Connect with us

Compliance Updates

Ireland’s New Gambling Regulator to Begin Work on Phased Basis Next Year

Published

on

ireland’s-new-gambling-regulator-to-begin-work-on-phased-basis-next-year
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

Ireland’s new gambling regulator is likely to begin overseeing betting businesses in the Republic midway through next year, industry figures predict.

President Micheal D Higgins recently signed the new Gambling Regulation Act, which overhauls licensing and creates a new authority to govern betting firms, into law. Industry figures forecast that the new regime should begin operating midway through next year, a key point for many businesses as they will have to renew online betting licences by that time.

Government also has to pass several milestones before the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland can start functioning, including appointing the seven people the body requires.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee appointed senior civil servant Anne Marie Caulfield as chief executive designate of the authority in summer 2022. Her office has 11 staff. According to the Department of Justice, the State’s Public Appointments Service will shortly begin recruiting the authority’s seven members.

The Minister will appoint the candidates the service recommends.

The department could not say when the authority would start regulating but noted this would happen in a phased “timely manner” after its establishment.

Jack Chambers, Minister for Finance, earmarked €9.1 million for the authority next year in this month’s budget. That includes €4 million for technology.

Ms Caulfield wrote to industry organisations last week confirming that her organisation would begin its work on a “phased basis” but pointing out that it has already completed many preparations. In a statement she said that the authority was committed to keeping the industry fully informed so businesses can “plan for the new regulatory regime”.

Meanwhile, the Public Service Appointments Service last week advertised for someone to head the authority’s social fund. Under the new law’s provisions, betting businesses will contribute to this fund which the authority will use to tackle problem gambling.

Betting businesses regard the fund’s establishment as one of the key steps towards establishing the new regime.

Alongside that, they say that the authority will also have to set up its new licensing system. The law demands that all gambling businesses operating in the Republic be licensed and makes it a criminal offence to operate without a proper permit.

Lawyers at Arthur Cox recently noted that current permits are preserved until licensing sections of the act come into force. Existing high street and online bookies’ licences will have a run-off period, but lawyers said that how this would work in practice depended on how the regulator developed the new system.

Betting businesses are keen that the authority works on a national self-exclusion register for customers who voluntarily ask bookmakers not to take their bets. Currently, most individual bookies have systems where customers who fear they have a problem, or are at risk, can exclude themselves in this way.

The post Ireland’s New Gambling Regulator to Begin Work on Phased Basis Next Year appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

AI-Powered Compliance and Player Support

DigerCompanion — Digicode’s AI Solution for Compliance and Player Support in Regulated iGaming

Published

on

digercompanion-—-digicode’s-ai-solution-for-compliance-and-player-support-in-regulated-igaming

Digicode unveiled DigerCompanion, an advanced AI-powered platform tailored specifically for regulated iGaming settings. DigerCompanion streamlines essential player interactions, maintains top regulatory compliance standards, lowers operational costs, bolsters compliance monitoring, and greatly improves the player experience.

The platform provides adaptable deployment choices, allowing operators to run DigerCompanion on-site or in a private cloud, guaranteeing complete ownership and management of sensitive player information.

Comprehensive Features and Capabilities

  • DigerCompanion incorporates six core functions essential to excellence in compliance and player support:
  • Responsible Gaming Automation: Enforces strict self-exclusion protocols while minimizing manual compliance efforts.
  • Promotion and Terms & Conditions Mapping: Centralizes promotional terms and automates player eligibility verification.
  • Game Rules Knowledgebase: Consolidates detailed game mechanics and odds, enabling accurate and regulator-aligned responses to player queries.
  • Bet History API Access: Provides players with transparent, self-service access to verify betting outcomes.
  • Smart Escalation Engine: Employs behavioral analytics to escalate VIP and high-risk cases to specialized human teams appropriately.
  • Multilingual Support: Delivers native-level, context-aware responses across more than 25 languages.

Advantages of Operations

The integration of DigerCompanion leads to significant operational improvements, featuring a decrease in support requests by as much as 40% and a 99% rise in compliance precision. Moreover, the average time taken to handle tickets drops significantly from more than five minutes to less than twenty seconds. Every player interaction is completely traceable, with the platform adjusting in real-time to changing regulatory standards.

The post DigerCompanion — Digicode’s AI Solution for Compliance and Player Support in Regulated iGaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Compliance Updates

MGA Publishes Results of Thematic Review on Self-exclusion Practices in Online Gaming Sector

Published

on

mga-publishes-results-of-thematic-review-on-self-exclusion-practices-in-online-gaming-sector

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published the results of a Thematic Review on how online B2C licensees implement self‑exclusion and other responsible gambling safeguards. The Review sought to identify any systemic weaknesses and clarify regulatory expectations relating to player protection, highlighting areas performing well as well as opportunities for licensees to strengthen their practices.

The Review was carried out in 2025 following reports that some players were able to access multiple brands despite being self‑excluded due to problem gambling. It examined the real‑world performance of player protection tools across 20 licensees and 58 active URLs. A mystery shopping exercise assessed the effectiveness of self‑exclusion processes, cross‑brand account controls, and the presentation of responsible gambling protections at key points of play.

The findings presented in this document reaffirm the Authority’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding players and upholding the integrity of the online gaming sector. Overall, the Thematic Review indicates a positive level of compliance, with the majority of licensees assessed demonstrating practices that are broadly in line with regulatory expectations. At the same time, the Review highlights opportunities for further strengthening player protection measures across the sector.

The assessment outlines the specific areas where enhancements would be beneficial. These include delays in activating self‑exclusion, instances where exclusions were lifted without applying a mandatory cooling‑off period, challenges in detecting duplicate or closely matching player identity details across brands, the absence of limit‑setting prompts during registration, and incomplete information displayed within Reality Check pop‑ups. Together, these findings provide guidance where systems and processes can be enhanced to ensure player protection measures operate as intended.

The Authority has communicated the findings to the relevant licensees, each of whom has been asked to address the points raised and submit rectification plans. Follow‑up supervisory engagement will continue where necessary, including monitoring the implementation of corrective actions. This work forms part of the Authority’s broader risk‑based oversight approach, aimed at promoting higher and more consistent standards of player protection across the sector.

Through this Guidance Document, the Authority encourages all licensees to use the insights from this Review to reinforce their internal frameworks, enhance their responsible gambling controls, and continue contributing to a safer and more sustainable gaming environment.

The post MGA Publishes Results of Thematic Review on Self-exclusion Practices in Online Gaming Sector appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Adventure One QSS

Dutch Gambling Authority Imposes Penalty on Adventure One QSS for Illegal Gambling

Published

on

dutch-gambling-authority-imposes-penalty-on-adventure-one-qss-for-illegal-gambling

The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has imposed a penalty on Adventure One QSS Inc. for illegal gambling. Adventure One offers games of chance on the Dutch market under the Polymarket brand name, without a license. The KSA has called on Polymarket to cease its activities immediately. If it fails to do so, the company will be fined €420,000 per week, with a maximum of €840,000.

Polymarket has been frequently in the news in recent months, particularly regarding betting on the Dutch elections. Although Polymarket itself states that prediction markets do not fall under the category of gambling, the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has taken a different stance. After contacting the company about its illegal activities on the Dutch market, there has been no visible change, and the offering remains available. The Netherlands Gambling Authority therefore imposed this order, subject to a penalty. A turnover-related fine may also be imposed at a later date.

Ella Seijsener, director of licensing and supervision at the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA), said: “Prediction markets are on the rise, including in the Netherlands. These types of companies offer bets that are not permitted in our market under any circumstances, not even by license holders. Besides the social risks of these kinds of predictions (for example, the potential influence on elections), we conclude that this constitutes illegal gambling. Anyone without a KSA license has no business in our market. This also applies to these new gambling platforms.”

The post Dutch Gambling Authority Imposes Penalty on Adventure One QSS for Illegal Gambling appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania