

Compliance Updates
EGBA Welcomes Confirmation Of Frankfurt As Seat Of New EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), the association representing Europe’s leading gambling operators, welcomes the recent confirmation of Frankfurt as the seat of the new European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA). This agreement, reached by the EU institutions, creates a European anti-money laundering authority which will operate together with, and in addition to, the already existing national anti-money laundering (AML) authorities of the EU member states.
AMLA, which will commence operations in mid-2025 with over 400 staff members, will possess both direct and indirect supervisory powers over obligated entities, including the EU’s biggest financial institutions. With the power to intervene in cross-border cases, AMLA is expected to provide comprehensive guidance that further harmonises AML rules and their application, including creating a standardised reporting template for Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs), which will greatly benefit various sectors, including gambling, by standardising reporting formats across EU countries.
The establishment of AMLA as a new authority is a fundamental part of the ongoing reform of the EU’s anti-money laundering framework, which is expected to be finalised and agreed by the EU institutions before the end of the current EU mandate in June 2024.
As the EU finalises the new AML legislative package, EGBA has developed industry-specific guidelines on anti-money laundering to help online gambling operators comply with the AML rules in the EU, including the upcoming EU AML Regulation. Developed collaboratively with our members, the guidelines offer a risk-based approach and include practical direction for operators in areas such as risk assessments, customer due diligence processes, suspicious transaction reporting, and record-keeping.
To ensure the effectiveness of the guidelines, EGBA members will engage in regular discussions on their implementation and are obliged to submit annual reports to EGBA summarising their progress. To promote transparency and accountability, these regular discussions and reporting will help to identify and address potential issues or areas for improvement in the guidelines and ensure they remain up to date with the latest developments. Other operators are invited to adopt the guidelines and participate in the reporting requirements.
“We welcome Frankfurt as the chosen seat of the new European Anti-Money Laundering Authority. Given the city’s position as the centre of European finance, it is a logical choice. We look forward to collaborating with AMLA to ensure the representation of the gambling sector’s voice in future EU-level AML discussions and help contribute positively to the fight against money laundering. The standardisation of STRs will really benefit gambling operators, particularly those who operate in many countries, because there are currently many different reporting formats across EU member states. By implementing our AML guidelines, operators can also already be well positioned for the EU’s incoming AML rules and play their part in raising standards across the industry.” – Dr. Ekaterina Hartmann, Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, EGBA.
Source: EGBA
Compliance Updates
MGM Yonkers Submits Commercial Casino License Application in New York

MGM Yonkers Inc., a subsidiary of MGM Resorts International, submitted its commercial casino license application to the New York Gaming Commission and the Gaming Facility Location Board, with a $2.3 billion proposal to transform its historic Empire City Casino site into a commercial casino and entertainment destination. The development plans have been thoughtfully curated to achieve the maximum benefits for the State of New York, City of Yonkers and surrounding counties, while also meeting the needs of the local community.
MGM Yonkers’ plans include the full renovation and expansion of Empire City Casino’s existing gaming areas, an expansive high-limit lounge and the addition of a state-of-the-art BetMGM Sportsbook offering retail sports betting. The plan also envisions the addition of a 5000 person maximum capacity entertainment venue and accompanying meeting space which will welcome a variety of A-list and local performances with the design flexibility to accommodate special events, local graduations, and other community needs.
Additionally, three new full-service restaurants and the renovation of existing food and beverage venues will provide high-concept dining options for guests. A parking garage with solar energy arrays and electric vehicle parking spaces are among features that demonstrate MGM Resorts’ strong commitment to sustainability. If MGM Yonkers is awarded a commercial casino license, it anticipates completing all project elements by mid-2029.
“Empire City Casino and Yonkers Raceway have anchored the entertainment and tourism culture in downstate New York for more than a century. Achieving a full casino license will ensure this site will continue to be a cultural and economic force for generations to come,” said Bill Hornbuckle, President and CEO of MGM Resorts International.
The post MGM Yonkers Submits Commercial Casino License Application in New York appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Compliance Updates
KSA Issues Warnings to Optdeck Over advertising and Autoplay Violations

The Netherlands Gaming Authority (KSA) has issued two warnings to Optdeck for untargeted advertising and offering autoplay. Optdeck offers games of chance in the Netherlands under the brand name Unibet.
Unibet is a sponsor of the cycling team Unibet Tietema Rockets. Part of this sponsorship is a coach with the Unibet logo on it. This coach was not only used in the Netherlands to transport the sports team but also for other purposes. This violates the ban on non-targeted advertising.
The KSA also received a signal about a form of autoplay in a game offered by Unibet. The BonusBuy function, where players can automatically continue playing with purchased bonuses without having to start a new game, is prohibited because it encourages excessive gaming.
Optdeck said it was not aware that the bus was also used for other transport and that monitoring various sponsorship agreements can be complex. The cycling team has been asked to stop using the bus immediately, and the bus and team vehicles will be provided with modified stickers without the Unibet logo. The KSA has indicated that it is always the provider’s responsibility to guarantee that sponsorship agreements comply with the laws and regulations. In addition, the coach in this form will no longer be allowed on the road as of 1 July 2025, because that is also when the ban on sports sponsorship comes into effect.
The BonusBuy violation was also a third-party error. After the game went live, this function was incorrectly activated by the supplier. The function was only available for two hours, and players who suffered losses during those two hours were compensated. In addition, measures have been taken to prevent such errors from being made in the future.
The KSA emphasised that the provider itself is responsible for correctly following laws and regulations, even if there is a collaboration with third parties. Because both violations were stopped immediately as soon as they were noticed, the regulator has left its intervention at a warning for now. If Optdeck makes another mistake in the future, the KSA said it may impose stricter sanctions.
The post KSA Issues Warnings to Optdeck Over advertising and Autoplay Violations appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
GGL Publishes its 2024 Activity Report

The GGL has published its 2024 Activity Report, which reviews key developments and achievements of the past year. The report explains the approach to combating illegal gambling as well as the activities related to the supervision of legal gambling providers. A key component of the report is also an analysis of market developments in the German gambling market.
Last year, the GGL processed 230 permit and amendment applications and supervised 141 providers. The authority faced a variety of regulatory, legal and supervisory challenges. Major events such as the UEFA European Football Championship and the Olympic Games, in particular, resulted in increased advertising and betting activities, necessitating increased monitoring.
A milestone in 2024 was the court approval of the “Markers of Harm” developed by the GGL. These indicators were developed for monitoring increased deposit limits and were first used in 2024. They serve as an early detection of problematic gambling behaviour. The Mainz Administrative Court confirmed their legal admissibility. The GGL sees this as an important step towards uniform player protection standards.
In 2024, the GGL successfully took action against illegal offerings and was able to make the offerings of numerous illegal providers inaccessible to players in Germany. A total of 231 prohibition proceedings were initiated and over 1700 websites were reviewed. Approximately 450 illegal gambling sites were no longer accessible from Germany due to prohibition orders, and another 657 were no longer accessible due to geo-blocking based on the Digital Services Act (DSA). Payment blocking made deposits and withdrawals for illegal offerings more difficult.
Another success was the adjustment of Google’s advertising guidelines at the initiative of the GGL. Since September 2024, only authorized providers in Germany have been allowed to advertise via Google Ads. This significantly reduced the visibility of illegal offers.
“Our measures are having an impact. Nevertheless, combating illegal offerings remains challenging and requires perseverance and close cooperation with national and international partners,” said Ronald Benter, CEO of GGL.
According to GGL estimates, illegal online gambling accounts for approximately 25% of the total online gambling market.
The legal German gambling market (online and land-based) generated gross gaming revenue (equivalent to players’ losses) of approximately €14.4 billion in 2024—an increase of approximately 5% over the previous year. Tax and levy revenues from gambling amounted to approximately €7 billion.
The providers regulated by the GGL generated approximately four billion euros, which corresponds to a 28% share of the total permitted market.
In the illegal market, the GGL registered 858 German-language gambling websites operated by 212 operators without a license. The GGL estimates that the illegal German-language websites it recorded represent a market volume of between €500 and €600 million. This corresponds to approximately 3% to 4% of the entire legal market (terrestrial and online) and approximately 25% of the legal market for dangerous online gambling, such as virtual slot machines or sports betting.
In 2025, the GGL expects further groundbreaking court rulings on its measures, thus providing even greater legal certainty in its approach. The authority will continue to support the evaluation of the 2021 State Treaty on Gambling and, among other things, further expand advertising monitoring. The further development of the use of safe servers is intended to further improve oversight of the legal gambling market and enable more precise monitoring. A particular focus is on intensive cooperation with national and international authorities to further effectively curb the illegal gambling market. This will target not only the providers themselves, but also technical service providers, advertising partners, and other supporting actors.
Ronald Benter said: “Our stated goal is to make the business model of illegal providers unattractive through a comprehensive package of measures. Combating illegal offerings remains a long-term process that requires strategic action, decisive action, and close interagency cooperation.”
The post GGL Publishes its 2024 Activity Report appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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