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THE STAR SYDNEY’S LEADERSHIP TEAM ACHIEVES EQUAL GENDER REPRESENTATION

Published

4 years ago

November 15, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Star Sydney leadership team has reached a 50/50 split of men and women following two recent appointments to
the executive group reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The Star Entertainment Group has a target of 45% women and 45% men representation in leadership roles across its
properties in Sydney and Queensland, while the remaining 10% reflects scope for any gender identity, including non-binary gender identities.

The result also signals the success of an ongoing commitment to improvement in gender representation. Five years
ago, the equivalent leadership team at The Star Sydney comprised 23% women.

The Star Sydney’s COO, Damian Quayle said that achieving gender equality in the leadership team was the result of a
focused effort including the development of a talent acquisition and recruitment pipeline, fostering an inclusive and
diverse work environment and implementing a group-wide gender equality strategy.

“I am incredibly proud to say that my leadership team reflects a more balanced representation of genders, of our
workforce, of our community and the millions of guests we welcome each year,” Mr Quayle said.

“I wholeheartedly believe that equal representation drives better teamwork, a wider base of experience to drawn upon
and ultimately greater performance.”

The Star Entertainment Group’s Chief People and Performance Officer, Kim Lee added, “We recognise that diversity –
of genders, different cultural backgrounds, experiences and ideas is critical to creating a welcoming environment for
our guests and team members. With more women being elevated to senior roles than ever, The Star is on track to
meet its targets.”

Following the appointments of Sandra Thefs and Christina Lambert, the team now comprises three women and three
men.

Speaking of the two appointments, Mr Quayle said: “Sandra adds over 25 years’ experience in the gaming industry to
the team. She most recently spearheaded delivery of Sovereign, The Star Sydney’s $250 million premium
entertainment and gaming venue.

“Since taking on the role as Director of Hotels, Christina has truly excelled. She has led The Darling Sydney in
maintaining its pre-eminent position as the only luxury hotel to receive the coveted Forbes’ Five Star award. She is now
also responsible for developing a program that ensures that level of service and guest experience is delivered across
our entire property.”

Sandra Thefs, who has been with The Star since 1995 – first as a dealer at Treasury Brisbane, then venturing south for
the launch of ‘Star City’ in 1997 said a strong network of advocates were key to her progression.

“Throughout my time with The Star, I have always been supported in my ambitions to progress my career by my peers
and my managers,” she said. “They instilled the confidence I needed and encouraged me to take up opportunities I
might not have otherwise pursued.

”As Chair of Balance at The Star, our gender equality network, I have seen firsthand the progress we have made in a
short space of time.

“Although there is more work to be done to achieve parity across the board, we have clear direction from our Executive
team, a newly released gender equality strategy to help our targets and a committed workforce all working towards the
same goal.”

The Star Sydney’s Director of Hotel and Guest Experiences, Christina Lambert, said she is thrilled to be part of a
leadership group that values equity, diversity, and inclusion.

“I have had the pleasure of leading The Star Sydney’s hotel team over the last two years, and excited to extend my role
into guest experience across the property,” Ms Lambert said.

“It is important for me to see a balanced representation of genders in our teams, and I’m grateful to be part of that and
ensuring it is reflected across all levels of The Star’s operations.”

Sandra and Christina join Samantha Apps on The Star Sydney‘s leadership team.

Ms Apps joined The Star Entertainment Group in 2017 as General Manager, Group Procurement where she led the
transformation of that function, increasing benefits delivery by 150% over her first two years.

She moved into The Star Sydney’s leadership team in February 2021 as General Manager, Hospitality and Group
Supply Chain. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Ms Apps is an active ally and member of the ‘Proud at
The Star’ committee that champions a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment for LGBTQI+ team members and
guests, and NSW state representative on Chief Executive Women’s Connect Committee that supports the pathway to
the C-Suite for talented women across Australia.

Casino Guru

Casino Guru Academy hits 5,000-user milestone

Published

35 minutes ago

November 27, 2025

George Miller

casino-guru-academy-hits-5,000-user-milestone

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Casino Guru Academy has officially crossed the 5,000-user mark, which clearly demonstrates a growing interest in accessible and meaningful education for iGaming professionals.

As an extension of Casino Guru, the world’s biggest source of information about online casinos and player advocacy, the Academy offers free practical courses that help raise as well as improve iGaming industry standards.

Five thousand users who joined Casino Guru Academy demonstrate how useful education can be, particularly when produced in partnership with industry experts. Courses that the Academy provides focus on real-world tools and skills required in customer support, anti-money laundering, affiliate management, safer gambling, and more.

“The fact that we now have over 5,000 users is a huge success for us, as it shows how many people value this kind of learning. Having companies use our courses for onboarding is one of the key reasons we have reached this milestone. It proves there’s genuine demand for our work and supports the impact we aim to create,” said Šimon Vincze, Sustainable & Safer Gambling Lead and the person behind the Casino Guru Academy.

This accomplishment follows the Academy’s first-ever appearance at SiGMA Malta in September 2025, when the team behind the Academy introduced its mission to a larger audience. The event exceeded all expectations and was a key step toward developing direct connections with its audience.

Additionally, Casino Guru Academy has introduced an upgraded version of its website to make course navigation easier, increase accessibility, and provide a more engaging experience. The new layout also creates a path for future development as the Academy broadens its course library.

With that said, a new course on responses to self-harm and suicide threats is in the works and should be released by the end of the year. It’s intended for customer support agents and responsible gambling representatives to recognize players in distress, respond to potential self-harm threats, and take action.

With the 5,000-user milestone achieved and new design improvements completed, the Casino Guru Academy continues to grow, making a positive impact on the iGaming community.

The post Casino Guru Academy hits 5,000-user milestone appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

ArenaPlus

DigiPlus Partners with Pay&Go

Published

36 minutes ago

November 27, 2025

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus), the pioneer and leading digital entertainment provider behind BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone, announced a strategic partnership with Pay&Go, one of the leading providers of self-service payment kiosks, to expand secure and convenient wallet-loading options for its players.

Through this new payments partnership, DigiPlus and Pay&Go, the self-service payment kiosks operated by BTI Payment Philippines, a subsidiary of Australia-based Banktech, will enable users to fund their e-wallets with utmost ease by way of its growing network of 3500 self-service kiosks. With a cash-out feature also being eyed early next year, this collaboration kicks off with BingoPlus and will expand soon to ArenaPlus and GameZone.

“Our commitment at DigiPlus has always been to deliver digital entertainment that is engaging, trustworthy, and service-oriented. Achieving that requires strong partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to customer trust and service excellence. This partnership with Pay&Go is grounded in innovation, accessibility, and a shared mission to serve more Filipinos through secure and convenient payment touchpoints. This means more access, more convenience, and more ways for our community to enjoy the DigiPlus experience wherever they are,” said Jasper Vicencio, President of AB Leisure Exponent Inc. and Total Gamezone Xtreme Inc.

Formally signed on November 26, this partnership agreement was led by Vicencio together with Danilo Ibarra, CEO of BTI Payments Philippines and its COO Mariel Medina, pairing the former’s growing digital ecosystem with the latter’s operational expertise.

“We are excited to support DigiPlus with Pay&Go’s nationwide footprint. Together, we’re making trusted payment access available to more BingoPlus players across the country and soon with ArenaPlus and GameZone. DigiPlus sets a high bar on player trust and Pay&Go is determined to meet it,” said Ibarra.

DigiPlus partners only with payment channels certified by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in accordance with the requirements set by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). In partnering with BTI Payments, a certified Operator for Payment System (OPS) and Independent ATM Deployer (IAD) whose breadth of experience spans for over 25 years, DigiPlus taps into decades of expertise in transaction processing and payment device management.

The Pay&Go payment kiosks partnership significantly expands DigiPlus’ comprehensive customer service and player support network. This existing network currently includes dedicated in-house 24/7 customer support, over 130 physical BingoPlus stores nationwide, over-the-counter payment channel options and a surety bond protecting player wallets. The expansion of these service touchpoints is a testament to DigiPlus’ ongoing commitment to providing safe, reliable and accessible digital entertainment to the Filipino market.

The post DigiPlus Partners with Pay&Go appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Regulators Call for Stronger Measures Against Illegal Online Gambling

Published

36 minutes ago

November 27, 2025

Niji Narayan

regulators-call-for-stronger-measures-against-illegal-online-gambling

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Regulators of Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal and Spain issued a joint institutional statement.

The fight against illegal online gambling is one of the paramount tasks facing regulated jurisdictions. Its borderless nature and the speed of technological innovation make it easier for illegal operators to evade regulatory oversight. This creates significant risks for consumer and public health protection, endanger public order and harms the activity of legitimate operators. In short, illegal online gambling undermines the entire regulatory framework designed to protect the public interest.

The statement reads: “We express our common concern regarding the increasing proliferation of advertising targeting our jurisdictions by unauthorised operators, particularly through digital channels such as social media, video platforms, and affiliate networks. These activities not only violate our national laws but also expose citizens — including minors and vulnerable individuals — to significant risks associated with illegal gambling.

“We wish to express our strong commitment to consumer protection, market integrity, and compliance with national and international regulations within the respective legal framework by:

• sharing information on illegal operators among us

• calling on digital platforms and social media networks to strengthen their control mechanisms to prevent the dissemination of advertising content from unauthorised operators

• reaffirming our commitment to share knowledge and better practices in identifying, investigating, and sanctioning operators acting outside the law.

This statement marks a renewed and united commitment by our jurisdictions to strengthen the integrity of the regulated gambling sector and to protect citizens from the risks posed by illegal gambling activities.”

The post Regulators Call for Stronger Measures Against Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.