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Compliance Updates

VIXIO GamblingCompliance announces 2020 Global Regulatory Awards shortlist

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VIXIO GamblingCompliance announces 2020 Global Regulatory Awards shortlist

Today, VIXIO GamblingCompliance unveiled the shortlist for their Global Regulatory Awards (GRA).  Now in their fourth year, the VIXIO GRAs recognise and celebrate the achievements of individuals, teams and businesses who have excelled in the field of compliance, corporate social responsibility and responsible gambling over the course of the year.

This year’s shortlist showcases a host of progressive businesses, all who have demonstrated their ability to adapt to an increasingly complex regulatory environment, to innovate, and embrace safer gambling.

Mike Woolfrey, CEO, VIXIO, said “This year has been one of the most competitive years yet, with the judges having to consider hundreds of entries to shortlist finalists across 18 categories. Every year the standard gets higher as the industry moves to an ever-greater culture of compliance. Our judging process is extremely rigorous and the awards are hotly contested, so being shortlisted is a highly significant achievement. Whilst this year we are disappointed we won’t be able to host our black-tie gala dinner, we are looking forward to announcing the winners at our virtual event, which everyone can join to celebrate the industry’s achievements”.

Robert Chvatal, CEO, SAZKA Group, said: “Congratulations to all those shortlisted. The operational excellence, innovation and commitment to drive up standards demonstrated by those shortlisted is a really positive sign for the future of the industry. We are delighted to be partnering with VIXIO GamblingCompliance on these hugely important awards and we look forward to seeing who emerges as winners on 29 October”

Due to on-going safety concerns around COVID-19, this year’s presentation of the 2020 VIXIO Global Regulatory Award winners will take place via an online live stream, broadcast globally on 29, October at 16:00 GMT.  To find out more, including how to register, go to: gamblingcomplianceawards.com

Award for Commitment to Compliance by An Affiliate Company

  • AskGamblers

  • Better Collective

  • Bojoko

  • Gambling.com Group

  • iBet Directory

  • Little Star Media

Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to Responsible Gambling

  • Amina Norgosanow, Videslots

  • David Caruana, Kindred Group

  • Jon Duffy, Genting Casino UK

  • Stefania Colombo, IGT

Best Regulatory Lawyer or Law Firm of the Year

  • CMS

  • Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

  • Greenberg Traurig, LLP

  • Herzog Fox & Neeman

  • Mishcon de Reya Betting & Gaming Group

  • Pinsent Masons LLP

  • Tommaso di Chio, Kambi

  • WH Partners

Best Regulatory Lawyer or Law Firm of the Year

  • Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

  • Greenberg Traurig, LLP

  • Paul Hasting LLP

Chief Compliance Officer of the Year

  • Jon Duffy, Genting Casinos UK

  • Ori Monheit, Skywind Group

  • Sissel Weitzhandler, Play’n GO

  • Yurri Shevchuk, Parimatch

Chief Executive Officer of the Year

  • David Briggs, GeoComply

  • Giovanni Garrisi, Stanleybet Group

  • Phil Horne, Scientific Games UK

  • Sergey Portnov, Parimatch

Compliance Innovator or Innovation of the Year

  • BetConstruct

  • Gamalyze, Mindway AI

  • Genesis Global Limited

  • Location Validator App, GeoGuard

  • GiG Comply

  • Stoiximan / Betano Group

Compliance Officer of the Year

  • Adam Torres, San Manuel Tribal Gaming Commission

  • Emma O’Neil, Sky Betting & Gaming

  • Ewout Wierda, VideoSlots

  • Jennifer Aguiar, DraftKings

  • Keith Caruana, Play’n GO

  • Mark Halstead, iSoftBet

Compliance Outstanding Achievement Award

  • iSoftBet

  • Kindred Group

  • Paysafe Group

  • Skywind Group

Award for Commitment to Compliance by An Affiliate Company

  • IGT Compliance Team

  • iSoftBet Compliance Team

  • NOVOMATIC AG Compliance Team

  • Paysafe Group Compliance Team

  • People’s Postcode Lottery Compliance Team

  • Play’n GO Compliance Team

  • Playtech Compliance Team

  • Sky Betting and Gaming Compliance Team

Head of AML/MLRO or AML Team of the Year

  • Anti-Fraud Legal and Compliance Team, Estoril Sol Digital

  • AML Team, Genting Casinos UK

  • Group Compliance Team, Paysafe Group

  • Jonathan Galea, VideoSlots

Head of Regulatory Affairs/Government Relations

  • Jon Duffy, Genting Casinos UK

  • Kimberley Broad, Microgaming

  • Lindsay Slader, GeoComply

  • Malcolm Fleming, People’s Postcode Lottery

  • Martin Lycka, GVC Group

  • Pablo Espuela, Luckia Games

  • Sabine Stoppel, NOVOMATIC AG

In-House Counsel/Legal Team of the Year

  • Andrei Andronic, Playson

  • GVC Group Legal Team

  • Nicole Metzgar-Schall, Sportradar

  • NOVOMATIC AG Legal Team

  • Riva Richard, Pollard Banknote Limited

  • Skywind Group Legal Team

  • William Hill Group Legal Team

In-House Counsel/Legal Team of the Year

  • ECOMMPAY

  • Passport Technology

  • Paysafe Group

  • LexisNexis Risk Solutions

  • Trustly

  • Worldpay

RegTech Provider of the Year

  • GeoComply

  • IDnow

  • iovation

  • SBTech

  • Trulioo

  • w2 Global Data

Responsible Approach to Advertising Award

  • 32 Red / Kindred Group

  • Catena Media

  • NetBet Enterprises

  • Stoiximan / Betano Group

  • William Hill

Rising Star Award

  • Denisa Bialá, Play’n GO

  • Erica Okerberg, Greenberg Traurig, LLP

  • Esther Scheepers, Kindred Group

  • Hayley Doherty, Sky Betting & Gaming

  • Joonas Karhu, Bojoko

  • Melissa Shuba, BMM Testlabs

  • Zlatan Omerspahić, Nsoft

Compliance Lifetime Achievement Special Award

  • To be announced

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Crime Still Dominates U.S. Online Gambling – Legalization Increases Total Losses by 261%, Warns CFG

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The Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG) releases a supplement to its USA National Online Gambling Report 2024 which exposed that illegal online gambling takes 74% of total gross gambling revenue (GGR) in America. Commissioned by CFG and produced by online market intelligence platform, Yield Sec, the supplement analyzes all 50 states according to their regulatory status and shows that state legalization of online gambling – without the reduction and removal of illegal online gambling – increases total losses for American consumers by up to 261%.

The supplement groups US states into one of three regulatory realities:

• States with no legal online gambling (e.g. California, Texas)

• States with one form of legal online gambling – sports betting (e.g. New York, Florida)

• States with all forms of legal online gambling – sports betting and casino (e.g. Michigan, New Jersey).

The CFG State Supplement #1 demonstrates the effect of GGR per capita (the total marketplace value for legal and illegal online gambling divided by population) as a percentage of average income 2024 to further illustrate the burden across American consumers:

Total online GGR (Legal + Illegal) per capita as a percentage of income:

– USA National: GGR per capita is 0.62% of average income

– States with no legal online sports betting or casino (e.g. California, Texas): GGR per capita is 0.31% of average income

– States with legal online sports betting only (e.g. New York, Florida): GGR per capita is 0.77% of average income

– States with both legal online sports betting and casino (e.g. Michigan, New Jersey): GGR per capita is 1.12% of average income.

The supplement data makes clear that legalization of online gambling, without enforcement against illegal online gambling, increases the total loss and harm. When states legalize online sports betting only, GGR per capita as a percentage of income increases by 148% (from 0.31% to 0.77%). When both online sports betting and casino are legalized, it jumps by 261% (from 0.31% to 1.12%). If legalization truly replaced illegal gambling, the dominance of illegal gambling would diminish – but, the reality is that this is not a zero-sum game.

“Ohio is the alarm bell America needs to hear. Just one year after legalizing online sports betting in 2023, losses for Ohioans had already reached 1.33% of average income per capita to online gambling – the heaviest burden in the country, and more than twice the national average. Across the US, we’re not seeing illegal gambling being replaced, we’re simply seeing total consumer losses grow. In states with full legalization, losses are now 261% higher than where there’s no legal online gambling at all. This isn’t progress, it’s escalation,” states Derek Webb, Founder of CFG.

Ismail Vali, founder and CEO of Yield Sec, added: “Yield Sec surveillance shows that the legal industry is being undermined at every turn by criminal competitors who offer greater value, bigger bonuses, and lower barriers, since they pay no tax, no licensing and exploit all forms of regulation in the absence of sincere monitoring, policing and enforcement against them.

“It is a vicious cycle: failing to deal with crime causes loss from theft. Across the country, legalization without enforcement against illegal operators, only gives criminals another edge. The outcome is predictable: legal revenue collapses, tax income shrinks, and criminals walk away with hundreds of millions. If states want to make the money they should, enforcement against crime must come first and always – to reduce and remove illegal gambling’s appeal and availability.”

The post Crime Still Dominates U.S. Online Gambling – Legalization Increases Total Losses by 261%, Warns CFG appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

DraftKings to Introduce Transaction Fee in Illinois

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In response to the recent and prior sports wagering tax increases passed by the Illinois state legislature on all mobile and online sports wagers placed with licensed operators, DraftKings Inc. announced that it will implement a 50-cent transaction fee on all mobile and online bets placed in Illinois through DraftKings Sportsbook, effective September 1, 2025.

“Illinois has been an important part of our growth, and we’re proud to have contributed meaningfully to the state through tax revenue, job creation, and a sustained investment in responsible gaming tools and resources. We are disappointed that Illinois policymakers have chosen to more than triple our tax rate over the past two years, and we are very concerned about what this will do to the legal, regulated industry. Meanwhile, Illinois continues to fuel the rapidly growing illegal industry, which pays no taxes or fees and provides none of the consumer protections that regulated operators offer,” said Jason Robins, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of DraftKings.

The post DraftKings to Introduce Transaction Fee in Illinois appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Uganda: National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board and Uganda Police- Rwizi Region Deepen Ties in Enforcing the Gaming Law

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The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) recently held a high-level stakeholder engagement with the Uganda Police Force Officials in Rwizi Region. The engagement, hosted at Lake View Hotel in Mbarara on May 27, 2025, brought together District Police Commanders (DPCs), Officers in Charge of Criminal Investigations (OCIDs), local leaders, the media and other technical stakeholders from across the region.

The engagement focused on aligning enforcement strategies, enhancing compliance and deepening the understanding of Uganda’s gaming laws under the Lotteries and Gaming Act, Cap 334. In his opening remarks, NLGRB CEO Mr. Denis Mudene emphasized the strategic collaboration between the Board and the Uganda Police Force in enforcing gaming law to protect citizens, end underage gaming and maintain public order.

“Gaming is not a money-making venture. It is a leisure activity or entertainment, and we encourage only those of legal age to participate responsibly,” Mr. Mudene said.

Mr. Mudene raised concerns over the growing trend of children using parents’ phones to gamble online. He warned parents against registering SIM cards under their names and passing them on to minors, as this facilitates undetected underage gambling.

“93% of gambling happens online, mostly by corporates. However, when a phone registered in a parent’s name is used by a 15-year-old, they pass all verification checks,” he explained, urging responsible digital parenting.

In response, the Mbarara City Mayor, Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, commended the Board’s efforts in bringing regulatory oversight closer to communities. He raised alarm over the prevalence of unlicensed betting operations and children misusing school fees or resorting to theft to fund gambling.

“As you enforce the law against illegal operators as well as those with minors in their betting shops, remind them of what the law says and apprehend them. This sets an example to those who think they can break the law and get away with it.”

The Deputy Regional Police Commander Rwizi Region, Senior Superintendent of Police Bosco Bakashaba, reaffirmed the Uganda Police Force’s commitment to upholding the law in partnership with the NLGRB.

“We shall offer total support to reduce offenses and illegal operations. Gaming houses that admit underage individuals or operate without licenses, especially in villages, will face legal consequences,” SSP Bakashaba asserted.

He pointed out that crime intelligence and informants are key tools in detecting and shutting down illegal slot machines and unauthorised betting centres.

“Gaming is like a razorblade, used correctly, it’s useful. Used wrongly, it causes harm,” he concluded.

The post Uganda: National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board and Uganda Police- Rwizi Region Deepen Ties in Enforcing the Gaming Law appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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