Compliance Updates
JOA Group Becomes the First French Operator to Meet the ECA’s Responsible Gambling Framework Criteria
France-based casino operator, JOA Group, has achieved certification according to the ECA Responsible Gambling Framework following an independent audit conducted by Pieter Remmers, Chairman of the Board of G4 (Global Gambling Guidance Group). Certification of its 33 casino estate ensures that JOA is operating in adherence with the latest standards in Responsible Gambling upheld by the licensed land-based casinos industry in Europe.
“Compliance strengthens the confidence of our customers in our business. It also contributes to the positive image of our industry and that of our company, as the first French group certified at a European level,” Pauline Boyer Martin, Chief Marketing Officer at JOA Group, said.
Seeking to achieve the goals set forth within the framework, JOA realised it needed to take its own responsible gambling action plans to a new level.
“We have put in place e-learning for 100 per cent of the front and back-office teams and we have also implemented training in regards to responsible alcohol policy. The process is very comprehensive and involves participation from the entire company to meet the certification goals. Many different teams have been working on the process: the gaming division of course, but also the digital department, HR, the communication teams, the GMs, the compliance team, etc. Certification requires that we consider the customer journey from a new perspective to ensure we offer the best protection to the players who choose to visit our land-based casinos,” Pauline Boyer Martin said.
JOA joins an ever-increasing list of ECA members currently certified according to the Responsible Gambling Framework 2018, which includes Casino Cosmopol (Sweden), Casino 2000 (Luxembourg), Spielbanken Niedersachsen, Spielbanken Baden-Württemberg and Spielbanken Sachsen Anhalt (Germany) Holland Casino, Casinos Austria and the Veikkaus casinos in Tampere and Helsinki, with several other leading operators currently undergoing the process of certification.
“The continued adoption of the ECA’s Responsible Gambling Framework by our members is a source of pride for the whole land-based gaming sector in Europe. Upholding the highest levels of responsible gambling practices and ensuring our guests experience only the best customers service combined with leading player protection principles is a goal for all members of the association. We congratulate JOA Group for participating in the process and achieving certification,” Per Jaldung, Chairman of the ECA, said.
Laurent Lassiaz, President and CEO, JOA Group and ECA board member, has been closely involved in the JOA process of certification.
“For me, it is key for the future of our industry that 100 per cent of members adopt the standards because we need to move the lines and show that our industry is virtuous and clean, which is not always the feeling in the general opinion. We must act for the better, for the future,” Laurent Lassiaz said.
The ECA communicates the views of its members across a wide range of industry critical topics, including anti-money laundering policy, anti-corruption and the fight against illegal gaming. Included within this remit is the responsibility of all land-based operators to ensure player protection is maintained to the highest possible standards.
“For JOA, playing is a relaxation and must remain a pleasure. The achievement of this certification, a seal of excellence, is a source of great satisfaction for all JOA Group employees, because it confirms the relevance and soundness of our years-old practices in responsible gaming. It recognises all the efforts that are invested in it. This certification is a reflection of who JOA is: an innovative and responsible operator. The certification process represents a tremendous amount of work, investment and enthusiasm on the part of the teams, which I am sure will be very proud that JOA is the first French casino operator to obtain this certification at European level,” Pauline Boyer-Martin said.
The main criteria of the ECA Responsible Gambling Framework covers the following topics:
- Employee Training
- Player Education
- Entrance Policies
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Advertising and Marketing
- Research and Awareness
Compliance Updates
BGaming Secures Swedish License

Rapidly expanding content provider continues European expansion with landmark Swedish license
Popular iGaming content provider BGaming is proud to announce it has been granted a license by the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen), marking a significant milestone in its ongoing European expansion.
The B2B license has been issued under the Decision of the Swedish Gambling Authority. It allows BGaming to provide its innovative portfolio of certified games to licensed operators in Sweden.
For the first time, players in Sweden will be able to enjoy BGaming’s exciting game catalogue. This includes popular titles like Merge Up and Aztec Clusters, as well as any new and exciting games that hit the market.
This entry into the Swedish market is a significant step forward in BGaming’s ongoing expansion. The Swedish market is renowned for its high standards of player protection and robust regulatory framework. It is also home to some of the most respected operators in the industry, creating a wealth of opportunities for BGaming.
BGaming’s Head of Legal & Compliance, Antanina Ivanova, said: “Securing approval to enter Sweden marks a significant milestone for us in one of Europe’s most competitive markets.
Our team is always working to ensure full compliance with the highest regulatory standards, and being granted entry into one of the industry’s toughest markets is a testament to this.
We look forward to partnering with leading operators in Sweden and introducing our distinctive gaming experiences to local players for the first time.”
The post BGaming Secures Swedish License appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Campaign for Fairer Gambling
Final CFG USA 2024 Online Gambling Report Confirms: Crime Wins After Years of Legalization

The Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG) has released 2024 CFG USA State Supplement #2: All States, the final report in its landmark CFG USA 2024 Series, warning that the rapid expansion of legal online gambling is fueling more gambling and higher consumer losses – all without displacing crime from the total marketplace.
The analysis, produced by technical marketplace intelligence platform Yield Sec, offers the most comprehensive national and state-by-state breakdown ever produced across the US online sports betting, casino, and poker marketplaces. It shows that states with more legal operators record the highest Gross Gambling Revenue (GGR) per capita as a percentage of income – but, illegal operators continue to dominate, with 74% of total GGR across US online gambling being stolen by crime during 2024.
In 2024, the total US online gambling marketplace was worth $90.1 billion, of which $67.1 billion (74%) was illegal. The illegal sector grew by 64% year-on-year, outpacing the legal sector’s 36% growth.
There are three states with legalized online sports betting where the market is below the average of 0.31% GGR per capita as a percentage of income for states with no legalization, being Oregon, Maine, and Arkansas. These states have operator numbers of Oregon 1, Maine 2, and Arkansas 3, for an average of 2, below the national average of 9.
There are three states with both legalized online sports betting and casino gaming where the market is below the average of 0.77% of GGR per capita as a percentage of income for states with legalization of online sports betting only, being Delaware, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. These states have operator numbers of Delaware 4, Rhode Island 2, and Connecticut 3 for an average of 3, below the national average of 14.
There is a pronounced correlation between having a small number of legal operators and lower GGR per capita as a percentage of income.
The proponents of legalization assert that having more legal operators is better for competition and implies that this will help reduce the size of the illegal sector. The evidence, contained in CFG reporting from years of monitoring and the most comprehensive study ever conducted upon the US online gambling marketplace at both the national and state levels, contradicts this assertion.
Derek Webb, Founder and Funder of CFG, said: “The onus is on the proponents of legalization to provide an explanation as to how they managed to get it so wrong – at the least, they should apologize to the legislators they influenced based on their misleading representations. There should now be a moratorium on state expansion until effective action reduces illegal revenues and enables effective control of online gambling marketplaces.”
Ismail Vali, founder and CEO of Yield Sec, added: “Decades of illegal online gambling in the USA were meant to end with legalization and regulation. The hope was simple: legal, licensed options in each state would ‘channelize’ the marketplace and eliminate illegal gambling. This has not happened.
“Seven years after state legalization began in 2018, the US online gambling marketplace remains a fortress of crime, and the zero-sum game hope that legalization and regulation would, on their own, remove crime, has failed. Illegal gambling isn’t one problem – it’s many. You can only control it through process – MPEO: Monitor, Police, Enforce, Optimize. Crime has now stolen hundreds of billions of dollars from American commerce and communities over more than three decades – it’s time to make this end.”
The post Final CFG USA 2024 Online Gambling Report Confirms: Crime Wins After Years of Legalization appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Australia
Tracy Parker Joins Judging Panel for Inaugural RTG Global Awards

Leading gaming law and regulation conference Regulating the Game has announced the appointment of Tracy Parker, Senior Vice-President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights at the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC), to the judging panel for the inaugural RTG Global Awards. Parker will represent RGC, a globally respected independent non-profit dedicated to reducing gambling harm, in assessing nominations across categories recognising leadership, innovation and community impact.
The RTG Global Awards, to be presented at the 2026 Gala Dinner on Tuesday 10 March at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, celebrate excellence across safer gambling, compliance, industry integrity, financial crime risk management and community contribution.
Parker brings nearly 30 years of experience in driving social responsibility and sustainability, and over a decade championing harm minimization throughout the gambling sector. At RGC, she leads the development and implementation of robust standards and assurance programs, helping organizations deliver safer gambling environments and drive continuous improvement. Her previous leadership roles at Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) strengthened responsible gambling policies across multiple gaming verticals.
“RGC is honored to join the judging panel for the inaugural RTG Global Awards and support this important platform which elevates leadership, integrity, and innovation across the gambling sector. At a time when industry transformation and public expectations are accelerating, recognizing organizations that meaningfully prioritize harm prevention and player wellbeing is critical to a safe and sustainable sector. We are proud to be part of this important work,” said Sarah McCarthy, RGC’s Chief Executive Officer.
Founded in Canada, RGC has spent over four decades as a global leader in gambling harm prevention. Through research, education and partnerships with regulators, operators and communities, RGC drives policy and operational improvements to ensure gambling does not harm people or the places they live.
Paul Newson, Principal at Vanguard Overwatch and founder of Regulating the Game, said: “Tracy’s leadership and RGC’s global standing in safer gambling make them an ideal addition to the RTG Global Awards judging panel. Their commitment to practical, evidence-informed standards and constructive industry engagement reflects the values we seek to highlight through these awards. We’re delighted to welcome Tracy and RGC to this global initiative.”
The inaugural RTG Global Awards will feature six categories:
• Leadership Voice – for principled, reform-focused leadership contributing to sector uplift
• Safer Gambling Champion – for operators or organisations delivering tangible harm minimisation outcomes
• Compliance Excellence – recognising uplift in AML, risk culture or regulatory compliance
• RegTech Solution of the Year – celebrating innovative technologies improving sector integrity and compliance
• Community Impact Initiative – for initiatives delivering measurable community benefit
• Emerging Leader – Safer Gambling or Compliance – spotlighting rising talent (under 40) making meaningful contributions.
The post Tracy Parker Joins Judging Panel for Inaugural RTG Global Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
gaming3 years ago
ODIN by 4Players: Immersive, state-of-the-art in-game audio launches into the next generation of gaming
-
EEG iGaming Directory8 years ago
iSoftBet continues to grow with new release Forest Mania
-
News7 years ago
Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
-
News7 years ago
Super Bowl LIII: NFL Fans Can Bet on the #1 Sportsbook Review Site Betting-Super-Bowl.com, Providing Free Unbiased and Trusted News, Picks and Predictions
-
iGaming Industry8 years ago
Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
-
News7 years ago
REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
-
iGaming Industry8 years ago
French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
-
News7 years ago
Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018