The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is set to introduce a new four-point line in the upcoming season, a move that has sparked a significant debate. This change is expected to have a big impact on the game, particularly for players like Marcio Lassiter, who is on the verge of breaking Jimmy Alapag’s record of 1,250 career three-pointers.

Lassiter, a veteran player for San Miguel Beer, is currently third on the all-time list, behind Alapag and Allan Caidic, who has 1,242 triples to his name. The introduction of the four-point line, which measures 27 feet, has raised questions about how records will be interpreted if the league decides to remove it after the experimental period.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial has clarified that, in his opinion, a four-point shot would count as a three. This statement was made during a PBA Media Day interview with Lassiter. The question of how a four-pointer would count if Lassiter, who has 1,236 career triples, makes one, was first raised by Alex Cabagnot, Lassiter’s former teammate.

Despite the uncertainty, Lassiter has decided to focus on breaking Alapag’s record using the traditional three-point line. He stated, “For me, I’m gonna stick to the three-point line first and try to get that taken care of. It’s not gonna be easy, but I will focus on that first and I’ll venture out to that four-point land [later].”

The introduction of the four-point line also raises questions about how statistics will be tabulated by the league. Genius Sports, a global stats company partnering with FIBA for its FIBA Live Stats, cannot add the four-point category to its statistics, prompting the PBA to search for a local provider.

As the PBA sets off with this experimental period, players, teams, and fans alike are curious to see how the new dynamics will affect gameplay. Lassiter, like many others, is intrigued by the prospect of attempting a four-point shot, stating, “The four-point shot is gonna be something different for all of us, especially myself. I don’t usually take those, but I do make a few of those.” The upcoming season promises to be an exciting time for Philippine basketball as it introduces these new changes.

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Recent data highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in increasing women's representation in iGaming leadership. According to an article by Prowess, about 150,000 new companies in the UK were founded in 2022, with approximately 20 percent of them being led by women—a 4 percent to 5 percent rise from 2018. Despite these gains, the iGaming industry remains traditionally male-dominated. According to the 2020 Gender Balance Scoreboard, the top 14 iGaming companies had 121 male executives compared to just 23 female executives. 

In an interview with SiGMA News during SiGMA Asia, Roanna Jamir, Client Services Manager at HCM Nexus, emphasised the significance of having female leaders in roles traditionally dominated by men, such as games development and cybersecurity. "By having female leaders in these different industries, we are spearheading the inclusion of more women. It cascades down like a domino effect," she noted. 

Jamir also highlighted the positive impact of this shift on the gaming industry, where more female voices are influencing game development, marketing, and consumer engagement. "Female game developers, creatives, and marketers bring new perspectives that resonate with both male and female audiences," she said. 

A World Economic Forum (WEF) article said that women founders continue to lag behind men in securing venture capital (VC) funding for startups. The article noted the PitchBook’s VC European Female Founders Dashboard, which stated that startups led exclusively by women in Europe accounted for just 1.8 percent of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups in 2023. In the U.S., the situation is similarly challenging, with female-founded startups receiving only 2 percent of the total VC investment, as reported by PitchBook’s U.S. VC Female Founders Dashboard. PitchBook notes that "the numbers haven't leapt forward for female founders at the same pace."?

Addressing the challenges women face in the gaming industry, Jamir pointed out the historical sexualisation of female characters in video games. "For the longest time, because it was predominantly a male industry, there were a lot of sexualisation in gaming characters. For example, Tomb Raider—what is she known for?" Jamir questioned. She acknowledged that while there is nothing wrong with celebrating certain body types, it is crucial to include diverse representations of women in games.?

"Now that we have more women in leadership roles, there's more inclusion. We don't necessarily have to take out the sexuality aspect, but we can include other shapes and forms," Jamir suggested. She emphasised the importance of reflecting the diversity of women in the real world, thereby making games more inclusive and relatable. 

The conversation then turned to talent acquisition and how companies are promoting gender diversity. Jamir shared HCM Nexus's approach to eliminating gender bias in recruitment. "We make sure that when we are hiring staff, we take out the gender aspect. There is no gender bias; we focus on the actual credentials, skills, and experience of the candidate, whether they're male or female," she explained. 

She added that HCM Nexus also invests in training its recruiters and hiring panels to equip them with cultural sensitivities and awareness of gender biases. "This helps create a more inclusive and supportive workplace," Jamir noted. S  

As more women take on leadership roles and influence game development, the industry is likely to become more inclusive and diverse, benefiting both creators and consumers. Jamir's insights shed light on the ongoing efforts to empower women in gaming and foster gender diversity in recruitment. She also recently joined SiGMA World as a reporter.?

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In Austria, the authorities are winning the war against illegal land-based gambling, according to the Austrian Finance Ministry and its financial police. Data from the first half of the year indicates a marked improvement compared to previous years.

During the first six months of 2024, Austria's financial police imposed fines totalling €962,000 for illegal gambling activities. This represents a significant decrease from the €2.75 million in fines issued during the same period in 2023. According to the financial police, this decline in penalties reflects the ongoing reduction in illegal gambling operations across the country.

The number of illegal gambling machines confiscated also saw a sharp decline. In 2024, authorities seized 51 machines from 70 establishments, a consequent drop from the 274 machines confiscated from similar operations in 2023.

However, “the hotspots of illegal gambling remain Upper Austria, Salzburg and Vienna,” explained the ministry.
Despite the overall improvement, certain regions in Austria continue to struggle with illegal gambling. These areas have remained stubbornly resistant to the complete eradication of unlawful activities, requiring ongoing vigilance from authorities.

Last March, law enforcement agencies carried out “Operation IKARUS” which involved 19 house searches in Austria and Greece, targeting an organised crime group engaged in illegal gambling, tax fraud, and other criminal activities.

165 emergency personnel from various Austrian law enforcement agencies were deployed in the operation, which also included international cooperation with the Greek financial police. The raids resulted in the confiscation of several hundred gambling machines, computers, documents, and large sums of cash. Accounts linked to the illegal activities were frozen, and numerous suspects were interrogated.

The operation was a major blow to the criminal network, operating through a complex system of front companies and fake residences. These entities managed numerous illegal gambling establishments in Upper Austria, with operations being monitored and controlled from Greece.

Finance Minister Magnus Brunner explained that the cooperation between various authorities has been instrumental in achieving?the overall decrease in illegal gambling activity.

"The close networking and good cooperation between the different authorities is a guarantee for the successful fight against illegal gambling. This success shows that the persistence of the investigators is bearing fruit. Illegal gambling knows no player protection and can destroy livelihoods. Every illegal machine that is taken out of circulation is an important building block in the fight against illegal gambling, which we will continue unabated. I would like to thank all the emergency services involved. Because no matter what uniform they wear, their common goal is the security of Austria," Brunner declared.

BetGames, a leading provider of content that seamlessly integrates sports betting and casino gaming, has renewed its exclusive partnership with the STS Group, a top-tier operator in Poland. This successful collaboration, which has been extended until 2026, underscores STS’ exclusive rights to offer BetGames’ wide choice of games in its domestic market. This includes the unique STS Polish Poker product, tailor-made exclusively for STS.

BetGames’ offerings constitute a substantial part of STS player engagement, with a portfolio that features high-performing card games like War of Bets, Bet on Baccarat, Bet on Poker, and 6+ Poker, all available to Polish players.

Dr Andreas Koeberl, (pictured above), BetGames’ CEO, expressed his delight at the continuation of this fruitful partnership with STS. Reflecting on the past five years of exclusive collaboration, he expressed optimism about elevating the partnership to new heights in the coming years, attributing their success to STS’ commitment to excellence and quality. “We are delighted to continue the brilliant partnership with STS. As we look back to already 5 successful years as exclusive partners, we are more than happy to boost it to the next level in the coming years. STS’ approach to excellence and quality is a success warranty!” he said.

?ukasz ?wierk, COO at STS, praised BetGames’ products for their consistent performance since their launch. He attributed the players’ loyalty to the innovative and intuitive play styles offered by these games. He expressed his excitement about continuing to provide their players with beloved games, including the unique Polish Poker. Swierk added “BetGames products have been proving themselves ever since we launched them. Players continue to return to them thanks to the innovation and intuitive play styles they offer. We’re thrilled that we can continue to bring our players the games like the absolutely unique Polish Poker that they love.”

Last year in its strategic expansion into Eastern Europe, London-listed Entain acquired STS Holdings. The deal, offered a 35 percent premium on STS’s six-month average share price and included ￡450 million in cash plus a 10 percent stake in the Entain CEE subsidiary.