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Compliance Updates

UKGC Executive Director Tim Miller Issues Fresh Warning to Industry

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Tim Miller, Executive Director of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), has delivered a warning to industry leaders at a recent speech.

In his keynote address entitled “New normal, higher expectations” at the Know Now 2021 conference, Miller claimed the UKGC has risen to the hardships of pandemic life.

He began by outlining the Commission’s successes to keep gambling fairer and safer “in the face of once in a century challenges.”

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Miller spoke at length about the measures the regulator had taken in the lead up to and during the pandemic, to address changing consumer behaviours.

He touched on the efforts the Commission has made online, especially those aimed at protecting children and young people from predatory advertisers such as age-gating content and the use of Ad-Tech.

Miller also discussed several new rules that will come into force on 31 October, including a cap on slot spin speeds in online games at 2.5 seconds, as well as banning auto-play.

However, Miller’s tone changed when he reiterated the Commission’s commitment to keeping crime out of gambling.

“With rapid changes in technology we know we need to be increasingly fleet of foot and may need a broader range of tools to tackle emerging risks.”

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This focus on crime formed a large portion of Miller’s speech. In it, he addressed the dangers of black-market gambling and the efforts that have been made to curb the presence of money laundering in the industry.

In particular, Miller emphasised the need for compliance and cooperation from operators.

“When we talk about the results of our ramped-up compliance and enforcement action in recent years, the focus is often on the failings of operators to minimise the risk of harm. But just as often operators we take action against have failed to meet our standards to prevent money laundering as well.”

Miller ended on an optimistic note, acknowledging the difficulties of the past year and the need for the Commission to raise its own standards while looking forward to the future.

He concluded: “The last 18 months have been a period of profound challenge for everyone, including the Gambling Commission. But despite the turbulence that all of our lives have faced, the Commission’s objectives have remained the same. It has not diverted us away from the course of making gambling fairer, safer and crime free.”

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AUSTRAC Launches Civil Penalty Proceedings Against Mounties

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AUSTRAC has launched Federal Court civil penalty proceedings against Mount Pritchard District and Community Club (Mounties), for alleged serious and systemic non-compliance with Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) laws.

AUSTRAC alleges that Mounties contravened the AML/CTF Act, providing gaming services to its customers in circumstances where it had not adopted and maintained an AML CTF programme in compliance with the AML/CTF Rules.

AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said AUSTRAC alleges failures in Mounties’ approach to its anti-money laundering obligations have left it open to criminal exploitation.

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“Mounties is one of the largest and most profitable club groups in NSW. It owns 10 venues, 8 of which operate approximately 1,400 poker machines and it makes hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from money gambled on those machines,” Mr Thomas said.

“This is a big company with an even bigger responsibility to ensure its clubs are managing the risks that criminals can run dirty money through its gaming machines.

“AUSTRAC’s 2024 Money Laundering in Australia National Risk Assessment identified pubs and clubs as a medium risk sector, but when those businesses are exposed to cash, especially in circumstances where known money laundering risks are not being managed, the risk increases.”

“A business operating at this scale, in a cash intensive sector, is exposed to a high degree of money laundering risk. In 2022 for example, the NSW Crime Commission released its Project Islington report which determined that billions of the approximately $95b gambled in NSW poker machines in 2021-22 was likely to be dirty money.”

AUSTRAC alleges Mounties AML/CTF programme:

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• did not have an adequate risk assessment

• did not contain appropriate staff risk awareness training

• did not contain appropriate risk based systems and controls in its transaction monitoring programme

• did not include appropriate risk based systems and controls in its enhanced customer due diligence processes

• was not subject to an independent review that met the requirements of the Rules

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• and that Mounties failed to appropriately monitor a number of its customers with a view to identifying, mitigating and managing the money laundering risk that Mounties faced.

AUSTRAC also alleges Mounties failed to appropriately maintain its AML/CTF Programme, with aspects of its programme outsourced to a third party provider, Betsafe – which also provides AML/CTF programmes to a number of other pubs and clubs.

“Like many other AUSTRAC reporting entities, Mounties outsources aspects of its AML/CTF program but what it can’t outsource is its AML/CTF obligations.”

“Relying on third party providers doesn’t absolve a business of its obligations under the AML/CTF Act. If a reporting entity outsources key parts of its program to a service that is not fit for purpose – especially without proper oversight or resourcing – they run a real risk of non-compliance.

“All reporting entities, regardless of size, must stay actively involved in how their AML/CTF program is designed, implemented and monitored and I would say the same thing to other pubs and clubs who think bringing in a provider is a set and forget solution.”

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AUSTRAC also alleges a number of specific instances where Mounties failed to appropriately monitor specific customers, despite the money laundering risks they presented.

“Customer due diligence and transaction monitoring in a club that processes hundreds of millions of dollars a year through its poker machines, a significant amount of which is cash, is going to require a robust approach when it comes to verifying a customer’s source of funds,” said Mr Thomas.

It is now a matter for the Federal Court of Australia to determine whether Mounties contravened the Act and, if so, what orders to make.

The post AUSTRAC Launches Civil Penalty Proceedings Against Mounties appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator Enters the Estonian Market

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SOFTSWISS, a leading iGaming software provider, has strengthened its European presence by making the Jackpot Aggregator available in Estonia. This strategic move follows the recent Jackpot Aggregator certification in Bulgaria, Brazil, and Peru.

Estonia remains a strong and digitally mature iGaming market in Europe. Industry revenue is projected to reach 452.5 million dollars in 2025, with growth expected to push that figure past 508 million dollars by 2029. The casino and slots segment alone is expected to generate more than 206 million dollars this year. With user penetration at 31.2% and over 450,000 players forecast by the end of the period, the market continues to draw interest from operators across the region.

In July 2025, SOFTSWISS introduced Paid Participation campaigns – a new Jackpot Aggregator feature where players pay a small fee to join jackpots, prize drops, or other campaigns. This model offers a more engaging experience, giving players better chances of winning and fewer participants. For operators, it opens a new revenue stream by funding prize pools through player contributions. 

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Angelina Stasiuk, Head of Business Line at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, shares: “The Jackpot Aggregator has proven its impact across multiple markets, and we are excited to bring its full potential to operators in Estonia. Now, Estonian operators can launch player-centric jackpot campaigns tailored to their brand and audience. We see strong potential in the Estonian market and are ready to support partners with the tools they need to stand out.”

The Jackpot Aggregator also integrates directly with the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, which now offers over 35,000 games – the largest portfolio in the industry – and maintains enterprise-level uptime at 99.999%. Together, these solutions offer a powerful combination for operators looking to scale with confidence. 

 

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

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Compliance Updates

Isle of Man Government Publishes Terrorist Financing National Risk Assessment

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The Isle of Man Government has published its first standalone Terrorist Financing (TF) National Risk Assessment (NRA), which is a significant step in strengthening the Island’s defences against terrorist financing and reinforces its commitment to international standards.

The TF NRA builds upon the findings of the 2015 and 2020 Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing NRAs and provides a focused analysis of the TF risks relevant to the Isle of Man as an international financial centre (IFC). It is a key component of the Island’s broader strategy to meet the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations on anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism and countering the financing of proliferation (AML/CFT/CPF).

The assessment, which began in April 2024, involved contributions from 48 local experts, industry representatives, and international partners including the UK Home Office and the World Bank.

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It concludes that the Isle of Man faces a medium-low overall risk of being used as a conduit for terrorist financing, with the highest risk identified in the area of transit TF — the potential for funds to pass through the Island’s financial system en route to other jurisdictions. Whilst it is notable that the overall rating remains the same as the last TF NRA, conducted in 2020, this report provides further assurance of that rating by the use of more detailed data, information and analysis.

The FATF is an inter-governmental body that sets standards and promotes effective measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the international financial system.

The FATF-style regional body for the Isle of Man is MONEYVAL, the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism, based in Strasbourg, France.

The Isle of Man’s efforts in combatting financial crime will be subject to an evaluation by MONEYVAL in October next year.

The Island’s main priority is to prevent, detect and disrupt criminal activity on an international scale. If the island cannot demonstrate that it meets the standards expected, the jurisdiction could referred to the “grey-listing” process. This outcome would have a significant negative impact on the economy and damage the international reputation and the ability to do business.

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Jane Poole-Wilson MHK, Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, said: “This assessment is a vital tool in our ongoing efforts to protect the Isle of Man’s financial system and uphold our international obligations. It reflects the depth of collaboration across government, regulators, and industry, and highlights both our strengths and the areas where we must continue to build capacity and awareness. We are committed to ensuring that the Island remains a secure and responsible jurisdiction.”

The publication of the TF NRA will be supported by outreach to industry to help stakeholders understand and apply the key findings. A separate NRA focused on Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) TF is also in development and will be presented for approval in due course.

The post Isle of Man Government Publishes Terrorist Financing National Risk Assessment appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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