Compliance managers of the Merkur Group attended a two-day workshop at Schloss Benkhausen, the company’s own training centre at its headquarters in Espelkamp. The aim was to global compliance challenges together, develop successful strategies and promote company-wide exchange. The participants came from 13 countries.

“Regulatory requirements are increasing from year to year. It is therefore all the more important that we are in constant dialog within the company and benefit from the perspectives and experiences of others,” said Ludwig Beckmann, Chief Compliance Officer of the Merkur Group.

An important topic at the event was the presentation of the Group’s newly created central risk management system. The focus is on optimizing existing systems and developing a holistic risk management system that integrates the areas of “Legal”, “Audit” and “Business Operations”, among others. Subsequently, the careful examination of customers (know-your-customer checks) and business partners (due diligence checks) in the individual companies was discussed in working groups.

In order to improve the legal overview, the concept of a Group-wide central register documenting all relevant legal disputes of the Merkur Group was explained. This can be helpful in responding more accurately to official requirements in licensing procedures. While the UK compliance team then presented the UK Gaming Authority’s draft legislation with a view to the regulatory peculiarities, another topic of discussion was how the reporting procedure for breaches of the compliance principle could be made even more effective.

“The measures and strategic guidelines developed form a solid basis for the continuous development of the company’s global compliance culture,” Ludwig Beckmann added.

The compliance managers from the UK, Malta, Spain, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Croatia, Belgium, Australia, Colombia and Peru came to East Westphalia for the meeting.

BetComply, iGaming’s most trusted technical and regulatory compliance firm, has appointed Iliana Lazarova as its first ever Head of Account Management.

Lazarova brings with her more than 15 years of experience in the online gaming sector, including senior account management roles at Markor Technology, Microgaming and Yggdrasil.

She joins at a time of rapid expansion for BetComply, as the company grows its team to more than 20 members to support a fast-growing roster of clients.

Daniel Brookes, CEO of BetComply said: “BetComply is now providing compliance support to many of the biggest names in our industry. Iliana’s deep experience makes her the perfect fit to ensure we’re delivering exceptional service to our partners at every step. She’s another superstar addition to our already world-class team.”

Iliana Lazarova, Head of Account Management at BetComply, added: “BetComply has built an incredible reputation for trusted, expert compliance, and I’m thrilled to be joining at such an exciting time. My focus will be on strengthening partnerships and ensuring every client feels fully supported as they continue to navigate regulatory change.”

Lazarova is just the latest senior hire at BetComply. In March, the firm appointed former Entain executive Jez White in a new role overseeing safer gambling and sustainability.

Vixio, a leading provider of regulatory intelligence solutions, ‍is proud to announce its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Outlook, which found that regulators are cracking down on money laundering weaknesses with severe consequences, totaling over €36m in fines from March 2024 to March 2025 in Europe alone.

Vixio’s AML Outlook examines the challenges of complying with AML requirements in jurisdictions around the world, outlines regulators’ efforts to thwart criminal activity, and considers how payments and gambling firms can prevent being caught up in money laundering scandals.

The report found that in the last year, in the European area alone, there have been around 30 enforcement actions from regulators fining payments and e-money firms for falling short in their adherence to AML/CTF rules.

Financial institutions found to have money laundering weaknesses face profound consequences, with prosecutors and regulators alike generally unwilling to be empathetic on this matter. For example:

• In March 2025, Germany’s regulator, BaFin, fined Ratepay €25,000 over suspected money laundering.
• In February 2025, Estonia’s Money Laundering Data Bureau revoked B2BX Digital Exchange OÜ’s licence for failing to implement proper customer due diligence, transaction monitoring and risk assessments.
• The Bank of Lithuania, meanwhile, revoked Foxpay’s licence in November 2024 for systemic AML/CTF and governance failures, including fund mismanagement and conflicts of interest.

John Gidla, Head of Payments Compliance, Vixio, explains, “Although AML compliance involves significant costs for payments firms –  including investment in transaction monitoring systems, customer due diligence (CDD) processes and ongoing staff training – the consequences of failure can be significant. In addition to financial penalties, failing to prevent money laundering can severely damage a firm’s reputation, leading to loss of customers, partners and investor confidence. Maintaining a strong compliance framework is crucial for preserving trust and long-term business viability.”

Until now, the EU’s AML enforcement has been more fragmented, but the EU’s new Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA) could be a significant step towards addressing AML enforcement and closing gaps that criminals have been exploiting for years.

Regulatory scrutiny means that firms need to implement know your customer (KYC) procedures, monitor transactions on their systems for suspicious activity and report concerns through suspicious activity reports (SARs) to the relevant authorities.