The University of Sydney has financial stakes in the world’s biggest poker machine manufacturer and a global sports betting giant, both of which have funded its academics and bankrolled specialist gambling research centres.
Documents obtained under freedom of information laws show the university held shares in Aristocrat, and in Entain, which runs the Ladbrokes and Neds brands, between 2021 and early 2024. Shares may have been held before and after this period, beyond the scope of the FoI.
Entain, which was taken to the federal court this month by Australia’s financial intelligence agency for alleged breaches of anti-money laundering laws, was a foundational sponsor of the university’s centre of excellence in gambling research.
