001. Mr Murdoch and Mr Packer were directors of the board and companies linked to them were investors. But Justice Julie Ward said the case was stale and the proceedings should be dismissed. Mr Weston has been ordered to pay the costs of the case. The High Court has agreed to hear an appeal by ASIC against the dismissal of civil penalties against former James Hardie directors. In 2009, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission won a landmark court case against the company's former executives and directors for misleading the market about asbestos compensation. James Hardie was fined, and the former executives and directors were fined and disqualified. The case was partially overturned on appeal and the former directors had their penalties quashed. The local share market ended higher after a volatile day. The All Ordinaries Index rose 11 points, or nearly 0.25 of a per cent to 4,787. Spot gold is higher at just over US$1,510 an ounce. West Texas Crude oil is at US$98.97 a barrel. The Australian dollar is nearly $US1.07. Congrats to 'Our James' and 'Our Lachlan'.

Aristocrat Names Gaming Visionary Rich Schneider Chief Product Officer‎...

Aristocrat Technologies has named legendary gaming visionary Rich Schneider as its new Chief Product Officer. As CPO, Schneider will lead all aspects of product design, portfolio management and global marketing activities, and he will direct the overall leadership of Aristocrat's vibrant creative studios. Schneider will be based in the company's Las Vegas office and will report directly to CEO and Managing Director Jamie Odell. "The appointment of our CPO is significant, and we are fortunate to have attracted someone of Rich's calibre, and he will play a critical leadership role in the next stage of our turnaround story," Odell said. "His skill set, knowledge of the industry and years of experience will be tremendous assets to Aristocrat's Executive Leadership Team and to our business." "I could not be more delighted about joining Jamie and the entire Aristocrat team. Aristocrat's breadth of product, coupled with a great game library, and a strong tradition of delivering games that players just love to play are all great building blocks for a successful future," said Schneider. Schneider is widely regarded as an important force in the gaming industry and has played significant roles in shaping its future. Most notably, Schneider was Executive Vice President of Product Strategy at IGT. He has also served as IGT's Senior Vice President of Server Based Gaming and President of IGT Systems. Prior to IGT, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Acres Gaming. He has also been V.P. of Game Development for CDS and Director of Engineering for United Coin Machine. Schneider's vision has helped lead to the creation and proving the value of system bonusing products that have become the industry standard for building patron loyalty and driving casino revenues. He also played a vital role in conceiving what is now known as the Gaming Standards Association and has been a tireless advocate for open standards. Schneider has held several important positions in GSA, including Board Member and Vice Chairman of the Board. Schneider holds a BS in Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He will begin his tenure at Aristocrat on July 28. Aristocrat Technologies Inc. is a subsidiary of Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL), a leading global provider of gaming solutions. The Company is licensed by more than 200 regulators and its products and services are available in more than 90 countries around the world. Aristocrat offers a diverse range of products and services including electronic gaming machines and casino management systems.

Aristocrat v. IGT: Attorney Negligence, Revival, and Inequitable Conduct...(Credit: www.patentlyo.com)

Aristocrat Techs. v. Int'l. Game Tech. & IGT (N.D. Cal. 2011)

Patent attorneys regularly have hundreds of patent applications pending, each with their own due dates – far too many for anyone remember on their own. We keep track through docketing systems, paralegals, and attorney cross-checks. We are often overwhelmed – especially when firms change and staff leaves (as happened in this case). One of the comments to this post astutely introduced the old adage: "there but for the grace of God go I."

The Aussie slot-machine manufacturer Aristocrat missed its US national stage patent filing deadline by one day. The patent was saved when the USPTO granted Aristocrat's US attorney's petition to revive the abandoned application based on the claim that the "entire delay" in filing the appropriate papers was "unintentional." During infringement litigation against market leader IGT, the district court first held the patent invalid based on a defense of improper revival. In particular, the district court held that the USPTO lacked authority to revive national stage applications unless the abandonment met the much higher standard of being unavoidable. On appeal, the Federal Circuit reversed — holding that improper revival did not constitute a cognizable defense to allegations of infringement under 35 U.S.C. 282.

On remand, IGT shifted its focus to unenforceability — alleging that Aristocrat committed inequitable conduct in the revival of its abandoned application.

Late Filing and Hiding Abandonment from Client: The district court used one-hundred-twelve paragraphs to described the facts relating to the abandonment and revival. Here are a few key facts:

January 10, 2000: On the day of the 30–month deadline, Aristocrat's US patent counsel (Shahan Islam) used US Express mail to file the necessary documents to enter US national stage examination. The USPTO received the documents the next day (January 11, 2000). However, according to the USPTO, Islam did not include sufficient evidence to prove the January 10, 2000 mailing date. And, Mr. Islam's firm did not retain the filing evidence in a locally held file.

June 2001: The USPTO dismissed Islam's petition to correct the filing date and indicated that the application remained abandoned. Mr. Islam later testified that he did not remember receiving the June 2001 decision. The court found that Mr. Islam likely saw the decision shortly after it was mailed.

November 2001: Aristocrat requested a status update on the application from Mr. Islam. (Up to that time, Aristocrat had been told nothing of the abandonment issues). In December 2001, Mr. Islam responded in an e-mail that "we have learned that the application won't be examined for at least another nine months(!) [or] so in view of the backlog." The e-mail did not indicate anything about the abandonment. Mr. Islam also forwarded his response to another attorney at his law firm saying "lets discuss."

During this same time period, eight other Aristocrat applications being prosecuted by Mr. Islam also went abandoned based on failure to respond to PTO notices mailed in 2001.

July 18, 2002: Mr. Islam (at this point with the KMZ firm) filed a petition for revival for unintentional abandonment — included a statement that "the entire delay in filing the required reply from the due date for the reply until the filing of a grantable petition under 37 CFR 1.137(b) was unintentional." In addition, Mr. Islam filed a preliminary amendment and petition for accelerated examination. In a letter to Aristocrat, Mr. Islam incorrectly (and apparently intentionally) stated that the amendment & petition to accelerate had been filed in January 2002. The letter did not mention the petition for revival.

September 3, 2002: USPTO granted the petition to revive.

2003: KMZ attorneys informed Aristocrat of the abandonments & revivals.
Revival: The USPTO typically does not require documentation to revive under the unintentional delay standard. Rather, the office relies on the applicant's statements that the entire delay in filing a response was unintentional. Here, the USPTO did not require specific documentation.

Unintentional versus Not Intentional: In its analysis, the district court held that the facts did not provide clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Islam had intentionally delayed the petition filing. In particular, the court could find no motive for the delay. Instead, the delay appeared to be the result of Mr. Islam's ongoing negligence rather than intentional misbehavior. Negligence is the foundational non-intentional tort and therefore a finding of negligence does not suggest that the delay was intentional. In an odd logical analysis, Judge Whyte concluded that Islam's failure to notify Aristocrat of the abandonment "actually suggests that the delay was unintentional."

Mr. Islam did not want to disclose his errors [to Aristocrat] because he was likely embarrassed by his failure to act in accordance with his client's instruction. Had it been granted, Mr. Islam's Petition to Correct would have avoided abandonment altogether. Mr. Islam's deflections in December 2001 show that he was fully aware that Aristocrat wished to proceed with the '717 application. Mr. Islam's comments to Mr. Owen's regarding the PTO backlog at the time further avoided acknowledging any personal responsibility for delay but it may have been correct, especially considering that the '717 application remained in an abandoned state even after the PTO had officially revived it. Still further, Mr. Islam's incorrectly dated Second Preliminary Amendment is further evidence that Mr. Islam's chief motive was to hide his failures from Aristocrat. Once the June 2001 Decision was sent, a decision to deliberately delay reviving the '717 application would not have helped to hide his errors from Aristocrat.

Although Judge Whyte found "Mr. Islam's testimony was disturbingly vague and his lack of memory difficult to believe," the Judge agreed with the notion the delay was entirely explained by Mr. Islam's disorganization and the "out of control" state of his practice at the time. "Even if Mr. Islam failed to properly prosecute the '717 application, 'unintentional' delay does not require that the delay have occurred despite the exercise of due care and diligence (as does 'unavoidable' delay)."

After holding that the delay was not intentional, the court concluded that the statement regarding unintentional delay could not be a material misrepresentation and therefore that the defense of inequitable conduct could not stand.

Expert Opinion: Two leading patent law experts testified at the inequitable conduct hearing: Charles Van Horn for Aristocrat and Paul Gardner for IGT. While the court found the testimony helpful for explaining the prosecution of PCT applications, it found the experts' extensive legal conclusions filled with "blatant advocacy" to be "not helpful." Judge Whyte has been known to speak critically against expert testimony in patent cases. (Credit: www.patentlyo.com)

Ex IGT Exec joins Aristocrat...

Former International Game Technology executive Rich Schneider will join Aristocrat Technologies in July as its chief product officer. Working out of the company American headquarters in Las Vegas, Schneider will oversee slot machine development for Australian-based Aristocrat. Schneider will report directly to Aristocrat CEO Jamie Odell. Schneider served in various executive capacities with IGT, overseeing game design, gaming systems and developing server-based gaming products. Odell said Schneider’s “knowledge of the industry and years of experience will be tremendous assets to our business.” Prior to joining IGT, Schneider held executive positions at Acres Gaming and United Coin Machine.

S&P Revises SKYCITY Outlook To Stable; Rating Affirmed...

May 13, 2011--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today said that it had revised its outlook on New Zealand-based gaming company SKYCITY Entertainment Group Ltd. (SKYCITY) to stable, from positive, and affirmed its 'BBB-' long-term corporate credit rating on the company. The rating affirmation and stable outlook reflects our view that SKYCITY's financial profile and credit measures--while incorporating some leeway to allow management the flexibility to pursue growth and shareholder-return objectives--will remain commensurate with the 'BBB-' rating over the medium term.

"We believe SKYCITY's strengthened balance sheet and debt-maturity profile, combined with our expectation of relatively stable property-level EBITDA and cash flow generation, will enable the company to undertake debt-funded growth opportunities in a manner that preserves credit quality at the 'BBB-' long-term rating," Standard & Poor's credit analyst Jennifer Wee said.

The rating and outlook incorporates our expectation that SKYCITY will maintain the competitive positioning of its New Zealand and Australian casino assets, underpinned by a supportive licensing environment and measured capital investment. Furthermore, we expect the company to continue its relatively stable cash flow performance and disciplined financial policy, balancing future potential capital projects and dividends with the maintenance of rating-commensurate credit measures over the medium term.


Packer To Spend $281m For Extra Aussie Casino Development....

Packer's Crown Casino is raising its bet on the business, announcing it would spend an extra $281 million upgrading its Australian casinos. It is also making acquisitions that include consolidating its ownership of the Aspinall's Club in London. The new money s on top of $139 million previously earmarked for upgrades of the Crown Casino in Melbourne and Burswood Casino in Perth, signalling the company's confidence in the market and its ability to attract high-rollers to the casinos' VIP gambling service. Crown's buys include the Holiday Inn hotel building and associated assets at Burswood Casino for $79 million. "Burswood will be entitled to a greater share of hotel profits,'' the company said. A further $81 million will be spent upgrading Burswood's gambling floor, catering, convention centre and VIP accommodation services. Crown Casino in Melbourne will enjoy $132 million in upgrades, with a more extensive investment in the gambling floor and catering as well as a new bar and lounge that will feature Shane Warne and the poker champion Joe Hachem as ambassadors. Further upgrades to its VIP facilities were also announced, including refurbishing the casino's jet. Crown and Tabcorp's Star City had announced upgrades to the VIP gambling businesses to meet growing competition from new casinos in Singapore and Macau. In December Mr Packer, Crown's chairman, said Australia would need to work harder to compete with new Asian developments and called on other companies to take up some of the slack. ''Australian investment in large-scale tourism attractions has been relatively modest in recent years. In contrast, Crown has been and continues to be a significant investor in Australian tourism infrastructure." Crown will acquire a 100% interest in Aspinall's Club. The casino was owned by the Aspinall's Group, Crown's joint venture with the Packer family friend Damian Aspinall. The venture will use the $55 million in proceeds to pay debt.

James Packer Says Kangaroos And Clichés Stifling Australian Tourism...

Australian tourism is letting itself down by sticking to outdated clichés, according to one of the country’s richest men. Marketing campaigns promising to “throw a shrimp on the barbie” and asking “where the bloody hell are you?” have been a waste of $500 million of taxpayers' money, says James Packer, son of the late media tycoon Kerry Packer. Tourism’s contribution to the national economy has plummeted from 3.4 percent to 2.6 percent over the last decade. Its world ranking in tourism competitiveness has dived from fourth in 2008 to 13th, according to a World Economic Forum Report. Casino mogul Packer says the latest campaign –- featuring Americans navigating a four-wheel drive through the outback looking for kangaroos –- is geared towards backpackers on “$50 a day," and would do little to change fortunes. In a rare interview with The Saturday Age, a frustrated Packer said tourism was a "lost opportunity." He said a "tired and aging … Sydney has fallen behind not only other Australian cities like Melbourne, but also our regional competitors. And it is a regional market -- we're competing with Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur." James Packer, who has an estimated net worth of $3 billion, believes marketing should target the affluent, middle-class Asian market to arrest stagnation in the sector. This comes as the Chinese have emerged as the primary force in Australia's tourism sector. Packer believes Australia needs to market the cities –- and imitate Singapore's and Macau's initiatives -- rather than selling the Great Barrier Reef and the desert. “The majority of tourists want to go to man-made attractions, not the outback," he said.
And Packer, who owns Melbourne’s Crown Casino and another in Macau, believes this is what Asian tourists are after, putting him at odds with a Federal campaign to limit gambling. He believes tourism is being held back by five factors: a strong Australian dollar, antiquated visa applications for Asian visitors, run-down tourist facilities, key inbound tourist markets suffering natural disasters, and fierce competition from our Asian neighbors. Australia’s selling itself short, according to Packer. Hotel owners and tour operators desperate for business agree. Even the chairman of Tourism Australia, Geoff Dixon, believes a lack of investment in tourism infrastructure and protectionist visa regulations are holding Australia back. The premier, Barry O’Farrell, agreed that tourism needs to sell a modern Sydney, rather than outdated clichés, reports Smh.com.au. He said the multicultural hub of Cabramatta was an “extraordinary place to visit on a weekend." "And there are many other places like that across this city," O’Farrell said. "So I think we are dealing with a far more sophisticated tourism trade than simply sausages on barbies and looking for kangaroos."

Australian Shares: Media And Gaming - 13th May 2011

CWN - CROWN LTD - up one cent at $8.51

Casino operator Crown will spend an extra $281 million to buy new properties and further upgrade its flagship casinos in Melbourne and Perth.

FXJ - FAIRFAX MEDIA LTD - down 3.5 cents at $1.09

Fairfax Media has confirmed it will outsource all sub-editing work from its flagship Sydney and Melbourne newspapers, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance says.

TEN - TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LTD - up 1.5 cents at $1.275

SVW - SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LTD - down 64 cents at $8.96

*Television executive James Warburton will have to wait until January 1, 2012, to start as the boss of Ten Network Holdings, a court has ruled.


Media Man Firm May Sell Some Website Portals...

As Media Man continues to develop and desersify they are apparently looking to sell a few of their website portals. A well placed leak said "Media Man is looking to raise some fast cash to fuel other non gaming ventures. They found that gaming related ventures are down from last years numbers and have decided to get into more online - non gambling related services, following the Packer strategy. It's also rumoured Media Man sold some of their shares in Crown Limited, Ten Holdings and Virgin Blue to also raise extra cash, after apparently over spending as they over invested back in their business". Don't be mistaken however, Media Man still own approximately 30 website portals and remain a well known and established media, publicity brand and internet brand, and are understood to be getting further investor ready.

*Media Man has an online news syndication arrangement with Fairfax Media and The New York Times

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

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Australian And New Zealand Gambling News, by Greg Tingle - 10th May 2011



Australia and New Zealand continues to be a hotbed for gambling, casino and political news. Media Man continues to deliver the best...

Aussie Anti Gambling Crusader Victim Of Smear Campaign...

The pokies sector has been accused of mounting a smear campaign against the independent MP spearheading moves to protect problem gamblers. Andrew Wilkie told Parliament some in the industry were desperate to stop "this historic opportunity for federal intervention in problem gambling". Wilkie was tabling a report on a mandatory pre-commitment system for poker machines. The report, whose substance was released last week, calls for a pre-commitment system, in which players can't bet beyond a nominated limit, on all machines that allow a single bet of more than $1. Wilkie, who chairs the committee, said it was unfortunate the Opposition had decided not to support the move. He said the industry had launched a multi-million dollar advertising fear campaign. "Intense political lobbying and a smear campaign against me personally show how desperate some in the industry are to overturn this historic opportunity for federal intervention in problem gambling," he said. Wilkie said many in the industry expressed concern about problem gambling, but others criticised the work of the Productivity Commission and its estimates of problem gambling. There was continual misrepresentation of evidence from pre-commitment trials, exaggeration of compliance costs, complaints about timelines, overstatements of contributions to the community and the blaming of problem gamblers for an addiction caused by a fundamentally unsafe product. Wilkie has made support for poker machine reforms a condition of his backing the Labor government.

Tabcorp Wins Vic Keno licence...

Tabcorp has won the Victorian Keno licence for the next 10 years, which is fully expected to add $20 million per annum to the gambling and gaming company's earnings.
Shares in Tabcorp gained 13 cents, or 1.7%, to $7.89 by 9.15am, their highest level since October 2008. Tabcorp, which is Australia's biggest Keno operator, paid a fee of $60 million in April for the licence, which will operate from April 15, 2012, the Melbourne-based company said in a statement. The Victorian Minister for Gaming tabled the Victorian Keno licence and agreement on May 5. The new Keno licence would require Tabcorp to return at least 75% of the total amount received as prizes to players. Of the remaining player expenditure, the state and Commonwealth Governments would receive a third, including GST. Tabcorp said the Victorian Keno operations would add $20 million per year in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, assuming the game was rolled out to at least 1,000 venues, as expected. The EBITDA contribution from Keno in NSW and Queensland in the 2010 financial year was $54 million.

Land Based Casinos Set To Look On Pokies Reform...

Slot machine reforms proposed by independent MP Andrew Wilkie would slash up to $280 million from the takings of casino operators in their first year of operation, analysts estimate. James Packer's Crown and Tabcorp's casino group, including Star City, could each see revenue slump by more than $100 million, according to Merrill Lynch analyst Nathan Gee. In a note to clients, Gee said the mandatory commitment scheme proposed by Mr Wilkie would also hurt manufacturer Aristocrat by cutting demand for new machines. But casino operators would see profit "rebound" in later years as players adapted to the new rules, he said. On Friday a parliamentary inquiry into gambling, chaired by Mr Wilkie, gave mandatory commitment the go-ahead over objections from Coalition MPs. The scheme would limit the amount players can lose each day on "high-intensity" machines, which can take in more than $1000 an hour, about the price of an expensive you know what. The prop faces a mean reception from the states, which depend on poker-machine tax revenue, and key independent MPs Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter also have reservations about its effect on smaller clubs. Merrill Lynch estimates the scheme would cut poker machine revenue by between 10 and 20% in its first year, proposed to be 2014.That translates to a revenue hit for Tabcorp's casino arm, Echo Entertainment, of between $53 million and $106 million, which would carve up to 13.1 per cent from its profit. Echo, which is to be spun off from Tabcorp, runs Sydney's Star City as well as casinos in Brisbane, Townsville and the Gold Coast. Crown's revenue is expected to fall by between $72 million and $145 million, cutting profit by up to 8.6%. New Zealand's Sky City Entertainment, which runs casinos in Auckland, Queenstown, Adelaide and Darwin, is predicted to see its revenue fall by between $16 million and $31 million, cutting profit by 4.3%. The gaming industry is deeply opposed to the plan. Tabcorp boss Elmer Funke Kupper described it as akin to building a second Centrelink, and Clubs Australia launched a campaign criticising it as "un-Australian". While Clubs Australia abandoned its campaign after a public backlash, the industry is continuing its heavy lobbying of the government.

SkyCity Adelade Set For Redevelopment...

SkyCity is being urged to proceed with its $250 million redevelopment of the Adelaide Casino to kickstart the city's Riverbank Precinct. Advantage Adelaide chief executive Nikki Seymour-Smith said yesterday the Oval approval should clear the way for SkyCity to take the next step."Many of us thought since the Oval had been given the tick that would mean the Casino redevelopment would be on its way," she said. "Where there are technical difficulties or regulatory procedures they need to overcome, that is a matter for them, but I think the proposal they shared with us is vital for that precinct. "It would be a terrible disappointment if that development did not go ahead." SkyCity previously raised concern about the level of state government taxes and regulation applying to its Adelaide operations. It also said there would be no investment decision on the Adelaide Casino redevelopment until it was clear where federal mandatory pre-commitment laws for poker machines were headed. Business SA chief executive Peter Vaughan said SkyCity needed to lobby the Federal Government directly on issues relating to pre-commitment but believed there were no more impediments to the redevelopment. "The path has been cleared. The (state) taxation regime is the taxation regime," he said. "SkyCity obviously have to deal with the government but the Adelaide Oval redevelopment has been given the big tick and it clears the path for the redevelopment of the Casino." SkyCity managing director Nigel Morrison yesterday said the company was committed to redeveloping the Adelaide Casino and even waived aside concern about proposed federal gambling reforms. He said State Government regulation remained the key question to the project's viability. "There is some concern about the Federal Government but provided it doesn't jeopardise the average punter I have no doubt that will be no impediment," he said. "We think it will be reasonable at the end of the day. "All we are asking for (from the State Government) is for a level playing field with Melbourne and Sydney so we can compete."

SkyCity Shares Down...

SkyCity Entertainment Group, the casino and hotel operator which owns a 50% stake in New Zealand's - South Island's biggest gaming venue, fell 0.5% to $3.71. Chief executive Nigel Morrison said it will be several months before the Christchurch Casino is fully operational again following the February earthquake, although it's likely to reopen on partial basis by the end of the month.

Aussie Rock Gods INXS Play Moncton Casino On July 7...

Australian rock group INXS is going to perform at Casino New Brunswick's Entertainment Centre in Moncton in July. The band, performing in support of new album Original Sin, will start the rock n roller Thursday, July 7 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Over the span of the band's 30-year career, INXS has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. They have scored hits on four different continents and have received MTV Awards, World Music Awards, two Grammy nominations, British Music Awards and Gold, Platinum and Diamond sales status on their records. They have also performed over 4,000 live shows for more than 25 million people in almost 50 countries. First as the Farriss Brothers, then as INXS, the band is made up of brothers Tim, Jon and Andrew Farriss, along with Kirk Pengilly and Garry Gary Beers. Original INXS singer Michael Hutchence died in 1997 via a dark and adventurous sexual method and has been replaced at various times by different singers, notably J.D. Fortune who grew up in Nova Scotia. Fortune is fronting the band on stage, but on Original Sin new versions of classic INXS hits were recorded with various vocalists, including Train's Pat Monahan, Rob Thomas and Ben Harper. Tickets for the Moncton INXS show go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. Casino execs think INXS will boost numbers to the venue and should see more folks trying their luck on casino games. Sounds like something to check out.

Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on Australian pokies and gaming wars.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger, wife Maria Shriver separate, by Greg Tingle - 10th May 2011




Media Man and wires report former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his beautiful wife, Maria Shriver, announced on Monday that they were separating after modest hints were dropped in recent weeks.

The statement came four months after Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-born former bodybuilder turned Hollywood action star, left office in January after serving two terms as governor.

"This has been a time of great personal and professional transition for each of us," Schwarzenegger, 63, and Shriver, 55, said in the statement, which was issued jointly. "After a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion, and prayer, we came to this decision together."

The power couple, who met at a charity tennis tournament in 1977 and married in 1986, did not indicate whether they would seek a divorce, but said they were living separately "while we work on the future of our relationship."

"We are continuing to parent our four children together. They are the light and the center of both of our lives," they said in the statement. "We consider this a private matter, and neither we nor any of our friends or family will have further comment. We ask for compassion and respect from the media and the public."

The couple maintained their home in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles during his two terms as governor, with Schwarzenegger traveling by jet to the state capitol in Sacramento.

Schwarzenegger said in February that he was ready to make motion pictures again and announced recently that he is developing a television show and comic book based on his political nickname "The Governator." Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee is associated with that project.

Leaks indicate that Schwarzenegger was likely to star in a new "Terminator" movie that would see the return of his most famous movie role as the virtually indestructible cyborg from the future.

Shriver, a writer, author and ex journalist for NBC, is active with a number of volunteer organizations.

Her mother was the sister of assassinated U.S. President John F. Kennedy and her father, Sargent Shriver, was the Democratic candidate for vice president in 1972. Sargent Shriver died in January at the age of 95.

Though a lifelong Democrat, Shriver campaigned for her Republican husband when he sought to recall and replace then-Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, in 2003.

She took to campaigning again assist help Schwarzenegger win reelection in 2006.

Schwarzenegger is involved in a number of successful business ventures including gaming and property, and is looking to ramp up motion picture business, both on and off the screen.

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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Crown Casino And James Packer News, by Greg Tingle - 9th May 2011

James Packer Whacks Another $100 million Into Crown Casino Revamp...

Packer's Crown Ltd is set to disclose details of a $100 million expansion of its gambling operations at Melbourne's Crown Casino as it looks to take its business to the next level.

A Crown Casino powers that be boardroom meeting just last week is understood to have green lighted plans for a new gaming, food and drinking area at the west end of the casino.

The plans are understood to include a new casino targeted at a younger patrons, utilizing the additional gaming table licences made available to the casino after the state government's extension of its overall licence to operate in 2009.

Under the terms of that deal the government extended the number of tables permitted under Crown Melbourne's licence by 150, in exchange for a higher tax on electronic gaming machines.

Via the deal, Crown is paying $132m in extra taxes over four years to raise the number of gaming tables allowed at Crown to a health 500.

"This development will help broaden the appeal of the complex to the growing mass-market," a leak said.

The details of the new project, understood to be valued at about $90m, are expected to be announced in roughly one week.

Crown and its competitor Tabcorp Holdings, owner of Sydney's Star City and Jupiters Hotel and Casino on the Gold Coast, are spending billions on big revamps, with a focus on VIP's and the entertainment dollar.

Packer's Crown is investing more than $300m this year to refurbish the casino in Melbourne and the Burswood casino in Perth. It will invest another $700m in the next two years.

Between 2009 and 2013, it will have invested in excess of $1.5 billion on upgrades and the like.

JP, holding 43% in Crown Limited, advised Rupert Murdoch's The Australian newspaper last March that the investment would be a key focus of the business over the next two years. "To be honest, the cap-ex in Australia has been more expensive than any of us thought it would be. For the next couple of years getting our cap-ex program right in Australia and continuing to see the improvements we are seeing in Macau is the main priority. That cap-ex is vital to help Crown fend off growing competition at home and abroad."

Crown has opened private VIP gaming areas or "salons" and VIP "villas" in its Crown Towers hotel to help combat a drop in its high roller business after last year's opening of two competitor casinos opened in Singapore, the $4.4bn Resorts World Sentosa and $5.94bn Marina Bay Sands, both world class.

It is doubling the size of its premium gaming floor, the Mahogany Room. It has a big presence in the Chinese gaming enclave of Macau through a joint venture with Lawrence Ho's Melco.

Tabcorp is also investing in its Star City in 'Sin City' Sydney and has up and running its first personalised jet service for high rollers.

News of the latest spending comes as speculation continues that Packer may use some "creep laws" in the Corporations Act to boost his interest in Crown Ltd.

Last October, he spent in excess of $200m to increase his interest and has bought more shares since mid-April. "I was happy to increase my shareholding at that time," he said back in March of the October purchase. He was unsure if he would buy more.


James Packer And Late Father Kerry Packer Keen On Whale Hunting...

"Whales" are a special breed of gambler - very big fish. The late, great, Kerry Packer was one himself.

As one might imagine, it makes good sense to do your best for "whales", if your in the casino or larger gambling industry.

The Age newspaper out of Melbourne was lucky enough to get a gander at luxury gaming salons at JP's Crown Casino, and the team down there have done a fine job by all accounts.

The gambling tables have been crafted beautifully, yet are practical. They even boast an exhaust extraction system, allowing "whales" to puff away while gambling at full tilt, stacks of chips... the works.

The Fairfax Media publication went to print with a ripper yarn...

"Kerry rang me up and all I heard was a voice saying, 'What's wrong with the porn in this hotel?'," recalled the well-known Melbourne raconteur. "It's not the real stuff, it's the fake stuff."

Kerry was disappointed with the quality of the late-night programming - the porn. The employee tired hard to explain to the king of the whales that state laws prohibited the distribution of hard-core pornography, and that he would likely go to jail if he started screening it in the hotel. KP explained that his query was not for his own entertainment, of course, but for his high-rollers guests. "He said these high-rollers expect the best of everything." Yeah, porn included. We're not going to get into room service or black books here.

JP Eyes A 'Catch Of The Day' Online Venture...

Likable gambling and media billionaire James Packer looks about ready to buy almost half of the company behind mega popular coupon websites Catch Of The Day and Scoopon, as the tycoon ramps up with the view to penetrate a market sector estimated to make half-a-billion dollars in three years.

Packer is fully expected to announce the details of a deal to buy 40% in the red hot websites next week, reported the Fin Review.

The Aussie firm behind the websites, which Mr Packer’s offer values at $200 million - models itself on a US internet coupon service known as Groupon, which last year amazingly turned down a lucrative $6 billion takeover offer from internet giant Google.

The two websites Catch of the Day and Scoopon offer daily discounts on products or services, which become live after a number of people commit to buying it online.

The news comes a month after Packer’s private equity firm Ellerston Capital was rumoured to be in talks to buy discount e-tailer Deals Direct.

In a strong sign the online coupon biz is becoming red hot, analysts at telecommunications consulting outfit Telsyte at the time said group-buying websites were expected to make half-a-billion Australian dollars in revenue by 2014.

Packer is following the lead of venture capitalists across the globe, who are now cashing in big time via online start-ups at the fastest rate since the internet bubble burst more than a decade back.

In excess of $US5 billion ($4.7 billion) of investors’ money has been spent on internet companies so far this year, according to a study released by Thomson Reuters Deals Intelligence.

Don't leave this dotcom space as we continue to report the news on one of Australia's most liked and respected billionaires and his growing empire.

*The writer is a shareholder in Crown Limited

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

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Monday, May 09, 2011

Media Man - Casino News Media - Global Gaming Directory: News Update

PartyCasino Wins Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award

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Crown Aussie Million's Poker $250,000 - Greg Tingle Australia Report

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