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The MGA Hosted GREF 2024 in Malta

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) hosted the Gaming Regulators European Forum’s (GREF) 2024 conference in Malta from May 20 to 22. This prestigious event united gaming regulators from over 25 countries, creating a dynamic platform to tackle pressing industry challenges and exchange invaluable insights.

This year was the first time regulators from other continents were present at the event, inviting a global outlook to the discussions held. Topics discussed ranged from the MGA’s ESG code, responsible gambling, digital and innovation, international perspectives on gambling regulation, anti money laundering and a geographical approach to gambling.

GREF chairperson Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin said she was honoured to open GREF’s 2024 Annual Conference. She underlined the growing maturity of GREF members in their gambling analyses and tools, the urgent need for cooperation between stakeholders, and GREF’s openness to international partnerships. She pointed out that: “European regulators cannot be isolated, apart from the other actors. Even if we have specific and unique responsibilities, we need to work with others to propose effective regulation”.

MGA CEO Charles Mizzi welcomed attendees to Malta for GREF’s 2024 Annual Conference, highlighting the importance of collaboration for effective regulation. He said: “The complexity of the industry demands collaborative efforts. With various stakeholders, including operators, technology providers, and government bodies – all playing critical roles – collaboration allows us to leverage the diverse expertise and perspectives to develop comprehensive and effective regulatory frameworks that address the complexities that are inherent to the industry.”

Additionally, Anna Grech, International Affairs & Policy Outreach Manager at the MGA, delved into the development of the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Code as a means to acknowledge licensees’ commitment to sustainability, showcasing and building upon the positive initiatives already being undertaken by the gaming industry.

Rachel Bezzina, the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Manager at the MGA and co-chair of the GREF AML working group, also led a dialogue during the event. She delivered key updates on best practices for effective monitoring and supervision over ML/FT risks.

With over 90 participants representing regulatory bodies from various countries, the conference served as an excellent platform for networking and collaboration among international stakeholders, reinforcing the importance of a unified approach to gaming regulation.

The post The MGA Hosted GREF 2024 in Malta appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

DCMS Concludes Consultation on Gambling Regulation Funding

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The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has published its consultation response on the funding of the Gambling Commission which took place between January and March this year.

The 2023 White Paper committed to a review of the Commission’s fees to ensure sufficient resources to deliver its core responsibilities and the commitments outlined in the Gambling Act Review.

The consultation findings now provide certainty on the Commission’s future income for the coming years.

Licence fees will increase by 25% overall, but the specific changes to fees will be different for each type of operating licence. New fee categories will also be introduced for most licences. Operators are strongly encouraged to review the annexes to the Government’s consultation response to understand how these changes affect their business.

Fees for society lotteries will be held at their current levels, and a new system of fees calculation will be implemented for non-remote general betting limited licence holders. Fees for personal licences will increase by a flat 25%.

Changes to the fees are subject to the passage of secondary legislation and will take effect on 1 October 2026.

Over the coming weeks, operators will be contacted by the Commission with further details about how this affects them and information about alignment to any new category. The criteria for the revised fee categories are set out in the DCMS consultation response. An operator’s submitted regulatory return data for 2025 to 2026 will be used to determine its new fee category.

For further information about the findings of the consultation you can visit the DCMS consultation response webpage.

The post DCMS Concludes Consultation on Gambling Regulation Funding appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Compliance Updates

Tim Miller Announces Departure from UK Gambling Commission

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The UK Gambling Commission has announced that Tim Miller, Executive Director of Policy & Research, has decided to leave the Commission in September 2026 after 10 years of service.

Following his departure, Tim will take up a new role outside of the British regulated gambling industry, supporting governments, regulators and other organisations that are developing and overseeing gambling regulatory systems around the world.

During his time at the Commission, Tim has played a leading role in strengthening the Commission’s research and evidence base, bringing greater rigour and robustness to its research framework. He has overseen the development and launch of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain – the largest survey of its kind anywhere in the world – helping to transform the evidence available to inform gambling regulation and policy.

Tim has also led the Commission’s work to implement the Government’s Gambling Act Review White Paper, overseeing the introduction of a wide range of new protections and regulatory measures. These include reforms to age verification, financial vulnerability checks, remote game design, direct marketing controls and wider measures to make gambling safer, fairer and free from crime.

Tim Miller said: “I have worked at the Commission longer than anywhere else during my career and have found it the most rewarding and fulfilling role. In large part this has been due to the amazing and dedicated colleagues that I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside. That’s what made it a hard decision to leave but after ten years I felt ready for the next challenge.”

Sarah Gardner, Acting Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “Tim has provided outstanding service to the Commission for ten years. I would like to thank Tim for his significant contribution to gambling regulation and wish him every success in the future.”

The post Tim Miller Announces Departure from UK Gambling Commission appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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AGCO Fines Great Canadian Entertainment $120,000 for Using Unauthorised Gaming System Software at Four Casinos

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has ordered monetary penalties totalling $120,000 against Great Canadian Entertainment (GCE) for using unauthorided gaming system software at multiple Ontario casino sites, a serious compliance failure that bypassed requirements designed to protect the integrity of casino gaming.

Gaming equipment and systems are central to casino operations. They process payments and wagers, support slot-game play and help maintain controls that protect the integrity, safety and security of the gaming environment. When these systems are used or operated without required testing, monitoring and approval, it weakens safeguards designed to detect and prevent unlawful conduct, including money laundering, and can undermine public confidence in Ontario’s regulated casino sector.

The AGCO reviewed 40 instances in which revoked or unapproved bill validator software had been installed across four casino sites between February 20 and March 15, 2025. Bill validators are components within gaming machines that accept and process cash and help support anti-money laundering controls.

The AGCO’s Standards for Gaming require gaming equipment and software to be tested and approved before being deployed in casinos. Bill validators verify the authenticity and value of cash inserted into electronic gaming machines and are an important safeguard. That is why these systems must undergo rigorous testing and approval to confirm they operate as intended, perform critical functions reliably and are authorised before being introduced into a live casino environment.

Casino operators are responsible for ensuring that changes to gaming systems are properly reviewed, tested and authorised before implementation. Using unapproved software in a live casino environment is a serious compliance failure.

A casino operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty has the right to appeal the Registrar’s action within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative body that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“The AGCO requires casino operators to protect the integrity of their gaming systems by making sure they are independently tested, approved and operating as intended. When unauthorised software is used in a live casino environment, it bypasses critical safeguards that are meant to uphold the integrity of gaming and the public’s confidence in the system. The AGCO will continue to hold all casino operators accountable for meeting Ontario’s high standards of gaming system integrity,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer at AGCO.

The post AGCO Fines Great Canadian Entertainment $120,000 for Using Unauthorised Gaming System Software at Four Casinos appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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