Friday, July 30, 2010

Australia's Most Dangerous Casino?, by Greg Tingle - 30th July 2010

Australian land based casino and pubs, clubs and hotels have a bit of a reputation as not exactly totally safe places to hang out. Some of the dangers of land based casinos in Australia were touched on in the Productivity Report into gaming, but new findings further back this up with the Gold's Coast's Jupiters getting the most heat. Media Man and Gambling911 bring in the bodyguards with bullet proof vests, baton sticks and plastic handcuffs at the ready with this special report...

Australia's Conrad Hotel and Casino on the Gold Coast is now considered one of the world's most dangerous occurring to numerous Media Man informers who don't wish to be named (funny that).

This news follows the trial of the Star City Casino gunman as reported in Gambling911 just two days ago.

Some commentators say Monte Carlo may be home to the world's most dangerous casino, with a couple of casinos on the U.S Las Vegas Strip giving them a run for their money. High profile incidents like a celebrity committing a crime at a casino, like the O.J Simpson matter in Vegas and Van der Sloot might raise the profile of a casino, but it doesn't mean that they are the most dangerous, as there are a number of criteria to judge... bashings and assaults, deaths and injuries, theft, guns and / or knives and so it goes on.

iGaming insiders sometimes joked that Grand Prive, Lucky Ace, Platinum Partners were the most dangerous online casino brands! Last year Casino Tropez was an online casino hangout for a players who went on to commit murder, but that shouldn't mean that that casino was dangerous - just not good luck for the player or casino on that matter. More about these cases in the Media Man online casino reviews and of course Gambling911 has an expensive Gambling News and Casino Crime section on their website portal.

Gambling 911 Star City Casino Gunman news
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/australian-new-zealand-gambling-news-july-28-2010-072810.html

'Casino Model Holly Graham revelled'
http://www.mediamanint.com/articles/casino_model.html

Jupiters Hotel and Casino on the Gold Coast - Broadbeach to be precise, is the most dangerous casino in Queensland, and one of the world's most dangerous casinos occurring to numerous sources to afraid to provide names. Jupiter's recorded more than double the number of assaults as the Treasury Casino in Queensland's biggest city, Brisbane, last year.

Queensland Police numbers released under a Right To Information application have disclosed more than 1 offence was committed on average per day at the casino in 2009 including serious assaults, rape, extortion, stalking, fraud, car stealing, theft and a huge number of liquor and drunkenness offences. Get that, 1 offence per day folks!

Some 30 assaults were listed in the charges, including 18 incidents considered grievous or serious, in comparison to a total of "only" 13 assaults in Conrad Treasury Casino in Brisbane, 4 assaults in The Reef Hotel and Casino in Cairns, and just 2 in Jupiters Townsville Hotel and Casino.

Among the more than 350 charges were 35 odd offences against the person, 92 offences against property and 230 other charges including drugs, drunkenness and good order, or minor, offences.

Full details on the the deaths, guns and knives cases are not in the public domain.

The local Mermaid Beach Member For Parliament Ray Stevens (Media Man tag "The Crippler") advised the casino was by a country mile the biggest 24-hour venue in the state so it was not surprising there were a ton of incidents.

"It also shows an attitude of zero tolerance," he said, balancing the scales.

"I suppose the concerning thing is (assaults) were double the number for the Brisbane Treasury."

Tabcorp Holdings Ltd, owner of Jupiters (formally Conrad) advised 15,000 people a day visited the Gold Coast based casino which was about 5.5 million a year compared to about 3 million who visited the Brisbane casino owned by the gaming giant. Tabcorp remains the major competitor to Crown Limited in the Australian gaming sector.

The casino advised press it operated on a "0 tolerance" approach towards illegal and undesirable behaviour and had one of the best surveillance systems available in the world. Surveillance involves more than just the famed "Eye In The Sky" and casino bouncers aka "gorillas in suits".

"Combined with highly trained staff and constant vigilance means that detection rates of illegal and undesirable behaviours are very high," said the PR release.

All incidents were reported to police and to the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation.

The presser said casino safety and security officers often responded to incidents outside the venues, providing emergency assistance, first-aid and contacting police.

"It is important to note that in 2009 over 8.5 million people visited the southeast Queensland casinos," it noted.

"Therefore, the total number of incidents reported to the Queensland Police during that time represents just .02% of the total number of visitors."

Gold Coast police superintendent Jim Keogh, told News Limited it was difficult to compare the figures between the two cities.

"The Gold Coast (casino) would be busier than Brisbane. They are worlds apart. Brisbane seems to cater for a different demographic."

A Media Man spokesperson said "What type of demographic is attracted to Conrad Jupiters is open to interpretation. I've been there myself, thankfully with no incidents. The numbers don't lie, but Jupiter's do bring in a lot of punters and tourists, so there's going to be incidents from time to time. Still, one case per days still seems high. Not as high we understand at Star City in Casino or Crown Casino in Melbourne. At least the Tabcorp powers that be are aware of the situation and are taking action, rather than closing their eyes and ears to the matter. I guess the Aussie casino wars continue to evolved, this time with security and crime being a sub sector of the wars. We commend the take no prisoners and zero tolerance mantra and policy".

Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on Australian and global casino wars, land based and online.

Media Man Profiles

Australian Casinos
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/australian_casios.html

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Pink Panther

Online casinos, perhaps recognizing the sometimes crime link with land based casinos, going back to 'The Mob' in Vegas and Chicago have a number of game titles with dangerous titles such as The Godfather, Hitman, Heist, Mafia Millions, Predator, High Noon and Resident Evil? Just good Hollywood fun or something perhaps more sinister? In the meantime Aussies continue to call for an Underbelly and Kerry Packer themed slot game, but have to settle for Pink Panther within weeks and Andre The Giant likely before year end. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. PartyGaming, Virgin Casino and Captain Cooks remain some of the world's must trusted, ethical and popular online casinos, with Party leading the charge down under followed by Captain Cook.

So, whether you prefer land based casinos or online, please take precautions. As always, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good luck.

*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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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Braggin' Branson's card trick - The Australian - 29th July 2010

Braggin' Branson's card trick

Budding cosmonaut and serial entrepreneur Richard Branson was in characteristically bullish mode yesterday on Channel 9's Today program.

The billionaire was spruiking his credit card venture with Citibank.

He explained away the demise of a previous card deal with Westpac, saying it turned out to be a runaway winner but gave the bank the heebie-jeebies. The Virgin credit card was "so successful", Sir Richard said, that Westpac "panicked . . . when our contract came up they decided to terminate . . . but we got 800,000 people signed up in three years".

One analyst yesterday laughed and said the last card had gone well, but mainly with "ute men over 30" who either kept a low balance or, in a small number of cases, failed to pay.

He also noted that the new card would charge 16.95 per cent -- more than the old one did. (Credit: The Australian - News Limited)

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Australian And New Zealand Casino And Gambling News, by Greg Tingle - 29th July 2010

The Aussie and Kiwi casino, gambling and sports betting scene shows little sign of slowing down, pending Australian election or not (you can bet on it too). Aussie gaming fans rejoice as PartyGaming release more branded games, and the industry awaits return fire from the land based casino sector as the battle for the gambling and entertainment dollar continues. Media Man and Gambling911, no virgin's to the region, once again do the Asia Pacific... News, PR or shades of grey... readers, er punters...you be the judge...

Australian And Kiwi Casino Fans Rejoice With PartyGaming's Sly Rocky Classic...

Aussie's and New Zealanders had reason to cheer last night with a range of PartyGaming casinos releasing the long rumoured Rocky online slot game. It's the original 1976 classic and it must be said that Sylvester Stallone and the Party powers that be have delivered a world class result. The rumour mill says that Party will soon be following up with the Pink Panther themed slot. The 1963 film classic directed by Blake Edwards and co-written by Edwards and Maurice Richlin, is a comedy film, starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine and Claudia Cardinale. Insiders say PartyGaming has done a fine job with it, and be watching Media Man, Noble Casino and Casino Las Vegas for more clues! The tag line..."A Madcap Frolic Of Crime and Fun".

SkyCity Alpine Adventure tournament: New Zealand Poker Tour (NZPT): Student Wins $75k...

With Aussie poker players making up 8 of the 9 places at the final table of this past weekend's poker tournament in Queenstown, it was no surprise to see the winner's cheque going to an Aussie. Julian Cohen, a recent uni grad from Melbourne snatched $75,000 first place prize in the SkyCity Alpine Adventure tournament, part of the New Zealand Poker Tour (NZPT). The only Kiwi to make the final, Emerson Riwi of Rotorua, finished in 6th place, earning over $15k. Rewi is a 35 year old Department of Justice employee. He finished 4th at the 2008 Auckland championships, but this was his biggest payday to date. An original starting field of 119 players battled for a total prize pool of $267,750. 13 countries were represented, including Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, United States, Germany, Korea, Macau, Russian Federation, Spain, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. The big names in the main event didn't last through to the finals. Australian's Tony Hachem and Chris Levick, Singapore's Bryan Huang and New Zealand's Lee Nelson were all out in the early rounds. Simon Watt, who became New Zealand's most famous poker face overnight with his bracelet win in the World Series of Poker, couldn't get past past day 2.

Final Standings And Money:

1. Julian Cohen (Australia) $73,630.00
2. Andrew Watson (Australia) $46,860.00
3. Vesko Zmukic (Australia) $27,440.00
4. Michael Spilkin (Australia) $22,760.00
5. Tim Clarke (Australia) $18,740.00
6. Emerson Rewi (New Zealand) $15,400.00
7. Jason Gray (Australia) $12,720.00
8. John Maklouf (Australia) $10,040.00
9. Bryan Huang (Australia) $8,030.00


GenerationOne Ideas Forum In Sydney; Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest Flys Flag This Week, Mate James Packer Casino King Still Cruising Globe...

Media Man Rounds Up Sydney Community Entrepreneurs To Chip In... In an effort close to our hearts, GenerationOne is to hold their Ideas Forum at Fox. Aussie casino king might be cruising the high sees but the Bondi Beach entrepreneurs connection will be represented well with a Media Man army of social and community entrepreneurs set to hit Fox. The forum will be broadcast live at approx 1pm. Where: Fox Studios, Moore Park, Sydney, Australia - Thursday 29th July...


Sydney: Star City Casino Gunman Pleads Guilty To Attempted Murder...

A male mongrel has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his former girlfriend at Sydney's Star City Casino. Todd Devaney was charged with a range of offences after the shooting of fitness babe and instructor Holly Graham aka "Casino Model" as she was teaching yoga at the casinos gym in May of 2008. The legal eagle courthouse had previously been advised that the model instructor was shot twice...below the ribs and in the hip region. Devaney fled the scene on foot but was arrested a short time later. Star City sports multiple hundreds of videocameras, a powerful "eye in the sky" or two, and dozens of security officers. In Sydney's Downing Centre District Court early today, the gunman pleaded guilty to 4 charges including shooting (with intention to murder) and the possession of 3 firearms, which he was banned from carrying on his person. He is set to be sentenced on 15th September. Ms Graham was in court to witness Devaney plead guilty. Afterwards she told the press she was pleased with the outcome. "I'm really, really lucky that I've recovered and I just hope that he gets put away for a long time," Ms Graham said. Media Man friends and associates wish Holly well with her ongoing journey.

Crown Casino To Get Celebrity Chef TV Show...

Network Nine has signed last year's MasterChef winner Julie Goodwin for her own show, Home Cooked. Nine is also set to produce Celebrity Chef Live from Melbourne's Crown Casino. Ten is responding with Junior MasterChef, which will screen from mid-October, and MasterChef USA, hosted by Gordon Ramsay. Auditions for the third series of MasterChef Australia are to take place around the country from October. Ten's program manager, Peter Andrews, is confident MasterChef can weather the storm. "We're actually quite flattered that Seven and Nine are jumping on the bandwagon," he said.
"I think the audience can smell a copycat program from a mile away so if any of these cooking shows aren't entertaining, the audience will desert them in a flash." Media analyst Steve Allen said Nine and Seven were playing a spoiling game. "Everyone is crowding into the same space and it will be counterproductive in the end," he said. "Nine and Seven want to overcook the cooking genre so that it lowers the ratings for MasterChef in 2011.". Australian casinos are home to some of the world's finest chefs, and Crown Casino and Star City have a foodie casino war on their hands. What network and casino is to get egg on their face remains to be seen.


Shane 888 Warnie Does The Races With Babe Elizabeth Hurley...

The cricket - celeb poker icon just off comparing the Australia VS Pakistan games, accompanied the British babe socialite to the Glorious Goodwood race meet on Tuesday. Warnie filled the void for Hurley's husband and friend, Arun Nayar who was missing in action from the sexy sporting Sussex. The rumour mill reckon Warnie and his filly for the day might be at least slightly addicted to Twitter (and poker). We understand Warnie made time to place a wager with bookies on the horses. Elizabeth Hurley Twittered "Glorious Goodwood tomorrow...just got some tips from my racing mad shepherd whilst trying on hats." The very friendly couple have been friends for years and occasionally share friendly chats Twitter. Also among Hurley’s Australian Twitter mates are Russell Crowe and Media Man mate Max Markson aka Mr Fame, seems to swap the odd wise crack online, often about food or coffee. Crowe doesn't bet, but Warne more than makes up for the shortfall. The ex spinner is also chummy with Packer and they get spotted together from time to time at casinos and sports fields.

Australian TV Broadcasters To Ramp Up Poker And Gambling Coverage...

Network Ten - One HD, Foxtel and friends have only just scratched the surface of Australian poker and gambling programs such as The Poker Star and World Series of Poker highlights. The Media Man bush telegraph says to perhaps even expect a casino king type program or two, that will cover both only and offline activity. Broadcasters and sponsors are keen to see plain language warnings on the broadcasts advising punters not to overdo it and "bet with your head, not over it, and set limits". The shows are tipped to cut into air time formally occupied by traditional gambling programming like horse racing. Sky Sports was not commenting. Ten's The 7PM Project mentions poker and casinos from time to time and let's not forget Packer pal David Gyngell, CEO of Nine, a smart cookie by all accounts, is aware of Crown's total entertainment experience, which includes gambling and poker tournaments, including the famed Aussie Millions coming up in January.


Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group To See Kids Skill Games Removed From Pokie Palaces...

He king of poker machines in Victoria has voted to remove children's arcade games that offer prizes such as iPods from its venues nationwide. Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group, a JV between supermarket tsar Woolworths and billionaire poker machine operator Mr Bruce Mathieson, has now confirmed that games offering prizes more valuable than "stuffed toys or chocolate" would be removed for good from all its venues over the next year, or as soon as the games' contracts permit. The decision was made at a board meeting on Friday. A Woolworths spokeswoman, Clare Buchanan, said "We've made a decision that we are going to be removing what's known as tile machines from our venues - the (games with) more high-value prizes but less chance of winning the prize." The games are in roughly 280 of the group's 286 palaces, including the "vast majority" of the 96 or so venues in Victoria. She said it was appropriate to remove them. "We did a bit of research among patrons and these weren't games that we felt were adding any value to the venues," Buchanan said. The move follows Fairfax Media reports that experts believed arcade games with prizes were "grooming" children to gamble.

Boxing: Green VS Brigg's Does Hurricane Type Damage To Boxing Betting In Australia...

The match has done great damage to both Australian boxing and the sports betting elect of such. The day of the "fight" there was a rush across betting agencies for Briggs to be knocked out in the 1st or 2nd round. One agency shortened its odds from $7 early in the day to even money. Others closed the market! Multiple bookies said the activity was odd, with a spokesman for Centrebet going on record..."We've never in the history of boxing seen so much go on a specific decision outcome." Line-betting is enjoying mega popularity with punters and fans. Sport remains the fastest growing sector of the Aussie gambling industry, increasing by 12% last financial year, compared with 1.2% for pokies and 0.5% for horse-racing. In response to the Briggs-Green bout, some betting agencies have advised they will no longer take line bets on boxing fights down under. Boxing can no longer be trusted says Media Man informers. Boxing is more high risk to betting corruption than most other sports. A 1:1 "contest" is easier to rig, as their are less people involved! Word leaked to MM from an Aussie legal eagle report carried by some wires including Fairfax...Team sports are not immune to the ills of line-betting. The common thread in many recent international betting scandals in basketball, soccer and cricket is that they involved large-scale betting on immaterial outcomes, such as the winning margin in a lopsided contest. A classic example is "point shaving" in US basketball; where players or referees influence the winning margin, or "point spread", of a game without affecting the result. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has called for a ban on sport betting until the federal government establishes regulations. Given the recent Aussie sports scandals "Mr X" has a leg up on the sports gamblers on this matter, even if some of X's proposals relating to gaming and gambling are in "fantasy land", whispered a Media Man staffer.

Australian Music Groups Do U.S Hotel Casinos...

Fresh off U.S performances, The Australian Bee Gees and Air Supply, are both understood to be keen to clock up a few more gigs at American hotels and casinos. Folks, let's be honest... a number of land based casinos are in a better position than many venues to be able to pay good bucks to top notch Australian groups. Music helps get customers into the premises, and some will of course "feel lucky". Some will be lucky, and some won't... that's the nature of a casino. Punters generally have "more luck" playing games of skill, be it poker or other table games, while slots aka pokies, are basically pure luck, but remain popular with casino punters the world over.

Media Man Profiles

Australian Casinos
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/australian_casios.html

PartyGaming

Rocky

Pink Panther

Boxing

War Of The Worlds

New Zealand

GenerationOne
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/generationone.html

As always, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Good luck.

*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. Media Man also publish Australian Sports Entertainment
http://www.australiansportsentertainment.com and Casino News Media
http://www.casinonewsmedia.com

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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Australian And New Zealand Casino And Gambling News, by Greg Tingle - 20th July 2010

Readers er punters, casino billionaires, whales, journalists and everyone else... the last Australian and New Zealand report was so popular we're following it up pronto, without further delay. So, whether you take a liking to Kangaroos, Koalas, Octopus, Sheep or Tasmanian Devils, we've got something to whet you're appetite. Media Man and Gambling911 set the menu and fire up the barbecue for your culinary delight...

Friends, make no mistake, the Australian and New Zealand casino and gambling landscape comprises of more than just the famous casino wars dominated by James Packer's Crown Casino, Burswood Casino and Tabcorp's Star City, and if you like, add in the new potential players Mildura Jewel and Cairns 'Aus Vegas' proposal. Then you have the "pokie palaces" (clubs, pubs and hotels), and perhaps the odd illegal gambling den, but we don't know much about the later despite Underbelly rumours and cafe talk. The Australian horse racing industry used to be a serious player but their numbers and clout is way down from what it was 10, even 5 years ago. Some gambling and gaming related companies have adapted to the times better than most and that's the bottom line. Winners remain grinners and firms out of luck can usually blame themselves. Media Man and Gambling911 likes to back winners, and we applaud the switched on operators from down under that may have been listening to smart folks like Mort Zuckerman, media baron in New York.

Crown Limited's Burswood Entertainment Complex Multi-Million Dollar Expansion...

The Western Australia Government says it will not get in the way of a multi-million dollar expansion of the Burswood Entertainment Complex and casino. The operators of Burswood plan to spend over $350 million over the next 3 years upgrading the resort, building new restaurants and expanding the casino to accommodate 300 new gaming machines and tables, all set to please the powers that be, whales, dolphins and tuna.
If the project is officially approved by the Racing and Wagering Commission, Burswood has agreed to remunerate the government a $20 million up front fee. The Racing Minister, Terry Waldron, says that is a "typical business deal". "Twenty million dollars will be utilised to support problem gambling services also to support the racing industry," Waldron advised. If the expansion is approved, Western Australia will still have the lowest concentration of gaming machines per capita in Australia, so James Packer... comon, let's give the other states a run for their money, and many punters also look forward to Crown's continued online development with punters screaming for an online Cleopatra, Kerry Packer and Ned Kelly online slot. As Packer friend and associate Sir Richard Branson and other inner circle types have pointed out, sometimes its a "crawl, walk, run" situation. PartyGaming last year directed players to the Crown Casino Aussie Million's tournament via a PartyPoker online promotion which was encouraging, whispered a Media Man insider.

Adelaide Casino: All You Can Eat, All You Can Play, Or Both?...

The Independent Gambling Authority is understood to be a tan worried about a $5 "all-you-can-eat" gambling related deal promoted to a pensioner group by the Adelaide Casino. A number of aspects of the scheme are attracting an accusing finger, and then some. Critics say the promo is not a good example of responsible gambling promotion. The vast majority, if not all, of the states pubs and clubs can't do the same sort of promos. The community friendly gambling den is rarely in the bad books, but as is often the trend, a small but vocal minority scream blue murder, many of these organised groups often having strong links to Churches and the clergy. Don't start us up on pedophilia church scandals that have swept the world from Adelaide, to Vegas, the Vatican and beyond. The casino's deal for the more senior patrons is affectionately being referred to as the Pensioner Promotion says industry insiders. The diners are "forced" to stay at the venue for 4 hours in order to collect their "cheap" meals. Is cheap cheap, or can cheap be expensive? That may depend on their luck in the slots. The pensioners are mainly "tuna" with no whales, but may contain the odd "dolphin" to use industry speak in and around Media Man circles. No high rollers here folks. One may argue that there is an element of swapping food for the chance to win big on the pokies. 4 hours game play hey? We're advised their may be a version of peer-group pressure, the sort of thing that goes on in a school yard, but in this can its at the casino! If 1 person leaves the group in the 4 hour limit all of their mates will miss out on the "$5 pensioner promotion" deal.


Auckland's SkyCity Casino Targeted By Scammer...

A senior employee nicked $2.7 million from her company employer over 6 years to spend as a VIP high-roller at Auckland's SkyCity Casino. Herminia Lanuza pleaded guilty in Auckland District Court this week to fraud and theft and her accountant partner Divinia Granados admitted laundering stolen money through bank accounts. The daring couple will be sentenced in August. Lanuza worked as a senior financial controller for an Auckland company, whose name is suppressed. The incidents occurred from 2002 to 2008, systematically nabbing cash to feed her gambling addiction. The missing millions were uncovered after an unpaid tax bill was discovered back in March 2008. Crime doesn't pay.


New Zealand Poker Tour (NZPT) Queenstown 'Alpine Adventure' Tournament...

15 poker nuts are on journey from Auckland to Queenstown this week for a shot at fame and money via the poker green. The swag are qualifiers from a tourney at SkyCity Auckland casino last weekend that offered spots in the New Zealand Poker Tour (NZPT) Queenstown 'Alpine Adventure' tournament, which carries a sweet prize and the expected net prize pool is estimated to go up to $400,000, maybe a tad higher. The Auckland leg commenced on Saturday with a line up of 38 international and domestic players from 9 countries including reps from down under in Australia, Singapore, Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Canada and sheep loving New Zealand. Local poker sharks made up the most of the 15 successful players who fight for glory this weekend. SkyCity will pick up the tab for the travel and accommodation as well they might considering the global coverage they are getting, including Media Man and Gambling911 networks.

Players include

Yannick Frenette - Canada
Tim Macbeth - NZ
Stephen Smith - NZ
Richard Kit - NZ
Jordi Urlings - Netherlands
Lindsay Andrews - NZ
Campbell Melville - NZ
Brian Huang - Singapore
Rewi Emmerson - NZ
Mike Tyler - NZ
Robert Wang - NZ
Kani Edwards - NZ
Ben Price - Australia
Oleg Vitsenko - NZ
Renae Baker - NZ

Land Based Casinos VS Online Casinos And Media Connections...

Australian and New Zealand punters are taking to online casinos and sports betting sites like "ducks to water" says Media Man. A Media Man spokesperson said "Australians are some of the world's most passionate users and early adopters of technology and entertainment, as well as in the top 5 of gambling nations, so you can just imagine how they have fallen in love with online gaming, poker and betting in general. One need look no further than the Australian Productivity Report to see the passion Aussie's have for the punt. New Zealanders are also right up there. Media companies such as Fairfax Media and News Limited have plugged into the action, as has TV stations Foxtel, Network Ten and OneHD in roundabout ways, and Google has Google TV and Google TV coming up also, on the heels of Google Pac-Man, so things look exciting. Rest assured Media Man and Gambling911 will stay in the thick of the action. Readers are encouraged to open various accounts with a number of casinos and bookies, just in case your prime supplier gets banned. PartyCasino, Captain Cooks Casino, PKR, Betfair, Virgin Casino (no Aussies yet) and Centrebet are some of the ones we can recommend. Paul The Octopus isn't commenting on the findings. Media Man and Gambling911 have a casino reviews section, so check it out to find out more. Bet with your head, not over it, and have fun".

Media Man Profiles

Australian Casinos
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/australian_casinos.html

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http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/crown_casino.html

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http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/new_zealand.html

Paul The Octopus
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/paul_the.html

Casino Reviews
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/casino_reviews.html

Tasty morsels hey. No animals or other creatures were hurt in the compiling of this report. That's it for now folks, stick a fork in her, she's done. Woof. Bah for now!

*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 bakers dozen of sectors they cover. They also offer political analysis and commentary

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Virgin and has conducted b2b with Crown Limited, PartyGaming, Virgin, Fairfax Media, News Limited and Betfair

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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Australian Casino Wars: Mildura Media Wars?, by Greg Tingle - 11th July 2010

Readers er punters, casino billionaires, politicians, media barons, journalists, insiders and everyone else... the casino war battleground with a solid media war component has recently expanded in Australia, now no longer limited to the Crown Casino VS Star City Casino element, with a dash of Aus Vegas debate in Cairns, Victoria's regional Mildura is seeing an all mighty battle for the minds, media headlines, as the Mildura Jewel - for and against campaigners turns up the heat. Media Man and Gambling911, along with the sniffer dogs, Bluey and Timmy, hit the regional trail with this special report down under...

The latest casino war in the Asia Pacific is happening in Victorian Mildura, but its not Casino VS Casino, its pro casino campaigners VS the anti casino establishment, with media and new media (such as Media Man and Gambling911) being a significant part of the battlefield ala "the art of war".

The bush tucker mob against the Jewel Casino in regional Mildura advise they will continue a media saturation campaign to help ensure residents could make an "informed decision" about the proposal. You know, the good old fashioned community consultation type of thing, but the anti casino mob of course have their view out in the open for all.

Media Man research to date indicates that its a small ish but very vocal swag against the casino, with roughly 85% of the township wanting the neon lights, primed to offer jobs, a tourism boost and sustainable growth prospects, bringing money in to the community, then to be shared in a fair and balanced capacity, with government - council checks and balances.

Sunraysia Against Casinos spokesman Lance Milne said only overwhelming community support for the development would convince the organisation that it was wanted. Milne said in the meantime the organisation would be steadfast in its opposition against a casino in their backyard.

"We initiated a newspaper advertising campaign some weeks ago and we have booked 43 television advertisements to gain feedback and discuss before deciding on our next course of action.We also have plans to develop a website which will be our main form of communication with the public aside from media outlets. The advertising has been funded through donations from people who attended one of our earlier meetings and wanted to help out. We haven’t solicited donations as such, but we now have enough to cover our immediate plans.".

Media Man, Gambling911 and a swag of Australian based media and new media companies are delighted to hear that Sunraysia Against Casinos will be launching their own website and do believe that community consultation and awareness is a sound strategy.

A Media Man spokesperson said "Great to hear about the upcoming Sunraysia Against Casinos website. New media an in particular websites is a perfect way to get awareness both locally, state, nationally and internationally. The internet is a global medium. They will be able to get more feedback from the community, but maybe will get a few detractors and hate mail also. We think that the local council might do well to ramp up their coverage of the proposed casino also, perhaps by launching their own sub-site or website for the subject. That will counteract things are the Mildura casino, media and political wars continue to heat up. Here's to a good, clean fight and may the best campaigner win".

Punters er readers, stay tuned for more on Australian casino wars, and don't forget to check out the Darwin Aus Vegas casino - political wars also, certainly giving Mildura wars a run for their battle, despite one anti casino campaigning calling a proposal "Baraar"! Oh, Terri Irwin (Mrs Crocodile Hunter) is moving forward her plans for a Viva Croc Vegas - Crocodile A Mania theme park on the Las Vegas Strip as lady luck looks to be smiling for the Crocodile Queen on the jungle. Terri will create 1000s of jobs for Aussies and Yankees. As Australian casino king James Packer could tell you, there's money in and around the casino, gaming and tourism sector when done right. Something Mildura is just starting to grasp like an Aussie grass snake. Ssssss.

'Australian And New Zealand Gambling News'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/australian-and-new-zealand-gambling-news-070510.html

Media Man Profiles

Australian Casinos
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/australian_casinos.html

Asia Pacific
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/asia_pacific.html

Cairns
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/cairns.html

World
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/world.html

Politics
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/politics.html

Goanna Gold
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/goanna_gold.html

Bush Telegraph
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/bush_telegraph.html

Aus Vegas
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/aus_vegas.html

Wrap Up...

Mildura Jewel Hotel and Casino? Heaven or Hell? Tell us in the forum, and know that your comments will be read by a vast national and international audience, so keep it clean and nasty snakes and crocodiles are not welcome!

*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a bakers dozen of sectors they cover. They also offer political commentary and analysis.

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Thursday, July 08, 2010

Aussie No Bull Internet, Casino And Politics Report, by Greg Tingle - 8th July 2010

Punters, insiders, outsiders, journos, casino entrepreneurs and whales, and everyone else, what an interesting eclectic mix. NRL, Spain Running Of The Bulls, Red Bull Mark Webber fun and games, Casino cruise ship lights out, web censorship and politics and more... Media Man and Gambling911 go swimming with the sharks, dolphins, tuna and the rest of god's creations, and catch a boat load feast for your culinary enjoyment...

Pamplona Bull Run In Spain - Bulls 2, Australian Bull Runner 0...

It's that time of the year. The annual running of the bulls in Spain. A Spaniard and an Australian were injured on 2nd day of the San Fermin Bull Festival in the Spanish city of Pamplona. The injured Aussie is aged 18 and comes from Melbourne and the 20-year-old Spaniard is from the northern city of Saragossa. Both were taken to hospital. Score: Bulls 2, runners 0. Odds for a kill? Don't know, but maybe the likes of Centrebet, Paddy Power and Gamebookers might like to have a stab at it. Odds on a kill anyone?


Caffeine, Coke, Cappuccino And Pills In Australian Football: No Bull...

Re AFL stories circulate that some players mixed the caffeine drink Red Bull with the insomnia drug Stilnox for recreational use.

Not to be outdone, allegations of a "prescription drug culture" at the Sydney Roosters coming from the charging of Roosters hooker friendly Jake "The Mate" Friend last month for having tablets in his possession without a prescription.

Mr Friend and teammate Todd Carney, who was with him in beachside suburb Coogee when he was arrested, have been totally cleared of any wrongdoing by the Roosters. Friend's matter has been adjourned for mention to 21st July at Waverley Local Court.

Punters and insiders. Should NRL, AFL and poker pros take caffeine pills (or other legal performance enhancing drugs)? Tell us in the forum.


NRL State Of Origin - QLD Beats NSW But NSW Gains Respect...

It's the greatest side in State of Origin history... QLD, has now enjoyed its clean sweep.
Last night, before 60,000 plus fans at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, Queensland capped of its 5-year dominance of Origin with a gripping victory and the first 3-0 win of the Mal Meninga era!

Final Score:

QLD 23 - NSW 18

Centrebet Odds For The Record

NSW $2.85 for the win
QLD $1.44 for the win

Betfair Odds

NSW $3.15
QLD $1.45


Casino Cruiser Liner Looses Power At Sea, Casino Neon Lights Fade...

Punters have long enjoyed going on cruises. In fact some are known as "floating casinos", and various ports of the world have acted as havens of sorts for operators, with Bermuda coming to mind. All is fun and games until the neon lights go out, as they recently did, with punters being forced to the sun decks away from Vegas on the water. Passengers aboard the Carnival Cruise Ship "Fascination" said the ship lost power and drifted at sea for about five hours last Wednesday. The Jacksonville Coast Guard confirmed that the ship had lost power, but could not say for how long. The Coast Guard said marine inspectors boarded the ship off the coast of Jacksonville Thursday morning and investigated the cause of the electrical fault before clearing it to sail into the port of Jacksonville. The ship, returning from a five-day cruise, arrived about three hours late Thursday morning. Port officials alerted passengers on the next "All of the sudden, all the lights and the power went out. The air conditioning went out. The motor went off," passenger cruise lover Rita McGartland said. "We were floating." We were actually underneath the radar, and when it stopped, I kind of wondered about that," passenger James Smith said. Carnival issued a statement saying the power loss was due to a technical malfunction. "Carnival sincerely apologizes to our guests for this disruption to their vacation plans," the company said. "Carnival offered passengers a 20% discount on any future two- to five-day Carnival cruise." The ship has about 1,000 staterooms and 10 decks. The ship, which is 855 feet long, can hold around 2,000 passengers. It also has a casino, art gallery, spa, teen club, tween club, kids' camp, nightclub for adults, mini golf, waterslides and pools.
Carnival likes to call the ship a floating resort and punters call it a "floating casino".


Australian PM Julie Gillard Defends Internet Filter; Joins Media Man Twitter...

Julia, when you read this, thank you for joining our Twitter yesterday, and we trust you had a giggle at our proposed Gillard VS Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott wrestling championship 3 way dance, with a bit of a 3 Way Dance angle thanks to Malcolm "No Bull" Turnbull. How about yesterday's media tweek which is understood to have caught the eye of 'Jules':
"PM Julia Gillard's belief - non belief system is the fasting growing "religion" - belief system the world; Australia respects Gillard's out". Not quite as infamous as the tweek from "That Comedian" earlier this year at Crown Casino on the Logies night re Bindi Irwin: "I do so hope Bindi Irwin gets laid" or "Rove and Tasma look so cute ... hope she doesn't die, too". We expect Vegas comedian Tony Clifton or maybe his dead mate, Andy Kaufman, to buy into the 2nd round of TwitterGate.

Twitter Hot List

http://twitter.com/mediamanpolitic

http://twitter.com/mediamanint

http://twitter.com/JuliaGillard

http://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR

http://twitter.com/gambling911

Julia Gillard says she is aware of public concerns over the mandatory internet filter interfering with "legitimate use" however has vowed to push ahead with the controversial proposal. In her first comments on the filter since scoring the Labor leadership, Ms Gillard told ABC radio in Darwin that the proposal was in fact an effort to control the "dark side" of communications technology. "Images of child abuse, child pornography - they are not legal in our cinemas. Why should you be able to see them on the internet? I think that's the kind of moral, ethical question at the heart of this. I understand that there's a set of … technical concerns about internet speed, and also concerns that somehow this accidentally doesn't move into taking away legitimate use of the internet.

Senator Stephen Conroy with an interesting quote: "We are prepared to spend as much time as necessary to make sure we get it right. Sooner rather than later… does this mean December? No, I wouldn’t think it would be. But there could be intervening events I can’t be in control of".

So, the federal government hopes to introduce legislation to enable its controversial internet filter by the end of the year. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy keeps saying the legislation would be this year "sooner rather than later". Timing for the web filter legislation, which has earned the ire of ISPs and internet freedom advocates, depends on the date for the looming federal election and if Labor wins office. Most political commentators have predicted August to October as possible election dates. The polls are likely to occur before the Victorian election in late November. Centrebet money says Jillard will get in, while most current Fairfax Media web polls show an Abbott (Liberal) victory. Since the plan was put forward in the public domain circa 2007, Senator Conroy has apparently changed his mind several times on how the filtering scheme would eventually work. The latest measure or pitch if you will, is to create a list of web pages comprising refused classification-rated content and force internet service providers to automatically block them. Legislation will be introduced to require all ISPs to filter the RC content list. New Prime Minister Julia Gillard solidly backs the filtering plan. She's made her support known with... understood public concerns over the scheme but that Senator Conroy was working to find a resolution that would be in the "right shape". When Sen Conroy was quizzed if Ms Gillard had set a deadline for the filtering legislation to be introduced, Senator Conroy said: "We are prepared to spend as much time as necessary to make sure we get it right. The discussions we're having behind the scenes with various players are more interested in getting the implementation and the actual policy right rather than saying it's got to be done by some artificial deadline." Those talks include consultation with ISPs on how to increase accountability and transparency for RC material. "I expect it (the legislation) to be this year. I expect that we will table the legislation this year sooner rather than later. "If you're thinking 'does that mean December?' - no, I wouldn't think it would be December, but there could be intervening events that I am not in control of," Senator Conroy told the press. The policy would be implemented 12 months from the passage of legislation. RC broadly consists of illegal content but Google and a boat load of internet and censorship experts believe the list could potentially contain legitimate material. Labor Senator Kate Lundy's suggestion for an opt-in approach has been rejected.
US Ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich has urged the government to ditch the plan, saying child pornographers can be captured and prosecuted without using mandatory internet filters. The government has said it will introduce legislation to establish the filter after consultations are complete, but it is most unlikely to bring it before Parliament ahead of the next election. The federal opposition is yet to formalise its position on the mandatory filter. Aussie punters and internet fans, enjoy your interent filter free viewing while you can. Your days may be numbered.

A Media Man spokeserson said "In regards to the Australian proposed internet filter...This could be a vote winner or election looser, all depending upon the way the government handles it. Gillard is a friendly face and appears to have the ear of Australians much better than Conroy... who tends to raise the ire and piss off the internet community. Australian residents, business people and web publishers and portals developers need a lot more detailed information as to make an informed decision. If your a web publisher or portal developer, like Media Man or a NineMSN for example, who do you draw the lines on media vs PR campaigns, affiliate programs VS advertising, links in and web links out and so on. This is complex and if your running a network of websites across a dozen different industry sectors, 10'000's of pages of content, dozens of campaigns and the like, well you can just imagine. We consult with legal and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, but the bottom line is that we need to see what is proposed by the Australian government. For the record we are a media, publicity and internet portal development company, and we cover a dozen different sectors, gaming, politics, media and technology included. We don't want to have to contact United Nations, Virgin Unite, The Elders and Reporters Without Boarders again, but if we have to, we will. Let's get the proposal right. Catch the crims and let media companies, web publishers and the community at large use the internet in peace. The real crims are not going to be found anyway, but if the government thinks they can get them on the web, let them try, but good luck".


Macau Gaming Operators Will Struggle With Overcapacity Says Expert...

If the market environment were different from what it is today, gaming operators would be struggling. That would happen because "player’s knowledge is lacking, and at the same time loyalty programmes and market segmentation is missing," notes Sudhir H. KalĂ©, professor of Marketing at Bond University’s School of Business in Australia and a visiting professor at the University of Macau. As the author of dozens of published articles on the marketing and management aspects of gaming, KalĂ© says he is "not impressed" with the market strategy of local properties. He also says that currently, gaming operators in Macau "don’t have knowledge about their players and there is no market segmentation". That, he stresses, "has been the weakest link in every property". City Of Dreams and Asia Pacific casino and lifestyle king, James Packer may like to argue his point... "Because the market is high and everyone is benefiting, they seem not to worry, but things can change in the near future," the expert warns. KalĂ© recalls being asked a few years ago "who is the Wynn customer?" – an enquiry that got no answer at the time and one that remains unanswered, he says, even after all these years. "No property knows who their customers are, be it Wynn, Crown or Grand Lisboa," he says. Hence, everybody is going for the same group of patrons. "That makes it very difficult to differentiate yourself from your competitors. I think every property should decide who their customer is and then organise activities and plan a strategy based on trying to provide an incomparable experience to that customer, and not to others," the professor states. If a company chooses another road it will end up either offering the same package as their competitors or offering a special package to all customers. "At the end, it will not have any competitive advantage," KalĂ© says. For the recond, Media Man and Gambling911 have a pretty good idea of who its readers and patrons are. G'day RB, Steve, Calvin, Mort, Rupert, Bruiser, Jules, Ryan, JP, "Mr Watchdog", Mr Wolverine, Mr Spider-Man, Mr Excelsior, Mr Underbelly, Ms Lash, Ms Universe, Ms Crocodile Wildlife Warrior, Sly, Mr Terminator, Mr Cruiser, Mr Hulkamania, Nature Boy, Mr Webby, Mr Bull, John Smith, The Don, and everyone else. Sorry, changed the names to protect the innocent and to have a bit of fun.


Jenson Button And Lewis Hamilton Clash Soon Says Red Bull Mark Webber; No Bull?...

The so-called special relationship between British F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button was dismissed as nothing more than "smoke and mirrors" by their Red Bull rival Mark Webber. Webber's relationship with his team-mate Sebastian Vettel came under intense scrutiny after they crashed when running 1 and 2 in Istanbul ( Istan Bul for this No Bull Edition) at the end of May, while the mood between the Ferrari pair of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa has frequently sounded less than harmonious. But the Aussie said it was no different at the Woking-based camp and the relationship would be tested during the season. "They've been working very hard with smoke and mirrors at McLaren," he said. "Lewis and Jenson are always racing at the front and it's inevitable that it's gonna happen, because of what's at stake and both are hungry drivers." Speaking about his relationship with Vettel, Webber added: "We're pretty good. If Seb was drowning in the ocean I'd go in and save him. But it's totally natural that there will be rivalry. If you are like Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen (at Lotus) there isn't so much at stake right now. But look at Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell. They were both at the front and were both trying to win, and there was healthy rivalry. It's not possible in that situation to have a beautiful, fuzzy relationship because the other guy is a competitor. Here, the whole team learned from the incident in Turkey. It was a new experience for us. But 80% of the grid would give their right arm to be in a similar position, with two guys fighting at the front. As far as we are concerned, it's unlikely to happen again. The good thing is that I can stay at home, and I know all the back routes in from my cycling. I can feed the dogs and go in for the race. There are clear positives; we all know how much we like staying in hotels. I know the home crowd will be rooting for Lewis and Jenson, but I've always got on pretty well with the British fans. I've always lived in the UK." Vettel and Webber made it a Red Bull one-two at Silverstone last year and they need something similar this time on the new circuit if they are to reassert their position in this highly competitive season. It was a wonder Webber could speak, let alone look forward to Sunday's race, following his spectacular 200mph crash in Valencia 10 days ago. After his car smashed against Kovalainen's Lotus it soared in the air, hung there momentarily like a performing dolphin, and then crashed down, turning over before hitting a tyre barrier. The chassis is being rebuilt but Webber's leading mechanic, Mark "Crunch" Lenton thought it would not be used again and left an RIP note in it "You gave me the best day of my life, and also saved my mate." Webber said: "I don't get attached to my cars, but clearly my old one was unique. And it's mine. The team gave it to me after Monaco. It did a great job for me, there and in Valencia." There were a number of other fantastic crashes at the Red Bull factory yesterday (but fortunately they were on the simulator), built in-house at vast expense and introduced in March last year. "With new corners it's important to get a feel for them," said Webber. "Simulators are not the real thing but it's good to get a feel. I didn't realise, for example, just how tight the second left-hander is at the Arrowhead. The rest was as you'd expect. We'll be able to drive Korea before we ever get there ..."

Wrap up...

Did you enjoy your No Bull report? Are you drinking Red Bull? Tell us in the forum. Aussie F1 Mark Webber, keep powering in your Red Bull. Richard Branson, add more juice to your Virgin Racing. We don't want it heading south like the classic Virgin Cola from years back.
We know PartyGaming is going to give a run for your money, and now that the FIFA World Cup is taking a break, land based casinos and internet casinos will be returning to full speed, so watch out baby. Punters, as always, having fun, know the odds, keep it legal, and don't drink to much caffeine or Red Bull. Good punting and have fun. Punters, as always, having fun, know the odds, keep it legal, and don't drink to much caffeine or Red Bull. Good punting and have fun.

Media Man Profiles

NRL
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/nrl.html

Australian Sports
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/australian_sports.html

Politics
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/politics.html

Asia Pacific
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/asia_pacific.html

Media Man
http://www.mediamanint.com/profiles/media_man.html

*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a bakers dozen of sectors they cover.

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Monday, July 05, 2010

Property News Media Website Updated

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Australia's Cairns In Northern Queensland To Become Aussie Las Vegas?, by Greg Tingle - 5th July 2010

Australia's Cairns In Northern Queensland To Become Aussie Las Vegas?

Cairns would become Australia's equivalent to Las Vegas under a somewhat controversial scheme to transform it into the national centre for poker machines. Aussie Casino King, James Packer, his prize casino being in Melbourne, Australia, isn't speaking on the matter as yet. Packer also has his Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth, Western Australia, so don't expect Packer to support the proposal. It's not a Crown Limited venture either, but maybe they would buy them out one day. The current proposal is to be heard within 24 hours in Brisbane, north of Sydney, and south of Cairns, at one of the tourism industry's key annual conventions, Tourism Futures, to be attended by international tourism heavyweights and politicians, including Federal Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh. It is being championed - sphere headed by breakaway Liberal National Party MP Aidan McLindon, who has previously had campaigned against the spread of pokies. But Mr McLindon, who quit the party in May to form the Queensland Party, is now pushing for debate on a scheme that would create a Las Vegas style gambling strip in gorgeous Cairns by relocating poker machines from existing pubs and clubs across Queensland to a new "Aus Vegas" to be built in the region. Punters may recall Aus Vegas was an online casino name owned and operated by Lasseters, but they closed shop roughly 3 years ago, unable to compete with competitors which snatched online casino tuna, dolphins and whales. Aussie punters turned off Aus Vegas (online), finding the likes of PartyCasino.com, Captain Cooks Casino and Virgin Casino.

The Beaudesert MP first tabled his vision for a Vegas-style pokies hub to reduce gambling in April last year in his virgin speech to State Parliament. It somewhat replicates the US model, where Nevada is the only state to have no significant restrictions against gaming machines. Under the "Aus Vegas" proposal, clubs would have to sell their poker machine licences back to the Government or relocate their pokies to Cairns and become "shareholders" in the new venture. The state's existing 4 major casinos would be exempt.

The plan would be supported by a shake-up of the current distribution of gambling funds collected by the State Government, with pokies revenue instead being poured into recreational sports through a scheme that would hand sports clubs a cash grant for each child they put on the sports field! (a suitable connection between pokies and kids). "The location is ideal given the Cairns region is suffering some of the highest unemployment levels and the tourism industry is plummeting," Mr McLindon said. "It already has the international airport there, which is under-utilised. Ideally, you want them (gaming machines) all in one place so people can go away, have a holiday, blow their money and come home." But welfare groups fear the plan could turn Cairns into another "Sin City", following Vegas, Sydney and Melbourne to a certain extent...making residents the sacrificial lambs of the nation's gambling problems.

Media Man Profiles

Northern Queensland

Aus Vegas

Aussie Casino Shares...

Crown $7.730

Tabcorp $6.38

Centrbet $1.130

Tatts $2.230

Reef Casino Trust $1.900

Aristocrat Leisure Limited $3.610

Lasseters Corporation $0.010

SkyCity $2.88

*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a bakers dozen of sectors they cover

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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