For the first time, annual gambling losses on เเทงหวยออนไลน์ machines in South Australia have reached $800 million. Of these losses, it is said that almost $340 million a year, can be attributed to problem gamblers. The average anuual loss per machine, based on an average number of 15,690 machines used in the state; can be pegged at $50,994. The office of the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner states that for the financial year 2004-05, poker contributed $298 million into the state governemnt treasury. Due to this growth in revenue, the tax in 2004-05 will rise up to $307.4 million. According to statistics, South Australian gamblers lost $197.5 million, $190.2 million, $177.3 million and $184.1 million respectively, in the four quarters during 2004-05. Gambling Minister Michael Wright said that the Government had followed the recommendations of the Independent Gambling Authority, in order to curb poker machines. He stated that the Government wanted the revenue to go down and was taking stringent measures to do so. The Advertiser reports:
No Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon, however, said the figures showed the Government had to go back to the drawing board. “The harm minimization measures are not working”, he said. Read More:
Four New Poker Video Games to be Released this Fall
There is an all time boom in the gaming and poker industry. Vying with each other are four poker video games which which will be released this fall. Stacked, WPT 2K6, World Championship Poker2 and World Series of Poker will be the new entrants in the video game market. All these games seem to have certain common features. For instance, in each of them there are career modes and the player begins by making an avtar, with all the poker gear, a bankroll etc. and climbs up the success ladder – reaching out to become the world champion. Due to similarity of features, it remains to be determained still, as to who will capture the largest market share. Myelin Media’s Stacked stands out due to its unique feature that is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system known as Poki. WPT 2K6, a product of 2K Games is distinctive in that it is endorsed by the World Poker Tour(WPT) name, with Phil “the Unabomer” Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, Erick Lindgren, Michael Mizrachi and several others, starring in it. Championship Poker by Crave Entertainment, got a moderate response from players; nevertheless it was successful enough to be followed by a sequel which is named World Championship Poker: Featuring Howard Lederer. The first to be released from among the four games mentioned, will be World Series Poker by Activision; which will be out in the market by the 23rd of August. Cardplayer.com reports:
One software manufacturer who is, of yet, absent from the poker game market is EA Sports, famous for its Madden series, and known the world over for making the most comprehensive and realistic sports games. EA recently purchased the exclusive license from ESPN, making its own version of a World Series of Poker or TILT video game a possibility in the future.
