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Compliance Updates

Ensuring Integrity: The Role of Assurance in the Gambling Industry

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1 year ago

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

By Salvador Garcia-Noblejas, Senior Regulatory Assurance Services at ComplianceOne Group

The gambling industry has its origins in the ancient period, and different types of games are found in almost every culture and civilization.

Over the last few years, we have witnessed an immense transformation, clearly boosted by technological developments. Among these changes, online gambling has grown rapidly, and with this new non-face-to-face reality, regulation and regulators have also embraced new ways to protect players, businesses, and the overall economy. Regulators have the responsibility to set the framework of common rules that define what is right and wrong, the means to protect all parties, and the tools that must be used when anyone does not behave as expected.

Assurance in a world of global risks

It would be inaccurate to assume that regulatory assurance’s only goal is to ensure that operators operate in a fair and transparent manner and meet their legal obligations. On the contrary, assurance also includes helping businesses understand the risks involved in the industry where they operate, analysing their strengths and weaknesses, and setting measures to mitigate those risks.

Assurance’s starting point consists of an interview phase where tailor-made questionnaires serve better understanding the reality to each operator and its actual circumstances. Once the assurance assessment is complete, a detailed action plan assists the operator in fixing any identified gaps, improving policies and procedures, and obtaining the maximum financial gain from refining their processes, products, and operations.

As part of the fast transformation of the gambling industry, with competitive new products, platforms, advertisements, and market expansion, we must not forget that bad actors and illegal practices also develop. This is the moment to ask ourselves if we are ready to face whatever can harm our operations. The most efficient way to know is carrying out a thorough audit of policies, procedures, and processes. This approach will certainly save operators from potential harm to their clients, products, brands, and finances.

Audit readiness

Regulators focus on legislation, supervision, and enforcement. All stakeholders must comply with gambling regulations if they want to offer products and services or provide a safe environment to their clients. An important part of the gambling legal system is the fact that the industry is continuously overseen to ensure that all actors adhere to the established rules. At this point, operators need to ask themselves how ready they are to show sufficient evidence that their operations adhere to the law.

Smart operators will choose to comply with as many rules and regulations as their business is capable of, and they will ensure that records are properly kept. Company leadership is essential in ensuring compliance as it contributes to collaboration between departments and having policies and procedures that make the business run within the parameters of the legislation.

Lessons learned

In recent years, some highly publicized enforcement actions, including fines and penalties, license suspension, and revocation, have alerted the whole gambling industry. From such cases, there have been increasing efforts in reviewing processes, improving systems, and growing compliance departments.

Experience in the gambling industry has taught us that it is crucial to have a detailed understanding of the regulations that govern the relationship between operators and players. Where knowledge has been insufficient, inaccurate, or out of date, some business decisions have led to unwanted consequences, sometimes catastrophic ones.

Knowledge, a solid compliance culture, strong procedures, and willingness are the formula to be ready for a regulatory audit.

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André Fufuca Brazil’s Minister of Sport

Brazilian Ministry of Sports and Sportradar Partner to Strengthen Integrity in Sports in Region

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13 hours ago

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May 15, 2025

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The Brazilian Ministry of Sports and Sportradar Group AG formalized a Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT) focused on protecting the integrity of sports betting in the country. The partnership provides for the exchange of information related to the betting market and the implementation of joint initiatives to combat match-fixing.

Sportradar will provide specialized support to the Brazilian Ministry of Sports, including the reporting of potentially suspicious activity detected by its industry-leading Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS). In addition, Sportradar will provide education and training for Ministry of Sports personnel and staff focused on best practices in monitoring, identifying and investigating suspicious activities. The first workshop will be held on May 15 and include the Brazilian Ministry of Finance, a recent partner with whom Sportradar also signed an ACT.

André Fufuca, Brazil’s Minister of Sport, said: “Today we signed a milestone agreement in the fight against match-fixing in Brazilian sports. Integrity must be a constant principle when it comes to transparency, ethics, and, above all, the fairness of sports results. With this agreement, we will have tools to curb this practice and ensure greater transparency in competitions. This way, athletes, clubs, organizations, fans, and the entire population will be able to trust the fairness of the outcomes and, in turn, have the confidence to unlock the full potential of Brazilian sports.”

Andreas Krannich, EVP, Integrity and Regulatory Services, Sportradar said: “Establishing this partnership with the Ministry of Sports is an important milestone in strengthening sports integrity in Brazil. As a global integrity leader, leveraging cutting-edge technology to prevent and combat match-fixing, we believe that protecting competitions requires coordinated action between the public and private sectors. Through this collaboration, Sportradar continues to reaffirm its commitment to a more transparent and safer sports environment for the athletes and all the stakeholders involved in Brazilian sport.

This ACT adds to Sportradar’s growing number of integrity services partnerships in Brazil that include recent agreements signed with the Goiás State Attorney’s Office, the Brazilian Volleyball Confederation (CBV) and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), as well as existing relationships with soccer federations in 17 Brazilian states, creating a strong network focused on protecting the integrity of sport in the country.

The post Brazilian Ministry of Sports and Sportradar Partner to Strengthen Integrity in Sports in Region appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

AOJND and FEDBET to Appoint Expert Task Force to Support ONJN in Combating the Illegal Gambling Market

Published

13 hours ago

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May 15, 2025

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

The Association of Remote Gambling Operators (AOJND) and the Federation of Gambling Organizers (FEDBET) — the two leading representative organizations of the gambling industry in Romania — have announced a joint initiative to form a multidisciplinary team of experts. This team will support the National Gambling Office (ONJN) in efforts to combat the illegal gambling market.

At the same time, both organizations are calling on their members — licensed gambling operators in Romania — as well as the general public, to actively contribute any relevant information that may assist authorities in addressing this issue. To facilitate this, an email address has been created: [email protected], where individuals can report gambling activities carried out without the necessary licenses and authorizations. All reports will be collected, verified, and forwarded promptly to ONJN.

This initiative comes in response to a recent ONJN statement reiterating that it is illegal to directly or indirectly provide services related to gambling to entities lacking a Class I license issued by ONJN, particularly if they offer access to players residing in Romania or to Romanian citizens without tax residency in another country.

“AOJND members are firmly committed to combating the illegal gambling market — a growing phenomenon that harms not only legitimate operators but, more importantly, players, who become vulnerable and unprotected. Our members — licensed operators — are focused on building honest and sustainable businesses, and that begins with ensuring safe conditions for players,” said Odeta Nestor, President of AOJND.

“For FEDBET, eliminating the black market in gambling is a top priority — not just to protect the interests of our members, but to ensure a fair and secure market for all players. Unlicensed operators directly undermine market stability by violating regulations and attracting players into unregulated environments. The consequences are severe: increased player vulnerability, losses to the state budget, and additional fiscal pressure on licensed operators. We fully support the authorities and are committed to using all available resources to identify and report illegal practices,” said Alexandru Domșa, General Director of FEDBET.

Both FEDBET and AOJND emphasize that only through active collaboration between industry stakeholders, authorities, and civil society can Romania maintain a legal, fair, and secure gambling market that provides both consumer protection and regulatory safeguards for society at large.

The black market in gambling presents serious challenges: a complete lack of legal protection for players — especially those in vulnerable groups — tax evasion, disruption of fair competition, and the generation of funds for criminal groups, fueling their influence, corruption, and ultimately leading to the loss of thousands of jobs.

In this spirit, the two organizations remain open to dialogue and cooperation with all relevant stakeholders in support of building a responsible, sustainable, and transparent gambling industry in Romania.

The post AOJND and FEDBET to Appoint Expert Task Force to Support ONJN in Combating the Illegal Gambling Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Andrew Jackson VP Corporate Responsibility for Scientific Games

Scientific Games iLottery Receives National Council on Problem Gambling’s iCAP Ready Accreditation

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15 hours ago

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May 15, 2025

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Scientific Games has achieved the distinguished iCAP Ready supplier accreditation from the National Council on Problem Gambling. The iCAP Ready accreditation, a version of NCPG’s Internet Compliance Assessment Program for suppliers, confirms that the global lottery company meets the gold standard for consumer protection with its iLottery platform and user experience requirements for consistently safe, enjoyable online lottery play.

iCAP is a U.S. accreditation for best practices in online gambling player protection held by only a few U.S. lotteries and suppliers. The assessment, conducted by independent responsible gaming experts, audited a framework of player protection processes, tools, responsible gambling policies and trainings completed by Scientific Games. This included demonstrating to employees that the company remains committed to safer lottery play. NCPG also evaluated Scientific Games’ overall compliance.

“Scientific Games continues to demonstrate leadership in responsible gambling by earning iCAP Ready accreditation,” said Jaime Costello, Director of Programs for the National Council on Problem Gambling. “This accomplishment reflects a thoughtful and proactive approach to player protection, and we commend their commitment to aligning with best practices that support player well-being.”

The company’s digital platform is part of a highly secure technology suite that delivers modern technology and advanced features to support a lottery’s online business. The program’s heart is SG PAM, a secure player account management system for all player account activity and wallet transactions across retail and digital. Other features of the iLottery program include an advanced responsible gaming toolset and Healthy Play program, as well as powerful customer relationship management components.

Andrew Jackson, VP, Corporate Responsibility for Scientific Games, said, “We are honored to achieve this important iCAP supplier accreditation from NCPG. Our government-regulated lottery customers can be assured that Scientific Games’ iLottery platform and solution meet the highest standards in the U.S. for responsible gaming and player protection.”

Scientific Games serves more than 30 lotteries globally with iLottery solutions, including in the U.S., Canada, UK, Denmark, Germany, France and Turkey. Lotteries worldwide use the company’s award-winning Healthy Play program’s tools and research to provide more insight into lottery players and promote ‘lottery literacy’—understanding how lottery games work, the odds of winning, and the minimum age to play.

Since 1972, NCPG has led state and national stakeholders in the development of comprehensive policies and programs for all those affected by problem gambling.

With operations on five continents, Scientific Games provides retail and digital games, technology, analytics and services to 150 lotteries in 50 countries worldwide.

Healthy Play™ and MOMENTUM® are trademarks of Scientific Games. ©2025 Scientific Games, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The post Scientific Games iLottery Receives National Council on Problem Gambling’s iCAP Ready Accreditation appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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