The Star Entertainment Group Limited, the leading gambling operator in Australia, announced it faces another class action lawsuit over allegations of deficiencies related to anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing.

Maurice Blackburn Files Claim against The Star

On Monday, the company released a statement outlining it has been served a claim for securities class action in the Supreme Court of Victoria by Maurice Blackburn, the leading law firm. The new class action lawsuit alleges that the operator made misleading representations of its systems, as well as processes related to AML and counter-terrorism financing between March 29, 2016 and March 16, 2022.

In addition, the lawsuit claims that The Star Entertainment failed to release important information regarding those methods for controls and conducted business in opposition to the interests of its members. With that in mind, the company acknowledged that the latest claim is “substantially similar” to a different securities class action lawsuit.

“The claim alleges that in the period between 29 March 2016 and 16 March 2022, The Star made misleading representations, including about its systems and processes for compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations, that it failed to disclose relevant information it had about those matters to the market, and conducted its affairs contrary to the interests of the members of The Star as a whole,“

reads a statement released by The Star Entertainment

According to The Star Entertainment, the latest class action lawsuit is similar to the one filed in March this year by Slater and Gordon. The company vowed to defend against the proceedings.

The Star’s Legal Troubles Continue

The recent announcement marks the second class action lawsuit that The Star is facing. The first such legal action filed by Slater and Gordon said: “there may be a proper basis to allege that Star has been in breach of its continuous disclosure obligations, and further that it has made misleading or deceptive statements to the ASX.”

In light of the probe into the alleged breaches of AML and counter-terrorism rules, the company’s stocks started to go down. Consequently, investors of The Star initiated the lawsuits after seeing their investment plummet. With details emerging about suspicion of money laundering and possible links to organized crime, The Star’s stock dropped its value by nearly AU$1 billion ($750 million). Although the company’s shares tried to climb up slightly, they still remained lower when compared to the period before the allegations emerged.

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KaFe Rocks, one of the leading iGaming affiliates, announced that its chief executive officer, Simon Pilkington, is leaving the company. His leave is not with an immediate effect but he will still vacate the CEO seat by the end of the year.

Pilkington Will Leave KaFe Rocks by 2023

Pilkington served as KaFe Rocks’ chief executive officer for half a decade. During this time, the CEO worked hard to push the company forward and cement it as a leader in content aggregation. Because of that, KaFe Rocks thanked Pilkington for his exceptional service, wishing him all the best.

In the meantime, KaFe Rocks will search for a suitable successor to head the company. According to the firm, its perfect candidate is someone who will be able to live up to its expectations and build on the strong foundations placed by Pilkington.

In addition, the perfect candidate would be someone that exemplifies the leadership skills needed by KaFe Rocks’ team and someone who embodies its values.

Pilkington Will Remain KaFe Rocks’ Biggest Cheerleader

Meanwhile, Pilkington spoke about his decision to leave the company. He reasserted that KaFe Rocks is a company he is very passionate about. He said that his decision to resign did not come because he lost his passion. On the contrary, the leaving CEO said that he loves KaFe Rocks just as ever as he always did and promised to “remain its biggest supporter and cheerleader.”

Despite that, Pilkington firmly believes that it is important to know when to let go. While he may be passionate about the company, the CEO believes that it is time to hand the baton to someone else – a new leader who would be able to take the company forward. Pilkington said that he believes this decision would be the most beneficial to KaFe Rocks as a whole.

It’s also the right time and the right thing to do for me – this role is extremely involved, and I’ve always endeavored to give everything I can to make it a great place to work, but also a successful place of work too.” 

Simon Pilkington, ex-CEO, KaFe Rocks

In other news, a few months ago, KaFe Rocks strengthened its team by appointing new heads of people and engineering. The experienced Fiona Valenzia joined the company as its new head of people, while the knowledgeable Kurt Paris assumed the role of head of engineering. Both of them are professionals with years of experience in their respective fields.

KaFe Rocks’ current ambition is to find someone just as experienced to take over as CEO.

Online payment solutions provider AstroPay has expanded its reach with a new product in Brazil. Thanks to its agreement with Mastercard, one of the biggest payment processors in the world, the supplier will launch a new Mastercard prepaid card in the LATAM country.

AstroPay Unveils a New Product

As announced by AstroPay, the new prepaid card offering will allow both existing and future AstroPay customers to pay in any store that accepts Mastercard. The introduction of the new product attests to the strong strategic partnership between AstroPay and Mastercard, two leaders in financial technology.

The new solution will provide customers with simple and convenient, yet secure ways to pay and get the best value out of it. According to AstroPay, the new solutions will allow users to activate and use the prepaid card instantly without any charge. As a result, customers will be able to shop at locations that accept Mastercard right away. In addition, the new prepaid card will be valid for both retail shops and ATMs, as well as for online payments.

The new cards come packed with exciting features including cashback and other benefits that people can access through AstroPay’s platform.

The Fintech Company Will Keep on Innovating

Thiago Dias, fintech and enablers vice president for Mastercard Latin America and Caribbean, spoke about the new product. He said that his team is pleased to join forces with AstroPay and work to provide innovative financial solutions.

Mastercard is pleased to work with AstroPay to provide innovative solutions that help advance financial inclusion while offering consumers with a seamless and secure experience.

Thiago Dias, fintech and enablers VP, Mastercard LATAM & Caribbean

Meanwhile, Guillermo Dotta, AstroPay’s chief technology officer and chief product officer, said that Brazil is currently one of the most advanced countries in terms of digital money and fintech solutions.

According to Dotta, the agreement with Mastercard reinforces AstroPay’s existing commitment to the Brazilian market. He said that is excited to provide customers in the LATAM country with more payment solutions that allow them to handle money in a secure and simple way.

Dotta concluded that AstroPay will continue innovating with products that exceed its customers’ needs.

As we keep on building a strong community of consumers, our focus remains to continue innovating to adapt and streamline payment solutions such as cards into our overall product offering to ensure that the needs of our users are not only met but exceeded.

Guillermo Dotta, CTO and CPO, AstroPay

AstroPay continues to expand its LATAM presence. In September, the company launched new crypto solutions in the region via its agreement with Huobi.

Business-to-Business iGaming platform provider EveryMatrix has sealed a new deal with KingMakers, the Pan-African entertainment and sports betting digital platform from Nigeria that is currently traded as BetKing. According to the terms of the new three-year contract, BetKing will be responsible for integrating EveryMatrix’s CasinoEngine platform dedicated to the iGaming sector. This will be possible via BonusEngine and JackpotEngine. Nigerian players will get the chance to enjoy more quality content through a more flexible series of customization solutions and additional rewards. 

EveryMatrix Continues Its Expansion in Nigeria 

EveryMatrix’s chief executive officer of CasinoEngine Stian Enger spoke about the new deal with KingMakers, explaining it was part of their “ongoing mission” to grow their reach and penetrate the Nigerian region. Enger called KingMakers “one of the biggest players in the Nigerian market,” further emphasizing the importance of the new agreement. 

At the same time, KingMakers’ head of gaming Lauren Holder expressed the company’s delight to sign a partnership with “such a respected and successful business like EveryMatrix” with the purpose of fueling Nigerian clients with “a plethora of content.” Holder added that the three-year contract was expected to bring“exciting and engaging games” to customers while continuing to strengthen the power of their brand “where Africa Plays.”

KingMakers, Committed to Healthy Gambling Practices

At the end of May, BetKing, KingMakers Group’s subsidiary, expressed its commitment to promoting healthy gambling practices. The operator joined hands with the International Betting Integrity Association in its fight against fraud in the sports betting industry, with an emphasis on curbing match-fixing and ensuring a legal and secure betting experience for all customers.

At the moment, KingMakers provides licensed brick-and-mortar and online products to customers via the BetKing brand in countries like Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. The company also provides sports betting markets tied to hockey, soccer, cricket, basketball, and tennis together with custom-made virtual games such as Color-Color and Kings’ League. BetKing Nigeria is currently operated by SV Gaming Limited and counts more than 200 staff members working at the head office in Lagos. 

EveryMatrix has over 700 employees spread across ten countries who are catering to the needs of more than 150 global customers with iGaming solutions, services, software, and content. The list includes the US market that EveryMatrix entered at the end of October when it introduced its content to BetMGM customers in New Jersey. The provider agreed to distribute its content straight from its state-of-the-art in-house gaming studios on BetMGM’s platform located in New Jersey.

Playtech, a company that provides leading solutions and content for the gambling industry, announced it expanded its existing collaboration with Mansion in Ontario.

Mansion Goes Live with Two Brands in Ontario

The company revealed that Mansion launched its services in Ontario via Mansion Ontario Holdings. The launch solidifies the operator’s presence while at the same time expanding the duo’s strategic collaboration taking it to a new level. According to Playtech, Mansion has gone live with its leading brands Mansioncasino.com and Casino.com, leveraging the company’s “IMS platform will deliver a complete online backend solution, providing an industry-leading offering.” The latest collaboration builds upon a strong existing five-year extension deal between the duo that dates back to 2020. Now, thanks to Playtech’s leading technology, Mansion will benefit from a complete backend solution.

“Mansion are extremely proud to be approved by AGCO and iGO to operate in Ontario.  Ontario reinforces our focus on expanding our regulated footprint across global markets.“

Chris Block, group president and chairman at Mansion

Chris Block, Mansion’s group president and chairman, said that receiving approval to operate in Ontario from the province’s gambling regulator, the AGCO, marks an important milestone for the company. Moreover, he pointed out that the launch in Ontario complements the company’s expansion to new jurisdictions. According to Block, the company’s two brands will be well-received by Ontarians while at the same time will promote safer gambling entertainment.

Playtech Continues to Expand Its Reach

Shimon Akad, Playtech’s COO, added that reaching new jurisdictions and expanding its product reach to new players is a constant goal for the company. He acknowledged that Ontario is a strategic market for Playtech and said that the company is excited to launch its services with Mansion. “But, more importantly, this announcement demonstrates the strength of our partnership with Mansion, which we’re excited to evolve and further strengthen our partnership in the future,” said Akad in conclusion.

“We are delighted to have launched with Mansion in Ontario, a key market for the gambling community and us.“

Shimon Akad, COO at Playtech

Besides its deal with Mansion, Playtech recently unveiled a senior-level team change. The company announced that its chief financial officer (CFO), Andrew Smith, decided to step down due to personal reasons. As a result, Playtech selected Chris McGinnis to fill in for Smith’s position. Previously, McGinnis was the company’s deputy CFO. According to Playtech, Smith will remain in his position until November 28, 2022.

The famous English soccer player and Brentford striker, Ivan Toney, revealed last week that he is collaborating with the Football Association (FA) for an ongoing investigation.

Ivan Toney Allegedly Gambled on Matches

Only recently, a report released by the Daily Mail, claims that the famous soccer player has been the subject of an investigation by the FA for the last seven months. Allegedly, Toney participated in gambling activities before joining Brentford. As the investigation is still ongoing, further details are yet to be released. So far there’s no suggestion that Toney bet against his team. Currently, he isn’t facing any charges by the FA. A statement released by Brentford acknowledges the story regarding Toney and the ongoing FA investigation. Still, the club refrained from sharing further details.

“We note the story concerning Ivan Toney and the FA investigation. The Club will not be commenting,“

reads a statement released by Brentford

Addressing the topic via Twitter, Toney said last week that he has seen the story in the newspaper. He explained that he is assisting the FA and helping them with their inquiry. Considering the ongoing probe, Toney said he will not comment further until the FA uncovers their conclusion. “I am a proud Englishman and it has always been my childhood dream to play for my country at a World Cup Finals,” said Toney in conclusion.

Stakelogic, a leading casino content house, has inked a new agreement that will expand its presence in Northern Europe. Under a Netherlands-oriented deal with bet365, the provider will reinforce its Dutch footprint.

Stakelogic to Power bet365 with Content

Per the agreement, Stakelogic will power the famous operator’s Netherlands content offering with its full suite of critically-acclaimed slot games. The agreement is expected to greatly boost bet365’s popularity in the country considering how beloved Stakelogic’s products are among locals. The provider launched in the Netherlands a year ago and has already cemented itself as one of the preferred slot companies.

Under the agreement, bet365 will be able to distinguish itself from its competitors and become one of the preferred operators of Dutch players. To that end, the company will excite its users with some of Stakelogic’s best games, including chart-topping titles such as Classic Joker 5 Reels and Hot Joker. In addition, the operator will offer other proven Stakelogic hits, including titles like Candyways Bonanza Megaways 2 and Bandits Thunder Link.

All of Stakelogic’s games are designed with the player in mind and, as a result, offer premium experiences that suit the need of contemporary bettors. The company is proud of delivering thrilling content that players love to return to.  

The Content House Is Excited to Join Forces with the Operator

Stakelogic’s chief commercial officer, Olga Bajela, commented on the newly-minted agreement with bet365. She said that a deal with one of the biggest gambling operators in the world attests to the quality of Stakelogic’s proprietary slot games. Bajela added that Stakelogic’s games have taken the Netherlands by storm and are now a “must-have” for any operator that wishes to target the local market. The CCO noted that local audiences have been particularly fond of classic slots.

Bajela thanked bet365 for trusting Stakelogic, saying that the agreement means a lot to her company and the local gamblers.

Our classic slots in particular have been a big hit with players in the Dutch market and we are thrilled to be helping bet365 grow its classic portfolio with our games. This is a great deal for us, for bet365 and most importantly for its players.

Olga Bajela, CCO, Stakelogic

In other news, a week ago, Stakelogic launched its content portfolio with Videoslots in Italy. The agreement with the local operator further helped the provider cement its position as a leading supplier in Europe.

In October, Stakelogic Live, the provider’s live casino subsidiary, struck a deal with LeoVegas, agreeing to provide its content offering with live dealer content.