Conferences in Europe
Exclusive interview with Alex Henderson(Head of AML at The Ritz Hotel Casino), speaker at Prague Gaming Summit
Dear readers and subscribers,
Thank you for following my interview series and for sharing these information with your colleagues and partners. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming interview, please send me an e-mail to [email protected] and I will happily get back to you!
Moving forward, I would like to introduce my latest interviewee, Alex Henderson, who is the current Head of AML at The Ritz Hotel Casino and also a speaker at our upcoming live event/conference in Prague.
Thank you for your time and I hope you will gain vital information needed for your business in regards to AML and AMLD 4.
I would like to thank you for spending time to answer our questions. First I would kindly ask you to shortly introduce yourself.
Alex: I am the current head of AML at one of the UK’s top Mayfair casinos as well as a trainer for the global leader in AML/social responsibility training for gambling operators (AML Gaming Solutions). I have worked for the past 7 years for the National Crime Agency as a financial investigator and within the AML expert witness team as well as within covert operations where I portrayed many roles within counter terrorism, drugs. The most relevant to my current career is that I portrayed the role of an international money launderer.
Would you please speak about the effects of AMLD 4 on the gambling industry in geneneral and in the UK in particular?
Alex: My opinion is that in general the 4th MLD has had little impact for some operators but major impact for many others (if they have made the appropriate changes). The main impact came from the requirement to “know your customers” better which for many land based operators it is not a huge change, as many of them already go a long way to know about their clientele. For many online operators this was a tough change as my opinion is that many operators do the bare minimum when it comes to due diligence. Overall, I think that many operators do not even have measures in place to comply with law from 2002 (proceeds of crime act 2002), so I would not expect those operators to be doing anything to comply with law that has been in place less than 10 months. The reason I say this is because many of the MLRO’s (money laundering reporting officer) or AML managers I speak with know very little about money laundering/financial crime or their roles and responsibilities and the relevant laws and regulations.
You advise large number of organisations with regards to their AML compliance programmes. According to your experience what are the most frequent problems, issues regarding this topic?
Alex: Lack of knowledge is number 1. I am not just referring to the lower level employees but with MLRO’s and AML managers, the level of knowledge sometimes scares me. I have met with MLRO’s who did not know how to input a SAR (Suspicious activity report), some did not know basic money laundering techniques and how to identify them… then these MLRO’s are entrusted to protect the business and oversee staff training, so it is effectively the blind leading the blind. I speak with some businesses who tell me that they are low risk for money laundering or that criminals do not use their business…. When I tell them that I myself have actually laundered money through their business or have spent criminal proceeds through their business they have a sudden change in attitude, which for me is a good thing. Many gambling employees have not been given the basic knowledge for preventing financial crime which is the fault of the operator. I enjoy giving staff this knowledge and empowering them to detect criminality and prevent those criminals using their businesses.
What social responsibilities does preventing money laundering include?
Alex: In many cases, social responsibility and AML go hand in hand. If an operator has good AML processes in place they will often detect problem gambling concerns and vice versa. We have seen in the recent enforcement action that when an operator is punished for their lapses in social responsibility they are also punished for their lapses in AML, this is because operators generally do not do enough to protect their customers. If an operator has done enough to determine a customer’s Source of Wealth (SOW) they should know when that customer is spending more than they can afford. Therefore if that customer is spending outside of their known income, an operator should be doing extra checks to determine if the customer is spending more, because they either have a gambling problem or they are spending more because they also have some illegitimate funds that have not previously been uncovered.
There are new regulations in this domain. Will you please speak about these and their effects?
Alex: Operators are expected to do more, and rightly so. The expectation from the regulator is that both remote and non-remote operators need to step up and start protecting customers. But this is difficult and causes a huge conflict of interest amongst operators; on one hand they are trying to run a profitable business, keep customers gambling and spending money, on the other hand they are expected to stop customer if they gamble too long or spend too much money. The punishment for not protecting customers is too soft in my opinion. The gambling commission should be taking licences and giving hefty fines, at the moment operators get away with doing very little to protect customers. Operators would do a lot more if they genuinely felt their licence was on the line or that they would be fined excessively. If we take the banking industry as an example, it took HSBC getting fined £250m for all the banks to start carrying out adequate AML due diligence, before the HSB fine banks always done the minimum because they knew any fine they received would be worth paying. I think the gambling commission is definitely moving in the right direction but they need to send out a clear message, the way to do that is to start making examples of operators.
What about the UK? Where is it heading with the new regulations?
Alex: I think the gambling commission is going to get tougher and tougher on operators until the operators eventually start looking after their customers. UK operators need to do more, especially online. There is a poor knowledge of AML and even worse knowledge on problem gambling when it comes to online operators. Staff needs to be given proper training so they can protect the businesses and their legitimate customers. I think more regulation will keep coming and will keep getting harder until operators take it upon themselves to start protecting customers.
What do you think what is gaming considered by the people of the UK today; are they satisfied with the new changes?
Alex: Public trust in gambling has drastically decreased; this is because of all the negative media on problem gambling and money laundering. I think the public are happy that the industry is under such scrutiny because financial crime and problem gambling effects so many people. Operators have the power to regain trust from the public and I do think all the changes the commission and the government are trying to make will help to regain public trust once again.
What would you change in the present state of the British gambling market?
Alex: I would make it a requirement for operators and all staff to undertake adequate and relevant training on both AML and problem gambling. Many operators put staff through poor internal courses or e-learning programs which is not good enough. AML Gaming Solutions (AMLGS) are made up of AML experts who have worked for law enforcement, government and regulators. They deliver face to face training to all staff from the ground all the way up to the CEO which is highly important. Every operator should be undertaking training from experts such as AMLGS. It is vital for staff to hear from professionals and to understand what a vital role their play in preventing financial crime and protecting customers
What is your personal opinion about gambling industry in general in Europe?
Alex: I think that the industry is moving in the right direction, the constant updates in law and regulation are a good thing and operators need to embrace the changes. I do believe that from compliance perspective more needs to be done by operators, but we are getting there slowly. The industry is going to continue to grow; it is this growth that has brought the attention of various governments and law enforcements. Five years ago the industry was not on anyone’s radar but now every government in the world has taken an interest. This scrutiny has brought a well-deserved pressure to operators who have for many years failed to prevent financial crime; I think the message is clear: step up and do more or be on the receiving end of some very harsh penalties.
To hear more about the subject and meet Alex in person, make sure you register and attend Prague Gaming Summit 2018, held on the 29th of March at Andel’s by Vienna House Prague.
Interviewee profile:
Alex specialises in preventing money laundering in its varying forms and has a very unique insight that is hard to find.
Alex Henderson is the current Head of AML at The Ritz Hotel Casino, one of the worlds most prestigious casinos. Alex has worked for the National Crime Agency (NCA) as part of the AML expert witness team and has been involved in multiple high end money laundering investigations. As well as having worked for several years as part of the NCA’s AML expert witness team, Alex spent much of his NCA career working as part of the covert operations unit (Undercover operations) portraying many different roles, including the role of a high end money launderer. This unique insight into the mind of a criminal allows financial institutions to see the vulnerabilities and risks from a new angle. Alex advises a large number of organisations with regards to their AML compliance programmes and has lectured extensively in the UK and across Europe.
EXPERIENCE
• Successfully delivered AML training workshops to a large banking group with over 4000 employees
• Advises money service bureaus, banks and regulated businesses on their AML risks
• Operated in a covert capacity in various operations across the UK, portraying the role of a money launderer amongst many others
• Involved in many high profile investigations involving trade based money laundering and sector focused laundering
• Advised leading organisations on the financial crime risks and vulnerabilities impacting their business
• Delivered training to multiple financial institutions and developed staff knowledge of AML across over 100 organisations to date
• Leading the AML team at one of London’s top casinos, handling high risk members and overseeing the due diligence of the business customer database
• Advised a major bank in regards to their AML fine and enforcement action on best practice moving forward
• Involved in various counter terrorism and AML Law Enforcement operations across the UK
Conferences in Europe
Gamecity Hamburg connects Decision Makers from International Studios with new “Portside Game Assembly” Conference Format
Gamecity Hamburg announces the premiere of the “Portside Game Assembly” (PSGA) for June 27, 2025. The new B2B conference format focuses on networking and the exchange of learnings between leading international indie game studios. Portside Game Assembly enables studio heads and decision-makers to exchange knowledge in a confidential setting in extraordinary locations of Hamburg, around the harbor – and on the water.
“The idea for Portside Game Assembly was born out of conversations with studio heads and managers from Hamburg and around Europe. Anyone navigating an indie studio through the games market benefits greatly from exchanging learnings with other decision-makers facing similar challenges. With a curated guest list and a focus on impulse talks and roundtables, PSGA will offer studio leads contacts and discussions which are highly relevant to their work and current developments in the industry,” explains Margarete Schneider, Project Manager at Gamecity Hamburg.
“The heart of PSGA is the conference, which will be held on a ship sailing through the Hamburg harbor and to which we welcome attendees from all over Europe and beyond. The conference will be complemented by a networking brunch and two evening events, which invite PSGA participants to meet the vibrant and diverse Hamburg games scene,” adds Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg.
The conference program for decision-makers at game studios
On June 27, 2025, the first Portside Game Assembly will kick off with a networking brunch.
Afterwards, the studio managers and decision makers will enter the conference ship, which offers three decks for keynote speeches, roundtables and networking, including a cruise through the famous Hamburg harbor.
Studio managers and decision-makers from the following studios are already attending:
- bippinbits (Dome Keeper, PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant) / Germany
- Ghost Ship Publishing (Deep Rock Galactic) / Denmark
- Indoor Astronaut (Unrailed 1 & 2) / Switzerland
- Landfall Games (Content Warning, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator) / Sweden
- mooneye studios (Lost Ember) / Germany
- Maschinen-Mensch (Curious Expedition 1 & 2, Mother Machine, Codecks) / Germany
- Overhype Studios (Battle Brothers, Menace) / Germany
- Rockfish Games (Everspace 1 & 2) / Germany
- Torpor Games (Suzerain) / Germany
Leads and executives from established indie game studios can register to take part in the Portside Game Assembly via our registration form.
Networking events as part of the Portside Game Assembly
The evening closing event “Games Industry Party” brings conference guests and other members of the games industry together for networking with cool drinks and snacks. Tickets for the Indie Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party are available separately for non-conference attendees and will go on sale at a later time.
On the evening before, June 26, 2025, there will be an “Opening Mixer” with a panoramic view over Hamburg’s famous St. Pauli district in the Astra Tower, at Bytro Labs office. Portside Game Assembly participants and contacts from the games industry in Hamburg will be invited.
Registration for studios and participants
The conference itself is aimed exclusively at studio managers and decision-makers from internationally successful indie game studios. To enable a curated selection of participants, there will be no direct ticket sales, but studios can register for participation here: registration form.
The conference ticket includes the Opening Mixer event the evening before, access to the Networking Brunch, the main Conference and the Games Industry Party for a total of 189 euros.
Conferences in Europe
The iGaming Conference Boom: A Catalyst for Industry Growth or Event Overload?
As the iGaming industry rapidly expands, so too has the frequency of events, summits, and conferences held worldwide. While some within the industry have expressed concerns over the seemingly endless cycle of iGaming conferences, many organizers are now strategically responding by integrating multiple industry sectors into single events. This shift could mark a new era where iGaming conferences are not just more numerous but also more impactful, driving sustained growth and collaboration across the industry.
An Industry on the Rise
The iGaming sector has seen phenomenal growth in recent years, with new regions regulating online gaming, an influx of advanced technology, and changing consumer behaviors. Conferences are a direct reflection of this growth. In response to an industry that is evolving at breakneck speed, these gatherings allow professionals to stay informed, network, and showcase innovations in a competitive, fast-paced market. According to recent reports, 2024 has maintained a similarly robust lineup of conferences as seen in 2023, indicating a steady demand for these industry forums.
Consolidation: Bringing Multiple Industries Together
One of the biggest shifts in recent years has been the move towards event consolidation. Instead of organizing niche, standalone conferences, major event organizers are combining multiple related industries under one roof. For example, some organizers have extended their conferences to cover related fields such as emerging technologies, fintech, and affiliate marketing. This integrated approach creates a unique space for professionals across interconnected sectors to gather, learn, and share insights. This evolution aims to streamline event schedules while providing a more holistic experience for attendees.
Consistency in the Number of Conferences
While some expected the number of iGaming events to decrease in 2024 as the industry reaches a more mature stage, the calendar has remained steady with a full slate of global conferences. Sources highlight extensive lists of major iGaming conferences for the year, covering multiple regions and themes, from regulatory updates to technological advances and new market opportunities. This consistency signals that the demand for these conferences remains high, suggesting that attendees continue to find value in them as essential business and networking platforms.
Why More Conferences Might Actually Be Beneficial
The prevalence of iGaming conferences can be viewed positively when considering the growth trajectory of the industry. These events provide valuable exposure for startups, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster collaborations that might not happen otherwise. For industry veterans, they’re an opportunity to reconnect, reassess strategies, and stay informed about the latest trends. For newcomers, conferences offer a way into the industry through educational sessions, networking, and visibility.
Furthermore, the diversity in conference topics allows professionals to choose events that best align with their interests or expertise. The range of events caters to everyone from affiliate marketers and game developers to regulators and financial specialists. The right conference can provide insight into specific challenges or growth areas, helping companies refine their strategies.
Balancing Act: Growth Without Saturation
While it’s clear that iGaming conferences play a crucial role in the industry, there’s an argument to be made for balancing quantity with quality. Some attendees feel that with too many events, resources and attention can become stretched thin. To counteract this, organizers who offer integrated, multi-industry conferences are not only addressing the issue of event overload but are also creating more comprehensive forums that offer greater value and insight. A well-curated, diverse conference can draw higher-quality attendance and provide a richer experience for those participating.
Conclusion
The iGaming conference landscape in 2024 reflects an industry that continues to expand, innovate, and adapt to the demands of a global, interconnected world. While the sheer number of conferences may be daunting to some, the strategic consolidation of industries within these events speaks to a forward-thinking approach by organizers. The trend toward integrated, multi-focus conferences provides an opportunity for even greater collaboration, allowing the industry to continue thriving. As long as these events evolve to meet the needs of their audiences, the iGaming industry stands to benefit immensely from its vibrant and active conference ecosystem.
Conferences in Europe
Aviatrix approved for Sweden take-off
Award-winning crash game Aviatrix has been certified and licensed in Sweden, as it continues its tour of major, regulated European jurisdictions.
As well as being certified, Aviatrix has been granted a B2B licence from the Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen, meaning it can now provide the game to licensed operators in the country.
Anastasia Rimskaya, Chief Account Officer at Aviatrix, said: “We’ve been busy over the last few months gaining the relevant licences and certifications to bring Aviatrix to regulated markets across Europe. Sweden was always a high priority. We know players there appreciate games that provide something a little different, and we’re always looking to innovate. We can’t wait to see players in the country enjoying Aviatrix.”
During Q2 2024, Swedish online gaming revenues reached almost 400 million euros, the highest quarter since records began. The market has quickly become one of the most appealing in Europe.
Operators in Sweden looking to find an edge will now be able to turn to Aviatrix, a unique product that combines a traditional crash game with innovative NFT mechanics.
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