Compliance Updates
UKGC Director Says Global Collaboration Vital for Regulators to Combat Illegal Gambling
In a speech delivered at the Global Gaming Expo on October 10, Tim Miller, the executive director of the UK Gambling Commission, highlighted the crucial need for international cooperation among gambling regulators and said the UKGC is finalising several Memoranda of Understanding with US regulators to advance these efforts.
Miller emphasised that such collaboration on a global scale would bolster their collective impact and create a safer environment for customers by eliminating illegal gambling. The focus on customer protection was a significant driving force behind the UK’s Gambling Act review white paper, which was released in April this year.
Miller stated: “The collective voice of gambling regulators across the globe pressuring big tech companies, banks, and even some other jurisdictions to address the role they play in facilitating illegal gambling will be much harder to ignore.”
He emphasised that working together to make gambling safer, fairer and free from criminal involvement was a central objective of the UK government’s Gambling Act Review white paper. Following the release of the white paper, Miller noted that the Gambling Commission would have limited scope to consider policies not included in the white paper in the coming years.
The white paper presented over 60 recommendations for the industry, and the first round of consultations, which began in July, is set to close on October 18. These consultations revolve around topics such as financial risk and vulnerability, online game design, consumer choice in direct marketing and enhancing age verification in land-based premises.
Miller stressed that regulations significantly vary by jurisdiction, making it possible for an operator to be legal in one market while being illegal in another. The more gambling regulators understand each other’s rules, standards and markets, the more they can share information and best practices to increase their effectiveness.
This collaboration, Miller noted, would make it harder for uncooperative operators to circumvent regulations and would make it more likely they face difficult questions in their home jurisdiction if they act poorly elsewhere.
Miller also remarked on the success the Gambling Commission has had in the last year through collaborations with industry tools and services to combat illegal gambling. This cooperation resulted in a substantial reduction in traffic to the largest illegal sites targeting the British market. Miller emphasised the importance of such joint efforts with payment providers, internet search providers and product and games developers.
The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has updated the good and bad practices for the implementation of the means test. The adjustments follow follow-up research into how online gambling providers verify whether players’ gambling behaviour aligns with their financial means.
Since October 2024, online providers have been required to conduct a means test when players wish to deposit more than €300 net (young adults aged 18 to 24) or €700 (aged 24 and over). This test is intended to prevent players from spending more money on gambling than is responsible.
Follow-up research
In February 2025, the KSA published an overview of good and bad practices for conducting the financial capacity test for the first time. Subsequently, in a follow-up investigation, the KSA conducted sample checks at 20 license holders, during which concrete financial capacity tests were assessed. The KSA concludes from this that the good and bad practices have ensured that many providers have adjusted their working methods for conducting the financial capacity test in a positive way. At the same time, areas for improvement and violations were still identified. In total, the KSA applied a total of ten improvement interviews, three warnings and one binding instruction to various providers.
More clarity
The findings from the follow-up study have been incorporated into an updated version of the good and bad practices. With this, the KSA aims to provide providers with more clarity regarding the correct implementation of the affordability test. The new version clarifies, among other things, that liquid assets, such as savings, may not be part of the affordability test. The assessment must be based on the player’s structural income. The previous explanation regarding this led to confusion among providers in practice.
Supervision
The proper application of the means test remains an important subject for the KSA. The test helps prevent players from gambling away more money than they can afford, thereby contributing to the protection of vulnerable players.
The KSA continues to supervise the implementation of the capacity test and, in response to these tightened good and bad practices, will conduct new sample checks on permit holders.
The post KSA Updates Guidelines for Conducting Means Test appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) officially began issuing Business-to-Consumer (B2C) remote betting and betting intermediary licences on July 1, 2026. The issuance of in person betting licences will commence later this year.
With the commencement of GRAI licences, licensed operators must now meet strict obligations designed to protect consumers and uphold the integrity of the market. These include age verification requirements to prevent underage gambling, obligations to pay out winnings, safeguards such as a ban on facilitating credit or accepting credit cards and requirements on closing accounts on request. Operators are subject to ongoing compliance monitoring, and the GRAI has powers to investigate operators, enforce compliance, apply significant sanctions and take action against unlicensed or illegal activity.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan TD said: “The commencement of licences for remote betting operators establishes a clear and robust regulatory regime for the gambling sector, strengthening Ireland’s reputation as a well-regulated market, and ensuring operators are held to consistent standards of compliance. I welcome the progress made today as part of the phased implementation of licences for the gambling sector in Ireland.”
Anne Marie Caulfield, Chief Executive Officer of the GRAI, said: “We commenced the roll out of our licensing with the largest segment of the Irish betting market, remote betting. Once an operator is licensed by the GRAI, they are required to comply with all commenced obligations under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. This means that as of today, consumers in Ireland have important new protections when they bet online or over the phone.
“The GRAI licensing application process is substantial with a number of important requirements that operators must satisfy before they can be approved, this is to check that operators are (a) fit and proper, (b) have financial capacity to provide gambling activity, and (c) that winnings are funded from lawful means.
“It is important for consumers to understand the dangers of unlicensed operators. When gambling is unlicensed, oversight is removed and the risk of harm is radically increased. Tackling illegal operators is also a major priority for the GRAI, it is a criminal offence to operate without a betting licence, and our work has commenced in identifying unlicensed operators.”
GRAI licences are being rolled out on a phased basis, applications for further licence including gaming, lotteries, B2B, charitable and philanthropic will be opened throughout 2027 and 2028.
The post GRAI Starts Issuing Remote Betting Licences appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Coljuegos, the regulatory authority overseeing gambling sites in Colombia, continues its efforts to block illegal gambling websites. Since the beginning of the Government of Change in 2022, Coljuegos has issued a total of 46,228 blocking orders against websites that operate unauthorized betting.
According to the president of Coljuegos, Marco Emilio Hincapié, this is the result of an intense fight against gambling structures that operate outside the law.
“Never before has an administration fought illegal gambling with such force. At Coljuegos, and through our Artificial Intelligence Center, we have optimized the detection and blocking of unauthorized websites,” the official said.
He added: “We have been working with the Ministry of ICT to simplify the process with Internet Service Providers and effectively block any page that operates or promotes gambling illegally.”
It is worth noting that, throughout the history of the entity, 55,658 blocking requests have been issued, of which 83% correspond to the Government of Change.
“While past administrations only issued around 9,000 blocking requests, we multiplied that figure by 5, and in just 4 years. Illegals have never had it so bad,” Hincapié asserted.
Furthermore, the official reiterated the importance of players only betting with the 15 operators authorized by Coljuegos.
“By playing on legal websites, you are not only guaranteeing the protection of your data and your bets, but you are also contributing to the health of less fortunate Colombians,” concluded the president of Coljuegos.
The post Coljuegos Issues More Than 46,000 Requests to Block Illegal Websites appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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