Australia
AUSTRAC CEO Says Casinos Must Oversee Junket Compliance
Nicole Rose, CEO of Australia’s financial crimes watchdog AUSTRAC, has stated that it is the responsibility of casino operators rather than regulators to oversee the operations of junket operators operating within their gaming facilities.
According to a report by News Corp, Nicole Rose made the claim during a Senate estimates hearing at which she was quizzed by senators over issues around junket compliance in the wake of the recent NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) inquiry into Crown Resorts.
“AUSTRAC does not regulate junket tour operators,” said Rose. “The onus is on industry to ensure it complies with its AML/CTF obligations. The Federal Court has also reiterated this view.”
Pressed on apparent gaps in the regulation of junkets in Australia, Rose said that “domestic regulation won’t address the issues” and that “the industry was well placed to manage and assess its own risks.”
Rose’s comments come after AUSTRAC announced in October the launch of a formal enforcement investigation into potential infringements by Crown of the country’s anti-money laundering laws and relating to “Crown Melbourne’s management of customers identified as high risk and politically exposed persons.”
The ILGA inquiry, which will determine Crown’s suitability to hold an NSW casino license for its AU$2.2 billion Crown Sydney development, has raised questions over the company’s due diligence processes in relation to its international VIP operations.
“From the casino’s perspective, all the front money comes from the junket tour operator and all the winnings go to the junket tour operator,” the report said.
“This means that all reporting on these transactions occurs only under the junket tour operator’s name and not the financial activity of the individual participants. This is a significant vulnerability for junket operations.
“While there was a theoretical acceptance that junkets may be exploited, it was AUSTRAC’s view that this possibility was not taken seriously.”
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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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