Agilysys has announced that Winford Resort & Casino, Manila, Philippines, has deployed Agilysys InfoGenesis POS to centralize food and beverage operations across 11 venues and integrate in real time with their Total Rewards System (TRS).
Located in Manila’s historic San Lazaro Tourism and Business Park, the 22-story integrated resort features 128 rooms and suites, multiple dining outlets, premium entertainment facilities and a full casino operation. To support this high-volume environment, Winford transitioned from legacy POS systems requiring manual processes to a fully automated platform aligned with the technology standards of Newport World Resorts.
With InfoGenesis POS, dining transactions now connect directly real time to guest loyalty and reward data through seamless TRS integration, improving transaction speed, billing accuracy and operational efficiency while delivering a more streamlined experience for guests and staff.
Since the deployment, Winford staff have noted the intuitive nature of the new system. Key benefits identified during training and initial use include:
Intuitive Workflows: The system is easy for staff to navigate, significantly reducing training time and minimizing order errors.
Integrated Rewards: Real-time synchronization with TRS eliminates manual workarounds, allowing guests to earn and redeem rewards effortlessly across the property.
Commenting on the upgrade, Arman Reyes, Assistant Director of IT for Winford Resort & Casino stated, “Agilysys InfoGenesis POS stood out as the ideal choice for Winford Manila because of its flexibility, seamless integration with our systems, and real-time data insights. We wanted to replace our legacy software with a truly modern solution that is intuitive for our team, scalable for our operations, and agile enough to consistently deliver exceptional guest experiences. InfoGenesis empowers us to achieve greater efficiency and mobility across our property, helping us serve our guests better every day.”
The implementation of InfoGenesis POS reinforces Winford Casino & Resort’s commitment to investing in best-in-class technology to maintain its position as a leading integrated resort destination and establishes a strong foundation for the future innovation and growth.
Tony Marshall, Vice President & Managing Director for Agilysys Asia Pacific, added, “We are proud that Winford Resort & Casino Manila chose Agilysys InfoGenesis POS to be the backbone of their dining and retail transactions. InfoGenesis is designed specifically for complex, high-volume environments like Winford, ensuring exceptional performance even during peak times. By integrating POS with the resort’s loyalty ecosystem, the property is now able to deliver a more seamless and rewarding guest experience. This partnership underscores our commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions that drive efficiency and elevate the guest experience in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Yggdrasil has reinforced its footprint in Brazil after partnering with three leading operators in the regulated market, strengthening its position as a key player in the country.
F12, Blaze, and Novibet customers now have access to more than 400 of Yggdrasil’s proven, high-performing titles, strengthening their casino offerings with premium content that has resonated with players globally and within Latin America. Included in the titles available in Brazil are Buffalo Freedom, MexoMax2, and 4 Wolves of Fortune, among others.
The launches rapidly accelerate Yggdrasil’s growth strategy in the country, as it looks to establish itself as a leading supplier in the regulated Brazilian iGaming market. Alongside its award-winning in-house content, Yggdrasil will also deploy games created through its YGG Masters program, as well as its new technology service Game in a Box, an all-in-one slot development platform streamlining the entire game creation process.
This triple rollout marks a major milestone for Yggdrasil in Brazil, coming one year after the country’s iGaming regulation took effect. The market continues to demonstrate strong growth and maturity, and Yggdrasil is now live with more than 14 operators across the country, with additional partnerships planned in the coming months.
Aurora Armaro, Senior Client Success Manager at Yggdrasil, said: “For us at Yggdrasil, adding three major iGaming operators in Brazil of the calibre of F12, Blaze, and Novibet to our network is key to strengthening our presence in the country and bringing our core and YGG Masters portfolio to even more players. It also highlights our speed to market, as we’ve scaled rapidly across 14 operators in the market, with parallel deals occurring in Italy recently as we continue to enjoy commercial growth in regulated markets.”
The award-winning game development studio, Evoplay, has appointed Ashley McCulloch as Vice President of North America, reinforcing its strategic focus on expanding across the US and Canada.
McCulloch brings more than 15 years of experience spanning land-based, VLT and online gaming. She has held senior commercial roles at IGT and Light & Wonder and most recently served as Director of Account Management North America at Inspired Gaming Group, where she was responsible for leading strategic account growth and supporting new market entry initiatives.
Alongside commercial achievements, McCulloch is also a board member for Women in Sports and Events, a member of the Global Gaming Women, and was named in the Emerging Leaders in Gaming 40 Under 40 in 2024, reflecting her leadership within the industry.
At Evoplay, McCulloch will drive partnerships, regulatory licensing, product rollout and wider business development initiatives as the provider accelerates its expansion into the North American market.
Evoplay has already established a strong foothold in the region, going live in Ontario through partnerships with leading operators in the province, including BetMGM and Caesars Entertainment.
In November 2025, Evoplay took a significant first step into the United States by entering the lottery market in Washington DC, creating a bridge into the US online gaming ecosystem.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “North America represents one of the most exciting growth opportunities for Evoplay, and Ashley McCulloch’sappointment is a major step forward in realising our ambitions in the region. Her extensive experience across land-based and online gaming, combined with her track record in commercial strategy, makes her the ideal person to lead our efforts as we scale.”
With McCulloch’s appointment, the company plans to build on this momentum and further expand across regulated US states.
Ashley McCulloch, Vice President North America at Evoplay, added: “I’m very excited to be joining the Evoplay team at such a pivotal moment in its growth journey. The studio has built a strong reputation for high-quality content, and I look forward to developing partnerships and driving sustainable growth across North America.”
Philippine gaming operator Belle Corp has announced that has sold 200 million of its treasury shares to raise new capital ‘for the Corporation’s forthcoming projects’.
The price per share was set at PHP1.40, with the sale initially expected to run until March 25th.
The board on March 4th ‘authorized the Corporation to liquefy some of its dormant assets by selling part of its treasury shares’. These were purchased ‘through a block sale on March 4, 2026’, the company Corporate Secretary informed.
The total consideration for the sale amounts to PHP280 million ($4.78 million).
Belle Corp, in January of last year, indicated that it is pursuing Clark as a “strategic location” for further growth. In a release the group behind City of Dreams Manila indicated that its new direction involves ‘charting a path for long-term growth as it positions itself strategically in the evolving gaming and tourism sectors, buoyed by the emergence of Clark, Pampanga as a prime destination for integrated resort developments’.
In 2024, Belle Corp, via Premium Leisure Corp, procured a gaming license to develop an integrated resort at the former US air base in Clark.
“Clark’s strategic location, with accessibility to major foreign tourist markets such as China, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan, strengthens its appeal as a gaming and tourism hub. Belle is well-prepared to explore opportunities that align with this growth trajectory,” indicated Belle’s President and CEO Armin Raquel Santos at the time.
Aside from the casino project, the group is further pursuing an interest in the Tagatay highlands.
In March of last year, Belle Corp, as the landlord of City of Dreams Manila, indicated that it did not plan to buy out Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s interest in the property if it chooses to exit the Philippines, noting ‘any buy-out of Melco’s interests in COD Manila is not part of Belle’s plans for the immediate future’.
An Australian Federal Court judge has ruled that former The Star Entertainment Group chief executive Matt Bekier broke the law and failed in his duties to mitigate risks – particularly those related to former Macau top junket operator Suncity.
According to the Australian Financial Review, former chief legal and risk officer Paula Martin similarly failed to assess potential risks of potential money laundering by junkets and informing the board of such risk. Allegations levied by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) against other former directors involving activities they did not conduct but could be held liable for were struck down.
Former The Star Chief Executive Matt Bekier
Judge Michael Lee indicated that Bekier had provided evidence that was “in some respects unconvincing, contradictory, and on occasion, highly improbable”, noting that the executive should have given more attention to reports about two main junket operators, including Suncity, and an email from Star general counsel Andrew Power.
In the email, Power stated “In my opinion, the junket group’s conduct has exposed The Star to an unacceptable level of risk and constitutes a breach of the agreement, of applicable laws or otherwise amounts to casino operations”, cites the AFR.
Bekier’s response to reports about Suncity and another junket operator by KPMG did not reflect correct action by a director, especially given the warnings they contained about deficiencies in money laundering controls, indicated the judge.
“A reasonable director in Mr Bekier’s position would have proposed to the other members of the board that the board direct Star’s management to undertake inquiries and provide the board with information” about the “sources of funds and sources of wealth” of now-imprisoned Suncity head Alvin Chau and high-rolling player Sixin Qin.
Obfuscation and complexity
Bekier was given information that The Star’s due diligence on junkets “lacked rigor” and there were “serious concerns about the conduct of a major junket operating at Star Sydney’s casino (including a high risk of money laundering activities)”, the judge ruled.
Other directors of the company were provided oftentimes extensive analysis of these concerns which were highly technical and often hundreds of pages in length. The judge indicated that the “law expects significantly more” from boards and that directors could not be complacent in their role, even provided the complexity of the reports provided.
“Proper collective governance requires transparency about how information is being reduced and relied upon in either the preparation of board packs by management, or their digestion by directors,” stated the judge.
However, he did note that “No rational person can evaluate all this material meaningfully in the time available, let alone do so repeatedly, meeting after meeting […] One reads what appears central, scans what appears arguably material, and just trusts that anything alarming would have been signaled plainly”.
Not out of hot water yet
The Star, now under new management, indicated in its most recent fiscal half-year results that ‘there remains material uncertainty regarding the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern’.
The group is still awaiting the results of the AUSTRAC case against it, however this ‘is not a condition’ of a newly-announced non-binding agreement it has signed with WhiteHawk Capital Partners to potentially refinance all of its current debt and provide ‘incremental liquidity’.
The group’s new management is led by Bally’s Corp Chairman Soo Kim as Chairman and Bruce Mathieson Jr. as CEO, after Bally’s and Investment Holdings provided a AU$300 million ($211.77 million) strategic investment in The Star – gaining them 38 percent and 23 percent, respectively, of The Star’s issued capital.
DBET has announced that Jonas Dahlquist, one of Sweden’s most recognisable sports presenters, has joined the fast‑growing Swedish sportsbook as Content Producer, leading original programming, social content, and digital formats tailored for Swedish sports fans.
Following Jonas’ appointment, DBET is launching ‘All in Allsvenskan’, a new weekly podcast hosted by Jonas himself along with former Sweden internationals Anders Svensson and Nils-Eric Johansson, which strengthens DBET’s growing sports editorial work and adds recognised Swedish broadcasting expertise to its content strategy.
Dahlquist began his broadcasting career in 2002 and has become one of Sweden’s most famous sports voices. His work spans domestic football, the Allsvenskan, and a long list of global events, including summer and winter Games, major football championships and leading international leagues. His presence remains closely associated with Swedish top-flight football and long-form sports storytelling.
Svensson is Sweden’s most capped men’s international with 148 appearances and played for Elfsborg and Southampton at club level, while Johansson is a former AIK captain with more than 370 appearances and early English Premier League and Championship experience with Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City.
Each week, the trio take the latest round of Allsvenskan action and turn it into a conversation that feels closer to the terraces than the studio. They look at the matches, the moments that mattered and the stories building for the week ahead. Most episodes include a ‘call a friend’ drop-in from a guest inside the game, adding an extra voice from the world of Swedish football.
New 50-minute episodes arrive every Wednesday at 15:00 CET on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Podplay, with the first episode starting March 4.
“It was fantastic playing in Allsvenskan for so many years, winning the title twice. The league stays with you even after you stop playing, and I’m really happy to do this with Jonas. I know it will be a lot of fun and full of everything that happens around the game,” said Anders Svensson.
Jonas Dahlquist added, “It seems that people just can’t get enough of Allsvenskan, and the audiences and general interest have exploded in recent years. We really want to give our opinion on the league Sweden cares most about, and hopefully the viewers and listeners feel the same.”
DBET’s platform, launched in August 2024, continues to grow with more than 530 retail terminals alongside its online service. The brand is expanding its Swedish presence with a focus on quality, transparency and responsibility.
The Isle of Man has proactively ranked its own gambling sector as ‘medium-risk’ for money laundering, in a new National Risk Assessment. The ranking comes as the jurisdiction’s Gambling Supervision Commission has revoked or seen the surrender of multiple licenses amongst increased scrutiny on offshore licensing centers. The sector still contributes heavily to the Isle of Man economy, with authorities taking a keen focus on transparency going forward in an attempt to return to its heyday.
South Korean integrated resort operator Paradise Co. saw a 24.3 percent yearly increase in casino sales for February, reaching nearly KRW89.51 billion ($61.23 million).
According to financial results released on Wednesday, the figure was a slight 2.4 percent reduction from a strong January.
Table games continued to lead sales, totaling KRW84.98 billion ($58.13 million), up by 25.5 percent yearly but also down monthly, by 2 percent.
Machine game revenue rose by 6.2 percent yearly but fell 9 percent from January, to KRW4.53 billion ($3.1 million).
The group saw casino drop rise by 1.9 percent yearly to nearly KRW535.59 billion ($366.38 million), however the figure was a 15.3 percent fall from January.
Paradise City, in which the group holds a 55 percent stake alongside Sega Sammy, generated the most in terms of casino sales, totaling KRW40.03 billion ($27.38 million), up by 4.97 percent yearly but down 22.67 percent compared to January.
The group’s Busan casino property saw a surprising increase in sales of 266.83 percent year-on-year to KRW16.69 billion ($11.42 million), up by 97.64 percent monthly.
The monthly results were boosted by South Korea benefiting from increased Chinese tourism in February, given the disputes between China and Japan and Chinese New Year falling fully within February this year.
Paradise Co. had previously reported a 9.9 yearly increase in casino sales for FY25, to KRW900.5 billion ($623.6 million). Table games remained the group’s primary revenue source, generating KRW846.3 billion ($585.7 million) for the year, while slot machine revenue totaled KRW54.2 billion ($37.5 million).
Paradise Co. operates four foreigner-only casinos in South Korea: Walkerhill in Seoul, Paradise City in Incheon, Busan Casino, and Jeju Grand.
Pragmatic Play has announced the launch of the seventh season of Drops & Wins with a prize pool valued at over €25,000,000, set to run throughout the year from 4th March 2026 to 3rd March 2027.
Drops & Wins, the industry’s largest provider-funded prize pool, has awarded more than €100,000,000 since it launched in 2020.
The latest edition will feature 60+ slots each month from Pragmatic Play’s award-winning portfolio, including headline releases such as Sweet Rush Bonanza, Fortune of Olympus, and the upcoming Jelly Express.
Leading the way are Weekly Wheel Drops, where players are randomly awarded wheel pieces in order to complete a prize wheel, unlocking the chance to win up to 100,000x their bet (up to €100,000). Meanwhile, Daily Tournaments see players climb leaderboards by accumulating win multipliers, with prizes of up to €3,000 on offer.
Drops & Wins has consistently delivered increased player engagement, driving measurable uplift on both new and legacy slots. Its seventh season, with 5,000,000 prizes on offer, highlights Pragmatic Play’s commitment to powering up new possibilities of play by supporting its global partners with promotional tools that directly translate into commercial performance.
Sharon McHugh, Director of Public Relations at Pragmatic Play, said: “Drops & Wins sets the industry benchmark for provider-funded prize pools, delivering unrivalled scale and engagement without any additional cost or setup for operators. Building on the €100,000,000 awarded to date, the latest season of Drops & Wins gives players even more ways to win in their favourite Pragmatic Play slots.”
The Isle of Man government has formally rated its gambling sector as “medium-high” risk for money laundering, underscoring the continued regulatory pressure facing one of the jurisdiction’s most important (and controversial) industries.
In its newly published standalone National Risk Assessment (NRA) for gambling, released on February 24th, authorities concluded that the overall sector presents a medium-high money laundering (ML) risk, driven largely by the scale, cross-border exposure and structural complexity of online gambling operations
The report marks the island’s first standalone gambling sector ML risk assessment, building on the broader 2020 national assessment and subsequent financial crime strategy updates. Online gambling, which accounts for the bulk of the island’s licensees and economic contribution, was rated medium-high risk. Terrestrial gambling – limited to one land-based casino and a small number of bookmakers – was rated medium-low.
Despite considerable contraction in recent years, gambling remains a pillar of the Isle of Man economy. According to the report, the sector contributed 14.2 percent of national income in 2024, making it the largest non-financial services sector on the island. However, authorities acknowledge the sector has shrunk since 2020, following a period of reputational challenges, enhanced supervisory interventions and the departure of a number of licensees.
Reputational defense
Over the past several years, the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) has revoked or seen the surrender of multiple licenses amid heightened scrutiny of business models, corporate structures and links to higher-risk jurisdictions. In particular, global investigations and UN reports highlighting the convergence of organized crime, scam compounds and online gambling platforms in parts of East and Southeast Asia have cast a spotlight on cross-border gambling hubs, including offshore licensing centers.
While the Isle of Man has consistently defended its regulatory standards, the island has not been immune to the broader global tightening of expectations around AML/CFT in online gambling. The new NRA identifies several core threats. Among the most significant are the risks of criminal ownership or control of gambling businesses, infiltration through complex corporate structures, and the misuse of business-to-business (B2B) arrangements – particularly in software supply and network services.
Authorities specifically highlight the increasing use of “turnkey” or white-label solutions that allow rapid establishment of gambling operations with pre-packaged licensing, payment integration and compliance functions. While legitimate in many cases, such structures may also be exploited by criminal actors seeking to layer and legitimize illicit proceeds.
The report notes that organized crime groups, including those from East and Southeast Asia, have exploited online gambling environments for money laundering, cyber-enabled fraud and other transnational crimes. The inherent characteristics of online gambling – high transaction volumes, multi-currency flows, remote onboarding and exposure to virtual assets – amplify these risks. Criminal typologies cited include the use of false or synthetic identities, mule networks, and automated laundering mechanisms.
Land-based gambling, by contrast, remains primarily domestic and cash-based. Although rated lower risk overall, traditional vulnerabilities persist, including the placement and rapid withdrawal of cash through casino instruments. The island has only one small land based casino in the capital city of Douglas, which limits the risk attached to this segment in the jurisdiction.
Software suppliers
A distinctive feature of the Isle of Man ecosystem is its sizable software supply segment. The report notes that most declared profit among license holders originates from software suppliers, some of which fall outside the scope of international AML/CFT standards.
While the GSC introduced an elective licensing regime for software suppliers in 2019, a substantial non-regulated segment remains outside mandatory AML supervision.
The NRA acknowledges that opaque ownership chains, cross-border invoicing and concentration risk in B2B relationships present material vulnerabilities. Authorities have committed to enhancing oversight in this area and improving their understanding of the non-licensed software sector.
Suspicious Activity Reports
The report also addresses suspicious activity reporting (SAR) trends. Although SAR quality is described as high, volumes from licensed operators are considered low relative to the sector’s size and risk profile. Officials note that some B2B operators may naturally report fewer SARs due to lack of direct customer relationships. Nonetheless, the GSC has indicated it will continue thematic reviews and targeted inspections to ensure reporting remains proportionate and effective.
Enhancing oversight
The Isle of Man emphasizes that it maintains a robust legal and supervisory framework, holding positive ratings under MONEYVAL assessments and implementing legislative upgrades following its 2018 mutual evaluation. Since then, the GSC has strengthened sanctioning powers, enhanced inspection capabilities and established a dedicated AML/CFT division. Further legislative amendments are planned to harmonize supervisory powers and align with evolving international standards.
A GSC inspector is currently co-chairing a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) working group examining gaming and gambling business models globally, signaling the island’s desire to remain engaged in shaping international AML policy.
The Isle of Man is still recovering from the setbacks it experienced and the contraction of its vital eGaming industry that followed in the wake of the King Gaming scandal. The island is also heading towards its next MONEYVAL assessment later this year with a nervous confidence that can be clearly felt across the hallways of government. It has caused a flurry of activity on the one hand, clearly done in an attempt to be seen to be doing something, while at the same time almost paralyzing other areas where reforms would still be beneficial.
With a general election looming in September and adding to the complexity, this well-known crown dependency with its long eGaming history is currently trying to set a solid course in a sea of unpredictability. Having lost almost half of its licensees from its heyday, the island needs to regroup and re-strategize, as its semi-independent nature step and low tax environment still have a lot to offer to the industry. A realistic ML risk assessment is a good step towards that.
