Australian
Land Based Casino News Update, by Greg Tingle - 8th
May 2010
Australia
is home to some of the world's great casinos, hotels
and resorts.
While
the land down under has over a dozen land based casinos,
there's only three that both rate highly and grab
the majority of headlines on a global stage. Enter
James Packer's Crown Casino in Melbourne, Tabcorp's
Star City in Sydney, and Jupiters Hotel & Casino
on the Gold Coast.
Media
Man and Gambling911 take our eye in the sky look
at the landscape of the Aussie land based casino sector
and bring you up to speed with what's news down under...
Readers
will be aware that there's a "casino war"
in the land of kangaroos, koalas and goannas at the
moment. You would have to be Blind Fredy not to know
about the ultra competitive showdown (and hunt for
whales and dolphins) between Packer's Crown Casino
down south and Tabcorp's Star City in 'Sin City' Sydney.
Crown
Casino and Star City are following the global trend,
largely driven forward from Las Vegas and Macau, of
offering a total entertainment experience... not just
gambling... you know, slots, poker, table games and
the like. Whales aka high-rollers, have also demanded
the changing face of the sector. Don't get us wrong,
the gambling aspect remains vital to the business
model and to the punters, but for a variety of reasons
Australian casino kings have employed a more holistic
model. The reasons include being more government friendly,
legal eagle elements and complimenting the larger
casino, entertainment and lifestyle sector.
Some
of the ramped up services and offerings as part of
the industry development include but are not limited
to:
Entertainment
complex upgrades (including securing more world class
acts, more often, to attract the crowds and keep all
clients and business partners happy)
Hotel suite refurbishments
Private gambling room upgrades for high rolling VIP's
Sports bar upgrades
Enhanced security - technology and more staff
Gulf Stream Jets aka Lear Jets for international high
rollers in a hurry and who demand and casino afford
the best
Aussie Casino News Bytes
Crown
Casino: Hosted the Logies last week with 1000 guests
in attendance. Broadcast on Network Nine Australia.
Bert Newton did a fine job as host. One journalist
/ columnist was fired for what many saw as inappropriate
Twitter - ing, including the editor of The Age newspaper.
Upgraded website. Management in regular contact with
sister casinos, City of Dreams Macau and Altira Macau.
100s more staff to be employed, some of which under
the GenerationOne employment initiative, dedicated
to helping get Indigenous Australians back into the
workforce
Star
City: Has expanded their budget by another $100,000
or so. Is ordering 1 or 2 Lear Jets to help better
compete with Crown Casino. Upgraded website.
Jupiters
Gold Coast: Upgraded their poker room to the tune
of a few hundred thousand dollars, Mother Africa Circus
of the Senses is showing at Jupiters Theater. Last
week a casino courtesy bus was allegedly nabbed by
a disgruntle contractor owned money. The case is currently
in the courts. Jupiters is nearby to the beaches where
major surfing competitions take place annually. Dreamworld
(Hollywood On The Gold Coast) is only a short drive
away from the casino. Upgraded website.
Burswood
Entertainment Complex: Upgraded security, shows include
Nitro Circus Live, Cats, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson
Tribute Show and Mammi Mia! Burswood is known to put
on fantastic community fundraisers. American pro wrestling
legend Hulk Hogan drew a massive crowd at Burswood
late last year for his charity work with the Make-A-Wish
Foundation. Virgin's Richard Branson also did some
impressive fundraising on site last month, with folks
the world over keen to meet and speak to the entrepreneur.
Branson's Virgin Games remains keen to expand the
gaming globally, including the AWOMO (A World Of My
Own), and perhaps the face to face meetings with the
media and political savvy Aussie Casino king, James
Packer, won't go astray.
Casino
Canberra: Blast From The Past: Are you a baby boomer?
Then don’t dare miss Baby Boomers Blast from
the Past, the ultimate live entertainment experience.
Laugh, dance, party Friday 14 May at Casino Canberra.
Watch comic impersonator Chris De Havilland bring
to life the likes of Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Elvis
Presley, Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond, and many more baby
boomer entertainers. On the 3rd of June - Aussie comedian
legends...Austen Tayshus and Elliot Goblet! Austen
Tayshus is described as a drunken yobbo's worst nightmare,
someone who can out gross you, out yell you and out
last you. Austen Tayshus walks a skillful line between
the truly offensive and the truly funny. And Elliot
Goblet, the master of oodles of clever but unrelated
one liners and the odd two liner as well. Both comedians
are on one night of classic Aussie humour. Meet the
Canberra Raiders NRL Raiderettes! Before Raiders games
you have the opportunity to meet some of the Raiderettes
and take advantage of the beer and snack footy pack.
Galaxy Nightclub - Canberra's hottest nightclub opens
from 9pm every Saturday with the beats of the 70's
and the best of the 80's. Come and hear the soundtrack
of our lives. Galaxy has a NO GLASS policy!
The
Reef Hotel Casino: 13th, 14th and 15th May - Lisa
Hunt Returns. Soul, Disco & Motown. The way it
should sound!
Lasseters
Hotel Casino: Dead Centre Show N Shine - Today! -
8th May. Outlaw Drags Spectacular - 9th May
Australian Casino Directory List
New
South Wales
Star City Casino (Sydney)
Victoria
Crown Casino (Melbourne)
Queensland
Conrad Treasury Casino (Brisbane)
Jupiters Hotel & Casino (Gold Coast)
Jupiters Townsville Casino (Townsville)
The Reef Hotel Casino (Cairns)
South
Australia
Skycity Adelaide (Adelaide)
Western
Australia
Burswood Entertainment Complex aka Burswood Casino
(Perth)
Tasmania
Wrest Point Hotel Casino (Hobart)
Country Club Casino (Launceston)
Australian
Capital Territory
Casino Canberra (Canberra)
Northern
Territory
Lasseters Hotel Casino (Alice Springs)
Skycity Darwin (formerly MGM Grand Casino) (Darwin)
Ok
readers, we hear you... you also want to know some
of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies)
if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia
(including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...
Take
the time to research and learn games before placing
down money
Media
Man and Gambling911 are website portals. Not casinos
as such, however are recognised as world leading websites
that cover the sector and act as central points to
games, news, reviews and more
Know
the odds, set limits and have fun.
*Greg
Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media
Man http://www.mediamanint.com
is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal
development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen
sectors covered
It
may seem difficult but it is important that all
citizens across the world stay updated with Internet
Betting laws. Below you will find what we understand
as the laws to online betting in certain areas
of the world.
US
Internet Betting Laws
The United States of America has the most ambiguous
online casino laws in the world. They have passed
laws to ban banks from allowing transactions that
are deemed illegal, but no one has any idea what
the United States considers legal or illegal.
Currently, all US citizens are advised to check
with local laws before gambling online. Even the
online casinos aren't sure if you should be allowed
to bet at their site. Some companies don't allow
US players, others allow some US players, and
some could care less where a player is from.
UK
Internet Casino Laws
The UK is the first major country to completely
legalize and regulate online gambling. The Gambling
Act of 2005 was passed while Prime Minister Tony
Blair was in office. Blair had a flair for expanding
gambling, but when Gordon Brown took over as Prime
Minister in the UK he provided a tax structure
that was so high that most online casino companies
were not urged to relocate to England. Today,
all web branded casinos that are in a UK approved
jurisdiction are legal for UK citizens to play
at.
International
Online Betting Laws
As the world gets deeper into the 21st century
and the Internet becomes a more common cultural
tool more and more countries are realizing the
reality that is Internet gambling. Currently,
Spain, Italy, Germany and other countries have
moved to legalize and regulate the industry, while
few still look to protect their homeland gaming
monopolies. It is extremely important to check
all local, state, and federal laws before participating
in any online gambling activities.
