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US – Formula 1 helps drive Nevada to its second most profitable month in November - Januaary 2024

Nevada’s casinos enjoyed their second-highest win ever, fuelled by the excitement surrounding the return of Formula One racing, which boosted the Strip’s performance by 22.6 per cent.

Only July earlier in the year was more lucrative for casinos in Nevada meaning that the state smashed its personal best twice in 2023.

Across the state, casinos generated $1.37bn, an increase of 12.5 per cent rise from November 2022 with Formula One clearly playing its part in an increase in tourism with 3,292,800 visitors in November.

Michael Lawton, senior economic analyst, said: “The four-day period beginning on November 16th was extremely profitable for both gaming and non-gaming activity on the Las Vegas Strip with some properties estimating those days established all-time record levels of revenue. The event’s success was more evident at luxury properties where the Las Vegas Strip’s baccarat increase accounted for 78.6 per cent of the state’s growth this month. Additionally, the 25 licensees that are included in the $72m or over revenue range for annual gross gaming win on the Las Vegas Strip increased by $160m or 25.8 per cent compared to last November and accounted for over 100 per cent of the state’s entire increase for the month.”

The Strip’s games win came in at $410.1m, marking the third highest total in Nevada’s history, and up 61.9 per cent from last year. This increase was led by baccarat which generated $178.3m, up 208.7 per cent from last year.

The influx of tourist spend wasn’t felt everywhere across the state though with Downtown Las Vegas down two per cent with revenues of $81.1m.

The Boulder Strip was down 2.1 per cent to $83.3m whilst North Las Vegas secured a 0.61 per cent increase to $23m. North Lake Tahoe experienced an eight per cent fall as did South Lake Tahoe.

For the year so far, Nevada GGR are on track to set a new record with revenues up 4.1 per cent over the first 11 months of the record-breaking 2022. November also saw the 33rd consecutive month that the state generated revenues of more than $1bn with November’s revenue coming in higher than November 2019’s total by 46.6 per cent.

US – Billion dollar plus months are the new norm for Nevada but could the Strip soon hit the milestone too? - March 2023

The Las Vegas Strip’s best ever February helped push the state of Nevada to yet another billion dollar plus month, marking two years of consecutive $1bn plus months and begging the question; is this now the norm for Nevada?

The Strip, with 28 casinos, generated $712.4m in revenue, increasing from $599.1m in February 2022 with the State’s 441 casinos bringing in $1.24bn in February, marking an 11.2 per cent increase from February 2022.

Clark County casinos alone surpassed $1bn for the 10th straight month, with analsysts now asking if the Strip could generate the milestone on its own.

Michael Lawton, Senior Economic Analyst for the Control Board, believes that following 24 months of $1bn plus months for Nevada, the figure has become the norm.

He said: “I think after 24 consecutive months you could safely say it is [the norm]. Obviously there is a lot of economic uncertainty, however that uncertainty has not spilled over into the record gaming win amounts we have witnessed over the last two years. Clark County has recorded over $1 billion in 10 consecutive months and in 17 out of the last 24 months. The Strip in December of 2022 recorded a win amount of $814.2 million which was the all-time record for the market. I think there is interest if the Strip on its own could hit the billion-dollar amount.”

In February, Clark County’s gaming revenue accounted for 87.4 per cent of Nevada’s total win with the Strip having 57.6 per cent of the state’s total.

For the state as a whole, slot win increased by 7.6 per cent to $822.8m whilst tables increased 18.6 per cent to $102.5m. Nevada sportsbooks won $41.2m, increasing 33.5 per cent from last year’s February, although the amiount staked was down 15.6 per cent to $659.4m.

Brendan Bussmann, Analyst at B Global, believes thee is still space for more revenue growth.

“We still do not have some of the foreign guests back, and the business customer is still returning, which will likely drive additional opportunity for gaming revenue,” he explained. “There are still a number of headwinds with economic and geopolitical forces that could impact the current trends in revenue. With a recession pending, a potential banking crisis, and other factors, Nevada continues to prevail through these challenges but these and other factors could have an overall impact on Clark County and the rest of the state.”

Pro Wrestling WWE RAW

WWE YouTube

Punk to McIntyre: “No one will stop me from winning the Royal Rumble”: Raw highlights, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvW3l0FM8Fg&ab_channel=WWE

"I'm one of the new people on this roster still who travelled the world with you for years. I know the real CM Punk. I've seen what you're truely like and I've had so many things happen to me caused by you. I could go on for all night actually but we're only got a 3-hour show, so maybe I'll go over the first thing that comes to my head"... - Drew McIntyre

Media Man: The greatest wrestling promos are often the ones that have real situations and back stories to them, as is such the case here. The story somewhat writes itself! Hyped for tonight and the Royal Rumble. They are talking the fans into the building, in old school speeak.

#WWERaw #CMPunk #DrewMcIntryre #WWERoyalRumble #RoyalRumble #prowrestling #wrestling #entertainment #broadcast #broadcasting #USANetwork #popculture #story #storytelling #storylines #shoot #promo #promotion #trends #trending #buzz #TV #media 

Image credit: WWE

Pro Wrestling

WWE RAW

CM Punk returns to Raw for first time in 2024: WWE Now, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UciKUeh-R8&ab_channel=WWE

Punk to McIntyre: “No one will stop me from winning the Royal Rumble”: Raw highlights, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvW3l0FM8Fg&ab_channel=WWE

Ludwig Kaiser unleashes a vicious attack on Kofi Kingston: Raw highlight, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDWn-hoZlUQ&ab_channel=WWE

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Finn Bálor: Raw highlights, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUScaRQzT2M&ab_channel=WWE

The Rock makes a surprise return to Raw: Raw highlights, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_AHQt0rrQk&ab_channel=WWE

and more via the live broadcast and the Official WWE YouTube Channel

www.youtube.com/wwe

#WWERaw #WWERoyalRumble #RoyalRumble #CMPunk #DrewMcIntyre #LudwigKaiser 

#KofiKingston #Ciampa #FinnBalor #JudgementDay #wwetag #prowrestling #wrestling #womenswrestling #entertainment #popculture #USANetwork #broadcast #YouTube #YT #video #highlights #hype #promo #trends #trending #buzz #TV #media 

Image credit: WWE

UFC

UFC YouTube

Combat Sports

UFC Top Finishes | Slams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Tmmd944G0&ab_channel=UFC

"Can not lift. She can't do it. There, now she's working on the problem which is the hand. No, can't lift there. Oh, she"...

Media Man: The "slam" title got us. Long time fans of the MMA and wrestling/pro wrestling connection. A good old fashioned (or new age) slam will do just anytime. Get the opponent into position with strikes and wear down holds, and SLAM"!

#UFC #MMA #mixedmartialarts #slam #slams #bodyslam #wrestling #combatsports #highlights #moments #video #YouTube #sportsmedia #sportsnews #media 

Image credit: UFC

Pro Wrestling

WWE RAW

FULL MATCH – Cody Rhodes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – Street Fight: Raw highlight, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ZWZ67LLYE&t=6s&ab_channel=WWE

"Shinsuke Nakamura says he wants to finish Rhodes' story for him" - Michael Cole

"Cody, Cody, Cody" Fans

"This is a street fight. Anything goes. You must win via pinfall or submission"... Michael Cole

"...Master of mind games. He is going to make Cody Rhodes wait" MC

"Yeah. Emotions can be a cruel mistress if you loose control of them and if you loose control in a street fight it can really come back to hurt you" Wade Barrett

Best Raw moments: Raw highlight, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhrx0TPMrUE&ab_channel=WWE

Jinder Mahal initiates a brawl with Seth “Freakin” Rollins: Raw highlight, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWlqP-23L74&ab_channel=WWE

Nia Jax says she will choose Rhea Ripley when she wins the Rumble: Raw highlights, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ1UdSANNEQ&t=8s&ab_channel=WWE

Otis vs. Ivar: Raw highlight, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnxdnMMGI-Q&ab_channel=WWE

Carter & Chance vs. Green & Niven – WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match: Raw highlight, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqR4cS_jtxc&t=4s&ab_channel=WWE

R-Truth explains the love he shares with The Judgment Day: Raw highlights, Jan. 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTodBw_bhiU&ab_channel=WWE

and more via the official WWE YouTube Channel 

www.youtube.com/wwe 

#WWERaw #WWERoyalRumble #RoyalRumble #CodyRhodes #ShinsukeNakamura #CMPunk #DrewMcIntyre #LudwigKaiser #KofiKingston #Ciampa #FinnBalor #JudgementDay #RTruth #Miz #RheaRipley #NiaJax #wwetag #prowrestling #wrestling #womenswrestling #entertainment #popculture #USANetwork #broadcast #YouTube #YT #video #highlights #hype #promo #trends #trending #buzz #TV #media 

 Image credit: WWE

'Golden Globes' ratings increase by 50%

Entertainment giant CBS announced Monday that the Golden Globe Awards, which aired Sunday, averaged 9.4 million viewers. This is 50% more than the 2023 broadcast, according to the mega network.

2020 was the last year the Globes were watched by more people. Sunday's show was also the first ceremony since the Hollywood Foreign Press disbanded and expanded the voting body.

Jo Koy hosted the Golden Globes. Winners included Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers, Emma Stone for Poor Things, which also won Best Picture Comedy or Musical, as well as stars Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey, Jr., and director Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer.

CBS said the Globes was the second largest CBS event ever streamed on Paramount+. The largest awards show on the network and streaming service before that was the 65th Grammy Awards in February.

The Golden Globes previously aired on NBC.

The Globes have been widly critized in most of the media and in the court of public opion over the past number of years for becoming highly political.

News

Sky News Australia report

Hollywood 'finally' got the 'Ricky Gervais memo' following Golden Globes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmoOlZbLL7U&ab_channel=SkyNewsAustralia

Under The Water Cooler...

"The entertainment er showbiz industry has always been political in one way or another, but the last 4 or 5 years saw certain chapters of it become even more so. Much of the general public has turned out and turned onto YouTube, Netflix, Rumble, niche streaming channels, or just consuming less entertainment content. The superhero genre is one of the hardest hit sectors, thanks in part due to political messanging that may please some entertainment producers and their clique, but not the public and large. Many entertainment company share prices have dived to long term lows as the general public votes with both their minds and wallets. The industry lives on but is embattled to say the least".

#GoldenGlobes #GoldenGlobes2024 #CBS #showbiz #entertainment #entertainmentnews #movies #politics #ratings #content #contentnews #TV #media #mediaman 

Entertainment News via Sky News Australia 

Hollywood ‘woken up’ to ‘reality’ after absence of virtue-signalling at Golden Globes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWMfrY8JwL0&ab_channel=SkyNewsAustralia

Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan says there seems to be a “movement” growing in Hollywood after this year’s Golden Globes featured no political speeches, virtue signalling or grandstanding. 

Mr Morgan was joined by clinical psychologist and public intellectual Dr Jordan Peterson to discuss the matter. 

“People basically did what Ricky Gervais told them to do three years ago, which is get up, you know, thank your agent, and sit down and just celebrate making movies or TV shows,” Mr Morgan said. 

“I felt that there is a movement going on now of a real backlash from perhaps a majority that's been silent until now that's just said 'enough'.

(Credit: Sky News Australia)

#GoldenGlobes #GoldenGlobes2024 #SkyNewsAustralia #Sky #CBS #entertainmentnews #showbiz #popculture #movienews #movies #YouTube #video #politics #broadcast #newsmedia #media 

Crypto News

Bitcoin to soar as ETFs on cusp of approval 

- January 9, 2024

The price of Bitcoin is spiking and one analyst predicts it could more than triple in value and hit $300,000 by the end of 2025.

Bitcoin has risen above $US47,000 (A$70,000) for the first time since April 2022 and one analyst is predicting it could more than triple in value to be worth US$200,000 (A$298,000) by the end of 2025.

The prediction comes after news that US regulators appear ready to finally approve Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

In a note, Standard Chartered head of crypto research Geoff Kendrick wrote: “If ETF-related inflows materialise as we expect, we think an end-2025 level closer to US$200,000 is possible.”

It has been over a decade since the first applications for ETFs that invest directly in the digital currency were filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Prospective ETF issuers BlackRock, Fidelity, Invesco, Ark, Galaxy Digital and WisdomTree filed amended forms on Monday in what is seen by analysts as a final push to offer the investment products.

The regulator has until Wednesday to make a decision on the applications, which could result in an investment product tracking the daily price of the most popular digital currency traded on a stock market for the first time.

If approved, the advent of Bitcoin ETFs is expected to drive up Bitcoin’s price due to increased accessibility and liquidity of the digital currency.

The rise in Bitcoin also flowed through to a surge in the price of other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum, Cardano, SOL and Polkadot, while the share prices of listed crypto exchanges and miners such as Coinbase Global, Riot Platforms and Marathon Digital also rose.

Bitcoin’s previous all-time high of almost $US69,000 (A$103,000) was reached in November 2021.

#Bitcoin #BitcoinNews #BitcoinETF #BitcoinETFs #ETF #cryptonews #cryptocurrencynews #cryptocurrencies #fintech #BTC #SEC #BlackRock #Fidelity #Invesco #Ark #GalaxyDigital #Galaxy #WisdomTree #Ethereum #Marathon #SOL #Polkadot #Riot #RiotPlatforms #bizneews #biz #finnews #digitalnews #research #trends #trending #buzz #hype #cryptoculture #culture #AI #X #media 

(Newsfeeds)

Bitcoin Rally Cools in Countdown to US Spot ETF Decision by SEC - 9 January 2024

Bitcoin consolidated after briefly rallying past $47,000 on optimism that regulators are set to approve the first US exchange-traded funds investing directly in the world’s largest digital asset.

The token dipped to $46,739 as of 6 a.m. Tuesday in London after a 6.5% jump on Monday in the US to a 21-month high. Bitcoin’s new year climb now stands at 10%, contrasting with drops over the same period in stocks and gold.

The crypto market expects a green light for US spot Bitcoin ETFs by a Jan. 10 deadline. Prospective issuers such as BlackRock Inc., Fidelity Investments and Ark Investment Management updated paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the regulator has until Wednesday to take action on at least one of the applications.

Speculators are wagering that the agency will announce a slew of decisions at once to avoid handing out a first-mover advantage. If the funds are approved, the next question is how much money they will woo. Bitcoin is up 172% in the past 12 months in a sign that traders anticipate wider adoption of the token.

“Participants seem to be coming around to thinking that the initial flows will actually exceed expectations,” said Kyle Doane, a trader at Arca.

Applicants amended forms on Monday in the US in a final push to offer spot Bitcoin ETF products more than a decade after the first attempt.

SEC Chair Gary Gensler has repeatedly argued that crypto is rife with fraud and misconduct. The agency cracked down on the sector following a 2022 rout and collapses such as the bankruptcy of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX exchange.

But the SEC last year lost a key legal fight against crypto asset manager Grayscale Investments LLC, spurring speculation that the regulator will have to acquiesce to the spot ETFs. The spat was over the $29 billion Grayscale Bitcoin Trust’s desire to convert into such a product.

ETF Critics

Critics contend that spot crypto ETFs would pose a risk for investors given that digital assets are notorious for volatility and attracting illicit activity.

“What’s going to happen, unfortunately, is lots and lots of Americans in our view, are going to get hurt financially,” said Dennis Kelleher, chief executive officer of financial reform nonprofit Better Markets.

The months-long advance in Bitcoin has lifted the digital-asset market more broadly, bolstering smaller tokens like Solana and Avalanche. US crypto-linked stocks mostly rose on Monday, providing a tailwind for Asian peers such as Japan’s Monex Group and Woori Technology Investment Co. in South Korea.

Pullback Risk

Some crypto watchers wonder whether Bitcoin is ripe for a pullback if and when SEC approval finally lands, since speculators may decide to bank a slice of profits from the token’s rally.

There are “no signs” of a so-called sell-the-news event just yet, Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group Ltd., wrote in a note. Based on chart patterns, the $51,000 level is a possible target before any such retreat, according to Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG Australia Pty.

Looking past short-term price gyrations, “the main result of Bitcoin spot ETF approval will be the marketing machine behind greater Bitcoin awareness, powered by some of the largest names in traditional finance,” wrote Noelle Acheson, author of the Crypto Is Macro Now newsletter.

The token reached a record high of almost $69,000 back in 2021 during a pandemic-era bull run fueled by ultra-low borrowing costs.

#Bitcoin #BitcoinETF #ETC #crypto #cryptonews #cryptocurrencies #SEC #markets #finance #fintech #digitalnews #digitalbiz #digitalbusiness #newsmedia #newsfeeds #media 

Bitcoin News Media

January 8, 2024

Bitcoin ETF Insider Leak Powers Bitcoin Price Surge Over $45,000 After $1.6 Trillion Ethereum, XRP, Solana And Crypto Boom

Now, as panicked traders try to get ahead of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) "rug pull of the decade," an insider leak has revealed BlackRock has readied a huge $2 billion bazooka if its spot bitcoin ETF bid is approved.

"I heard from a pretty well placed source that BlackRock has more than $2 billion lined up in week one in new incremental flows from existing bitcoin holders who are adding to positions," Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at investment company VanEck, said during an X Spaces broadcast organized by The Block.

"I can't vouch for that," Sigel added. "But you know, that's what everyone is doing. Just making phone calls and trying to find the folks who can write checks into these products. And our estimates—that, you know, if that $2 billion happened in week one, you know, that would blow away our estimates."

1/8 update: The bitcoin price has shot over $45,000 per bitcoin as the Wall Street race to get a bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) to market enters its final week. The price surge boosted the price of ethereum, XRP and solana as traders bet a historical spot bitcoin ETF would boost crypto prices across the board.

This week, spot bitcoin ETF hopefuls, including BlackRock, Fidelity and Grayscale, have met the deadline to file their amended documents.

This filing "is another important step towards uplisting GBTC as a spot bitcoin ETF," Grayscale spokeswoman Jenn Rosenthal said in a statement to Coindesk. Grayscale has been trying to convert its bitcoin trust to a fully-fledged spot bitcoin ETF for years, last year successfully suing the SEC over its rejection of its bid. "At Grayscale, we continue to work collaboratively with the SEC, and we remain ready to operate GBTC as an ETF upon receipt of regulatory approvals."

"Market participants maintain expectations for the approval of the 21Shares filing, potentially triggering a cascade approval for all issuers," Matteo Greco, a research analyst at investment company Fineqia International, said in emailed comments, referring to the Ark 21Shares spot bitcoin ETF bid that's first in line.

"Numerous meetings between the SEC, issuers, and exchanges have fuelled the narrative of an imminent approval. The introduction of ETFs could usher in new investor cohorts from traditional finance, significantly improving market transparency and liquidity and bringing long term capital inflow in the digital assets market."

Sigel said VanEck was anticipating "$2.5 billion in the first quarter of trading," a figure derived from "past flows into the first gold ETF and adjusting by the U.S. money supply. And we have a $40 billion market opportunity over two years based on a similar analysis."

"$2 billion week one into BlackRock alone would blow expectations out of the water," Travis Kling, the chief investment officer of Ikigai Asset Management, posted to X. "Half that from all ETFs combined would have been a pretty good outcome."

VanEck, along with other spot bitcoin ETF hopefuls BlackRock, Fidelity, Grayscale, Valkyrie, ARK 21Shares and InvescoIVZ +1.8% have rushed to finalize their applications this week ahead of a January 8 Monday morning deadline.

Five SEC commissioners will reportedly vote on the spot bitcoin ETF bids next week, according to Bloomberg, citing an anonymous source.

#Bitcoin #BTC #BitcoinNews #Crypto #CryptoNews #cryptocurrency #XRP #ETF #Ethereum #BitcoinETF #BitcoinETFs #fintech #digitalnews #newsmedia #newsfeeds #trend #trends #buzz #hype #bitcoinnewsmedia #x #media 

(Sources: Wires, Newsfeeds, X)

"Sports Marketing Powerhouse" official; WWE and UFC Combo

The UFC and WWE global partnerships teams have officially become one in its pitch to provide brands with access to “one of the most formidable sports marketing portfolios in the world”.

Sports and entertainment company, TKO Group, announced the news this after the MMA (mixed martial arts) promotion and the professional wrestling based Goliath merged under the new company late last year.

Per media statement TKO said the move to join the teams will offer marketers expanded inventory, increased brand visibility and international reach.

Grant Norris-Jones will lead the new unit as Executive Vice President and Head of Global Partnerships for TKO (including all UFC and WWE entities), while Lou Koskovolis will take on the expanded role as TKO’s Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships.

“Since Endeavor acquired UFC in 2016, UFC’s global partnerships business has become a significant growth area,” TKO’s chief financial officer, Andrew Schleimer, said.

“And we believe WWE’s partnerships business has similar potential. Together, UFC and WWE create a sports marketing powerhouse, with hundreds of live events per year and a reach that’s equal to, or better than, the world’s biggest sports properties.

“The newly integrated global partnerships team will offer premium brands the opportunity to integrate and activate within UFC’s and WWE’s extraordinarily popular content to engage their massive fan bases around the world.”

The UFC is currently preparing for its highly anticipated, pub and cafe talk fodder UFC 300 event in Vegas in April, while the WWE’s February premium live event, Elimination Chamber, is set to go ahead at Perth’s Optus Stadium on 24 February.

WrestleMania Season has come early for many fans around the world. 2024 may end up being the biggest year in history for the WWE in most boxes including the bottom line, as well as excitement, perhaps equal to the very first WrestleMania back in 1985. This is cinema!

More News

WWE PLE's (Premium Live Events) 2024  

Confirmed at time of publication  

WWE Royal Rumble 

January 27. Tropicana Field St. Petersburg, Florida  

WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth

February 24. Optus Stadium Perth, Western Australia, Australia 

WWE WrestleMania 40 

April 6, April 7.  Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  

WWE Backlash: France 

May 4. LDLC Arena Décines-Charpieu, Greater Lyon, France  

WWE Money in the Bank 

July 6. Scotiabank Arena Toronto, Ontario, Canada  

WWE Bash in Berlin 

August 31. Mercedes-Benz Arena Berlin, Germany  

Media Man: WWE, part of the TKO Group @TKOGrp is riding a wave of momentium. Strike while the iron is hot. Global domination of the professional wrestling landscape continues. Premium Live Events is the newer term what previously were called Pay-Per-View (PPV) events. Under leadership of Nick Khan and Triple H WWE is powering ahead in a very much global major event direction, as well as presenting amazing storytelling and in-ring action, while the marketing, merch and media arms keep powering ahead, frequently breaking and smashing records. Back in our Optus TV PPV and Main Event TV collaboration work at Optus we always saw the potential of massive WWE growth, but certainly never saw it getting this big. - Greg Tingle, Media Man Group  

#TKO #TKOGroup #TripleH #RomanReigns #WWERoyalRumble #EliminationChamber #WrestleMania #WrestleMania40 #WWEBacklash #WWEMITB #MoneyInTheBank #BashInBerlin #CrownJewel #WWE #UFC #wwenews #PLE #PremiumLiveEvents #PPV #PayPerView #prowrestling #professionalwrestling #wrestling #wrestlingnews #wrestlingmedia #EntertainmentNews #popculture #sportsnews #sportsmedia #LiveSports #LiveEntertainment #trend #trends #buzz #GregTingle #media

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.

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.

Blog part of the Media Man Group including Media Man Australia

Blog part of the Media Man Group including Media Man Australia

Media Man NFTs Blog: News update

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Sam Bankman-Fried: ‘I didn’t steal funds’

NFT News: Donald Trump Announces $99 Digital Trading Card NFTs The edition of 45,000 NFTs features the former president in various fantasy costumes and poses. It will be minted on Polygon.

Donald Trump Announces $99 Digital Trading Card NFTs The edition of 45,000 NFTs features the former president in various fantasy costumes and poses. It will be minted on Polygon.

Collect Trump Cards (Image credit: Trump Trading Cards)

New York: Donald Trump teased a “major announcement” just weeks after declaring a third presidential run, leading political-watchers to speculate about big campaign moves.

Instead, he hawked digital trading cards with his head atop cartoon super-hero figures in an NFT market that’s already sagging.

Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the “Donald Trump Digital Trading Card collection” could be collected like baseball cards and stored digitally (a NFT, or non-fungible token, is essentially a unique digital file). The “cards” cost $US99 ($147) each and people who buy them are also entered into a sweepstake for prizes including a golf outing with the former US president.

They are being offered by NFT INT LLC, which says on its website that they are not connected to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and the company is not owned, managed or controlled by Trump, his company, or their affiliates. Trump gets paid under a licence for use of his name and likeness, according to the website.

Trump has over the years licensed the Trump brand to a number of third-party, and mostly failed, products including steak, vodka, an airline and a university.

The market for NFTs has fallen sharply in recent months along with the rest of the crypto universe, which has endured a series of spectacular blow-ups including the November implosion of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX digital-asset empire.

Trump had teased the announcement with a post on his social platform on Wednesday depicting himself as a Superman-like character standing in front of Trump Tower with lasers shooting from his eyes saying, “America needs a superhero”. In crypto parlance, laser eyes are a bullish signal and that picture is now one of the available digital cards.

There was speculation that the “major announcement” would be something dramatic like Trump returning to Twitter or running to be House speaker.

Trump announced on November 15 that he would wage a 2024 White House bid.

Trump’s comeback run has so far been marked by one downturn after another, including being blamed for a disappointing Republican midterm showing; the growing popularity in the party and among voters of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis; the public dinner he held with two well-known anti-Semites; deepening legal woes; subpar online fundraising and polls showing him losing favour among his base.

President Joe Biden took a jab at Trump on Twitter, noting that he, too, had some “MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS,” over the last couple of weeks, including signing the Respect for Marriage Act and securing the release of basketball star Brittney Griner from a Russian prison.

Shortly after his NFT announcement, Trump posted a video to his social site to outline what he described as a platform to “reclaim” the right of free speech should he retake the White House in 2024.

Media Man NFTs Blog: How to Sell Out an NFT Launch (Social Media Examiner)

How to Sell Out an NFT Launch (Social Media Examiner)

Wondering what it takes to sell out an NFT project?

In this week’s episode of the Crypto Business Podcast, Michael (Mike) Stelzner talks to Arvin Khamseh about how to build a qualified community and strategy to sell out your NFTs.

Download the Crypto Business Podcast in your favorite player app.

We took the notes for you 

Social Media

Greg Tingle

Social Media Examiner - Crypto Business podcast and news update. Excellent. Read our commentary for more insight and intel! All very interesting. For me I believe the real value in this space is in both NFT art (when the art is high quality), and the NFT - Blockchain certifies the art. Wrestling entities WWE, Chris Jericho and MJF (both All Elite Wrestling) have enjoyed solid success in the category. A year ago I tipped off an American based self appointment crypt expert on our associates at leading Aussie bodyart and bodypainting firm, Human Statue Bodyart. The expert was completely silent after virtually hand delivering him a golden and warm lead. Human Statue Bodyart is totally awesome. I went cold on the crypt expert, and they were not a good reflection on the sector. I've since became more cautious on referrals in and around the sector. We have a modest investment in XRP which is holding up. Coinspot was our exchange. We also created Bitcoin News Media and social channels which we will also give this SME - Crypto Business news a plug. Thanks for your ongoing balanced coverage. Media Man out.

Blog: WWE AND FOX ENTERTAINMENT’S BLOCKCHAIN CREATIVE LABS RELEASING 10,000+ “NFT FLIPS” FOR “HELL IN A CELL”

WWE AND FOX ENTERTAINMENT’S BLOCKCHAIN CREATIVE LABS RELEASING 10,000+ “NFT FLIPS” FOR “HELL IN A CELL”

WWE AND FOX ENTERTAINMENT’S BLOCKCHAIN CREATIVE LABS

RELEASING 10,000+ “NFT FLIPS” FOR “HELL IN A CELL”

STAMFORD, Conn. and LOS ANGELES, June 2, 2022 -- Tomorrow, Friday, June 3, WWE Moonsault will debut its first official NFT collection in advance of the annual WWE premium live event HELL IN A CELL. The marketplace’s launch was announced today by Scott Zanghellini, WWE Senior Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Development, and Scott Greenberg, CEO of FOX Entertainment’s Web3 studio Blockchain Creative Labs (BCL).

The limited-edition collection will include 10,000+ “NFT Flips,” each featuring a WWE Superstar tied to the HELL IN A CELL event. In the days after HELL IN A CELL, each NFT Flip will transform to reveal a 10-20 second video highlight of the featured Superstar. The NFT Flips will be sold on “Moonsault” in “Cases” of three, randomized at minting, for $30 per Case. “Moonsault” will be powered by Eluvio’s eco-friendly blockchain technology.

WWE and BCL launched WWE’s official NFT marketplace, “Moonsault,” this past Friday, May 27, during SMACKDOWN on FOX, and promoted the debut across WWE and FOX media platforms, as well as on WWE Discord. The first 10,000 fans to create a wallet on the platform received a free Moonsault Genesis NFT, all of which were claimed within only a few hours.

In the future, more limited-edition Cases of NFT Flips, and other video highlights and digital collectibles centered on WWE Superstars and iconic moments from the company’s history, will be dropped on “Moonsault,” timed to major WWE premium live events throughout the year.

HELL IN A CELL streams live this Sunday, June 5, on Peacock.

ABOUT WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide in 30 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, BT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network. The Company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.

ABOUT BLOCKCHAIN CREATIVE LABS

Blockchain Creative Labs (BCL), a business and creative unit formed in 2021 by FOX Entertainment and its Emmy Award–winning animation studio, Bento Box Entertainment, provides content creators, IP owners and advertising partners end-to-end blockchain computer ecosystem solutions to build, launch, manage and sell Non-Fungible Token (NFT) content and experiences, and fungible tokens, as well as digital goods and assets. BCL also manages a $100 million creator fund, established by FOX Entertainment and Bento Box, which identifies growth opportunities in the NFT space. In August of 2021, Fox Corporation made a strategic investment in Eluvio, a global pioneer for managing, distributing and monetizing premium content via blockchain, that will provide the underlying technology platform for BCL.

UFC NFTS

UFC NFTS

Blog Update: Bitcoin Cafe Casino Connection

Bitcoin Cafe Casino Connection

OpenSea Delists Sands Vegas Casino Club NFTs after Cease & Desist Orders

OpenSea Delists Sands Vegas Casino Club NFTs after Cease & Desist Orders

OpenSea Delists Sands Vegas Casino Club Gambler NFTs.

This month two U.S states issued cease-and-desist orders to Sands Vegas Casino Club for NFT sales.

Sands Vegas Casino Club reportedly sold NFTs to fund a Metaverse casino, classifying them as securities.

It has been a mixed year for leading NFT marketplace OpenSea. In January, OpenSea saw trading volumes hit a record high before a sharp decline through February and March.

NFT market conditions have improved in April, with OpenSea Ethereum (ETH) based NFT trading volumes already sitting above March levels.

According to Dune Analytics, Ethereum-based NFT trading volume for April sits at $2.68bn with a week to go. For March, trading volumes stood at $2.49bn.

With NFT market conditions improving, OpenSea appears to be taking a more cautious approach to avoid regulatory fallout.

OpenSea Delists Sands Vegas Casino Club NFT Sales

This week, OpenSea suspended the sale of Sands Vegas Casino Club Gambler Ape NFTs. This time last week, OpenSea continued to allow the trading of the Gambler NFTs despite regulatory action against the virtual casino.

According to the Sand Vegas roadmap, Sand Vegas Casino acquired 27 plots in Sandbox in January 2022. The virtual casino aimed to meet all regulatory/legal requirements between March and August 2022.

The OpenSea Help Center states that it delists NFTs if it determines the NFT to:

The delisting will cut a funding source for the virtual casino.

Owners of the Gambler NFTs purportedly share in half the casino profits generated.

The OpenSea delisting follows the cease & desist orders from the states of Texas and Alabama.

While the casino website is still up and running and states that the SVCC NFTs are sold out, the Twitter account @sandsvegascasino no longer exists.

Alabama and Texas Issue Sands Vegas Cease-and-Desist Orders

This month FX Empire reported on Alabama and Texas issuing Sands Vegas Casino Club with cease-and-desist orders.

The two states said that the online casino sold NFTs to fund operations. According to the state laws of Alabama and Texas, the NFTs constituted an illegal securities offering.

The Texas State Securities Board press release stated that the virtual casino offered,

“11,111 Gambler NFTs in connection with their development metaverse casinos in popular metaverses such as the Sandbox (SAND), Decentraland (MANA), Infinity Void, and NFT Worlds.”

The press release went on to say,

“Gamblers, acting through avatars, can enter the metaverse casino and play poker and other games using cryptocurrencies. Purchasers of the Gambler NFTs profit from these operations. Not only do they become owners of the metaverse casinos, but they also purportedly share in half the profits generated.”

Wrestling photoart and digital art by Greg Tingle

Wrestling photoart and digital art by Greg Tingle

Media Man NFTS Blog: NFTs and the trillion-dollar Bitcoin boom: The year cryptocurrency took off

NFTs and the trillion-dollar Bitcoin boom: The year cryptocurrency took off

The Matrix Resurrections nominated for Media Man 'Movie Of The Year' awards

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