Australia
AUSTRAC and Pacific Financial Intelligence Units Gather in Brisbane to Tackle Financial Crime in the Region
Identifying ways to combat serious financial crime is the key focus when financial intelligence units (FIUs) from across the Pacific meet in Brisbane.
Representatives from 13 Pacific nations are gathering for the Pacific Financial Intelligence Community (PFIC) plenary, which is hosted by AUSTRAC.
The three-day event, which is now going on, provides a valuable opportunity for FIUs to further explore initiatives to fight financial crime. These include joint operations, intelligence sharing, capacity-building activities and region-wide technological enhancements.
Since last year’s meeting in the Cook Islands, PFIC members have focused their efforts on combating transnational organised crime, corruption and child sexual exploitation. AUSTRAC has worked with FIUs to ensure they have the training and capabilities required to proactively identify and tackle these crimes.
As well as ongoing themes such as money laundering, this year’s meeting will also address emerging issues such as illicit use of cryptocurrency, new payment platforms and gambling in the region.
AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said PFIC is a good example of the value strong regional partnerships bring to combating money laundering and other serious financial crime.
“As Australia’s financial intelligence unit, we’re not just focused on ensuring the security of Australia’s financial system, we also have a key role to play in working with our neighbours to combat the harms posed by criminal networks across the region,” Mr Thomas said.
“To put it into perspective, behind each of these crimes are people who are left devastated by the impacts of online scams, child sexual exploitation, environmental crimes or drug trafficking.
“PFIC was established by AUSTRAC and other regional partners in 2021 to promote greater collaboration among Pacific FIUs, and we’re so proud of the outcomes it’s already delivered.”
The Head of the Cook Islands FIU and outgoing Co-Chair of the PFIC, Mr Walter Henry, said he’s honoured to have played a leading role in PFIC over the last two years.
“Serious financial crime affects all of our nations, so we must work together to combat threats which undermine our financial security and community safety,” Mr Henry said.
“The PFIC has proven to be a vital channel for sharing intelligence, for working on capability enhancements and for staying across emerging threats and developments in technology.”
The Attorney-General will address the conference, to speak about Australia’s commitment to building strong regional partnerships to combat transnational financial crime, and ongoing efforts to strengthen Australia’s anti-money laundering system.
Representatives from the financial intelligence units of Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu will be in attendance.
AUSTRAC is the permanent Co-Chair of the forum. The Head of the Fiji FIU is scheduled to take on the rotating Co-Chair position at the end of this plenary meeting.
The post AUSTRAC and Pacific Financial Intelligence Units Gather in Brisbane to Tackle Financial Crime in the Region appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australia
Konami’s SYNK Vision Named Finalist in Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026
Konami Gaming subsidiary Konami Australia is a finalist in the Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026, adjudicated by representatives from the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL), The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and Leagues Clubs Australia. Konami’s SYNK Vision biometric player tracking solution has been named a finalist for “RegTech Solution of the Year”, recognising innovative technology improving compliance, anti-money laundering (AML), safer gambling or integrity outcomes.
Tom Soukup, senior vice president & chief systems product officer at Konami Gaming, said: “The potential for SYNK Vision to deliver transformative advancement is unmistakable, especially as it relates to anti-money laundering, compliance, and player protection. This important acknowledgement of Konami’s SYNK Vision in the Regulating the Game Global Awards is credit to our valued casino customers and team members for working collaboratively, pushing casino systems technology to new heights of innovation, efficiency, and responsibility.”
Organised by the annual gambling law and regulation conference Regulating the Game, the Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026 event takes place on March 10 in Sydney, Australia. SYNK Vision has been independently selected as a finalist in this year’s programme, bringing Konami’s patented facial-recognition technology to the forefront of responsible gaming. Installed at casino table games and electronic gaming machines (EGMs), SYNK Vision can securely identify, track and protect players automatically based on biometric facial characteristics, regardless of whether they are members of the venue’s established player loyalty programme.
Gerard Crosby, senior vice president & chief games product officer at Konami Gaming and director of Konami Australia, said: “SYNK Vision equips gaming facilities to rapidly detect barred players, immediately notifying personnel and locking the machine from play if associated with an EGM—all while preserving player privacy across its gaming ecosystem. In addition, its advanced identity‑verification capabilities enhance AML tracking and compliance efforts across regulated venues. Konami is happy to support regulated gaming markets with this previously unattainable ability, to the benefit of countless communities and individuals.”
The post Konami’s SYNK Vision Named Finalist in Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
ACMA
ACMA: Six Wagering Providers Breach Gambling Self-Exclusion Rules
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has concluded six more investigations into licensed wagering providers for breaches of self-exclusion rules.
The ACMA investigations found Tabcorp, LightningBet, Betfocus, TempleBet, Picklebet and BetChamps all failed to comply with rules that protect people who registered with BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register.
The facts of each investigation are different but the breaches across the investigations included allowing registered individuals to open wagering accounts and to access wagering services, or marketing to registered individuals.
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said these breaches undermine the protections from gambling harm that self-exclusion offers.
“The national self-exclusion register is designed to help people who are trying to avoid gambling services and stop gambling, but self-exclusion only works if wagering providers follow the rules,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
“These rules have been in place for more than two years and wagering providers should be taking their responsibilities seriously.
“When people decide to self-exclude from online and telephone gambling, they trust the system to protect them from gambling harm. These investigations have found that these companies broke that trust and let people down.
“All licensed wagering providers need to be aware that the ACMA is investigating compliance and enforcing the rules. Gambling companies must have effective systems in place to ensure self-excluded people cannot gamble with them.”
The investigations identified that the providers did not ensure that their underlying systems and processes were operating as intended and failed to adequately identify and protect people who had self-excluded.
In response to these findings, the ACMA has used a range of different enforcement tools available under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, having regard to the different facts arising under each investigation.
The ACMA has issued remedial directions to each of Betfocus, LightningBet and TempleBet. Under these remedial directions each of the providers will be required by law to commission an independent audit of their systems and implement any resulting recommendations.
This type of enforcement action is corrective and directed at future compliance with the rules. Failure to comply with a remedial direction is an offence and can result in civil penalties.
Tabcorp Holdings paid a penalty of $112,680 and agreed to enter into a court-enforceable undertaking requiring the company to commission a third-party review of its customer verification processes and train staff on their obligations around the Register. If not complied with, such an undertaking can be enforced in the Federal Court, with the Court being able to make such orders as it considers appropriate.
BetChamps was given a formal warning and the ACMA is currently finalising enforcement action for Picklebet.
All contraventions were found to have occurred in 2024. If these companies fail to comply with self-exclusion rules in the future, the ACMA may take stronger enforcement action, potentially including commencement of Federal Court proceedings to seek civil penalties.
The post ACMA: Six Wagering Providers Breach Gambling Self-Exclusion Rules appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Australia
Finalists Announced for Inaugural Regulating the Game Global Awards Following Strong Global Engagement
Regulating the Game has today announced the finalists for the inaugural RTG Global Awards, following an exceptional level of interest, nominations and engagement in the first year of the program.
The Global Awards were established to recognise regulatory and sector leadership, stewardship, and excellence across gambling policy and regulation, safer gambling, compliance, technology, and community outcomes – acknowledging the role these disciplines play in underpinning integrity, public confidence, and sustainable sector development. The breadth and quality of submissions received in the inaugural year has confirmed a strong appetite for recognition that is rigorous, independent, and grounded in demonstrable, real-world impact.
Among the finalists confirmed this year are a number of individuals and organisations recognised for leadership and impact within their respective categories, including Dr Eugenia Chidhakwa (Lotteries and Gaming Board, Zimbabwe), Rob Annable (Picklebet) and Duncan Garvie (BetBlocker) for community impact; Dominic Monti (Wests Illawarra), Nathan Hinde (PointsBet) and Sue Pemberton (Parramatta Leagues Club) for compliance excellence; Michael Simone (Bankstown District Sports Club) and Vicki Le (Cabravale Club Resort) as emerging leaders; Chris Dimou (Parramatta Leagues Club), Gaming Laboratories International and Danny Munk (Wests Illawarra) for leadership voice; and CherryHub and KONAMI Australia recognised in the RegTech category as well as Crown PlaySafe, Parq Casino and The Star Entertainment Group for safer gambling champion.
Finalists have now been confirmed across all six categories. The full list of finalists will be available on the Regulating the Game Global Awards website.
Finalists were shortlisted across six award categories following independent assessment by a judging panel comprising senior leaders with deep expertise spanning regulation, law, integrity, governance and responsible gambling:
- Don Hammond, Chief Executive Officer, Leagues Clubs Australia
- Jamie Nettleton, Former President, International Masters of Gaming Law and Partner, Addisons
- Khalid Ali, Chief Executive Officer, International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA)
- Tracy Parker, Senior Vice-President – Accreditation, Advisory and Insights, Responsible Gambling Council (Canada)
The composition of the panel reflects the cross-sector perspective required to assess excellence in a complex and increasingly scrutinised regulatory environment, bringing together domestic and international insight across public policy, legal frameworks, integrity assurance and harm prevention.
RTG Founder and Principal at Vanguard Overwatch, Paul Newson, said the inaugural Global Awards reflected a growing appetite for recognition grounded in substance and sector contribution:
“The response to the first year of the Global Awards shows there is a clear place for recognition that goes beyond profile or promotion. These Awards are about surfacing leadership and stewardship – the people, organisations and solutions that are lifting standards, shaping practice and contributing to better sector and community outcomes.”
“The independence and calibre of the judging panel has been central to that credibility.”
The RTG Global Awards Gala Dinner will be held as a flagship networking event within the Regulating the Game program. Tickets are available separately, enabling colleagues, finalist teams, and sector stakeholders who may not be attending the full conference to join the Awards evening. Further information on conference registration and Global Awards Gala Dinner tickets is available via the Regulating the Game website.
The post Finalists Announced for Inaugural Regulating the Game Global Awards Following Strong Global Engagement appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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