Stefano Pioli, a former soccer defender and the current manager of AC Milan, claims he had been unaware of Sandro Tonali’s gambling problem when trading him to Newcastle United. For reference, Tonali was recently involved in a sports betting scandal and banned from competing for several months.

Tonali joined Newcastle earlier this year following a £55 million transaction. While he played with the club for a short while, taking part in a dozen games, he is currently unable to compete because of his ban, presenting challenges to his team.

Pioli was asked if he was aware of Tonali’s gambling problems at a recent press conference at St James’ Park. The manager denied being aware of Tonali’s gambling problems, instead describing him as someone who was “very polite, respected and respectful to others.”

While Pioli said that he often feels like he has “an open relationship” with the players, he said that he doesn’t inquire about their personal lives and only talks to them about soccer.

Newcastle United Did Not Make a Mistake Taking Tonali, Pioli Says

The manager further discussed Tonali’s gambling problems, expressing his confidence that the player would be able to overcome his addiction. Pioli described the young athlete as a great soccer player with many qualities.

We’re close to Sandro. When he was with us, he was a really cheerful, positive young man, close to the team, popular, very important to the team’s rise, applied himself, worked hard, very willing to help the team.

Stefano Pioli, manager, AC Milan

The manager added that he regrets to see Tonali falling into such a “delicate situation” and added that the rest of AC Milan supports him and wishes him a better future.

Pioli also pointed out that Newcastle United will not regret picking Tonali up. While he admitted that the player’s gambling problems are an unexpected caveat, he said that Tonali’s skill in soccer will surely make up for the difficulties he has caused to his current team.

Ibrahimovic Joins AC Milan as Adviser

In the meantime, Pioli and AC Milan have welcomed Zlatan Ibrahimovic back. Now a senior adviser to the club, the former player will leverage his spectacular career and profound experience to support the team.

During the conference, Pioli praised Ibrahimovic as a determined and intelligent individual who is now taking the next step in his career.

In the meantime, AC Milan is set to face Newcastle United later today. Pioli said that his team remains bullish on winning the game, despite the significant challenge posed by the Magpies.

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New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland regulators appointed special managers to oversee the company’s operations after the scandals surrounding its risk management failures and unethical behaviors. The beleaguered operator has recorded substantial progress in remedying its deficiencies but must still convince authorities it is ready to resume control.

Both Regions Expect Swift Progress

In ASX filings on Friday, Star disclosed the extension of Nicholas Weeks’ term as Manager of The Star Sydney by nearly six months, lasting until 30 June 2024. Similar to NSW, the position of the Special Manager for The Star Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane casinos in Queensland has been extended by 12 months to 8 December 2024. 

These extensions aim to demonstrate that Star is capable of the necessary remedial actions to regain suitability and resume gaming activities as per its casino license provisions in NSW and Queensland. This change necessitates Star to demonstrate its adherence to the ongoing remediation plans and regain suitability by summer 2024.

Queensland’s decision to extend its special management follows a recent decision by Attorney General Yvette D’Ath to alter the effective date of a 90-day casino license suspension from 1 December 2023 to 31 May 2024. Meanwhile, the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) clarified that its extension will likely mark the final continuation of the Manager’s term, with the option to conclude the tenure earlier if deemed appropriate.

The Operator Faces Growing Pressures

Star Entertainment managing director and CEO Robbie Cooke commented on the recent developments, expressing satisfaction with the Remediation Plan’s approval in Queensland. He stressed the need for unwavering commitment, accountability, and diligence to implement the measures successfully and prove that Star Entertainment can operate without additional supervision.

Despite the operator’s steady progress towards compliance, it faces substantial financial issues. Recent casino duty rate increases threaten to undermine the company’s long road to profitability as its FY 2022/23 results reported an unpleasant full-year loss of $1.6 million. However, all revenue-related policies must wait until the company regains regulatory compliance.

We need to regain the trust and confidence of all our stakeholders and communities and continue to have an unwavering focus on transformation.

Robbie Cooke, Star Entertainment managing director

While Star Entertainment has recorded steady progress with its remedial measures, many industry experts express skepticism about whether the operator can salvage its influence and reputation. Even if the company regains the trust of regulators, it must still struggle with mounting losses and macroeconomic pressures, meaning a return to profitability may take years.

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Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading business intelligence solutions provider, has reinforced its team with the appointment of the experienced Alicia Hawkins as its new gaming business intelligence manager.

Hawkins boasts 14 years in the gaming industry and will bring a wealth of experience to the team. She excels in driving business improvement through data-driven strategies and will be a valuable asset to the QCI team.

Hawkins’ career started in tribal gaming where she specialized in slot operations analysis, contributing to revenue growth and enhanced customer experiences. Following that, she joined Boyd Corporate as a database management and data quality control officer. In that position, she helped the company make informed decisions based on reliable data.

Prior to joining QCI, Hawkins served Everi Holdings, further cultivating her gaming industry expertise. She worked together with a number of gaming partners, supplying them with data-driven solutions.

Boasting a Bachelor of Science in Data Science, Hawkins also boasts an impressive skill set that encompasses database management, slot operations analysis and data quality assurance. In addition, QCI’s new hire has impressive abilities in vendor relations and problem-solving.

CEO Thomas Welcomed Hawkins on Board

Hawkins commented on her new position, saying that she feels privileged to be able to join QCI’s team as its gaming business intelligence manager.

QCI beautifully bridges technology with business operations, and as customers gain a passion for data-driven decision making and leverage data for business optimization, I have the privilege of embarking on this journey with them.

Alicia Hawkins, gaming business intelligence manager, QCI

She was welcomed on board by Ralph Thomas, QCI’s chief executive officer. The CEO said that his team is looking forward to seeing the impact the new appointee will have on the company. According to him, she will play an important role in the rollout of new product offerings.

Alicia will ensure data integrity and will lead in educating users on effective software utilization. Her hands-on experience will serve as the foundation for the guidance she provides, enabling our clients to make well-informed, data-driven decisions.

Ralph Thomas, CEO, QCI

Thomas concluded that QCI is certain that Hawkins will be a valuable addition to the team. Her appointment highlights the company’s commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions, the CEO said.

Two months ago, QCI unveiled a partnership agreement with DigitalWin. Earlier this year, the company expanded in Australia with Gaming Dynamics.

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A recent case involving an unnamed English professional soccer manager has raised eyebrows as the Football Association (FA) decided not to sanction the individual despite evidence of substantial gambling activity. The manager’s betting activities came to light during an alleged blackmail case, further complicating the situation. The FA’s leniency starkly contrasts its recent punishment of high-profile players, garnering significant criticism.

The Alleged Offender Placed Regular Wagers

The manager’s identity remains protected by a court order regarding a 2022 blackmail case, which saw him accuse two professional soccer players, Alan Rogers and Steven Jennings, of extorting him. Both athletes denied the charges, and the manager ultimately withdrew his allegations, stating he wished to move on with his life.

However, court documents regarding the extortion case revealed the unnamed manager had engaged in extensive gambling, wagering £879,000 ($1.1 million) over two years. During this time, he incurred losses of £270,000 ($334,000). His bets notably extended to soccer matches within his league, but the data shows he did not bet on his team.

Such gambling behavior is strictly prohibited and can result in severe punishments. The FA has significantly tightened its enforcement policy, making its decision to pardon the manager highly puzzling. The Association likely decided that taking action could reveal the manager’s identity and risk legal action. However, this lack of enforcement has given rise to accusations of double standards and inconsistent enforcement.

Athletes Faced Harsh Punishments for Much Less

The FA’s renewed focus on sports integrity saw it sanction several high-profile athletes like Harry Toffolo, Chris Maguire, and Ivan Toney. The athletes may face significant repercussions for their careers, highlighting the Association’s focus on preventing potential conflicts of interest and maintaining a level playing field for all participants. 

By strictly enforcing these regulations, the FA hoped to demonstrate it would not tolerate any attempts to undermine the sport’s integrity. However, the decision not to sanction the unnamed manager severely undermines the Association’s image and casts a negative light on its harsh policies. The FA likely had valid reasons to avoid pressing the issue, but other offending individuals may attempt to use this ruling to avoid sanctions.

Although the contrast with the strict punishment meted out to Ivan Toney has fueled controversy and raised questions about the transparency and fairness of the FA’s approach, sports integrity must remain a priority. This case should prompt the Association to implement new policies and ensure that similar offenses cannot avoid sanctions in the future, promoting fairness and transparency.

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Financial crimes are difficult to solve, but not impossible. With such crimes, there’s always a trace that is linked to the money and this is precisely the case of a former employee at the Aria on the Las Vegas Strip that was accused of stealing more than $770,000 in fraudulent hotel reservation refunds. As reported by KLAS, the suspect, a 38-year-old hotel operations manager with the initials B.R.J., is facing 15 charges for his alleged involvement in the scheme.

Unlike some fraudulent operations that involve multiple individuals, so far, the 38-year-old management employee is the sole suspect for the embezzlement. B.R.J. first joined MGM Resorts’ hotel back in 2013. He held the role of operations manager, allowing him to process refunds, as well as other financial transactions. Yet, earlier this year, amid suspicions about his lavish lifestyle, B.R.J. ended his employment at the Aria abruptly.

Reportedly, the suspect is currently held without bail in Clark County Detention Center. A hearing on his source of funds is scheduled for September 11, 2023. At that hearing, the 38-year-old needs to prove that the money he may use for his bail was obtained through legal ways. On September 19, 2023, a preliminary hearing is scheduled on his case.

Overall, the former Aria hotel operations manager faces 15 charges for the alleged fraudulent activity. Charges against B.R.J. include an unlawful felony act regarding computers, attempted money laundering/money laundering, two charges for theft of more than $100,000 as well as two charges for theft of more than $5,000 but less than $25,000. Additionally, he faces nine counts of theft of more than $25,000 but less than $100,000.

Suspect Allegedly Completes 309 Fraudulent Transactions

The charges against the former hotel manager arose after one of his coworkers grew suspicious of his lavish lifestyle. The suspect allegedly used the ill-gained funds to buy a home, fly with private jets and shop for luxury items. When asked about his expensive lifestyle by his coworker, the suspect claimed he worked for wealthy clients as a private chef.

Yet, suspicion continued to grow until the suspect’s coworker did an audit, uncovering that B.R.J. processed a staggering 309 refunds for hotel accommodation to a single credit card – his own. The coworker immediately notified the management which resulted in an investigation by the police as well. Overall, B.R.J. allegedly completed fraudulent transactions for a year, between July 2022 and July 2023.

After the start of the investigation near the end of July this year, the suspect abruptly quit his job by only sending a text message. Then, on August 31, 2023, Metro police were contacted by Las Vegas Defense Group, a law firm representing the former hotel operations manager. Consequently, he surrendered to the police on September 1, 2023.

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Groove Technologies announced that its new product manager, Shay Kababia, has created a new Recommender tool that has the potential to revolutionize the online casino experience. Kababia has been working on this project for over a year, leveraging the company’s experienced developer team.

The new tool was described as a user-centric data-driven recommendation system that can provide casino players with content tailored to their needs. The system allows companies to level up their personalization capabilities and engage their audiences with content that is specifically selected for them.

The new system provides gambling operators with a four-tiered display that recommends content based on players’ gaming behavior. The tool allows players to discover many new games that might interest them, greatly improving operators’ profitability.

As mentioned, Kababia’s new Recommender system recommends games based on players’ preferences. In addition to suggestions, the system also recommends titles that players are likely to enjoy because of similar mechanics or themes. Furthermore, the new system also keeps gamblers updated on the latest games on the market and keeps them informed about upcoming releases.

The new system allows players to explore a rich selection of content from a variety of suppliers, including GrooveStudio.

Groove Seeks to Remain Ahead of the Curve

According to Groove, the new Recommender tool embodies the company’s “forward-thinking ethos” and follows the company’s recent transformative rebrand. Groove’s core solutions are currently backed by an experienced team of industry professionals such as Kababia.

Speaking of Kababia, the product manager commented on the new tool, saying that it is the result of his team’s hard work.

This cutting-edge tool ensures operators managing multiple brands have a distinct lobby tailored to pivotal metrics. Our team’s unyielding efforts have positioned Groove at the forefront with this launch. Its influence is palpable among our operator circle.

Shay Kababia, product manager, Groove Technologies

Groove’s chief operating officer, Yahale Meltzer, also shared his thoughts on the release, praising Kababia and his unit for their contributions to the company and its operator partners. The Recommender tool is another product that will help Groove redefine the industry, Meltzer added.

Our state-of-the-art “Recommender” tool is setting new benchmarks, redefining how operators and casino brands engage with their audiences.

Yahale Meltzer, COO, Groove Technologies

In the meantime, Groove continues to create new links with gaming companies, developers and tech and AI specialists. In May, the company teamed up with Spribe, the name behind the biggest crash game in the world, Aviator.

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