Compliance Updates

UKGC Publishes Update on Financial Risk Assessments Pilot

Published

10 months ago

May 23, 2025

Niji Narayan

ukgc-publishes-update-on-financial-risk-assessments-pilot

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published a further update on the ongoing pilot of financial risk assessments.

Written by the Director of Major Policy Projects who is leading the pilot, Helen Rhodes, the update provides information on Stage two of the pilot and the issues being explored in the final stages of the pilot.

“Financial risk assessments are a proposed way of identifying high-spending remote gambling customers who may be in financial difficulties, in order to help support them,” the Commission’s latest update on the finance risk check pilot reads.

“This is not the same as ‘affordability checks’ – the Commission does not have any regulatory requirements for affordability checks and is not proposing any. Financial risk assessments would be a much more targeted way of identifying potentially financially vulnerable customers. They would not affect a customer’s credit score if they were introduced in the future.”

Key Points Covered by the Update

The UKGC says that the pilot has given it a better understanding about the financial risk profile who met the thresholds. These customers were found to be between twice and four times more likely to have a debt management programme than those who didn’t meet the thresholds, and more between twice and five times more likely to have a default in the last 12 months.

The most remarkable is the fact that the data has reinforced the UKGC’s view that the finance risk checks will be as non-intrusive and frictionless as possible. According to the UKGC’s estimations, only 0.1% of customers would be subject to a non-frictionless assessment.

It also says that 95% of assessments carried out in stage one were possible in a frictionless matter, with this figure rising to 97% in stage two, where the total number of risk assessments carried out across three credit reference agencies rose from 860,000 to 1.7 million.

The analysis phase of stage three of the pilot is expected to continue into the summer, after which the UKGC will move into stage four.

NatCen is continuing to work as the UKGC’s evaluation partner on this pilot and post-pilot analysis work.

Director of Major Policy Projects, Helen Rhodes, said: “These further findings from the pilot have helped us understand the extent that assessments could be conducted in a frictionless manner.

“Building on our staged approach to the pilot, we will now further explore data consistency across credit reference agencies, as well as how to support operators to identify the severity of financial difficulties that a customer may be experiencing and how they could support these customers.”

The post UKGC Publishes Update on Financial Risk Assessments Pilot appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BetMGM

PA Gaming Control Board Imposes $100,000 Fine on BetMGM

Published

21 hours ago

March 30, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

pa-gaming-control-board-imposes-$100,000-fine-on-betmgm

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (Board) at its public monthly meeting approved a consent agreement presented by the Board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel (OEC) resulting in a $100,000 fine to BetMGM.

In its approval of the consent agreement, the Board agreed that BetMGM failed to have sufficient procedures to prevent fraudulent behavior on its BetMGM and Borgata wagering platforms. This includes insufficient Know-Your-Customer (KYC) protocols that allows for the creation, access and use of multiple accounts by individuals using personal identifying information of other individuals and the funding of those accounts using stolen or fraudulently obtained payment devices.

The consent agreement identified four individual fraud rings that:

1. operated for approximately 25 months until January 2024 with 1567 accounts created using personal identifying information of other individuals and $229,580 of combined wagering;

2. operated for approximately 34 months until November 2024 with 34 accounts created using personal identifying information of other individuals and over $14,598 of combined wagering;

3. operated for approximately 29 months until November 2023 with 119 accounts created using personal identifying information of other individuals and $895,092 of combined wagering

4. operated for approximately 19 months until December 2023 with 304 accounts created using personal identifying information of other individuals and $867,910 of combined wagering.

The Board also took actions to place 16 individuals on its various Involuntary Exclusion Lists. Placement on an Involuntary Exclusion List prohibits individuals from either gaming in a casino in Pennsylvania, via an online betting site regulated by the Board, or at a Video Gaming Terminal (VGT) location.

The actions by the Board include placement of four adults on the Involuntary Casino Exclusion list for leaving minors unattended at a casino property while they gambled:

• A male patron who left an 11-year-old in a vehicle in the parking lot at Hollywood Casino York for 52 minutes while he gambled at slot machines and table games;

• A male patron who left a 5-year-old in a vehicle in the parking lot at Rivers Casino Philadelphia for 17 minutes while he gambled at table games and the sportsbook;

• A male patron who left a 9-year-old in the parking lot at Rivers Casino Philadelphia for 1 hour 7 minutes while he gambled at table games and the sportsbook; and,

• A male patron who left two minors, ages 7 and 12, in a vehicle in the parking lot at Parx Casino for 32 minutes while he gambled at slot machines.

Actions such as these to deny statewide gambling privileges serve as a reminder that adults are prohibited from leaving minors unattended in the parking lot or garage, a hotel, or other venues at a casino since it creates a potentially unsafe and dangerous environment for the children. To complement the efforts by casinos to mitigate this issue, the Board created an awareness campaign, “Don’t Gamble with Kids” (DontGamblewithKids.org).

In addition to the four adults listed above, 12 others were placed on either or both of the Involuntary Casino Exclusion and Involuntary Interactive Exclusion Lists for various actions.

These matters, presented by the Board’s Office of Chief Counsel and the OEC, raise the number of individuals now on the Board’s various Involuntary Exclusion Lists to 1515.

The post PA Gaming Control Board Imposes $100,000 Fine on BetMGM appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Compliance Updates

Peter Knutsson Becomes New Director General of Swedish Gambling Authority

Published

22 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

peter-knutsson-becomes-new-director-general-of-swedish-gambling-authority

The Swedish government has appointed Peter Knutsson as the Director General of the Swedish Gambling Authority. The appointment will run until 31 August 2032.

Peter Knutsson most recently came from the role of Advertising Ombudsman and will take up his position as Director General on 17 August 2026.

Peter Knutsson took office as Advertising Ombudsman in August 2024, and was previously Head of Unit at the Ministry of Finance. He has over 20 years of experience as a manager and leader and has a background as a lawyer, with solid knowledge of consumer issues and consumer legislation. Peter Knutsson has previously worked for the European Commission and as an advisor to the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority.

“With the solid experience Peter Knutsson has from, among other things, the Ministry of Finance, consumer affairs and most recently the Advertising Ombudsman, this will be very good for the authority,” said Spelinspektionen’s Chairwoman Madelaine Tunudd.

“I welcome the government’s decision on a new Director General for the Swedish Gambling Authority and will ensure that Peter Knutsson receives a good introduction in my handover as acting Director General,” said Johan Röhr at the Swedish Gambling Authority.

The post Peter Knutsson Becomes New Director General of Swedish Gambling Authority appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Compliance Updates

Dutch Gambling Regulator Points Out to Providers Limits of Sports Betting License

Published

22 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

dutch-gambling-regulator-points-out-to-providers-limits-of-sports-betting-license

The Dutch Gambling Regulator (KSA) has reminded sports betting license holders of the limits of their licenses. Supervision has revealed that several providers offered bets that do not fall within the licensed category of sports betting. This included, among other things, bets on prize competitions, such as a Most Valuable Player (MVP) prize. In such cases, the license holders involved were addressed, and these bets were immediately removed by the license holders.

Only betting on sports matches is allowed.

Pursuant to the Remote Gambling Decree, sports betting license holders may only offer bets on events during a sports match or on the outcome of a sports match.

In addition, a sports competition must take place within organized sport recognized by NOC*NSF or similar international sports organisations.

Bets on other events are not covered by this. This applies, for example, to prize competitions where the outcome is determined by a jury or panel and does not result directly from a sports match or an event during a sports match. Bets on, for example, political elections or athlete transfers are also not permitted.

Responsibility lies with the permit holder

License holders remain personally responsible for the gaming offerings they provide, even when using external platforms or sportsbook providers.

The KSA said it expects providers to continuously monitor their offerings and take appropriate measures to prevent prohibited bets. If unauthorised bets are nevertheless offered, immediate action must be taken. The KSA will continue to supervise the gaming offerings of license holders.

The post Dutch Gambling Regulator Points Out to Providers Limits of Sports Betting License appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.