NZTR acknowledge the resignation of the OZ ENTAIN CEO....?

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NZTR Acknowledges Leadership of Dean Shannon Following Resignation from Entain

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) acknowledges the resignation of Dean Shannon, Chief Executive Officer of major wagering operator Entain Australia and New Zealand. The governing body would like to recognise the significant contribution Shannon has made to New Zealand racing during his tenure.

Since the approval of the Entain TAB NZ strategic partnering arrangement in May 2023, Shannon has overseen a period of significant revitalisation and growth within the New Zealand industry, helping to modernise the sport and strengthen its long-term future.

NZTR Chief Executive Officer Matt Ballesty commented on the announcement. 

“The progress New Zealand racing has made over the past two years would not have been possible without Dean.” 

“NZTR is especially grateful for the time he dedicated to engaging directly with our racing Clubs and administrators, offering guidance and support to help us deliver a stronger Thoroughbred product. 

“Dean’s commitment to the industry is reflected in the delivery of new strategies across the racing codes, as well as the introduction of fresh initiatives to support our participants. He has also driven efforts to broaden fan engagement and participation in our sport.  

“While it’s a shame to see him depart, we extend our sincere thanks for his leadership and wish him all the very best for the future,” Ballesty said. 

NZTR is looking forward to continuing its strong working relationship with Entain Australia and New Zealand, Interim CEO Andrew Vouris and his leadership team, as well as building on the positive momentum to date. 

 

Corporate Communications
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing
Contact: Emma Thompson
+64 21 071 2929
nztrcommunications@nztr.co.nz

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CEO Andrew Vouris

He is ex-TABCORP

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Entain boss Dean Shannon to depart ahead of AUSTRAC remediation

 

Zoe SamiosBusiness reporter

Jun 5, 2025 – 10.05am

 

 

Dean Shannon, the chief executive of the British bookmaker behind Ladbrokes and Neds, will step down at the end of this month in an attempt to improve the business’ relationship with the financial crimes watchdog.

London-listed Entain faces hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for alleged breaches of Australian anti-money-laundering laws between 2018 and last year.

The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre has sued the British bookmaker, claiming failures in oversight by Entain’s board and senior management resulted in “serious and systemic” non-compliance.

 

The local boss of Ladbrokes’ owner Entain, Dean Shannon, will leave the business.  Getty

Shannon, who held leadership roles across Ladbrokes and Neds during the period, has agreed to step down and will leave the company by June 30.

Sources, who were not authorised to speak publicly, said AUSTRAC had not requested Shannon’s resignation. However, he was told his exit would help the company break from its past.

“Dean has put the best interests of the business first and he is trying to get the best possible outcome for the business,” a source close to the matter said.

Shannon’s exit will coincide with the completion of a newly created anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism-finance program and the introduction of a new law in New Zealand that effectively gives Entain the exclusive rights for online racing and sports betting.

He informed staff of his decision at a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday.

Peter V’landys, the chief executive of Racing NSW, described Shannon as a visionary.

“I’m very saddened to hear of his resignation,” Vlandys said. “He is so ahead of everyone else – the racing industry has lost greatly here because he understood the punter, he understood the industry, and he is a really nice person.”

Entain group chief executive Stella David thanked Shannon for his contribution to the business.

 

“The growth and integration of Neds and Lads into our global portfolio of podium position brands has been a particular highlight, and he has more recently delivered what we believe is a market-leading compliance programme in Australia,” David said.

Shannon will be replaced in the interim by Andrew Vouris, a former Tabcorp executive who led Entain’s venture into esports.

Vouris was the deputy chief operating officer of wagering and media at Tabcorp and was also involved in the remediation of commercial operations related to Tabcorp’s AUSTRAC proceedings in 2017.

He is also a lifelong member of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and has been involved in supporting Indigenous programs and communities as well as Souths Cares, the club’s not-for-profit organisation.

“[Andrew] is … an outstanding leader and nobody understands the wagering industry better than him,” said South Sydney Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly.

A process has commenced for hiring a permanent chief executive.

 

Shannon led Entain Australia from 2019 but was also the inaugural chief executive of Ladbrokes.com.au and founder of Neds.com.au.

He built Entain into one of the country’s largest online bookmakers – it had almost 2 million customers last year with a market share of 17 per cent.

“He is one of the geniuses,” V’landys said. “I am sure he will come up with something new that will make him millions.”

AUSTRAC began investigating Entain in September 2022, months after the company paid British regulators $29 million for similar breaches.

The investigation found Entain had allowed 17 high-risk customers to spend more than $152 million without doing appropriate due diligence.

Its central allegation is that Entain did not have the right systems in place – such as transaction limits and procedures for international deposits or withdrawals – to manage the risk of money laundering.

 

AUSTRAC alleges Shannon personally reviewed one of the customer’s accounts and decided he was “very low-risk” because he had been wagering for a decade and publicly available information about his wealth matched his spending.

The two parties are required to attend a mediation before August 4.

Shannon is the fourth senior executive to leave Entain this year. Chief financial officer Lachlan Fitt, general manager of ownership and participation Ryan Stanaway, and managing director of NZ Cameron Rodger have all left the business.

The Australian Financial Review does not suggest the exits are related to the AUSTRAC legal action.

Entain Australia’s net gaming revenue, a figure used to describe the amount of bets made less the prizes won, fell 8 per cent year-on-year in the quarter ending March 31. It blamed the result on fixtures lost because of bad weather and bad racing results. On its conference call, it described Australia’s betting volumes as “broadly flat”.

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