MGM Resorts International expects to hire 12,000 employees for its upcoming MGM Osaka integrated resort, CEO William Hornbuckle said during a recent US licensing hearing, according to a Friday report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Bill Hornbuckle, MGM Resorts CEO
The projection highlights the scale of what is set to become one of the world’s largest casino developments.
The $12 billion project, located in Osaka’s Yumeshima district, is the company’s flagship investment in Japan and its largest expansion in Asia. Hornbuckle told regulators that construction is now “coming out of the ground” after more than 16 years of planning and regulatory procedures.
He noted that the Osaka project represents a major long-term opportunity for the company, emphasizing that MGM will become Japan’s sole casino operator in a market of 120 million people. “It’ll be probably the world’s largest casinos, if not one of,” Hornbuckle said, adding that the resort’s scale requires a workforce of around 12,000 employees.
Hornbuckle also pointed to Singapore’s integrated resort model as a benchmark, saying it provides “great admiration and great hope” for Japan’s entry into the sector.
The Osaka integrated resort—developed in partnership with Japan’s ORIX Corporation—is expected to reshape the region’s tourism and entertainment landscape. Scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2030, the property anticipates attracting around 20 million visitors annually. Key features include luxury hotels, retail, dining, a theater, and a high-end casino floor on the artificial island of Yumeshima, adjacent to the 2025 World Expo site.
The project, valued at JPY1.27 trillion ($8.1 billion), underwent years of regulatory review before receiving approval in 2023. It is expected to generate an economic boost of roughly JPY1 trillion ($6.4 billion) in its first decade of operation.
SOFTSWISS announced that Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of its Anti‑Money Laundering (AML) Team, has received the title of AML/MLR Professional of the Year at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025.
The award honours individuals who make exceptional contributions to compliance and responsible gambling in a demanding, ever-changing regulatory landscape. Winners are recognised for their expertise, leadership, and dedication to maintaining the highest industry standards.
“It’s an honour to receive this award, but even more so to see AML excellence recognised on an industry stage,” said Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of AML at SOFTSWISS. “This recognition belongs to our entire team – every analyst, every partner, and every department that supports compliance as a shared responsibility. Together, we’re building not just safer systems, but a stronger and more trustworthy industry.”
Under Eleni’s leadership, the SOFTSWISS AML team has set new benchmarks for operational efficiency and compliance integrity.
Eleni’s notable accomplishments over the past year include:
Strengthening the AML function by expanding the team and increasing capacity for transaction monitoring and case reviews
Driving a 75% rise in suspicious activity reports submitted, ensuring timely escalation and regulator engagement
Implementing automated transaction-screening tools and real-time analytics to improve fraud detection accuracy
Representing SOFTSWISS on international panels and industry forums, promoting ethical approaches to financial crime prevention
Eleni also managed updates to SOFTSWISS AML policies across multiple jurisdictions, such as Brazil, Peru, South Africa, Malta, Curacao, Serbia, and Nigeria. She helped SOFTSWISS remain fully aligned with regulatory requirements for smooth market entry worldwide.
Her industry impact is confirmed through the delivery of more than 25 hours of AML and responsible gambling training, benefiting both SOFTSWISS employees and the broader iGaming community.
Eleni’s insights on the current state of AML and Responsible Gambling can be found in the 2026 iGaming Trends Report. There, she shares how AI systems detect risky behaviour early and support safer play across regulated markets, helping operators protect their reputation and revenue.
2025 marked a milestone for 1xPartners in India, with over 5,000 new participants joining the 1xBet affiliate program. Entrepreneurs continue to choose 1xPartners for its transparent terms and proven potential for sustainable, long‑term earnings.
One of the main trends this year has been the Revenue Share model. In this format, members can receive passive income as commissions from a player’s spending throughout their entire lifetime on the platform. In other words, a 1xPartners participant’s earnings are not limited – the more active the players they bring to 1xBet, the higher their income. Each partner has access to an analytics dashboard in their personal account, where all key metrics can be easily tracked.
Thanks to modern marketing tools and an effective cooperation model, affiliates in India have achieved impressive results despite the recent law banning real‑money gambling. Some have earned annual incomes ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000. 1xPartners participants continue to test diverse strategies that generate solid earnings even outside major events such as the IPL. For instance, in June, one member earned $36,996.76 in a single week under the Revenue Share model.
A key factor in 1xPartners’ growth in 2025 is the ease of starting and ongoing support. Each newcomer is assigned a personal manager who advises them at every stage of cooperation. The 1xPartners team provides training materials and market insights, helping members to get their business started from the ground up with ease.
People with different backgrounds become 1xPartners. Some come after trying content on YouTube and Telegram, while others focus on learning SEO. Yet all of them find the 1xBet affiliate programme to offer suitable conditions for running an online business. It is also worth noting that the 1xPartners team recently launched an updated version of the official website to make members’ work even more convenient.
1xPartners regularly runs generous promos and encourages its participants to grow. One of the most popular campaigns this year was the India Affiliate Raffle, with a $20,000 prize pool, held during the IPL. More than 100 members took part, staying active week after week and competing for the cash prize.
In 2025, 1xBet strengthened its leading position in key regions. The brand’s team attended major international exhibitions, including SiGMA Asia, SBC Summit, ICE Barcelona, IGB Live, and Affiliate World Dubai. The most successful 1xPartners were invited to the brand’s VIP parties held during the conferences in London, Lisbon, and Barcelona. They had the chance to meet in a relaxed setting and enjoy performances by global stars, such as Black Eyed Peas and Hurts.
The professional community highly appreciated the contribution of 1xBet and 1xPartners to the iGaming industry. The betting brand received eight awards, including Best Casino Operator 2025, Best Sportsbook Operator 2025, and Best User Experience 2025.
The Marketing Campaign of the Year (SBC Awards Europe) title for the collaboration with FIBA is particularly noteworthy, as it confirmed the company’s elite status in the world of sport and reached more than 42 million fans worldwide. 1xPartners was also nominated twice for the Best Affiliate Programme award.
1xPartners from the international bookmaker 1xBet continue to expand its global presence and create the best conditions for its participants. Become part of a large, successful team and earn alongside market leaders!
The “SJM Responsible Gaming Promotion 2025 Closing and Appreciation Ceremony,” organised by SJM Resorts, was held on 13 November at the Grand Pavilion of Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau.
The ceremony showcased the achievements of SJM’s responsible gaming promotion efforts throughout the year, while expressing gratitude to collaborating community organisations and schools. It also recognised team members who actively contributed to responsible gaming initiatives, collectively supporting the sustainable and healthy development of Macau’s integrated tourism and leisure industry.
Ms. Daisy Ho, Managing Director of SJM Resorts, said that the company has been actively supporting the SAR government’s initiatives to promote responsible gaming. This year, SJM has further strengthened its collaborations with social service organisations and educational institutions.
By integrating technology and creative elements,the company has organised a diverse range of activities, aiming to disseminate knowledge of responsible gaming and work with all sectors of society to foster Macau’s long-term stability and sustainable development.
This year, centring on the theme “Seeking Help for Winning the Future”, SJM collaborated closely with various social service organisations to deliver a series of responsible gaming initiatives for its team members and the public. These included diverse activities such as professional training sessions, on-site information booths and counselling services, gaming tournaments, poster exhibitions, community flash mob roadshows, and carnivals. The initiatives collectively attracted approximately 44,000 participant attendances.
In response to a requirement from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) to conduct knowledge assessments for employees who have received responsible gaming training, SJM collaborated with the Macao Polytechnic University to develop the “RG Smart Game Box app” and a “VR RG learning system”. This initiative aims to enhance the understanding of responsible gaming among team members more effectively. Data collected through the system not only enables the calculation of knowledge acquisition rates but also helps identify topics with relatively high incorrect answer rates, allowing for the planning of targeted follow-up advanced training.
SJM has placed particular emphasis on engaging with youth demographics this year. In addition to organising the “RG Funny Tournament with Zero-Spending in Mobile Game”, the company has conducted seminars and interactive booth games within local Macau schools to promote the concepts of “Financial Responsibility” among students. Furthermore, SJM collaborated with three universities from Mainland China and Macau to organise the “RG+ Shanghai-Macao University-Enterprise AI Postcard Collaborative Art Project”.
This year, SJM continued to provide its team members with a structured programme of responsible gaming training. This comprehensive curriculum included lectures such as “Responsible Gaming for a Better Life”, refresher courses on RG knowledge for frontline staff, and specialised sessions on “RG Policies and Measures”, “Understanding Gaming Misconceptions”, and an “RG Ambassador Development Programme”.
SJM remains committed to actively supporting the government and collaborating with all sectors of society to embed the principles of responsible gaming across all levels of the community. This collective effort aims to establish an effective protective shield for the public and to jointly foster Macau’s development.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) keeps pushing its support for local healthcare services with the turnover of 11 new Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs) to local government units (LGUs) and institutions on Thursday, November 20, at the PAGCOR Corporate Office in Pasay City.
The latest batch of beneficiaries includes the municipalities of Pandi (Bulacan), Barbaza (Antique), Ipil (Zamboanga Sibugay), Lubao (Pampanga), Vintar and Piddig (Ilocos Norte), Claveria (Misamis Oriental), San Carlos City (Pangasinan) and Maasin City (Southern Leyte).
The San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital in Malabon City and Sorsogon State University in Sorsogon City also received PTV units from the agency.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said the state gaming firm is committed to strengthening grassroots healthcare systems by providing reliable emergency support vehicles.
“We donate these PTVs because we want to help build healthier and more resilient communities…Each vehicle represents a lifeline that can bring patients to safety and ensure timely medical attention. We hope our beneficiaries will take care of these units and use them to serve those who need them most.”
Alejandro H. Tengco
San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital Medical Center Chief Dr. Marilou T. Nery thanked PAGCOR for the assistance, saying that the PTVs will significantly enhance their outreach and public health activities.
“These vehicles will do more than transport patients. They will allow us to reach more communities through medical missions, blood donation drives, and school-based health programs.
“We are deeply grateful to PAGCOR and Chairman Tengco for this support,” Dr. Nery said.
Australia is facing a fast-escalating wave of illegal offshore gambling that has doubled in size since 2019 and now accounts for more than a third of all online gambling activity in the country, according to a new industry analysis.
The report, commissioned by Responsible Wagering Australia and prepared by H2 Gambling Capital, warns that the offshore market reached AU$3.9 billion ($2.54 billion) in 2024 and is on track to hit AU$5 billion ($3.25 billion) by 2029, driven by product bans, weak enforcement and aggressive marketing by unlicensed operators.
Illegal operators now represent 36 percent of Australia’s online gambling market, up sharply from 2021, with the onshore channelization rate falling from 74 percent to 64 percent over three years.
Governments and sports bodies are set to lose nearly AU$2.7 billion ($1.76 billion) in taxes and product fees over the next five years if current trends continue. Annual leakage is expected to climb to AU$585 million ($380 million) by 2029 as more gamblers migrate offshore.
Racing is particularly exposed, facing yearly losses of AU$110 million to AU$135 million ($71.5 million to $87.8 million), while sports organizations forfeit AU$30 million to AU$40 million ($19.5 million to $26 million) per year as wagering that would normally occur with licensed bookmakers is diverted offshore.
‘One in every five dollars spent on Australian sport wagering is spent with illegal operators.’ For racing, the figure is one in every seven dollars.
Product bans push consumers offshore
The report identifies Australia’s prohibition on online casino games and live in-play betting as the single biggest driver of illegal offshore use. Online casino and gaming — banned domestically — now make up 26 percent of total online gambling expenditure, despite being illegal.
Australia is also ‘the only mature betting market not to allow in-play’ wagering online. Nearly one in five offshore sports betting customers said access to live in-play betting was their primary reason for using illegal sites, making it the most influential factor identified in the consumer survey.
Illegal operators out-compete licensed bookmakers by offering superior odds, unrestricted bonuses and a broader suite of products. The report says 48 percent of offshore bettors cited better odds as their motivation, while 44 percent pointed to bonus offers that are banned in Australia.
Three in five Australian online players — 60 percent — reported seeing advertising for illegal offshore gambling, especially through social media influencers who livestream betting or promote giveaways.
One case study highlights how Leon Casino continued targeting Australians via fresh URLs and influencer partnerships despite repeated enforcement actions. It used Australian sports imagery and even hired local athletes as brand ambassadors while offering illegal casino and in-play betting products.
Nearly 44 percent of active online players surveyed were unable to distinguish between licensed Australian bookmakers and illegal offshore sites.
Even more concerning, 50 percent of players who used illegal sites did so while registered with BetStop, Australia’s national self-exclusion system. Some turned offshore specifically because they had been blocked or self-excluded on licensed platforms.
Illegal platforms provide ‘no consumer protections, no safeguards, and no accountability.’ Two-thirds of players said offshore gambling exposes Australians to harm, while only one-third knew where to seek help in a dispute.
Integrity risks and links to organized crime
The rise of unregulated betting poses a growing threat to sporting integrity. Licensed operators provide around 700 integrity reports each year to sporting bodies, while offshore operators share no data and often offer markets more vulnerable to manipulation.
The anonymity and use of cryptocurrencies on illegal sites ‘creates opportunities for money laundering and match or race fixing,’ undermining the integrity of competitions.
The report recommends establishing a National Illegal Gambling Blacklist Platform, real-time payment blocking across banks, expanded powers for the eSafety Commissioner to remove illegal gambling content, a national certification scheme to help consumers identify licensed operators, and stronger cooperation with overseas regulators.
‘Tackling the offshore market will require collaboration from government, regulators, banks, technology platforms, wagering service providers and sporting bodies,’ the authors warn, adding that without urgent action the illegal market will continue to undermine consumer protections, reduce domestic investment and threaten the sustainability of Australian sport and racing.
Stretch Network is launching the next edition of its popular Mystery Bounty freeroll series. The CRAZY, AGAIN?! Mystery Freeroll will take place on November 27, 2025, starting at 17:00, with a €10,000 GTD prize pool in tournament money, 50% of which comes from Mystery Bounties.
The tournament will be open to 5000 players, featuring a Mystery Bounty Freezout format with no rebuys or re-entries and 8-max tables.
Registration opens 24 hours before the start, and the event has a €0 buy-in, making it accessible to a wide range of players.
This follow-up edition comes after the strong participation and engagement seen during the CRAZY?! Mystery Bounty Freeroll on November 12. It offers players another opportunity to experience the excitement of Mystery Bounty rewards while competing in a large, free-entry tournament.
With an expanded player field and the same engaging format, the CRAZY, AGAIN?! Mystery Freeroll continues to build on Stretch Network’s commitment to providing operators with tournaments that drive player engagement and retention.
Macau’s visitor arrivals in October saw a 10.8 percent yearly increase to 3.47 million, according to official data.
The period was marked by the Golden Week holiday, which typically causes a surge in tourist numbers to the city. Overnight visitors totaled 1.36 million (up by 1.7 percent), while same-day visitor numbers increased by 17.6 percent to 2.1 million.
Of the total, visitor numbers from mainland China amounted to 2.54 million, a yearly increase of 12 percent. Those traveling under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) rose by 22.6 percent, to 1.32 million.
Of the mainland Chinese arrivals, some 214,368 made use of the ‘one trip per week’ visa measure, while some 97,365 used the ‘multiple-entry’ measure and 111,667 came under the ‘tourist group multi-entry measure’.
Visitation from Hong Kong during the month was down by 1 percent, to 584,767, while that from Taiwan increased by 34.2 percent yearly, to 92,165.
Looking at international visitation, there was a strong 22.9 percent yearly uptick, totaling 260,944 in October.
South Korea was the largest contributor, with 52,057 visitors – up by 10.6 percent yearly. Visitation from the Philippines totaled 44,863 – up by 15.3 percent, while visitation from Thailand increased by 118.5 percent, to 26,299.
Looking at long-haul markets, visitation from the United States rose by 18.8 percent yearly, to 15,467.
During the first 10 months of this year, there was a 14.1 percent yearly increase in visitor arrivals, amounting to 33.14 million.
More than 1,000 workers at Casino Ponte 16 are preparing for redeployment as Macau regulators move to oversee the shutdown of SJM Resorts’ long-running satellite casino next week, part of a sweeping restructuring of the city’s gaming sector.
The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Department (DICJ) said the 1,025 staff affected by the closure will be guaranteed relocation opportunities within SJM Resorts, the casino’s operator, with protections for their salaries, benefits and working conditions.
The gaming operator emphasized that employment protection remains a priority. ‘All local employees employed by SJM Resorts will remain employed and be reassigned to other casinos’, the statement said, adding that non-SJM local staff will be invited to apply for vacancies and receive assistance to ensure ‘a smooth transition’.
Officials said they are coordinating closely with the Labor Affairs Bureau to ensure ‘strict compliance’ with SJM’s commitments and to safeguard job continuity in a city where gaming employment remains crucial.
The closure of Casino Ponte 16, scheduled for 11:59pm on November 28th, comes as Macau enters the final weeks of a three-year transition period requiring all satellite casinos to comply fully with revised gaming laws.
These venues, which operate inside hotels not owned by concessionaires, must either be brought under direct control of the license holders or cease operations by the end of the year.
SJM has opted to shutter Ponte 16 for commercial reasons rather than convert it to a directly managed property.
The operator simultaneously advanced its acquisition of L’Arc Hotel, which it intends to convert into a fully self-operated gaming property, according to a company press release issued on Thursday after trading hours.
The DICJ said it will place inspectors on-site to supervise the shutdown, including the handling of cash and gaming chips, voucher redemptions and the reconciliation and conversion of outstanding chips. Authorities stressed that the process must unfold in an orderly and legally compliant manner.
The transition period, mandated under amendments to Macau’s gaming law, expires on December 31st. Several satellite casinos have already closed or restructured as operators reassess the financial viability of smaller venues in a tighter regulatory environment.
The government also confirmed that SJM intends to apply to operate Casino L’Arc Macau as a directly managed casino—an arrangement permitted under the revised legal framework. The request will undergo a formal legal assessment, the DICJ said.
Macau is reshaping its casino footprint as part of an effort to strengthen regulatory oversight, streamline operations and promote what authorities call the “healthy and orderly development” of the industry.
Regulators say they will continue coordinating with concessionaires in the remaining weeks of the transition to ensure no disruption to the sector.
Following Ponte 16’s exit and the L’Arc acquisition, only three satellite casinos remain under SJM’s license: Casino Landmark, Casino Kam Pek Paradise, and Casino Fortuna.
Genting Berhad announced its financing unit has issued RM495 million ($104 million) in medium-term notes, part of a larger RM10 billion ($2.4 billion) debt program, to help fund its takeover of Genting Malaysia Berhad.
The notes were issued by Genting RMTN Berhad, a wholly owned subsidiary, under the group’s existing Medium Term Notes (MTN) Programme first launched in 2019. The company said the latest tranche—its sixth—was priced at par with a one-year tenure and carries interest at one-month KLIBOR plus 1.80 percent.
Genting said proceeds from the debt sale will be used to partially finance its offer to acquire all remaining ordinary shares in Genting Malaysia that it does not already own. The takeover bid was announced on October 13th.
Affin Hwang Investment Bank and AmInvestment Bank acted as joint lead managers for the issuance.
Genting has been gradually expanding its control of Genting Malaysia, which owns Resorts World Genting and other gaming and hospitality assets, as part of a broader restructuring of the conglomerate’s portfolio.
