Compliance Updates
ANJ Sanctions Committee Imposes €800,000 Fine on SPS Betting
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.
Asia
PRONET GAMING BECOMES FIRST B2B OPERATOR TO ESTABLISH SCBPO ACCREDITED OPERATION IN THE PHILIPPINES VIA CLAYMORE SOLUTIONS
Reading Time: < 1 minute
Omni-channel turnkey provider Pronet Gaming is the first internationally-licensed B2B company in the gaming sector to establish an SCBPO-accredited operation in the Philippines via Claymore Solutions.
Claymore Solutions is accredited by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) as a Special Class BPO (SCPBO), which authorises them to provide employer of record & serviced office space to internationally licenced gaming operators enabling them to establish operations in the Philippines without taking bets or payments.
Pronet Gaming will now build out IT and Trading teams in Manila, further strengthening its operational presence and technical capabilities in the region.
Pronet Gaming CEO Alex Leese said: “Establishing an SCBPO-accredited presence in the Philippines is a milestone that aligns perfectly with our long-term strategy of expanding our footprint in Asia, in a fully compliant way. We’re happy to have made this possible through the collaboration and support of our trusted partner, Claymore Solutions.”
Paul Fox, Chairman and Co-Founder of Claymore Solutions, said: “We’re honoured to be working with Pronet Gaming, providing EoR and serviced office space solutions for their operations which underlines the quality of local staff and further boosts the Filipino economy.”
PAGCOR Chairman Al Tengco commented: “We’re delighted to have B2B operators such as Pronet Gaming establish their Trading and IT operations here through Claymore Solutions. I hope that more companies follow given the wealth of readily available Filipino talent in this sector.”
Claymore will announce additional client partnerships in the near future.
The post PRONET GAMING BECOMES FIRST B2B OPERATOR TO ESTABLISH SCBPO ACCREDITED OPERATION IN THE PHILIPPINES VIA CLAYMORE SOLUTIONS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Reading Time: < 1 minute
GGL, the Federal Authority of German Gambling, has issued a warning to consumers about the illegal status of participating in Spain’s popular annual Christmas lottery “El Gordo” through online platforms. The Authority has also published FAQs on the legal situation.
During the pre-Christmas period, especially in November and December, advertising for online participation in the so-called Spanish Christmas lottery “El Gordo” increases significantly. Many of these offers are specifically targeted at people residing in Germany, even though participation is not permitted in Germany.
GGL points out that the advertised online offers are illegal. Instead of participating in the official lottery, these online offers from Germany simply involve betting on its outcome against a private third-party provider. No contractual relationship is established with the Spanish state lottery operator. According to the regulations of the German Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021), such “secondary lotteries” are not eligible for a permit and are therefore illegal.
The post GGL Warns Against “El Gordo” Ticket Purchases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Reading Time: < 1 minute
The Philippines’ Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is enhancing efforts to crack down on the promotion of illegal online gambling sites by providing a list of influencers and online entities it says have been promoting and enabling such sites.
In a statement, the CICC – working alongside digital advocacy network Digital Pinoys – said it had provided a list to the Philippine National Police–Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) for formal investigation and case build-up – marking a firm escalation in the government’s campaign against platforms operating without authorisation from regulator PAGCOR. Each detection activates immediate action by way of takedown requests, notices to explain and case referral, the CICC explained.
“The latest endorsements affirm the government’s commitment to hold accountable not just illegal operators, but also individuals and entities who knowingly promote or enable these schemes online,” it said.
“Endorsement of these cases by the CICC signifies that evidence has been collected against the promoters, and that their case-buildup affirms that sufficient grounds exist for prosecution.”
The CICC added that it continues to track pages, personal accounts and paid online promotions found to be facilitating or advertising illegal gambling, with its collaboration with Digital Pinoys having contributed to a 93% reduction in reported illegal gambling links.
One Philippine esports identity announced late last week that he was launching a new livestream platform for the specific purpose of bringing together iGaming streamers and content creators in a responsible way by promoting only PAGCOR-licensed games.
The post Philippines Cracking Down on Influencers Promoting Illegal Online Gambling Sites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Booming Games7 days agoMustangs Run Wild in Booming Games’ Latest Hit Mustang Hold and Win!
-
Asia7 days ago
Max Level wins PR & Communications mandate for LVL Zero Gaming Incubator
-
Asensi Technologies7 days ago
Asensi Technologies Obtains Accreditation as an Online Gaming Laboratory in Malta
-
Uncategorized6 days ago
PH iGaming Streamers Unite to Promote Responsible Gaming Amid Crackdown on Creators Promoting Illegal iGaming
-
Latest News7 days ago
Enhanced Collect Feature electrifies gameplay in Playson’s More Energy Coins: Hold and Win
-
Amusnet6 days ago
Amusnet Shortlisted in Four Categories at the Golden Spades Awards 2025
-
Blueprint Gaming7 days ago
Blueprint Gaming introduces new Volcano feature in explosive Lava Lock Jackpot King™
-
Africa6 days ago
GinjaBet goes live with QTech Games casino content in Nigeria
