Australia
The Star appoints first female GM of Surveillance Queensland
The Star Entertainment Group has appointed Zhan Spalding to its senior leadership team, taking up the newly created role of General Manager Surveillance Queensland and further supporting a commitment to gender equality targets.
With more than 30 years’ experience leading surveillance and security operations for both national and international gaming venues, Ms Spalding will take on the dual role overseeing The Star’s two Queensland properties.
Ms Spalding will be a key part of the transition from the Treasury Brisbane surveillance team to a new model in preparation for operations commencing at the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane precinct with a planned staged opening in the second half of 2023.
She will also commence immediate oversight of the existing surveillance operating model at The Star Gold Coast, as its $2 billion masterplan expansion continues.
Chief Operating Officer of The Star Gold Coast Jess Mellor said, “We are thrilled to have been successful in attracting Zhan to this new and critical role for the business.”
“She has extensive expertise in surveillance technology implementation, multi-site management, restructuring and streamlining processes, which we will be relying on as we further cement our position as the Gold Coast’s premium tourism and entertainment destination.
“Her appointment underpins The Star’s growth and investment in Queensland as well as bolstering our female leadership ranks,” Jess Mellor said.
“The Star has a target of 45% female and 45% male representation in leadership roles while the remaining 10% recognises the need to create space for non-binary gender identities.”
Zhan Spalding, who began her gaming career in Prague and has worked globally including in Morocco, Argentina, Venezuela, Romania, England and New Zealand before moving to Australia said the promotion of gender equality was an attractor to the role.
“Throughout my career there have been many times I was the only woman in a surveillance or security international network events team, so I am passionate about encouraging other women to pursue a career in this industry,” Ms Spalding said.
“I also want to shine a spotlight on the breadth of the role, which is complex and challenging requiring knowledge of technology, compliance, policy, procedure, data analytics, crisis management and more,” she said.
“I am thrilled to join The Star at this exciting stage of their expansion, and hope to help progress its cultural and diversity focus and achievements.”
The Star Entertainment Group Interim CEO and MD, Geoff Hogg said, “Zhan’s wealth of experience will be an asset to our Queensland-based surveillance and security team, particularly to a role and industry sector where women have traditionally been under-represented.”
“We value diversity of ideas and backgrounds and it’s rewarding to see the strides we have made in promoting gender equality are being reflected in our talent acquisition pipeline,” he said.
“We ensure the best people are recruited for the right roles, adhering to a policy that provides everyone with the same opportunities, reduces bias in the hiring process and fosters an inclusive workplace.”
Zhan will commence duties for The Star on September 5 dividing her time between both Queensland properties.
The Star Entertainment Group has a recognised commitment to promoting gender equality as one of only 12 new Australian businesses awarded a 2022 Workplace Gender Equality Agency ‘Employer of Choice for Gender Equality’ citation.
Network Ten has been found in breach of broadcasting rules after airing gambling advertisements during the australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in March 2024.
An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found four gambling ads were aired at prohibited times during a broadcast of the first practice round of the Grand Prix.
Under the Commercial TV Code of Practice (the Code), gambling promotions cannot be shown during broadcasts of sporting events between 5am and 8.30pm, including the five minutes before and after the event.
Authority member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the rules around gambling advertisements on TV are there to protect the community from gambling related harms.
“Broadcasters should have strict controls in place to ensure compliance with the restrictions on gambling ads during sporting events,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
Practice rounds and qualifying rounds for motorsports are subject to the same restrictions on gambling advertising as the main event itself.
This is the first breach by Network 10 of the gambling advertising rules in the Code. During the investigation, Network 10 submitted that the broadcasts occurred due to human error.
Following the ACMA’s breach finding, Network 10 voluntarily improved the planning, checks and balances it has in place for ad scheduling and has, at the ACMA’s request, agreed to review its processes to introduce additional quality controls.
Network 10 will also train staff to avoid similar issues in the future and will provide a written progress report to the ACMA.
In a separate investigation in 2024, the ACMA found that streaming service 10 Play, provided by Network 10, breached online gambling advertising rules during two live-streamed sports events.
“The ACMA will closely monitor these actions and Network Ten’s compliance with the broadcasting and online gambling advertising rules,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
The post Network 10 Breaches Gambling Ad Rules During Formula 1 Grand Prix Broadcast appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Picklebet, an Australian-owned and operated digital wagering platform, has become the Official Wagering Partner of Penrith Panthers.
Damon Oudejans, CMO and Co-Founder of Picklebet, said: “We are incredibly excited to partner with the Penrith Panthers, a club that has set the benchmark for excellence both on and off the field.
“Picklebet and the Panthers share a passion for innovation, and a commitment to delivering premium experiences to fans. This partnership is more than just branding—it’s about creating engaging, digital-first activations that bring supporters closer to the game they love.”
To kick-start the partnership Picklebet is giving away the ultimate giveaway for two people for the opening game of the season in Las Vegas. The social competition ends at 12 pm AEDT on Monday 24 February and includes flights to Las Vegas, three nights’ accommodation, $5000 spending money and tickets to see the Panthers headline the Rugby League action at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Matt Cameron, CEO of Panthers Rugby League, said: “This partnership is a fantastic alignment between two brands that embrace innovation and excellence.
“Picklebet’s cutting-edge approach to digital wagering, particularly its focus on next-gen sports engagement, is an exciting fit for our club. We look forward to working together to create incredible experiences for Panthers fans over the next four years.”
As part of the partnership, Picklebet branding will be feature across Panthers’ assets, including digital platforms, in-stadium activations and exclusive fan engagement initiatives. Picklebet will also leverage its expertise in digital and social engagement to introduce new ways for fans to interact with the game and their team like never before.
The post Picklebet Becomes Official Wagering Partner of Penrith Panthers 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 and affiliate-marketing websites, after investigations found these services to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The latest sites blocked include JokaRoom, AUDPokies888, Aura Play, Instant Casino, Leon, Rich Papa, UUSpin and Wild Pokies.
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, 1154 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 Gambling Websites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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