Compliance Updates
ANJ, the new French gambling regulator is launched
On Monday 22 June, the members of the ANJ met for the first time around the President, Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin. This first meeting of the ANJ Boardmarks the launch of the new regulator, which is now competent in all segments of the gambling market.
An extended regulatory scope
In 2019, France has amended its legal framework of gambling and its regulation. A new gambling regulatory authority (ANJ) has been set. It follows ARJEL with a significantly extended regulatory scope and enhanced powers.
The ANJ is now responsible for all components of the legal gambling market, both online and offline:
- online games that ARJEL regulated, such as sports betting and horse racing betting and poker offered by the 14 licensed operators ;
- all the games of La Française des Jeux or the PMU sold in physical points of sale or online;
- 228 racecourses;
- 202 casinos, with the exception of anti-money laundering issues and the integrity of the games offered, which remain under the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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While ARJEL regulated 11% of the French gambling legal market, the ANJ now regulates 78%, which represents a market of more than 50 billion euros in bets
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The foundations for a consolidated regulation are therefore laid to have an overall gambling policy in France under the control of the ANJ. It will be able to implement a complete “toolbox” including preventive, prescriptive and control activities, as well as sanction measures throughout the entire gambling industry.
The ANJ missions are structured around four objectives:
- Prevent excessive or pathological gambling and protect minors;
- Ensure the integrity, reliability and transparency of gaming;
- Prevent fraudulent and criminal activities, as well as money laundering and financing of terrorism;
- Ensure the balanced, fair development of various types of games, in order to avoid any economic destabilisation of the sectors concerned.
Enhanced powers
The ANJ has enhanced powers to fulfil its missions, such as the ability to require the withdrawal of a commercial communication involving an inducement to excessive gambling or the ability to carry out on-site controls.Regarding operators under exclusive rights, it authorizes their games offer and it annually approves their games program, their promotional strategy as well as their action plans in the fight against fraud and money laundering on the one hand, prevention of gambling addiction and the protection of minors on the other hand. The ANJ will exercise greater control over these operators in these different fields.
The methods of regulation
The ANJ will set up a regulation that combines support and control.
- In the short term, the ANJ will use pedagogy to explain to economic actors the new rather complex legal framework. It has already planned to bring them together shortly to present their new obligations.
- It is currently finalising two reference frameworks, one on the prevention of gambling addiction and the protection of minors and the other on the fight against fraud, money laundering and the financing of terrorism. These new compliance tools will be submitted for consultation with the stakeholders concerned in order to develop standards that are as close as possible to the sectoral realities and to secure their practices.
- It will also ensure compliance with the obligations of the law, which implies a credible and appropriate control strategy, and even sanctions for the most serious breaches. In this respect, it will sign an agreement with the Race and Gaming Central Service of the Ministry of Home Affairs for on-site inspections in points of sale and casinos.
Protecting players: a priority for the ANJ
In France, one person out of two is a gambler. Problem gamblers are estimated around 1,2 million. So, preventing excessive or pathological gambling is a public health issue to which the ANJ attaches the utmost importance.
The ANJ will place the players at the heart of the regulation. For that to be real and effective, the ANJ will be as close as possible to the gambling experience and the uses of the players, by articulating its action around the three fronts: information, service and capitalization on the collective intelligence of the players.
The transfer of the management of the file of banned players from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the ANJ starting from September will be an opportunity to make players more responsible. Indeed, the ANJ will propose a new registration process and a real tool for self-protection and control of the game, faster and less guilt-ridden. Concretely, a motivational interview with the ANJ staff will be carried out with the players in order to direct them, if necessary, to health-care professionals.
For Isabelle FALQUE-PIERROTIN, Chairwoman of the ANJ: “The ANJ is not an enlarged ARJEL, it is a new project that requires rethinking regulation. It has to adapt its intervention to monopolies (FDJ and PMU) and to players gambling mostly anonymously in points of sale. I would like to set up a regulation that combines support and control in order to better serve and protect players”.
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Cease-and-desist letters cite alleged felonies and underage access tied to BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator.
The Arizona Department of Gaming said it has issued cease-and-desist orders to five online platforms—BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator—after investigations that the Department says involved alleged illegal gambling activity and underage access in Arizona.
In its announcement, the Department said each enforcement action alleges conduct giving rise to three felonies under Arizona law: promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering. The agency cited Arizona’s prohibition on gambling unless specifically authorized (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Tit. 13, Ch. 33) and said the legal gambling age in the state is 21.
“Arizona is taking decisive action against illegal gambling operators that put Arizonans at risk,” said Jackie Johnson, Department Director. “Our top priority is protecting Arizonans and I’m grateful for the efforts of our intelligence unit led by Chief Law Enforcement Officer Doug Jensen to do just that. Through these cease-and-desist orders we are putting operators on notice: their conduct runs contrary to Arizona law and they must stop promoting illegal gambling.”
The Department’s letters describe different alleged violations by operator. For BetOpenly, the Department said peer-to-peer gambling rules prohibit third-party benefit, and alleged the platform benefited via a commission structure while enabling event wagering and daily fantasy sports contests without the required state licenses, including availability to underage Arizonans. For Bookmaker, the Department said its investigation found wagering on horse racing, casino games, and sports betting without an event wagering license or an advanced deposit wagering provider license, adding that online casino games are not legal in Arizona.
For Club WPT Online Poker, the Department alleged the platform enabled individuals under 21 in Arizona to enter pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes while using deceptive “no purchase necessary” language; the Department said online poker is illegal in Arizona. For Kutt Inc., the Department said Arizona “social” gambling prohibits third-party benefit and directed the operator to stop allowing Arizona users to deposit money and wager on sports, politics, pop culture, and casino-style games. For Raffle Creator, the Department said the operator did not meet requirements that allow Arizona nonprofits to conduct lawful raffles and alleged it allowed people under 21 to purchase tickets for prize chances.
The Department said the notified entities are directed to immediately stop all gambling operations and activities in Arizona “whether through mobile applications, online, or otherwise,” and to cease any future illegal gambling in the state. It added that future actions may include criminal charges or civil action against entities, principals, and employees, and that operators “may be subject to a potential award of restitution” and forfeiture of monies acquired due to the alleged conduct.
The post Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Compliance Updates
Arizona Department of Gaming Issues Cease-and-Desist Orders to Multiple Operators Linked to Underage Gambling and Illegal Activity
Investigations into five online platforms lead to cease-and-desist orders alleging Arizona felonies: Promotion of Gambling; Illegal Control of an Enterprise; and Money Laundering
The Arizona Department of Gaming (Department) announced today that it has issued cease-and-desist orders to the following entities: BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator. Each enforcement action alleges conduct giving rise to the following felonies: promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering. The cease-and-desist orders underscore the Department’s commitment to guard the integrity and safety of Arizona’s regulated gaming market while promoting consumer protection.
“Arizona is taking decisive action against illegal gambling operators that put Arizonans at risk,” said Jackie Johnson, Department Director. “Our top priority is protecting Arizonans and I’m grateful for the efforts of our intelligence unit led by Chief Law Enforcement Officer Doug Jensen to do just that. Through these cease-and-desist orders we are putting operators on notice: their conduct runs contrary to Arizona law and they must stop promoting illegal gambling.”
The cease-and-desist orders outlined below follow Department public safety initiatives aligned with Arizona law, which prohibits gambling unless it is specifically authorized (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Tit. 13, Ch. 33) and where the legal age to participate in gambling is 21 years old.
Regarding BetOpenly, peer-to-peer gambling in Arizona prohibits any third-party from benefiting, and that the peer-to-peer sports betting and casino games on the BetOpenly platform benefited the operator via a commission structure. Further, the Department alleges that BetOpenly enabled event wagering and daily fantasy sports contests without the requisite state licenses, facilitated availability to underage Arizonans, and allegedly engaged in illegal felony conduct: promotion of gambling; illegal control of an enterprise; and money laundering.
View cease-and-desist letter here: gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/BetOpenly_Signed%20Cease%20and%20Desist_Redacted.pdf
Regarding Bookmaker, the Department found through its investigation that the platform facilitates wagering on horse racing, casino games, and sports betting, without holding an event wagering license or an advanced deposit wagering provider license. Online casino games are not legal in Arizona. The Department alleges that Bookmaker engaged in illegal felony conduct: promotion of gambling; illegal control of an enterprise; and money laundering.
View cease-and-desist letter here: gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/Bookmaker_Signed%20Cease%20and%20Desist_Redacted.pdf
Regarding Club WPT Online Poker, the Department alleges that the platform enabled Arizona individuals under the age of 21 to engage in pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes while using deceptive “no purchase necessary” language. Online poker is illegal in Arizona. The Department alleges that Club WPT Online Poker engaged in illegal felony conduct: promotion of gambling; illegal control of an enterprise; and money laundering.
View cease-and-desist letter here: gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/ClubWPT%20Online%20Poker_Signed%20Cease%20and%20Desist_Redacted.pdf
Regarding Kutt Inc., the Department warned the operator that legal “social” gambling in Arizona prohibits any third-party benefit, as seen in Kutt Inc.’s operations. The Department directed the platform to stop allowing users located in Arizona to deposit money into accounts and wager on sports, politics, pop culture, and play casino-style games. The Department alleges Kutt Inc. engaged in illegal felony conduct: promotion of gambling; illegal control of an enterprise; and money laundering.
View cease-and-desist letter here: gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/Kutt%20Signed%20C%26D_Redacted.pdf
Regarding Raffle Creator, the Department identified that the operator, which did not meet the requirements that allow Arizona nonprofits to conduct lawful raffles, allowed people under the age of 21 to purchase tickets for the chance to win prizes. The Department alleges that the operator engaged in illegal felony conduct: promotion of gambling; illegal control of an enterprise; and money laundering.
View cease-and-desist letter here: gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/Raffle%20Creator_Signed%20Cease%20and%20Desist_Redacted.pdf
With the cease-and-desist orders, notified entities are directed to immediately stop all gambling operations and activities in Arizona, whether through mobile applications, online, or otherwise, and are further directed to desist from any future illegal gambling operations in the state. Future actions may include the filing of criminal charges or a civil action against entities, principals, and employees, and the operators may be subject to a potential award of restitution to those who lost money as well as an action for forfeiture of all monies acquired due to the illegal conduct.
Arizona residents are encouraged to Check Your Bet: verify that any gambling, event wagering, or fantasy sports platform appears on the Department’s list of approved operators before participating. Regulated gaming operators are subject to Arizona statutes and rules, including applicable taxes or financial contributions that benefit the state. Regulated gaming provides important consumer protections, ensuring fair play and fair winnings, data security, accountability, and a safer overall experience.
Consumers may contact the Department about potential illegal gambling activities by emailing [email protected] or by calling 602-255-3886; consumers may remain anonymous when submitting information and tips.
The post Arizona Department of Gaming Issues Cease-and-Desist Orders to Multiple Operators Linked to Underage Gambling and Illegal Activity appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Asia
KONAMI GROUP’s Konami Gaming Inc. First to Submit Manufacturer License Application in Japan’s Emerging IR Market
KONAMI GROUP CORPORATION’s long-established gaming & systems group company Konami Gaming Inc. announced it has become the first manufacturer to submit license applications with the Japan Casino Regulatory Commission (JCRC), government regulatory agency set forth by The Cabinet of Japan. Additionally, Konami is the first manufacturer to file across all applicable license categories. These filings represent milestone events for the nation’s regulatory framework, as Japan’s emerging integrated resort (IR) market progresses in responsible development. As a leading manufacturer of casino games and technology in 400+ regulated markets worldwide, Konami is taking proactive measures in support of the Japan IR market, highly relevant to the organisation’s rich heritage as a Japanese company.
“Konami’s early filing demonstrates our commitment and readiness to engage constructively with Japan’s regulatory framework from the outset. We have approached this process with a focus on transparency, preparation, and alignment with the stringent standards established by the JCRC,” said Lori Olk, senior vice president & chief compliance officer at Konami Gaming Inc.
Construction is currently underway for the first integrated resort in Japan—an expansive development planned for 2030 opening by one of the world’s largest casino and entertainment operators. Against this backdrop, Konami’s early submission positions the company to participate during the formative stages of this emerging regulated market. Committed to the long-term health of Japan’s IR market, Konami has invested significant resources in localisation, documentation and operational planning to ensure alignment with the nation’s legal, regulatory and cultural expectations. The supplier has leveraged its longstanding compliance infrastructure, governance processes and global licensing experience to fulfill detailed requirements of the Japanese regulatory framework.
“This milestone in Konami’s application process with the JCRC represents a significant, coordinated effort across multiple business units and jurisdictions, supported by decades of experience operating in highly regulated gaming markets worldwide. As Japan continues to expand its IR framework, Konami remains focused on supporting regulatory objectives and partnering with stakeholders to deliver compliant, high-quality gaming solutions tailored to the needs of the Japanese market,” said Tom Jingoli, president & chief operating officer at Konami Gaming.
The post KONAMI GROUP’s Konami Gaming Inc. First to Submit Manufacturer License Application in Japan’s Emerging IR Market appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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