Compliance Updates

UKGC Imposes £6M Penalty on Gamesys for Social Responsibility and AML Failures

Published

10 months ago

January 11, 2024

Reading Time: 2 minutes

A gambling business will pay a £6 million penalty after a Commission investigation revealed social responsibility and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) failings.

Gamesys Operations Limited – which operates 16 websites including ballycasino.co.uk, doublebubblebingo.com, jackpotjoy.com and megawayscasino.com – will also have to undergo a third-party audit to ensure it is effectively implementing its anti-money laundering and safer gambling policies, procedures and controls.

The failures were revealed during a Commission compliance assessment in May 2022.

Social responsibility failures included:

not always identifying customers at risk of experiencing harms associated with gambling by:
- placing inappropriate reliance on checks which indicate whether a customer had a historical individual voluntary arrangement or been bankrupt or insolvent as a sign of gambling harm
- having a system of deposit limits which, for some customers, did not identify risks of harm quickly enough – no risks were identified when one customer deposited £8255 within three days of opening an account, another lost £5968 within five weeks of opening an account and another lost £17,482 within 34 days of opening an account
not always interacting with customers who may be at risk of or experiencing harms associated with gambling. Examples include:
- only interacting with one customer once they had lost almost £10,000, and that “responsible gambling interaction” involved the recommendation of new games and promotions
- carrying out only one responsible gambling interaction with a consumer who lost £19,709 over five months
records of interactions, considerations and rationale for decisions were not always recorded in sufficient detail, despite this being specified in the Licensee’s responsible gambling procedures.

Anti-money laundering failures included:

in certain circumstances, some customers were able to evade some of the Licensee’s AML triggers/thresholds and go on to spend significant sums without AML checks being conducted – one customer deposited £14,585 in a 28 week period, another deposited £18,884 in just over six months and another deposited £34,280 in five and a half months
conducting inadequate customer due diligence and being over-reliant on third party information (such as internet research) or the customer’s verbal assurances for a number of customers, including one who deposited over £25,000 in three months, another who deposited over £58,000 in six months, and another who deposited over £65,000 in six months
having a “Reinvestment of winnings policy” which was insufficient to mitigate the risk that deposited funds could be from illegitimate sources and not just from previous winnings.

Kay Roberts, Executive Director of Operations at UKGC, said: “Our focus as a regulator is to ensure that operators are employing policies and procedures which make gambling fair, safe and crime-free. We take this responsibility extremely seriously and whenever we find failures in policies and procedures then the business can expect significant regulatory action.”

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Compliance Updates

IAGR confirms new Board members

Published

1 day ago

November 14, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has announced the appointment of four new trustees to its Board, each bringing unique expertise and leadership to strengthen IAGR’s global regulatory efforts:

Anders Dorph, Danish Gambling Authority (Europe)
Peter Kesitilwe Emolemo, Gambling Authority of Botswana (Africa)
Kevin Mullally, General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (Asia/Oceania)
Louis Rogacki, New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (North America)

IAGR President Ben Haden said, ‘I’m delighted to welcome our four new trustees to the IAGR Board. Their diverse expertise and leadership across different jurisdictions will bring fresh perspectives to our work, further strengthening our global approach to gaming regulation.

‘I look forward to collaborating with Peter, Louis, Kevin and Anders as we continue to foster innovation and drive forward effective, responsible regulation for the benefit of the global gaming community.

‘We also extend a big thank you to Trude Høgseth Felde and Mabutho Zwane for their dedicated service as they complete their terms on the Board, and I’m pleased to announce that Jason Lane will continue for another term as a Trustee.’

As a leading forum for gaming regulators worldwide, IAGR enables members to meet, share information, discuss legislative developments, exchange views and learn best practices in gaming regulation.

In recent news, IAGR has also confirmed that its 2025 annual conference will be held in Toronto, Canada, from 20 to 23 October 2025, with registrations opening in early 2025.

Compliance Updates

MGA Issues First ESG Code Approval Seals to Licensees

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has awarded its first-ever ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Code Approval Seals to licensees in the online gaming sector, marking a milestone in the Authority’s commitment to promoting responsible and sustainable industry practices.

This initiative follows the launch of the voluntary ESG Code of Good Practice last year, which invited licensees to submit their ESG disclosure returns. The Code, which covers 19 topics categorised under Environmental, Social and Governance pillars, offers a strategic roadmap for online gaming companies to streamline their reporting efforts.

Following the first annual reporting cycle, 14 gaming operators have been awarded the ESG Code Approval Seal. The Code supports two levels of reporting: Tier 1, which establishes foundational ESG standards, and Tier 2, which represents a more aspirational approach.

Seals are valid for one year, with flexibility for renewal in the subsequent reporting period, allowing operators to advance or adapt their reporting tier year by year.

“We believe this initiative will significantly enhance the industry’s reputation and sustainability credentials,” MGA CEO Charles Mizzi said.

“By integrating ESG considerations into their operations, gaming companies not only contribute to the wellbeing of society and the environment but also strengthen the trust and confidence that consumers, investors, and regulators have in the industry. This initiative sends a clear message: sustainability, in the broadest sense of the word, is integral to the future of the gaming sector.”

Compliance Updates

Turkish Football Federation to Penalise Clubs Promoting Illegal Betting

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has introduced new regulations to crack down on illegal betting advertisements in professional football.

According to the TFF, clubs found violating the new rules will face fines and, in case of repeated offenses, the deduction of points.

Under the updated guidelines, any club in the Turkish Super League involved in unauthorised betting promotions will face a tiered penalty system.

The first violation will result in a fine of 2 million Turkish Liras (around $58,000), and the second offense will incur a 5 million lira fine and a third violation will see the fine increased to 10 million liras. For subsequent breaches, clubs will be fined 10 million liras for each offense, along with a three-point deduction from their league standings.

“It is forbidden to promote or advertise betting organizations not licensed by competent authorities. This includes any media, billboards and other equipment used within stadium,” the TFF stated.

The TFF emphasised that the ban also applies to entities affiliated with these betting organisations, including those involved in promoting and advertising activities in a way that suggests endorsement of illegal betting.

The global scale of the illegal betting market is staggering, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimating its worth at $1.8 trillion. In Türkiye alone, the sector is projected to exceed 100 billion liras, according to the Financial Crimes Investigation Board.