Compliance Updates
UKGC Imposes £6M Penalty on Gamesys for Social Responsibility and AML Failures
A gambling business will pay a £6 million penalty after a Commission investigation revealed social responsibility and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) failings.
Gamesys Operations Limited – which operates 16 websites including ballycasino.co.uk, doublebubblebingo.com, jackpotjoy.com and megawayscasino.com – will also have to undergo a third-party audit to ensure it is effectively implementing its anti-money laundering and safer gambling policies, procedures and controls.
The failures were revealed during a Commission compliance assessment in May 2022.
Social responsibility failures included:
- not always identifying customers at risk of experiencing harms associated with gambling by:
- placing inappropriate reliance on checks which indicate whether a customer had a historical individual voluntary arrangement or been bankrupt or insolvent as a sign of gambling harm
- having a system of deposit limits which, for some customers, did not identify risks of harm quickly enough – no risks were identified when one customer deposited £8255 within three days of opening an account, another lost £5968 within five weeks of opening an account and another lost £17,482 within 34 days of opening an account
- not always interacting with customers who may be at risk of or experiencing harms associated with gambling. Examples include:
- only interacting with one customer once they had lost almost £10,000, and that “responsible gambling interaction” involved the recommendation of new games and promotions
- carrying out only one responsible gambling interaction with a consumer who lost £19,709 over five months
- records of interactions, considerations and rationale for decisions were not always recorded in sufficient detail, despite this being specified in the Licensee’s responsible gambling procedures.
Anti-money laundering failures included:
- in certain circumstances, some customers were able to evade some of the Licensee’s AML triggers/thresholds and go on to spend significant sums without AML checks being conducted – one customer deposited £14,585 in a 28 week period, another deposited £18,884 in just over six months and another deposited £34,280 in five and a half months
- conducting inadequate customer due diligence and being over-reliant on third party information (such as internet research) or the customer’s verbal assurances for a number of customers, including one who deposited over £25,000 in three months, another who deposited over £58,000 in six months, and another who deposited over £65,000 in six months
- having a “Reinvestment of winnings policy” which was insufficient to mitigate the risk that deposited funds could be from illegitimate sources and not just from previous winnings.
Kay Roberts, Executive Director of Operations at UKGC, said: “Our focus as a regulator is to ensure that operators are employing policies and procedures which make gambling fair, safe and crime-free. We take this responsibility extremely seriously and whenever we find failures in policies and procedures then the business can expect significant regulatory action.”
CT Gaming has announced that its latest multigame, Diamond King 4, has officially received certification to launch in the Bulgarian market.
“The certification of Diamond King 4 marks a significant milestone, allowing us to expand our presence in gaming halls across the country. This further solidifies our market position and provides operators and players access to one of our most innovative offerings,” Biser Bozhanov, Director of Strategy & Business Development at CT Gaming, said.
Built on the success of its predecessors, Diamond King 4 is designed to exceed expectations and establish itself as the next favorite among players. Launched in celebration of the company’s 25th anniversary, this multigame embodies CT Gaming’s core values – innovation and tradition. It combines classic and modern titles, appealing to both long-time fans of iconic games and new-generation players with enhanced graphics and contemporary gameplay solutions.
One of Diamond King 4’s standout features is its integration with the progressive jackpot Diamond Tree Deluxe. The new concept introduces a variety of reward options and a more engaging player experience, enriched with additional bonus features. Furthermore, the multigame package includes the fan-favorite Duck of Luck, now featuring a fully updated Buy Bonus option.
“We believe this certification is just the beginning of Diamond King 4’s successful integration into key markets – both in Europe and globally,” Biser Bozhanov added.
The post CT Gaming Receives Approval to Launch Diamond King 4 in Bulgarian Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Network Ten has been found in breach of broadcasting rules after airing gambling advertisements during the australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in March 2024.
An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found four gambling ads were aired at prohibited times during a broadcast of the first practice round of the Grand Prix.
Under the Commercial TV Code of Practice (the Code), gambling promotions cannot be shown during broadcasts of sporting events between 5am and 8.30pm, including the five minutes before and after the event.
Authority member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the rules around gambling advertisements on TV are there to protect the community from gambling related harms.
“Broadcasters should have strict controls in place to ensure compliance with the restrictions on gambling ads during sporting events,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
Practice rounds and qualifying rounds for motorsports are subject to the same restrictions on gambling advertising as the main event itself.
This is the first breach by Network 10 of the gambling advertising rules in the Code. During the investigation, Network 10 submitted that the broadcasts occurred due to human error.
Following the ACMA’s breach finding, Network 10 voluntarily improved the planning, checks and balances it has in place for ad scheduling and has, at the ACMA’s request, agreed to review its processes to introduce additional quality controls.
Network 10 will also train staff to avoid similar issues in the future and will provide a written progress report to the ACMA.
In a separate investigation in 2024, the ACMA found that streaming service 10 Play, provided by Network 10, breached online gambling advertising rules during two live-streamed sports events.
“The ACMA will closely monitor these actions and Network Ten’s compliance with the broadcasting and online gambling advertising rules,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
The post Network 10 Breaches Gambling Ad Rules During Formula 1 Grand Prix Broadcast appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
Washington’s Lottery Achieves Nation’s Highest Level of Responsible Gambling Certification
Washington’s Lottery announced that it has achieved the highest level of responsible gambling certification in the country. As acknowledged by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL), Washington’s Lottery officially was certified for “Responsible Gambling Verification Best Practices at the Sustaining Level” in December 2024, the culmination of a process that began with certification at the Planning Level in 2019 and Implementation Level in 2021.
Washington’s Lottery is only the third state lottery in addition to Virginia and Ohio to achieve this milestone. NCPG and NASPL also recognize nine other state lotteries that have achieved a similar certification through the World Lottery Association.
“I can’t begin to express how proud I am of the work our team has done to achieve this important standard. We have a unique obligation as a state agency that sells a gambling product and need to balance the goal of raising money for important state initiatives like education with the need to acknowledge and assist the small percentage of players who may experience gambling-related distress. We take that work very seriously and weave it into all aspects of our jobs,” Kristi Weeks, Director of Legal Services for Washington’s Lottery, said.
To receive the Sustaining Level certification, Washington’s Lottery was evaluated by a team of four independent experts, who reviewed the lottery’s efforts in eight key categories related to responsible gambling: planning, employee training, retailer training, public education and awareness, product oversight, research, advertising, and resources.
“The key to our success has been the integration of responsible gambling initiatives into each and every employee’s position rather than centralizing it into only one or a few positions,” Weeks added.
The post Washington’s Lottery Achieves Nation’s Highest Level of Responsible Gambling Certification appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
-
Bazk4 days agoIBIA establishes innovative Payment Provider Forum to protect the integrity of the sports betting market in Brazil from financial fraud
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025
-
Latest News6 days ago
Oddsgate sponsors SBC RIO and presents an exclusive study
-
BiS Awards5 days ago
Registration Open for BiS Awards 2025: Recognizing Excellence in the iGaming and Betting Industry
-
Latest News6 days ago
The Untapped Potential of Localised Support January 2024
-
Canada5 days agoSiyata Mobile Announces New Order from Leading Canadian Gaming and Entertainment Company
-
Asia6 days ago
Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
Swintt’s certified games ready to enter the Greek market
