Connect with us
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2024

Compliance Updates

ANJ, the new French gambling regulator is launched

Published

on

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

On Monday 22 June, the members of the ANJ met for the first time around the President, Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin. This first meeting of the ANJ Boardmarks the launch of the new regulator, which is now competent in all segments of the gambling market.

An extended regulatory scope

In 2019, France has amended its legal framework of gambling and its regulation. A new gambling regulatory authority (ANJ) has been set. It follows ARJEL with a significantly extended regulatory scope and enhanced powers.

Advertisement

The ANJ is now responsible for all components of the legal gambling market, both online and offline:

  • online games that ARJEL regulated, such as sports betting and horse racing betting and poker offered by the 14 licensed operators ;
  • all the games of La Française des Jeux or the PMU sold in physical points of sale or online;
  • 228 racecourses;
  • 202 casinos, with the exception of anti-money laundering issues and the integrity of the games offered, which remain under the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

 

While ARJEL regulated 11% of the French gambling legal market, the ANJ now regulates 78%, which represents a market of more than 50 billion euros in bets

 

The foundations for a consolidated regulation are therefore laid to have an overall gambling policy in France under the control of the ANJ. It will be able to implement a complete “toolbox” including preventive, prescriptive and control activities, as well as sanction measures throughout the entire gambling industry.

 

The ANJ missions are structured around four objectives:

Advertisement
  • Prevent excessive or pathological gambling and protect minors;
  • Ensure the integrity, reliability and transparency of gaming;
  • Prevent fraudulent and criminal activities, as well as money laundering and financing of terrorism;
  • Ensure the balanced, fair development of various types of games, in order to avoid any economic destabilisation of the sectors concerned.

 

Enhanced powers

The ANJ has enhanced powers to fulfil its missions, such as the ability to require the withdrawal of a commercial communication involving an inducement to excessive gambling or the ability to carry out on-site controls.Regarding operators under exclusive rights, it authorizes their games offer and it annually approves their games program, their promotional strategy as well as their action plans in the fight against fraud and money laundering on the one hand, prevention of gambling addiction and the protection of minors on the other hand. The ANJ will exercise greater control over these operators in these different fields. ​

The methods of regulation

The ANJ will set up a regulation that combines support and control.

  • In the short term, the ANJ will use pedagogy to explain to economic actors the new rather complex legal framework. It has already planned to bring them together shortly to present their new obligations.
  • It is currently finalising two reference frameworks, one on the prevention of gambling addiction and the protection of minors and the other on the fight against fraud, money laundering and the financing of terrorism. These new compliance tools will be submitted for consultation with the stakeholders concerned in order to develop standards that are as close as possible to the sectoral realities and to secure their practices.
  • It will also ensure compliance with the obligations of the law, which implies a credible and appropriate control strategy, and even sanctions for the most serious breaches. In this respect, it will sign an agreement with the Race and Gaming Central Service of the Ministry of Home Affairs for on-site inspections in points of sale and casinos.

Protecting players: a priority for the ANJ

In France, one person out of two is a gambler. Problem gamblers are estimated around 1,2 million. So, preventing excessive or pathological gambling is a public health issue to which the ANJ attaches the utmost importance.

Advertisement

The ANJ will place the players at the heart of the regulation. For that to be real and effective, the ANJ will be as close as possible to the gambling experience and the uses of the players, by articulating its action around the three fronts: information, service and capitalization on the collective intelligence of the players.

The transfer of the management of the file of banned players from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the ANJ starting from September will be an opportunity to make players more responsible. Indeed, the ANJ will propose a new registration process and a real tool for self-protection and control of the game, faster and less guilt-ridden. Concretely, a motivational interview with the ANJ staff will be carried out with the players in order to direct them, if necessary, to health-care professionals.

For Isabelle FALQUE-PIERROTIN, Chairwoman of the ANJ: “The ANJ is not an enlarged ARJEL, it is a new project that requires rethinking regulation. It has to adapt its intervention to monopolies (FDJ and PMU) and to players gambling mostly anonymously in points of sale. I would like to set up a regulation that combines support and control in order to better serve and protect players”.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Compliance Updates

Wisconsin Division of Gaming Awards Genius Sports Sports Betting Contractor License

Published

on

wisconsin-division-of-gaming-awards-genius-sports-sports-betting-contractor-license

 

Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, announced that it has been certified by the State of Wisconsin Division of Gaming as a gaming-related contractor with immediate effect.

With the addition of Wisconsin, Genius Sports now holds 50 licenses or equivalent, or is otherwise permitted to operate, in North America across the U.S. states, territories, tribes and Canada powering award-winning official data, streaming, and marketing solutions for leading sportsbooks and lotteries.

“We are honored that the State of Wisconsin Division of Gaming has authorized Genius Sports to provide state-licensed sportsbooks with access to our groundbreaking NFL products and media solutions. As the majority of U.S. states legalize sports betting, Genius Sports welcomes the opportunity to work with states like Wisconsin, on providing sports fans with our exclusive official NFL sports data-powered solutions for betting,” Mark Locke, CEO of Genius Sports, said.

Continue Reading

Balkans

Bulgarian National Revenue Agency, the State Agency for National Security and the Gambling Operators Join Forces Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing

Published

on

bulgarian-national-revenue-agency,-the-state-agency-for-national-security-and-the-gambling-operators-join-forces-against-money-laundering-and-terrorist-financing
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

The Bulgarian National Revenue Agency, the Specialised Administrative Directorate “Financial Intelligence” of the State Agency for National Security and branch organisations of the organisers of gambling operators will join efforts against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. This became clear during a working meeting, which took place on March 20 at the invitation of the Director General of the National Revenue Agency Rumen Spetsov, and his deputy Georgy Dimov.

The participants discussed the possibilities for the branch organisations of gambling operators to monitor the implementation of measures against money laundering and the financing of terrorism by their members. The talks also discussed changes in normative and sub-normative acts regulating the activity in the sector, which would lead to better accountability and guaranteed protection of the public interest.

During the meeting, it was decided that representatives of the National Revenue Agency would discuss with the branch gambling organisations issues related to the implementation of normative and sub-normative acts, providing guidelines for the correct fulfilment of obligations by gambling operators.

Advertisement

“The National Revenue Agency is partner-oriented and is available to assist businesses in fulfilling their obligations by the current legislation. We highly value the commitment of industry gambling organizations in the prevention and effective fight against money laundering and terrorist financing,” said Rumen Spetsov – Director General of the National Revenue Agency.

The post Bulgarian National Revenue Agency, the State Agency for National Security and the Gambling Operators Join Forces Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Brazil

GLI® First Lab to Achieve Accreditation by the Secretaria De Prêmios e Apostas to Certify Betting Systems, Live Game Studios, and Online Games to be used by Fixed-odds Lottery Operators for Brazil

Published

on

gli-first-lab-to-achieve-accreditation-by-the-secretaria-de-premios-e-apostas-to-certify-betting-systems,-live-game-studios,-and-online-games-to-be-used-by-fixed-odds-lottery-operators-for-brazil

 

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) has become the first laboratory to achieve accreditation to certify for betting systems, live game studios, and online games to be used by fixed-odds lottery operators by the Secretaria De Prêmios e Apostas (SPA) in Brazil.

The accreditation means GLI is authorized to test and certify equipment, programs, instruments, and devices that comprise betting systems, live game studios, and online games to be used by fixed-odds lottery operators for the recently enacted national regulatory regime of Brazil.

“We commend the outstanding work that SPA has done in creating a regulatory framework by adapting global best practices to their jurisdiction need and thank them for the transparency and professionalism of this laboratory accreditation process,” said Karen Sierra-Hughes, GLI Vice President for Latin America, Caribbean, and Spain. “We are grateful for the trust put in our work by Brazilian operators and suppliers in the past years in their self-regulatory efforts to voluntarily adhere to compliance processes, which puts them in the position to transition effortlessly to the rise of regulations that are in development today. We have witnessed the efforts that the government and the industry had made throughout all these years to regulate different forms of gaming and lottery, and we feel fortunate to have been part of it while sharing our global expertise and putting the local focus needed in providing support customized to the Brazil culture and particularities of this unique market. We are looking forward to being part of this very exciting time in Brazil and now finally also as an official accredited laboratory for this great country.”

GLI has been working with regulators, lotteries, and industry stakeholders across the Latin American and Caribbean region for more than 26 years in their efforts towards regulation, sustainable growth, and eradicating illegal gaming. In Brazil, GLI has been side by side with government entities and all industry stakeholders for nearly 20 years, participating in public hearings in the Senate, Chamber of Deputies, and State government level, and in recent years, adding strategic local representation to strengthen their local support.

Advertisement

This milestone is the latest for GLI in Latin America. Last month, GLI became the first lab to achieve accreditation to test online gaming, wagering, and retail sports betting in Peru. Last year in Brazil, GLI was the first lab authorized to test and certify for the Lottery of Parana LOTTOPAR, and GLI will become accredited in all states where laboratory accreditation will be required in Brazil.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Offering comprehensive coverage on all aspects of the gaming sector, our daily posts include online and land-based gaming, betting, esports, regulatory and compliance updates, and technological advancements. Regular features encompass daily news articles, press releases, exclusive interviews, and insightful event reports.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Gaming News Room is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania