Published on: October 13, 2025, 08:55h.
Updated on: October 13, 2025, 08:56h.
- Nevada regulators accuse Ainsworth CEO of arrogance and deception.
- CEO’s behavior, lack of transparency, and dodgy responses spark outrage.
- Resignation comes post severe criticism from gaming board members.
Harald Neumann has stepped down as the CEO of Ainsworth Game Technology, a prominent Australian gaming machine manufacturer, after facing a rigorous examination by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). The board deemed him unfit to maintain a gaming license within the state.
During a grueling 90-minute session, Neumann was characterized as “hostile,” “belligerent,” “evasive,” and “arrogant” by NGCB officials, notably for refusing to provide his phone for four months. When he finally complied, it was revealed that crucial data had been deleted, as per the board’s findings.
Corruption Investigation
Neumann neglected to reveal on his application that he was under investigation in Austria for corruption linked to his tenure as chairman of Novomatic AG, the major stakeholder in Ainsworth.
Additionally, he did not disclose various assets including bank accounts, a property in Greece, a rental in Los Angeles for his daughter, and financial arrangements with a “girlfriend” in Berlin.
Furthermore, the NGCB accused him of lying on a US visa application by claiming to be a “journalist.”
Your demeanor is unacceptable,” remarked board member George Assad, a retired judge. “I don’t perceive any remorse, responsibility, or acknowledgment of guilt … merely arrogance. That’s my assessment.
Neumann’s licensing application has been pending since his appointment as Ainsworth CEO in 2021. The NGCB evaluates applicants’ character, integrity, and honesty throughout the licensing process. By the conclusion of Friday’s hearing, board members suggested that Neumann withdraw his application.
Being denied or opting to withdraw an application in Nevada can significantly impact a gaming executive’s career on a global scale, establishing the state’s licensing process as the “gold standard” for gaming integrity worldwide.
Board member Chandeni Sendall ultimately criticized Neumann for a “lack of emotional intelligence.”
“For someone in your position as a CEO, it’s astonishing that you can operate at such a high level and lack fundamental leadership and communication skills, failing to recognize how argumentative and evasive you appear,” Sendall stated.
Ainsworth confirmed in a filing to the ASX on Monday that Neumann would exit his role immediately, expressing gratitude for his contributions during his leadership. Current COO Ryan Comstock will take over.
Novomatic Controversy
In May 2019, Heinz-Christian Strache, then Austria’s Far-Right Vice Chancellor, was compelled to resign after being recorded offering state contracts for financial benefits to a woman impersonating a Russian Oligarch’s niece.
In the recording, Strache discusses how corporations can make illicit political contributions by using non-profits to disguise payments from oversight. He references Novomatic and other companies that allegedly funded his anti-immigration Freedom Party in this manner, a claim Novomatic has firmly denied.
In March 2019, Peter Sidlo, an associate of Strache from the Freedom Party, was installed as CFO of Casinos Austria, then owned by Novomatic, despite lacking any experience in executive or gaming roles.
Whistleblowers have suggested that Novomatic supported Sidlo’s ascension to the board as part of a hidden agreement aimed at promoting its goal of constructing a casino in Vienna.
Novomatic has denied any involvement in corrupt activities.