Australian Casinos Archives - Page 9 of 11

Suncity Group Holdings Limited refutes rumours around Australian investigation

August 19, 2019 by Admin

Suncity Group Holdings Limited, the Asian casino firm, is reported to have released an official statement to deny claims recently made that it is being investigated by authorities in Australia. The inquiry is said to involve alleged links between Chinese crime syndicates and the operator’s controlling shareholder.

Possible Criminal Links

According to a report on Monday, the Hong Kong-listed firm’s name allegedly came up late last week as claims were being made that Australia’s ongoing Targeting Criminal Wealth investigation was investigating criminal gangs possibly using junket services in the country as a means of laundering money through casinos.

Admission Speculations

Reports by GGRAsia state that Alvin Chau Cheok Wa was a significant stakeholder in Suncity Group Holdings Limited while serving as the boss for privately-held Macau junket firm, Suncity Group. Investigators have yet to release any specifics about their alleged inquiries, but rumour has it they upped the ante on their efforts after claims surfaced that the billionaire businessman may have recently been refused entry to Australia.

Determined denial

Suncity Group Holdings Limited, in response to these whispers, which have since grown louder, stated on Monday that neither the company nor Chau were being investigated. In addition to this, it stated that that the billionaire wasn’t scheduled to travel to Australia in the next twelve months.

Suncity is reported to have said, “The board of Suncity Group Holdings Limited noticed certain media articles recently published in relation to Alvin Chau Cheok Wa in relation to, among others, investigation of certain Australian casinos. He is not aware of the said investigation of such Australian casinos. Mr. Chau clarifies that he is not subject to any Australian investigation as at the date of this announcement. The listed company would like to clarify that [Suncity Group Holdings Limited together with its subsidiaries] has no business operations in Australia.”

Melbourne link

The junket-operating Suncity Group is known, however, for running 14 high-roller clubs run via casinos in a number of jurisdictions. These include the Philippines, South Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Australia. This portfolio, according to local newspapers, encompasses a VIP lounge inside Crown Resorts Limited’s giant Crown Melbourne complex, which is currently under investigation for allegedly helping high-value Chinese individuals launder money in Australia.

Crown Casino Denies Ties to Organised Crime

August 14, 2019 by Admin

Allegations that tie Crown Casino to organized crime, money laundering, and human trafficking have been investigated in a television documentary produced by an Australian TV company and two newspapers.

Thousands of documents ostensibly leaked from the company owning casinos in the cities of Melbourne and Perth form the basis of the film’s investigation. A follow-up documentary is planned about the company’s alleged shenanigans in Sydney.

The film alleges shocking links between Crown and organized crime, claiming the company turned a “blind eye” to money laundering, as well as exploiting loopholes in Australia’s immigration processes. The film investigates allegations that the firm flew wealthy Chinese gamblers into the country without having them undergo the requisite checks. It is also claimed that Crown Casino had business ties to an Australian brothel, which is suspected to be involved in human trafficking.

Independent MP, Andrew Wilkie, said “I now know of three police officers — two currently serving — who have openly said to my staff that in Victoria, Crown is regarded as the Vatican, an independent sovereign state all to its own where the laws of Victoria, the laws of the Commonwealth (of Australia) do not apply”

These allegations have seen the state of Victoria order it’s gambling office to look into these claims against the casino giant “as a matter of priority.” Demands by experts in Australia that anti-money laundering regulator AUSTRAC examines claims that money has been passed through Crown Casino by criminals have also been made.

In a series of newspaper advertisements, the company has vehemently denied the allegations, saying it wanted to set the “record straight in the face of a deceitful campaign against Crown.” Crown, in turn, has leveled its own accusations at the filmmakers of the TV documentary, claiming that the film has unfairly attempted to damage its reputation. The company stated that takes its regulatory obligations extremely seriously.

Crown Resorts to be investigated by Australian officials over gambler visa fast-track claims

August 5, 2019 by Admin

Officials in Australia have begun investigations into Crown Resorts after it was recently alleged that the company gave preferential treatment to Chinese gamblers. Christian Porter, Attorney General, has made parliament aware that a probe will be taking place against Crown following numerous reports, along with other allegations, which surfaced within the media around visas being specially expedited for gamblers from China.

Further Investigation

Over the past few days many reports claiming that Crown Resorts employed travel agents known for their connections to drug trackers in order to bring gamblers from China to Australia have surfaced. The firm stands accused of money laundering at its casinos and fast-tracking the visas for the Chinese gamblers.

The allegations against government officials have been sent by Porter to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity for further inquiry. The group is responsible for anti-corruption and the investigation of federal agencies. They will decide whether or not the allegations are worthy of investigation.

Reuters Reports

Commenting on the allegations Porter stated: “It is my view that there are sufficient concerns raised at least to warrant further investigations.”

Crown Resorts has firmly rejected the allegations, stating, however, that they will assist with any investigation. In a statement issued by Crown, the company holds that these allegations are ‘ill-informed and an attempt to smear the company.’

According to the report, Porter stated that if the Australian Commission finds no merit in the allegations and don’t find a need to investigate Crown, then the agency will have to provide him with clarity as to the reasons such a conclusion was reached. Upon receipt of this information, Porter will make the conclusion open to the public.

Losing Revenues

The venues of Crown Resorts in Australia have been losing revenues as a result of the crackdown on Chinese authorities which has seen wealthy Asian gamblers making sure to avoid foreign casinos. Crown Perth property saw a massive decrease in baccarat revenues in 2018. The company’s annual totals were down 57%. which is thought to be due primarily to gamblers from China no longer visiting the property.

The company has also seen a drop in shares by 3.6% since the allegations surfaced, and the company may see more damage if players are concerned about bringing their business to the brand.

Aussie Slots Studio Rebrands Itself

August 2, 2019 by Admin

Formerly known as Chance Interactive, the Sydney-based operator announced recently that they’ve rebranded the company as ReelPlay. The name change takes effect immediately.

The Australian games studio was founded by experienced gaming professionals in 2014 who promise to continue creating fresh and entertaining content under their new moniker, stating, “The refresh to ReelPlay best represents where the business is today and where it’s headed.“

Recent Slot Still a Winner

Having started off exclusively with Swedish mobile gaming company LeoVegas, one of the operator’s earliest titles, Buster Hammer Carnival, continues to enjoy enormous popularity in the regulated online iGaming space.

The Australian company has affirmed that beyond their re-branding, nothing in terms of the quality and of their digital content will change. They promise to deliver the finest online slot games to regulated casino operators across the globe. Underlining this the firm has said, “overflowing with passion, ReelPlay creates everything from the ground up, in-house.”

A Studio with Many Talents

Added to its highly entertaining slots portfolio, ReelPlay has also ‘’ developed and integrated hundreds of games on to many different platforms for both land-based and online operators’’. Moreover, it is able to create custom slot mathematics to match partner studio’s vision with multiple RTP variations.

Goal Remains the Same

When asked about the operator’s rebranding, Chief Commercial Officer for ReelPlay, David Johnson, had this to say: “The refresh to ReelPlay best represents where the business is today and where it’s headed. The goal remains the same as it ever was – ReelPlay author the best in online digital gaming content as well as incubating select competitive collaborators, providing for a powerhouse of established and independent B2B satellite software studios. ReelPlay is the mothership”.

“Our business growth will continue to be underpinned by leveraging long-term partnerships with the world’s leading operators, collaborators, and aggregators. Overflowing with passion, ReelPlay create everything from the ground up, in-house. Carefully, surely, thought out and proud to put our name to it – as craft as craft gets in a digital world. With the re-brand, we are building on solid foundations whilst adding a little nitro,” he explained further.

117,000-ways-to-win slot On Its Way!

It doesn’t stop there for ReelPlay. The company has developed a slot game that will give gamers an incredible 117,000-plus ways to win. This new game is due to be unveiled in August as an exclusive pre-release with a premier online operator before being entered into a wider market.

In 2018 the privately-owned business’s team was given a major boost with the appointment of Chief Executive Officer, Scott Smitt and CCO Johnson, who are both seasoned captains of the gaming world.

Classic 777 Pokie Gets a Modern Makeover

July 29, 2019 by Admin

A classic slot game with a HUGE new twist is coming your way!

That’s right! Say hello to a new version of the classic 777 pokie! This machine is inspired by the Vegas-style Bars and Sevens pokie but offers an array of brand new features, which includes a feature to hold up to two reels with your desired symbol, a progressive jackpot, and a wild symbol which could see your wins multiplied up to 9 times!

This pokie comes with all-round appeal and Aussies drawn to traditional pokies as well as those who enjoy their pokies with a modern, interactive flavour will both love this game.

The new 777 pokie game features:

Wild Symbol: You will see that the Cards and Coins symbol represent the wild. It also substitutes for all other symbols. If you land one Wild on the pay-line you will see an increase of the pay-table prize by x3. And that’s not all! If you’re lucky enough to see two Wilds in a winning combination you will enjoy an increase in your prize by x9!

Hold Feature: After your first spin you could hold up to two reels with the pay-table symbol(s) lined up on the pay-line. An extra bet is estimated on the basis of which symbol you are holding. It is possible to trigger as many re-spins with the held symbol(s) if you agree to the extra bet. You could see massive wins since this feature is compatible with the game’s Wild symbols!

Progressive Jackpot: You can win the progressive jackpot if you land three Wild symbols on the pay-line. Remember the Hold Feature offers you the option of holding the Wild symbols. All you have to do then is land the third Wild symbol on a re-spin to win the progressive jackpot!

Look forward to hours and hours of fun and major jackpot payouts with this classic pokie and its modern twist, which is now available at Uptown Pokies. To top it off you can also enjoy 111% Match Bonus + 77 Free Spins!

Terms:
All you need to play is a minimum $35 deposit and, on spin winnings, it holds 30x slots rollover + 10x playthrough requirements. There is no max cash-out.

Tabcorp ordered to pay A$14,000 for offering illegal inducements to gamble relating to UFC bout promotion

July 22, 2019 by Admin

According to recent reports, Tabcorp Holdings, the prominent gambling entertainment firm, has been ordered to pay in fines and costs an amount in excess of A$14,000 (US$9,826). The fine is the result of the firms’ offering of an illegal inducement in the South Eastern State of New South Wales (NSW). The Sydney Downing Centre Local Court issued the fine after the Australian sports betting operator admitted to breaching gaming laws in the state.

The Sydney Morning Herald Report

The firm’s illicit acts were discovered following an investigation into the promotion of a match, which appeared on Tabcorp’s mobile app on October 4, 2018, between the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champions, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and former Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight and lightweight champion, Conor McGregor.

UFC ad-related fine:

Reportedly, The Tabcorp advertisement which put them in hot water read: “HEAD TO HEAD SPECIAL – KHABIB VS MCGREGOR – if your fighter loses by decision, bonus bet back up to $50.”

Regardless if individuals were a registered gambler or not, anyone who had the app on their mobile phone could read the ad.

New regulations:

It is an offense under the NSW Betting and Racing Act to lure individuals who aren’t already registered gamblers through advertising to participate – or participate frequently – in any gambling activity. This Act came into effect in July last year, and further states that promotions such as these can only be directed to an NSW registered betting account holder.

Tabcorp conceded that individuals in NSW should not have been shown the ad after being made aware of it by the NSW Office of Liquor and Gaming. The operator went on to explain, according to court documents reported by the news agency, that the promotion had only been published in the state as a result of “human error.”

Court Unmoved

Chief Magistrate Graeme Henson, however, was unconvinced by the explanation and held, “It is a fact that problem gambling brings with it many social problems affecting not just the afflicted person but potentially also their families and the wider community. Further stating, “There is a moral and social obligation on the part of governments who seek to benefit from the taxation levied on this type of conduct to pursue the objective of reducing the fact of and impact from problem gambling. It is not surprising in that context that a dim view is taken of breaches of the law, whether they are deliberate or by reason of inadvertence.”

Sean Goodchild, Liquor & Gaming NSW Director of Compliance and Operations also commented on the breech, stating, “Inducements are known to increase the risk of gambling harm, so any breaches are taken seriously. Under new laws that came into effect in July 2018, wagering operators found guilty of promoting inducements to gamble face fines of up to $55,000 per offence and company directors can be criminally prosecuted.”

Repeat Offender

The company, with headquarters in Melbourne, is a repeat offender of gaming laws, having been penalized before for what was known at the time to be “the highest ever civil penalty in corporate Australian history.”

Back in 2017, due to suspicious behaviour related to unlawful activity including credit card fraud and money laundering on 108 occasions over a period of over five years, which Tabcorp failed to report to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre Federal Court (AUSTRAC, the company was fined $45m).

During the same period, the betting site TAB, which is owned by Tabcorp, pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching the Betting and Racing Regulation. This, as a result of a promotion in April 2017 that included the distribution of jelly beans coinciding with Racing NSW’s racing event, The Championship. Tabcorp was ordered to pay A$100,000 in the legal costs, while TAB faced a maximum fine of $5500 for each offense.

Crown Melbourne Gears Up To Launch Holey Moley

July 9, 2019 by Admin

Swinging in after the launch of Juke’s, Funlab’s new karaoke concept, the Australian operators are launching its Holey Moley mini-golf venue.

Bearing the same quirky resemblance to Juke’s, the new Holy Moley is will have lovers of mini-golf thoroughly in awe at the same venue, Crown Melbourne.

The maritime, summery look and feel of the main bar, set up in an empty swimming pool is just one of the site’s many attractions. Complementing the funky aesthetic are tables fashioned as lifebuoys, a diving board and a ceiling rendered as clouds.

Funlab have gone all out on this project. The measure of the treat they’re offering can be seen just by taking a quick peek at the luxurious cocktail and food menu, which is matched, in visual extravagance, by the eighteen individually designed holes. There you will also find the cleverly named machine ‘Drop It Like Its Slot’ designed particularly for the Crown location, as well as ‘It’s-A Me, Pario!’- a slot inspired by Nintendo’s beloved Italian plumber – and ‘Do Not Go Pass’, created around the board game, Monopoly.

Despite being a world-famous brand, Michael Schreiber, CEO of Funlab, revealed that Holey Moley has surprised the organisation by just how successful it has been. This, even though Australians are among the world’s greatest lovers of mini-golf, stating, “It’s been a crazy ride in the last 12 months, we’ve taken the concept international to Singapore and New Zealand. However, we will never forget our Aussie roots, and Melbourne is where the concept really took off, with almost 760,000 rounds of golf played at Holey Moley Little Bourke Street so far”

He joked, ‘I’m surprised the sporting capital of Australia hasn’t called for mini-golf to be awarded its own sporting code”, before adding “Holey Moley is all about celebrating pop culture and nostalgia, with a dash of friendly competition and outrageous looking cocktails thrown in for good measure.”

Lottoland takes legal action against Australian Communications and Media Authority

June 17, 2019 by Admin

Lottoland Australia has initiated legal action against the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). This unprecedented move comes as a response to findings by the Australian Federal Government, whereby it was found that the operator violated gambling laws by providing services that are prohibited.

The ACMA official statement reads: “The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found that several Lottoland online jackpot betting services were games of chance which are prohibited. These included the Mon and Wed Jackpot, Tue Jackpot, Thu Jackpot, US Millions, and US Power jackpot betting services.”

Lottoland’s lottery betting facility was deemed illegal last year, when Australian authorities clamped down on iGaming firms targeting Aussie players. The company had only just begun to offer their exotic jackpot betting product and the ACMA ruling prompted them to file legal action in the New South Wales Supreme Court as a result. The spokesperson for Lottoland justified their action against the ACMA by stating: “we believe their view on jackpot betting is wrong.”

This statement was further backed by Luke Brill, Chief Executive of Lottoland Australia, as he confirms the company has worked hard to adapt to recent changes to the law and is committed to providing exciting new products that their customers will love. “By taking this stand against ACMA, we are fighting for the rights of hundreds of thousands of Australians who enjoy the occasional flutter. We are fighting for freedom of choice.”

For the moment ACMA have chosen not to comment on the matter whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.

Surveillance upgrade at Sydney casino after croupier caught stealing

March 19, 2019 by Admin

The Star Casino will incorporate facial recognition technology as part of an ongoing $10 million security upgrade, after a croupier was caught stealing a $5000 chip while on duty.

CCTV footage obtained by The Daily Telegraph, shows how the staffer snatched one of the chips and slipped it into his sock. As a result, facial recognition cameras that will soon be deployed in high risk areas across the casino floor, and the technology will assist with matching people’s faces against previous offenders held on the casino’s database.

In addition, the prominent Vegas-styled casino will also get new door alarms, infra-red night vision cameras, motion sensors, and ID scanners, among other things.

Enhanced customer service

Surveillance chief at The Star, Catherine Clark, said they also plan to use the advanced technology to enhance visitor experience. The casino will be able to recognize frequent customers and give them an extra personal welcome, like “telling them their favourite drink is waiting at the bar.”

Ms Clark further assured that security and surveillance are a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation, with 150 people manning the teams on busy weekends. There has been no comment on how the casino intends to deal with the stealing croupier.

Star casino is the second largest casino after Crown Casino in Melbourne, and is owned by The Star Entertainment Group. It has partnered with Hong Kong-based multi-faceted investors Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium, to invest more than A$500 million into the expansion of the existing complex and the addition of a new hotel and residences tower that will include new resort amenities, enhanced food and beverage options, and a neighborhood center, among other facilities.

Are pokies the future of tomorrow’s players?

August 27, 2018 by Admin

The players who are the future of tomorrow are probably in their twenties now. It is interesting to note that almost 50% of these people gamble. However, the question remains that is all the gambling taking place on poker machines. Where do these players play, in clubs and pubs or online pokies? What do they look for in gambling?

On behalf of ClubsNSW and IGT, Utting Research carried out a survey where the aim is to understand the attitude of the players towards gambling. 20-29 year olds were targeted for the research. There were a total of 800 people and the research was done via online questionnaire. The test was done in September 2017 after initial research done through focus groups. The main target audience was respondents, who said that they gambled minimum every 6 months.

Nigel Turner at IGT said that usually twenty something is the group which is believed to shun all kinds of traditional gambling venues and pokies. Instead of these conventional means, they would prefer using digital media like mobile phones, smartphones or other kinds of digital resources instead of a fixed machine. The motive of the research was to find out the real scenario.

The findings are as follows:

50% of young people in their twenties gamble on various things, including horse/dog racing, sports betting, casino games, pokies, online non-sports etc. Scratchies and lotteries are not included here.
The gender split was kind of 58% men and 42% women.
Sports betting came out to be more popular than pokies. 42% are seen gambling minimum once every three months, 13% weekly and 16% monthly.
Pokies rank second with 33% playing once every 3 months, 12% monthly and 5% weekly. Occasional playing is attributed to 61%.
52% of youngsters who were surveyed earn more than $80K per annum with majority spending less than $50 a week on gambling. Most of the gamblers are modest and don’t want to take any kinds of risks.

The research also showed that 60% of the surveyed group visit a pub every month and30% visit a club. 22% gamble in a club while 26% gamble in pubs. When specific questions were asked on pokies, the numbers just reversed – 22% in pubs and 26% in clubs.

In the research it was established that pubs were better destinations for watching sports, enjoying food and drinks. However, when it came to playing pokies, clubs surely won over pubs greatly.

Many gamblers opine that they do not fancy playing at pokies in clubs, as the joints seem unfriendly and too dark. The majority who still play usually look for a game which is based on cost of play per spin. However, pokie players who are frequent and experienced will look for themed or classic games or search for jackpots.

When it comes to poker machines, what do the 20-somethings want from the device? The one thing they want is that all friends should be able to play together; there should be games of different skill levels and involvement; having an intense engagement, etc. However, there are many who want the place to be a place for socializing where they can eat, drink and enjoy some games. More than 50% of players wanted some element of skill which should be used in the machine play.

Conclusion:

Young gamblers are not very averse to pokies though there is a lot of negative publicity in the media regarding the same.
The market is quite large. Half of the people in their 20s are into gambling on pokies and almost 1/3rd playing pokies minimum once in 3 months.
New types of games can be tried in the pokies – skill based casual games need mention here along with electronic betting games.