Players at over 1,000 online gambling sites able to submit disputes to eCOGRA

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has authorised eCOGRA, the independent testing laboratory, to make available its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service to players at certain MGA licensed online gambling operators.

eCOGRA’s fast and impartial dispute resolution service has been available free of charge to players for over 15 years as part of the organisation’s self-regulation activities, and since 2015 eCOGRA has been approved by the UK Gambling Commission to provide its ADR service to remote gambling operators licensed in the British market.

To date, over 10,000 disputes have been handled by eCOGRA, involving leading operators such as 888, White Hat Gaming, bwin.party, Sportingbet, Unibet, 32Red, Bet-at-home, Casino Rewards, Betway, Gamesys, Skill On Net and Mr Green.

Tex Rees, a Clear ADR Accredited Civil and Commercial Mediator, is in charge of eCOGRA’s dispute resolution service, which includes an experienced team committed to resolving most disputes within a week.

“All Malta licensed operators are now required, in terms of the MGA Player Protection Directive 2018, to provide their players with access to an impartial third party dispute resolution service. Since many of our multi-jurisdictional clients are licensed by the MGA, we’ve made available our ADR service to these operators. We know, from their perspective, how important it is that they can come to us for a full suite of compliance services”, Rees said.

Players can currently access eCOGRA’s dispute resolution services at 1,159 online gambling sites listed on www.ecogra.org.

ABOUT eCOGRA:
Founded fifteen years ago to establish and improve operational standards and player safety requirements in the online gambling space, eCOGRA has amassed a wealth of experience in implementing international best practice standards and requirements, and ensuring these are maintained through regular review and monitoring.
eCOGRA acts as a regulatory audit partner to over 100 multi-jurisdictional operators, software providers and other relevant service providers in the online gambling industry. The independent testing laboratory is staffed by a team of professional auditors with Big 4 auditing firm experience, information security experts, test engineers and responsible gambling specialists.
The company has been awarded the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) ISO approval ISO/IEC 17025:2005 : General Requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories for the United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark, as well as ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, which is a prerequisite for carrying out third-party ISO/IEC 27001 audits and accredited certifications of Information Security Management Systems (ISMS).

Belgium’s government has issued stricter regulations against iGaming advertising, as part of its effort to protect children from the ill-effects of all forms of gambling.

The Belgian parliament okayed the new regulations after close to a year of deliberations. The most significant feature of the new regulations is the total ban on online casino TV advertising.

According to the new regulations, there will be restrictions on other forms of casino advertising too. Online casino operators will be allowed to advertise their services only on government approved websites. There will be a ban on sports betting on TV before 8 pm. No forms of marketing will be allowed during live sports broadcasts. Celebrity or athlete endorsements of gambling companies will also be prohibited.

Worldwide standard for information security achieved by Betway Ltd. following accredited certification by eCOGRA

Betway Ltd. has gained its ISO 27001 certificate, the worldwide standard for information security, demonstrating the company’s commitment to handling customer data safely and securely.

The externally accredited certification has been awarded by trusted international testing agency eCOGRA.

Benefits of being ISO 27001 certified include helping to tighten, improve and secure 3^rd party supplier contracts and management, as well as facilitating the process of applying for licences in new territories.

Betway CEO Anthony Werkman said: “We’re delighted to be awarded our ISO 27001 certification, which shows that we are going above and beyond when it comes to protecting the security of our customers’ data.

“Many of the technical standards of a Great Britain gambling licence are incorporated into ISO 27001 and we believe it is the right direction of travel for us as a responsible operator.

“Data protection and security has never been more important following the introduction of GDPR, so it is vital that companies such as us not only treat their customers’ data with the utmost care, but can demonstrate their compliance against international standards.”

Bradley Khoury, eCOGRA Chief Technical Officer and Certified ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, commented: “This certification now places Betway amongst a limited number of online gambling organisations that have achieved this prestigious certification.

Online gambling regulators are increasingly recognising the value of the ISO 27001 certification, with many jurisdictions waiving certain security auditing requirements if the relevant parties are certified.

As the only online gambling test laboratory that is accredited to offer ISO 27001 certification, eCOGRA is uniquely placed to help gambling organisations through this process. ”

Betway currently holds licences in Great Britain, Malta, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Ireland.

About the Betway Group:

The Betway Group is a leading provider of first-class entertainment across sports betting, casino, bingo and poker. Launched in 2006, the company operates across a number of regulated online markets and holds licences in the UK, Malta, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Ireland. Based in Malta and Guernsey, with support from London, Isle of Man, Stockholm and Cape Town, the Betway team comprises over 1,000 people.

Betway prides itself on providing its customers with a bespoke, fun and informed betting experience, supported by a safe and secure environment. Betway is a member of several prominent industry-related bodies, including ESSA, the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS) and the Remote Gambling Association (RGA), and is accredited by trusted international testing agency eCOGRA. It is also a partner of the Professional Players Federation (PPF) and is a donor to the Responsible Gambling Trust.

In addition to the flagship Betway brand, the Betway Group operates a number of other brands including Dream Bingo, Bingo on the Box, Spin Casino and the Hippodrome Online Casino. For more information about Betway’s various products and licenced brands, please visit www.betwaygroup.com.