Online Casino and Pokie Gambling News

Win $5,000 daily with Crown Rewards

May 7, 2022 by Admin

Crown Melbourne is having an almost month-long giveaway of daily draws with $5000 cash prizes from 11 May to 5 June 2022.

Get started by making sure you’re a Crown Rewards member and register your digital entry at any Voucher Issuance Kiosk (VIK) between 6.00 am and 8.15 pm. The prize draw takes place every day at 8.25 pm, with the winner being announced 5 minutes later.

Each valid entry gets you one shot at the daily draw and winners will be announced on the main casino floor. Your entries won’t roll over to the next day and remember that Crown Melbourne is following a strict COVIDSafe Plan and vaccination policy.

The Secret is in the Card

Crown Rewards members earn points with their special membership cards by performing simple entertainment activities like dining at participating restaurants, playing on the casino floor, or booking a stay at one of Crown’s three hotels.

The four-tier loyalty programme features various perks and benefits and you ascend them by earning more points.

For example, 500 Casino Points equal 1 Status Credit while you need 1500 lifestyle points from spending at Crown’s hotels, bars, and shopping facilities, among others, to gain 1 status credit.

It takes 100 status credits to reach the ultimate platinum tier where you will enjoy exclusive perks like access to The Mahogany Room and Teak Room with a personal host, free valet parking, bubbly and chocolates on your birthday, and special discounts across Crown’s facilities.

The exclusive Black Tier is by Invitation only and is often reserved for VIPs.

You can track your status credits progression by logging into the Crown Rewards Member Hub or at any VIK machine.

Your membership tier is decided by the point that you earn within a six-month Membership Cycle and minimum entry requirements apply.

Aristocrat lays foundations for new pokie machine plant

May 4, 2022 by Admin

Australia-based Aristocrat Gaming recently began construction on its new 265,240 square-foot pokie machine production facility located in Henderson, Nevada.

The property’s layout is split between production warehouse facilities and some office space.

Over 150 Aristocrat employees, sporting purple shirts were in attendance at the ground-breaking ceremony that was headed up by the company’s top brass and Henderson’s Mayor, Debra March. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2023.

Several other dignitaries showed up for the occasion, including Dane Hudson, the Special Projects & Grants Director at the Office of Senator Jacky Rosen and a couple of other district directors, along with Scott Muelrath, the president and CEO of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce.

Proud Progress

Aristocrat’s President of Americas and EMEA, Tom O’Brien said,

“We are thrilled to build our new manufacturing facility in Henderson as we continue to refine our efficiencies and provide the best product. We have complete confidence that our team members will use this new facility to its full capacity to create the best experience for our customers for years to come.”

Deanne McKissick, the Senior Vice President of Customer Order Execution at Aristocrat added,

“This will be our Las Vegas Integration Centre from which we will ship the company’s EGMs (electronic gaming machines) to locations in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and, Europe,”

The new Las Vegas Integration Center is not Aristocrat’s only project in the area. The company already operates a two-building campus in Summerlin, Las Vegas.

Aristocrat’s iconic legacy includes the highly popular Buffalo franchise, Dollar Storm, Dragon Link, Lightning Link, and a host of branded pokies based on properties like Dune, FarmVille, and The Walking Dead.

The location of the new manufacturing centre will be off Volunteer Boulevard at Pollack Street, sandwiched between the M Resort and the Las Vegas Raiders team HQ.

Evolution upgrades an Indian classic in the multiplier-rich Super Andar Bahar

April 30, 2022 by Admin

Evolution has unveiled its newest iGaming innovation, Super Andar Bahar. The inventive title puts a twist on the traditional Indian card game, integrating side bets that bring the chance for multipliers up to 4000x.

Playing the game is simple, all you have to do is predict which side of the table, the Bahar side or the Andar side, a card that matches the card dealt first will land. This first card is called the ‘Joker’ or the ‘house card’.

While Evolution’s take is a faithful recreation of this cultural classic, it also comes enhanced with ten simple optional side bets. The side bets allow you to predict when the matching card will come up, giving you the chance to get huge multipliers. Between one and five random multipliers are randomly applied to the side bet odds with every round.

Todd Haushalter, the Chief Product Officer at Evolution remarked,

“Central to our product strategy is giving players everything they want and even some things they don’t know they want. We are delighted to have done just that by bringing a super-special version of the Indian classic Andar Bahar to Evolution’s live casino. Andar Bahar is well known throughout India and it’s a great game how it is. However, we could not resist the temptation to spice it up a little with a series of side bets that allow players to win astronomically high multipliers, which is something we felt was missing from this superb game.”

“I think players are going to appreciate how we kept the base game traditional in every way but added this fun twist as an optional side bet. And there’s more to come! To further support this market, we will be launching another popular Indian card game, Teen Patti, later this year,” he concluded.

NSW steps back from cashless gambling card positivity

April 27, 2022 by Admin

The introduction of cashless gaming cards in NSW once seemed like a certainty, but now these plans appear to have fallen out of favour. The state government now seems to be favouring the concept of opt-in digital payments and critics of this new direction have stated that it would do little to minimise gambling harm and nothing to prevent money-laundering activities.

Decision Makers

The Customer Service and Digital Minister, Victor Dominello, proposed in 2020 that both casual and problem gamblers should be required to load all their gambling funds onto smart cards.

This concept was a component of a wider initiative to introduce cashless gambling which saw the trial introduction of cashless gaming machines, hosted by the Wests City venue in Newcastle.

The card idea was also supported by former Supreme Court judge Patricia Bergin, who Dominello appointed to administer an investigation into Crown Resorts. The former judge subsequently advised that cashless cards would be an effective tool in the effort against money laundering, while ultimately abstaining from directly endorsing them.

Since then the push for cashless gambling has garnered a mixed bag of support from the NSW cabinet. Dominello was subsequently replaced by Hospitality and Racing Minister, Kevin Anderson. This move was regarded by many as punishment as his suggestions had caused concern among several prominent industry groups.

The Alliance for Gambling Reform’s chief advocate, Reverend Tim Costello, recently spoke in a media interview, saying that he is against a mandatory cashless gaming card administered by the government. He indicated that he was somewhat in favour of digital payments, but only as an “opt-in”.

The government has advised that it is examining the findings of the ongoing NSW Crime Commission inquiry, which it says is a vital source of information about the connection between organised crime and pokie machine-related money laundering activities.

In the balance

Cashless gambling’s future currently looks uncertain as stakeholders all wait to see what comes of the government’s deliberations. ClubsNSW’s CEO, Josh Landis, has spoken in support of the inquiry in the past and advised that the organisation looks forward to a fair valuation of the issue, which will enable clubs to do their part to combat organised crime.

On the other hand, NSW upper house independent MP, Justin Field recently accused the government of being intimidated by the clubs and hotel associations that are primarily concerned with safeguarding their pokies revenue.

“The idea that organised criminals would ‘opt in’ to a digital wallet is fanciful nonsense that will keep open the door to money laundering through poker machines in NSW,” Field remarked.

NSW regulators and Crown Sydney still hammering out gambling resumption agreement

April 23, 2022 by Admin

Crown Sydney’s gambling operations remain closed, contradicting the expectation that had been conveyed by the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (NSWILGA) earlier in February, that gaming activities would likely resume in March.

When questioned on the matter by Sky News, the regulatory body advised that it is working with Crown Resorts to ensure that its Sydney property is in good enough stead to hold a casino license.

“The Authority is continuing discussions with Crown about a conditional opening of gaming at Crown Sydney,” an NSW ILGA spokesperson said while speaking to the broadcaster.

The agreement to get Crown Sydney operational again requires the approval of numerous parties and is reportedly not impacted by the regulator’s investigation into rival casino operator, Star.

Road to Recovery

Crown’s recent legal woes have precipitated significant recent developments, all geared towards ensuring that the operator can retain its casino operating licenses.

The Australian federal government’s Foreign Investment Review Board recently agreed to a plan that would allow the US-based Blackstone Group Incorporated to acquire the company.

In 2021, the operator’s casino license for its new Crown Sydney development was withdrawn, following a state-run inquiry’s findings that Crown may have enabled various cases of money laundering due to its relationships with foreign junket firms.

The company subsequently launched a wide-ranging reform initiative that saw a near-complete restructuring of its board of directors, with Blackstone’s purchase offer set to re-legitimise Crown’s reputation.

The Blackstone Group currently operates the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas and is awaiting a determining shareholder vote that Crown is expected to hold in April, May or June 2022, to hear whether its acquisition offer has been accepted. In the interim, various Australian state and federal organisations are probing Blackstone’s affairs for any hint of impropriety.

IGT and Aristocrat ink broad patent cross-licensing agreement

April 20, 2022 by Admin

International Game Technology (IGT) recently revealed that it had finalised a broad patent cross-licensing deal with Aristocrat Leisure Limited. This agreement includes prized patents for game features and remote game server technologies.

The agreement enables IGT to now offer licenses for the companies’ joint game feature and RGS patent portfolio to the international gaming industry.

At this point, there is no information available regarding the financial terms of the agreement.

Renato Ascoli, IGT’s CEO of Global Gaming said,

“This agreement extends and expands the previous patent cross-license between IGT and Aristocrat. This combination of two of the gaming industry’s most valuable game features and RGS patent portfolios can help propel the evolution of gaming with compelling content and advanced game mechanics. We look forward to providing the entire gaming industry with the opportunity to license IGT and Aristocrat patents, particularly the compelling content resulting from our combined RGS portfolios, in the spirit of competition and innovation.”

Aristocrat has experienced buoyant fortunes lately with Australian investment bank Citi sharing its opinion that the company’s mobile gaming business and new market opportunities make it an ideal choice for investors.

Aristocrat on the Rise

The financial firm elaborated on its stance in an official statement, saying,

“Aristocrat represents a compelling long-term growth story, with exposure to ongoing growth in mobile game penetration and potential to grow into new markets. The Gaming business offers annuity-like earnings through its Class III gaming operations. In Digital, we believe the market is implying at least three new hit titles across the RPG, Action, Strategy, and Social Casual genres by FY24e, putting pressure on recent releases to be successful. In contrast, expectations appear reasonable for the higher-margin Social Casino genre where Aristocrat is a market leader.”

This is a marked improvement to what was a somewhat disappointing start to the year when the company’s bid to acquire iGaming provider Playtech stalled and ultimately fell through.

Star Entertainment faces possibly devastating inquest outcome

April 16, 2022 by Admin

The New South Wales investigation into Star Entertainment is in full swing as it takes testimony from the operator’s executives, the content of which prompted one hearing leader to label the company’s conduct as “out of control.”

Vigorous Inquest

Previous and current executives from Star Entertainment have spoken before the enquiry which has so far determined that the casino operator has breached several regulations. It has emerged that the Star Sydney fabricated records to conceal how VIP gamblers’ funds were handled and permitted large transactions without the appropriate money-management measures. The large amount of information uncovered by the investigation has resulted in a request for its term to be extended.

While Star will most likely retain the privilege to be a casino operator in Australia, its current management may have to go first, as its unveiled history of flouting financial and gaming regulations comes to the fore.

Marcus Lim, a former Star executive, was subjected to an internal investigation in 2019 following allegations of misconduct relating to his management activity, compensation, a “Suncity conflict,” and unauthorised use of a VIP comp program, among others.

The investigation was prompted by issues that arose around an international rebate program that was allegedly managed recklessly by Lim.

Naomi Sharp, an attorney assisting the NSW hearing countered that as far as she could recall, the allegations against Lim were not presented to the board. She added that if this had been the case, this matter would be reflected in board meeting minutes. It was pointed out, however, that as Star has previously conducted secret board meetings, the matter is still up for scrutiny.

Added Woes

As if these accusations weren’t damning enough, information surrounding the Chinese UnionPay (CUP) program frequently came up. Under the programme, the operation allegedly looked the other way while Chinese VIPs exchanged large amounts of money at Star Sydney, a flagrant violation of policies. The casino supposedly facilitated these illegal transactions, labelling the cash withdrawals as accommodation expenses.

Paula Martin, Star’s chief legal and risk manager was alleged to have supported these activities, leading Sharp to remark that she had “behaved completely unethically.” Martin, for her part, stated that this practice was never meant to break any rules. She explained that Star used the program to provide accessible funds for gambling.

Suncity Issue Re-emerges

The inquiry has dredged up the existing issue of the dubious relationship between Star and Suncity, a junket operator that previously operated with impunity, but now finds itself in peril under the gaze of intensified examination. The nature of this relationship has been laid bare by the testimony of the executives, increasingly placing the operator’s future in jeopardy.

Martin admitted that Star overlooked a “myriad of transgressions” where Suncity was concerned as stories of irregular cash-for-chips exchanges, duffel bags of cash being stored on-site, and unauthorised access to restricted areas emerged.

Martin was allegedly fully aware of the transgressions as they happened and admitted to not informing regulators at the time, while in the same breath admitting that doing it “would have been beneficial”.

The fallout from this scandal has already claimed a top job at the company, with Star’s CEO, Matt Bekier, resigning as a result. The board appears to be in the process of cleaning house with rumours of more high-level departures currently circulating.

Illicit incentive offered to at-risk pokies players at NSW venues

April 13, 2022 by Admin

An investigation has been launched into allegations that a pub owner has been offering free drinks and weekly cash handouts up to $1,050 to habitual pokies players.

The allegations emerged after two pokie players and a former employee of the Marlow Hotel Group, the owner of several Sydney bars, claimed that the venues gave perks to problem gamblers to encourage them to keep playing.

NSW legislation states that prizes and promotions linked to for pokies are only permitted if they are valued below $1,000 and are not redeemable for cash. The accusers shared that dedicated punters were offered private reward cards with $150 daily credit that could be withdrawn as cash or used to purchase food and cigarettes.

The daily allowance was reportedly made up of three $50 amounts that players could use at three venues, namely, The Bank Tavern in Kogarah, Intersection Hotel in Ramsgate, and the Royal Hotel in Carlton.

Facing the Music

The Marlow Hotel Group, which owns the three aforementioned venues, responded to the allegations via a statement from its Managing Director, Jason Marlow, who explained that the cards in question were not offered or operational anymore. Marlow said in a media interview, “the loyalty program is not in existence, it was abandoned more than three years ago in 2019.”

The probe into whether any laws were breached is being conducted by Liquor and Gaming NSW which heard that the incentives were offered to around 15 to 20 players per venue.

The former employee had stated that those who spent more were given a lot of free drinks and meals, “that was just run off as wastage or promotion/miscellaneous on the books,” and added that it had been hard to watch players gamble away their money, with many losing up to $1000 per session.

The former Marlow Group worker spoke about a situation that they found particularly upsetting.

“A woman came in who inherited a nice house on a corner block in Kogarah. It was probably worth more than $1 million. She sold the house and three years later she was broke because she gambled everything,” he recalled.

He added that the scheme has been a relatively open secret at the pubs, with all parties involved being heavily invested in keeping it as concealed as possible.

Flouting the Law

Further details emerged, including that players who had previously requested self-exclusion, were allowed into the Carlton pub and now Liquor and Gaming NSW has stated its intent to uncover whether the rewards offered run afoul of the Gaming Machines Act.

The regulator sought to clarify the issue in an official statement that read,

“In some circumstances, venues can operate a rewards scheme whereby gaming machine players can gain points to be redeemed for promotional prizes valued at less than $1,000. Liquor and Gaming NSW regularly monitors venues’ rewards schemes to ensure they are lawful and do not increase risks of gambling-related harm.”

Liquor and Gaming NSW added that venues are not allowed to offer alcohol as an inducement to gamble or to encourage more frequent gambling.

The Marlow Hotel Group has previously found itself in hot water for similar allegations, with its Parramatta Rose and Crown Hotel being fined $107,358 in February 2022, after it came to light that money from the venue was loaned to gamblers and that free alcohol and cigarettes were given as inducements.

Microgaming delivers an amazing April variety of premium pokies and games

April 9, 2022 by Admin

Fans of Microgaming’s engaging titles from its exclusive studios and innovative content partners have a lot to celebrate this April as the provider releases its monthly list of exciting iGaming content.

25,000 Talons by Alchemy Gaming is first up on 5 April and offers a high volatility close-up view of some of North America’s most impressive wildlife. Take flight with a majestic bald eagle or run with a cougar as the game’s animal-themed free spins choices and random fire spins deliver ferocious winning chances. Take the Wheel Bonus for a spin to claim up to 25 000x in prizes

If you’re in the mood for some glam casino action, Vegas Cash by Spinplay Games arrives on 7 April. Palm trees at sunset on the Vegas Boulevard stand in the background as cash flashes across the double 5×3 reel sets. Stack up the Copycash wilds to hit huge wins and jump into the VIP High Roller feature to claim multipliers and jackpots.

Switch Studios’ Premier Blackjack with Buster Blackjack goes live on 11 April and gives you the chance to play up to 4 Blackjack hands at the same time, while you make use of side bets. Also making an appearance from the same developer is Auto Roulette on 20 April.

Go on another adventure into the bowels of the earth on 12 April with All41 Studios and its new pokie, Gold Collector: Diamond Edition. The 5×4 reel, highly volatile game comes enhanced with the Link&Win mechanic and explosive free spins with coins and diamonds that trigger jackpot prizes of up to 5000x.

Win in style in the glamorous Royal League Spin City Lux by GONG Gaming Technologies on 13 April. The 5×3 reels reveal a lifestyle of opulent wealth with cash, sports cars, and diamonds appearing as symbols on the reels. Roll the dice and test your luck with the Royal League Jackpot where the right move means taking up to 10 000x in jackpot prizes home.

19 April might see temperatures soar with the release of Just For The Win’s Wildfire Wins. This fruit machine pokie boasts a flame motif and a 5-reel layout with 50 paylines. The game features sticky wilds, and the multiplier-rich Wildfire respins alongside the Wildfire Wheels bonus that presents a 3-level bonus wheel with up to 10 000x in prizes available.

Rhino Rilla Rex is a madcap sci-fi fuelled rampage by Crazy Tooth Studios and it crashes onto your screen on 21 April. The titular beasts merge their strength to generate amazing winning opportunities on the 5×5 reel, 3125 payline grid. Wins are possible from anywhere on the reels thanks to the Any Adjacent Pays mechanic and when more than one of the creatures appears on the reels at the same time, the Team-Up feature activates, revealing a separate game board that awards you instant prizes and multipliers.

Conjure yourself a jackpot with Northern Lights Gaming’s Magical Reels on 25 April. Combine potions on the reels to claim great wins and collect special stars that trigger the bonus round, an enchanting free spins festival with multipliers and extra spins.

On 26 April, Pearfiction’s Dungeons and Diamonds take you on an action-packed fantasy adventure where a dragon’s hoard of gold and gems is your quarry. Gather your resolve and tackle this 5-reel, 40 payline pokie to claim up to over 56000x your stake in amazing prizes with the respin-enhanced free spins bonus round.

Join a smiling redhead in the beautiful Irish landscape on 27 April with the launch of Fiona’s Fortune by Gold Coin Studios. Claim 5000x jackpot prize when gold coins activate a colourful jackpot wheel.

Lay your cards on the table and win with Real Dealer Studios and its new Dealers Club Roulette innovation on 25 April. The authentic casino environment introduces a selection of friendly dealers displayed crisply in cinema-quality video. You can have up to nine pre-set special bets and change things up with the Racetrack board.

Microgaming’s partner network has also come out swinging with a selection of punchy titles set for your screen. Hacksaw Gaming’s grisly Gladiator Legends is ready to fight on 07 April and Khan’s Wild Quest by Booming Games arrives on 14 April. MGA introduces its new Eugenio game on 25 April while Iron Dog Studio gets feral on 27 April with its release of Wolf Strike. Inspired Gaming rounds off the month with the launch of Follow the Honey on 28 April.

Gaming and Wagering Commission bolsters its position with new members

April 5, 2022 by Admin

The Australian State Government has added new members to the Gaming and Wagering Commission (GWC) as it continues its response to the Perth Casino Royal Commission

The appointments were made by Racing and Gaming Minister, Dr Tony Buti, who selected Colin Murphy and Dr Michael Schaper for the roles. Both bring a wealth of experience to the administration, which is in charge of regulating gaming and wagering in Western Australia.

This move is part of a series of actions planned by the State Government to strengthen the regulatory framework that governs Western Australia’s casino industry. The appointment of the new members to the GWC was high on the list of the priorities set by the State Government in its recent response to the Royal Commission.

Distinguished Candidates

Colin Murphy recently served as a Commissioner on the Perth Casino Royal Commission and was WA’s 18th Auditor General, following a lengthy career in State Government leadership roles.

Dr Schaper is a seasoned board chair, economic policy and development consultant, and company director with a history peppered with work and academic accomplishments that directly relate to his new GWC role. He previously served as deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Future-Proof

Responding to the Perth Casino Royal Commission, the Racing and Gaming Minister put forward various additional reforms to endow the Minister and GWC with the powers to pass reforms to WA’s regulatory framework.

The priority legislative amendments that the State Government is currently formulating will sufficiently empower the Minister to steer the GWC toward urgent action in investigating and implementing measures to tackle the issues identified at Crown’s Perth Casino.

These changes will additionally grant the GWC the power necessary to compel the operator of the Perth Casino to execute suitable and essential measures.

Racing and Gaming Minister Dr Tony Buti commented on the new development, saying,

“The State Government accepts the Royal Commission’s finding that more needs to be done to ensure appropriate and effective regulation of the Perth Casino. This is one of the first steps towards major, comprehensive reforms to how we regulate the casino in Western Australia. The strengthened Gaming and Wagering Commission play a big role in implementing many of the recommendations from the Royal Commission.”

“I congratulate the new members on their appointment and thank the outgoing members for their time with the GWC. While it will take some time to establish a new comprehensive regulatory framework, the State Government is committed to introducing new legislation to underpin these much-needed changes,” he concluded.