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Compliance Updates

Vixio Announces Winners for the 2024 Global Regulatory Awards

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Vixio, a leading provider of regulatory intelligence solutions, unveiled its 2024 Global Regulatory Awards (GRAs) winners last night during an event in London.

More than 300 industry leaders, regulatory experts, and esteemed professionals of the global gambling industry attended the prestigious event. The independently judged GRAs recognise and celebrate the achievements of individuals, teams, and organisations in the gambling industry who have excelled in compliance, corporate social responsibility, and safer gambling.

The eighth annual awards ceremony recognised winners across 20 categories. Notable winners on the evening included Betsson Group, Mindway AI, and Paysafe, each winning two awards. Vixio also recognised outstanding individuals, such as Jessica Feil of OpenBet, named Compliance Professional of the Year, and Laura McAllister Cox of Rush Street Interactive, awarded Chief Compliance Officer of the Year. “A big thank you to everyone who attended last night’s Global Regulatory Awards event in London. Vixio has been proud to host independently judged awards for the last eight years. Our selection process ensures that each winner is the best in class and has displayed clear dedication to trustworthy gambling and regulatory compliance, so huge congratulations to all the winners.stated Mike Woolfrey, CEO of Vixio.

Docaposte, Draft Kings, eCOGRA, Gaming Associates, Scientific Games, and charity partner Ygam were among the sponsors for this year’s Global Regulatory Awards. The 2025 Global Regulatory Awards presentation will take place on November 19th, returning to the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London.

The official 2024 winners are as follows:

AML or MLR Professional of the Year – Brian Doran, Metropolitan Gaming

Award for Commitment to Compliance by an Operator – Betsson Group

Chief Compliance Officer of the Year – Laura McAllister Cox, Rush Street Interactive

Compliance Innovator of the Year – Mindway AI

Compliance Professional of the Year – Jessica Feil, OpenBet

Compliance Lifetime Achievement Special Award – David Rebuck

Compliance Rising Star Special Award – Jamie Delaney, Apricot

Compliance Team of the Year – Betsson Group

Head of Regulatory Affairs or Government Relations of the Year – Martin Lycka, Entain

Legal Team of the Year – Paysafe

Outstanding Contribution to Safer Gambling – Flutter Entertainment

Outstanding Contribution to Sports Betting Integrity – Entain

Outstanding Individual Contribution to Safer Gambling – Paul Buck, EPIC Global Solutions

Payment Service or Solution Provider of the Year – Paysafe

RegTech Provider of the Year – Mindway AI

Regulatory Initiative of the Year – National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program, idPair

Regulatory Law Firm of the Year – Bird & Bird

Regulatory Lawyer or In-House Counsel of the Year – Sue Dawson, Light & Wonder

Responsible Gambling Service or Solution Provider of the Year – BetBuddy by Playtech

Testing Service or Solution Provider of the Year – BMM Testlabs

The post Vixio Announces Winners for the 2024 Global Regulatory Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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MGCB Issues Cease-and-Desist Order to BetUS

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The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued a cease-and-desist order to BetUS, an offshore gambling operator, for illegally offering internet gaming and sports betting to Michigan residents without proper licensure.

Investigations by the MGCB revealed that BetUS was accepting wagers from Michigan residents on various gambling activities, including sports and casino-style games, without the necessary state authorization. This operation violates Michigan’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act, the Gaming Control and Revenue Act, and the Michigan Penal Code.

“Unlicensed operators like BetUS undermine the integrity of Michigan’s regulated gaming market and expose consumers to potential risks. The MGCB is committed to protecting Michigan residents by ensuring that all gambling activities are conducted legally and responsibly,” said Henry Williams, Executive Director of MGCB.

The cease-and-desist order mandates that BetUS immediately halt all operations involving Michigan residents. The company has 14 days to comply or face further legal action in coordination with the Michigan Department of Attorney General.

The post MGCB Issues Cease-and-Desist Order to BetUS appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

Exclusive Commentary from Vixio On Their AML Outlook Findings

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Your recent AML Outlook report highlights over €36 million in fines issued across Europe in just one year. What recurring weaknesses or compliance gaps are regulators most commonly identifying in payments and e-money firms?

John Gidla (JG): Regulators continue to flag underinvestment in anti-financial crime controls as a key concern for payments and e-money firms. Common themes include weak governance, limited oversight, and fragmented controls, all of which increase vulnerability to financial crime. There’s a growing expectation that firms scale their compliance frameworks in line with their risk exposure and growth trajectory

 

The report mentions that AML compliance can be costly—yet the reputational and financial risks of non-compliance are even greater. What are the most cost-effective measures firms can implement today to strengthen their AML frameworks without overwhelming their budgets?

JG: While not all firms can afford advanced compliance tools, strong governance remains one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce risk. Practical steps such as training staff on emerging threats, embedding a culture of accountability, and regularly updating frameworks as the business grows can go a long way in strengthening AML resilience without major spend.

 

With the creation of the EU’s new AMLA authority, do you expect a more consistent and centralized enforcement approach across Europe? How might this change how firms prepare for inspections and adapt their compliance strategies?

JG: AMLA has the potential to bring greater consistency to AML enforcement across the EU, addressing long-standing issues caused by fragmented supervision and uneven implementation by national authorities. Its impact will depend on how much direct oversight it gains, how assertively it acts on cross-border risks, and whether it can close the regulatory gaps that have permitted high-profile scandals. Firms should expect more rigorous and standardised inspections and will need to ensure their compliance programmes are not only locally robust, but scalable across jurisdictions.

 

Vixio emphasizes the importance of a proactive rather than reactive compliance culture. In your view, what does a ‘proactive’ AML strategy look like in 2025, and what technologies or best practices are leading firms adopting to stay ahead?

JG: A truly proactive AML strategy in 2025 extends beyond technology to encompass a strong compliance culture at every level of the organisation. Leading firms understand that combating financial crime isn’t just the responsibility of the compliance team — it’s integrated into day-to-day operations, with senior leadership driving risk awareness across departments. In terms of technology, firms are increasingly adopting AI, machine learning, and automated monitoring systems to detect suspicious activity early and reduce human error. However, culture plays a critical role; firms that foster a compliance-first mindset and invest in ongoing staff training are better positioned to adapt to emerging threats and ensure that their compliance frameworks evolve in step with business growth and digital transformation. A proactive approach also means constantly reassessing risk and using data to predict and prevent issues, rather than just reacting to them. With regulations in constant flux, and regulators ramping up enforcement, proactive compliance looks like implementing strategies to anticipate regulations, not just react to them. In Vixio’s PC Outlook Report, we found that a clear majority of firms surveyed are using some form of outsourcing for their compliance functionality, turning to firms like Vixio to get ahead of regulatory change.

 

Thanks to John Gidla, Head of Payments Compliance at Vixio, for his insightful responses.

The post Exclusive Commentary from Vixio On Their AML Outlook Findings appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

Peru Reports 40% Drop in Illegal Online Gambling

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Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) reported that, a little more than a year after having implemented the law that regulates the online sector, it has been able to reduce by 40% the offer of illegal games in digital platforms and applications.

In a public statement, the Executive portfolio in charge of regulating gambling also highlighted that, thanks to the inspection work, 15% of the illegal websites “have left the Peruvian market” and that “payment methods providers and financial entities have been contacted to block services to unauthorized operators”.

Based on this, Mincetur highlighted that “Peru has managed to position itself as a regional referent in the integral regulation of gambling” and that, through the normative framework, it was possible to “protect the consumer, guarantee transparency in the operations and promote the formal and sustainable economic development”.

The Ministry highlighted that with the implementation of Law No 31557, which regulates sports betting and online games, “the country became the third country in Latin America to establish clear regulations for this activity”.

“Since its entry into force in February 2024, 60 technological platforms have been authorized and 280 linked service providers have been registered, as well as the accreditation of nine international certification laboratories,” Mincetur said.

In this regard, the Ministry stated that “this regulation has made it possible to formalize the digital sector, promoting an environment of trust for both operators and users.” At the same time, it has allowed “new investment opportunities, boosting the digitalization of entertainment and strengthening the country’s tax collection”.

The post Peru Reports 40% Drop in Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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