The Star Sydney’s parent company and one of the largest entertainment and gaming groups in Australia, Star Entertainment Group, was involved in a scandal related to alleged breaches of regulations related to anti-money laundering and other issues. As the second inquiry into The Star Sydney loomed, allegations of records falsification emerged earlier this week.

The allegations came after Liquor & Gaming NSW uncovered discrepancies between actual data from The Star Sydney and recorded and submitted gaming interactions by the venue. The probe uncovered that while the casino posted reports about its gambling interactions, CCTV and observations did not match with the reported actions to protect the consumers from excessive gambling.

Nicholas Weeks, the person appointed to the role of manager at The Star Sydney to help guide the venue to compliance, revealed that the Liquor & Gaming NSW inspectors compared recorded player protection data to actual CCTV footage and in-person observations, finding a mismatch between the information. As a result, the casino was accused of “falsification of records,” which occurred not only often but involved a large portion of the employees.

The latest hearing uncovered another major concern regarding The Star Sydney’s “ticket in, cash out”(TICO) machines. An issue with a software update on some of the machines cost the casino AU$3.2 million ($2.1 million) and according to a newly released report, people involved in the activity were reported to the police by the casino for fraud.

More than 40 people exploited the faulty TICO machines at the casino before the error was finally fixed nearly two weeks later. As announced by the Sydney Morning Herald, people who participated in the illicit activity are now facing legal repercussions as they were reported for fraud to the police by The Star Sydney.

The fraudulent activity wasn’t elaborate at all and was in fact caused by a glitch in the TICO machines’ software. Whenever a person placed two tickets into such a machine, they would receive the payout of the two tickets, but one of them would be returned to the customer. Subsequent attempts to redeem the returned ticket were successful and many people started doing so. To make matters worse, the ticket could’ve been redeemed multiple times, which is why the gambling operator lost millions after only 13 days.

The latest report told the story of a woman with the initials T.L.L., who was a recovering gambling addict. After hearing about the TICO glitch at The Star Sydney, she started to withdraw money using the same method. Overall, T.L.L. withdrew AU$57,265 ($36,900) and from that total, she spent everything but AU$5,000 ($3,200).

The TICO machine error happened last summer. Once the casino realized there was an issue, it reported the customers’ activities to the police. As a result, T.L.L. and many others were arrested and charged with fraud.

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Casinos on the Vegas Strip and beyond have paid out millions of dollars in jackpots to players over the past few days. This has highlighted the gambling industry’s potential to change lives and reward lucky customers.

Lucky Customer Makes It Look Easy, Wins Two Jackpots in a Row

Speaking of luck, one of the aforementioned jackpot winners won not one but two jackpots, hours apart. The fortunate player was firing up the reels of slot machines at Caesars Palace Las Vegas when they won their first prize.

After winning $165,000 at 5 am, the player continued playing for a few more hours. Five hours later, the same player struck another prize, this time winning a staggering $545,000.

Overall, the player’s journey to the casino turned into a $710,000 payday. The lucky Caesars customer preferred to remain anonymous and did not disclose their plans for the money.

Caesars Rewards Member Wins Over a Million

Caesars Palace was not the only Caesars-owned Vegas property to pay out a huge jackpot. A week ago, a Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino visitor won a jackpot of over a million dollars.

The customer, who was a Caesars Rewards member, visited the casino to play some Pai Gow Poker. To their surprise, they hit the mega progressive jackpot, receiving a whopping $1,208,521.

For reference, this jackpot was won on February 28.

Casinos Outside the Strip also Made People Rich

Beyond the Vegas Strip, a number of other Vegas casinos also turned their customers’ lives around by paying out huge prizes. These included a $450,600 jackpot from a $10 bet at Red Rock Casino on Friday. The huge prize was won by a lucky Double Double Bonus Poker player.

A day later, Red Rock paid out jackpots to a Super Double Double Bonus Poker player. After winning $200,000, the customer proceeded to play and, mirroring the Caesars Palace player, won a second jackpot, this time scooping up $160,000.

Green Valley Ranch Nevada, on the other hand, paid out $595,800 to a lucky player from Arizona.

Speaking of winners from Arizona, a visitor of the Inn of the Mountain Gods in New Mexico just won a record-breaking award for the casino. After wagering $3.75 on a slot, the woman claimed a huge $1.13 million prize.  

On the topic of jackpots, the Powerball jackpot hit $443 million for the recent drawing and, after not getting claimed, no stands at $485 million. The next drawing is scheduled for March 6.

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The lucrative world of casino gambling is facing a formidable adversary: organized groups employing sophisticated tactics to exploit slot machines, causing substantial financial losses to casinos across the US. According to a leading expert in casino surveillance and security, this issue is rapidly escalating, posing a significant threat to the industry’s profitability.

Casino Surveillance Expert Sounds Alarm on Rampant Slot Advantage Play Tactics

Darrin Hoke, a seasoned professional in casino surveillance and operational protection, recently shed light on the alarming trend of slot advantage play during core training sessions at the World Game Protection Conference held at the Tropicana Las Vegas, reported CDC Gaming. 

Hoke emphasized the vulnerability of electronic gaming systems to fraud and abuse, particularly highlighting the exploitation of players’ club schemes and internal and external fraud mechanisms.

Slot machines represent a substantial portion, accounting for 75% to 85%, of all gaming revenue in casinos, underscoring the severity of the issue. Hoke revealed that many casinos inadequately monitor these complex networks, leaving them susceptible to exploitation by organized groups engaging in slot advantage play.

Hoke explained that these groups exploit various tactics to extract significant sums from casinos, primarily targeting video poker due to its low house edge. By strategically utilizing free-play incentives and leveraging multiple accounts, these groups amass substantial winnings without significant financial risk.

Casino Industry Should Ramp Up Measures Against Slot Advantage Play

The modus operandi typically involves enrolling multiple individuals into the casino’s direct mail program to accumulate free play rewards. Once a certain threshold is reached, the group collectively utilizes these rewards to generate profits, circumventing the need for personal funds. Hoke emphasized that while this practice is not illegal, it results in substantial losses for casinos, with some groups allegedly moving billions of dollars across the country.

Moreover, these groups employ sophisticated strategies, such as team play and exploiting must-hit jackpots, to further enhance their advantage. Despite casinos’ attempts to incentivize customer loyalty through free play offers, Hoke noted that these efforts often result in wasted expenses, with a significant portion of free play going unutilized.

Hoke urged casinos to adopt proactive measures to combat slot advantage play, emphasizing the importance of scrutinizing player behavior and identifying patterns indicative of exploitation. 

Additionally, he highlighted the need for enhanced security protocols to detect and deter organized groups from engaging in fraudulent activities.As casinos grapple with mounting financial losses attributed to slot advantage play, industry stakeholders are under increasing pressure to implement comprehensive measures to safeguard against exploitation and preserve profitability.

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The Blackstone Group, the globally recognized US private equity giant, acquired Crown Resorts, the leading Australian casino operator, last summer. At the time of the announcement, the price tag of the deal was a staggering AU$8.9 billion ($6.5 billion). However, despite the initial investment to acquire Crown Resorts, The Blackstone Group revealed that it has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars more to help revitalize and overhaul Crown Resorts in the upcoming years.

In a recent interview for The Australian, Blackstone’s global co-head of real estate, Kathleen McCarthy, spoke about the company’s intentions to invest further in Crown Resorts’ Melbourne property. She explained that Blackstone has already invested “hundreds of millions of dollars” in the property as it prepares to completely transform the customer experience.

According to McCarthy, the company is delighted about this investment and the exciting journey that lies ahead. She spoke about Crown’s Melbourne property, explaining that it represents an excellent location. However, McCarthy added that Crown Resorts Melbourne “needs capital investment to make it an exciting and fresh place for folks to come.”

“We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars (behind the scenes), now we get to the really exciting part, which is transforming the customer experience and what they are seeing. We remain very excited, and we are just really beginning the journey here.“

Kathleen McCarthy, global co-head of real estate at The Blackstone Group

Transforming the Experience to Attract More Visitors

When asked about other possible investments, McCarthy said that Blackstone explores additional opportunities. Still, she added that an ongoing focus for the company is the transformation of Crown. According to McCarthy, Blackstone anticipates attracting a wide range of guests at the Melbourne property, including Australians and visitors overseas. She outlined that this can be achieved through investment in new and engaging experiences, such as shopping or food outlets, that can make the property even better.

“We’re really focused on the work ahead of us at Crown and the opportunity to transform the business,“

added McCarthy

Focusing on the bigger picture, McCarthy said that Blackstone prioritizes the transformation of quality real estate. Such initiatives can help bring operational assets, boost cash flow and at the same time, elevate the experiences for the visitors, she said. Finally, McCarthy outlined that the company continues to explore different investment opportunities.

The gambling sector in Australia has seen quite a lot of turbulence lately. With local governments scrutinizing operators and ongoing changes to the established regulations, fears about overspending and gambling harm continue to rise. Yet, the changes to the gambling sector are on a government level, reaffirming the commitment of lawmakers to curb problem gambling and reduce gambling harm.

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Dwight Manley, a 57-year-old real estate executive and a prominent high roller, is taking MGM Resorts to court. According to him, a spiked drink caused him to lose adequacy and wager away two million dollars. Manley alleges that the MGM staff did nothing to prevent his losses other than offering him credit.

Manley, a long-time customer of the MGM brand, visited the MGM Grand property in Las Vegas in 2021 after receiving an invitation to stay in the MGM Mansion. On December 10, the lawsuit says, Manley ordered a cocktail that had a suspicious “bitter” taste. After a second cocktail, the real estate executive began to feel “out of it” and act erratically.

Feeling disoriented, Manley broke an ashtray, cutting his hand. The lawsuit alleges that the casino staff provided him with band-aids and moved him to another table but did not offer any further medical help.

At that point, Manley was clearly not feeling well and yet he was offered a line credit of up to $3.5 million, the lawsuit alleges.

In the late afternoon, Manley collapsed in his villa. He later tested himself in California, with medical tests showing that he had ketamine in his system.

Manley Is Committed to Finding the Perpetrator

In addition to launching a lawsuit, Manley has hired the services of a private investigator. At the same time, Manley is seeking further info on www.Reward4InfoCasinoDrugging.com where anyone with any information can provide a report. The real estate executive promises a reward of $500,000 to anyone who can help him identify the perpetrators.

In his lawsuit, Manley also highlighted the dangers of ketamine, which could have put his life in danger. Because of that, he has also involved the Las Vegas Metro Police and the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

The lawsuit seeks damages, alleging that the casino shouldn’t hold Manley responsible for the money he has spent while under the influence of a potent drug.

For reference, ketamine is an anesthetic primarily used in veterinary medicine but has recently gained traction as a drug. Overdosing on ketamine is reported to cause a severe dissociative state.

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A lucky Texan has grabbed the $360 million Mega Millions jackpot, becoming the recipient of the largest prize a Texas Lottery player has ever gotten.

The player, who is yet to claim their prize as of the time of this writing, is said to have purchased the ticket at a convenience store near Sam’s Club in San Angelo. The store is set to receive a $1 million bonus for having sold the winning ticket.

The lucky Texas Lottery player successfully matched all six numbers. For reference, the numbers were the following: 12, 24, 46, 57, 66. The Mega Ball number, which the player also matched correctly, was 22.

According to the Texas Lottery, the player has opted to go with the cash value option at the time of the purchase. For reference, it was $156.9 million before taxes before the drawing.

The jackpot won by the lucky Texan started in August. Initially sitting at just $20 million, the prize was rolled 14 times before finally being hit. This is also the 14th Mega Millions jackpot to be won by a Texan and the first since 2019 when another lucky player grabbed a $227 million prize.

In the meantime, thousands of players won smaller prizes ranging from $2 to $10,000.

The Lottery Advised the Player to Seek Financial and Legal Advice

The Texas Lottery congratulated the lucky player on winning the October 6 prize with the company’s executive director, Gary Grief, saying:

We are absolutely thrilled to have a big Mega Millions jackpot winner right here in Texas and we’re eagerly looking forward to meeting and congratulating the Lone Star State’s largest-ever Mega Millions jackpot winner.

Gary Grief, executive director, Texas Lottery

The player now has 180 days to claim their prize. Grief encouraged them to sign the ticket and put it in a safe place. Then, according to the director, the winner should seek financial and legal advice and should then call the Texas Lottery before going to Austin to claim the prize.

The Mega Millions jackpot will now be reset to $20 million. In the meantime, the Powerball Jackpot soared to $1.4 billion following the latest draw.

The post Lucky Texan Lottery Player Wins $360M Mega Millions Jackpot appeared first on Keno Wizard.

A lucrative promotion offered by the leading online bookmaker, Betr, may result in the largest payout for a single sports event in the history of Australian wagering. Nearly one year ago, the bookmaker released a special 100-1 odds promotion with a wager cap of AU$10 ($6,50) for a handful of sports competitions. Considering the odds, thousands of punters immediately engaged in the promotion, placing different wagers for the World Cup, the Melbourne Cup, as well as the NBA, NRL and the AFL.

But while some have already cashed out their winnings, others preferred to keep their wagers, in particular, the ones placed for the upcoming NRL Grand Final scheduled to take place over the weekend.

With 100-1 odds, if the favorites for the NRL Grand Final, the Penrith Panthers, win the upcoming game, approximately 40,000 punters are expected to receive just above AU$1,000 ($650), a report released by the Australian Financial Review suggests. The approximate total makes a staggering AU$40 million ($26 million), representing the largest payout for a single sports event in the history of wagering in the country.

Panthers’ Win Would Benefit the Bookmaker

Undoubtedly, handing out tens of millions of dollars is the biggest fear for any bookmaker. However, this was not the case for Matt Tripp, the famous entrepreneur behind Betr. After he was interviewed by the publication recently, he explained that he has mixed feelings regarding the outcome of the upcoming NRL Grand Final. Tripp said that people who consider the outcome of the Panthers clinching the win as a surprise for Betr help spread the word about the bookmaker.

Instead of worrying about the hefty sum that would be handed out if the team wins, he predicted that this outcome would actually bring benefits to the bookmaker. “If the Panthers win, nothing would make us happier. We would have tens of millions of dollars injected back into the Betr ecosystem for punters for the next six weeks, which is the most exciting time of the year being Spring Carnival,” explained Tripp.

Earlier this year, long ahead of the NRL Grand Final, Betr reportedly offered customers who have placed wagers on the Panthers a refund and to cash out ahead of the competition. While some punters may have accepted that offer, others who kept their wager were notified recently that the processing of payouts may be delayed. Betr revealed that the processing of the wagers may go on for a week, but no later than October 6, 2023.

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PointsBet will return millions to its shareholders following the sale of its US business to Fanatics Betting and Gaming. This was confirmed during the company’s latest extraordinary general meeting.

PointsBet agreed to divest its US assets on June 30, selling its American operations of $225 million. The transaction is intended to take place over a multi-stage completion process and is still subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions. If the deal is approved, PointsBet will receive $175 million at the initial completion and another $50 million at the subsequent completion. 

Following the sale of its US business, PointsBet plans to distribute the net proceeds to its shareholders, along with the majority of the company’s corporate cash reserves. PointsBet explained that the sale of its US assets would change its business, resulting in a surplus of reserves, thus enabling the move.

Following the sale of the US Business, the funding requirements of the Company’s remaining assets will be fundamentally different to the status quo.

PointsBet statement

According to PointsBet, the first capital return will see around $203.6 million (converted to USD from AUD) returned to the shareholders following the initial completion (expected to be completed by mid-September).

After that, a second capital return of between $80.8 million and $92.4 million will see money returned to the shareholders upon the subsequent completion (around March 2024).

The Deal Between Fanatics and PointsBet Was Mutually-Beneficial

In other news, PointsBet published its FY 2023 results, demonstrating a turnover of AUD 5.74 billion. The company attributed its stellar performance to the divestment of its US assets, which allowed it to focus on other lucrative initiatives.

Fanatics, on the other hand, will now be in the perfect position to challenge some of the mainstays of the US gambling market, including juggernauts such as FanDuel and DraftKings. Analysts believe that the acquisition will help Fanatics capitalize on the upcoming NFL season.

In the meantime, the transaction between PointsBet and Fanatics will also provide the latter company with a unique shot at New York’s gambling market. By acquiring PointsBet’s US business, Fanatics also hopes to secure an entry into one of the most promising US markets.

While regulators agreed that the company’s suitability to hold PointsBet’s NY license must be evaluated, the move is nevertheless a big opportunity for Fanatics to grow its US footprint.

The post PointsBet to Return Millions to Shareholders Following the Sale of Its US Arm appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Mega Millions is one of the most popular lottery games in the United States. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, as well as the US Virgin Islands and Washington DC and drawings take place on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Earlier this month, the highest jackpot from Mega Millions, a staggering $1.6 billion was won in Florida from the drawing on August 8, 2023. Now, in less than a week after the whopping billion-dollar jackpot was won, another Florida resident hit the jackpot of the game.

The lucky lottery player guessed correctly all white balls, 18, 39, 42, 57, 63 and the Mega Ball, 7, from the drawing on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. As a result, the lucky player secured an estimated jackpot of $36 million or $18.6 million in cash. While that’s far from the mouth-watering billion-dollar win from last week, undoubtedly, $36 million is a life-changing sum.

The winning ticket of the latest Mega Millions jackpot was sold at Publix, located at 4495 Roosevelt Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida. By selling the winning ticket, the lottery retailer received a $25,000 commission bonus, the lottery reveals.

There were more than 550,000 winning tickets within all prize tiers from the latest Mega Millions drawing. One lucky winner from New Jersey guessed correctly all white balls and secured a second-tier prize of $1 million. On the other hand, 10 winners guessed correctly the four white balls and the Mega Ball. Nine of them collected a $10,000 prize each, while one paid an extra $1 for a Megaplier, which resulted in a $30,000 prize.

Some 282 lucky lottery players guessed correctly four of the white balls from the Tuesday drawing. While the majority of those winners collected a $500 prize each, 58 of them paid an extra $1 for the Megaplier which granted them a $1,500 prize each.

The Game’s Jackpot Goes Back to $20M

The recent jackpots hit in Florida come after two jackpots dropped in New York state back in April. At the beginning of the month, on April 14, 2023, a lucky lottery player from New York hit the $483 million jackpot. Then, days later, on April 18, 2023, another lucky New York state resident hit the $20 million grand prize from Mega Millions.

Considering the latest win from Florida, the game’s jackpot was once again reset to $20 million or an estimated $9.6 million if the cash option is selected. The next Mega Millions drawing is set for Friday, August 18, 2023, at 11 PM ET.

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The leading provider of innovative iGaming content that has produced over 1,000 exclusive titles and an iconic, record-breaking network of progressive jackpots, Games Global, has fresh and exciting news. 

The supplier with a massive distribution channel that currently services more than 900 worldwide gaming brands has launched the King Millions jackpot, once again proving its supremacy in the progressive jackpot landscape. 

The GRAND Jackpot Can Trigger €30M+ in Cash Prizes

The new jackpot is the supplier’s biggest network jackpot so far and it allows players to double the chance to win massive prizes with two different jackpots capped at €1 ($1.1 million) and €2 million ($2.2 million) respectively. 

The GRAND Jackpot is capable of triggering over €30 million in prizes, breaking yet another record in the industry. The fresh network jackpot can drop at any moment during the base game. 

A bonus wheel with win multipliers ranging between 7x and 100x the bet can also pop up, along with the MAJOR and GRAND jackpot variants.

The “Highly Customizable” King Jackpot to Meet All Customer Needs

The King Jackpot can be easily adapted to meet customer needs, enabling operators to differentiate their offerings.

Since it will be intertwined with the iconic 9 Masks of Fire slot and other equally popular titles, the progressive jackpot is expected to turn into “a huge hit with operators and players alike,” according to the company’s chief product officer, Andrew Booth.  

Booth further explained the new product is an excellent addition to Games Global’s current library, further showing the provider’s increased focus on creating market-leading jackpot games with highly-popular series like Mega Moolah and WowPot! on top of the list. 

The CPO also took the opportunity to express excitement for the company’s ability to constantly push the boundaries with special emphasis on their jackpot products while acknowledging their “strong reputation” as a leading supplier in the jackpot field. 

The jackpot created by the supplier that delivers force and direction to the iGaming universe has been created “specifically to raise the bar on progressive jackpot slots” with a top prize pool over the €30 million ($33 million) mark before a drop and eight-figure amounts that have never been seen before on the market.

As explained by Games Global’s chief executive officer, Walter Bugno, the company “has embarked on a journey to become the one” name that suppliers, employers, and partners will have in mind when thinking about the iGaming industry. 

Last May, Games Global purchased Microgaming’s distribution business and online games portfolio. In December 2022, the supplier inked a partnership with OROS Gaming, a fresh studio and developer.

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