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TOPSPORT FINED $60,000 FOR ILLEGAL GAMBLING ADS

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The courts have sent a strong message to those who post illegal gambling advertisements, fining Merlehan Bookmaking Pty Ltd, trading as TopSport, $60,000 last week, as a result of an investigation by Liquor & Gaming NSW.

Liquor & Gaming’s Compliance Director Marcel Savary said under the Betting and Racing Act 1998, it is an offence to publish a gambling advertisement that offers any inducement to participate, or participate frequently, in any gambling activity.

“TopSport pleaded guilty to three illegal gambling advertisement offences in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday and was fined $20,000 per offence, totalling $60,000. They were also ordered to pay Liquor & Gaming NSW’s legal costs,” Mr Savary said.

“Two of the offences relate to publications on the TopSport website of the availability of a ‘Top Up’ feature which is a form of enhanced odds. The third offence is related to the promotion of a weekly tipping competition on the Sporting Base website offering TopSport bonus bets as a prize for the top tipsters. The offences occurred in August and September 2020”

“The laws are there for a reason. Enhanced odds and tipping competitions linked to betting accounts have the ability to induce people to open a betting account when they otherwise may be refraining from gambling and they may encourage people to gamble more frequently.

“During sentencing the Magistrate noted TopSport didn’t have previous convictions for this type of offence however there was a need for specific and general deterrence,” Mr Savary said.

The maximum penalty is $110,000 for offences contrary to section 33H(1) of the Betting and Racing Act 1998.

Liquor & Gaming will continue to monitor betting service providers compliance with these laws and take strong action for serious and blatant offending.

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Australia

WATERHOUSE VC SECURES OPTION IN MAINCARD, THE “SHOPIFY OF ONLINE BETTING”

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Waterhouse VC, an investment fund specialising in the technology layer of the global gambling industry, has secured an option in Maincard, a “Shopify of Online Betting” platform targeting the launch of fully customisable licensed online betting sites in under 30 minutes.

Maincard targets the $1 trillion iGaming market by replacing months of development work, cumbersome licensing and complex integrations with a subscription-style workflow. Crypto-native founders, influencers and digital communities can spin up branded betting sites, monetise their audiences and retain full upside ownership from day one.

“iGaming still suffers from high startup costs and significant technical and regulatory friction,” said Tom Waterhouse, Chief Investment Officer of Waterhouse VC. “We’re seeing strong potential in platforms that can streamline development, similar to how Shopify revolutionised e-commerce. The sector is ripe for innovation that allows new entrants to focus on player acquisition and retention rather than backend development.”

“Waterhouse VC’s deep domain knowledge and network will accelerate our go-to-market,” said Valerii Makovetskii, Founder and CEO of Maincard. “We’ve developed strong technical foundations with our crypto-friendly payments gateway already powering third-party casinos. The next step is to make launching a betting site as easy as launching an online storefront.”

The investment aligns with Waterhouse VC’s approach of identifying promising B2B technology companies serving the wagering industry and negotiating options to acquire stakes in these businesses.

Maincard platform vision:

  •     Launch in <30 minutes — drag-and-drop, no code required
  •     End-to-end compliance — licensing, KYC/AML, fraud, payments, customer support and marketing handled by Maincard
  •     15,000+ casino games & 1,000+ sportsbook markets out of the box

Maincard is currently raising USD $3M to scale its sales team and launch multiple brands from the waiting list by the end of Q3 2025.

The post WATERHOUSE VC SECURES OPTION IN MAINCARD, THE “SHOPIFY OF ONLINE BETTING” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Martin Pakula Named Chair of Crown Melbourne

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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.

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TheLotter Australia: Exciting Changes to the US Mega Millions

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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.

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