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Compliance Updates

Interpol Illegal Gambling Investigation Leads to 5100 Arrests

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In a massive international operation targeting illegal football gambling and its associated criminal activity, authorities made over 5100 arrests and recovered more than USD 59 million in illicit proceeds.

The operation, code-named SOGA X and conducted between June and July 2024, was a collaborative effort involving INTERPOL and 28 countries and territories. It was designed to tackle illegal online football gambling during the UEFA 2024 European Football Championship, which was predicted to generate a surge in betting turnover, and lucrative profits for criminal organisations.

The illegal gambling market is worth a staggering USD 1.7 trillion globally, according to research by the Asian Racing Federation, and is closely tied to other criminal enterprises. Beyond shutting down tens of thousands of illegal websites, SOGA X investigations also led to the rescue of trafficked workers and the exposure of money laundering syndicates.

Hundreds of human trafficking victims rescued in the Philippines

In one significant case in the Philippines, local authorities, supported by INTERPOL, dismantled a scam centre operating alongside a licensed gambling site. The operation resulted in the rescue of more than 650 human trafficking victims, including almost 400 Filipinos and more than 250 foreign nationals from six different countries. Many of the victims had been lured to the location with false promises of employment and were kept there through threats, intimidation, and even passport confiscation. They were then forced into working for the legal gambling site, while also running illegal cyber scams, including romance scams and cryptocurrency-related fraud.

An INTERPOL Operational Support Team provided vital assistance to Filipino authorities on the ground, providing expertise in extracting and analysing forensic evidence from seized devices, tracing illicit financial flows and identifying potential victims and suspects in other jurisdiction.

The SOGA X operation also cracked down on large-scale illegal betting sites and complex financial crime schemes.

One notable example from Vietnam, where online gambling is prohibited for citizens, saw authorities dismantle a sophisticated gambling ring that was generating a staggering USD 800,000 in daily transactions.

The syndicate, powered by servers located in multiple countries, used an elaborate network of bank accounts and e-wallets to receive illegal gambling bets and distribute payouts.

In Thailand, police raided two locations hosting major illegal betting websites, arresting the ringleaders and their network for gambling and money laundering offenses and seizing assets worth over USD 9 million.

In Greece, authorities took down a major illegal betting ring that exploited fake and mule user accounts to place bets on sports events. The organised crime group, which employed Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass internet blocks in Greece, operated at least seven illegal gambling sites and had access to accounts on 60 other illegal websites.

The group managed 3000 fake and ‘mule’ user accounts on legal gambling websites in Greece, Cyprus and Spain. The accounts had been created using both stolen identity cards and forged documents and often utilised e-wallets to facilitate their illegal activities. During the investigation seized laptops were found to contain 9000 pictures of fake ID cards.

The goal of this type of scheme is to break down large sums of money into smaller, less detectable amounts. By dispersing their profits across multiple accounts, criminals aim to avoid detection by law enforcement, financial institutions and legitimate gambling sites. It’s a method also used to facilitate money laundering.

SOGA X was a coordinated effort led by INTERPOL, with crucial support from the Asia-Pacific Expert Group on Organised Crime (APEG), the INTERPOL Match Fixing Task Force (IMFTF) and operation partner UEFA. INTERPOL facilitated intelligence sharing among participating countries, providing case mentoring and training for local authorities.

Stephen Kavanagh, INTERPOL Executive Director of Police Services, said: “Organized crime networks reap huge profits from illegal gambling, which is often intertwined with corruption, human trafficking, and money laundering. The successes of Operation SOGA X would not have been achieved without global information sharing and significant efforts by law enforcement authorities on the ground.”

Illegal gambling can also be closely tied to match-fixing as criminals attempt to manipulate the outcome of sports events to guarantee profits. When illegal gambling is rampant, it becomes easier for corrupt individuals to influence games, so the SOGA X operation also aimed to intercept and interrupt any signal of manipulation. Related investigations are still ongoing.

The post Interpol Illegal Gambling Investigation Leads to 5100 Arrests appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Updated FATF Lists of High-risk Jurisdictions

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The Danish Gambling Authority has called attention to FATF’s (Financial Action Task Force) updated lists of high-risk jurisdictions: the Grey List (jurisdictions under increased monitoring) and Black List (call for actions). Among other things, gambling operators must include FATF’s lists of high-risk jurisdictions when risk assessing players.

Jurisdictions listed on the Grey List:

Algeria, Angola, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Haiti, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Vietnam, the Virgin Islands and Yemen.

Jurisdictions listed on the Black List:

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran and Myanmar

Gambling operators are required to conduct enhanced customer due diligence (EDD) pursuant to section 17(1) of the Danish AML Act, if a player is assessed to impose a higher risk of the gambling operator being misused for money laundering or terrorist financing.

Gambling operators shall conduct this risk assessment based on Annex 3 to the AML Act (high-risk factors) which includes the FATF high-risk country lists (the so called black list and grey list)

It is not required that gambling operators perform EDD if a country is listed on the FATF’s list. EDD are only a requirement for players from jurisdictions listed in the EU Regulation of High Risk Third Country list pursuant to. 17(2) of the AML Act.

The post Updated FATF Lists of High-risk Jurisdictions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Spillemyndigheden: New licence type coming soon: Bingo via walkie-talkie and local radio

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Soon it may be possible to play bingo via walkie-talkie and on local radios. A bill is currently being considered by the Danish Parliament to introduce a new type of licence for bingo via walkie-talkie and local radio. The Danish Gambling Authority expects the rules to come into force as early as 1 January 2026.

If the bill is passed, providers of walkie-talkie bingo and local radio will be able to apply for a licence from 1 January 2026. The Danish Gambling Authority will update this news article when the rules are finally adopted.

How to apply for a licence

If you want to offer bingo via walkie-talkie or radio, you need a licence from the Danish Gambling Authority. You can expect to apply as early as 1 January 2026.

When applying for a licence, you must use the form “Apply for a walkie-talkie or radio bingo licence” (no. 1-02). The form will be available on the page “revenue-restricted licenses”.

The application form will also be published in a digital version, but it will not be available on virk.dk until January.

The Danish Gambling Authority strives to process all applications as quickly as possible.

As an applicant, you will be assigned a contact person who can guide you through the legislation during the application process. The contact person will generally remain the same throughout the period of validity of your licence.

Report on the first year of offering games

Licences for radio and walkie-talkie bingo are regulated by the Gambling Act and the Executive Order on Online Casino. The legislation sets out a number of requirements for licensed gambling operators. Among other things, the licence holder must complete a report on the first year of offering gambling.

The report is prepared one year after the licence has been put into use and must be sent to the Danish Gambling Authority no later than 14 months after the date when the licence has been put into use.

The licence holder can fill out the report themselves.

The report must account for how the licence holder has provided gambling in accordance with the conditions of the licence and legislation during the past year.

The report template will be available on the Danish Gambling Authority’s website as form no. 1-04.

The post Spillemyndigheden: New licence type coming soon: Bingo via walkie-talkie and local radio appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Scientific Games Adds to Information and Security Management Certifications, Continues Setting Global Industry Gold Standard

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Scientific Games’ UK, Channel Islands and Ireland facilities are the latest in the company’s global operations to achieve international certifications, further strengthening its information security framework and commitment to setting the lottery industry’s gold standard for integrity. The newest certifications are from the World Lottery Association and the British Standards Institute, as Scientific Games continues to expand its business serving government-regulated lotteries worldwide.

Scientific Games’ new National Logistics Centre in Warrington, UK serving The National Lottery, SG Studios digital game development center in Jersey, Channel Islands and lottery retailer technology facility in Ireland have earned certification to the WLA’s Level 2 Security Control Standard. This international security standard for WLA members specifies the required practices for an effective security management structure to maintain the integrity, availability and confidentiality of information vital to the company’s secure operation.

All three facilities also earned a Certificate of Registration for Information Security Management System, achieving the International Standards Organization’s ISO/IEC 27001:2022, the world’s best-known standard for information security management systems. This certification confirms that Scientific Games has implemented a comprehensive framework to manage risks related to data security in accordance with internationally recognised best practices and principles.

“Earning these certifications is about much more than compliance—it’s about trust. Our customers and their players rely on us to protect data and uphold the integrity of every transaction. These certifications reflect the dedications of our teams in the UK, Channel Islands and Ireland, and across our worldwide operations, to maintaining the highest standards of excellence when it comes to information security,” said Andrew Jackson, VP of Corporate Responsibility for Scientific Games.

Scientific Games has also achieved international certifications for operational best practices, including Quality Management Systems (ISO: 9001), Environmental Management (ISO: 14001), Occupational Health and Safety (ISO: 45001) and the World Lottery Association’s Responsible Gaming certification.

With operations spanning five continents and serving 150 lotteries in 50 countries, Scientific Games earned its latest information security management certifications following an extensive independent, international auditing process.

The post Scientific Games Adds to Information and Security Management Certifications, Continues Setting Global Industry Gold Standard appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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