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Gaming & wagering

Yesterday

Star’s Sydney casino is the company’s flagship, and where most of the money-laundering risks that caused the company significant regulatory issues occured.

High-risk junkets accounted for 14pc of Star’s revenues for five years

Documents filed with the Federal Court show the casino giant admitting high-roller trips which raised money-laundering issues were a huge part of its business.

This Month

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.

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

Japan’s Mixi hikes PointsBet takeover bid, valuing bookmaker at $402m

The entertainment giant’s hopes of acquiring the ASX-listed group had been complicated by a rival proposal from Matthew Tripp’s Betr, which holds 20 per cent.

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

The Australian Hotels Association’s Stephen Ferguson and Tabcorp chief executive Gillon McLachlan are on a collision course over changes to how wagering runs in pubs.

Tabcorp’s Gil McLachlan runs the gauntlet of angry country publicans

If the former AFL chief executive can pull it off, the wagering giant could become a major threat to the big international bookmakers that have cut its lunch.

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Star Entertainment CEO Steve McCann fronted investors for the first time since he picked up a $300 million rescue deal. He received just three questions.

Star deal ‘not fair’, but what else is a shareholder to do?

You could sum up independent expert Grant Samuel’s verdict as: something is better than nothing. It’s time to let the foxes into the henhouse.

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”.

Immutable Co-Founders James Ferguson (CEO), Robbie Ferguson (President) and Alex Connolly.

Executives head for the door at unicorn crypto start-up Immutable

Two senior executives on Friday announced their departure from the heavily funded tech company, which has shed a third of its staff in the past nine months.

Tabcorp goes to war with pubs, wants to stop paying them fees

The betting giant has proposed the most significant change to its arrangement with hotels in decades, and wants to stop paying fees in exchange for upgrades.

Immutable co-founders James Ferguson (left) and Robbie Ferguson.

Tech unicorn Immutable cuts staff as AI bots pick up jobs

One of Australia’s most funded technology companies has shed more than 70 staff over the past nine months and embraced artificial intelligence programs.

Crown Melbourne was once the place to stay.

Blackstone had big plans for Crown Towers. They haven’t materialised

Blackstone spent $8.9bn on Crown Resorts in 2022 and promised investment. Crown Towers is now in desperate need of a glow-up – and it’s starting to become a problem.

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.

Aristocrat’s Trevor Croker brushed off concerns about a reduction in poker machine sales and fees per day.

Aristocrat Leisure shares tumble as revenue falls short

Chief executive Trevor Croker sought to ease investor concerns after a disappointing half-year result took $3 billion off its market cap.

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.

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.

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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.

Denise Coates is the richest self-made British woman.

UK’s richest self-made woman plots $18b sale of gambling empire

Denise Coates, the owner of the Bet365 betting empire, is reportedly looking to sell the business amid a booming market for gaming in the United States.

April

Former Virgin boss Jayne Hrdlicka will be serving drinks – albeit in a completely different capacity.

Jayne ‘Hard Liquor’ has a big job ahead at drinks empire

Jayne Hrdlicka is jumping from one fix-up job at Virgin to the next at Endeavour, and she’s going to have to put some noses out of joint – again.

Betr founder Matthew Tripp is still trying to take over PointsBet.

Matt Tripp’s Betr buys 20pc of PointsBet in takeover war

The purchase is the latest move in the fight over the future of online bookmaker PointsBet.

Ainsworth Gaming Technology wants to sell its remaining shares to Austrian family business Novomatic.

Ainsworth shareholder slams takeover bid as shares climb 31 per cent

The poker machine supplier told investors on Monday that its major shareholder, Novomatic, would acquire the 47.1 per cent of shares it did not already own.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/gaming-and-wagering-5xp