Compliance Updates
EGARA & CityMaaS Launch First Gambling-Focused Accessibility Toolkit Ahead of June Compliance Deadline

Digital accessibility has become a legal, reputational, and operational risk that gambling operators can no longer afford to ignore. With less than three months until EU Member States must begin enforcing national laws implementing the European Accessibility Act (EAA), gambling industry stakeholders face a fast-approaching compliance challenge.
Failure to meet accessibility requirements could expose operators to financial penalties, enforcement action, public scrutiny, and consumer litigation—especially if key features like responsible gaming tools are not accessible to all users. We’ve already seen how this can unfold in the United States, where thousands of lawsuits have been filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act against digital platforms, including online gambling operators.
In response, gambling advisory firm EGARA and accessibility technology and certification provider CityMaaS have announced a strategic partnership to deliver the first-ever accessibility solution tailored to gambling operators by combining their respective fields of expertise.
This includes accessibility audits, product integration support, certification, and staff training—all delivered with a deep understanding of the unique demands and risks faced by licensed operators in highly regulated gaming markets. It addresses a long-overlooked risk area that also ties directly into responsible gaming, fairness, and user protection.
Key highlights of the EGARA x CityMaaS Partnership:
- Readiness check: The partnership between EGARA and CityMaaS offers operators a readiness check and manual to implement across their business.
- Certification: The partnership offers operators a solution to certify their accessibility offering. This will prove highly important for operators as several gambling regulators have confirmed the regulations are in scope and are already themselves being called to action by accessibility enforcement bodies.
- Audit function: The partnership offers a tailored auditing, reviewing platforms’ accessibility offering, ensuring they reach more customers, more effectively in line with the projected regulations, while ensuring critical features like responsible gaming tools are available to everyone with fairness, transparency and actual protection of all groups.
- ESG and Responsible Leadership: The collaboration offers bespoke advice and training to ensure operators lead— and not just comply—by embedding fairness and inclusion into the core of digital player experiences across all offerings including websites and customer service functions.
- Technical Solution: CityMaaS’s technology incorporates the latest advancements in accessibility, providing a robust and reliable solution for EGARA’s clients in the gambling industry.
Operators and platform providers can begin accessibility readiness assessments now: www.egara.co/contact-us.
Jessica Maier, Co-founder of EGARA said: “Despite its transformative potential to harmonize accessibility standards across the EU, the European Accessibility Act has surprisingly remained underdiscussed within our sector, leaving many organisations unprepared for its imminent impact. Through our partnership with CityMaaS, we’re enabling operators to rapidly close any existing gaps to reduce legal and reputational risk, and ultimately make gambling platforms more inclusive and sustainable, bolstering responsible gaming efforts and providing opportunity for sustainable growth.
“CityMaaS is thrilled to collaborate with EGARA to bring our state-of-the-art accessibility solutions to the gambling sector. Together, we are setting a new standard for accessibility and user experience,” said Rene Perkins, CEO of CityMaaS.
The post EGARA & CityMaaS Launch First Gambling-Focused Accessibility Toolkit Ahead of June Compliance Deadline appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
L&GNSW: Hotel Licensee Hit with Hefty Fine for Allowing After-hours Gambling

The licensee of a Homebush West hotel has been fined a total of $28,400 following a Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) investigation that uncovered serious breaches of gaming machine laws.
A Downing Centre Local Court magistrate convicted and fined the licensee of Markets Hotel on Tuesday, 8 April for allowing patrons to play gaming machines outside approved hours over three consecutive weekends in July 2023.
L&GNSW Acting Executive Director of Regulatory Operations Bernadette Beard said the fine sends a strong message that such violations will not be tolerated.
“This venue allowed 29 gaming machines to be operated between 3am and 6am on Saturday and Sunday mornings, breaching the shutdown rules,” Ms Beard said.
“These restrictions are in place to reduce the risks of gambling harm by limiting the time patrons can spend playing gaming machines. Ignoring these laws is not just irresponsible, it’s illegal.”
Under the Gaming Machines Act 2001 (NSW), venues cannot allow patrons to use gaming machines during designated shutdown periods.
L&GNSW conducts regular compliance checks to ensure that pubs and clubs adhere to regulations regarding gaming machine shutdown periods.
In November 2024, inspectors visited 138 venues across 61 local government areas in both metropolitan and regional NSW. The operation resulted in one penalty notice and three official cautions being issued to non-compliant venues.
With more inspections planned for the coming months, L&GNSW is committed to holding venues accountable and minimising gambling harm.
The post L&GNSW: Hotel Licensee Hit with Hefty Fine for Allowing After-hours Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Brazilian certification
ESA Gaming gains Brazilian Certification

Innovative games provider ESA Gaming has received Brazilian Certification as it continues to focus on new markets.
The certification will allow ESA Gaming to distribute both its games and Game Aggregator System (GAS), to players and operators throughout Brazil.
With a mix of non-traditional content such as football-themed mine games and crash style games, as well as established casino classics, ESA’s games have a proven cross-selling capacity, without cannibalisation, helping sportsbooks to prolong brand loyalty and add revenue.
ESA Gaming has enjoyed a positive 12 months of growth, signing numerous agreements in key territories, as well as expanding its portfolio with the addition of multiple slot titles and, most recently, its first Plinko game; Plinko Drops.
The supplier also holds certifications in Portugal, Italy, Greece, Colombia, South Africa as well as an MGA supplier licence, highlighting the provider’s intentions to grow its product range in regulated markets.
Thomas Smallwood, CCO at ESA Gaming, said: “Receiving our Brazilian certification is a hugely exciting moment for us in our step towards expansion in LatAm. The Brazilian market has a huge potential and we are eager to see how our titles are received.
“It is the first important milestone of 2025 for us that we hope can act as a springboard for further growth.”
The post ESA Gaming gains Brazilian Certification appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Compliance Updates
EQL Games Secures Gaming-related Vendor License from UAE’s GCGRA

EQL Games has officially secured a GCGRA Gaming-Related Vendor license in the UAE. The license will allow EQL Games to offer a suite of high-end gaming products in the UAE on any regulated gaming platform with a focus on lottery.
The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) is an independent executive entity within the UAE Federal Government, established by Federal Law by Decree. The Authority holds exclusive jurisdiction to regulate, license and supervise all commercial gaming activities and facilities in the UAE.
“Securing this license marks a significant step for EQL Games as we continue our mission to bring innovative, secure, and responsible lottery solutions to markets worldwide. We are honored to be recognized by the UAE’s regulatory authorities and look forward to supporting their vision for a well-regulated digital lottery experience,” said Brad Cummings, CEO and Founder of EQL Games.
This achievement aligns with EQL Games’ broader strategy of expanding its footprint in worldwide markets while maintaining a strong focus on responsible gaming and compliance. EQL’s licensing in the UAE is a testament to its ability to meet the highest industry standards and operate within the most rigorous regulatory frameworks.
The post EQL Games Secures Gaming-related Vendor License from UAE’s GCGRA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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