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.

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.

Leading supplier awarded gold standard for information security management systems with new accreditation

WA.Technology, the award-winning B2B iGaming solutions provider, has reached a new milestone after being awarded the ISO 27001:2022 certification.

The globally recognised standard outlines the robust requirements that companies must meet for information security management systems (ISMS). The certification offers a comprehensive framework for developing, implementing, and maintaining robust data security practices in an online environment.

Being awarded the ISO 27001:2022 certification reflects WA.Technology’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest possible security controls and data integrity standards across its entire organisation.

The process involved an in-depth analysis of WA.Technology’s information security policies and analysis of the procedures and comprehensive security controls in place to protect the business against potential vulnerabilities. These threats include unauthorised data breaches, sharing of information, and other potential risks.

This is the International Organisation for Standardisation’s (ISO) latest version of the 27001 certification, which features enhanced provisions around emerging information security risks and challenges in the digital landscape, including those related to cloud security, remote working, building access, maintenance of company data, and the utilisation of new technologies. An upgrade from the 2013 certification, ISO 27001:2022 provides online-facing organisations with a clear framework for implementing and managing an effective ISMS to protect confidential information.

Francesca Grech, ISO Coordinator at WA.Technology, celebrated the new certification: “We are delighted to have received the ISO 27001:2022 certification – this is a true reflection of our commitment to upholding the highest standards in information and cyber security and improving our overall risk management and operational efficiency.”

“ISO 27001:2022 is the gold standard for security for any online business; it is no longer a ‘nice to have’ certification but an essential. At WA.Technology, we thoroughly understand the importance of deploying robust security systems across our entire business. This is imperative not only to protect our partners’ information but also to build trust and enhance credibility and confidence too.”