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XB Net pens multi-year global distribution deal with Hawthorne Race Course in Chicago

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XB Net, the leading provider of premium content for North American horse racing, has agreed to a new distribution deal and a multi-year contract renewal option with Hawthorne Race Course in Chicago, Illinois.

The agreement heralds another milestone partnership in XB Net’s progressive portfolio of content rights, data, odds and signals around one of the United States’ most historic racetracks, particularly as it embarks on a $400 million redevelopment to add sports betting, casino-style gaming and other entertainment amenities to the new Hawthorne Casino & Race Course.

Accordingly, Hawthorne Race Course forms part of a wider network of over 60 North American tracks whose steady stream of rapid-cycling content is proven to increase digital dwell-time for XB Net’s clients and their customers. Moreover, the deal helps to immediately leverage the 50 thoroughbred race-days that comprise Hawthorne’s traditional fall/winter meetings and will build momentum for further fan engagement in 2022 when Hawthorne is the only race track in the Chicago area, which is the third-largest media market in the US.

Elsewhere, Hawthorne’s CDT time zone naturally clocks on for core UK and European racing audiences, generating increased fan engagement at peak leisure times. Its daily schedule of compelling coverage, which neatly complements Europe’s domestic racing action, provides operators with a trustworthy source of rapid-settling betting content from 18:00 CET. This engaging action, which also features regular Harness racing meetings, is proven to retain eyeballs and promote betting activity during competitive digital-entertainment cycles, driving new revenue streams for a wide range of international clients.

XB Net’s definitive end-to-end solution, corralling wide-ranging content that covers approximately 75% of all U.S. racing, opens the door to many of the world’s best-quality courses and most prestigious horse races. Other notable highlights include the Pegasus World Cup, two legs of this summer’s recent Triple Crown (comprising the Preakness and Belmont Stakes) and the season’s flagship finale at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar (5-6 November).

John Walsh, Assistant General Manager at Hawthorne Race Course, said: “This close collaboration with XB Net will expand the international reach and appeal of Illinois thoroughbred racing. The distribution of our content to both mature and emerging markets requires strong partnerships that will showcase the very exciting future of Hawthorne and racing at Chicago’s hometown track.”

Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President of International at XB Net, added: “Securing this long-term partnership with Hawthorne emphasizes XB Net’s dedication to racing and our broader status as the leading international provider of North American racing. This deal is another strong endorsement of our business model and the collective power of our multi-faceted betting services.

“As ever, betting increases the entertainment value from the consumer perspective. However, with XB Net’s fair allocation of capital to where the entertainment value is, we’re seeing the whole Illinois ecosystem improve, returning the value to racing stakeholders, the owners and the racetracks themselves. It’s great to see during a very challenging economic period.

“Our underlying resolve is to support Hawthorne Race Course’s efforts to distribute its horse racing content and wagering on a global scale, now encompassing both fixed-odds (in approved markets) and pari-mutuel betting opportunities. We’re confident these milestone developments can further benefit horse racing’s consumer economy, both at home and abroad.”

XB Net remains the pacesetter for live North American horse racing content, providing rights, betting data, live broadcast and video streaming on behalf of its growing global portfolio of partners. Harnessing low-latency feeds from more than 2,500 meetings, showcasing over 25,000 races per year, North American racing is helping global operators seamlessly adapt to a demanding schedule for live sports.

 

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AGLC

Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links

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Law enforcement in Alberta continues to search for the last suspect in a sophisticated fraud operation that targeted ATMs in Edmonton-area casinos and resulted in over CAD 1 million ($720,487) in losses throughout Western Canada.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has confirmed that Hisham Ismaeel, 28, remains at large with a province-wide warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of fraud exceeding $5000 and possessing proceeds of crime. Police have already arrested four other men linked to the scheme. Investigators describe the operation as a well-planned effort to exploit financial systems and clean dirty money.

The accused, Elliot Miao, 42, Van Bau Ta, 39, Hassan Jaafar Haydar Ahmad, 37, and Dennis Jones, 42, showed up in the Alberta Court of Justice last week. They face charges from fraud and money laundering to owning criminal property. Miao also has a narcotics trafficking charge after police found cocaine when they searched with warrants.

Investigators claim the group made coordinated withdrawals at several casino ATMs, timing their transactions to avoid getting caught. This action messed up ATM networks in the area and showed flaws in the systems that banks and casinos use to stop misuse.

The RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region led an investigation that involved six search warrants in Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Service, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), and several banks supported this effort. Officials said the case shows how teamwork between public agencies and the private sector plays a key role in combating modern financial crime.

AGLC representatives pointed out that casino operators in the province must follow strict reporting and surveillance rules under Canada’s anti-money laundering laws. The specific casinos affected remain unnamed, but the Edmonton region has seven licensed facilities. AGLC said its policies helped spot problems and backed the RCMP’s investigation.

Compliance experts say this fraud shows how criminals change their methods to take advantage of weak spots in reporting limits and transaction checks. They claim that casinos, which deal with lots of cash, are still easy targets unless they keep improving their detection systems and teach their front-line workers to notice coordinated actions like several big withdrawals happening one after another.

For now, the case highlights both the money and crime aspects of casino-related fraud. Besides the million-dollar losses, finding drugs during the raids points to a bigger criminal operation where financial crimes and drug dealing overlap.

The post Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Bragg Gaming

Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems

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Bragg Gaming Group, a leading online gaming technology provider, has confirmed a major cybersecurity incident that compromised its internal IT infrastructure in the early hours of Saturday, August 16, 2025.

The company detected unauthorized intrusion attempts that successfully breached its internal network, triggering an immediate and comprehensive incident response.

Key Takeaways

  • Bragg Gaming Group experienced a cybersecurity breach involving access to internal IT systems.

  • No customer personal data or payment information appears to have been compromised.

  • The company has enacted full containment and investigation protocols.

Details of the Breach

According to a preliminary forensic analysis by Bragg’s internal security team, the attack was a targeted breach aimed at the company’s internal computer environment. While the exact method of intrusion is still under investigation, early indicators suggest a sophisticated exploit of internal network vulnerabilities.

Fortunately, the company’s customer-facing systems, including sensitive user data and financial information, appear to have been unaffected. Bragg’s existing encryption protocols and access control systems successfully prevented the attackers from accessing customer information.

Immediate Response Measures

In response to the breach, Bragg launched a multi-tiered containment strategy, including:

  • Network Segmentation to isolate affected systems

  • Enhanced Monitoring of data flows across its Remote Games Server (RGS) platform

  • Security Audits of critical infrastructure, including the Bragg Hub and PAM systems

  • Engagement of Independent Cybersecurity Experts to assist in incident analysis and system hardening

Bragg’s Security Operations Center has also elevated its alert level, initiating 24/7 monitoring across all server clusters and network endpoints. In addition, company-wide penetration testing is now underway to proactively identify any residual vulnerabilities.

Business Continuity Maintained

Despite the severity of the breach, Bragg reports that its operations remain unaffected. All gaming services, including iCasino and sportsbook offerings across regulated markets, continue to function without disruption.

“While this incident is deeply concerning, we are confident in the rapid and thorough response initiated by our team,” a company spokesperson stated. “We remain committed to protecting our infrastructure, our partners, and most importantly, our players.”

Looking Ahead

As part of its response, Bragg has also launched mandatory security awareness training for all employees to reinforce best practices and prevent future incidents.

Cybersecurity analysts will continue working with Bragg to determine the full scope of the attack, improve system resilience, and maintain the trust of its users and stakeholders.

Bragg’s handling of the incident highlights both the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats and the importance of robust, responsive defense systems in the digital gaming sector.

Source: cybersecuritynews.com

The post Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO

AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has updated several lottery policies to remove the cap on seller commission for Paper Raffles and Media Bingo, along with removing the prohibition on Catch the Ace paper lotteries, to align with other charitable lottery products.

Licensed charities may now negotiate commissions directly with sellers and determine commissions, provided they are reasonable and tied to the cost of service provided by the seller.

These updates further the AGCO’s commitment to adopt an outcomes-based regulatory approach and reduce burden for the charitable gaming sector. Local charitable organizations will have greater flexibility to make decisions that best serve their fundraising objectives.

Important Reminders

• Charities must still receive approval for other expenses incurred under their licence and retain receipts for seller commission paid.

• Licensing authorities will not require documentation to be submitted as part of the application process, however, charities are still subject to audit to determine compliance.

• Charities are reminded of their legal requirement to meet their obligations under the Criminal Code and with respect to conducting and managing a charitable gaming scheme.

• As with all licensed charitable lottery events, charities must take the necessary steps to ensure that they are conducting and managing the lottery event within Ontario.

For charitable gaming-related inquiries, email an AGCO Eligibility Officer at [email protected] or call AGCO Customer Service at 1-800-522-2876, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The post AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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