Online gamer explores NFTS...
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Media Man NFTS Blog
Media Man NFTS Blog
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided, that is recorded in a blockchain, and that is used to certify ownership and authenticity. The ownership of an NFT is recorded in the blockchain and can be transferred by the owner, allowing NFTs to be sold and traded. NFTs can be created by anybody, and require few or no coding skills to create. NFTs typically contain references to digital files such as photos, videos, and audio. Because NFTs are uniquely identifiable assets, they differ from cryptocurrencies, which are fungible.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Media Man NFTS Blog
Media Man NFTS Blog
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided, that is recorded in a blockchain, and that is used to certify ownership and authenticity. The ownership of an NFT is recorded in the blockchain and can be transferred by the owner, allowing NFTs to be sold and traded. NFTs can be created by anybody, and require few or no coding skills to create. NFTs typically contain references to digital files such as photos, videos, and audio. Because NFTs are uniquely identifiable assets, they differ from cryptocurrencies, which are fungible.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Media Man NFTS Blog
Media Man NFTS Blog
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided, that is recorded in a blockchain, and that is used to certify ownership and authenticity. The ownership of an NFT is recorded in the blockchain and can be transferred by the owner, allowing NFTs to be sold and traded. NFTs can be created by anybody, and require few or no coding skills to create. NFTs typically contain references to digital files such as photos, videos, and audio. Because NFTs are uniquely identifiable assets, they differ from cryptocurrencies, which are fungible.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Betting firm bwin signs three-year deal with Man United - 16th August 2012
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British online betting firm bwin.party digital entertainment said it had entered into a three-year deal with Manchester United, including the right to run betting kiosks and advertise at the English premier league football club’s Old Trafford home.
Bwin said the deal would also give it the chance to exploit the club’s international appeal to expand in social gaming – free-to-use web games played against other users that offer additional features paid for with online credits.
“Man Utd has 569 million followers outside of Europe, providing us with a great opportunity to offer jointly designed and innovative products in countries that do not yet allow real money online sports betting,” said bwin.party’s co-CEO Norbert Teufelberger.
Bwin, which is already the shirt sponsor of Spanish football club Real Madrid, said football remained key to its long-term future, making up about half of its sports betting revenue in 2011.
Man Utd, which debuted on the New York stock exchange last week, has a series of commercial linkups, including with insurance broker AON, whose name is currently emblazoned on its shirts, set to be replaced on the famous red jerseys by GM’s Chevrolet in 2014.
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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com Britain Soccer Betting Sports Sports Betting Affiliates
British online betting firm bwin.party digital entertainment said it had entered into a three-year deal with Manchester United, including the right to run betting kiosks and advertise at the English premier league football club’s Old Trafford home.
Bwin said the deal would also give it the chance to exploit the club’s international appeal to expand in social gaming – free-to-use web games played against other users that offer additional features paid for with online credits.
“Man Utd has 569 million followers outside of Europe, providing us with a great opportunity to offer jointly designed and innovative products in countries that do not yet allow real money online sports betting,” said bwin.party’s co-CEO Norbert Teufelberger.
Bwin, which is already the shirt sponsor of Spanish football club Real Madrid, said football remained key to its long-term future, making up about half of its sports betting revenue in 2011.
Man Utd, which debuted on the New York stock exchange last week, has a series of commercial linkups, including with insurance broker AON, whose name is currently emblazoned on its shirts, set to be replaced on the famous red jerseys by GM’s Chevrolet in 2014.
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Monday, May 28, 2012
2012 WSOP Day 1: Saechao, Routos Dominate Casino Employees Event
2012 WSOP Day 1: Saechao, Routos Dominate Casino Employees Event; Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca Wins 2012 LAPT Punta del Este
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The weeks of anticipation are over. It’s time for everyone to calm their “inside tinglies.” The 43rd Annual World Series of Poker is underway! As is the tradition, the first and only event to kick off Sunday was the Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em event. While it is a gold bracelet event, it is different from most WSOP tournaments in that it is not an open event in which anyone and everyone can participate. As its name implies, only those who work at a casino may enter. That does not stop it from being a large tournament, though, as 732 players paid the $500 for a shot at glory. Ending the first day atop the chip counts are Chip Saechao with 150,600 chips and James Routos hot on his tail with 146,900.
Both of our chip leaders, who coincidentally were seated at the same table, made their big moves to the top of the leader board late in the night during the 11th and final level of Day 1. Saechao went first, opening a hand for 4,200 chips (blinds and antes were 800/1,600/200) from the button. After both blinds called, the dealer laid down a flop of 2♠-8♥-9♥, prompting the small blind to bet 6,000. The big blind, who happened to be Routos, tossed away his hand and Saechao ratcheted it up to 16,000. The small blind called and the two players saw a turn of 3♠. The small blind checked this card, but Saechao did quite the opposite, moving all-in for more than 40,000 chips. Seeming to know his opponent was on a draw, Saechao told him, “Trust me, it’s not coming.” Despite the warning, his opponent made the call, revealing that he did indeed have a draw, holding A♥-4♥. It was a great read by Saechao, as he himself only had 6♣-8♠ for middle pair. The river was the 3♦, giving Saechao the hand and a significant pot. At that point, his stack was up around 110,000 chips.
Just a few hands later, it was Routos’ turn. The details from those on the scene are a bit sketchy, but Routos and one other player saw a flop of Q♣-3♥-7♠. Routos checked, the other player bet 7,000 and Routos called. The turn was the 7♥ and Routos checked once more, but this time he check-raised his opponent’s 12,000 chip bet up to 30,000. That was enough for the “other guy,” as he laid down his hand, giving the pot to Routos. At that, Routos took over the chip lead with a 150,000 chip stack, but as we know, Saechao regained it before the night was over.
With 732 players, the prize pool for Event #1 is $329,400 (7 percent of the buy-in is taken out for entry fees and 3 percent is taken for the tournament staff). Just 46 players remain, all of whom have already made the money, as the payouts extend down to 81st place. The eventual winner will receive $70,859. The remaining players will resume play in the Amazon Room at the Rio at 1:00pm local time. Tournament Director Jack Effel estimates that another 11 to 12 more levels will be needed to complete the tourney, so it will be a long night for the last few players. The plan is for Day 2 to be the final day, but if it’s not over by 3:00am, a third day will be added. The final table will be streamed “almost live” on a five minute delay at WSOP.com.
2012 WSOP Event #1: Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em – End of Day 1 Chip Leaders
1. Chip Saechao – 150,600
2. James Routos – 146,900
3. Matthew Wilmot – 122,800
4. Don Michael – 110,200
5. John Vohs – 102,300
6. Ray Pulford – 91,100
7. Carisa Schweisberger – 76,400
8. Joshua Murray – 72,400
9. Joseph McCarthy – 71,100
10. Ty Stewart – 69,900
Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca Wins 2012 LAPT Punta del Este
While the focus of the poker world is now set squarely on Las Vegas and the 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP), there are still other live poker tournaments taking place all over the world. One of them, the Latin America Poker Tour (LAPT) Punta del Este stop, wrapped up Sunday with Brazil’s Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca topping the 375 player field to take down his first ever live tournament title and $144,240.
If you skipped down to the list of final table payouts, you may notice that there is a significant gap between the money awarded to Pablo Joaquin Melogno in 4th place ($60,420) and Francisco Baruffi Neto in 3rd place ($116,240). This is the result of a deal made amongst the top three finishers when they all held approximately equal chip stacks. They didn’t start three-handed play like that, but after double-ups by both Fonseca and Baruffi probably made the three men realize that the tide can turn any which way that late in the game, regardless of any individual player’s skill.
Baruffi was the one to broach the topic of a deal after he doubled through Angel Guillen, suggesting they split the remaining prize pool three ways. This would have given each just shy of $129,000, close to the $133,688 that would have gone to the second place finisher without a deal. In the end, they agreed to each get $116,240 and play for the remaining $38,000.
Shortly after the deal was settled upon, Guillen crippled Baruffi, leaving him with barely more than a big blind. The next hand was Baruffi’s last, as his A♥-5♠ fell to Fonseca’s 9♠-9♣.
Going into heads-up play, Fonseca had a moderate chip lead, 4.1 million to Guillen’s 3.5 million. The two men then decided to adjust the previous deal, allotting $28,000 of the $38,000 left on the table to first place and the remaining $10,000 to second place.
Fonseca never gave up his lead for the entire hour and a half duration of the one-on-one match. Because of the cautiousness of both players, though, he also never stretched the lead to the point where a victory looked completely inevitable. But just like that, it ended.
Fonseca made a min-raise pre-flop to 200,000 and shockingly, Guillen moved all-in for 2.8 million. Fonseca called immediately with A♣-K♥, obviously happy to see Guillen’s A♠-9♣. The flop of T♥-7♠-J♠ gave a tiny bit of extra hope to Guillen, as he now had a gutshot straight draw, but neither the turn nor river helped at all and Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca was the LAPT Punta del Este champion.
This win almost double’s Fonseca’s total career earnings in live tournaments. He had gone into the final table with six lifetime cashes for a total of $171,896.
2012 LAPT Punta del Este – Final Table Results
1. Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca – $144,240
2. Angel Guillen – $126,240
3. Francisco Baruffi Neto – $116,240
4. Pablo Joaquin Melogno – $60,420
5. Ivan Luca – $46,000
6. Osvaldo Silvio Resquin – $35,970
7. Vladimir Dobrovolskiy – $26,770
8. Guido Ruffini – $20,080
9. Carlos Leoncio Mironiuk – $15,390
WSOP Unveils 2012 Bracelets - 20th May 2012
With the 43rd Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) just a week away, it is only appropriate that the new bracelet has been officially unveiled. After all, it’s the one thing by which poker players measure their success (we suppose one could count that whole business of cash winnings, too). This year’s designer is Jason Arasheben, perhaps better known as “Jason of Beverly Hills.”
Considering Jason of Beverly Hills’ reputation for creating gaudy, over-the-top pieces that can be seen from the moon, the bracelet is relatively tame. Make no mistake, though – it will still grab attention more than last year’s simple, gold piece of jewelry created by OnTilt Designs. The bracelet is gold, of course, with a very smooth look. The four playing card suits are represented in each corner of the bracelet’s face, with the heart and diamond comprised of white diamonds and the spade and club appearing to be made up of black diamonds. A raised World Series of Poker logo adorns the center of the bracelet face, enhanced by color to make it stand out.
But that is just the bracelet for the 66 preliminary events. Jason of Beverly Hills will also be creating the 2012 WSOP Main Event bracelet, which he promises will be a sight to behold.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to create this masterpiece for the World Series of Poker and it will go down as the most expensive piece of championship jewelry across all major sports,” said Jason of Beverly Hills about the WSOP Main Event gold bracelet. “We will tour this bracelet in our Las Vegas and Beverly Hills boutique so the world can bear witness to this historic work of art.”
The four card suits will be in their normal colors, with the heart and diamond formed by rubies and the spade and club created with black diamonds. All told, the Main Event bracelet will contain over 160 grams of 14 karat gold and over 35 carats of flawless diamonds.
“Blinger is Better,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart in a press release. “Jason grasped the heritage of WSOP bracelets, but was only interested if he could take it up several notches. This is a trophy that truly embodies the promise of today’s WSOP – seemingly unthinkable dreams are dealt each year. I challenge anyone to keep a poker face when they see this bracelet in person.”
Jason of Beverly Hills started his business as a student at UCLA, selling silver trinkets to fellow students, and eventually grew it into the go-to source for amazing diamond creations for the world’s biggest celebrities. He has created pieces for the likes of LeBron James, Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and even Middle Eastern royalty. The pendant he made for Lil Jon was named the largest in the world by Guinness World Records. (Poker News Daily)
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The weeks of anticipation are over. It’s time for everyone to calm their “inside tinglies.” The 43rd Annual World Series of Poker is underway! As is the tradition, the first and only event to kick off Sunday was the Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em event. While it is a gold bracelet event, it is different from most WSOP tournaments in that it is not an open event in which anyone and everyone can participate. As its name implies, only those who work at a casino may enter. That does not stop it from being a large tournament, though, as 732 players paid the $500 for a shot at glory. Ending the first day atop the chip counts are Chip Saechao with 150,600 chips and James Routos hot on his tail with 146,900.
Both of our chip leaders, who coincidentally were seated at the same table, made their big moves to the top of the leader board late in the night during the 11th and final level of Day 1. Saechao went first, opening a hand for 4,200 chips (blinds and antes were 800/1,600/200) from the button. After both blinds called, the dealer laid down a flop of 2♠-8♥-9♥, prompting the small blind to bet 6,000. The big blind, who happened to be Routos, tossed away his hand and Saechao ratcheted it up to 16,000. The small blind called and the two players saw a turn of 3♠. The small blind checked this card, but Saechao did quite the opposite, moving all-in for more than 40,000 chips. Seeming to know his opponent was on a draw, Saechao told him, “Trust me, it’s not coming.” Despite the warning, his opponent made the call, revealing that he did indeed have a draw, holding A♥-4♥. It was a great read by Saechao, as he himself only had 6♣-8♠ for middle pair. The river was the 3♦, giving Saechao the hand and a significant pot. At that point, his stack was up around 110,000 chips.
Just a few hands later, it was Routos’ turn. The details from those on the scene are a bit sketchy, but Routos and one other player saw a flop of Q♣-3♥-7♠. Routos checked, the other player bet 7,000 and Routos called. The turn was the 7♥ and Routos checked once more, but this time he check-raised his opponent’s 12,000 chip bet up to 30,000. That was enough for the “other guy,” as he laid down his hand, giving the pot to Routos. At that, Routos took over the chip lead with a 150,000 chip stack, but as we know, Saechao regained it before the night was over.
With 732 players, the prize pool for Event #1 is $329,400 (7 percent of the buy-in is taken out for entry fees and 3 percent is taken for the tournament staff). Just 46 players remain, all of whom have already made the money, as the payouts extend down to 81st place. The eventual winner will receive $70,859. The remaining players will resume play in the Amazon Room at the Rio at 1:00pm local time. Tournament Director Jack Effel estimates that another 11 to 12 more levels will be needed to complete the tourney, so it will be a long night for the last few players. The plan is for Day 2 to be the final day, but if it’s not over by 3:00am, a third day will be added. The final table will be streamed “almost live” on a five minute delay at WSOP.com.
2012 WSOP Event #1: Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em – End of Day 1 Chip Leaders
1. Chip Saechao – 150,600
2. James Routos – 146,900
3. Matthew Wilmot – 122,800
4. Don Michael – 110,200
5. John Vohs – 102,300
6. Ray Pulford – 91,100
7. Carisa Schweisberger – 76,400
8. Joshua Murray – 72,400
9. Joseph McCarthy – 71,100
10. Ty Stewart – 69,900
Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca Wins 2012 LAPT Punta del Este
While the focus of the poker world is now set squarely on Las Vegas and the 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP), there are still other live poker tournaments taking place all over the world. One of them, the Latin America Poker Tour (LAPT) Punta del Este stop, wrapped up Sunday with Brazil’s Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca topping the 375 player field to take down his first ever live tournament title and $144,240.
If you skipped down to the list of final table payouts, you may notice that there is a significant gap between the money awarded to Pablo Joaquin Melogno in 4th place ($60,420) and Francisco Baruffi Neto in 3rd place ($116,240). This is the result of a deal made amongst the top three finishers when they all held approximately equal chip stacks. They didn’t start three-handed play like that, but after double-ups by both Fonseca and Baruffi probably made the three men realize that the tide can turn any which way that late in the game, regardless of any individual player’s skill.
Baruffi was the one to broach the topic of a deal after he doubled through Angel Guillen, suggesting they split the remaining prize pool three ways. This would have given each just shy of $129,000, close to the $133,688 that would have gone to the second place finisher without a deal. In the end, they agreed to each get $116,240 and play for the remaining $38,000.
Shortly after the deal was settled upon, Guillen crippled Baruffi, leaving him with barely more than a big blind. The next hand was Baruffi’s last, as his A♥-5♠ fell to Fonseca’s 9♠-9♣.
Going into heads-up play, Fonseca had a moderate chip lead, 4.1 million to Guillen’s 3.5 million. The two men then decided to adjust the previous deal, allotting $28,000 of the $38,000 left on the table to first place and the remaining $10,000 to second place.
Fonseca never gave up his lead for the entire hour and a half duration of the one-on-one match. Because of the cautiousness of both players, though, he also never stretched the lead to the point where a victory looked completely inevitable. But just like that, it ended.
Fonseca made a min-raise pre-flop to 200,000 and shockingly, Guillen moved all-in for 2.8 million. Fonseca called immediately with A♣-K♥, obviously happy to see Guillen’s A♠-9♣. The flop of T♥-7♠-J♠ gave a tiny bit of extra hope to Guillen, as he now had a gutshot straight draw, but neither the turn nor river helped at all and Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca was the LAPT Punta del Este champion.
This win almost double’s Fonseca’s total career earnings in live tournaments. He had gone into the final table with six lifetime cashes for a total of $171,896.
2012 LAPT Punta del Este – Final Table Results
1. Marcelo Ramos Da Fonseca – $144,240
2. Angel Guillen – $126,240
3. Francisco Baruffi Neto – $116,240
4. Pablo Joaquin Melogno – $60,420
5. Ivan Luca – $46,000
6. Osvaldo Silvio Resquin – $35,970
7. Vladimir Dobrovolskiy – $26,770
8. Guido Ruffini – $20,080
9. Carlos Leoncio Mironiuk – $15,390
WSOP Unveils 2012 Bracelets - 20th May 2012
With the 43rd Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) just a week away, it is only appropriate that the new bracelet has been officially unveiled. After all, it’s the one thing by which poker players measure their success (we suppose one could count that whole business of cash winnings, too). This year’s designer is Jason Arasheben, perhaps better known as “Jason of Beverly Hills.”
Considering Jason of Beverly Hills’ reputation for creating gaudy, over-the-top pieces that can be seen from the moon, the bracelet is relatively tame. Make no mistake, though – it will still grab attention more than last year’s simple, gold piece of jewelry created by OnTilt Designs. The bracelet is gold, of course, with a very smooth look. The four playing card suits are represented in each corner of the bracelet’s face, with the heart and diamond comprised of white diamonds and the spade and club appearing to be made up of black diamonds. A raised World Series of Poker logo adorns the center of the bracelet face, enhanced by color to make it stand out.
But that is just the bracelet for the 66 preliminary events. Jason of Beverly Hills will also be creating the 2012 WSOP Main Event bracelet, which he promises will be a sight to behold.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to create this masterpiece for the World Series of Poker and it will go down as the most expensive piece of championship jewelry across all major sports,” said Jason of Beverly Hills about the WSOP Main Event gold bracelet. “We will tour this bracelet in our Las Vegas and Beverly Hills boutique so the world can bear witness to this historic work of art.”
The four card suits will be in their normal colors, with the heart and diamond formed by rubies and the spade and club created with black diamonds. All told, the Main Event bracelet will contain over 160 grams of 14 karat gold and over 35 carats of flawless diamonds.
“Blinger is Better,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart in a press release. “Jason grasped the heritage of WSOP bracelets, but was only interested if he could take it up several notches. This is a trophy that truly embodies the promise of today’s WSOP – seemingly unthinkable dreams are dealt each year. I challenge anyone to keep a poker face when they see this bracelet in person.”
Jason of Beverly Hills started his business as a student at UCLA, selling silver trinkets to fellow students, and eventually grew it into the go-to source for amazing diamond creations for the world’s biggest celebrities. He has created pieces for the likes of LeBron James, Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and even Middle Eastern royalty. The pendant he made for Lil Jon was named the largest in the world by Guinness World Records. (Poker News Daily)
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
World's biggest gambling nations
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World's biggest gambling nations...
The world's biggest gambling nations include plenty of unlikely candidates.
Mention gambling and glitzy images of Las Vegas come to mind. But you'll be surprised to know Americans are not the world's biggest gamblers. In fact, the world's biggest gambling nations include plenty of unlikely candidates.
The rankings are based on data from H2 Gambling Capital, a consultancy based in London. They take into account average gaming losses (the amount bet and never recovered) in a year divided by the adult population in over 200 countries. The numbers include money lost on all types of betting including horse racing, poker machines, lotteries and casinos during 2010.
Read on to find out the countries with the biggest losers and the boldest gamblers.
10. Spain
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $389
Gaming was legalised in Spain in only 1977 and gambling of pure chance (slot machines) was legalised in 1981. Spaniards love to bet on everything from football to cards to the lottery.
Spain's Christmas lottery called "El Gordo", or the Fat One, is the only lottery draw in the world to award more than $1 billion in prizes. Last year, an estimated four in five Spaniards bought this lottery ticket, even at a price tag of 200 euros.
Lottery-crazy Spaniards helped Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, the organiser of the draw, to earn just under 10 billion euros in revenue last year.
Faced with a mounting fiscal deficit, the Spanish government plans to sell 30 percent of the company and raise up to 7.5 billion euros in the second half of 2011.
9. Greece
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $391
Greece boasts of one of the most legendary gamblers of all times - Nicholas "Nick the Greek" Dandolos. He died almost penniless at the age of 83 in 1966, having lost all his winnings, which were estimated to be worth almost US$500 million in 2009 in inflation-adjusted terms.
Lotteries are among Greeks' favorite ways to gamble. In 2010, the "Joker" lottery accumulated a record jackpot of 19 million euros.
The country is also home to Europe's biggest gambling company, OPAP, which has a market cap of about 4.1 billion euros. Its privatisation, to be finalized by 2012, could help the government pay off some of its debts.
8. Norway
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $416
Lotto, scratch cards, slot machines and football bets are Norwegians' favored ways to gamble. In a survey carried out by the government in 2008, 88 percent Norwegians confessed to being lifetime gamblers. It also found that gambling addictions occurred most frequently among young men who had previously played on gaming machines.
That's despite the fact that the country has made efforts to make gambling less accessible - reducing the number of slot machines in the country to 10,000 from 22,700 machines in July 2007.
That hasn't slowed Norwegians love for betting and many gamblers have turned to playing poker online forcing the government to threaten blocking or filtering online gambling operations.
The state-owned gaming company, Norsk Tipping falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs - and posted revenues last year of A$1.9 billion.
7. Hong Kong
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $468
Casinos are outlawed in Hong Kong, but the world's biggest gambling center, Macau is just an hour's boat ride away, and in the first-quarter of 2011, half a million Hong Kongers visited Macau.
Within Hong Kong, horse racing, lotteries and soccer betting are the only forms of gambling allowed. Little wonder, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a major draw and a cultural fixation in the territory. The club hosts some 700 races a year and earned A$2.5 billion in betting and lottery revenue in 2010.
The people of Hong Kong are famous for their gambling habits. According to a medical research carried out by the University of Calgary, an estimated one in 20 Hong Kongers have a gambling disorder.
Another survey by Hong Kong-based Caritas Addicted Gamblers Counseling Centre found that of the 1,040 students interviewed, more than half were introduced to gaming by their parents. And 41 percent said they started as young as age 6.
6. Italy
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $481
Italians' favorite gambling activity is to play electronic gaming machines such as slots. According to a 2010 study conducted by strategy and business advisory firm MAG Consulenti Associati, electronic gaming machines generated nearly half of Italy's total gaming revenues in the first half of 2010. During just that six-month period, gaming revenues totaled A$20.4 billion in the country.
Italy is also credited with inventing the popular game Baccarat, and for opening the world's first government-sanctioned casino in Europe back in 1638, called "The Ridotto" in Venice.
The Venetian government finally shut the casino's doors in 1774 in an effort to preserve the city's "piety, sound discipline and moderate behavior".
5. Finland
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $514
Forty-one percent of adult Finns gamble every week, according to a study by Finland's Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in 2007. The minimum age for playing on a slot machine has just been raised to 18 in July 2011, from just 15 previously.
But that's not the only quirk when it comes to Finland and gambling. The country's national lottery company, Veikkaus is entirely owned by the government and is actually run by the ministry of education. Most of the profits of the company are allocated to education, arts and culture.
The Paf Group of Finland, which runs an Internet gambling company, has an interesting "pay back" scheme for loyal customers. If you have spend at least 120 euros ($159.55) on its site and are certified by a medical professional to be suffering from a gambling addiction, you are entitled to a maximum of 10 therapy sessions, worth up to 2,300 euros ($3,057).
4. Canada
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $528
Over 75 percent of adult Canadians gambled on some form or the other, last year. The biggest gamblers come from the potash-rich province of Saskatchewan, which has an average gambling revenue per person (aged 18 and above) of $783, against a national average of $490.
The most common gambling activities in Canada are lotteries and Scratch and Win cards.
Canadians' love for lotteries runs deep, so much so, that the government has set up a national initiative to raise awareness that lottery tickets are inappropriate gifts for minors. This came after criticism of parents who often included a lottery ticket their children's Christmas stockings.
3. Ireland
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $547
Ireland's casino industry is currently entirely unregulated because the country is governed by an outdated Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956. The law allows only bona fide members' club to provide casino services.
Under the Act bets on a gaming machine cannot exceed 6 pence while prizes are capped at 10 shillings. No wonder, the law cannot be enforced as the Irish pound has not been legal tender since 1999 and the country is now trying to enact new legislation.
The Irish government has just given the green light to build a Las Vegas-style sports and leisure complex in Tipperary at an estimated cost of 460 million euros ($668 million).
To be completed in three years, the venue will house a hotel, a casino, an all-weather racecourse, a greyhound track, a golf course and even a full-size replica of the White House, which will be used as a banquet facility.
2. Singapore
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $1,093
Singapore opened its first casino a little over a year ago but it's already the world's third largest-gaming center after Macau and Las Vegas and it's set to overtake Vegas this year.
The decision to allow casinos to be built in the city-state has created plenty of worries that Singaporeans may end up getting hooked to gambling. The government has tried to discourage local gamblers by imposing an entry fee of S$100 ($80.50) for citizens who want to enter a casino.
Authorities have also implemented a "Family Exclusion Order," that allows a family to ban relatives from visiting casinos.
But the measures have done little to dampen enthusiasm for gambling. Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association, has forecast that Singapore's gaming revenue could hit A$5.9 billion in 2011, outpacing Las Vegas, which earned A$5.3 billion in 2010.
1. Australia
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $1,199
You know a nation is crazy about gambling when a gaming company offers people a chance to bet on whether the central bank will raise interest rates or not.
Besides that, Australia is the only place in the world that allows online wagering on sport but prevents gamblers from using the internet to place bets during live games. But that may soon change as the government has agreed to review laws following intensive lobbying from the country's major sports bodies.
Slot machines - known locally as pokies - are by far Australia's favorite game, with an estimated 75-80 percent of problem gamblers hooked on them, according to the country's Productivity Commission.
New South Wales, with 100,000 poker machines accounts for half of the nation's total number of poker machines. According to the state's Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, 935 gamblers registered themselves to be banned from casinos between 2006-2010, but were caught 1,249 times for breaching their own ban.
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World's biggest gambling nations...
The world's biggest gambling nations include plenty of unlikely candidates.
Mention gambling and glitzy images of Las Vegas come to mind. But you'll be surprised to know Americans are not the world's biggest gamblers. In fact, the world's biggest gambling nations include plenty of unlikely candidates.
The rankings are based on data from H2 Gambling Capital, a consultancy based in London. They take into account average gaming losses (the amount bet and never recovered) in a year divided by the adult population in over 200 countries. The numbers include money lost on all types of betting including horse racing, poker machines, lotteries and casinos during 2010.
Read on to find out the countries with the biggest losers and the boldest gamblers.
10. Spain
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $389
Gaming was legalised in Spain in only 1977 and gambling of pure chance (slot machines) was legalised in 1981. Spaniards love to bet on everything from football to cards to the lottery.
Spain's Christmas lottery called "El Gordo", or the Fat One, is the only lottery draw in the world to award more than $1 billion in prizes. Last year, an estimated four in five Spaniards bought this lottery ticket, even at a price tag of 200 euros.
Lottery-crazy Spaniards helped Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, the organiser of the draw, to earn just under 10 billion euros in revenue last year.
Faced with a mounting fiscal deficit, the Spanish government plans to sell 30 percent of the company and raise up to 7.5 billion euros in the second half of 2011.
9. Greece
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $391
Greece boasts of one of the most legendary gamblers of all times - Nicholas "Nick the Greek" Dandolos. He died almost penniless at the age of 83 in 1966, having lost all his winnings, which were estimated to be worth almost US$500 million in 2009 in inflation-adjusted terms.
Lotteries are among Greeks' favorite ways to gamble. In 2010, the "Joker" lottery accumulated a record jackpot of 19 million euros.
The country is also home to Europe's biggest gambling company, OPAP, which has a market cap of about 4.1 billion euros. Its privatisation, to be finalized by 2012, could help the government pay off some of its debts.
8. Norway
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $416
Lotto, scratch cards, slot machines and football bets are Norwegians' favored ways to gamble. In a survey carried out by the government in 2008, 88 percent Norwegians confessed to being lifetime gamblers. It also found that gambling addictions occurred most frequently among young men who had previously played on gaming machines.
That's despite the fact that the country has made efforts to make gambling less accessible - reducing the number of slot machines in the country to 10,000 from 22,700 machines in July 2007.
That hasn't slowed Norwegians love for betting and many gamblers have turned to playing poker online forcing the government to threaten blocking or filtering online gambling operations.
The state-owned gaming company, Norsk Tipping falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs - and posted revenues last year of A$1.9 billion.
7. Hong Kong
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $468
Casinos are outlawed in Hong Kong, but the world's biggest gambling center, Macau is just an hour's boat ride away, and in the first-quarter of 2011, half a million Hong Kongers visited Macau.
Within Hong Kong, horse racing, lotteries and soccer betting are the only forms of gambling allowed. Little wonder, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a major draw and a cultural fixation in the territory. The club hosts some 700 races a year and earned A$2.5 billion in betting and lottery revenue in 2010.
The people of Hong Kong are famous for their gambling habits. According to a medical research carried out by the University of Calgary, an estimated one in 20 Hong Kongers have a gambling disorder.
Another survey by Hong Kong-based Caritas Addicted Gamblers Counseling Centre found that of the 1,040 students interviewed, more than half were introduced to gaming by their parents. And 41 percent said they started as young as age 6.
6. Italy
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $481
Italians' favorite gambling activity is to play electronic gaming machines such as slots. According to a 2010 study conducted by strategy and business advisory firm MAG Consulenti Associati, electronic gaming machines generated nearly half of Italy's total gaming revenues in the first half of 2010. During just that six-month period, gaming revenues totaled A$20.4 billion in the country.
Italy is also credited with inventing the popular game Baccarat, and for opening the world's first government-sanctioned casino in Europe back in 1638, called "The Ridotto" in Venice.
The Venetian government finally shut the casino's doors in 1774 in an effort to preserve the city's "piety, sound discipline and moderate behavior".
5. Finland
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $514
Forty-one percent of adult Finns gamble every week, according to a study by Finland's Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in 2007. The minimum age for playing on a slot machine has just been raised to 18 in July 2011, from just 15 previously.
But that's not the only quirk when it comes to Finland and gambling. The country's national lottery company, Veikkaus is entirely owned by the government and is actually run by the ministry of education. Most of the profits of the company are allocated to education, arts and culture.
The Paf Group of Finland, which runs an Internet gambling company, has an interesting "pay back" scheme for loyal customers. If you have spend at least 120 euros ($159.55) on its site and are certified by a medical professional to be suffering from a gambling addiction, you are entitled to a maximum of 10 therapy sessions, worth up to 2,300 euros ($3,057).
4. Canada
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $528
Over 75 percent of adult Canadians gambled on some form or the other, last year. The biggest gamblers come from the potash-rich province of Saskatchewan, which has an average gambling revenue per person (aged 18 and above) of $783, against a national average of $490.
The most common gambling activities in Canada are lotteries and Scratch and Win cards.
Canadians' love for lotteries runs deep, so much so, that the government has set up a national initiative to raise awareness that lottery tickets are inappropriate gifts for minors. This came after criticism of parents who often included a lottery ticket their children's Christmas stockings.
3. Ireland
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $547
Ireland's casino industry is currently entirely unregulated because the country is governed by an outdated Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956. The law allows only bona fide members' club to provide casino services.
Under the Act bets on a gaming machine cannot exceed 6 pence while prizes are capped at 10 shillings. No wonder, the law cannot be enforced as the Irish pound has not been legal tender since 1999 and the country is now trying to enact new legislation.
The Irish government has just given the green light to build a Las Vegas-style sports and leisure complex in Tipperary at an estimated cost of 460 million euros ($668 million).
To be completed in three years, the venue will house a hotel, a casino, an all-weather racecourse, a greyhound track, a golf course and even a full-size replica of the White House, which will be used as a banquet facility.
2. Singapore
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $1,093
Singapore opened its first casino a little over a year ago but it's already the world's third largest-gaming center after Macau and Las Vegas and it's set to overtake Vegas this year.
The decision to allow casinos to be built in the city-state has created plenty of worries that Singaporeans may end up getting hooked to gambling. The government has tried to discourage local gamblers by imposing an entry fee of S$100 ($80.50) for citizens who want to enter a casino.
Authorities have also implemented a "Family Exclusion Order," that allows a family to ban relatives from visiting casinos.
But the measures have done little to dampen enthusiasm for gambling. Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association, has forecast that Singapore's gaming revenue could hit A$5.9 billion in 2011, outpacing Las Vegas, which earned A$5.3 billion in 2010.
1. Australia
Gaming Losses Per Adult: $1,199
You know a nation is crazy about gambling when a gaming company offers people a chance to bet on whether the central bank will raise interest rates or not.
Besides that, Australia is the only place in the world that allows online wagering on sport but prevents gamblers from using the internet to place bets during live games. But that may soon change as the government has agreed to review laws following intensive lobbying from the country's major sports bodies.
Slot machines - known locally as pokies - are by far Australia's favorite game, with an estimated 75-80 percent of problem gamblers hooked on them, according to the country's Productivity Commission.
New South Wales, with 100,000 poker machines accounts for half of the nation's total number of poker machines. According to the state's Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, 935 gamblers registered themselves to be banned from casinos between 2006-2010, but were caught 1,249 times for breaching their own ban.
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Sunday, May 20, 2012
Virgin Casino Grand Prix Promotion; Virgin Casino adds Stash of the Titans, Coyote Moon and Rocky online slot games
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Due to the upcoming season of Formula 1 and the Spanish Grand Prix, Virgin Casino has taken advantage of this by launching its own Grand Prix internet promo.
Similar to the Formula 1, this promotion will have a qualifier prior to entering the main event. In order for the players to earn a place in this high stakes race, players will have to bet at least five thousand pounds in any of the various games available on the Virgin Casino website. This wagering requirement will have to be met during the qualification period, this period starts on the 14th of May and ends on the 20th of May. As for the main event, the race itself will occur on the 21st of May and will last until the 27th of the same month. This race at the casino has a grand total prize of ten thousand pounds that is going to be distributed among the top 50 players, with the top player winning a total of 1,500 pounds.
If this is too much for you to handle, then you will have a chance to take a place in the Challenge race, this race has a grand prize of 5,000 pounds that is going to be distributed among the top 200 players. The top player will win a total of 350 pounds. The same terms and condition apply and has the same qualifying and race period.
For those who are unfamiliar with Virgin Casino, it is one of the biggest online casinos that are licensed by the gambling control commission of Aldenrey and is owned by Richard Branson's Virgin Enterprises Limited.
Virgin Casino adds Stash of the Titans, Coyote Moon and Rocky online slot games...
Virgin Casino have added the Stash of the Titans and Coyote Moon slot games to their offering today – get a 100% welcome bonus up to £100 as well as a one off 100% deposit bonus up to £500 on the new slot games.
Stash of the Titans is a Microgaming powered slot game with 5 reels and 20 paylines. The main feature is the Free Spins bonus round where you can win up to 200,000 coins. You need to get 3 or more Medusa symbols across the reels to initiate the bonus game. You will then be rewarded with 15 free spins each with a 4x multiplier.
Coyote Moon is powered by IGT/WagerWorks and features 5 reels and 40 paylines. Similar to Wolf Run, it’s a low variance slot game which will give you plenty (but small wins). It has a Stacked Wilds feature where each reel is loaded with groups of 4 or more consecutive Wild symbols. This becomes significant in the Rising Moon Bonus feature as the Stacked Wilds give you bigger rewards. You can trigger the feature by getting 3 bonus symbols on reels 2, 3 & 4. You will then be rewarded with 5 free spins which come with richer stacked wilds. You can retrigger more free spins up to a maximum of 255 free spins.
If you haven’t got an account at Virgin Casino, now is the time – they offer a 100% welcome bonus up to £100. This means that if you deposit anything up to £100, you will get the same value free. When registering, click on the ‘Select A Bonus’ button and select the ‘Casino’ option – simple.
Furthermore, Virgin Casino are running a Cash Blast Off promo with a deposit bonus match up to £500. If you take up the welcome bonus today, you have time to get a 100% bonus up to £500 – yes, £500. You need to deposit by tomorrow and enter the bonus code BLAST500 to qualify.
Rocky
Get in the ring and go a few rounds with a champion! Rocky is a 25 line slot game crammed with great features that pack a punch!
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Virgin Casino Virgin Games IGT Microgaming Casino Slots Richard Branson Spain Alderney Coyote Moon Stash Of The Titans Rocky Promotions Virgin Enterprises Limited
Due to the upcoming season of Formula 1 and the Spanish Grand Prix, Virgin Casino has taken advantage of this by launching its own Grand Prix internet promo.
Similar to the Formula 1, this promotion will have a qualifier prior to entering the main event. In order for the players to earn a place in this high stakes race, players will have to bet at least five thousand pounds in any of the various games available on the Virgin Casino website. This wagering requirement will have to be met during the qualification period, this period starts on the 14th of May and ends on the 20th of May. As for the main event, the race itself will occur on the 21st of May and will last until the 27th of the same month. This race at the casino has a grand total prize of ten thousand pounds that is going to be distributed among the top 50 players, with the top player winning a total of 1,500 pounds.
If this is too much for you to handle, then you will have a chance to take a place in the Challenge race, this race has a grand prize of 5,000 pounds that is going to be distributed among the top 200 players. The top player will win a total of 350 pounds. The same terms and condition apply and has the same qualifying and race period.
For those who are unfamiliar with Virgin Casino, it is one of the biggest online casinos that are licensed by the gambling control commission of Aldenrey and is owned by Richard Branson's Virgin Enterprises Limited.
Virgin Casino adds Stash of the Titans, Coyote Moon and Rocky online slot games...
Virgin Casino have added the Stash of the Titans and Coyote Moon slot games to their offering today – get a 100% welcome bonus up to £100 as well as a one off 100% deposit bonus up to £500 on the new slot games.
Stash of the Titans is a Microgaming powered slot game with 5 reels and 20 paylines. The main feature is the Free Spins bonus round where you can win up to 200,000 coins. You need to get 3 or more Medusa symbols across the reels to initiate the bonus game. You will then be rewarded with 15 free spins each with a 4x multiplier.
Coyote Moon is powered by IGT/WagerWorks and features 5 reels and 40 paylines. Similar to Wolf Run, it’s a low variance slot game which will give you plenty (but small wins). It has a Stacked Wilds feature where each reel is loaded with groups of 4 or more consecutive Wild symbols. This becomes significant in the Rising Moon Bonus feature as the Stacked Wilds give you bigger rewards. You can trigger the feature by getting 3 bonus symbols on reels 2, 3 & 4. You will then be rewarded with 5 free spins which come with richer stacked wilds. You can retrigger more free spins up to a maximum of 255 free spins.
If you haven’t got an account at Virgin Casino, now is the time – they offer a 100% welcome bonus up to £100. This means that if you deposit anything up to £100, you will get the same value free. When registering, click on the ‘Select A Bonus’ button and select the ‘Casino’ option – simple.
Furthermore, Virgin Casino are running a Cash Blast Off promo with a deposit bonus match up to £500. If you take up the welcome bonus today, you have time to get a 100% bonus up to £500 – yes, £500. You need to deposit by tomorrow and enter the bonus code BLAST500 to qualify.
Rocky
Get in the ring and go a few rounds with a champion! Rocky is a 25 line slot game crammed with great features that pack a punch!
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Friday, April 13, 2012
Bwin.Party CEO Says It’s ‘When, not If’ U.S. Online Poker Opens - 29th March 2012
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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Plc (BPTY) co-Chief Executive Officer Norbert Teufelberger said it is a question of “when, not if” the U.S. online poker market opens up and it would present a significant opportunity for the company.
“It is a significant opportunity for the company because in our history, we had 50 percent market share, that market was close to three quarters of a billion dollars,” to the company, Teufelberger said in a conference call today.
PartyPoker And PartyCasino Owner bwin.party Digital Entertainment Plans Return to US Market...
Online gambling firm bwin.party are set to return to the US poker market after almost six years away following their application for a gaming licence with the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
The Gibraltar-based company – which owns online poker room PartyPoker – have submitted their application to add their name to an ever-growing list of firms showing massive interest in taking advantage of the expected legalisation of online poker in the USA.
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment plc was formed in March last year following the merger of Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming plc to create the world’s largest publicly traded online gambling company that is now listed on the London Stock Exchange.
PartyGaming Left US Market in 2006
This merger came almost five years after PartyGaming took the decision to suspend all real-money games in the USA, before then exiting the market three days after the US government’s passing of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) back on September 29, 2006.
In April of 2009, PartyGaming decided to reach a settlement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in which they agreed to pay a $105 million penalty over four years as part of a non-prosecution agreement for providing online gambling to American customers before the UIGEA was passed.
As an element of the agreement, PartyGaming put its name to a “statement of facts” in which it admitted that, before October of 2006, they had aimed to attract American citizens that resulted in the processing of transactions “contrary to certain US laws”.
This deal ensured that PartyGaming were not prosecuted and also made sure that they could return to the US market if – and when – new laws are put in place to regulate all internet gambling in the North American nation.
Partnership Provided Opportunity to Return
Bwin’s merger with PartyGaming last year also paved the way for the new company to partner with Nevada-based gaming firms Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts International late last year in what was considered an “anticipatory” move ahead of the hoped-for legalisation of online gambling in the States.
The venture has resulted in bwin.party owning 65% of the company as they provide and maintain the software for both gaming businesses, while MGM – which also runs hotels – holds 25% and Boyd Gaming just 10%.
Boyd Gaming and MGM have previously applied for licences with the Nevada Gaming Control Board to operate as online poker providers.
PartyPoker Still World’s Second Biggest Poker Room
PartyPoker had been the world’s biggest internet poker brand – if based on their number of players and cash game revenue – before pulling out of the US market, although it still holds the position as the second biggest behind PokerStars.
While Jim Ryan, bwin.party’s chief operating officer, recently told media that the joint venture is unlikely to see them regain the 50% share PartyPoker enjoyed before the introduction of the UIGEA, he does expect to see a “very meaningful liquidity pool” in what will be a highly competitive market.
Stay tuned as well follow up the story.
6 March 2012
bwin.party digital entertainment plc
(‘bwin.party’ or the ‘Company’)
Sale of Ongame to Shuffle Master
Highlights:
Sale of Ongame, a leading B2B online poker network, to Shuffle Master for up to €29.5 million on a cash-free and debt-free basis
Initial consideration of €19.5 million payable in cash on completion, subject to a post-completion working capital adjustment
Further consideration of up to €10.0 million payable in cash in the event that regulated online poker commences in the United States on either a federal or intra-state basis within five years from completion
Completion is subject to the normal conditions for a transaction of this type, including regulatory approvals and is expected to complete in the summer of 2012
bwin.party today announces that it has agreed to sell Ongame, its business-to-business (‘B2B’) online poker network, to Shuffle Master, Inc (‘Shuffle Master’) for a total cash consideration of up to €29.5 million. The agreement is consistent with the Group’s stated strategy and follows its announced intention to sell Ongame on 30 June 2011.
Contingent consideration will become payable by Shuffle Master in the event that online poker becomes regulated in the United States within five years of completion. The amount payable in these circumstances will depend upon the timing of the commencement of legalised online gaming in the US. The transaction is subject to the normal terms and conditions for a transaction of this type as well as certain regulatory approvals and is expected to complete during the summer of 2012 with a back-stop date of December 2012. The management of Ongame will transfer with the business and the net sale proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes.
Information on Ongame
Ongame Network Ltd (‘Ongame’) is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy. The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from. Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.
For the six months to 31 December 2011, the unaudited adjusted EBITDA[1] of Ongame was €0.04 million and as at 30 June 2011 Ongame had unaudited gross assets of €26.6 million.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger, the Co-CEOs of bwin.party, said:
“The sale of Ongame represents a further significant step in our process of integrating bwin and PartyGaming and moving to a single technology platform. We believe Shuffle Master will be an excellent home for Ongame to maximise its future potential.”
Gavin Isaacs, Chief Executive Officer of Shuffle Master, said:
“Ongame is one of the world’s leading online poker networks with a state-of-the-art technology platform. It is an excellent strategic fit with Shuffle Master and our interactive gaming business. Following completion, we will focus on building the existing business in Europe as well as looking for growth opportunities in the rest of the world.”
bwin.party was advised by McQueen Limited.
Sale of Ongame to Shuffle Master...
About bwin.party
bwin.party digital entertainment plc (LSE: BPTY) is the world’s largest listed online gaming company. The Company was formed from the merger of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming Plc on 31 March 2011. Incorporated, licensed and regulated in Gibraltar, the Group also has online poker licences in France and Italy. With offices in Europe, India, Israel and the US the Group generated total pro forma revenue of €814.0m (H1 2011: €398.0m) and pro forma Clean EBITDA of €193.2m in 2010 (H1 2011: €81.9m). bwin.party operates one of the world’s largest online poker networks, www.PartyPoker.com and also owns the World Poker Tour. The Group’s scale, proprietary poker software, online gaming platform and strong portfolio of games collectively differentiates its customer offer from those of its competitors. bwin.party is a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which identifies companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
About Shuffle Master
Shuffle Master, Inc. is a leading global gaming supplier committed to making gaming more fun for players and more profitable for operators through product innovation, and superior quality and service. The Company operates in legalized gaming markets across the globe and provides state-of-the-art, value-add products in five distinct categories: Utility products, which include automatic card shufflers and roulette chip sorters; Proprietary Table Games, which includes live games, side bets and progressives; Electronic Table Systems, which include various e-Table game platforms; Electronic Gaming Machines, which include video slot machines; and newly introduced iGaming, which features online versions of Shuffle Master’s table games, social gaming, and mobile applications. The Company is included in the S&P Smallcap 600 Index.
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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Plc (BPTY) co-Chief Executive Officer Norbert Teufelberger said it is a question of “when, not if” the U.S. online poker market opens up and it would present a significant opportunity for the company.
“It is a significant opportunity for the company because in our history, we had 50 percent market share, that market was close to three quarters of a billion dollars,” to the company, Teufelberger said in a conference call today.
PartyPoker And PartyCasino Owner bwin.party Digital Entertainment Plans Return to US Market...
Online gambling firm bwin.party are set to return to the US poker market after almost six years away following their application for a gaming licence with the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
The Gibraltar-based company – which owns online poker room PartyPoker – have submitted their application to add their name to an ever-growing list of firms showing massive interest in taking advantage of the expected legalisation of online poker in the USA.
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment plc was formed in March last year following the merger of Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming plc to create the world’s largest publicly traded online gambling company that is now listed on the London Stock Exchange.
PartyGaming Left US Market in 2006
This merger came almost five years after PartyGaming took the decision to suspend all real-money games in the USA, before then exiting the market three days after the US government’s passing of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) back on September 29, 2006.
In April of 2009, PartyGaming decided to reach a settlement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in which they agreed to pay a $105 million penalty over four years as part of a non-prosecution agreement for providing online gambling to American customers before the UIGEA was passed.
As an element of the agreement, PartyGaming put its name to a “statement of facts” in which it admitted that, before October of 2006, they had aimed to attract American citizens that resulted in the processing of transactions “contrary to certain US laws”.
This deal ensured that PartyGaming were not prosecuted and also made sure that they could return to the US market if – and when – new laws are put in place to regulate all internet gambling in the North American nation.
Partnership Provided Opportunity to Return
Bwin’s merger with PartyGaming last year also paved the way for the new company to partner with Nevada-based gaming firms Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts International late last year in what was considered an “anticipatory” move ahead of the hoped-for legalisation of online gambling in the States.
The venture has resulted in bwin.party owning 65% of the company as they provide and maintain the software for both gaming businesses, while MGM – which also runs hotels – holds 25% and Boyd Gaming just 10%.
Boyd Gaming and MGM have previously applied for licences with the Nevada Gaming Control Board to operate as online poker providers.
PartyPoker Still World’s Second Biggest Poker Room
PartyPoker had been the world’s biggest internet poker brand – if based on their number of players and cash game revenue – before pulling out of the US market, although it still holds the position as the second biggest behind PokerStars.
While Jim Ryan, bwin.party’s chief operating officer, recently told media that the joint venture is unlikely to see them regain the 50% share PartyPoker enjoyed before the introduction of the UIGEA, he does expect to see a “very meaningful liquidity pool” in what will be a highly competitive market.
Stay tuned as well follow up the story.
6 March 2012
bwin.party digital entertainment plc
(‘bwin.party’ or the ‘Company’)
Sale of Ongame to Shuffle Master
Highlights:
Sale of Ongame, a leading B2B online poker network, to Shuffle Master for up to €29.5 million on a cash-free and debt-free basis
Initial consideration of €19.5 million payable in cash on completion, subject to a post-completion working capital adjustment
Further consideration of up to €10.0 million payable in cash in the event that regulated online poker commences in the United States on either a federal or intra-state basis within five years from completion
Completion is subject to the normal conditions for a transaction of this type, including regulatory approvals and is expected to complete in the summer of 2012
bwin.party today announces that it has agreed to sell Ongame, its business-to-business (‘B2B’) online poker network, to Shuffle Master, Inc (‘Shuffle Master’) for a total cash consideration of up to €29.5 million. The agreement is consistent with the Group’s stated strategy and follows its announced intention to sell Ongame on 30 June 2011.
Contingent consideration will become payable by Shuffle Master in the event that online poker becomes regulated in the United States within five years of completion. The amount payable in these circumstances will depend upon the timing of the commencement of legalised online gaming in the US. The transaction is subject to the normal terms and conditions for a transaction of this type as well as certain regulatory approvals and is expected to complete during the summer of 2012 with a back-stop date of December 2012. The management of Ongame will transfer with the business and the net sale proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes.
Information on Ongame
Ongame Network Ltd (‘Ongame’) is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy. The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from. Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.
For the six months to 31 December 2011, the unaudited adjusted EBITDA[1] of Ongame was €0.04 million and as at 30 June 2011 Ongame had unaudited gross assets of €26.6 million.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger, the Co-CEOs of bwin.party, said:
“The sale of Ongame represents a further significant step in our process of integrating bwin and PartyGaming and moving to a single technology platform. We believe Shuffle Master will be an excellent home for Ongame to maximise its future potential.”
Gavin Isaacs, Chief Executive Officer of Shuffle Master, said:
“Ongame is one of the world’s leading online poker networks with a state-of-the-art technology platform. It is an excellent strategic fit with Shuffle Master and our interactive gaming business. Following completion, we will focus on building the existing business in Europe as well as looking for growth opportunities in the rest of the world.”
bwin.party was advised by McQueen Limited.
Sale of Ongame to Shuffle Master...
About bwin.party
bwin.party digital entertainment plc (LSE: BPTY) is the world’s largest listed online gaming company. The Company was formed from the merger of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming Plc on 31 March 2011. Incorporated, licensed and regulated in Gibraltar, the Group also has online poker licences in France and Italy. With offices in Europe, India, Israel and the US the Group generated total pro forma revenue of €814.0m (H1 2011: €398.0m) and pro forma Clean EBITDA of €193.2m in 2010 (H1 2011: €81.9m). bwin.party operates one of the world’s largest online poker networks, www.PartyPoker.com and also owns the World Poker Tour. The Group’s scale, proprietary poker software, online gaming platform and strong portfolio of games collectively differentiates its customer offer from those of its competitors. bwin.party is a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which identifies companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.
About Shuffle Master
Shuffle Master, Inc. is a leading global gaming supplier committed to making gaming more fun for players and more profitable for operators through product innovation, and superior quality and service. The Company operates in legalized gaming markets across the globe and provides state-of-the-art, value-add products in five distinct categories: Utility products, which include automatic card shufflers and roulette chip sorters; Proprietary Table Games, which includes live games, side bets and progressives; Electronic Table Systems, which include various e-Table game platforms; Electronic Gaming Machines, which include video slot machines; and newly introduced iGaming, which features online versions of Shuffle Master’s table games, social gaming, and mobile applications. The Company is included in the S&P Smallcap 600 Index.
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Friday, March 30, 2012
Media Man NFTS Blog
Media Man NFTS Blog
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided, that is recorded in a blockchain, and that is used to certify ownership and authenticity. The ownership of an NFT is recorded in the blockchain and can be transferred by the owner, allowing NFTs to be sold and traded. NFTs can be created by anybody, and require few or no coding skills to create. NFTs typically contain references to digital files such as photos, videos, and audio. Because NFTs are uniquely identifiable assets, they differ from cryptocurrencies, which are fungible.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Release Poker iPad App - 21st March 2012
Profiles
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com Mobile Phones Apple Gaming Casino Media Man
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has launched a real money poker application for the iPad.
The new iPad poker client is based on the same easy to use mobile interface that was first introduced for the iPhone in January 2011 and for Android in July 2011, a spokesman has announced.
The Bwin iPad Poker app gives customers unrestricted access to their Bwin poker account now with the full iPad resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels, Berthold Kao, who is Head of the Mobile, Touch & Video department at Bwin.Party explained.
"Users need only download the update once from the iTunes Store to get on both devices. The app is available for free download from the iTunes Store or at: www.bwin.com/ipadpoker"
The new app offers a new way to play for poker players. The combination of the most popular poker game, Texas Hold’em, and the intuitive user interface, multiple features and easy registration will appeal to poker players, and the optimised game design allows easy navigation and a clear image. A player’s best hand is displayed automatically and hand histories from the current session are shown at a touch.
Online gamblers can of course still enjoy play for money or play for free casino games at PartyCasino.com and online poker at PartyPoker.com
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a multi award winning igaming company.
Gamblers are reminded to bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.
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Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino.com PartyPoker.com Mobile Phones Apple Gaming Casino Media Man
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has launched a real money poker application for the iPad.
The new iPad poker client is based on the same easy to use mobile interface that was first introduced for the iPhone in January 2011 and for Android in July 2011, a spokesman has announced.
The Bwin iPad Poker app gives customers unrestricted access to their Bwin poker account now with the full iPad resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels, Berthold Kao, who is Head of the Mobile, Touch & Video department at Bwin.Party explained.
"Users need only download the update once from the iTunes Store to get on both devices. The app is available for free download from the iTunes Store or at: www.bwin.com/ipadpoker"
The new app offers a new way to play for poker players. The combination of the most popular poker game, Texas Hold’em, and the intuitive user interface, multiple features and easy registration will appeal to poker players, and the optimised game design allows easy navigation and a clear image. A player’s best hand is displayed automatically and hand histories from the current session are shown at a touch.
Online gamblers can of course still enjoy play for money or play for free casino games at PartyCasino.com and online poker at PartyPoker.com
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a multi award winning igaming company.
Gamblers are reminded to bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.
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Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Branson backs budding entrepreneurs - 14th March 2012
Profiles
Richard Branson Virgin Enterprises Limited Entrepreneurs Britain
Richard Branson and Greg Tingle
Sir Richard Branson has vowed to help budding entrepreneurs "create lots of jobs and lots of great companies" for Britain.
The Virgin magnate was launching the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Liverpool, which aims to be the "largest gathering of enterprise champions" in the world.
Sir Richard arrived in the city waving from the window of the driver's cab of a specially-chartered Virgin Trains service from London.
Also on board were his daughter Holly, new son-in-law Freddie Andrews and 250 aspiring captains of industry who will take part in the congress.
Sir Richard said: "We've come on the entrepreneurship express. There are lots of budding entrepreneurs who will be starting the businesses of the future and it is great to be coming to the congress today, where we'll be sharing lots of ideas and seeing how we can create lots of jobs and lots of great companies in the future."
Around 3,500 people are expected to attend the week-long congress, which is hosted by Liverpool Vision, the city's economic development company, and the Kauffman Foundation, the world's largest foundation dedicated to entrepreneurship.
"A vibrant entrepreneurial sector is the backbone of any healthy economy," Sir Richard said. "We must do all we can to help the companies of the future take off - as this will provide both jobs and export opportunities for the UK. Being an entrepreneur can sometimes be challenging but the rewards and sense of achievement are something that many young people should aim for.
"They have the drive and determination. It is the role of business and successful entrepreneurs to provide essential support and mentorship to help these young people realise their ambition and potential. They are the future job creators and should be given every opportunity to succeed."
Other business leaders at the Congress include former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy, Lastminute.com founder Martha Lane Fox and former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, founder of the Haymarket publishing group.
The event takes place at Liverpool's BT Convention Centre. (Credit: The Press Association)
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Richard Branson Virgin Enterprises Limited Entrepreneurs Britain
Richard Branson and Greg Tingle
Sir Richard Branson has vowed to help budding entrepreneurs "create lots of jobs and lots of great companies" for Britain.
The Virgin magnate was launching the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Liverpool, which aims to be the "largest gathering of enterprise champions" in the world.
Sir Richard arrived in the city waving from the window of the driver's cab of a specially-chartered Virgin Trains service from London.
Also on board were his daughter Holly, new son-in-law Freddie Andrews and 250 aspiring captains of industry who will take part in the congress.
Sir Richard said: "We've come on the entrepreneurship express. There are lots of budding entrepreneurs who will be starting the businesses of the future and it is great to be coming to the congress today, where we'll be sharing lots of ideas and seeing how we can create lots of jobs and lots of great companies in the future."
Around 3,500 people are expected to attend the week-long congress, which is hosted by Liverpool Vision, the city's economic development company, and the Kauffman Foundation, the world's largest foundation dedicated to entrepreneurship.
"A vibrant entrepreneurial sector is the backbone of any healthy economy," Sir Richard said. "We must do all we can to help the companies of the future take off - as this will provide both jobs and export opportunities for the UK. Being an entrepreneur can sometimes be challenging but the rewards and sense of achievement are something that many young people should aim for.
"They have the drive and determination. It is the role of business and successful entrepreneurs to provide essential support and mentorship to help these young people realise their ambition and potential. They are the future job creators and should be given every opportunity to succeed."
Other business leaders at the Congress include former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy, Lastminute.com founder Martha Lane Fox and former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, founder of the Haymarket publishing group.
The event takes place at Liverpool's BT Convention Centre. (Credit: The Press Association)
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Tuesday, March 06, 2012
PartyCasino Gets New Slot Games and Promotions: Knight Rider, Dr Carter’s Gene Machine and Intensive Scare
Profiles
PartyCasino.com bwin.party Digital Entertainment Knight Rider Dr Carter's Gene Machine Intensive Scare Slots
PartyCasino.com the world's leading online casino and igaming company has released 3 new fantastic slot games, including the Hollywood themed Knight Rider.
Knight Rider
Knight Rider is a five-reel, thirty-pay line slot game with a Free Spins feature. When 3 or more scattered Knight Industries Logo’ appear anywhere in view one of the driving games is launched. Whenever KITT hits an object or blasts the enemy free spins or multipliers will be awarded. The Free Spins feature cannot be retriggered within free spins.
Dr Carter’s Gene Machine
Dr Carter’s Gene Machine is a five-reel, 30- pay lines game with Winfalls ™ functionality and a feature which awards free win-falls.
When wins appear, the winning symbols will disappear and then random symbols will fall down into the vacant places.
The free win-fall feature is triggered when 3 or more scattered Helix symbols appear anywhere in view.
In the feature you must choose 2 animals to create a hybrid.
This Hybrid animal acts as a substitute for both parent symbols during free win-falls.
Intensive Scare
Intensive Scare is a five-reel, fifty-pay line slot game with Free Spins feature. When 3 or more scattered EXIT symbols appear anywhere in view, Intensive Scare Feature game is awarded to the player. The free spins feature cannot be retriggered within free spins.
Promotions
Centre Stage
A shining prize is waiting in the wings for you
Starts: 00:00 ET, 1st March
Ends: 00:00 ET, 5th March
Winning your prize is easy:
You’ve got until the end of the promotion to collect as many points as you can playing Dr Carter’s Gene Machine.
As VIPs you can snatch a massive $5,000 cash prize, and regulars can walk away with up to $1,000 cash! For details about all the prizes you can win, check out the promotions page in your account.
Fill your account with a spectacular cash prize and experience all the thrills of a new game – register now.
Gold Rush
Get ready to dig up a fortune with Gold Rush!
Starts: 00:00 ET, 6th March 2012
Ends: 23:59 ET, 11th March 2012
Win a guaranteed prize in a mad-dash through the casino.
Just play any of these games and you could walk away with up to $5,000 cash:
Slots
Jackpot Slots
Raffle Jackpot Slots
Classic Slots
Roulette
Blackjack
There’s gold in them games!
Grab all the cash hurtling through the casino and profit from this richly rewarding promotion.
Cash Train
All aboard the Cash Train!
Starts: 00:00 ET, 19th March 2012
Ends: 23:59 ET, 30th March 2012
Look out - here comes the Cash Train! You can win up to $3,000 cash.
Run fast to catch the Cash Train leaderboard, and you’ll be on track to win a huge prize. Play any of the games listed below to earn points and rank on the leaderboard:
Slots
Jackpot Slots
Raffle Jackpot Slots
Classic Slots
Roulette
Blackjack
Hurry — the Cash Train is leaving soon!
Jack In The Box
Find your Jack in the Box surprise
Starts: 00:00 ET, 12th March
Ends: 23:59 ET, 18th March
We’ve packed our blackjack tables with loads of cash gifts, bonuses and free points. Our rewards are hidden inside a surprise Jack in the Box. You won’t have to look hard to find it — the Jack in the Box will find you!
Just play any of our blackjack games as normal from 12th–18th March. If the Jack in the Box appears, act fast to claim your fabulous prize.
Remember, the more you play blackjack, the better your chance of finding our account-boosting surprises.
PartyCasino.com has won numerous awards and commendations including Media Man and Casino News Media 'Online Casino of the Month' and EGR 'Operator Of The Year'
bwin.party Digital Entertainment is listed on the London Stock Exchange and has been in business for over a decade
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PartyCasino.com bwin.party Digital Entertainment Knight Rider Dr Carter's Gene Machine Intensive Scare Slots
PartyCasino.com the world's leading online casino and igaming company has released 3 new fantastic slot games, including the Hollywood themed Knight Rider.
Knight Rider
Knight Rider is a five-reel, thirty-pay line slot game with a Free Spins feature. When 3 or more scattered Knight Industries Logo’ appear anywhere in view one of the driving games is launched. Whenever KITT hits an object or blasts the enemy free spins or multipliers will be awarded. The Free Spins feature cannot be retriggered within free spins.
Dr Carter’s Gene Machine
Dr Carter’s Gene Machine is a five-reel, 30- pay lines game with Winfalls ™ functionality and a feature which awards free win-falls.
When wins appear, the winning symbols will disappear and then random symbols will fall down into the vacant places.
The free win-fall feature is triggered when 3 or more scattered Helix symbols appear anywhere in view.
In the feature you must choose 2 animals to create a hybrid.
This Hybrid animal acts as a substitute for both parent symbols during free win-falls.
Intensive Scare
Intensive Scare is a five-reel, fifty-pay line slot game with Free Spins feature. When 3 or more scattered EXIT symbols appear anywhere in view, Intensive Scare Feature game is awarded to the player. The free spins feature cannot be retriggered within free spins.
Promotions
Centre Stage
A shining prize is waiting in the wings for you
Starts: 00:00 ET, 1st March
Ends: 00:00 ET, 5th March
Winning your prize is easy:
You’ve got until the end of the promotion to collect as many points as you can playing Dr Carter’s Gene Machine.
As VIPs you can snatch a massive $5,000 cash prize, and regulars can walk away with up to $1,000 cash! For details about all the prizes you can win, check out the promotions page in your account.
Fill your account with a spectacular cash prize and experience all the thrills of a new game – register now.
Gold Rush
Get ready to dig up a fortune with Gold Rush!
Starts: 00:00 ET, 6th March 2012
Ends: 23:59 ET, 11th March 2012
Win a guaranteed prize in a mad-dash through the casino.
Just play any of these games and you could walk away with up to $5,000 cash:
Slots
Jackpot Slots
Raffle Jackpot Slots
Classic Slots
Roulette
Blackjack
There’s gold in them games!
Grab all the cash hurtling through the casino and profit from this richly rewarding promotion.
Cash Train
All aboard the Cash Train!
Starts: 00:00 ET, 19th March 2012
Ends: 23:59 ET, 30th March 2012
Look out - here comes the Cash Train! You can win up to $3,000 cash.
Run fast to catch the Cash Train leaderboard, and you’ll be on track to win a huge prize. Play any of the games listed below to earn points and rank on the leaderboard:
Slots
Jackpot Slots
Raffle Jackpot Slots
Classic Slots
Roulette
Blackjack
Hurry — the Cash Train is leaving soon!
Jack In The Box
Find your Jack in the Box surprise
Starts: 00:00 ET, 12th March
Ends: 23:59 ET, 18th March
We’ve packed our blackjack tables with loads of cash gifts, bonuses and free points. Our rewards are hidden inside a surprise Jack in the Box. You won’t have to look hard to find it — the Jack in the Box will find you!
Just play any of our blackjack games as normal from 12th–18th March. If the Jack in the Box appears, act fast to claim your fabulous prize.
Remember, the more you play blackjack, the better your chance of finding our account-boosting surprises.
PartyCasino.com has won numerous awards and commendations including Media Man and Casino News Media 'Online Casino of the Month' and EGR 'Operator Of The Year'
bwin.party Digital Entertainment is listed on the London Stock Exchange and has been in business for over a decade
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Thursday, March 01, 2012
Blog: Casino and Gaming News
Blog
Casino and Gaming News
High Stakes: The ‘life-or-death’ battle over a company name
Two stars of Australia’s new economy – the similarly named share trading platform Stake and online cryptocurrency casino juggernaut stake.com – are locked in a life-or-death court battle over naming rights amid growing concerns the gambling outfit has major plans for its home country.
Stake the share platform launched legal action in the Federal Court in August seeking to enforce its trademarks and stop stake.com, a multibillion-dollar enterprise, from using that name for its business in Australia.
The fast-growing Sydney-based share trading platform, the third-largest broker in the country, alleges that the casino group stake.com has been breaking Australian consumer law and has misled consumers through the use of its brand in Australia and its marketing, including its sponsorship of the Alfa Romeo team and the sale of apparel.
Stake the share trading platform, which owns the URL stake.com.au, alleges stake.com’s use of the name in Australia has potentially led to consumers believing the two brands are related when they are not.
The share trading platform Stake, founded in 2017 by entrepreneurs Dan Silver and Matt Leibowitz, alleges there is a threat that more consumers could be misled if stake.com is allowed to continue with its plans to grow its business significantly in Australia under the brand name Stake.
The casino group, led by Melbourne-based twenty-somethings billionaires Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, is expected to seek to have the matter summarily dismissed.
A spokesperson for stake.com said: “We are aware of a frivolous claim lodged in the Federal Court by Stakeshop, which in part claims that our global Formula One team sponsorship impinges on their ability to sell trucker hats.”
“We are proud of the global stake.com brand. As a group, we abide by the laws of the countries in which we operate, and do not offer our stake.com platform to Australian customers. We believe the claim has no legal merit and will vigorously defend our rights.”
The court case has shed new light on stake.com’s expansion plans for Australia, where it remains blocked to Australian users.
Court documents reveal the casino group has sought to buy the stake.com.au website from the sharemarket trading platform business. According to the court documents, the casino group has also registered several Australian website domains for its Australian expansion and applied to register a slew of trademarks including Stake Australia, Stake Bet and Stake Casino.
The Federal Court action comes after years of simmering tensions between the two groups over the use of stake.com’s name in Australia.
Stake.com was established in 2017 but flew under the radar in Australia until late 2021, when this masthead revealed the local origins of the business that had grown to be one of world’s largest online casinos, processing hundreds of billions of bets on sports, virtual table games and online slot machines.
In early 2022, stake.com signed hip-hop megastar Drake as its lead ambassador. Later in 2022 it signed a multi-year deal to become lead jersey sponsor for English Premier League team Everton FC as well as its sponsorship of Alfa Romeo’s F1 team.
The significant increase in stake.com’s marketing and media presence was noticed at the share trading platform group that built its user base during the COVID-inspired boom in Gen Y and Gen Z investors, thanks in part to its ultra-low cost brokerage fee model, savvy marketing and the broadening into other financial services including a superannuation product.
A spokesman for Stake the share trading platform said that since the group was founded in Australia it had built a client base of more than 500,000 and more than $2.5 billion in assets under management.
“Over the past six years, we have established a trusted and culturally relevant Australian brand that reflects our dedication to meeting customer needs. It permeates all parts of our business, spanning products, content, internal culture, customer interactions and much more, making it our most valuable asset. We are committed to protecting the Stake brand and the high level of consumer trust associated with it,” the spokesman said.
“We are concerned by the threatened use of the Stake brand in Australia by stake.com in relation to gambling, casino and sports betting services, due to the potential for customer confusion and damage to our brand and reputation.”
Stake.com is not available in Australia but according to court documents, the group is already making arrangements for a major expansion in this country and is seeking a sports betting licence.
In October 2022, stake.com casino executive Brais Pena Sanchez contacted Stake share trading founder Silver on LinkedIn and arranged a video conference meeting where the pair discussed Stake the share platform selling its Australian URL, stake.com.au, to the Curacao-registered, Australian-operated casino group.
During those discussions, Sanchez – the casino group’s chief strategy officer – informed Silver that stake.com planned to launch in Australia under the name Stakebet, or similar, according to court documents. A deal never ensued and the website remains owned by the share trading platform.
Tensions flared again in early 2023 after stake.com the casino was announced as the new team sponsor for Formula 1 team Alfa Romeo, sparking a flurry of legal letters between the two groups ahead of the Melbourne race.
According to the court documents, the casino group’s lawyers assured the share trading Stake that it would not use its logo in conjunction with the Melbourne Grand Prix and did not intend to display the name on any vehicles or uniforms or as part of the Alfa Romeo team name.
However, the share trading Stake alleges that during the four days of the Grand Prix, Stake casino logos appeared on banners for official team merchandise, the team display and on signs at the event and in the race program.
In May, Stake.com was applying to register a large number of new trademarks for goods and services. This included Stake Australia, Stake Bookie, Stake Betting, Stake Gaming, Stake Esports, Stake Casino, Stake Sportsbook, Stake Bet, Stake Punt, Stake Sports, Stake Pokes and Stake Slots.
The casino group has also registered a series of Australian website names under the “.au” domain including stakebet.au; stakecasino.au, stakesports.au and playstake.au.
The case continues.
Crown to launch digital self-exclusion scheme for casinos - July 2023
People with gambling problems will be able to ban themselves from Crown casinos over the internet instead of having to do so in person, as part of a wider overhaul of the group’s approach to harm minimisation.
Crown Resorts’ new safer gambling program also includes the establishment of a dedicated gambling policy team, which will monitor customer playing behaviour and create interventions to better prevent gambling harm from occurring.
Crown boss Ciaran Carruthers joined the business last year following an overhaul of Crown’s management, after a series of bruising inquiries into the company. Carruthers, who has led other global casino groups including Wynn Macau, said the new leadership of Crown was committed to making gambling safer, even if it meant less turnover in its casinos.
“I have been in this business for 34 years and I can tell you – no one does this,” Carruthers said.
“It is critically important to me that when I look at the long-term viability of this business that people see our resorts as entertainment to enjoy safely.”
Under the changes, customers will be able to block themselves from entering a Crown casino through a new digital self-exclusion portal. Those who wanted to ban themselves from Crown venues were previously required to visit, in person, a designated responsible gambling centre run by the group.
The group has also moved to cashless gaming at Crown Melbourne and Crown Sydney – a condition of its temporary gaming licences in NSW and Victoria– as well as introducing $10 maximum bet limits on poker machines at Crown Perth. The technological overhaul required to facilitate the changes has so far cost the business $13 million.
Carruthers pointed to changes Crown has already made which go beyond government regulation, such as encouraging customers to take breaks every three hours, as an indicator of its commitment to shifting problem gambling patterns.
The group said it wanted to establish advisory panels to work with state regulators and community groups to improve gambling harm education and share its research.
Carruthers conceded some aspects of its new approach to harm minimisation, called Crown PlaySafe, would not be welcomed by heavy gamblers. But he argued the changes would make the casinos more appealing to the general public.
Crown’s new head of gambling policy research, Dr Jamie Wiebe, said the most critical shift in the groups gambling policy was a move away from harm minimisation to prevention.
“We want to prevent a problem from ever happening,” she said.
The new program was unveiled just weeks after the Federal Court determined Crown will pay one of the biggest penalties in Australian corporate history to the financial crimes watchdog, after past anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism failings in its Perth and Melbourne casinos.
The $450 million fine is about five per cent of Crown’s last listed market capitalisation before it was taken private by Blackstone Capital for $8.9 billion in May last year.
In 2019, an investigation by this masthead and 60 Minutes revealed Crown had been infiltrated by international criminal syndicates and money launderers.
Crown was forced to overhaul its board, management and procedures to satisfy the regulators, who approved a conditional licence for Crown to operate its Barangaroo casino in June 2022. The conditional licence is valid until the end of this year.
Carruthers said the integrated hospitality offerings at Crown meant the casino could afford to embrace the shift.
“I want people to enjoy the experience of our casinos whether they’re coming for dining, casino or retail. I’m fairly agnostic across which one of those experience or how many of those experiences you want to enjoy,” he said.
Reclusive Sydney gambling mogul emerges as kingmaker in South Africa - September 2023
Reclusive online gambling mogul Martin Moshal is playing an increasingly influential role in a push to oust the South African government.
Mr Moshal, who lives on the exclusive Sydney Harbour row of Camp Cove alongside shopping centre billionaire Steven Lowy, is not on many rich lists but has made a fortune from online casino technology.
Herman Mashaba is the leader of ActionSA, one of a handful of opposition parties Mr Moshal has backed in the lead up to the 2024 South African national election. Mr Mashaba, known for taking a tough line on immigration and endorsing hard labour for prisoners, is hoping the gambling tycoon will continue his support.
“I wish he won’t give up on us and help us democratically remove the [incumbent African National Congress] and bring about a peaceful transition... please help ActionSA,” Mr Mashaba said in an interview with The Australian Financial Review.
“I have been lucky to have known Martin long before I went into politics,” he added. “I approached him and he was willing to back me up because he knows me as a capitalist... Martin was one of the first to come to the party.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s social democratic African National Congress party is set to come under pressure next year amid South Africa’s dire economic troubles. A senior party official has warned the country could become a failed state.
Mr Moshal is the largest individual political donor in South Africa in the last two years. He has given 46.5 million rand ($3.8 million), according to electoral records analysed by My Vote Counts, a non-profit advocating for more transparency in politics.
“Given the amounts donated it has become clear to us he now has a large stake in our politics,” said Robyn Pasensie, a researcher at the organisation.
The size of Mr Moshal’s wealth is unknown. He is extremely private and only admitted to his ownership of online gambling giant Betway after UK journalists traced his ownership back to offshore trusts. Mr Moshal did not respond to a request for comment.
Aside from ActionSA, Mr Moshal has donated to the Democratic Alliance (DA), Build One South Africa and said he also intends to support the Inkatha Freedom Party. Mr Moshal is ActionSA’s biggest backer. The Australian Financial Review is not suggesting Mr Moshal supports the party’s policies.
“I’m not saying these parties are all perfect, but we shouldn’t let perfect be the enemy of good... They are all far better than the government we have today,” Mr Moshal told The Jewish Report earlier this year.
“Pirkei Avot was my late dad – John Moshal’s – favourite part of the Talmud within which Rabbi Tarfon is quoted as saying, ‘It’s not up to you to finish the task, but you aren’t free to avoid it’.”
Mr Moshal said he believed South Africa needed a new government and was on its way to becoming a failed state.
“[This is a] government that’s corrupt, cannot provide basic security and opportunity to its citizens... we need the change of government and leadership that these parties can provide.”
ActionSA is known for advocating for life sentences and hard labour for serious offenders and also wants to repeal the ANC’s Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policy, a form of affirmative action introduced post-apartheid.
“Martin knows my views on racial policies and how dangerous they are,” said Mr Mashaba, who started off in business and was the founder of African hair care brand, Black Like Me.
ActionSA has also been vocal on immigration, views labelled as “xenophobic” by some critics and politicians.
“We recognise that South Africa was built... on the back of migrants,” said Mr Mashaba. “But they must come here legally... you break our laws, we will send you back to your country, the country where you came from.”
One of South Africa’s main economic problems is mismanagement and corruption inside the country’s electricity utility Eskom. The utility has been forced to implement rolling blackouts, which have further stymied economic growth.
“If Eskom cannot run on a commercial basis then it must die a natural death,” Mr Mashaba said, adding changes were needed to give other companies the opportunity to compete.
Mr Moshal’s Entrée Capital is one of Israel’s most active funds in the Israeli VC space. He is the beneficiary of a trust which is the largest individual shareholder in Super Group, which became the parent of Betway and online casino brand Spin after a 2022 listing. The group reported net gaming revenue of €1.3 billion ($2.1 billion) in 2022.
“Moshal is one of the least visible betting entrepreneurs in the world,” Guardian reporter Rob Davis wrote in his book Jackpot: How Gambling Conquered Britain.
“Moshal made much of his fortune from his home in Durban where he patented a series of technological solutions for the online gambling world and developed them via his company Microgaming. The company has since become one of the industry’s leading software players”
A philanthropist, he sits on the capital management advisory committee of Sydney’s Moriah College, alongside Steven Lowy and former Babcock & Brown chief executive Phil Green. He is also a life trustee of the Moriah Foundation and previously donated to Israel’s SpaceIL project attempting to land spacecraft on the moon.
SkyCity puts aside $45m for potential AUSTRAC penalty - August 2023
SkyCity Entertainment set aside $45 million for a penalty if it is convicted of breaches of anti-money laundering and counterterrorism laws.
The financial crimes watchdog, AUSTRAC, lodged proceedings against SkyCity in December over alleged serious and systemic non-compliance with the laws at its Adelaide casino.
SkyCity said on Monday it was difficult to determine the size and timing of the penalty, given the proceedings are in the early stages. But it decided to lodge a $45 million provision on the basis that each breach attracts a maximum civil penalty of between $18 million and $22.2 million.
“Estimating the potential exposure to penalties with any degree of accuracy at this stage of that ongoing process remains challenging, particularly given the outcome is highly dependent on a range of factors which are not yet known,” a statement said.
AUSTRAC has alleged “serious noncompliance” with anti-money laundering laws against SkyCity, claiming the company allowed 59 suspicious patrons to churn more than $4 billion in dirty cash through its Adelaide casino. The independent review is on hold because of the Federal Court action.
The company cut full-year earnings expectations at an investor day in May, with a slowdown in revenue from the international business and rising legal and compliance costs related to a crackdown on money laundering weighing on its bottom line. Analysts have provisioned about $50 million for the AUSTRAC fine, but there is no guarantee that will be enough.
In late May, SkyCity announced it would hire an independent expert to review its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism programs. It is still waiting for South Australia’s investigation into whether it should hold a casino licence to recommence.
“Judgements in civil penalty proceedings bought by AUSTRAC to date demonstrate that the Court’s determination of the appropriate penalty ... is very specific to the fact in each case and that the Court will have regard to a broad range of factors,” SkyCity said.
SkyCity’s provision announcement coincided with a $45.6 million write-down of the Adelaide casino licence, which was attributed to the value and timing of future discounted cash flows.
The company said the impairment and provision were non-cash and would not affect earnings for fiscal year 2023. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation remain in line with guidance of $NZ300 million ($276.6 million) to $NZ310 million.
SkyCity’s provision comes a month after the federal court agreed on rival casino operator Crown’s $450 million fine for breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws. The fine is being paid over a two-year period without interest.
Shares closed on Friday at $2.09.
Hotel room rates plummet for F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend - September 2023
Hotel room rates for Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend have fallen by nearly 60 percent in some cases since they were first posted last fall. But an industry expert says that does not necessarily mean interest in the event is failing to meet expectation.
When select Las Vegas resorts in November 2022 opened their booking schedules for race weekend, listed prices were as high as they have been seen in the city’s history. While still at higher than normal rates, a major decrease has occurred.
When a drop in booking pace occurs, it automatically triggers revenue management systems to suggest the lowering of room rates, according to Dr. Mehmet Erdem, professor of hotel operations and technology at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality.
Pennsylvania online casinos cross $5 billion in lifetime revenue - September 2023
Business is booming in Pennsylvania. The Keystone State is the clear market leader when it comes to online casino revenue within the US. After August’s total of $171.9 million, Pennsylvania surpassed the $5 billion threshold for lifetime revenue.
Pennsylvania online casinos are constantly upgrading and adding new content, and customers are responding. It doesn’t appear the market will be slowing down anytime soon, either.
Pennsylvania has set the US online casino revenue record four times over the last 11 months, and almost did so again. August’s revenue total of $171.9 million came second to March’s figure of $181.5 million. It was the second-best month of all time for any state with legal online casinos.
Atlantic City: Five-year turnaround of Ocean Casino Resort among city’s greatest successes - September 2023
In the winter of 2019, if any New Jersey sportsbook had tried to offer odds on the Atlantic City casino hotel then known as Ocean Resort Casino making it through another summer, no gambler in their right mind would have taken the bet.
Fast forward to the end of summer 2023, and the property now called Ocean Casino Resort is one of the city’s best performers. In fact, an argument can be made that Ocean’s rise to the upper echelon of the Atlantic City casino market is the most remarkable turnaround of any gambling parlor in history.
From its failed origins as Revel Casino Hotel to its seemingly doomed trajectory in February 2019, the $2.4 billion casino at the north end of the AC Boardwalk felt almost cursed (if you believe in that kind of stuff). But, apparently, the gambling gods decided Ocean was deserving of a better fate.
Once shunned by casino operators, responsible gaming campaign turns 25
At a time when problem gambling matters were rarely mentioned in gaming company boardrooms, Harrah’s Entertainment decided the issue needed to be raised on casino floors.
But it wasn’t just rival corporate executives that looked askance at the idea of employees learning how to spot signs that a customer might have a gambling problem.
“Our own lawyers tried to block it,” recalled Jan Jones Blackhurst, who was then a Harrah’s senior vice president. With the support of company CEO Phil Satre, she led Harrah’s launch of the casino industry’s first responsible gaming initiative in the mid-1990s.
“We had employees that wanted to be educated on the subject. They wanted to be able to help,” said Jones Blackhurst, who completed two terms as Las Vegas mayor before joining Harrah’s. “Maybe because I came out of politics. You have a responsibility to your communities, your customers and your employees. We believed it was the right thing to do.”
Sportsbooks ratchet up targeted advertising at start of NFL season
Shortly after the NFL forged authorized gaming partnerships with a host of leading sportsbooks in the 2021 offseason, operators began flooding the airwaves with a series of humorous spots that featured celebrities hawking their products.
Caesars Sportsbook spent lavishly on an ad package starring the Manning Brothers and actor J.B. Smoove as the eponymous emperor. During Super Bowl LVII last February, Kevin Hart expressed his displeasure for “taking the under” in a DraftKings spot while standing mere feet from WWE wrestler The Undertaker. Another commercial from FanDuel featured a live field goal attempt by former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, one that drifted wide left of the upright at the last second.
Former lieutenant governor calls for Nevada Gaming Commission cyber briefing after MGM and Caesars hacks - September 2023
In light of cyberattacks on MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, former Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, now a Nevada Gaming Commission member, called for a briefing on the hacking incident to shed more light on what happened and how it can be prevented in the future.
The suggestion comes the same day the Massachusetts Gaming Commission met in executive session “to consider information related to an MGM cybersecurity issue.” It held a similar closed meeting on Monday.
After it returned to the public session on Thursday, the Commission entered into an executive session regarding security at MGM Springfield, according to the Commission agenda.
Krolicki made his comments at the end of Thursday’s five-hour meeting of the Nevada Gaming Commission. Since it was made during the public comment session, the commission could not take up the matter, but it’s likely the issue will return to the Commission and the Nevada Gaming Control Board at some point.
In the latest cyberattack that started being felt Sept. 10 and went into this week, hackers knocked slot machines out of commission and created havoc with ATMs and computer systems. MGM, which is reported by a Wall Street analyst to have lost between $4.2 million and $8.4 million a day with the hack, said its systems were operating normally across their properties nationwide as of Wednesday. Caesars reported it was hacked in late August and had customer information stolen but paid a $15 million ransom that avoided any shutdowns.
In December, the Commission approved cybersecurity regulations for the state’s gaming industry to protect operators’ information systems from attacks that could shutter casinos and compromise customer data. The rules went into effect Jan. 1. That approval came right after BetMGM reported that its customers’ personal information – including Social Security numbers – was obtained in an unauthorized manner and included information on their transactions.
In the regulations, casinos were required to do a risk assessment of their systems by the end of 2023 and take any necessary steps on an ongoing basis to ward off an attack. If any breach was successful that compromised player data, credit card information and other records, including that of employees, properties would be required to report it to gaming regulators within 72 hours.
“It would be important and enlightening given the recent events of the past week regarding cyber security and ransomware in particular at MGM and our friends at Caesars and look at how it impacts our world and regulatory responsibilities,” Krolicki said, later adding, “I think at some point in time when there’s the energy and understanding of what just happened if we could get some kind of briefing of what transpired that’s appropriate for public record and perhaps policies going forward of how do we avoid these things and if they do happen whether the reporting schemes on whether it was immediately reported to the Gaming Control Board. There are a lot of questions and a lot of publicity. It’s a global story, and I just think it would behoove all of us to get a good handle on what just happened.”
The Nevada Gaming Control Board released a statement on Sept. 13 saying Gov. Joe Lombardo and the board “are monitoring the cybersecurity incident with MGM Resorts and are in communication with company executives. Additionally, the Nevada Gaming Control Board remains in communication with other law enforcement agencies.”
Casino consultant Brendan Bussmann, managing partner of B Global, which tracks gaming boards and commissions, said the Massachusetts hearing won’t be the last and expects states across the country to hold similar sessions wanting to hear from MGM executives.
“Nevada is the second regulator that I know has raised their hand on this after Massachusetts,” Bussmann said. “It should be about what happened and how it happened, which should be considered confidential information. This is going to be a question that every regulator for both commercial gaming and tribal gaming is going to be concerned about. Since we’re still trying to figure out what happened, then we can see what tools we need as an industry to beef up our efforts on cyber-related events.”
While everyone is focused today on MGM and Caesars, this is not the first cyber attack, Bussmann said.
“This can go back to the Las Vegas Sands attacks in 2014 from the Iranians and any other data breaches that happened between then and now,” Bussmann said. “I would expect every state at a minimum has MGM and Caesars in it to at least say what happened and what can we do regulatory to help this and what can we do with testing and what can we do IT and host of things.”
Bussmann said the regulators can’t be reactionary but instead should get evidence on how it happened and use the best resources outside of the casino industry, such as security firms, to do it right.
“There’s no one better suited to regulate Nevada on this issue than the Gaming Control Board in working with law enforcement partners across the country,” Bussmann said.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Marvel Entertainment Incredible Hulk Scoop From Avengers Movie
Profiles
The Amazing Spider-Man The Incredible The Avengers Ghost Rider The Wolverine Movies Hollywood
Hollywood and AussieWood is continuing its lover affair with superhero themes, movie revamps and the like, and Australian fans are lapping it up with the superhero jackpot bonanza.
From Bondi Beach to the USA (home to the original Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno), most of the world loves Marvel Entertainment superhero genre motion pictures.
This year we're looking at a ton of sequels, prequels, remakes... you name it. The Hollywood studios will be pumping out their best efforts in order to make as much money as they can muster, and who is to blame them... especially in this strained economy.
Entertainment giant Marvel Entertainment are going to be spinning out their “The Amazing Spider-Man”, hitting us hard with "The Avengers", "Ghost Rider" is about to ride into "Sin City" Sydney, Australia, and then there's Australia's favourite son, Hugh Jackman back in "The Wolverine".
The Incredible Hulk Sneak Peak From Avengers...
Here's the Incredible Hulk close up you have been waiting for.
This time around it's Mark Ruffalo who is the actor that plays the Hulk’s alter-ego Bruce Banner. It’s reported that the Hulk character was rendered using motion-capture so he should have a natural look and feel to him.
The movie stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, and Samuel L. Jackson.
You have 6 awesome super heroes that come together to take out an enemy that’s threatening the world's safety and security. It’s strongly rumoured that the Red Skull is going to turn up to join evil Loki in causing chaos. The movie hits U.S theatres on May 4th, and Australia should soon follow.
Here’s a look at some of this year’s coming attractions...(US dates)
Nicolas Cage provides a winter warm-up with “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” (Feb. 17), returning as the bounty hunter from hell on a mission to rescue a child from the devil.
“The Avengers” (May 4), teaming Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye.
Next is “The Amazing Spider-Man” (July 3), with Andrew Garfield taking over as Peter Parker in director Marc Webb’s new take on how a mutant spider bite turns a teen into a web-slinging hero.
Christian Bale returns as Batman in “The Dark Knight Rises” (July 20), director Christopher Nolan’s third and final tale of the well to do vigilante with all the cool gadgets. Anne Hathaway joins the cast as Catwoman.
After the late Heath Ledger’s Academy Award-winning performance as the Joker in “The Dark Knight,” Nolan went with a lesser-known villain: This time, it’s Bane (Tom Hardy), known to comic-book fans as the brute who breaks Batman’s back and puts him in a wheelchair.
The Avengers are assembling...
Disney released more stills from its superhero superteam movie reving up fans who are eagerly awaiting the answers to the age-old question, who would win in a fight between The Incredible Hulk and The Mighty Thor.
The first image shows Captain America (Chris Evans) in full updated costume and shield, flanked by Avengers teammates Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Joahnsson), the three heroes walking as if they mean business. The second still is slightly less dramatic, simply showing Thor (Chris Hemsworth) gripping a conference room chair, pondering heavy thoughts next to S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg).
"When you walk out of your trailer and you bump into Chris Hemsworth with the cape on and you see Downey in the Iron Man suit and that’s when you really get excited and you start geeking out a bit,” Evans told The News last year from the film's New Mexico set.
Fans are already starting to geek out, more than two months before the film's May 4 (U.S) release date.
The Marvel Studios movie, which is directed by fanboy favorite Joss Whedon, unites three franchises (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk) within an even bigger franchise that’s expected to be one of the biggest box office hits of all time.
Avengers News cont...
Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.
Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012.
Marvel Release Dates Updated (U.S)
In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013; and "Thor 2" on November 15, 2013.
Andrew Garfield as Spiderman Featured in an Avengers (English, 2012) Cameo...
Mumbai, Feb 13, 2012 - A few days ago we reported the rampant Internet rumor that Andrew Garfield’s Spiderman would be featured in an Avengers cameo. All of this was built off a statement made by actress Jenny Agutter who has a small role in the Whedon production. Well, we’ve stumbled across another source who confirms Spider mans cameo in Avengers.
“This will be similar to how Wolverine made a quick cameo in X-Men: First Class and Sony’s going to make sure to promote their new Spiderman movie any way they can. Andrew (Garfield) isn’t a widely known actor so they want to get his face on everything, including The Avengers even if it’s for a couple seconds.”
This is an absolute multiple bonanza for the superhero fans.
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson, and written and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.
“Marvel’s The Avengers” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures. The film is being produced by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Patricia Whitcher, Victoria Alonso and Jeremy Latcham. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The movie is to release in India on 27th April, 2011.
Marvel Comics and Movies Alive And Well At Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment...
Marvel superhero fans - great news... more superhero themed online games rumoured to be soon hitting PartyCasino. Stay tuned to the Media Man network for more on that.
If it sounds like 2012 is going to be a pretty good year for superhero movies, both on an entertainment front (for fans) and business angle (for studios etc), that's because it is. Enjoy brigadiers, and as Marvel living legend Stan Lee would say - Excelsior!
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