Compliance Updates
Special Interview: A Conversation with Tom Farrell, CMO of ClearStake
Affordability is currently the word on everyone’s lips. Operators continue to face a ‘sustainability conundrum’ – they must fulfil their regulatory obligations and commitments to player protection, while ensuring their business remains profitable. For many, affordability can spell disaster, with up to 90% of customers lost when asked to prove they have the money they are wanting to spend. However, using Open Banking to carry out these financial checks as quickly as possible may be the answer to boosting retention and retaining otherwise lost revenues.
The DCMS recently published a public consultation on the UK gambling White Paper, while the Gambling Commission launched its own on financial risk checks, bringing their importance of affordability to the top of the agenda – but operators must now strike the balance between minimising harm and maximising revenue. Affordability checks that take too long risk sending customers to competitors, or worse, the black market.
One of the key remedies to the high level of churn experienced in the past is making sure financial risk checks can be carried out quickly and with as little friction as possible, so that customers can complete them with as much ease as approving a payment while online shopping. Operators have to reach a decision quickly because the longer players wait, the more likely it is they will go elsewhere while they’re waiting.
Of course, there are some people who under no circumstances will share financial data with someone like a gambling operator. There’s also a group of people who won’t share data because they know they are gambling beyond their means. This is of course the system working as it should and that’s a good thing. But there’s a third group of people for whom it’s too much effort. They’re asked to provide bank statements, at which point they go to a competitor, as the hoops they have to jump through are not worth it.
For a customer using Open Bank technology, such as ClearStake, what used to involve downloading and printing bank statements and a wait while the operator reviews the data, now takes just 30 seconds and a few clicks. A decision is recommended to the operator immediately and theoretically, the whole process can take less than a minute. Players click a link, and they are taken to a super slick and simple process where they press a couple of buttons and the relevant financial data is shared securely. They are always in control of their data and they can revoke permission at any time.
Our software categorises every transaction and we can calculate whatever the operator wants to see. It could be disposable income, net gambling spend, total income, or current balance on the account. Our software can also evaluate the rate of change so operators can see accelerating gambling spend or consistently declining savings and work out if the player’s gambling activity is still within the safe bounds of their current financial position.
Without responsible gaming and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) checks, gambling risks being over-regulated out of existence as the product will become unprofitable. To answer the sustainability conundrum many operators face, we need to find a middle ground. Sustainability means not letting people spend beyond their means. It means letting people have a bet if they can afford to, while not taking more money than they can spend.
Over the last two or three years, the Gambling Commission got strict on affordability checks. They asked operators how they know someone could afford to lose ‘x’ amount. The White Paper effectively agreed with the Gambling Commission and has clarified that if someone is losing £2,000 in the space of three months or £1,000 in one month, operators should be confident about the player’s financial situation. The headline was that affordability and EDD checks should be taking place.
This discussion around affordability is not only limited to the UK, and we are seeing lawmakers and regulators in several other countries considering measures in this area.
The industry therefore needs to be proactive as the problem will never go away if it keeps allowing people to bet money they don’t have. In the public mind, gambling will have the same fate as cigarettes which are currently being regulated out of existence.
The California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC) has scheduled a meeting of the Gaming Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC) for 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
The committee is established under Business and Professions Code Section 19817 to provide advisory recommendations to the Commission on regulatory policy, with a specific focus on integrity and problem gambling.
Meeting Attendance Information
The meeting will be conducted in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person and remote participation.
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In-Person Location: 2399 Gateway Oaks Drive, Hearing Room 100, Sacramento, CA 95833.
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Virtual Access: Zoom Meeting Link
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Phone Access: 1-888-475-4499 (Toll-free) | Meeting ID: 285 757 8614
Key Agenda Items
The agenda focuses on internal governance, regulatory controls for third-party providers, and administrative updates:
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GPAC Roles and Responsibilities: A review of the mission statement, adherence to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, and expectations for member conduct and responsiveness.
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Current Projects: Update and discussion on Third-Party Providers of Proposition Player Services (TPPPS) – Internal Controls, led by subcommittee members Kirill Yermanov and Michael Hill.
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New Discussion Items:
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Third-Party Provider Employee Table Coverage.
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Procedures for Lost or Damaged Employee Badges.
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Administrative Updates: An update on the Category G vacancy (Public Member with accounting/business background).
2026 Committee Composition
The committee consists of 10 members (expanding to 12 if pending legislation like AB 77 is finalized), split equally between the cardroom industry and the public.
| Member Name | Category / Role | Term Expiry |
| Trevor Dewar | Category A (Bureau of Gambling Control) | 12/31/2026 |
| Sosha Marasigan-Quintero | Category B (Problem Gambling/Addiction) | 12/31/2026 |
| Michael Hill | Category C (TPPPS Representative) | 12/31/2027 |
| David Fried | Category D (Cardroom with 25+ Tables) | 12/31/2026 |
| Michael Koniski | Industry Representative | — |
| Emmanuel Macalino | Industry Representative | — |
| Linda Ng | Public Representative | — |
| John Stacy | Industry Representative | — |
| Kirill Yermanov | Public Representative | — |
Advisors: Lisa Wardall (Executive Director) and Jason Pope (Chief Counsel).
The post CGCC Gaming Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC) Meeting: Jan 20, 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
The wait is over: The Finnish Parliament has officially approved the new gambling legislation. In a decisive plenary session, MPs voted 158 in favor to 9 opposed, with 32 abstaining. The text remained unchanged from the version presented in previous weeks, solidifying the framework for Finland’s transition from a monopoly to a licensed market.
With the political uncertainty resolved, the focus now shifts to implementation. For operators, this means the race to compliance—and market entry—has effectively begun.
The Confirmed Timeline
With the legislation passed, the roadmap to the market opening is now set. Operators must use the coming months to prepare for a rigorous licensing process.
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Early 2026: The application window is expected to open. The regulator will begin accepting and reviewing license applications.
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2026 (Throughout): The “preparatory year.” This period is dedicated to vetting applicants, ensuring technical compliance, and establishing the new supervisory authority.
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January 1, 2027: The regulated Finnish market officially opens. Licensed operators can go live with betting and online casino services.
Entering the Finnish Market with Nordic Legal
Navigating a new jurisdiction is complex, but it doesn’t have to be inefficient. With extensive experience advising on gaming licences across the Nordic markets, Nordic Legal brings a proven, practical approach to the Finnish process.
Efficiency Through Synergy If you already work with us in Denmark or Sweden, we ensure your Finnish licence application isn’t a “start from scratch” project. We build directly on our existing knowledge of your organisation and systems.
Your usual Nordic Legal contact will coordinate directly with our Helsinki team at no extra cost. This integrated approach saves you time and avoids the frustration of duplicating work you’ve already done for other Nordic licenses.
Our Approach We focus on smart compliance:
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Reusing documentation where regulations overlap.
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Anticipating regulatory questions before they are asked.
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Aligning requirements for technical standards and responsible gambling.
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Engaging constructively with the Finnish authority to ensure a smooth process.
The Finnish Licence Application Package
To support your entry, we offer a comprehensive package designed to handle the heavy lifting:
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Translation of all required documents.
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Guidance and completion of complex application forms.
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Full project management from start to submission.
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Direct communication with the Finnish regulator on your behalf.
Next Steps
The window for preparation is narrowing. Contact your usual Nordic Legal advisor today to discuss the new legislation or our Licence Application Package. Alternatively, reach out to us directly to secure your place in Finland’s upcoming regulated market.
The post Finland’s Gambling Reform Is Official – What Happens Next? appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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The Danish Gambling Authority has called attention to FATF’s (Financial Action Task Force) updated lists of high-risk jurisdictions: the Grey List (jurisdictions under increased monitoring) and Black List (call for actions). Among other things, gambling operators must include FATF’s lists of high-risk jurisdictions when risk assessing players.
Jurisdictions listed on the Grey List:
Algeria, Angola, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Haiti, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Vietnam, the Virgin Islands and Yemen.
Jurisdictions listed on the Black List:
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran and Myanmar
Gambling operators are required to conduct enhanced customer due diligence (EDD) pursuant to section 17(1) of the Danish AML Act, if a player is assessed to impose a higher risk of the gambling operator being misused for money laundering or terrorist financing.
Gambling operators shall conduct this risk assessment based on Annex 3 to the AML Act (high-risk factors) which includes the FATF high-risk country lists (the so called black list and grey list)
It is not required that gambling operators perform EDD if a country is listed on the FATF’s list. EDD are only a requirement for players from jurisdictions listed in the EU Regulation of High Risk Third Country list pursuant to. 17(2) of the AML Act.
The post Updated FATF Lists of High-risk Jurisdictions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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