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Saturday, October 15, 2011

Professional wrestler detained over Mexico casino firebomb - 5th October 2011

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A former pro wrestler suspected of helping to mastermind the August firebombing of a land based casino which left 52 people dead has been detained by Mexican authorities.

In Mexico, pro wrestlers are often called luchadores, where as in the US and Australia, they are often referred to as "sports entertainers", as they are in the "sports entertainment" business.

Federal police detained Jose Alberto Loera Rodriguez and two suspected accomplices on a road in northeastern Mexico on Tuesday, said Luis Cardenas Palomino, regional coordinator of the Public Security Ministry.

Police also confiscated drugs and weapons, including 15 AK-47 rifles and two grenade launchers, he added.

Armed men set The Casino Royale in Monterrey ablaze on August 25 in one of the deadliest attacks in nearly five years of shocking drug violence in Mexico. Forty-two women were among the victims.

Authorities last week detained another suspected mastermind of the attack, Roberto Carlos Lopez Castro, in the suburbs of the western city of Guadalajara.

Nine other suspects have been detained, including a police officer and suspected members of the Zetas drug gang.

Authorities blame the Zetas – a gang set up in the 1990s by ex-elite soldiers turned hired killers – for torching the casino because its owners refused to pay protection money.
A surge in violence in Nuevo Leon is blamed on a turf war between the Gulf drug gang and the Zetas, its former enforcers.

More than 41,000 people have been killed across Mexico since the federal government in 2006 launched a crackdown against drug cartels, according to official data and media tallies.

The last time a pro wrestler got a similar amount of negative media reports from a serious crime was in 2007 when Canadian Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son, then committing suicide. Since Benoit's suicide, numerous explanations for his actions have been proposed, including concussions, steroid abuse, and a failing marriage.

On June 25, 2007, police entered Benoit's home on a "welfare check" after several missed appointments, leading to concerns. The officers discovered the bodies of Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their 7-year-old son Daniel at around 2:30 p.m. EDT. Upon investigating, no additional suspects were sought by authorities. It was determined that Benoit had committed the murders. Over a three day period, Benoit had killed his wife and son before he hanged himself. His wife was bound before the killing. Benoit's son was drugged and likely unconscious before Benoit strangled him. Benoit then committed suicide with a weight machine.



Mexico casino attack kills 53 - 26th August 2011

An arson attack on a casino in Mexico has sparked a massive fire and killed at least 53 people.

The attack occurred in the northern Mexican industrial city of Monterrey, the governor of the state of Nuevo Leon said.

Governor Rodrigo Medina announced the grim toll in an interview with the Televisa network, adding that the vast establishment, the Casino Royale, had been set ablaze using some kind of flammable liquid "like gasoline."

President Felipe Calderon condemned the attack, calling it an "abhorrent and barbaric act of terror" in a message on Twitter and expressing his solidarity with the people of Nuevo Leon, of which Monterrey is the capital.

"An unacceptable act of terror has been committed that will not go unpunished," added national security spokesman Alejandro Poire.

Casinos in Monterrey have recently been targeted because some owners have refused to pay protection money demanded by criminal gangs linked to the country's booming drugs trade, local media have reported.

For more than a year Monterrey has been the epicenter of a battle between the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, two powerful drug smuggling groups vying for control of the lucrative routes north to the United States.

Mr Medina said the attack was carried out by six men who arrived at the casino in two vehicles around 4 pm (2100 GMT) on Thursday local time.

Some men entered the casino "and screamed out 'everyone hit the floor'," a witness who spoke on condition of anonymity told Mexican media.

"I don't know if there was a weapon that makes such a noise, but an impressive explosion followed - I never want to go through something like that again," said the witness, who fled to the rooftop with a friend to escape the flames.

The state head of civil protection, Jorge Camacho, said that the death toll was so high because many people hid in bathrooms and offices when they heard the explosions instead of heading to the emergency exits.

They were trapped by the flames, and many died of smoke inhalation, he said.

It took firefighters four hours to control the flames, and Mr Medina warned that more bodies could be found inside the casino. Firefighters had to knock large holes in the building's wall to reach the second floor.

Mr Calderon ordered interior minister Francisco Blake to Monterrey to head the government probe into the attack.

Only a few years ago, Monterrey had been seen as one of Mexico's safest cities.

But Nuevo Leon state and its capital, which is home to four million people, have seen an increasing amount of drug-related violence, with more than 70 people killed in Monterrey last month alone.

Nearly 850 people were killed in the state in the first half of the year, compared to 278 murder victims for all of 2010, according to a tally by the national newspaper Reforma.

More than 41,000 people have died in violence linked to Mexico's organized crime gangs since Mr Calderon launched a military crackdown on them in December 2006, according to media counts and official figures.


Ex-wrestler accused over casino firebombing - 5th October 2011

Mexican authorities have detained a former wrestler suspected of helping mastermind the August firebombing of a casino in the northern city of Monterrey, which left 52 people dead.

Federal police detained Jose Alberto Loera Rodriguez and two accomplices on a road in north-eastern Mexico on Tuesday, said Luis Cardenas Palomino, regional coordinator of the Public Security Ministry.

Police also confiscated drugs and weapons, including 15 AK-47 rifles and two grenade launchers, he added.

Rodriguez reportedly wrestled under the name of 'El Voltaje' (The Voltage).

Armed men set the Casino Royale ablaze on August 25 in one of the deadliest attacks in nearly five years of shocking drug violence in Mexico. Forty-two women were among the victims.

Authorities last week detained another suspected mastermind of the attack, Roberto Carlos Lopez Castro, in the suburbs of the western city of Guadalajara.

Nine other suspects have been detained, including a police officer and suspected members of the Zetas drug gang.

Authorities blame the Zetas - a gang set up in the 1990s by ex-elite soldiers turned hired killers - for torching the casino because its owners refused to pay protection money.

A surge in violence in Nuevo Leon is blamed on a turf war between the Gulf drug gang and the Zetas, its former enforcers.

More than 41,000 people have been killed across Mexico since the federal government in 2006 launched a crackdown against drug cartels, according to official data and media tallies.

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Slots Spinning in the Grave at PartyCasino; Halloween Casino Games Promotion

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PartyCasino's latest slots promotion is about Halloween. With the spooky event coming up at the end of the month, PartyCasino.com is providing players with plenty of awesome prizes.

To begin with players can win up to $500 cash simply by playing any of the four remotely Halloween themed slots. These slots are Full Moon Fever, Graveyard Bash, Monster Money and Resident Evil. All are well worth checking out.

Once playing these slots, you'll earn points and as soon as you earn five points you'll start winning prizes. The prizes range from 100 reward points to a $10 cash bonus up to $500 cash.

The promotion began earlier this month and will end on October 31 so be sure to play your way to as many points as you can before then.

PartyCasino is the world's largest and most established online casino brand. The brand is owned and operated by Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, as listed on the London Stock Exchange.

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Brock Lesnar targets WWE: The Undertaker and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, by Greg Tingle - 14th October 2011

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News Scoop: Andre The Giant Slot Gaming Coming Soon


UFC and former WWE man monster, Brock Lesnar, is ready to rock, roll and rumble, this time back into the gaming industry.

The former heavyweight champion (UFC and WWE), along with his manager / agent, Paul Heyman, are also interested in suitable business opportunities, and Australian based media agency, Media Man, took the initiative to test the waters in Asia Pacific via some online media exposure and tactics.

As far as we know, the only time Lesnar has ever actually set foot on Australian soil to date was back in 2002 as part of the WWE 'Global Warming Tour', after taking Hulk Hogan's spot on the card, Lesnar having injured Hogan's back (so the storyline went). Hogan didn't make the 2002 Australian tour, but finally got down under in November 2009 with his 'Hulk-A-Mania' tour, but that's another story brother... and sisters.

The Minnesota monster, who left the world of pro wrestling to brawl as a pro mixed martial artist, rocketed to pinnacle of the heavyweight roster in the Ultimate Fighting Championships and realised his dream of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion after only four career matches.

The title reign ended in Lesnar's third title defence, when he was stopped dead in his tracks inside the first round by Mexican American Cain Velasquez.

As Lesnar told the media: "On any given day anyone can beat anyone. It happened to me too".

He's currently on the comeback trail to the UFC following a illness, yet Lesnar has told the press in a number of US interviews that he may be tempted back to the WWE... yes, the pro wrestling circus. Well, we don't really think its a circus, but some detractors do.

Quizzed if he would return to the WWE for one more match, Lesnar told ESPN, "I think under the right circumstances I will."

"I think if Vince McMahon and I were able to sit down at the same dinner table and break some bread that we could come up with some kind of game plan...I think a lot of things have to fall in the right places for something like that to happen."

Lesnar's ties with the WWE media and marketing machine have been re-established with the news that he will feature in their upcoming video game, WWE 12, and he has also featured in a viral video to help promote the launch of the game.

The ex WWE champ has hinted that he'd very much like to take on The Undertaker (Mark William Calaway), who has never lost at the showcase event WrestleMania.

"There's a guy that's been on a winning streak for a long time that somebody needs to step up to the plate and finish the winning streak," Lesnar told IGN.

Shawn Michaels, Big Show, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Ric Flair and a host other others have all tried and failed. Yes, we know that pro wrestling has predetermined winners, but suspend disbelief with us if you will.

And he had some special words for one of the most popular WWE stars of all time, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

"There's another side of me that says if there was a chance for me to come back to fight a guy, it would be the guy that I was supposed to fight that chicken-sh**ted out on me and didn't show up, and that would be 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin."

"At the end of the day, my life, my character and my profession - I take them very seriously. At the end of the day, if it doesn't help me or my family out, and it doesn't make sense for me to do, then I don't do it. Everything would have to fall in the right place, but would I consider it? Absolutely."

Lesnar is due to return to mixed martial arts action and face off against former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and K-1 Grand Prix kickboxing champion, Alistair Overeem, in a heavyweight superfight at UFC 141. The match will headline the event at the famous American entertainment and gaming venue, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in 'Sin City' Las Vegas on December 30th. Lesner will be looking for his jackpot Christmas present - the big win.

We can also confirm that Lesnar in interested in other gaming and branding opportunities, perhaps following the lead of fellow monsters Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash and the late, great, Andre The Giant. He is also understood to be keen to further explore online gaming opportunities. The Wrestling News Media network is following up for more details. Don't change your dial.

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DiCaprio may take codebreaker role after Great Gatsby in Sydney, by Greg Tingle - 14th October 2011

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Leonardo DiCaprio may be enjoining a working holiday or sorts (more working we understand), while enjoying the company of models in and around The Star (formally Star City Casino), but he's still thinking ahead.

As just about all of Australia, if not the world knows by now, 'Our Leo' is currently filming Bazmark's The Great Gatsby at Fox Studios, Moore Park. Ok, yes, he's catching up with a model or two also when the opportunity arises.

It's now been revealed that DiCaprio is tipped to play Enigma codebreaker Alan Turing in a biopic feature of the famed British mathematician.

Various media reports are surfacing that Warner Bros. have outbid several indi studios with a seven figure cheque for the rights to the 'The Imitation Game'...penned by virginal screenwriter Graham Moore...as Leo is keen as a Skippy kangaroo to play the lead.

Now get this. Turing was prosecuted by British thought police after the war for having a sexual relationship with another man, and forced to undergo "chemical castration" rather than being sent to prison for his sexuality.

The genius mathematician and computer scientist committed suicide by eating an apple laced with cyanide and it is claimed Steve Jobs named his company Apple as a tribute to him. We are not suggesting Jobs was gay, but readers will make their own minds up on that point.

Turing appeared to be written out of the 2001 film Enigma, about the Bletchley Park codebreakers, despite being the leading figure in World War II.

Dougray Scott's character Jerico seemed to resemble Turing, but he was heterosexual and had an affair with Kate Winslet's character.

Director Ron Howard is said to be interested in the film, but no deals have yet been made.

Leo, who will next be seen playing the title role in Clint Eastwood's J Edgar, has been shooting Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.

Not long after that, he is due to play the bad guy in Quentin Tarantino's controversial spaghetti western Django Unchained.

For the world's producers and directors, let's hope Leo doesn't get too carried away with the Aussie spirit of "Work hard, play harder", as is likely to hold true at his current residence - an entire floor of The Star, thanks to the generous folks at Echo Entertainment and Star, many of which the management team just happen to be Leo's fellow Americans.

Long live the Australian - Hollywood - AussieWood connection. Thus far Leo's gamble to do Australia for business and pleasure looks to be paying off. Kendal Schuler and a bush tucker bag of Aussie models are not commenting. Baz sure seems happy with Leo's "down under" visit. Leo, you're throw of the dice.

News just in: Paramount Pictures is currently developing a remake of The Gambler with the original producers, Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler. Intended as a new directorial project for Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio has snatched the lead and William Monahan will write the screenplay.

Websites

The Star

Echo Entertainment

Baz Luhrmann - Bazmark official website

Fox Studios Australia

Casino News Media

Pokie proposal a win-win, Greens say - 14th October 2011

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Limiting poker machines to $1 bets and $500 jackpots is a win-win for all sectors of the gambling industry, Greens leader Bob Brown says.

The Greens have put forward an alternative gambling policy that eliminates the need for controversial mandatory pre-commitment on low-intensity poker machines.

Gambling clubs and operators, including James Packer's Crown Casino, have reportedly set up a $40 million war chest to fight mandatory pre-commitment.

Senator Brown described the Greens' policy as a "win, win win", as it would satisfy the pokie operators while dealing with the $5 billion scourge of problem gambling and satisfying anti-gambling campaigners.

Brown said in Melbourne national politicians felt a responsibility to tackle the problem.
"There's no doubt some clubs will, and potentially casinos and state governments will, see a loss in revenue," he said.

"But this is very well targeted, so that loss in revenue is not going to come from the 90 per cent of ordinary gamblers who put a few dollars through the machines each week, but the problem gamblers," he added.

Greens gambling spokesman Senator Richard Di Natale said he had sent the policy to anti-gambling campaigners Andrew Wilkie and Nick Xenophon, the other independents and the Federal Government.

"We think it's really important that in a very toxic debate, particularly with the clubs running a deceptive campaign in the way that they are doing, that we put another option on the table," he said.

"It gives us more chance of success.

He added it won't get rid of problem gambling altogether, but would have a significant impact and would reduce the risks for problem gamblers.

Mr Wilkie said he was pleased the Greens' policy dovetailed with his reforms, which included $1 bets and mandatory pre-commitment on high-intensity machines.

"I'm continuing to work with the Federal Government to implement our reforms, which have not changed in any way," he said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she was committed to helping problem gambling but wanted venues which would allow people "a good night out".

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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Australian Casinos And Sports Use Celeb Push Of Gambling

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G'day punters, sports nuts, one and all. Australia continues to be one of the world's hot spots for gambling and casino news. Sports stars and celebs are a couple of the biggest weapons gambling companies are using to promote gambling down under.

Australian Casinos, Clubs, Poker, Sports Use Celebs To Promote Gambling...

A boom in online sports betting has seen punters' overall losses double in 5 years.

Sports commentators (mainly in cricket, and to a lesser extent, AFL and NRL) are feeding the gambling beast and some say, putting Aussie kids at risk.

Pick the odds the promoters shout. "Check out our betting promotions", says a sports commentator, and you get the picture.

The leap in online betting firms and smartphone tech has allowed Aussies access to would you believe 2319 or so online gambling websites.

Say G'day to Alex Blaszczynski, a psychologist who is treating a growing number of sports betting addicts. He's called for a crackdown on how gambling is marketed.

"These sports stars are role models that people look up to," Prof Blaszczynski said.

"My concern is over the next few years we're going to see a steady rise in sports-related problem gambling."

Aussie punters are tipped to lose $611 million via online sports betting this year, up from $264 million in 2006, Global Betting and Gaming Consultants figures state.

Total sports betting is much higher as the amounts do not include bets through phone calls, TAB outlets and some sports betting sites also offer casino games.

One commentators called the marketing campaign techniques "blitzkrieg" in nature, which sounds pretty effective, if not evil.

Sporting figures spruiking brands, promos and odds during matches are very big.

"That is normalising gambling. Let's be sensible about it now and have a balance of appropriate advertising," Prof Blaszczynski said.

We understand there were 24 new sports betting clients at Prof Blaszczynski's University of Sydney gambling treatment clinic last year...a 70% jump from 14 new clients the previous year.

Organisations Relationships Australia and Gamblers Anonymous also told press of a new trend towards problem sports betting.

Addiction concerns come as match fixing now beats drugs as sport's biggest challenge, says numerous insiders.

Sports betting was the vice of choice, or brand of poison if you will, for a growing number of passionate gamblers, driven by smartphones which provide constant internet access, according to Southern Cross University researcher Dr Sally Gainsbury, who is conducting a major survey of the nation's gamblers.

"My figures indicate sports gambling is the fastest growing form of gambling in Australia," Dr Gainsbury said.

"Within Australia and internationally these online gambling companies are increasing their expenditure on marketing, anywhere from 30 to 50% in the last year alone.

"For problem gamblers there's that trigger, that impulse to gamble. For children...there is this link between the celebrity or sporting figure endorsing a gambling site.

"Kids look at that as something to aspire to. That certainly is of concern."

Mission Australia's Queensland state director Penny Gillespie said there was a growing sense sport could only be enjoyed with a bet.

"For children, they're are going to grow up thinking sport goes hand-in-hand with gambling."

On an international scale with online casinos, bingo and poker PartyGaming has used retired Formula 1 racing car drivers Jaime Alguersuari Giancarlo Fisichella to promote PartyPoker and cricket identity Phil 'Tufers' Tufner to promote both PartyCasino and their poker brand. Virgin's Richard Branson has also placed himself in the spotlight to promote his poker and bingo brands, thanks to a look-a-like animated character Ricardo Jalapeno. Party are regarded the strongest gambling brand linked to Hollywood, with an emphasis on games with themes such as The Godfather, The Terminator, Saturday Night Fever, Mission: Impossible and more. More and more Aussiewood and Hollywood themes are being used as the battle for the entertainment and gambling dollar continues to heat up.

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Leonardo DiCaprio to Star in The Gambler Remake, by Greg Tingle

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Paramount Pictures are revisiting the 1974 movie with Martin Scorsese in the director's chair and recently landed Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading role. The script about a literature professor with a gambling addiction is being written by William Monahan, who also wrote The Departed, another Scorsese-DiCaprio film. It wouldn't even be the first remake DiCaprio will have worked on this year — he recently finished work on Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby. Nor would it be the first or even second time he'll have worked with Scorsese. In fact, this would be the fifth time, with their joint titles including last year's Shutter Island and the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator, for which DiCaprio won a Golden Globe in 2004.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Star Casino Hosts Leonardo DiCaprio; Casino VIP Super Whale With Models, by Greg Tingle

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Media and insider reports state is dating Sydney model Alyce Crawford, Murdoch's The Daily Tele that Leonardo DiCaprio has been gifted a whole floor at The Star (formally Star City Casino) to live in during his four-month stay.

He's been bunkered down there since passing on his former Vaucluse digs because of privacy issues (unwelcome paps), casino spies have revealed that Echo Entertainment top brass Larry Mullin was so keen to get DiCaprio under their roof that a whole floor was transformed into a luxury super-suite.

"Mountains were moved," said our friend at The Star, who reckons the famous actor has a private entrance to his Astral Tower pad to evade the paparazzi.

"The entire thing was refurbished and rebuilt from scratch. It cost a fortune but the directive was 'spare no expense'."

Asked about the plush situation for 'Our Leo' at Star, Tabcorp: "No comment."

DiCaprio does apparently say G'day on occasion with casino workers and others who cross his path.

"He was spotted in Black By Ezard and kept his cap on and head down and didn't engage with anyone. And a few nights later Hugh "Wolverine" Jackman was in there and couldn't have been nicer," said the deep throat.

"He was chatting to staff and taking pictures and having a great time. It was interesting to see the difference."

His ex-girlfriend Blake Lively has moved on, as has Bar Refaeli, with the model photographed in an embrace with Pierre Sarkozy, 25, the son of French Prez Nicolas Sarkozy, at the Paris nightclub Rasputin.

Stay tuned as Media Man and its ever growing "spy" network. As 'Our Leo' says, 'Catch Me If You Can' (and no, it won't likely be at The Star casino).

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


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Monday, October 10, 2011

Marvel Entertainment News: Four Post-Avengers Movies In The Works, by Greg Tingle - 10th October 2011

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Captain America The Avengers Spider-Man Fantastic Four The Hulk Comics Movies





Who doesn't like a good superhero movie (or game) from our friends at Marvel Entertainment? That's what we thought.

You have to hand it to Marvel Entertainment and their movie production partners - they have been on a roll for the past few years.

Thor was awesome, so was Iron-Man 1 and Iron-Man 2, Captain America: The First Avenger - fantastic, and upcoming The Avengers may prove to be Marvel's best flick ever.

The Avengers, coming in May we understand, has signed Robert Downey Jr and its directed by Joss Whedon, so that's an awesome start.

Marvel president of production Kevin Feige recently went on record with Entertainment Weekly that Adventures of Tintin co-writer Edgar Wright "developed an excellent draft recently" for the movie. Nathan Fillion is tipped to play Henry Pym/Ant-Man.

Iron Man 3, opening in the US May 2013, re-teams Downey with Shane Black (Lethal Weapon). The writer-director, who launched Downey’s comeback in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, has a gift for creating funny as stuff.

Thor 2 is also in the works, although without Shakespearean-actor-turned-action-director Kenneth Branagh at the helm. It's understood that Patty Jenkins, who helped propel Charlize Theron to an Oscar with Monster, will direct The Nine Worlds sequel.

Media Man readers, what's you're thoughts on the upcoming Marvel Entertainment movies? What Marvel Entertainment games have you played, or would like to play? Should Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Virgin Games, or another gaming brand get the next batch of Marvel Entertainment slot games? What other lines of Marvel merchandise would you like to see released?

The coming year sure looks to be as great for Marvel fans as the previous. As Marvel living legend Stan Lee would say, Excelsior!

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Pokie reform may 'kill' Gillard - Abbott - 10th October 2011

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The proposed poker machine reforms could be the issue that kills Prime Minister Julia Gillard's leadership, says Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

The Labor caucus is not behind the reforms that will force gamblers to pre-set the amount of money they're prepared to lose on the pokies, Mr Abbott told Triple M radio on Monday.

"There's only one person in a position of influence who really wants it and that's Julia Gillard because she needs it to stay in government," he said.

"But I don't think the Labor caucus like it. I think if she tries to ram it through, if she's still the prime minister, this could be (the issue) which kills her."

Labor plans to adopt mandatory pre-commitment systems for high-intensity poker machines by 2014 as part of an agreement with Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

Mr Abbott says the shadow cabinet will meet in the coming days and announce a formal position on poker machine reforms "shortly".

"But I don't like it, it's not Liberal party policy," he said.

"This is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut, it will be very, very expensive, hundreds of millions of dollars at least to introduce and it's not going to work.

"If you're a problem gambler, you can set your pre-commitment at such a level but you can still gamble enormously.

"And if there aren't pokies, there's the internet."

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Sunday, October 09, 2011

MGM Resorts Online Game to Attract New Customers - 5th October 2011

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MGM Resorts International is moving into social gaming in an effort to attract more gamblers to its casinos, said MGM Chief Executive Jim Murren at casino industry conference last Wednesday.

The firm fully expects to soon announce a new social media game, he said, that would be along the lines of Zynga Inc.'s popular online game FarmVille. It would allow players to pretend to be casino moguls, he said.

The game-playing industry and gambling industries, he said, "are on a collision course."

Murren was speaking at the keynote address Wednesday at a conference entitled the Global Gaming Expo.

Murren didn't provide more details about the plans. Among hospitality companies, Marriott International Inc. has created an online game that allows players to manage a virtual hotel restaurant. Marriott's game is designed to be an employee recruiting tool rather than for acquiring customers.

Murren indicated MGM's game would be for trying to grab new customers.

"The demographics of (online) gamers are really right in the strike zone of the gaming industry," Murren said, pointing to the connection between non-gambling gamers and gamblers.

MGM is also among several large casino companies pushing hard for Internet gambling to become legal in the U.S.

MGM generates most of its revenue from casinos on the Las Vegas Strip and also owns around half of a casino in the robust gambling enclave of Macau. The company's stock price has lost nearly half its value since July on concerns of the U.S. economy and, more recently, concerns about a slowdown in growth in China. The company is still carrying a massive amount of debt.

Murren has consistently been among the most upbeat among gambling operators regarding the future of Las Vegas, even in depths of the recession of a couple years ago. He said he sees a wide gulf between what he thinks the company's stock price is and actual financial results and outlook.

"I turned my Bloomberg off about three weeks ago," Murren quipped.

After a deep downturn, both MGM and Las Vegas as a whole have shown signs of sustained but slow improvement in gambling revenue this year. Still, some observers are concerned by continued bad economic signs.

"We have exceeded our forecast and that of the street the last two quarters and had a nice third quarter as well," he said. "The market is valuing us about where we were three years ago in the teeth of recession and it just doesn't connect with me because we don't see anything inside our business that would suggest that that is accurate."

The company is optimistic about growth in Macau, he said, and has developed designs and plans for a new casino there. MGM and other casinos are awaiting government approval for their new projects.

His comments about Macau echoed those of Michael Leven, president of competitor Las Vegas Sands, who on Saturday said at a conference in Las Vegas that the company doesn't see negative signals there despite investor concerns.

MGM is also working on developing around 20 non-casino projects throughout China, Murren said.

Media Man is following up.

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Exciting News for Online Poker Site, PKR as USA Legalisation of Gambling Sites Edges Closer - 6th October 2011

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The popular UK 3D poker site, PKR could soon go transatlantic and launch in the US after the American Gaming Association's (AGA) contributed to the push for online poker regulation in the country.

Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., president and CEO of the AGA, commented: 'There are no longer any good reasons to put USA citizens at risk by continuing to outlaw online poker in the U.S.' The statement comes after the USA Justice Department tried to shut down illegal gambling sites but the number of Americans playing online poker unprotected continues to grow.

PKR has established itself as one of the most playable and secure online poker websites in the UK over the last five years. The campaign in the US for lawful online poker now has the backing of certain state reps from Massachusetts and the prospect of legalisation could open the gates for PKR to expand into a massive market.

The AGA had once condemned online gambling altogether and only changed their opinion due to reports of a threat of unregulated sites currently endangering American players. The prospect of US legalisation of online poker could be potentially huge for PKR as their fully regulated and licensed site already has the foundations to become a massive hit among gamers in the States.

Massachusetts state rep, Dan Winslow also added to the argument for legalisation by arguing the flailing US economy could benefit from the introduction of online poker because of the jobs it will create in game design and regulatory software upkeep - a notion America's 14 million unemployed will welcome.

Back in the UK, it's business as usual for PKR for the meantime but they are very excited by the suggestion of expanding their business across the pond. A spokesperson for the poker games site commented:

'It is still early days yet but it would be a massively exciting prospect to take PKR to the States. The whole regulation of online poker sites debate is unlikely to be resolved overnight however, but at PKR we will be watching closely as we are always keen to develop playing opportunities to improve the gaming experience for everyone'.

It is rumoured the AGA campaign may prompt online poker legislation on a state level first before the whole nation accepts it. However, the campaign certainly looks to have some weight behind it and as far as PKR is concerned, it is a matter of watch this space.

To find out more about PKR or to join in the fun, sign up today www.pkr.com


About PKR

PKR is a revolutionary new concept in online poker that has changed the way the game is played.

Featuring stunning real-time 3D graphics and a uniquely engaging and immersive gaming system, PKR brings an unparalleled and previously unseen level of realism to online poker.

Developed by some of the brightest stars in the video games and poker industries, PKR continues to be the most innovative poker room in the world.

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