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PointsBet directors have unanimously recommended that company shareholders accept the ‘best and final’ MIXI Australia takeover offer, while rival bidder Betr Entertainment has launched a fresh regulatory challenge.
MIXI confirmed it is willing to shell out AU$1.25 (US$0.82) per share to acquire PointsBet. 
The ‘unconditional’ offer was made after approval was granted by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) of Australia to close in on the deal.
Although ‘best and final’ has been used in terms of the proposal, MIXI has stated it retains the right to increase the offer further if it can obtain more than 50% of the overall shareholding. 
This could become possible as all shareholders who approved the initial deal to receive an uplift to their price. 
As it stands, Mixi is a significant minority shareholder with control of 28.2% of PointsBet.
An official communication provided all the latest details on the MIXI takeover offer. 

MIXI PointsBet takeover faces new regulatory challenge from betr
https://t.co/Ctv56VngL4#betr $PBH #MIXI
— NEXT.io (@nextdotio) August 11, 2025

Betr alleges MIXI used timing advantage to engineer uneven playing field
The proposed takeover of the Australian betting platform has been an ongoing saga, with the latest update representing the 33rd update to PointsBet’s investor relations page over the last four months.
MIXI appears to have finally secured the upper hand on rival bidder, Betr Entertainment, but the latter still holds hope that it can get a deal over the line.
Betr had increased its offer to AU$1.35 per share, on all all-scrip basis, but this was rejected by the PointsBet board. 
Now, Betr has taken its case to the Takeovers Panel, alleging MIXI was using a timing advantage to secure the acquisition before its offer could be considered.
Betr is claiming that an uneven playing field has been engineered, putting PointsBet shareholders at a disadvantage.
In the application to the Takeovers Panel, Betr has presented the case that: “MIXI is seeking to exploit the procedural consequences of ongoing Takeovers Panel proceedings (being a delay in the despatch of Betr’s replacement bidder’s statement and the opening of the Betr Offer) to enhance and potentially secure its control of PointsBet before the Betr Offer is sent to PointsBet shareholders and open for acceptances.”
Betr wants interim orders to be granted to prevent MIXI from processing acceptances under the latest offer until the Panel reaches its findings on the issues around its own proposal for PointsBet.
Image credit: PB
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The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s help to track down a suspect in an armed robbery at Little Creek Casino in Kamilche, Washington.
“On 8/9/2025 at about 11:24 AM, a suspect entered the casino’s supervisor station, displayed a handgun, and demanded money. When told there was no money in the till, he fled on foot,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement on Facebook. “Patrol and K-9 units searched the area but were unable to locate him. He was last seen running toward Highway 101, then onto the overpass and out of sight.”
The sheriff’s office says the suspect may be a Hispanic man in his 20s to early 30s. He’s around 5’7” with a smaller build. At the time, he was wearing a gray or dark flannel shirt buttoned all the way to the top, dark gray pants, dark “Romeo” boots, a light gray hat with a white Nike logo, and sunglasses.
The statement added: “He had a clear plastic glove on his right hand and was armed with a pistol.”
Little Creek Casino armed suspect could be tied to another theft
On social media, one commenter on the Mason County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page speculated that the man seen in the Little Creek surveillance video might be the same person who robbed the Silver Reef Casino in Whatcom County about a week earlier. “Looks similar to the guy at Silver Reef Casino a week ago, but with a shave,” the post read.
The Silver Reef incident happened on the morning of August 3. A man walked into the Lummi Nation–owned casino, went up to the cage, and demanded money. The Lummi Nation Police Department hasn’t said whether he got away with any cash or if he showed a gun. Surveillance images from that case show a man with a similar build, but his arms were bare and appeared to have tattoos.
Some people have also speculated that the Little Creek suspect could be the same person who recently stole the “jaws of life” from the Riverside Fire Authority in Centralia. The hydraulic rescue tools are what emergency crews use to free people trapped in vehicles or rubble.
The tribal casino, located northwest of Olympia near Olympic National Park, has 750 slot machines and 28 table games to an IGT PlaySports Sportsbook, a 200-room hotel, an RV park, six restaurants and bars, an event center, the Seven Inlets Spa, and the Salish Cliffs Golf Club.
Anyone with information is urged to call 911.
Featured image: Mason County Sheriff’s Office
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In California, tribal-operated casinos are disputing an initial ruling from Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Lauri Damrell, which dismissed their lawsuit against non-tribal cardrooms. 
The ruling issued on August 8 centers around the offering of banked games such as blackjack and baccarat. 
The tribes argue that these games infringe on their exclusive gaming rights under state law.
Judge Lauri Damrell’s ruling hinged on the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which she found takes precedence over the tribes’ lawsuit. 
IGRA governs gaming on tribal lands, as in the Cayuga Nation’s victory over New York State on lottery activity, but the tribes, represented by attorney Adam Lauridsen, argue it’s irrelevant here since their complaint targets non-tribal cardrooms operating off-reservation.
Lauridsen called the pre-emption of the IGRA an overreach of federal authority, outlining that Senate Bill 549 (Tribal Nations Access to Justice Act), gives tribes the right to sue cardrooms in state courts to enforce their gaming rights.
He further warned that dismissing the case under the IGRA leaves tribes without a legal avenue to protect their rights and exclusivity.
“[The act] has not stretched that far and should not stretch that far,” said Lauridsen.
Can’t have it both ways, says Cardrooms’ Attorney
Conversely, Attorney David Horwich argued on behalf of the cardrooms that the tribes are seeking to eliminate competition by leveraging both the IGRA and state court lawsuits.  
He outlined this dual approach isn’t open to cardrooms to use against tribes due to tribal sovereignty. 
“They can’t have it both ways,” stressed Horwich.
“That is why (the regulatory act) exists.”
According to Senate Bill 549, tribes have the right to challenge cardrooms in court over banked games, where a ‘house’ or third party acts as the bank.
The cardrooms oppose this as they maintain their use of third-party proposition players (TPPs) to bank games complies with state law, despite tribal claims that it’s an illegal workaround to offer house-banked games.
The tribes allegation is that cardrooms’ use of TPPs violates their exclusive rights, costing them significant revenue with further direct impacts on the community. 
A further hearing scheduled on October 10 will determine if Judge Damrell revises her ruling on the lawsuit, which was first filed at the beginning of this year, involving more than 90 defendants, including cardrooms and TPPs.
Image credit: California.com
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The Philippines Senate Committee, responsible for oversight on games and amusements, is set to commence a probe into the proliferation of online gambling. 
The enquiry will consider a range of bills and proposals designed to curb the rise of gambling and its impacts, with the outcome likely to result in increased restrictions placed against online betting. 
However, some key figures want to go a step further with an outright ban on the activity. 
Proceedings will get underway on August 14, with Senate Committee chairman Erwin Tulfo renewing his firm stance against the continued rise of online gambling. 
“On Thursday, we will tackle the bills on online gambling in the Senate committee on games and amusements, he said.
“I made a commitment to prioritize these bills because the problem is escalating. It’s already a crisis. So, we really need to take action to solve this problem,” explained Tulfo.
He went on to acknowledge that lawmakers and the industry need to do more to protect bettors, conceding that the lack of controls and effective player protections is causing significant damage. 
“Our problem is, we were not ready. There is no regulation, and it is why people are gambling recklessly. 
“There is no control over how much to gamble. Come what may. Entire salaries are being gambled. Anything is being placed as a bet. Even children are gambling now.”
That is a stark warning, likely to be reinforced by the Philippines Senate committee as it looks for solutions to the situation. Overall, four bills will be debated, three resolutions, and a special privilege speech to address the social impact of the contemporary online gambling industry. 
Launch of the PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines
PAGCOR has detailed that the sector recorded $2 billion in GGR over the first six months of 2025, with further gains to follow. 
The industry has responded to shout down calls for a total ban against online gambling, with a pledge to support the introduction of some restrictive measures. 
As part of the response to the situation, 19 online gaming operators and associated companies have launched the PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines. It is an umbrella group initiated to promote and uphold industry commitments to responsible gaming and player protection, as well as compliance.
It is also expected to meet responsibilities against the unregulated, underground market. 
Sen. Tulfo wants effective actions rather than words. 
He continued, “You have to weigh it. These are your profits, but here are the social ills. 
“The problem of having people addicted to gambling, how is that advantageous? Are profits more important than people’s futures?” he posed. 
Ferdinand R Marcos Jr, the president of the Philippines, previously indicated that he would consider an outright ban on online gambling once the industry and relevant stakeholders have been consulted. 
The Philippines Senate committee hearing is likely to be influential on the outcome of this debate.
Image credit: news5ph/X
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A suspect thought to have stolen RM3 million ($708,333) from a Genting Highlands Malaysian casino is believed to have escaped the country. 
Victor Lee is a wanted man, at the top of the national police’s wanted list, with Interpol also alerted to the situation. 
The heist took place at the Resorts World Genting hill resort in Betong, Pahang state. It is located within the wider Genting Highlands destination at the peak of Mount Ulu Kali.

Police are now tracking down Victor Lee, 44, whose last known address was in Taman Damai Perdana Cheras, Kajang.
4/ pic.twitter.com/7kxQKy9UY5
— New Straits Times (@NST_Online) August 6, 2025

Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman briefed that records indicate the suspect has already fled Malaysia, but he has vowed to track down Lee and any associates linked to the incident. 
As reported by The Star, Yahaya told a press conference at Kuantan police headquarters that: “Based on our investigation, the suspect is believed to have escaped across the country’s border after the incident.
“We are currently gathering information on his whereabouts and working closely with border security agencies.
“Checks revealed that the suspect had exchanged some of the chips for cash, but we have yet to determine the exact amount.”
Junket company involvement in the Malaysia casino incident
“We are also investigating whether he had any accomplices who assisted in handling the casino chips. Further investigations are still ongoing, and we will track down any accomplices who made the chip exchange,” said Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman. 
Lee is thought to be a former employee of a third-party ‘junket company’ that organizes excursions for individuals and officials to Genting Highlands. 
The organized raid took place on August 2, after Lee removed the chips from a closed casino room at the prominent Resorts World Genting venue.
A serving junket company official then raised the alarm with the police, who believe the scene had been deliberately staked out before the theft was carried out.
As we previously reported, gambling syndicates in the country are reportedly having no trouble getting hold of SIM cards that are registered under other people’s names, especially those belonging to foreigners. As a result, the syndicates using them to run online gambling operations.
Image credit: jetsun / Creative Commons 3.0 Unported
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