Latest News

TrueLayer launches PayDirect, a new approach to seamless online payments in iGaming

Published

5 years ago

January 26, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

PayDirect, a new service from the UK’s open banking leader, TrueLayer, combines one-click verification with instant deposits and withdrawals to deliver the most complete payments experience.

It delivers a higher-converting, lower-fraud payments approach when compared to card and bank transfer.

TrueLayer, the leading technology company building financial infrastructure that’s open to everyone today announced the launch of PayDirect, a new open banking-based payments method enabling iGaming firms to create a higher-converting, lower-fraud payments approach when compared to card and bank transfer. TrueLayer is working with a number of iGaming operators who are embracing opening banking as a more secure, cost-effective way to deliver superior player experiences.

Today, identity and verification flows and card-based payments typically generate avoidable friction along the customer journey, affecting adoption and retention rates and generating unnecessary costs. The introduction of Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) this year adds another layer of friction to cards with workarounds that deliver a poorer customer experience.

PayDirect is the answer to those issues, enabling firms to stay compliant while delivering a frictionless customer experience. Built on open banking and the fastest available bank payment rails, it provides firms with instant payments and withdrawals, while accelerating KYC and AML processes, to deliver the most complete solution on the market.

“As players experience seamless digital services in other aspects of their lives, their expectations for iGaming are also changing. PayDirect builds on our payments expertise to solve some significant issues around onboarding, deposits and withdrawals to help operators deliver an experience that is fit for the digital age,” commented Ossama Soliman, Chief Product Officer at TrueLayer. “The ability to quickly and easily verify a customer’s identity, and move money instantly in and out of an account using bank to bank payments, while automatically complying with AML regulations, is hugely beneficial to both the player and the operator.”

With PayDirect iGaming operators, can deliver new levels of services to their customers, all from within their app, in a matter of minutes, through:

Account verification – Instantly verify account ownership based on what’s on file at a customer’s bank.
Instant account funding – users can initiate payments or move money between accounts effortlessly using open banking.
Seamless online payments – that reduce fraud and chargebacks at any checkout.
Instant withdrawals – users can initiate payouts, using the same method used for deposits, automatically meet AML requirements, while avoiding manual data entry like bank account number or IBAN.
Instant refunds – providing customers to access their money faster, compared with up to 5 days using cards.

PayDirect improves the player experience and delivers a number of significant benefits to iGaming operators, including:

Up to 3x faster onboarding: PayDirect gets players up and running in a matter of minutes, using open banking and biometric authentication that removes the need for users to remember usernames or passwords.
Higher payment conversion rates: Once a player has successfully executed a deposit, payment failures tend to be four times lower with PayDirect than cards (on average cards fail up to 15% of the time vs 3.5% with PayDirect). This means more efficient deposits and, more importantly, less time managing failed payments that can ultimately lead to customer churn.
Increased customer loyalty: Card deposits take up to 3 days to settle, whilst withdrawals can take up to 5 days. PayDirect increases retention by offering customers what they want, instant deposits and withdrawals. Recent research into the iGaming market by YouGov for TrueLayer (Q4 2020) found rapid deposits and payouts consistently topped the list of player priorities, with 8 out of 10 players rating fast payments as important – and they choose their operators accordingly.
Lower operating costs: PayDirect saves time and reduces cost by automating otherwise manual processes such as payment reconciliation or KYC checks. PayDirect also reduces costs when processing refunds, as they are automatically issued to the same bank account that was used to make the deposit. This reduces opportunities for human error compared to cheque or manual bank transfers as well as cutting down customer support cases on lost or never issued refunds.

Reduced risk and fraud: With PayDirect account ownership and authentication is handled by the player’s bank. No more chargebacks, no credential sharing or password storage. Service providers can also meet AML requirements by paying out via the same method used for deposits.
A fully white labelled payment method: integrated open banking capabilities, increase customer trust by the brand owning the end-to-end customer journey, and configuring payment flows.

“The race is on to reimagine the way people pay by leveraging Open Payments architectures. We have seen in banking and ecommerce that great onboarding and payments experiences increase conversion, trust, and retention. But many payment journeys today have not been designed for a digital first world,” added Francesco Simoneschi, co-founder and CEO at TrueLayer. “With PayDirect we’re calling time on cards and their monopoly. We have used our experience and expertise as a leading open banking platform to design a digital and mobile first payment product that combines instant bank payments with instant payouts, refunds and reconciliation capabilities. PayDirect delivers an effortless way to onboard new customers and enable them to quickly initiate payments and withdraw funds. It is the easiest way to create a better, safer and lower cost payments process.”

Compliance

DraftKings renews multi-year geolocation deal with GeoComply

Published

41 minutes ago

June 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

draftkings-renews-multi-year-geolocation-deal-with-geocomply

DraftKings has renewed a multi-year agreement with GeoComply to continue providing real-time geolocation and compliance services, the companies said.

The extension comes after DraftKings’ Super App launch, a unified platform approach that lets customers access either sportsbook or sports predictions depending on their location. The press release positions the renewal as supporting scale, fraud controls, geolocation and compliance requirements tied to that rollout.

GeoComply said its geolocation signals are embedded into DraftKings’ internal risk workflows, including step-up authentication and automated decisioning. The vendor said it processes 2.5 billion checks a month across its platform.

Under the extended agreement, the companies said GeoComply will continue to support DraftKings with dedicated forward-deployed engineering support.

“The operators winning this next cycle are treating geolocation intelligence as critical trust infrastructure,” said Kip Levin, CEO of GeoComply. “DraftKings has done that for years. This extension reflects how seriously they take the architecture behind player trust—and it’s what lets them keep moving fast on everything else.”

The post DraftKings renews multi-year geolocation deal with GeoComply appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brazilian License

Groove Secures Pivotal Brazilian License, Cementing LATAM Expansion

Published

41 minutes ago

June 15, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

groove-secures-pivotal-brazilian-license,-cementing-latam-expansion

Platform pioneer unlocks one of the world’s most dynamic iGaming markets, offering operators and providers a seamless, compliant gateway to millions of new players.

Groove, the award-winning iGaming aggregation platform, has today announced a monumental leap in its global expansion strategy with the official granting of its license to operate in Brazil.

This landmark regulatory approval marks a decisive moment in Groove’s strategic blueprint for Latin America, a vision further reinforced by the significant strengthening of its established and fully regulated infrastructure in Argentina. Together, these developments create an unrivalled dual-hub strategy, positioning Groove as the definitive gateway to the continent.

This hard-won license provides a fully compliant and powerful conduit for Groove’s partners to engage a market on the cusp of historic growth. For operators, it translates to a frictionless, single-integration pathway for capturing market share in this coveted region. They can now leverage Groove’s robust platform to deploy a fully localised and compliant casino offering at unparalleled speed, complete with curated game portfolios tailored to local preferences, integrated local payment processing, and bespoke marketing tools designed to captivate Latin American players. This eliminates years of complex regulatory legwork, allowing partners to go to market in a matter of weeks, not years.

For game studios and content providers, the Brazilian license acts as a direct and streamlined conduit to a vast new audience. Groove offers a managed route to market, taking on the heavy burden of complex regulatory technical standards and certification processes. This allows creators to focus on their core mission of developing world-class entertainment, secure in the knowledge that their content will be efficiently placed in front of a massive, engaged audience through a trusted and fully compliant pipeline.

Rachel Tourgeman, Head of Partnerships at Groove, emphasised the transformative nature of this development. “The green light in Brazil is more than a license; it’s a key that unlocks a kingdom of opportunity for our partners. We’ve built a platform capable of not just entering, but driving in regulated markets.”

Tourgeman put the new license in perspective, saying: “Operators can now immediately tap into Brazil’s immense potential, while providers gain a trusted pipeline to a passionate new player base. This is a definitive moment that accelerates the entire LATAM iGaming ecosystem.”

This strategic expansion is a direct reflection of Groove’s commitment to being the most reliable and agile aggregation partner in the world’s most promising emerging markets. With over 20,000 games available and a raft of over 150 games partners, Groove brings unrivalled choice to the Brazilian market.

Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, commented, “Our vision has always been to build the bridges that connect great content with passionate players, wherever they are. Securing our Brazilian license and reinforcing our Argentine operations is a testament to our team’s relentless execution and our long-term commitment to LATAM.”

Meltzer concluded: “We are not just following trends; we are actively architecting the future of iGaming in the region, providing a secure, scalable, and sophisticated platform for our partners to grow with us. The door to Latin America is now open, and Groove is the key.”

For further information visit the new web domain at www.groovetech.com

The post Groove Secures Pivotal Brazilian License, Cementing LATAM Expansion appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Latest News

Stephen Crystal Named Ambassador for SiGMA North America 2026 in Mexico City

Published

41 minutes ago

June 15, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

stephen-crystal-named-ambassador-for-sigma-north-america-2026-in-mexico-city

SCCG Management Founder and CEO Stephen Crystal has been named one of ten industry ambassadors for SiGMA North America 2026, the summit’s inaugural Mexico City edition. The event takes place September 1 to 3 at Centro Banamex and is expected to welcome 4,000 delegates, 1,000 operators, more than 150 speakers, and over 200 exhibitors and sponsors.

The ambassador appointment recognizes leaders working across iGaming in North and Latin America who will support the summit’s positioning as a new regional hub for the industry. Crystal joins a group of C-level executives, founders, and specialists from across the Americas, including Javier Troncoso (InsightPlay.ai), David Fica (Land Vegas Group), Fellipe Fraga (Stellar Gaming), Iliana Maria Pineda Echeverri (Wplay), Fernando Garita (Kabata Group), Juan Pablo Barahona (BETBY), Elizabeth Maya Cano (Cornazar), Gonzalo Perez (Apuesta Total), and Rosa Ochoa (Blue Global Gaming).

“Mexico City is the right location and the right moment for a summit of this scale,” said Stephen Crystal. “Latin America’s gaming markets are maturing rapidly, regulatory frameworks are taking shape across the region, and the companies operating in these markets need a dedicated forum that bridges North and South. SiGMA’s decision to plant its North American flag in Mexico reflects where the industry’s growth trajectory is heading, and SCCG is proud to support that vision as an ambassador.”

Crystal is confirmed on the Day 2 conference agenda for the panel “Regulation and Revenue: Dissecting North America’s State and Provincial Affiliate Ecosystem,” which will examine how affiliate structures are evolving across the region’s regulated markets.

SiGMA North America 2026 marks the group’s first event in Mexico City, following BiS SiGMA South America 2026 in Sao Paulo earlier this year. The two events give the industry two major regional touchpoints in the same calendar year, covering both Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking markets across the Americas. The September calendar also connects to the SiGMA Affiliate Retreat in Cancun (September 4 to 6) and Affiliate World Americas in Cancun (September 7 to 8), creating a full circuit for companies active in performance marketing and business development across the region.

The three-day summit program includes a full conference agenda, expo floor, the SiGMA Pitch North America startup competition, the SiGMA North America Awards, networking dinners, and VIP programming throughout Mexico City.

With more than 33 years of experience in the global gambling industry, SCCG Management works with operators, suppliers, startups, investors, and technology companies across more than 50 jurisdictions. The firm’s advisory and business development practice spans sports betting, iGaming, tribal gaming, payments, emerging technology, media partnerships, and international market expansion.

SiGMA North America 2026 takes place September 1 to 3 at Centro Banamex in Mexico City. Tickets and registration are available at sigma.world.

The post Stephen Crystal Named Ambassador for SiGMA North America 2026 in Mexico City appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.