Updating the market, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published it’s ‘Preliminary Market Consultation – PMC’ document requesting information and guidance on the planned development and launch of its ‘Unified Self-Exclusion System’. A key project initiative for the MGA and its government stakeholders, the gaming authority seeks to deliver the most comprehensive self-exclusion system to be utilised by […]

Updating the market, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published it’s ‘Preliminary Market Consultation – PMC’ document requesting information and guidance on the planned development and launch of its ‘Unified Self-Exclusion System’.

A key project initiative for the MGA and its government stakeholders, the gaming authority seeks to deliver the most comprehensive self-exclusion system to be utilised by all licensed incumbents.

First announced in May 2018, the MGA seeks to revamp its licensee self-exclusion protocols and frameworks, introducing a unified system which will aim to register and block all self-excluded players from engaging with MGA licensed operators.

“The MGA envisages that a Unified Self-Exclusion System would be a significant step forward in the MGA’s agenda to implement further control for the prevention of gambling-related harm, extending the criteria of its Player Protection Directive, and The Gaming Premises Regulations,” the MGA details in its update.

In 2019 the MGA states that it will strengthen its consumer safeguards and all-around gambling protections, adding new enforcements to its online gambling licensing frameworks.

This January, the MGA launched its new Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) function – an enforced scheme that will monitor and arbitrate disputes/challenges between consumers and licensed operators, with regards to transactions and promotional offerings.

In its update, the MGA seeks stakeholder advice/opinion on current self-exclusion protocols (benefits/flaws), as well as guidance on technology matters attached to consumer protections, databasing, record keeping and developing further comprehensive ‘compliant systems’ benefitting igaming/betting consumers.

CGS 2019 will take place on 20th & 21st May 2019 at Hilton Cyprus, Nicosia with the theme “Capitalizing Gaming and Sports Betting Opportunities” with a Masterclass on “Getting into the gaming industry – your career starts here”. The Cyprus Gaming Show (CGS) took place in Limassol last year for the first time. CGS is […]

CGS 2019 will take place on 20th & 21st May 2019 at Hilton Cyprus, Nicosia with the theme “Capitalizing Gaming and Sports Betting Opportunities” with a Masterclass on “Getting into the gaming industry – your career starts here”.

The Cyprus Gaming Show (CGS) took place in Limassol last year for the first time.

CGS is a gaming event which brought the online and offline gaming sectors together for a two-day conference and exhibition focused on Cyprus as a prospective regional gaming center.

Gaming operators, third parties, suppliers, regulators, investors, software providers, the media, and other industry leaders came together in Limassol to network and gain valuable insights, identify practical strategies on how to grow and monetize their businesses, discover new audiences, and capitalize on the opportunities (current and future) Cyprus has to offer.

The Republic of Ireland Government has set out plans to form a new gambling regulatory authority with oversight of the country’s online and land-based market. An Inter-Departmental Working Group has published a new report on the issue, in which it focuses on the future licensing and regulation of gambling in Ireland. In the report, Minister […]

The Republic of Ireland Government has set out plans to form a new gambling regulatory authority with oversight of the country’s online and land-based market.

An Inter-Departmental Working Group has published a new report on the issue, in which it focuses on the future licensing and regulation of gambling in Ireland.

In the report, Minister of State David Stanton says Ireland is currently applying a “mid-20th century approach” to gambling activities and not taking into account the advances in digital technologies in recent years.

Stanton said comprehensive reform of the industry is required in order to bring the market up to date, but this will not be possible without establishing a new independent regulatory authority.

Current Irish legislation does not provide for a coherent licensing and regulatory approach to gambling aside from specific legislation governing the country’s National Lottery, the report noted, with oversight for the sector divided between a number of government departments and agencies.

This body would assume responsibility for regulation of the Irish market, which would include awarding licences to operators that want to offer gaming services in the country. The regulator would also have enforcement powers, such as the ability to impose fines on operators and suspend or revoke licences.

The new authority would also be responsible for the management of a social fund and subsequent disbursement of monies to approved addiction treatment centres and organisations, as well as raising awareness of gambling-related issues, carrying out industry research and running educational initiatives.

In addition, the regulatory body would act as the lead Irish agency in European Union and cross-border cooperation in combating betting-related match-fixing and money laundering.

It is intended that the authority would be funded primarily from fees and levies on regulated gambling activities in Ireland.

“As the gambling industry changes, and indeed as the demographics and motivations of its customers change, so must the State’s licensing and regulatory approach,” Stanton said in the report.

“The Working Group is firmly of the view that without a new independent regulatory authority of sufficient scale, the comprehensive reform required will not be possible.

“Effective modern licensing, regulation and monitoring of the gambling industry will come at a cost. The Working Group concludes nevertheless that such an authority can in time be substantially self-financing, through income from licence and other fees charged to gambling operators.”

The Irish Bookmakers Association (IBA), the representative body for betting operators in Ireland, has welcomed the new report. Chairperson Sharon Byrne said the new regulatory authority should be introduced as soon as possible.

Byne added: “We are hopeful that this will be the final step towards completion and enactment of a Gambling Control bill and independent regulator.  Our members have already introduced many of the advertising standards, customer monitoring and customer protection measures recommended by regulators in other countries.

“An independent regulator and gambling control bill, will ensure enforcement and compliance by all gambling operators, not just betting shops, which will lead to better consumer protections and support for those who may be vulnerable to addiction.”

Industry trade group the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has urged the European Union (EU) to introduce a ‘common rulebook’ of iGaming regulations in order to better protect consumers across the continent. The EGBA, which represents the likes of Bet365, GVC Holdings and Kindred, has highlighted how the majority of current regulation in Europe […]

Industry trade group the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has urged the European Union (EU) to introduce a ‘common rulebook’ of iGaming regulations in order to better protect consumers across the continent.

The EGBA, which represents the likes of Bet365, GVC Holdings and Kindred, has highlighted how the majority of current regulation in Europe is at national level, with little attention paid to cross-border activity.

Citing recent research, the EGBA has said that online gaming accounts for 21% of all gambling activity in Europe, but there are not enough laws in place to protect players, with around 1% of players having some form of gambling problem.

The EGBA has said the EU must look at implementing a common rulebook, as the quality of national gambling regulations in Europe varies significantly, with little consistency in frameworks in different markets.

“The challenges are obvious: the internet has no national borders, which means Europeans can easily play on gambling websites based in countries other than where they live,” EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer said. “This means Europeans are subject to very different sets of consumer protection standards when they play online, leaving some players much better protected than others.

“A common rulebook would establish the strong and consistent safeguards needed to protect Europe’s citizens, particularly vulnerable groups, such as minors and problem gamblers,” Haijer explained. “One set of rules would also benefit our members’ companies: one set of rules would be clear and would lessen the costs and risks of meeting 28 different, and sometimes conflicting, sets of rules.”

The call to action comes after the EGBA in December published a new report that suggested Denmark is currently the only EU member fully embracing consumer protection guidelines. 

Commissioned by the EGBA and published by the City University London, the ‘Consumer Protection in EU Online Gambling Regulation’ review claims EU member states are putting the safety of consumers at risk with inadequate levels of protection.

The EGBA identified diverse levels of regulation across the EU, resulting in varying levels of consumer protection. Denmark is the only exception, with evidence of the country having introduced all European Commission measures in full.

Haijer added: “These are major failings in the effort to keep Europe’s citizens and gamblers safe online – and they could easily be avoided. Even some basic safeguards are not available everywhere in the EU.

“It is 2019: If the EU is really serious about making the digital single market work for its consumers, there is no reason why online gamblers living in one member country should be less protected than those living in another. It is time to act.”

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The Malta Financial Services Authority has appointed an American company to help it check crypto currency assets. The authority is currently going through procedures for the approval of cryptocurrency agents – known as virtual financial agents – at least 29 of which have already applied for licences. Once these have been approved, expected by the […]

The Malta Financial Services Authority has appointed an American company to help it check crypto currency assets.

The authority is currently going through procedures for the approval of cryptocurrency agents – known as virtual financial agents – at least 29 of which have already applied for licences. Once these have been approved, expected by the end of this month, the VFA agents are expected to submit applications for operators like exchanges, wallets and initial coin offerings.

While the VFA agents are expected to do the due diligence on the individuals and entities behind these operators, the MFSA will still require tracking of the assets that flow through them – which is where CipherTrace will come in.

CipherTrace was founded in 2015 by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and was initially funded by the US Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology and government agency Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Its solution was described as being able to gauge and potential risk exposure of businesses including cryptocurrency exchanges, collective investment schemes and initial coin offerings.

Online casino advertising has no place on German airwaves, according to a missive issued by the country’s broadcasting regulators. On Wednesday, German media reported that state telecom regulatory bodies had sent letters to hundreds of private TV and radio stations reminding them that running promotional spots for online casino operators “is not allowed under current legislation.” The […]

Online casino advertising has no place on German airwaves, according to a missive issued by the country’s broadcasting regulators.

On Wednesday, German media reported that state telecom regulatory bodies had sent letters to hundreds of private TV and radio stations reminding them that running promotional spots for online casino operators “is not allowed under current legislation.” The broadcasters were strongly urged to reconsider “future placement of advertising in your programs.”

The letter, which was dated February 25th, appears to have largely achieved its goal. Wolfgang Bauchrowitz, deputy director and legal advisor at the Media Authority of Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein (MA HSH), said the number of online casino ads had “significantly decreased” in recent weeks. Bauchrowitz also warned that broadcasters who continued to run such ads would likely comply after “administrative means” were applied.

The letters were issued following the recent expiration of the online casino licenses issued by the state of Schleswig-Holstein (SH) in 2012. SH was the only one of Germany’s 16 länder (states) to formally authorize online casino activity after initially refusing to sign on to the 2012 federal gambling treaty that would have permitted only online sports betting.

Meanwhile, that 2012 federal treaty, which was ultimately deemed illegal by both local and international courts, is set to expire on June 30, 2019. Germany’s states have attempted to garner consensus on a mutually acceptable follow-up but these efforts have so far proved fruitless, in part because SH continues to press for a more expansive regulatory scheme than that desired by most of the other states.

On Feb. 26, the government of the Lower Saxony said a temporary stop-gap measure that would extend the current ‘toleration’ of online sports betting is scheduled to be signed on March 21. German media outlet Welt am Sonntagreported that new German betting licenses would take effect January 1, 2020. These licenses would be valid until June 30, 2021, by which time the expectation is that consensus on a permanent regulatory scheme can be achieved.

The 2012 gambling treaty limited the number of betting licenses to 20, an artificial cap that was successfully challenged in the courts by the other 15 companies who’d made it to the second round of the application vetting process. The new regime will reportedly be open to all qualified entities. However, the SH government reportedly expects a carve-out that will allow the state to go on licensing online casino operators.

Some of the online casino operators that were lucky enough to receive an original SH license continued to advertise their products – not just in SH but across Germany – after these licenses expired. It was these companies’ use of the SH coat of arms in their promos that reportedly contributed to the telecom watchdogs issuing their warning letter to broadcasters.

Should SH win its online casino carve-out, some of these boundary-pushing licensees may find the new licensing application process a wee bit tougher than last time.

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the Spelinspektionen (the Swedish Gambling Authority) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purposes of enhanced cooperation between the two authorities in furtherance of the authorities’ public policy objectives and mutually common values. The aim of this MoU is to facilitate on-going close communications between the two authorities, and to support effective […]

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the Spelinspektionen (the Swedish Gambling Authority) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purposes of enhanced cooperation between the two authorities in furtherance of the authorities’ public policy objectives and mutually common values.

The aim of this MoU is to facilitate on-going close communications between the two authorities, and to support effective sharing of information on matters of mutual interest and policy areas. Both authorities have also agreed to provide the best possible operational assistance to one another, on a continuous basis, in accordance with both their respective procedures and regulatory policies.

The Director General of the Swedish Gambling Authority, Camilla Rosenberg said that: “Many of the companies that have received a Swedish license also have technical equipment and a license in Malta. By opening the communication channels between the authorities we become stronger in our supervisory activities. This is the beginning of a broad and long-term cooperation, and our plan is to initiate corresponding collaborations with more gambling authorities in Europe.”

The MGA’s Chief Executive Officer, Heathcliff Farrugia, also expressed his satisfaction on this agreement whereby he stated that: “The MGA is always actively seeking to foster relationships with fellow authorities and other international regulatory bodies as we firmly believe that such relationships are key to reaching our objectives, especially in the area of remote gaming which is fundamentally cross-border in nature. 

This MoU, signed with the Swedish Gambling Authority, is an important step towards achieving both our respective regulatory goals in vital areas of mutual interest, especially since the MGA and the Swedish Gambling Authority share a significant number of operators licensed by both regulators. We are eager to start this mutually beneficial journey with our Swedish counterpart.”

The MoU came into force as of the 4th of March 2019.

Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has moved to increase its fines for unlicensed online gambling activities in the country, after saying the previous penalties were not “terrifying” enough. Operators that breach national regulations could now face a starting fine of €200,000 (£171,200/$227,600), up from the previous penalty of €150,000. KSA said this amount will be […]

Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has moved to increase its fines for unlicensed online gambling activities in the country, after saying the previous penalties were not “terrifying” enough.

Operators that breach national regulations could now face a starting fine of €200,000 (£171,200/$227,600), up from the previous penalty of €150,000.

KSA said this amount will be increased or decreased depending on the specific violation, taking into account factors such as the number of sites that are being run by the operator, the amount of games offered, as well as the level of prizes and bonuses available to consumers.

In addition, KSA has set out increases of at least €75,000 for three breaches in particular: offering live betting, calculating costs for temporary inactive players and making misleading statements about permits and supervision.

The regulator said that it has been forced into making the changes due to regular rule breaches by gambling operators.

KSA chairman, René Jansen, said the increase in financial penalties will support the long-awaited regulation of online gambling in the country. Last month, the Dutch Senate passed the Remote Gaming Act, paving the way for the roll-out of igaming regulation.

“The fines we used were not terrifying enough,” Jansen said. “The Senate recently adopted the bill on remote games of chance, which makes it possible to apply for a licence in time for offering gambling via the internet.

“The intention of the law is to create an attractive legal online gaming offer, which makes it possible for consumers to play safely on a fair market.

“There is no room for illegal providers. That is why we intend to thoroughly review our penalties policy for the future. The updating of the fines policy is now only a first step.”

The Netherlands is expected to begin awarding online gaming licences from the middle of 2020, with operators required to develop comprehensive responsible gaming strategies to offer a high level of player protection. Licensees face a tax rate of 29.1% of gross revenue.

It is hoped regulation could help tackle illegal gambling problems in the country. In January, a report commissioned by Holland Casino suggested that the number of people gambling online illegally in the Netherlands had increased by 20% over the last two years.

In addition, KSA said it issued a record €1.7m in fines to operators that breached current regulations over the course of 2018. The regulator handed out a total of 23 sanctions over the course of the last year, including seven administrative penalties, 12 penalties and four charges under administrative coercion.

As the European Commission ponders whether the European Union needs rules for cryptoassets and trading in virtual currencies, EU states are moving ahead with their own regulations, with the smallest of them, Malta, leading the pack. The risks of investing in the industry were made clear last year when Bitcoin, the most successful cryptocurrency, lost […]

As the European Commission ponders whether the European Union needs rules for cryptoassets and trading in virtual currencies, EU states are moving ahead with their own regulations, with the smallest of them, Malta, leading the pack.

The risks of investing in the industry were made clear last year when Bitcoin, the most successful cryptocurrency, lost three-quarters of its value from a peak around $20,000 in late 2017. The market capitalization of cryptoassets dropped to $110 billion at the end of January from $830 billion a year earlier.

These market developments have occurred in a “legal vacuum”, said Robert Ophele, the head of France’s financial regulator. Speaking at a financial-technology conference in Brussels, he urged the EU Commission to propose new regulations to address risks.

Last month, EU regulators called for new rules to prevent money laundering and protect investors. But the Commission, the sole source of new EU legislation, so far has avoided taking action, fearing it will hamper the nascent industry.

“We have to make sure that our financial sector rules do not inadvertently hinder useful innovation,” said the financial services commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis. Brussels was still considering whether EU action was needed, he said.

 

Individual EU states are moving into the vacuum, despite risks that uncoordinated action could weaken the EU market. The French parliament is passing cryptoassets legislation, and Germany’s finance ministry has begun a consultation on a blockchain strategy that will be published before summer.

Smaller states are ahead of them. Luxembourg passed its rules this year, and the Baltic countries have long been active in the sector, industry consultant Peter Moricz said.

The boldest is Malta, which has set up a broad regulatory framework and aims to become Europe’s cryptohub.

“We are the first EU jurisdiction to have a complete framework that caters for all key areas of risk: the risks to consumers, market integrity, financial crime and cyber security,” Joseph Cuschieri, the head of the Maltese financial regulator, told the Brussels conference.

The Mediterranean island is already home to the EU’s largest online gambling industry and a large financial-services sector, which have been drawn there by advanced regulation and low taxes.

But these successes have partly been marred by foreign investigations of several gambling firms and banks on the island that have exposed weak enforcement by local authorities.

“As a result of these failures, we have learnt how to strengthen our supervision,” said Christopher Buttigieg, a top supervisor at Malta Financial Services Authority.

The UK Gambling Commission has welcomed the recommendations from the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB) on the new national strategy, which intends to prevent gambling harms. UKGC is likely to publish the new strategy in April. The RGSB, which advises the commission independently, has offered a range of recommendations on what the priorities to reduce gambling harm […]

The UK Gambling Commission has welcomed the recommendations from the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB) on the new national strategy, which intends to prevent gambling harms. UKGC is likely to publish the new strategy in April.

The RGSB, which advises the commission independently, has offered a range of recommendations on what the priorities to reduce gambling harm should be, and on the arrangements necessary to implement the strategy effectively.

The advice will now be considered, along with comments from stakeholders and the public which were submitted through a public consultation. The consultation, which ended on 15 February, resulted in detailed feedback from consumers, charities and industry stakeholders on how to develop what will be the successor to the current National Responsible Gambling Strategy.

Helen Rhodes, programme director at the Gambling Commission, said: “We fully welcome RGSB’s advice on the new National Strategy, and will carefully consider these recommendations from our expert advisors on how best to make lasting progress to reduce gambling harms.”

“Alongside the consultation responses we’ve received from a variety of stakeholders, RGSB’s advice is a significant step to develop and launch a strategy to deliver the greatest possible impact to further reduce gambling harms.”

Sir Christopher Kelly, chair of the RGSB, added: “We welcome the Commission taking responsibility for delivery of the next strategy and ensuring adequate and appropriate steps are taken to reduce gambling-related harms from the wide range of stakeholders from whom action will be required. We believe that there is a significant opportunity to make real progress over the next few years. We have made clear in our advice, however, that we think success will require changes in mindset, partnership arrangements, in the approaches to prevention and implementation, and in funding.”

Britain is getting more strict with its age verification rules for online gambling, so as to prevent underage children from engaging in gambling activities. Now, online gambling sites are required to thoroughly verify the identities of each and every one of their customers before they can deposit funds into their accounts or before they can […]

Britain is getting more strict with its age verification rules for online gambling, so as to prevent underage children from engaging in gambling activities. Now, online gambling sites are required to thoroughly verify the identities of each and every one of their customers before they can deposit funds into their accounts or before they can start gambling. These new rules will be in effect starting May.

The current law allows punters to deposit funds into their accounts even before operators can carry out their age verification checks. However, they are not allowed to withdraw any winnings until their age is verified. If the gambler turns out to be underaged, their initial stake must be returned by the operator. Gambling operators have 72 hours to carry out the required age verification checks.

This process has been toughened, as The Gambling Commission has moved to tightened the laws so as to reduce any risk of children engaging in gambling activities through online sources. According to the commission, this move would help the operators in preventing any harm and detecting criminal activities. It would also help in the identification of “self-excluded” customers who may be trying to indulge in gambling.

The new measures, however, will not allow operators to delay payouts to customers on the basis of age verification rules. Moreover, they acknowledge that it could result in “greater levels of friction” when new customers try to sign themselves up for these services.

Operators to clearly inform customers what information to provide

Now, the new rule requires operators to obtain, as well as verify information from their customers so that they can establish their identities before they start to engage in any gambling activity. Information such as the name, address and date of birth of the customer are a must. If a customer makes a request to withdraw funds from his/her account, the operator must not ask them to supply any additional information if they could have “reasonably requested that information earlier.” However, if the operator needs to obtain any information from the customer due to any legal obligation, they can do so.

Operators must clearly inform customers before they deposit funds, what information and documents they will need to provide, why they need to provide such information, and the manner in which they could provide it. It is also up to the operators to ensure that whatever information they obtain is accurate.