Compliance Updates
Social gaming disruptor PickGuru is granted a UK Gambling Commission licence and announces TikTok executive to lead the business
PickGuru, a brand new social gaming platform, announced that it has secured a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence. They also confirm the appointment of TikTok executive Olly Roland-Jones as chief executive officer (CEO).
The platform allows friends and fans to challenge and compete with each other in a wide range of live and engaging sports prediction games. The acquisition of the UKGC licence is an important milestone in the company’s journey towards revolutionising the interaction between real-money wagering and live sport.
Backed by the most successful sports entrepreneurs in the UK, PickGuru will offer users a unique peer-to-peer experience and the opportunity to test their sporting knowledge to win cash prizes.
Powered by seamless real-time data feeds, PickGuru leaderboards will update dynamically as live events progress and provide sports gurus with an edge-of-the-seat experience.
Paul Watkins, chief operating officer and co-founder of PickGuru, said: “Securing a UKGC licence marks a significant step in the company’s history. We’re excited to bring our platform to market in early 2022.”
Paul Cobley, chief technical officer and co-founder, said: “Our platform incorporates a number of elements around gaming, social interaction and betting.
“We really try to emphasise the skill aspect of our games whilst keeping a firm eye on responsibility. We’re really excited to welcome users onboard and we’re confident they will love the experience.”
Roland-Jones joins the business before launch as the group’s first ever CEO. He makes the move from social media giant TikTok and has previously held management roles at sports content providers onSport and cleverGames.
Oliver Slipper, chairman and co-founder of PickGuru, said: “We can move to the next phase on our journey after securing our UKGC licence and closing our £2.6m seed round last month. I’m delighted to welcome Olly Roland-Jones to lead the business as our CEO. Olly brings a wealth of experience in both fantasy games and social media, which we feel will be vital to the success of this business”.
Roland-Jones added: “When Oliver Slipper first approached me about the concept of PickGuru I was instantly drawn to the unique opportunity. It will be a game changer and I’m excited to work with the team to bring the idea to life and lead the business into 2022 and beyond.”
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Certification for its standalone casino aggregator product allows WA Technology to increase its range of integrated iGaming content supplied to operators in the Brazilian market.
This ever-expanding catalogue of content includes tens of thousands of games, cementing it as a more trusted partner for operators seeking to thrive in this market, with the added assurance that it fully complies with Brazilian regulatory requirements.
Meeting the necessary requirements for the casino product builds on WA Technology’s strong record in the region, where it already has an established presence and certified platform, with an experienced team of professionals based out of an office in Recife. This gives the business a unique understanding of the players in the country and the team to simplify any complexities that may arise for operators.
The certification follows on from recent launches such as its Pick’Em player products for stats-led gameplay and Sportsbook Managed Service, to provide operators with more services and opportunities to grow.
Country Director for Brazil said: “This is a significant milestone for the business and signals our intent to expand further into the Brazilian market. I’m proud of the team’s hard work to secure this certificate and allow us to meet the market demands for casino games within this region.
The post WA. Technology Receives GLI Certification in Brazil for Casino Aggregator Product appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
AUSTRAC has launched Federal Court civil penalty proceedings against Mount Pritchard District and Community Club (Mounties), for alleged serious and systemic non-compliance with Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) laws.
AUSTRAC alleges that Mounties contravened the AML/CTF Act, providing gaming services to its customers in circumstances where it had not adopted and maintained an AML CTF programme in compliance with the AML/CTF Rules.
AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said AUSTRAC alleges failures in Mounties’ approach to its anti-money laundering obligations have left it open to criminal exploitation.
“Mounties is one of the largest and most profitable club groups in NSW. It owns 10 venues, 8 of which operate approximately 1,400 poker machines and it makes hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from money gambled on those machines,” Mr Thomas said.
“This is a big company with an even bigger responsibility to ensure its clubs are managing the risks that criminals can run dirty money through its gaming machines.
“AUSTRAC’s 2024 Money Laundering in Australia National Risk Assessment identified pubs and clubs as a medium risk sector, but when those businesses are exposed to cash, especially in circumstances where known money laundering risks are not being managed, the risk increases.”
“A business operating at this scale, in a cash intensive sector, is exposed to a high degree of money laundering risk. In 2022 for example, the NSW Crime Commission released its Project Islington report which determined that billions of the approximately $95b gambled in NSW poker machines in 2021-22 was likely to be dirty money.”
AUSTRAC alleges Mounties AML/CTF programme:
• did not have an adequate risk assessment
• did not contain appropriate staff risk awareness training
• did not contain appropriate risk based systems and controls in its transaction monitoring programme
• did not include appropriate risk based systems and controls in its enhanced customer due diligence processes
• was not subject to an independent review that met the requirements of the Rules
• and that Mounties failed to appropriately monitor a number of its customers with a view to identifying, mitigating and managing the money laundering risk that Mounties faced.
AUSTRAC also alleges Mounties failed to appropriately maintain its AML/CTF Programme, with aspects of its programme outsourced to a third party provider, Betsafe – which also provides AML/CTF programmes to a number of other pubs and clubs.
“Like many other AUSTRAC reporting entities, Mounties outsources aspects of its AML/CTF program but what it can’t outsource is its AML/CTF obligations.”
“Relying on third party providers doesn’t absolve a business of its obligations under the AML/CTF Act. If a reporting entity outsources key parts of its program to a service that is not fit for purpose – especially without proper oversight or resourcing – they run a real risk of non-compliance.
“All reporting entities, regardless of size, must stay actively involved in how their AML/CTF program is designed, implemented and monitored and I would say the same thing to other pubs and clubs who think bringing in a provider is a set and forget solution.”
AUSTRAC also alleges a number of specific instances where Mounties failed to appropriately monitor specific customers, despite the money laundering risks they presented.
“Customer due diligence and transaction monitoring in a club that processes hundreds of millions of dollars a year through its poker machines, a significant amount of which is cash, is going to require a robust approach when it comes to verifying a customer’s source of funds,” said Mr Thomas.
It is now a matter for the Federal Court of Australia to determine whether Mounties contravened the Act and, if so, what orders to make.
The post AUSTRAC Launches Civil Penalty Proceedings Against Mounties appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
SOFTSWISS, a leading iGaming software provider, has strengthened its European presence by making the Jackpot Aggregator available in Estonia. This strategic move follows the recent Jackpot Aggregator certification in Bulgaria, Brazil, and Peru.
Estonia remains a strong and digitally mature iGaming market in Europe. Industry revenue is projected to reach 452.5 million dollars in 2025, with growth expected to push that figure past 508 million dollars by 2029. The casino and slots segment alone is expected to generate more than 206 million dollars this year. With user penetration at 31.2% and over 450,000 players forecast by the end of the period, the market continues to draw interest from operators across the region.
In July 2025, SOFTSWISS introduced Paid Participation campaigns – a new Jackpot Aggregator feature where players pay a small fee to join jackpots, prize drops, or other campaigns. This model offers a more engaging experience, giving players better chances of winning and fewer participants. For operators, it opens a new revenue stream by funding prize pools through player contributions.
Angelina Stasiuk, Head of Business Line at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, shares: “The Jackpot Aggregator has proven its impact across multiple markets, and we are excited to bring its full potential to operators in Estonia. Now, Estonian operators can launch player-centric jackpot campaigns tailored to their brand and audience. We see strong potential in the Estonian market and are ready to support partners with the tools they need to stand out.”
The Jackpot Aggregator also integrates directly with the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, which now offers over 35,000 games – the largest portfolio in the industry – and maintains enterprise-level uptime at 99.999%. Together, these solutions offer a powerful combination for operators looking to scale with confidence.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator Enters the Estonian Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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