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    • AUSTRAC Drops Claims Against Entain, Narrows Investigation By Maria Khomeriki - 12 September 2025   AUSTRAC, Australia’s financial crime regulator, has reduced its claims against Entain while continuing to investigate potential breaches of anti-money laundering (AML) rules. The investigation concerns Entain’s Australian subsidiaries — Ladbrokes and Neds — and was launched in December 2024 over suspicions of the group’s involvement in money laundering and fraud through criminal accounts. AUSTRAC alleges that the company failed to fully comply with AML procedures, allowing 17 high-risk customers to spend AUD 152 million (£74.2 million / $94.2 million) without proper checks. In particular, Entain is accused of allowing a player with significant links to drug trafficking to launder over AUD 20 million ($12.6 million) through its operations. Narrowing Focus In its updated statement, AUSTRAC removed claims that Entain breached its duties as a remittance provider under AML and counter-terrorism financing laws by failing to report suspicious transactions in and out of customer accounts. The company argues that it is not a remittance provider, meaning it does not facilitate money transfers as its core service. AUSTRAC’s decision is partially understandable given its policy regarding companies that fall under the definition of a remittance provider. The AUSTRAC website notes that some companies, including online gambling providers, may transfer funds overseas on behalf of their customers, but this is secondary to their main business. According to the regulator, such transfers “do not constitute a formal remittance system.” Entain Remains Under Scrutiny Despite narrowing its claims, AUSTRAC continues to insist that Entain breached its obligations as a gambling operator. Specifically, the company allegedly failed to intervene when a player with significant links to drug trafficking wagered over $1 million in a year. In April, Entain CEO Stella David told iGaming Expert: “We take these allegations extremely seriously and continue to fully cooperate with AUSTRAC. We are committed to keeping financial crime out of gambling and continuing to support a well-regulated and compliant sector for our customers, stakeholders, and the wider community.” Former CEO Gavin Isaacs, who abruptly left his role in February 2025, previously noted that the group is implementing further improvements to Entain Australia’s AML and CTF compliance measures. Entain and AUSTRAC remain in mediation, and the group has set aside £51 million ($64.8 million) to address the matter, although Entain claims the amount relates to accounting and does not reflect a potential penalty.
    • Ladbrokes firm Entain benefiting from overseas expansion   First-half results to 30 June Net Gaming Revenue (NGR) rose by 7% Adjusted profit (EBITDA) up 11% to £583 million Operating loss of £146.7 million, improved from a loss of £157 million Interim dividend up 5% to 9.8p per share  Net debt including lease liabilities up 6% from late December to £3.55 billion Guidance:   Now expects full year adjusted profit of between £1.1 billion to £1.15 billion, potentially up from 2024’s £1.089 billion BetMGM targeting $500 million of adjusted profit (EBITDA) over the coming years
    • A return to black-type competition is just around the corner for Midnight Edition (NZ) (Wrote), who kicked off his four-year-old season with a runaway victory in the Power Farming – We Keep You Growing (1200m) at Te Rapa on Sunday. The Wrote gelding gave a glimpse of his potential as a three-year-old last season with three wins and three placings, headed by a second in the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) at Ellerslie. He initially dead-heated with Yaldi in that Boxing Day feature, but was relegated in the inquiry room. Midnight Edition also beat a strong field in his maiden win at Te Rapa last spring, where Checkmate and Levakia filled the minor placings, and he later ran fifth in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), fifth in the Gr.3 King’s Plate (1200m) and eighth in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m). He signed off his season with a hard-fought win over Celestial Wonder in a 1200m race at Te Rapa in April. Some 154 days later, Midnight Edition returned to racing on Sunday over the same course and distance –this time in open company and against a highly talented sprint line-up. But Midnight Edition proved to be a class above them. Midnight Edition jumped well from gate seven among a nine-horse field, and jockey Masa Hashizume slotted him into a handy position in second behind Caitlyns Wish. The challengers were lining up and breathing down the neck of the leader coming up to the home turn, and none of those were travelling better than Midnight Edition. He pounced at the top of the straight while Hashizume still had him under a tight hold. The favourite Twain briefly loomed as a danger down the middle of the track, but Hashizume shook the reins and Midnight Edition kicked away. He opened up a margin of three and a quarter lengths over Twain, with the winner’s half-sister Midnight Scandal crossing the line another two lengths away in third. Midnight Edition has now had 13 starts for four wins, three placings and $153,050 in stakes. He is the only horse in work and the pride and joy for Pukekohe trainer Bruce Wallbank. “He’s a bloody good horse,” Wallbank said. “He had a very good spell and I thought he was a bit fat coming into this race and would probably need the run. But he’s been galloping brilliantly and he’s shown that he’s a very good horse. “We’ll probably head towards the big sprint race at Otaki next month. In the meantime, I’d like to dedicate this race to my brother, who’s very unwell in hospital.” That potential target is the Gr.3 Spring Sprint (1400m), which will be run for a stake of $120,000 at Otaki on October 11. “It was good to see his half-sister run well in that race today too,” Wallbank added. “The mare’s had three good horses from three foals to race (three-race winner Midnight Mass and black-type performers Midnight Scandal and Midnight Edition), so she’s a fantastic broodmare.” View the full article
    • Improving six-year-old Agera (NZ) (Complacent) stepped into open company for the first time in Sunday’s Vision Complete Earthworks/Stronger Together (1600m) at Te Rapa, and he passed that test and carried on his winning way. The $50,000 race was the third win from four starts in the 2025-26 season for Agera. The Complacent gelding scored back-to-back wins on the Cambridge synthetic track in August, then carried 62kg into a close sixth behind Mizella in a 1600m Rating 75 on Proisir Plate Day at Ellerslie last Saturday. Cambridge trainer Tony Pike backed Agera up eight days later at Te Rapa, rising in class while dropping sharply in weight to 54kg. Jockey Matt Cartwright took up a prominent position on the outside of the front-running Gigi, then pressed forward and took command at the home turn. Despite drifting towards the outside, Agera forged clear down the straight and never looked like being caught. He went on to win by two and a quarter lengths from Aftermath. Gigi finished another length and a half away in third, while Group One horses Sharp ‘N’ Smart and Ladies Man ran fourth and fifth under big weights. “It was good to see him step up into open company today and continue the good form that he’d been putting together in the lower grades,” Pike said. “I thought it was a brave effort last week under his big weight at Ellerslie. Dropping to 54kg today made a massive difference and the rain-affected ground seemed to suit him well. “He hasn’t been the soundest horse at times in his career, but now that he’s getting a bit older, he’s developed into a stronger and more mature horse and has found a real purple patch of form in this campaign. “He does need that bit of cut in the ground, so if the tracks continue to be rain-affected for a few more weeks, a race like the Matamata Cup (Listed, 1600m) could be a nice target for him to aim at.” The $80,000 Team Wealleans Matamata Cup will be run on October 4. Agera was bred by Hamish and Karyn McQuade and is out of the Pentire mare Shelly Bee, whose other four winning progeny include the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) winner Ima Roca Bee. Mapperley Stud offered Agera in Book 2 of Karaka 2021, where Waikato Bloodstock bought him for $70,000.Agera has now had 22 starts for five wins, eight placings and $160,240 in prize-money. View the full article
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