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Saturday, June 04, 2011

Australian Federal Police - FBI Gambling On Success, by Greg Tingle - 4th June 2011

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Australian news media continues to be swamped with gambling news. Today we probe the FBI - Australian Federal Police probe into gambling in Australia and its relationship with mainstream sports brands, banking and more! Media Man and Gambling911 probe the prober's - Gambling911 - Media Man - Gambling911 style...

Our friends at the Australian Federal Police has been instructed to assist a US investigation into alleged bank fraud by online gambling (casino and poker websites) in which the FBI alleges $US540 million ($507 million) was laundered by an Australian online payments - e-commerce processor.

As one might imagine charges laid in New York's Southern District Court have also put a significant question mark over sponsorship arrangements by James Packer's Crown Casino, whose Aussie Millions Poker Championships tournament was this year sponsored by controversial online poker firm Full Tilt Poker, and the NRL's Cronulla Sharks, who proudly sports the equally controversial PokerStars as their shirt sleeve sponsor.

"It's a US investigation, but we're assisting," an AFP spokeswoman said.

The charges, which come with jail sentences of up to 30 years and fines running into the millions of dollars, have also kicked along a public feud between Full Tilt and its star poster boy player, Phil Ivey, who has days ago filed a lawsuit in Nevada alleging the company owes gamblers more than $US150 million in unpaid winnings.

Public allegations Full Tilt has been implicated in money laundering also caused him "public ridicule, humiliation, and loss of personal and professional reputation," Ivey stated in a complaint filed with the Clark County District Court on Wednesday.

It was in April, the FBI unsealed a grand jury indictment charging 11 people, including the founders of Full Tilt, Pokerstars and another "Big 3" online poker site, Absolute Poker, with bank fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling. Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment (formally PartyGaming) we're not dragged into the mess and they had previously come to financial and legal terms with the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ). It's understood Party have not accepted U.S players for over 5 years.

United States feds and other investigator types launched a civil suit against the igaming websites and some of the companies that processed their payments claiming a total of roughly $2 billion.

In its indictment, the FBI alleges Intabill, a British Virgin Islands-registered company associated with bankrupt Australian information technology entrepreneur Daniel Tzvetkoff, "processed at least $543,210,092 of transactions for the poker companies from mid-2007 through March 2009".

US authorities charged gambling e-commerce poster boy Tzvetkoff with money-laundering offences last year, but he has since been released on bail and is reported to be one of three confidential witnesses who are co-operating with the FBI investigation, shored up in a safe house for safe keeping.

It needs to be noted that Tzvetkoff is not named in the case brought by US authorities, the indictment alleges Intabill had a central role in processing payments for the poker companies.

The FBI alleges "Intabill disguised the gambling transactions as the transactions of dozens of phony financial service merchants".

Many Australian media and commentators continue to call Australia's the biggest gamblers in the world. Hope the Aussies are taking the title as a compliment.

Friends, good punting, know your limits and bet with your head, not over it.

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

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


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"The Amazing Spider-Man™" Swings Into Comic-Con®



The Amazing Spider-Man Spider-Man


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"The Amazing Spider-Man™" Swings Into Comic-Con® - And You Can Get the Opportunity to Represent Spider-Man Fans Everywhere by Becoming the Face of the Fan®

"The Amazing Spider-Man" Face of the Fan Contest Begins Today

CULVER CITY, Calif., June 2, 2011 - In anticipation of the July 3, 2012 worldwide release of The Amazing Spider-Man™ in 3D, the cast and filmmakers will discuss the movie for the first time as they address the fans at Comic-Con® San Diego. One fan can be a part of the action by proving he or she is the ultimate Spider-Man fan in The Amazing Spider-Man Face of the Fan® contest. The contest winner will be the "face of the fan" at Comic-Con, and have the opportunity to meet the talent and filmmakers and conduct an interview with them.

US residents 18 years of age and older can go to www.faceofthefan.com/TheAmazingSpider-Man to enter the contest, which begins today and runs through June 27, 2011. To enter the contest, users submit a sixty-second video of themselves answering the question, "Why should you be the Face of the Fan correspondent at Comic-Con?" Complete rules and instructions are available at www.faceofthefan.com/TheAmazingSpider-Man

All entries will be judged and one winner will be chosen to attend Comic-Con San Diego 2011. The winner will meet the cast and filmmakers, and have a chance to ask them fan questions gathered from the social communities on the web about The Amazing Spider-Man.

The prize includes one trip for two (2 days/2 nights) to attend Comic-Con San Diego 2011, including hotel accommodations, roundtrip airfare, and transportation to and from the hotel, as well as two passes to attend Comic-Con.

Commenting on the announcement, Marc Weinstock, president, Worldwide Marketing for Sony Pictures, said, "We're thrilled to be bringing Spider-Man back to Comic-Con – it's an exciting place to give the fans an inside look into what the new Spider-Man film is all about."

Dwight Caines, president, Worldwide Digital Marketing for Sony Pictures, added, "The Face of the Fan® program is all about connecting fans from all over the country to the films they care about the most by using the web and social networking tools. We expect there will be exciting Spider-Man news coming out of Comic-Con, and the contest winner will be the fan correspondent giving moviegoers everywhere an inside look."

Face Of The Fan® is a Sony Pictures Entertainment initiative that lets moviegoers and TV viewers get involved with Sony Pictures' projects by participating in online casting calls and contests—turning today's fans into tomorrow's stars™. The concept was launched in 2007, tied to Spider-Man 3, when two fans were chosen to bring Spider-Man news to the fans following the film's website. In November 2010, Face Of The Fan began offering casting calls for various Sony Pictures Entertainment films, including such Screen Gems projects as Lakeshore Entertainment's Underworld and Rainforest Film's upcoming Think Like A Man, which is based on Steve Harvey's national best-seller, Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man. The site also features contests in which winners can have an opportunity to appear on the red carpet at movie premieres, meet or interview talent, filmmakers, and producers, or even go on the sets of their favorite shows. Many exciting opportunities are available through Face Of The Fan®, and this program provides fans with a way to share their enthusiasm and get face to face with key decision-makers and talent.

A Columbia Pictures presentation of a Marvel Studios production, The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans, is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The film is produced by Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com

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Friday, June 03, 2011

Super Hero Film News Update: X-Men, Green Lantern And More Marvel Entertainment And DC Comics Flicks, by Greg Tingle - 3rd June 2011


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This week X-Men is all the rage, but next week begins the time of Green Lantern as it’s the next major superhero film to hit this season.

The live-action film hits theaters on June 17th.

The film is a series of stories surrounding Jordan and a few other members of the Green Lantern Corps as they fight crime across the universe. There are some pretty impressive names attached the film alongside Fillion.... Roddy Piper, Henry Rollins, Kelly Hu, Arnold Vosloo, and Elisabeth Moss all lend their voices to fight crime.

In a recent interview Fillion discussed how much he’s always wanted to play the Emerald Hero, even since childhood.

As a child, when you’re pretending you’re different super heroes, Green Lantern was the easiest because all you needed to light the fire in the imagination was the ring. Superman, you need a cape; Spiderman, you need a full face mask. That wasn’t tough to come by in a winter town like where I’m from, but they’re just too hot to wear in the summer. So to be Green Lantern, all you needed to do is suck a lifesaver down to the right size, and to make sure it’s a lime one – slip it on your finger, and you were good.

As Marvel Comics living legend Stan Lee says, Excelsior!

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Virgin Casino Gets Hot Ink Online Slot Game


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Paramount Pictures Plan Animated Flick; Alien Comic Adaptation 'New Kid', by Greg Tingle - 3rd June 2011


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After snatching success of its first non-DreamWorks Animation-produced animated film Rango, Media Man has learned that Paramount Pictures is torpedo-ing into the space again with New Kid.

The project is an adaptation of an online comic from the talented bunch of kids at Penny Arcade. The studio has snatched the rights and tipped Book of Eli writer Gary Whitta to pen the script. And get this, Mary Parent and Cale Boyter are producing via their studio-based Disruption Entertainment.

The premise spins the feeling of being a new kid in school into an intergalactic story when the kid happens to be the only human from Planet Earth in a school full of aliens.

Penny Arcade, created by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, is one of the few viable webcomic sites that has grown to become quite the empire, complete with blog, video games, podcasts, an online TV show and all sorts of other bonuses to keep the punter interested.

Part of the impetus for New Kid is that Paramount Pictures are coming to the end of its current DWA distribution deal. Insiders leaked the studio is looking for quality animated fodder to fill the quota if a new DWA deal can't be sorted.

While there isn’t likely to be a Disney-Pixar level animated division at Paramount any time in the near future, the studio knows believes it needs to be in the space, with or without Jeffrey Katzenberg. Rango, released in March, grossed more than $240 million worldwide.

The Mighty, one of the few titles that was permitted to get off the hook from parent company Warner Bros., which normally handles any screen adaptations.

Whitta is represented by UTA and Circle of Confusion.

We'll keep you posted kids. You can count you're pretty penny's on it.

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Thursday, June 02, 2011

Captain America: The First Avenger, by Greg Tingle - 16th May 2011



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Marvel movie fans, yet more reviews of Captain America: The First Avenger and they're fantastic.

"Captain America: The First Avenger" is set to stir up world politics come its worldwide release on 22nd July.

"Captain America: The First Avenger" is the story of the scrawny like Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), who wants to join the U.S. Army to fight the Nazis, but is thought to be unfit to enlist. Instead, he volunteers for a secret project entitled "Project: Rebirth," which transforms him into super-soldier aka Captain America.

After the U.S. decides he's too expensive to risk losing in combat, Captain America decides to wage war on the treacherous Hydra organization, led by the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving).

Let's now cross to the conference call with Evans...

"A movie like this, you either win big or you lose big, and that's daunting. So it certainly was in my head, and I was extremely apprehensive."

Making film adaptations of comic books comes with another challenge: pleasing the fan boys and fan girls.

Diligently following the comic books is one thing, Evans said, but the cast and crew still had to produce a quality script as well.

"You're making the script that's given to you, so you want to incorporate as much information as you can from the comic books hand in hand with what the script tells you," he said. "So it's a marriage, and you have to find that balance, but luckily everyone at Marvel and the director also incorporates the origins from the comic books, as well."

In the film, Evans' character transforms from the measly, short Steve Rogers to the buffed-out Captain America, though Evans himself did not change his weight.

Because he didn't have time to rapidly shift from strong to skinny, it was done with CGI instead.

"I don't even think it would have worked had I tried to lose weight," he said. "They didn't just take away weight. They took away size. They took away bone structure."

Still, Evans wasn't too shocked seeing himself on screen looking incredibly skinny.
"I mean, I was a pretty skinny guy for most of my life, so it's fun seeing it on film, but it's nothing new to me," he said. "I spent a long time looking that way."

Though Evans has some starpower himself after appearing in the "Fantastic Four" films as the Human Torch, he had to share the screen with some other big names on the set of "Captain America."

Acclaimed actors Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci also appear in the film as Col. Chester Phillips and scientist Abraham Erskine, respectively.

"There are certainly days where you feel a little intimidated standing opposite them and trying to hold your weight next to them, but they were just so great, everyone," Evans said.

In the midst of the booming comic book craze, Evans said Steve Rogers and Captain America are set apart from the superhero competition because of the way he became a superhero.

"I think most superheroes, they either were born that way or they were given their powers by a freak accident," he said. "I think Steve Rogers is the only person who was really chosen ... for his values and his morals."

The character itself isn't the only thing that sets "Captain America" apart.

The film is set in the 1940s during World War II, making it a rare period-piece blockbuster.

"The movie's a period piece," Evans said. "Given the fact that it takes place in the 1940s transports us to another time and another world, which is obviously a fun escape for any moviegoer."

After tackling two big superhero franchises, Evans said he's now a big fan of comic books.

"You know, I never grew up reading them," he said. "But I've obviously done quite a few comic book and graphic novel-based films. And as a result, you've got to read quite a few. And I've certainly grown to appreciate and see the value in that medium."

"Captain America: The First Avenger," starring Evans as Captain America and directed by Joe Johnston, is scheduled to hit theaters July 22.

As Marvel Entertainment legend Stan Lee says of the current crop of Marvel Studio flicks, games and other merchandise, Excelsior!

Chris Evans: Steve Rogers / Captain America

Hugo Weaving: Johann Schmidt / The Red Skull

Stanley Tucci: Abraham Erskine

Tommy Lee Jones: Col. Chester Phillips

Richard Armitage: Heinz Kruger

Dominic Cooper: Howard Stark

Toby Jones : Arnim Zola

Hayley Atwell: Peggy Carter

Natalie Dormer: Private Lorraine

Sebastian Stan: James 'Bucky' Barnes

Neal McDonough: Dum Dum Dugan

Derek Luke: Gabe Jones

JJ Feild: Montgomery Falsworth / Union Jack

Kenneth Choi: Jim Morita

Anatole Taubman: Roeder

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Tabcorp shareholders back casinos spin-off



Tabcorp faces risk of losing Victoria betting license

MELBOURNE, June 1 - Shareholders of Tabcorp, Australia's biggest gaming group, approved plans to spin off the company's casinos on Wednesday, a move that could open the way to takeovers of the independent betting and casino businesses.

The decision was based on proxy votes released at a shareholders' meeting which were close to unanimously in favour of the split.

Tabcorp decided to split the company after a series of blows, from smoking bans and equine influenza to the loss of its gaming machine duopoly in the state of Victoria, slammed its shares over the past four years.

"The cleanest, most effective outcome for shareholders is for the companies to go their separate paths," Chairman John Story told shareholders.

"Time will tell, but we believe the outcome will be successful," he said.

Story is set to become chairman of Echo Entertainment, which will operate the casinos business. Analysts see Echo Entertainment as a potential takeover target for Crown Ltd , Australia's top casinos group, international casinos groups and private equity firms.

"The creation of two companies potentially enables each company to participate in any consolidation or corporate activity in their respective industries," Story said.

The split needed approval from a majority of Tabcorp shareholders voting and at least 75 percent of the votes cast.

The stock was down 0.8 percent at A$7.75 at 0049 GMT, down 56 percent from a record high of A$17.59 four years ago.

Tabcorp is hoping the separated betting and casinos companies will perform better as more focused businesses and be more open to takeovers, matching a move last month by top brewer Foster's Group , which spun off its wine arm.

A merger between Tabcorp and wagering rival Tatts Group has long been touted.

The key risk for Tabcorp ahead of any deal is a decision due this month by the Victorian government on the new wagering license from 2012. Tabcorp is the current owner of the license and is bidding against Tatts for the new 12-year license.

Tabcorp is considered the favourite to win the license, as it already has the infrastructure in place, but the state government could shock the market like it did in 2008 when it stripped Tabcorp and Tatts of their duopoly on gaming machines.

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Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Australian Gambling: How To Help Problem Gamblers?, by Greg Tingle - 1st June 2011

Australian news media is currently saturated with a bush tucker bag of casino, gambling and political fun and games news. Here's the latest news from the land down under. Media Man and Gambling911 from the front line of the action...

Australia is home to a $19 billion gambling industry and no one is certain exactly how much of it is above board and what chunk is hidden. One thing is for sure - the industry is thriving, thanks to Australia's once again "winning" the title of world's biggest gamblers... if you believe the reports and hype. One may speculate that the late, great, Kerry Packer would have liked the accolade put on Australian punters, but on with the story.

Political fun and games - the politics of gambling is all the rage for Australia's much loved (satire) politicians and they maneuver around the chess board, all looking for a golden cheque mate to suit their agenda.

Mandatory limits on the affectionately known 'one armed bandits' (pokies) are the talk of the town, followed by chit chat re banning of betting odds during sporting events.

A talk fest in the nations capital of Canberra (US equivalent is Washington)... god help us hey...on Friday between the Commonwealth and the states produced unanimous agreement on the need to slow promotion of live betting during games of football, cricket and other major sports.

It will be interesting to see if any other areas of gambling, like the web and horse racing, will be targeted, but already some media reports state the FBI has contacted the Australian Federal Police to probe online casino and online poker websites. A few problems exist on that front... most of the sites are hosted in Canada, the U.S, Gibraltar or Malta, and don't target Australians - they in fact target the world, enjoying a global audience, with many sites just offering games as one of their dozens of offerings, preferring to also cover the celebrity sector, financials, technology, tourism, politics and more.

So the stakes are high and most of the Australian public loves a punt, so how does a radical politician get support. That's a key problem for the Gillard government.

It's apparent that the long-term forecast for gambling stocks is as risky as the sector it's in. One reason why firms like Media Man choose to making gambling only one business vertical they cover, with a continued move into broader entertainment, business, politics and lifestyle.

Regulation is understood to be costing gambling businesses money, but some outfits like Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment welcome the regulation, due it part because they came to financial and legal terms with the U.S government, are the world's most successful igaming company, and enjoy strong political relationships in most parts of the world. They are have deals locked down with Hollywood's Marvel Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Infinity Ward, StudioCanal mainstream game co IGT and even Sinatra Enterprises! There's even a Rambo and Terminator game, but we're not sure what political clout Arnie and Stallone will bring to the table at the moment. Internet game players like the strong brands with the Hollywood connection, and the World Poker Tour tie in, broadcast on Australian TV, and innovative offers like Live Dealer have the Australian punting public on side, at least at this stage of the game.

Aussie political fun and games dived to a new level circa 2009 when the then Victorian government pole-axed the industry by announcing the Tabcorp-Tatts duopoly in Victoria - where they each ran 13,750 poker machines - would end in 2012.

The government flat out refused compensation, which Tabcorp argued was in excess of $650 million, despite legal eagle threats from both Tatts and Tabcorp. The firm has written off the value of this licence but said it did not rule out litigation.

Tabcorp shareholders get the chance to vote next week to split the company into two listed entities. It is expected to go smoothly as investors hope that it will lure a bidder (a corporate "super whale" is the word) for one or both of the operations. What happens with the proposed pre-commitment legislation is anyones guess.

According to reports obtained, the poker machine reforms proposed by independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie would rip $280 million or so from the takings of casino operators, mainly Tabcorp and Melbourne based Crown, in the first year of operation.

Tabcorp and Crown have committed to spending almost $3 billion upgrading their land casino facilities, with massive upgrades to the accommodation, entertainment, gaming and overall facilities on the way. New Lear jets were even purchased to keep high rolling VIP whales satisfied. Tabcorp is throwing about $900 million its Star City casino in 'Sin City' Sydney and 'Our James' (James Packer) is spending more than $2 billion bucks boosting his Melbourne and Perth casino digs.

The decision by the Gillard government to reform poker machine gambling by making it mandatory for players to set "pre-commitments" on how much they are prepared to lose, appears based on political survival, not a solid policy on problem gambling. They same kind of approach to tackle problem gambling has already failed in a list of countries including Sweden, so don't expect the Gillard government to be attending a Sweden based igaming conference anytime soon.

Under the terms of Wilkie's agreement to continue to back the Gillard government, it was given until May 31 to shore up an agreement on pre-commitment with the states to try to curb problem gambling. Now it's looking like a complete failure, it must now overrule the states and legislate unilaterally by May 2012 to impose it. If not, Wilkie will withdraw his support. Hey, we told you it was political fun and games.

The states voted against supporting the proposal, largely for their own political reasons, and also because they stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes, plus the massive potential loss of jobs in support industries such as food and tourism, tied to gambling in clubs and casinos.

Gillard is also facing some negative from some of her own backbenchers and key independent MPs who are under pressure from local clubs and sporting organisations.

Pre-commitment requires gamblers to sign up to a system that, at a nominated limit, shuts off their ability to play pokies, at least the way they intended... hard and fast, ala high intensity, that's what one might do on the Cleopatra.

Wilkie has proposed a hybrid system that would make pre-commitment mandatory for high-impact machines but exempt low-impact ones and give small clubs time to adjust.

And in any hung parliament, the independents, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, will play a pivotal role in the outcome of any deal. If jobs will be lost in electorates as a result of clubs going out of business, Windsor and Oakeshott will have the power to push for the legislation to be watered down, thus clubs with less than 15 poker machines are exempt, which implies problem gamblers won't go to smaller clubs, which makes the mind boggle.

In the meantime online gambling powers along. A recent report from Monash University estimates that Australians spend more than $300 million annually on online poker. Online casino games, especially slots like Cleo, Sinatra and Marvel slots from the likes of bwin.party enjoy a massive following.

A proposed merger on Friday between British online gambler Sportingbet and Centrebet for $185 million, this space will only get bigger, and Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Virgin Games, PKR and others are watching the space closely.

It's the political battle of the year, perhaps decade, as the coalition - Liberal Labour look to take down the Gillard's Labour, with a few Indi's and Greens in the mix, just to further complicate and aggravate things. WrestleMania Aussie casino style is on the way punters.

Many Australian media and commentators continue to call Australia's the biggest gamblers in the world. Hope the Aussies are taking the title as a compliment.

Friends, good punting, know your limits and bet with your head, not over it.

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

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

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American Wiseguys; Australian Wiseguys Uprising?, by Greg Tingle



Wiseguy hey? What is a wiseguy? The United States has them... heard of 'The Mob'? So does Italy. The casino and larger gambling industry is understood to be home to a few "wiseguys", some recently busted lurking in the entertainment - ticketing sector, and now speculation rises as to who may be a wiseguy down under in Australia. Media Man loads up the Cadillac, shovels, knock squad and navigates the odd horses' head with this special 'Wiseguys" report...

American Wiseguys online ticketing scheme...

Legal eagles for a foursome of Americans accused of illegally purchasing more than 1 million concert tickets online, then going on to sell them for a massive $30 million profit, are seeking to have the case thrown out of court.

The four Californian natives are charged with the serious offences of conspiracy and fraud.

They are accused of bypassing safeguards meant to restrict the number of tickets each customer can buy.

The US government alleges their company... wait for it...Wiseguy Tickets, resold the tickets for $30 million in estimated profit.

According to a 43-count indictment unsealed in March of this year, the foursome used a nationwide network of computers to flood websites such as Ticketmaster and Major League Baseball and even developed a computer program that could automatically get past web pages that require purchasers to manually type in sample words before they can proceed. Cleaver cookies hey.

The quad squad focused on highly coveted premium tickets to high-profile events such as concerts by Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews and Hannah Montana and sporting events such as the baseball playoffs, the 2009 Sugar Bowl and the 2007 BCS college football championship game, federal authorities have gone on record with.

The case is being prosecuted in New Jersey as many of the live events were held at Giants Stadium, Izod Centre and Prudential Centre; others were spread across the United States at venues in New York City, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Tampa, Florida, according to the indictment.

Kenneth Lowson, Kristofer Kirsch and Faisal Nahdi, all of LA, and Joel Stevenson, of Alameda, California, face charges that include conspiracy, wire fraud and unauthorised computer access.

The wire fraud counts are the most serious and carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years per count upon conviction.

Lowson, Kirsch and Stevenson have been freed on bail since their arrests, while Nahdi is a fugitive and is believed to be abroad... on the run, as they say.

Mark Rush, a lawyer for Lowson, argued in federal court on Monday that the foursome might have violated websites' terms of service - use, but are not liable under existing federal law.

Federal prosecutors sought to play down the unusual nature of the men's alleged crimes.

"We see cases like this in federal court all the time," Assistant US Attorney Erez Lieberman said during a motion hearing before US District Judge Katherine Hayden.

Lieberman said the defendants "lied, lied and lied some more" when they purchased tickets using hundreds of fake internet domain names and created a method of bypassing safeguards meant to limit the number of tickets available to individual buyers.

"Each and every step of the way it was a traditional fraud," Lieberman said.

The judge heard arguments on the defence's motion to dismiss the indictment on the grounds that federal law does not cover what Rush said were merely violations of the terms of use on internet sites including Ticketmaster.

Rush argued that while the defendants' actions might be deemed unsavoury to say the least, they did not rise to the level of criminal activity but should more appropriately be taken up as a civil matter.

"This isn't Ticketmaster versus Wiseguy, but perhaps it should be. But it shouldn't be the United States of America versus Wiseguy. Congress has not criminalised ticket brokers or ticket scalpers. What if they hired 100,000 people to all get on the site at the same time? Would we be here?" Rush asked.

"Or was it because it was a computer? If we are struggling to figure out if this is a violation of federal criminal law, then the indictment should be dismissed."

Australian Wiseguys Background And Uprising?...

Australian history books show a bit of ticketing "funny business" going back to Harry M. Miller circa 1982, with Computicket but that's ancient history now. If you want to find out more about Harry and Computerticket, you can buy his book 'Confessions of a Not-So-Secret-Agent'.

Speculation is rife about who is, or will be, the new breed of Australian born and breed "Wiseguys".

Casino, gambling and sports betting types have likely heard of the "Australian Gumleaf Mafia", but are they also the "Aussie Wiseguys"?

It's often been joked that "The Mafia" runs American media, Hollywood and Australia's entertainment, gambling, but how much is talked up and what's fact or fiction can be very difficult to ascertain.

Talk around 'Sin City' Sydney of late speculates that Kings Cross nightclub owner - operator John Ibrahim may be described as a "wiseguy". What is interesting is that in July 2009, Ibrahim's bodyguard, Semi "Tongan Sam" Ngata, was arrested following a raid on his home by a special gang violence taskforce that netted bulk quantities of a methamphetamine precursor. Ibrahim is portrayed by Firass Dirani in the 2010 television miniseries Underbelly: The Golden Mile. Media Man talent, part time bodyguard, and new 'Aussie Gumleaf Mafia' recruit, John 'Vulcan' Seru, also featured with Dirani on a number of 'Underbelly' episodes last season. A few months back Durani scored a role opposite Robert Di Niro in 'The Killer Elite'. Readers will recall that it was De Niro who played Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal) in the Martin Scorsese film 'Casino'. Ah, small world isn't it.

So, who are Australia's real life 'Wiseguys'? Are they more likely to be Harry M. Miller types? 'Gumleaf Media' types, sports betting fixes seen around the Australian - Indian - Pakistan cricket matches, or more of the types that are invisible to all but those in the underworld? We would suggest the later wiseguys!

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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Media Man Movie News, by Greg Tingle - 31st May 2011



Media Man crosses to the U.S for the latest on the business of movie show business.

The Hangover Part II has taken in another $30 million.

Kung Fu Panda 2 didn't recover from its average start on Thursday.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has eased off its its live attendance and takings.

Playing on approximately 6,700 screens at 3,615 locations, The Hangover Part II delivered the top-grossing Friday ever for a live-action comedy, more than doubling Sex and the City 2 on the same day last year, and it eased only 5% from its $31.6 million Thursday opening. That brought the comedy sequel's two-day tally to $61.6 million. We understand the first Hangover had grossed $31.8 million by its two-day (Friday-Saturday) point.

The Hangover Part II will rush past the $100 million on Sunday, its fourth day of release. The first movie took ten days to hit that mark, which was impressive in itself.

With an estimated $13.2 million on close to 7,500 screens at 3,925 locations, Kung Fu Panda 2 jumped 127% from its $5.8 million Thursday debut, but fell far short of its predecessor. The first Kung Fu Panda generated $20.3 million on its first day (a Friday), or more than the $19 million that Panda 2 has made in two days. The disparity was greater in terms of estimated attendance: in two days, Panda 2 has sold around three quarters of the tickets that the first movie did in one day.

King Fu Panda 2's run included 3D presentations at 2,707 locations, which accounted for around 45% of business. Given the scope of its 3D release, a 3D share in the 60 percent range would have been welcome. That's what Shrek Forever After had last May with fewer 3D venues. With a similar 3D release to Panda 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has also been posting 3D shares in the 40% range.

The fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie dived 69% to an estimated $10.9 million on around 9,000 screens at 4,164 locations, lifting its sum to $124.4 million in eight days. The Friday-to-Friday drop was within the range of the last two movies, At World's End and Dead Man's Chest, but the gross was lower. Those movies had captured $186.2 million and $214.6 million, respectively, by day eight. In terms of estimated attendance, On Stranger Tides was down even further on those two movies and trailed the first movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl, as well.

Bridesmaids was unfazed by The Hangover Part II and boasted the smallest Friday-to-Friday drop among nationwide releases (27%). With $4.6 million, the comedy's third Friday gross and dip were in the vicinity of Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Bridesmaids' total stands at $73.3 million in 15 days, and its estimated attendance was comparable to Virgin through the same point.

Thor rounded out the Top 5 with an estimated $2.4 million, down 45% for a $152.8 million sum in 22 days. Fast Five slotted 6th with an estimated $1.8 million and still leads 2011 with a $191.2 million tally in 29 days.

In limited release, Midnight in Paris expanded to 58 locations (up from 6 last weekend), and its business jumped to a solid estimated $476,000. Meanwhile, The Tree of Life also was strong snatching an estimated $115,000 at 4 locations, averaging about as much per location as Midnight in Paris did last Friday.

Stay tuned to Media Man for more on the world of show business.

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Australian Gambling: Xenophon Says Ban; Legal Eagle Nettleton Says Regulate, by Greg Tingle - 31st May 2011

Australian news media is currently saturated with a bush tucker bag of casino, gambling and political fun and games news. Here's the latest tidal wave of news from the land down under. Media Man and Gambling911 from the front line of the action...

The anti-gambling campaigner Nick 'Mr X' (satire) Xenophon has been unimpressed by the Australian Federal Police for slow action on enforcing laws which prohibit online casino and poker websites from accepting bets from Australians.

Legal eagles tell the media that's there's lots of grey areas, and this appears so, as if there were not doubts arrests would have already been made.

Companies with any sort of connection into Australia, such as Media Man, have engaged professional legal guidance from legal eagles such as Jamie Nettleton, partner at law firm Addisons, and the word is that there's "grey areas" a plenty and no Australia's have ever been arrested for igaming, as long as the internet has been in existence. In addition that its starting to look like a bit of a media "beat up", fuelled along by anti gambling campaigners.

The world's leading igaming company Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment is watching the Australian situation very closely, to put it mildly, but is not publicly commenting on their assessment of Australia at this stage of the game.

Aussies long used sites such as PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker even though the Interactive Gambling Act prohibits the provision of "an interactive gambling service to customers in Australia".

Many website portals that over games to a worldwide audience, that Australians can also accept, are based overseas, be it Canada, Gibraltar, Malta, the U.S or other.

The Australian Federal Police is currently investigating at the kind request of the FBI, out of the United States. No misprint!

The websites allegedly use Australian bank accounts to accept about $1 billion a year from an estimated 700,000 Australians and at least one, PokerStars, has an office in Sydney. Despite the sites openly flouting the law and bypassing advertising bans by sponsoring sporting teams such as the NRL teams and poker nights, police officers have yet to act and levy the $1.1 million a day fines outlined in the legislation. Media Man and other commentators don't believe many companies would be able to afford the $1 million + a day fine, and legal eagles have doubts over the apparent investigation.

Senator Xenophon said that following revelations in the press the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform inquiry would be expanded to include online casino sites. He said it was "very disturbing" that the AFP was not enforcing the law and the FBI and the AFP would be invited to make submissions to the inquiry.

"There could be a hidden epidemic of problem gambling from online gambling that we just don't know about," Senator Xenophon told the Herald.

The AFP has stated previously that it uses a model to determine which cases to devote its limited resources to. It would not comment on Xenophon's criticisms yesterday.

Legal eagle and Media Man friend, Jamie Nettleton, partner at law firm Addisons and high level expert in legal issues relating to the gambling industry, advised the government should liberalise gambling laws and regulate online casino sites. This view has been echoed by the Productivity Commission and Sports Bet executive chairman Matthew Tripp.

Our friend Nettleton, who is the ex-chair of the Sports and Gaming Committee of the International Bar Association, said there was strong demand for online poker and prohibition would only push people to unregulated sites.

"This is part of the reason why countries like Italy, Spain, France and Denmark have all had a prohibitionist stance and are now going down a regulated alternative," stated Nettleton.

The Australian Government last week announced a review of the Interactive Gambling Act and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said yesterday it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the findings of that review.

Asked to comment on the AFP's investigation into the casino and poker websites, Senator Conroy said he supports action being taken against anyone proven to be breaching Australian law.

Senator Xenophon does not support liberalising gambling laws, saying the more accessible online gambling is the greater the risk of gambling problems developing.

June 20 is the date has has earmarked to introduce amendments to laws which would allow Australians to reverse credit card transactions with international gambling sites as long as it has not already been processed. This would allow people to get their money back even after losing bets and is designed to push the sites to stop accepting Australian customers.

Some internet brands such as Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory have invested in both .coms, .nets and .orgs to help safeguard their investment, having forecast some potential legal issues coming from the U.S, where various .com domain names were seized by the United States Department of Justice. Many Australian companies which have covered gaming continue to report on dozens of other industries such as technology, property and celebrity, to ensure they are not totally reliant on the gaming sector as a source of news or income.

A Media Man insider said "If they grey areas continue around igaming and web publishing to get too blurred we might sell up and work for another mob, maybe in the pay television or video games industry, which are fully regulated and the grey areas just don't really exist. Maybe even the Australian communications watchdog. If you can't beat them, joint them".

Independent Andrew Wilkie, who chairs the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform, said there "clearly" was a problem in Australia with online and interactive gambling. He said the committee's inquiry would examine the issues and provide recommendations to government.

"In the interim I fully support AFP efforts to crack down on illegal operations," Wilkie said.

Many Australian media and commentators continue to call Australia's the biggest gamblers in the world. Hope the Aussies are taking the title as a compliment.

Friends, good punting, know your limits and bet with your head, not over it.

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

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

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X-Men: First Class: Strong Reviews, by Greg Tingle - 31st May 2011

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Marvel movie fans, yet more reviews of X-Men: First Class are coming in, and they are great.

The Hollywood Reporter is comparing the flick to the recent James Bond movie Casino Royale in how it reinvigorates the rather tired franchise.

He states "roughly the first half of this massive and very well-cast origins extravaganza is arguably the best hour of Marvel Comics-derived filmmaking among the torrent of it that's cascaded across screens in recent years."

It's a sentiment that's been popping up on many geek sites, such as Dark Horizons, which calls it "not just the best of the series but the best adaptation of a Marvel title yet."

McCarthy says of the flick "audacious, confident and fueled by youthful energy" and gives props to Michael Fassbender's turn as Magneto as a young man, Kevin Bacon as the villainous Sebastian Shaw and Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique.

Further afield, Variety says the movie reclaims "much of the pop-operatic grandeur and insouciant wit so evident in the series' first two installments" and that director Matthew Vaughn "manages to invest this unabashedly commercial product with a unique stylistic identity."

As Marvel Entertainment legend Stan Lee says of the current crop of Marvel Studio flicks, games and other merchandise, Excelsior!

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Monday, May 30, 2011

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Games Of The Month: Cleopatra, Sinatra Slot, Monopoly, The Sting, The Terminator, The Godfather and Rambo

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Media Man is delighted to name the slot games of the month: Sinatra Slot, Cleopatra, Monopoly, The Sting, The Terminator, The Godfather and Rambo.

In the coming months we look forward to more rumoured Hollywood and entertainment industry themed games including the Hulk Hogan slot, Andre The Giant, and other games coming from Marvel Entertainment and Paramount Pictures.

PartyCasino.com new players get up to $3000 sign up bonus.

bwin.party digital entertainment, the parent company of PartyCasino, is the world's biggest and most successful online gaming company. They also offer games of skill and table games such as poker, blackjack and roulette, as well as offering a 'Live Dealer' option and world class jackpots.

They have won a number of awards and commendation including Media Man 'Online Casino of The Month' and EGR 'Slots Operator Of The Year' and 'Socially Responsible Operator Of The Year'.

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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Marvel Entertainment movie adaptations tipped, by Greg Tingle - 29th May 2011

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Marvel Entertainment is smashing its way back to movie cinemas, spearheaded by Thor and X-Men: First Class, and how about the news that Captain America: The Last Avenger is coming up.

We can also expect a Spider Man 5, The Avengers, and Iron-Man 3 and Media Man spies have also been tipped by folks close to Marvel living legend Stan Lee and friends to expect a few surprises in the next 6 - 18 months.

Marvel Studios is bringing together many of their iconic characters for The Avengers (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk).

As you may have heard, Marvel Studios don't own all of the film rights to their characters, and its more complicated than that the Jack Kirby (the late artist) situation. Film rights were signed over to other studios years prior to Marvel electing to adapt its own material (the first flick being Iron Man in 2008).

The upshot of the situation likely means that in addition to Iron Man 3 and forecast sequels to Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger...they're going to have to snatch from the portfolio lesser-known heroes and villains.

This situation may be of concern for Marvel powers that be. Thor has performed well for a character not strongly marketed in the past, but will other lesser known heroes and villains from Marvel fame fare so well? Not so sure.

Let's have a look at some of the other characters in the Marvel portfolio...

S.H.I.E.L.D. Presumably Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury will be joined by Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye -- both of whom figure in The Avengers -- when this spy thriller inevitably happens. Making it attractive? That it would help the studio branch into other genres (something it's also done with the mythic Thor) and help insulate the company from superhero-movie fatigue.

Dr. Strange: If a S.H.I.E.L.D spin-off is essentially a secret agent movie, this magic-based character could explore the mystical side of the Marvel universe. Dr. Strange's name recognition is arguably equal to Thor's, making it a probable priority, post-Avengers.

Ant-Man: Long in the planning stages, at last report Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) was still set to direct a movie about the miniaturized hero.

Iron Fist: Created during the post-Bruce Lee boom of the 1970s, this kung-fu fighter could provide a twist on superhero lore, opening Marvel to the martial arts genre.

The Runaways: This relatively new creation is about a group of teenagers who discover their parents are super-villains. Joss Whedon, writer-director of The Avengers, is a fan and actually penned some issues a few years ago.

Black Panther: Let's face it: most superheroes are lily-white. Which would immediately distinguish this hero -- an African prince -- from the pack.

The Punisher: This grim vigilante, who emerged out of the shadow of Death Wish and Dirty Harry, has been adapted disastrously before (see sidebar). Now Marvel has the rights to the character back. But can a remorseless killer find a home at family-friendly Disney?

Luke Cage: A product of the Blaxploitation era of the 1970s -- i.e. Shaft -- Cage is a wrongly convicted prisoner who agrees to be experimented on, and as a result, becomes steel-skinned and super-strong. Like Black Panther, Cage has been circled by filmmakers for a number of years.

Nova: This character represents the cosmic, space-faring side of Marvel, but it's likely the studio will wait to see how Green Lantern - from rival DC Entertainment - performs this summer before committing to their own science-fiction opera.

Cloak and Dagger: Not quite ready for the big screen? No worries. Marvel has also launched its own television division. (And remember, Disney owns both Marvel and ABC). Among the characters bandied about for a small screen treatment is this duo: a pair of street kids with chemically enhanced abilities.

Who would you pick out of that selection to make a slash at box office? Write it down in your black book, or better still, write to Disney - Marvel, and give them your two cents. We're betting that a few of them will take off in box office, but Marvel Studios will do well to take calculated risks and make sure they get the market research right before committing large sums of money on a dark horse - unknown quantity.

As Marvel Entertainment legend Stan Lee says of the current crop of Marvel Studio flicks, games and other merchandise, Excelsior!

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Crown Casino: Good VS Evil?; Preacher Man, by Greg Tingle - 29th May 2001



It seems of late that there's a bit of Good VS Evil and Good Cop VS Bad Cop going on at Melbourne's Crown Casino as of late. We get up close to a man of god somewhat aligned with Crown and also probe to see if Crown may be targeting oldies. Australia is once again home to some of the world's hottest gambling and casino news today, with James Packer and his Crown Casino in the centre of the action. Media Man pounds the pavement with the news you need to know...

Crown Casino Chaplain: No Such Thing As Luck; Punters Need To Take Self Responsibility...

The casino's resident chaplain aka man of Gold, has warned that luck has become a "new religion" as punters crave financial reward for little or no effort. Father James Grant says he sees growing numbers of folks gambling in the hope they will win a fortune before losing devastating sums of money. Speaking at a recent event to raise awareness around problem gambling, Father Grant advised the lack of individual responsibility was alarming. "An increasing number of patrons believe that luck is on their side," he preached. "In our society luck has become a new secular deity. "We are people who believe that it is possible to get something for nothing, that our lives are in the grip of fate … rather than our own responsibility. None of this is Crown's doing. "Rather I would argue that Crown is actually moving into a framework that is going in exactly the opposite direction." The event, held to coincide with the state government's Responsible Gambling Awareness Week, also came a day after it came to light that the casino had hired former ALP chief Karl Bitar to try to push back proposed anti-gambling laws. Father Grant, an Anglican, would not say if he supported the proposed laws. But he was sceptical of anything that "tinkered around the edges" rather than dealt with motivations - real reasons behind people's irresponsibility. Father Grant spends about 20 hours a week at the casino through his Chaplains Without Borders program, an inter-faith agency that serves companies and other organisations. He said the casino responsible gaming support centre was staffed around the clock to help people in need, while casino staff kept watch for people gambling beyond their limits. "It's very easy to bash Crown without really understanding what efforts it does go to," he said. "I don't think Crown gets any credit for what it's doing in terms of trying to encourage individuals to take more responsibility for their life." The man of God is well liked both by patrons, staff and management, and media reckons he's great for a quote to two also. Thanks father, there is a god.

Crown Casino Targeting Oldies?...

The famous casino has been accused of luring senior citizens and struggling community clubs to the casino by offering rebates, exposing weak and vulnerable punters to problem gambling, gambling researcher Professor Linda Hancock says. Professor Hancock, from Deakin University, will soon release her book Regulatory Failure: The Case of Crown Casino, in which she argues that the regulation of the casino is failing people because of "weak sanctions" on the irresponsible service of alcohol and on those failing to implement the Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct. In the controversial new book, Professor Hancock said seniors and people from non-English-speaking backgrounds were being targeted by Crown's "Red Carpet Program", which was promoted to social clubs as a special outing. Bus packages are available for groups and clubs can earn a rebate but only if they stay for at least four hours, or six for a non-gambling function. Patrons are given gambling vouchers, as well as lunch coupons, upon arrival. Visitors on tours are also signed up to loyalty programs, which exposes them to marketing for other gambling products. In her book, Professor Hancock quotes a survey of 204 participants on 6 Crown bus packages from northern suburbs social clubs, which found evidence of "at-risk" gambling behaviours with 42.9% spending more than they had planned and 23.7% saying they planned to return to the casino to win back money. Crown Casino's did not respond as we went to press.

Bitar's New Crown Casino Gig Is Wrong: Bob Brown...

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says the appointment of a former Labor strategist to a job lobbying for the gambling industry is "worrying". Former ALP national secretary Karl Bitar has taken up a gig with Melbourne's Crown Casino. The appointment comes as the Gillard Labor government works on a new policy to limit the amount of money players can put through poker machines, to prevent problem gambling. Senator Brown said it was an example of the "spectre of undue influence" raising its head. "The appointment by Crown Casino is very worrying, it's very troubling, because he's been a major mover and shaker in politics in Australia," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. "You can't tell me or anybody else that that's not going to open doors for Crown Casino that other people don't have open to them and can't go through." Senator Brown said there should at least be a cooling off period for such appointments. "It is wrong and we should certainly see much stronger regulations and rules about ex-politicians and senior political insiders being able to move to use the knowledge they've had from being on the political inside not only to their own advantage but to the advantage of sectional interests." Anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello says Bitar's appointment by Crown is not a shock. "Crown has everything to lose from pokies reform, so it's no surprise they employed Karl Bitar," he said. Costello also attacked Crown's involvement in Victoria's Responsible Gambling Awareness Week. The casino made its contribution to the week on Wednesday at an event in which former aerobics champion Sue Stanley compared an addiction to exercise with gambling. Stanley said she needed help when she was addicted to exercise and gamblers should do likewise. The casino's chaplain Father James Grant then said Crown was doing a good job with problem gambling. No Crown officials would take questions from the media at the event. "It's a joke," Costello said. "Crown and its involvement in Responsible Gambling Awareness Week is quite frankly like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank." Victorian Liberal premier Ted Baillieu said he could work with Mr Bitar. "To some extent I'm surprised that somebody in that position in the ALP would undertake that position but that's a matter for them," he told the press.

Punter Spent Phoney Cash On Sex And Poker At Crown Casino...

A Melbourne fella spent more than $10,000 of counterfeit Canadian currency on prostitutes and poker machines after exchanging the money for Australian dollars at Crown Casino, a court has heard. Cosimo Candido, 34, of Sunshine, was arrested this week by Australian Federal Police after he exchanged counterfeit money he claims he was minding in a shoe box for a friend who had asked him to look after it. Up to seven passports from various jurisdictions were also found in the shoe box in the name of a man who police confirmed is dead. Candido claimed he did not known the money was counterfeit, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard. He is alleged to have told police he was with a prostitute in St Kilda on April 30, got bored, then decided to take the cash to the casino to exchange it. He advised he approached a cashier with $1000 of the currency "to see if it would work" and received $885 in return. He went to another cashier and exchanged $3000 counterfeit Canadian dollars and received $2657 before he was handed $4645 by a third cashier. All transactions were captured on CCTV cameras. Crown staff later contacted police after suspecting the cash was fake. Candido was charged with uttering counterfeit money under the Crimes Currency Act 1981. The Commonwealth offence carries a maximum penalty of 12 years' jail. The court heard that Candido told police his friend who asked him to mind the items had the cash and passports because he was trying to receive the dead man's assets. The police informant, who asked not to be named because of ongoing investigations, said Candido told investigators he had spent the money he received after the exchanges on hookers, hotels and at the pokies. Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg granted Candido bail to re-appear at the same court on July 13. Crime does not pay... not usually.

James Packer VS Or With Andrew Wilkie; Wilkie's Big Day At Packer's Crown Casino; Win - Win?...

He's the face of Australian gambling haters, but he had a wonder through James Packer's Crown Casino in Melbourne just the other day, but for good reason. What a lovely way to spend a Sunday. The 'Tasmanian Devil' (satire) independent MP had a tour of gambling house in March with James Packer. The gambling king and the political face of gambling dislike took a walk around the place before making way to a conference room with staff to discuss issues of mutual interest we hear. Packer is very interested in Wilkie's plans to slow cash flow of the poker machine industry by imposing a mandatory national system requiring punters to set a limit on their losses. Pokies have been the talk of the town for weeks. State and territory ministers won't shut up about the 'one armed bandits' and Wilkie props. Packer's Crown Limited just appointed Labor's ex national secretary Karl Bitar to boost Crown's lobbying effort against the reforms. There's was a rumour that one or two threats were made in the meeting. What constitutes a threat anyway? Crown rejects that idea. "Mr Packer did not threaten Mr Wilkie in any way, shape or form," a Crown spokesman said yesterday. "The meeting with Mr Wilkie on 20 March at Crown was both civil and constructive. Mr Packer would be disappointed if anyone is claiming anything other than that." Clubs and pubs are pro active with an full on public campaign against the Wilkie proposal; the casino king apparently signalled in the boardroom he was prepared to contribute funds and add his politically influential voice to the objections. Given his interest in the outcome, the agro around the political class and the posture of the pubs and clubs, it would be surprising if he did otherwise. Packer has also made his objections known to other parliamentary crossbenchers, calling on MP's Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott. Wilkie has refused to discuss the meeting. "The content of the discussion was confidential," he said, adding "unless James Packer wants to reveal it, in which case I have no objection". Fun, games and politics continue to mix it up down under, but we haven't heard the last of Packer VS Wilkie, or whatever the relationship is punters.

Friends, good punting, know your limits and bet with your head, not over it.

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

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

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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