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Compliance Updates

ANJ Sanctions Committee Imposes €800,000 Fine on SPS Betting

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On 22 January 2025, the Sanctions Committee of the French National Gambling Authority (ANJ) met to examine a procedure referred by the ANJ Board concerning the operator SPS Betting, which had allegedly failed to comply with its obligations relating to the self-exclusion system offered to players on the Unibet website and application. The Committee confirmed the breaches and imposed a public penalty of €800,000, justified by the large number of players who were unable to benefit from this protection system. This decision, which is unprecedented in its scope, is a reminder of the Committee’s commitment to penalising operators who fail to meet their obligations to prevent excessive gambling.

In 2021, following reports, the ANJ services discovered a computer malfunction on the “Unibet.fr” application and website for devices using the iOS operating system. According to estimates by the ANJ and the operator, several thousand players who had requested self-exclusion for a period ranging from several weeks to several months were likely to have been able to play again within a few days. In fact, players self-exclusion requests made in months were automatically converted to days. Therefore, a player who requested a twelve-month self-exclusion was only self-excluded for twelve days.

For players who wish to take a break from gambling because they feel vulnerable or need to take a step back, the legislator has introduced a system of self-exclusion from gambling.

Online gambling operators must provide players with a mechanism enabling them to request their exclusion from gambling. Players are free to determine the duration of their exclusion, which must be a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 12 months.

The malfunction at Unibet occurred from 2 March 2021 to 11 December 2022 before being fixed by the operator. However, during an update, the malfunction reappeared and affected players playing on an iOS device from 29 December 2022 to 2 February 2023. In total, the anomaly persisted for almost 22 months.

In view of these repeated malfunctions and given their duration and seriousness, particularly regarding the prevention of excessive gambling, the Sanctions Committee confirmed the breaches observed and imposed the following penalties:

• A fine of 800,000 euros;

• The publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the French Republic;

• The display, from 17 to 31 March 2025, on the homepage of the ‘Unibet.fr’ website and the Unibet applications, of a box mentioning this sanction and referring to the press release published on the ANJ website;

• The publication of the non-anonymised decision on the ANJ website, from the date it is pronounced and for one year (until 3 March 2026). After this date, the decision published on the ANJ website and on Légifrance, as well as the associated press release, will no longer allow the operator to be identified.

This decision may be appealed to the Conseil d’État within two months of its notification.

The post ANJ Sanctions Committee Imposes €800,000 Fine on SPS Betting appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Corinne Valletta Wins Chief Compliance Officer of the Year at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025

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At the Global Regulatory Awards 2025 (GRAs), Betsson Group’s General Counsel, Corinne Valletta, was named Chief Compliance Officer of the Year. The award was accepted on her behalf by Betsson Group’s Deputy General Counsel, Dario Evangelista.

Since joining Betsson Group in May 2017, Corinne has played a pivotal role in navigating the complex and constantly evolving regulatory landscape of online gaming. Her strategic leadership has guided Betsson through significant regulatory challenges while supporting the successful expansion of Betsson’s operations into several new jurisdictions.

Corinne has also been a strong advocate for policies that elevate industry-wide standards of operational excellence, protect players and achieve compliance while ensuring the continued relevance of the brands in the commercial space.

Organised by Vixio Regulatory Intelligence, the Global Regulatory Awards recognise excellence across the compliance and responsible gambling sectors, highlighting the individuals and teams who drive progress and uphold best practices in the industry.

This nomination and prestigious award reaffirm Betsson Group’s ongoing dedication to strengthening compliance, ensuring a safe, transparent and trustworthy business.

The post Corinne Valletta Wins Chief Compliance Officer of the Year at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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AML or MLR Professional of the Year

SOFTSWISS’ Eleni Panagiotopoulou Becomes Best AML Professional 2025

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SOFTSWISS, a leading iGaming software provider, proudly announces that Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Team, has been named AML or MLR Professional of the Year at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025.

The award honours individuals who make exceptional contributions to compliance and responsible gambling in a demanding, ever-changing regulatory landscape. Winners are recognised for their expertise, leadership, and dedication to maintaining the highest industry standards.

“It’s an honour to receive this award, but even more so to see AML excellence recognised on an industry stage,” said Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of AML at SOFTSWISS. “This recognition belongs to our entire team – every analyst, every partner, and every department that supports compliance as a shared responsibility. Together, we’re building not just safer systems, but a stronger and more trustworthy industry.”

Under Eleni’s leadership, the SOFTSWISS AML team has set new benchmarks for operational efficiency and compliance integrity. Over the past year, her key achievements included:

  • Strengthening the AML function by expanding the team and increasing capacity for transaction monitoring and case reviews
  • Driving a 75% rise in suspicious activity reports submitted, ensuring timely escalation and regulator engagement
  • Implementing automated transaction-screening tools and real-time analytics to improve fraud detection accuracy
  • Representing SOFTSWISS on international panels and industry forums, promoting ethical approaches to financial crime prevention

Eleni also managed updates to SOFTSWISS AML policies across multiple jurisdictions, such as Brazil, Peru, South Africa, Malta, Curacao, Serbia, and Nigeria. She helped SOFTSWISS remain fully aligned with regulatory requirements for smooth market entry worldwide.

Her industry impact is confirmed through the delivery of more than 25 hours of AML and responsible gambling training, benefiting both SOFTSWISS employees and the broader iGaming community.

Eleni’s insights on the current state of AML and Responsible Gambling can be found in the 2026 iGaming Trends Report. There, she shares how AI systems detect risky behaviour early and support safer play across regulated markets, helping operators protect their reputation and revenue.

Operators and industry professionals can download the 2026 iGaming Trends Report here.

 

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 36,700 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

The post SOFTSWISS’ Eleni Panagiotopoulou Becomes Best AML Professional 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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VGCCC: EGM Application Improvements Consultation

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VGCCC has launched consultation on proposed reforms to the application process for Electronic Gaming Machine approvals in Victoria.

“Our Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) application process for new premises approvals under section 3.3.6 and EGM increase applications under section 3.4.17 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 is undergoing a significant uplift to align with modern expectations, recent legislative change, and our strengthened mandate to minimise gambling harm. It also intends to reduce red tape by ensuring applicants focus on priority factors that commonly determine the suitability of an application,” VGCCC said.

VGCCC is inviting feedback from all stakeholders — including, but not limited to, industry participants, councils, experts and community organisations — to provide feedback on:

• the clarity and practicality of the revised application and hearing processes

• ambiguities, redundancies or gaps in the revised application form and practice notes

• any other opportunities to improve the application and hearing process.

Consultation period closes on 19 December 2025.

The post VGCCC: EGM Application Improvements Consultation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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