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The Maltese Gaming Authority (MGA) has once again had to step forward to point out that it has no association with a gambling platform. The post contains two links that lead to the Pocket Games Soft platform, which hosts the games linked.
Pocket Games Soft (PG Soft), like our previous reporting on PH Love, is using a false MGA license to legitimise itself. Unlike other platforms that claim to be licensed by watchdogs like the MGA, PG Soft was at one point actually vetted by the Maltese authority.
However, in 2020, the MGA stripped the outfit of its license and hasn’t reinstated it five years later, according to its database of active licenses.

Here’s why the MGA suspended PG Soft’s license
According to the press release from September 29, 2020, the license was suspended due to the following reasons:
“The Authorised Person has failed to submit the documentation further to a change in direct or indirect qualifying shareholding within the thirty (30) day period stipulated by law;
The Authorised Person failed to submit the Industry Performance Returns pertaining to the period covering January 2019 to June 2019;
The Authorised Person failed to submit the Industry Performance Returns pertaining to the period covering July 2019 to December 2019.”
The MGA is now having to clear up confusion, as the games linked to in the post use the logo during the loading screens.
Fake license claims are becoming more prevalent
PG Soft still claims its licensed on its website, too, not only allowing games on its platform to use the logo, but also in its dedicated “Get in touch” section of its website.
It’s becoming more and more common that certain outfits will simply hijack and use licensors or other gambling bodies to cement the legitimacy of their business. In the US, a tribe has had to follow similar actions to the MGA, as it was found that an unlicensed online gambling outfit was claiming to be part of a tribe’s business. Online gambling in the state of Florida is illegal.
ReadWrite has reached out for comment.
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The Star Entertainment Group’s latest report is in, with revenue down by 29% in FY25 compared to the year prior.
This drop is described as being due to “challenging trading conditions” related to “regulatory reforms including mandatory carded play and cash limits at The Star Sydney” as well as “implementation of The Star’s remediation program and loss of market share.”
The decrease also reflects the closure of the Treasury Brisbane Casino, and revenues from The Star Brisbane now being recognized as equity accounted profit / (loss) from associates.
The gaming revenue was down 37%, but when you exclude the Treasury Brisbane Casino closure, the gaming revenue was down 22%.
The operating expenses have declined too, by 10%. This has been driven by the closure and The Star’s cost-out program, partially offset by increased costs associated with investment in risk management, controls, and IT.
Star Entertainment CEO speaks on 2025 financial results
Net funding costs, however, increased by $14 million, reflecting the revised debt package executed in November 2024. It’s no surprise that the year has brought more uncertainty and difficulties for the company, with the Group CEO and managing director Steve McCann, mentioning these challenges.
“I want to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of our team members in the face of the ongoing challenges of the Group. While there remains work to be done, I note the significant progress that the Group has made on its remediation journey to date and the implementation of regulatory reforms.
“The Group has sourced additional funding to enable The Star to continue to provide thousands of jobs and support tourism and entertainment in the markets in which we operate.”
McCann continues: “Our announcement today highlights a number of key interdependencies that are critical to the Group’s future. The Group continues to require significant support from a range of its stakeholders including governments, regulators, lenders and investors. Without that support it will be difficult to navigate the various challenges facing the Group and to create a sustainable future for the business.”
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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A bizarre story surrounding “first-degree” money laundering and “organized criminal activity” has come out of the Texas city, Galveston. Six women, all between the ages of 53 and 65, have been charged with various crimes, mainly related to do with the illegal gambling establishment, “Mardi Gras,” that they were running.
Police seized 81 gambling machines, alongside $42,449 in cash from within the game room. However, Nancy Herndon, who was found to be the mastermind behind the gambling ring, was found to be harbouring $1.52 million in cash. The Galveston County Sheriff even thanked the teller, Jurnee Taylor, for counting the cash.

Maria Anaya, 58, is still being looked for, as she’s listed as having an active arrest warrant. The location that was being used, 1601 Dickinson Ave, Dickinson, is a series of offices and warehouses.
According to the Galveston County Sheriff, the arrest was part of the Organized Crime Task Force. This included contributions and work from the “Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, League City Police Department, Dickinson Police Department, and La Marque Police Department. The Galveston County District Attorney’s Office, along with the Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Crime Scene Unit, and Crime Reduction Unit, also provided critical assistance throughout this investigation.”
Gambling ring busts on the rise in the US
Another case in Texas just this week saw 22 individuals detained by police. As gambling becomes ever more prevalent in the United States, there’s been an uptick in illegal gambling rooms. We’ve previously reported on a San Francisco drug bust finding gambling machines on site. Cape Coral police, also in the last week, seized over $500,000 in a raid, and at the top of August, nearly 250 slot machines were confiscated in Florida.
Texas has quite typical gambling laws for the US, allowing for casino gaming in tribe run establishments. Sports gambling is also illegal in Texas, despite football being king in the state. In fact, Texas is one of the most strict in the US when it comes to gambling laws, with not much wiggle room outside of a few allotted allowances.
Featured image: Galveston Police
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The sports betting and media company Rivalry Corp has cut operating expenses by a huge 62% year-over-year, its latest quarter report shows.
The brand is undergoing a ‘rebuilt, high-leverage model,’ with this being its second quarter under the new approach. The restructured business model was initiated in late 2024, with a focus on efficiency, improved player monetization, and deeper operational discipline.
“We’ve rebuilt Rivalry into a lean, high-performance engine,” said Steven Salz, Co-founder and CEO of Rivalry. “Player monetization is at all-time highs, the product is stronger than ever, and we’re doing more with less.”
In Q2 of 2025, net revenue increased 24% sequentially to CAD 1.6 million ($1.2 million) which is up from $1.3 million in Q1 of 2025 despite ‘a declining expense base and completely flat marketing spend.’
The operating expenses went down by 62% to CAD 3.6 million, down from  CAD 9.5 million in Q2 2024. The average customer acquisition cost payback across H1 2025 was around 1.5 months which the company says reflects “improved funnel conversion, higher player value, and stronger retention – all achieved under constrained spend conditions.”
As for the run-rate monthly operating expenses, these remain approximately $600,000.
Rivalry Corp to continue strategic review and operational focus
The company’s previously announced evaluation of strategic alternatives remains ongoing, with the team continuing to explore a range of potential outcomes aimed at maximizing shareholder value.
“This Strategic Review is about enabling growth from a fundamentally stronger base,” said Salz. “We’ve rebuilt the engine. Now we’re focused on unlocking its full potential.”
The timing of the completion of the review hasn’t been shared, but three focuses have been highlighted. The first is “normalizing the cost base to the aforementioned run rate by resolving non-recurring liabilities and payables from prior periods.”
The second focus is activating a controlled growth strategy which will be supported by high marketing efficiency and a 1.5-month Customer Acquisition Cost payback average observed throughout 2025.
Thirdly, the company will be looking at targeted cost optimization, with additional reductions being assessed for H2 2025.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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