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Heading to the races? You might need your payslips

Published

3 years ago

March 13, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

With the biggest week of UK racing taking place at Cheltenham this week, many occasional bettors are likely to be preparing to have one of their first flutters of the year.

Event organiser The Jockey Club reported a whopping 280,000 racegoers over the four-day event last year and OpenBet, the platform that took bets for leading bookies such as William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, SkyBet and Betfair, processed bets worth more than half a billion pounds.

But leading gambling licensing law firm Poppleston Allen has warned that punters might be asked for more than just money when they go to place their bets this year, thanks to the increasing trend among bookmakers to carry out affordability checks on their customers.

“Since last year’s major racing events took place, we’ve seen a rise in bookmakers undertaking affordability checks and asking players to provide documentation such as payslips and bank statements to prove they can afford to gamble,” said Felix Faulkner, solicitor at Poppleston Allen.

“A recent study of more than 1,000 bettors carried out by YouGov for sports betting community OLBG found that 22% had been asked for payslips, bank statements or similar documents by at least one bookmaker[i].

“If a betting establishment asks a customer for financial information and they are unable or unwilling to provide it, the company is well within its rights to refuse to take their bet. Bookmakers have a legal responsibility under their operating licence conditions to minimise the risk of customers experiencing gambling harm. If they have concerns a customer might be trying to bet more than they can afford, it is advisable they refuse the bet.”

Gambling companies are regulated by the Gambling Commission, which provides guidance that suggests that they should consider customers’ affordability when interacting with customers. However, the guidance does not set limits or thresholds at which gambling companies need to ask for proof customers can afford their gambling.

There have been credible rumours that the forthcoming government White Paper on gambling reform will propose mandatory limits, but the publication of this has been repeatedly delayed due to changes in government departments.

Faulkner said: “There is an element of uncertainty in the market at present. The current Gambling Commission guidance[ii] for premises-based operators, which applies to on-course bookmakers, states that Commission research found some operators had set ‘inappropriately high’ thresholds in the past.

“However, at present there are no hard and fast rules on what is an appropriate level that should prompt bookmakers to ask customers for proof their gambling is affordable to them. This has resulted in gambling companies setting their own rules on when it is appropriate to carry out financial checks on customers and this has led to some differences between bookmakers.

“It remains to be seen how the various on-course bookmakers will interpret the guidance this year. In practice it can be difficult for them to work out who can afford what if there is a race starting in one minute and there are 20 people waving money at them to put a bet on, however compliance with licence conditions is mandatory and operators should always act responsibly.”

Cryptocurrency

Paysafe Introduces “Pay with Crypto” to Meet US iGaming Demand

Published

1 minute ago

April 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The new product powered by MoonPay allows players to easily deposit using stablecoins and cryptocurrencies at iGaming and daily fantasy sports companies.

Paysafe, an international payment platform, today revealed the introduction of Pay with Crypto, a novel cryptocurrency payment option for iGaming operators and daily fantasy sports companies in the U.S. market. Enabled by MoonPay, the top provider in worldwide crypto payments and stablecoin systems, Pay with Crypto enables customers of iGaming brands to conveniently use their chosen stablecoin or cryptocurrency to fund their player accounts, where allowed.

Approximately 70.4 million American adults are said to own cryptocurrency, and Paysafe’s research shows that 83% of U.S. players are interested in crypto payments, prompting the company to introduce Pay with Crypto to satisfy this demand. A player wishing to fund their iGaming account with USD Coin (USDC), another stablecoin, or any leading cryptocurrency can now use Paysafe’s new payment option for operators’ cashiers, which allows for quick conversion of their crypto deposit to U.S. dollars for gameplay.

Upon choosing Pay with Crypto and their desired stablecoin or cryptocurrency, players just link their crypto or custodial wallet to complete the deposit, while the MoonPay Commerce Checkouts technology also facilitates transactions through QR code using users’ mobile devices. After verifying the transactions, Pay with Crypto immediately converts crypto deposits into U.S. dollars to credit the player’s account.

The flexibility inherent in the Pay with Crypto solution also applies to operators, who can opt to settle payments nearly instantly in stablecoins within their business crypto wallet, or in U.S. dollars or other major fiat currencies via MoonPay’s Virtual Accounts driven by Iron.

Operators can enhance their cashiers with Pay with Crypto via a single, seamless integration of the Paysafe Gateway, designed specifically for iGaming and utilizing the company’s 30 years of worldwide expertise. The Gateway, which already features seamless card payments, the Skrill digital wallet, the PaysafeCash eCash option, a Pay by Bank service, and over 30 local payment methods, is further diversifying its services by introducing Pay with Crypto to cater to changing transactional preferences.

Zak Cutler, President of Global Gaming at Paysafe, said: “Galvanized by the growing popularity of stablecoins, cryptocurrency is evolving in the U.S. from an investment asset into a unit of value for payments, and we’re seeing this shift gather pace in the country’s iGaming market. Against this backdrop, we’re delighted to unveil Pay with Crypto, a forward-thinking solution that strongly positions U.S. operators for their customers’ changing transactional preferences – the future of how they pay when they play.”

Ivan Soto-Wright, Founder and CEO of MoonPay, commented: “Crypto rails are making payments faster and more efficient, and our job is to close the gap between this technology and real-world utility. People shouldn’t have to convert their digital assets just to make a purchase – they want to use what they already have. Paysafe brings that experience to more people through trusted, regulated platforms.”

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AFLE

AFLE and SCCG Management Announce Strategic Partnership to Build Gaming and Fan Engagement Ecosystem Ahead of Inaugural Season

Published

1 hour ago

April 7, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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The American Football League Europe (AFLE) and SCCG Management, a leading advisory firm in the global gaming industry, have announced a strategic partnership ahead of the league’s inaugural season in May 2026. As part of the agreement, SCCG Management Founder and CEO Stephen Crystal has been appointed Senior Vice President Gaming of the AFLE, where he will lead all gaming-related business development and commercial partnership initiatives.

Building a gaming strategy from the ground up

Together, the AFLE and SCCG Management will develop and execute a comprehensive gaming and sports betting strategy for the league. This includes the establishment of official betting partnerships, affiliate programs, and sponsorship-driven revenue opportunities designed to strengthen fan engagement and support the long-term commercial growth of the league and it‘s eight member clubs.

Leading the way in gaming expertise

SCCG Management brings more than 34 years of experience in the global gaming industry, with offices across North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Brazil. The firm works with over 130 client-partners across diverse iGaming verticals and specializes in strategic growth, sports wagering and technology-driven fan experiences.

In his new role, Stephen Crystal will focus on securing and managing relationships across sportsbooks, gaming operators, affiliate networks and betting media partners, while ensuring full alignment with regulatory frameworks across European markets.

A league built for the modern era

The AFLE is a newly formed professional American football league dedicated to building a sustainable, team-driven competition across Europe. With franchises in Germany, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, the league is designed for scalability, media integration and international fan engagement from day one. Operating under an investor-backed structure with collaborative input from all league stakeholders, the AFLE was founded on principles of transparency, long-term development and professional governance.

That foundation makes gaming integration a natural next step. As global demand for sports betting content continues to grow, the AFLE is positioned to embed gaming partnerships directly into its commercial strategy from inception, creating new revenue streams while expanding it‘s reach to fans across European markets.

What the partnership means to both sides

Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, said: “This is a rare opportunity to help build a professional sports league with gaming and fan engagement fully integrated into its foundation. AFLE has the structure, vision, and market timing to become a major force in international sports. We’re excited to lead the development of its gaming ecosystem and establish partnerships that drive meaningful, long-term value for the league and its stakeholders.”

Moritz Heisler, COO and Managing Director of the AFLE, added: “Partnering with SCCG Management is a significant step in building the commercial infrastructure of the AFLE from day one. Gaming and sports betting are a natural part of modern fan engagement, and having Stephen Crystal lead this space gives us the right expertise and industry network to do it properly. We are building a league for the long term, and these kinds of strategic partnerships are exactly what will make that possible.”

With the inaugural season just weeks away, this partnership marks an important step in the AFLE’s commercial journey. Together, the AFLE and SCCG Management are laying the groundwork for a gaming ecosystem that is built to grow alongside the league and deliver lasting value for fans, clubs and partners across Europe.

The post AFLE and SCCG Management Announce Strategic Partnership to Build Gaming and Fan Engagement Ecosystem Ahead of Inaugural Season appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Diego Van Meerbeke

InsightPlay.ai Strengthens Commercial Leadership with Appointment of Diego Van Meerbeke

Published

1 hour ago

April 7, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

insightplay.ai-strengthens-commercial-leadership-with-appointment-of-diego-van-meerbeke

InsightPlay.ai has appointed Diego Van Meerbeke as Commercial Director as the company accelerates its expansion across Latin America and key regulated markets.

InsightPlay.ai is an AI engagement platform helping companies manage real-time customer interaction at scale, with strong traction in iGaming.

Van Meerbeke joins from Better Collective, where he led commercial efforts across Spanish-speaking LATAM, working closely with operators and driving revenue growth in a highly competitive affiliate ecosystem. He previously held roles at The Walt Disney Company and ESPN, building a strong background in media sales and partnerships.

His appointment comes as InsightPlay moves from early traction to commercial scale following its recent seed round and deployment of AI-driven engagement solutions across multiple markets.

“Diego understands how this industry actually works, from both the media and operator side,” said Javier Troncoso, CEO of InsightPlay.ai. “We’re building the layer that manages real-time interaction between brands and their customers.”

InsightPlay’s platform enables operators to engage users across voice, messaging and digital channels, handling thousands of interactions daily and driving measurable impact in reactivation, onboarding and retention .

While the company’s initial growth has been driven by iGaming, the same infrastructure is already being explored across other industries where real-time customer interaction directly impacts revenue.

“Most of the industry is still focused on acquisition,” said Diego Van Meerbeke. “The real opportunity is what happens after that.”

Van Meerbeke will lead commercial strategy, operator partnerships and enterprise deals as the company expands across LATAM, North America, Europe and Asia.

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