Sly Stallone, one of the Gambling911 favorite celebs (and casino entrepreneurs) is back in the news on an international scale, and no, its not PR spin on The Expendables this time. Our main man has run a red light and got his balls busted by the strong arm of the law. Cafes from Beverley Hills to Las Vegas to Bondi Beach, Australia are buzzing about it. Media Man and Gambling911 take to the streets of Los Angeles with this special Rambo styled report...
With just 1 day left in month Stallone allegedly ran a red light in Los Angeles. At least one law enforcement officer tells us his was "less than cordial". Maybe a bad day on the set.
We've learned via the grape vine bush telegraph that cops watched as Sly failed to come to a total standstill at a stop sign near the Beverley Hills border. He then finally pulled over,
Leaks say Sly did not agree with with the cops version of the events ... and was "less than cordial."
Sly, at least you didn't lose your license.
He's almost certainly a lock to do a sequel to The Expendables.
Punters and gambling experts may know the Sly is featured in a couple of games from iGaming powerhouse PartyGaming. Rambo by PartyCasino
and
Rocky, located at Noble Casino
Sly also has the distinction of selling some of his artwork to casino and hotel mogul Steve Wynn (currently in a feud with Joe Francis (Mr Girls Gone Wild) and is long time mates wit Arnie, who also has a deal with PartyGaming via 'The Terminator' online slot game.
A few years ago Sly got in trouble with the Australian law for carrying certain meds though Australia's airport system. Insiders joked that "roids are the fountain of youth".
Word of the street is the The Governator has tipped off certainly folks that California doesn't have the numbers or supports at this stage to see the full legalisation of online gambling in California. Sly and Arnie also also keen to see a full on Hollywood blockbuster movie betting exchange up and running, and with some awesome films coming up, little wonder.
Media Man Profiles
Sly Stallone
Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Expendables
Did Sly get a rough deal or not? Tell us in the forum.
Readers, know the odds (including on traffic lights), bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Australian And Asia Pacific Gambling News, by Greg Tingle - 30th August 2010
Australian and Asia Pacific gambling, gaming, casino and political news remains all the rage. Aussie James Packer with his Crown, Burswood and City of Dreams Macau remains king of the castle, but what is news is that another couple of Australian politicians have jumped on the anti gambling - anti pokie bandwagon, but it's pretty much a case of a very small but vocal minority. In the interest of balance and a fair go we give them some coverage, despite some of their message having all the signs of propaganda including using inflated statistics to try and boost their arguments. On a lighter note, kudos to PartyGaming and Richard Branson's Virgin Games for releasing a ton of more slot games responding to passionate punters. Aussie's still prefer PartyGaming's casino offering, with Virgin keenly awaiting a revamp of Asia Pacific online gambling laws (will it every happen?). Branson mate James Packer keeps his complete entertainment and lifestyle strategy, and we offer a snapshot of the great acts Crown has coming up. Media Man and Gambling911 continue to dominate the world of online gaming reporting, from Las Vegas, to Macau, down under to Australia and beyond. Enjoy the journey of discovery...
Crown Casino Getting More Top Line Entertainment Acts...
The Australian Bee Gees Show - 28 August 2010
Australian Hip Hop Championships 2010 - 18th September
Tommy Fleming - 1 - 2 October
Village People - 8 - 9 October
Cirque Mother Africa - 12 - 24 October
Bjorn Again - 18 - 21 October
Leo Sayer - 27 November
Crown Casino Hosts NAB Rising Star AFL Awards This Wednesday...
Mark it down. This Wednesday the best and brightest from Australia's AFL will converge at Crown Casino for the prestigious awards night. Let's pray we don't have any nasty surprises, given that footballers and Crown Casino enjoy a colourful history to say the least. Watch out for plastic handcuffs! Don't "do a Paris"...no white stuff permitted in or around the casino thank you.
Pokie One Armed Bandits Removed From Sydney - Kings Cross Night Club...
The pokies have disappeared from the World Bar in Kings Cross, the seedy part of Sydney's 'Sin City' with the removal of 15 machines this past week. They reckon the 8 live bands every Friday night will keep the crowd happy. Various news media reports the machines had called the venue home since early 90s (venue previously called the Rhino Bar), but have been thrown out to make way for a new space for "album launches and listening parties, spoken-word and book readings, possibly private functions and events". No word if they had the 'Black Rhino' slot, which is begging for an online casino version, alongside Cleopatra and soon Tomb Raider And Andre The Giant we're told. World Bar’s head of marketing and promotions Grant Barnes told the press that "Ditching the pokies is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, but their removal really just reflects what the people of Sydney want from their entertainment venues – it’s this shift in the market that should be applauded and encouraged. The pokies backlash isn’t new," says the bruising Barnes, "But venues reacting to the backlash perhaps is. Hopefully, it happens more and more in the near future. It really comes down to people not playing them, which is a trend that I think will continue – I mean, they’re not very exciting are they? I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t rather be watching a band." Media Man staffers reckon an Andre The Giant, Ric Flair and Hulkamania - Hulk Hogan machine would be very exciting, but admits some machines are a bit long in the tooth. How about an Avatar and Underbelly pokie - online and offline! Meanwhile, NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing, Kevin Greene, has flat out rejected a proposal by the Productivity Commission to restrict pokies to a crazy $1 bet limit... a move which would significantly impact on the viability of pokies in live venues. Following the federal election newly elected independent Andrew 'Wild & Witty' (MM tag) Wilkie and South Australian federal member Nick 'The' (MM tag) Champion have both launched renewed attacks on the one armed bandits. Think like 'War Of The Worlds' meets Clockwork Orange or something. Wilke has raised the issue as a concern in negotiations with the Liberals and Labor to form government, and Champion has spruiked that "We’ve got rivers of gold at the moment flowing to pubs and clubs and rivers of tears in the community and that’s not an appropriate situation, its not an ethical situation, and it is about time we had robust debate in the parliament on legislation that implements the Productivity Commission’s recommendations.' Smells all a bit like a media "beat up". Independent surveys state that only a small % of gamblers have problems with pokies - 2 to 10%. Bring a friend or don't start playing if you think your personality might make you play or bet more than you should.
Singapore Company Bans Management From Land Based Casinos...
A Singapore firm has basically banned its management from the country's two new casinos following reports a local businessman lost a small fortune at the gaming tables, its founder said last Friday. Mohamed Salleh, chief executive officer of retail and property firm Second Chance... funny name given the circumstances... said he had applied for casino exclusion orders for himself and 6 of his top personnel using a system designed to keep gambling addicts out of harms way. "A few days ago I read about this Henry Quek ... that lost 26 million (Singapore) dollars ($A21.69 million) at this casino, so I was thinking, why not I include all my top executives and my finance people?" he told the press. Media reports said Quek, a local seafood industry magnate, had squandered the amount over a 3 day gambling spree at the Resorts World Sentosa casino. Mohamed said his decision was also prompted by a case in which one of his managers stole gold items from the firm to pay off gambling debts before the local casinos opened the doors. "It's better to be safe than sorry," said Mohamed. Financial firm DBS said on Thursday that Singapore's 2 casino resorts are expected to contribute 2 billion Singapore dollars ($A1.69 billion) to the country's economy this year. After church and civic groups raised concern over the social impact of legalising casinos, Singapore is allowing individuals or their families to apply for exclusion orders on "problem gamblers", barring them from even entering the casinos. Perhaps this type of scenario will be a growing trend in the Asia Pacific region. Australian nor New Zealand casino top brass has commented on this specific situation as we go to publication.
Gambling operators favour regulation, not bans...
ELEANOR HALL: As the scandal over cricket corruption spreads, online gambling operators in Australia say the solution is not to prohibit sports betting but to regulate it better.
Betting in cricket is no longer just about who will win the game or the series. As we've seen, it extends to whether players will throw away their wicket, drop a catch or bowl an illegal delivery and information on injuries and team selections in the hands of a bookmaker or their agent can also influence betting plunges.
But Simon Santow reports that while cricket officials accept that betting is a problem for the game, they say they don't know how to put an end to it.
SIMON SANTOW: Malcolm Speed was once the chief executive of the International Cricket Council. He says he's not surprised by the recent revelations.
MALCOLM SPEED: It looks a fairly compelling case. The News of the World, they do this sort of thing very well and it is very graphic.
SIMON SANTOW: Malcolm Speed would like the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit to take a fresh look at the Sydney Test. He says dealing with corruption and sports betting is a long-term project.
MALCOLM SPEED: When I was involved Lord Condon, the former head of Scotland Yard was the head of the anti-corruption and security unit and his consistent message to the board and to me was, this hasn't gone away. The same corrupt bookmakers and gamblers are out there. We need to work very hard with the players. We need to make sure that the players are aware of the consequences because they will be back.
SIMON SANTOW: Malcolm Speed says that draconian steps, such as banning Pakistan from competing, could be next.
MALCOLM SPEED: I think that is an option. It is serious. It looks as though it is endemic, that several of the team members are involved and have been for some time so perhaps they need a rest.
SIMON SANTOW: On the other side of the world in Pakistan, there's grief, anger, and disgust about the scandal.
Shahid Hashmi is a cricket writer and commentator. He spoke to Radio National from Karachi.
SHAHID HASHMI: The people now easily believe that their cricketers are prey to all such illegal practices so they now believe and it is nothing shocking for them but still they would like this investigation to be completed and they demand that strict action be taken against all those who are involved and once and for all Pakistan cricket should be purged from all these elements.
SIMON SANTOW: Shahid Hashmi says the latest scandal is one thing but just as concerning is the lack of action from Pakistan authorities when team management expressed similar concerns after the Sydney Test in January.
SHAHID HASHMI: The then coach Intikhab Alam, assistant coach, Aaqib Javed, level serious allegations during an enquiry so why the case was swept under the carpet by Pakistan Cricket Board. Now it is up to the Pakistan Cricket Board to take a strict action and clean Pakistan cricket once and for all. If it doesn't happen people won't watch cricket anymore. *for the full story please visit ABC (Special thanks to ABC: The World Today)
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s2997143.htm
Adelaide, South Australia: SkyCity Casino To Get $250m Upgrade...
Casino chain SkyCity says a planned expansion in Adelaide will cost up to $250 million. SkyCity has told the Australian Securities Exchange the casino will be expanded towards the banks of the River Torrens as part of the South Australian Government's Adelaide exciting riverfront development. It said the expansion would include new gaming facilities, a sports bar and restaurants, plus new car parking. The company advised it remained subject to a range of approvals. GM David 'Cashed Up' (MM tag) Christian said the expansion would be a key part of the riverfront development. "Being a beautiful old heritage building, we want to keep that grandeur where we can and put some attachment to the north side of the building that links in and fits in with the whole precinct development," he said. SA Independent Senator Nick 'Mr X' (MM tag) Xenophon says any Adelaide Casino expansion would increase problem gambling and ultimately cost jobs! "The State Government needs to assure the people of South Australia that any expansion of SkyCity Casino won't lead to an increase in problem gambling or, worse still, a relaxation in regulations because SkyCity is putting this money into the state," he said. "The fact is gambling is a job killer, not a job creator, in net terms." MM and Gambling911 did tip you off that the haters were ramping up. If we may say so, thank god for an array of fair and balanced press to help present the full picture. Casinos, both land based and online help create jobs. In fact Australian casino king James Packer has created 100s of jobs via his Crown Limited group, and this is tied in with the GenerationOne project which has sustainable employment opportunities for indigenous Australians as a key part of its model. Readers will also likely be familiar with some of the successes of Native American owned and operated casinos in the U.S.
Readers, is it time for Crown and Burswood to get their own branded online casino games like 'Underbelly' and 'Kerry Packer'? Has Crown now got its security levels to the right level? What other developments would you like to see at Packer's world of entertainment? What's your favorite casino games and why? Tell us in the forum.
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Media Man Australia
Media Man Asia
Media Man Canada
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Global Gaming Directory
Crown Casino Getting More Top Line Entertainment Acts...
The Australian Bee Gees Show - 28 August 2010
Australian Hip Hop Championships 2010 - 18th September
Tommy Fleming - 1 - 2 October
Village People - 8 - 9 October
Cirque Mother Africa - 12 - 24 October
Bjorn Again - 18 - 21 October
Leo Sayer - 27 November
Crown Casino Hosts NAB Rising Star AFL Awards This Wednesday...
Mark it down. This Wednesday the best and brightest from Australia's AFL will converge at Crown Casino for the prestigious awards night. Let's pray we don't have any nasty surprises, given that footballers and Crown Casino enjoy a colourful history to say the least. Watch out for plastic handcuffs! Don't "do a Paris"...no white stuff permitted in or around the casino thank you.
Pokie One Armed Bandits Removed From Sydney - Kings Cross Night Club...
The pokies have disappeared from the World Bar in Kings Cross, the seedy part of Sydney's 'Sin City' with the removal of 15 machines this past week. They reckon the 8 live bands every Friday night will keep the crowd happy. Various news media reports the machines had called the venue home since early 90s (venue previously called the Rhino Bar), but have been thrown out to make way for a new space for "album launches and listening parties, spoken-word and book readings, possibly private functions and events". No word if they had the 'Black Rhino' slot, which is begging for an online casino version, alongside Cleopatra and soon Tomb Raider And Andre The Giant we're told. World Bar’s head of marketing and promotions Grant Barnes told the press that "Ditching the pokies is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, but their removal really just reflects what the people of Sydney want from their entertainment venues – it’s this shift in the market that should be applauded and encouraged. The pokies backlash isn’t new," says the bruising Barnes, "But venues reacting to the backlash perhaps is. Hopefully, it happens more and more in the near future. It really comes down to people not playing them, which is a trend that I think will continue – I mean, they’re not very exciting are they? I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t rather be watching a band." Media Man staffers reckon an Andre The Giant, Ric Flair and Hulkamania - Hulk Hogan machine would be very exciting, but admits some machines are a bit long in the tooth. How about an Avatar and Underbelly pokie - online and offline! Meanwhile, NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing, Kevin Greene, has flat out rejected a proposal by the Productivity Commission to restrict pokies to a crazy $1 bet limit... a move which would significantly impact on the viability of pokies in live venues. Following the federal election newly elected independent Andrew 'Wild & Witty' (MM tag) Wilkie and South Australian federal member Nick 'The' (MM tag) Champion have both launched renewed attacks on the one armed bandits. Think like 'War Of The Worlds' meets Clockwork Orange or something. Wilke has raised the issue as a concern in negotiations with the Liberals and Labor to form government, and Champion has spruiked that "We’ve got rivers of gold at the moment flowing to pubs and clubs and rivers of tears in the community and that’s not an appropriate situation, its not an ethical situation, and it is about time we had robust debate in the parliament on legislation that implements the Productivity Commission’s recommendations.' Smells all a bit like a media "beat up". Independent surveys state that only a small % of gamblers have problems with pokies - 2 to 10%. Bring a friend or don't start playing if you think your personality might make you play or bet more than you should.
Singapore Company Bans Management From Land Based Casinos...
A Singapore firm has basically banned its management from the country's two new casinos following reports a local businessman lost a small fortune at the gaming tables, its founder said last Friday. Mohamed Salleh, chief executive officer of retail and property firm Second Chance... funny name given the circumstances... said he had applied for casino exclusion orders for himself and 6 of his top personnel using a system designed to keep gambling addicts out of harms way. "A few days ago I read about this Henry Quek ... that lost 26 million (Singapore) dollars ($A21.69 million) at this casino, so I was thinking, why not I include all my top executives and my finance people?" he told the press. Media reports said Quek, a local seafood industry magnate, had squandered the amount over a 3 day gambling spree at the Resorts World Sentosa casino. Mohamed said his decision was also prompted by a case in which one of his managers stole gold items from the firm to pay off gambling debts before the local casinos opened the doors. "It's better to be safe than sorry," said Mohamed. Financial firm DBS said on Thursday that Singapore's 2 casino resorts are expected to contribute 2 billion Singapore dollars ($A1.69 billion) to the country's economy this year. After church and civic groups raised concern over the social impact of legalising casinos, Singapore is allowing individuals or their families to apply for exclusion orders on "problem gamblers", barring them from even entering the casinos. Perhaps this type of scenario will be a growing trend in the Asia Pacific region. Australian nor New Zealand casino top brass has commented on this specific situation as we go to publication.
Gambling operators favour regulation, not bans...
ELEANOR HALL: As the scandal over cricket corruption spreads, online gambling operators in Australia say the solution is not to prohibit sports betting but to regulate it better.
Betting in cricket is no longer just about who will win the game or the series. As we've seen, it extends to whether players will throw away their wicket, drop a catch or bowl an illegal delivery and information on injuries and team selections in the hands of a bookmaker or their agent can also influence betting plunges.
But Simon Santow reports that while cricket officials accept that betting is a problem for the game, they say they don't know how to put an end to it.
SIMON SANTOW: Malcolm Speed was once the chief executive of the International Cricket Council. He says he's not surprised by the recent revelations.
MALCOLM SPEED: It looks a fairly compelling case. The News of the World, they do this sort of thing very well and it is very graphic.
SIMON SANTOW: Malcolm Speed would like the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit to take a fresh look at the Sydney Test. He says dealing with corruption and sports betting is a long-term project.
MALCOLM SPEED: When I was involved Lord Condon, the former head of Scotland Yard was the head of the anti-corruption and security unit and his consistent message to the board and to me was, this hasn't gone away. The same corrupt bookmakers and gamblers are out there. We need to work very hard with the players. We need to make sure that the players are aware of the consequences because they will be back.
SIMON SANTOW: Malcolm Speed says that draconian steps, such as banning Pakistan from competing, could be next.
MALCOLM SPEED: I think that is an option. It is serious. It looks as though it is endemic, that several of the team members are involved and have been for some time so perhaps they need a rest.
SIMON SANTOW: On the other side of the world in Pakistan, there's grief, anger, and disgust about the scandal.
Shahid Hashmi is a cricket writer and commentator. He spoke to Radio National from Karachi.
SHAHID HASHMI: The people now easily believe that their cricketers are prey to all such illegal practices so they now believe and it is nothing shocking for them but still they would like this investigation to be completed and they demand that strict action be taken against all those who are involved and once and for all Pakistan cricket should be purged from all these elements.
SIMON SANTOW: Shahid Hashmi says the latest scandal is one thing but just as concerning is the lack of action from Pakistan authorities when team management expressed similar concerns after the Sydney Test in January.
SHAHID HASHMI: The then coach Intikhab Alam, assistant coach, Aaqib Javed, level serious allegations during an enquiry so why the case was swept under the carpet by Pakistan Cricket Board. Now it is up to the Pakistan Cricket Board to take a strict action and clean Pakistan cricket once and for all. If it doesn't happen people won't watch cricket anymore. *for the full story please visit ABC (Special thanks to ABC: The World Today)
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s2997143.htm
Adelaide, South Australia: SkyCity Casino To Get $250m Upgrade...
Casino chain SkyCity says a planned expansion in Adelaide will cost up to $250 million. SkyCity has told the Australian Securities Exchange the casino will be expanded towards the banks of the River Torrens as part of the South Australian Government's Adelaide exciting riverfront development. It said the expansion would include new gaming facilities, a sports bar and restaurants, plus new car parking. The company advised it remained subject to a range of approvals. GM David 'Cashed Up' (MM tag) Christian said the expansion would be a key part of the riverfront development. "Being a beautiful old heritage building, we want to keep that grandeur where we can and put some attachment to the north side of the building that links in and fits in with the whole precinct development," he said. SA Independent Senator Nick 'Mr X' (MM tag) Xenophon says any Adelaide Casino expansion would increase problem gambling and ultimately cost jobs! "The State Government needs to assure the people of South Australia that any expansion of SkyCity Casino won't lead to an increase in problem gambling or, worse still, a relaxation in regulations because SkyCity is putting this money into the state," he said. "The fact is gambling is a job killer, not a job creator, in net terms." MM and Gambling911 did tip you off that the haters were ramping up. If we may say so, thank god for an array of fair and balanced press to help present the full picture. Casinos, both land based and online help create jobs. In fact Australian casino king James Packer has created 100s of jobs via his Crown Limited group, and this is tied in with the GenerationOne project which has sustainable employment opportunities for indigenous Australians as a key part of its model. Readers will also likely be familiar with some of the successes of Native American owned and operated casinos in the U.S.
Readers, is it time for Crown and Burswood to get their own branded online casino games like 'Underbelly' and 'Kerry Packer'? Has Crown now got its security levels to the right level? What other developments would you like to see at Packer's world of entertainment? What's your favorite casino games and why? Tell us in the forum.
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Australian Gambling And Political Wars Reach New Level, by Greg Tingle - 30th August 2010
The Australian gaming, casino and political wars are reaching new heights, with at least 2 Aussie MP's seemingly making it their mission in life to take on the pokies. Some insiders say they should get a a life, with others say they are fighting the good fight. Yep, Australia's thought police are having another crack. What's interesting in that most agree that further regulation would be a good thing, but for most change isn't happening soon enough, despite the release of the Australian Productivity Report into gaming and gambling. Media Man and Gambling911 probe the relationship between politics and Aussie casinos, gaming and gambling...
Much stronger regulation of Australia's $10 billion slot machine aka "pokie" industry may become a significant issue in determining the nation's next government, after a independent lawmaker called for gambling reform this past Friday.
MP Andrew 'Wild & Witty' (MM tag) Wilkie is one of (gang of) 5 cross-bench lawmakers who will help determine which of Australia's two major political parties form a minority government after an inconclusive election.
The 'wild and witty' one called for a crackdown on slot machines, blaming them for causing addiction and misery for families.
One may pose the question, are the people or the machines this problem, or is it a combination? Or, are some MP's just looking for a point of difference and platform to stand out from the pack? Some saw a Melbourne media identity playing the anti pokies card and slogan as not much more than an elaborate media stunt.
Let's now cross for some rip snorted quotes from our learned friend...
"This in particular is one issue where I would demand reform," he told the press, joined by a sitting independent senator who has been a passionate advocate of tighter regulation. "I would not regard inaction any longer as acceptable."
Slots aka pokies are prevalent in pubs, not just casinos, and account for the majority of the gambling - gaming industry's turnover. Aussies gambled A$10.5 billion on slots in pubs and clubs in the year to June 2009, and another A$1.4 billion on machines in casinos, according to government data. Just quite how much goes to online casinos isn't as clear, and website portals such as Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory are doing well out of it, but the number is thought to be millions, perhaps billions. Let's see.. x website portals x 200 games, plus a Hitwise top ten website portal and news media... strong combo. Leading brand names such as Marvel Entertainment (Thor and Hulk etc), Paramount Pictures, Google, Sony, FremantleMedia, IGT (Cleopatra etc) and Hasbro (Monopoly) are also in on the act. The punters and casinos often prefer the branded slots, as they command a loyal audience.
Listed Aussie companies that are plugged into slot machine revenues include gaming and wagering groups Tabcorp Holdings, Tatts and Crown Limited as well as Aristocrat Leisure, which just happens to be the world's 2nd largest maker of pokies aka "one armed bandits".
Regulation of gambling sits with Australia's 6 states, but national and state governments work together, or so they say, to ensure a coordinated approach to regulatory issues.
The states currently rely heavily on taxes from slots but they also rely on Canberra for funding support, which is understood to give the national government leverage in areas of state influence. You know, 'How to win friends and influence people'. Look it up, if you haven't already. It's a great read.
Wilkie said he desired single bets limited to A$1 ($0.89) each and players prevented from spending more than A$120 an hour. Currently, players can wager as much as A$10 every time they activate the bandit. Some say the 'thought police' should but out, but others say some people need protection from themselves, so the machines need to be adjusted or replaced. Cleopatra was not open to an interview on the matter when probed... just kidding... inside joke.
"This is something that will reduce the hurt," he said. The witty one went on to add that that 40-50% of slot-machine losses were suffered by problem gamblers, but many media commentators have disputed his % claim saying its closer to 2 - 10%, and that he's going for shock value and headlines, and needs to stick to the facts, or end up looking like a goose... one without a golden egg.
Wilkie advised he would raise his plan during his meetings with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and with opposition leader Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott, set for today at this stage.
Both Gillard's Labor party and Abbott's conservative coalition have been reluctant to crack down on the gambling industry because of its funding importance to the states, which are also traditionally governed by one of the major parties.
Both mainstream news media and gaming media will be watching this space with bated breath, so don't change your dial.
Media Man Profiles
Australia
Australian Gambling
Australian Casinos
Politics
Gambling911 Politics
http://www.gambling911.com/politics.html
Readers, what's your take on the situation? What's your favorite games? Who is your favorite politician, if you have one? Should further regulation be introduced, and why or why not.
Aussie MP's may find encouragement in this classic line... One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man (Elbert Hubbard).
We can't help wondering what would have the late, great, Kerry Packer proposed if he were still with us. Maybe there's an opportunity here for Australian casino and lifestyle king, James Packer, to go public on this thoughts about the way the Australian traditional and internet gaming landscape should be further developed and regulated. Possible or 'Mission: Impossible'? Over to you Mr Packer, punters, one and all. Let them know you heard it on the Gambling911 and Media Man 'Bush Telegraph', just around the corner from 'Goanna Gold' and Bondi Beaches' Golden Mile. 'Casino Jack', stay on hold, we won't call unless we need to, or decide to add a surge of additional fun and games to the giant political chess board. Cheque, cash or Check Mate?
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good punting, and keep your politicians honest.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man Australia
Media Man Asia
Media Man Canada
Media Man Games
Media Man Brand
Media Man Network
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Global Gaming Directory
Much stronger regulation of Australia's $10 billion slot machine aka "pokie" industry may become a significant issue in determining the nation's next government, after a independent lawmaker called for gambling reform this past Friday.
MP Andrew 'Wild & Witty' (MM tag) Wilkie is one of (gang of) 5 cross-bench lawmakers who will help determine which of Australia's two major political parties form a minority government after an inconclusive election.
The 'wild and witty' one called for a crackdown on slot machines, blaming them for causing addiction and misery for families.
One may pose the question, are the people or the machines this problem, or is it a combination? Or, are some MP's just looking for a point of difference and platform to stand out from the pack? Some saw a Melbourne media identity playing the anti pokies card and slogan as not much more than an elaborate media stunt.
Let's now cross for some rip snorted quotes from our learned friend...
"This in particular is one issue where I would demand reform," he told the press, joined by a sitting independent senator who has been a passionate advocate of tighter regulation. "I would not regard inaction any longer as acceptable."
Slots aka pokies are prevalent in pubs, not just casinos, and account for the majority of the gambling - gaming industry's turnover. Aussies gambled A$10.5 billion on slots in pubs and clubs in the year to June 2009, and another A$1.4 billion on machines in casinos, according to government data. Just quite how much goes to online casinos isn't as clear, and website portals such as Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory are doing well out of it, but the number is thought to be millions, perhaps billions. Let's see.. x website portals x 200 games, plus a Hitwise top ten website portal and news media... strong combo. Leading brand names such as Marvel Entertainment (Thor and Hulk etc), Paramount Pictures, Google, Sony, FremantleMedia, IGT (Cleopatra etc) and Hasbro (Monopoly) are also in on the act. The punters and casinos often prefer the branded slots, as they command a loyal audience.
Listed Aussie companies that are plugged into slot machine revenues include gaming and wagering groups Tabcorp Holdings, Tatts and Crown Limited as well as Aristocrat Leisure, which just happens to be the world's 2nd largest maker of pokies aka "one armed bandits".
Regulation of gambling sits with Australia's 6 states, but national and state governments work together, or so they say, to ensure a coordinated approach to regulatory issues.
The states currently rely heavily on taxes from slots but they also rely on Canberra for funding support, which is understood to give the national government leverage in areas of state influence. You know, 'How to win friends and influence people'. Look it up, if you haven't already. It's a great read.
Wilkie said he desired single bets limited to A$1 ($0.89) each and players prevented from spending more than A$120 an hour. Currently, players can wager as much as A$10 every time they activate the bandit. Some say the 'thought police' should but out, but others say some people need protection from themselves, so the machines need to be adjusted or replaced. Cleopatra was not open to an interview on the matter when probed... just kidding... inside joke.
"This is something that will reduce the hurt," he said. The witty one went on to add that that 40-50% of slot-machine losses were suffered by problem gamblers, but many media commentators have disputed his % claim saying its closer to 2 - 10%, and that he's going for shock value and headlines, and needs to stick to the facts, or end up looking like a goose... one without a golden egg.
Wilkie advised he would raise his plan during his meetings with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and with opposition leader Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott, set for today at this stage.
Both Gillard's Labor party and Abbott's conservative coalition have been reluctant to crack down on the gambling industry because of its funding importance to the states, which are also traditionally governed by one of the major parties.
Both mainstream news media and gaming media will be watching this space with bated breath, so don't change your dial.
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Readers, what's your take on the situation? What's your favorite games? Who is your favorite politician, if you have one? Should further regulation be introduced, and why or why not.
Aussie MP's may find encouragement in this classic line... One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man (Elbert Hubbard).
We can't help wondering what would have the late, great, Kerry Packer proposed if he were still with us. Maybe there's an opportunity here for Australian casino and lifestyle king, James Packer, to go public on this thoughts about the way the Australian traditional and internet gaming landscape should be further developed and regulated. Possible or 'Mission: Impossible'? Over to you Mr Packer, punters, one and all. Let them know you heard it on the Gambling911 and Media Man 'Bush Telegraph', just around the corner from 'Goanna Gold' and Bondi Beaches' Golden Mile. 'Casino Jack', stay on hold, we won't call unless we need to, or decide to add a surge of additional fun and games to the giant political chess board. Cheque, cash or Check Mate?
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good punting, and keep your politicians honest.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
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Australian Sports and Politics Don't Mix finds Aussie PM, despite news media and sports media tip-off warnings
A tribute to the Matildas “incredible” World Cup run has been met with calls for a major injection of funding into the women’s game.
Aussie Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was one of the 75,000 fans who packed out to Sydney’s Olympic Park on Wednesday night to watch The Matilda's go down 3-1 in the semi-final.
Despite a number attempts on goal from captain Sam Kerr, including the moment of greatness in the 63rd minute that briefly tied the match, the Aussies couldn’t get over the line to put it mildly.
Post game Albanese was quick to run onto social media to lead the praise of the Matildas stars.
“You’ve given us all moments and memories that will last a lifetime,” he penned via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.. you know, the bird is gone and its all about X!
“Every single Matilda has brought us joy throughout this @FIFAWWC. And I have no doubt that the next generation of Matildas were watching. We'll all be cheering for you on Saturday (in the play off for third).”
But some fans weren’t too pleased with Mr Albanese’s tribute, calling for him to put his money where his mouth is!
Flip the bird and grab the ball and run with it. The balls in your court. So, you wanna mix politics and sports. Oil and water. You're in the oil river now. Sink deeper or swim.
#Matildas #soccer #politics #sports #sportsbiz #politicsandsport #politicsandsports #PM #Aussie #australia #sportsbusiness #sportsmarketing #womenssport #womenssports #sportsnews #politicsnews #politicalnews #socialmedia #x #sportsmedia #newsmedia #media
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Joe Francis Steve Wynn Battle Over Gambling Debts Gets More Insane
In our previous installment, Girls Gone Wild sleazemaster Joe Francis claimed that Las Vegas gambling tycoon Steve Wynn threatened his life. That prompted Wynn to sue for slander.
Francis claims:
"Mr. Wynn has threatened to kill me ... He said he would hit me in the back of the head with a shovel and bury me in the desert."
Wynn said that Joe is "insane".
Wynn previously sued for $2 million in unpaid gambling debts and won but Francis is appealing that decision. And now Joe has fired back with a countersuit claiming that Wynn actually owes him a discount on the debt.
Hopefully Gambling911.com readers are still able to keep score.
TMZ.com has been reporting extensively on this matter and gained access to court documents.
In the docs Francis claims that casinos regularly give big-time gamblers comps including private planes, accommodations, and food and beverage. But the suit also states that casinos provide discounts -- anywhere from 10% to 30% -- off debts for the biggest spenders. The suit claims Francis had such a discount deal with Wynn Las Vegas that began in 2007, and was arranged with Larry Altschul, executive vice president of player development for the casino. According to the suit, Altschul rescinded the discount in 2008 because the casino claimed that Francis hadn't paid his debts on time.
Francis, however, was already more than $2 million in debt. The suit claims that the casino never advised of any time constraints on the deal.
This story is not going away any time soon. (Credit: Gambling911)
Francis claims:
"Mr. Wynn has threatened to kill me ... He said he would hit me in the back of the head with a shovel and bury me in the desert."
Wynn said that Joe is "insane".
Wynn previously sued for $2 million in unpaid gambling debts and won but Francis is appealing that decision. And now Joe has fired back with a countersuit claiming that Wynn actually owes him a discount on the debt.
Hopefully Gambling911.com readers are still able to keep score.
TMZ.com has been reporting extensively on this matter and gained access to court documents.
In the docs Francis claims that casinos regularly give big-time gamblers comps including private planes, accommodations, and food and beverage. But the suit also states that casinos provide discounts -- anywhere from 10% to 30% -- off debts for the biggest spenders. The suit claims Francis had such a discount deal with Wynn Las Vegas that began in 2007, and was arranged with Larry Altschul, executive vice president of player development for the casino. According to the suit, Altschul rescinded the discount in 2008 because the casino claimed that Francis hadn't paid his debts on time.
Francis, however, was already more than $2 million in debt. The suit claims that the casino never advised of any time constraints on the deal.
This story is not going away any time soon. (Credit: Gambling911)
Pro wrestling star Luna Vachon dead at 48 - 29th August 2010
Veteran pro wrestling star Gertrude “Luna” Vachon was found dead Friday morning at her mother’s Florida home.
The Canadian-born Vachon, 48, the daughter of Paul “The Butcher” Vachon Butcher and niece of Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, had been staying with her mother after her own house was recently destroyed in a fire.
The cause of death has yet to be determined. An autopsy was scheduled for Saturday.
Vachon had been medically diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder and being manic depressive, and had battled health issues throughout her career. She attended a WWE-sponsored rehab program in 1994 due to drinking problems.
Vachon began training at the age of 16 under her late aunt, Vivian Vachon, and began her wrestling career at The Fabulous Moolah’s school in Columbia.
“All she ever wanted to do (was wrestle),” Paul Vachon once told the SLAM! Wrestling website. “Her idol was my sister, Vivian, who was a wrestler. She had been watching her ever since she was 4 or 5 years old. That’s all she ever did. I told her she was a lunatic because all she wanted to do was wrestle.”
Vachon’s gimmick for most of her career was that of a “lunatic,” an outlandish, face-painted, Mohawk-sporting, over-the-top character with exaggerated facial expressions, and a part of stables such as Kevin Sullivan’s Army of Darkness in Florida in the mid-’80s and The Oddities in WWE in the late ‘90s.
But Vachon, who last performed in WWE in 2000, also was an accomplished wrestler who enjoyed notable feuds with the likes of Alundra Blayze (Debra “Madusa” Miceli) and Sensational Sherri Martel (Sherri Schrull), and most recently had mentored WWE women’s star Natalya (Natalie Neidhart) of the Hart Dynasty.
She often lamented that the business would benefit from more women who could actually wrestle — “not just bimbos and bimbettes.”
“I am saddened to hear of the passing of Luna Vachon,” Sullivan said in a statement. “Not only was she a fantastic performer, but I was lucky enough to consider her a dear friend and I will miss her greatly. Luna was an integral part of my career and I would not have succeeded without her. We have lost a great performer and an even greater person.”
Vachon had been married three times, including twice to wrestlers Tom Nash and David “Vampire Warrior” Heath of The Blackhearts tag team, and also was once involved in a purportedly abusive relationship with veteran wrestling star Dick Slater.
Vachon, who was nicknamed “Daughter of Darkness,” became a born-again Christian in 2004 after attending an Athletes International Ministry conference, and was later baptized by fellow wrestler Nikita Koloff and her then-husband David Heath (the former Gangrel in WWE).
She had worked in recent years as a tow truck operator in Port Richey, Fla. She recently had lost nearly everything she owned when her home in Florida burned down.
Jim Ross posted on his blog at jrsbarbq.com that he and Steve Austin both conversed with Vachon at a Cauliflower Alley Club event two years in Las Vegas, and that she had gained much-needed stability in her life.
“We talked about her being diagnosed with being bipolar and her having issues with depression of which she battled on an ongoing basis for a good while,” said Ross, who worked with Vachon when he was Vice President of Talent Relations in WWE. “Luna was a battler and was a tough individual who said she was going to keep fighting the good fight, but that it wasn’t easy. Steve and I both gave Luna many words of encouragement and spent significant time with her at the CAC function, talking old times and mostly laughing about our mutual experiences. Without question, laughter is good medicine for all of us.”
“It’s a very sad day for wrestling with the passing of Luna Vachon,” said TNA star Mick Foley. “My heart is aching.”
-- “Tough” Tony Borne, a legendary performer in the Pacific Northwest for several decades, passed away Friday at the age of 84.
Borne, whose real name was Anthony Osborne, was the father of wrestler Matt Borne (the original Doink The Clown).
The nine-time Pacific Northwest heavyweight champ was perhaps best known for his tag team with “Moondog” Lonnie Mayne during the ‘60s. The two held the Pacific Northwest tag-team belts on 11 separate occasions.
Borne, whose last match was in 1981, worked full-time in the real estate business after retiring from wrestling and also was a licensed superintendent for American Kennel Club.
The Milwaukie, Ore., resident had been in poor health as of late and passed away just as his son was leaving home to board a flight to Dallas. Borne had never fully recovered after having a pacemaker placed in his heart earlier this month.
-- Johnny “Mr. Wrestling No. 2” Walker arrived in Charlotte more than three weeks ago for what he assumed would be a weekend stint at the annual NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest.
Sign some autographs, take part in some photo-ops and receive an honor at a Hall of Heroes banquet. That’s what the job required.
Unfortunately for the 76-year-old Walker, who had endured a long plane ride from his home in Hawaii, the weekend turned into a medical crisis that is now going on four weeks.
Walker experienced feelings of tiredness during Fanfest, and on Sunday, the final day of the festivities, was taken to a nearby hospital after reportedly suffering a heart attack.
Several surgeries were postponed over a near three-week period due to complicating issues, but Walker finally underwent a triple bypass operation on Friday morning, and initial reports were that the procedure was a success.
Walker likely is looking at another five to six days of recovery in the hospital.
Fans can send get-well wishes to: Johnny Walker, c/o Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.
Sixteen-time world heavyweight champion Ric Flair will be part of a TNA show Oct. 3 at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island.
The Sunday show, which starts at 6 p.m., also will feature such names as Jeff Hardy, A.J. Styles, Jeff Jarrett, The Motor City Machine Guns, D’Angelo Dinero and Angelina Love.
Tickets are on sale at www.charlestonbattery.com, or charge by phone at 1-843-971-4625. Tickets also are available for purchase at the Blackbaud Stadium box office. For more information, visit www.tnawrestling.com.
“Scott is under care in the WWE’s wellness program,” Kevin Nash said recently. “God bless Ann (Russo) and Vince (McMahon) for taking care of my friend.”
WWE has an ongoing policy in which it covers the costs for current or former wrestlers who were employed by the company to enter a rehab facility.
-- Former WWE performer Charlie Haas, who served as a pallbearer at the recent funeral of Lance Cade (Lance McNaught), told the Right After Wrestling radio show that Cade, along with the late Umaga (Eddie Fatu), were the two people who were with him when he found his brother, Rusty Haas, dead in his apartment on Dec. 14, 2001.
“It’s been a rough year for me,” he said. “Now I look at that as both of those gone in six months — my two best friends.”
Cade’s father launched a verbal assault against his son’s former employer in an article published last week in TheDay.com.
Harley McNaught responded to remarks made by former WWE CEO Linda McMahon that she “may have met him once” in regard to Cade. The wrestler, who had struggled with an addiction to painkillers before being released by the company earlier this year, died of heart failure several weeks ago at the age of 29.
“I’ve been with him on two different WWE functions where she came up to him and knew him by name,” said McNaught. “She disrespected him. She disrespected my family.”
“Vince’s stance (is) they do all this because they care about the talent,” Cade said in April during a wrestling podcast with manager Kenny Bolin. “Bull----. They care about the image of the WWE and you care about the fact that Congress was having ... hearings about this. That’s what this comes down to.”
“WWE has nearly 600 employees and about 140 performers, and I think it’s understandable that Linda may not recollect every interaction she’s had, particularly given the fact that she’s personally met with thousands of voters since resigning her position at WWE in September. Linda’s a very kind and sympathetic person, but she is human,” said Ed Patru of McMahon’s political campaign.
Patru noted that it “certainly wasn’t Linda’s intent to diminish any additional interaction she may have had.”
McNaught said his son “would have cut his arm off for Vince McMahon, but it wasn’t there in return. (Vince McMahon) don’t care any more than the man in the moon for them, other than as dollar signs.”
Linda McMahon, who is running a close race in Connecticut for a U.S. Senate seat, had come under attack several days earlier from former WWE performer Chris Nowinski.
Nowinski, who left WWE. after a concussion and now serves as an advocate and as a consultant on head injuries, accused her of “kicking dirt on the guy’s (Cade’s) grave” after McMahon told reporters that the company could no more be held accountable for the death of Cade “than a studio could have prevented Heath Ledger’s death.”
“Who knows what causes people to have addictions and do what they do,” she added.
-- Lanny Poffo told the Right After Wrestling show that his brother, “Macho Man” Randy Savage (Randy Poffo), would, “without a doubt,” accept an invitation into the WWE Hall of Fame if asked.
“But I think he would do something else. He would barter to get my father (Angelo Poffo) in there,” Poffo added. “That would be the classy thing to do. If the WWE asked my brother, I absolutely think he would say yes. He’s in a different place now that he has married Lynn.”
Savage, 57, married longtime girlfriend Lynn Payne, 55, on May 10 in Sarasota, Fla. The two met in Sarasota in 1974 when Savage was playing minor league baseball for the Tampa Tarpons and Payne was attending school at the Ringling School of Art and Design.
They dated for two years before parting ways. The couple reunited in 2001.
“Thirty-six years ago, Lynn and I met on Lido Beach,” said Savage, who was married to the late Liz Hulette (WWE’s Miss Elizabeth) from 1984-92. “I feel so fortunate that I had a second chance to marry my first love, here where it all began.”
WWE recently put out a Savage DVD, and Mattel included him in its latest WWE toy line.
-- Straight Edge Society member Serena has been released by WWE.
The 24-year-old Serena (Serena Deeb) was a six-time Ohio Valley Wrestling champ.
-- WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross gave a nice tip of the hat to late friend Gen. Skandor Akbar in a recent blog.
“In my over four decades in the wrestling biz, I don’t think I can name one man who unselfishly done more to help young wrestlers and who was more dedicated to his profession that Jim Wehba aka General Skandor Akbar,” said Ross. “Ak passed away suddenly last Thursday at the age of 75 after living a wonderful life doing what he loved more than any thing and that was being a viable and timeless participant in the world of pro wrestling. Everyone should be so lucky to have such a long, distinguished career in their chosen vocation.”
Ross attended Akbar’s funeral on Tuesday.
“It was good to see several of ‘the boys’’ at the Catholic service in Ak’s birthplace of Wichita Falls including the great Danny Hodge, Johnny Mantell, and former referees James Beard and David Manning, among many others. The drive home was equally as challenging again not because of the miles, but because I had to come to grips that I would never see my dear friend again in this life.”
-- Hardcore icon Mick Foley, promoting his book “Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal,” told MTV News that Vader and Steve Austin were the two stifffest men he ever worked with.
“I could say Vader, though a lot of people don’t remember Vader,” Foley said. “There were some things where he was hitting me so hard, and you wanted to say, ‘Did you not get the memo?’ It was just ridiculously hard.”
Foley also said Austin let the crowd work him up.
“Stone Cold in his prime was no day at the park when he was firing up for his big comeback,” said Foley. “The crowd would be so enthusiastic, and he would feed off that enthusiasm. Everyone would benefit except me.”
-- Monday Night Raw is celebrating its 900th episode this week with a show featuring performers from both brands.
-- Stephanie McMahon-Levesque gave birth to her third child Wednesday, a baby girl, making it three daughters for her and husband Triple H (Paul Levesque).
-- Birthday wishes go out to Jody “The Assassin” Hamilton, who turned 72 last week, and Lowcountry native Burrhead Jones, who turns 73 Wednesday.
Jones (Melvin Nelson), who moved to New York City four years ago, invites his fans to call him at (843) 607-5482.
Jones officially retired from Standard Warehouse in Moncks Corner in 2004. He last stepped into a wrestling ring that same year at a show in St. Stephen.
The inimitable Jones, borrowing some lines from Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons,“ sends out the following message to his Lowcountry following:
“I’m another year older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter, don’t you call me, ‘cause I can’t go; I owe my soul to the company store.”
-- Old School Championship Wrestling will present “Tag Team Wars 5” this evening at the Omar Shrine Auditorium, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant.
Former WCW and WWE performer Hugh Morrus will meet Josh Magnum in a featured bout. Also on the bill will be the annual “Team Wars” tournament in which the winners will get a shot at the tag-team title.
Bell time is at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5. Adult admission (cash at door) is $10; kids 12 and under $5. For more information, visit www.oscwonline.com or call 743-4800.
Reach Mike Mooneyham at (843) 937-5517 or mooneyham@postandcourier.com.
(Credit: The Post And Courier)
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The Canadian-born Vachon, 48, the daughter of Paul “The Butcher” Vachon Butcher and niece of Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, had been staying with her mother after her own house was recently destroyed in a fire.
The cause of death has yet to be determined. An autopsy was scheduled for Saturday.
Vachon had been medically diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder and being manic depressive, and had battled health issues throughout her career. She attended a WWE-sponsored rehab program in 1994 due to drinking problems.
Vachon began training at the age of 16 under her late aunt, Vivian Vachon, and began her wrestling career at The Fabulous Moolah’s school in Columbia.
“All she ever wanted to do (was wrestle),” Paul Vachon once told the SLAM! Wrestling website. “Her idol was my sister, Vivian, who was a wrestler. She had been watching her ever since she was 4 or 5 years old. That’s all she ever did. I told her she was a lunatic because all she wanted to do was wrestle.”
Vachon’s gimmick for most of her career was that of a “lunatic,” an outlandish, face-painted, Mohawk-sporting, over-the-top character with exaggerated facial expressions, and a part of stables such as Kevin Sullivan’s Army of Darkness in Florida in the mid-’80s and The Oddities in WWE in the late ‘90s.
But Vachon, who last performed in WWE in 2000, also was an accomplished wrestler who enjoyed notable feuds with the likes of Alundra Blayze (Debra “Madusa” Miceli) and Sensational Sherri Martel (Sherri Schrull), and most recently had mentored WWE women’s star Natalya (Natalie Neidhart) of the Hart Dynasty.
She often lamented that the business would benefit from more women who could actually wrestle — “not just bimbos and bimbettes.”
“I am saddened to hear of the passing of Luna Vachon,” Sullivan said in a statement. “Not only was she a fantastic performer, but I was lucky enough to consider her a dear friend and I will miss her greatly. Luna was an integral part of my career and I would not have succeeded without her. We have lost a great performer and an even greater person.”
Vachon had been married three times, including twice to wrestlers Tom Nash and David “Vampire Warrior” Heath of The Blackhearts tag team, and also was once involved in a purportedly abusive relationship with veteran wrestling star Dick Slater.
Vachon, who was nicknamed “Daughter of Darkness,” became a born-again Christian in 2004 after attending an Athletes International Ministry conference, and was later baptized by fellow wrestler Nikita Koloff and her then-husband David Heath (the former Gangrel in WWE).
She had worked in recent years as a tow truck operator in Port Richey, Fla. She recently had lost nearly everything she owned when her home in Florida burned down.
Jim Ross posted on his blog at jrsbarbq.com that he and Steve Austin both conversed with Vachon at a Cauliflower Alley Club event two years in Las Vegas, and that she had gained much-needed stability in her life.
“We talked about her being diagnosed with being bipolar and her having issues with depression of which she battled on an ongoing basis for a good while,” said Ross, who worked with Vachon when he was Vice President of Talent Relations in WWE. “Luna was a battler and was a tough individual who said she was going to keep fighting the good fight, but that it wasn’t easy. Steve and I both gave Luna many words of encouragement and spent significant time with her at the CAC function, talking old times and mostly laughing about our mutual experiences. Without question, laughter is good medicine for all of us.”
“It’s a very sad day for wrestling with the passing of Luna Vachon,” said TNA star Mick Foley. “My heart is aching.”
-- “Tough” Tony Borne, a legendary performer in the Pacific Northwest for several decades, passed away Friday at the age of 84.
Borne, whose real name was Anthony Osborne, was the father of wrestler Matt Borne (the original Doink The Clown).
The nine-time Pacific Northwest heavyweight champ was perhaps best known for his tag team with “Moondog” Lonnie Mayne during the ‘60s. The two held the Pacific Northwest tag-team belts on 11 separate occasions.
Borne, whose last match was in 1981, worked full-time in the real estate business after retiring from wrestling and also was a licensed superintendent for American Kennel Club.
The Milwaukie, Ore., resident had been in poor health as of late and passed away just as his son was leaving home to board a flight to Dallas. Borne had never fully recovered after having a pacemaker placed in his heart earlier this month.
-- Johnny “Mr. Wrestling No. 2” Walker arrived in Charlotte more than three weeks ago for what he assumed would be a weekend stint at the annual NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest.
Sign some autographs, take part in some photo-ops and receive an honor at a Hall of Heroes banquet. That’s what the job required.
Unfortunately for the 76-year-old Walker, who had endured a long plane ride from his home in Hawaii, the weekend turned into a medical crisis that is now going on four weeks.
Walker experienced feelings of tiredness during Fanfest, and on Sunday, the final day of the festivities, was taken to a nearby hospital after reportedly suffering a heart attack.
Several surgeries were postponed over a near three-week period due to complicating issues, but Walker finally underwent a triple bypass operation on Friday morning, and initial reports were that the procedure was a success.
Walker likely is looking at another five to six days of recovery in the hospital.
Fans can send get-well wishes to: Johnny Walker, c/o Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.
Sixteen-time world heavyweight champion Ric Flair will be part of a TNA show Oct. 3 at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island.
The Sunday show, which starts at 6 p.m., also will feature such names as Jeff Hardy, A.J. Styles, Jeff Jarrett, The Motor City Machine Guns, D’Angelo Dinero and Angelina Love.
Tickets are on sale at www.charlestonbattery.com, or charge by phone at 1-843-971-4625. Tickets also are available for purchase at the Blackbaud Stadium box office. For more information, visit www.tnawrestling.com.
“Scott is under care in the WWE’s wellness program,” Kevin Nash said recently. “God bless Ann (Russo) and Vince (McMahon) for taking care of my friend.”
WWE has an ongoing policy in which it covers the costs for current or former wrestlers who were employed by the company to enter a rehab facility.
-- Former WWE performer Charlie Haas, who served as a pallbearer at the recent funeral of Lance Cade (Lance McNaught), told the Right After Wrestling radio show that Cade, along with the late Umaga (Eddie Fatu), were the two people who were with him when he found his brother, Rusty Haas, dead in his apartment on Dec. 14, 2001.
“It’s been a rough year for me,” he said. “Now I look at that as both of those gone in six months — my two best friends.”
Cade’s father launched a verbal assault against his son’s former employer in an article published last week in TheDay.com.
Harley McNaught responded to remarks made by former WWE CEO Linda McMahon that she “may have met him once” in regard to Cade. The wrestler, who had struggled with an addiction to painkillers before being released by the company earlier this year, died of heart failure several weeks ago at the age of 29.
“I’ve been with him on two different WWE functions where she came up to him and knew him by name,” said McNaught. “She disrespected him. She disrespected my family.”
“Vince’s stance (is) they do all this because they care about the talent,” Cade said in April during a wrestling podcast with manager Kenny Bolin. “Bull----. They care about the image of the WWE and you care about the fact that Congress was having ... hearings about this. That’s what this comes down to.”
“WWE has nearly 600 employees and about 140 performers, and I think it’s understandable that Linda may not recollect every interaction she’s had, particularly given the fact that she’s personally met with thousands of voters since resigning her position at WWE in September. Linda’s a very kind and sympathetic person, but she is human,” said Ed Patru of McMahon’s political campaign.
Patru noted that it “certainly wasn’t Linda’s intent to diminish any additional interaction she may have had.”
McNaught said his son “would have cut his arm off for Vince McMahon, but it wasn’t there in return. (Vince McMahon) don’t care any more than the man in the moon for them, other than as dollar signs.”
Linda McMahon, who is running a close race in Connecticut for a U.S. Senate seat, had come under attack several days earlier from former WWE performer Chris Nowinski.
Nowinski, who left WWE. after a concussion and now serves as an advocate and as a consultant on head injuries, accused her of “kicking dirt on the guy’s (Cade’s) grave” after McMahon told reporters that the company could no more be held accountable for the death of Cade “than a studio could have prevented Heath Ledger’s death.”
“Who knows what causes people to have addictions and do what they do,” she added.
-- Lanny Poffo told the Right After Wrestling show that his brother, “Macho Man” Randy Savage (Randy Poffo), would, “without a doubt,” accept an invitation into the WWE Hall of Fame if asked.
“But I think he would do something else. He would barter to get my father (Angelo Poffo) in there,” Poffo added. “That would be the classy thing to do. If the WWE asked my brother, I absolutely think he would say yes. He’s in a different place now that he has married Lynn.”
Savage, 57, married longtime girlfriend Lynn Payne, 55, on May 10 in Sarasota, Fla. The two met in Sarasota in 1974 when Savage was playing minor league baseball for the Tampa Tarpons and Payne was attending school at the Ringling School of Art and Design.
They dated for two years before parting ways. The couple reunited in 2001.
“Thirty-six years ago, Lynn and I met on Lido Beach,” said Savage, who was married to the late Liz Hulette (WWE’s Miss Elizabeth) from 1984-92. “I feel so fortunate that I had a second chance to marry my first love, here where it all began.”
WWE recently put out a Savage DVD, and Mattel included him in its latest WWE toy line.
-- Straight Edge Society member Serena has been released by WWE.
The 24-year-old Serena (Serena Deeb) was a six-time Ohio Valley Wrestling champ.
-- WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross gave a nice tip of the hat to late friend Gen. Skandor Akbar in a recent blog.
“In my over four decades in the wrestling biz, I don’t think I can name one man who unselfishly done more to help young wrestlers and who was more dedicated to his profession that Jim Wehba aka General Skandor Akbar,” said Ross. “Ak passed away suddenly last Thursday at the age of 75 after living a wonderful life doing what he loved more than any thing and that was being a viable and timeless participant in the world of pro wrestling. Everyone should be so lucky to have such a long, distinguished career in their chosen vocation.”
Ross attended Akbar’s funeral on Tuesday.
“It was good to see several of ‘the boys’’ at the Catholic service in Ak’s birthplace of Wichita Falls including the great Danny Hodge, Johnny Mantell, and former referees James Beard and David Manning, among many others. The drive home was equally as challenging again not because of the miles, but because I had to come to grips that I would never see my dear friend again in this life.”
-- Hardcore icon Mick Foley, promoting his book “Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal,” told MTV News that Vader and Steve Austin were the two stifffest men he ever worked with.
“I could say Vader, though a lot of people don’t remember Vader,” Foley said. “There were some things where he was hitting me so hard, and you wanted to say, ‘Did you not get the memo?’ It was just ridiculously hard.”
Foley also said Austin let the crowd work him up.
“Stone Cold in his prime was no day at the park when he was firing up for his big comeback,” said Foley. “The crowd would be so enthusiastic, and he would feed off that enthusiasm. Everyone would benefit except me.”
-- Monday Night Raw is celebrating its 900th episode this week with a show featuring performers from both brands.
-- Stephanie McMahon-Levesque gave birth to her third child Wednesday, a baby girl, making it three daughters for her and husband Triple H (Paul Levesque).
-- Birthday wishes go out to Jody “The Assassin” Hamilton, who turned 72 last week, and Lowcountry native Burrhead Jones, who turns 73 Wednesday.
Jones (Melvin Nelson), who moved to New York City four years ago, invites his fans to call him at (843) 607-5482.
Jones officially retired from Standard Warehouse in Moncks Corner in 2004. He last stepped into a wrestling ring that same year at a show in St. Stephen.
The inimitable Jones, borrowing some lines from Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons,“ sends out the following message to his Lowcountry following:
“I’m another year older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter, don’t you call me, ‘cause I can’t go; I owe my soul to the company store.”
-- Old School Championship Wrestling will present “Tag Team Wars 5” this evening at the Omar Shrine Auditorium, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant.
Former WCW and WWE performer Hugh Morrus will meet Josh Magnum in a featured bout. Also on the bill will be the annual “Team Wars” tournament in which the winners will get a shot at the tag-team title.
Bell time is at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5. Adult admission (cash at door) is $10; kids 12 and under $5. For more information, visit www.oscwonline.com or call 743-4800.
Reach Mike Mooneyham at (843) 937-5517 or mooneyham@postandcourier.com.
(Credit: The Post And Courier)
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Australian Sports News Update, by Greg Tingle - 29th August 2010
The Australian sporting world has enjoyed a mega week. We've got Mark Webber, F1 ace in pole position, a footballers ear bitten off and explosive news of AFL's Ben Cousin's tell all documentary, drug revelations and all, and who can forget
the Jason Akermanis gay AFL player revelations. Media Man and Gambling911 offer you on front row ringside and reved up account of the huge Australian sports week that was...
Mark Webber In Pole Position For Belgian Grand Prix...
Mark Webber was over the moon after snatching pole position for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, but did admit that timing of his best qualifying lap was crucial. It was the 34-year-old's 5th pole of the season for Red Bull, who have taken pole at all but one race this year. Webber, who snatched back the lead in the driver's championship from McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix, nipped the Pommie, who starts in 2nd place, by less than a 10th of a second. Webber clocked a time of 1min 45.788sec on his 1st lap in Q3 and admitted that the timing was vital as some timely rain prevented his rivals from matching his time. Remember the old saying, the more I win the luckier I get. "We knew the first lap was going to be pretty important because round here it is so unpredictable - the weather has been unique, even for Spa. It has been so on and off," the Aussie said. "So to have a pretty clean qualifying was very important. The first lap I was happy with, but you never know in this company if it is enough or not. It was nice to be on pole halfway through, but the weather made it more difficult to improve on our second attempt." Hamilton advised he was disappointed not to have bested Webber's time, but was delighted to be starting on the front row. "It was quite a tricky session through the whole qualifying," he said. "I got out for my first lap, the first one out. Turn 14 was drying up but I was first one to get there and didn't know how much to push. It was a bit of a disappointing first lap, I wasn't able to hold the time out of the tyres. Then I got the opportunity on the second lap which was a good lap apart from Turn 1. That was wet and a little bit damp, I lost time there. But the rest of the track was dry and I was able to utilise the tyres and pull out the time. I think I was a tenth behind Mark, there was the potential there to be in front in P1, but to be P2 on front row is a good position for us." Pole Robert Kubica will start in 3rd position for Renault ahead of German Sebastian Vettel in the 2nd (more controversial) Red Bull, while Brit Jenson Button of McLaren also made it into the top 5 spots. Ferrari driver Brazilian Felipe Massa was 6th fastest followed by Brazilian Rubens Barrichello of Williams. Force India's Adrian Sutil will start in 8th position ahead of fellow German Nico Hulkenberg of Williams and Ferrari driver Spaniard Fernando Alonso in 10th. Hulkenberg set the fastest time in the Q1 opening mini-session which saw rookie Russian Vitaly Petrov fail to set a time for Renault after spinning out on the exit of turn 9 on his opening lap. Sauber drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa joined Petrov on the casualty list after crashing out towards the end of the session. Despite not making it to Q2, Italian Jarno Trulli of Lotus will start in 16th position ahead of German Nico Rosberg who, despite finishing 12th fastest, has been given a 5 place grid penalty owing to a gearbox replacement. Kobayashi will start in 18th ahead of Hispania drivers Brazilian Bruno Senna and Japanese Sakon Yamamoto. Former champion Michael Schumacher's 10-place grid penalty for the incident involving Barrichello in Hungary means that despite making it to Q2 and finishing 11th fastest, he will start in 21st place! That will teach you a lesson son. Webber leads the championship just 4 points clear of Hamilton with another 6 points to Vettel.
Australian Rugby Player Loses Ear In Fight...
It was WrestleMania no holds barred on an Aussie footy field. An Australian rugby league player had part of his ear bitten off in a wild WrestleMania like brawl during a match. Jason "Smartypants" (MM tag) Schirnack, who was playing in the forwards for Sydney-based club Wests Tigers, was rushed to the Liverpool Hospital after being bitten in what his coach Paul 'Fireman' (MM tag) Fletcher described as a "bar-room brawl" during the match. The hungry and agro player responsible, winger Mitchell 'Muncher Steak' (MM tag) Stevens, 22, has been released by his club, the North Sydney Bears, Fairfax reported. The butt ugly match last Sunday was part of the NSW (New South Wales) Cup...1 of the 2 feeder competitions for the nation's prestigious National Rugby League premiership. Stevens will front up to the sport's judiciary Wednesday evening, and if found guilty, News Limited papers reported he could be suspended for 18 to 20 weeks. Some other media reckons he could be banned for at 1 year. Pissed off Tigers officials have lodged an official complaint over the bite to the sport's governing body, New South Wales Rugby League, while Schirnack, 21, described the bite as a "low act." "I was involved in a bit of biff with the guy and we started wrestling on the ground," Schirnack told Rugby League Week magazine. "Other players came running in and as we were wrestling on the ground, he took a chunk out of my ear. I couldn't believe it. It wasn't really all that painful, but when I realized a bit of my ear was missing, I was in shock. It's a low act. "I saw a plastic surgeon, but he said there wasn't much he could do," Schirnack said. "We didn't have the missing bit, so that made it hard for him to do anything. My girlfriend isn't happy because it looks pretty ugly, but what can I do? I just have to get on with life and try to move on." Tigers coach Paul Fletcher went on record with "The game was pretty nasty; it was like a bar-room brawl. There was no need for that sort of thing...it was a disgraceful act."
AFL: Ben Cousins Documentary - Drugs And All...
The first explosive scenes from the controversial Ben Cousins doco have been released. Cousins, 32, is shot dancing shirtless while holding a glass of red wine in Such is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins, which has been purchased by the Seven Network. Another scene shows the AFL star crying while under the influence of an unknown substance. "My name is Ben Cousins. I'm a drug addict", Cousins says while staring into the camera. The tell-all film, which was filmed over 2 years, is expected to screen later in the year over two nights. During the 30-second trailer, his dad Bryan chokes back tears while opening right up about his fears for his young fella. The AFL has confirmed Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou has viewed the doco but has not publicly commented on its content. The Richmond Footy Club has also viewed the flick. Cousins played in West Coast's 2006 premiership but was sacked by the Eagles after the 2007 season when his drug problem and behaviour spiralled out of control. He was suspended by the AFL soon after for bringing the game into disrepute, before Richmond recruited him for the 2009 season. The Tigers club threw him a lifeline and he has played at Punt Road for the past two seasons. A sleeping pill overdose saw Cousins hospitalised overnight just last month. His club accepted it was accidental and he only missed one AFL match. Stay tuned for more.
TV Deals To Rich AFL And NRL Clubs...
About $2 billion from the next AFL and NRL television rights deals is due to deliver an massive boost to the brand value of the top clubs from the two codes. A list of the 10 most valuable football clubs in Australia across Australian rules, rugby league, rugby union and football, compiled by entertainment and trademark lawyer Wayne Covell of Worthy Of The Name, showcases the important role of television exposure in adding value to a club's overall brand. For example, Covell's $ list attributes a value of $263million to Collingwood with $87.9million of that due to television revenue and audience projections. In the NRL, television revenue and audience figures are also vital. Of the $169million value applied to Brisbane Broncos, $89.2million can be attributed to television weightings. For the Parramatta Eels, TV revenue accounted for $86million of the club's value of $141million. Interestingly, on a table compiled by brand analysis specialist Repucom International, highlighting the cumulative television audience of all football clubs in Australia across the four codes for 2009 on free-to-air television and Fox Sports, the Broncos are 1, the Eels are 2, and Collingwood are 3. The AFL's television deal, which expires at the end of next year, is worth $780million while the NRL's television deal, expiring at the end of the 2012 season, is worth $500million. Both codes will be looking for $1billion from their next deals. Covell emphasises the central role television plays in his valuations. "The size of the television deal has a huge impact on the football team valuations. A large slice of the television fees paid are attributable to a team's viewership. Their audience drives sponsorship, advertising and merchandise deals." With the NRL's potential to double the value of their current TV deal, and the AFL set to increase its own deal by $220million, it's interesting to compare their numbers to the English Premier League - its television deal is worth about $5billion, confirming its stature as the biggest football league in the world. NRL chief executive David 'Giddy Up' (MM tag) Gallop says he does not have a target price in mind for his code's next television deal, but feels the game has put forward a strong case to potential broadcasters. Gallop told the press "Our expectation is to get an increase in TV revenue that reflects the game's standing. We have not set a dollar value on that but we believe we have compelling content for any broadcasters and our ratings consistently reflect that." He said the NRL was doing everything in its power to secure the best deal. "It is an enormous opportunity," Gallop advised. "It is unquestionably our biggest single revenue source so it plays an important role in growing the financial strength of the game and in helping the game reach as many people as possible. I don't think anyone is underestimating the significance of the next broadcasting deal." AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou says his code isn't in a battle for the same television money as the NRL, despite having signed NRL players Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau. "We do not believe we are competing for the same television dollar in our next round of TV rights negotiations," Demetriou says. Covell's list comes after the release last month of Forbes magazine's valuation of the world's top 10 sporting franchises. Manchester United topped the Forbes list, with a valuation of $2billion. The total value of Australia's top 10 football brands is $1.8billion, which is about the value of the New York Yankees baseball team, which Forbes ranked as the world's third most valuable sports team. Well, it is sports business, and sports business is Big Business, something Gambling911 and Media Man can certainly attest to.
Boxing Gossip: Danny "The Green Machine" Green VS Anthony "The Man" Mundine (Outside The Ring)...
Mundine is a huge fan of the TV show Top Gear and quite the rev head...but he's said No chance to appear on the program. The producers really wanted Mundine to race against his arch rival Danny Green in what would have been a fantastic dream segment, but Mundine has put cold water on the pitch. "Let's get one thing clear...just like I whipped him in the ring when we fought, I'd whip him on the race track," Mundine sprouted "But Green has based his entire career on me and has ridden on me to try and make a name for himself in that time. I am not going to try and help him resurrect his name after his recent farcical fights (Hurricane Briggs). I've got to fight a world ranked fighter, Ryan Waters, on September 15 in Wollongong. All Green does is pick on blokes past their best."
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What's your thoughts on the good, the bad and the ugly of Australian sports? Tell us in the forum.
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
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the Jason Akermanis gay AFL player revelations. Media Man and Gambling911 offer you on front row ringside and reved up account of the huge Australian sports week that was...
Mark Webber In Pole Position For Belgian Grand Prix...
Mark Webber was over the moon after snatching pole position for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, but did admit that timing of his best qualifying lap was crucial. It was the 34-year-old's 5th pole of the season for Red Bull, who have taken pole at all but one race this year. Webber, who snatched back the lead in the driver's championship from McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix, nipped the Pommie, who starts in 2nd place, by less than a 10th of a second. Webber clocked a time of 1min 45.788sec on his 1st lap in Q3 and admitted that the timing was vital as some timely rain prevented his rivals from matching his time. Remember the old saying, the more I win the luckier I get. "We knew the first lap was going to be pretty important because round here it is so unpredictable - the weather has been unique, even for Spa. It has been so on and off," the Aussie said. "So to have a pretty clean qualifying was very important. The first lap I was happy with, but you never know in this company if it is enough or not. It was nice to be on pole halfway through, but the weather made it more difficult to improve on our second attempt." Hamilton advised he was disappointed not to have bested Webber's time, but was delighted to be starting on the front row. "It was quite a tricky session through the whole qualifying," he said. "I got out for my first lap, the first one out. Turn 14 was drying up but I was first one to get there and didn't know how much to push. It was a bit of a disappointing first lap, I wasn't able to hold the time out of the tyres. Then I got the opportunity on the second lap which was a good lap apart from Turn 1. That was wet and a little bit damp, I lost time there. But the rest of the track was dry and I was able to utilise the tyres and pull out the time. I think I was a tenth behind Mark, there was the potential there to be in front in P1, but to be P2 on front row is a good position for us." Pole Robert Kubica will start in 3rd position for Renault ahead of German Sebastian Vettel in the 2nd (more controversial) Red Bull, while Brit Jenson Button of McLaren also made it into the top 5 spots. Ferrari driver Brazilian Felipe Massa was 6th fastest followed by Brazilian Rubens Barrichello of Williams. Force India's Adrian Sutil will start in 8th position ahead of fellow German Nico Hulkenberg of Williams and Ferrari driver Spaniard Fernando Alonso in 10th. Hulkenberg set the fastest time in the Q1 opening mini-session which saw rookie Russian Vitaly Petrov fail to set a time for Renault after spinning out on the exit of turn 9 on his opening lap. Sauber drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa joined Petrov on the casualty list after crashing out towards the end of the session. Despite not making it to Q2, Italian Jarno Trulli of Lotus will start in 16th position ahead of German Nico Rosberg who, despite finishing 12th fastest, has been given a 5 place grid penalty owing to a gearbox replacement. Kobayashi will start in 18th ahead of Hispania drivers Brazilian Bruno Senna and Japanese Sakon Yamamoto. Former champion Michael Schumacher's 10-place grid penalty for the incident involving Barrichello in Hungary means that despite making it to Q2 and finishing 11th fastest, he will start in 21st place! That will teach you a lesson son. Webber leads the championship just 4 points clear of Hamilton with another 6 points to Vettel.
Australian Rugby Player Loses Ear In Fight...
It was WrestleMania no holds barred on an Aussie footy field. An Australian rugby league player had part of his ear bitten off in a wild WrestleMania like brawl during a match. Jason "Smartypants" (MM tag) Schirnack, who was playing in the forwards for Sydney-based club Wests Tigers, was rushed to the Liverpool Hospital after being bitten in what his coach Paul 'Fireman' (MM tag) Fletcher described as a "bar-room brawl" during the match. The hungry and agro player responsible, winger Mitchell 'Muncher Steak' (MM tag) Stevens, 22, has been released by his club, the North Sydney Bears, Fairfax reported. The butt ugly match last Sunday was part of the NSW (New South Wales) Cup...1 of the 2 feeder competitions for the nation's prestigious National Rugby League premiership. Stevens will front up to the sport's judiciary Wednesday evening, and if found guilty, News Limited papers reported he could be suspended for 18 to 20 weeks. Some other media reckons he could be banned for at 1 year. Pissed off Tigers officials have lodged an official complaint over the bite to the sport's governing body, New South Wales Rugby League, while Schirnack, 21, described the bite as a "low act." "I was involved in a bit of biff with the guy and we started wrestling on the ground," Schirnack told Rugby League Week magazine. "Other players came running in and as we were wrestling on the ground, he took a chunk out of my ear. I couldn't believe it. It wasn't really all that painful, but when I realized a bit of my ear was missing, I was in shock. It's a low act. "I saw a plastic surgeon, but he said there wasn't much he could do," Schirnack said. "We didn't have the missing bit, so that made it hard for him to do anything. My girlfriend isn't happy because it looks pretty ugly, but what can I do? I just have to get on with life and try to move on." Tigers coach Paul Fletcher went on record with "The game was pretty nasty; it was like a bar-room brawl. There was no need for that sort of thing...it was a disgraceful act."
AFL: Ben Cousins Documentary - Drugs And All...
The first explosive scenes from the controversial Ben Cousins doco have been released. Cousins, 32, is shot dancing shirtless while holding a glass of red wine in Such is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins, which has been purchased by the Seven Network. Another scene shows the AFL star crying while under the influence of an unknown substance. "My name is Ben Cousins. I'm a drug addict", Cousins says while staring into the camera. The tell-all film, which was filmed over 2 years, is expected to screen later in the year over two nights. During the 30-second trailer, his dad Bryan chokes back tears while opening right up about his fears for his young fella. The AFL has confirmed Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou has viewed the doco but has not publicly commented on its content. The Richmond Footy Club has also viewed the flick. Cousins played in West Coast's 2006 premiership but was sacked by the Eagles after the 2007 season when his drug problem and behaviour spiralled out of control. He was suspended by the AFL soon after for bringing the game into disrepute, before Richmond recruited him for the 2009 season. The Tigers club threw him a lifeline and he has played at Punt Road for the past two seasons. A sleeping pill overdose saw Cousins hospitalised overnight just last month. His club accepted it was accidental and he only missed one AFL match. Stay tuned for more.
TV Deals To Rich AFL And NRL Clubs...
About $2 billion from the next AFL and NRL television rights deals is due to deliver an massive boost to the brand value of the top clubs from the two codes. A list of the 10 most valuable football clubs in Australia across Australian rules, rugby league, rugby union and football, compiled by entertainment and trademark lawyer Wayne Covell of Worthy Of The Name, showcases the important role of television exposure in adding value to a club's overall brand. For example, Covell's $ list attributes a value of $263million to Collingwood with $87.9million of that due to television revenue and audience projections. In the NRL, television revenue and audience figures are also vital. Of the $169million value applied to Brisbane Broncos, $89.2million can be attributed to television weightings. For the Parramatta Eels, TV revenue accounted for $86million of the club's value of $141million. Interestingly, on a table compiled by brand analysis specialist Repucom International, highlighting the cumulative television audience of all football clubs in Australia across the four codes for 2009 on free-to-air television and Fox Sports, the Broncos are 1, the Eels are 2, and Collingwood are 3. The AFL's television deal, which expires at the end of next year, is worth $780million while the NRL's television deal, expiring at the end of the 2012 season, is worth $500million. Both codes will be looking for $1billion from their next deals. Covell emphasises the central role television plays in his valuations. "The size of the television deal has a huge impact on the football team valuations. A large slice of the television fees paid are attributable to a team's viewership. Their audience drives sponsorship, advertising and merchandise deals." With the NRL's potential to double the value of their current TV deal, and the AFL set to increase its own deal by $220million, it's interesting to compare their numbers to the English Premier League - its television deal is worth about $5billion, confirming its stature as the biggest football league in the world. NRL chief executive David 'Giddy Up' (MM tag) Gallop says he does not have a target price in mind for his code's next television deal, but feels the game has put forward a strong case to potential broadcasters. Gallop told the press "Our expectation is to get an increase in TV revenue that reflects the game's standing. We have not set a dollar value on that but we believe we have compelling content for any broadcasters and our ratings consistently reflect that." He said the NRL was doing everything in its power to secure the best deal. "It is an enormous opportunity," Gallop advised. "It is unquestionably our biggest single revenue source so it plays an important role in growing the financial strength of the game and in helping the game reach as many people as possible. I don't think anyone is underestimating the significance of the next broadcasting deal." AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou says his code isn't in a battle for the same television money as the NRL, despite having signed NRL players Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau. "We do not believe we are competing for the same television dollar in our next round of TV rights negotiations," Demetriou says. Covell's list comes after the release last month of Forbes magazine's valuation of the world's top 10 sporting franchises. Manchester United topped the Forbes list, with a valuation of $2billion. The total value of Australia's top 10 football brands is $1.8billion, which is about the value of the New York Yankees baseball team, which Forbes ranked as the world's third most valuable sports team. Well, it is sports business, and sports business is Big Business, something Gambling911 and Media Man can certainly attest to.
Boxing Gossip: Danny "The Green Machine" Green VS Anthony "The Man" Mundine (Outside The Ring)...
Mundine is a huge fan of the TV show Top Gear and quite the rev head...but he's said No chance to appear on the program. The producers really wanted Mundine to race against his arch rival Danny Green in what would have been a fantastic dream segment, but Mundine has put cold water on the pitch. "Let's get one thing clear...just like I whipped him in the ring when we fought, I'd whip him on the race track," Mundine sprouted "But Green has based his entire career on me and has ridden on me to try and make a name for himself in that time. I am not going to try and help him resurrect his name after his recent farcical fights (Hurricane Briggs). I've got to fight a world ranked fighter, Ryan Waters, on September 15 in Wollongong. All Green does is pick on blokes past their best."
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What's your thoughts on the good, the bad and the ugly of Australian sports? Tell us in the forum.
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
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Australian Gambling, Marketing And Media Wars, by Greg Tingle - 29th August 2010
The Australian casino and gaming wars are taking on a new angle, with marketing and legal eagle X factors playing a bigger role in both the high end of town and at the coal face. Crown Limited and Tabcorp may be 'The Big Two', but Tatts Group is far from standing still, using the iron fist of the law to help protect their turf. Media Man and Gambling911 give you a close up look at the expansion of the Australian casino, gaming, marketing and media wars in the ongoing battle for the entertainment, gambling and internet dollar...
Australia's Tatt's Group would not hesitate to expand its betting operations into every state of Australia if the governments failed to stop a marketing company from offering betting on computer terminals in pubs, the company's chief executive has disclosed. And keep in mind, Australian governments have a long history of failing business, mums and dads and punters.
Recently Liberal leader Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott called the Labor government "incompetent", and street survey results indicate he's hit the nail on the head. As to whether Abbott will snatch the victory, hitting his own jackpot, is yet to be determined.
In the meantime the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation is prosecuting a marketing company, VenueNet, and a hotel owner for providing an "unauthorised instrument of betting", after seizing a computer kiosk with internet access to a betting website from a South Melbourne drinking hole aka pub. Don't get us started on whether drinking and punting mix, but Media Man will point out that its scientifically proven that drinking does effect the brain's capacity to make sound decisions.
Many media, marketing and gaming brains are pointing out that it was just a kiosk, and that it can provide access to gambling, just as it provides access to most of the world's websites via the www access... like your home or work computer!
A roll-out of the computers would undermine the state's exclusive retail wagering licence, which is currently held by Tabcorp, but is up for renewal. Tatts Group, which runs UniTAB in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory, is among the bidding hopefuls. It's a bit like ABBA's 'The Winner Takes It All'.
The chief executive, Dick 'Moneybags' (MM tag) McIlwain, advised Tatts had lobbied governments to ensure devices such as that offered by VenueNet would be banned. Did the lobbying work? Gibraltar based PartyGaming, the world's leading listed igaming company has had mixed success with lobbying, but has invested millions over the years. 'Moneybags' understood the Victorian government was "waiting first" to see how the charges against VenueNet played out in a court of law. Yep, that's the important part punters.
"In Queensland they haven't had to resort to extra regulation, they've been able to use what [laws] they have," he said.
In its recent report into gambling, the Productivity Commission recommended states no longer issue exclusive wagering licences, as the monopoly arrangements were a "rare privilege", unfair to punters and no longer justifiable.
McIlwain went on to say he did not expect states to scrap the arrangements but if VenueNet succeeded, Tatts would retaliate. Yep, that means war!
"If VenueNet can come over the border, well, we'll jump the border too into NSW and Victoria and anywhere else that we don't have a licence," he said not mincing worlds. Let the battle begin... we will know soon, and watch out for gunfire and hand grenades, leading up to war head missiles.
Tatts posted a profit of $119 million, less than 50% of 2009's result, after writedowns of $165 million.
It also purchased the NSW Lotteries licence for whopping $850 million during the year.
Tatt's is performing strongly of late. In 3 months of operation, net sales, after prizes, were $156 million. Tatts top brass encouraged analysts, journos and the like not to rely on that figure for a full-year comparison, which would be closer to $625 million.
Quizzed about that figure and the $460 million NSW Lotteries reported for 2009, McIlwain said, "I'm not interested, I'm only interested in what we do."
Tatts purchased the 40-year licence for at least $150 million more than many expected. The deal included the rights to unclaimed prizes. Investors initially reacted negatively and it sparked controversy about whether Tatts had been treated differently to other bidders, as previously covered at Gambling911.
Tatts looks to be rising the stakes and we understand have put the world on notice that they are well and truly part of the Australian gambling wars, despite not actually owing a casino. In other areas they are a powerful player without question.
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Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
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Australia's Tatt's Group would not hesitate to expand its betting operations into every state of Australia if the governments failed to stop a marketing company from offering betting on computer terminals in pubs, the company's chief executive has disclosed. And keep in mind, Australian governments have a long history of failing business, mums and dads and punters.
Recently Liberal leader Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott called the Labor government "incompetent", and street survey results indicate he's hit the nail on the head. As to whether Abbott will snatch the victory, hitting his own jackpot, is yet to be determined.
In the meantime the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation is prosecuting a marketing company, VenueNet, and a hotel owner for providing an "unauthorised instrument of betting", after seizing a computer kiosk with internet access to a betting website from a South Melbourne drinking hole aka pub. Don't get us started on whether drinking and punting mix, but Media Man will point out that its scientifically proven that drinking does effect the brain's capacity to make sound decisions.
Many media, marketing and gaming brains are pointing out that it was just a kiosk, and that it can provide access to gambling, just as it provides access to most of the world's websites via the www access... like your home or work computer!
A roll-out of the computers would undermine the state's exclusive retail wagering licence, which is currently held by Tabcorp, but is up for renewal. Tatts Group, which runs UniTAB in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory, is among the bidding hopefuls. It's a bit like ABBA's 'The Winner Takes It All'.
The chief executive, Dick 'Moneybags' (MM tag) McIlwain, advised Tatts had lobbied governments to ensure devices such as that offered by VenueNet would be banned. Did the lobbying work? Gibraltar based PartyGaming, the world's leading listed igaming company has had mixed success with lobbying, but has invested millions over the years. 'Moneybags' understood the Victorian government was "waiting first" to see how the charges against VenueNet played out in a court of law. Yep, that's the important part punters.
"In Queensland they haven't had to resort to extra regulation, they've been able to use what [laws] they have," he said.
In its recent report into gambling, the Productivity Commission recommended states no longer issue exclusive wagering licences, as the monopoly arrangements were a "rare privilege", unfair to punters and no longer justifiable.
McIlwain went on to say he did not expect states to scrap the arrangements but if VenueNet succeeded, Tatts would retaliate. Yep, that means war!
"If VenueNet can come over the border, well, we'll jump the border too into NSW and Victoria and anywhere else that we don't have a licence," he said not mincing worlds. Let the battle begin... we will know soon, and watch out for gunfire and hand grenades, leading up to war head missiles.
Tatts posted a profit of $119 million, less than 50% of 2009's result, after writedowns of $165 million.
It also purchased the NSW Lotteries licence for whopping $850 million during the year.
Tatt's is performing strongly of late. In 3 months of operation, net sales, after prizes, were $156 million. Tatts top brass encouraged analysts, journos and the like not to rely on that figure for a full-year comparison, which would be closer to $625 million.
Quizzed about that figure and the $460 million NSW Lotteries reported for 2009, McIlwain said, "I'm not interested, I'm only interested in what we do."
Tatts purchased the 40-year licence for at least $150 million more than many expected. The deal included the rights to unclaimed prizes. Investors initially reacted negatively and it sparked controversy about whether Tatts had been treated differently to other bidders, as previously covered at Gambling911.
Tatts looks to be rising the stakes and we understand have put the world on notice that they are well and truly part of the Australian gambling wars, despite not actually owing a casino. In other areas they are a powerful player without question.
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Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
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PartyCasino: The World's Leading Online Casino; A PartyGaming Company
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PartyGaming also operates casinos, online poker rooms and bingo through various websites, including PartyCasino.com, PartyPoker.com, PartyBingo.com, WPTCasino.com and WPTPoker.com
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Friday, August 27, 2010
Australian Sports: AFL Gays, Drugs, Sex And Scandals, By Greg Tingle - 27th August 2010
Australian sporting news remains red hot with AFL news all the rage. Yep, its gays, drugs, legal, personality clashes, a tell all book, cover ups and all matter of scandal. Media Man and Gambling911 leap out of the closet (so to speak) with this special report...
Gay or not gay, and does it matter? Should Jason 'Hot Ass' (Media Man affectionate tag) Akermanis have been sacked? Was he too hot for footy, in one way or another? So many questions, yet still quite a few go unanswered. Regardless, we go probing on the ass hunt (satire)... the writer is not that way inclined, ok fellas.
Sacked and apparently well hung, Western Bulldog Jason Akermanis is swimming in controversy again after he publicly named 3 current AFL players he claims have used illegal drugs. Naughty, naughty. Who's been a bad boy in need of a smacking? The situation has sent a tidal wave through the AFL community, with some players wondering if they will be outed in a bit way, balls and all, that might lead to more Sack - Ings. Some analysts remain Hung about the situation, and are a bit too Stiff to talk out at the time of print.
At a luncheon speech to about 80 folks in Mildura this month, no stranger to Gambling911 and Media Man readers, the Brownlow medallist advised he had not used illicit drugs in his time as a footy player but that he certainly knew of other players who had engaged in them and danced with the devil.
It was in a break at the function that Akermanis named the players to the guests at his tongue wagging table. That very same night, at another event in melting pot Mildura, Akermanis named AFL players he said were gay.
These titillating revelations came as it spoofed out that former West Coast premiership player, one Chad 'Cokey Fun' (MM tag) Fletcher had indeed been arrested by the cops for cocaine possession in a Kings Cross nightclub toilet, and on the eve of Ben Cousins' television documentary on his battle with drugs screening!!!
Wait, there's more...former Western Bulldog meister Mark 'Always' Alvey, master of ceremonies at the Mildura gig, confirmed Akermanis' lines but would not elaborate or be quoted further thank you.
Former Doggie star player Doug 'Happy Chappy' (MM tag) Hawkins got wind of Akermanis' comments at the later function, where the sacked player also spoke of his forthcoming autobiography, which he forecast in his crystal ball would be released on the eve of the 2010 preliminary final. Yep, fireworks.. the Eve Of The War kind of thing.
As word of Akermanis' accusations spread like wildfire through the AFL community, a number of football identities have attempted to contact guests and officials who attended both Mildura functions to pick up details of what indeed was said.
The now hot as a dynamite stick in a dunny autobiography, Off The Leash, reportedly takes aim at a number of Akermanis' ex Bulldog teammates and was considered a final straw at the club, which first suspended the 33-year-old prize winning stud in June after he apparently misled the club over a piece encouraging gay footballers to "stay in the closet".
It is not yet known whether Akermanis has used the book to detail illegal drug use or to expose the sexuality of any footballers. Maybe a threesome ... er combination of factors. Trust Gambling911 and the Media Man group to keep probing for more details in this hard case that's come our way. In a footy - gaming tie in, PartyGaming and Virgin Games have some football themed slot games like World Cup Stars... Top Trumps, so don't be bashful and check them out maties. We'll be rooting for you to experience good fortune on those free spins. We also heard that some footy players and fans like King Kong, Bonus Bears, Lord Of The Rings, Snow Business, Top Gun and Pink Panther. Hey, whys' pool like sex? Because if you don't sink the pink, you sink the brown! Ah, we guess there's a beast in all of us just waiting to be unleashed.
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, play hard, or don't play at all, party harder animals, and have fun.
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*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.
*The writer is not gay, just saying
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Gay or not gay, and does it matter? Should Jason 'Hot Ass' (Media Man affectionate tag) Akermanis have been sacked? Was he too hot for footy, in one way or another? So many questions, yet still quite a few go unanswered. Regardless, we go probing on the ass hunt (satire)... the writer is not that way inclined, ok fellas.
Sacked and apparently well hung, Western Bulldog Jason Akermanis is swimming in controversy again after he publicly named 3 current AFL players he claims have used illegal drugs. Naughty, naughty. Who's been a bad boy in need of a smacking? The situation has sent a tidal wave through the AFL community, with some players wondering if they will be outed in a bit way, balls and all, that might lead to more Sack - Ings. Some analysts remain Hung about the situation, and are a bit too Stiff to talk out at the time of print.
At a luncheon speech to about 80 folks in Mildura this month, no stranger to Gambling911 and Media Man readers, the Brownlow medallist advised he had not used illicit drugs in his time as a footy player but that he certainly knew of other players who had engaged in them and danced with the devil.
It was in a break at the function that Akermanis named the players to the guests at his tongue wagging table. That very same night, at another event in melting pot Mildura, Akermanis named AFL players he said were gay.
These titillating revelations came as it spoofed out that former West Coast premiership player, one Chad 'Cokey Fun' (MM tag) Fletcher had indeed been arrested by the cops for cocaine possession in a Kings Cross nightclub toilet, and on the eve of Ben Cousins' television documentary on his battle with drugs screening!!!
Wait, there's more...former Western Bulldog meister Mark 'Always' Alvey, master of ceremonies at the Mildura gig, confirmed Akermanis' lines but would not elaborate or be quoted further thank you.
Former Doggie star player Doug 'Happy Chappy' (MM tag) Hawkins got wind of Akermanis' comments at the later function, where the sacked player also spoke of his forthcoming autobiography, which he forecast in his crystal ball would be released on the eve of the 2010 preliminary final. Yep, fireworks.. the Eve Of The War kind of thing.
As word of Akermanis' accusations spread like wildfire through the AFL community, a number of football identities have attempted to contact guests and officials who attended both Mildura functions to pick up details of what indeed was said.
The now hot as a dynamite stick in a dunny autobiography, Off The Leash, reportedly takes aim at a number of Akermanis' ex Bulldog teammates and was considered a final straw at the club, which first suspended the 33-year-old prize winning stud in June after he apparently misled the club over a piece encouraging gay footballers to "stay in the closet".
It is not yet known whether Akermanis has used the book to detail illegal drug use or to expose the sexuality of any footballers. Maybe a threesome ... er combination of factors. Trust Gambling911 and the Media Man group to keep probing for more details in this hard case that's come our way. In a footy - gaming tie in, PartyGaming and Virgin Games have some football themed slot games like World Cup Stars... Top Trumps, so don't be bashful and check them out maties. We'll be rooting for you to experience good fortune on those free spins. We also heard that some footy players and fans like King Kong, Bonus Bears, Lord Of The Rings, Snow Business, Top Gun and Pink Panther. Hey, whys' pool like sex? Because if you don't sink the pink, you sink the brown! Ah, we guess there's a beast in all of us just waiting to be unleashed.
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, play hard, or don't play at all, party harder animals, and have fun.
Profiles
King Kong
Lord Of The Rings
Snow Business
Top Gun
Pink Panther
Top Trumps World Cup Stars
AFL
Australian Sports
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.
*The writer is not gay, just saying
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Australian Casino, Gaming And Sports News, by Greg Tingle
Australian casino, gaming and sporting news continues a full warp speed. Crown Casino is powering ahead for bean counters, investors and the like. We've got the pro casino and pokies mob vs the anti casino and pokie establishment, scandal, bookies speaking out, F1 ace Mark Webber, more Aussie sports betting scandals and more. Media Man and Gambling911 give you a front row ringside seat to enjoy the no holds barred action once again, blood, guts and caffeine included (most assuredly non filtered and non censored)...
Crown Casino Back To Profit: Red Turns To Black...
The impressive casino, gaming and tourism - lifestyle operator hit paydirt as it swung back to net profit of $292.3 million, delivering a near-$1.5 billion turnaround after a net loss of $1.2bn in 2009-10. Last year's results at Crown were hit by a $1.44bn writedown on the value of the group's North American investments as the impact of the global financial crisis shook up the sector. On a normalised basis, Crown's net profit rose 2.7% to $288.4m, from $280.7m a year before. Financial and gaming industry analysts were expecting normalised earnings of $276.7m, according to a Dow Jones poll of seven brokers - market-watchers typically forecast normalised earnings because it evens out in VIP - high roller gaming. Revenue from operations rose nearly 2% to $2.34bn. Crown declared a final dividend of 19 cents. Shares in Crown were 2.91% higher in the past 24 hours, adding 24 cents to settle at $8.48, after having gained 1.6% immediately after the profit result. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was 0.7% higher. For the first 7 weeks of the current 2010-11 financial year, Crown advised main floor gaming revenue grew by roughly 4% at its Australian casinos. VIP program play volumes have started the year "encouragingly", management said. Crown's gaming venues include Burswood in Western Australia and the flagship Crown Melbourne casino. Their Macau ventures are are also performing strongly, with City of Dreams beating bean counter, public and news media expectations. Seems 'Our James' (Packer) can't put a wrong wrong lately. On ya Packer. You're doing Australia and and family name proud.
Crown Casino Gets Pro And Anti Casino Commentary...
High rolling VIP whales and a mix of dolphins have pumped a record $27 billion through Crown Casino over the past year. Latest numbers demonstrate the casino shrugged off strong competition like Star City in 'Sin City' Sydney, to retain its status as a favoured destination of some of Asia Pacific's most well to do high rollers and big spenders. Well to do whales and dolphins gambled their way through roughly $74 million every day at the Melbourne based casino in the year to June, up from the previous year's figure of "only" $67 million a day. Senator and anti-gambling crusader - campaigner Nick Xenophon aka 'Mr X' Media Man tag) said it was challenging to screen such large amounts of money. "That is a staggering amount of money and we need to ask whether the current rules can guarantee that none of that $27 billion was laundered money or embezzled money," he said. News Limited has previously revealed how Crown offers the use of VIP Lear jets, extravagant hotel rooms and an assortment of gifts on some of its most well to do international guests, who often stay weeks or months. Crown has now embarked on a $440 million program to refurbish and extend the casino with more gaming tables, restaurants and new VIP facilities. Crown chief executive Rowen Craigie advised high rollers spent less in the second half of the financial year after 2 new casinos opened in Singapore. Senator Xenophon advised there was a false perception that high-rollers were not hurt by gambling. "Just because you're a high roller, doesn't mean you are immune to having a gambling problem," he said. Throwing in her 2 cents, Anne Holland, CEO of Relationships Australia, went on record with "Rich people could have families, they could have mental health problems, they could have the same issues around gambling and problem gambling as anyone." The 10% boom in VIP turnover at Crown Melbourne came as regular punters ("tuna" and "average joes") trimmed back their gambling.
Revenue on the main floor of the famous casino jumped 2.5% over the 12 months. This is less than the 3.1 of inflation recorded in Melbourne over the same period. Tatts chief Dick 'Machine' (MM tag) McIlwain has also thrown in his 2 cents...advising the controversy surrounding pokies was making consumers reconsider the machines. The Tatts Group and Tabcorp lost their stranglehold - monopoly of sorts on the poker machine market in May when the State Government sold 10-year gaming machine entitlements to new and existing operators. "The constant controversy that poker machines generate leaves consumers and players wondering what they are doing," 'Machine' McIlwain said. Tatts' after-tax profits tumbled more than 50 per cent to about $120 million in the year to June, with revenue from its (soon to be defunct poker machine division) falling 5% to $1.22 billion. "It's been tough," 'Machine' McIlwain advised. The withdrawal of the spending stimulus, a reduction in the maximum bet per spin and regulatory changes all contributed to the decline in pokie spending, he shared. The exact impact and all round popularity of online gaming in Australia isn't exactly known, but what is known is that the online sector continues to chip away at the traditional land based casinos, hotels and clubs. Switched on traditional gaming operators are adapting to the web, with the business models of PartyGaming including the World Poker Tour, Harrah's Entertainment and Virgin Games being examined. Crown Limited is understood to be moving forward with their online gaming and gambling plans, and insiders think a deal with PartyGaming, NextGen Gaming, Virgin or a combination is on the cards. Media Man and Gambling911 will be following up with more details in the coming days and weeks.
Crown Casino Bribes 4 Jobs Accusation Raised...
A number of senior staff in Crown's food and beverage arm are accused of demanding sums of $5000 plus to help secure jobs or internal promotions for foreign workers and international students. Some alleged bribes were paid by folks hoping to increase their chance of "winning" (game or skill or chance) permanent Australian residency with a superior job. A leak said the scam had operated for many years and involved primarily Indian and Asian students. "They are employed with 'no questions asked' and no pressure until they gain their permanent residency status," the leaker whispered. Roughly a bakers dozen staff have been caught up in the scam. 2, perhaps 3 staff and a former employee are believed to be behind the evil scheme. A long-serving employee has been sacked. Alarm bells were raised by a foreign student who is understood to have been pressured by those behind the scam to work in excess of the 20 hours allowed under his student visa. "Some of them wanted a higher grading on their job or a better job description which would help them in applying for permanent residency," another leak said. Crown spokesman Gary 'Overloaded' (Media Man tag) O'Neill confirmed police had been called in to investigate. "A few months ago we became aware there were allegations that some of our staff were being exploited. "Crown spends a huge amount of money and time recruiting and training its staff who come from a very broad section of the Melbourne community, both culturally and ethnically, and we will not stand for even one of them being exploited and we are treating the matter very, very seriously." O'Neill confirmed a staff member had been dismissed as the result of an internal investigation. He said Crown was assisting staff caught in the scam. The sacked worker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied accepting bribes and said the matter was in the hands of his lawyer. He confirmed he had been questioned by Crown management but said he had no idea why he had been accused. "I refuted (the allegations) with my solicitor when I went there," he said. The man advised he had already decided to leave Crown over an earlier matter. Police overnight said they were investigating the allegations of fraud at Crown. Crown Limited are taking a very pro active role in the investigation and embrace a fair go for all, but it for punters or employees.
NRL Investigates Betting Surge On Penalty Goal Sector...
The NRL is now investigating an extremely unusual betting plunge on what is normally a low-interest option in last Saturday's no big deal game between North Queensland and Canterbury at Dairy Farmers Stadium. The plunge on the first scoring play...in which a Cowboys penalty goal was heavily backed...convinced various bookmakers, including TAB Sportsbet, to cease betting on the option hours before the game officially kicked off. NRL media and communications director John Betman' (MM tag) Brady overnight confirmed an investigation was in progress..."We're looking into some betting activity and seeking information on any trends surrounding that. We're talking to some people about it, and we're open to receiving any further information that is around on it." The plunge did not come off however North Queensland did have the option of taking an easy shot at penalty goal to open the scoring after the Bulldogs were penalised in the 2nd minute for not getting off the tackled player (Cowboys halfback Grant Rovelli) quickly enough, following the rule book type of thing. The penalty was awarded only 9 metres out, and right in front of the posts to book, but the Cowboys elected to take a quick tap and scored a try out wide! A change of plans perhaps to cover other plans? We might never know. The NRL was first alerted to the plunge by TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie, who told the News Limited "It was unusual to see the bets that went on that option. It was an inordinate amount of money to be placed on a (North Queensland) penalty goal as the first scoring play, in what was a nothing match. "The money started coming for it on the Thursday, and kept coming until Saturday. It had been backed from $13 to $7 by the time we turned it off a few hours before the game. I contacted the league on Saturday afternoon, and handed the information to them." Gerard 'Duck' (MM tag) Daffy, understood to be the most experienced man in sports betting in Australia, said he turned the first scoring play option off at his agency...Sports Alive - shortly after a punter tried to place a bet to win $8000 on a Cowboys penalty goal. "It's extremely rare for anyone to seriously back an option like that unless it's bad weather. We took some bets, and then someone tried to have $1000 on at $8, which obviously rang alarm bells. I let him on for a reduced amount. It was still Saturday morning, so I checked around the other bookies, and could only find one still betting on it, and they had a Cowboys penalty goal at $5.50. I turned it off after that." Michael Sullivan, of Sporting Bet advised his agency had also stopped betting on the option. "Increased interest would be the best way to describe it. No doubt we did turn it off, but I don't want to make any further comment because people just think bookmakers are whingeing." Centrebet's Neil 'Even Odds' (MM tag) Evans advised the odds on a Cowboys penalty goal was cut "from $13 to $3". He went on record with "It was certainly hot property. It was an inordinate go that you would normally never get." There were allegations of a betting rort in the final round of last season. The Cowboys were heavily backed to win by 13-plus against Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs), and came from well behind to win 32-16. There were suggestions the Roosters had thrown the game, but the league investigated the match and announced that it could find no evidence of anything untoward. Quizzed if this was a time of the year when the NRL was particularly alert to the possibility of something untoward happening in games, Brady went with "We're alert at all times. This can be a time of the year when results are naturally hard to pick, because we're getting to the end of a long season, and some teams are heading for the finals and others are just trying to finish the season off well." Sports betting follows are understood to be finding these times very interesting to follow or participate, and the news media business is generating more colourful stories from the fun and games, on and off the field.
South Australian Govt Missing Millions Thanks To Online Gambling; Could Be National Trend...
Online gambling is clearly understood to be diverting tax money from state coffers as punters go colder on poker machines and give online pokies from the likes of PartyGaming, Centrebet, PKR, Virgin, Roxy Palace, Captain Cooks Casino and Media Man white label type deals a go. The most recent figures show a significant dip in the amount gamblers pour into the state's pokies and a $10 million annual fall in tax revenue. State Government analysis shows punters put $729 million into pokies in the past financial year, compared with $750 million in the 12 months to June 30, 2009. The result is the lowest annual outlay on poker machines for 6 years and has resulted in a Government gaming tax revenue drop from $292 million to $282 million in the past year. Experts say mass-media advertising campaigns have driven a dramatic rise in the popularity of internet gambling, which sidesteps traditional tax regulations. South Australian pubs and clubs have also suffered an $11 million revenue hit, which comes as smoking bans look to further harm the sector. Australian Hotels Association general manager Ian Horne said competition from both sports betting and online gambling outlets was placing major pressure on the industry. "The sports betting market is expanding enormously," he said. "Just look at the betting options for the federal election. The promotion of betting odds was unprecedented. It's becoming the normal way of life to bet on anything and everything." Horne said poker machines had been unfairly "demonised" while other gambling options were considered socially acceptable. A spokeswoman for Gambling Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the decline could be attributed to reduced household expenditure for recreational activities. "This expenditure is also affected by the Reserve Bank's increasing of interest rates over the past 12 months," she said. The spokeswoman also said the Government was working to reduce the number of pokies, despite figures showing 7 more in use now than last year. "There is always some variation in the number of live machines, as gaming venues may not use all of their entitlements, for example during renovations," she said.
"The Rann Government is committed to reducing pokie machine entitlements by 3000. "So far the Government has removed more than 2200 gaming machine entitlements from SA venues." Treasurer Kevin Foley has warned the state to brace for a tough September 14 Budget, saying the lingering impact of the global financial crisis has diminished revenue. Media Man and Gambling911 have strong reason to believe that online gaming and gambling will continue to grow in the Australian - Asia Pacific region, and many land based venues will continue to be hit hard.
Tasmania: $8 Million Jump With Betfair Deal...
A taxation cut offered to James Packer 50% owned betting agency Betfair will cost Tasmania about $8 million more than first promised over the next two years, the Liberal Party claim. The deal Labor offered Betfair just before the state election is now up in the air with the Liberals holding off on giving their support to the legislation. With the Greens Party already declaring they are opposed to the deal to cut Betfair's tax rate, the legislation's success now depends on the support from the Liberals. The tax break has created a split between Labor and the Greens' Cabinet representatives, leader Nick McKim and Cassy 'O God' (MM tag) O'Connor. As part of the power-sharing arrangement between the two parties, the Greens can choose to remove themselves from a Cabinet vote if they disagree with the legislation being discussed. When the tax break was announced in February Bartlett claimed the deal would reduce state revenues by about $2 million over two years. However, in the State Budget in June that figure had jumped to about $5 million a year, reducing revenue from Betfair from $7.3 million to just $2.4 million. The Liberals and the Greens sought a clarification this week on the exact costing. Treasury yesterday confirmed the cost would be more than first thought. The tax cut, already budgeted, will put a $5.3 million dent in state coffers this year, $5.1 million in the next financial year, increasing to $6.7 million in 2012-13 and $7 million in 2013-14. Treasurer Michael Aird said the Budget clearly outlined the reduced tax revenue from Betfair. He advised the Government had been transparent about the revenue dip. "The level of fees, licences and taxes relating to that arrangement with Betfair would incur loss of revenue to the state. The figures in the Budget are a very clear indication of our estimate of the revenue we expect from Betfair," Aird said. A spokesman for the Liberals said the party would vote on whether or not to accept the legislation. The key component of the deal is Betfair's tax rate, which is to drop from between 10 and 15% of gross earnings to 5%. Labor offered Betfair tax cuts to keep the company and its 130 employees in Tasmania. Betfair continues to enjoy boom times, getting a huge urge thanks to the Australian political election and the betting feeding frenzy.
A Media Man spokesperson said "Packer's 50% owned Befair is now well and truly part of Australian culture. Having a punt is in our blood. It goes back to the convict ships, Captain Cooks crew and the like. We all used to have our favorite SP bookie, back in the good old days. Betfair identified market and gave the public a chance to get much better odds than the Government TAB, and they lapped is up. NRL and Australian political betting is powering along. It's what people discuss at home, work, cafes. I guess we all like to know who the smart money is on. Packer always wins, but in the information age, the web and all, we can all win. A lot of it gets down to where you get your information from. Not sure? Just ask horse jockeys and footy players. Hey, they were going to give them training for what constitutes insider trading. That's got to tell you a story punters".
F1 Ace Aussie Mark Webber Has World Championship In Mind This Weekend...
With only 7 races remaining, Australian Mark Webber has admitted that he will be driving with the world championship title in mind at this Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix. The 33-year-old Red Bull driver believes that the most consistent driver will win the championship and admitted that he will not be taking as many risks as he would have earlier in the season. "Finishing is certainly something that you think of," said the Aussie. "With this points system, you need to finish so consistency is important. "That's something you sign up for straight away because you don't want to win races but have non-finishes. You have to capitalise on the days when you are not potentially going to win to get the next best thing, whatever that may be. That comes down to reliability, the decisions made - when you roll the dice as a midfield team you take a gamble but for us, McLaren and Ferrari there are obviously bigger things at stake. You have to be mindful of the fact that you might not get anything out of it so you need to realise that four points is better than none and gambling." Webber denied that this weekend's race in Spa and the forthcoming Italian Grand Prix will be a case of damage limitation, despite the tracks' potentially highlighting his car's weakness at high speeds. He went on record with "Always when you are running medium downforce on these cars, it's for a reason. And that reason is long straights. We know that it's not a strength of the car and hasn't been for quite a few years and we know why. "But we work incredibly hard to make the car strong in other areas and when we go to those venues obviously we are strong. "We can still keep up at these tracks, but whether we have an advantage remains to be seen. We still weren't uncompetitive in Montreal, but we weren't the pacesetters as we were in some other venues. "I think if we had to have 17 races in a championship, we wouldn't choose Spa and Monza to have races at, but it's part of the calendar and we have to make the car quick everywhere." However, Webber added that many had assumed that his team would struggle in Valencia, but his team-mate Sebastian Vettel won the race. He said "We were worried about Valencia, and Sebastian won. "Last year were very poor in Valencia and got blown away, but this year we were quick. Let's see how the top speeds are tomorrow in sector one and sector three and see where people are pitched." Webber reclaimed the championship lead from McLaren's Lewis Hamilton when he won in Hungary four weeks ago, but his advantage is just four points. Webber is credited with helping make F1 fun and exciting again, and needless to say interest in the sport down under in Australia is running sky high. Richard Branson's Virgin Racing also created some buzz, with Branson a fave in Australia, but they have lacked the results to date that Aussies crave for sports stars and teams. Webber is now thought of as a living legend by many, but he downplays the suggestion.
A Media Man insider was overhead with "If Mark wins the world championship many close think he will then be more than happy to have the tag 'legend' but until that time, champ or just mate, will do him fine."
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Crown Casino
Burswood Casino
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James Packer
Australian Casinos
F1
Mark Webber
Readers, is it time for Crown and Burswood to get their own branded online casino games like 'Underbelly' and 'Kerry Packer'? Has Crown now got its security levels to the right level? Is Mark Webber going to win the world championship? What's your favorite casino games and why? Tell us in the forum.
Crown Limited Shares...
$8.510
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Want more good Aussie fodder... check out Media Man and the 'Australian Casino Wars' portfolio at Gambling911 of course. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Crown Casino Back To Profit: Red Turns To Black...
The impressive casino, gaming and tourism - lifestyle operator hit paydirt as it swung back to net profit of $292.3 million, delivering a near-$1.5 billion turnaround after a net loss of $1.2bn in 2009-10. Last year's results at Crown were hit by a $1.44bn writedown on the value of the group's North American investments as the impact of the global financial crisis shook up the sector. On a normalised basis, Crown's net profit rose 2.7% to $288.4m, from $280.7m a year before. Financial and gaming industry analysts were expecting normalised earnings of $276.7m, according to a Dow Jones poll of seven brokers - market-watchers typically forecast normalised earnings because it evens out in VIP - high roller gaming. Revenue from operations rose nearly 2% to $2.34bn. Crown declared a final dividend of 19 cents. Shares in Crown were 2.91% higher in the past 24 hours, adding 24 cents to settle at $8.48, after having gained 1.6% immediately after the profit result. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was 0.7% higher. For the first 7 weeks of the current 2010-11 financial year, Crown advised main floor gaming revenue grew by roughly 4% at its Australian casinos. VIP program play volumes have started the year "encouragingly", management said. Crown's gaming venues include Burswood in Western Australia and the flagship Crown Melbourne casino. Their Macau ventures are are also performing strongly, with City of Dreams beating bean counter, public and news media expectations. Seems 'Our James' (Packer) can't put a wrong wrong lately. On ya Packer. You're doing Australia and and family name proud.
Crown Casino Gets Pro And Anti Casino Commentary...
High rolling VIP whales and a mix of dolphins have pumped a record $27 billion through Crown Casino over the past year. Latest numbers demonstrate the casino shrugged off strong competition like Star City in 'Sin City' Sydney, to retain its status as a favoured destination of some of Asia Pacific's most well to do high rollers and big spenders. Well to do whales and dolphins gambled their way through roughly $74 million every day at the Melbourne based casino in the year to June, up from the previous year's figure of "only" $67 million a day. Senator and anti-gambling crusader - campaigner Nick Xenophon aka 'Mr X' Media Man tag) said it was challenging to screen such large amounts of money. "That is a staggering amount of money and we need to ask whether the current rules can guarantee that none of that $27 billion was laundered money or embezzled money," he said. News Limited has previously revealed how Crown offers the use of VIP Lear jets, extravagant hotel rooms and an assortment of gifts on some of its most well to do international guests, who often stay weeks or months. Crown has now embarked on a $440 million program to refurbish and extend the casino with more gaming tables, restaurants and new VIP facilities. Crown chief executive Rowen Craigie advised high rollers spent less in the second half of the financial year after 2 new casinos opened in Singapore. Senator Xenophon advised there was a false perception that high-rollers were not hurt by gambling. "Just because you're a high roller, doesn't mean you are immune to having a gambling problem," he said. Throwing in her 2 cents, Anne Holland, CEO of Relationships Australia, went on record with "Rich people could have families, they could have mental health problems, they could have the same issues around gambling and problem gambling as anyone." The 10% boom in VIP turnover at Crown Melbourne came as regular punters ("tuna" and "average joes") trimmed back their gambling.
Revenue on the main floor of the famous casino jumped 2.5% over the 12 months. This is less than the 3.1 of inflation recorded in Melbourne over the same period. Tatts chief Dick 'Machine' (MM tag) McIlwain has also thrown in his 2 cents...advising the controversy surrounding pokies was making consumers reconsider the machines. The Tatts Group and Tabcorp lost their stranglehold - monopoly of sorts on the poker machine market in May when the State Government sold 10-year gaming machine entitlements to new and existing operators. "The constant controversy that poker machines generate leaves consumers and players wondering what they are doing," 'Machine' McIlwain said. Tatts' after-tax profits tumbled more than 50 per cent to about $120 million in the year to June, with revenue from its (soon to be defunct poker machine division) falling 5% to $1.22 billion. "It's been tough," 'Machine' McIlwain advised. The withdrawal of the spending stimulus, a reduction in the maximum bet per spin and regulatory changes all contributed to the decline in pokie spending, he shared. The exact impact and all round popularity of online gaming in Australia isn't exactly known, but what is known is that the online sector continues to chip away at the traditional land based casinos, hotels and clubs. Switched on traditional gaming operators are adapting to the web, with the business models of PartyGaming including the World Poker Tour, Harrah's Entertainment and Virgin Games being examined. Crown Limited is understood to be moving forward with their online gaming and gambling plans, and insiders think a deal with PartyGaming, NextGen Gaming, Virgin or a combination is on the cards. Media Man and Gambling911 will be following up with more details in the coming days and weeks.
Crown Casino Bribes 4 Jobs Accusation Raised...
A number of senior staff in Crown's food and beverage arm are accused of demanding sums of $5000 plus to help secure jobs or internal promotions for foreign workers and international students. Some alleged bribes were paid by folks hoping to increase their chance of "winning" (game or skill or chance) permanent Australian residency with a superior job. A leak said the scam had operated for many years and involved primarily Indian and Asian students. "They are employed with 'no questions asked' and no pressure until they gain their permanent residency status," the leaker whispered. Roughly a bakers dozen staff have been caught up in the scam. 2, perhaps 3 staff and a former employee are believed to be behind the evil scheme. A long-serving employee has been sacked. Alarm bells were raised by a foreign student who is understood to have been pressured by those behind the scam to work in excess of the 20 hours allowed under his student visa. "Some of them wanted a higher grading on their job or a better job description which would help them in applying for permanent residency," another leak said. Crown spokesman Gary 'Overloaded' (Media Man tag) O'Neill confirmed police had been called in to investigate. "A few months ago we became aware there were allegations that some of our staff were being exploited. "Crown spends a huge amount of money and time recruiting and training its staff who come from a very broad section of the Melbourne community, both culturally and ethnically, and we will not stand for even one of them being exploited and we are treating the matter very, very seriously." O'Neill confirmed a staff member had been dismissed as the result of an internal investigation. He said Crown was assisting staff caught in the scam. The sacked worker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied accepting bribes and said the matter was in the hands of his lawyer. He confirmed he had been questioned by Crown management but said he had no idea why he had been accused. "I refuted (the allegations) with my solicitor when I went there," he said. The man advised he had already decided to leave Crown over an earlier matter. Police overnight said they were investigating the allegations of fraud at Crown. Crown Limited are taking a very pro active role in the investigation and embrace a fair go for all, but it for punters or employees.
NRL Investigates Betting Surge On Penalty Goal Sector...
The NRL is now investigating an extremely unusual betting plunge on what is normally a low-interest option in last Saturday's no big deal game between North Queensland and Canterbury at Dairy Farmers Stadium. The plunge on the first scoring play...in which a Cowboys penalty goal was heavily backed...convinced various bookmakers, including TAB Sportsbet, to cease betting on the option hours before the game officially kicked off. NRL media and communications director John Betman' (MM tag) Brady overnight confirmed an investigation was in progress..."We're looking into some betting activity and seeking information on any trends surrounding that. We're talking to some people about it, and we're open to receiving any further information that is around on it." The plunge did not come off however North Queensland did have the option of taking an easy shot at penalty goal to open the scoring after the Bulldogs were penalised in the 2nd minute for not getting off the tackled player (Cowboys halfback Grant Rovelli) quickly enough, following the rule book type of thing. The penalty was awarded only 9 metres out, and right in front of the posts to book, but the Cowboys elected to take a quick tap and scored a try out wide! A change of plans perhaps to cover other plans? We might never know. The NRL was first alerted to the plunge by TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie, who told the News Limited "It was unusual to see the bets that went on that option. It was an inordinate amount of money to be placed on a (North Queensland) penalty goal as the first scoring play, in what was a nothing match. "The money started coming for it on the Thursday, and kept coming until Saturday. It had been backed from $13 to $7 by the time we turned it off a few hours before the game. I contacted the league on Saturday afternoon, and handed the information to them." Gerard 'Duck' (MM tag) Daffy, understood to be the most experienced man in sports betting in Australia, said he turned the first scoring play option off at his agency...Sports Alive - shortly after a punter tried to place a bet to win $8000 on a Cowboys penalty goal. "It's extremely rare for anyone to seriously back an option like that unless it's bad weather. We took some bets, and then someone tried to have $1000 on at $8, which obviously rang alarm bells. I let him on for a reduced amount. It was still Saturday morning, so I checked around the other bookies, and could only find one still betting on it, and they had a Cowboys penalty goal at $5.50. I turned it off after that." Michael Sullivan, of Sporting Bet advised his agency had also stopped betting on the option. "Increased interest would be the best way to describe it. No doubt we did turn it off, but I don't want to make any further comment because people just think bookmakers are whingeing." Centrebet's Neil 'Even Odds' (MM tag) Evans advised the odds on a Cowboys penalty goal was cut "from $13 to $3". He went on record with "It was certainly hot property. It was an inordinate go that you would normally never get." There were allegations of a betting rort in the final round of last season. The Cowboys were heavily backed to win by 13-plus against Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs), and came from well behind to win 32-16. There were suggestions the Roosters had thrown the game, but the league investigated the match and announced that it could find no evidence of anything untoward. Quizzed if this was a time of the year when the NRL was particularly alert to the possibility of something untoward happening in games, Brady went with "We're alert at all times. This can be a time of the year when results are naturally hard to pick, because we're getting to the end of a long season, and some teams are heading for the finals and others are just trying to finish the season off well." Sports betting follows are understood to be finding these times very interesting to follow or participate, and the news media business is generating more colourful stories from the fun and games, on and off the field.
South Australian Govt Missing Millions Thanks To Online Gambling; Could Be National Trend...
Online gambling is clearly understood to be diverting tax money from state coffers as punters go colder on poker machines and give online pokies from the likes of PartyGaming, Centrebet, PKR, Virgin, Roxy Palace, Captain Cooks Casino and Media Man white label type deals a go. The most recent figures show a significant dip in the amount gamblers pour into the state's pokies and a $10 million annual fall in tax revenue. State Government analysis shows punters put $729 million into pokies in the past financial year, compared with $750 million in the 12 months to June 30, 2009. The result is the lowest annual outlay on poker machines for 6 years and has resulted in a Government gaming tax revenue drop from $292 million to $282 million in the past year. Experts say mass-media advertising campaigns have driven a dramatic rise in the popularity of internet gambling, which sidesteps traditional tax regulations. South Australian pubs and clubs have also suffered an $11 million revenue hit, which comes as smoking bans look to further harm the sector. Australian Hotels Association general manager Ian Horne said competition from both sports betting and online gambling outlets was placing major pressure on the industry. "The sports betting market is expanding enormously," he said. "Just look at the betting options for the federal election. The promotion of betting odds was unprecedented. It's becoming the normal way of life to bet on anything and everything." Horne said poker machines had been unfairly "demonised" while other gambling options were considered socially acceptable. A spokeswoman for Gambling Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the decline could be attributed to reduced household expenditure for recreational activities. "This expenditure is also affected by the Reserve Bank's increasing of interest rates over the past 12 months," she said. The spokeswoman also said the Government was working to reduce the number of pokies, despite figures showing 7 more in use now than last year. "There is always some variation in the number of live machines, as gaming venues may not use all of their entitlements, for example during renovations," she said.
"The Rann Government is committed to reducing pokie machine entitlements by 3000. "So far the Government has removed more than 2200 gaming machine entitlements from SA venues." Treasurer Kevin Foley has warned the state to brace for a tough September 14 Budget, saying the lingering impact of the global financial crisis has diminished revenue. Media Man and Gambling911 have strong reason to believe that online gaming and gambling will continue to grow in the Australian - Asia Pacific region, and many land based venues will continue to be hit hard.
Tasmania: $8 Million Jump With Betfair Deal...
A taxation cut offered to James Packer 50% owned betting agency Betfair will cost Tasmania about $8 million more than first promised over the next two years, the Liberal Party claim. The deal Labor offered Betfair just before the state election is now up in the air with the Liberals holding off on giving their support to the legislation. With the Greens Party already declaring they are opposed to the deal to cut Betfair's tax rate, the legislation's success now depends on the support from the Liberals. The tax break has created a split between Labor and the Greens' Cabinet representatives, leader Nick McKim and Cassy 'O God' (MM tag) O'Connor. As part of the power-sharing arrangement between the two parties, the Greens can choose to remove themselves from a Cabinet vote if they disagree with the legislation being discussed. When the tax break was announced in February Bartlett claimed the deal would reduce state revenues by about $2 million over two years. However, in the State Budget in June that figure had jumped to about $5 million a year, reducing revenue from Betfair from $7.3 million to just $2.4 million. The Liberals and the Greens sought a clarification this week on the exact costing. Treasury yesterday confirmed the cost would be more than first thought. The tax cut, already budgeted, will put a $5.3 million dent in state coffers this year, $5.1 million in the next financial year, increasing to $6.7 million in 2012-13 and $7 million in 2013-14. Treasurer Michael Aird said the Budget clearly outlined the reduced tax revenue from Betfair. He advised the Government had been transparent about the revenue dip. "The level of fees, licences and taxes relating to that arrangement with Betfair would incur loss of revenue to the state. The figures in the Budget are a very clear indication of our estimate of the revenue we expect from Betfair," Aird said. A spokesman for the Liberals said the party would vote on whether or not to accept the legislation. The key component of the deal is Betfair's tax rate, which is to drop from between 10 and 15% of gross earnings to 5%. Labor offered Betfair tax cuts to keep the company and its 130 employees in Tasmania. Betfair continues to enjoy boom times, getting a huge urge thanks to the Australian political election and the betting feeding frenzy.
A Media Man spokesperson said "Packer's 50% owned Befair is now well and truly part of Australian culture. Having a punt is in our blood. It goes back to the convict ships, Captain Cooks crew and the like. We all used to have our favorite SP bookie, back in the good old days. Betfair identified market and gave the public a chance to get much better odds than the Government TAB, and they lapped is up. NRL and Australian political betting is powering along. It's what people discuss at home, work, cafes. I guess we all like to know who the smart money is on. Packer always wins, but in the information age, the web and all, we can all win. A lot of it gets down to where you get your information from. Not sure? Just ask horse jockeys and footy players. Hey, they were going to give them training for what constitutes insider trading. That's got to tell you a story punters".
F1 Ace Aussie Mark Webber Has World Championship In Mind This Weekend...
With only 7 races remaining, Australian Mark Webber has admitted that he will be driving with the world championship title in mind at this Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix. The 33-year-old Red Bull driver believes that the most consistent driver will win the championship and admitted that he will not be taking as many risks as he would have earlier in the season. "Finishing is certainly something that you think of," said the Aussie. "With this points system, you need to finish so consistency is important. "That's something you sign up for straight away because you don't want to win races but have non-finishes. You have to capitalise on the days when you are not potentially going to win to get the next best thing, whatever that may be. That comes down to reliability, the decisions made - when you roll the dice as a midfield team you take a gamble but for us, McLaren and Ferrari there are obviously bigger things at stake. You have to be mindful of the fact that you might not get anything out of it so you need to realise that four points is better than none and gambling." Webber denied that this weekend's race in Spa and the forthcoming Italian Grand Prix will be a case of damage limitation, despite the tracks' potentially highlighting his car's weakness at high speeds. He went on record with "Always when you are running medium downforce on these cars, it's for a reason. And that reason is long straights. We know that it's not a strength of the car and hasn't been for quite a few years and we know why. "But we work incredibly hard to make the car strong in other areas and when we go to those venues obviously we are strong. "We can still keep up at these tracks, but whether we have an advantage remains to be seen. We still weren't uncompetitive in Montreal, but we weren't the pacesetters as we were in some other venues. "I think if we had to have 17 races in a championship, we wouldn't choose Spa and Monza to have races at, but it's part of the calendar and we have to make the car quick everywhere." However, Webber added that many had assumed that his team would struggle in Valencia, but his team-mate Sebastian Vettel won the race. He said "We were worried about Valencia, and Sebastian won. "Last year were very poor in Valencia and got blown away, but this year we were quick. Let's see how the top speeds are tomorrow in sector one and sector three and see where people are pitched." Webber reclaimed the championship lead from McLaren's Lewis Hamilton when he won in Hungary four weeks ago, but his advantage is just four points. Webber is credited with helping make F1 fun and exciting again, and needless to say interest in the sport down under in Australia is running sky high. Richard Branson's Virgin Racing also created some buzz, with Branson a fave in Australia, but they have lacked the results to date that Aussies crave for sports stars and teams. Webber is now thought of as a living legend by many, but he downplays the suggestion.
A Media Man insider was overhead with "If Mark wins the world championship many close think he will then be more than happy to have the tag 'legend' but until that time, champ or just mate, will do him fine."
Media Man Profiles
Australia
Crown Casino
Burswood Casino
Aussie Millions
James Packer
Australian Casinos
F1
Mark Webber
Readers, is it time for Crown and Burswood to get their own branded online casino games like 'Underbelly' and 'Kerry Packer'? Has Crown now got its security levels to the right level? Is Mark Webber going to win the world championship? What's your favorite casino games and why? Tell us in the forum.
Crown Limited Shares...
$8.510
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Want more good Aussie fodder... check out Media Man and the 'Australian Casino Wars' portfolio at Gambling911 of course. Good punting.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
Website Network
Media Man International
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Media Man Australia
Media Man Asia
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