Aristocrat Leisure CEO Trevor Croker to retire as annual profit climbs

what happened

Aristocrat Leisure, one of the largest gambling machine manufacturers globally, said on Thursday that chief executive Trevor Croker will step down after a ten-year tenure. He retires in April next year, and Dafne Guisard, who oversees commercial operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and joined from the betting group Entain earlier in 2026, will take over, Reuters reported. Shares dropped more than 6% after the announcement but closed only 1.3% lower, at A$65.

Results for the twelve months to September were mixed. Revenue slipped 3.2% to A$6.1 billion, while post-tax profit edged up 2.1% to A$1.45 billion. In North America, the company's largest market, profit from its casino gaming division climbed 8.7% to $1.27 billion. The installed machine base grew by 6,500 to almost 82,000, lifting market share to 39%.

Croker said the company still expects online gambling revenue to reach $1 billion by fiscal 2029; the segment currently brings in $457 million. RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Wilson described the results as positive for the company despite the CEO departure. Croker also said the US midterm elections were unlikely to affect the business in the near term.

why it matters

For investors, the leadership handover adds uncertainty at a time when the company is betting on online gambling, while demand for casinos in North America remains a key support. Machine placements, market share gains and pressure on US consumer spending are the factors to watch.

market impact

Aristocrat Leisure: CEO change and falling revenue weigh on the stock, while profit growth and share gains support it

• ↔Aristocrat Leisure shares mixed — leadership change and revenue decline offset by profit growth and market share gains

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