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Gaming & Wagering

This Month

The gaming floor at Crown Resorts’ Sydney casino. The company is now allowed to operate poker machines, however.

Crown Resorts wants to add pokies to the mix at its Sydney casino

The Blackstone-owned hospitality and gambling giant has been prohibited from installing gaming machines under terms struck when it secured its NSW licence.

  • Zoe Samios
Entain is the owner of Ladbrokes.

AUSTRAC sues Ladbrokes and Neds owner

Entain allegedly did not conduct appropriate checks on 17 high-risk customers and deliberately obscured the identity of some through use of pseudonyms.

  • Zoe Samios
A decision on Star’s gaming licence has been deferred by the new Queensland government.

Queensland defers Star’s licence suspension decision

A decision on suspending Star’s licence has been deferred as the new Queensland government vows to scrutinise troubled gaming operator.

  • James Hall
Tabcorp chief executive Gillon McLachlan has axed about 200 jobs in a bid to simplify the business.

Tabcorp slashes 10pc of workforce in cost cut drive

The move is the first major change made by the wagering group’s new chief executive Gillon McLachlan. Cost-cutting had been flagged with investors last month.

  • Zoe Samios
Racing minister David Harris is furious with Greyhound Racing NSW.

Leaked minutes show punting ban repealed to lure “quality” board

“You know what would set this place right? More gambling”, said no one ever. And yet, here we are.

  • Myriam Robin
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Annette Kimmitt is leaving the Victorian gaming regulator.

Victorian gaming regulator Annette Kimmitt quits

The former MinterEllison chief executive joined the Victorian gaming regulator when it was given more power to penalise misconduct.

  • Zoe Samios

November

Former billionaire Nathan Tinkler at the Las Vegas F1 event last weeekend.

Ex-billionaire Nathan Tinkler goes free-riding in Las Vegas

The country’s former youngest billionaire scored tickets to the Las Vegas Grand Prix from the current youngest billionaire.

  • Mark Di Stefano
Even with a touch of Steve McCann magic, Star’s rehabilitation could take years.

Star chief executive warns liquidity at ‘critical point’

Steve McCann has asked for patience after revealing an unaudited loss for the start of the financial year.

  • Zoe Samios
Punters will be forced to register themselves if they want to play the pokies in Victoria.

$100 pokie limits in Victorian crackdown

Player cards will be introduced across all gaming machines in the state, bringing pubs and clubs in line with restrictions at Melbourne’s Crown casino.

  • Zoe Samios
Former Tabcorp chief executive Adam Rytenskild leaves the Fair Work Commission next to his lawyer, Rebekah Giles.

Rebekah Giles has more than one gambling entanglement

Small world? Readers, it’s basically a fishbowl.

  • Myriam Robin
Adam Rytenskild left Tabcorp in March after being accused of making a lewd remark about a female industry regulator.

Deposed Tabcorp boss has a warning for CEOs everywhere

In his first interview since being sacked as the chief executive of the wagering giant, Adam Rytenskild says he was put “six feet under” with no warning.

  • Zoe Samios
Adam Rytenskild.

Tabcorp board left CEO with no choice but to quit: Fair Work ruling

The commission’s decision means Adam Rytenskild will now be allowed to bring his unfair dismissal case before it.

  • Max Mason
Laurence Escalante built Virtual Gaming Worlds into a multibillion-dollar business.

Laurence Escalante’s VGW bulks up exec ranks as casinos bristle

Virtual Gaming Worlds was one of the early beneficiaries of a US legislative loophole in states where gambling is otherwise banned. It’s now under attack.

  • Primrose Riordan and Zoe Samios
Artist impression of Wynn Resorts’ upcoming resort on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Light & Wonder eyes UAE after strong North America gains

The Caledonia-backed gaming giant has brushed off concerns about court action from its major rival Aristocrat, claiming the financial impact is not material.

  • Zoe Samios

Star Casino gets a man on the inside at News Corp

The casino’s former PR man Peter Jenkins has popped up at Sydney’s ‘Daily Telegraph’.

  • Mark Di Stefano
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Aristocrat chief executive Trevor Croker has added asset sales to his toolkit.

This market darling just did another U-turn. Investors love it more

A $1.5 billion deal shows why Aristocrat Leisure has lifted the ASX 200 more than just about any other company this year.

  • Anthony Macdonald
Raid: Shadow Legends is one of the games that will be sold under the deal.

Aristocrat sells fantasy mobile games publisher for $1.2b

The pokies manufacturer is refocusing on slot machines, lotteries and social casinos, divesting itself from the owner of a popular RPG.

  • Zoe Samios
Crown Melbourne has been affected by new restrictions that have driven away some of the company’s high-rolling gamblers.

Blackstone builds Crown Resorts debt bomb as casino profits slide

The private equity giant says it’s comfortable with the big loan it took to buy the casino operator, despite the interest bill and an earnings crunch.

  • Zoe Samios and Amelia McGuire
Star’s Sydney casino has been under intense scrutiny since 2022, when a damning report found that the company was unsuitable to hold a licence in the state.

Perpetual sells big line of Star Entertainment at 20¢ a share

The trade was worth $26 million and represented around 4.5 per cent of the company.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport

October

Gillon McLachlan congratulates trainer Ciaron Maher after Bella Nipotina’s win in The Everest.

The Everest is becoming a Victorian’s nightmare

Rival horse races meant high-powered executives had to choose: Sydney or Melbourne. The King didn’t make it, but many others voted with their feet to Randwick.

  • Mark Di Stefano
The One Queensbridge complex was supposed to become Melbourne’s tallest tower. The plans were abandoned in 2019.

Crown sells abandoned Southbank precinct, private jet

Blackstone’s casino giant Crown Resorts has narrowed its losses and is shedding some of its biggest assets to offset financial challenges.

  • Zoe Samios
Busby’s at Oxford House in Sydney. It is one of the Public Hospitality Group venues that has gone into receivership.

Jon Adgemis says funds moved from pub group was at lenders’ behest

The administrator of a collapsed portion of the pubs and hotels empire had alleged $9 million was transferred over a year as the company began to collapse.

  • Primrose Riordan
Star Entertainment will keep operating its Sydney casino under the supervision of an independent manger.

Star Entertainment hit with hefty fine, but keeps key Sydney licence

The decision by the NSW gaming regulator comes two months after a report authored by Adam Bell, SC, found the casino group unsuitable to operate.

  • Zoe Samios and Anthony Macdonald
NSW casino regulator Philip Crawford.

All this drama at Star for a slap on the wrist and $15m fine?

The casino group gets one more chance in Sydney, but is far from being out of the woods. It could go broke if it doesn’t secure a big new backer by this time next year.

  • Anthony Macdonald
George Calombaris has been appointed head of culinary at a new hospitality group which plans to take over the Oxford Tavern in Sydney.

Lender taking over Adgemis pubs floats new George Calombaris diner

The restaurant is part of a broader plan to take over more of Jon Adgemis’ assets, as he loses grip on more of his former hospitality empire.

  • Primrose Riordan

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