Month: August 2023

Vasilije Lekovic, VP of Gaming at Trustly, discusses its game-changing Pay N Play 2.0 product that has helped to solve the industry’s biggest payment challenges. Launched in the Netherlands this year having already blown its competitors out of the water, Pay N Play 2.0 offers a seamless player onboarding experience in less than three minutes.

Myers takes on the role having served in similar positions with several other charities over the past 12 years.

Previously, Myers led Allergy UK, The Percy Hedley Foundation and The Solicitors Charity. He was also chair of both the Association of Charitable Organisations and The Smallwood Trust.

Myers’ appointment comes after GamCare in June announced Anna Hemmings had stepped down as CEO after five years in the role.

“I am excited to be joining GamCare and supporting our staff and partners in the hugely important work they do,” Myers said. “I look forward to meeting as many staff, service users and partners as possible in the coming weeks.”

GamCare’s chair of trustees Margot Daly added: “I am delighted to welcome D’Arcy to GamCare. His wide-ranging experience will be invaluable for the organisation at a time of great change for this sector.”

Funding support for GamCare

GamCare’s change in leadership comes after the charity earlier this year secured funding for an additional three years.

Provided by GambleAware, the funding enables GamCare to continue running the National Gambling Helpline. GamCare has operated the service for over 25 years and has committed to widening its accessibility for people in need.  

GamCare is also using the funds to improve the digital tools and resources that complement the helpline. In addition, it plans to deliver greater regional services and treatment across London, Yorkshire and Humber, Scotland, the South East, East Midlands and the North East.

Shortly before this, GamCare also announced that Lester Posner and Jas Bindarh were to become new trustees on its board.

Posner is head of communications for the Health and Safety Executive and has over 25 years of experience in the communications industry. Bindarh, a certified chartered accountant and regulatory consultant, has spent most of her career in the corporate and investment banking sector.

Players can self-exclude from gambling for a minimum of three months and for as long as their lifetime. BetStop covers all licensed interactive wagering service providers in Australia, including online and telephone-based operators. 

Operators must block self-excluded players from opening account and cannot accept any bets from these customers. Licensees must also ensure they do not send any marketing materials to those on the register.

In addition, operators are required to promote BetStop including on their websites and apps, as well as in marketing material sent to customers.

BetStop completes National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering

The launch of BetStop has been a long time coming, with plans to launch a register announced in June 2022. Today’s launch is in line with a timetable set out by the government last month. 

BetStop marks the final measure of the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering. Two other measures – consistent gambling messaging and training for wagering staff – came into effect in March.

“The Albanese government is committed to minimising gambling harms for vulnerable Australians,” the minister for communications, Michelle Rowland MP, said. “That’s why I am pleased the national self-exclusion register has officially launched.

“BetStop will change lives for the better, giving Australians most at-risk of gambling harm the support they need to self-exclude from interactive licensed wagering. It is the last of 10 measures to be implemented under the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering.”

ACMA in charge of BetStop

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is overseeing the regulation of BetStop, while the service is being powered by IXUP Limited. To support the launch, ACMA will roll out a public awareness campaign about the register. 

Meanwhile, the government will introduce mandatory customer pre-verification. This will require operators to verify a customer’s identity when they register for an account and before they bet.

It will replace existing requirements to verify a customer’s identity within 72 hours. The change, the government said, strengthens protection for players, including those who are underage or newly registered individuals who have self-excluded through BetStop.

Australia’s wider efforts to combat problem gambling

The new requirement is expected to be in place by the end of September.

Other steps taken by the government include a commitment to ban the use of credit cards for online gambling and to strengthen the classification of gambling-like features in video games such as loot boxes.

In addition, the government has implemented mandatory monthly activity statements. This, it said, allows players to easily see their wins and losses. 

“With the introduction of BetStop, all measures under the National Consumer Protection Framework will be realised, with significant action delivered by our government in just over a year,” the minister for social services, Amanda Rishworth MP, said.

“These measures will help to minimise the harm we see as a result of online gambling. For many people it will change their lives.

“We know minimising the harm caused by online gambling is not a set-and-forget exercise and I look forward to working with my state and territory counterparts on what comes next to continue this positive change.”

The overhaul project is named the Experience Driven Gaming Engine (EDGE) programme.

It focuses on replacing the interactive system that supports Lotto NZ’s MyLotto product, as well as its core gaming system. The core gaming system consists of Lotto NZ’s platforms and retail point-of-sale technology. This technology supports Lotto NZ’s retail products across New Zealand.

Scientific Games’ technology will allow Lotto NZ to add new features to its lottery offering. Lotto NZ said it will help it meet “the predicted increase in digital demand over the next decade”.

Chris Lyman, CEO of Lotto NZ, said that the new system will improve the overall lottery experience for customers.

“This is the right time to invest in a fit-for-purpose system that will set us up for the future, support omnichannel growth and provide New Zealanders the world’s best and safest customer experience,” he said.

Lotto NZ’s current gaming system technology has been in place for 20 years. Lyman added that this system cannot support Lotto NZ’s plans for digital growth alone.

“We are excited about the future of digital, but we also have our roots in a strong technology-based retail network that we will continue to support, initially with an upgrade of our retail terminals and down the track with a programme of in-store modernisation and omnichannel opportunities.”

Improving digital products

Scientific Games’ technology will also support Lotto NZ’s work to integrate and personalise the player experience across its digital offerings.

Michael Conforti, president of International at Scientific Games, said Scientific Games was “honoured” to be chosen as Lotto NZ’s partner.

“Lotto New Zealand is a recognised leader in the global lottery industry and we are honoured to be selected as its partner for this exciting and transformative project,” he said.

“We are committed to a technology implementation that will responsibly drive Lotto New Zealand’s business to the next level and meet its plans for future growth and digital game innovation.”

In a regulatory filing released today (21 August), 888 announced Shay Segev, who was Alexander’s successor at GVC prior to the business’ rebrand to Entain, saw his agreement to provide voting rights to FS Gaming terminated.

Under the initial deal signed between the two, Segev had granted the voting rights attached his 9,063,313 ordinary shares of GBP£0.005 each, or 2.02% of 888’s overall share capital, to FS Gaming.

The investment vehicle retains a 4.55% stake in 888, though its voting block is reduced from 6.57% without Segev’s holding.

FS Gaming’s bid to take charge of 888

The news comes in the wake of FS Gaming’s failed bid to take up key roles at 888. Under the group’s proposal, former GVC chairman Lee Feldman would reprise the same role at the London-listed operator, while Alexander and former GCV director Stephen Morana would take over as CEO and CFO respectively.  

The proposal also would increase FS Gaming’s total stake in 888 beyond the 10% threshold that triggers a change of corporate control, requiring approval from the Gambling Commission.

However, the Commission raised concerns related to an ongoing HRMC investigation into GVC’s historic Turkish operations and alleged misconduct by employees and third-party suppliers.

The HRMC probe prompted the Commission to launch a review of 888’s licence. According to the regulator, it did so after FS Gaming failed to sufficiently address its questions on past conduct.

The 888 board unanimously agreed to terminate discussions with FS Gaming, concluding the takeover bid would put the company’s GB licences “at immediate and significant risk”. Per Widerström now serves as 888’s CEO.

Entain puts £585m aside after DPA negotiations

This month, Entain announced it had put £585m aside following its entrance into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The business said its DPA negotiations are at a point where it had the confidence to calculate the settlement amount, which it expects to pay over a four-year period.

However, Entain emphasised the resolution provides legal cover only to the company. This suggests former GVC executives may still face legal liability for the business’ historic activities in Turkey.

The Fanatics sportsbook features two betting windows, four self-service betting kiosks and seven TV monitors. Consumers can bet on MLB games as well as other major sports such as hockey, basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer and golf.

Progressive Field is located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and has a capacity of more than 38,000.

“We’re very excited to partner with FBG to bring a retail sportsbook location outside Progressive Field,” Guardians’ vice-president of corporate and premium partnerships, Ted Baugh, said. “This will provide our fans a very convenient in-person option to place bets.”

Fanatics retail sportsbook complements online

The retail facility comes after FBG last week launched its online sportsbook in a number of states.

Fanatics’ online sportsbook is live in Maryland, Massachusetts and Tennessee, as well as in Ohio.

The sportsbook includes live scores, plus lines and odds for teams and athletes. Also included are moneyline bets, spread bets, over-unders, player props, live-in-game betting markets and same-game parlays.

“We designed our new location to complement our online sports betting app and usher in a brand-new sports betting experience with the most rewarding online sportsbook in Ohio,” FBG chief business officer, Ari Borod, said.

Expanding network with PointsBet

Both the online and retail launches form part of Fanatics’ wider expansion plans in the US.

In June, shareholders of Australia-based gaming operator PointsBet approved the sale of the business’ US assets to FBG.

Due to complete at the end of August, the $225.0m deal saw FBG purchase the business’ Banarch Technology assets. These were purchased by PointsBet in March 2021.

Once the deal goes through, PointsBet will receive a royalty-free licence to use and develop the technology.

FBG, which currently runs on Amelco’s source code, said it plans to integrate PointsBet’s Banarch tech to “supercharge” its sports betting engine.

Earlier this month, the MGA suspended Green Feather’s B2C Gaming Service Licence in the country. This required Green Feather to cease all operations under the licence.

At the time, the MGA said Green Feather breached several sections of the country’s gaming compliance and enforcement regulations. These mainly related to requirements to submit financial information to the regulator.

However, the MGA has lifted the suspension, highlighting “prompt action and cooperation” from the operator. As such, Green Feather can resume operations under its Malta licence.

The operator runs Bcasino.com, Bcasino.in, Boocasino.com, Boocasino.co, Galacticwins.com and Mrfortune.com via the licence.

Malta clamps down on regulatory breaches

Green Feather is not the only operator to have been contacted by the MGA over breaches of regulations in Malta during recent months.

This month, the MGA also suspended SFJL Holding Limited’s licence over certain breaches in Malta. These included rules related to material changes within the business and a requirement to notify the regulator of these changes.

SFJL remains suspended and cannot carry out gaming operations during the suspension period.

The MGA also cancelled EGMIT Elite Limited’s B2C gaming service licence. EGMIT Elite operates its Elite24bet site via the licence and has had to halt all operations.

The MGA flagged several breaches of the gaming compliance and enforcement regulations. It also filed a police report against the operator and initiated liquidation proceedings.

Octoplay secures new Malta licence 

Amid the suspensions, the MGA has issued a new supplier permit to online casino games developer Octoplay. The Malta licence enables Octoplay to provide its slot games to operators licensed in Malta.

Octoplay’s Malta licence adds to its approval in other key markets such as the UK, Sweden and Romania. 

“Octoplay provides a suite of games that every operator in the industry wants,” Octoplay founder and CEO Carl Ejlertsson said. “We are working hard to ensure we can provide our content to operators in all regulated markets. 

“Securing our Malta licence is a major step forward to achieving this. We look forward to seeing our games land in the lobbies of popular online casino brands in markets across Europe and beyond.”

The charges relate to BlueBet displaying three gambling ads on billboards in Victoria over a fortnight last year. Adverts appeared between 29 August 2022 and 11 September 2022 in the Australian state. 

According to the VGCCC, this was in breach of state laws. The regulator highlighted section 4.7.1 of Victoria’s Gambling Regulation Act 2003, which bans static gambling ads from appearing in certain locations. 

Prohibited sites include on public transport infrastructure, within 150 metres of a school’s perimeter and on or above a public road, road infrastructure or road reserve. 

A single breach of law incurs 120 penalty points, with each unit worth $184.92 at the time of the offence. BlueBet was charged with 43 breaches of this section, meaning its total penalty could be almost $1.0m.

The final figure is subject to the outcome of a court hearing. The VGCCC said it would not comment further until after the court hears the case.

“All wagering service providers advertising in Victoria must comply with relevant legislation,” VGCCC regulatory services director Jason Cremona said. “Where we detect non-compliance – especially non-compliance that can exacerbate gambling harm – we will take a zero-tolerance approach and use all the enforcement powers available to us.  

“We launched our investigation after receiving an online complaint about the billboard advertisements from a member of the public. 

“We encourage all members of the community to use our complaints and tip-off portals to let us know when they believe they have witnessed non-compliant behaviour by gambling providers. The community can rest assured we will act wherever we can.”  

Gambling reform in Victoria 

The announcement comes amid major changes to gambling rules and regulations in the state of Victoria. 

Earlier this month, the VGCCC announced a blanket ban on betting on all under-19 sports competitions. This applies to sporting events where all participants are minors and prohibits betting on the individual performance of athletes aged under 18 playing in senior or junior events.  

This includes wagering on outcomes such as first goal scorer or first wicket taken, when the player is a minor. However, bets can still be made on team outcomes in senior sports when minors are playing.

Victoria last month also announced new reforms aimed at reducing harms from electronic gaming machines.

Changes include mandatory pre-commitment limits, identity verification through carded play, reduced load-up limit, curfews in venues enforced between 4am and 10am and reduced spin speed.

The reforms remain subject to final approval.

The audit office said it intends to do so due to the changing regulatory conditions in the Swedish gambling market that have followed the introduction of new regulation into the sector.

On 1 July 2023, a suite of new regulatory reforms and requirements entered into force. These included the establishment of supplier licences and new enforcement powers for Spelinspektionen. Also the new regulation required gambling operators cooperate with the police on gambling-related crimes.

The audit office highlighted that the goal of Swedish gambling policy is to develop a safe gambling market capable of raising money for good causes while minimising consumer harms and criminal activity. As such it will investigate whether the regulator is currently delivering on its mission in this regard.

The office also said it plans to release more information about the audit, as well as the timing of its report.

How the office will conduct the audit

The investigation into the regulator’s effectiveness will follow international auditing standards. It said it may use qualitive methods such as interviews and document studies. The office said it plans to also use more quantitative approaches such as data analysis and the compiling of statistics.

The audit into the Spelinspektionen’s effectiveness will examine the commitments and results of the state’s activities. The office said the starting point of its review would ensure the state receives an effective exchange for its efforts.

The audit office’s annual plan – which it published in October 2022 – made no reference to an audit into the gambling regulator’s effectiveness at fulfilling its mission.

Sweden’s persistently low channelisation rate

In June, Sweden’s Online Gaming Industry Association (BOS) issued a report outlining how only 77% of the country’s consumers were channelled to regulated and legal offerings, which BOS termed “critically low”.

This compares to the 90% channelisation rate which is the country’s official goal.

Gateway said Santo passed away unexpectedly on 17 August. The operator did not release any further details at this time.

Santo took on the role of CEO at Gateway in October 2013 and also became a director in July 2017. He had announced his intention to retire at the end of 2019 but agreed to stay on to help the business during the pandemic.

During his time as CEO, Santo oversaw a significant expansion of Gateway’s network. This included the acquisition of properties from Playtime Gaming in 2015 and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation in the following year.

As a result of these initiatives, Gateway’s network now features 29 gaming properties across British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

Prior to joining Gateway, Santo held a number of other roles within the gambling industry. These executive positions included with Las Vegas Strip properties such as Bally’s Grand, now known as Horseshoe Las Vegas and in Paris. He also spent time working for Caesars Entertainment.

Santo an iconic leader – Gateway president

“Tony’s mission was to establish Gateway as Canada’s premier entertainment and gaming company,” Gateway president Tolek Strukoff said. “You could often find Tony visiting sites and staff from dawn to dusk connecting about their work, families and lives.

“Tony was an iconic leader in the US and Canada and grew Gateway from a small regional gaming company to one of the largest gaming companies in Canada. However, Tony would say himself he didn’t do it – we did it together.

“Tony was an outstanding leader, colleague and friend and he will be greatly missed. On behalf of all of Gateway’s employees, I extend our deepest sympathies to the entire Santo family.”

iGB would like to pass on its condolences to Tony’s family and friends at this difficult time.