Games Global, a leading supplier of gaming content, announced that an incredibly fortunate player had won a staggering £11,498,211 ($15,644,121) playing the provider’s Mega Moolah slot. This was notably the company’s first eight-figure jackpot in a few months.

The Jackpot Was Landed on Betfred

According to Games Global’s announcement, the win was scored on Betfred’s online platform by a player enjoying the legendary Mega Moolah slot. The supplier described the game as a fan-favorite title that has been captivating slots aficionados all over the world for years.

The winner’s identity was not disclosed, although Games Global confirmed that they were based in the United Kingdom.

Games Global said that this jackpot marked a major milestone for its business as it reignited excitement around one of the industry’s “most iconic progressive jackpots.” Although this was the company’s first eight-figure payout in recent months, Games Global boasts a distinguished history of awarding life-changing prizes to players. In total, the company has awarded more than EUR 130 million ($151 million) in jackpots.

Games Global’s progressive jackpots are underpinned by a long-established network that continues to secure the company a leadership position.

Both Games Global and Betfred Were Thrilled about the Jackpot

Company representatives expressed excitement about the amazing prize. Andy Booth, Games Global’s chief product officer, said that Mega Moolah has remained an industry outlier ever since its inception in 2006. Now boasting a legendary status, the game reminds players of the excitement linked to the provider’s progressive networks, which include Mega Moolah, WowPot! And King Millions.

Jackpot content remains a cornerstone of our global strategy, and we are proud to continue delivering high-impact, entertaining experiences at scale. We’re especially pleased to see this significant win land with our valued partner, Betfred, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the lucky player.

Andy Booth, CPO, Games Global

Andrew Horne, Betfred’s head of gaming, was likewise pleased by the fact that one of his company’s players has landed the life-changing $15.6 million jackpot. He was furthermore thrilled that the prize was won on Games Global’s Mega Moolah slot and praised the supplier for its incredible content.

Horne added: “Partnering with Games Global allows us to offer some of the most engaging and rewarding content in the industry, and this exciting jackpot win is a testament to that.”

A 23-year-old man is set to appear in Bankstown Local Court today as he faces charges connected with an alleged online gambling scam. Authorities allege the suspect cheated victims out of more than AUD 2 million ($1.31 million). This case echoes similar gambling-related crimes in the past few months, where perpetrators faced several years in prison for their misdeeds.

The Suspect Faces Substantial Charges

This newest arrest marks the culmination of a months-long investigation that began in August 2023. Detectives from Campsie Police Area Command started looking into the case after they received a tip about suspicious activity linked to a gambling-related investment scheme. An official police report stated that at least 14 individuals fell victim to a company promising high returns from online gambling but delivered nothing in return.

Police have been told that 14 victims had lost in excess of $2 million in an online gambling scam.

NSW Police Force statement

The suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, faces 14 charges, including 11 counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception, two counts of making false documents to obtain a financial advantage, and one count of demanding with menace/intent to obtain a financial advantage. If found guilty, the suspect could face several years behind bars.

According to police, the man has refused bail and will face the Bankstown Local Court on June 11, 2025. This case comes amid growing concern over the link between gambling and financial crime in Australia. In recent years, there has been a seen a spike in high-profile casino-related crime, with gambling addiction or fraudulent betting schemes leading to financial loss and criminal prosecution.

Casino-Related Crime Remains a Pressing Issue

This March, a 49-year-old man faced more than five years in prison after he stole AUD 700,000 ($457,000) from his parents. He exploited their vulnerability and ill health, using his lasting power of attorney to move large sums into his personal and business accounts, much of which he spent and lost gambling online. 

In a similar high-profile case last year, a 68-year-old Victorian woman was jailed for a minimum of three years for embezzling more than AUD 4 million ($2.61 million) from her employer, a family-run construction company. As the firm’s long-term accountant, she abused her position to alter financial records and pay for luxury vacations and gambling binges, spending an estimated AUD 50,000 ($32,640) on pokie machines.

Authorities warn that as online betting becomes more widespread, so does the risk of gambling-related abuse and fraud. Meanwhile, the regulated sector faces ongoing criticism for keeping the proceeds of crimes committed by people who develop a gambling addiction, adding another wrinkle to this complicated situation. In any case, individuals must be extremely wary of where they send their money, especially when promises of easy profits are involved.

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation (səlilwətaɬ) has taken a major step toward expanding its economic footprint by signing a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to acquire the casino operations and related land interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino in Vancouver. 

“A Big Milestone for Our Nation”

The deal is being negotiated with the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, also known as Great Canadian Entertainment.

The 1982-founded gaming and hospitality company has turned into the country’s premier choice in terms of gaming, entertainment, hospitality, and resort facilities, with locations spread across Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

“This is a big milestone for our Nation,” said Chief Jen Thomas of the Coast Salish Nation with a territory centred around Burrard Inlet in the Greater Vancouver area.

Thomas also took the opportunity to express their thrill for being able to “take another important step towards economic self-determination” in their “traditional territory” while expressing eagerness to work with Great Canadian Entertainment’s senior managers to “finalize due diligence and execute a definitive agreement”.

The People of the Inlet’s Chief described the new agreement as a “historic” one. “We look forward to entering the gaming industry in due course,” he added.

Outlining the Details of a Future Deal

The MOU outlines the framework for a future deal, but several details still need to be finalized. Due diligence is ongoing, and both parties are working toward a full purchase agreement. 

Once that’s in place, the transaction will need to clear several regulatory hurdles, including approvals from gaming regulators and the City of Vancouver, which owns the land where Hastings sits.

Great Canadian Entertainment expressed strong support for the potential handoff.

“We are excited about working with TWN on their potential acquisition of the casino operations and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino,” said chief executive officer Matt Anfinson. 

“Recognizing that Hastings is part of the TWN’s traditional territory, we can think of no better entity to inherit this asset, and we look forward to supporting them in the transition after the anticipated close of the sale.”, Anfinson added.

If the deal closes as expected, Great Canadian will continue to assist with operations during a transitional period to help ensure a smooth handover.

On the legal and financial side, Tsleil-Waututh Nation is being advised by KPMG Corporate Finance Inc. and law firm McCarthy Tétrault LLP. Great Canadian is receiving legal guidance from McMillan LLP.This potential acquisition marks a significant moment not only for TWN’s economic development but also for Indigenous participation in British Columbia’s gaming and hospitality sector.

Two mainland Chinese men are under arrest after they allegedly stole HK$45,000 ($5,700) worth of chips from another player at a Cotai casino earlier this week. According to the police, the two suspects, both unemployed, utilized sleight of hand and coordination to commit the crime during an active game. Fortunately, casino staff and law enforcement reacted in time and restored the missing chips.

The Suspects Had a Clever Plan

According to local news outlet Macau Post Daily, the scheme began when a 45-year-old man surnamed Cheng befriended the 43-year-old victim on the gaming floor over the weekend. Posing as having “elite-level” gambling skills, Cheng convinced the anonymous victim to let him place bets on his behalf, starting with HK$30,000 ($3,800) worth of chips. The two continued gambling together until Monday evening.

Cheng’s behavior quickly aroused suspicion among casino staff. Officers conducting routine surveillance noticed him reaching for chips that belonged to the victim and then secretly stashing them away throughout several rounds at the table. Further examination of surveillance footage confirmed that Cheng swiped chips five times, pocketing an amount worth HK$45,000.

Instead of personally redeeming the stolen chips, Cheng went into a nearby restroom where a second suspect, 43-year-old Zhang, was waiting. According to Macau Judiciary Police officials, Cheng covertly passed along the stolen chips before returning to the gaming floor as if nothing had happened. Both men were later arrested by authorities.

Macau Authorities Remain Vigilant

Police contacted the unaware victim after the arrest, and he successfully identified his missing chips. Authorities also seized two mobile phones that were likely used to organize the theft. The two suspects have not cooperated with authorities and have been handed over to the Public Prosecutions Office as they face formal theft charges.

While Macau authorities are doing their best to crack down on illegal activities, casino-related crime remains a consistent issue. Last month, police busted an unrelated HK$74 million ($9.43 million) money laundering scheme using jewelry shops as fronts for unregulated money exchanges. That case led to multiple arrests and underlined the scope and sophistication of financial crime in the city’s gambling economy.

Although the two suspects in the recent chip theft incident do not seem to be involved in a broader criminal network, Macau authorities remain vigilant against any attempts to exploit the region’s lucrative casino industry. Unfortunately, deception still finds its way even in Macau’s watchful and tightly regulated casinos.

A tax fight is brewing between the Calcasieu Parish School Board and L’Auberge Casino Resort. The school district claims the casino owes $3 million in unpaid taxes, interest that has built up, and penalties. The argument revolves around how to tax complimentary hotel rooms, a special rule in local tax laws.

L’Auberge Casino Fights $3M Tax Bill Over Free Rooms, School Board Cites Longstanding Law

The school board’s Sales and Use Tax Department says L’Auberge did not pay $2 million in taxes from 2021 to 2023. They also claim the casino owes another $1 million in interest and penalties, reported KPEL-FM. The school district argues that when the casino gives out free rooms, it counts as something they can tax. They point to a local law that has been around since 1991 to back this up.

L’Auberge has challenged the claim by submitting a petition to the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals. A casino representative confirmed that they pay the local complimentary room tax now, but they dispute the school board’s attempt to impose an additional tax. The casino argues that the contested charges stem from a new interpretation of the law, even though state and parish laws have not changed.

The main debate centers on whether free hotel stays for guests, a common promotional strategy in the gambling industry, should be taxed. L’Auberge claims these rooms are not for sale, pointing out that guests do not have to gamble or buy anything during their stay.

Casino Tax Dispute in Lake Charles May Shape Future of Regulations in Louisiana

This argument is not limited to Lake Charles. Other Louisiana gaming spots face similar issues, like the Golden Nugget, where the tax appeals board sided with the taxing authority before. They decided that free offers were trades linked to gambling, so they could be taxed under current rules.

On June 3, the Calcasieu Parish School Board voted to hire local lawyer Rusty Stutes to handle the legal process and try to get back the disputed money. School leaders point out that casino taxes play a big role in funding public schools in the parish.

As the legal battle continues, both parties stand their ground. The appeal’s result could set a standard for how free services are taxed across Louisiana’s gambling scene. The issue remains under examination, and more updates are likely as the case moves through the state’s tax appeal process.

A tragic act of desperation unfolded just outside the Kansas Star Casino Saturday morning when a man fatally shot himself during a live Zoom interview with police. The graphic act not only shocked law enforcement officers but also reignited a decade-and-a-half-old murder mystery tangled in gambling debt, hidden money, and unresolved questions.

The Case Revolved Around an Illegal Gambling Ring

According to a report from local media outlet KWTV-DT, the man, identified as Michael Thomas, an insurance agent from Edmond, was a long-time person of interest in the unsolved 2010 murder of Julie Mitchell, a mother found brutally beaten in her Oklahoma City home. Following up on this old case, the Oklahoma City Police Department had invited Thomas for an online interview.

Julie Mitchell’s death in November 2010 was a shock in and of itself: she was found bludgeoned in her bedroom with her infant daughter in the room but unharmed. The kicker came when detectives unraveled the double life of her husband, Teddy Mitchell, who was running an underground gambling ring. He was subsequently convicted in federal court and spent over two years behind bars.

Police have always believed that gambling was involved in Julie Mitchell’s murder. More than $30,000 in cash, linked to Teddy’s illicit gambling operation, was missing from a safe in her closet. Suspicion immediately fell on individuals in Mitchell’s inner circle, including those who owed him money. One of them was Michael Thomas.

Investigators Were Shocked

Thomas was a habitual gambler and had a complex financial relationship with Mitchell. Although he was never charged, law enforcement deemed him a person of interest with a motive, proximity, and necessary knowledge. Although initial investigations uncovered no definitive evidence, suspicion never fully faded, even after years of silence.

Thomas had agreed to meet virtually with Detective Bryn Carter, the lead investigator on the Mitchell case, along with his attorney, Ed Blau. What began as a typical conversation ended in horror as Thomas took his own life during the interview. Detective Carter had a list of questions prepared for Thomas, hoping to shed some light on the decade-and-a-half-old murder mystery. However, these will now go unanswered.

“Him taking his own life without answering the questions that I needed answered to eliminate him as a person of interest. It speaks volumes that maybe he couldn’t answer those questions.”

Oklahoma City Police Department Detective Bryn Carter

Thomas’s death may have deprived investigators of answers, but it also put the spotlight on the gambling-fueled undercurrents of the Mitchell case. Carter emphasized the file remains open, and authorities are pursuing new leads in light of the weekend’s events. However, it is ironic that someone who lived in the shadow of gambling debt for years chose to take his life next to a casino.