G'day punters, journos, sports nuts, high rollers - casino whales, gambling millionaires and billionaires, media tycoons, politicians, insiders, outsiders, legal eagles ... one and all. You know who you are. Today we have another look at the relationship with sport, gaming and gambling. We've got the Crown Casino and NRL Melbourne Storm deal and lots more... Media Man and Gambling911 kick another goal with the Melbourne Storm - Crown Casino news, political fun and games and more...
Crown Casino Teams Up With NRL's Melbourne Storm...
Melbourne are expecting a cyclone size backlash as the latest National Rugby League club to link with a gambling establishment after confirming Crown Casino as their new major sponsor. In a massive deal snatcher for a club which last year was disgraced after being stripped of all points and two premierships during the salary cap scandal, the Storm unveiled Crown as their front jersey sponsor on Friday. Melbourne chief executive Ron Gauci agreed there would be criticism of the club's link with gambling. However he defended the arrangement and said Crown offered a home for Storm supporters, which the club had not had since it joined the competition in 1998. All Storm after-match and mid-season functions for members will be held at Crown. The casino believes the sponsorship will boost their exposure interstate. "I think you'll have those that wish to comment but I think we need to emphasise what it is that we wanted out of the relationship and that is a home for our supporter base," Gauci said. "If you think about what Crown has to offer as an entertainment complex ... this is a great place to consolidate those activities." The Storm lost major sponsors Host Plus and ME Bank in the wake of last season's scandal. Gauci said the new sponsorship delivered a message of confidence in the Storm ahead of the 2011 season. "I think it does deliver us a substantial message to the marketplace, and for the club it's very important to have an organisation as big a Melbourne icon as Crown is to support the club. It delivers a magnificent message about the confidence the corporate world has in Melbourne Storm and our future direction." The Storm joined South Sydney as the second NRL club to have a gambling establishment as their major sponsor, while Penrith have renamed their home ground Centrebet Stadium and Manly will also have the Centrebet logo on the back of their jumper. Yes, NRL ramped up links to gambling are all the rage. A rumour has started that igaming kings PartyGaming want into Australia and would accept an NRL guersey, shorts or even stadium deal. The firm is known for its well known and respected PartyCasino, PartyPoker and World Poker Tour brands, which have a strong following in Australia, other parts of the Asia Pacific, such as New Zealand. Party is also looking to ramp up sports betting services in the Asia Pacific region. Melbourne's announcement also comes in the same week as Ryan Tandy, who left the Storm midway through last season to join Canterbury, was arrested and charged as a result of an ongoing police investigation into "irregular betting" on a match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and North Queensland Cowboys last August. Dennis Watt, rugby league general manager with News Limited, who own the Storm, defended the arrangement between a gambling establishment and a sport sold as a family game. "I can speak for Crown as an integrated entertainment, retail complex. It is very much reflective of the heart and soul of Melbourne and it's a great relationship for us to have and I don't see a conflict for the relationship the Storm have sought here." He echoed the views recently expressed by NRL chief executive David Gallop that the association between sport and gambling "is as old as sport itself". "Gambling's a part of the Australian way of life, part of our character and our history," he said. "We advocate moderation, we know that problem gambling affects less than half a per cent of the population. "You've got two million problem drinkers, four million smokers, over nine million Australians suffering levels of obesity which are also big social issues."
A Media Man spokesperson said "The Crown Casino - Melbourne Storm sponsorship deal looks to be a match made in heaven. Crown has world class facilities and entertainment is the name of the game. Entertainment takes many forms, be it football, burlesque, television, rock bands or slot machines aka one armed bandits. Crown Casino can do it all. Already this deal has generated national and international headlines, and yes, we are helping spread the word to our friends in the U.S and Canada. Gambling911, CAP, GWPA and Poker News Daily are just a few outlets that we expect to run the story. It's balanced and positive coverage all the way, instead of the agenda driven gaming hater stuff you read from time to time. Chalk up more browny points for Crown's James Packer and his world class team at Crown, and good on the NRL and The Storm for seeing the golden opportunity and moving it into high gear. I never thought I would say this again after last season's scandals, but Go The Storm!"
Australian Betting Limited 'Bullet Proof' NOT! Says Maker Aristocrat...
A card-based system forcing pokie players to set betting limits isn't a "bullet proof" solution to problem gambling, poker machine maker Aristocrat Leisure Ltd says. Aristocrat, representing over 60% of the Australian pokies market, is instead proposing a machine-based system that lets gamblers set time and/or betting limits. But the proposal was met with some opposition when Aristocrat executives appeared before a joint federal parliamentary committee hearing in Sydney on Friday. The committee is investigating the idea of a pre-commitment scheme using smart card or other technology to force pokie players to set limits on their gambling. It follows a controversial commitment from Prime Minister Julia Gillard to Tasmanian "independent" (so to speak - has seen to be bias and preduduce against those liking a punt) MP Andrew Wilkie to introduce such a scheme across the country in return for his support of her Labor government. "As a company, we acknowledge that there is a problem out there," Aristocrat general manager of corporate affairs Kristene Reynolds told the hearing. "For us, coming here today is to come to the table and be part of that solution." The company's managing director in Australia and New Zealand, Trevor Croker, said card-based systems, which have been used in other countries, can be manipulated by problem gamblers. "It is not a bullet proof solution. People do swap cards and have been able to use multiple cards," he said. "I think finding the complete solution is going to be a very difficult outcome. "It should not be something we don't aspire to, but it will be very difficult, from what we see in those (other) markets." Aristocrat will soon trial a new slot machine that features opt-in pre-commitments, allowing users the option to set themselves spending or time limits. These machines could be ready for mass production from the end of 2012, and phased in as part of the normal machine replacement cycle, Croker said. But with the average cost of a pokie at $25,000, Labor MP Stephen Jones questioned the Aristocrat executives on the cost effectiveness of such a solution. "It would be good for Aristocrat, I can see that. But it's a very expensive solution to the problem, isn't it?", he asked. Aristocrat general manager of design and development Justin Brown said smaller venues could be given longer to replace their machines, while newer models may only require a software upgrade, at a cost of about $3,000. Mr Wilkie, the committee's chairman, also questioned the motives of Aristocrat's proposal. "I can't help feeling an element of commercial self interest in your advice to the committee here," he said. Further questioning resulted in the Aristocrat executives conceding their machine-based proposal would not prevent problem gamblers from simply switching machines or venues once they had reached a pre-committed loss or time limit. The hearings continue in Canberra and Hobart later this month. In Australia the machines are often known as pokies or poker machines, in the U.S - slots, and much of Europe - Fruit Machines or Fruities!
Queensland's Sunshine Coast A Big Winner For Lottery Sector; Punters To Win Homes Via BoysTown Gambling...
It's steal from the rich to give to the poor! Ok, not exactly, but read on and you will get the drift soon enough. The Sunshine Coast has long been regarded as a prize location by local residents, but now a range of national and state lottery organisations are taking notice. BoysTown Lotteries recently unveiled a million-dollar home in Buderim as its latest prize home offering. Located at 22 Orme Rd, the home is part of a prize package worth more than $1.5 million. It is arguably one of Buderim’s most beautiful homes, according to BoysTown’s general manager fundraising Keith Coventry. "Our previous lottery prize home was in Nerang (Gold Coast) and the one before that was in Rainbow Bay (Coolangatta). Now we find ourselves in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast. When deciding on a prize home, we look at the property itself and then the desirability of the location and the features of the area," Coventry said. "I think the thing about Buderim is that you are close to the beach, but you also have those great views over the ocean and the coastline. I guess you get the best of both worlds. "The Buderim home has been particularly popular and the retail sales have been very strong." Yet another contender in the Coast’s prize pool is a home in Mount Coolum, raising funds for the Mater Foundation as part of the Mater Prize Home Lottery. Also sporting a million-dollar price tag, the home is located at 47 Boardwalk Blvd in Coolum’s Boardwalk Estate. Twin Waters is the site of Surf Life Saving Lottery’s prize home, which is valued at more than $750,000. The three-bedroom home at Lot 4 Ameen Cct comes with $41,832 in furniture and electrical, along with 12 months paid council rates. Coventry said funds raised from the BoysTown lottery would assist the Kids Helpline service, which was in particular demand since the recent floods. "Kids Helpline is certainly taking a lot more calls from kids who are worried about the impacts of the floods, or who have been affected by the floods. A lot of people are seeking assistance with the mental health aspects of this natural disaster, so I think that is certainly going to be the focus of much of our fundraising over the coming months." The money raised from Mater lotteries help funds medical research teams and the purchase of life-saving medical equipment, as well as supporting patients and families. Surf Life Saving lotteries assist Surf Life Saving clubs around the country. Aussies, feeling lucky. Go on, give them a go, and you know the money is going to a good place, if you don't happen to win. Mind you, feel welcome to check out the slots, poker, bingo and other casino games showcased on the portal also. BoysTown Lottery will set you back a bit, while at Media Man partners like PartyGaming, many games can be played for free or for money. The choice if yours. Hours of entertainment for young and old - just kidding, check legalities but most counties insist you are at least 18 years old to gamble, and that includes from lottery to poker to slots, ok crew!
Clubs Australia VS Productivity Watchdog: Dog Fight; Bark Worse Than Bite?...
Clubs Australia will today accuse the nation's productivity watchdog of making a mathematical error in its claim that problem gamblers are responsible for 40% of poker machine revenue. Media Man spokespersons and investigators have been disputing the "problem gambling" numbers for almost 2 years! The figure of 40% is being used by anti-gambling politicians aka "gaming haters" to try to justify new limits on gambling the Gillard government has pledged to introduce to maintain the support of independent MP Andrew Wilkie in the hung parliament. Clubs Australia is fighting a mandatory precommitment scheme that would force pokies players to set a limit on how much they intend to spend before they start gambling. It claims the scheme will cost clubs and pubs $2.5 billion nationally and cost thousands of jobs if it turns off casual gamblers from having a punt, throwing a couple of bucks down the throat of an "one armed bandit", whilst often sinking a cold Aussie beer at the same time (not that we endorse it). Beer can change ones thinking, but you likely knew that already Jack! Politicians backing the reform have seized on a claim in the Productivity Commission report that problem gamblers contribute 40% of pokie revenue to justify the crackdown. Clubs Australia president Anthony 'On The Ball' Ball will tell a parliamentary inquiry in Sydney today the figure is "highly contentious" and "inaccurate". In his opening address to the inquiry he will say that the Productivity Commission claims there are 95,000 problem gamblers who play the pokies and spend on average $21,000 each year on the machines. When multiplied together, this comes to a total of $1.995bn, and this figure represents just 16.8% of the $11.9bn total expenditure on poker machines. "These are not our numbers. These are the figures from the commission," Ball will say. "Therefore the vast majority of gambling revenue comes from recreational gamblers." The Productivity Commission used a range of different methods to calculate the amount spent by problem gamblers and found both problem and recreational gamblers underestimated how much they spent on gambling each year. The 40 per cent figure was not derived from multiplying the number of problem gamblers by the amount they said they spent each year but was derived from a range of surveys that looked at what gamblers actually spent. Clubs Australia will tell the parliamentary committee the proposed mandatory precommitment scheme is a "massive infringement of people's individual rights". "There's a vast difference between making the pre-commitment available to any player who wants to use it, and forcing anybody who wants to play a gaming machine to register, obtain a device and provide personal details or fingerprints in order to be able to play," Mr Ball plans to tell the inquiry.
Australian Gambling Enquiry: Traditional Gamblers Heading Online For Slots, Poker, Roulette Et Al; Problem Gamblers VS Problem Child Government Policy?...
Using hi-tech to force pokies players to set betting limits would drive gambling addicts online in the masses and divert resources away from helping problem punters, a Senate inquiry has heard. The inquiry, chaired by Tasmanian federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie, is investigating the concept of a pre-commitment scheme using smart card or other technology to force all pokies players to set limits on their gambling. Clubs Australia, the peak body for registered clubs in the nation, on Friday told the joint parliamentary committee inquiring into the issue it had reservations about the proposal in its current form. Clubs Australia executive director Anthony Ball said more research was needed on how effective it would be. "There is very little good research out there about whether this proposal or any others are going to work," he told the inquiry in Sydney. "There are a multitude of gambling opportunities. The strategy must not be to drive (problem gamblers) online ... The strategy must be to find these people, get them the right treatment and turn their lives around." He said state regulations on gambling were sufficient and that a 'one-size-fits-all' policy should not be applied across all states. Clubs Australia president Peter Newell said the three main issues regarding the scheme were cost, whether it would reduce problem gambling and the consequences of implementing it. He said the system failed to work in Norway, and instead drove problem gamblers to the internet. Five million Australians would play the pokies in any given 12-month period and the system would only drive away recreational players, who represented the "vast majority" of gambling revenue, he said. "As a recreational gambler myself, I am disturbed that there are people who think I need assistance in determining how I spend my money," he said. "Mandatory pre-commitment fails to provide what problem gamblers need most and that is treatment, and in doing so, diverts attention and resources away from treatment. Problem gamblers will still gamble in the mandatory pre-commitment system. They are addicted. But recreational gamblers will walk away from pokie machines." Newell said the system would be expensive and difficult to implement across 197,000 machines nationwide, taking years and billions of dollars to do - forcing clubs to close and costing thousands of jobs - with no indication as to how effective it will be. It's man VS machine; The People VS The Government, and The Government VS The Gaming Industry. News media and website portals just keep lapping up the action resulting in a readership jackpot bonanza.
Online Casinos, Online Poker and Sports Betting...
Ok readers, we hear you... you also want to know some of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies) if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia (including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...
PartyCasino.com
Captain Cooks Casino
Betfair (sports betting only)
PKR.com (poker, slots including Marvel slot games and sports betting)
PartyPoker.com (online poker at one of the world's most respected poker rooms and gaming brands)
Profiles
Australian Casinos
World Casino Directory
Global Gaming Directory
Casino Travel
Casinos
Australia
Media Man and Gambling911 remind our readers to keep the following in mind:
Take the time to research and learn games before placing down money
Media Man, Casino News Media and Gambling911 are website portals. Not casinos as such, however are recognised as world leading websites that cover the sector and act as central points to games, news, reviews and more.
Readers... er, punters, how did you like our report? Tell us in the forum.
If you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, 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. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered
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