A representative from the Gibraltar Gambling Division, who specialises in sports integrity matters, has attended a high- level workshop hosted jointly by the International Olympic Committee and UEFA at Olympic House in Lausanne Switzerland. The cost of the trip was funded by the international sports governing bodies.

With both the Olympics and the Euros being held later this year, the meeting was an opportunity for all stakeholders, including gambling regulators in a number of jurisdictions (including Gibraltar) to discuss a coordinated strategy to identify suspicious betting activity and to prevent match (competition) fixing on a proactive basis.

In 22/23, the Gambling Division received 42 betting integrity reports from gambling operators, 13 requests for assistance from the Olympic movement Unit of the Prevention of Manipulation of Sports competitions and was involved with a large number of disseminations to domestic and international sports governing bodies (including FIFA and UEFA); as well as engagement with law enforcement authorities.

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Last month, the GFA hosted a UEFA Seminar on match fixing in Gibraltar which was also attended by representatives from the Gambling Division.

Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner Andrew Lyman said: “Sports integrity work and liaising with stakeholders on match fixing is an important, but often unseen part of our work. Operators are obliged to report suspicious activity in this area and the Gambling Division applies its expertise to enhance intelligence and support the lawful flow of information to the appropriate authorities, including sports governing bodies, for further investigation.

“The manipulation of sports competition by spot fixing or match fixing undermines the very essence of fair and unpredictable sporting outcomes. The forthcoming Gambling Bill will introduce a criminal offence of cheating at gambling which will serve to further deter such activity.”

SiGMA Group has announced it has acquired a majority stake in iGaming Academy, which offers vocational and compliance training in over 25 jurisdictions, to more than 60,000 gaming professionals yearly, for an undisclosed figure.

This acquisition is set to greatly complement their current portfolio by embedding various forms of industry education throughout SiGMA’s global event schedule and online network.

Eman Pulis, Founder of the SiGMA Group, said: “The acquisition comes at a perfect time for us. We’ve been working closely with iGaming Academy for many years now. I love what Jaime and the Conexus Group have built and look forward to supporting this growth with new initiatives and a wider offering of educational programs globally. The industry is crying out for more talent and regulatory insight, with new markets continuing to regulate. As a result, we want to be very active in this business.”

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Robert Dowling from Conexus Group said: “Conexus will remain actively involved in the iGaming Academy and our clients will continue to receive the outstanding training they expect from this brand,” said Rob Dowling, CEO of The Conexus Group. “We are confident that this strategic acquisition by SiGMA will allow the iGaming Academy to expand and improve its services offering to better serve the evolving training needs of the iGaming industry.”

Jaime Debono said: “This acquisition marks a major milestone for iGaming Academy – our mission has also been to educate the industry – both on key regulatory compliance topics as well as vocational training for existing and new markets. With the support of SiGMA Group, we will be able to accelerate this strategy through their global event calendar, enrich both training and event content and reach a much wider audience than ever before.”

Vinicius Moraes de Carvalho, Investment Partner at Ikigai Ventures, said: “The acquisition of IGA is another important milestone for SiGMA’s vision. IGA’s extensive training library rounds up our offer of services for the igaming industry by allowing us to be at the forefront of educational and regulatory tools for the market. We have strong confidence in Jaime and his team and are thrilled about the next chapters.”

iGaming Academy will continue to work in their current organisational structure with Jaime Debono remaining as company CEO and continuing to work alongside his team.

The deal will continue to see the management at iGaming Academy at the helm, with SiGMA’s corporate governance and marketing arm supporting the business to go from strength to strength.

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Following the acquisition, the iGaming Academy is setting up an office in Cyprus to build its online offering and content development. In addition, its revenue streams will also be bolstered through new affiliate partner deals. More courses will also be made available in multiple languages, thus meeting the global demand for training.

ProgressPlay, a leading innovator in online casino and sports betting platforms, proudly announces its selection as a finalist in multiple categories for the esteemed EGR B2B Awards. This recognition comes hot on the heels of Marina Nahhas, the Head of Sales and Marketing, being acknowledged as one of the Top 10 Inspiring Leaders in 2024 by Value Icons Magazine.

Last year, the company made significant advancements in responsible gambling with the introduction of new generation proprietary automation and tools, earning another EGR B2B Awards shortlisting this year in the Safer Gambling category.

Earlier this year, ProgressPlay garnered acclaim for its groundbreaking standalone solution and platform technology, earning a spot among the Top 10 Casino Tech Solutions Providers by CIO Applications Europe. The company has further expanded its sports betting offerings with the recent addition of United Kingdom and Irish horse racing to its platform.

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At the heart of ProgressPlay’s recent success is its revolutionary standalone platform, which debuted at ICE in January. This platform empowers casino brands to take full control of their operations while ProgressPlay provides unparalleled technology support. With a focus on AI-driven UI/UX, the platform promises an exceptional user experience across all devices and currencies.

In addition to its extensive game library including slots, live dealer games, poker, table games and sports betting options, ProgressPlay offers value-added services to enrich the offerings for operators and players.

Commenting on the EGR Awards shortlisting, Nahhas remarked: “ProgressPlay is a leading provider of online casino and sports betting platforms, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the iGaming industry, which these EGR B2B shortlistings recognise once again. We will be at SiGMA Asia in Manila to communicate why over 150 online casino and sportsbook brands are already in partnership with us.”

“We are thrilled to be recognised once again by the EGR B2B Awards,” the Chief Executive Officer for ProgressPlay, Itai Loewenstein, said. “Our commitment to innovation and excellence drives us to continually enhance our platform and services, delivering unparalleled value to our partners and players alike and underwritten by the judges each year at the EGR B2B Awards.”

For further information visit www. ProgressPlay. com.

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