Compliance Updates
Our UKGC consultation response: Failing to protect the vulnerable should not be the White Paper’s legacy
The dust has settled and the process is complete. The consultation on the proposed changes outlined in the UK Gambling White Paper is closed so now we just have to wait and see. Whilst we do so, we thought that in the spirit of transparency, we would share our own thoughts, more or less as they were communicated in our consultation response to the UK Gambling Commision.
Offering a real-time customer risk profiling tool, ClearStake’s focus was obviously on affordability checks. But then, much of the industry’s attention has been on this topic over the last few months. This is, to our mind, the single most important challenge facing the sector. Addressing it in the right way, a way that protects both punters and operators, will be the key to a sustainable, profitable future.
And with that goal uppermost in our mind, here is what we said:
1. Affordability checks must use real financial data
Certainly at the levels of spend proposed as meriting more thorough checks (£1,000 in a day or £2,000 over the space of three months), we don’t believe there is any real substitute for real financial data, by which we mean bank data. There is simply no other way of establishing whether a player can afford to lose this amount of money or not. Everything else – including data from credit reference agencies – is guesswork. We believe that the single greatest mistake that could be made during this process is not solving the problem of financial harm caused by gambling. That won’t be an issue if the government requires decisions to be made by operators in possession of a proper financial picture of their customers.
2. We can solve two problems at once
The consultation focused on affordability checks, but it would be almost perverse to ignore the wider reality at play here. Operators also have to perform anti money-laundering and source-of-funds (SOF) checks on their customers, and they do so by looking at bank statements. Given this is the case, it makes a lot of sense to us to effectively combine both these requirements within a single check.
3. At higher spend levels, it makes sense to keep customers connected
There has been a lot of talk about how frequently checks should take place, or to put that another way, whether it should be necessary to go back to a customer within six months or a year if they have already passed a check. To us, this rather misses the opportunity presented by Open Banking in particular. After the first check, assuming the player allows it, any checks in future can be entirely frictionless. The connection can remain in place and used when necessary (and only when necessary!) in order to make the ongoing compliance relationship as smooth as possible. We don’t expect ongoing connection to be mandated, but it should certainly be held up as best practice for all concerned.
4. Some of the proposed data points make little sense
When a solution that takes guesswork out of the equation is available, does it really make sense to suggest that postcodes and job titles are meaningful ways to determine an individual’s financial situation? We don’t think so. We believe that continuing to ‘lean in’ to data like this gives a misleading impression that it is good enough. It isn’t. Even as part of a broader decision-making process, it is very difficult to see where some of these data points fit in. You could say the same, of course, about missed loan repayments from three years ago.
5. The solution exists – why cobble together a new one?
Hovering behind the entire consultation process appears to be a not-quite-defined ‘solution’ to the affordability challenge. This is apparent in the various hints towards the use of CATO data (let’s just say it, even if the Commission aren’t willing to) and a hodge-podge of random data points in order to make affordability decisions, as part of a system that would have to be piloted in order to ensure a) it works and b) it doesn’t create data security issues.
Leaving aside the absurdity of asking us to judge the merits of an approach that hasn’t actually been defined, we would simply point out that in Open Banking, a solution to this challenge already exists. One that is already used by over 7 million people in the UK, by most UK operators to handle payments, and already used to handle affordability and SOF checks by forward-thinking operators. Why on earth are we re-inventing the wheel?
So there you have it. That’s what we told the consultation, albeit in language a little less colourful. I hope they listen.
AleRT Bettor Protection System
Regulating the Game Names “Prevent” Risk Identification System by Focal as Latest Innovation Selected for 2026 Pitch! Event
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Leading gambling law and regulation conference Regulating the Game (RTG) has announced “Prevent” – a real-time gambling risk identification and safer gambling messaging system developed by Focal – as the latest innovation selected to feature at next year’s Pitch! event.
Part of RTG’s networking schedule taking place alongside the summit itself in Sydney in March, Pitch! – to be held on the evening of 9 March at the Sydney Opera House – is designed to surface solutions that confront real regulatory challenges by strengthening consumer protection, enhancing governance and offering operators practical capability uplift.
Organisers said “Prevent” exemplifies this mission by reframing player protection as a core operational system rather than an ancillary responsibility. Specifically, it advances the identification of risk across the millions of interactions land-based venues experience by using live behavioural data to detect risk early, generate real-time alerts and deliver safer gambling messaging directly to customers.
It is the next evolution of Focal’s award-winning ALeRT Bettor Protection System, bringing faster insights, automated outreach and a more complete picture of customer behaviour.
According to RTG, “Prevent” expands the reach of player protection by identifying emerging risk in real time, monitoring both carded and uncarded play, delivering instant and automated safer gambling messages, supporting venue teams with accurate, consolidated risk information and streamlining compliance reporting and documentation.
“‘Prevent’ is exactly the sort of innovation Pitch! is built to spotlight. We’re looking for solutions that lift capability, that translate research into operational practice and that show what is possible when technology meets real-world regulatory challenges. ‘Prevent’ is pushing safer gambling further upstream – and making it part of mainstream operations,” said Paul Newson, Principal at Vanguard Overwatch and founder of RTG.
RTG also revealed its first batch of sponsors for the 2026 event, namely GLI as Gala Dinner Partner and Amazon Web Services as a Silver Sponsor, with support from ebet, CherryHub, Intralot Australia, IGT, Everi, Vanguard Overwatch, Leagues Clubs Australia and Thomson Geer.
The post Regulating the Game Names “Prevent” Risk Identification System by Focal as Latest Innovation Selected for 2026 Pitch! Event appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GAMOMAT, one of the leading independent German software developers for slot games, has achieved its ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification. This marks a major milestone in the company’s ongoing commitment to information security management.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification was awarded by Proks Certification GmbH, an independent certification body accredited by the German Accreditation Body (Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle DAkkS). The certification, valid until August 2028, also covers GAMOMAT Distribution GmbH and GAMOMAT RGS Ltd.
This important certification ensures that GAMOMAT has the right framework to process, manage and protect both its own sensitive information and that of its clients and employees. GAMOMAT completed a full audit by ISO consultants as part of the assessment, confirming its procedures meet the required benchmarks.
“Securing our ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification is a testament to our unwavering understanding that data and information security are crucial. This certification demonstrates that our technology is managed responsibly and securely, in line with internationally recognised best practices,” said Paul Schulleri, CTO of GAMOMAT Development GmbH.
The post GAMOMAT Achieves ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Expanse Studios, a B2B iGaming content provider and subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group Inc., has been granted a software provider license by Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s national gambling authority, authorizing the company to distribute gaming software to licensed operators in one of Europe’s most mature and regulated iGaming markets.
The license, valid until December 1, 2030, enables Expanse Studios to supply its portfolio of proprietary slot games, crash games, and casino content to Sweden’s licensed B2C operators. This approval positions the company to serve a market that generated approximately €2.4 billion in total gambling revenue in 2024, with online gaming accounting for 64% of total market activity.
Entry into Europe’s Most Regulated Market
Sweden represents one of Europe’s most sophisticated iGaming jurisdictions, with approximately 100 licensed operators serving a population of 10.5 million where internet penetration exceeds 95%. In 2024, the online gambling revenue reached $1.9 billion, reflecting a 5% increase from the previous year.
The Swedish market maintains one of Europe’s highest channelization rates at 85-90%, indicating strong player preference for licensed platforms. Sweden’s regulatory framework, established through the 2019 Gambling Act and overseen by Spelinspektionen, emphasizes technical compliance, responsible gaming, and transparent operations—standards that align with Expanse Studios’ existing operations across 1,300+ casino brands in regulated markets.
“Sweden’s licensing framework sets the gold standard for regulated iGaming markets in Europe,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios. “Securing the license approval from the Swedish Authority once again validated our technical capabilities and commitment to responsible gaming in one of the world’s most demanding regulatory environments. This license opens substantial distribution opportunities with established operators serving a highly engaged, tech-savvy player base.”
The Swedish license complements Expanse Studios’ recent European regulatory approvals in Romania and commercial partnerships with operators including AdmiralBet (Novomatic Group) and MerkurXtip (Merkur Group), demonstrating accelerating demand for certified, compliant content across regulated jurisdictions in Europe.
Sweden’s market characteristics—including strong preference for mobile platforms, high consumer spending on digital entertainment, and established payment infrastructure—align well with Expanse Studios’ content portfolio. With 56 proprietary titles including Super Heli, Titan Roulette, and Wild Icy Fruits, the company continues scaling its high-margin B2B operations across Europe, Latin America, and North America.
This license approval reinforces Golden Matrix Group’s strategic focus on expanding regulated B2B operations in jurisdictions with transparent licensing frameworks and very robust player protection standards.
The post Expanse Studios Secures Swedish B2B Gaming License appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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