Big Bamboo

What is Big Bamboo?

Mircheva’s resignation will be effective from Friday, although she will remain with the company until the end of September to “ensure a seamless leadership transition”, with the search for her replacement already under way.

George Papanier has taken on Mircheva’s role as CFO on an interim basis. Papanier will continue in his current roles as Bally’s president and a member of its board of directors.

Papanier has over 40 years of experience in the gaming industry, previously serving as CEO between February 2011 and October 2021 having first joined the company as COO in 2004.

How to play Big Bamboo

Law enforcement investigators uncovered a mountain of alleged theft. As the news spread, clients began requesting escrow statements, only to find that their funds were never deposited.

Prosecutors alleged that Pietras was stealing the funeral money to fund his gambling addiction. Law enforcement found that Pietras made more than 800 casino trips over a 14-year period.

Casino records for his player’s card suggested he lost over $1.2 million at Mohegan Sun. He’s also reported to have gambled extensively at Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Springfield in Massachusetts.

What is Big Bamboo?

Christofidou also floated the idea of issuing GMI recipients with a special card for in-person verification at gambling venues, but several MPs warned this could stigmatise welfare recipients.

Current gambling legislation restricts participation for minors and those classified as “financially vulnerable”. However, GMI recipients are not yet formally classified as such for the purpose of these regulations.

The NBA has operated a online self-exclusion scheme since 2024. It requires users to register with a mobile number, email address and ID. Since around 80% of gambling in Cyprus happens online, this route offers a far easier way to identify and exclude claimants than monitoring anonymous betting at physical outlets.