Ryan Comstock officially appointed CEO of Ainsworth Game Technology

After six months of interim leadership, Ainsworth Game Technology has appointed Ryan Comstock as its permanent CEO. The decision took effect immediately and was announced in a statement posted on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).

Comstock has worked at Ainsworth since 2012 and has established himself as one of the company's key executives. He has served as Executive Director since 2018 and assumed operational management following Harald Neumann's resignation in October 2025.

The company cited his experience and successful initiatives as decisive factors in the appointment. Comstock's annual base salary is $625,000, with additional compensation depending on the performance of the board and remuneration committee.

Neumann resigned after the Nevada Gaming Control Commission recommended withdrawing the licence renewal application due to an ongoing corruption investigation involving the Austrian authorities. This had a negative impact on Ainsworth's reputation, as the results of the investigation were not communicated to shareholders promptly.

Uncertainty remains about the future ownership structure of Ainsworth Game Technology. Austrian gaming giant Novomatic controls 66.6% of the company's shares, which is below the 75% threshold required for a unilateral takeover.

Kjerulf Ainsworth, the son of company founder Len Ainsworth and a minority shareholder, continues to fight for the company's independence. This year, he applied for an additional 5.5% stake, which was approved by the board of directors.

According to Australian corporate law, Novomatic cannot make new takeover attempts until June 2026. However, analysts expect activity to resume after this deadline.