#GamblingCompliance Notebook

Aristocrat Gaming Confirms Cyber Incident

Gaming technology giant Aristocrat released a statement on Friday (August 4) confirming it had suffered a #cybersecurity incident around June 1, which saw a hacker exploit a newly-identified vulnerability in third-party software used by the company.

The company identified the vulnerability in the MOVEit software, which allowed the hacker to extract data from a company server, including personal information belonging to Aristocrat employees.

“Aristocrat is aware of reports that the criminals have now published extracts of the stolen data online,” the company said.

Based in Sydney, Australia, Aristocrat said it has taken comprehensive steps since becoming aware of the incident, including immediately containing the incident and remedying the MOVEit software vulnerability, while also notifying relevant law enforcement as well as required gaming and other regulatory authorities.

The company also confirmed it was working with the support of independent experts to determine what data was exfiltrated. It has also been advising all Aristocrat employees globally and offering complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services.

Aristocrat said it “expects low business impact with the execution of an appropriate risk management and mitigation plan.”

#Queensland Court Fines The Star Entertainment Group Over Credit, Marketing

Australian casino operator The?Star?Entertainment Group has been fined A$140,000 ($92,000) by a Queensland state local court for allowing chip purchases by credit card and sending promotional materials to excluded individuals.

The Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday (August 2) ruled the offences at?Star’s Brisbane and Gold Coast casinos did not reflect “systemic problems with the casino or flagrant breaches” of state gambling legislation.

However, despite the offences being voluntarily reported and the company’s guilty plea, and despite the court acknowledging human error, Magistrate Shane Elliott fined?Star?for seven credit card offences and four instances of illegal marketing in 2017, 2018 and 2022.

The fine was well below the maximum A$1m penalty for the combined offences and the court did not record a conviction, the Brisbane Times reported.

The fine amounts to a mere scratch for the company compared with recent and pending penalties, with the?New South Wales?and?Queensland?state governments each fining?Star?A$100m, while national money laundering watchdog AUSTRAC has?sued?Star?over offences that could result in a fine of hundreds of millions of dollars.