Australia
Christine Howlett Appointed as New Commissioner of NSW Independent Casino Commission
The NSW Government has appointed experienced public administrator Christine Howlett as a new Commissioner of the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) for a four-year term following a competitive recruitment process.
Ms Howlett fills the vacancy created by the departure of Craig Sahlin who served as a NICC Commissioner since 2022 and was a Board Member of the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) between 2016 and 2022.
The NICC is the independent statutory regulator of NSW’s two casinos, set up in 2022 to provide increased regulatory oversight of casino operations.
Ms Howlett joins the NICC with substantial executive leadership experience in public administration, corporate governance, regulation and stakeholder engagement.
From 2021 she served as Deputy Special Manager, independently overseeing Crown Melbourne’s remediation program following the findings of the Finkelstein Royal Commission, including reforms to prevent gambling harm and money laundering.
Ms Howlett has also held senior roles with Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission, the NSW Department of Family and Community Services, Victoria’s Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants and the National Crime Authority.
Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said: “An exhaustive selection process was undertaken to fill the NICC Commissioner role in accordance with legislative requirements, including the establishment of a selection panel and engagement of an independent probity adviser.
“Christine Howlett brings a wide range of skills and expertise to the NICC, with highly relevant experience in independently overseeing Crown Melbourne’s remediation program.
“She joins the NICC at a critical time with the regulator currently monitoring The Star casino’s ongoing remediation work following the Bell Two Inquiry.
“I would like to thank Craig Sahlin for his outstanding contribution to both the NICC and ILGA over the past eight years.
“His demonstrated expertise has significantly contributed to strengthening the government’s regulatory framework and public confidence and trust in the work of both the NICC and ILGA.”
NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford said: “The NICC is pleased to welcome Christine Howlett to the role and is looking forward to utilising her experience to advance the NICC’s strategic priorities.
“Christine’s skills will be valuable to help the NICC expand its surveillance and data collection abilities to better monitor financial crime risks and compliance.
“Christine’s expertise in building internal capacity will assist the NICC to maintain effective regulatory supervision past the remediation and suitability phases, and into longer-term sustainability.
“We thank Craig Sahlin for his exceptional work with the NICC and ILGA over the past eight years. His dedication was instrumental in advancing the NICC’s mission and his efforts have contributed to the achievement of significant milestones.”
The post Christine Howlett Appointed as New Commissioner of NSW Independent Casino Commission appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) is conducting a compliance operation across regional NSW throughout March to ensure venues adhere to gaming regulations that promote responsible gambling and reduce harm.
Inspectors will visit clubs and hotels to ensure venues understand and comply with external gambling signage rules and recent changes to requirements for the location of ATMs and cash dispensing facilities.
They will also check that venues have appointed Responsible Gambling Officers, maintained Gambling Incident Registers and adhered to Gaming Plans of Management.
L&GNSW Acting Executive Director of Regulatory Operations Bernadette Beard said the operation is part of an ongoing effort to work with venues to ensure responsible gambling laws are upheld.
“Our compliance operation is well underway, with inspectors visiting venues across regional NSW to ensure they are aware of their obligations,” Ms Beard said.
“A key focus will be on the gaming reforms that took effect on January 1, 2025, which mandate that ATMs and other cash dispensing facilities must be positioned at least five metres from gaming room entrances or exits and kept out of sight from gaming areas and machines,” Jakob Rothwangl said.
Ms Beard said recent inspections in Sydney and other metropolitan areas have identified multiple venues not following the rules, leading to penalties where necessary.
“Since the new cash dispensing rules were introduced, L&GNSW has visited more than 900 clubs and hotels, issuing 53 cautions and three penalty infringement notices to 44 non-compliant venues, with several others under investigation,” Ms Beard said.
“We’re here to assist venues in meeting their responsibilities, but compliance is essential, and enforcement action will be taken where required.”
The post Gaming Compliance Checks Underway Across Regional NSW appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Crown Resorts has announced the appointment of Mr. Ed Domingo as the new CEO of Crown Melbourne, succeeding Mr. Mike Volkert, subject to regulatory approvals.
Mr. Volkert is stepping down from his role as CEO of Crown Melbourne to pursue an opportunity outside of Crown. He served as the CEO for the past two and a half years.
Mr. Domingo brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and casino industry. Most recently, he served as the President & COO of Empire City Casino in New York with MGM Resorts International, where he oversaw all day-to-day operations of the resort.
Previously, Mr. Domingo was the Senior Vice President & CFO of Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, the premier luxury resort for MGM Resorts International. His extensive leadership experience also includes roles with Caesars Entertainment and Rush Street Gaming, providing him with deep industry knowledge across several gaming jurisdictions.
Mr. Domingo will begin with Crown Melbourne in late April, with Mr. Volkert continuing to serve as CEO until that time, ensuring a smooth transition.
Crown Resorts CEO, David Tsai, said: “Ed has a proven track record in leading integrated resorts, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Crown Melbourne. With his extensive industry experience across various gaming jurisdictions, Ed is well-positioned to lead Crown Melbourne’s next phase of growth and success.
“I would also like to extend my gratitude to Mike for his invaluable contribution over the past two and a half years, including his leadership in our transformation journey.”
Mr. Domingo said: “I am incredibly excited to join Crown Melbourne, which has held an iconic role in Melbourne’s entertainment and tourism landscape for 30 years. I look forward to joining the thousands of amazing team members there and leading Crown Melbourne’s next phase of transformation and growth, bringing innovative venues to life and creating dynamic experiences for our guests, all while operating at industry-leading standards.”
Crown Melbourne Chairman, Ian Silk, said: “I would like to thank Mike for his leadership and dedication to Crown Melbourne over the last two and a half years. Ed is a highly accomplished and experienced executive with proven success at similar organisations, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact of his leadership.”
The post Crown Resorts Announces Ed Domingo as New CEO of Crown Melbourne appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested the Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block more illegal online gambling sites, after investigations found these services to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The latest sites blocked include Crown slots and Billy billion.
Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal online gambling. Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, 1178 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked.
Around 220 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA started enforcing new illegal online gambling rules in 2017.
The post ACMA Blocks More Illegal Online Gambling Websites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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