Compliance Updates
Gibraltar Requires Local Presence for Licensees in New Gambling Act
Gibraltar has published a draft of its new Gambling Act for consultation that introduces five objectives for the regulation of gambling in the country, including a requirement for operators to have a “sufficient substantive presence” in the territory.
A stakeholder consultation on the bill is now open, allowing anyone affected to provide their input on the bill. Following the consultation, the bill will be introduced in Parliament.
The law introduces five objectives for the regulation of gambling in Gibraltar. These are the “preservation of confidence in gambling markets”, protection of consumers, particularly vulnerable people, promoting “fair and responsible” gambling, preventing links between gambling and crime and the public interest and reputation of Gibraltar.
Regulus Partners, a global strategic advisory business focused on the sports and leisure sectors, noted that the first objective suggests a more holistic approach to the sector, rather than allowing authorities to “compartmentalise policies and regulatory requirements into one objective without thinking too hard about how it might affect the others”.
In terms of the final objective, Regulus noted that it showed Gibraltar intended to signal its credibility as a point-of-supply market rather than moving towards “dark grey” operations.
The rules also make changes to licensing. While licensing and regulatory bodies will continue to be separate, it introduces a requirement that licensees should have a “sufficient substantive presence” in Gibraltar. The wording of this rule was chosen in order to allow the Minister for Finance – who acts as the licensing authority – flexibility “in relation to equipment location and other matters.”
Factors going into this requirement include the “nature, extent, purpose and usage” of equipment in Gibraltar, the “number and nature of jobs to be created and maintained” and the amount of tax revenue paid.
The bill also lays out certain “threshold conditions” that all operators must meet to be licensed. These relate to the conduct of their business, the suitability of their owners, responsible gambling, prevention of crime and the location of their offices.
“In other words, the core concepts are standards and suitability, and having a sufficient substantive presence in Gibraltar. These are the criteria both for the grant of a licence and, on an ongoing basis, for an own initiative decision by the licensing authority to consider revoking or varying a licence,” the Government said.
Much of the bill relating to the supervisory powers of the Gambling Commissioner, meanwhile, was drafted to be similar to Gibraltar’s Financial Services Act, in order to create “a common regulatory framework, and professional understanding and expertise across regulated economic activities with similar statutory regulatory objectives”.
The law stems from a report published in March 2016 reviewing Gibraltar’s licensing and regulatory regime.
A stakeholder consultation on the bill is now open, allowing anyone affected to provide their input on the bill. It will last until August 31, but the Gaming Division of the Gibraltar Ministry of Finance said it would “encourage early consideration of the material”.
Compliance Updates
CT Interactive Achieves A1 Certification for Greece
CT Interactive has achieved A1 Supplier Certification in Greece, awarded by the Hellenic Gaming Commission. This significant milestone underscores the company’s strategic commitment to expanding its presence in regulated European markets. The A1 certification enables CT Interactive to offer its top-tier gaming portfolio to licensed operators across Greece.
Focused on enhancing the player experience, CT Interactive delivers a meticulously curated selection of games that have proven successful in the market, including titles like Win Storm, Lucky Clover, The Big Chilli, Chilli Fruits and many others. By prioritising quality and player satisfaction, each game is designed to provide immersive, engaging experiences.
Continuously evolving to meet player preferences and utilising cutting-edge technology, CT Interactive ensures a seamless and rewarding gaming journey. This commitment not only fosters long-term player loyalty but also reinforces the company’s dedication to creating lasting value while maintaining the highest standards of performance and entertainment.
Compliance Updates
Three Nigerian Tennis Players Suspended Under Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed that three Nigerian tennis players have been sanctioned for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP).
The sanctions are linked to a criminal case heard in 2023 involving a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium. Collaboration between the ITIA and Belgian authorities led to a five-year custodial sentence for the leader of the syndicate, Grigor Sargsyan.
The three players’ cases were ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Amani Khalifa.
35-year-old Henry Atseye, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1518 in September 2015, admitted to six breaches of the TACP across 2017 and 2018. The player admitted to collaborating with Karim Hossam (who was issued a lifetime ban in 2018) to commit corruption offenses, including facilitating wagering and contriving the outcome of three matches.
Atseye was issued a suspension of two years and six months, alongside a fine of $10,000. The suspension began on 14 October 2024, and will end on 13 April 2027.
Sylvester Emmanuel and Christian Paul did not respond to ITIA charges, effectively accepting liability and acceding to sanctions, as outlined under section G.1.e of the TACP.
26-year-old Emmanuel, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1097 in December 2016, and 29-year-old Paul, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1257 in May 2016, were found liable for six breaches of the TACP across 2017 and 2018 – including facilitating wagering, contriving the outcome of matches, receipt of money and failure to report corrupt approaches.
Emmanuel and Paul were issued suspensions of three years, alongside fines of $10,000. The suspensions began on 6 November 2024, and will end on 5 November 2027.
During their periods of ineligibility, the players are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.
The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis events worldwide.
Compliance Updates
PayBy Awarded Gaming-related Vendor License from the GCGRA
PayBy Technology Projects LLC, an Astra Tech company and one of the UAE’s leading fintech platforms, announced that it has been awarded a gaming-related license by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the federal entity overseeing commercial gaming activities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The award allows PayBy to provide financial services to GCGRA-licensed commercial gaming operators, marking a new milestone in the Authority’s endeavour to establish a well-regulated commercial gaming sector in the UAE.
As the first fintech to secure such a licence, PayBy will operate under the “Gaming-Related Vendor License” category. The company is now authorised to provide a range of services, including digital wallets, secure payments and advanced fraud detection systems, aligning with the GCGRA’s vision of creating a secure and innovative gaming environment that prioritises player safety.
Astra Tech’s Ultra app ecosystem integrates payments, remittances, lending and now gaming-related services into a unified platform serving over 150 million users globally. Through strategic partnerships with global leaders like MoneyGram and Mastercard, Astra Tech continues to expand its reach and impact, delivering seamless financial solutions.
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