Compliance Updates
Regulator-Issued Sanctions to Gambling companies in Q1 2021 Exceed First Half Total of 2020
A New report from gambling compliance tracker website GamblingIndustryfines.com has tracked over £24m / $33m in gaming operator fines for the first quarter of the year.
The report shows that European and UK gambling regulators Issued more fines to gambling companies in the first quarter of 2021 than they levied in the first half of 2020
Between them, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) and the Netherlands’ Kansspelautoriteit issued sanctions to thirteen online and land-based gambling operators in Q1 of 2021 – which included financial penalties and warnings.
The largest financial sanctions so far in 2021 came in March when the UKGC fined online casino firm Casumo £6,000,000 ($8.2M) for breaching anti-money laundering rules and failing to ensure that players were gambling responsibly.
Gambling companies hit by regulatory settlements included White Hat Gaming, Virtual Coin Gaming, Hajper Ltd, ComeOn Sweden, Casinostugan, Hillside Sports, Clockfair, Shaftesbury Casino, Les Croupiers Casino, Double Diamond Gaming.
Key failings by gambling companies fined in 2021 included:
- Anti money-laundering failings
- Social responsibility failing
- For Offering Odds on a Match Featuring Underage Players
- Offering bonuses in breach of local gaming laws
- Failure to prevent Overspending & placing limits on accounts
- Operating unlicensed domains
- failing in identifying customers at risk of gambling related harm
- Not having appropriate Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures.
The increase in fines & gambling-industry regulations worldwide by governments and regulators could make 2021 a record-breaking year for compliance-related gambling industry fines.
To view detailed information for all fines issued to gambling companies in Q1 2020, see the full Q1 2021 report at Gamblingindustryfines.com.
Compliance Updates
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.
Balkans
Bulgarian National Revenue Agency, the State Agency for National Security and the Gambling Operators Join Forces Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
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.
“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.
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
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.
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.
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