Stephen Dametto, commissioner of the New South Wales Crime Commission, confirmed for Regulating the Game 2027

Stephen Dametto, commissioner of the New South Wales Crime Commission, has been confirmed as a speaker at the seventh edition of Regulating the Game (RTG), taking place from 8 to 10 March 2027 at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. The organiser places the fight against illicit supply and financial crime flowing through licensed channels at the centre of the 2027 programme. The confirmation adds a criminal-investigation profile to a panel that already includes regulators and financial-intelligence leaders.

The presence of the New South Wales Crime Commission at Regulating the Game 2027

The New South Wales Crime Commission is the principal standing body for the state of New South Wales tasked with investigating serious and organised crime and recovering criminal assets. Its 2022 inquiry into money laundering through electronic gaming machines in hotels and clubs documented how proceeds of crime move through a network of licensed venues, and that inquiry is part of the context for Commissioner Dametto's invitation.

Dametto was appointed commissioner in February 2026 after almost three decades in police and security roles in Australia and internationally. His previous roles include Assistant Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police and senior operational positions in the United Kingdom.

Programme of speakers and international regulatory leadership

The 2027 programme brings together senior officials from regulators, enforcement agencies and industry bodies. Confirmed speakers include:

• Brendan Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of AUSTRAC.

• Daniel Tan, Chief Executive of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore.

• Paul James, Secretary for Internal Affairs and Chief Executive of the Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua of New Zealand, who is leading the implementation of licences for online casinos in that jurisdiction.

• Vicki Scott, Director Gambling at the Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua.

• Carolyn Lidgerwood, Authority Member of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

• Tim Miller, founder and Managing Director of GamReg Consulting, former Executive Director of the UK Gambling Commission, confirmed as keynote speaker, Conference Chair and a member of the independent jury for the RTG Global Awards.

Daniel Tan and Carolyn Lidgerwood are scheduled as keynote speakers with planned addresses. The combination aims to offer regulatory perspectives from different models and jurisdictions.

Canada as a case study and dedicated session

After Australia, Canada is the jurisdiction with the largest representation in the programme to date. Confirmed on the Canadian side are:

• Paul Burns, President and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association.

• Amanda Brewer, Senior Vice President, Policy and Communications of the Canadian Gaming Association.

• Peter McMahon, Chief Executive Officer of the Commercial Gaming Association of Ontario.

• Tracy Schrans, President and CEO of Focal Research Consultants.

• Dr Melissa Salmon, Senior Research Lead at Focal Research Consultants.

There will be a session titled “Canada’s Gambling Landscape at a Crossroads: Defining Success in a Changing Environment” that will examine governance in Canada and what success means for a market reformed by new regulatory models, technological change and higher accountability expectations. Canadian regulation operates across federal and provincial lines; Ontario has built a commercial online market from scratch, and the Australian audience will have a rare opportunity to review that experience in detail. The session will form part of the RTG programme available via the event pages at [Regulating the Game (RTG)](/events).

Jurisdiction, financial intelligence and crime: the event’s common thread

Organisers have designed the programme around the pressures that affect regulated markets, with special emphasis on the scale of illicit supply and financial crime that circulates through licensed channels. That agenda explains the presence of AUSTRAC, international regulatory authorities and the New South Wales Crime Commission at the same forum.

Paul Newson, founder of Regulating the Game and Principal at Vanguard Overwatch, explained the logic of the meeting:

"When agency heads from multiple jurisdictions take part, delegates see the same problem from different regulatory and political starting points, and that is where assumptions and practices are tested," Paul Newson said.

"Bringing them together to share strategic vision, experience and knowledge builds a better understanding of the sector’s challenges and supports more coherent responses to common issues," Newson added.

Awards, Pitch! night and participation routes

Tim Miller will sit on the independent jury of the RTG Global Awards; Tracy Parker of the Responsible Gambling Council also returns to the judging panel. Organisers have kept applications open for speaking slots, interest in the Pitch! night and award nominations.

For programme details, speaker applications, expressions of interest for Pitch! night or award nominations, the organisers refer delegates to their official website and the event team contact. The forum combines conference presentations, keynote speeches and practical sessions aimed at public-policy officials, compliance officers, operators and suppliers.

What RTG 2027 will deliver to attendees

The 2027 edition aims to provide:

• direct exchange between organised-crime investigators and financial regulators;

• comparison of international regulatory models, with emphasis on measures against illicit supply;

• operational case studies, including the Canadian experience and the New South Wales Crime Commission’s inquiry into gaming machines.

The event will take place at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth between 8 and 10 March 2027, and its programme includes interventions that combine public policy, financial intelligence and operational supervision.