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Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
Australian and international gaming, business and interactive entertainment news
Australian and international gaming, business and interactive entertainment news: Crown Limited; Echo Entertainment, IGT, Virgin Games, Aussie Millions, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, WWE, THQ, Marvel Entertainment, Disney, Warner Bros and more...Media Man reports
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Contender in Echo Entertainment CEO race drops out: report...
An undisclosed senior United States casino executive has emerged as the frontrunner to replace departing Echo Entertainment Group Ltd chief executive Larry Mullin after frontrunner Grant Bowie reportedly pulled out of the selection process, according to News Limited owned newspaper The Australian.
The New Zealand-raised Mr Bowie is president of US giant MGM Grand's Macau operations, and was seen as an ideal candidate given his record in Australia while working with Park Place Entertainment and Asian experience.
With Mr Mullin set to depart the company January 31, Echo is expected to name his replacement by the end of the year.
Marina Bay Sands casino head Andrew MacDonald and Skycity Entertainment's Nigel Morrison had been named as candidates, and the leading internal candidate is Echo chief financial officer Matt Bekler, according to The Australian newspaper.
IGT debuts trio of mobile slots...
American computerised gaming equipment and systems designer and manufacturer International Game Technology (IGT) has released mobile versions for three of its most popular slots.
Las Vegas-based IGT stated that Elvis: A Little More Action, Wolf Run and Kitty Glitter have been ‘optimised for the industry’s fastest growing sector’ and are now ready for users of iOS and Android-enabled smartphones and tablet devices to enjoy via its remote game server Casino series.
“The size of the mobile market is expanding by the day and a selection of superior branded content and consistently high performing games helps make IGT a driving force behind this growth,” said Leigh Nissim, Interactive Commercial Director for IGT. “Choosing the right casino game supplier in the world of mobile gaming is crucial [and] our experience, expertise and compliance record at IGT is second to none.”
Elvis: A Little More Action is a 50-payline slot with stacked wilds that features audio from one of Elvis Presley’s most recognisable tunes, A Little Less Conversation. It also offers players up to 255 free spins via its Free Spins Bonus. IGT described the 40-payline Wolf Run and the 30-payline Kitty Glitter slots as two of its ‘all-time best performers’ and revealed that the mobile new versions come complete with the titles’ expected free spins bonuses.
Three New Games Launch on Virgin Mobile Casino...
Virgin Games, the leading online gaming company, has today announced the release of three new mobile games - Elvis, Kitty Glitter and Wolf Run. All are by leading game developer, IGT, and will be available exclusively at Virgin Mobile Casino.
Virgin Mobile Casino, which now accounts for more than 10 per cent of Virgin Games' gross revenue, was launched in December of 2011 to offer a range of slots, table and instant win games. It currently has content partnerships with both IGT and Microgaming, with the intention of introducing additional partners later down the line in order to offer the same variety and choice through the Mobile app as customers experience at the web based Casino.
Joshua Morris, Commercial Director at Virgin Games, commented: "The three latest mobile games to be added to Virgin Mobile Casino continue the trend of bringing our best games from the web onto mobile. We are already seeing 10% of our gross revenues come from Mobile in less than a year since launch and with the addition of top titles such as those launched today we are strengthening our position as a multi-game aggregator."
Virgin Games has attached its single wallet system to the new mobile product, meaning its players use the same account to play at Virgin Casino, Virgin Bingo, Virgin Poker and now mobile casino. Customers can register, manage their account, play for bonuses, deposit and withdraw seamlessly, whether they are on the web or on the move. Launched in 2004, Virgin Games is one of the UK's leading online gaming sites.
Aussie Millions Poker Tournament coming up...
The Aussie Millions (Jan 17th – 3rd Feb): Held at the awesome Crown Casino, the average temperature in Melbourne in January is about 26 degrees. Not only that the tournament runs at the same time as the Australian Open Tennis. Sweet!
PKR Gains Five Millionth User; 3-D Online Poker Room Hits Milestone After Seven Years...
PKR, the 3-D online poker room, has registered its five millionth user. The website was launched in 2006.
Simon Prodger, marketing director for the company, said, “We’re delighted to hit this major milestone, and we look forward to continuing to welcome more and more poker players from around the world to PKR.
“We have a range of marketing initiatives and product developments scheduled for launch in 2013 that we’re sure will continue to grow the PKR brand, including new TV advertising campaigns and the eagerly-awaited launch of our first mobile poker product.”
The company, which is hosting the upcoming World Poker Tour Dublin event, recently told the E-Gaming Review newsroom that it had launched a seven figure investment prospectus.
PKR told the industry magazine it had been unofficially searching for an investor for two years and it was not ruling out a sale.
Crown Limited sweet tax deal?
In Australia, Crown Ltd.’s controversial ‘unsolicited proposal’ to build a second casino in Sydney won’t be of much benefit to the taxpayer, according to ex Citigroup analyst and current independent research consultant Jenny Owen. Crown’s plan is for an international VIP-focused casino, meaning the applicable tax rate would be 10%, about one-third the rate applied to other gambling revenue, like most of the action going on down the street at Sydney’s existing casino, The Star. Ms. Owen told the Sydney Morning Herald this made for "a very attractive business model, certainly one that I would have thought would go to public tender and should attract a reasonably significant license premium. Clearly that doesn’t appear to be the case.". Time will tell as "It sure looks like the casino - hotel will be going ahead" according to a Media Man gaming spokesperson.
Online Gaming Execs Respond to Detention of bwin.party CEO...
Leaders of the world’s top online gaming firms are mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore. In response to last Tuesday’s detainment of bwin.party co-CEO Norbert Teufelberger in Brussels, Belgium, 14 executives from 12 internet gambling companies penned a public letter to the Financial Times saying that enough is enough when it comes to European Union (EU) countries ignoring EU law.
To recap, Teufelberger was set to make the closing remarks at Responsible Gaming Day, put on by the European and Betting and Gaming Association (EGBA), of which he is Chairman, when he was detained by Belgian police. The authorities reportedly kept him for two hours (he was allowed to make his speech first), questioning him about bwin.party’s activities in Belgium.
bwin.party has found itself on the short end of extremely strict Belgian gaming regulations, which, among other things, require online poker operators to have a brick-and-mortar presence in the country in order to be granted an online gaming license. Only six operators – PokerStars.be, Poker770.be, Partouche.be, Win2day, GoldenPalace.be, and Unibet – have received licensed. To make matters worse, some of bwin.party’s websites have been put on the Belgian Gaming Commission’s (BGC) blacklist. Despite the blacklist status, bwin.party has continued to operate in Belgium.
While Belgium’s regulations may be cut and dry, they are not without controversy. bwin.party, as well as other gaming companies and organizations, feel they run contrary to EU law and have been fighting them for several years.
Norbert Teufelberger himself was one of the 14 executives to sign the letter to the Financial Times, along with co-CEO Jim Ryan. The others were:
Michael Carlton – CEO, Victor Chandler International Denise Coates and John Coates – Joint CEOs, bet365 Stéphane Courbit – President, Betclic Everest Group Canel Frichet – CEO, Winamax Noel Hayden – Managing Director, Gamesys Denis Kelly – CEO, Stan James Brian Mattingly – CEO, 888 Holdings Andrew McIver – CEO, Sportingbet Magnus Silfverberg – CEO, Betsson Ralph Topping – CEO, William Hill Ed Ware – CEO, 32Red
In the letter, which was posted at FT.com, the executives expressed their resentment towards both the EU Belgian law enforcement, saying, “While the Belgian authorities are free to intimidate Europe’s leading online gaming groups with threats about the consequences of challenging their domestic gambling laws, the European Commission has yet to receive an answer to its own concerns regarding the regulatory regime in Belgium that have remained unresolved since issuing its detailed opinion back in 2009.”
The letter reminded the Financial Times’ readers of the complaints against Belgium two years ago, quoting the head of the European Commission, Michel Barnier, from 2010 , “’…ensuring compliance of national law with the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) is a prerequisite of a successful EU policy on online gambling…if blatant infringements persist, I will not hesitate to propose to my colleagues that the appropriate proceedings be taken or relaunched.’”
The letter concluded, “We hope that the commission will now enforce compliance with the European treaty and do so swiftly. Countries such as Belgium and Greece that are in clear breach of EU law and that are seeking to enforce those laws domestically are likely to be at the top of the list. The time for polite rhetoric is now over. It is time for deeds not words.” (Poker News Daily)
THQ being sued by tattoo artist...
Chris Escobedo, creator and owner of Elite Tattoo, has sued THQ because one of his tattoos has been used by the developer in their game, UFC Undisputed 3 without his consent.
His tattoo, a lion, has been used on the arms of current welterweight champion of UFC Carlos Condit in the game. Escobedo claims that THQ never came to him to seek permission to use the tattoo in the game.
People often believe that they own the images that are tattooed on them by tattoo artists,” said Escobedo’s lawyer Maria Crimi. “In reality, the owner of the tattoo artwork is the creator of the work, unless there is a written assignment of the copyright in the tattoo art.”
Escobedo said: “I would not have agreed to the recreation of the tattoo by an animator.”
Well, it certainly is a violation of the copyrights, as silly as it may seem.
"WWE ’13" receives rave reviews from video game gurus..
“WWE ’13,” available in stores now, gives WWE fans the most seamless, realistic and exciting WWE video game experience to date. With the new addition of WWE Live, enhanced Predator Technology and an enormous Creation Suite and talent roster based on the Attitude Era, it’s no surprise that “WWE ’13” is a hit with reviewers. Look at what some of the leading reviewers have to say about “WWE ’13” and pick up your copy today!
IGN Review score: 8.4 out of 10 “At its core, ‘WWE ’13’ continues last year’s legacy with already solid gameplay refined via a few new moves. Aptly named OMG Moments let you tackle opponents through barricades and break the ring with top-rope suplexes, while the creation suite has been slightly upgraded with improved arena types that should facilitate better community creations.” (MORE)
Game Informer Review score: 9 out of 10 “I’ve always pointed to 2000’s WWE No Mercy as the best wrestling game I’ve ever played, but nostalgia is certainly a factor in that. After playing ‘WWE ’13,’ I’m hard pressed to think of a more enjoyable and complete wrestling game in history.”
Official XBOX Magazine Review score: 8 out of 10 “Of particular note is the game’s superb single-player experience, which should serve as the foundation for all future endeavors. If anything, the smart objective design and use of archival WWE footage makes us want more.”
AtomicGamer Review score: 8 out of 10
Bleacher Report Review score: 8 out of 10
Canadian Online Gamers Review score: 85/100
Click Online Review score: 4.5 out of 5
GamesBeat Review score: 86/100
GamesRadar Review score: 4 out of 5
IRB Gamer Review score: 4.5 out of 5
PlayStation Official Magazine – UK Review score: 80/100
RTV Review Score: 4 out of 5
TotallyGN Review score: 8 out of 10
Disney honors Black Friday in Avengers Alliance, Gardens of Time et al...
When it comes to the biggest shopping day of the year, Disney ain't playin' no games ... or something like that. The company's social gaming arm has lots planned for Black Friday in its most popular Facebook games, namely a number of enticing deals for in-game boosts and items for Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Gardens of Time, Ghosts of Mistwood and Blackwood & Bell Mysteries.
Each game will offer reduced prices on in-game currency in addition to specific offers for in-game goodies. Here's the list of the delectable deals straight from Disney and Playdom:
Marvel: Avengers Alliance: Starting Nov. 23, Mockingbird will be on sale for all players until Nov. 26. Mockingbird was originally only available as the ultimate reward for achieving 15 mastery stars in the first Special Operation, but starting on Black Friday, players will have four days to recruit this secretive S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent from the Heroes section and get her before she is gone.
Ghosts of Mistwood: From Black Friday through Cyber Monday on Nov. 26, the hit Facebook game, Ghosts of Mistwood, will be having a special Black Friday bundle sale to help players solve the mysteries of Mistwood Estate. Players can gobble up lantern oil, coins, special ingredients and a Limited Special Stardust Relic for a limited time in the Market and at a festive price.
Gardens of Time: For Disney Social Games' super sales weekend, Gardens of Time players will be able to purchase any of the in-game gold decoration items at a discount when sending them to their friends. That's over 100 items discounted for this offer.
Blackwood and Bell & Threads of Mystery: Two more amazing hidden object games from Disney Social Games, Blackwood and Bell & Threads of Mystery, will be having sales on in game gold. Players need to head on over to take advantage of these limited time Black Friday Sales.
Tolkien's estate sues over Hobbit gambling games...
JRR Tolkien's estate is suing the makers of The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies for allegedly overstepping their merchandising rights by making gambling games based on the books' characters.
Tolkien's family and publisher HarperCollins are suing Warner Brothers, its subsidiary New Line Cinema and Saul Zaentz for $80 million.
In papers filed in a Los Angeles court, they accuse the defendants of copyright infringement and breach of contract.
They say the companies are entitled to develop and sell only tangible merchandise such as clothes, figurines and stationery, not downloadable video and gambling games.
The Tolkien estate has asked for an injunction on such products, which it claims have caused irreparable damage to the author's legacy and reputation.
"Not only does the production of gambling games patently exceed the scope of defendants' rights, but this infringing conduct has outraged Tolkien's devoted fan base, causing irreparable harm to Tolkien's legacy and reputation and the valuable goodwill generated by his works," the lawsuit stated. The suit claimed Warner Brothers has earned millions of dollars from legal merchandise licensing revenue related to The Lord of the Rings trilogy of films, which have grossed nearly $3 billion at the global box office.
Representatives for Warner Brothers, Tolkien's estate and HarperCollins were not immediately available for comment.
The lawsuit comes a week ahead of the New Zealand premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of a new trilogy of films returning to Tolkien's world of elves, goblins and wizards of Middle Earth, based on the Lord of the Rings prequel novel, The Hobbit.
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Mobile Games Echo Entertainment Crown Limited IGT World Casino Directory World Directory
Contender in Echo Entertainment CEO race drops out: report...
An undisclosed senior United States casino executive has emerged as the frontrunner to replace departing Echo Entertainment Group Ltd chief executive Larry Mullin after frontrunner Grant Bowie reportedly pulled out of the selection process, according to News Limited owned newspaper The Australian.
The New Zealand-raised Mr Bowie is president of US giant MGM Grand's Macau operations, and was seen as an ideal candidate given his record in Australia while working with Park Place Entertainment and Asian experience.
With Mr Mullin set to depart the company January 31, Echo is expected to name his replacement by the end of the year.
Marina Bay Sands casino head Andrew MacDonald and Skycity Entertainment's Nigel Morrison had been named as candidates, and the leading internal candidate is Echo chief financial officer Matt Bekler, according to The Australian newspaper.
IGT debuts trio of mobile slots...
American computerised gaming equipment and systems designer and manufacturer International Game Technology (IGT) has released mobile versions for three of its most popular slots.
Las Vegas-based IGT stated that Elvis: A Little More Action, Wolf Run and Kitty Glitter have been ‘optimised for the industry’s fastest growing sector’ and are now ready for users of iOS and Android-enabled smartphones and tablet devices to enjoy via its remote game server Casino series.
“The size of the mobile market is expanding by the day and a selection of superior branded content and consistently high performing games helps make IGT a driving force behind this growth,” said Leigh Nissim, Interactive Commercial Director for IGT. “Choosing the right casino game supplier in the world of mobile gaming is crucial [and] our experience, expertise and compliance record at IGT is second to none.”
Elvis: A Little More Action is a 50-payline slot with stacked wilds that features audio from one of Elvis Presley’s most recognisable tunes, A Little Less Conversation. It also offers players up to 255 free spins via its Free Spins Bonus. IGT described the 40-payline Wolf Run and the 30-payline Kitty Glitter slots as two of its ‘all-time best performers’ and revealed that the mobile new versions come complete with the titles’ expected free spins bonuses.
Three New Games Launch on Virgin Mobile Casino...
Virgin Games, the leading online gaming company, has today announced the release of three new mobile games - Elvis, Kitty Glitter and Wolf Run. All are by leading game developer, IGT, and will be available exclusively at Virgin Mobile Casino.
Virgin Mobile Casino, which now accounts for more than 10 per cent of Virgin Games' gross revenue, was launched in December of 2011 to offer a range of slots, table and instant win games. It currently has content partnerships with both IGT and Microgaming, with the intention of introducing additional partners later down the line in order to offer the same variety and choice through the Mobile app as customers experience at the web based Casino.
Joshua Morris, Commercial Director at Virgin Games, commented: "The three latest mobile games to be added to Virgin Mobile Casino continue the trend of bringing our best games from the web onto mobile. We are already seeing 10% of our gross revenues come from Mobile in less than a year since launch and with the addition of top titles such as those launched today we are strengthening our position as a multi-game aggregator."
Virgin Games has attached its single wallet system to the new mobile product, meaning its players use the same account to play at Virgin Casino, Virgin Bingo, Virgin Poker and now mobile casino. Customers can register, manage their account, play for bonuses, deposit and withdraw seamlessly, whether they are on the web or on the move. Launched in 2004, Virgin Games is one of the UK's leading online gaming sites.
Aussie Millions Poker Tournament coming up...
The Aussie Millions (Jan 17th – 3rd Feb): Held at the awesome Crown Casino, the average temperature in Melbourne in January is about 26 degrees. Not only that the tournament runs at the same time as the Australian Open Tennis. Sweet!
PKR Gains Five Millionth User; 3-D Online Poker Room Hits Milestone After Seven Years...
PKR, the 3-D online poker room, has registered its five millionth user. The website was launched in 2006.
Simon Prodger, marketing director for the company, said, “We’re delighted to hit this major milestone, and we look forward to continuing to welcome more and more poker players from around the world to PKR.
“We have a range of marketing initiatives and product developments scheduled for launch in 2013 that we’re sure will continue to grow the PKR brand, including new TV advertising campaigns and the eagerly-awaited launch of our first mobile poker product.”
The company, which is hosting the upcoming World Poker Tour Dublin event, recently told the E-Gaming Review newsroom that it had launched a seven figure investment prospectus.
PKR told the industry magazine it had been unofficially searching for an investor for two years and it was not ruling out a sale.
Crown Limited sweet tax deal?
In Australia, Crown Ltd.’s controversial ‘unsolicited proposal’ to build a second casino in Sydney won’t be of much benefit to the taxpayer, according to ex Citigroup analyst and current independent research consultant Jenny Owen. Crown’s plan is for an international VIP-focused casino, meaning the applicable tax rate would be 10%, about one-third the rate applied to other gambling revenue, like most of the action going on down the street at Sydney’s existing casino, The Star. Ms. Owen told the Sydney Morning Herald this made for "a very attractive business model, certainly one that I would have thought would go to public tender and should attract a reasonably significant license premium. Clearly that doesn’t appear to be the case.". Time will tell as "It sure looks like the casino - hotel will be going ahead" according to a Media Man gaming spokesperson.
Online Gaming Execs Respond to Detention of bwin.party CEO...
Leaders of the world’s top online gaming firms are mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore. In response to last Tuesday’s detainment of bwin.party co-CEO Norbert Teufelberger in Brussels, Belgium, 14 executives from 12 internet gambling companies penned a public letter to the Financial Times saying that enough is enough when it comes to European Union (EU) countries ignoring EU law.
To recap, Teufelberger was set to make the closing remarks at Responsible Gaming Day, put on by the European and Betting and Gaming Association (EGBA), of which he is Chairman, when he was detained by Belgian police. The authorities reportedly kept him for two hours (he was allowed to make his speech first), questioning him about bwin.party’s activities in Belgium.
bwin.party has found itself on the short end of extremely strict Belgian gaming regulations, which, among other things, require online poker operators to have a brick-and-mortar presence in the country in order to be granted an online gaming license. Only six operators – PokerStars.be, Poker770.be, Partouche.be, Win2day, GoldenPalace.be, and Unibet – have received licensed. To make matters worse, some of bwin.party’s websites have been put on the Belgian Gaming Commission’s (BGC) blacklist. Despite the blacklist status, bwin.party has continued to operate in Belgium.
While Belgium’s regulations may be cut and dry, they are not without controversy. bwin.party, as well as other gaming companies and organizations, feel they run contrary to EU law and have been fighting them for several years.
Norbert Teufelberger himself was one of the 14 executives to sign the letter to the Financial Times, along with co-CEO Jim Ryan. The others were:
Michael Carlton – CEO, Victor Chandler International Denise Coates and John Coates – Joint CEOs, bet365 Stéphane Courbit – President, Betclic Everest Group Canel Frichet – CEO, Winamax Noel Hayden – Managing Director, Gamesys Denis Kelly – CEO, Stan James Brian Mattingly – CEO, 888 Holdings Andrew McIver – CEO, Sportingbet Magnus Silfverberg – CEO, Betsson Ralph Topping – CEO, William Hill Ed Ware – CEO, 32Red
In the letter, which was posted at FT.com, the executives expressed their resentment towards both the EU Belgian law enforcement, saying, “While the Belgian authorities are free to intimidate Europe’s leading online gaming groups with threats about the consequences of challenging their domestic gambling laws, the European Commission has yet to receive an answer to its own concerns regarding the regulatory regime in Belgium that have remained unresolved since issuing its detailed opinion back in 2009.”
The letter reminded the Financial Times’ readers of the complaints against Belgium two years ago, quoting the head of the European Commission, Michel Barnier, from 2010 , “’…ensuring compliance of national law with the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) is a prerequisite of a successful EU policy on online gambling…if blatant infringements persist, I will not hesitate to propose to my colleagues that the appropriate proceedings be taken or relaunched.’”
The letter concluded, “We hope that the commission will now enforce compliance with the European treaty and do so swiftly. Countries such as Belgium and Greece that are in clear breach of EU law and that are seeking to enforce those laws domestically are likely to be at the top of the list. The time for polite rhetoric is now over. It is time for deeds not words.” (Poker News Daily)
THQ being sued by tattoo artist...
Chris Escobedo, creator and owner of Elite Tattoo, has sued THQ because one of his tattoos has been used by the developer in their game, UFC Undisputed 3 without his consent.
His tattoo, a lion, has been used on the arms of current welterweight champion of UFC Carlos Condit in the game. Escobedo claims that THQ never came to him to seek permission to use the tattoo in the game.
People often believe that they own the images that are tattooed on them by tattoo artists,” said Escobedo’s lawyer Maria Crimi. “In reality, the owner of the tattoo artwork is the creator of the work, unless there is a written assignment of the copyright in the tattoo art.”
Escobedo said: “I would not have agreed to the recreation of the tattoo by an animator.”
Well, it certainly is a violation of the copyrights, as silly as it may seem.
"WWE ’13" receives rave reviews from video game gurus..
“WWE ’13,” available in stores now, gives WWE fans the most seamless, realistic and exciting WWE video game experience to date. With the new addition of WWE Live, enhanced Predator Technology and an enormous Creation Suite and talent roster based on the Attitude Era, it’s no surprise that “WWE ’13” is a hit with reviewers. Look at what some of the leading reviewers have to say about “WWE ’13” and pick up your copy today!
IGN Review score: 8.4 out of 10 “At its core, ‘WWE ’13’ continues last year’s legacy with already solid gameplay refined via a few new moves. Aptly named OMG Moments let you tackle opponents through barricades and break the ring with top-rope suplexes, while the creation suite has been slightly upgraded with improved arena types that should facilitate better community creations.” (MORE)
Game Informer Review score: 9 out of 10 “I’ve always pointed to 2000’s WWE No Mercy as the best wrestling game I’ve ever played, but nostalgia is certainly a factor in that. After playing ‘WWE ’13,’ I’m hard pressed to think of a more enjoyable and complete wrestling game in history.”
Official XBOX Magazine Review score: 8 out of 10 “Of particular note is the game’s superb single-player experience, which should serve as the foundation for all future endeavors. If anything, the smart objective design and use of archival WWE footage makes us want more.”
AtomicGamer Review score: 8 out of 10
Bleacher Report Review score: 8 out of 10
Canadian Online Gamers Review score: 85/100
Click Online Review score: 4.5 out of 5
GamesBeat Review score: 86/100
GamesRadar Review score: 4 out of 5
IRB Gamer Review score: 4.5 out of 5
PlayStation Official Magazine – UK Review score: 80/100
RTV Review Score: 4 out of 5
TotallyGN Review score: 8 out of 10
Disney honors Black Friday in Avengers Alliance, Gardens of Time et al...
When it comes to the biggest shopping day of the year, Disney ain't playin' no games ... or something like that. The company's social gaming arm has lots planned for Black Friday in its most popular Facebook games, namely a number of enticing deals for in-game boosts and items for Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Gardens of Time, Ghosts of Mistwood and Blackwood & Bell Mysteries.
Each game will offer reduced prices on in-game currency in addition to specific offers for in-game goodies. Here's the list of the delectable deals straight from Disney and Playdom:
Marvel: Avengers Alliance: Starting Nov. 23, Mockingbird will be on sale for all players until Nov. 26. Mockingbird was originally only available as the ultimate reward for achieving 15 mastery stars in the first Special Operation, but starting on Black Friday, players will have four days to recruit this secretive S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent from the Heroes section and get her before she is gone.
Ghosts of Mistwood: From Black Friday through Cyber Monday on Nov. 26, the hit Facebook game, Ghosts of Mistwood, will be having a special Black Friday bundle sale to help players solve the mysteries of Mistwood Estate. Players can gobble up lantern oil, coins, special ingredients and a Limited Special Stardust Relic for a limited time in the Market and at a festive price.
Gardens of Time: For Disney Social Games' super sales weekend, Gardens of Time players will be able to purchase any of the in-game gold decoration items at a discount when sending them to their friends. That's over 100 items discounted for this offer.
Blackwood and Bell & Threads of Mystery: Two more amazing hidden object games from Disney Social Games, Blackwood and Bell & Threads of Mystery, will be having sales on in game gold. Players need to head on over to take advantage of these limited time Black Friday Sales.
Tolkien's estate sues over Hobbit gambling games...
JRR Tolkien's estate is suing the makers of The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies for allegedly overstepping their merchandising rights by making gambling games based on the books' characters.
Tolkien's family and publisher HarperCollins are suing Warner Brothers, its subsidiary New Line Cinema and Saul Zaentz for $80 million.
In papers filed in a Los Angeles court, they accuse the defendants of copyright infringement and breach of contract.
They say the companies are entitled to develop and sell only tangible merchandise such as clothes, figurines and stationery, not downloadable video and gambling games.
The Tolkien estate has asked for an injunction on such products, which it claims have caused irreparable damage to the author's legacy and reputation.
"Not only does the production of gambling games patently exceed the scope of defendants' rights, but this infringing conduct has outraged Tolkien's devoted fan base, causing irreparable harm to Tolkien's legacy and reputation and the valuable goodwill generated by his works," the lawsuit stated. The suit claimed Warner Brothers has earned millions of dollars from legal merchandise licensing revenue related to The Lord of the Rings trilogy of films, which have grossed nearly $3 billion at the global box office.
Representatives for Warner Brothers, Tolkien's estate and HarperCollins were not immediately available for comment.
The lawsuit comes a week ahead of the New Zealand premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of a new trilogy of films returning to Tolkien's world of elves, goblins and wizards of Middle Earth, based on the Lord of the Rings prequel novel, The Hobbit.
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Thursday, November 15, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Hotel News Media Blog: 'No color policy'
Hotel News Media Blog
'No color policy' sign outside Las Vegas casino sends mixed messages
Las Vegas
A picture of a sign on Binion’s Hotel & Casino floor along Fremont Street Experience has sparked uproar.
The three words in large print “No color policy” get people's attention first.
“Is that about people not being allowed to wear color shirts or colored skin, what is that about?” said a mom and daughter from Canada.
“Let’s say I’ve got $200 of red; they’ll give me to blacks and you say, ‘color in’ I don’t know what this means though,” said Jim, visiting from North Carolina.
“That’s up-front racists,” said Bryan visiting from Chicago.
The sign goes on to say, “No person while on the Fremont Street Experience properties shall exhibit apparel, accessories, or decal or endorsement of any motorcycle club, gang, association or organization.”
“If you’re in a motorcycle club and you wear your colors. You can wear them anywhere. You should be able to,” said one man from Idaho.
Still confusing to those who take the time to read it completely.
Josh, an avid motorcycle rider says in most bars the ‘no-color policy’ signs are meant to cut down the tension that sometimes builds between rival motorcycle clubs inside establishments. He thinks the sign is fair.
“I do to an aspect they don’t want the club colors there because it's like a gang. You don’t want Bloods and Crips in the same vicinity with one another,” said Josh.
There was a shootout between two rival biker gangs last May on a local freeway.
Henderson Police say members of the Hells Angels targeted Vagos Motorcycle club members 6 people were wounded.
But Josh isn’t affiliated with any groups and says the sign in Binion’s Casino stereotypes all bikers.
“There’s always going to be that stigma of anybody that rides a motorcycle is in that group and that’s not true. It's just grouping us all together,” said the biker.
KSNV left a message for Binion’s manager but did not receive a callback, however, Fremont Street Experience sent us this statement:
“Fremont Street Experience does not influence or dictate policies for individual private properties. Each property has its policies in place. Fremont Street Experience does not have a restriction on “colors” today.”
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Hotel News Media Blog: Blog and Website updates; Casinoi and hotel news...
Hotel News Media Blog
Casino and hotel news, publicity, promotions and creative found here
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Friday, August 31, 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.
Website Network
Media Man International
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Media Man Entertainment
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Hotel News Media is part of the Media Man Group and includes Media Man, Media Man Int and more
Hotel News Media Blog
Hotel News Media is part of the Media Man Group and includes Media Man, Media Man Int and more
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Casino News Media: Sydney, Australia; UK, Fiji, Macau, California, U.S
Profiles
Crown Limited Casinos James Packer Property Hotels PartyCasino.com Affiliate Programs Advertising
Crown Limited Does Deal With Barangaroo In Sydney...
In big news today, James Packer’s Crown Limited (ASX: CWN) has struck a deal to build a $1 billion hotel development at Barangaroo, on Sydney’s foreshore. Crown signed an agreement with the developer, Lend Lease Limited (ASX: LLC) earlier today, but said it will only go ahead if Crown gains approval to including VIP gambling facilities (in other words – a casino). Just yesterday, Crown announced that it was spending up to $568m to build a six star hotel at its Burswood casino in Perth.
Work on Fijis first ever Casino to begin...
Work on Fiji’s first casino will begin this month as investors will meet to give contracts to local companies in Denarau this week.
One Hundred Sands – the company behind the project has managed to raise $400million for construction.
However the initial projections for phase one of the project which will see the construction of a convention center, casino and resort is $290m.
Managing Director Larry Claunch says overseas investors are often given misconceptions about Fiji’s investment potential by local private sectors.
“There has been a lot of criticism if we could raise the money in a timely fashion – we have, criticism and comments if we can finish on time – we will – its going to be probably a fastest development anybody has ever seen and it going to be fun to watch.”
Claunch says the current government played a vital role for this investment.
“I didn’t come to Fiji with a though of developing a casino or anything for that matter – I really just came here to eat fresh fish – but after seeing the vision of this government I knew everything was possible and I was all in.”
Five hundred locals will be employed during the construction and around 600 to 850 will be employed at the casino.
The new casino is expected to begin operation from September next year.
Aspers Casino looks forward to end of Games...
Though it’s happening right on the doorstep of his company’s flagship casino, Richard Noble is looking forward to when the 2012 London Olympic Games finish.
The chief operating officer of Aspers Group – a joint venture between the Australian Securities Exchange-listed Crown and the Aspinall family, which operates Aspers Casino at Westfield Stratford City next to Olympic Park – says weekly takings and average visitor numbers are down about 20 per cent in the first week of the Games.
When Aspers at Westfield Stratford City, the country’s largest casino, opened on December 1 last year, Noble told The Australian Financial Review it was immediately popular. “In our first three days we had 30,000 visitors which was about 100 per cent above our business case. After that we were averaging 25,000-30,000 visitors per week. But in the last few months we’ve seen the three carparks here at the Westfield get cut down to one and now it is none, so we have been adversely affected.”
There have been restrictions placed on visitor numbers to Westfield Stratford by the London Olympic Games Organising Committee (LOCOG). These include only Games ticket holders being allowed access to Westfield between 8.30am and 5pm on Friday and Saturday.
Noble says this cut down on the ability of regular Aspers patrons to visit the casino. He said it also affecting the numbers of people in the local area attracted to Westfield during the Games, who could have potentially visited the casino for the first time. LOCOG is also likely to institute another similar “lock-out” later this year due to fears about congestion at the mall, which is between Olympic Park and public transport links.
With the Olympics not providing the boost in business once hoped, Noble says Aspers will now concentrate its marketing efforts on the post-Games period. “On the 18th of September, after the Olympics and then the Paralympics are over, we will be having a huge relaunch.”
Noble says the casino concentrates on a high volume of customers who spend relatively little. It has a catchment area of 4.1 million people.
“And that is just in the east and the area around, north to Luton and east to Southend,” he said.
“But what’s been surprising and also delightful is that we’ve managed to get a lot of visitors from the west of London as well.”
A change to British gaming laws in 2007 allowed for the casino to be built without previous restrictions that meant patrons had to become members. Aspers also owns casinos in Newcastle, Swansea and Northampton and is planning to open a new venue in Milton Keynes in 2003.
Overall, he says Aspers is pleased about how the Stratford business has performed given it has already expanded since its December 2011 opening. It now has 57 gaming tables, the highest number in Britain, up from 38 when it opened. It has room to accommodate 80 tables. There are also now 138 electronic gaming terminals, up from 92. The site will soon feature a bespoke poker room to go with the sports bar, VIP bar and terrace, which has been hired out to corporate clients for the Games.
But Noble, who is otherwise enjoying the Games, can’t wait until September. “Some of our patrons are not able to get here at the moment but that will change once all this is over.” (The Australian Financial Review)
Police detain 150 in Macau casino raids amid fears of new gang war...
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Police detained more than 150 people in weekend raids on casinos and hotels in Macau after a recent spate of killings raised fears of a new gang war in the world's largest gambling destination.
The former Portuguese territory was gripped by gang wars in the late 1990s and the recent murder of three people in two weeks, thought linked to the gambling industry, comes just months ahead of the release from jail of triad boss "Broken Tooth" Wan Kuok-koi, who wreaked havoc at that time.
About 1,300 people were rounded up on Friday and Saturday in Macau and 150 of those were taken in for questioning in the operation codenamed "Thunderbolt".
"This operation is an annual exercise to maintain public security. It is a joint exercise undertaken by police in Guangdong province, Macau and Hong Kong to crack down and prevent crime in this region," a Macau police spokeswoman said.
In Hong Kong, police raided 21 locations on August 2 as part of the joint operation and arrested 130 people on suspicion of various crimes including money laundering involving HK$300 million (24.77 million pounds), illegal gambling and prostitution.
Police also seized cash, watches and cars worth more than HK$11 million.
The Macau raids came just weeks after a Chinese woman was found murdered in a residential area minutes away from the cavernous gambling halls of gaming magnate Sheldon Adelson's Venetian casino.
That followed the murders of two Chinese nationals at the five-star Grand Lapa hotel in Macau, a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong, and an attack at the end of June on a senior figure in Macau's junket industry, which extends credit to rich gamblers.
By contrast, only five homicide cases were recorded between June 2011 and May 2012, according to Macau police statistics.
Macau, which like Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, has boomed since the 1999 handover from Portugal, with Las Vegas moguls including Adelson and Steve Wynn setting up glitzy casino hotels.
That growth, however, has slowed significantly in the past three months, forcing junket operators into more aggressive debt-collecting tactics.
Many of the smaller junket companies, which collect gambling debts in exchange for a commission from casino operators, are struggling to stay in business.
IGT partners with California casino...
American computerised gaming equipment designer and manufacturer International Game Technology (IGT) has signed a deal that will see the Golden Acorn Casino and Travel Center in California host an online casino application from its Double Down Interactive subsidiary.
Las Vegas-based IGT purchased the casual games developer in January and revealed that the Golden Acorn Casino is set to utilise its technology in order to offer casino players free-play gaming experiences.
“Golden Acorn recognises the opportunity to provide gaming entertainment to its players across various channels,” said Eric Tom, Global Sales Executive Vice-President for IGT.
“This solution is allowing it to grasp an opportunity to evolve as the landscape of gaming also changes permitting it to drive engaging gameplay directly to its casino guests and fans of the Golden Acorn Casino and Travel Center brand.”
IGT stated that the revenue sharing partnership will see Golden Acorn use its own website in order provide players with a ‘truly convergent gaming experience’ that is to include access to a ‘full-casino-style offering of games in one convenient place’.
“Offering the same game titles on the web that we offer inside our casino gives us the unique opportunity to deliver fun and engaging casino-style experiences to our players,” said David Baggerly, Marketing Director for Golden Acorn Casino and Travel Center, which is located 47 miles from downtown San Diego near the Mexican border.
“This is an incredible chance to drive interactive slot culture to our players while allowing them to stay connected to our brand.”
Guests at the Golden Acorn will be able to enjoy online social versions of Texas hold‘em poker in addition to some of IGT's top-performing slot titles including Da Vinci Diamonds and Cleopatra. New games are to be added automatically while first-time users will receive one million dollars in virtual chips.
Development agreement for Bally and High 5 Games...
Bally Technologies has entered into a multi-year agreement with games developer High 5 Games to publish a substantial number of new H5G games under the Bally brand for the worldwide land-based, mobile and online business-to-business casino gaming markets.
“We’re excited to partner with a game creator that has such a world-class track record of developing high-performing and engaging game content,” said Jean Venneman, Vice President of Product Management and Licensing at Bally Technologies. “We look forward to leveraging H5G’s newest game content to help casino operators across the world drive revenues and delight players.”
Ramesh Srinivasan, Bally's President and Chief Operating Officer, added, “The partnership with H5G reflects our commitment to delivering best-of-breed, cross-platform game content to our customers. This promise is reflected in the more than 25 game studios we have established across the globe, augmented by relationships with proven game developers like H5G that enable us to deliver a diverse array of creative, interactive, and exciting game content.”
“We are delighted to partner with Bally Technologies, a long-time leader in the casino gaming industry,” said Anthony Singer, Chief Executive Officer of H5G. “With Bally’s sophisticated new ALPHA 2 game platform, and a new Bally Interactive division committed to mobile, online, and social business-to-business game content, we believe that the sky is the limit for this next generation of H5G games.”
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment Plc : The bearish trend should continue...
07/18/2012
Opinion : Bearish under 115.5 GBp
Target price : 83.4 GBp
Stop loss: 115.5 GBp
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE
Bwin.party (BPTY) was formed from the merger of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming Plc in March 2011 to create the world’s largest listed online gaming. Incorporated and licensed in Gibraltar, the Group has over 2,700 employees across Europe, India, Israel and the US. It commands leading market positions in each of four product: online sports betting, poker, casino and bingo with some of the world’s biggest online gaming brands including bwin, PartyPoker, PartyCasino and Foxy Bingo.
A month ago, we forecasted a downtrend with a target price at GBp 102. This target was reached and we reiterate our opinion. In a bearish trend, BPTY continues to decline.
From a fundamental viewpoint, the group is in a bad financial situation. Analysts have recently downgraded their forecasts for earnings per share. This indicator is often a precursor of a declining profitability and a worsening climate of investor confidence. Even if the company has a lot of cash, it is overvalued : BPTY’s PER for 2012 is 38.9x and 16.3x for 2013 and growth rates are low.
From a technical viewpoint, prices are in a downward trend. Moving averages are trending down and put pressure on the stock, which confirms this downward momentum. This trend may continue toward the GBp 95 support. Moreover, the security is testing a pivot point at GBp 102.6 in weekly data and the significant breakdown of this level would be a new bearish signal.
Taking into account fundamental and technical elements, investors can initiate a short position in BPTY with a first target price at GBp 95. If the security crosses this level, the second target price will be the long term support at GBp 83.4. A return towards GBp 115.5, the short-term resistance area, will invalidate the bearish strategy, which justifies a stop loss. (4 Traders)
Websites
PartyCasino.com
PartyPoker.com
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man News
Australian Sports Entertainment
Website Network
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man News
Media Man Entertainment
Crown Limited Casinos James Packer Property Hotels PartyCasino.com Affiliate Programs Advertising
Crown Limited Does Deal With Barangaroo In Sydney...
In big news today, James Packer’s Crown Limited (ASX: CWN) has struck a deal to build a $1 billion hotel development at Barangaroo, on Sydney’s foreshore. Crown signed an agreement with the developer, Lend Lease Limited (ASX: LLC) earlier today, but said it will only go ahead if Crown gains approval to including VIP gambling facilities (in other words – a casino). Just yesterday, Crown announced that it was spending up to $568m to build a six star hotel at its Burswood casino in Perth.
Work on Fijis first ever Casino to begin...
Work on Fiji’s first casino will begin this month as investors will meet to give contracts to local companies in Denarau this week.
One Hundred Sands – the company behind the project has managed to raise $400million for construction.
However the initial projections for phase one of the project which will see the construction of a convention center, casino and resort is $290m.
Managing Director Larry Claunch says overseas investors are often given misconceptions about Fiji’s investment potential by local private sectors.
“There has been a lot of criticism if we could raise the money in a timely fashion – we have, criticism and comments if we can finish on time – we will – its going to be probably a fastest development anybody has ever seen and it going to be fun to watch.”
Claunch says the current government played a vital role for this investment.
“I didn’t come to Fiji with a though of developing a casino or anything for that matter – I really just came here to eat fresh fish – but after seeing the vision of this government I knew everything was possible and I was all in.”
Five hundred locals will be employed during the construction and around 600 to 850 will be employed at the casino.
The new casino is expected to begin operation from September next year.
Aspers Casino looks forward to end of Games...
Though it’s happening right on the doorstep of his company’s flagship casino, Richard Noble is looking forward to when the 2012 London Olympic Games finish.
The chief operating officer of Aspers Group – a joint venture between the Australian Securities Exchange-listed Crown and the Aspinall family, which operates Aspers Casino at Westfield Stratford City next to Olympic Park – says weekly takings and average visitor numbers are down about 20 per cent in the first week of the Games.
When Aspers at Westfield Stratford City, the country’s largest casino, opened on December 1 last year, Noble told The Australian Financial Review it was immediately popular. “In our first three days we had 30,000 visitors which was about 100 per cent above our business case. After that we were averaging 25,000-30,000 visitors per week. But in the last few months we’ve seen the three carparks here at the Westfield get cut down to one and now it is none, so we have been adversely affected.”
There have been restrictions placed on visitor numbers to Westfield Stratford by the London Olympic Games Organising Committee (LOCOG). These include only Games ticket holders being allowed access to Westfield between 8.30am and 5pm on Friday and Saturday.
Noble says this cut down on the ability of regular Aspers patrons to visit the casino. He said it also affecting the numbers of people in the local area attracted to Westfield during the Games, who could have potentially visited the casino for the first time. LOCOG is also likely to institute another similar “lock-out” later this year due to fears about congestion at the mall, which is between Olympic Park and public transport links.
With the Olympics not providing the boost in business once hoped, Noble says Aspers will now concentrate its marketing efforts on the post-Games period. “On the 18th of September, after the Olympics and then the Paralympics are over, we will be having a huge relaunch.”
Noble says the casino concentrates on a high volume of customers who spend relatively little. It has a catchment area of 4.1 million people.
“And that is just in the east and the area around, north to Luton and east to Southend,” he said.
“But what’s been surprising and also delightful is that we’ve managed to get a lot of visitors from the west of London as well.”
A change to British gaming laws in 2007 allowed for the casino to be built without previous restrictions that meant patrons had to become members. Aspers also owns casinos in Newcastle, Swansea and Northampton and is planning to open a new venue in Milton Keynes in 2003.
Overall, he says Aspers is pleased about how the Stratford business has performed given it has already expanded since its December 2011 opening. It now has 57 gaming tables, the highest number in Britain, up from 38 when it opened. It has room to accommodate 80 tables. There are also now 138 electronic gaming terminals, up from 92. The site will soon feature a bespoke poker room to go with the sports bar, VIP bar and terrace, which has been hired out to corporate clients for the Games.
But Noble, who is otherwise enjoying the Games, can’t wait until September. “Some of our patrons are not able to get here at the moment but that will change once all this is over.” (The Australian Financial Review)
Police detain 150 in Macau casino raids amid fears of new gang war...
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Police detained more than 150 people in weekend raids on casinos and hotels in Macau after a recent spate of killings raised fears of a new gang war in the world's largest gambling destination.
The former Portuguese territory was gripped by gang wars in the late 1990s and the recent murder of three people in two weeks, thought linked to the gambling industry, comes just months ahead of the release from jail of triad boss "Broken Tooth" Wan Kuok-koi, who wreaked havoc at that time.
About 1,300 people were rounded up on Friday and Saturday in Macau and 150 of those were taken in for questioning in the operation codenamed "Thunderbolt".
"This operation is an annual exercise to maintain public security. It is a joint exercise undertaken by police in Guangdong province, Macau and Hong Kong to crack down and prevent crime in this region," a Macau police spokeswoman said.
In Hong Kong, police raided 21 locations on August 2 as part of the joint operation and arrested 130 people on suspicion of various crimes including money laundering involving HK$300 million (24.77 million pounds), illegal gambling and prostitution.
Police also seized cash, watches and cars worth more than HK$11 million.
The Macau raids came just weeks after a Chinese woman was found murdered in a residential area minutes away from the cavernous gambling halls of gaming magnate Sheldon Adelson's Venetian casino.
That followed the murders of two Chinese nationals at the five-star Grand Lapa hotel in Macau, a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong, and an attack at the end of June on a senior figure in Macau's junket industry, which extends credit to rich gamblers.
By contrast, only five homicide cases were recorded between June 2011 and May 2012, according to Macau police statistics.
Macau, which like Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, has boomed since the 1999 handover from Portugal, with Las Vegas moguls including Adelson and Steve Wynn setting up glitzy casino hotels.
That growth, however, has slowed significantly in the past three months, forcing junket operators into more aggressive debt-collecting tactics.
Many of the smaller junket companies, which collect gambling debts in exchange for a commission from casino operators, are struggling to stay in business.
IGT partners with California casino...
American computerised gaming equipment designer and manufacturer International Game Technology (IGT) has signed a deal that will see the Golden Acorn Casino and Travel Center in California host an online casino application from its Double Down Interactive subsidiary.
Las Vegas-based IGT purchased the casual games developer in January and revealed that the Golden Acorn Casino is set to utilise its technology in order to offer casino players free-play gaming experiences.
“Golden Acorn recognises the opportunity to provide gaming entertainment to its players across various channels,” said Eric Tom, Global Sales Executive Vice-President for IGT.
“This solution is allowing it to grasp an opportunity to evolve as the landscape of gaming also changes permitting it to drive engaging gameplay directly to its casino guests and fans of the Golden Acorn Casino and Travel Center brand.”
IGT stated that the revenue sharing partnership will see Golden Acorn use its own website in order provide players with a ‘truly convergent gaming experience’ that is to include access to a ‘full-casino-style offering of games in one convenient place’.
“Offering the same game titles on the web that we offer inside our casino gives us the unique opportunity to deliver fun and engaging casino-style experiences to our players,” said David Baggerly, Marketing Director for Golden Acorn Casino and Travel Center, which is located 47 miles from downtown San Diego near the Mexican border.
“This is an incredible chance to drive interactive slot culture to our players while allowing them to stay connected to our brand.”
Guests at the Golden Acorn will be able to enjoy online social versions of Texas hold‘em poker in addition to some of IGT's top-performing slot titles including Da Vinci Diamonds and Cleopatra. New games are to be added automatically while first-time users will receive one million dollars in virtual chips.
Development agreement for Bally and High 5 Games...
Bally Technologies has entered into a multi-year agreement with games developer High 5 Games to publish a substantial number of new H5G games under the Bally brand for the worldwide land-based, mobile and online business-to-business casino gaming markets.
“We’re excited to partner with a game creator that has such a world-class track record of developing high-performing and engaging game content,” said Jean Venneman, Vice President of Product Management and Licensing at Bally Technologies. “We look forward to leveraging H5G’s newest game content to help casino operators across the world drive revenues and delight players.”
Ramesh Srinivasan, Bally's President and Chief Operating Officer, added, “The partnership with H5G reflects our commitment to delivering best-of-breed, cross-platform game content to our customers. This promise is reflected in the more than 25 game studios we have established across the globe, augmented by relationships with proven game developers like H5G that enable us to deliver a diverse array of creative, interactive, and exciting game content.”
“We are delighted to partner with Bally Technologies, a long-time leader in the casino gaming industry,” said Anthony Singer, Chief Executive Officer of H5G. “With Bally’s sophisticated new ALPHA 2 game platform, and a new Bally Interactive division committed to mobile, online, and social business-to-business game content, we believe that the sky is the limit for this next generation of H5G games.”
Bwin.party Digital Entertainment Plc : The bearish trend should continue...
07/18/2012
Opinion : Bearish under 115.5 GBp
Target price : 83.4 GBp
Stop loss: 115.5 GBp
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE
Bwin.party (BPTY) was formed from the merger of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming Plc in March 2011 to create the world’s largest listed online gaming. Incorporated and licensed in Gibraltar, the Group has over 2,700 employees across Europe, India, Israel and the US. It commands leading market positions in each of four product: online sports betting, poker, casino and bingo with some of the world’s biggest online gaming brands including bwin, PartyPoker, PartyCasino and Foxy Bingo.
A month ago, we forecasted a downtrend with a target price at GBp 102. This target was reached and we reiterate our opinion. In a bearish trend, BPTY continues to decline.
From a fundamental viewpoint, the group is in a bad financial situation. Analysts have recently downgraded their forecasts for earnings per share. This indicator is often a precursor of a declining profitability and a worsening climate of investor confidence. Even if the company has a lot of cash, it is overvalued : BPTY’s PER for 2012 is 38.9x and 16.3x for 2013 and growth rates are low.
From a technical viewpoint, prices are in a downward trend. Moving averages are trending down and put pressure on the stock, which confirms this downward momentum. This trend may continue toward the GBp 95 support. Moreover, the security is testing a pivot point at GBp 102.6 in weekly data and the significant breakdown of this level would be a new bearish signal.
Taking into account fundamental and technical elements, investors can initiate a short position in BPTY with a first target price at GBp 95. If the security crosses this level, the second target price will be the long term support at GBp 83.4. A return towards GBp 115.5, the short-term resistance area, will invalidate the bearish strategy, which justifies a stop loss. (4 Traders)
Websites
PartyCasino.com
PartyPoker.com
Media Man International
Media Man
Media Man News
Australian Sports Entertainment
Website Network
Media Man International
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Media Man Entertainment
Friday, August 03, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Marvel Entertainment News: The Wolverine, Marvel Games; Hollywood
The Wolverine, Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel Games...
Profiles
Movies Hollywood Entertainment Marvel Entertainment Amazing Spider-Man The Wolverine The Avengers United States Affiliate Programs Advertising
New X Men, Wolverine 2 Film Revealed Possible New Viper Actress...
New X Men, Wolverine 2 film revealed possible new Viper actress. According to a new report from Collider, talks with Jessica Biel to play character Viper in the new Wolverine 2 flick, did not workout,so now, this new Russian actress Svetlana Khodchenkova is currently in talks to play Viper instead. It’s also reported that Svetlana is expected to close a deal with the studio pretty quickly.
The character of Viper is said to be of Eastern European decent, and has a complex relationship with Wolverine that includes, at one point, a sham marriage. Svetlana is mostly known for her work in Russia, but she appeared last year in the espionage flick “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.”
On location work on The Wolverine will be done in Japan, while stage work will be shot in Australia in August. The movie stars: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Brian Tee, and is scheduled to hit theaters on July 26th,2013. Stay tuned.
Wolverine sequel: Jessica Biel out...
Just days after Jessica Biel was announced to play Viper in the forthcoming Wolverine sequel, The Wolverine, it has emerged that the actress has now walked away from the project after contract talks broke down.
James Mangold has taken the reins for this installment with Hugh Jackman returning to play the titular title role. It will hopefully stay faithful to the Chris Claremont/Frank Miller series which sees Wolverine transported to Japan in one of his darkest storylines.
Biel had been cast as Viper, a character who has a tempestuous relationship with Wolverine/Logan, including blackmail, a forced marriage and the odd wound – both physical and mental. Viper is also known as Lady Hydra, a high ranking officer in the Hydra network, but this may not be referenced in The Wolverine as the rights to Hydra are with Disney/Marvel Studios and Hydra was used in Captain America: The First Avenger.
The Wolverine has had a bumpy ride so far getting to the big screen, with Darren Aronofsky leaving the project very early on. This caused a delay in filming, which then grew as Hugh Jackman had commitments to film Les Miserables.
It’s another setback for the production that commences in Australia this August before filming on location in Japan. Sources say that Fox are now talking to other actors about the role as they look to move quickly to replace Biel.
The film is scheduled for release July 2013.
Marvel Entertainment movies; Thor, Spider-Man boost popularity of online slot games...
The Media Man agency reports that Marvel comics themed games such as Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk have received a boost thanks to recent and upcoming movie releases tied in with Marvel Entertainment. For the gaming world that Excelsior! (as Marvel legend Stan Lee would say). Check em out at PartyCasino, as featured across the Media Man network.
Comic Book Movies News Update...
DC Comics:
Director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino will soon be scripting for DC Comics. The announcement, made at San Diego Comic Con, was nothing short of cryptic, and we are waiting on more details to be divulged.
Marvel Comics:
The Marvel NOW! Point-One teaser sequentially revealed the heroes that will be strongly implicated in the special issue to be released this Fall. The characters are Nick Fury, Jr., Cable, Ant Man, Loki, Wiccan, Miss America, Nova and Starlord.
Film and Television:
Dreamworks recently entered a bidding war for Classic Media film and television rights to properties like He-Man, Godzilla, Voltron, Turok, Dick Tracy, Archie, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and many more.
Marvel Studios is investigating the leak that uncovered the production of a Guardians of the Galaxy film weeks before the film's planned announcement at San Diego Comic Con.
The Dark Knight Rises has reportedly earned $162 million at the box office in its opening weekend despite tragedy. The gross puts TDKR third behind Marvel's The Avengers and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II, both of which had inflated grosses due to 3D ticket sales.
Hugh Jackman echoes sorrow over massacre...
Australian actor Hugh Jackman has expressed his sadness following the mass shooting at a US screening of The Dark Knight Rises.
'All I can echo is the sorrow I feel for the families, the community, for everybody,' he says.
'It's an issue that goes way beyond, obviously beyond acting, beyond film or anything like that.
'This is just a tragedy on a level that we have experienced in Australia many years ago in Tasmania and it's devastating and I can't comment on (it) anymore than as a human being and my feelings for those people involved.'
Jackman was speaking in Sydney at a press conference on Tuesday for his new film The Wolverine, alongside its director, James Mangold, and Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Jackman was sporting a red right eye, but it wasn't because of training for the action movie, but rather 'a very energetic game of tag with my kids', which he thinks burst a blood vessel.
Jackman says it wasn't easy getting back into shape for the part, particularly coming from his last role as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.
'That was a particular challenge because Les Mis, I had to start at 83 kilos and I finished at about 97 kilos by the end of the movie,' he says.
'We did have a holiday recently, but it was more like boot camp for me. But the kids and Deb (his wife, actress Deborra-Lee Furness) were happy.'
Shooting of The Wolverine is scheduled to start in Sydney on July 30, after a number of setbacks for the sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Last March, director Darren Aronofsky left the project, and Mangold stepped in to replace him. Then the shoot, which was originally meant to be in Japan, was postponed last October because of weather conditions.
Mangold says The Wolverine is based on a series of comics that detail the mutant's journeys in Japan and he refuted reports that Jessica Biel had turned down the lead role of Viper.
'The story couldn't be more of a fantasy frankly, in terms of what I was reading, so it was nothing more than a list of people we were considering and still are,' he says.
Jackman, who has played Wolverine now in five different movies over the past 12 years, says he takes the movies on one at a time.
For The Wolverine, he saw the screenplay and was sold.
'I feel like a golfer, always looking for a hole in one and I thought this was the best script we've had,' he says.
Hollywood declares box office truce after massacre...
The Hollywood studio behind the Batman movies has decided not to publish weekend box office figures after the Colorado theatre massacre.
Twelve people were killed and 58 injured when a gunman dressed in full body armour opened fire at a packed midnight premier of The Dark Knight Rises in Denver.
James Holmes, 24, was taken into custody outside the cinema after the attack. He is in solitary confinement and is due in court on Monday morning.
Within hours of the attack, Warner Brothers had cancelled the movie's Paris premiere, which was to have been accompanied by a press junket with the cast and crew including director Christopher Nolan and main star Christian Bale.
The company also cancelled red carpet events for the film in France, Japan and Mexico, although screenings will go ahead as planned.
Warner Bros has now confirmed it will not publish weekend takings - a form of crowing about box office success - until Monday.
This was despite the fact that unofficial figures cited by industry daily Variety suggest that it made $US75 million on Friday alone, the third biggest opening day ever at the US box office.
The move was swiftly followed by major Hollywood rivals including Disney, Fox, Sony, Lionsgate and Universal.
After initial radio silence from most of the cast and crew, Nolan issued a statement lamenting the "senseless tragedy," and expressing "our profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire Aurora community".
On Saturday Bale, who plays Bruce Wayne aka Batman, also expressed his sadness.
"Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them," he said in a statement.
In a separate move Warner Bros scrambled to pull a trailer for another film, Gangster Squad, including a scene in which mobsters shoot at theatre audiences. (AFP)
Christian Bale: My Heart Aches for Victims
The film is expected to be among the most lucrative movie openings and possibly contend with the record $207.4 million brought in by "The Avengers."
"The Dark Knight Rises" star Christian Bale said Saturday that his heart goes out to the victims of the Colorado shootings, a tragedy that brought Hollywood studios together in a rare show of solidarity as they opted to give the weekend box-office a rest.
"Words cannot express the horror that I feel," Bale, who plays the caped crusader in the film, said in a statement. "I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them."
Meanwhile, Sony, Fox, Disney, Universal, Fox, Paramount and Lionsgate said Saturday that they are joining "Dark Knight Rises" distributor Warner Bros. in withholding their box-office numbers for the weekend.
Warner Bros. announced Friday that it would forgo the usual revenue reports until Monday out of respect for the victims and their families in the Aurora, Colo., shooting that killed 12 and wounded 58 at the midnight show of "The Dark Knight Rises" earlier in the day.
The other studios said they also would not report numbers until Monday. Box-office tracking service Rentrak, too, said it would not report figures this weekend.
Sunday box-office estimates are a weekly routine for Hollywood, with studios jostling for bragging rights as the No. 1 movie and always aiming to break revenue records.
Before the shooting in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater at a midnight screening of the new Batman film, the box-office performance of "The Dark Knight Rises" had been eagerly anticipated. The film is expected to be among the most lucrative movie openings and possibly contend with the record $207.4 million brought in by "The Avengers."
But that now appears unlikely, even though "The Dark Knight Rises" earned $30.6 million from midnight screenings alone. Hollywood trade publications Variety and Hollywood Reporter reported estimates of roughly $75 million to $77 million for the film on Friday, based on box-office insiders.
That would put it on track for somewhere around $165 million for the weekend. Such a total would be the second highest weekend opening ever, after "The Avengers."
Any projections, though, are bound to be rough approximates given the atypical nature of the situation. Many of Friday's tickets were presold before the shooting. Moviegoers making their way to theaters also faced increased security and, in some places, bag checks. AMC Theaters, the country's second-largest movie chain, said it would not allow costumed fans or face-covered masks into its theaters.
Warner Bros. rushed to react to the tragedy, immediately canceling a Friday night premiere in Paris. On Saturday, it also canceled the other remaining red-carpet extravaganzas in Mexico City and Tokyo.
The studio, a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., also moved to pull trailers from its upcoming film "Gangster Squad" from theaters. The trailer of the film, which stars Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling in a ruthless war between Los Angeles police and the mob, includes a scene of mobsters firing into a crowded movie theater from behind the screen.
Christopher Nolan, the director of "The Dark Knight Rises" earlier responded to the tragedy, expressing his sorrow for the victims and their families.
Said Nolan: "The movie theater is my home and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me."
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New X Men, Wolverine 2 Film Revealed Possible New Viper Actress...
New X Men, Wolverine 2 film revealed possible new Viper actress. According to a new report from Collider, talks with Jessica Biel to play character Viper in the new Wolverine 2 flick, did not workout,so now, this new Russian actress Svetlana Khodchenkova is currently in talks to play Viper instead. It’s also reported that Svetlana is expected to close a deal with the studio pretty quickly.
The character of Viper is said to be of Eastern European decent, and has a complex relationship with Wolverine that includes, at one point, a sham marriage. Svetlana is mostly known for her work in Russia, but she appeared last year in the espionage flick “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.”
On location work on The Wolverine will be done in Japan, while stage work will be shot in Australia in August. The movie stars: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Brian Tee, and is scheduled to hit theaters on July 26th,2013. Stay tuned.
Wolverine sequel: Jessica Biel out...
Just days after Jessica Biel was announced to play Viper in the forthcoming Wolverine sequel, The Wolverine, it has emerged that the actress has now walked away from the project after contract talks broke down.
James Mangold has taken the reins for this installment with Hugh Jackman returning to play the titular title role. It will hopefully stay faithful to the Chris Claremont/Frank Miller series which sees Wolverine transported to Japan in one of his darkest storylines.
Biel had been cast as Viper, a character who has a tempestuous relationship with Wolverine/Logan, including blackmail, a forced marriage and the odd wound – both physical and mental. Viper is also known as Lady Hydra, a high ranking officer in the Hydra network, but this may not be referenced in The Wolverine as the rights to Hydra are with Disney/Marvel Studios and Hydra was used in Captain America: The First Avenger.
The Wolverine has had a bumpy ride so far getting to the big screen, with Darren Aronofsky leaving the project very early on. This caused a delay in filming, which then grew as Hugh Jackman had commitments to film Les Miserables.
It’s another setback for the production that commences in Australia this August before filming on location in Japan. Sources say that Fox are now talking to other actors about the role as they look to move quickly to replace Biel.
The film is scheduled for release July 2013.
Marvel Entertainment movies; Thor, Spider-Man boost popularity of online slot games...
The Media Man agency reports that Marvel comics themed games such as Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk have received a boost thanks to recent and upcoming movie releases tied in with Marvel Entertainment. For the gaming world that Excelsior! (as Marvel legend Stan Lee would say). Check em out at PartyCasino, as featured across the Media Man network.
Comic Book Movies News Update...
DC Comics:
Director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino will soon be scripting for DC Comics. The announcement, made at San Diego Comic Con, was nothing short of cryptic, and we are waiting on more details to be divulged.
Marvel Comics:
The Marvel NOW! Point-One teaser sequentially revealed the heroes that will be strongly implicated in the special issue to be released this Fall. The characters are Nick Fury, Jr., Cable, Ant Man, Loki, Wiccan, Miss America, Nova and Starlord.
Film and Television:
Dreamworks recently entered a bidding war for Classic Media film and television rights to properties like He-Man, Godzilla, Voltron, Turok, Dick Tracy, Archie, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and many more.
Marvel Studios is investigating the leak that uncovered the production of a Guardians of the Galaxy film weeks before the film's planned announcement at San Diego Comic Con.
The Dark Knight Rises has reportedly earned $162 million at the box office in its opening weekend despite tragedy. The gross puts TDKR third behind Marvel's The Avengers and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II, both of which had inflated grosses due to 3D ticket sales.
Hugh Jackman echoes sorrow over massacre...
Australian actor Hugh Jackman has expressed his sadness following the mass shooting at a US screening of The Dark Knight Rises.
'All I can echo is the sorrow I feel for the families, the community, for everybody,' he says.
'It's an issue that goes way beyond, obviously beyond acting, beyond film or anything like that.
'This is just a tragedy on a level that we have experienced in Australia many years ago in Tasmania and it's devastating and I can't comment on (it) anymore than as a human being and my feelings for those people involved.'
Jackman was speaking in Sydney at a press conference on Tuesday for his new film The Wolverine, alongside its director, James Mangold, and Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Jackman was sporting a red right eye, but it wasn't because of training for the action movie, but rather 'a very energetic game of tag with my kids', which he thinks burst a blood vessel.
Jackman says it wasn't easy getting back into shape for the part, particularly coming from his last role as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.
'That was a particular challenge because Les Mis, I had to start at 83 kilos and I finished at about 97 kilos by the end of the movie,' he says.
'We did have a holiday recently, but it was more like boot camp for me. But the kids and Deb (his wife, actress Deborra-Lee Furness) were happy.'
Shooting of The Wolverine is scheduled to start in Sydney on July 30, after a number of setbacks for the sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Last March, director Darren Aronofsky left the project, and Mangold stepped in to replace him. Then the shoot, which was originally meant to be in Japan, was postponed last October because of weather conditions.
Mangold says The Wolverine is based on a series of comics that detail the mutant's journeys in Japan and he refuted reports that Jessica Biel had turned down the lead role of Viper.
'The story couldn't be more of a fantasy frankly, in terms of what I was reading, so it was nothing more than a list of people we were considering and still are,' he says.
Jackman, who has played Wolverine now in five different movies over the past 12 years, says he takes the movies on one at a time.
For The Wolverine, he saw the screenplay and was sold.
'I feel like a golfer, always looking for a hole in one and I thought this was the best script we've had,' he says.
Hollywood declares box office truce after massacre...
The Hollywood studio behind the Batman movies has decided not to publish weekend box office figures after the Colorado theatre massacre.
Twelve people were killed and 58 injured when a gunman dressed in full body armour opened fire at a packed midnight premier of The Dark Knight Rises in Denver.
James Holmes, 24, was taken into custody outside the cinema after the attack. He is in solitary confinement and is due in court on Monday morning.
Within hours of the attack, Warner Brothers had cancelled the movie's Paris premiere, which was to have been accompanied by a press junket with the cast and crew including director Christopher Nolan and main star Christian Bale.
The company also cancelled red carpet events for the film in France, Japan and Mexico, although screenings will go ahead as planned.
Warner Bros has now confirmed it will not publish weekend takings - a form of crowing about box office success - until Monday.
This was despite the fact that unofficial figures cited by industry daily Variety suggest that it made $US75 million on Friday alone, the third biggest opening day ever at the US box office.
The move was swiftly followed by major Hollywood rivals including Disney, Fox, Sony, Lionsgate and Universal.
After initial radio silence from most of the cast and crew, Nolan issued a statement lamenting the "senseless tragedy," and expressing "our profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire Aurora community".
On Saturday Bale, who plays Bruce Wayne aka Batman, also expressed his sadness.
"Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them," he said in a statement.
In a separate move Warner Bros scrambled to pull a trailer for another film, Gangster Squad, including a scene in which mobsters shoot at theatre audiences. (AFP)
Christian Bale: My Heart Aches for Victims
The film is expected to be among the most lucrative movie openings and possibly contend with the record $207.4 million brought in by "The Avengers."
"The Dark Knight Rises" star Christian Bale said Saturday that his heart goes out to the victims of the Colorado shootings, a tragedy that brought Hollywood studios together in a rare show of solidarity as they opted to give the weekend box-office a rest.
"Words cannot express the horror that I feel," Bale, who plays the caped crusader in the film, said in a statement. "I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them."
Meanwhile, Sony, Fox, Disney, Universal, Fox, Paramount and Lionsgate said Saturday that they are joining "Dark Knight Rises" distributor Warner Bros. in withholding their box-office numbers for the weekend.
Warner Bros. announced Friday that it would forgo the usual revenue reports until Monday out of respect for the victims and their families in the Aurora, Colo., shooting that killed 12 and wounded 58 at the midnight show of "The Dark Knight Rises" earlier in the day.
The other studios said they also would not report numbers until Monday. Box-office tracking service Rentrak, too, said it would not report figures this weekend.
Sunday box-office estimates are a weekly routine for Hollywood, with studios jostling for bragging rights as the No. 1 movie and always aiming to break revenue records.
Before the shooting in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater at a midnight screening of the new Batman film, the box-office performance of "The Dark Knight Rises" had been eagerly anticipated. The film is expected to be among the most lucrative movie openings and possibly contend with the record $207.4 million brought in by "The Avengers."
But that now appears unlikely, even though "The Dark Knight Rises" earned $30.6 million from midnight screenings alone. Hollywood trade publications Variety and Hollywood Reporter reported estimates of roughly $75 million to $77 million for the film on Friday, based on box-office insiders.
That would put it on track for somewhere around $165 million for the weekend. Such a total would be the second highest weekend opening ever, after "The Avengers."
Any projections, though, are bound to be rough approximates given the atypical nature of the situation. Many of Friday's tickets were presold before the shooting. Moviegoers making their way to theaters also faced increased security and, in some places, bag checks. AMC Theaters, the country's second-largest movie chain, said it would not allow costumed fans or face-covered masks into its theaters.
Warner Bros. rushed to react to the tragedy, immediately canceling a Friday night premiere in Paris. On Saturday, it also canceled the other remaining red-carpet extravaganzas in Mexico City and Tokyo.
The studio, a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., also moved to pull trailers from its upcoming film "Gangster Squad" from theaters. The trailer of the film, which stars Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling in a ruthless war between Los Angeles police and the mob, includes a scene of mobsters firing into a crowded movie theater from behind the screen.
Christopher Nolan, the director of "The Dark Knight Rises" earlier responded to the tragedy, expressing his sorrow for the victims and their families.
Said Nolan: "The movie theater is my home and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me."
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Friday, July 20, 2012
Hotel News Media Blog
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Casino gambling is colorful and dramatic and theatrical. - Steve Wynn (Wynn Resorts)
SkyCity Marriott Launches Hong Kong Disneyland New 2-Day Ticket (Effective 1 March 2012)
HONG KONG, Feb 23, 2012 - Working closely with Hong Kong Disneyland Resort as one of its top-performing hotel partners, SkyCity Marriott proudly launches Hong Kong Disneyland's new 2-Day Ticket. Guests can now enjoy two magical visits to the Park with just one ticket.
With the new 2-Day Ticket, which costs only HK$100 more than the 1-Day Ticket, guests can enjoy flexibility in visiting the Park on any two days within a seven-day period. With every purchase of any two Hong Kong Disneyland Tickets at the concierge, guests will receive a complimentary special edition Toy Story Land Shopping Bag. Both 1-Day and 2-Day Tickets are now available at the hotel's concierge (refer to appendix A for price table).
To mark the launch of the new ticket type, guests who pre-book the Magical Escape Room Package to stay at the hotel between 1 March to 30 June 2012 will receive a complimentary upgrade from the 1-Day Ticket to a 2-Day Ticket as part of this exciting Hong Kong hotel deal. Guests can take their time to fully explore the Park and meet their favorite Toy Story friends in its latest Toy Story Land.
The Magical Escape Room Package is available for booking, Monday to Sunday, from HK$2,088+ per night. The Package includes a Deluxe Room one-night stay, two adult Hong Kong Disneyland Park Tickets and buffet breakfast for two. Reservations can be made through skycitymarriott.com or by calling (852) 3969 1888 (refer to appendix B for room package and promotion details).
Located just 20 minutes away from the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, SkyCity Marriott is one of the closest hotels in Hong Kong to the theme park. Due to its proximity, our 5 star Hong Kong hotel is popular among local Hong Kong residents and short-haul leisure travelers from South East Asia, who wish to visit Hong Kong Disneyland and experience five-star luxurious accommodations.
SkyCity Marriott first launched the Magical Escape Room package in 2009 and it is has been one of the most popular room packages, especially among families. The room package has been specially designed to cater to this market with the inclusion of Hong Kong Disneyland Park Tickets and buffet breakfast. To provide a seamless and hassle-free experience, SkyCity Marriott offers complimentary shuttle bus service to and from the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort on a daily basis -- 10am from SkyCity Marriott to the resort, 8:45pm from the resort to SkyCity Marriott.
In addition to our unparalleled holiday offer for families and leisure travelers, guests can also enjoy the hotel's five-star facilities -- 24-hour gym, 27-meter indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi. For golf enthusiast, the SkyCity Nine Eagles Golf Course is at the door-step of the hotel. Traveling out of the hotel is convenient with complimentary shuttle bus service to Tung Chung MTR station and the Airport. To reach town, guest can take the Airport Express Line, which is connected to the hotel via AsiaWorld-Expo.
About Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel Nestled on the edge of Lantau Island and on banks of the South China Sea, the Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel offers a refreshing escape from the bustling city. A five-star luxury hotel, the Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel provides luxurious accommodations with 658 guest rooms, 13 premium meeting rooms for corporate events, houses five restaurants for a variety of dining options and offers pampering spa treats at the boutique Quan Spa. Transportation to the hotel is a breeze as the hotel is located next to the Hong Kong International Airport and is just a 28-minute train ride (Airport Express Line) away from Hong Kong's central business district. For the leisure travelers, they can enjoy the convenience of the hotel being located near Hong Kong's famous tourist attractions -- Disneyland, Ngong Ping 360 and the Tian Tan Buddha. This modern day oasis is perfect for conferences, business travelers and leisure guests seeking the best of both worlds -- the luxury and convenience of contemporary living set in peaceful tranquility.
About Hong Kong Disneyland Hong Kong Disneyland Resort offers immersive, unique Disney experiences for all families, generations and ages to enjoy. Hong Kong is one of only five locations in the world that is home to a Disney theme park and the many Disney characters that are beloved the world over, such as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Stitch and Buzz Lightyear. Since the Grand Opening in September 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland has received more than 31 million Guests from around the globe. Through the unique product offering and the world-class service provided by the 5,000 strong Cast at the theme park and the two hotels, the Resort has received outstanding Guest satisfaction ratings and a range of awards from the hospitality and entertainment sectors.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
iGaming News Media Update
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The Amazing Spider-Man Video Game Now On Sale: Get 'The Amazing Spider-Man' for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS & Nintendo 3DS!...
If your spider-senses are tinglin’, it’s because "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game has web-slung its way onto retail store shelves today in North America, and will be available in Europe on June 29. From Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc., and Marvel Entertainment, "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game serves as an epilogue story to this summer’s upcoming blockbuster feature film, heralding Spidey’s return to a free-roaming Manhattan as players take the role of a young Peter Parker discovering his newfound powers and super hero responsibilities. "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game is available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, the Wii system from Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS handheld systems.
"Dee Brown and his team at Beenox have completely revamped 'The Amazing Spider-Man's' proprietary game engine to deliver a fresh, innovative gameplay experience for the fans," said David Oxford, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Activision Publishing, Inc. “With the adrenaline rush from just swinging through the city and the new zoomed-in camera angle opening up a whole new perspective in realistic detail, 'The Amazing Spider-Man' allows gamers to BE Spider-Man like never before.”
Go beyond Sony Picture Entertainment’s Columbia Pictures’ feature film and find out what happens next in "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game. Set against an original story crafted by Hollywood writer Seamus Kevin Fahey ("Spartacus: Vengeance," "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," "Battlestar Galactica") that picks up immediately after the events of the movie, "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game delivers a brand-new, immersive and cinematic adventure allowing fans to truly harness the power of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Players will experience numerous choices in navigation and combat with the debut of the innovative Web Rush gameplay mechanic, pushing Spider-Man’s abilities to the limit against classic Marvel villains that are re-imagined exclusively for the game, such as Scorpion, Felicia Hardy, Rhino, Iguana and more.
“'The Amazing Spider-Man' video game is the ultimate fan tribute to Spider-Man and Manhattan,” said Andreea Enache-Thune, SVP, Games & Digital Distribution, Marvel Entertainment. “We’re thrilled with all of the content and collectibles Activision and Beenox have packed into the game’s free-roaming Manhattan setting, and we can’t wait for fans to web-swing around the city and start saving the world.”
"The Amazing Spider-Man" video game also features fan-favorite talent, including "Evil Dead" and "Burn Notice's" Bruce Campbell taking the role of an “extreme action” reporter who provides death-defying challenges that only Spider-Man can accomplish. And for fans that pre-ordered the game from Amazon, Stan Lee himself is available as a playable character for the first time ever.
Developed by Beenox for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, Wii and Nintendo 3DS, "The Amazing Spider-Man" is rated “T” (Teen – content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older) by the ESRB. The Nintendo 3DS edition features several unique mini-games that use its touch-screen abilities, including the exclusive Vigilante Mode using StreetPass. Additionally, Beenox is working on a Windows PC version of the game planned to launch August 10, 2012, which will be available on Steam and integrated with Steam achievements. The Nintendo DS version of the game was created by developer Other Ocean, is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older – content that may be suitable for ages 10 and older) by the ESRB, and follows the exact same storyline in an entirely different platforming adventure.
For more information on "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game, please go to http://www.TheAmazingSpiderManGame.com, and be sure to check out the game’s Facebook page at http://www.Facebook.com/TheAmazingSpiderManGame (Marvel)
Social Gaming Supplier of the year!...
NextGen Gaming, the independent game studio of the recently formed NYX Gaming Group incorporating NYX Interactive and NextGen Gaming, celebrate landmark eGR B2B Award.
London, May 21st, 2012:
NextGen Gaming is the proud recipient of the inaugural eGR Magazine B2B Award for Social Gaming Supplier of the Year, presented at a lavish dinner event at London’s Wembley Stadium on 10th May 2012. Now in their third year, the awards celebrate the best service providers and B2B operators in the online gaming industry.
The judges recognized NextGen’s unique fully hosted social gaming application which provides Operators with all the tools required to run and operate a play for fun slot site on Facebook, with the Operator managing their marketing. Debuting at the turn of 2012, NextGen have now licensed multiple applications including Trophy Slots, Slots Villa and Slots Point. NextGen’s Social application is fully graphically configurable and offers a swift route to market for any Operator keen to explore the Social space with the finest, mature and proven Slots available anywhere online, including hit titles such as Doctor Love, Mad Mad Monkey and 2012’s Merlin’s Millions Superbet. The platform includes full access to operational back office and reporting of KPI’s, full player data ownership, the lobby, games, integrated Facebook credits and key social features such as leaderboards, levels and badges, gifting, bragging; everything an Operator needs to go Social.
“I’m delighted the judging panel recognized the pioneering and unique product NextGen Gaming have presented to the market in offering the only B2B solution featuring real gamblers games within Facebook” said Sales Director David Johnson, who received the award on behalf of NextGen.
“We’re seeing Operators take the view that Social Media is a crucial marketing tool allowing them to get an in-depth understanding of their player behavior in preparation for specific market sectors opening, drive down CPA costs and to monetize their players outside of the Social environment. Only NextGen Gaming provide the opportunity for Operators to market the same premium Slots in both the Social and real money wagering world.”
Johnson continued ”The award justifies NextGen’s efforts at continuing to provide the best in Slots content via whichever medium our partners’ desire, with titles now available across the Social, Mobile, App Store, Online & land based markets. All delivery variants stay true to NextGen’s core of providing advanced Slots technologies such as true reel bounce, multiple feature sets and rich, bespoke sounds, which offer players true gaming excitement. We look forward to the release of further NextGen Gaming titles across all platforms in the coming months.”
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E3 download: Six gaming trends to expect over next six months...
Gamers play Alien’s Colonial Marines from Sega on the third day of the E3 video game extravaganza in Los Angeles. Credit: Frederic Brown / Getty Images
It’s game over for this year’s E3 but what’s the final score?
We put the question to Yves Guillemot, the chief executive of Ubisoft Entertainment, a French company he co-founded in 1986 and guided to its current ranking as the world’s third-largest game publisher (after Activision-Blizzard and Electronic Arts) with franchises such as “Assassin’s Creed,” “Rayman Raving Rabbids,” and “Splinter Cell.”
From his perch in Montreuil-sous-Bois, an eastern suburb of Paris, Guillemot has built a reputation as an astute trend-spotter who was nimble in capitalizing on the Wii and DS craze then heard a hit in the dance-game craze and delivered “Just Dance,” a franchise that has sold more than 28 million copies.
Here are six major trends that will affect the games players will see in the coming months.
1) THE SECOND SCREEN: “Video games played on home television sets will increasingly incorporate another mobile screen,” Guillemot said.
Nintendo’s Wii U console, scheduled to launch later this year, will have a tablet controller toward the end of this year. The 6.2-inch touch screen will be used to display game information that’s not on the big TV screen.
A good example is Ubisoft’s “Zombiu,” which uses the Wii U GamePad touch screen as a way for players to access their inventory and pick locks or to use as a motion detector or minimap. A reviewer from Kotaku went so far as to say, “It’s the game that made me finally see the potential of the Wii U’s special second screen.”
Microsoft, with its SmartGlass software, will make use of existing touch screen devices, including iPads and smartphones. Users who download an application on the devices can turn their tablets or cellphones into a game controller or a screen that can display “companion content” for other forms of entertainment. Think team stats during a live sports game, or actor bios during a movie.
Sony has similar plans for its PlayStation Vita handheld game console.
2) NON-STOP GAMING: “The game doesn’t stop,” Guillemot said. “You’ll be able to pick up the game continuously, anytime and on multiple devices.”
Game developers are creating game “experiences” that let players check into their game from their cellphones, tablets, Web browsers or consoles. Players can configure their teams on a tablet, buy new uniforms on a cellphone and play a match on a console or computer. Progress in the game is saved in the “cloud,” so players can pick up where they left off, regardless of which device they last used.
3) SOCIAL GAMING: It’s not just for Facebook anymore. Game developers and console companies are building plenty of social hooks into their products, Guillemot said. Nintendo on Sunday announced Miiverse, a social network for players of its Wii U console. The Sims City, coming out in February 2013, will let players affect the outcome of neighboring cities operated by friends. Cultivating a crime-ridden, smog-filled city, for example, will boost the crime and pollution in their friends’ cities. The franchise, which had always been single player, will let players form alliances and trade resources – much like real cities.
4) ASYNCHRONOUS MULTIPLAYER GAMING: Having a social experience is great. But not everyone has the luxury of being able to play together at the same time – so-called “appointment gaming,” where guilds get together at a specific time, for example, to stage a raid.
So developers are cooking up ways to get players to interact without having to pick up their controllers at the same time, Guillemot said. A player can leave messages or a challenge for another gamer to pick up when they log in. Or, to complete quests, they can send help requests that friends can respond to at a later time.
This is a common staple in Facebook games, where players check in for a few minutes at a time, often not at the same time. Now, that feature will be increasingly built into other types of games, Guillemot said.
5) COMPANION GAMING: No, that doesn’t mean a “Women of Warcraft” dating site. It’s a term that was thrown around in great profusion at E3 this year and it refers to developers creating “side content” for major franchises.
One example is “Ghost Recon: Commander,” a social game released on Facebook at the same time Ubisoft released ”Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.” Progress in the Facebook game helped players unlock new weapons in the main console game, for example.
Developers can also explore separate story lines, say of a minor character, in mobile versions. Or configure a football team on an iPad app that they can later use to play in the console game. The idea is to have players engage in the game wherever they happen to be.
“We want you to be able to play on any screen that’s nearest to you,” Guillemot said.
Of course, the “companion content” has to be appropriate for the device, he cautioned. It may not be ideal, for example, to be playing a full-featured console game on a cellphone.
6) FREE GAMES: Game publishers are increasingly enamored with so-called “freemium games” that give players a limited version of the game for free, but charge for extras.
For players, that can be both good and bad. The nice thing is that people can get a taste of a game before they decide to spend money on it. How many times have you paid $60 for a game, 0nly to discover that you hate it once you’ve had a chance to play it for 15 minutes?
The downside, of course, is that players can wind up spending a lot more than $60 over time — paying 99 cents for a power-up here, $2 for a weapon there, and so on. For some, the price tag can add up to hundreds of dollars. This is why Nintendo has refused to pursue this model, referring to it as a “gotcha” scheme for players.
That said, if players can exercise some self-restraint in clicking the in-game “buy” button, the good news is that there will be more choices available to players than ever before. (L.A Times)
ION Preps Weekly WWE Wrestling Show...
ION Television has teamed with WWE for a new weekly one-hour original series. WWE Main Event will debut October 3 and air on Wednesday nights at 8 PM. It will feature WWE stars from the rosters of Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown, including in-ring action and storylines.
The new show provides WWE with a show on a broadcast network for the first time since Friday Night SmackDown left MyNetworkTV in September 2010 and gives the wrestling federation weekly programs on Monday (Monday Night Raw on USA), Wednesday (WWE Main Event on ION) and Friday (Friday Night SmackDown on Syfy). “As a general entertainment network with a solid foundation, WWE Main Event is a great addition to our lineup that features something for everyone,” ION Media Networks CEO Brandon Burgess said.
Telstra accused of tracking Next G internet use...
Telstra has been accused of tracking the internet use of its Next G mobile phone users and sending their internet history to a company in the United States.
One of the telco's customers discovered that when he visited a website using his Next G network in Australia, a server in the United States would visit the same address almost instantly.
Telstra says it is collecting the information for use in a new internet filter product, but internet users are outraged and are demanding the Australian Privacy Commissioner investigate.
The tracking was confirmed by Mark Newton, who up until late last year was one of the longest serving technical engineers at Australian internet company Internode.
When he saw rumours on a network administrator email list that Telstra was sending the URLs from Next G internet use to a company overseas, he set up a test.
"In real time, information about the URL that I was visiting was being sent offshore so that that offshore data centre could then make that second request," he said.
"It means if you go to abc.net.au on your Next G internet connection, both Telstra and the US company knows about it."
Mr Newton says he had no idea such information was going offshore.
"Australians should know when their private data is collected, what that data is going to be used for and who it is going to be disclosed to," he said.
He says he has emailed Telstra, asking why it is sending internet address data to a third party.
"Privacy protections in the United States are very, very minimal. There are almost no controls at all on what an American company can do with private data that’s been gathered from consumers," he said.
Privacy concerns
Users on the Australian broadband forum Whirlpool also want to know why the information is being sent, who it is being sent to, and why they were not told about it.
No one at Telstra was available for an interview, but in a statement the company admitted it was sending data overseas.
Telstra said it was building a database for one of its new products which will allow parents to block their children from accessing certain websites.
It is working with US company Netsweeper, which is building the database for the filter.
Telstra says the product will be "opt in", but Mr Newton says its current data collection strategy is not.
"It's being collected and then sent to the US company without anyone being told about it. And I have a problem with that. And I think anyone who has concerns about privacy should also," he said.
Western Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says he has asked Telstra to provide more details.
"Any item that's out there on the web has to have its unique address or it can't be found. And I don't want to overstate or overplay this because at the moment it's just really quite ambiguous as to what’s even occurring," he said.
"But, potentially, profiles can be built of people out of the places that they go and the things that they look at online, or the people that they're in contact with. These things are possible. These are live debates." (ABC News)
Jobs purge at The Star casino...
The Star casino has shed up to 100 key management staff in the wake of the Sid Vaikunta scandal as it desperately seeks to rebuild its tattered reputation -- and there are threats of more to come.
Rocked by a string of lurid allegations, Echo Entertainment Group, which runs the casino, has shown at least 70 management staff the door in Sydney, along with a number of staff who perform various strategic roles across the gambling group also being made redundant. Former chief financial officer Murray McCall is the biggest head to roll in the mammoth shake-up.
Friends of Mr McCall, who was poached by The Star from New Zealand casino group SkyCity in 2009, said he was stunned by the decision, especially considering he took the reins of the casino as acting managing director following Mr Vaikunta's dismissal.
Mr Vaikunta was sacked on February 2 after allegations of sexual harassment made against him by two staff members. He denies the allegations.
It is understood The Star has reported Mr McCall's departure to the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority.
Tough rules governing the casino's licence mean the authority must be notified within two weeks if a "special employee" has their position terminated. "Since the departure of the former Managing Director (Mr Vaikunta), there is no suggestion The Star has not been fully compliant with notification requirements in relation to special employees ceasing to have functions," an ILGA spokesman said.
Other staff who have been let go include event manager Alexandra Bull, who had been with the casino since 1997, and events and tournaments manager, Darka de Vries.
Casino insiders have been told the cull, which began with six senior staff removed on the day the failed musical An Officer and a Gentleman premiered in May, has not finished.
One source said the redundancies have been carried out across the board: "No one is safe; whether you are in gaming or marketing, your head is on the chopping block."
The purge comes after months of bad publicity and declining profits at The Star. The casino has issued two profit warnings this month. Turnover for 2012 is expected to be as low as $270 million, down from $347 million in 2011.
Government relations manager Brad Schmitt, who confirmed the bloodletting, said the redundancies were part of a plan to streamline the business by removing the duplication of roles caused by the company's demerger from Tabcorp. He maintained the
redundancies were planned long before the profit warnings with "numbers built up for the relaunch of The Star and busy Christmas period".
He also denied suggestions his position was at risk as The Star looked to mend its fractured relationship with the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, telling The Sunday Telegraph he had just received a pay rise.
Mr O'Farrell's former chief advisor, Peter Grimshaw, was accused of running a personal vendetta against The Star. (The Daily Telegraph)
Russell Crowe to play Rupert Murdoch in film...
Russell Crowe is reportedly in line to play Rupert Murdoch in a film.
The 'Gladiator' star is tipped to take on the role of the media mogul in a movie based on 'Good Times, Bad Times', the memoirs of former Sunday Times editor Sir Harold Evans.
A source told the Daily Star newspaper: ''You have to be brave to play someone like Murdoch. Russell can do it.''
Colin Firth is believed to be up for the role as Harold, but no deals are yet in place.
Leon Lecash, creative director of what's it all about?, which is making the movie said: ''The film will be a drama, either for the big screen or television. It is very early days as the option deal with Harry was only just completed.
''No actors or even writers have been signed up yet.''
The film will focus on then-Prime Minister Lady Margaret Thatcher's dealings with the Australian tycoon.
Evidence is said to suggest she manipulated rules to facilitate the deal for Murdoch to buy The Times newspaper in 1981 in return for favourable publicity for her party.
Leon added to the Evening Standard newspaper: ''Murdoch went to Chequers to talk about the deal, which was never brought to the attention of the Monopolies Commission.
''Harry had suspicions that some intimate contacts were taking place between Murdoch and Thatcher, with late-night whisky drinking in Downing Street when Murdoch was let in by the back door. This type of stuff came to light recently when Sir Bernard Ingham's notes were released under the 30-year rule. Much of what Harry wrote about Murdoch when they fell out in 1983 is so prescient he has said he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.''
Casino Hires Robert De Niro as Celebrity Flack...
You talkin' to me?
A casino in South Korea hopes you'll be listening!
The Paradise Walker-Hill Casino in Seoul, South Korea, has announced that it has hired actor Robert De Niro to serve as a paid celebrity spokesman for the casino.
The casino, which is South Korea's oldest and is open to foreigners only--meaning no South Koreans are allowed in--is located in the Sheraton Walker-Hill Hotel, a luxury hotel in Seoul that is popular with tourists and foreign business people.
Large ads featuring De Niro plugging the casino have already begun appearing at Seoul's airport and other locations frequented by tourists.
In addition, the casino announced, television commercials with De Niro promoting the casino were filmed in New York City last month.
The TV spots will not air in the USA.
One of De Niro's most famous movie roles was in the film "Casino," in which he played Ace Rothstein, a character based on real-life mob associate and Stardust Casino executive Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal.
De Niro, like many other American celebrities, does not appear in any commercials or ads in the USA, but does appear in foreign advertising.
Several celebs in recent years, however, have flacked for casinos that advertised in the USA.
Among them are singer Kenny Rogers, whose hit song "The Gambler" permanently linked him to the pastime in the eyes of the American public.
For years, he has shilled for the Barona Casino, an Indian casino near San Diego.
And former professional wrestler and Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura served as a celebrity spokesman for Bet U.S., an online sportsbook and casino based in Costa Rica.
In addition, baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson once briefly served as a paid celeb shill for an online casino, until Major League Baseball told him to nix the deal or be banned from baseball. (www.gambling911.com)
Marvel Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2, The Avengers Et Al Boost Popularity Of Marvel Slot Games...
The Media Man agency reports that Marvel themed online slot games across the network, and featured at partner, PartyCasino.com , are boosting the popularity of the superhero themed online slot games. Bwin.Party currently offers The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, with more expected to soon hit the popular gaming and entertainment website destination.
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The Amazing Spider-Man Video Game Now On Sale: Get 'The Amazing Spider-Man' for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS & Nintendo 3DS!...
If your spider-senses are tinglin’, it’s because "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game has web-slung its way onto retail store shelves today in North America, and will be available in Europe on June 29. From Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc., and Marvel Entertainment, "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game serves as an epilogue story to this summer’s upcoming blockbuster feature film, heralding Spidey’s return to a free-roaming Manhattan as players take the role of a young Peter Parker discovering his newfound powers and super hero responsibilities. "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game is available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, the Wii system from Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS handheld systems.
"Dee Brown and his team at Beenox have completely revamped 'The Amazing Spider-Man's' proprietary game engine to deliver a fresh, innovative gameplay experience for the fans," said David Oxford, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Activision Publishing, Inc. “With the adrenaline rush from just swinging through the city and the new zoomed-in camera angle opening up a whole new perspective in realistic detail, 'The Amazing Spider-Man' allows gamers to BE Spider-Man like never before.”
Go beyond Sony Picture Entertainment’s Columbia Pictures’ feature film and find out what happens next in "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game. Set against an original story crafted by Hollywood writer Seamus Kevin Fahey ("Spartacus: Vengeance," "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," "Battlestar Galactica") that picks up immediately after the events of the movie, "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game delivers a brand-new, immersive and cinematic adventure allowing fans to truly harness the power of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Players will experience numerous choices in navigation and combat with the debut of the innovative Web Rush gameplay mechanic, pushing Spider-Man’s abilities to the limit against classic Marvel villains that are re-imagined exclusively for the game, such as Scorpion, Felicia Hardy, Rhino, Iguana and more.
“'The Amazing Spider-Man' video game is the ultimate fan tribute to Spider-Man and Manhattan,” said Andreea Enache-Thune, SVP, Games & Digital Distribution, Marvel Entertainment. “We’re thrilled with all of the content and collectibles Activision and Beenox have packed into the game’s free-roaming Manhattan setting, and we can’t wait for fans to web-swing around the city and start saving the world.”
"The Amazing Spider-Man" video game also features fan-favorite talent, including "Evil Dead" and "Burn Notice's" Bruce Campbell taking the role of an “extreme action” reporter who provides death-defying challenges that only Spider-Man can accomplish. And for fans that pre-ordered the game from Amazon, Stan Lee himself is available as a playable character for the first time ever.
Developed by Beenox for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, Wii and Nintendo 3DS, "The Amazing Spider-Man" is rated “T” (Teen – content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older) by the ESRB. The Nintendo 3DS edition features several unique mini-games that use its touch-screen abilities, including the exclusive Vigilante Mode using StreetPass. Additionally, Beenox is working on a Windows PC version of the game planned to launch August 10, 2012, which will be available on Steam and integrated with Steam achievements. The Nintendo DS version of the game was created by developer Other Ocean, is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older – content that may be suitable for ages 10 and older) by the ESRB, and follows the exact same storyline in an entirely different platforming adventure.
For more information on "The Amazing Spider-Man" video game, please go to http://www.TheAmazingSpiderManGame.com, and be sure to check out the game’s Facebook page at http://www.Facebook.com/TheAmazingSpiderManGame (Marvel)
Social Gaming Supplier of the year!...
NextGen Gaming, the independent game studio of the recently formed NYX Gaming Group incorporating NYX Interactive and NextGen Gaming, celebrate landmark eGR B2B Award.
London, May 21st, 2012:
NextGen Gaming is the proud recipient of the inaugural eGR Magazine B2B Award for Social Gaming Supplier of the Year, presented at a lavish dinner event at London’s Wembley Stadium on 10th May 2012. Now in their third year, the awards celebrate the best service providers and B2B operators in the online gaming industry.
The judges recognized NextGen’s unique fully hosted social gaming application which provides Operators with all the tools required to run and operate a play for fun slot site on Facebook, with the Operator managing their marketing. Debuting at the turn of 2012, NextGen have now licensed multiple applications including Trophy Slots, Slots Villa and Slots Point. NextGen’s Social application is fully graphically configurable and offers a swift route to market for any Operator keen to explore the Social space with the finest, mature and proven Slots available anywhere online, including hit titles such as Doctor Love, Mad Mad Monkey and 2012’s Merlin’s Millions Superbet. The platform includes full access to operational back office and reporting of KPI’s, full player data ownership, the lobby, games, integrated Facebook credits and key social features such as leaderboards, levels and badges, gifting, bragging; everything an Operator needs to go Social.
“I’m delighted the judging panel recognized the pioneering and unique product NextGen Gaming have presented to the market in offering the only B2B solution featuring real gamblers games within Facebook” said Sales Director David Johnson, who received the award on behalf of NextGen.
“We’re seeing Operators take the view that Social Media is a crucial marketing tool allowing them to get an in-depth understanding of their player behavior in preparation for specific market sectors opening, drive down CPA costs and to monetize their players outside of the Social environment. Only NextGen Gaming provide the opportunity for Operators to market the same premium Slots in both the Social and real money wagering world.”
Johnson continued ”The award justifies NextGen’s efforts at continuing to provide the best in Slots content via whichever medium our partners’ desire, with titles now available across the Social, Mobile, App Store, Online & land based markets. All delivery variants stay true to NextGen’s core of providing advanced Slots technologies such as true reel bounce, multiple feature sets and rich, bespoke sounds, which offer players true gaming excitement. We look forward to the release of further NextGen Gaming titles across all platforms in the coming months.”
Slots Villa is available at https://apps.facebook.com/slotsvilla
Slots Point is available at: https://apps.facebook.com/slotspoint
Trophy Slots is available at: https://apps.facebook.com/trophyslots
E3 download: Six gaming trends to expect over next six months...
Gamers play Alien’s Colonial Marines from Sega on the third day of the E3 video game extravaganza in Los Angeles. Credit: Frederic Brown / Getty Images
It’s game over for this year’s E3 but what’s the final score?
We put the question to Yves Guillemot, the chief executive of Ubisoft Entertainment, a French company he co-founded in 1986 and guided to its current ranking as the world’s third-largest game publisher (after Activision-Blizzard and Electronic Arts) with franchises such as “Assassin’s Creed,” “Rayman Raving Rabbids,” and “Splinter Cell.”
From his perch in Montreuil-sous-Bois, an eastern suburb of Paris, Guillemot has built a reputation as an astute trend-spotter who was nimble in capitalizing on the Wii and DS craze then heard a hit in the dance-game craze and delivered “Just Dance,” a franchise that has sold more than 28 million copies.
Here are six major trends that will affect the games players will see in the coming months.
1) THE SECOND SCREEN: “Video games played on home television sets will increasingly incorporate another mobile screen,” Guillemot said.
Nintendo’s Wii U console, scheduled to launch later this year, will have a tablet controller toward the end of this year. The 6.2-inch touch screen will be used to display game information that’s not on the big TV screen.
A good example is Ubisoft’s “Zombiu,” which uses the Wii U GamePad touch screen as a way for players to access their inventory and pick locks or to use as a motion detector or minimap. A reviewer from Kotaku went so far as to say, “It’s the game that made me finally see the potential of the Wii U’s special second screen.”
Microsoft, with its SmartGlass software, will make use of existing touch screen devices, including iPads and smartphones. Users who download an application on the devices can turn their tablets or cellphones into a game controller or a screen that can display “companion content” for other forms of entertainment. Think team stats during a live sports game, or actor bios during a movie.
Sony has similar plans for its PlayStation Vita handheld game console.
2) NON-STOP GAMING: “The game doesn’t stop,” Guillemot said. “You’ll be able to pick up the game continuously, anytime and on multiple devices.”
Game developers are creating game “experiences” that let players check into their game from their cellphones, tablets, Web browsers or consoles. Players can configure their teams on a tablet, buy new uniforms on a cellphone and play a match on a console or computer. Progress in the game is saved in the “cloud,” so players can pick up where they left off, regardless of which device they last used.
3) SOCIAL GAMING: It’s not just for Facebook anymore. Game developers and console companies are building plenty of social hooks into their products, Guillemot said. Nintendo on Sunday announced Miiverse, a social network for players of its Wii U console. The Sims City, coming out in February 2013, will let players affect the outcome of neighboring cities operated by friends. Cultivating a crime-ridden, smog-filled city, for example, will boost the crime and pollution in their friends’ cities. The franchise, which had always been single player, will let players form alliances and trade resources – much like real cities.
4) ASYNCHRONOUS MULTIPLAYER GAMING: Having a social experience is great. But not everyone has the luxury of being able to play together at the same time – so-called “appointment gaming,” where guilds get together at a specific time, for example, to stage a raid.
So developers are cooking up ways to get players to interact without having to pick up their controllers at the same time, Guillemot said. A player can leave messages or a challenge for another gamer to pick up when they log in. Or, to complete quests, they can send help requests that friends can respond to at a later time.
This is a common staple in Facebook games, where players check in for a few minutes at a time, often not at the same time. Now, that feature will be increasingly built into other types of games, Guillemot said.
5) COMPANION GAMING: No, that doesn’t mean a “Women of Warcraft” dating site. It’s a term that was thrown around in great profusion at E3 this year and it refers to developers creating “side content” for major franchises.
One example is “Ghost Recon: Commander,” a social game released on Facebook at the same time Ubisoft released ”Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.” Progress in the Facebook game helped players unlock new weapons in the main console game, for example.
Developers can also explore separate story lines, say of a minor character, in mobile versions. Or configure a football team on an iPad app that they can later use to play in the console game. The idea is to have players engage in the game wherever they happen to be.
“We want you to be able to play on any screen that’s nearest to you,” Guillemot said.
Of course, the “companion content” has to be appropriate for the device, he cautioned. It may not be ideal, for example, to be playing a full-featured console game on a cellphone.
6) FREE GAMES: Game publishers are increasingly enamored with so-called “freemium games” that give players a limited version of the game for free, but charge for extras.
For players, that can be both good and bad. The nice thing is that people can get a taste of a game before they decide to spend money on it. How many times have you paid $60 for a game, 0nly to discover that you hate it once you’ve had a chance to play it for 15 minutes?
The downside, of course, is that players can wind up spending a lot more than $60 over time — paying 99 cents for a power-up here, $2 for a weapon there, and so on. For some, the price tag can add up to hundreds of dollars. This is why Nintendo has refused to pursue this model, referring to it as a “gotcha” scheme for players.
That said, if players can exercise some self-restraint in clicking the in-game “buy” button, the good news is that there will be more choices available to players than ever before. (L.A Times)
ION Preps Weekly WWE Wrestling Show...
ION Television has teamed with WWE for a new weekly one-hour original series. WWE Main Event will debut October 3 and air on Wednesday nights at 8 PM. It will feature WWE stars from the rosters of Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown, including in-ring action and storylines.
The new show provides WWE with a show on a broadcast network for the first time since Friday Night SmackDown left MyNetworkTV in September 2010 and gives the wrestling federation weekly programs on Monday (Monday Night Raw on USA), Wednesday (WWE Main Event on ION) and Friday (Friday Night SmackDown on Syfy). “As a general entertainment network with a solid foundation, WWE Main Event is a great addition to our lineup that features something for everyone,” ION Media Networks CEO Brandon Burgess said.
Telstra accused of tracking Next G internet use...
Telstra has been accused of tracking the internet use of its Next G mobile phone users and sending their internet history to a company in the United States.
One of the telco's customers discovered that when he visited a website using his Next G network in Australia, a server in the United States would visit the same address almost instantly.
Telstra says it is collecting the information for use in a new internet filter product, but internet users are outraged and are demanding the Australian Privacy Commissioner investigate.
The tracking was confirmed by Mark Newton, who up until late last year was one of the longest serving technical engineers at Australian internet company Internode.
When he saw rumours on a network administrator email list that Telstra was sending the URLs from Next G internet use to a company overseas, he set up a test.
"In real time, information about the URL that I was visiting was being sent offshore so that that offshore data centre could then make that second request," he said.
"It means if you go to abc.net.au on your Next G internet connection, both Telstra and the US company knows about it."
Mr Newton says he had no idea such information was going offshore.
"Australians should know when their private data is collected, what that data is going to be used for and who it is going to be disclosed to," he said.
He says he has emailed Telstra, asking why it is sending internet address data to a third party.
"Privacy protections in the United States are very, very minimal. There are almost no controls at all on what an American company can do with private data that’s been gathered from consumers," he said.
Privacy concerns
Users on the Australian broadband forum Whirlpool also want to know why the information is being sent, who it is being sent to, and why they were not told about it.
No one at Telstra was available for an interview, but in a statement the company admitted it was sending data overseas.
Telstra said it was building a database for one of its new products which will allow parents to block their children from accessing certain websites.
It is working with US company Netsweeper, which is building the database for the filter.
Telstra says the product will be "opt in", but Mr Newton says its current data collection strategy is not.
"It's being collected and then sent to the US company without anyone being told about it. And I have a problem with that. And I think anyone who has concerns about privacy should also," he said.
Western Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says he has asked Telstra to provide more details.
"Any item that's out there on the web has to have its unique address or it can't be found. And I don't want to overstate or overplay this because at the moment it's just really quite ambiguous as to what’s even occurring," he said.
"But, potentially, profiles can be built of people out of the places that they go and the things that they look at online, or the people that they're in contact with. These things are possible. These are live debates." (ABC News)
Jobs purge at The Star casino...
The Star casino has shed up to 100 key management staff in the wake of the Sid Vaikunta scandal as it desperately seeks to rebuild its tattered reputation -- and there are threats of more to come.
Rocked by a string of lurid allegations, Echo Entertainment Group, which runs the casino, has shown at least 70 management staff the door in Sydney, along with a number of staff who perform various strategic roles across the gambling group also being made redundant. Former chief financial officer Murray McCall is the biggest head to roll in the mammoth shake-up.
Friends of Mr McCall, who was poached by The Star from New Zealand casino group SkyCity in 2009, said he was stunned by the decision, especially considering he took the reins of the casino as acting managing director following Mr Vaikunta's dismissal.
Mr Vaikunta was sacked on February 2 after allegations of sexual harassment made against him by two staff members. He denies the allegations.
It is understood The Star has reported Mr McCall's departure to the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority.
Tough rules governing the casino's licence mean the authority must be notified within two weeks if a "special employee" has their position terminated. "Since the departure of the former Managing Director (Mr Vaikunta), there is no suggestion The Star has not been fully compliant with notification requirements in relation to special employees ceasing to have functions," an ILGA spokesman said.
Other staff who have been let go include event manager Alexandra Bull, who had been with the casino since 1997, and events and tournaments manager, Darka de Vries.
Casino insiders have been told the cull, which began with six senior staff removed on the day the failed musical An Officer and a Gentleman premiered in May, has not finished.
One source said the redundancies have been carried out across the board: "No one is safe; whether you are in gaming or marketing, your head is on the chopping block."
The purge comes after months of bad publicity and declining profits at The Star. The casino has issued two profit warnings this month. Turnover for 2012 is expected to be as low as $270 million, down from $347 million in 2011.
Government relations manager Brad Schmitt, who confirmed the bloodletting, said the redundancies were part of a plan to streamline the business by removing the duplication of roles caused by the company's demerger from Tabcorp. He maintained the
redundancies were planned long before the profit warnings with "numbers built up for the relaunch of The Star and busy Christmas period".
He also denied suggestions his position was at risk as The Star looked to mend its fractured relationship with the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, telling The Sunday Telegraph he had just received a pay rise.
Mr O'Farrell's former chief advisor, Peter Grimshaw, was accused of running a personal vendetta against The Star. (The Daily Telegraph)
Russell Crowe to play Rupert Murdoch in film...
Russell Crowe is reportedly in line to play Rupert Murdoch in a film.
The 'Gladiator' star is tipped to take on the role of the media mogul in a movie based on 'Good Times, Bad Times', the memoirs of former Sunday Times editor Sir Harold Evans.
A source told the Daily Star newspaper: ''You have to be brave to play someone like Murdoch. Russell can do it.''
Colin Firth is believed to be up for the role as Harold, but no deals are yet in place.
Leon Lecash, creative director of what's it all about?, which is making the movie said: ''The film will be a drama, either for the big screen or television. It is very early days as the option deal with Harry was only just completed.
''No actors or even writers have been signed up yet.''
The film will focus on then-Prime Minister Lady Margaret Thatcher's dealings with the Australian tycoon.
Evidence is said to suggest she manipulated rules to facilitate the deal for Murdoch to buy The Times newspaper in 1981 in return for favourable publicity for her party.
Leon added to the Evening Standard newspaper: ''Murdoch went to Chequers to talk about the deal, which was never brought to the attention of the Monopolies Commission.
''Harry had suspicions that some intimate contacts were taking place between Murdoch and Thatcher, with late-night whisky drinking in Downing Street when Murdoch was let in by the back door. This type of stuff came to light recently when Sir Bernard Ingham's notes were released under the 30-year rule. Much of what Harry wrote about Murdoch when they fell out in 1983 is so prescient he has said he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.''
Casino Hires Robert De Niro as Celebrity Flack...
You talkin' to me?
A casino in South Korea hopes you'll be listening!
The Paradise Walker-Hill Casino in Seoul, South Korea, has announced that it has hired actor Robert De Niro to serve as a paid celebrity spokesman for the casino.
The casino, which is South Korea's oldest and is open to foreigners only--meaning no South Koreans are allowed in--is located in the Sheraton Walker-Hill Hotel, a luxury hotel in Seoul that is popular with tourists and foreign business people.
Large ads featuring De Niro plugging the casino have already begun appearing at Seoul's airport and other locations frequented by tourists.
In addition, the casino announced, television commercials with De Niro promoting the casino were filmed in New York City last month.
The TV spots will not air in the USA.
One of De Niro's most famous movie roles was in the film "Casino," in which he played Ace Rothstein, a character based on real-life mob associate and Stardust Casino executive Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal.
De Niro, like many other American celebrities, does not appear in any commercials or ads in the USA, but does appear in foreign advertising.
Several celebs in recent years, however, have flacked for casinos that advertised in the USA.
Among them are singer Kenny Rogers, whose hit song "The Gambler" permanently linked him to the pastime in the eyes of the American public.
For years, he has shilled for the Barona Casino, an Indian casino near San Diego.
And former professional wrestler and Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura served as a celebrity spokesman for Bet U.S., an online sportsbook and casino based in Costa Rica.
In addition, baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson once briefly served as a paid celeb shill for an online casino, until Major League Baseball told him to nix the deal or be banned from baseball. (www.gambling911.com)
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