Compliance Updates
New Initiative from DI Council Aims to Enable Betting on Professional Sports
The Division I Council introduced a proposal that, if adopted in October, would change sports betting rules to permit student-athletes and staff members to bet on professional sports and refocus the Association’s enforcement efforts on college sports betting and behaviors that directly impact game integrity. If adopted, the change will be implemented only if Divisions II and III also vote to allow betting on pro sports.
The council’s introduction of the proposal, which comes after a directive from the Division I Board of Directors in April that the council adopt changes to sports betting rules, is not an endorsement of sports betting behaviors, especially for college athletes. The NCAA’s prohibition against betting on college sports would remain in place, as would the prohibitions against sharing information about college events with bettors. The NCAA also would continue to maintain its prohibition for NCAA championships against advertising and sponsorships associated with betting.
“NCAA rules prohibiting sports betting at all levels were written and adopted at a time when sports gambling was largely illegal nationwide,” said Josh Whitman, athletics director at Illinois and chair of the council. “As betting on sports has become more widely accepted across the country, Division I members have determined that further discussion of these sports betting rules is warranted, particularly as it relates to the potential distinctions between betting on professional versus collegiate sports. Throughout our discussions, the council has remained focused on student-athlete wellness and educating student-athletes about the risks and potentially harmful impacts of betting.”
Current NCAA rules do not allow student-athletes or institutional staff to engage in sports betting at any level (professional, college or amateur) for any sports that have NCAA championships, and NCAA members have continually maintained that any betting by a student-athlete on his or her own team or own sport in college should continue to result in a permanent loss of any remaining collegiate eligibility. However, in 2023, Division I changed the reinstatement guidelines for student-athletes who participate in sports betting on professional sports to focus on harm reduction for problematic betting behaviors.
“Deregulating professional sports betting may provide schools an additional opportunity to implement harm-reduction strategies, which can be more effective and have long-term benefits not seen with abstinence-only approaches. Harm-reduction strategies include education, stigma reduction and acknowledging actual behaviors,” said Dr. Deena Casiero, NCAA chief medical officer. “By meeting student-athletes where they are, schools may be more effective at preventing, identifying and supporting student-athletes with problematic gambling behaviors. Regardless of the change, schools are encouraged to use the many sports betting resources already available.”
The recently released Harm Reduction Considerations for Gambling & Sports Betting in Collegiate Sports references available sports betting resources, including the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices. Additionally, more than 100,000 student-athletes, coaches and administrators have been reached through the NCAA’s education efforts with EPIC Global Solutions, and the NCAA has launched an e-learning module to educate student-athletes on problem gambling harms and the integrity risks associated with sports betting.
Several sports betting-related violations by staff members at NCAA schools have been resolved through the infractions process in recent years, and the enforcement staff is working on issuing Notices of Allegations in several ongoing cases that involve allegations of betting on professional and college sports by student-athletes and/or athletics department staff members at a handful of NCAA schools.
The proposed rule change would not be retroactive. If it is adopted, it would apply only to sports betting activities that occur after the effective date of the proposal.
“The enforcement staff’s sports betting-related caseload has significantly increased in recent years, and our staff — including our new sports betting integrity unit — has been effective in detecting and pursuing violations,” said Jon Duncan, NCAA vice president of enforcement.
The Association prioritizes competition integrity, which is vital to college sports. The NCAA uses a layered strategy to respond responsibly to the rise in sports betting across the United States by monitoring over 22,000 contests per year, advocating for limits on prop bets that pose heightened risks, reducing the potential for student-athlete abuse by aggrieved bettors, and creating greater transparency to assist with the timely investigation and resolution of integrity-related issues.
This layered approach includes the most recent agreement extension with Genius Sports to establish unprecedented betting restrictions on high-risk proposition bets. Sportsbooks licensing NCAA championship data must cooperate fully with NCAA investigations, including providing access to account data, financial history and geolocation records. This will allow the NCAA to work with the sportsbooks to gather detailed account information when harassers are identified to prevent repeat offenders from continuing to place bets across platforms, increasing safeguards to protect student-athlete mental health and well-being.
The post New Initiative from DI Council Aims to Enable Betting on Professional Sports appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Compliance Updates
GeoComply Launches Unified Identity Platform for Brazil
GeoComply has launched a unified identity platform for Brazil, bringing KYC verification, anti-fraud intelligence, and geolocation compliance together in a single value package designed specifically for the country’s regulated iGaming market.
“Brazil is one of the most complex and fast-moving regulated markets in the world, and operators there are dealing with challenges that off-the-shelf solutions simply aren’t built for. We’ve taken the same approach that has delivered industry-leading pass rates across more than 30 jurisdictions—custom-built, locally tuned, obsessively optimized—and applied it to Brazil. The result is a single platform that solves KYC, fraud, and compliance together, so operators can focus on growth instead of managing vendor sprawl,” said Kip Levin, CEO of GeoComply.
The platform is designed to make trust-versus-risk decisions clear from the first interaction—helping operators welcome legitimate players quickly while acting decisively against fraud.
Best-in-Class Pass Rates, Made Easy
At the core of the Brazil launch is a managed, local KYC waterfall delivered through one endpoint. Instead of stitching together fragmented vendor integrations and inconsistent onboarding flows, operators gain access to leading Brazilian data sources through a continuously optimized identity infrastructure.
Players experience a streamlined registration journey with docless flows that leverage CPF validation, while operators achieve stronger pass rates without increasing operational complexity or manual review queues.
This same identity framework has delivered pass rates above 95% across U.S. states and above 90% in the UK, demonstrating a repeatable model for improving conversion in regulated markets.
“As we grow internationally, we know we can trust GeoComply to deliver excellent results and show up as a strategic partner that is focused on our success. Their team’s expertise and dedication to getting it right have helped us achieve high pass rates and an excellent player experience in Brazil and Argentina, all while giving the entire team at Betano peace of mind that we are meeting evolving regulatory standards,” said George Moschetas, Director of Product at Kaizen Gaming, the parent company of Betano.
Fraud Intelligence That Extends Beyond Registration
What differentiates GeoComply from standalone KYC vendors is what happens after verification. The platform applies real-time device, location, and behavioral intelligence throughout the player lifecycle—helping operators detect deepfakes, local mule rings, and account takeover attempts without disrupting legitimate users.
Machine learning models trained specifically for Brazil analyze device manipulation, high-risk location activity, and cross-account linkages in real time—while supporting AML compliance requirements through continuous monitoring.
One Platform. One Partner.
Rather than layering separate KYC vendors, fraud tools, and geolocation providers, operators gain a unified identity infrastructure and a single operational partner.
GeoComply manages vendor relationships, waterfall optimization, regulatory alignment, and continuous model tuning—supported by a dedicated Fraud and Risk team that works alongside operators as threats evolve. The platform delivers up to 99.7% geolocation pass rates and 99.999% uptime reliability in regulated environments.
The post GeoComply Launches Unified Identity Platform for Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
BHA
BHA Appoints Brant Dunshea as its Chief Executive Officer
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has confirmed the permanent appointment of Brant Dunshea as its Chief Executive Officer.
Brant has been leading the BHA in an acting capacity since December 2024 following the departure of Julie Harrington.
He has held several senior positions at British racing’s governing and regulatory body since joining the organisation in March 2015, most recently as Chief Regulatory Officer prior to being appointed acting CEO.
The BHA board has also approved the appointment of David Jones as Interim Chair. This follows the resignation of Lord Charles Allen on Tuesday 3 March.
David assumes the role for a second time, having previously filled the position between Joe Saumarez Smith stepping down in January 2025 and Lord Allen formally joining the BHA in September of the same year.
He was appointed to the BHA Board in January 2021 as Senior Independent Director, with extensive experience of British racing and the regulation of the sport, including as a BHA steward for more than a decade.
Steps will now be taken to recruit a permanent BHA Chair.
David Jones, Interim Chair of the BHA, said: “While it is clearly regrettable that agreement could not be reached around governance reform, the sport’s leaders have recognised the need for change. I do believe this is possible, and we must all work to achieve it, in the interests of the sport and the livelihoods that depend on our industry.
“The process to recruit a permanent chair will commence shortly. My hope is that this can be achieved as quickly as possible.
“The BHA will continue to lead British racing with energy and integrity, and I am delighted that the Board has agreed to appoint Brant as the CEO.
“He has proven he is a dynamic and hugely respected leader, and I look forward to working closely with Brant, the Executive and the hard-working, dedicated team at the BHA during a significant year for the sport.”
Brant Dunshea, Chief Executive Officer of the BHA, said: “I am delighted to be appointed Chief Executive Officer of the BHA.
“It is no secret that the sport has experienced a challenging period as it faces up to the process of change at a governance level, but I want to be clear that this has not stopped the BHA and the industry making important progress to safeguard the long-term health of British racing.
“The past year has seen growth in racecourse attendances, the success of the Axe The Racing Tax campaign, major initiatives to ensure more horses are raced and retained on our shores and continued improvements in horse and human welfare.
“I know that the incredible team at the BHA shares my deep passion for our sport and is committed to securing a brighter and more sustainable future for our people and horses.
“It is a huge privilege to be given this opportunity to lead such a knowledgeable and dedicated team at a time of great opportunity for British racing.”
The post BHA Appoints Brant Dunshea as its Chief Executive Officer appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Animal Wellness Action
GREY2K USA Worldwide and Animal Wellness Action Celebrate House Agriculture Committee Passage of a Ban on Greyhound Racing in America
GREY2K USA Worldwide and Animal Wellness Action celebrated the U.S. House Agriculture Committee’s adoption of the Greyhound Protection Act, H.R. 5017, by amendment into H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, also known as the Farm Bill. The legislation will prohibit dog racing nationwide, bar US gamblers from betting on foreign races and block the export of American dogs for racing elsewhere.
Once the sixth largest spectator sport in the US, greyhound racing now occurs at just at two tracks in West Virginia, both owned by Delaware North, a New York-based gambling and food-service company, which has signaled its desire to step back from this outdated and unpopular form of gambling. Greyhound racing is illegal in 44 states, and remote gambling on dog races has recently been prohibited in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Oregon. A generation ago, there were 60 tracks in the United States, so the collapse of racing has been precipitous.
The Greyhound Protection Act was introduced last year by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), who also offered last night’s successful amendment to the Farm Bill. The legislation is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 28 members of Congress, including Rep. Randy Fine, R-Florida, Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C. Nunn and Davis both spoke in favor of the amendment, which passed overwhelmingly by a voice vote of the Agriculture Committee. The groups thanked these lawmakers for their leadership on the issue.
“This is an historic victory for the protection of greyhounds, and the result of decades of grassroots campaigning. We are grateful for the leadership of these legislative champions who have given the dogs a voice,” said GREY2K USA Worldwide Executive Director Carey Theil.
Dogs used for racing are kept confined in stacked metal cages for up to 23 hours a day. When let out to race, they suffer serious injuries including broken legs and backs, crushed skulls, and paralysis. In 2024, 487 greyhound injuries were reported at the final two tracks in West Virginia, including 162 dogs that suffered broken bones and thirteen dogs that died. Since 2020, greyhound breeders in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado have been documented killing rabbits in cruel “live lure” training exercises.
“Passing the Greyhound Protection Act in the House Agriculture Committee is more evidence of the emerging national consensus that greyhound racing is archaic and inhumane. This is just the first step on this legislative journey, but it’s the first ever vote on the Greyhound Protection Act and it signals future success,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy.
In 2018, Florida voters passed a ballot measure to end gambling on greyhound races with 69% of the statewide vote. Florida was the first state to legalize dog racing in 1931 and prior to the launch of the ballot measure campaign, Florida hosted 12 of the 18 tracks operating in the US. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was then Attorney General of Florida, actively supported the measure. Multiple other states followed Florida’s lead, including Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, and Texas. However, West Virginia law currently mandates that greyhound racing continue as a condition of offering other forms of gambling. The state also requires annual subsidy payments of up to $22 million to owners of racing dogs.
“Greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane, and will soon be relegated to the dustbin of history. In modern society, greyhounds are loving companions, and should not be used and abused as gambling props,” said GREY2K USA Worldwide President and General Counsel Christine A. Dorchak, who drafted the bill.
The Greyhound Protection Act has been endorsed by more than 250 animal protection groups, local animal shelters, anti-gambling organizations, international NGOs, and greyhound adoption groups. In the last Congress, a nearly identical bill won the support of 80 cosponsors. Notable endorsers include Stop Predatory Gambling, the Federation of Humane Organizations of West Virginia, Eastwood Ranch Rescue, the National Greyhound Adoption Program, the National Humane Education Society and Best Friends Animal Society.
The federal government has authority on this subject because dogs are bred and transported across state lines for racing and races are broadcast to numerous states for simulcast gambling. The bill amends the Animal Welfare Act to achieve its purpose of ending greyhound racing.
The post GREY2K USA Worldwide and Animal Wellness Action Celebrate House Agriculture Committee Passage of a Ban on Greyhound Racing in America appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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