SBC News - Player Protection Hub

Spelinspektionen fines Hacksaw and Panda Bluemoon for black market clients

CasinoBeatsMay 28, 20240328 views

The Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen, has handed warnings and sanction fees to Hacksaw Studios and Panda Bluemoon for providing gaming software to operators who don’t hold a Swedish licence.

Sweden’s Administrative Court has also annulled an injunction made by the authority in July 2023 against Zimpler AB as it has determined that the authority has no basis for issuing such an injunction.

Hacksaw Studios

Regarding Hacksaw Studios, Spelinspektionen has stated that the provider supplied gaming software to operators who didn’t have a Swedish licence and will therefore receive a warning and a SEK 2.6m (€226,300) sanction fee.

The authority mentioned that an inspection took place on January 10, 2024, of several websites run by companies that don’t have a licence to operate in the country. Hacksaw Studios was found to be a games supplier for two of the websites investigated, so an inspection into the supplier was initiated.

Within the authority’s decision, it is noted that H..

Montenegro gambling in turmoil as e-payments ban is authorised

SBC NewsMay 28, 20240388 views

The government of Montenegro has been urged to explain why it has authorised amendments to impose a ban on electronic payments services for gambling.

Conflicts arise in the Balkans nation as the government has confirmed that it will “enact amendments to Gambling Laws” that will prohibit the use of modern payment systems for gambling.

The controversial amendments contravene EU competition rules by blocking e-banking, IPS, and mobile payment services such as PayPal and Apple Pay.

Controversy surrounds the government of Montenegro’s action plan to strengthen its anti-money-laundering (AML) compliance framework to meet the concerns outlined by MONEYVAL, the financial intelligence monitoring body of the Council of Europe.

Montenegro had been advised to “step up efforts to investigate and effectively prosecute money laundering and strengthen the supervision of high-risk non-financial businesses and professions”.

In response, the Ministry of Finance recommended imposing amendments to Art..

BOS rejects technical terms of credit ban on Swedish gambling

SBC NewsMay 24, 20240298 views

Branschföreningen för Onlinespel (BOS), Sweden’s online gambling trade association, has urged the government to rethink the framework applied to its comprehensive ban on gambling on credit.

The measure proposed by the Ministry of Finance will see Sweden adopt an outright ban on all forms of credit applied to gambling transactions.

Current laws prohibit all licensed operators from processing credit card transactions, as specified by the Gaming Act of 2018, the legislative framework which re-launched Sweden’s gambling market.

Yet amendments endorsed by the Ministry of Finance have proposed that an outright ban on all forms of credit-funded payments be applied to Swedish gambling.

As such, beyond credit card transactions, licensed operators would no longer be able to process any credit-based funds such as personal loans, deferred payments, and overdrafts.

The comprehensive ban on credit transactions forms part of a package of measures proposed by the Ministry, which called for greate..

Belgium introduces player protection duties and raises minimum gambling age to 21

Steve HoareMay 23, 20240311 views

Belgium has introduced a list of changes to its 1999 Gambling Act, the majority of which are expected to come into force starting June. Officially published in the Belgian State Gazette, the amendments aim to introduce a stricter gambling regime to the country with the goal of protecting players susceptible to gambling harm. As reported by casinonieuws.nl,…

IDnow: VideoIdent Flex applies human touch to detect KYC blindspots

SBC NewsMay 23, 20240272 views

In April, IDnow, a provider of customised ID verification and KYC systems for high-risk sectors, launched its VideoIdent Flex solution in the UK.

Engineered in Munich, VideoIdent Flex is an enhanced video-led customer verification solution providing clients with built-in AI modules to gauge biometric features of customers. The solution aims to “reduce rising fraud attempts, increase inclusivity, and tackle an array of complex online verification scenarios while offering a high-end service experience to end customers.”

Roger Redfearn-Tyrzyk
Roger Redfearn-Tyrzyk, Vice President of Global Gaming at IDnow, shared insights with SBC on how VideoIdent Flex will set new standards in KYC by helping customers overcome future compliance challenges and threats.

Video identification remains the most comprehensive method for customer verification. “However, to date, systems delivered to market have been cumbersome to integrate as part of the customer experience.”

As such, VideoIdent Flex leve..

Nelson Mullins becomes first law firm to join NCPG

SBC AmericasMay 22, 20240279 views

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough has become the first law firm to join the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).

The firm has a Gaming Industry Group (GIG), comprised of nearly 40 attorneys, which represents gaming operators and service providers across the U.S. The GIG also has a subcommittee focused on responsible gambling and led by Senior Associate Joshua Kirschner, who is a former VP of legal affairs at daily fantasy sports giant PrizePicks.

According to the chair of the GIG, Katherine Baker, the partnership will enhance the firm’s ability to “advise on best practices for responsible gaming” and strengthen its “clients’ positions and future outlooks” in the gaming industry.

“Our Gaming Group at Nelson Mullins prides itself on being a market leader across all aspects of gaming,” added Baker. “With the proliferation of gambling across the United States, it is more important than ever to have a seat at the table and connect with other members on the most pressing issues o..

Operators’ no-show provokes Massachusetts regulator’s fury

SBC AmericasMay 22, 20240268 views

Operators surprised disappointed and, in their own words, even angered the five commissioners of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) when they bowed out of a scheduled public roundtable on the topic of limiting bettors.

Bally’s lone operator to appear on MGC roundtable

Bally’s was the only operator to take part in the debate, sending Director of Compliance Justin Black as a representative. He was unable to comment on the practices of the company’s platform provider, Kambi, when it came to pricing, but did assure the commissioners that any regulation limiting the pricing options of operators would result in a more negative overall experience for all of the operator’s customers when Bally Bet does launch in the state later this year.

The other panelists who did attend included industry consultants Dustin Gouker and Brianne Doura-Schawol as well as professional bettor Captain Jack Andrews (pseudonym) and the MGC’s own Director of Research and Responsible Gambling Mark Vander Lind..

MGA revokes TipBet licence with immediate effect

SBC NewsMay 21, 20240316 views

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has revoked the licence of TipBet Limited with immediate effect.

On 20 May, the MGA cancelled the licence authorisation of TipBet Limited, reference MGA/B2C/303/2015.

Founded in 1995, TipBet is one of the oldest online sports betting firms, with its headquarters in Gzira, Malta. TipBet operates as a pan-European operator with a presence in the markets of Germany, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Croatia.

The Authority used Section 9 of Malta’s Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations to authorise the cancellation of TipBet’s licence.

The MGA’s order cited numerous Section 9 infringements as TipBet failed to comply with several regulatory obligations and discharge financial commitments of its operations.

The Authority believed that ‘failure of the operator was imminent’. TipBet also failed to meet commitments to players in a timely manner and did not pay amounts due to the Authority on time. The Authority determined that there was material and suffici..

Cordish President claims igaming cannibalisation rate of 15 to 23 per cent

CasinoBeatsMay 20, 20240337 views

At SBC Summit North America, Cordish Gaming Group President Rob Norton spoke with Sue Schneider, VP of Growth and Strategy for the Americas at SBC, during a fireside chat about several topics, including the relationship between igaming and land-based casinos. Written by Jessica Welman, this article was first published on SBC Americas.

To some in the industry, Rob Norton is an obstructionist. The president of Cordish Gaming’s stance against igaming legislation in states like Maryland has some in the business, like BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt, taking swipes at him.

During a fireside chat with SBC’s VP of Growth and Strategy for the Americas Sue Schneider, Norton elaborated on his gaming stance, including how it has changed over the years.

In favour of igaming at one point

“I was very pro igaming at one point in my career, and not so long ago honestly. But as as time has gone on and we’ve started to see the results of states that have brought on casino, and even as mobile sports bettin..

DGOJ opens dialogue on common data registry for Spanish gambling

SBC NewsMay 20, 20240326 views

DGOJ, Spain’s General Directorate of Gambling, has started discussions on data administration policies and practices needed to establish a ‘common data registry’ for gambling information.

The discussions on the framework to set up a centralised registry for customer data from all gambling operators licensed in Spain began on 16 May 2024.

Director General Mikel Arana led the initial proceedings, hosting the Sectoral Commission, the advisory body for Spain’s General Assembly on policy-making and the development of federal projects and directives.

The command to establish a common data registry was approved by the General Assembly in March 2023 as part of The Decree on Responsible Gambling Environments.

The registry is recognised as the central mechanism for how the DGOJ will implement its new regulatory approach to monitor the activities of gambling licensees, their conduct, and engagement with customers.

New compliance duties will require Spanish gambling operators to monitor and k..