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Gaming & Wagering

This Month

Former Tabcorp chief alleges boardroom full of sexist, sexual remarks

Adam Rytenskild claims the bookmaking giant hypocritically sacked him for a crude remark about a regulator, a comment he denies he said.

Star Entertainment CEO Steve McCann.

Star CEO’s $10m loan fee farce

The distressed Star Entertainment will pay up to $10 million to a US hedge fund for a debt facility that was never used, or signed-off on.

Composite of Star and Bally’s Soo Kim.

Star as we know it will be over, top execs cleaned out: Bally’s

Star Entertainment’s new controlling shareholder says there is still money to be made in gambling but the company had been badly managed for years.

Laurence Escalante takes to Instagram for some investigative work.

Laurence Escalante gets real deep on Instagram bender

From Below Deck to righteously correcting injustice to philosophy, the Rich Lister’s recent social media rant covered it all.

The future of Star Entertainment now lies with Bally’s Corporation chairman Soo Kim.

Star Entertainment to sign $300m deal with US casino giant Bally’s

The terms are expected to be finalised following a weekend of negotiations.

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The casino and Queen’s Wharf complex in Brisbane.

Desperate Star Entertainment asks Bally’s to fatten up a bail-out

Term sheets are flying as Star and its bankers try to secure a final lifeline for the casino operator.

PointsBet chairman Brett Paton, a former capital markets banker, has lashed out at the bookmaker’s rival.

PointsBet at odds with rival bookie BlueBet over takeover funding

The company is trying to sell its business to Japanese entertainment giant Mixi, but that has been complicated by a competing bid from BlueBet.

Despite receiving several loans, Star is in a race against time as it burns through cash.

Star turns to US casino giant Bally’s as $750 million lifeline fails

Star was trying to reach a deal with its potential funder until late on Tuesday, but had failed to agree to terms including how to meet its near-term costs. 

Star Entertainment CEO Steve McCann is fighting to stave off its collapse.

The stand-off that blew up Star’s super-sized debt deal

Nearly a month of exclusive negotiations to save the casino giant have failed – and now it is over to Plan B. The clock is ticking louder than ever.

Ladbrokes owner Entain has axed more than 50 jobs in Australia.

Bookmaker behind Ladbrokes turned blind eye to drug money laundering

Over 640 pages, Austrac accuses the UK bookmaking giant of failing to catch “large amounts of money being regularly moved”.

March

The casino and Queens Wharf complex in Brisbane.

Inside the awkward release of the Star casino probity report

The Queensland LNP government released a sensitive report into Star’s Brisbane casino business partner. The findings could have a significant impact on a sale.

Star’s Hong Kong saviour hid relationship with criminal junket king

A long-secret report finally released by the Queensland government recommended the state consider “divestment or appropriate quarantine” of assets.

Star Entertainment CEO Steve McCann is fighting to stave off its collapse.

Star’s Steve McCann goes all in on Salter Brothers

There is no more time for Plan B or Plan C. Salter Brothers has to work.

The Salter Brothers are spearheading a refinancing proposal for the struggling casino giant.

Star Entertainment extends Salter Brothers $750m deal deadline

Star Entertainment needs to lock in a multimillion-dollar funding package before the start of April or faces the prospect of voluntary administration.

Queen’s Wharf is Star’s newest casino, but one that has left the company facing high debts.

Billionaire Mathieson backs Bally’s bid for Star with $50m sweetener

The company’s largest shareholder has thrown his support behind the American casino giant’s rescue bid despite Star’s lengthy discussions with another party.

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Entain is the owner of Ladbrokes. It is facing millions of dollars in penalties for allegedly failing to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws.

Austrac accuses Entain of allowing suspected criminals to launder cash

The British bookmaker behind Ladbrokes and Neds allegedly allowed more than a dozen high-risk customers to funnel money through its accounts despite the risks.

Aristocrat has operated in Britain for almost 30 years.

Aristocrat takes gaming groups to UK court over Buffalo brand

The ASX-listed giant is hauling a group of offshore gaming companies into a UK courtroom, alleging that they have ripped off one of its most popular slot games.

Former Star lawyer Paula Martin, middle, leaves the Federal Court on Monday.

Star’s top lawyer concedes casino should have cut junket operator

Star’s former top lawyer was extensively questioned over the troubled casino operator’s relationship with an Asian gambling junket operator.

Former Aristocrat duo Toni Korsanos and Jamie Odell are a big reason why their new poker machine company is such a hit with Australian investors and analysts.

This $15b Nasdaq group wants to shift its primary listing to the ASX

If a business has size and growth, management has a vision, and everyone executes as promised, the local market can still provide a red carpet treatment.

Star Entertainment’s CEO Steve McCann and Henry Cheng, chairman of Chow Tai Fook Enterprises.

Inside Steve McCann’s final attempt to catch a falling Star

Star chief executive Steve McCann’s rescue plan for the casino group could be remembered as one of the trickier pieces of dealmaking in Australia this decade.

Bookmaker Tom Waterhouse in 2013.

‘Unfairly vilified’: History rewritten for Tom Waterhouse

Sportsbet’s Barni Evans finds no place for personal blame as anger rises about gambling advertising.

Deb Frecklington

Queensland prepares to publish damning report on Star’s HK partner

The state government says it has not received any formal notice from Star about plans to offload the Queen’s Wharf casino to its two main Hong Kong investors.

Bally’s chairman Soo Kim toured the Star casino with an Australian friend.

Mystery shopper behind Bally’s’ Star interest reveals himself

Stockbroker Angus Aitken told clients he was the sherpa for Bally’s Soo Kim on his recent visit to Sydney.

David Tsai says Crown is battling an uneven playing field.

Crown and Star’s next big problem? Pubs and clubs

Just like stricken casino group Star, Crown Resorts says it is battling an uneven regulatory playing field with pubs and clubs. It’s gently pushing back.

Star Entertainment is negotiating with Salter Brothers to shore up its finances and save its Sydney complex.

Star negotiates with Salter Brothers for long-term $750m refinancing

The funds management giant has already engaged regulators and state governments about probity and is offering to refinance the casino’s long-term debt.

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