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Aristocrat Gaming debuts MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks in Puerto Rico

AGBrief Editorial
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Aristocrat Gaming debuts MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks in Puerto Rico

Aristocrat Gaming has confirmed the official Puerto Rican launch of MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks™ via the Jackpot del Encanto™ link, a milestone celebrated with a recent unveiling at Casino Metro in San Juan.

Building on strong global momentum following its North American and European debuts, MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks continues its rollout, bringing one of the world’s most iconic brands to players at 14 casinos across Puerto Rico.

The launch was commemorated at Casino Metro at Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort with a special unveiling celebration, highlighting the new title’s arrival on the island and reinforcing Puerto Rico’s position as an important market for innovative linked progressives.

Aristocrat Gaming debuts MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks in Puerto Rico

The deployment follows a proven model of multi-casino rollouts across Puerto Rico, delivering broad player access through the Jackpot del Encanto link. Annually, Puerto Rico’s gaming industry contributes significantly to the local economy, driving growth and delivering meaningful benefits to its people.

“Being selected as the launch site for MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks is a testament to Casino Metro’s leadership in Puerto Rico’s gaming industry,” shared Ismael Vega, General Manager of Casino Metro. “We are thrilled to introduce one of the world’s most recognizable brands to our guests as part of our ongoing commitment to delivering innovative gaming experiences and first-class entertainment.”

“The launch of MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks in Puerto Rico marks another exciting step in the global expansion of this incredible title,” said Craig Toner, CEO of Aristocrat Gaming. “Following a successful unveiling at Casino Metro, we’re proud to bring this iconic brand and its innovative gameplay to players across the island through Jackpot del Encanto, delivering the kind of premium, engaging experiences our customers expect from Aristocrat Gaming.”

“We are excited to welcome this new offering to our casinos. Bringing the MONOPOLY brand to Puerto Rico through the innovation of Aristocrat Gaming reflects the confidence Puerto Rico inspires as a jurisdiction with a highly regulated gaming industry,” added Juan Carlos Santaella Marchán, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission.

“Our mission is to continue supporting investments like this, which generate significant revenue for the public treasury. The casino industry contributes millions of dollars to the University of Puerto Rico, Tourism Company, and the Government General Fund. The fact that MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks, as part of the Jackpot del Encanto link, is now available at 14 casinos currently operating in Puerto Rico demonstrates our commitment to strengthening the Island’s economic development through a strong and responsible gaming industry.”

MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks is the first title released under Aristocrat Gaming’s multi-year licensing partnership with Hasbro and blends the nostalgia of the classic board game with modern slot innovation. Players will recognize beloved elements, including Mr. Monopoly, player-selectable tokens, Free Parking, houses and hotels, and the signature MONOPOLY board.

Aristocrat Gaming
Aristocrat Gaming
Aristocrat Gaming debuts MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks in Puerto Rico (3)

The game features triple metamorphic gameplay mechanics: Extra Spins, Extra Properties, and Extra Houses, which lead into the Big Board Bucks Bonus.  During the bonus, players can move around the board for the chance to unlock rewards such as money bags, property wins, houses and hotels, Free Parking, and the GO Jackpot Wheel. There’s also an exciting fourth metamorphic with Free Games that will trigger once the meter bar has been filled.

Now integrated into Jackpot del Encanto, the game is part of a linked progressive jackpot network connecting exclusive Aristocrat Gaming slot titles across participating casinos in Puerto Rico. The starting jackpot is set at $20,000 and grows as more players join in, bringing even more excitement to players across the island.

The game is available on The Baron™ Portrait cabinet, offering a dynamic gameplay experience that brings MONOPOLY to life on the casino floor.

For more information on MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks by Aristocrat Gaming, please visit playmonopolyslots.com.

Cross-border racing tourism circuit tops HKJC’s Five-Year Plan wishlist

Viviana Chan
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Cross-border racing tourism circuit tops HKJC’s Five-Year Plan wishlist

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has proposed transforming the Greater Bay Area into a leading international equine hub anchored by a “Two Cities, Three Racecourses” racing tourism circuit linking its Sha Tin and Happy Valley racecourses with Conghua Racecourse in Guangzhou.

Aristocrat Gaming
Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (left) submits a proposal for Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan to Janice Tse, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs of the HKSAR Government (right).

The proposal is part of a formal submission made on July 16th to the public consultation on Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan.

The operator of Hong Kong’s legal horse race wagering and lottery monopoly returned HK$39.1 billion ($5 billion) to the community in 2024/25, including HK$30.1 billion ($3.8 billion) to the government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions, and HK$9 billion ($1.15 billion) in approved charity donations, making it the city’s largest single taxpayer.

Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the Club ‘strongly welcomes’ the government’s initiative to formulate Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan under the framework of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and sees it as a ‘significant opportunity’ to strengthen Hong Kong’s integration into national development.

Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) was launched for public consultation on June 15th and sets out the city’s development vision across the economy, industries, infrastructure and livelihood areas. The consultation runs until August 14th.

Aristocrat Gaming
Conghua Racecourse

Racing tourism circuit

Under the plan, the Club would leverage Conghua Racecourse as a strategic platform for deeper Guangzhou-Hong Kong cooperation, supporting world-class racing and equine events across the region and creating a multi-destination racing tourism offering for both mainland Chinese and international visitors.

Citing a substantial rise in tourist attendance at its racecourses, the Club argued that recent data demonstrate the attractiveness of Hong Kong’s racing tourism.

The Conghua leg of the circuit is set to move from concept to reality this year, with the Club’s first race meeting on the mainland scheduled for October 31st, 2026, although betting will not be available within mainland China.

The submission builds on a racing tourism push dating back to Chief Executive John Lee’s 2024 Policy Address, which included a since-shelved proposal to relax the rule barring under-18s from racecourses.

Hong Kong Jockey Club

Beyond racing

The submission also recommends developing the Conghua International Racing Development Centre as an international equine import-export and quarantine hub, expanding mutual recognition of vocational qualifications between Hong Kong and Guangdong, and extending Hong Kong’s disease-free zone expertise to regions such as Xinjiang.

On the sports economy, the Club highlighted its internationally recognized Racing Laboratory and offered its expertise in integrity assurance and governance, noting its role in supporting the government in combatting illegal gambling.

The government aims to publish the final blueprint of the Five-Year Plan in the third quarter of this year.

Evolution concludes UKGC license review with GBP 4.75M settlement agreement

AGBrief Editorial
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Evolution concludes UKGC license review with GBP 4.75M settlement agreement

Evolution has reached a GBP 4.75 million settlement with the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), bringing to a close the license review launched in December 2024.

The review centred on instances where Evolution content was made available to British consumers through six unlicensed websites operated by two third-party partners, despite contractual restrictions designed to prevent access in the UK market.

According to the findings, the operators circumvented existing controls, and no wider evidence of Evolution content being offered through unlicensed channels in the UK was identified during the 18-month investigation.

UK Gambling Commission

Throughout the review process, Evolution worked closely with the UKGC and maintained full cooperation with regulatory authorities. Upon discovering the breaches, the company immediately terminated its commercial relationships with the operators involved and continued to implement measures aimed at preventing unauthorised access to its products.

As part of its ongoing compliance strategy, Evolution has strengthened its operational safeguards, including introducing enhanced ring-fencing solutions and refining monitoring procedures. The company noted that while no system can completely prevent attempts to bypass restrictions, it remains committed to investing in robust compliance frameworks and supporting effective regulatory oversight.

Commenting on the outcome, Evolution Chief Executive Officer Martin Carlesund said, “At Evolution, we always want to do what is right, and it is not acceptable that six unlicensed sites offered Evolution content in the regulated UK market. We do not want traffic from unlicensed operators and will always move quickly to address any such situation. We welcome the conclusion of the review and remain focused on continuing to supply our world-leading games to licensed operators in the UK.”

Asia Gaming eBrief: Cambodian casino group leased buildings tied to trafficking

AGBrief Editorial
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Asia Gaming eBrief: Cambodian casino group leased buildings tied to trafficking
Good morning. Behind closed doors, the real story was hiding in plain sight. Reuters found that buildings beside Cambodia’s Royal Hill Resort and Casino, leased for $200,000 a month by a group controlled by tycoon Lim Heng, were used for scams and alleged human trafficking. The report found no evidence of the group’s direct involvement. Meanwhile, Genting Hong Kong has completed its long-delayed exit from Newport World Resorts, giving AGI full control of the Manila resort and its Westside development. In the UAE, Playtech subsidiary VSTechnology has joined the regulator’s licensed vendor register.

What you need to know

On the radar

AGB Intelligence

CAMBODIA

Cambodia Casino Control offices

Cambodian casino site linked to trafficking and fraud

Three buildings leased by Cambodian tycoon Lim Heng’s Royal Hill casino were used for scam operations and human trafficking, a Reuters investigation found. The properties were connected to the resort by a paved road and formed part of a wider 200-acre compound believed to have housed about 3,000 people. The report found no evidence that Lim Heng Group directly participated in the crimes, although legal experts said landlords could face prosecution if prior knowledge were established.

Industry Updates

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How Crypto Adoption in Asia is Changing iGaming Payments

Yevhen Krazhan, CSO for GR8 Tech

Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech, explores how surging crypto adoption across Asia is revolutionizing iGaming payments, stating: “When I look at what’s changing fastest in Asia, it’s payment behavior,” as wallets, stablecoins, and seamless cross-border transfers become deeply ingrained in player habits. The winning operators will be those that offer fast, reliable, and local deposits and withdrawals. To make sense of it, Yevhen breaks Asia into two crypto realities.

INTELLIGENCE | ASEAN | AWARDS | CAREERS | EVENTS

Genting Hong Kong exits Philippine gaming with completion of Newport stake sale: AGI filing

Viviana Chan
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Genting Hong Kong exits Philippine gaming with completion of Newport stake sale: AGI filing

Genting Hong Kong has completed its exit from the Philippine gaming market, more than three years after agreeing to sell its interests in Manila integrated resort Newport World Resorts to long-time joint venture partner Alliance Global Group (AGI).

AGI subsidiary Newport World Resorts Properties, Inc (NWRPI) took ownership on July 15th of the shares held by Star Cruises Philippines Holdings B.V., Asian Travellers Ltd and Premium Travellers Ltd in resort operator Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc (TIHGI), as well as in TIHGI subsidiary Westside City Inc (WCI) and TIHGI shareholder Adams Properties, Inc (API), according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

All conditions precedent under the share purchase agreement signed on May 30th, 2023 have now been fulfilled, the filing said, with the shares ‘successfully transferred to NWRPI’. Financial terms were not disclosed.

As a result, Genting Hong Kong ‘has fully divested its investments in TIHGI, WCI, and API, and no longer holds, directly or indirectly, any equity interest in these entities’, AGI said.

The transaction ends a partnership dating back to 2009, when the property opened as Resorts World Manila under a joint venture in which AGI held 60 percent and Genting Hong Kong 40 percent. The resort was rebranded as Newport World Resorts in July 2022, months after debt-laden Genting Hong Kong entered liquidation; the company was delisted from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in May 2023.

Completion hands AGI full control of TIHGI and of WCI, the entity behind the group’s Westside development in Entertainment City, as the conglomerate consolidates its Manila gaming portfolio under sole ownership.

South Korea extradites alleged operator behind $7.5B illegal gambling network

Frank Schuengel
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South Korea extradites alleged operator behind $7.5B illegal gambling network

South Korean authorities have extradited and charged a man in his 30s accused of operating an illegal online gambling network with a total wagering volume of KRW10.3 trillion ($7.5 billion), marking his first return to the country in more than a decade.

The Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency announced on Tuesday that the suspect, identified only as A, has been referred to prosecutors on charges including operating illegal gambling platforms. Police allege that A operated online gambling websites using servers based in the Philippines between December 2013 and August 2017. After authorities began arresting members of the organisation who had returned to South Korea, he allegedly relocated key operations to Malaysia and Cambodia in an effort to evade capture.

Investigators said A later supplied gambling game credits to more than 1,400 illegal online gambling sites across South Korea between April 2021 and December 2023, enabling continued unlawful betting activity. Authorities estimate that the gambling network handled total wagers of approximately KRW10.3 trillion ($7.5 billion) during its operation and generated around KRW26 billion ($18.9 million) in criminal proceeds. Police allege that A personally received about KRW6 billion ($4.4 million) from the operation.

To avoid arrest, A allegedly obtained and used fraudulent passports from several countries while moving between Malaysia and Cambodia after leaving the Philippines. Police said he remained a fugitive for more than 10 years as investigators pursued members of the wider organization.

The arrest was carried out through cooperation between South Korea’s Pan-Government Joint Transnational Crime Special Response Task Force and law enforcement authorities in the United Arab Emirates. A was apprehended in the UAE before being extradited to South Korea through Incheon International Airport on 4th July.

The joint task force brings together multiple agencies, including the National Police Agency, Ministry of Justice and National Intelligence Service, to target transnational organized crime. Police described A as one of the country’s leading suppliers of game credits to the illegal online gambling sector.

“We will pursue pre-indictment confiscation and preservation of A’s criminal proceeds and expand the investigation into operators and members of lower-level domestic gambling sites,” a Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency official said. Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and will focus on dismantling the wider domestic network connected to the overseas gambling operation.

Brightstar Lottery outlines ESG progress in 2025 Sustainability Report

AGBrief Editorial
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Brightstar Lottery outlines ESG progress in 2025 Sustainability Report

Brightstar Lottery has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, outlining the company’s progress in advancing responsible growth through employee development, stakeholder collaboration, and environmental stewardship during its first full year operating as a dedicated lottery-focused business.

Brightstar Lottery outlines ESG progress in 2025 Sustainability Report

The report demonstrates how sustainability remains embedded within Brightstar‘s long-term strategy, supporting the creation of value for customers, communities, employees, and business partners worldwide.

Key achievements during the year reflect the company’s commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace, strengthening responsible gaming initiatives, and leveraging innovation to reduce environmental impact.

Under its Empowering Our People pillar, Brightstar continued to invest in talent development and workplace excellence, earning Top Employer certification in both the United States and Italy. The company also launched its Digital Journey programme, equipping employees with the skills needed to support digital transformation while promoting the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence technologies.

As part of its Collaborating with Partners strategy, Brightstar expanded its support for responsible gaming and community engagement. Highlights included co-hosting the Emerging Adults Summit alongside leading research and advocacy organisations, bringing together experts from across North America to discuss gambling behaviour trends among younger adults. The company also strengthened its social impact efforts through volunteer initiatives and charitable partnerships, with more than 1,000 employees taking part in community-focused activities worldwide.

Through its Preserving the Planet commitments, Brightstar continued to explore innovative solutions designed to improve operational efficiency and environmental performance. During 2025, the company introduced an AI-powered route optimisation tool to help streamline field service operations and reduce travel-related resource consumption. Sustainability considerations were also integrated into product development processes, including the design of its Retailer Pro S2 lottery terminal, with a focus on material efficiency, energy performance, and lifecycle impact reduction.

Vince Sadusky, CEO at Brightstar Lottery
Vince Sadusky, CEO at Brightstar Lottery

Commenting on the report, Brightstar CEO Vince Sadusky said, “Brightstar Lottery’s 2025 Sustainability Report demonstrates our continued commitment to advancing lotteries through innovative solutions, trusted partnerships, and responsible business practices that help build a sustainable future. Our latest report showcases the progress we made in our first year as a pure-play lottery company, and how sustainability is incorporated into our strategy and the way we seek to create value for our stakeholders. The achievements highlighted are a testament to the dedication of our employees around the world, whose expertise and collaboration help turn our sustainability ambitions into meaningful results.”

The full report provides a detailed overview of Brightstar’s sustainability initiatives, performance, and objectives as the company continues to advance its environmental, social, and governance priorities across global markets.

Gamingtec supports Behind The Gloves in €150K fundraising push at Midnight Mayhem Fight Night

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Gamingtec supports Behind The Gloves in €150K fundraising push at Midnight Mayhem Fight Night

Gamingtec is officially stepping into the ring as the Headline Impact Partner for Midnight Mayhem Fight Night! Teaming up with Behind The Gloves, the global B2B iGaming tech provider is backing the ultimate charity boxing event at ICE Barcelona on January 19, 2027.

Under the partnership, Gamingtec will support Midnight Mayhem’s mission to raise €150,000 for charitable causes while championing the journeys of 16 industry figures preparing to step into the ring.

Gamingtec’s involvement will underpin the delivery of Midnight Mayhem, from the six-month training programme to the event’s fundraising, fighter stories and post-event impact reporting. The partnership will also support the landmark WBC Adaptive Boxing showcase and ensure proceeds are distributed transparently to the charities nominated by the fighters and partners involved.

More than a traditional event sponsorship, the partnership will see Gamingtec work alongside Behind The Gloves throughout the campaign, helping to promote the event, support its charitable mission and demonstrate the impact achieved beyond fight night.

Sapar Karyagdyyev, Founder of Gamingtec, said: “At Gamingtec, we believe the strongest partnerships create value beyond business, so supporting Midnight Mayhem was a natural fit for us. The initiative brings together people from across our industry to raise money for important causes while highlighting the positive impact the sector can have when it comes together behind a shared goal. We’re proud to support Behind The Gloves as Headline Impact Partner and look forward to growing the event, amplifying its fundraising mission and celebrating the participants throughout their journey to ICE Barcelona.”

“A target like €150,000 isn’t achieved through enthusiasm alone – it’s achieved through commitment,” added Lee McFarland, Founder of Behind The Gloves. “Gamingtec’s decision to become our Headline Impact Partner strengthens every part of Midnight Mayhem and gives us the platform to create an even greater impact for the charities and communities we’re supporting. But more importantly, it sends a message. When a company of Gamingtec’s standing backs an initiative like this, it shows what our industry can achieve when businesses come together behind a shared purpose. That’s how one fight night becomes something much bigger, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner to have in our corner.”

Merkur Group acquires White Hat Studios to strengthen U.S. growth strategy

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Merkur Group acquires White Hat Studios to strengthen U.S. growth strategy

Merkur Group has agreed to acquire leading U.S. iGaming content provider White Hat Studios, marking another significant step in its strategic expansion across the regulated North American market.

The transaction brings together Merkur Group’s global gaming expertise and White Hat Studios’ proven success in the U.S. online gaming sector, creating new opportunities to accelerate innovation, broaden product development, and enhance omni-channel experiences for operators and players alike.

Since launching in 2021, White Hat Studios has rapidly established itself as a key force in U.S. iGaming, becoming the first supplier to deploy online slot content across all seven regulated states. Its portfolio features a diverse range of titles, including the popular House of Brands collection, the acclaimed 7s Fire Blitz™ series, and the Jackpot Royale™ progressive jackpot network.

The acquisition further reinforces Merkur Group’s commitment to the U.S. market, following its recent purchase of Gaming Arts. Together, these businesses will enable Merkur to deliver an expanded portfolio of online and land-based gaming content while supporting operators seeking scalable growth in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Notably, White Hat Gaming’s platform and white-label operations are excluded from the agreement and will continue under existing ownership.

Andy Whitworth, President of White Hat Studios, said: “Becoming part of Merkur Group represents an exciting new chapter for White Hat Studios. The partnership provides a strong foundation for accelerating innovation, enhancing our product roadmap, and delivering even greater value to operators and players through a truly integrated omni-channel offering.”

Lars Felderhoff, Chairman of the Merkur Management Board, commented: “White Hat Studios has built an impressive reputation and achieved remarkable growth within a short period. We are delighted to welcome the team to Merkur and look forward to strengthening our presence in the regulated U.S. iGaming market together.”

Michael Gauselmann, Chairman of the Merkur Supervisory Board, added: “This acquisition aligns with our long-term digital growth strategy and builds upon Merkur’s successful expansion into online gaming. We are confident White Hat Studios will make a valuable contribution to our future development.”

White Hat Studios received advisory support from Oakvale Capital, with CMS acting as legal counsel to White Hat Studios and Wiggin advising Merkur Group.

The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals.

EvenBet Gaming secures Swedish B2B supplier license

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EvenBet Gaming secures Swedish B2B supplier license

EvenBet Gaming has strengthened its foothold in the Nordic market after securing a five-year B2B supplier license from Sweden’s gambling regulator (Spelinspektionen), enabling operators to leverage its fully compliant poker and casino solutions while gaining access to one of Europe’s most established and high-value regulated gaming markets.

The license gives partners instant access to EvenBet’s entire flagship portfolio, including its world-class poker software and comprehensive online casino suite.

The synergy between a premium poker ecosystem and classic casino verticals enables Swedish brands to cross-sell seamlessly, lower acquisition costs, and attract high-lifetime-value players, while the expansion opens up significant opportunities for local operators to capture a larger share of Sweden’s fast-growing, highly lucrative iGaming market.

Through the new license, EvenBet Gaming also provides a fully compliant gateway to one of Europe’s most mature player bases, where the channelisation rate consistently exceeds 90%, ensuring players actively seek out and stick to legally licensed offerings.

The provider manages all mandatory annual security audits and RNG testing, handling the heavy lifting of Spelinspektionen’s requirements so Swedish operators can focus entirely on scaling.

According to the latest Spelinspektionen data, Sweden’s licensed gambling market generated SEK 6.7 billion in turnover during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting stable 0.8% year-on-year growth, with the commercial online gambling and sports betting sector driving the market at SEK 4.4 billion.

The Swedish license follows EvenBet’s recent success in securing a supplier license in Denmark, further strengthening the company’s position in highly regulated and complex markets.

Commenting on the achievement, Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO at EvenBet Gaming, said: “Securing our Swedish B2B license is another important milestone in EvenBet’s long-term strategy. Sweden has established itself as one of the most mature and well-regulated gaming markets in Europe, making it an extremely attractive jurisdiction for both suppliers and operators. This approval not only reflects the strength and reliability of our technology but also allows us to support our existing and future partners with fully compliant access to a highly valuable market.”

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