Australia
RWA Members Commit AU$3M to Financial Counselling

Six Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) members – bet365, betfair, Entain, PointsBet, Sportsbet and Unibet – have committed more than AU$3.0m to support financial counselling services in the country.
RWA has partnered with the Federal Government, the financial counselling sector and a range of industries including banking, energy and insurance to establish a not-for-profit body that will distribute funding to financial counselling services around the country from early next year.
Responsible Wagering Australia CEO Kai Cantwell said financial counsellors played a vital role helping Australians in financial difficulty by providing free, independent and confidential advice on ways to manage debts, make informed choices about their money and build a future with financial freedom.
“RWA members are proud to set the industry standard for keeping customers safe, going well beyond the requirements set by governments,” Mr Cantwell said.
“This funding builds on our world leading consumer protections that only exist in online gambling including mandatory age and identity verification, deposit limits, time out tools and activity statements.
“RWA is proud to enter into this agreement after proactively approaching the Federal Government in 2021 and volunteering to contribute to the body.
“The number one priority for RWA and its members is to ensure that our customers can gamble in a safe environment while having access to the tools to stay in control of their gambling behaviour.
“This funding commitment demonstrates the collective commitment of RWA and its members to safeguard the well-being of Australians and provide vital support to those who may need assistance managing their financial circumstances.
“With many Australians currently struggling with increasing cost of living pressures, the work of financial counsellors is more important than ever.
“This body will help Australians manage their current situation and develop long term financial skills that can be applied in all areas of life.
“RWA is committed to working with government and industry to ensure the successful implementation of this initiative and hopes other industries will follow RWA’s lead and contribute to this scheme.”
Australia
Martin Pakula Named Chair of Crown Melbourne

Crown Resorts has announced that The Hon. Martin Pakula will join the Board of Crown Melbourne, effective May 1, 2025, and will succeed Mr. Ian Silk, as Chair, from July 1, 2025.
As Chair, Mr. Silk has successfully led Crown Melbourne through a period of unprecedented remediation and transformation during the past two and a half years. Mr. Silk’s strong leadership through the organisation’s operational and cultural transformation, saw Crown Melbourne regain its licence from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission. To ensure a seamless transition Mr Silk will remain in his role until 1 July 2025.
As incoming Chair, Mr. Pakula brings a wealth of experience to the position, having previously served as Attorney-General, and Minister for Tourism, Sport, and Major Events in the Victorian government. He currently serves as Chair of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.
Crown Resorts CEO, Mr. David Tsai, said: “Martin’s appointment comes at an exciting time as Crown continues to focus on innovation and growth. I look forward to Crown benefiting from Martin’s extensive industry and leadership experience. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Ian for his exceptional leadership and the pivotal role he played in overseeing Crown Melbourne’s extensive transformation.”
Mr. Silk said: “It has been an honour to serve as Chair. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved over the past two and a half years, and I want to thank everyone at Crown Melbourne for their dedication and hard work. I’m confident Crown Melbourne will continue to thrive with Martin’s leadership.”
Mr. Pakula said: “I am delighted to accept the role of Chair at Crown Melbourne and to play a role in its exciting future. Crown is an iconic business that is a critical part of Victoria’s economy, tourism and entertainment industry.”
The post Martin Pakula Named Chair of Crown Melbourne appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australia
TheLotter Australia: Exciting Changes to the US Mega Millions

Big changes have arrived at the US Mega Millions lottery! From April 8, 2025, better jackpot odds, higher minimum prizes, an improved, built-in multiplier, and a modified Mega Number pool are available – making the game better than ever. To make these great changes possible, ticket prices increased from US$2 to US$5.
The revamped version of this lottery will feature a built-in Multiplier – 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or even 10x. The Multiplier will boost non-jackpot winnings based on the number drawn before the draw at no extra cost! As a result, the second-prize winnings could reach an incredible US$10 million. If the Multiplier concept sounds familiar, it’s because, before these changes, players had to pay extra to opt in for the Megaplier; however, the new Multiplier boosts winnings automatically! Moreover, the adaptation to the Mega Numbers pool will streamline the Mega Ball matrix and help form winning matches by reducing the amount of the total number from 25 to 24.
At TheLotter Australia, customers can purchase entries to US MegaLuck, where their selections are matched with an official lottery ticket in the corresponding US Mega Millions draw from licenced US Mega Millions retailers. Since US MegaLuck mirrors the original draw, the changes in April 2025 will apply to it as well.
“It’s exciting to see Mega Millions evolving with major changes that make this popular draw even more appealing to both new and seasoned players. I’m thrilled that customers in Australia can enjoy the revamped game seamlessly through TheLotter Australia’s website and app. And when they win, the customers receive their full prize amount, before taxes are deducted,” said Piers Morgan, Director at TheLotter Australia.
Australians passionate about American lotteries can also join the US MegaLuck draw easily and securely at TheLotter Australia. When a customer wins, TheLotter Australia notifies them promptly. Small prizes are deposited directly into the customers’ accounts, while TheLotter Australia assists with claiming larger prizes.
The post TheLotter Australia: Exciting Changes to the US Mega Millions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australia
Changes to Tipping Off Offence Came into Effect in Australia

Businesses and individuals bound by the tipping off offence must now consider whether a disclosure could be expected to prejudice an investigation, under changes to the AML/CTF laws that came into force on March 31.
The changes to the offence, which carries a maximum penalty of around $39,000 or up to 2 years in prison, are now focussed on the harms that could flow from a disclosure.
AUSTRAC CEO, Mr Brendan Thomas, said the change is part of AML/CTF reforms passed late last year to expand and simplify the legislation.
“The previous legislation was almost 20 years old and a lot has changed in that time,” Mr Thomas said.
“AUSTRAC is about to usher in 100,000 new businesses to the regime next year and they too will be subject to the tipping off offence.
“The change to the offence is about balancing intelligence gathering with practicality to ensure we can all get the best outcome – identifying criminal activity and driving money laundering out of legitimate businesses.
“We need businesses to work with us to detect illicit transactions – tipping off risks criminals getting a heads up. Criminals can then take action to hide or disguise their illegal activities. However, we know that effective information sharing within and between businesses helps stop money laundering.”
Businesses and individuals covered by the AML/CTF legislation, including banks, casinos, remitters and money lenders, are now prohibited from disclosing certain information to another person (other than AUSTRAC), only where it would or could reasonably be expected to prejudice an investigation.
“The move to a focus on harms strikes a better balance between protecting law enforcement investigations and allowing industry to collaborate in fighting money laundering, terrorism financing and other serious crimes.”
While the tipping off offence changes from March 31, most of the obligations under the amended AML/CTF Act will not come into effect until 2026, when entities in real estate, accounting, precious stones and metals and digital assets come under AUSTRAC’s remit.
The post Changes to Tipping Off Offence Came into Effect in Australia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Uncategorized4 days ago
Betting data provider Pythia Sports launches AI-powered solution to help bidders find the next star racehorse
-
ADG4 days ago
Arizona Department of Gaming Issues Multiple Cease-and-Desists
-
Online6 days ago
Best Online Casinos Ireland – Robocat Ranked Best Irish Casino
-
Compliance Updates4 days ago
Bede Gaming receives top level supplier certification from WLA
-
casino6 days ago
Best Real Money Online Casino in USA goes to 7Bit Casino Rated by UJN
-
Uncategorized4 days ago
Soft2Bet Wins Three Major Awards at The European – Global Banking & Finance / Sustainability & ESG Awards 2025
-
Latest News4 days ago
BGaming Bakes Some Delicious Slot Fun with Sugar Mix
-
Africa4 days ago
Gaming Corps Expands African Presence with KingMakers Partnership