InfinityGaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE114
WIG2020 NOMINATIONS
THE INFLUENCER LIST OF 2020 GAMING + ARTICLES + BUSINESS+ GLOBAL + ONLINE + NEWS+ AWARDS + etc We exemplify the very best in British gaming and as such, have an unrivalled reputation, bringing you round-the-clock high-stakes gambling. American Roulette | Baccarat | Blackjack | 3 Card Poker | Slots
2
24 WHERE THERE IS DOUBT
08
16 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
33 THE INFLUENCER LIST
Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in all external articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Infinity Gaming Magazine Any content provided by our feature writers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.
INFINITY GAMING
3
4 EDITOR NOTES Editor welcomes you to the latest edition of Infinity Gaming Magazine.
6 OUR WRITERS Meet our feature writers, the superb writers on our rosta.
08 WIG2020 LAUNCHED 12 START UPS 16 SLOTS ADVICE WIG2020 IS BACK
24 THERE IS DOUBT? 33 THE INFLUENCER LIST
START UPS
+ NEWS & MORE NEWS
12
from the gaming industry
INFINITY GAMING
4
A note from the editor CONTACT US Clever Duck Media Centrix@Keys Keys Park Road Staffordshire WS12 2HA UK Tel: +44(0)1543 478 889 PRODUCTION Clever Duck Media Centrix@Keys Keys Park Road Staffordshire WS12 2HA UK
Spring is here & so is WIG2020
PUBLISHING Infinity Gaming Magazine is operated by © Clever Duck Media Ltd ®
Lana Thompson - Editor
Welcome to the latest edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine
Company Reg. No. 687 1018 (Registered in England) V.A.T reg. no 972 6372 91
Welcome to the latest edition of the In-
far for the WIG, you are all superb and
finity Gaming Magazine and as we hurtle
have the belief and vision to support
in to spring it spells the dawn of new life
this innovative event that started elev-
and regeneration. Given the troubles we
en years ago now, the WIG was the first
are having globally with coronavirus, we
ever such event then and still remains
all need a new start, let’s hope our lead-
the most true to its values today.
Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com
illness as soon as possible and wish all
Inside the magazine we have the first
Marketing & Advertising claire@cleverduckmedia.com
our readers the very best of health.
ever “Ladies of Influence” list, compiled
ers resolve this terrible and disruptive
by our editorial team, this will now beNow on to more positive news and we
come an annual event recognising the
have launched the categories for the
most influential women in the gaming
Women in Gaming Diversity & Inclusion
world, see who made the first list.
Awards, all can be viewed on our website and nominations will close later this
As always we have our line up of superb
month.
writers covering a whole range of topics, with just them it would be a great read,
Our team have lined up some superb
but with all the latest news and views
speakers to inspire and offer great ad-
the Infinity Gaming Magazine is the
vice in business so it’s not just about
ONLY magazine you need as a Gaming
awards, networking and celebrating in-
Professional.
novation within our business, oh no you get lots more at the WIG!
“To Infinity and Beyond!”
As always the WIG is a truly magical
Regards,
event recognising those companies,
Lana
teams and individuals that do so much within our industry to help, motivate and inspire those around them. A word of thanks to all our sponsors so
INFINITY GAMING
The Editor
Sponsorship Opportunities Colin@cleverduckmedia.com
Editorial Content & PR media@cleverduckmedia.com
MORE. It’s time for MORE. We’re talking more games, more quality, more innovation and more success; we’re dedicated to giving you MORE – In One GO. Find out how you can get more by contacting sales@playngo.com Discover what MORE means for you.
6
Infinity Gaming Magazine Contributing Writers A magazine is only as good as the content inside and with some of the leading specialists within the gaming industry. With specialised articles covering customer service, the gaming law, new prducts, technology and current affairs with the sector the Infinity Gaming Magazine is delighted to showcase our superb line-up of contributing writers.
Christina Thakor-Rankin Christina is Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd, a specialist betting and gaming consultancy, delivering a range of services including licensing and compliance (incl. regulation, money laundering and social responsibility), business start-up, training and strategic reengineering, project management, research, business analysis and development, to start-ups and established multi-national operators and providers, gambling regu-
lators, law enforcement and government agencies, media, and specialist interest groups and associations within the sector, in both established and emerging markets across the world.
www.1710gaming.com
Teresa Tunstall – Independent Gaming Consultant After many years of working in casinos in the UK and on USA ships as a croupier and inspector, Teresa turned from ‘poacher to gamekeeper,’ spending 16 years with GamCare, who offer help and support to those who develop problems with their gambling.
Teresa now works independently consulting on all issues relating to Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling.
Working closely with the betting and gaming industry, She developed strong links delivering Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling training around the world, from Antigua to Moscow, and Auditing in the UK.
To contact Teresa regarding consulting please email: Teresatunstall1@gmail.com
Lee-Ann Johnstone - CEO Best Odds Marketing With almost two decades of digital marketing and affiliate experience gained within retail, payments and blue chip iGaming brands, Lee-Ann has a wealth of expertise as an award winning digital marketing expert and business mentor. She is the creator of AffiliateFEST, founder of Best Odds Marketing a digital consultancy specialising in affiliate marketing and recently launched Affiliate Insider offering training, events and business development for the affiliate channel.
www.affiliateinsider.com|www.bestoddsmarketing.com
Lynn has creatively strategized and implemented B2C and B2B acquisition, conversion and retention marketing campaigns.
She joined Forwardslash, (an igaming marketing company) as Marketing GM: Creative Studio. She then went on to work for a sportsbetting company to launch a poker room and casino for a while, before being headhuntered to join a startup casino company in Prague, where she worked as the Marketing Operations Manager. Longing for the sea and sunshine, she relocated to Malta to consult for a B2B igaming software development company.
Lynn Pearce de Freitas
Lynn started off her igaming career consulting to LCI, a prestigious land-based casino in the UK, where she was responsible for the online marketing and projectmanagement of conferences, events, presentations, video production, and other activities.
INFINITY GAMING
7
Videoslots
BEEN LOOKING FOR?
FOR MORE INFO VISIT:
www.videoslotscareers.com
Videoslots Ltd is licensed by Malta Gambling Authority under license number MGA/B2C/258/2014 and the Gambling Commission in United Kingdom under account number 39380. Play Responsibly.
INFINITY GAMING
NOMINATIONS OPEN www.gaming-awards.com
GAMING NEWS
11
Kansas lawmakers grappling with specifics on sports betting
K
ansas legislators looking to legalise betting on sports events and permit online lottery sales are struggling to reach agreement on the details. In the middle of February, the Senate voted 23-15 approving a sports gambling bill within a month of the Kansas City Chiefs’ win in professional football’s Super Bowl, which highlighted how many Kansas fans placed wagers on the team illegally or out of state. A 4-hour debate preceded the approval and the bill was passed to the House, where a committee is working on its own legislation that is expected to be significantly different. The Senate’s bill allows people to place wagers on sports events through 4 state-owned casinos managed by private companies via contracts with the Kansas Lottery – the casino companies could take bets through computer or mobile apps. The legislation would also allow limited state lottery ticket sales online.
Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine said, “It certainly put us in a position where we can establish sports gaming in Kansas and pull, hopefully pull, wagers from a black market, offshore, unregulated, untaxed market and bring it into Kansas under a regulated, safe market.” The House committee plans to hold hearings on its rival proposal next month. Chairman John Barker, a House Republican from a central Kansas, said, “We thought we would spread it out. You could be able to go down and buy a lottery ticket and bet on the K-State-KU game, hopefully buy a loaf of bread and 10 gallons of gas or whatever and go home.” The revival of long-closed dog and horse racing tracks is also being debated. State law allows slot machines at the tracks, but critics say the state’s high take makes them unprofitable. The Senate voted 1817 opposing reduction of the tax rate for a dog and horse racing park
in Kansas City, Kansas. Senate Democrats objected that their chamber’s bill gave too much control over sports gambling to companies managing the state’s casinos by not requiring separate sports-betting contracts with the lottery and letting the casino managers select the computer or mobile apps providers. A few critics were also infuriated because of restrictions the bill would place on online lottery ticket sales, given that almost a dozen other states allow some form of online lottery sales. The bill does not allow Kansas Lottery to use any sound or visual effects to simulate a slot machine, let someone play more than 1 game at a time or decide a winner in less than 4 minutes. The lottery estimates a sales boost of $3 million a year under the bill but could be as high as $26 million if the provisions were less restrictive.
INFINITY GAMING
12
The StartUp motto: Build it and they will come By Lynn Pearce de Freitas
I
have worked with many startup companies in the online gambling industry over the past decade and I have seen what works – and what fails. Starting an online casino, or sportsbook, or both, is really hard work. There are so many moving parts to assemble in the beginning, from purchasing your website url to a gaming license, taking into consideration compliance issues, GDPR, KYC, AML, risk and fraud, software, customer support, which platform provider to partner with, casino games providers, jurisdictions, staff to onboard – and getting lucky with investors who believe in your passion and ability to turn a profit at the end of the day. It’s not easy, especially when you consider that it is a 24/7 always-on environment - yet each year more
INFINITY GAMING
and more businesses and people get intoxicated by the numbers that can be made in the online gambling world and they go all in. They believe they have the necessary experience; they secure their funding and launch their startup company. Then it is all hands on deck, everyone assumes their positions and work like crazy to grow the company, working incredibly long hours with personal relationships suffering but they believe it is all going to be worthwhile in the long run, so they persevere. Some flourish in this start up environment, but the majority fail. There are many reasons why they fail - and I will name a few of those reasons that I have personally witnessed – and others that I have watched over the years and believe to be the reason why they did not ultimately succeed
in their endeavors, regardless of the amount of time and energy they placed in their businesses. 1. A lack of processes. Most start ups believe in just diving in there and getting the job done – they have a “do what it takes” mentality and never get to implement the proper workflow processes across the business, from marketing and finance through to customer services – some of them running without any experienced risk and fraud staff, which causes them to lose more money to their customers than they make. Conversely, some have too many processes in place, which slows down the teams, having to rigidly follow the rules of engagement, leaving them little room to improvise when necessary with the customers.
13
2. A lack of support – or not having the right mix. Most start ups do notplacethe right mixof experienced and inexperienced staff in customer support, they either employ staff who have never worked in gaming before, give them a day or two of training, oversee their progress for a few weeks and then leave them to field customer queries on their own, without any QA process in place. They also do not cover 24/7, which leaves players frustrated and then they just move on to competitors, as gaming is generally an overcrowded space and the players are spoilt for choice.
is that they are already overloaded, have financial issues to worry about, shareholders and investors to report back to, so they do not have the time to make those marketing decisions, or give proper feedback to the marketing team, leaving them in a motionless for lengths of time. Sometimes, even when they do give feedback to the staff, this could change because one or more of their investors suddenly decide that they do not like the decision and then give their own feedback, getting more involved in the daily running of the business, which causes even more angst and confusion across the board.
3. Owners are doing it for themselves.This one is interesting to me, as a marketer. Some of the start up owners do not believe in hiring heads of marketing as they believe they can do it all so much better themselves. They will hire marketing staff in key positions, but the most necessary element i.e. making that final decision rests with the owners. That is obviously their prerogative, the only issue
4. Choosing the right software platform. Assuming the start up has gone into great lengths to find the perfect platform provider, sometimes they just get unlucky, as technology is just one part of the partnership – the rest is human. One of the biggest issues as a start up in the gaming industry is needing the right support in place once the platform has been activated
– these first few months are critical to the success of the business – and I have seen really great teams fail because of lack of support. It is important to consider the after sales service, regardless of how wonderful the platform looks upfront, even the fact that the provider has the necessary domain expertise in sports betting and igaming, with all the developers and technical teams necessary to deliver a superb product – if there is no support for the start up teams on the ground, the operations will grind to a halt. Period. 5. Going from startup mode to growth - building a proper company structure This is where the company needs to scale its operations, by achieving a positive cash flow and generating players, retaining them at a rate at can be monetized. In order to do so you need to have a more mature mindset and put in place proper workflow processes, training and realignment of the business for future growth and financial success.
INFINITY GAMING
POWERFUL SPORTSBOOK RISK MANAGEMENT | CRM | SPRINGBUILDER
PRODUCTS
SERVICES
C E R T I F I C AT E S
THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS
PAYMENTS
LICENCES
AWARDS
U K | U S A | F R A N C E | G E R M A N Y | C Y P R U S | M A L TA | U R U G UAY | M E X I C O U K R A I N E | S O U T H A F R I C A | L AT V I A | TA I WA N | P H I L I P P I N E S | B R A Z I L | A R M E N I A WWW.BETCONSTRUCT.COM
GAMING NEWS
15
India’s Uttar Pradesh state rules out casino legalisation
T
he government of India’s state of Uttar Pradesh said unlike the state of Goa, it will not allow casinos to operate, ruling out legislation to legalise gambling as it sighted economic and moral reasons for its decision.
law and order.
on state-sponsored ones.
However, the MLA argued that gambling is known to take place in the state during the IPL cricket season and people also go to Nepal for betting.
Uttar Pradesh Minister of Industrial Development Satish Mahana made this clear while replying to another BJP member in the state assembly.
He thought offering licences to run casinos will generate revenue for the state when these activities are even now being carried out illegally.
BJP MLA Harshvardhan Bajpai wanted to know if, like in Goa, the state government will consider providing licences to casinos to boost tourism, increase tax revenue and eliminate illegal gambling rackets.
Responding to Bajpai’s query, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said it would not be possible to allow gambling, ‘satta’ and lottery in UP as it would encourage activities which would not be good for society.
In 2015, an apex court ruling allowed state governments to ban the sale of lottery. The Supreme Court, in fact, refused to recognise the right to sell lottery as a fundamental right. Except in 13 states, the sale of lottery is banned in all others. Lotteries are hugely popular in the states of Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Nagaland and Mizoram.
“No, a casino is a certain type of gambling facility. By giving licences to casinos, it will become difficult to prevent gambling, betting and lotteries legally”, the minister replied.
The CM’s observation comes in the midst of the Indian central government’s plans to ban online lottery system. The GST (Goods and Services Tax) Council, which met last year in September, also had an intense debate on lottery rates that has divided states with some favouring the current scheme of a lower rate for state-run lotteries, and a higher levy
He believed licensing casinos would promote such activities and have a negative impact on people’s “economic and moral condition” and on
The ban on lotteries started around the turn of the century, when social activists raised serious concerns about people getting addicted to gambling leading to the ruin of entire families. Though lotteries provided good revenue to the states, the social cost was deemed too high to continue. The BJP government in Goa allows operation of licensed casinos but it banned local residents from visiting them in a recent order.
INFINITY GAMING
16
Project management versus the slot machine A guide on how to manage your next big slot project and deliver it on time, within budget and without losing your mind or your customers
By Andy Cosgrove
A
nyone who has set up a casino from scratch knows that it’s a challengethat involves a substantial amount of effort, teamwork and attention to detail from everyone involved. They may also tell you that there are a million and one thing’s that can go wrong which is why us of effective project management is so essential.A key challenge of organizations today is knowing how to successfully manage the balance between maintaining current business as usual operations and introducing change in order to remain competitive. Adopting the 3 key aspects of project management (Principles, Themes and Processes) will enable your organization to control all facets of a successful project and improve business performance on a consistent basis. The slots department is definitely one of the key project dependencies where disaster can strike at a moment’s notice and take your pre-opening nightmares to whole new level of scary.After a recent consultancy contract overseas I
INFINITY GAMING
couldn’t helpbut ask myself why is it that so many projects and products are not delivered on time or budget and why is it that so many projects are destined to fail before they have even produced a single benefit? The answer is simple: “Bad Project management” or sometimes, (and I’ve seen this happen) no project management at all. So, what can possibly go wrong with your slots project? Following is a list of project disasters that I’ve actually witnessed: • Slots installation team flew 1000 miles and arrived one week before the slots. • The correct amount of slot machine security locks was ordered, but they were all keyed alike. • The wrong floor layout and power requirements were given to the electrical contractor which caused a two-week delay. • The slot technicians were given the wrong systems specific setup information which resulted in 90% of the floor requiring an additional ram clear
and re-configuration. • Nobody ordered bill validator trolleys or extra bill validator cash boxes. • Someone forgot to rent a forklift truck to unload the slots on a Saturday morning, so they remained inside the container for the entire weekend. With so much that can go wrong it’s easy to see the value proposition behind the main purpose of project management which is to keep control of the specialist products such as making sure the forklift truck arrives on time. Additionally, projects introduce change to an organization and with these changes comes a much higher risk than with normal business activities, so it follows that implementing a secure, consistent, well-proven approach to project management is a valuable business investment. So, what is project management and how can it help you avoid some, or all of the project disasters previously listed?
17
A project is defined as a temporary organization created with the objective of delivering one or more business products according to an agreed business justification. Project management is used to successfully plan and execute a project and involves the planning, delegating and control of all aspects of a project (including motivation) to achieve the project objectives within the expected performance targetsfor time, cost, quality, scope, benefits and risks. So how does project management bring your business idea to life? Even before the hands-on work begins you will need the followingaspects of project management in place and clearly definedin order to
initiate, direct, manage and deliver your project successfully: • A valid business case. • An experienced project management team. • Defined roles and responsibilities. • Management approaches for risk, communications, change and quality. • Progress monitoring mechanisms. • A project plan and project approach • A project product description that covers the scope of your business idea. • A detailed description of each key product that needs to be created in order to bring your idea to life. How does project management
help you get the work done on time and on budget? Knowing what your next great slots idea looks like and having a justifiable business case is one thing but actually executing and monitoring the work efficiently is a whole new challenge for the simple reason that, just like your slot occupancy percentages, everything is in a constant state of change and change will inevitably creep into to your nextslots project so it’s important to know how to measure and controlchange via its progress which is one ofthe central themesof project management. The followingprogress related aspects of project management, when managed successfully, will help your next slots project succeed where others have failed.
INFINITY GAMING
18
POWERING AN
INDUSTRY-LEADING ECOSYSTEM Scientific Games is a committed game-changer, playmaker, innovator, and partner, exclusively offering the industry’s broadest portfolio of products that work together to create an evolving entertainment ecosystem.
CONTENT / TECHNOLOGY / SOLUTIONS
ScientificGames.com
All ® notices signify marks registered in the United States. © 2019 Scientific Games Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
INFINITY GAMING
Project management versus the slot machine (continued)
• Focus on products • Manage by stages • Manage by exception • Manage the execution and delivery of work packages • Deal with project issues and risks • Effectively monitor and report on project and stage progress • Focus on continued business justification What about measuring the benefits of my latest slots project? The benefits management approach is also an essential part of project management as it defines the actions that will be put in place to ensure that the projects outputs are achieved and confirm that the benefits have been realized. In practice benefits are seldom realized unless they are managed proactively during the life of the project and beyond.If the project team don’t understand the benefits that the project will produce from the very start then it’s unlikely that they will be
19
able to develop the correct outputs which can mean that any commitment to change can be overtaken by business-as-usual priorities and lead to ultimate project failure and lost income
ing consistent and successful growth requires good ‘project’ management so what’s not to like? Your competition may already be using project management to steal your customers so what are you waiting for?
CONCLUSION: Project management best practices use a controlled approach to delivering products based on a business requirement with the objective of improving business performance. Project management also uses lessons learned from previous projects when planning a new one, as the project progresses and at the end of a project to proactively provoke change in the way an organization does business.
MY MINI-BLOG - Andrew Cosgrove is a seasoned slot operations veteran and certified project manager with over 24 years of hands on experience in Latin America and the Caribbean. Andrew has worked on both the operator and supplier side of casino slots and continues to help clients succeed and exceed customer expectations. Andrew can be reached at andy.cosgrove@hemingwaycasinoconsulting. com or see http://hemingwaycasinoconsulting.com/
Projects introduce change which is one of the consistent elements of doing business.Positive change will add value of your brand and to your customer service experience which in turn will generates growth.Sustain-
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
21
BGC: New immigration will hurt UK casino industry
T
he BGC (Betting and Gaming Council) has warned that the newly proposed United Kingdom government’s immigration system could have a severe adverse impact on the UK’s land-based casino industry, with significant negative consequences likely across the entire tourism and night-time economy. The BGC represents approximately 90 per cent of the UK betting and gaming industry (excluding lotteries) including betting shops, online gaming businesses and casinos – a sector that employs over 100,000 people and contributes more than £14 billion to the UK economy. The new points-based system is scheduled to come into force on January 1, 2021, when the transition period that followed the UK’s exit from the European Union is due to end. As a consequence of the new regulations, the immigrants to the country will now be required to fulfil a set of criteria in order to obtain a working visa to come to the UK.
The gaming council warns that the new immigration system “will damage highly successful parts of the UK economy”. As per the BGC, up to 70 per cent of all the croupiers working across the UK come from other countries. They will no longer qualify for a work visa under the new system which requires them to provide evidence of them having the specific skills, qualifications, salaries or professions necessary for the same. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has also followed suit with a similar warning stating that the proposed measures will also hit hospitality and tourism businesses hard. The BGC clarified that casinos employ over 14,000 people, indirectly supporting 4,000 other jobs and contributing over £300m in tax revenue every year. The FSB is a member-led, not-forprofit and non-party political organisation. It represents small firms and the self-employed to UK, national,
local and devolved government. Emphasising that casinos “remain a hugely important part of Britain’s leisure economy,” it is further highlighted that “a vibrant, modern and world-renowned” sector is a driver for high-value tourism drawn from an array of global regions, such as China and the Middle East. Michael Dugher, BGC chief executive, commented, “Casinos are a hugely important part of our country’s leisure industry attracting thousands of wealthy tourists to the UK from around the world. In order to remain competitive, our casinos need the best croupiers with great arithmetic agility.” He added, “While we are determined to grow the number of UK croupiers through the NVQ in gaming operations available at many colleges and through the world-class Nottingham Casino Academy, we need the ability to employ the best from around the world.”
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
23
Bill to legalise single-event betting In Canada
K
evin Waugh, Canadian Conservative Party Member of Parliament, is introducing a bill with the goal of legalising singleevent sports wagering throughout the country. The private member’s bill was brought forward yesterday – it aims to repeal paragraph 207(4)(b) of the Canadian Criminal Code to permit betting operators to offer wagering on a single sport event or athletic contest. The Criminal Code currently states that only bets on 3 or more games are legal. The Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, coded as Bill C-218, aims to abolish this restriction, and to allow federal and provincial and governments to tap into the illegal market – Waugh estimates the market to be valued around CAD$14bn.
While introducing the bill, Waugh said, “Let me be clear that singleevent sport wagering already exists in this country, and if members do not think so, they are behind the curtains. The Canadian single-event sport wagering industry is worth over $14 billion, but most of it, 95% of it, exists underground on the black market or through offshore websites.” He added, “These are unregulated sport-wagering sites. None of that activity is subject to government regulations or taxes; none of it is creating jobs in this country or economic opportunities; and none of it is contributing to consumer protection, education, harm reduction initiatives or support services, which are badly needed in this country.” This is the 3rd time the bill is being introduced – all the previous attempts were sponsored by New Democratic Party MP Brian Masse, who seconded Waugh on the intro-
duction of C-218. Waugh vowed that the latest attempt would prove “third time lucky”, after both the previous attempts to pass single-event betting amendment had failed. He said, “By passing this bill, we can put a stop to the billions of dollars going to organised crime and put that money back into our communities.” Waugh added, “It has all changed since 2018. The United States has allowed it. Sport leagues, like the NHL and NBA, are in favour of sports betting being regulated. It is time this country follows forward.” Hailing the introduction of C-218, the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) threw its full support behind Waugh’s efforts.
INFINITY GAMING
24
Where there is doubt….. By Teresa Tunstall
I
n this day and age, Social Responsibility and Responsible Gambling provide sympathy, empathy and understanding especially for those who are addicted to gambling and continue to play until their money finally runs out. In many ways this is often an invisible addiction to those around them and becomes a shock when it eventually comes to the surface. Some while ago I received a call from a worried, panicking woman, the mother of two children and a wife to her beloved husband. I recall it was a Saturday morning when she telephoned me surrounded by her mother, grandmother and sister in the background acting as a
INFINITY GAMING
family support unit. Apparently that morning she had played online and lost over £2000 on her husband’s betting site without his knowledge! Bizarrely as the conversation continued it appeared that she wasn’t so much concerned about playing with his money or on his site, but was more worried in case her name appeared or that an employee on the betting site would request information from her. I felt somewhat reluctant to listen to her justifying her gambling by using her husband’s account but strangely it also transpired that he seemed to know and didn’t really care. During that call I heard an occasional tearful voice in the background; her Grandmother was being told not to
be silly or upset. When I finally slotted the jigsaw puzzle together it was obvious she didn’t want to talk about her own gambling and whether or not it was a problem. Additionally she avoided any reference to the fact that by abusing her husband’s betting account she was committing a crime both literally and morally! I have previously bought to your attention cryptocurrency trading and the risks that go with it. In particular to the fact that if it’s not registered as a financial service these, ‘get rich quick,’ and ‘risk free,’ slogans still trap innocent or ignorant players who are unaware of what they’re doing and the impending losses they end up with. DrRujaIgnatova – a convicted Bulgarian fraudster- is a prime
Teresa Tunstall Article
example who knowingly enticed poor desperate communities to put money into her Online scam. Dressed in her expensive ball-gown, wearing her expensive diamond earrings and bright red lipstick, she told a cheering crowd that her company, OneCoin, was on course to become the world’s biggest cryptocurrency “for everyone to make payments everywhere”. All over the world, people were investing their savings into OneCoin, hoping to be part of this new revolution. Documents leaked to the BBC show that British people spent almost €30m in the scheme and more than €4bn was invested by dozens of countries, from Pakistan to Brazil, Hong Kong to
25
Norway, Canada to Yemen… even Palestine. The BBC described it as “one of the biggest scams in history.” And not surprisingly since 2017 she has been on the run from law enforcement, including the FBI. Oliver Bullough, runs his own Online site, “Moneyland” in which he refers to the secret country of the lawless and stateless where the super-rich occupy a shadowy parallel world and where criminals and the mega-rich hide their wealth.Over the past fifty years it has become the third largest economy in the world partially created by the City of London. There is no doubting
the overall damage it’s doing to the universe; Britain must take substantial steps to stop the problem.However, tracking the money isn’t easy because criminals structure their companies and bank accounts in such a way that their assets simply “disappear.” Of course the money still exists and can be used to buy things such as political influence or expensive houses and yachts. Even the police or investigative journalists using whatever influences they have cannot trace the whereabouts of this vast amount of wealth. This is a sad story. Thousands of people world-wide, many from particularly poor countries, believed they would benefit financially but eventually it was a gamble that nobody could win.
INFINITY GAMING
26
INFINITY GAMING
Teresa Tunstall Article
T
his Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith, has set out to change the law on Inquests to help reveal the full extent of links between gambling and suicide - the first time such a parallel has been considered. He requests that all Coroners record gambling addiction as amongst the circumstances in which someone has taken their own life. In the House of Lords, heannounced, “Today I introduced my Bill to the House of Lords for its first reading. The Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill 2020 will allow coroners to collect data on those who die by suicide and who are affected by gambling-related harm.” This is a difficult area to debate. There are several examples (1) some while ago I spoke with a wife who told me her husband’s business was fading and going into liquidation. As a result he tried to alleviate his
27
pain by gambling but eventually he was to lose both, his business and his life. (2) A boyfriend who believed his partner committed suicide after her Online business which she often worked through the night wasn’t viable and she turned to gambling to try and resolve her finances but ultimately she failed dismally .There is unquestionably a reluctance for family members to discuss behaviour of a partner who, for example, is going through a marriage breakdown or relationship failure. The same applies to those afflicted by problem gambling, it is a mental disorder which should be prescribed as such. Not all suicides are a result of business failure leading to possible gambling addiction but there is a case to investigate same. In conclusion, my daughter now lives permanently in New Zealand and I love visiting her. As I write we’ve had
the sun every day, unlike many others parts of the world. Last night we visited the two casinos on the South Island during which I was pleased to find leaflets freely available offering information on problem gambling. New Zealand is a lovely country with a population of 4 million people. If you aren’t aware it’s the same size as Britain but conversely we have a population of 70 million! I’m reluctant to leave but sadly I know have to return to the cold and wet weather ….see you the next issue! READ MORE from Teresa Tunstall only in the next edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine.
INFINITY GAMING
EXCITING ROLE FOR FRENCH SPEAKING CASINO MANAGER EXCELLENT SALARY AND BENEFITS
GAMING NEWS
29
New Zealand’s RITA announces leadership team
R
acing Industry Transitional Authority (RITA) of New Zealand has announced new appointments to its executive leadership team (ELT)with the inclusion of Jessica Meech and Sam Moncur. Meech, who currently heads risk and regulatory affairs for the horse racing body, will now take on the role of general counsel on the authority’s ELT. Moncur, who has so far been filling the role of head of media operations and commercial development at RITA, will now serve as the ELT’s new general finance manager. RITA said, “Our ELT values diversity of thought and leadership, and Meech and Moncur’s skills and understanding of the business and its people will be invaluable as full participating members of the ELT – particularly as we transition to, and become, TAB NZ.”
These two ELT appointments come after RITA admitted last month that there were concerns about the New Zealand Racing Industry Bill, which does not offer the flexibility needed for the launch of new betting products. “The new Bill is the culmination of the most significant reform of racing since 2003 and follows the Racing Reform Act which came into force on July 1 and included the gradual repeal of the betting levy and enabling regulations for a Point of Consumption Charge and Betting Information Use Charges”, RITA chair Dean McKenzie had said when the bill was introduced. McKenzie had pointed at the time that the racing industry was an important part of New Zealand’s culture and economy. If the bill passes into law, RITA willeventually evolve into TAB NZ, but
the transitional body stated that the proposed structure “is not yet where it needs to be”. However, the authority did also disclose that a bill to regulate online betting may be in the works. RITA had published mixed financial results in November last year, reporting that though it had failed to hit profit targets in the 2018-19 fiscal year, its performance in the current year was ahead of expectations. The year ending July 31, 2019 saw revenue fallby 3.1% year-on-year to NZ$348.0m (£169.6m/€202.9m/$219.9m), but total turnover was up by 1.2% to $2.77bn. The combined expenses from turnover and operating costs amounted to $211.3m, down 0.9% from 2017-18 -this led to a net profit of $136.7mbefore distributions, down 6.3% yearon-year.
INFINITY GAMING
30
Ring in the Riches! Get ready for exciting, edge-of-your-seat anticipation with Fortune Gong™ Dragon and Fortune Gong™ Phoenix Video Slots. Packed with four progressive jackpots, this game will have your players ringing for riches. Also featuring The Prize Disk®, offering multiple ways to win on any spin, increasing player excitement and engagement.
© 2018 IGT. Except where ownership is otherwise identified, the trademarks used herein are owned by IGT or its affiliates, may not be used without permission, and where indicated with a ®, are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Artwork, descriptions, game play, photographs, videos, and other product details depicted are subject to change.
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
31
The Industry Influential Women of 2020
A
s we enter 2020 and look at who will show the leadership and innovation within our industry both online and land based, The Women in Gaming Diversity has revealed the most influential, innovative and inspiring ladies within our business. As we all know the gender gap is still there with the most recent survey by “Gender Imbalance in Business” shows that: 35% of women hold junior level roles within the
Media and Online sector, 25% represent mid-level management, which is the same proportion in Senior level roles also, BUT the big disparency is at the most senior level where CEO’s live, there is only 13% of women in those positions.
good.
However below we celebrate the women that not just have made the highest peak in business but those leading the charge to show that women in all levels have made a huge impact on their business for
See the next page to see the full list of influential ladies that made the 2020 Influencers of the year.
The list below is in alphabetical order only and does not represent any other order of importance, but shows the most influential women within the entire gambling industry.
INFINITY GAMING
A GLOBAL GAMING COMPANY
We combine our inventive spirit, 10+ years of industry expertise, and cutting edge B2B & B2C platforms to provide an exceptional experience to players, affiliates and operators alike.
Our Affiliate Program
Our Casino Brand
Our Game Aggregator
Creating the most innovative gaming playground.
GAMING NEWS
33
Influential Women of 2020 - The List
The List
T
he list was compiled through a range of metrics, their time at the companies, their rise within the companies, their activity within business, any activity supporting women within their business, of course their influence in their region (geographically) and this is only the first “LIST” and an annual list will be updated and improved on in future
lists.
Here are the ladies that made the 2020 Influencers list in alphabetical order: Chryssa Amanatidou – Group Corporate Affairs Director at Intralot Ebba Arnred – CMO at Play’n GO Rachel Barber – CTO at IGT Britt Boeskov, Chief Experience Officer at Kindred Jennifer Bowman – Senior Director Marketing at IGT Hiu-Yu Vanessa Chan – Vice President, Business Development, Greater China & Asia Pacific IGT Stephanie Cheung – EVP and Chief Legal Officer at Melco Resorts & Entertainment Denise Coates – CEO at Bet365 Tracey Cohen – Director of Marketing at TCSJohnHuxley Irina Cornides – Chief Commercial Officer at Gamesys Group Melanie Hainzer – Chief Marketing Officer at Rootz Helen Hedgeland – Managing Director at Evolution UK Therese Hillman – CEO at NetEnt Pansy Ho – Co-Chair at MGM Macau Deb Krupinski – Vice President – Insights and Analytics at Scientific Games Siobhan Lane – Chief Commercial Officer Gaming Division at Scientific Games Ciara Nic Liam – Director of Product Gaming at Betsson Group Lucy Owen – Commercial Director & Head of Account Management at Playtech Alexe Reichert – Head of Marketing Operations at Mr Green Limited Brigid Simmonds – Chairperson at Betting & Gaming Council Paris Smith – CEO Pinnacle Sports Melissa Summerfield – Chief Commercial Officer at Pragmatic Play Shelly Suter-Hadad – CEO at Casumo Akiko Takahashi – Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff to Chairman and CEO – Melco Resorts & Entertainment Paddy Tang Lui Wai Yu – Executive Director/Board Member Galaxy Entertainment Kostandina Zafirovska – CEO at BtoBet
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
35
British Columbia money laundering investigation
B
ritish Columbia has started probing money laundering in the Canadian province – the focus is on finding any links with the gambling industry. As per media reports, an estimated CAD $5bn was laundered in the province just in 2018. Recent government reports pointed to gaming as of the industries that may be involved in money laundering, along with real estate and luxury car segments. The government has launched the investigation to unearth more evidence and find ways of addressing the problem. As per the reports, people were allowed to enter casinos with large amounts of cash without being questioned by staff on the source of the money – this raises concerns over money laundering, said the government. Opening statements from the invited inquiry participants will be recorded this week, with the process to be resumed in May. The main hearings will be held between September and
December. BCLC (British Columbia Lottery Corporation), the provincial lottery operator, said it is eager to work with the authorities to tackle what it considers to be a complex issue, but laid out the benefits of legal gambling in the province. It noted that the betting market is a key source of tax revenue for the province, funding various social projects. The BCLS outlines a few measures it has implemented to prevent money laundering, including KYC (know your customer) processes to examine gamers’ financial dealings, and to spot potential risks. The BCLS pointedout that all its casino staff undergoes in-depth anti-money laundering training – the corporation also operates its own money-laundering unit. “Accordingly, we respectfully urge the Commission to recognise and consider the important public benefits that flow from responsible gaming in this province as it addresses
the issue of money laundering in the gaming industry,” the BCLC stated. The statement added, “That said, BCLC’s focus on revenue growth has never been intended to be at the expense of sustainable gaming conducted in a socially responsible manner. BCLC takes seriously its responsibility to enhance the positive social benefits of gaming while minimising the potentially negative aspects or consequences.” The BCLC made some general observations in its statement, saying that tackling money laundering is a complex issue, primarily because it is an international problem involving sophisticated organised crime. The operator called for a “holistic, cross-sector, and cross-jurisdictional approach” stating that money laundering in British Columbia is not specific to gambling that can be solved only withindustry-specific solutions, but instead an issue that necessitates broader solutions.
INFINITY GAMING
36
MOST INFLUENTIAL… What does it mean to be influential?
By Christina Thakor-Rankin
I
s it career progression and a job title with decision-making powers, or being well-known and having friends in high places? Is it ready access to knowledge and resources or having multiple interests and fingers in proverbial pies? Is it someone others see as being a go-to person, or someone who starts new trends and fashions. Or is it someone who in some small or large way, has a bearing on the decisions and choices made by another? Given that influence simply means having an impact (either good or bad) or someone or something, beinginfluential or having an influence, could be one, or any combination of a these, blended with things such as opportunity, environment or social, politicaland regulatory factors. It seems slightly at odds then that as an industry, we continue to define influential on the basis of career progressionand job titles (more often than not linked to companies or organisations that are well-known or
INFINITY GAMING
within our immediate line of vision). This is not necessarily a bad starting point for success breeds success, and those who have had career success with some of the most successful brands in the industry are a testament that under-represented groups ‘can’. This makes then not just role models but also the best people to make decisions that would help change working practices and better support a more diverse and inclusive industry.
that the number of women coming into the industry is on a par with men. Where things start to change is middle management onwards, continuing into the C-suite where 80% of all senior roles are held by men. Why, when not only do we have the ultimate role model but over a decade’s worth of ‘women in gambling’ groups, awards and role models across the world?
And this industry doesn’t just have female role models, it has THE female role model in the form of Denise Coates - a self-made business woman, philanthropist, mother of five, who 20 years ago set up a business working out of portacabin in a carpark in Stoke and is today the highest paid CEO in the world.
Ofcourse not everyone wants to be a CEO or a ‘high-up’ - it is not everyone’s definition of success. This is evidenced by the increasing number of companies operating a flat structure where job titles mean very little, reflecting the egalitarian expectations of the next generation of employees who prize flexibility, freedom, collaboration over competition, and peer recognition of skills and expertise above salary and title.
We know that attracting women is not the problem. Last year’s All-Index (and early indicators suggest that this year will be no different) showed
Whilst we have some truly incredible women in the industry who continue to be an inspiration for female achievement and empowerment,
37
there is a world of difference between
There are also ‘generational’ issues. Not
the definition of influential from an in-
being successful and being influen-
only are the challenges faced by some-
spirational role model (a what) to an
tial. Being influential suggests do-
one starting out 20, 10 or even 5 years
aspirational mentor (the how). Some-
ing something to change things, be-
ago are markedly different to those
one who represents the next achiev-
ing successful or having a jo title may
faced by someone starting out now,
able rung of the career ladder and can
not be about change. It may in fact
changes in social, political and eco-
reach a hand down. Someone who
be about maintaining the status quo.
nomic attitudes, and advances in tech-
can sit alongside, coaching and guid-
nology and the evolution of the betting
ing through today’s challenges in their
The biggest issue though is that whilst
and gambling industry have resulted
chosen discipline. Someone who can
job title and career progression show it
in some roles and functions becoming
say, ‘this is how I dealt with it’, or ‘this
can be done, and these individuals can
obsolete and the emergence of new
is why I chose to do this’ or ‘this is what
serve as an inspiration as to the ‘what’, it
specialisms and disciplines, for which
you need to do if you want my job in
does not necessarily follow that they are
there are no role models yet. In this
a couple of years’. Someone who on a
also the best example of ‘how’. A stellar
new world order, role models need to
bad day can look them in the eye and
line-up of women who have made it -
reflect the next step up not the ultimate
say, ‘it’s not always like this’ and ‘it does
including the world’s highest paid CEO
career goal which may in time become
get better’. Someone who is genuinely
is great but there is a long road to travel
obsolete. This is where the pipe starts
empathetic and not just sympathetic.
and the gap between those who have
to leak, and this is where the influencing
Someone who is there to handhold, to
made it and those who are just starting
needs to be.
listen, to support and to guide.
out is too often too big to be relatable. Moving lower down the chain also shifts
INFINITY GAMING
38
INFINITY GAMING
Christina Thakor-Rankin Article
Some of these may fit the established definitions of success and being an influencer (career progression, job title, &c.), but far more are likely to be the women in the middle or at the lower levels. They are the peers who support, encourage, give pep talks and provide shoulders to cry on. The middle managers who encourage others to be their best self and realise their potential and those in people and recruitment teams working behind the scenes to change practices and perceptions.This together with ensuring that is there is support at every stage of the career development cycle is where influencers can have the biggest impact. Without it the pipeline will continue to leak talent the industry can ill-afford to lose.
Finally, opening up of the C suite to women has seen the emergence of female competitive threat. This a natural consequence caused by male dominated workplaces where women have to compete against each other for a disproportionately small number of leadership positions in an organization or sector. Studies into workplace bullying indicate that female bullies in the main target other women - almost 70% of victims of female bullies are women. We need more women, and especially those who make the ‘top’ and ‘most’ lists to speak out and take a stand on this. If women are not able to support other women each other why should anyone else. We need to collaborate, not compete. We need to support not scrutinise.
39
Most of all we need to recognise that in today’s world success is whatever you want it to be. There is no one definition lined to any attribute or achievement, so whilst using establish definitions is a good starting-point our definitions need to evolve to reflect the changing world around them if they are to stay relevant. In this case if success in today’s world can come is many different colours, shapes and forms then so must the role models and influencers that help shape it.
INFINITY GAMING
We exemplify the very best in British gaming and as such, have an unrivalled reputation, bringing you round-the-clock high-stakes gambling. American Roulette | Baccarat | Blackjack | 3 Card Poker | Slots 5 H A M I LTO N P L AC E , M AY F A I R , L O N D O N www.lesaclub.com Over 18 years old for casino entry | www.begambleaware.org
GAMING NEWS
41
China lottery sales to resume after month-long closure
A
fter an unprecedented shutdown to prevent further spread of the coronavirus, China’s state-run lottery services are now preparing to reopen for business.
by the Ministry of Finance, and lottery sales have continued to be on pause ever since. The reports coming from provincial lottery administration centres now suggest the situation is about to change.
As per the announcement made by the Chinese authorities in January, all lottery operations were to be suspended for a 10-day period starting from January 22 to coincide with the annual Lunar New Year celebrations. However, before the planned reopening of sales on February 1, the government extended the shutdown for another 10 days instead of having the citizens cluster together in small lottery retail offices to buy their tickets.
On February 26, the government’s official lottery site, which has been running never-ending stories praising provincial lottery administrators’ efforts to fight the further spread of the virus by giving out masks and furiously scrubbing things, posted a message from the Zhejiang Sports Lottery Management Centre declaring it would resume “paper instant lottery sales in industry channels” as of Thursday (February 27).
Although the extended closure was meant to be lifted on February 10, no official announcement was made
The site also featured a message from a lottery retailer in Jiangxi province stating he had been meticulously sterilising his shop to
get ready for “the opening of the market.” The retailer also mentioned that the customers will now be asked to provide their names and a host of other exhaustive information, including where they were coming from, how they had travelled to the store and a description of their physical condition. They will also need to present themselves to “temperature detectors” available in the shop. China’s lottery sales saw a 17.5% fall in 2019, the 1st year of negative growth after 4 straight years of yearly gains, most of them in the high double-digit range. The extended closure of the past few weeks means that the sales will have a lot of ground to make up in 2020 if they want to swing back into the black by year-end.
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
43
China cancels passports for involvement in illegal gambling
A
s part of its ongoing efforts to clamp down on unlawful offshore activities, the Chinese government officials have confirmed that they have cancelled the passports of their citizens found working for online gambling businesses in the Philippines. The Chinese public security authorities had received a list of companies operating in the Philippines who were employing Chinese citizens – these China-based individuals are suspected to be involved in committing telecommunication cyberfraud criminal activities abroad. As a result of their alleged involvement in illegal gambling crime, the government has now cancelled the passports of these citizens, so they can no longer leave the country. The government explained its actions by saying, “The Chinese government has always required Chinese citizens abroad to abide by local laws
and regulations and not allow illegal employment abroad. The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has issued consular reminders on this occasion.” “China and the Philippines have maintained close communication on relevant issues, and departments of the two countries have also launched a series of law enforcement and security cooperation”, it added. Chinese authorities also declared, “China is willing to work closely with the Philippines to jointly combat criminal activities such as telecommunications network fraud, illegal online gambling, money laundering, illegal employment, abduction, extortion, injury and murder, and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of the two peoples, and jointly safeguard China-Philippine friendship cooperation.”
to expand and widen its attempts to tackle illegal, cross-border online gambling in the country. As per the plans set out by Sun Lijun, deputy minister within the Ministry of Public Security, Zhao Kezhi, the State Councillor and Minister of Public Security will lead the project. Sun stated that the Ministry would promote inter-departmental cooperation to organise and plan programs to deal with illegal activities, including efforts to promote the country’s Sports and Welfare Lotteries as the only legal form of gambling in the country. This declaration was made after China had ramped up pressure on its neighbouring countries last year to target online gambling operators – this had been a significant factor leading to Cambodia shutting down its igaming industry.
In the previous month, the Chinese government had announced plans
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
45
Cyber-espionage group DRBControl targets gambling
T
rendMicro security researchers have unearthed a cyber espionage operation carried out by an APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) group tracked as DRBControl that utilised a new family of malware. The invaders aimed at stealing databases and source code from betting companies in Southeast Asia, and likely in the Middle East and Europe. As per the Trend Micro analysis, “The threat actor is currently targeting users in Southeast Asia, particularly gambling and betting companies. Europe and the Middle East were also reported to us as being targeted, but we could not confirm this at the time of writing. Exfiltrated data was mostly comprised of databases and source codes, which led us to believe that the group’s main purpose is cyberespionage.” The hackers used two previously unknown backdoors, identified malware families such as PlugX and the HyperBro backdoor, along with custom post-exploitation tools. One of the backdoors exploits the file hosting service Dropbox as commandand-control (C&C). The new backdoor
was discovered when the group used both standard and custom malware exploitation tools to attack a company in the Philippines.
stealing PDF and Office documents, browser cookies, key logs, SQL dumps, and a KeePass manager database.
The group was also employing modified versions of common malware such as Trochilus RAT, PlugX RAT, keyloggers using the Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) library, the custom in-memory HyperBro backdoor, and a Cobalt Strike sample.
Both backdoors implement a UAC system bypass – they also implement a keylogging feature.
The attackers’ arsenal includes post-exploitation tools such as tools for bypassing UAC (User Account Control), password dumpers (Quarks PwDump, modified Mimikatz, NetPwdDump), and code loaders. Experts have recognised two main backdoors (Type 1 and Type 2) used in attacks that were previously unknown in the threat environment. Another backdoor complements Type 1 – it executes malware downloaded from Dropbox and loaded in memory. Type 1 backdoor runs by utilizing DLL side-loading.
A first variant of the Type 1 backdoor was found to be released in late May 2019, while version 9.0 dates October 2019. The Type 2 backdoor was initially released in July 2019 – it was used in a spear-phishing attack distributing a weaponised MS Word document. These circumstances suggest that DRBControl has been active at least since 2017, but it is speculated it has had a longer run. For now, it is not possible to accurately associate the DRBControl group with a specific threat actor; it is not completely clear if the hackers belong to a new APT group or are a subgroup of a known Chinese APT group.
The malware was employed for
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
47
EGBA suggests policy adjustments for German market
B
efore a meeting of German lawmakers in NordrheinWestphalen, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has proposed a string of changes for re-regulation of the country’s igaming market. EGBA, comprising of bet365, Kindred Group, Betsson, William Hill and GVC Holdings, said that it welcomed progress towards the development of a permanent regulatory model to allow operators to run online sports betting and casinos. However, it said the terms outlined in the new State Treaty (Glücksspielneuregulierungstaatsvertrag/GlüNeuRStV) are “inconsistent, overly restrictive in the context of current consumer demand, and jeopardise the task of developing a fully functioning online gambling market in Germany”. Though a new regulatory framework is desperately needed, the new proposals could worsen an already dysfunctional system, EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer explained. He said, “An attractive product offer
is absolutely essential to achieving a safe and well-channelled gambling environment – but the proposed restrictions would prevent this.” The German market is highly fragmented and restricted due to the prohibition of online casino and strict controls on sports betting enforced by the third amended State Treaty, he pointed. As per EGBA, this had pushed German gamblers to offshore websites, pointing out that the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE) estimated only 1.8% of igaming action took place on regulated sites. EGBA has asked German lawmakers to relax the proposed restrictions in the GlüNeuRStV for online casinos. It says restrictions such as separate licences for online table games and slots, should be removed. An opt-out for German states, to allow them to either continue prohibiting online casino or give the state lottery a monopoly over them, should also be eliminated.
Modifications should also be made to sports wagering, to remove widespread restrictions on bet types, and limits on in-play betting taken out, EGBA added. The GlüNeuRStV asserts the strict controls of the third State Treaty, such as capping in-play bets to final score or next goalscorer markets. EGBA said a binding deposit limit across all products and providers of €1,000 would be hard to implement, and potentially infringe data protection regulations. Instead, it suggests voluntary deposit limits to control player spending. The lawmakers are expected to reach a final decision at the next meeting of the state Minister-Presidents on 5 March, before the process of obtaining European Commission approval for the GlüNeuRStV begins. The third amended State Treaty expires on June 30, 2021, and the final regulations must be in place by then.
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
49
UK Gaming Council calls for crackdown on black market
R
esults of a study released this week for the new standards body, the Betting and Gaming Council, (BGC) which represents UK regulated operators, revealed that consumers are exposed to a huge number of unlicensed operators, 38 per cent, through search results for key gambling terms on major search engines. As a result, the BGC has called on the government to ensure that the Online Harms Bill, which is soon to be introduced in parliament, includes action to crack down on platforms that profit from unregulated, black market gambling operators. Michael Dugher, chief executive of the BGC, stated: “Search platforms are promoting black-market gambling operators for profit, putting the British consumers, including children, at risk. None of the UK’s strict licensed safeguards are in place on these illegal sites.
“Regulated bookies and online operators have a strict zero tolerance approach to underage gambling, yet unlicensed operators are free to prey on vulnerable consumers.
tors. There are 27 million visits from UK IP addresses to black market gambling sites and an estimated 200,000 people in the UK have used illegal gambling sites in past 12 months.
“We welcome the Government’s Online Harms Bill. But it also provides the Government with a chance to clamp down on the black-market and help protect punters who want a flutter in a safe environment.”
This follows the regulatory Advisory Board for Safer Gambling warning in 2018 that internet service providers, app stores, search engine companies and other relevant providers should be vigilant to the possibility of third-party use of their products to provide illegal gambling to children and young people, and should be proactive in preventing it.
The study found that a particular danger is that children are accessing websites because there are no strict ID and age verification measures. Strict verification procedures were introduced in May 2019 for UK licensed operators that require full verification of name, age and address before anyone can open an online account or place a bet. The BGC findings also revealed that four in 10 search results for key gambling terms on major search engines are unlicensed black-market opera-
The sizeable proportion of customers using unlicensed operators shows that the revenue of the active ‘black market’ in the UK today is worth around £1.4bn in stakes. The BGC is the single industry association for betting and gaming, representing betting shops, online gaming businesses and casinos.
INFINITY GAMING
GAMING NEWS
51
Safer future for the UK’s online gambling industry
N
ewrules to safeguard customers are set to make the UK’s online gambling industry safer to use. Over the past few years the UK Gambling Commission has been working with betting sites and other gambling insiders to create a safer environment for players. Age verification and advertising are at the forefront of the changes. It is hoped that the changes will also improve public perception of the industry. New rules will see the age verification process tightened up to protect vulnerable people such as children. Previously betting companies were allowed 72 hours to carry out age checks, but that left the door open for underage people to gamble within that time window. This did not bode well for children after a 2018 study found the number of children classified as having a gambling problem in the UK, had risen to more than 50,000 in just two
years. The gambling commission has now introduced new rules requiring operators to verify a customer’s age before they can deposit funds, gamble with their own money or use a free bet or bonus to combat the issue. Age verification must be established before customers are allowed to play free versions of any gambling games online. Each operator must verify a customer’s name, address and date birth before they can gamble, while any additional information required must be requested and submitted in a timely manner. The changes will help to identify people who are attempting to avoid the self-exclusion programs as well as reducing the chance of fraud being committed, according to the UK Gambling Commission. Gambling Commission Chief Executive, Neil McArthur, said that although the UK has the largest
regulated market in the world, the commission wants to make sure it’s the safest and fairest. The changes follow a review of online gambling by the Gambling Commission and ongoing widespread regulatory action in the online sector. A self-imposed advertisement ban during live televised sporting by the gambling industry is to be continued in 2020 heralding a more responsible image for the sector. The Industry Group for Responsible Gambling, introduced the ban in August 2019, stopping betting adverts from being shown during live sporting events before the 9pm watershed. Neil McArthur, Gambling Commission Chief Executive, said: “These changes will protect children and the vulnerable from gamblingrelated harm, and reduce the risk of crime linked to gambling. They will also make gambling fairer by helping consumers collect their winnings without unnecessary delay.’’
INFINITY GAMING
ˆ˂ʴ˅ ˊʼˇʻ ˊʼˁˁʸ˅ˆ
ˆ˃˂˅ˇˆ
ʶʴˆʼˁ˂
ʿʼˉʸ ʶʴˆʼˁ˂
˪˪˪ʡ˘˔˚˟˘˕˘˧ʡ˖ˢˠ
ʸʠˆ˃˂˅ˇˆ
GAMING NEWS
53
China strengthening gambling measures
C
hina is in the process of beefing up its efforts to tackle online gambling, which includes creating an online blacklist and increasing scrutiny of monetary transactions. Chinese Ministry of Public Security held a meeting last week on combatting ‘cross border gambling’ . During the meet, Minister Zhao Kezhi called on officials to investigate “a number of major cases” of online gambling operators, who are running the show from other countries and serving Chinese customers, in order to “completely destroy a group of criminal organisations.” The minister said that it was “necessary to establish a ‘blacklist’ system for participating in gambling and employees and overseas tourist destinations.” The ministry is also looking to “strengthen the ‘fund chain’ and ‘technical chain’ governance measures and resolutely cut off the channels for the circulation of gambling funds.”
On Monday, China UnionPay, a major Chinese online payment platform, followed up on Zhao’s call and announced that some of its allies were failing to “take effective measures to curb illegal elements from engaging in illegal trading activities.” While UnionPay’s statement also spoke about sketchy loan arrangers and other “illegal public merchants,” it reminded its partners that they are not allowed to do business with online gambling and online lottery platforms.
involved online betting sites.
China UnionPay also warned its partners to “standardise the display of transaction information, accurately reflect the names of real merchants and acquirers,” while reminding of “legal measures” for unauthorised use of the UnionPay brand.
In the process of doing so, the Chinese government had ended up depriving its citizens of their only legally accessible gambling opportunities. As a consequence, the government may have noticed a recent surge in local residents’ efforts to access internationally licensed online gambling operators. Hedge fund manager Jason Ader recently claimed that China’s daily online betting statistics had risen 90% yearon-year during the Lunar New Year holiday period.
These kinds of pronouncements are often made by Chinese officials, such as the ‘Gambling Prohibition Publicity Month’ announced in the month of January. That effort has been reported to result in 22 major gambling interruptions, of which 13
It is possible that the Ministry may have felt pressured to issue its latest anti-online statement due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The government had suspended all lottery operations in the middle of January to prevent citizens from gathering in retail outlets, imposed severe travel restrictions to Macau casinos and even arrested individuals who defied orders to not to congregate in private mahjong games.
INFINITY GAMING
www.yggdrasilgaming.com