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Nevada-based CasinoSoft Hits the Jackpot With Anti-Money Laundering Software Package Built with Mendix Low-Code Platform

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First-in-class tax and auditing application, built in just six months, enables casino industry to streamline workflow, reporting, and compliance with federal mandates

Mendix, a Siemens company and the global leader in low-code for the enterprise, today announced that CasinoSoft, a Nevada-based software development firm, has built a first-in-class, scalable compliance and taxation software package using the Mendix low-code platform. The package, ComplianceCore, digitizes and automates the extensive data collection and reporting required of casinos and card clubs operating under the U.S. Treasury Department’s anti-money laundering auditing rules, also known as Title 31 compliance.

Nearly 1,000 commercial and tribal casinos and card clubs in the United States comprise the $261 billion gaming industry. Those posting annual revenue of $1 million or more are subject to the same stringent oversight by the U.S. Treasury Department’s crime enforcement division, FinCEN, as are U.S. banks and other financial institutions. These federal regulations were put in place by Congress and strengthened after 9/11 to prevent criminal money laundering, terrorist financing, and other suspicious behaviors that would otherwise be obscured by the high volume of casino-based currency transactions. Fines for businesses not complying with FinCEN’s daily  data collection and annual auditing requirements can add up to tens of millions of dollars.

“The majority of casinos are paper factories that generate massive piles of paperwork on a daily basis,” said Matt Montano, CasinoSoft’s CEO. “There is simply too much financial data coming from too many sources on the casino floor for employees to aggregate by hand and review. Regarding the casinos that do have enterprise financial systems, they’re often tied into backend legacy systems that are hard to update when technology improves or regulations change. Resource-stretched IT teams usually limit their upgrades of a casino’s  workstations to once every two years.”

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CasinoSoft built the three ComplianceCore modules in just six months, from scratch, using the Mendix low-code software development platform. Low-code is a visual development approach to application development that enables developers of varied experience levels to create applications for web and mobile, using drag-and-drop components and model-driven logic through a graphical user interface. CasinoSoft chose Mendix particularly for its open architecture and its collaboration and rapid development capabilities.

“Mendix’s underlying architecture enables our solution to integrate all the disparate sources of data generated by casino operations into a Mendix-built backend,” said Montano. “We can deploy quick functionality enhancements on the fly and do system upgrades five or six times a year.”

ComplianceCore dramatically reduces the amount of time casino staff spends on data collection and reporting for each gaming “day” (equal to a twenty-four-hour period).

“Data that formerly required days to crunch and organize is now completed in two to three hours. This gives the staff more time to focus on enhanced due diligence and other suspicious activity,” said Montano. CasinoSoft’s software package has been deployed in 12 casinos nationwide.

Three Modules Tackle Federal Reporting Requirements

The ComplianceCore software package consists of three standalone modules:

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  • ●  Title 31 reporting package integrates disparate streams of financial transactions into a Mendix-built backend that is aggregated daily.
  • ●  Tablet Tax Forms digitizes and automates the IRS reporting requirements of any prize or jackpot above a $1,200 threshold.
  • ●  Document Automation automatically sorts and files scanned paper documents according to a player’s profile, account and federal filing status.

Zeroing in on Potentially Illegal Transactions

Casinos document every transaction above a minimum threshold, excluding food, beverages and merchandise. An individual’s aggregated daily spending of $10,000 or higher requires a Title 31 CTR filing. “Imagine trying to aggregate that from all the pit bosses and cage tellers into a single, cohesive property-wide log,” said Montano.

The ComplianceCore package also flags patterns that FinCEN classifies as suspicious activities. These include chip walking, which is when a player leaves without redeeming a large number of chips. Players who slowly redeem a large number of chips over a period of days are said to be structuring — perhaps to underreport IRS filings. Another red flag, called minimal play, is triggered when a customer buys a large number of chips with cash and places a few minor bets before cashing out a near majority of the chips. These behaviors may be an effort to disguise illegally received, traceable currency as a gambling win — in other words, money laundering.

Montano added “Casinos must intercede. They have no choice. Our platform gives casinos the tools and the horsepower to efficiently handle this regulatory burden.”

“We are glad CasinoSoft’s developers could leverage the Mendix platform to streamline and improve the industry’s data monitoring, aggregation and reporting,” said Johan den Haan, Mendix’s chief technology officer. “CasinoSoft’s ComplianceCore application package is a great example of how the truly open architecture at the core of our low-code platform enables developers to leverage core and legacy systems and data with brand new technologies that push the envelope of the possible. In today’s world, we know there’s no such thing as a free-standing, self-contained or isolated software application. A high degree of enterprise-grade interconnectivity is imperative to address ever-evolving needs within disparate technology landscapes.”

 

SOURCE Mendix

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Canada

Relax Gaming joins forces with PointsBet to strengthen footprint in Ontario

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Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, has significantly enhanced its presence in the Ontario market through an agreement with leading Canadian operator, PointsBet.

This partnership reinforces Relax Gaming’s aim to become a standout provider across North America, having already gained early success in Ontario. Relax became one of the first suppliers to deliver content to the region’s players in March 2022, debuting with over 120 games across multiple operators.

PointsBet pride themselves as one of Canada’s leading operators offering unmatched speed, ease of use, and a comprehensive array of pre-game and in-play sports betting options. This is complemented by a top-tier online casino which will now be boosted with the integration of Relax’s portfolio of slots and live dealer options.

With its authentic Canadian approach, PointsBet prioritises technology that minimises external dependencies to maintain control over its platform and has a commitment to responsible gambling best practices, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all players.

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Martin Stålros, CEO at Relax Gaming, said: “Since we launched in Ontario we have enjoyed tremendous success, with our content hitting the sweet spot for the broad range of players in the Canadian province. This partnership with PointsBet will strengthen our presence in the market as the region’s leading operator integrates our rich content portfolio which will engage its player base.”

Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer at PointsBet, added: “Relax Gaming has established a strong reputation across North America and in Ontario in particular. The impressive range of content that will be integrated into our platform will increase engagement within our online platform and we are delighted to be able to provide more immersive experiences to our audiences.”

Established as one of the industry’s leading B2B suppliers, Relax Gaming was awarded GGA’s Product Launch of the Year in February 2023 for Dream Drop Jackpots. Money Train 3 names the 2023 CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards amongst its 6 Slot of the Year titles, while the brand also won the award for Skill Games Supplier at the 2023 EGR B2B Awards along with the Innovation in Mobile award at the 2023 SBC Awards.

Relax Gaming provides more than 4,000 online casino games, from its high-performing proprietary slots to a significant, varied library of content from hand-picked third-party studios via its partnership programmes.

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Canada

Jackpot Digital Receives Approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority

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Jackpot Digital, a leading manufacturer of electronic multiplayer dealerless poker tables, has announced that it has received approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) to act as a registered supplier of gaming supplies and services to regulated casinos in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

The approval follows the Company’s news release dated February 6, 2024, announcing the signing of a licensing agreement with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) to install the Company’s Jackpot Blitz dealerless poker ETGs into SIGA casinos.

SIGA operates seven casinos and Playnow.com in Saskatchewan. At the outset, SIGA proposes to install Jackpot Blitz machines at its Dakota Dunes and Gold Horse Casino properties, located in Saskatoon and Lloydminster, respectively.

Jackpot CEO Jake Kalpakian said: “We are excited to receive approval as a gaming equipment supplier in Saskatchewan. This represents the first major jurisdictional, non-tribal license received by Jackpot during our continuing expansion into the land-based casino market. We have many more license applications underway in the US and other Canadian provinces, which will dramatically impact our ability to accelerate the rollout of Jackpot Blitz across North America.”

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Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation

Play Alberta, CSEC Extend Partnership

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Teams under the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) banner have expanded their long-term partnership with Play Alberta, the province’s premier iGaming destination. As part of the agreement, the Flames will feature AGLC’s responsible gambling program, GameSense, on their home helmets and a Play Alberta insignia displayed on their home jerseys. The Stampeders, Wranglers, and Roughnecks will integrate the Play Alberta logo onto their uniforms.

“There’s significant importance now to showcase meaningful responsible gambling efforts in the iGaming industry. I’m proud of our initiatives to provide GameSense with such a visible platform. GameSense promotes healthy gambling habits online and in person and including AGLC’s responsible gambling platform over the course of this partnership is a huge accomplishment,” Kandice Machado, Chief Executive Officer at AGLC.

The agreement makes Play Alberta the exclusive sports betting and online gaming partner of the Flames, Wranglers, Stampeders, and Roughnecks. Through the partnership, Play Alberta and CSEC will develop unique partnerships and in-arena giveaways during the season.

“Through GameSense, our partnership with Play Alberta equips our fans with the knowledge required if they wish to participate in gaming while they support their home team. We are both proud and excited to extend our relationship with Play Alberta that makes cheering for our teams that much more fun while also generating revenue to support the quality of life for Albertans,” said CSEC President and CEO Robert Hayes.

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Alberta is the first jurisdiction in North America to partner with professional sports franchises and integrate PlayAlberta.ca and social responsibility branding onto uniforms. It upholds AGLC’s commitment to responsible play, raising awareness of GameSense and Self-Exclusion, resources that give bettors the tools they need to make healthy gambling choices.

In addition, proceeds generated through the website go toward the province’s General Revenue Fund. In 2023–24, $235 million was generated for programs and services that Albertans rely on every day through Play Alberta, an increase of more than $42 million from the previous year.

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