Australia

Exclusive Q & A with Marc Edwards, CEO of ORDER

Published

5 years ago

May 27, 2021

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Q. Congratulations on joining ORDER as the new CEO! What are your early reactions to the job?

A. It is an exciting time to join the organisation. I had been working for ORDER in a consultancy capacity for 6 months prior to joining as CEO, so the transition has been relatively seamless. My early impressions are full of opportunity and growth. The industry is forging ahead and receiving a lot of attention from mainstream media and non-endemic brands looking to be involved in the space, and with ORDER being a first mover in esports and now 4 years later is well established, we are looking forward to this next stage of our evolution.

Q. Do you find heading an Esports team much different than leading an organization in traditional sports or motor sports, where you had spent most of your career?

A. There are a lot of similarities with the support structure of esports and traditional sports, especially when it comes to fostering a culture of high performance and professionalism. And now as we look ahead, player welfare and grass roots programs are firmly on the agenda to ensure we are both looking after our professional players, but also playing a role as a leader in the industry to provide pathways for the next generation of talent. If we look at the commercial side of the industry there are certainly some parallels to draw with sponsorship, brand activations and fan engagement and how these are delivered to offer the best value to brands. The real difference in this area of the business is the ability to innovate and execute on new ideas without the constraint of governing or league bodies. Further, we also see the customer facing area of our business as a far more creative than traditional sports – more along the lines of a music label. Essentially our talent, who are professional gamers and content creators, are at the core and the support crew we build around them to bring this to life are creatives, e.g. content managers, creative directors, digital marketers and brand builders.

Q. For the outside world, Australia, where ORDER is based, is known for its outdoor sports. How is esports catching up in the country? How does its popularity compare with that of traditional sports?

A. Traditional sports are fed by generations of participation and ultimately viewership. Right now the esports industry in Australia is no more than 5 years old, yet despite the lack of history and level of unfamiliarity the fan base has more than doubled in the past 2 years alone. With the majority of esports fans being in the 18 to 34 age bracket and skewing male, there has been a natural migration of fans from traditional sport into esports, which is a sign of how Australia’s deep passion for sport is changing. Esports provides this generation an alternative outlet for entertainment and it’s being supported big time. While the current audience base skews male there is a ground swell of engagement coming from the female audience and is being driven by women gamers increasingly turning professional.

Q. ORDER has recently raised a $5.3 million funding? What are the immediate plans to drive the growth?

A. We will solidify our position in Oceania esports while continuing to look at opportunities in other esports titles. The real growth for ORDER though will be in content creation and production and building an audience around our brand. To do that we are looking for content creators across multiple platforms and gaming influencers who will become part of the ORDER crew and benefit from our administrative support and enabled to continue to grow their current activities. Also, in a first for an esports organisation the region, earlier this year ORDER took residency at our new facility in Collingwood Melbourne, which will feature the Alienware esports high performance room, Logitech streaming room, production studio and administrative offices.

Q. Could you talk about the new diversification initiatives that are in pipeline?

A. Outside of what I have mentioned above, ORDER will continue to evolve our gaming production capabilities, with a bespoke offering across events and licensed content. We are also looking towards collaborations with creatives and artists across music, fashion, and art. We see gaming as aligning strongly with the future of pop culture and these pursuits have paved the way for gaming to move from a subculture to pop culture in its own right.

Q. It appears that the lock down forced by the Covid 19 pandemic has turned out to be a turning point for esports in general. How did it affect the growth of ORDER?

A. For ORDER, and most esports organisations, the events of the last year or so have put greater emphasis on the need for online event capability, content production and building a mass audience. While much of this growth is still in it’s infancy, the realignment of strategy in the early stage of 2020 provided us a long enough runway to start executing and importantly secure significant funding to accelerate our growth ambitions.

Australia

IGS Awarded 15-Year Electronic Gaming Machine Monitoring Licence in Victoria

Published

3 weeks ago

April 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

igs-awarded-15-year-electronic-gaming-machine-monitoring-licence-in-victoria

Bally’s Intralot S.A. (Bally’s Intralot) has announced that its Australian subsidiary, Intralot Gaming Services (IGS) has been awarded a new 15-year Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) Monitoring Licence for the State of Victoria, effective 16 August 2027.

This landmark award positions Bally’s Intralot to deliver a new generation of technology, transparency and collaboration to one of the world’s most mature and highly regulated gaming markets.

Approximately 26,300 EGMs will be connected to the Monitoring System which will provide a vital role in ensuring the ongoing integrity of EGM transactions in gaming venues. It will also provide data and information on EGMs for regulatory, harm minimisation, taxation and research purposes.

Under the licence, IGS will also be responsible for the delivery, operation and maintenance of the statewide Pre-commitment System for all EGMs in Victoria, including 2628 EGMs at the Melbourne casino.

A New Technology Era for Victoria

IGS will deploy a next-generation, cloud-enabled monitoring platform designed to deliver:

• Real-time monitoring and reporting

• Advanced data analytics capabilities

• Best-in-class cybersecurity protections

• Scalable architecture to support evolving regulatory requirements

• Future-ready integration enabling seamless connectivity with venues, manufacturers and regulatory systems

“This award represents a major milestone for Bally’s Intralot and IGS and is a significant investment in the future of Victoria’s gaming technology infrastructure. We look forward to working with the Victorian Government, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, and industry stakeholders to deliver a secure and transparent monitoring system that supports integrity and player protection,” said Robeson Reeves, CEO of the Bally’s Intralot Group.

IGS and Bally’s Intralot will commence planning and stakeholder engagement in the coming months to support a carefully managed, smooth and seamless transition.

The post IGS Awarded 15-Year Electronic Gaming Machine Monitoring Licence in Victoria appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Australia

RWA: Gambling Ad Crackdown Threatens Shift Offshore

Published

1 month ago

April 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

rwa:-gambling-ad-crackdown-threatens-shift-offshore

Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) has voiced deep disappointment over the Federal Government’s decision to further restrict gambling advertising without industry consultation. The group is now seeking urgent clarity to understand the full impact on the sector.

RWA CEO Kai Cantwell said their members have a track record of supporting and leading sensible and evidence based reform.

“We acknowledge advertising levels were too high in the past but we’ve listened and we’ve acted by taking steps to significantly reduce the total volume of ads” Mr Cantwell said.

“Beyond advertising, we have supported major reforms including the implementation of BetStop and strengthened consumer protection measures across the system.

“But this announcement, with no heads up and no genuine consultation, is a real kick in the guts for the industry.

“This sector contributes almost $6 billion to the Australian economy, supports around 30,000 jobs, and provides critical funding to sport, racing and broadcast industries across the country.”

“Decisions of this scale must be evidence based and developed with industry to avoid unintended consequences.

“For an industry that has engaged in good faith and delivered meaningful reform, this announcement today is disappointing.

“This sets a dangerous precedent. Today it’s gambling advertising, tomorrow it’s alcohol, then it’s sugary drinks, fast food, critical minerals and who knows what else comes next.

“This package of measures even seeks to go further than the Murphy Inquiry with the banning of online Keno and goes beyond the remit of the Federal

Government by phasing out jersey and stadium advertising.”

Responsible Wagering Australia also acknowledged the Government’s proposed crackdown on the illegal offshore gambling market which is costing Australians almost $4 billion each year and growing at 2.5x the rate of the legal licensed and regulated market.

“The test is whether these measures are strong, coordinated and enforceable.

“There is no silver bullet. These operators are highly sophisticated and will stop at nothing to target Australians and evade enforcement.

“To effectively tackle the issue there must be a sustained, coordinated approach that cuts them off at the source including payment blocking by financial institutions, stronger regulatory powers for the ACMA, and action to remove their presence online and across social media. The Government must consult with the industry to get this right and it must be the priority going forward.

“If the licensed market is overregulated, Australians won’t stop gambling. They will go offshore to operators with no consumer protections, no oversight, and no contribution to the Australian economy, sport or racing.”

RWA said it stands ready to engage constructively with Government on both advertising settings and offshore enforcement to ensure policy outcomes that reduce harm and protect Australians.

The post RWA: Gambling Ad Crackdown Threatens Shift Offshore appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Australia

NSW: More Than 650 Gaming Machine Exemptions Revoked to Address Gambling Harm

Published

2 months ago

March 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

nsw:-more-than-650-gaming-machine-exemptions-revoked-to-address-gambling-harm

The Minns Labor Government continues to reduce gambling harm by delivering on its commitment to remove outdated exemptions that enabled more than 650 pubs and clubs to operate gaming machines during standard shutdown hours.

Following an announcement in December by the Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris that exemptions would cease from 31 March 2026, more than 650 venues will be required from 1 April to shut down all gaming machines between 4am to 10am each day, in line with NSW standard shutdown hours.

The six-hour shutdown is a harm minimisation measure intended to provide players with an important break in play.

Of the 672 venues with a varied shutdown period, usually for three hours instead of six, many have been in place for more than 20 years. These were given for reasons including being in high traffic ‘tourist’ locations, a history of earlier opening hours or financial hardship.

Venues that believed they had a strong case to keep their exemptions under the legislation and the revised Ministerial Guidelines, had the opportunity to put their case to Liquor & Gaming NSW.

As of 24 March 2026, 649 have been revoked by Liquor & Gaming NSW under delegation from the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority and 10 by the Authority itself. Thirteen venues remain under assessment. All venues will be considered and an outcome communicated by 31 March 2026.

Sixty-two venues applied to keep their exemptions. Of the 49 applications assessed so far, all have been revoked.

Liquor & Gaming NSW will undertake a compliance campaign after 1 April when the new requirements come into effect, to ensure all venues are abiding by the changes.

A Review of Gaming Machine Shutdown Hours Framework conducted by Liquor & Gaming NSW in 2024 found that a minimum six-hour shutdown period, commencing no later than 4am, is effective at minimising gambling harm.

The move continues a suite of gaming reforms which the Minns Government has implemented since coming into office, including:

• Reducing the cash input limit from $5000 to $500 for all new gaming machines

• Reducing the state-wide cap on gaming machine entitlements, so that every year the number of gaming machines reduces based on forfeiture rates

• Banning political donations from clubs with electronic gaming machines

• Banning external gaming-related signage and internal gaming-related signage that can be seen from outside the venue

• Introducing Responsible Gambling Officers in venues with more than 20 gaming machine entitlements and mandating that extra Responsible Gambling Officers be on duty in venues after midnight

• Mandating that all venues with gaming machines must keep a Gaming Plan of Management and a Gambling Incident Register

• Banning gambling advertising on public transport and the ferries and terminals people catch it from

• Consulting with the community on a third-party exclusion scheme and use of mandatory facial recognition technology to support a statewide exclusion register for NSW hotels and clubs with gaming machines

Launching a NSW-first code of practice for the use of facial recognition in pubs and clubs that use the technology, following full consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including harm minimisation advocates, the NSW Privacy Commissioner and industry.

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said: “The Minns Labor Government takes gambling harm minimisation seriously and that’s why I called for a review of the gaming machine variations back in December that has removed outdated exemptions that enabled more than 650 pubs and clubs to operate gaming machines during standard shutdown hours.

“Following months of review, it was clear these variations enabling about 20 per cent of clubs and pubs with gaming machines to operate outside of the mandated hours, some of which were more than 20 years old, were no longer fit for purpose.

“To enable variations to be revoked, I updated the Ministerial Guidelines and set up a streamlined process for venues to make their case if they wished to keep their variation, and to allow for a transition period.

“These changes are expected to prevent and reduce gambling harm.

“The NSW Government will continue to deliver evidence-based reforms to ensure we are striking the balance of addressing gambling harm while supporting sustainable development of an industry that employs more than 150,000 people in NSW and injects billions into the economy.”

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