Australia
Victorian Government Announces Royal Commission into Crown Casino
The Victorian Government has announced the establishment of a royal commission into Crown Resorts, to test the operator’s suitability to hold its Melbourne casino licence.
Former Federal Court judge Raymond Finkelstein, QC, will lead the inquiry. The Government had previously established a review into Crown’s suitability, which will occur in parallel with the royal commission.
It comes after an 18-month-long New South Wales inquiry into Crown, in which former Supreme Court judge Patricia Bergin examined evidence of the operator facilitating money laundering and its links to organised crime. That NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) inquiry found Crown unfit to hold a licence at its new Sydney casino.
“Since receiving [that] report, the Government has taken advice about the most appropriate way to proceed in Victoria,” a statement from the Victorian Government read.
“Establishing a royal commission will ensure the most appropriate access to information regarding Crown Melbourne’s suitability to hold the casino licence given the commission’s powers to compel witnesses and documentation.”
Crown acknowledged the decision shortly after, with the operator also announcing the resignation of long-serving director Harold Mitchell from the company’s board.
Helen Coonan, Crown’s executive chairman, commented: “Crown welcomes the announcement from the Victorian Government as it provides an opportunity to detail the reforms and changes to our business to deliver the highest standards of governance and compliance, and an organisational culture that meets community expectations.
“Victorians should be assured we recognise the responsibility placed on us by the community, governments and regulators and we will fully cooperate with the royal commission.”
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Australia
Tabcorp Pays $158,400 Penalty for Taking Illegal In-Play Sports Bets
Tabcorp Holdings Limited (Tabcorp) has paid a $158,400 penalty for taking online in-play sports bets, which is illegal in Australia.
An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found Tabcorp accepted 426 in-play bets across 32 tennis matches between February 2024 and June 2025.
Online in-play betting, wagers made on a sporting event after it has commenced, is prohibited in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA).
The online in-play sports bets that were accepted in breach of the IGA were voided by Tabcorp and the bets were refunded.
The ACMA accepted the evidence from Tabcorp that the breaches occurred due to systems and communication issues with its third-party provider.
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said this is the third time since 2021 that Tabcorp has breached the in-play betting rules.
“The law is clear and wagering services must have processes in place to prevent illegal in-play bets from being accepted,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
“While we understand that most wagering operators rely on third-party providers to close betting on sporting events, they cannot outsource their legal responsibilities.
“The length of time it took Tabcorp to identify and then fix the problem was concerning and we expect Tabcorp to do better in the future,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
In addition to the financial penalty, Tabcorp has entered into a comprehensive enforceable undertaking requiring the company to undertake a review of its systems and processes relating to the closing of betting on tennis matches and to report regularly to the ACMA.
The post Tabcorp Pays $158,400 Penalty for Taking Illegal In-Play Sports Bets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Andrew Cardno
QCI Launches its Data Community Platform in Australia
Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has launched its Data Community platform in Australia, bringing unified consumer intelligence to the rapidly expanding $13 trillion global Fun Economy. By connecting venues, retailers and destination districts into a single interoperable ecosystem, the platform enables real-time insights, personalised engagement and seamless digital-to-physical experiences.
The Data Community platform enables smarter staffing, stronger tenant collaboration and more personalised engagement, helping operators manage increasingly complex, high-traffic environments. The global “Fun Economy” — spanning leisure, hospitality, retail and entertainment — is valued at over $13 trillion, according to joint research from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Zero Labs.
Tony Toohey, Director of TT Management welcomed the platform’s availability in Australia: “The Australian market is increasingly focused on connected, experience-led destinations,” said Toohey.
“Operators here understand the importance of breaking down data silos and collaborating across venues and partners. QCI’s Data Community platform arrives at the right time, enabling a more coordinated and commercially intelligent approach to managing entertainment and hospitality environments.”
Andrew Cardno, Co-Founder and CTO of QCI, said: “Australia represents a sophisticated and forward-looking market for experience-driven destinations,” said Cardno.
“By bringing Data Community to the region, we are equipping operators with the tools to unify their data, understand guest journeys more deeply and curate experiences — not just transactions.”
QCI’s technology is deployed in more than 1000 sites globally, including over 300 casino resorts across North America, Australia and Europe. The company’s platform supports leading brands across gaming, hospitality and mixed-use entertainment districts, helping operators align marketing, operations and guest engagement within a single intelligence framework.
With the launch of Data Community in Australia, QCI continues to expand its role as the intelligence layer powering connected destinations across the evolving Fun Economy.
The post QCI Launches its Data Community Platform in Australia appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Australia
NSW: Hospitality and Racing Strategy 2026-28 and Regulatory Priorities 2026
Liquor & Gaming NSW has published the Hospitality and Racing Strategy 2026-28, setting a clear path for reducing harm, supporting responsible industry growth and meeting evolving community expectations. The Strategy outlines Hospitality and Racing’s vision, regulatory posture and strategic objectives.
It outlines three strategic objectives which will guide the work to support communities, individuals and the industry. The first is targeted harm reduction, using better data, education and engagement to focus on the areas where we can make the biggest difference.
The second is outcome‑focused, responsive regulation, by making use of streamlined, place‑based and community‑informed approaches that deliver meaningful, real-world outcomes.
Third is promoting modern tools, skilled teams and smart decisions, investing in its capability, improving how it uses data and supporting consistent decision making across hospitality and racing.
Regulatory Priorities 2026
Alongside the new strategy, Liquor & Gaming NSW has also issued its Regulatory Priorities 2026. This sets out where the department will be focusing its regulatory attention over course of the year. It provides transparency on Liquor & Gaming’s forward regulatory agenda and gives the industry the opportunity to proactively engage about the issues they are concerned about.
The post NSW: Hospitality and Racing Strategy 2026-28 and Regulatory Priorities 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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