WWE News: Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon dodges tough WWE-related questions during TV interview - 17th January 2010

During a TV interview on WFSB in Connecticut that aired this morning, former WWE CEO Linda McMahon stuck to her regular defenses promoting WWE's TV-PG programming, recent institution of the Wellness Policy, and paying for medical costs for pro wrestlers in response to being grilled about her executive decisions in WWE.

McMahon was asked several questions about her role in WWE based on how she created wealth to run for Senator in Connecticut and whether McMahon overlooked health issues ongoing in her company while making money off wrestlers.

During the interview, McMahon set up each WWE-related response with a preface on how she believes WWE is a great, family-friendly product. McMahon challenged reporter Brian Lockhart to check the Wellness Policy on WWE's website for details on the policy, but she would not address WWE's handling of health issues prior to the Wellness Policy's creation in 2005.

"We have had drug testing policies in place for many, many years. Maintaining the health and wellness of the performers in the ring is paramount to us," McMahon said.

McMahon was also grilled on wrestlers assuming risk and WWE not assuming much risk by classifying wrestlers as independent contracts. McMahon again defended the issue by saying wrestlers acknowledge their risk as wrestlers.

"The performers in WWE are independent contractors. They sign that waiver. Even given the waiver, we protect them," she said. "Any injury - surgery or rehab - WWE covers that and covers all their rehab."

McMahon's only true admission in the interview was acknowledging WWE has pushed the envelope on TV in the past, which came after she shot a glare toward reporter Brian Lockhart for bringing up Triple H's infamous simulated sex with the storyline corpse of Katie Vick.

"Yes, I think there are times when we have (pushed the envelope). That's what happens you write television 52 weeks per year. It's fiction," she said.

There wasn't enough time at this point in the segment to follow up on WWE appealing to a younger demographic that may not understand that pro wrestling is "fictional" and how she responds to that.

The final WWE-related note from the interview was Linda McMahon suggesting her husband, WWE CEO Vince McMahon, could be on the campaign trail down the line.

"He is fully supportive of this race, as is my family, and he is cheering me on for this campaign," McMahon said. "He might campaign down the road."

Links: Watch Part 1 of the Video on WFSB Ch. 3 and Part 2 and Part 3.

(Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch)

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PartyGaming News: Danske Spil chooses PartyGaming to launch online games in Denmark

11th January 2010

PartyGaming, the world’s leading listed online gaming company, today announces an exclusive, five-year agreement to provide an online gaming platform for poker and casino games in Denmark for Danske Spil A/S (‘Danske Spil’).

Controlled by the Danish Government, The Danske Spil Group is one of the largest betting and gaming organisations in Europe with DKK 10,955 million of turnover in 2008. Offering a variety of gaming products in Denmark including the national lottery, numbers games, instant games as well as gambling on machines, Danske Spil has also established a large online gaming business and already has over 500,000 registered online customers.

In 2009 the Danish Government published draft legislation for a partially liberalised gaming market in Denmark that is expected to become law in 2011. If adopted, poker and casino will be among the games subjected to open competition in the Danish market. Whilst Danske Spil has strengthened its position in a number of online gaming categories such as bingo, sports betting and casual games with strong growth in the number of players and revenues, it recognised the need to join forces with a leading online gaming company in order to achieve its potential.

Over the past seven months, Danske Spil has screened the market for providers of services and potential online partners that specialise in poker and casino games. As part of its selection criteria, Danske Spil was determined to find a supplier that matched its own high standards for product quality, security and ethical requirements. PartyGaming passed all of these pre-requisites and is set to create a new strategic alliance with Danske Spil in Denmark. It is expected that the commercial terms between both companies will be finalised within the next few weeks.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of PartyGaming said:

“This is a landmark B2B deal for PartyGaming and validates our strategy to become a leading provider of B2B services to both corporates and governments around the world. Danske Spil is widely recognised as one of Europe’s leading gambling businesses, one that is pre-eminent in the Danish market. We are delighted that Danske Spil has recognised our expertise and high standards of business practice and we look forward to building a significant and profitable enterprise as soon as the newly regulated Danish online gaming market opens.”

H.C. Madsen, CEO at Danske Spil, said:

"With some of the world’s leading products in online poker and casino as well as a large international customer base, PartyGaming is definitely a strong business partner for Danske Spil. Combining this with Danske Spil’s unique and strong position in the Danish market with more than 500,000 Danish online customers will guarantee that together we will deliver a highly attractive customer experience to players in Denmark."

Editor’s Notes

About PartyGaming:
PartyGaming Plc is the world’s leading listed online gaming company. The Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index with its shares listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY. In the year to 31 December 2008, PartyGaming’s Continuing operations generated revenues of $472.9m and Clean EBITDA of $144.2m.

PartyGaming’s principal brands are www.PartyPoker.com, one of the world’s largest online poker rooms, www.PartyCasino.com, the world’s largest online casino, www.PartyBingo.com, www.PartyGammon.com, www.PartyBets.com, www.PartyMarkets.com, www.FoxyBingo.com, www.GetMinted.com, www.Gamebookers.com and www.WorldPokerTour.com. None of the Group’s sites accept real money customers located in the US.

PartyGaming is regulated and licensed by the Government of Gibraltar and by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission and it is also certified as a responsible gaming operator by GamCare, the leading UK authority on the provision of advice, practical help, support and counselling in addressing the social impact of gambling.

PartyGaming’s shares are also a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index Series, which enables investors to identify companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards.

About Danske Spil
Danske Spil is a company group comprising of Danske Spil A/S and the subsidiary company Dansk Automatspil A/S. Danske Spil A/S has 270 employees.

In the 2008 financial year, the Danske Spil Group recorded a turnover of DKK 10,955 million, DKK 8,757million in Danske Spil and DKK 2,198 million in Dansk Automatspil. Group profits were DKK 1,543 million and a total of DKK 1,610 million, including guarantee payment from the State of DKK 100 million, was distributed to stakeholders. Danske Spil’s total contribution to Danish society in 2008, comprising profit for the year and government taxes, was DKK 2,795 million.

The Board has 15 members, five of whom are employee representatives and ten of whom are appointed by the following government ministries as well as organisations distributing the pools and lottery funds: The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Taxation and the Ministry of Education. The Danish Sports Federation (DIF), the Danish Gymnastics and Sports Association (DGI), the Danish Football Association (DBU), the Outdoor Council, the Danish Company Sports Association (DFIF) and the Danish Youth Council (DUF). The chairman of the Board is appointed by the Minister of Taxation.

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Australia's Casino Canberra proposal rejected by Labor ACT Treasury, by Greg Tingle - 10th January 2010

Casino Canberra in the nations capital is being denied entry to the gaming sector as the ACT Labor Government's Labor Clubs grabbed the majority of the almost $100 million profit made by pokies in the ACT last financial year.

The situation is leading to claims of a conflict of interest since Labor club poker machines made $14.21 million profit in 2008-09, just one-seventh of the $98.6 million profit made by all pokies in the ACT over the 12 months.

In a submission to the Australian Productivity Commission's gambling inquiry, Casino Canberra put forward a proposal to install 200 machines in the casino and estimated that they would contribute $3-4 million dollars to the ACT economy annually, in addition of $235 million contributed since it opened. However in a separate submission the ACT Treasury has once again rejected the casino's plans.

The Treasury submission argued granting the casino machines did not fit the ACT community gaming model. "When the Canberra casino licence was offered for sale by tender in the early 1990s, it was made clear at that time that gaming machines would not be permitted as part of the development," the submission said.

Media Man International, Gambling911, Crown Casino - Crown Limited, PartyGaming and Tabcorp are amongst the parties taking a keen interest in the case and Media Man representatives were heard joking that the situation might provide more good fodder for the film producer doing a feature on Australian casinos relationship with the Labor party in "Casino Jack" style.

Australia has some of the biggest and most passionate gamblers in the world, both in an traditional and online capacity, and many companies are looking for a piece of the action.

The online casino, sports betting and bingo sector is expected to grow this year, however as of this writing Casino Canberra is not satisfied with their current involvement.

Media Man reminds the public to bet responsibly and that measures such as playing with a friend or setting bet limits can be employed to keep the experience enjoyable.

*The writer holds shares in Crown Casino
*The writer is the founder and director of Media Man, primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company
*The writer is a special features contributor for Gambling911

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Odds of coalition election win widen - 22nd December 2009

Punters have turned on Tony Abbott, with the odds of the coalition winning the next federal election widening after a recent plunge on Labor to retain office.

The coalition's standing in betting markets had improved when Mr Abbott was installed as Liberal leader in favour of Malcolm Turnbull earlier this month.

However, the odds of a coalition victory have since lengthened from $4.30 to $4.40 as punters looked to take advantage of a better price for Labor.

Labor remains the overwhelming favourite at $1.19, in from $1.23.

Centrebet analyst Neil Evans said the heavily backed ALP had eased from $1.16 to $1.23 after the first real big wave of money came for the opposition when Mr Abbott was installed as leader.

One Sydney punter unloaded almost $20,000 across four bets from $5.00 down to $4.35 before the opposition levelled out at $4.00.

"But in the last week, smart punters have hopped back on Labor, including bets of $10,000 at $1.23, $10,000 at $1.22 and $2,500 from a tough punter at $1.22," Mr Evans said.

"Most of the money is coming from Sydney clients, and it seems they were just waiting for Labor to get out to a more backable price before they stormed in."

The movement in the market is another sharp reminder that while Mr Abbott is popular and admired in some quarters, he is not the leader to cut into Labor's margin at the ballot box, Mr Evans said.

However, Mr Abbott remains the clear favourite to be opposition leader at the next election at $1.14, with Joe Hockey at long odds of $4.95, and "any other" at $7.50.

Almost $150,000 has been placed on the federal election with Centrebet with Labor holding 80 per cent of all monies.

The news is not so good for the NSW Labor government, which is scheduled to go to the polls in March 2011.

The Barry O'Farrell-led coalition has tightened to its shortest price - $1.15 - to win office at the next state poll, with the embattled Labor government under Kristina Kenneally at $4.90.

Bets are running at a ratio of 10:1 in the coalition's favour.

Mr Evans said a prominent member of the Sydney media set recently bet $15,000 on the coalition at $1.19.

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Tension over TOTE sale - 4th December 2009

Tempers have flared as a Government Business Enterprise committee probes the failed sale of TOTE Tasmania.

The Treasurer, Michael Aird, has been accused of wasting money and letting down the racing industry.

The Government took TOTE off the market yesterday, after eight months without a decent offer.

The aborted sale process cost $3 million and the Opposition's racing spokesman, Jeremy Rockliff, says the Treasurer's lost the industry's confidence.
"You should resign," he said.

The Greens' Kim Booth says it is a conflict for the Treasurer to also be the Racing Minister.

"You've effectively stuffed up two portfolio responsibilities."

The Government gives the racing industry $27 million a year.

The Treasurer, Michael Aird, says it was on its knees when Labor came to power but stakes have risen considerably.

"We are the envy of other states," he said.

He insists there was a good market to sell TOTE when it was first listed.

The opposition parties have accepted an offer from the Treasurer to be privately briefed on the aborted sale.

Mr Aird says some parts of the sale are commercial-in-confidence but the parties should hear an independent opinion from a financial advisor.

"I think the best thing I can do, in relation to this discussion is offer a confidential briefing for both the political parties from Deloitte's, with the Probity Advisor in tow, to ensure that you understand Deloitte's assessment of the process," he said.

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Government delays new ban on Internet gambling - 27th November 2009

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve are giving U.S. financial institutions an additional six months to comply with regulations designed to ban Internet gambling.

The two agencies said Friday that the new rules, which were to take effect on Dec. 1, would be delayed until June 1 of next year.

A key Democratic opponent of the ban on online gambling praised the action and said it would give Congress time to overturn a law passed in 2006 when Republicans controlled Congress.
The delayed rules would curb online gambling by prohibiting financial institutions from accepting payments from credit cards, checks or electronic fund transfers to settle online wagers.

The financial industry complained that the new rules would be difficult to enforce because they did not offer a clear definition of what constitutes Internet gambling. They had sought a 12-month delay in implementing provisions of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that Congress had passed in 2006.

The Bush administration issued regulations to enforce the law in November 2008 and had set Dec. 1, 2009, as the date financial institutions would have to begin complying.

However, in a joint notice Friday, Treasury and the Fed said that several members of Congress had sought a delay, arguing that there was considerable support for new legislation to clarify the current laws.

The two agencies said groups seeking a delay had provided sufficient reasons to justify a limited six-month postponement of the rules. Financial organizations including the American Bankers Association had sent the agencies letters supporting a petition filed by gambling industry associations seeking a delay.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., praised Friday's announcement. He is sponsoring legislation that would roll back the 2006 law that bans financial institutions from handling transactions made to and from Internet gambling sites.

"This will give us a chance to act in an unhurried manner on my legislation to undo this regulatory excess by the Bush administration and to undo this ill-advised law," Frank said in a statement.

Frank's legislation would allow the Treasury Department to license and regulate online gambling companies that service American customers. Frank argues that online gambling should be legal as a matter of personal liberty and that the federal government could collect increased tax revenues if Internet gambling is regulated.

In September, a U.S. appeals court in Philadelphia upheld the 2006 law, rejecting a challenge from an association of offshore bookies that the federal prohibition was too vague and violated privacy rights.

U.S. bettors have been estimated to supply at least half the revenue of the $16 billion Internet gambling industry, which is largely hosted overseas.

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High Stakes For Online Gamblers, By Jeremy Herb - Newsweek - 20th November 2009

Between online gambling and the countless ESPN reruns of the World Series of Poker, poker has become a mainstream "sport." More than 6,000 people paid $10,000 to enter this year's World Series main event, and gambling experts say 10 to 15 million Americans wager $100 billion on all forms of Internet gaming annually. The online gambling industry—made up of offshore companies—earns somewhere between $6 and $10 billion in the U.S. each year. But it's a poker game of politics, not cards, that will decide the fate of online gambling in the U.S.

The battle rests on a bill that was passed in the final hours of the 2006 Republican-controlled Congress, when Sen. Bill Frist tacked it onto a port security bill. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) forbids banks from accepting illegal Internet gambling transactions. In essence, it prevents would-be players from using their debit or credit cards—a standard for online payments—for Internet gambling. Those who support Internet gambling, led by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, are making a final plea to the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve to push back the law for one year, giving them time to repeal it. In response, Sen. John Kyl and Rep. Spencer Bachus wrote a letter to Timothy Geithner and Ben Bernanke urging them to enforce the Dec. 1 deadline. The Treasury and Fed have yet to make a decision, according to a Federal Reserve official.

he problem with UIGEA is it raised more questions than it answered. The law does not make it illegal for people to gamble online, as it focuses on bank transactions. But it failed to define what's considered "illegal Internet gambling." The Treasury and Fed, which are instructing banks on how to enforce the law, did not define illegal gambling either. "The role of financial institutions is not to be policemen of the government," says Mary Dunn, senior vice president of the Credit Union National Association. The finance industry says the law is an unfair burden and also wants it delayed. But if the law goes into effect Dec. 1, all financial institutions must demonstrate they can block online transactions.

The new law won't prosecute individual players, but the risk for gamblers is that online casinos will pull out of the U.S. market. Last week, Golden Casino announced it would no longer take deposits from American players on Dec. 1, according to a gambling trade site. PartyGaming, a publicly traded company, left the U.S. in 2006 when UIGEA passed. The company paid a $105 million nonprosecution fine to the Justice Department, which took UIGEA's passage as a "Congressional mandate" to prosecute illegal online gambling.

The Justice Department believes all Internet gambling is illegal based on the 1960s Wire Act, which was designed to stop bookies from using telephones and passed long before the Internet as we know it existed. The gambling industry disputes this, arguing the Wire Act only applies to sports-betting, not games like poker or roulette. In 2002, the Fifth Circuit Court ruled the Wire Act only applied to sports-betting, but that didn't sway any opinions at Justice. Several offshore executives of online casinos and "e-wallet" payment processors have been arrested in the past few years. In June, the Justice Department froze $33 million in payments to American players from four online casinos.

If Frank gets his online gambling bill passed, however, the Wire Act dispute would disappear. Frank's bill, along with companion legislation from Rep. Jim McDermott, would legalize and tax online casinos, though online sports-betting would remain outlawed. Online gambling could generate up to $42 billion in tax revenue over the next decade, according to a Joint Committee on Taxation report. Spurred on by efforts from lobbyists and advocacy groups, Frank has vowed to overturn what he says is an "outrageous" law. His plans have been sidetracked by finance reform, however, which has eaten up most of the Financial Services Committee's time this year.

The morality debate over Internet gambling doesn't stray far from regular gambling, with a few exceptions. Opponents say the convenience of the Internet gives gambling addicts easy access to the lure of slots and cards, and encourages underage playing. Gambling advocates argue regulated sites will be more difficult for underage players because they will have stricter age verification, and that players should have the same rights online they already have in a casino. But another argument that's also being made is poker should be legalized online because it's a skill game-not a game of chance-and therefore it doesn't fall under UIGEA or the Wire Act. Sen. Robert Menendez has also introduced separate legislation that carves out an exception for poker. "People have been playing this great skill game that's been around for a long time," says Howard Lederer, a professional poker player and member of the Poker Players Alliance. "We're playing against each other, not the house."

Even if the UIGEA is enacted, it's unlikely online gambling would disappear completely. There are ways for American players to circumvent bank regulations, including setting up a foreign bank account. "We're all holding our breath and hoping the petition will be accepted," Lederer says, but that isn't the industry's only option. Online poker could be legalized through the courts on the argument that the Wire Act doesn't apply to poker. The industry is waiting to see what happens Dec. 1 before taking any action, he says. But if they do head to court, Lederer likes the odds. (Credit: Newsweek)

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Ventura to host 'Monday Night Raw' wrestling event - 17th November 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former Gov. Jesse Ventura will return to his old World Wrestling Entertainment stomping grounds next week, stepping inside the ropes once again to host "Monday Night Raw," the company's flagship television show, WWE officials announced late Monday.

Nicknamed "The Body," Ventura was known in the ring for outlandish statements, take-no-prisoners attitude and flamboyant costumes featuring bright, bushy feather boas. Ventura largely distanced himself from his former wrestling persona while serving as governor, though he agreed to serve as a special guest referee for WWE's SummerSlam pay-per-view in 1999, which was held in Minneapolis.

Ventura was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.

"Raw" will be broadcast live on USA Network from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa., starting at 7 p.m. Central time.

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Shorten smackdown, by James Jeffrey - The Australian - 20th November 2009

There were so many parliamentary manoeuvres Sports Minister Kate Ellis might have used to defeat wrestler (and actor) Hulk Hogan, not least the Julia Gillard-favoured "mammoth backflip" and the fabled half-Wilson.

In the end, though, she trounced him with a little help from young cancer sufferer Mark Dunn and raised funds for the Make A Wish Foundation in the process. Good show all round. Strewth was especially taken with Bill Shorten who, attending in his capacity as Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services, gave us this invaluable insight: "In the heart of every politician lurks the soul of a frustrated wrestler. We all see ourselves as the good guys, and our opponents as the heels. We dream of flying off the top turnbuckle to demolish our opponents with a well-timed bodyslam, or ending a difficult interview by putting that pesky journalist in a figure-four leg-lock. In our ideal world, the Speaker would introduce question time with a cry of `Are you ready to rumble?'" (Credit: The Australia)

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Anurag Dikshit’s Sale of Party Gaming Stock Receives Mixed Reaction, by Dan Cypra - 25th October 2009

One of the major poker headlines this week was the news that Party Gaming Cofounder Anurag Dikshit would divest himself of nearly 114 million shares of the company’s stock, which is traded in London under the symbol “PRTY.” Now, the industry has had a chance to react.

The internet gambling think tank sported mixed reactions to the news, as Dikshit’s departure meant that a man who admitted to violating U.S. law in a New York courtroom one year ago would no longer hold any interest in the company. Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) Chairman Joe Brennan told Poker News Daily, “The thing to take away is that this is probably good overall for Party Gaming. When you have one of their founders pleading guilty, if and when things start to get normalized in the U.S. and Party Gaming comes into the market, they need to clear it off the books. The fact that he’s exiting the company is good for its future.”

When internet gambling will be legalized and regulated in the United States is anyone’s guess. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced HR 2267 in May as one solution. The bill outlines a framework for the explicit legalization of the industry and, although the measure is up to 62 cosponsors, it has not yet been scheduled for markup in the House Financial Services Committee.

On how members of Congress and others outside of the industry would react to Dikshit’s exit, Brennan explained, “If Dikshit leaving Party Gaming can be a benefit to that company, I would say that it does the same broadly for the industry.” Financial analyst Nick Batram told Bloomberg that Dikshit’s departure meant that Party Gaming “may also find it easier to raise funds from institutional investors rather than the founders for large sports gambling acquisitions.” The Wire Act of 1961 has historically been interpreted to mean that online wagering on sports is not permitted in the U.S.

Dikshit will purportedly turn over the proceeds of his sale, which will likely total more than ₤188 million, to his charitable foundation. On the TwoPlusTwo online poker forums, posters questioned Dikshit’s charitable motives: “If he donated to an established charity that could not be mistaken for a front, then that would be impressive,” one skeptic noted. Some have speculated that tax benefits are the real reason behind his actions. Brennan told Poker News Daily, “He wants to get out of the business and focus on his charitable endeavors.”

The sale of two-thirds of Dikshit’s stake sent shares of Party Gaming plummeting. Trading above 284 pence on October 19th, the stock dove to 240 pence in 24 hours, a dip of 15%. PRTY closed trading on Friday on the London Stock Exchange fetching 243 pence, 135 pence above its asking price one year ago.

An article in the Financial Times summed up the reaction from most of the industry: “The truth, however, is that while the distancing of Mr Dikshit can’t be bad for Party Gaming, it is still frustratingly unclear what the odds are on a successful return to the U.S. market.” In five weeks, the financial services industry in the United States must fall into full compliance with the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The impact of the December 1st deadline remains to be seen, but the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) recently authored a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke asking for the UIGEA’s regulations to be delayed by one year.

Party Gaming Cofounders Ruth Parasol and Russ DeLeon, a husband and wife team, have not yet announced their intentions to sell stock or formulate a plea agreement with the U.S. Government. (Credit: Poker News Daily)

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Schwarzenegger may take axe to TVs - 18th October 2009

LARGE-SCREEN television sets could be banned within weeks in California in an attempt to cut the state's rising energy bill.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger supported controversial proposals by California's energy commission to impose strict energy consumption limits on TVs with screens more than 101 centimetres wide.

The commission claimed the estimated 35 million television sets and related gadgets in the state accounted for about 10 per cent of household energy consumption.

Large LCD or plasma screen sets use up to three times as much power as traditional models.

Manufacturers were reported to have said little to sway the commission's opinion.

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Political insiders launch attacks on Linda

The following news has just been released by Jodi Latina, Director of New Media, Linda McMahon for Senate 2010.

It seems hard to believe that it's been less than a month since Linda announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Since then, support for her campaign has been growing at a remarkable rate. Connecticut voters know Linda is the one Republican candidate in this race who can beat Chris Dodd and make Washington work for ordinary people instead of the special interests.

As is often the case when a political outsider begins shaking up the system, the career political insiders are fighting for their survival. That's no surprise. Their careers depend on protecting the status quo. What is shocking, however, is that Linda's political opponents -- just about all of whom are part of the political establishment -- are launching negative personal attacks so early.

It appears her primary opponents are so concerned about her candidacy that they are engaging in a seemingly coordinated negative attack on her. What are they afraid of?

Several weeks ago, they attacked Linda for not voting in a few recent elections. But then the Hartford Courant reported that the very politicians attacking Linda had also missed numerous elections. In fact, her most vocal opponent himself missed at least 11 local elections! The difference is that Linda was honest from the outset, putting her record on Linda2010.com for all to see. She acknowledged her missed votes were inexcusable, and she took complete personal responsibility -- unlike the career insiders who did their best to cover up their records.

It's sad really.

Now the political insiders are at it again. They are claiming Linda is not a real Republican because, as CEO of a nonpartisan, publicly traded company, she gave political contributions to Democrats as well as Republicans. The fact is Linda is a fiscally conservative Republican, and as CEO of WWE, she gave $70,700 in federal contributions to Republicans, $34,100 to Democrats and $2000 to Independents, since 1980.

Linda has helped elect far more Republicans than Democrats, but they didn't bother to tell you that. Linda has helped Republican mayors, Governor Rell, Republican Members of Congress, Republican Town Committees, the Connecticut Republican Party and the list goes on... Linda has it all posted online for everyone to see.

Linda refuses to play the old game in which politicians divert attention from their own records with non-stop negative attacks. The career political insiders started going this negative so early because they're obviously terrified of Linda's candidacy.

So much for Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment...

Linda's support is growing in leaps and bounds because she's a different kind of candidate who isn't beholden to special interests and isn't afraid to be open and honest -- even when the truth is inconvenient. She's not taking a penny of special interest money, because the only interest groups she cares about are ordinary people.

Thank you for supporting Linda. Spread the word on Twitter; tell your friends through Facebook.

Together we will take Washington back from the special interests and put people back in control.

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James Packer's Double Bay to double pay - 25th September 2009

NSW casino control authorities have knocked on the head rumours that James Packer has plans to build a casino in the ritzy and prestigious Sydney harbourside suburb of Double Bay.

Double Bay businesses have been abuzz in recent weeks with talk that casino magnate Packer has been talking about acquiring the old Ritz Hotel with a view to fixing it up and putting a casino on the site at a future date.

But the State Government was quick to scotch the rumours.

A spokeswoman said yesterday that legislation prohibited establishment of a second casino in NSW for at least 10 years, adding NSW "is a one-casino state". She said there was "one licence to be had" and Tabcorp had recently renewed it.

Tabcorp has a 12-year licence on Star City. It was renewed in October, 2007 and has another 10 years to run until its expiry.

According to the Casino Control Act of 1992, the business of gambling in NSW will be kept in check with licensing restrictions preventing the operation of a second casino.

Like his father, Packer has long had designs on getting a casino licence in NSW.

But the licensing restrictions mean that he will either have to apply for the existing licence now held by Tabcorp or lobby the Government to make a second licence available.

Kerry Packer and a consortium spent a small fortune bidding for the first casino licence but lost out to the Showboat group in 1994. It is a dream James still hopes to realise, say sources.

In the meantime, the Government has approved expansion plans for Star City - but poker-machine numbers will remain unchanged. (Credit: News Limited, Wires, Google News)

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Linda McMahon to run for Senate in Connecticut

TheHill.com reports that Linda McMahon is about to announce her plans to run for Senate in Connecticut. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ed Patru, who Linda has reportedly hired, is quoted as saying: "[Linda] is taking into consideration a number of factors, including resources and the time commitment it would take to win...She plays to win, so if she gets in, she's in all the way. She has the capacity to bring considerable resources to the race, and she has an established record."

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Tax doubts hamper bidders for Tote Tasmania - 8th September 2009

Uncertainty regarding a tax exemption for Tote Tasmania on betting pool arrangements in mainland states has left bidders such as Tabcorp unable to value the company accurately. The Tasmanian government was hoping to have the sale finalised by early this month, but the process has hit a roadblock as betting pool tax exemptions remain unresolved. The Victorian government, led by Victorian Racing Minister Rob Hulls, has granted an extension until January 31 for the matter to be determined.

References: Australian Financial Review, Fairfax Media, Wires, Tabcorp, Tasmanian Government, Victorian Racing

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The Great British Lobby - The Telegraph

A technology group advised by David Blunkett, the former Home Secretary, is one of several British companies spending millions of pounds lobbying American politicians in a bid to shape legislation in the US.

UC Group, an online payment services group, has spent some $5.23m (£3.2m) on lobbying fees in recent years, one of several companies deploying millions to influence gambling legislation in the US.

Sportingbet, PartyGaming and Pokerstars have all hired high profile lobbying firms in the US to represent their interests as they prepare for the likely opening-up of the US online gaming market.

UC Group acts for 10 gaming companies, offering back-office and anti-money laundering operations and hopes to profit from any opening of the market. The group has worked to promote Senator Barney Frank's efforts to overturn the ban on online gaming.

The size of the company's lobbying expenses - which stretch to $2.31m since last September - are particularly eye-catching given it made just £3m in pre-tax profits last year.

Kobus Paulsen, UC Group's chief executive, suggested it was part of the group's long-term strategy. "We are certain that our efforts will yield an open market for non-US based gaming operators," he said.

Ruth Parasol and Russell De Leon, the PartyGaming founders, have spent up to £929,000 on lobbying fees since last September to influence online gaming legislation in the US.

It remains unclear whether any of those fees have been channelled towards lobbying over issues related to their potential prosecution for allegedly breaking US laws banning internet gambling.

Anurag Diskit, another founder, stunned the gaming industry in April this year by pleading guilty to breaking US laws and agreeing to pay a $300m fine. Ms Parasol, Mr De Leon and a third founder, Vikrant Bhargava, have yet to settle with the US Department of Justice.

Lobbying records for Sportingbet, the online gaming firm that also faces potential charges, show the company has paid $60,000 over the last year in relation to the "settlement of potential criminal charges related to online gambling". (Credit: The Telegraph)

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One tribe proposing legalization of Internet poker in California, by Jim Miller - The Press Enterprise - 12th August 2009

SACRAMENTO - The Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning is at the forefront of an effort to craft legislation legalizing online poker in California.

The influential Inland tribe, which runs a successful casino off Interstate 10, has collaborated with some Southern California card clubs on a proposal to create a "tribal intrastate Internet poker consortium." It aims to make California the first state with online poker that complies with federal law.

"This would be a game for Californians, run by Californians," said Patrick Dorinson, a spokesman for the tribe. Participating tribes, card clubs and the cash-strapped state would share in the revenue, but an exact split hasn't been determined, he said.

There are an estimated 2,300 online poker sites generating $4 billion in revenue. An estimated 1 million Californians play online poker.

The sites avoid 2006 federal restrictions on online poker by operating outside the U.S. Under some legal interpretations, federal law would allow online poker when players are in the same state as computer servers hosting the games.

No bill has emerged and there is no author for the proposal so far. Any measure would be considered during the final four weeks of the legislative year after lawmakers return Monday from their summer recess.

Already, though, the idea has received a cool reception by some other tribes with casinos.

The California Tribal Business Alliance, which includes several wealthy tribes with casinos, this week announced its opposition to the idea.

In a letter, the group called the online card game proposal "ill-conceived" and warned that it could lead to "the wholesale expansion of non-Indian, off-reservation gambling in California" by potentially bringing casino-style machines to card rooms.

"It's way too complicated to rush something through at the end of session," said Alison Harvey, the alliance's executive director.

In the Inland area, the Morongo tribe belongs to the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations, which includes several tribes with casinos in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The normally tightknit group has taken no position on the online card game proposal. Two nearby group members with large casinos -- the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians near San Bernardino and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in the Coachella Valley -- also are neutral.

Morongo officials have been briefing tribal leaders from around the state in recent days. No other tribes have endorsed the proposal, Dorinson said.

The two legislators whose districts include the Morongo reservation and casino have not been approached about the tribe's proposal.

State Sen. John J. Benoit, R-Bermuda Dunes, questioned if there would be enough time to consider online poker legislation before lawmakers adjourn their regular session Sept. 11. Prison reform and water are expected to dominate the end-of-session agenda.

"I'm all ears. But it certainly would be an uphill battle to get it done in the time frame they're talking about," Benoit said.

Federal legislation

The online poker proposal has been in the works for several months. Talk of its introduction as a bill comes as the U.S. Senate prepares to consider related legislation.

New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez introduced a measure last week to regulate online poker and other games. In a news release, the senator's office said the legislation could raise up to $3 billion in revenue while protecting players from unscrupulous offshore poker sites.

"Pulling Internet poker out of the shadows and into the light of the law, we have the opportunity to help our economy while protecting our families," Menendez said in a statement.

Dorinson said the California proposal would ensure that revenue from online poker played here would help the state.

At least one online poker group is skeptical about the idea.

John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, said the California proposal would give a monopoly to just a few entities. California, he said, instead should license a variety of online poker sites or host its own games. The players alliance is funded by the Canada-based Interactive Gaming Council, which represents online poker sites.

The Schwarzenegger administration does not have a position on online poker, a spokeswoman said.

Last summer, the Legislature considered a bill that would have legalized online poker. It stalled after major opposition from some tribes and tribal organizations, including the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations.

Political fights

Underlying the latest proposal is the recent acrimony between some of the groups involved.

In 2004, tribal casinos defeated a ballot measure pushed by card clubs and horse tracks that would have ended the tribes' monopoly on slot machines.

In 2007 and 2008, some members of the tribal business alliance spent millions in an unsuccessful campaign to overturn 2006 casino-expansion agreements between the state and the Morongo tribe, along with several others.

Last year, the tribes joined forces to push through legislation to ban devices in some nontribal bingo halls run by various charities. Critics called the devices illegal slot machines. But opponents of the bill said it hurt the charities' fundraising. (Credit: The Press Enterprise)

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Breaking News! Online Poker Bill Introduced in U.S. Senate

New Bill Is Separate from Barney Frank's Similar Online Gambling Bill, with a Higher-Profile Position in the Senate

August 6, 2009 (CAP Newswire) -- New Jersey Democrat Robert Menendez has just introduced into the U.S. Senate a brand new piece of legislation designed to legalize and regulate Internet poker.

"To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for the licensing by the Secretary of the Treasury of Internet poker and other games that are predominantly of skill, to provide for consumer protections on the Internet, to enforce the tax code, and for other purposes," the bill begins.

The bill would establish a new legal regulatory framework for Internet poker in the United States, and also put in place certain consumer protections such as age restrictions. Officially entitled S.8309, the Internet Poker and Games of Skill Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, it was introduced today.

No matter what success this bill meets with, it represents another huge milestone in the nationwide struggle to reclassify poker from gambling to a game of skill. This movement seeks to enable online poker to be not only legalized but also change the way it is regarded in popular culture.

That movement has gained a lot of transaction over the past year, with smaller court victories in states such as Colorado, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, and with Representative Barney Frank’s recent efforts to legalize and regulate certain sectors of online gambling with his own legislation (which is separate from this bill).

Home to the original U.S. gaming resort destination, Atlantic City, New Jersey has long had its own internal struggles regarding the legality of gaming, and has recently clashed with the federal government on this basis. So it makes sense that the author of this new legislation is is from New Jersey — and a Democrat, the party that is apparently more open to the idea of fully legalized online gambling. (Although it technically has bipartisan support, the vast majority of supporters of Barney Frank’s recent pro-Internet gambling efforts have been Democrats.)

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) not only supports the new bill, but has provided a copy of it at its website. Check it out here. (Credit: CAP)

Greg Tingle comment...

This online poker bill is most welcome news, and has been a long time coming.

Down under in Australia poker and I dare say, online poker, is already a strong part of our popular culture, just as are kangaroos, meat pies and Holden cars, and having a punt on the (horse) races and a bit of a spin on the pokies. By the way, Sportingbet is introducing V8Bet, so punters can be on the V8 Supercar racing, (Holden and Ford).

Some may not like this, and some will, but there's strong rumblings that sports betting might try to significantly ride off the back of this poker bill, as there could be legal arguments that there certainly are elements of skill (knowledge etc) in picking sports bet winners. A similar scenario of sorts with the game known as "Spot The Ball", which has long been a part of British culture, with numerous British newspapers running Spot The Ball competitions. Property listing companies such as Play4Property.com are taking the Spot The Ball game internationally, which isn't that hard to do with the internet as an medium of media, backed up by traditional media, journalism, marketing et al.

Friends, the rules have changed, and will continue to, in regards to online poker, online games of skill, online gambling, and the way business is conducted between people, corporations, media companies et al.

A few apt quotes from some gentlemen with some good ideas and track record of success, getting things done, and changing the world, and the rules of play!

James Packer - "Internet is like electricity"

Rupert Murdoch - "Big will not beat small anymore. It will be the fast beating the slow"

Charles Darwin - "In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed"

My tip, look to California to plug into online poker, online sports betting, and quite likely, online gambling as a whole. They have been pro active and early adopters on other social issues such as the environment, poverty and health.

You can bet that Harrah's Entertainment and their chain of hotel - casino - resorts will be watching this space, as will Macau's Cotai Strip, and even Parliament House down under in Canberra, Australia.

In this space, I'm sure glad to be a journalist, media agent and website portal developer, rather than an owner of a casino or online casino. The online poker and online casino happenings are most certainly extremely newsworthy items to cover. It's of course part of the larger civil liberties and freedom of speech - censorship debate. We should have the right to do what we like in our homes, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Also remember, sometimes the law is an ass, so just because something is legal or illegal, doesn't mean it is necessarily right or wrong. It just means its (current) law, some of which get changed for the better, some not.

As always, know your limits, bet with your head, not over it. If the gambling, or poker playing stops being enjoyable, its likely time to stop. Have fun, whether poker, pokies, spot the ball, or some other game tickles your fancy.

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Chairman Frank's Bill to Regulate Internet Gambling Reaches 50 Co-Sponsors

WASHINGTON, July 28 PRNewswire-USNewswire -- We are pleased to report that there are now 50 members of Congress signed on as co-sponsors of the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267), legislation introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services

"Reaching this milestone illustrates that momentum is growing for a shift in U.S. policy and a rewrite of U.S. Internet gambling laws," said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. "The list of supporters will continue to grow as more representatives are educated on the subject and increasingly hear from their constituents that Internet gambling regulation presents the only viable way to protect consumers, since attempts to prohibit the activity have completely failed. We also expect an increased spotlight on Internet gambling as a way to augment federal revenues and help cover the cost of necessary policy initiatives."

Among the bipartisan group of 50 co-sponsors are many senior ranking representatives, including George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor; John Conyers (D-MI), chairman of the Committee of the Judiciary; Charles Rangel (D-NY), chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means; Edolphus Towns (D-NY), chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; Pete King (R-NY), ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee; and Ron Paul (R-TX), vice-chairman of the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee. (A complete list of co-sponsors is included below.)

Rep. Frank's bill would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S. and mandates a number of significant consumer protections, including safeguards against compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identify theft. Additional provisions in the legislation reinforce the rights of each state to determine whether to allow Internet gambling activity for people accessing the Internet within the state and to apply other restrictions on the activity as determined necessary. The legislation also would allow states and Native American tribes with experience in regulating gambling to play a role in the regulatory process.

An analysis shows that collecting taxes on regulated Internet gambling would allow the U.S. to capture much-needed revenue in an amount ranging from $48.6 billion (excluding online sports gambling) to $62.7 billion (including online sports gambling) over the next decade.

The following is a complete list of Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267) co-sponsors:

Alaska
Don Young (R At-Large)

Arizona
Raul Grijalva (D 7th)

California
Michael Thompson (D 1st)
George Miller (D 7th)
Michael Honda (D 15th)
Linda Sanchez (D 39th)
Bob Filner (D 51st)

Colorado
Jared Polis (D 2nd)
Ed Perlmutter (D 7th)

Connecticut
Joe Courtney (D 2nd)

Florida
Robert Wexler (D 19th)
Alcee Hastings (D 23rd)

Hawaii
Neil Abercrombie (D 1st)

Idaho
Walt Minnick (D 1st)

Illinois
Luis Gutierrez (D 4th)
Bill Foster (D 14th)

Indiana
Andre Carson (D 7th)

Massachusetts
James McGovern (D 3rd)
Barney Frank (D 4th)
Michael Capuano (D 8th)
William Delahunt (D 10th)

Michigan
John Conyers (D 14th)

Nevada
Shelley Berkley (D 1st)

New Hampshire
Paul Hodes (D 2nd)

New Jersey
Robert Andrews (D 1st)
Frank LoBiondo (R 2nd)
John Adler (D 3rd)
Steven Rothman (D 9th)

New York
Tim Bishop (D 1st)
Steve Israel (D 2nd)
Peter King (R 3rd)
Carolyn McCarthy (D 4th)
Gary Ackerman (D 5th)
Joseph Crowley (D 7th)
Jerrold Nadler (D 8th)
Edolphus Towns (D 10th)
Mike McMahon (D 13th)
Charles Rangel (D 15th)
Paul Tonko (D 21st)

North Carolina
Melvin Watt (D 12th)

Ohio
Steve Driehaus (D 1st)
Tim Ryan (D 17th)

Oregon
Earl Blumenauer (D 3rd)

Tennessee
Steve Cohen (D 9th)

Texas
Ron Paul (R 14th)
Ciro Rodriguez (D 23rd)

Virginia
Bobby Scott (D 3rd)
Tom Perriello (D 5th)
James Moran (D 8th)

Washington
Jim McDermott (D 7th)

About Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative

The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative promotes the freedom of individuals to gamble online with the proper safeguards to protect consumers and ensure the integrity of financial transactions. For more information on the Initiative, please visit www.safeandsecureig.org. The Web site provides a means by which individuals can register support for regulated Internet gambling with their elected representatives.

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Call to sell off more pokies, by Kim Wheatley - News Limited - 1st July 2009

Welfare groups have called on the Government to deregulate poker machine sales - even if it means pubs make a windfall profit.

This follows the stalling of the Government's planned cull of 3000 poker machines, which was introduced in 2005.

The Australian Hotels Association said the $50,000 cap on the sale of the machines wasn't enough of an "incentive" to sell the 750 that were yet to be removed.

Interstate, where the market is deregulated, machines have sold for as little as $13,000 or as much as $300,000.

SHOULD THE NUMBER OF POKIES BE CAPPED IN PUBS? Have your say in the poll to the right of this page and in the comment box below.

While welfare groups and the Opposition remain critical of the Government for failing to deliver on its promise, Uniting Care Wesley's Mark Henley called for the immediate introduction of the open market – despite the prospect of the pubs hitting the jackpot.

"That's better than having more venues, more machines and more problem gambling," he said.

But AHA (SA) general manager Ian Horne said the removal of the machines "had no real impact on revenue, and it's hard to see how it's had any effect on problem gambling".

In a Budget Estimates hearing on Friday, Gambling Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the Government was waiting for a February Productivity Commission report before considering any industry changes.

Opposition gambling spokeswoman Michelle Lensink claimed the Government was "sneakily trying to hang on to the tax revenue generated". (Credit: News Limited)

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