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ASIC Takes Legal Action Against 11 Current and Former Star Entertainment Directors and Officers
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against 11 current and former directors and officers of The Star Entertainment Group Limited (Star) for alleged breaches of their duties under section 180 of the Corporations Act.
ASIC Deputy Chair Sarah Court said: “ASIC alleges that Star’s board and executives failed to give sufficient focus to the risk of money laundering and criminal associations, which are inherent in the operation of a large casino with an international customer base.”
ASIC’s case includes claims against members of the Star Board between 2017 to 2019, being John O Neill (former Chair), Matthias Bekier (former Managing Director and CEO), Kathleen Lahey, Richard Sheppard, Gerard Bradley, Sally Pitkin, Benjamin Heap and Zlatko Todorcevski.
ASIC alleges the Board members approved the expansion of Star’s relationship with certain individuals with reported criminal links, rather than addressing money laundering risk by inquiring into whether Star should be dealing with them. ASIC also alleges that Board members, when provided with information about money laundering risks affecting Star, did not take steps to make further enquiries of management about those critical risks and that this was a breach of their director duty obligations.
ASIC further alleges that Mr Bekier and Star executives Paula Martin (former Company Secretary and Group General Counsel) and Greg Hawkins (former Chief Casino Officer) breached their duties by:
- not adequately addressing the money laundering risks that arose from dealing with Asian gambling junket Suncity and its funder, as well as continuing to deal with them despite becoming aware of reports of criminal links; and
- not appropriately escalating money laundering issues to the Board.
As to Ms Martin and Harry Theodore (former Chief Financial Officer), ASIC also alleges they knowingly permitted misleading statements being provided to National Australia Bank (NAB) regarding the use of debit cards issued by China Union Pay International Ltd (CUP) at NAB ATMs located on Star’s premises. Those statements disguised the fact that Star was permitting CUP cards to be used for gambling, which was prohibited by CUP. ASIC is aware over $900 million was obtained by Star customers using CUP cards in NAB ATMs from 2013 to 2019. ASIC also alleges that they, and Mr Bekier, failed to report these matters to Star’s Board.
ASIC Chair Joe Longo said the role of directors was critical to a company’s general standing and performance, including how a company deals with significant issues.
“As I’ve said on many occasions, directors and officers are a critical part of the conduct of business in Australia. Their duty is to understand the operations of the company over which they preside, and the particular risks faced by the business. They are required to bring an inquiring mind to business operations. It is not ‘set and forget.’”
Expanding Player Reach With Cloud-Enabled Demos And Seamless Gaming Experience Across PC And Mobile Platforms
Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, announces updates to Xsolla Cloud Gaming solution. Powered by the new Amazon GameLift Streams on AWS, this solution allows developers to deliver high-quality PC and mobile gaming experiences to players remotely from the cloud in a browser, using a pay-as-you-go monetization model and cloud vendors’ aggregation.
The global cloud gaming market, valued at $6.91 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to $22.01 billion by 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.59%. Xsolla Cloud Gaming is poised to capitalize on this growth, offering developers solutions that enhance accessibility, improve user acquisition, and expand regional reach, leveraging the latest cloud technology and global partnerships.
Unlike traditional cloud gaming platforms, Xsolla Cloud Gaming delivers innovative features designed to meet the evolving needs of developers and players. These updates empower developers to overcome hardware constraints, improve global reach, and create scalable revenue opportunities while enhancing the player experience.
Key updates to Xsolla Cloud Gaming include:
- Play Before You Buy: Gamers can instantly access time-limited demos and/or full games through cloud technology before purchasing. This feature allows publishers to demo their games, sell game keys directly through the cloud streams, and/or continue playing on the cloud, contributing to user acquisition and revenue growth.
- Seamless Compatibility Across Platforms: Dedicated compatibility with mobile browsers, including a virtual gamepad overlay, quickly bringing the PC gaming experience to mobile devices.
- Streamlined Global Launch Processes: Developers can launch games across all territories in just a few hours by selecting the desired region and machine type. The platform handles the rest with optimized architecture and advanced vendor routing to connect players to the most suitable cloud vendors for their needs.
- Global Partnerships: Xsolla Cloud Gaming is now supported by industry leaders, including AWS and Tencent Cloud. With their close partnership and deep integration, we can rapidly troubleshoot and implement new features to enhance the player experience. In addition, we have partnered with Aethir to offer up to $1 million in cloud credits to qualified partners.
Through Xsolla’s cloud gaming developer interface, Publisher Account, developers can further promote their games with rewards such as welcome bonuses for new registrations, free trial play for guest users, 15-minute “Play Before You Buy” trials, and referral bonuses for players. These engagement options create a rewarding and accessible experience for players worldwide.
“Xsolla Cloud Gaming redefines how developers bring their games to players,” said Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy Officer at Xsolla. “Our new features further address key industry challenges, such as hardware limitations, player acquisition, and retention, while providing developers with scalable revenue opportunities with no development effort.”
Developers worldwide are already adopting the Xsolla Cloud Gaming updates.
The Xsolla Cloud Gaming updates are now available for developers and publishers worldwide.
For more information about Xsolla Cloud Gaming, visit: xsolla.pro/rws25cloudg
The post XSOLLA CLOUD GAMING EXPANDS DEVELOPER ACCESS TO NEW USERS WITH GLOBAL REACH appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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RG24seven Premieres Live Webinar Series – Starting with AI in Responsible Gaming, with US & UK Industry Experts
RG24seven Virtual Training, the industry-leading and free video-based virtual training system for Tribal and commercial gaming employees, and a BMM Innovation Group company, announced today the premiere of TALK 24, a live webinar series.
The first episode of TALK 24 will be co-hosted with Better Change and will feature a discussion highlighting Responsible Gaming training and AI solutions in support of Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM).
The webinar will host special guests:
- Phil Sherwood, Senior Director of Responsible Gaming at PrizePicks, and
- Paula Murphy, Head of Business Development at Mindway AI.
Wendy Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of RG24seven, said, “The goal of the TALK 24 webinar is to highlight comprehensive, up-to-date education addressing emerging issues with subject matter experts. We are very pleased to welcome Paula Murphy and Phil Sherwood to speak and share their knowledge on the intersection between Responsible Gaming and AI Technology.”
Anderson added, “Our Responsible Gaming Training is compliance-grade, presented by the top experts in the industry, and available to gaming companies year-round. The first episode of the TALK 24 webinar will serve as a preview to our new course focused on Responsible Gaming and Artificial Intelligence.”
RG24seven and Better Change will host the complimentary webinar on March 13, at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
- The session will be held in a live webinar format and designed to be both engaging and interactive.
- By the end of the 24-minute webinar, attendees will better understand the future of AI in Responsible Gaming, along with best practices, challenges, and ethical considerations.
- Registration for the free webinar is now open. Gaming company executives, managers and other representatives can register at: https://bit.ly/talk24-webinar
Contact [email protected] for more information.
The post RG24seven Premieres Live Webinar Series – Starting with AI in Responsible Gaming, with US & UK Industry Experts appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Big Bola Casinos reinforces its commitment to innovation and player experience by introducing Zitro’s CONCEPT cabinet line at its SEVEN by Big Bola venue in Santiago de Querétaro. These globally successful cabinets feature the exclusive Magic Lighting system, transforming the gaming floor with a synchronized light show that creates a unique and immersive sensory experience. The expansive Screen Deck provides both comfort and functionality, enhancing the experience for players and staff alike.
Players can also enjoy the medieval-themed Legendary Sword multigame, offering an engaging experience with its large 6×5 reel and exciting features. “Honor” multiplies winnings, “Glory” awards extra spins, and the “Magic Sword” doubles all prizes in its column. Triple Charm Journey adds further excitement with features like “Rise,” which increases wins with each spin; “Collect,” which accumulates Link symbol values; and “Enigma,” which multiplies its value along with select Link symbols on the screen.
Rafael Blanco, Commercial Director of Big Bola, commented, “We’re proud to continue innovating and bringing the best the market has to offer to our customers. Adding the CONCEPT cabinets and these new games underscores our commitment to excellence. The overwhelmingly positive player feedback confirms we’re on the right track.”
Johnny Viveiros Ortiz, Founder of Zitro, added, “We’re very grateful for Big Bola Casinos’ continued trust in our products, especially with this impressive deployment of our CONCEPT cabinet line. It’s a significant investment that’s already delivering excellent results. I’m very pleased with our personal and business relationship, which will undoubtedly continue to be the foundation for many more shared successes.”
The post ZITRO INTRODUCES CONCEPT AT SEVEN BY BIG BOLA IN QUERÉTARO appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
XSOLLA CLOUD GAMING EXPANDS DEVELOPER ACCESS TO NEW USERS WITH GLOBAL REACH
RG24seven Premieres Live Webinar Series – Starting with AI in Responsible Gaming, with US & UK Industry Experts
ZITRO INTRODUCES CONCEPT AT SEVEN BY BIG BOLA IN QUERÉTARO
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