Compliance Updates

New Survey Shows Huge Public Support for Gambling Law Reforms in Northern Ireland

Published

6 years ago

July 7, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

According to a new poll, the majority of people in Northern Ireland support reforming the country’s gambling laws. The research was carried out by the polling company LucidTalk on behalf of social policy charity CARE NI, which is campaigning for gambling law change.

Northern Ireland’s gambling legislation dates back to 1985 and critics argue it is not in line with the digital age.

According to the Department for Communities’ 2017 research, the north has a problem gambling prevalence rate of 2.3% – more than four times higher than England where it stands at 0.5%. In Scotland, the figure is 0.7% and in Wales 1.1%.

The department held a public consultation last year on the issue, but the final report has not yet been published.

When polling company LucidTalk asked what best described their position, 92% said maximum stakes and prizes online should be regulated by law, with only 8% saying there should be no limit.

Meanwhile, 90% either strongly support (68%) or support (22%) the idea of a mandatory levy for gambling firms, while just 5% were either strongly opposed or opposed to the idea of the levy. There were 1878 responses to the survey.

Public policy officer Mark Baillie described current laws as “hopelessly out of date and belong to a different era where online gambling didn’t exist.”

“Times have changed and the recent lockdown here in Northern Ireland has only increased the pressure on people with gambling addictions.

“The uncomfortable truth is that Northern Ireland has a real problem with gambling related harms and this means it’s all the more urgent to reform our current laws.

“This polling very clearly shows doing so would be hugely popular with the general population with the clear majority supportive on stake and prize limits on online games regulated by law and a mandatory levy on betting firms.

“CARE NI responded to the Department of Communities consultation on problem gambling and we look forward to the results being published soon.

“Our politicians must make this issue a priority and address the exploitation of vulnerable people thanks to a poorly regulated gambling industry.”

AGLC

Continent 8 set to back Alberta’s iGaming operators and suppliers

Published

2 hours ago

February 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

continent-8-set-to-back-alberta’s-igaming-operators-and-suppliers

Continent 8 Technologies, a premier provider of advanced managed IT solutions tailored for the worldwide iGaming and online sports betting sector, announces its official launch in Alberta, Canada. This growth comes after the province unveiled its competitive iGaming regulatory framework and the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) issued comprehensive hosting and security requirements, representing another important milestone in Continent 8’s enduring dedication to the North American market.

With established operations in Ontario – where the company effectively introduced its Public Cloud solution in Toronto in direct response to the province’s launch of its iGaming market in 2022 – Continent 8 brings to Alberta the same level of regulatory insight, technical expertise, and customer-focused innovation that has positioned it as a reliable partner throughout Canada.

Alberta’s iGaming regulations outline specific hosting and data management responsibilities for suppliers and operators. For instance, every data centre utilized by licensees must obtain AGLC approval, which includes data residency, cross-border transfers, and encryption key management.

The province requires fully operational disaster recovery infrastructure and unalterable, encrypted backups, along with stringent conditions for quarterly testing and offsite storage—fields where Continent 8’s expertise offers instant benefits.

Besides hosting requirements, Alberta implements some of the most thorough security standards in the nation, such as mandatory MFA, compliance with SOC 2 and ISO 27001, yearly penetration testing, and extensive log retention mandates.

“Our heritage means we understand the rigorous regulatory expectations, and the operational challenges operators and suppliers face when entering new markets,” said Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder of Continent 8 Technologies. “Alberta’s standards are comprehensive, particularly around disaster recovery, backups, and security. We have built our solutions so customers can meet these requirements confidently from day one. We are excited to support customers as Alberta opens its market and continues Canada’s growth story.”

The post Continent 8 set to back Alberta’s iGaming operators and suppliers appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Alberta

Continent 8 ready to support iGaming operators and suppliers in Alberta

Published

2 hours ago

February 10, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

continent-8-ready-to-support-igaming-operators-and-suppliers-in-alberta

Continent 8 Technologies, a leading provider of cutting-edge managed IT solutions designed for the global iGaming and online sports betting industry, announces that it is officially open for business in Alberta, Canada. This expansion follows the province’s release of its competitive iGaming regulatory framework and the publication of detailed hosting and security requirements by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), marking another significant milestone in Continent 8’s long-standing commitment to serving the North American market.

With proven operations in Ontario – where the company successfully launched its Public Cloud solution in Toronto in direct response to the province’s opening of its iGaming market in 2022 – Continent 8 brings to Alberta the same depth of regulatory understanding, technical capability, and customer-driven innovation that has established it as a trusted partner across Canada.

Alberta’s iGaming framework sets out detailed hosting and data governance obligations for operators and suppliers. For example, all data centres used by licensees must receive AGLC approval, covering data residency, cross-border transfers, and encryption key controls.

The province also mandates fully functional disaster recovery infrastructure and immutable, encrypted backups, with strict requirements for quarterly testing and offsite storage – areas where Continent 8’s experience provides immediate value.

In addition to hosting requirements, Alberta introduces some of the most comprehensive security requirements in the country, including mandatory MFA, SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance, annual penetration testing and extensive log retention requirements.

“Our heritage means we understand the rigorous regulatory expectations, and the operational challenges operators and suppliers face when entering new markets,” said Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder of Continent 8 Technologies. “Alberta’s standards are comprehensive, particularly around disaster recovery, backups, and security. We have built our solutions so customers can meet these requirements confidently from day one. We are excited to support customers as Alberta opens its market and continues Canada’s growth story.”

Continent 8’s network now spans every major regulated province or state in North America, supported by facilities across more than 100 locations globally. Customers benefit from end-to-end services including managed hosting, cloud, connectivity, and cybersecurity, all engineered for regulated industries.

The post Continent 8 ready to support iGaming operators and suppliers in Alberta appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Compliance Updates

IBIA Publishes 2025 Sports Betting Integrity Report

Published

3 hours ago

February 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

ibia-publishes-2025-sports-betting-integrity-report

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has published its 2025 Sports Betting Integrity Report. The report reveals that 300 suspicious betting alerts were reported to the relevant authorities during the year. This represents an increase of 29% on the 232 alerts reported in 2024 and reflects IBIA’s expanding global monitoring coverage and enhanced analytical capability.

Key findings from the 2025 report include:

•300 suspicious betting alerts were reported across 16 sports.

•Football (110) and tennis (74) remained the most reported sports.

•Alerts were detected across all major regions, with Europe accounting for the largest share (35%), alongside increased activity in North and South America.

•Operator intelligence from IBIA’s members contributed to 54 matches being proven corrupted.

Through its Global Monitoring & Alert Platform (Global MAP), the association monitors over 1.5 million matches across more than 80 sports, generating over US$300bn in sports betting turnover per annum. IBIA data again played a crucial role in supporting sporting and law-enforcement investigations. Sanctions announced in 2025 involving IBIA data included 54 matches proven to have been corrupted, with sanctions subsequently imposed on 24 players, teams and officials across five sports.

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “Our 2025 data highlights a familiar integrity risk pattern, with football and tennis continuing to account for most suspicious betting activity. At the same time, the greater scale and reach of our Global Monitoring & Alert Platform means our ability to detect, assess and support investigations across markets and sports has increased. This is driven by operator intelligence generated by our membership and their continued commitment to identifying, disrupting and preventing betting-related corruption through collective action and information-sharing with our partners.

The 2025 report includes a dedicated Africa Focus, which highlights that IBIA reported 117 alerts on African sporting events during 2021-25. H2 Gambling Capital forecasts that Africa’s total betting gross gambling revenue (GGR) will grow from US$3.5bn in 2021 to US$19.4bn by 2030. As regulated betting markets continue to develop across the African continent, IBIA views early engagement, data-driven monitoring and collaboration with regulators and sports bodies as essential to safeguarding sporting and betting market integrity.

The post IBIA Publishes 2025 Sports Betting Integrity Report appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.