Imprisoned former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will become eligible for parole on May 10th and, subject to approval, could walk free the following day, Thai PBS World reported, citing a February 25th statement from the Corrections Department.
Thaksin is currently serving a one-year prison sentence at Klong Prem Central Prison under a ruling of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. He began serving his term on September 9th, 2025, and is scheduled to complete it on September 9th, 2026. Under regulations, inmates may apply for parole after completing two-thirds of their sentence.
The department said a sentence reduction panel will determine whether Thaksin must wear an electronic monitoring device if released. It emphasized that parole consideration is conducted in accordance with the law and human rights principles, without discrimination.
Thaksin’s current incarceration stems from historical convictions involving abuse of power and corruption. Although his original sentences were reduced by royal pardon following his return to Thailand in 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in September 2025 that time spent in a police hospital on medical grounds did not count toward serving his sentence in a correctional facility.
The former leader has remained a prominent political figure and a vocal supporter of legalizing casinos under an “Entertainment Complex” model. The initiative was advanced during the premiership of his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who argued that regulated casinos could generate up to THB220 billion ($7.08 billion) in annual tourism revenue and create thousands of jobs.
However, the proposal faced public opposition and political resistance. Following Paetongtarn’s removal from office in August 2025 and the subsequent formation of a new government under Anutin Charnvirakul, the casino legalization bill was shelved. Anutin has publicly stated that gambling legalization will not proceed under his leadership.
As of early 2026, Thailand’s casino debate remains on hold, pending further political developments.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said his government was unaware of alleged scam activities linked to Chinese-born businessman Chen Zhi before his arrest and extradition, rejecting claims of official complicity as authorities intensify a crackdown on online fraud networks.
In a rare interview with AFP in Brussels, Hun Manet said Chen — a former adviser to both himself and his father, former prime minister Hun Sen — was regarded as a legitimate investor until allegations surfaced. “We did not know that he was the kingpin,” Hun Manet said, referring to accusations by US prosecutors that Chen led a sprawling cyber-fraud empire operating under the guise of his Prince Group conglomerate.
Chen was arrested in January and extradited to China. Hun Manet said Cambodian authorities acted after learning of the alleged wrongdoing. A prior background check “did not raise red flags”, he said, noting that Prince Group operated in more than 30 countries, including Britain, in sectors such as real estate and financial services.
US prosecutors have alleged that Chen directed forced labor compounds in Cambodia, where trafficked workers were held in heavily guarded facilities and forced to carry out online scams targeting victims worldwide. Prince Group has denied the allegations.
Hun Manet said Chen was extradited to China, rather than the United States, because he held only Chinese nationality after being stripped of Cambodian citizenship for using a fake document to obtain it.
Cambodia has emerged in recent years as a hub for online scam centers accused of generating billions of dollars annually through romance, investment and cryptocurrency fraud schemes. The prime minister described the scam industry as a “black economy” that is “destroying our honest economy” and damaging Cambodia’s reputation, particularly in tourism and foreign investment.
He denied that the government had profited from the activity, though he acknowledged that scam operations had indirectly boosted some business sectors, including real estate and construction.
Separately, Cambodian authorities said a nationwide crackdown has reduced online scam activity by half since the start of 2026. Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith told Bloomberg News on February 25th that “the problem of online scams has fallen to just 50 percent”, describing the figure as a preliminary estimate without detailing the methodology.
Officials say thousands of arrests, dozens of raids, and the deportation of foreign nationals have taken place amid mounting pressure from China, the United States and human rights groups to dismantle the networks.
Greentube has strengthened its European footprint with its entry into the Slovenian iGaming market through a new partnership with leading local operator Casino.si.
The collaboration represents Greentube’s first go-live in Slovenia and a significant step forward in the company’s continued European expansion strategy.
As part of the rollout, Casino.si players will gain access to a wide selection of Greentube content, combining both new releases and iconic land-based classics that have proven hugely popular across Central European markets.
The initial launch includes new player favourites such as Charming Lady’s Boom and the Cash Connection series alongside legendary titles including Book of Ra deluxe, Sizzling Hot deluxe, and Lord of the Ocean.
The mix of content has been carefully selected to reflect a combination of Greentube’s most recognisable land-based titles and its strongest-performing online games, ensuring broad appeal for Slovenian audiences.
Opher Ben Zvi
Opher Ben Zvi, Deputy Director of Global Sales & Key Account Management at Greentube, said: “Entering the Slovenian market is a milestone for Greentube as we continue to expand our footprint across Europe. Casino.si is a respected operator with a strong regional presence, and we are proud to bring our portfolio of classic and new-generation titles to Slovenian players for the very first time.”
The partnership strengthens Greentube’s presence in regulated European markets and supports Casino.si in further enhancing its online casino offering with trusted, high-performing content.
Ksenija Bezek, Head of Online Operations at Casino.si, added: “Greentube’s games are instantly recognisable to players across Europe, and we welcome such a prestigious supplier to our platform. This partnership allows us to further strengthen our casino offering with proven content that delivers both entertainment and quality.”
Groove, the innovative iGaming platform and aggregator, has confirmed its attendance at next week’s SiGMA Africa Summit in Cape Town, a strategic move that signals the company’s intent to plant its flag in the world’s fastest-growing iGaming frontier.
Africa’s iGaming market is accelerating at unprecedented velocity and Groove is arriving not as a spectator, but as a builder, bringing its signature “Unseen Architecture” approach to scalable, compliance-ready aggregation, and a genuine willingness to listen before it acts.
Leading the company’s presence at the summit will be Yahale Meltzer, Founder and CEO of Groove, whose vision for the continent extends far beyond content delivery.
“Africa is not an emerging market,” Meltzer said. “It is an emerging universe. You feel it in the numbers, the youngest population on earth, mobile engagement that bypasses desktop entirely, fintech leapfrogging traditional banking in ways the West is only beginning to understand. This is not a place where you parachute in with a European playbook and hope it lands. This is a place that demands listening, adaptation, and genuine partnership.”
At Groove, the founding philosophy has always been about rhythm, the pulse that connects operators, providers, and players in sync with thrilling, seamless iGaming experiences. Africa’s rhythm, Meltzer acknowledges, is distinct.
“It’s mobile-first, payment-adaptive, and hungry for experiences that feel local, not imported. That’s exactly the kind of challenge our architecture was built to solve.”
Africa’s iGaming growth is being propelled by a young, mobile‑first population, widespread smartphone adoption, seamless mobile‑money payments, and clearer regulatory frameworks across major markets.
For an aggregator like Groove whose platform delivers over 15,000 games from 150+ providers via a single API these conditions represent not just opportunity, but alignment.
The company’s presence in Cape Town is built around four core objectives:
The first is forging operator partnerships that matter. The summit brings together Africa’s most ambitious operators alongside global players seeking regional entry, and Groove will showcase its ability to deliver localised content packages, mobile-optimised experiences, and payment-agnostic infrastructure tailored to African realities.
The second objective is deepening regional intelligence. Meltzer is characteristically direct on this point: “The regulatory picture in Africa is not a monolith. What works in Lagos requires adaptation in Nairobi, and something entirely different in Johannesburg. You don’t learn those nuances just from a report, even if we have one of the most powerful data-driven game-matching systems in our back office, Groove Command. You learn them by sitting in the room with the people who live them.”
The third objective is to offer African operators distinct pathways to growth. The fourth objective is simpler and more profound: positioning for the long game. Attendance at SiGMA Africa is not a checkbox exercise; it is a declaration that Groove views the continent as integral to its global architecture, not peripheral to it.
“We’re not coming to Cape Town to hand out brochures and fly home,” Meltzer shared. “We’re coming to listen, to learn, and to find the partners who see what we see: a region on the cusp of something extraordinary. Groove’s job is to provide the infrastructure and games that turn that ‘something’ into sustainable, thrilling player experiences, whether that’s in Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg, or beyond…Africa’s rhythm is rising. We’re here to Groove with it,” he added.
Sands China has introduced enhanced parental leave benefits, increasing maternity leave to 90 days and paternity leave to 7 days as part of its family‑focused workplace strategy.
Effective March 1, the measures support parents of newborns in achieving a healthy balance as they welcome new family members.
Under the updated policy, female employees with at least one year of service are entitled to 90 days of paid maternity leave, while male employees are entitled to 7 days of paid paternity leave. The extended leave offers comprehensive care and support to team members during this important stage of family life, giving them more time to share precious moments with their loved ones.
“Sands China currently employs more than 28,000 team members, and we place cultivating a family-friendly workplace culture at the heart of our company,” said Paulo Cheong, SVP of Human Resources for Sands China Ltd.
“Guided by our people-centred approach, we regard every employee as a valued member of our extended family. We remain committed to promoting their physical and mental well-being, family happiness, and career development, while maintaining a sustainable and supportive work environment. We hope that through this adjustment to paid maternity and paternity leave, employees will have more time to care for and bond with their newborns, while allowing postpartum mothers to get more rest, helping their families adapt more smoothly to the changes brought about by their new lives and build happy and fulfilling families.”
In recent years, Sands China has introduced a range of support measures for parents. Since September 2025, eligible full-time team members have been entitled to up to six days of paid Child Care Leave to accompany children to medical appointments or vaccinations. The company also offers a Parenthood Support Shift for team members, allowing them to take one hour off work each day for 90 consecutive days after their child’s birth. Shift-based team members can also be assigned fixed working hours during this period, helping families establish a more stable routine in the early stages of childcare.
Additionally, Sands China provides paid annual leave above statutory requirements. Team members may also carry forward up to six unused sick leave days from the previous year as compensatory leave in the following year, marking a first-of-its-kind initiative in the industry that further demonstrates the company’s commitment to employee well-being.
With its outstanding human resources strategies and performance, Sands China is the first integrated resort operator in the Asia Pacific region and the first company in Macao’s tourism and service industry to earn the prestigious “Top Employer” certification by the Top Employer Institute, one of the world’s most authoritative certifiers of human resources strategies. The company has earned the accolade for two consecutive years, joining a distinguished group of 2,500 certified companies worldwide – a testament to Sands China’s internationally benchmarked human resources practices.
Macau gaming operator Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) ‘played lucky’ in the fourth quarter of 2025, boosting its adjusted EBITDA by approximately HK$731 million ($93.45 million) to HK$4.29 billion ($549.22 million), up 32.7 percent yearly.
In results released on Thursday, GEG noted that its total gross gaming revenue during the quarter reached HK$13.95 billion ($1.78 billion), a yearly increase of 27 percent, with mass making up the majority.
Mass GGR in 4Q25 totaled HK$10.01 billion ($1.28 billion), up 15% year-on-year. Mass table drop saw a 9.37 percent uptick to HK$35.28 billion ($4.51 billion) but a slight slowdown from the previous quarter. The win rate, however, increased to 28.4 percent in the quarter, up from 27 percent in 4Q24.
Looking to rolling chip, volume increased to nearly HK$60.49 billion ($7.73 billion) in the quarter, up by 16.75 percent yearly. Impressively, the win rate rose from 3 percent in 4Q24 to 5.1 percent in 4Q25, boosting win to HK$3.11 billion ($397.07 million)– up 102 percent yearly.
Electronic gaming volume also rose during the quarter, reaching HK$29.22 billion ($3.73 billion), up by 6.4 percent yearly, with a win rate flat year-on-year at 2.8 percent. Total EGM win was HK$830 million ($106.11 million), up by 6.41 percent yearly.
Galaxy Macau shines
Galaxy Macau continued to lead the charge for GEG, with 4Q25 revenue hitting HK$11.77 billion ($1.5 billion), a yearly rise of 29 percent. Adjusted EBITDA rose by 41 percent yearly to HK$4.02 billion ($513.94 million), supported by a HK$729 million ($93.2 million) luck boost.
Net gaming revenues hit HK$10.2 billion ($1.3 billion), up by 33 percent yearly, led by mass, which contributed HK$8.73 billion ($1.11 billion) in GGR, a yearly increase of 17 percent.
Mass table drop was HK$27.98 billion ($3.58 billion), up by nearly 10 percent yearly, with a win rate rising from 29.3 percent in 4Q24 to 31.2 percent in 4Q25.
Rolling chip volume increased significantly year-on-year to HK$60.11 billion ($7.68 billion), despite being down quarterly, with a win rate rising from 3 percent in 4Q24 to 5.1 percent in 4Q25 and VIP GGR rising to HK$3.09 billion ($395.55 million) – up by 103.3 percent yearly.
Total GGR win was HK$12.5 billion ($1.56 billion), a 30.2 percent yearly rise.
The group notes that it continues to ramp up its Galaxy International Convention Center and Galaxy Arena and is making ‘ongoing progressive enhancements’ to its resorts […] including adding new F&B, lifestyle and retails offerings at Galaxy Macau’.
StarWorld
The group’s peninsula property StarWorld saw a 1 percent drop in net revenue in the quarter, to HK$1.27 billion ($163 million), with adjusted EBITDA falling by 2 percent to HK$356 million ($45.51 million).
Net gaming revenue increased slightly year-on-year to HK$1.15 billion ($148 million), with total GGR win at HK$1.43 billion ($183.46 million) – up by 1.86 percent yearly.
EGM win contributed more to the property’s GGR than VIP play, at HK$151 million ($19.3 million) versus HK$15 million ($1.92 million), respectively. Both segments saw drops year-on-year, with VIP GGR also down significantly by 37.5 percent quarterly.
Mass revenue totaled HK$1.27 billion ($162.24 million), up by 4 percent compared to 4Q24, with table drop hitting HK$7.27 billion ($929.56 million), a yearly increase of 9.83 percent. The win rate fell, however, to 17.5 percent from 18.4 percent in the same quarter of 2024.
StarWorld is currently undergoing a ‘comprehensive renovation and upgrade […] to ensure it remains competitive and appealing to guests’.
The group notes that the renovation of gaming floors on level 1 and 3 has been completed, while the current renovation of hotel rooms and suites is expected to be ‘fully completed by the first quarter of 2027’.
Chairman’s statements
Francis Lui, Chairman of Galaxy Entertainment Group
Speaking of the results, Galaxy’s Chairman Francis Lui noted that “we continued to drive growth across every segment of the business, with a particular focus in the premium mass and the super-premium mass segment.”
The executive furthered that “Our balance sheet remains healthy and liquid, with cash and liquid investments of HK$36.3 billion ($4.64 billion). This solid financial foundation, together with healthy cash flow from operations enables us to return capital to shareholders, fund our development pipeline, pursue international expansion opportunities and ensure that we have a strong balance sheet in the event of unforeseeable circumstances such as economic shocks”.
Global betting company 1xBet is set to participate in SiGMA Africa 2026, taking place March 3–5 at the Grand Arena in GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, to explore market trends and reinforce its regional presence.
This large-scale continental event will be attended by leaders of the iGaming industry to discuss the key features of the rapidly developing market and to award the most outstanding industry representatives.
Africa has always been one of 1xBet’s key regions, featuring dynamic regulatory development, ongoing improvements in protection standards, and talented partners and innovators.
Simon Westbury
Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor for 1xBet, shared: “We are excited to be joining our industry colleagues in Cape Town for SiGMA Africa 2026, which will be an action-packed two days of focused conversations, where the African market reaches its full potential. Regional shows like this offer the chance for the all-important regional actors to come together under one roof, to discuss the challenges but more importantly, find the solutions.”
SiGMA Africa 2026 will feature a Responsible Marketing expert panel, with a presentation by Nnanna Ewuzie, Compliance Manager in Nigeria, 1xBet. The speaker will reveal how responsible marketing is directly linked to responsible gambling: from enforcing age restrictions to implementing effective verification and control tools. A separate focus will be on the interaction between operators and regulators, a crucial factor in the formation of sustainable standards in the iGaming industry.
1xBet is consistently developing its approach to player protection in Africa, particularly through the 1xBalance social initiative, which promotes responsible gaming principles. Nnanna Ewuzie will also present practical case studies of the brand’s work with young people, including support for local sports and the organization of the 1xCup football tournament.
1xBet is supporting community engagement projects, including the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF) session at the SiGMA Africa 2026 exhibition. The forum brings together regulators and industry stakeholders to discuss harmonised licensing frameworks, responsible gambling practices, and the role of technology in regulatory development across the region.
For 1xBet, participation in SiGMA Africa 2026 is strategically significant because it creates new opportunities to exchange experiences, discuss market trends, and strengthen the brand’s presence in the region. The company will have a booth (No. 706) at the event, where you can meet new partners and network productively. It is a great place to discuss promising projects and expand your network.
Visitors to the booth can also enjoy an exciting game called Afro-Memo, in which participants must flip cards on a large screen, memorize images of African masks, and match them in pairs. The winner will be the one who can find the most cards with identical images faster than the others. You can play solo or show your team spirit by joining together with other participants.
Throughout the exhibition, 1xBet will delight visitors to its booth with daily prize draws, which will start at 5:00 P.M. On the first day, one lucky winner will receive a flagship Apple iPad Air M3 tablet, and on the second day, one visitor will win Apple AirPods Max USB-C headphones.
The SiGMA Africa forum will host an awards ceremony for leaders in the iGaming industry. Experts in the field have highly praised the 1xBet work. The brand has been nominated for prestigious awards in five categories: Best Innovation in Sports Betting, Best Casino Operator, Best Sportsbook Operator, Best Affiliate Program, and Best Marketing Campaign.
The 1xBet inclusion in the shortlist of nominees confirms the brand’s global status and leading position. Every ambitious entrepreneur can contribute to this success by joining the company’s affiliate program, 1xPartners. It has operated since 2016 and has already brought together more than 500,000 partners from over 150 countries. They receive up to 50% RevShare, CPA, or Hybrid, along with a high conversion rate of registrations into deposits (up to 70%).
An Isle of Man immigration appeal has underlined the increasingly sharp scrutiny being applied to prior industry associations, after a Philippine national was refused entry clearance for a role with a local gaming company due to his previous employment with a firm allegedly linked to Chinese organized crime.
Tiejun Zhao had been offered a position with Isle of Man based A2D Entertainment in May of last year. He subsequently applied for entry clearance as a worker migrant, with his family applying as dependents. However, the Isle of Man Immigration Office refused the application, citing concerns over Zhao’s former role at Yabo, a company which open-source material has been associated with human trafficking and illegal gambling operations connected to a Chinese criminal organization.
Zhao, whose CV listed his most recent position as head of payment at Yabo in Pasay City, Philippines, from November 2021 to August 2024, appealed the decision. His appeal has now been dismissed.
In his determination, immigration adjudicator James Brooks said he was “entirely satisfied” that the prospective Isle of Man employer had not knowingly sought to recruit an individual whose presence would pose a risk to the public. Nonetheless, Brooks concluded that the Immigration Office was entitled to determine that Zhao had held a senior role, for a considerable period, within an organization of which “the criminality of which was widely publicized.”
Brooks further stated it was clear that Yabo was “up to no good” during the period of Zhao’s employment.
The Immigration Office indicated it had conducted open-source research indicating that Yabo operated under the auspices of a Chinese criminal organization. Zhao did not dispute the characterization of Yabo’s alleged links but maintained that he had no knowledge of any criminal conduct and had neither witnessed nor participated in unlawful activity.
A “minded to refuse” notice was issued on July 4th, stating that Zhao’s associations with Yabo rendered his presence in the Isle of Man not conducive to the public good.
In response, Zhao confirmed he had resigned from Yabo and had fully separated from the company. He argued that his role as head of payment did not involve strategic, commercial or external-facing responsibilities, and that he had no involvement in any criminal enterprise.
On appeal, Zhao’s legal representatives contended that the Immigration Office had made an “unsupported leap” from the fact of his relatively senior position to an assumption of complicity. They argued there was no reliable or cogent evidence of personal wrongdoing.
Citing Home Office guidance, his lawyer submitted that “mere association,” even with a gang or known criminal, is insufficient to meet the public good threshold. Open-source media reporting, they argued, did not meet the standard of being “sufficiently reliable” evidence.
The Immigration Office, for its part, maintained that the scale of Yabo’s alleged criminality, combined with Zhao’s significant association with the organization, constituted a “clear and obvious risk” to the island.
In dismissing the appeal, Brooks acknowledged there was “undoubtedly” no direct evidence that Zhao himself had engaged in criminal conduct. However, he found that Zhao had sought to distance himself from what appeared to have been a senior position within a company whose criminality was well documented and which has since been dissolved.
The case is likely to resonate within the Isle of Man’s online gambling sector, which in recent years has faced increased regulatory and reputational pressure, including a contraction in license numbers and heightened scrutiny around anti-money laundering controls. It also highlights the degree to which immigration and regulatory risk considerations are increasingly intertwined, particularly where applicants have prior links to entities operating in higher-risk jurisdictions or grey-market environments.
Australia’s The Star Entertainment Group announced today that it has reached an agreement on terms with WhiteHawk Capital Partners ‘for refinancing of the existing Group debt in full’.
According to the Thursday filing with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), the agreement also encompasses ‘incremental liquidity to facilitate the turnaround plan being implemented by the new Star management team’.
While The Star cautions that the term sheet is non-binding and ‘may not lead to a definitive credit agreement’, it notes that The Star and WhiteHawk are ‘working towards a binding commitment by the end of March 2026, and to consummate the Refinancing Proposal by mid-May’.
The gaming operator is confident that it can complete the documentation, due diligence and other conditions of the proposal, noting that ‘a determination of the AUSTRAC case is not a condition’ to its completion.
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (AUSTRAC) had previously noted it was seeking a fine for AML/CTF breaches of up to AU$400 million ($284.87 million) from The Star, highlighting its AU$300 million ($213.65 million) investment from Bally’s Corp and Investment Holdings as proof that the operator could afford the hefty penalty.
The Star indicated previously that any penalty over AU$100 million ($71.22 million) could force the group into insolvency.
The Star furthered in the Thursday notice that it is ‘separately engaging with its existing lenders on covenant waivers for the December period to allow time for the refinancing to be implemented’, while also noting ‘there is no assurance’ that this will lead to successful waivers on covenants with existing lenders.
WhiteHawk Capital is a private credit investment manager based in Los Angeles, California.
