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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The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has imposed a first penalty payment order on YouTube influencer LeftlanePapi for promoting illegal gambling.
The YouTube channel LeftlanePapi showed videos with live streams of online gambling from illegal providers. The illegal providers were also actively advertised, by encouraging viewers to also play there. The KSA issued a warning to the influencer. Because the content in question was not removed after the warning and new streams were made, the KSA imposed a penalty. Existing content must be removed and no new advertising may be made. If this does happen, the influencer will receive a penalty of €25,000 per violation, with a maximum of €75,000.
With its new approach, the KSA opts for a two-track policy. After establishing a violation, influencers receive a message that they must stop their activities within 48 hours and that illegal content must be removed. If the influencer does not do so, the KSA approaches the social media platform so that the harmful content is removed in any case. The influencer is given a penalty under penalty of a fine, as was also the case with Leftlanepapi. The KSA has now warned several influencers.
The post KSA Imposes Penalty Payment Order on Influencer Leftlanepapi appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
French gambling regulator ANJ has appointed Pauline Hot as its new Director General.
A former student of the École normale supérieure and the École nationale d’administration (Hannah Arendt class), Pauline Hot has been an auditor and then a master of requests at the Council of State since 2020. There, she served as rapporteur to the 6th chamber of the litigation section and to the administration section. She has held the position of Deputy Director General of the ANJ since January 2025.
The post ANJ Appoints Pauline Hot as its Director General appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Ahmed Baker Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games
INCENTIVE GAMES SECURES MICHIGAN GAMING LICENSE
Incentive Games, a leading B2B games provider, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a Provisional Michigan gaming licence by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), effective today. This achievement allows the company to bring its innovative suite of Real-Money Games to operators and players across the state.
The Michigan licence represents Incentive Games’ first foray into the North American regulated market. This comes shortly after the launch of Incentive Studios, the company’s dedicated Real-Money Gaming division, which is set to drive its ambitious growth in this sector. The licence underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of compliance, security, and operational integrity. Obtaining this licence, which requires excellence in areas such as robust security protocols and comprehensive responsible gaming measures, provides access to one of the most dynamic iGaming markets in the United States.
Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games, said, “Securing our Michigan licence marks an exciting new chapter for Incentive Games. It’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to meeting the highest regulatory standards and unlocks a significant opportunity for us in a critical North American growth market. This will allow Incentive Games to forge new partnerships and bring our highly engaging Real-Money Games directly to players in Michigan. We’re very grateful to the MGCB for this achievement, which is a pivotal step in our global expansion strategy as we continue to deliver world-class products and build strong partnerships in the region.”
The post INCENTIVE GAMES SECURES MICHIGAN GAMING LICENSE appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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