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Compliance Updates

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

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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.

Compliance Updates

Taichi Tech Limited Fined £170,000 for Unfair Terms and Conditions

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An online gambling business has been fined £170,000 by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) for regulatory failures including the use of unfair terms and conditions.

Taichi Tech Limited – trading as Fafabet – will also have to undergo a third-party audit to ensure it is effectively implementing its anti-money laundering and safer gambling policies, procedures and controls.

A Commission investigation revealed Taichi Tech Limited had stated that: “Fafabet have the right at their own discretion to close accounts or forfeit winnings” within their bonus terms for new casino promotions.

The Gambling Commission’s investigation concluded that Taichi Tech Limited breached the fair and open licensing condition by including a discretionary term allowing the operator to close customer accounts or forfeit winnings without clear justification. Such terms lack transparency and may lead to unfair outcomes for consumers.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) is the general consumer protection legislation, and it is explicitly referenced within the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) that gambling companies must follow. The LCCP requires licensees to ensure that their terms and practices are fair, clear, and do not breach consumer protection law. Operators must therefore have regard to the CRA as part of their overall compliance obligations under the LCCP.

The investigation also found failures relating to anti-money laundering and social responsibility breaches.

Examples included:

• some customers were able to gamble large sums within a short period of time, despite the operator holding limited customer information

• in certain cases, individuals exhibiting potential markers of harm — such as high-velocity spending over short periods — received insufficient customer interaction from the operator

• where safer gambling emails were sent but not acknowledged by the customer and concerning behaviour continued, there was no further follow-up or intervention by the operator.

John Pierce, Director of Enforcement and Intelligence at the Gambling Commission, said: “We expect all operators — regardless of their size or customer base — to comply with consumer protection legislation and ensure their terms and conditions meet regulatory standards.

“Licensed operators must ensure their terms are clear, fair, and transparent, so customers fully understand what to expect.”

He added that the Commission’s assessment identified deficiencies in the operator’s social responsibility and anti-money laundering controls, including failures to effectively manage risk and implement adequate consumer protection measures.

The operator has acknowledged that it previously fell short of the standards expected by the Commission and has since taken steps to address these shortcomings. As part of the regulatory outcome, the operator is required to commission an independent third-party audit to provide assurance of ongoing compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements.

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Turnover of Legal Gambling Market in Hungary Increases

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The Regulated Activities Supervisory Authority (SZTFH) has announced that the turnover of the legal gambling market in Hungary has increased.

The SZTFH and its predecessor have been blocking illegal gambling websites since 2014, preventing them from being accessible to Hungarian players. Thanks to the more than two thousand blockings ordered so far in 2024 and 2025, the traffic and turnover of the legal market is sharply increasing compared to the total market, which can be considered a significant improvement compared to the illegal market presence in previous years.

One of the main goals of the SZTFH is to take action against websites offering illegal online gambling that are not licensed in Hungary and the prohibited advertising sites that promote them, and to whitewash the Hungarian online gambling market. In the past two years, several legislative changes have come into force that have resulted in the acceleration and extension of the blocking procedure to advertising and contributing sites, and have created the opportunity to track and immediately block illegal sites that are constantly jumping to new domain names every day in order to evade the authority’s measures. Thanks to the change in the legal environment and the intensive action of the Authority, the number of visits to illegal gambling sites has now decreased significantly.

In the case of services offered by organisers who are not licensed to organise gambling in Hungary, the Authority has no possibility to oblige the gambling organiser to comply with the guarantee rules protecting the interests of the players, and the claim for the payment of the prize cannot be enforced before a Hungarian court. Gambling organisers who are not licensed by the Authority also violate the interests of the Hungarian State in the economic activity of organising and operating gambling. In addition to the above, by not joining the player protection register kept by the Authority, which prevents players who have been excluded from gambling voluntarily or by a court from participating in gambling, they also constitute an obstacle to the effective enforcement of goals related to player protection.

The SZTFH is committed to the elimination of illegal gambling and the whitening and increasing the competitiveness of the Hungarian gambling market in order to protect the interests of Hungarian players, and therefore will continue its intensive blocking activities with great effort and the use of innovative solutions in the future. Players can find out about the gambling organizers licensed in Hungary and the illegal sites blocked by the Authority on the Authority’s website.

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Compliance Updates

MGA Signs MoU with MFSA

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) to enhance the collaboration and reinforcing the long-standing relationship between the two regulatory bodies.

This agreement complements an existing multi-party MoU between the Sanctions Monitoring Board (SMB), the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU), the MFSA and the MGA, which remains in force and governs cooperation in areas related to anti-money laundering, the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

While the multi-party MoU continues to provide a robust basis for coordination in these specific areas, the MGA and the MFSA identified the need for a separate bilateral agreement to govern their broader relationship. The newly signed MoU sets out a structure for closer cooperation in areas of mutual regulatory interest, with the aim of supporting each authority in the effective discharge of its respective functions.

In addition, the MoU includes provisions relating to training and education, with the aim of equipping both authorities with the necessary skills and knowledge in areas where there may be regulatory overlap. This commitment to capacity building is intended to strengthen institutional competencies and support the overall effectiveness of the respective regulatory frameworks.

MGA CEO Charles Mizzi said: “This agreement marks another step forward in our commitment to strengthening inter-agency collaboration. The relationship between the MGA and the MFSA is an important one, and through this MoU we are not only enhancing the exchange of information but also fostering a shared commitment to high regulatory standards and professional development.”

MFSA CEO Kenneth Farrugia said: “The MoU that the MFSA entered into with the MGA is a reflection of our commitment and dedicated efforts to strengthen ties with other local authorities, as we continue to recognise the value of inter-institutional collaboration. This agreement enhances our mutual cooperation on due diligence and enforcement, which is essential in view of the similar players in the respective industries that we regulate and serve. The MoU itself goes beyond the exchange of good practice and intelligence, as it also focuses on the upskilling of our supervisors who are instrumental to the daily operations of both authorities.”

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