Australia
ACMA Blocks More Illegal Gambling Websites
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested the Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block 12 more illegal gambling websites, after investigations found these services to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The latest sites blocked are Playzilla, Wazamba, Zet Casino, Slots Palace, Nomini, Casinia, SG Casino, Fez Bet, Buran Casino, Spin Better, Golden Bet and Clash.gg.
Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal gambling services. This action can be taken if a service is:
- providing prohibited interactive gambling services to customers in Australia (such as online casinos, online slot machines and services that allow in-play online sports betting)
- providing an unlicensed regulated interactive gambling service to customers in Australia (such as online betting services that don’t have a valid Australian licence)
- publishing ads for prohibited interactive gambling services or unlicensed regulated interactive gambling services in Australia.
Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, 926 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked. Over 220 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA started enforcing illegal offshore gambling rules.
Australia
IAG’s Andrew W Scott Announced as Latest Conference Chair for 2025 Regulating the Game Conference in Sydney
Leading gambling law and regulation conference Regulating the Game has announced IAG’s Vice Chairman and CEO Andrew W Scott as the second Conference Chair for its 2025 edition, to be held in Sydney from 10 to 13 March 2025.
With extensive expertise in the gaming sector, Andrew brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the conference, guiding discussions and engaging participants in critical industry topics.
His career in the gaming industry spans nearly four decades, during which he has established himself as a media publisher, commentator, and journalist. He founded Macau gaming media and events company O MEDIA in 2009, of which Inside Asian Gaming is the flagship publication.
On 7 October 2024 at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, Inside Asian Gaming and US-based gaming publication CDC Gaming announced a merger expected to complete on 31 December 2024. From 1 January 2025 the two companies will combine under a newly founded corporate parent, Complete Media Group, with Andrew at the helm as CEO. The newly merged group will cover the gaming industry in the Middle East, all of Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Pacific, the US, Canada and Latin America.
Andrew has led numerous social and professional industry events including the Asian Gaming Power 50 Black Tie Gala Dinner, the IAG Academy Summit and the IAG Academy IR Awards.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the role, Andrew said: “I’m delighted to chair a day at the Regulating the Game Conference. This event is a crucial platform for advancing important conversations in the gaming industry, particularly in the Australia and New Zealand markets, and I look forward to contributing to discussions that shape the future of regulation and innovation.”
Paul Newson, Principal at Vanguard Overwatch, added: “We are thrilled to have Andrew join us as a Conference Chair. His vast industry experience and global perspective will be invaluable in fostering insightful discussions at the 2025 conference.”
The Regulating the Game conference is a flagship event that aims to bridge the gap between regulators, industry professionals and stakeholders. The conference is dedicated to introducing expert content, inspiring discussion and debate about policy and sector issues, and driving innovation to support efficient and effective gambling regulation. Now in its fifth edition, Regulating the Game continues to attract speakers and attendees from around the world, solidifying its status as a pivotal event for those shaping the future of the industry.
The post IAG’s Andrew W Scott Announced as Latest Conference Chair for 2025 Regulating the Game Conference in Sydney appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australia
Crown Fined $2 Million for Self-exclusion Breaches
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Crown Melbourne $2 million for allowing 242 people who had self-excluded from gambling to place bets at the casino over an 8-month period between October 2023 and May 2024.
VGCCC Chair Fran Thorn said: “It is an offence under the Casino Control Act 1991 (Vic) to allow an excluded person, including anyone who has self-excluded, to enter, remain or gamble in the casino. It also contravenes Crown Melbourne’s obligation to protect people at risk of gambling harm.
“Those who self-exclude must be able to trust that gambling providers will take all reasonable steps to enforce their decision to avail themselves of this harm prevention initiative.
“By allowing people who have self-excluded to enter the casino and gamble, Crown has put them at risk of experiencing further gambling harm. However, it is also clear that a number of these self-excluded patrons are going to considerable lengths to avoid detection and break their exclusion requirements.”
The self-exclusion breaches were detected through VGCCC’s ongoing monitoring of the casino’s operations. The Commission determined the breaches were due to system and control failures rather than deliberate or egregious disregard by Crown of its regulatory obligations.
“Accordingly, the Commission has issued a direction to Crown to engage an independent expert to assess the effectiveness of, and make recommendations for improving, the management of its self-exclusion program. In due course, Crown will be required to implement the independent expert’s recommendations,” Ms Thorn said.
In April this year, the Commission directed Crown Melbourne to implement a transformation plan to continue its reform and remediation following the findings of the Finkelstein Royal Commission.
The Commission acknowledges Crown has taken some steps to strengthen its controls for policing exclusion orders, and introduced measures to improve its monitoring activities, physical security, use of technology and training of staff.
“The VGCCC is committed to ensuring Crown continues its reform efforts,” Ms Thorn said.
The post Crown Fined $2 Million for Self-exclusion Breaches appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australia
Jamieson O’Reilly to Deliver Keynote at Regulating the Game 2025 Sydney
The organisers of Regulating the Game 2025 have announced that Jamieson O’Reilly, CEO and Lead Hacker at Dvuln, will deliver a keynote titled “Oceans 11 Downunder: How I Hacked Australia’s Two Biggest Casinos (Legally)” at the 2025 edition of the conference in Sydney.
The organisers said: “In this eye-opening keynote, Jamieson will take attendees behind the scenes of how he legally hacked into two of Australia’s largest casinos, uncovering serious vulnerabilities in their digital infrastructure. Casinos are known for their robust security measures, but as they increasingly rely on interconnected systems and digital processes, new vulnerabilities emerge that even the most fortified establishments must contend with.”
Mr O’Reilly added: “When most people think of a casino, they think of high security, underground vaults, and an overall intimidating complexity. But with great complexity comes great security consequences. It’s easy to think of a casino as one big money-making machine. But the reality is, under the hood, casinos are run by many individual moving parts, all relying on each other equally to function.”
O’Reilly’s talk will delve into the specific techniques he used to breach these casinos’ defences, exposing weaknesses in their systems, surveillance networks, customer databases and backend operations. Although both casinos have since patched the vulnerabilities, Jamieson’s experience highlights the broader challenges facing the gaming industry in the digital age, where the expanding attack surface presents real risks.
Paul Newson, event organiser and Principal at Vanguard Overwatch, said: “With his incredible experience in ethical hacking and cybersecurity, Jamieson’s keynote is set to be a highly anticipated session of the conference. His revelations about how he legally breached the security of two major casinos provide crucial lessons for the entire gambling sector.
“As the industry becomes more digitally interconnected, understanding the risks and learning how to defend against cyber threats is more important than ever.”
As a leader in offensive security, he has conducted countless red team exercises and adversary simulations against some of the hardest targets in the world, from banks and casinos to government agencies, to test their resilience against Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).
His expertise helps organisations uncover critical vulnerabilities and build robust defences against highly skilled attackers.
Jamieson is a member of the CREST Approved Australasia Council, underscoring his leadership in the cybersecurity community in addition to this, Jamieson is also a co-author of the post-quantum encryption specification PPQM, demonstrating his knowledge in advanced cryptography and defensive security.
His keynote will not only offer an insider’s view into casino security vulnerabilities but will also provide practical insights into how businesses can strengthen their defences against ever-evolving digital threats. The session is essential for anyone in the gaming sector looking to safeguard their digital infrastructure in a connected world where no system is truly secure.
The post Jamieson O’Reilly to Deliver Keynote at Regulating the Game 2025 Sydney appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Canada6 days ago
Suspected Digital Fraud Coming from Canada Up Nearly 11% Since H1 2023, Reveals New TransUnion Analysis
-
Australia6 days ago
Jamieson O’Reilly to Deliver Keynote at Regulating the Game 2025 Sydney
-
Colombo Sport6 days ago
Digitain Signs Retail Partnership with Colombo Sport
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
SCCG Announces Strategic Partnership with Steelhead Compliance Solutions
-
Africa6 days ago
SIS joins forces with Instasolutions to strengthen live Numbers offering across Africa
-
Conferences6 days ago
Salsa to present award-winning tech solutions for Latam’s regulated markets at SBC Summit Latinoamérica
-
Interviews5 days ago
Axel Antillon: Our Peru entry is a major milestone for WA.Technology
-
Australia4 days ago
IAG’s Andrew W Scott Announced as Latest Conference Chair for 2025 Regulating the Game Conference in Sydney