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Gambling

This Month

Ainsworth Game Technology chief executive Harald Neumann (right) with Novomatic founder Thomas Graf (left) in 2016.

Ainsworth CEO in tax probe but company says it’s a ‘personal matter’

A second investigation related to Harald Neumann recommenced in 2023. The poker machine business says it met all its ASX disclosure obligations.

The Queen’s Wharf precinct has been a major financial headache for Star.

Queen’s Wharf owners consider dumping Star for rival casino operators

The complex’s Hong Kong-based investors continue to negotiate, but have held discussions with others including American hospitality giant Delaware North.

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

Escalante sets up second casino business, annoying VGW investors

The Perth businessman quietly established Kickr, which provides some of the same services as Virtual Gaming Worlds, the company he wants to take private.

June

Betr’s Matthew Tripp and Mixi’s Koko Kimura are fighting it out for the right to acquire PointsBet, though the latter is winning.

Computershare saves PointsBet from its own constitution

In Sam Swanell’s and Brett Paton’s eagerness to explain the exclusion of Betr’s votes, it seems some finer print was overlooked.

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

Escalante goes best and final in $3.2b bid for his gambling biz VGW

The Perth billionaire wants to buy out minority shareholders at Virtual Gaming Worlds, his online gambling business.

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Shuffle executives including Noah Dummett at work in Melbourne.

Shuffle follows Stake into the gutter

It seems the crypto casino operators are keen to emulate their heroes in more ways than one.

PointsBet CEO Sam Swanell plans to sell the business to Japanese entertainment company Mixi.

Mystery at the heart of $20m in PointsBet shares

You know a prospective offer is a good deal when it offers payouts for performance not yet delivered.

The local boss of Ladbrokes’ owner Entain will leave the business.

Entain boss Dean Shannon to depart ahead of AUSTRAC remediation

The chief executive who led the company since 2019 will step down upon the completion of a new anti-money-laundering program.

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

Escalante to buy out investors in his $3.2b online gambling giant

Billionaire Laurence Escalante already controls 70 per cent of Virtual Gaming Worlds, and last month told unhappy shareholders they should just sell out of the company.

May

A portrait of Tabcorp CEO Gillon McLachlan standing in front of Tabcorp betting machines ahead of his move to pull all betting machines from pubs.

Tabcorp unleashes promotions, but turns off commissions for 1300 pubs

The wagering giant’s chief Gillon McLachlan told publicans the company had “some serious structural challenges … but it’s not just us that needs a change”.

Pokies

Pollies should kick their poker machine addiction

State and territory goverments are blinded by the lustre of gambling revenue to the social ills pokies cause.

Former Northern Territory chief minister Shane Stone.

Former NT chief’s pokies regret: ‘I wish we never had them’

Alice Springs has one of the highest concentrations of pokies in the world. Shane Stone, who ran the NT in the ’90s, wishes he did more to rein them in.

Matt Wilson, chief executive of Light & Wonder, says M&A is still on the horizon.

Light & Wonder keen on more M&A deals, primary listing in Australia

The gaming group’s CEO, Matt Wilson, discusses its strategy, what businesses it might acquire, and how they are managing the Trump-led trade volatility.

Gil McLachlan.

Gil McLachlan needs a strong defensive game on live sport betting

Tabcorp now has a risk-taker in charge, which excites the market, even though caution is required.

Billionaire Sam Arnaout has a stake in casinos, property developments and a number of hotels.

The Rich Listers whose financial success (or pain) remains a secret

Billionaire Sam Arnaout’s private company Iris Capital has been able to shield his gambling profits from prying eyes. Corporate governance experts are asking why.

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John Howard is demanding Anthony Albanese introducing national gambling reform.

‘Grave social evil’: Howard urges government to crack down on pokies

The former prime minister is calling for regulatory reform following an investigation into the distribution and ownership of poker machines in Alice Springs.

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

Gambling billionaire Escalante in expletive-ridden rant to investors

Perth gambling billionaire Laurence Escalante has told investors to sell their shares in his gaming business Virtual Gaming Worlds if they don’t trust him.

Violet chair Kate Carnell: “Despite 90 per cent of Australians preferring home care and half wanting to die at home, fewer than 5 per cent actually do.”

The stage of life Australians can’t afford to ignore

Kate Carnell says federal funds for end-of-life planning would reduce costly hospitalisations and prevent unnecessary suffering.

Ainsworth is planning to handle control to Austrian family owned business.

Allan Gray, Spheria slam Ainsworth board over takeover bid

The minority shareholders have accused Ainsworth’s board of failing to act in the interest of shareholders by accepting a takeover bid from Novomatic.

April

Adrian Portelli at the 2024 Melbourne Cup.

Portelli hits fast lane on mooted LMCT+ sale, MacCap takes the wheel

Several conversations around how a change of control could play out and the steps needed to make LMCT+ sale-ready had taken place since the end of last year. 

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/gambling-5xm