Compliance Updates

Ensuring Integrity: The Role of Assurance in the Gambling Industry

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2024

George Miller

ensuring-integrity:-the-role-of-assurance-in-the-gambling-industry

Reading Time: 2 minutes

By Salvador Garcia-Noblejas, Senior Regulatory Assurance Services at ComplianceOne Group

The gambling industry has its origins in the ancient period, and different types of games are found in almost every culture and civilization.

Over the last few years, we have witnessed an immense transformation, clearly boosted by technological developments. Among these changes, online gambling has grown rapidly, and with this new non-face-to-face reality, regulation and regulators have also embraced new ways to protect players, businesses, and the overall economy. Regulators have the responsibility to set the framework of common rules that define what is right and wrong, the means to protect all parties, and the tools that must be used when anyone does not behave as expected.

Assurance in a world of global risks

It would be inaccurate to assume that regulatory assurance’s only goal is to ensure that operators operate in a fair and transparent manner and meet their legal obligations. On the contrary, assurance also includes helping businesses understand the risks involved in the industry where they operate, analysing their strengths and weaknesses, and setting measures to mitigate those risks.

Assurance’s starting point consists of an interview phase where tailor-made questionnaires serve better understanding the reality to each operator and its actual circumstances. Once the assurance assessment is complete, a detailed action plan assists the operator in fixing any identified gaps, improving policies and procedures, and obtaining the maximum financial gain from refining their processes, products, and operations.

As part of the fast transformation of the gambling industry, with competitive new products, platforms, advertisements, and market expansion, we must not forget that bad actors and illegal practices also develop. This is the moment to ask ourselves if we are ready to face whatever can harm our operations. The most efficient way to know is carrying out a thorough audit of policies, procedures, and processes. This approach will certainly save operators from potential harm to their clients, products, brands, and finances.

Audit readiness

Regulators focus on legislation, supervision, and enforcement. All stakeholders must comply with gambling regulations if they want to offer products and services or provide a safe environment to their clients. An important part of the gambling legal system is the fact that the industry is continuously overseen to ensure that all actors adhere to the established rules. At this point, operators need to ask themselves how ready they are to show sufficient evidence that their operations adhere to the law.

Smart operators will choose to comply with as many rules and regulations as their business is capable of, and they will ensure that records are properly kept. Company leadership is essential in ensuring compliance as it contributes to collaboration between departments and having policies and procedures that make the business run within the parameters of the legislation.

Lessons learned

In recent years, some highly publicized enforcement actions, including fines and penalties, license suspension, and revocation, have alerted the whole gambling industry. From such cases, there have been increasing efforts in reviewing processes, improving systems, and growing compliance departments.

Experience in the gambling industry has taught us that it is crucial to have a detailed understanding of the regulations that govern the relationship between operators and players. Where knowledge has been insufficient, inaccurate, or out of date, some business decisions have led to unwanted consequences, sometimes catastrophic ones.

Knowledge, a solid compliance culture, strong procedures, and willingness are the formula to be ready for a regulatory audit.

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Brasil on Track

ODDSGATE LAUNCHES “BRASIL ON TRACK”, A STRATEGIC PLATFORM FOR NAVIGATING BRAZIL’S REGULATED IGAMING MARKET

Published

14 hours ago

February 5, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

oddsgate-launches-“brasil-on-track”,-a-strategic-platform-for-navigating-brazil’s-regulated-igaming-market

As Brazil’s regulated iGaming market completes its first year under Law 14.790/2023, Oddsgate today announced the launch of Brasil on Track, a strategic platform designed to help operators monitor legislation, understand compliance requirements, and make informed decisions in Latin America’s largest economy.

Brasil on Track provides live tracking of regulatory milestones, market indicators, and operational requirements,

connecting legal updates to their business impact and linking directly to official sources.
Brazil’s regulatory landscape has evolved rapidly over the past year. Law 14.790/2023 introduced clearer frameworks for licensing, taxation, and consumer protection, which accelerated international interest and positioned Brazil among the world’s most closely watched regulated iGaming markets.

According to Brazil’s Ministry of Finance, the sector generated an estimated R$36 billion in gross gaming revenue (January-September 2025) and R$3.3 billion in federal tax revenue over the same period, highlighting the market’s scale and momentum.
Source: Brazil’s Ministry of Finance, 2025.

“The regulation brought by Law 14.790/2023 was a major milestone for Brazil’s iGaming sector,” said Valter Delfraro Junior, Oddsgate’s Director of Regulatory Affairs. “It ended years of uncertainty and provided legal security and operational clarity. This new scenario places Brazil’s gaming industry on par with mature markets, increasing our international competitiveness and attractiveness to global investors and partners.”

During the first year of regulation, operators faced extensive requirements, including federal authorization processes, responsible gambling mechanisms, advertising restrictions, and new tax structures. Oddsgate expects the market to continue expanding throughout 2026, with early adopters well-positioned to benefit from greater credibility and market growth.

“We transform regulation into a practical, continuous guide for operating in Brazil with less risk and more clarity,” said Wagner Fernandes, Chief Marketing Officer at Oddsgate. “Brasil on Track helps teams entering, expanding, or optimizing operations decide with context, not guesswork.”

What “Brasil on Track” includes
– Live tracking of active regulation and pending bills;
– An operational roadmap mapping legal changes to required compliance actions;
– Market intelligence, including player demographics and key market indicators;
– Visibility into tax structures, licensing steps, and market-entry requirements;
– Focus areas include KYC, AML, self-exclusion tools, responsible gambling, and consumer protection requirements.

The post ODDSGATE LAUNCHES “BRASIL ON TRACK”, A STRATEGIC PLATFORM FOR NAVIGATING BRAZIL’S REGULATED IGAMING MARKET appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Compliance Updates

KSA Intensifies its Cooperation with Sports Associations to Combat Illegal Gambling Advertising

Published

19 hours ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

ksa-intensifies-its-cooperation-with-sports-associations-to-combat-illegal-gambling-advertising

The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has intensified its collaboration with sports associations and clubs to combat illegal gambling advertising. Since the implementation of the ban on untargeted advertising, the KSA has been monitoring advertising by gambling companies more closely. To combat illegal advertising in sports, the KSA is working more closely with sports organisations.

Consultation with sports associations and clubs

After the ban on sports sponsorship came into effect, the KSA (Dutch Sports Federation) wrote to all sports associations about their responsibilities in this regard. The KSA found no significant violations by license holders after the ban was implemented. However, the regulator noted that confusion can arise, for example, when foreign clubs play with the logo of a legal sponsor in that country on their shirts. The KSA supports sports organisations where possible by explaining the rules and providing input on their application.

Positive examples

Several matches have shown that clubs are making efforts to correctly implement the ban. For example, Olympiacos Piraeus played in the CEV Cup match (volleyball) against Draisma Dynamo in Apeldoorn wearing shirts without the logo of a foreign gambling provider.

Consultations were held with the KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association) before the match between AZ and Jagiellonia Białystok on December 18. The shirts displayed a logo from a score website. This logo differed significantly from that of the gambling provider, and the name was also different. Furthermore, no references to gambling services were found on the score website.

The KSA also sees matches in which players play with blank shirts or with shirts from its own foundation.

Extra supervision at international competitions

There were also situations where the rules were not met. Following matches like the Ajax vs. Internazionale and Go Ahead Eagles vs. Stuttgart matches, letters were sent to the clubs involved. A banner from an unlicensed gambling provider was visible during the Go Ahead Eagles vs. Stuttgart match. However, this gambling provider was not visible in the stadium itself or in the regular Dutch TV broadcast. For international matches, various image recordings are used, which can include virtual billboards. For the Dutch market, the gambling provider was replaced by an alternative advertisement. When distributing a summary in the Netherlands, part of the imagery in which the sponsor message was visible was mistakenly used. As a result, clubs and associations were again reminded of the importance of due care in international productions and summaries.

Continued attention

The KSA continues to consult with sports associations and clubs in the coming period and actively monitor compliance with the ban on untargeted advertising by gambling providers. Enforcement action will be taken where necessary. With this approach, the KSA contributes to a sports environment free of advertising for (illegal) gambling services.

The post KSA Intensifies its Cooperation with Sports Associations to Combat Illegal Gambling Advertising appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Compliance Updates

Ireland Minister Jim O’Callaghan Signs Order to Allow GRAI to Begin Issuing Licences

Published

19 hours ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

ireland-minister-jim-o’callaghan-signs-order-to-allow-grai-to-begin-issuing-licences

Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan has signed an order to commence key aspects of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 to allow the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to begin issuing remote and in-person betting licences.

The signing of the commencement order, which comes into effect on Thursday, 5 February 2026, enables the Authority to start accepting and processing applications, and issuing licenses for remote and in-person betting operators. It also commences the necessary enforcement and oversight and complaints mechanisms that underpin the new licensing framework. In addition, the order commences those sections of the Act that amend and repeal existing legislation on the statute book. In particular, it will repeal the Totalisator Act 1929 and the Betting Act 1931.

Minister O’Callaghan said: “Today marks another important step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework. This reflects the nature of modern gambling and takes into account the harms associated with problem gambling, by providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children.

“The Authority can issue licences for new entrants as soon as is feasible, licence remote operators from 1 July 2026 and in-person operators from 1 December 2026, when their existing licences, issued by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, expire.

“The Act provides the Authority with the necessary enforcement powers to take appropriate and focused action where licensees fail to comply with licensing terms, conditions and regulations, and to deal with unlicensed operators, those operating without the correct licence, or those in contravention of the terms of a licence issued by the Authority.”

The post Ireland Minister Jim O’Callaghan Signs Order to Allow GRAI to Begin Issuing Licences appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.