Casino News Archives - Page 5 of 16

Five more offshore gambling sites fall to the ACMA hammer

October 23, 2021 by Admin

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) appears to be pursuing its mandate with enthusiasm and focus as it continues to restrict access to offshore gambling in Australia. Offshore gambling operators had flourished unchecked for years in the country before the ACMA resolved to deal with their presence.

The latest request from the ACMA to internet service providers (ISPs) is to suspend access to five new offshore websites, namely, Fight Club, Kim Vegas, Queenspins, Yoju Casino, and Spin Bit.

These brands were found to violate the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, legislation that forbids providing iGaming services to Australian nationals within the nation’s territory without appropriate licensing and approval. Australia currently has no online casinos that are legally permitted to operate.

Tips and Results

The ACMA’s latest action was prompted by numerous complaints that it received regarding the aforementioned websites that alleged they had been targeting customers. The watchdog subsequently stepped in and made its suspension request to the relevant ISPs.

The regulator sent out a warning in an official statement, saying,

“We are reminding people that even if a gambling service looks legitimate, it is unlikely to have important customer protections; this means Australians who use illegal gambling sites risk losing their money.”

On the Warpath

The ACMA’s crusade against offshore gambling websites commenced in 2019, and since then, the watchdog has blacklisted 324 websites with imposed restrictions. The regulator’s ruthless approach includes tactics like lodging formal complaints with overseas licensing authorities and has yielded favourable results, as demonstrated by the 147 unlicensed services that have voluntarily left the Australian market, rather than enduring suspension.

Pokies return to selected Sydney pubs and clubs

October 13, 2021 by Admin

Midnight, 11 October 2021 saw the end of Sydney’s lockdown for the vaccinated, with entertainment options opening up again, pokie enthusiasts will be thrilled to be able to get back to playing their favourite games.

Among the clubs that reopened their gaming lounges and other amenities are City Tattersalls, Wests Ashfield, Canterbury Leagues and Fairfield RSLA. The Easts Bondi Junction, for example, has advised that both its bar and gaming area, would operate from midnight until 06:00 while the establishment’s bistro will remain closed.

To celebrate the end of the lockdowns, several clubs have announced specials in the hopes of drawing crowds of the vaccinated to have a good time. Drinks will be almost half-off at City Tatts until the end of October with a $5000 cash draw for those who visit within the first five days.

Terms and conditions

Government legislation dictates that all visiting must be able to show proof of full vaccination. This requirement has raised the hackles of a few social media commenters, but was not met with any significant protest.

A spokesperson from ClubsNSW said that Sydney residents were eager to return to some semblance of normalcy after over 100 days in lockdown.

“While most clubs are opening during normal business hours tomorrow, a small number will open at 12.01 am in response to patron demand,” he said.

“People are understandably excited, as are club employees, many of whom haven’t worked since the end of June. It is also worth remembering that many clubs trade 24 hours a day in normal circumstances and always do so responsibly,” he added.

Pokie venues aren’t the only operations bracing for an influx of clientele. Businesses like hairdressers opened to fully booked chairs on Monday.

As part of its economic support initiative, the NSW government has postponed the due date for gaming machine taxes, giving clubs a break from paying gaming taxes for June-August until December 21. Hotels can similarly delay payment for April-September until January 21, 2022.

Star Sydney in New South Wales to face Crown-style inquest

September 17, 2021 by Admin

Star Entertainment Group, the owner of the Star Sydney in New South Wales (NSW), could have something to worry about if an examination of its casino property turns up anything but pristine records. This is because the casino is due to be put under the looking glass by Adam Bell SC, the same lawyer who was instrumental in prosecuting Crown Resorts in NSW, following revelations that the casino operator was no longer suitable to hold a gaming license in the state.

This move is far from unexpected as the fall of Crown Resorts has placed Australia’s entire casino industry under scrutiny, setting financial and gaming regulators on the warpath.

The official entities have begun taking a particular interest in all casino operations across the country. The NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) has requested that Bell examine if The Star Sydney is compliant and whether it should keep its casino license.

Adam Bell was the lead counsel in NSW’s inquest into Crown and his efforts contributed greatly to the company’s demise in the state. The forthcoming investigation forms part of a periodic requirement that states that all casinos in NSW must be reviewed every five years.

NSW on board with findings

Crown’s forced exit from NSW was precipitated by recommendations that were included in the Bergin Report, named for Patricia Bergin, the former Supreme Court Judge who headed the inquiry. The state government went with all of the recommendations in the report, including removing Crown’s license and putting new regulatory oversight in place. This ready acceptance indicates that the NSW government is likely to welcome Bell’s final review.

The ILGA Chair, Philip Crawford said,

“These reviews are carried out with the co-operation of the casino operator to ensure the casino remains free from criminal influence or exploitation and doesn’t cause harm to the public interest.”

“Mr Bell was the lead senior counsel assisting the Bergin Inquiry into Crown Resorts’ Barangaroo casino and, as such, has extensive knowledge of casino regulatory matters in NSW including the issues of concern identified in the Bergin Report. This experience provides Mr Bell with a deep understanding of the current casino landscape which will be invaluable for this role,” he added.

The Australian financial watchdog, AUSTRAC (the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre), has advised that Crown is far from the only casino operator operating beyond regulatory boundaries. With this in mind, Bell has a substantial starting position to proceed from. The Star Sydney inquiry is expected to take up significantly less time than that of Crown’s and it is expected that the findings should be made available by January 2022.

Extra Sydney gaming machine hopes for Australian casino operator Star

August 21, 2021 by Admin

Australia’s second-largest casino operator, Star Entertainment Group Ltd, recently revealed that it intends to negotiate with the New South Wales government for an increase in the permitted number of gaming machines at its Sydney property.

This announcement coincides with the torrid fortunes that the operator’s biggest rival, Crown Resorts Ltd finds itself embroiled in. Crown’s flagship Sydney operation has been the subject of numerous allegations of money laundering and governance transgression.

Earlier in the year, an industry regulator declared Crown unsuitable to hold a gambling licence for its Sydney resort unless sweeping changes to its board and culture were urgently implemented.

Star released an official statement, saying that its Sydney venue is currently allowed 1500 gaming machines on its premises. The operator maintained that this was far less than the number allowed at Crown’s casinos in Perth and Melbourne.

Star, which recently withdrew its A$9 billion ($6.53 billion) buyout proposal for Crown, further stated that It would enter into negotiations with the New South Wales government shortly.

Judge scoffs as Crown asks to be trusted to run Melbourne casino

August 3, 2021 by Admin

Ray Finkelstein, a former judge in charge of determining whether Crown Resorts should retain its licence to run its Melbourne casino has drawn comparisons between Crown’s position and that of a car thief asking to be left to their own devices. The former federal court judge made his statements amid submissions made by counsel for the company, Michael Borsky QC regarding Crown’s fitness to keep its licence.

The counsel for the commission, Adrian Finanzio, advised Finkelstein that his recommendation to the government should be that that the company have its license revoked.

Borsky put it to the commission that Crown had confessed to and apologised for its transgressions at the current inquiry and one that took place earlier in NSW. The allegations that the operator admitted to include failing to pay tens of millions in state taxes and turning a blind eye to money laundering conducted by its customers. Borsky stated that while these actions may make it, the company has promised to reform.

Finkelstein countered, stating that Borsky’s proposal that a monitor be appointed to oversee the running of the casino was “risk-free” for Crown, saying,

“You’d pay unpaid taxes, pay a few costs, but you don’t actually suffer any consequence, that is you can commit wrong for a decade, of various kinds, and come along and say, ‘Well, we’ve fixed it, so don’t worry about it’. If I was a car thief, and went to the criminal court and said, ‘I’m not going to steal a car again, don’t worry about it, take my word for it,’ and they just let me go, it’s really not how the system works, is it?”

“Not only is it not how the system works, it’s not what the public expects,” he continued.

Finkelstein argued that Crown Melbourne’s current state of profitability runs counter to the claim that the 12 500 jobs at the casino, which is the state’s biggest single-site employer, would be in jeopardy if the operator’s licence was cancelled.

“The choice might be between you running the casino or someone else running the casino, if it is a profitable business, the way industry works is that someone will always step in,” he remarked.

Borsky also pointed to the imminent resignation of Helen Coonan, Crown’s executive chair, before the end of the month and asked that she and Xavier Walsh, the Melbourne chief executive, should have no findings made against them.

The government of Victoria announced that it would be establishing a new regulator to combat criticism that the existing authority had failed to address the history of transgressions at Crown Melbourne.

Crown issued a statement to the stock exchange that revealed that Walsh would be stepping down from his position of Melbourne CEO on 20 August, but “will remain available to assist the company until his employment at Crown ends on 9 December 2021”.

It has been less than a year since Walsh assumed his role, after his appointment in December 2020.

“Crown will announce an interim appointment for the role of CEO Crown Melbourne following consultation with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation,” the company said in the statement.

The Victorian government revealed that it intends to divide the VCGLR, coming within a hair’s breadth of creating a stand-alone regulator exclusively tasked with dealing with the embattled Melbourne casino. Victoria’s gaming minister, Melissa Horne, stated that the new Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission would create a division to deal with Crown in a manner that would “hold the casino to account”.

“That is the advice that we received, there are very few jurisdictions in the world that have dedicated casino regulators,” Horne said.

She continued, adding that this action would involve “undoing the failed experiment of the past” that combined liquor and gaming regulation in the same body and the new organisation would “focus on harm minimisation”.

The VCGLR released a statement saying that it would “continue to deliver high-quality regulation of the gaming and liquor industries without disruption to regulatory activity as the new regulator is established”.

Finkelstein’s report on the royal commission’s findings is expected to be published on 15 October.

The 2021 Australasian Gaming Expo

July 28, 2021 by Admin

The Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) is an annual ceremony that regularly draws over 7000 attendees, with top speakers and technology, gaming and hospitality industry experts among them.

The event was first established in 1990 and is now the third-largest gaming and hospitality trade show across the globe.

The 31st edition of the expo will run from the 10th to the 12th of August in 2022. The event has been described as a showcase for new products and services and an environment rich with networking opportunities, and new possible business partners. There is much insight to be gained from the various seminars on offer and online and land-based casino operators along with players will have a wide selection of learning experiences available.

Massive scale

The Expo houses over 200 exhibitions over a 19 000m2 area. The event brings software providers, casino operators and owners, gambling regulators, hospitality and tech experts, designers, and marketers, together to exhibit and discover new tech, products and services.

AGE is a vital fixture for Australia and Asia’s gaming and hospitality industries as it offers immeasurable value for exhibitors and visitors. Close to 75% of the exhibition space is consistently snapped up by repeat exhibitors, allowing players to see what their favourite providers have to offer each year. The exhibitors also gain from instant feedback, allowing them to tweak forthcoming products and services.

Be there

AGE 2021 was initially scheduled for August 2021 but was postponed to 2022 in response to COVID-19 restrictions that have left Sydney in a state of seemingly perpetual lockdown. The event is scheduled to take place at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Sydney and will be organized by Gaming Technologies Association (GTA). The exhibitors will include game providers, security solution firms, banking solution firms, and app solutions among others. Visitors will recognize popular brands like Ainsworth, Atlas, Konami, Aristocrat, Brintons, BSG Australia, IGT, Bingo Australia, and BankTech.

Expectations for AGE 2021 are high while many are hopeful that by the time the event is set to kick-off, the need for pandemic-related lockdowns will have been negated.

Not the only show in town

A trade show that managed to retain its 2021 date is the ‘Regulating the Game’ initiative launched by SENET, the Australian advisory on gambling law, regulation and compliance. The event is geared towards educating organizations in the gambling sector. The event will run from the 8th to the 13th of August 2021, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Aside from the world-class training program, top speakers from the gaming industry will be on hand to share their expertise. Regulating The Game came about thanks to the collaboration between SENET and ICGR UNLV and is particularly targeted at casino operators and owners but is open to the public. Major players in the gaming industry, like Entain, Curby Mc Lintock, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), and Palmerbet are on hand to sponsor attendees.

SkyCity Adelaide closes doors again… for now

July 24, 2021 by Admin

A recent announcement SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited revealed that SkyCity Adelaide would be temporarily closed due to a fresh COVID-19 outbreak. This goes hand-in-hand. This aligns with the level four restrictions currently being enforced across South Australia, which has mandated the closure of all non-essential businesses.

The lockdown restrictions have been implemented for four days, but until then the several measures have been put in place. In addition to all non-essential businesses being closed, it is mandatory to wear a mask in public, large public gatherings are banned, and customers at indoor food and beverage outlets must remain seated.

Eos still in business

The casino’s 120-room luxury hotel, Eos, has been allowed to keep trading, although, without the gaming options, it seems unlikely that it will attract many guests.

In an official statement, SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited explained that the venue would remain open “to accommodate hotel guests currently staying in-house pending further advice from the South Australian government.”

The venue is far from the only Australian casino to find itself temporarily closed. State and local leaders across the country have been obliged to continue with business lockdowns.

Casinos across New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland such as Star Sydney and Crown Melbourne have been temporarily closed along with pubs and clubs that have also felt the sting of suspending their operations.

Ceaseless outbreaks

Australia’s positive infection statistics trend took a dive in mid-June when a limousine driver got infected after driving an airline crew to their hotel. This resulted in the proliferation of the feared delta variant, a far more contagious strain than previous COVID-19 versions.

Sydney currently has over 1000 infections and the spread of the virus has been difficult to get a handle on, with hot spots appearing and disappearing across the nation, seemingly at random.

Removalists in the crosshairs

Residents have placed the blame for the latest outbreak squarely on the shoulders of a group of ‘removalists’ who ignored lockdown restrictions, travelling from Sydney to Victoria and South Australia. Two of this for the virus and it was revealed that their trip across the three states had included numerous stops.

A pair of twins from the group has felt the heat for their actions as their identities have become public, resulting in a cascade of threats and derision. In an interview, one of the brothers revealed that he had been contacted by the health department, but he was not able to understand them.

“I swear to God, I didn’t know I was positive,” he pleaded.

The brothers were slapped with an $11,000 fine each and narrowly avoided a six-month jail sentence. More misfortune was heaped on the pair when both of their parents contracted COVID with their mother passing away from a heart attack shortly thereafter.

COVID-19 essential facts

Collectively fighting the virus means always being cognizant of the various symptoms associated with the disease. The symptoms normally appear within 14 days of exposure, while some individuals may remain asymptomatic, but still able to infect others.

The most common signs that you may have contracted COVID are fever, night sweats, coughing, sore throat, fatigue, runny nose/congestion, and headaches. Other symptoms include loss of taste or smell, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, and joint/muscle pain.

The more severe effects of the infection are even more alarming and can result in hospitalisation. Severe suffers have been afflicted with Loss of movement and speech, difficulty breathing, chest pressure/pain.

Experts have noted that the Delta variant is now the country’s dominant strain, so if you experience a sore throat, runny nose, fever, or headache, it might be best to get to a doctor soon.

COVID-19 curbs Australasian Gaming Expo

July 21, 2021 by Admin

Australia’s Department of Health has taken an aggressive stance in light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the country, extending the NSW lockdown indefinitely. This has left the Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) organisers with no choice but to postpone the event.

Chris Muir, the CEO of the Gaming Technologies Association (GTA), that organises the AGE said,

“Given the proximity to the AGE, border closures, and the unknown restrictions of the government’s ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown, we needed to act now. We have not forgotten the heightened risk that this Delta variant poses for everyone at this time.”

The GTA and its intended venue, the ICC Sydney, explored the possibility of alternative dates for the event, but due to the sheer scale of the expo, no 2021 dates could be finalised.

The 31st AGE will now take place from 9 to 11 August 2022 and while some exhibitors have expressed disappointment at the postponement, many are still eager to showcase their new products, services, and innovations.

“We’ve seen significant initiatives from AGE exhibitors over the last eighteen months as they support businesses with technology and physical distancing measures and we’ll continue to connect buyers with sellers as our industry once again begins its road-to-recovery,” Muir concluded.

Early Barangaroo opening hopes crushed by Crown’s mounting woes

June 29, 2021 by Admin

The purportedly imminent opening of Sydney’s Barangaroo casino has become much less of a certainty of late following damning evidence revealed at the Victorian royal commission.

ILGA, the New South Wales gaming watchdog may have also suffered slight reputational damage due to its chairman, Phil Crawford’s relatively recent pronouncements that Crown Resorts would likely soon be able to achieve suitability and open its Barangaroo casino palace.

Crawford’s misguided optimism can be forgiven, however, as at the time, Crown NSW seemed certain to weather the inquest relatively unscathed. The ILGA had expressed confidence that Crown would deal with the array of accusations fielded at it by the regulator’s inquiry headed by Patricia Bergin.

The ILGA’s reform outline was meant to allow Crown to reinvent itself as a transformed casino operator with an all-new board and a senior management team geared at enforcing anti-money laundering measures, free from the influence of the operation’s largest shareholder, James Packer.

As things stand, Crown seems ill-positioned to achieve a renaissance with its current chairman and long-serving director Helen Coonan still in her position. It would seem that her retirement or removal is essential to taking the first step to recovery.

A tough spot

Crown’s recent fortunes have been anything but favourable as news of the operator’s various transgressions are now widespread. The rising awareness of the situation should be of particular interest to Crawford who would have to face the PR fallout of approving Crown’s license while the company is under such scrutiny.

The Victorian royal commission for its part is under the impression that some of the more publicly identified issues are less important than other, more insidious ones. While Crown’s top layer of executives and its board shoulder much of the blame, the organisation’s culture is where critical problems emerge.

The commission is combing through Crown’s operations with meticulous attention, examining its opaque practices, its tendency to prioritise commercial gains over its duty to obey the law, and its outward defiance of the regulator with threats the company has made to plead its case directly with the state government, effectively undermining its authority.

Ray Finkelstein, who heads the Victorian inquest along with his team, seems sceptical of the evidence presented by some former and current staff members as some of them seem to have poor memories about the events in question.

Crowns most recent setback has been the emerging news that it failed to pay as much as $270 million in state taxes, a detail that Coonan was privy to in February. It has been shown that Crown regularly deducted items like free accommodation, meals, alcohol and other perks offered to loyal customers from its gross revenue before calculating tax.

Crown was forced to admit that this information should have been presented to the royal commission at a much earlier time, giving further weight to the perception that the casino promotes an internal culture of concealment.

The casino has also participated in the illegal practice of allowing its customers to use credit cards to purchase gambling chips for some time now, creating more stains that the operator will not easily be able to wipe clean.

There is currently also no existing full audit of the breadth and width of the money laundering activity at Crown’s casinos. Deloitte, which is currently performing an independent audit of the company’s accounts, has yet to release its findings, which will not include Crown’s other internal patron ledgers, known as the DAB accounts.

While the auditor was unable to uncover any recent evidence of ‘structuring’ money laundering, there are many other ways to conceal this illegal activity.

The hottest potato that Crown is currently attempting to palm is likely the company’s lack of adherence to the responsible gambling regulations. An absence of training and a scarcity of resources have also been noted.

News Corp Australia poised to launch betting brand

June 11, 2021 by Admin

Recent media reports have revealed that News Corp Australia is close to the final steps of launching a sports betting brand. This could signal big news for the Australian gambling sector, amidst a bidding war that is arising over ownership of Tabcorp’s flagging wagering division.

News Corp Australia

News Corp Australia is one of the country’s biggest media conglomerates with a staff complement of around 8000 individuals. Their interests include newspapers and film distribution.

The company was first opened in 1923 by James Edward Davidson. A minority interest in the company was later purchased by Sir Keith Murdoch in 1949, leading to his eventual control over the company. When Sir Keith passed away in 1952, his son, Rupert transformed the business into a media conglomerate with News Corp as the foundation.

News Corp Australia currently owns 142 newspapers and 30 magazines. The firm holds a majority share of Foxtel and owns the Australian News Channel along with its investment in the Brisbane Broncos. Recently the company has accelerated its website creation and acquisition and now counts KidSpot, Business Spectator, The Punch, and the online version of The Australian as some of its properties.

FOX Bet in focus

At the moment, News Corp is negotiating with American-based Fox Corp for its FOX Bet brand, an online sports betting platform that can operate legally in the U.S. states of Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.

As both companies are controlled by the Murdoch family, there should be no obstacles to a fruitful resolution and once the deal is finalised, News Corp would gain the licensing rights to the FOX Bet name. The deal is likely to be a non-cash one, with ad credits from The Daily Telegraph, The Herald Sun, The Australian, and Foxtel serving as legal tender.

In the absence of any official confirmation of the deal’s finalisation, some insider sources have said negotiations are at an “advanced stage.”

The maverick

Matthew Tripp, the former head of Sportsbet and the founder of BetEasy invested $25 million in sports betting technology company BetMakers in February, simultaneously signing on as an advisor. He has stated that he intends to ease both of their expansions into the U.S. and Australian markets.

BetMakers recently offered a bid of AU$4 billion to acquire the assets of Aussie bookmaker Tabcorp and Tripp is a member of a consortium currently in negotiations with News Corp.

If things go according to his plan, Tripp could find himself running both Tabcorp and FOX Bet in tandem. BetMakers would then be perfectly situated to supply the back-end systems needed by News Corp.

What’s on the horizon?

Tabcorp’s dismal fate offered News Corp an opportunity to grow its empire and this latest development is sure to send ripples across the Australian sports betting sphere.

Tripp’s extensive experience virtually assures that FOX Bet would grow significantly with him at the helm, and with the News Corp media empire, he will have all the advertising resources he needs at his fingertips.

News Corp can boast a so far illustrious history in the Australian betting market. The company operates the Racenet and Punters websites, as well as Foxtel that streams live sports odds. All of this demonstrates what a dominant force News Corp has risen to become in the Aussie market, presenting a significant mountain to climb for any competitors who seek to dethrone them.