Author: Olivia Cole

Australian casino giant Star Entertainment has faced an AU$140,000 fine plus court costs for violating casino regulations in Queensland by illegally helping casino patrons use their credit cards to gamble. Earlier today, the company pleaded guilty to a total of 11 charges in Brisbane magistrates court. Seven of these charges were associated with sections of Queensland’s casino laws, under which the purchase of gambling chips with a credit card is currently not allowed. However, the investigation into Star Entertainment’s operations found that a number of casino patrons were able to…

The High Court of England and Wales has ruled against International Game Technology’s (IGT) legal claims regarding the planned transition of the UK National Lottery licence. After the High Court announced its decision to side with the national gambling regulator, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), stated that it intended to continue working towards a smooth and timely transition to the next National Lottery operating permit. As previously reported by Casino Guardian, both the outgoing operator of the National Lottery – Camelot UK – and International Game Technology lodged complaints against…

Up-and-coming game developer MrWin just released an innovative wheel-based casino game specifically geared toward the needs of cryptocurrency players. Crypto Fortune uses original gameplay mechanics that involves players spinning three concentric wheels for the chance to land massive win multipliers. The game designers have additionally incorporated a bonus fea-ture that triggers randomly and awards even greater multipliers, reaching up to 100 times the winning bet. But the biggest attraction here is undoubtedly the dynamic crypto jackpot that grows until it reaches the current market price of the popular cryptocurrency Bitcoin.…

British punters could face legislative changes that require them to become subject to affordability checks every six months. The proposed rule has been unveiled as part of the proposals that have been part of public consultation by the UK gambling regulator in the middle of the week and has been triggered by the Government’s White Paper on gambling published in April 2023. As part of the latest proposals published by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), every customer who loses at least £1,000 within 24 hours or £2,000 within a 90-day…

The incoming licence holder for the fourth licence of the National Lottery (NL) – Allwyn – has announced a comprehensive plan to help NL retailers ahead of the upcoming operator’s change that is set to take place on February 1st, 2024. Under the existing arrangements, all Retailer Agreements are currently signed with Camelot. However, Allwyn is scheduled to take over the operating duties of the National Lottery in a little over half a year, so retailers will have to transfer their agreements electronically to the new holder of the NL…

A gambling operator is seeking to open an amusement arcade 21 hours a day. Merkur Slots has filed an application for planning permission to Stockton Council, seeking the body to allow it to extend the opening hours of the adult gaming centre situated on the town’s high street from 9:00 AM to 6:00 AM. The company also claims that evidence from “covert observations” prove that the proposed operating hours will not boost criminal and anti-social behaviour in local communities. Two years ago, in 2021, Merkur Slots filed an application seeking…

An online gambling company that provided unlawful gambling services faced a significant fine after the Australian media watchdog took it to court. According to experts, however, the operator is unlikely to pay the money. At the beginning of the week, the Federal Court issued a judgement under which Diverse Link Pty Ltd has been ordered to pay a total of AU$5 million for breaching Australia’s interactive gambling laws. The order followed civil litigation that was filed against Diverse Link Pty Ltd, Rhys Edward Jones, and Brenton Lee Buttigieg in the…

Crown Resorts used its serious law-breaking record to dispute the third-largest corporate fine in the history of Australia. According to new reports, so-called “high-risk customers”, some of whom are known for their association with criminal groups, generated revenue of about AU$2.3 billion for the Australian gambling and casino giant as the company used to woo them with special benefits. About a week ago, the Federal Court ordered Crown Resorts to pay AU$450 million for more than 540 violations of the country’s counter-terrorism financing and anti-money laundering laws following an action…

The special manager of Crown Resorts issued his third six-month report saying that the way the Australian gambling giant handles complaints needed significant improvement. The latest report of the special manager appointed by the Andrews Government to oversee the operator’s Crown Melbourne Casino comes at a time when the company is trying to prove that it is fit to hold a casino licence in the state of Victoria. As reported by Casino Guardian at the time, Stephen O’Bryan KC was appointed to oversee the Melbourne casino of the company after…

A £3.25-million monetary penalty was imposed on Done Bros (Cash Betting) Limited, trading as Betfred, over some social responsibility (SR) and anti-money laundering failures (AML), the UK gambling regulatory body announced. The entire amount that is set to be paid by the gambling and betting operator under the provisions of the regulatory settlement is set to be used as funding for socially responsible causes. As revealed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), the gambling company, which currently operates 1,750 betting outlets across the country, will pay the fine as part…