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Saturday, July 16, 2011

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment sponsors EuroLeague Basketball; PartyCasino And PartyPoker News, by Greg Tingle - 16th July 2011

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The world’s largest listed online gambling operator, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, has announced that its Bwin brand has signed a three-year deal to serve as the title sponsor for the EuroLeague Basketball professional club basketball competition.

Bwin.Party revealed that the deal will see every one of the EuroLeague’s matches streamed live in more than 30 European countries with active Bwin sportsbetting customers able to watch for free.

“We are proud to announce the EuroLeague Basketball agreement, which represents a perfect match to our long-lasting relationship with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the world governing body for basketball,” said Norbert Teufelberger, Co-Chief Executive Officer for Bwin.Party.

“This makes Bwin.com an even stronger brand as we will now cover both club basketball with the EuroLeague and the national teams through our FIBA partnership. Basketball, along with football and motorcycle racing, is one of the three pillars of our sport sponsorship strategy.”

Bwin.Party described EuroLeague Basketball as ‘the most important professional club basketball competition in Europe’ while stating that the agreement ‘significantly broadens the footprint of Bwin.com within European basketball’ and would strengthen its sports brand philosophy.

“It is a big step for EuroLeague Basketball to welcome Bwin.com as partner until 2014,” said Jordi Bertomeu, President and Chief Executive Officer for EuroLeague Basketball.

“The most important basketball competition in Europe now gets the most important sportsbetting brand, Bwin.com, as a supporter to take club basketball´s popularity in Europe to an even higher level.”

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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment VS The World...

Shares in online gaming firm Bwin.Party surged Friday after competitor Full Tilt had its licence suspended.

A US investigation into the companies founders led the gambling commission of the Channel Island of Alderney to order the firm to stop trading with immediate effect while it conducts its own investigation.

Full Tilt was indicted in the United States for alleged gambling offences, money laundering and bank fraud.

In a research note, UBS analyst Simon Whittington says the news is positive for remaining European poker operators.

He advised: "We estimate that Full Tilt has a 10-15% share of the non-US poker market. With a similar share themselves, we believe Bwin.Party should be a prime beneficiary of any market 'vacuum' created."

Austrian Bwin merged with rival PartyGaming earlier this year. The company is based in Gibraltar, a preferred location for igaming companies due to its relaxed tax laws and well-regulated gambling - gaming system. After their initial surge its shares fell back to close 1.2%.

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment (BPTY) Share Price Information

Share Price: 151.00 Bid: 151.00 Ask: 151.20 Change: 0.00 (+0.67%)


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In the meantime PartyCasino.com continues to roll out new games and initiatives.

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The PartyCasino.com jackpot is currently approaching the $4 million mark. Players can also compete for The Big One and Marvel Hero Jackpot, playing the Marvel super hero themed online slot games.

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Media Man, Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory do have a b2b relationship with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, as they do with dozens of other companies in the gaming, igaming, media and entertainment industry.

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There's Never Been A Better Time to Play at PartyPoker

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Cleaning up at the tables? Fancy a bigger project or just a bit of fun? Your chance to achieve total 'World Domination' gets underway at PartyPoker.com from the 8th July 2011. Conquer 72 cities by earning PartyPoints and pick up freerolls, cash prizes and a potential top prize of $100,000 on the way!

A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: "The premise is simple – divide and conquer! Rome wasn't built in a day but it could be won in an hour! Turn your PartyPoints into cities - the empire building continues until the 31st August or until all cities are conquered. There are 72 cities to conquer and freeroll seats, cash payouts and a top prize of $100,000. Just earn 10 PartyPoints to be randomly awarded a city from 72 available."

"Many of the cities have cash prizes and freeroll seats attached The big money comes in when you can complete all the cities in an entire continent, for example, getting all of Asia wins you $5,000 and Europe will bag you $20,000. Finally, a player who gets every single country has world domination – worth a cool $100,000."

As an incentive to get started, PartyPoker.com give you your first city for just 5 points. Tony G writes from his secret underground bunker at PartyPoker.com

Players can earn up to 100 cities a day throughout the World Domination promotion. Reveal the ones collected by logging in to your Party Account, checking the interactive map and start to accumulate a fortune.

For more information see: PartyPoker.com


Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Confirms Ongame Poker Network Deal Possibilities

The Ongame poker network is "likely" to be sold, bwin.party has confirmed that a formal process to sell the B2B network is on the way.

The announcement was made earlier today ahead of today’s Annual General Meeting, the first held by the giant since the merger between Bwin and PartyGaming was completed last March.

The statement read "One area of our stated strategy was to recycle surplus assets,"..."We expect that any sale will be completed by the end of the year."

No licensee on the network has yet responded to bwin.party’s announcement, although Betfair’s outgoing CEO David Yu passed opinion on Ongame just yesterday.

Bwin.Party’s AGM statement contains details of a planned share buyback, which will see the company follow the examples of Playtech and Betfair in making such a move, plus news of a progressive dividend policy containing a €30m dividend payout for the year ending 31 December 2011.

As we go to press trading is described as “Broadly in-line with management's expectations,” however analyst James Hollins, of Evolution Securities, advised in a memo earlier today that “The stock remains a Neutral ahead of potentially disruptive German legislation near-term.”

Meanwhile Simon French, of Panmure Gordon, reiterated his firm’s ‘buy’ recommendation, explaining “[We] expect the shares to respond well to the dividend and share buyback news.”

German sports betting proposals in April had seen the share price of bwin.party dive 16% in a day, and a decision on the country’s State Gambling Treaty is expected in October.

Yesterday things turned around following the suspension of Full Tilt Poker’s licences in Alderney - the share price ended the day at 148.2p, an increase of more than 10% day-on-day.


Bwin.Party In Line With Management's Expectations

bwin.party digital entertainment's trading performance since the beginning of April has been broadly in line with management's expectations.

But is says sports margins have been lower than expected due to a favourable run of events for customers in May.

The improvement in new player sign-ups in poker, following action taken by the US authorities against certain of the group's online poker competitors on 15 April, has not had a material impact on poker revenue as new players represent just a small proportion of the overall player base and these companies have so far continued to command significant market share in non-US markets.

Casino continues to perform well while bingo has been slightly softer than expected in the period.

At 8:47am: (LON:BPTY) share price was +0.5p at 148.7p.


Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Big On Security

The online gaming business PartyGaming has also long since been protecting its players with strong authentication. After all, there is a lot of money at stake – money that the dark forces may want to siphon away. PartyPoker, PartyCasino, PartyBingo and PartyGammon customers register by downloading the PartyGaming customer software. After registration, they can obtain an authenticator called PartySecure from the online store. This is again a Digipass Go 6 that has been completely adapted to the branding of PartyGaming. Here again, a Vacman Controller Server takes over the authentication. “The solution is highly scalable,” stressed a PartyGaming spokesperson. “It can grow with us and effortlessly cope with the growing number of online-players on our platform.”


Australian Tony G Inks Player Representation Agreement With PartyPoker

There's only an elite few poker players who are also extremely astute businessmen, and Australian Tony G is one such ace. Having amassed over $4 million in live-tournament winnings and having a few other healthy income streams the only thing missing from the mans achievements was a major representation deal with a major online site. Enter PartyPoker.com

Tony G in a cunning moving has sold his Tony G Poker official website and IP to the igaming powerhouse giving the Bwin.Party giant access to the website's strong poker player database.

Mr G said he couldn't be more pleased about his new deal and that he is ready to take on all challengers. "I cannot wait to start playing for Team Party on the circuit. I’ve always loved Party and what better way to kick off than at the Aussie Millions. I am also really excited about the Premier League in February ...it is the best event in poker in my eyes. After finishing runner-up and third in the last two years the title has to be mine! I just hope my rivals have the heart and commitment to the game to stop me!"

His new deal incorporates live tournament buy-ins to events around the world and he will play online under the screen name "TonyG." He joins an impressive roster of Team Party players including Mike Sexton, Kara Scott, Ian Frazer, Bodo Sbrzesny, Remy Biechel, Stewart Scott and Felipe ‘Mojave’ Ramos.

The Tony G Poke website will migrate all its players to NoblePoker.com, (a Bwin.Party subsidiary). As part of G's deal, he will continue to run the Sunday Bike Ride, a popular bounty promotion on the site. According to G, this will give Tony G Poker players added value over the long run.

"It’s business as usual for Tony G Poker.com The exciting acquisition of its assets by the PartyGaming will create a larger more flexible and productive playing environment," said the G. So, whether online poker, online casino or other tickle your fancy, the good folks at Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment have your number.

The company is currently expanding worldwide, and growing markets include Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain, and the firm is currently talking turkey with U.S regulators regarding a full return to the U.S market, where its World Poker Tour brand should prove to be the door opener, followed by sports betting and online casino offerings, all under the Bwin.Party banner. It's b2b deals with Marvel Entertainment, Frank Sinatra Enterprises, Paramount Pictures, Dark Horse Comics and International Game Technology are also understood to be giving the powers that be confidence to get negotiations with Bwin.Party to the next stage.

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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Virgin Casino Pirate Treasure Promotion: Play Online Slots At Virgin Casino

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Virgin Bingo and Virgin Casino have been running an awesome promotion for those who enjoy playing online slot games. This week Pirate Themed promotion is based on the interest of online slot players of Virgin Casino.

Based on the interest of online casino players Virgin Casino has got pirate themed slot game and pirate themed casino promotion. Therefore, this week Virgin Casino is offering its players both.

Virgin Casino issued the following statement, “Jackpots Ahoy! Come on board virgin casino’s latest Slot Game, Chest of Plenty, and grab a share of the pirate treasure – up to £650 Cash!”

The Virgin Casino promotions format is regular to online slots players of virgin casino. They will have to wager between £500 and £25,000 on the new pirate themed slot game Chest of Plenty and other selected top slots during the promotion period. Those who meet one of the target amounts will get the corresponding cash award. There are ten different tiers set by Virgin Casino in this pirate themed promotion. To win the top cash award of £650 players will have to wager £25,000. Players who are not high rollers need not worry because there are smaller targets as well. In the first tier, for wagering £500 players will be entitled to a bonus of £10. The promotion has started on July 4 and will end on July 10. All bonus credits will be paid into qualifying accounts on July 11.

The list of the permitted slot games has been put up at the promotions page of Virgin Casino. When the Chest of Plenty slot game goes live players can start wagering on it. Till then they can choose from the other exciting games. Many of these games are associated with the theme of riches.

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News Limited News Update: News Of The World, Herald Sun, BSkyB..., by Greg Tingle - 14th July 2011

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'Brooks, catastrophe': Last laugh for NoTW staff as final crossword takes aim at Rebekah

Sacked News of the World staff appear to have fired a parting shot at their former editor Rebekah Brooks, disguising mocking messages in the crossword of the tabloid's final edition.

Brooks, now the chief executive of News International, reportedly brought in two loyal proofreaders to sanitise Sunday's final edition of any jibes directed at her following the newspaper's spectacular demise during the phone hacking scandal.

But they failed to detect the not-so-cryptic clues that appear to savage her in the crosswords on page 47.

Among the clues in the paper's Quickie puzzle were: "Brook", "stink", "catastrophe" and "digital protection".

The Cryptic Crossword appears to go even further, including the hints "criminal enterprise", "mix in prison", "string of recordings", and "will fear new security measure".

Another clue was "woman stares wildly at calamity", with suggestions it refers to a photograph of Mrs Brooks as she left the News International HQ in east London on Thursday after staff were told the paper would be shut down.

The answer to that particular clue was "disaster".

Other answers included: "Deplored", "stench", "stir", "menace", "desist", "racket" and "tart".

A source at the News of the World told the Daily Mail that "Rebekah tried everything to stop the staff having the last word and she utterly failed".

"She brought in two very senior Sun journalists to go though every line on every page with a fine toothcomb to ensure there were no libels or any hidden mocking messages of the chief executive," the source said.

"But they failed and we've had the last laugh."

The decision to close the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid after 168 years in print follows an extraordinary week of revelations about intrusive phone hacking and alleged pay-offs to police from the newspaper. It was revealed that the tabloid had tapped into the phone messages of murdered schoolgirls and relatives of slain soldiers and 2005 London bombing victims.

The job losses sparked scenes of anger last week at the paper's headquarters, largely directed at Brooks.

She was the editor in charge when phone-tapping practices were used but has somehow been spared the knife.

In a secret recording made as she addressed staff on Friday, Brooks can be heard saying: "This is not exactly the best time in my life but I'm determined to get vindication for this paper and for people like you."

The staff then cheer as an unidentified male staff member angrily replies: "You're making the whole of News International toxic. There's an arrogance that you think we would want to work for you."

Murdoch flew in to London overnight to deal with the crisis engulfing News International, and was pictured leaving his apartment with his arm around Brooks, whom he described as his number one priority. (Credit: The Age)


News apologises for website virus after hack attack...

Readers of Melbourne’s Herald Sun website may have been exposed to a virus, the News Limited tabloid’s website said this week, in another embarrassment for the media company.

"The Herald Sun wishes to apologise to any readers who may have been affected by a virus that appeared for a short time on heraldsun.com.au,’’ the newspaper said in a note posted to its website. ‘‘The offending virus and files were quickly removed and the site is operating as normal."

The Herald Sun warned readers that their computers could only be infected "if you clicked ‘allow’ to a software download in a pop-up window from bogus sites’’.

Herald & Weekly Times digital operations and business strategy director Peter Clark blamed a hacking attack for the virus.

"The Herald & Weekly Times, publishers of heraldsun.com.au, can confirm that we did have a hacking attack on the Herald Sun website on Monday July 11," he said. "The attack attached malware on some files on the site."

"We have since addressed the issue, but we are not in a position to release any further details on the basis that it may provide information for further attacks," said Mr Clark.

The trouble for the newspaper come as shares in parent company News Ltd skidded on continuing worries about the fallout from the phone hacking scandal in the United Kingdom. Revelations about the extent of the problem at the global media company’s UK operations have electrified the public - both locally and overseas - unleashing a firestorm of criticism as well as multiple investigations in the UK.

James Turner at Sydney-based IT advisory services company IBRS said organisations, like the Herald Sun, "should be talking to their web hosting provider about what measures are in place to prevent this kind of thing from happening".

"It's embarrassing for any organisation to have its website passing off malware to customers," said Mr Turner. "We're still in the Wild West days of the Internet and so many organisations are taking the cheaper path, purely because they don't understand the value in IT security."

Malware, similar to a virus, is a program that infects a host computer, compromising the user’s privacy, or hijacking its normal operation.

The Herald Sun recommended users who believed their computer had been infected should run a full anti-virus scan.

Chris Gatford director of security consultancy Sydney-based HackLabs said, the majority of users were more likely to be caught by malware.

That’s because less savvy web suffers often run older operating systems on their computers and web browser that might lack crucial security patches.

Malware can alert people to fake anti-virus software, which it says is needed to “clean” the victim’s computer, he said.

“However, after taking money, it does nothing and sits in the background (of your computers system).”

Malware could also add making a PC user an unwitting accomplice to a botnet, or a network of computers that illegally shares media files or mounts attacks on other websites, he said.

Other malware programs try to ferret out a computer users banking details. (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)


News shares rally after bid for BSkyB dropped...

Shares in News Corp have jumped more than 4 per cent after Rupert Murdoch dropped his bid for British pay TV giant BSkyB.

The move comes after the scandal over newspaper phone-hacking at Mr Murdoch's UK paper News of the World escalated.

The announcement came overnight shortly before Britain’s parliament began debating a government-backed motion calling on the media baron to halt his attempt to acquire the 61 per cent of satellite broadcaster BSkyB his company does not own.

New Corp’s main stock on the Australian Securities Exchange added 62 cents, or 4.2 per cent, to $15.36 in mid-morning trade. It’s non-voting stock was up 55 cents, or 3.9 per cent, at $14.81.

Prior to today, about $6.5 billion had been wiped off the company’s market capitalisation since July 6, after news of the phone hacking scandal emerged in the UK.

Shares in British Sky Broadcasting Group also rose overnight after the takeover bid for the company was pulled.

BSkyB shares closed 2 per cent higher at 705 pence, after trading around 680 pence when News Corp said it was pulling its bid.

In the immediate aftermath of the statement, the shares tanked to a low of 665 pence, but that knee-jerk sell-off proved short-lived as investors had already concluded that the bid was doomed given the toxic political environment.

Analysts said News Corp's decision will, counter-intuitively, help BSkyB after a week-long battering following the disclosure of widespread phone hacking at the News of the World.

Now that the bid has been pulled, speculators like hedge funds - who were looking for windfalls from the prospect of a higher News Corp offer - are pulling out. At the same time, however, new investors are looking to buy up what has become relatively cheap stock for a company that is highly profitable. (Credit: AAP)

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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Wrestling News Media: Hogan, Flair, WWE, CM Punk, McMahon, Jim Ross, Cena, Rock, Kevin Nash... by Greg Tingle - 12th July 2011

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Media Man and the vast majority of mainstream news and wrestling news outlets agree - pro wrestling... cough, "sports entertainment", is interesting again, with realistic storylines and a reasonable amount of quality pro wrestling matches on offer.

Traditional thinking would dictate that WWE PPV events are going to achieve higher buy rates and the positive momentum should also increase the revenues of marketing and mechanise. Just wait until the highly anticipated WWE TV Network kicks in... tipped to be approximately 12 months away.


Jim Ross...

Jim Ross has noted on Twitter that WWE sold out three straight shows on its current tour of South Africa.

Jim Ross has posted his latest blog. Highlights:

On WWE waiting so long after buying WCW to do the Invasion angle: "Beats me but the top talents that were needed to make the storyline really work were getting significant monies from Turner/WCW to essentially sit at home and fulfill their contracts. When judging the Invasion business, it's easy to Monday morning QB the matter but few will argue that it could have been more productive."

On a potential Hulk Hogan WWE return: "I have no idea. I assume anything is possible. I can't see Hogan returning to wrestle multiple matches in WWE due to his health issues but regarding this talent and his future I simply don't know and nothing would surprise me."

On Scott Hall leaving WWE in 2002: "After the infamous plane ride from hell and the unprofessional incidents that ensued by many, it was decided that having Scott back on the road with extensive traveling was not in the best interests of the talent or WWE."

On CM Punk leaving WWE: "I'm not involved in this matter whatsoever but from what I've read and what WWE has publicly stated, Punk vs. Cena at the MITB PPV in Chicago, Punk's hometown, will be CM Punk's last, foreseeable bout in WWE....win, lose, or draw. As an outsider looking in, I'd say Punk will finish up Sunday July 17 as WWE has stated."


Kevin Nash...

IMDB.com is listing Kevin Nash as appearing in the sequel to the 2007 film "Ghost Rider" starring Nicolas Cage. The sequel will see Cage reprise the role of the Ghost Rider and Nash's character has yet to be named. The film will be titled "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Revenge."


"Rowdy" Roddy Piper...

Piper is to have another check up for cancer. We're pleased he got through the initial battle with the Big C back in 2006. Few on the planet have most heart and guts than Piper, so we're tipping he's going to keep powering along, and perhaps even have some more in ring battles in the near future.


Hulk Hogan...

Purchase Hulk Hogan's Belleair Mansion For Just $9.2 Million...

If you're looking for an infamous Tampa Bay address to call home, the Wall Street Journal notes that Hulk Hogan's Belleair home is on the market. Well, still, anyway, because it's been for sale or years. But look, it's now a bargain at a mere $9,242,000! That's only about $539 per square foot, y'know.

The house, at 130 Willadel Dr., has been for sale for about five years, when it went on the block for $25 million. The Hulk took it back off the market, but it was listed last summer for $10.9 million. What does the new price buy you? A 17,000-square-foot-plus manse with five bedroom, eight full baths and three half baths, a gym, a rec room with its own kitchen, a tanning room, a wet bar, a hot tub, a guest house, a swimming pool with waterfalls and two docks on the Intracoastal.

Terry Bollea and his then-wife Linda bought the parcel in 1992 for only $2 million, so we can only guess what kind of margin is on this house. The Hulkster paid $120,325.85 in taxes in 2010, according to the Pinellas County property appraiser, even with the homestead exemption, so we can see why he'd want to ditch the joint. For a look at the listing, click here. Oh, and don't forget the HOA fee.


WWE Signs National Wrestling Champion...

The Medina Gazette from Ohio reports that WWE signed NAIA national wrestling champion Derek Foore to a developmental deal on Friday. Foore was invited to a FCW tryout months ago after WWE’s Jerry Brisco scouted him at a wrestling competition. Foore is planning a move to Florida where he can begin training at FCW.

The two-time national finalist and three-time high school state wrestling runner-up had the following to say about the signing:

"Right when I got the call I was like, ‘Yes, I’m one step closer. I’m willing to do whatever it takes. When I’m crazy enough, big enough and my career is sound and well-molded, that’s when they’ll say ‘Ok, you’re ready, man.’ I’m just living in the moment. I’m 22 years old and I have this opportunity. I will take it and seize it."


WWE Stars And Legend To Appear At San Diego Comic-Con...

Triple H, Rey Mysterio, members of the WWE creative team, a surprise WWE Legend and Mattel employees will be at the San Diego Comic-Con on July 21st for a special Q&A where they discuss WWE’s past, present and future and how it’s all celebrated with Mattel’s line of WWE toys. The discussion will take place from 11:30am until 12:30.


Vince McMahon - CM Punk Negotiation Behind Closed Doors...

WWE Monday Night Raw is being built around the public negotiation between WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and CM Punk, the two reportedly had a negotiating session in the past 24 hours behind closed doors. According to several key WWE insiders, the meeting was private, between McMahon and Punk, and none of the writing staff or the agents have been notified of the outcome of the negotiation.


WWE DVD Mentioned In Mainstream Newspaper...

Houston Chronicle’s David Barron, who has covered wrestling off-and-on for decades and regularly mentions wrestling stories in his weekly TV/Radio Notebook, referenced WWE’s "Best Cage Matches" DVD in Friday’s paper: "DVD updates: For old-school Texas wrestling fans, WWE’s The Greatest Cage Matches of All Time includes a couple from Jack Adkisson’s WCCW promotion in Dallas-Fort Worth."


Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson...

Johnson’s biggest movie to date was Fast Five but he was so important in that movie’s success he was offered a job for a massive blockbuster. What role? He has landed the role of Road Block in the sequel to the hit summer movie "G.I. Joe". Johnson has posted a photo of himself along with the G.I. Joe logo and a caption that reads "It’s official. Call the Pentagon, get me my big ass gun. Rock’s a Joe" on his Twitter account.


Big Show To Appear USA Network Drama This Week...

WWE star Big Show will appear on the USA Network series "Burn Notice." The show airs Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. CT.


Kevin Nash Rumoured To Have Role In 'Rock Of Ages'...

Jim Ross on Kevin Nash's big movie role: "What's Kevin Nash up to. Oh, about 7 feet. Seriously, Kevin called me Monday on his way back from France where he wrestled on a one off event in the southern part of France and was on his way back to Miami where he's filming a movie. Kevin plays Tom Cruise's bodyguard in the film. It's a huge, $200M film w/ an all star cast."


Rumours Of Wrestling Legends Returning To WWE...

Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair and Mick Foley are the 3 prime names been talking about by wrestlers and fans of being legitimate chances to once again return to the WWE. Michael's would be more believable that the other two, but Foley is understood to enjoy solid to good relationships with many WWE top brass and wrestlers, so stay tuned.

WWE Ice Cream Bars To Return?

Will WWE Ice Cream Bars be for sale again at wrestling venues and ice cream trucks soon? During the latest WWE Raw results, wrestler CM Punk demanded the tasty frozen treats as part of his contract negotiations with Vince McMahon, to the delight of the WWE Universe. While Punk tore that contract to shreds to conclude the show, fans certainly haven't forgotten about the ice cream bars made popular in the WWF days.

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European Gaming News: Company And Brand Profiles

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

Runner Up: Virgin Casino

3rd: PKR.com

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Monday, July 11, 2011

James Bond 007 News, by Greg Tingle - 11th July 2011


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Stars Announced for Next Bond Film...

After being held back for years by significant financial dramas at MGM Studios, the 23rd James Bond film has begun casting in earnest, with Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennesboth confirmed to appear, according to The Daily Mail. Bardem, who won an Academy Award in 2008 for his villainous turn in “No Country for Old Men,” has been previously quoted by The Los Angeles Times as saying that he was in talks to play the nemesis of Daniel Craig’s 007. Fiennes’s role was not specified. Directed by Sam Mendes and partly financed by Sony, the film is slated for release on Nov. 9, 2012, and is to begin shooting this year.


Bond Gets A New Drink...

New James Bond author has created a tipple for fans of the suave superspy to sip as they read his new book, Carte Blanche.

Bestselling writer Jeffery Deaver is getting rave reviews for the book and he mixed up the new Bond cocktail during an appearance on MSNBC's Dylan Rattigan Show on Friday.

The drink, dubbed The Carte Blanche, features a double shot of Crown Royal, a half measure of triple sec, two dashes of bitter and a twist of orange peel.

Bond's traditional tipple has always been a Martini, "shaken not stirred."


Naomie's Licence To Thrill...

Miss Moneypenny, 007's tart-tongued, flirtatious foil, is returning to the James Bond movies in the shape of Naomie Harris. The actress met with Sam Mendes, director of Bond 23, earlier this year and is now in the final stages of negotiations to play the long-running Bond girl -- although, strictly speaking, Moneypenny isn't a Bond girl at all; she's the assistant to Bond's boss, M. Naomie made her name in Danny Boyle's film 28 Days Later, but is known from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. She did her best work in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, The First Grader (an enjoyable low-budget recent release) and Danny Boyle's National Theatre production of Frankenstein, in which she played the leading lady opposite Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. The actress is poised to appear alongside Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes and Judi Dench when filming begins later this year. The Moneypenny character, who holds the rank of Lieutenant RN, hasn't been seen in a Bond picture since Samantha Bond played her in Die Another Day back in 2002, when she appeared with Pierce Brosnan.

New James Bond 'GoldenEye' Game To Debut This Month...

Activision is reloading the golden gun to take another shot at reviving a James Bond video game relic.

The game publisher plans to unveil a new 007 shooter based on the 16-year-old Pierce Brosnan flick, "GoldenEye," at a news conference later this month, said a spokeswoman helping organize the Activision event.

The formal announcement is to take place on July 20 in San Diego at the annual Comic-Con expo. There, Activision will also show upcoming games in the "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" series.

Activision Publishing registered Web domains last month suggesting the title of the new Bond game may be "GoldenEye 007: Reloaded."

The next Bond film, which is codenamed Bond 23, is scheduled to open in theaters on November 9, 2012.

"GoldenEye" was neither the highest grossing nor the most memorable Bond movie. But the "GoldenEye 007" game resonates with many people, even today.

In the late '90s, the four-player shooting game was part of a nightly ritual at many college dormitories and after-school meet-ups.

Rare, which created "Donkey Kong Country" and was later acquired by Microsoft, developed the cult classic, and Nintendo published it exclusively for the Nintendo 64 console.

Rare's and Nintendo's divorce, along with Activision becoming the exclusive rights holder to develop Bond games, has spun an elaborate web that has left the original "GoldenEye 007" landlocked. Nintendo and Microsoft have been unable to come to terms on how to redistribute the game.

Rare's "Perfect Dark," a futuristic spy franchise, was billed as the spiritual successor to "GoldenEye." Several "GoldenEye" designers left Rare to form a studio called Free Radical Design, which develops the "TimeSplitters" games.

But the "GoldenEye" name, story and characters hold a special place in many gamers' hearts. Seeing that opportunity, Activision remade the game and released "007: GoldenEye" for Nintendo's Wii in November. Developer Eurocom replaced Brosnan's likeness with that of Daniel Craig, the current Bond actor.

The Wii is not typically associated with first-person shooter games, and the "GoldenEye" reboot didn't necessarily break that mold. But Eurocom has said it was satisfied with the sales.

Treyarch developed a recent Bond game, based on the "Quantum of Solace" film. Most recently, it made "Call of Duty: Black Ops." Treyarch was not tapped to make the upcoming "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3," and it has not said what its next project will be.

Game industry watchers suggest the new "GoldenEye" will be released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, two systems where shooting games have thrived.

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Sunday, July 10, 2011

WSOP Main Event: Fred Berger Leads After Day 1a - 8th July 2011

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The World Series of Poker Main Event kicked off Thursday with 897 players participating on Day 1a, the first of four starting days in poker’s biggest showcase. The field was down about 20 percent from the 1,125 entrants that participated in 2010 — not surprising given the lack of online qualifiers from the major sites indicted by the Department of Justice on Black Friday.

The Day 1a chip leader was Fred Berger, who bagged 209,500 chips at the end of five levels Thursday night. The Las Vegas native took the lead in the final hour, winning a massive pot from former November Niner and bracelet winner Scott Montgomery. Berger had Jh-9h on a 8c-6h-2h-Js-Jc board, giving him trip jacks, and Montgomery was sent to the rail after he pushed all of his chips in on the river with two pair, jacks and eights.

Berger is no rookie at the WSOP; he has 13 cashes at the WSOP in his career, including victory in a $3,000 Pot Limit Hold ‘em event in 2002. Berger defeated Chris “Jesus” Ferguson heads up for the bracelet and a prize of $197,400. In total, Berger’s live tournament cashes eclipse $1 million.

Joining Berger at the top of the leaderboard are Shane Sigsbee (182,600), Kyle Burnside (159,050), Cedric Annen (155,400), and Michael Bena (150,350). Among the notables with healthy stacks at the end of the day included 2011 bracelet winner David Diaz (139,150), Sebastien Ruthenberg (117,000), Jonas Klausen (116,075), Raymond Rahme (103,950), Jaime “pokerjamers” Armstrong (103,000), Olivier Busquet (98,975), Luke “IWEARGOGGLES” Staudenmaier, and 2010 November Niner Soi Nguyen (87,325).

Four former WSOP Main Event winners took to the felt on Day 1a, including Doyle Brunson, who surprised many after announcing Monday that he would be sitting out the event. The “Godfather of Poker” apparently had a change of heart and took his seat at the ESPN Featured Table. By Level 3, Brunson had been chipped down to 4,375, and got the rest of his stack in preflop with pocket fives against the Ac-Qh of Steve Costello. The board ran out Ad-Qs-Jc-6d-2h, and Texas Dolly made his exit to a round of applause from those in the Amazon Room.

Former champions Johnny Chan, Greg Raymer and Jerry Yang also played on Day 1a, but only Chan survived, finishing with 34,000. Others making an early exit Thursday were McLean Karr, Jeff Papola, Tom Schneider, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Vanessa Selbst, Matt Affleck, John Hennigan, Isaac Haxton, Randy “nanonoko” Lew, Faraz Jaka, and Evelyn Ng.

A total of 556 players survived the day and they will combine with the survivors from Day 1c to form the Day 2a field on Monday, July 11. The players that make it through Days 1b and 1d will form the Day 2b field, which will take place on Tuesday, July 12.

Here’s a look at the top 10 stacks from Day 1a of the 2011 WSOP Main Event:

1. Fred Berger — 209,500
2. Shane Sigsbee — 182,600
3. Kyle Burnside — 159,050
4. Cedric Annen — 155,400
5. Michael Bena — 150,350
6. Lynne Mitchnick — 145,675
7. Juan Perez — 143,425
8. David Diaz — 139,150
9. Christopher Macfarland — 135,350
10. Philipp Gruissem — 133,050

Day 1b gets underway Friday at 12:00 p.m. local time. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for continuous updates from the 2011 World Series of Poker from the Rio in Las Vegas. (Credit: Poker News Daily)

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Media, Technology And Community Entrepreneur To Speak At Bondi Beach Church on July 10th

Media, Technology And Community Entrepreneur To Speak At Bondi Beach Church on July 10th...

JULY 10: Dr. Geoffrey Sykes

Virtual Selves, Avatars and Life in the Spirit - Towards a Theology of Media

Geoffrey has taught media studies at the Universities of Western Sydney and Wollongong, and published and lectured widely in this country and in prominent overseas institutions in the areas of media, communication and semiotics. He has produced and directed several videos, which have been broadcast on SBC, ABC and Foxtel, and has wide educational distribution and sales. Currently, he has several works in progress, He is an established playwright, with over 20 professional productions. In recent years he has curated a successful program of arts and theatre at the Bushchapel Helensburgh, and is currently expanding this to include video classes and activities.

Paul Virilio, a French Catholic theologian, coined the term 'virtuality' as part of negative criticism of the illusion and false values of mass media. His work belongs in a late twentieth century tradition of critical theory about media - including Baudrillard and the Frankfurt School - that stresses the false consciousness or simulacrum of media effects. The word virtuality has found more positive, though vague, meanings in popular discussion about media - especially new media like games. The talk will seek to re-claim a richer, yet thoroughly positive and theological sense of the term 'virtuality'. While maintaining it as a media term, the paper will also begin to reclaim the rich religious sense of the term "avatar", a sense that has been lost in its bowdlerized, common use as computer jargon. The paper will distinctly link both terms to New Testament forms of spiritual identity, as well as using them to provide an explanation of some of the continuing and transformative effects of media in our society. Is the church equipped to meet the opportunities of new media? What are the implications of fast broadband and the NBN? Can we argue for a new society and spirituality, based on a theology of self and community? Can we re-evaluate Christian thinking while embracing the full potential of contemporary media? The presentation will have two parts - a talk or paper, followed by an open discussion about the paper and also about any issues to do with media, theology and the spirituality or the church. Geoffrey will also briefly mention plans for community media.

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Australian Gambling News, by Greg Tingle - 10th July 2011


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Australian gambling continues to be red hot. We've got political fun and games, casino developments, revamps, and more. Media Man with the latest and greatest from down under...


Violence At Crown Casino; Punters Death Sparks New Claim...

A Melbourne bloke says he was bashed by about eight Crown Casino security guards who chased him out of the casino and left him a crimson mask. The 40-year-old man's case is 1 of at least 5 being handled by Melbourne law firm Arnold Thomas and Becker involving Crown security staff. The punter alleges that after a verbal war of words with security guards late last year, he was chased out of the casino and bashed by the group of guards. He alleges he was then dragged further down the road, possibly to remove him from the view of cameras, where he was again assaulted. A report was made to police, but a spokeswoman said they were unable to comment on the progress of the investigation. Solicitor Michel Margalit said one case currently being handled by the firm involved a security guard who had been allegedly bashed by a patron. "Our firm has been involved in an alarming number of cases involving allegations of violence at Crown Casino," she said. "It is extremely concerning that these incidents appear to continue at one of Melbourne’s major entertainment venues." The revelations come after 40-year-old Anthony Dunning died in The Alfred hospital on Thursday following a dispute with Crown Casino bouncers on Sunday. Dunning was in the casino's Velvet Room about 10.30pm when he was pushed to the ground and pinned to the floor by up to 6 casino bouncers for 6 minutes. The cause of his death has not been determined. Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles, of the homicide squad, said CCTV footage of the encounter shows a clearly intoxicated Dunning being escorted from the crowded casino. "From what I can see on the video footage, I don't think that he has done anything to provoke them [the guards, but] I can't hear what's being said," he said. "Maybe he said something which gave them some belief that he was going to do something, so it's critical to actually ascertain what was being said." He said the footage showed Mr Dunning was not struggling while he was held down, with his legs, arms and head pinned to the floor, for up to six minutes. While he was on the ground Mr Dunning fell unconscious and suffered a cardiac arrest. Crown Casino did not contact police about the incident, despite having what Senior Sergeant Iddles said was a "moral obligation" to do so. Mr Dunning's friend, Matthew, suffered a broken nose and fractured arm during the same scuffle with guards. Matthew alerted police at 10am on Monday, when Dunning was on life support. A post mortem is being carried out on Dunning’s body to determine the cause of death. Punters and guards are urged to respect one another to keep further incidents at a minimum. The recent casino bashings have been damaging for Australian casinos, namely Crown, but insiders say the casino will bounce back and that the investigation appears genuine.


Crown Casino Patron Suing MSS Security; Casino Gets More Bad Press...

A punter ho claims he was knocked for six by a bouncer aka guard at Crown casino is suing a security firm for damages. As police investigate the death of Crown patron Anthony Dunning this week, it can be revealed that Waqas Ali Khan, 23, is suing MSS Security over an unrelated incident. Khan claims he suffered facial injuries, a fractured jaw, and psychological injuries, including stress, anxiety and depression, according to court documents. Khan was out with friends when he ended up at the casino early on August 1 last year. "He goes out on a Saturday night to have a good time with his mates and he ends up in hospital," said his lawyer, Nowicki Carbone partner Nunzio Tartaglia. He said a security guard had been talking to one of Khan's friends because he believed he was taking a video on his phone, and Khan went to his friend's aid. "A lot of it he does not remember, because he was knocked out," Tartaglia said. "Friends told him he was punched. It was totally unprovoked, from our account." Tartaglia said Khan had had four months off work as a result, and was seeking damages. Khan has filed a writ in the County Court against MSS Security, which he alleges was contracted to provide security services at the venue. Another man told the Herald Sun yesterday that about a year ago, security staff at the casino had tackled him and a friend to the ground and started hitting them, after they'd been asked to leave for being too loud. The man, who wanted to be known only as Tom, claims they were put in thumb locks, mocked, and forced to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep. He alleged they were taken into a back area of the casino and thrown against walls.
"I was pretty scared, to be honest," said Tom, now 22. "It was like a movie. I couldn't believe they would take you out the back and beat you up." A criminal lawyer, who did not want to be named, said it was possible that if the security guards involved in the incident with Dunning were found to have caused his death, they could face manslaughter charges. He said reasonable force could be used for protection, but it could not be excessive. "It must be proportionate to the threat faced." Nowicki Carbone partner Tony Carbone said that a "minute of madness" could cost people dearly. Not only could those involved in violence face charges, but they could be sued; any judgment could hang over their heads for 15 years, and in some cases could lead to bankruptcy. MSS Security and Crown Casino are not commenting.


Land Based Casino Robin Hood Blackjack Ace To Give Back In Australia...

Meet the modern day Robin Hood. He spends a lot of his time on the gambling floors of casinos, taking his winnings and donating them to the needy.

Not much is known about the secretive American but we know this...He plays blackjack under the pseudonym Robin Hood 702, and he is excellent at it. A high-stakes player, he wins thousands of dollars at a time.

He gambles in disguise, donning beards, glasses and hats. And he will visit down under next month to "steal" from our land based casinos and give away his winnings. He has asked Australians to visit his website and nominate a person or family in need of help - such as victims of natural disasters, illness or financial hardship.

"I will then pick a family or individual and fly them to the casino for the weekend, all expenses paid, and while they're enjoying the betterments of life I will be down at the casino playing blackjack for them," Hood advised.

He's given away $1 million plus to date. When he loses, the people Hood has chosen to help still get 50% of their bills paid, even if it means digging into his own savings.

He helped one American family wipe away more than $35,000 in debt, which they had accumulated from medical expenses while their three-year-old daughter battled brain cancer. He gave another woman more than $20,000 to care for her elderly parents.

He has also been known to wander around food courts pretending to be homeless, asking people for a bite of their sandwich and giving hundreds of dollars to those who say yes.

Hood's snack for winning big began when he was introduced to blackjack at 16. "First time I played, I won $122," he said. "I thought I broke the bank. Boy, was I wrong."

He practised his game by watching and learning but he does not like to play online.

He speaks of gambling with the likes of the late, great Kerry Packer..."he was a big gambler" - and being inspired by the late media mogul's generosity. But his mother, whom he cared for before she died, is his biggest motivation. "I watched my mother as a child help other people and do kind things and I just want to do the same."

Though he is much discussed on internet gambling websites and forums, he shies away from talking about his personal life with his Maid Marian (who calls herself Lady Greice) and does not show off his wealth.

"I try to keep the focus more on the gift, and not on the person giving it.
I also want to inspire other Robin Hoods, perhaps doctors and lawyers or business executives, who may consider giving to people in need. I would like to see an army of Robin Hoods."

Readers wishing to nominate themselves or someone they know to Robin Hood 702 can do so at www.robinhood702.com Good luck and be merry.


Star City At Sin City To Reach For The Stars, Dolphins And Whales...

Sydney's Star City is to relaunch in September with a brand new look and new name - The Star.

September 15 is set to be the day of the huge happening.

Looking to establish itself as Sydney's must-see tourist destination, owner Echo Entertainment Group has built an entertainment precinct which insiders say rivals that of Melbourne's Crown Casino complex and Perth's Burswood Dome.

"Until now, Star City did not realise its fullest potential as much beyond a casino," The Star's managing director Sid Vaikunta told the press "Our entire goal here is to, just like a star, create multiple reasons for people to be here. The casino is one amenity amongst several. In the past, the casino has been one amenity of one.

"For us, creating multiple reasons to be here, multiple reasons to come back, that is the fundamental shift from where it has been to where we are going."

Echo Entertainment, which de-merged from Tabcorp last month, has spent $860 million to bring The Star up to scratch with the aim of countering the highly competitive gaming market booming in Macau and Singapore.

In May, gambling and media king James Packer, who has controlling interests in Melbourne and Macau's Crown complexes and Perth's Burswood Casino, controversially said Australia's tourism industry was tired and under siege from more competitive Asian countries.

World Economic Forum figures show Australia's ranking in travel and tourism competitiveness dropped from fourth place in 2008 to an unlucky 13th.

"The market Australia should be aiming for is the affluent and rising middle-class Asian market," Packer said. "That is who Australia needs to be aiming for, because we are too far from Europe and too far from America."

Star City in Sydney faced the double problem of having to wrestle with the gaming growth in Asia as well as the strong offerings of Crown and Burswood.

Crown and Burswood will "complement" The Star and hopefully bring more tourists to Australia as a whole, Vaikunta said.

"This country deserves more than one casino that is talked about and no doubt, The Star should be that to Sydney," he said.

The new development will include restaurants from some of the world's top chefs, among them David Chang, Adriano Zumbo and Stefano Manfredi, as well as a raft of entertainment outlets and retail from everyday fashion to high-end stores.

Echo Entertainment will continue to use its 2000-seat Lyric Theatre, hosting Hairspray The Musical, and is planning a much bigger, world class, entertainment centre with a 4000-seat capacity. A five-star hotel will open later this year, adding 171 rooms to the apartment-style and tower hotel offerings already containing 479 rooms.

Architects have "flipped" the building, meaning Pirrama Rd will provide the main entrance to the complex instead of the previously used Pyrmont St.

"In the past we have been introverted and non-inclusive in our architecture but now we're opening up to the harbour and the city of Sydney," Vaikunta said.

While trying to entice more foreign visitors, Vaikunta said it was also vital Sydneysiders embrace the new precinct. For Echo this also meant coming up with a new name.

"What became clear to us is that Star City is in a beautiful city already, the city of Sydney. We are not a city within a city. So it became a very easy job of just eliminating the word city completely," Vaikunta said.

"First and foremost, The Star has to become a destination for Sydney.

"It has to become a place that Sydney is proud of, a place that becomes a part of the landscape of Sydney. If we are able to deliver, it will become a star within the city."

It'll bring new life to entertainment.

Sporting a new 4000-seat theatre in the planning to open next year, The Star aims to establish itself as Australia's top live entertainment venue.

Its owner, Echo Entertainment Group, has set its goal to attract top international performers like Prince and Elton John for several week residencies as well as big-budget stage productions.

"Sydney is hungry for an events centre that is close, that can accommodate 4000 people with high-end bars, not a bad seat in the house, the best acoustics, and to have it all here," The Star's managing director Sid Vaikunta said.

Illustrating the calibre of artists The Star is targeting, Sir Elton will play two nights at the Lyric Theatre in November as part of extended re-launch celebrations.

And multiple Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey will headline the Sam Mendes-directed play Richard III in the Lyric Theatre for 11 performances from December 1.

Complementing the current facilities, a ton of new and exciting offerings are planned for the precinct.

As well as world-class restaurants with top chefs, the new entertainment centre is planned to house major events such as televised award ceremonies (such as the ARIAs) as well as extended runs of shows for big-name artists and performance troupes like Cirque du Soleil.

"Until the events centre and our entertainment centre is built, we don't really get to throw the kind of events we want to throw," Vaikunta said. "We can explore a production or a review show once the event centre is in place.

"But the potential to have a headline artist, much like Celine Dion did in Las Vegas, or Prince or Elton John, for a headline artist to come here to a city like Sydney, which they love, to have hotel suites and penthouses that they can stay in to do three - or four-week shows is an absolute winning formula."

Las Vegas casinos are famous for having high-profile entertainers as resident artists, performing runs that can go for years. For instance, Celine Dion performed for five years from 2002 at Caesars Palace, Barry Manilow played the Las Vegan Hilton for five years until December 2009, while Prince is performing every Friday and Saturday at The Rio.

"We'd be more likely to bring out big stars for, say, a 12-week run over summer than permanently," Mr Vaikunta said.

CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS...

David Chang - Legendary NY chef will open Momofuku

Teage Ezard - Melbourne favourite will open a contemporary Australian grill

Stefano Manfredi - The famous Italian will treat diners to modern Milanese cuisine

Chase Kojima - To run a contemporary Japanese restaurant in the new five-star hotel

Flying Fish and Chips - Sydney restaurant Flying Fish will operate a fish and chip outlet

Golden Century - An offshoot of the Chinatown institution will open

Adriano Zumbo - MasterChef’s dessert superstar will open a patisserie showcasing his famous treats

SHOPPING...

More than 20 retail stores, featuring leading luxury brands will be found at The Star

The 5500m2 space, also featuring dining outlets, will connect the hotel, refurbished casino and other entertainment venues

PARTIES...

Cherry - A new stylish cocktail bar with views of Sydney Harbour

Rock Lily - A live music bar has opened already, staging Good Charlotte

Lyric Theatre - Currently hosting Hairspray The Musical, seats 2000 people

Concert venue - A 4000-seat entertainment centre to open late 2012

International artists - Elton John and Kevin Spacey begin an influx of OS stars

Halo Bar - showing sport 24/7 on 50 LED big-screen TV

GAMBLING...

300 gaming tables

High rollers flown in via private jet...a Bombardier Global Express XRS

VIP gaming - New luxury area is under construction on level 17

New five-star hotel - 171 rooms including four high-roller suites with butlers

Other - ask the friendly staff and management


Australian Soft Rockers Air Supply To Perform In Michigan, USA...

Island Resort and Casino - Mark it down. July 22 and 23, Australian soft rockers Air Supply will perform at the casino in Harris in the U.P. Tickets are $25.
Tickets are at www.islandresortandcasino.com


Pullman Cairns First Hotel In Australia To Introduce Optimum Service Standards To Boost Chinese Inbound Market - 15th June...

The Pullman Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns has been announced as the first hotel to be accredited to Accor’s new Optimum Service Standards for Chinese Visitation, paving the way for the hotel to attract greater numbers of Chinese visitors to North Queensland.

The formal accreditation follows this week’s announcement in Cairns by Federal Tourism Minister, Martin Ferguson, of a new 10-year strategic plan aimed at boosting China’s inbound tourism to Australia. He extolled the tourism industry to more actively cater for the Chinese market, which is the fastest growing inbound market for Australia, and already worth over $3 billion a year to the economy.

Earlier this year, Accor - Australia’s largest hotel group with 150 hotels under brands such as Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel and Mercure – announced that it would implement an Optimum Services Standards program for hotels in its group that aimed to attract large-scale visitation from the Chinese and Indian markets. It involved hotels implementing a wide range of services to cater for the specific needs of these two growth markets, and only hotels that met (and maintained) these standards would be accredited to pitch for this business.

Recognising the potential of Chinese inbound for the Cairns and Tropical North Queensland markets, the Pullman has led the way with adopting services to meet the needs of the emerging China market. These include translation of in-room collateral and the Welcome Kit to Mandarin, Mandarin speaking staff available to handle guest queries, all reception staff trained to give basic greetings in Mandarin, Chinese breakfast and mini-bar items, green tea and comfort items such as slippers.

In addition, the Pullman has implemented training for all staff on Chinese cultural practices, so that they can better understand the specific needs and requirements of Chinese travelers.

Commenting on the accreditation, Pullman General Manager, Adrian Williams, said that he was very pleased that his hotel was playing a pioneering role in the national push for more Chinese inbound tourists.

“The growth in Chinese inbound isn’t new, but the pace of the growth highlights the need for the industry to really look at what is being provided for Chinese travelers and to enhance the offer, because this market represents a significant future for our tourism industry,” said Mr Williams.

“Many of the measures under the Optimum Service Standards program are fairly straightforward, but it sends a strong signal to Chinese operators that Australia is not only welcoming their clients, but going out of their way to ensure they feel as comfortable as possible when they are here.

“Cairns and far North Queensland have so much potential for this market. The Great Barrier Reef is the primary draw-card, but Cairns has many other attractions - natural and man-made - that our ideal for Chinese tourists. The climate is appealing, our infrastructure is well developed, there is good shopping and entertainment, high quality restaurants, and our prices are very competitive.

“It was very encouraging that Tourism Minister Ferguson chose Cairns to launch the new China strategy here in Cairns, so it is now up to us operators to translate the strategy into action on the ground.

“The Optimum Service Standards will hopefully lead other North Queensland operators to follow suit and really look at the specific needs of Chinese travelers.”

Pullman Reef Casino Cairns is the largest hotel, tourism and entertainment complex in Far North Queensland, offering 5-star accommodation, the award-winning Tamarind restaurant, the Cairns Wildlife Dome (where visitors can view Australian wildlife icons such as kangaroos, koalas and crocodiles), a range of cafes, bars and shopping, and the Reef Casino.


Casino Slashes Number Of Planned Pokies...

The operators of the Alice Springs casino have reduced the number of extra gaming machines it had planned to install. Earlier this year, Lasseter's Casino started work on a $35 million project that it said would include 100 more poker machines. Shortly after, the Northern Territory Licensing Commission said it had not approved any increase in gaming machine numbers. It said it would take community concerns into account when deciding. Local social welfare groups raised concerns the increase would adversely affect the relatively high proportion of low-income local residents in the central Australian town. The casino released a statement saying the increase is now 30 machines. It said the decision had been made after "community liaising". The extra machines are scheduled to be installed by the end of next year. The casino expansion project is scheduled due to be finished by early 2013.


Former Online Casino A To Head Up Anti Cyber Crime Unit In Australia...

The was the need to create a "hunter" to combat cyber crime in Australia, an expert with a background in online casino design has warned.

Recently appointed Asia-Pacific director of the Global Institute for Cybersecurity + Research, Australian cyber security expert Craig Wright advised there was a lack of fundamental skills in security training.

"Things like .NET have become very sexy. But from a security point of view, assembly language coding has far more relevance," Dr Wright said.

The GICSR is an international non-profit organisation seeking to advance a comprehensive range of cyber security initiatives, cyber innovations and research. It is funded by a range of organisations including the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security in the US.

"When you are reverse engineering malware, you need to have knowledge right down to the base level first, and there is little being done about it anymore," Dr Wright said.

"We are not going into the depth that is necessary to fight, combat and find where the cyber crime initiates."

Dr Wright, an adjunct lecturer at Charles Sturt University, said there should be a focus on creating security specialists with a deeper knowledge base.

"So when a piece of malware or some other code comes out they can understand it at a fundamental level, they can start reverse engineering it, they can pull it apart and see how it was created," he said.

Dr Wright, who designed the architecture for the world's first online casino, Lasseter's Online (no longer online), in the Northern Territory, will focus on establishing a regional centre of excellence in cyber security for the GICSR.

In the past, Dr Wright has also designed and managed the implementation of a number of the systems that protect the Australian Stock Exchange.

The centre of excellence will involve the region's leading research organisations and universities and will initially focus on establishing doctoral research projects in cyber security priority areas such as cyber extortion, identity theft and money laundering.

"The attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated and we are not banding together to actually fight it yet," he said.

Dr Wright said the GICSR would look to establish similar relationships with regional intelligence agencies, governments and security vendors to those that it has in place with the groups in the United States.

The focus of the relationships would be to assist government, industry and security vendors to be much more aligned to cyber threats.

"Until we start approaching this collaboratively and thinking internationally, we are going to have huge problems and they are just going to get worse."


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