Amber Gaming

Multi-jurisdictional gaming compliance consultancy Amber Gaming has strengthened its international team with the appointment of Shaun Parmar as business development manager.

Parmar will be based in Amber Gaming’s Malta office and will be responsible for driving awareness and growth of the firm’s licensing, regulatory compliance, corporate services, accounting and training solutions.

Ted Pepper, managing director of Amber Gaming, said: “I am delighted to welcome Shaun to the team; he has a real enthusiasm and talent for connecting client’s needs and aspirations with the solutions that can help them.

“Our simple but powerful range of products and services help organisations protect their players, their staff and their bottom lines by ensuring compliance. Shaun will be key to helping prospective clients find that balance at which compliance and commercial benefit perfectly align.”

ESA Gaming

Games provider ESA Gaming has significantly bolstered its team by adding six new staff as the group aims to fuel a further period of growth.

With a wide-ranging upscale of its personnel, the supplier has hired a product owner, two senior developers, a QA engineer, as well as two members of the burgeoning support and account management team dedicated to the regulated markets in Latin America.

Zorica Smallwood, director at ESA Gaming, commented: “We are delighted to welcome six new members to the ESA Gaming team. With a diverse array of appointments, we are clearly stating our intent to grow rapidly.

“The new hires highlight the impressive period we have had recently, with the launch of our EasySwipe offering as well as continued commercial growth in a number of jurisdictions across the globe, as it remains an exciting time at ESA Gaming.”

Bluberi

Bluberi has appointed Casey Whalen as chief commercial officer to lead expansion and drive growth in market share across North America, becoming the first executive hire since CEO Andrew Burke joined the company at the turn of the year.

Whalen joins Bluberi with more than 15 years of gaming and sales experience, having most recently served as the senior vice president for North American Sales at Konami.

In his new role, Whalen will manage all aspects of the commercialisation of new products including sales, marketing, and new market entry. He will also be responsible for developing a high performing commercial team focused on growing Bluberi’s North American footprint.

“With Casey, we are welcoming a proven leader with a breadth of commercial experience that will be invaluable as we launch new products and enter new jurisdictions,” noted Andrew Burke, CEO of Bluberi.

“Casey will be instrumental to our ongoing strategic and operational transformation into a customer focused, culture driven and nimble gaming supplier.”

FSB

Gambling tech provider FSB has strengthened its business development team with the appointment of Russell Colvin as head of retail sales.

Colvin will be responsible for driving sales of FSB’s retail products, including its self service betting terminal and EPoS systems, in regulated markets around the world.

Colvin brings with him over 20 years of experience in sports betting, from both the operator and supplier side, having worked for industry giants such as Coral, Global Draw and Scientific Games along the way.

Dave McDowell, CEO of FSB, stated: “I am thrilled to welcome Russell to the team and for us to leverage his knowledge and experience as we continue to drive our retail product forwards.”

“Our retail products are market leading and Russell will play a key role in ensuring operators are aware of what we have to offer and the value we can deliver.”

The post Part 30 | On the move: Recruitment round-up appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Under the terms of the agreement, 7bet.lt has implemented the supplier’s gaming suite including Hot Blizzard and 243 Crystal Fruits.

“We’re proud to be strengthening our presence in the country as the leading igaming content supplier with premium partners like 7bet.lt,” said Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming. 

“With our expertise and content designed for this region, we’re confident that our games will deliver excellent results and increase our reach, whilst bolstering acquisition and improving retention.

“We believe that players of 7bet.lt enjoy our novel and entertaining content and will be impressed by every new title we introduce to the market.” 

Lauding the Baltics as its key market, Tom Horn Gaming builds on its premium position in Lithuania, where in 2016 it became the first certified provider of online gaming solutions. 

Andrius Lapienis, head of marketing at Amber Gaming added: “Given its strong reputation and open and innovative approach to game development, Tom Horn Gaming is a must-have provider for any online casino and we’re delighted to have teamed up with them.

“The supplier’s portfolio boasts unique and high-quality content and we’re impressed with the performance of their games in Lithuania. Tom Horn games will diversify our gaming portfolio and we’re confident that their titles will resonate with our growing online customer base, whilst contributing to higher revenues.”

In addition to regular slot games, the company is also recognised for supplying games to a niche audience which allows players of ages 18 to 21 to play slot games with limited bets and payouts.

The post Tom Horn expands Lithuanian network via 7bet.lt deal appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Responsibilities in the position include the implementation of compliance management policies and best practices, ensuring that areas of risk within products and services are monitored effectively and applied pragmatically. 

“I am proud to welcome Ali to the Amber Gaming family. Ali is a highly respected specialist in the gaming compliance space and embodies our culture of responsibility matched with pragmatism and fun,” explained Jade Zorab, managing director of Amber Gaming. 

“His plans to enhance our regulatory compliance offering are already well underway and we look forward to sharing these with our partners soon.

“Regulatory compliance is at the heart of our operations, helping our clients to run their organisations efficiently and compliantly. This is more vital than ever in the current climate, so to have someone of Ali’s calibre spearheading this area of our business stands us in good stead to support both our internal team and external clients and partners.”

Hawa has held a number of senior compliance positions throughout his career, the most recent of which came as director of risk, fraud and compliance investigations and MLRO for Casumo. 

“The team at Amber Gaming has been in the industry for many years and are a recognised and reputable consultancy in gaming compliance,” Hawa said of the appointment.  

“I am proud to join Amber Gaming at such an exciting phase in their journey following their rebrand last year and I look forward to the opportunities that this journey will bring.

“I believe my experience in the industry will contribute to additional growth of this business through providing valuable compliance advice and services to many of our clients and future partners and will complement the existing team and their skills. 

“My colleagues at Amber Gaming are inspirational and their positive attitudes make this a very exciting place to work, so I very much look forward to being part of the team.”

The post Amber Gaming strengthens management team via Ali Hawa hire appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Zorab, who has been a part of the group’s roster for over five years, previously held the position of director, where she was responsible for business development and strategy in the areas of gaming, ecommerce, and training.

Lauded as being immersed in the business, having worked across a breadth of its product and service sectors prior to her appointment to the board, Zorab is also said to have played a key role in its internationalisation, rebrand and commercial development.

“It is a privilege to be appointed to the position of managing director, especially at such an exciting point in our journey. Having been involved in the sector for the last 12 years, in May we will reach our one-year anniversary as Amber Gaming and what we have achieved under Ted’s stewardship as a team is nothing short of phenomenal,” she explained.  

“On behalf of the whole team, I would like to wish Ted all the best in his new role with the wider group. I will be starting my new journey with the support of 33 talented peers who are each instrumental to our success, and with the appointment of 10 new recruits to support our growing international business, with many exciting plans on the horizon.

“Despite global circumstances, there continues to be a growing demand for our services, and this provides us with continued optimism for the outlook of the gaming sector. I look forward to building on our current success using our established values and excellent service delivery to exceed the demands and expectations of both our clients and team.”

Zorab holds a Bachelor of Laws degree issued by the University of South Africa and a Diploma in International Marketing Management. She is also actively involved in the community as a member of the Institute of Directors; is a trustee of Love Tech, a charity that was founded to encourage and empower young women to explore STEM opportunities in the Isle of Man; and participates in sporting events to fundraise for charities, most recently participating in the virtual London Marathon in aid of Hospice.

The post Jade Zorab named managing director of Amber Gaming appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Sparked by uncertainty regarding the impact and scope of jurisdictional and political change, initial enquiries and positive follow-up discussions have seen service providers report an uptick in enquiries from businesses wanting to relocate to the Island over the last 12 months. 

“We are exceptionally busy at the minute processing a significant rise in the number of applications for online gambling operators,” commented Steve Brennan, chief executive of The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission.

“We continued to work throughout lockdown, and over the last 10 months, we have received or completed a considerable number of applications. By the time we have closed those out and added recent applications, we will have 60 licences to supervise.”

According to reports, this year has seen a 30 per cent increase in demand with a number of licensees to be supervised by the Gambling Supervision Commission now at 55 with several more scheduled, an increase of 21 in the last 12 months, in comparison to eight licence approvals in 2019. 

Speaking on why operators are choosing the Isle of Man, Jade Zorab, director of Amber Gaming, responded: “The Isle of Man has proven to be at the forefront of the more notable egaming jurisdictions over the years. 

“It has a combination of a stable political and economic environment, low tax and advanced IT infrastructure in addition to a cluster of experienced and reliable professional organisations – all of which has created a compelling proposition for egaming companies both locally and further afield. 

“The island also offers a flexible licensing regime with a pragmatic and efficient regulator, which is especially valuable during a time where there is so much global uncertainty and regulatory changes in several other jurisdictions which brings the prospect of significant operational challenges. 

“Given the Island’s strong reputation and open and innovative approach in the evolving gaming landscape, the future outlook is positive, and it is no surprise that the Isle of Man is experiencing an influx of egaming ventures, which we are proud to support.”

The recent regulatory changes in alternate jurisdictions, combined with the region’s handling of COVID-19 and the introduction of a new software supplier licence, has contributed to a surge in the number of applications as businesses seek strong regulation around player protection providing comfort to banks, PSP’s and investors.

“A key strength of the Isle of Man is its commitment to the development and continued success of the egaming companies domiciled here. Digital Isle of Man supports this by striving to build and maintain solid foundations for our island businesses to flourish, offering quick fire advice and tackling obstacles to ease business decisions and burdens along the way,” Lyle Wraxall, chief executive at Digital Isle of Man, concluded.

“We have strong heritage and credentials in the egaming sector and are renowned for our premium regulation which is becoming more and more important to businesses. As businesses licensed elsewhere seek security and continued business growth, the experience and expertise based in the Isle of Man is the logical next step for businesses to mature and grow.

“The Isle of Man has a track record of being a safe and secure place for businesses to grow, and boasts a confident, stable economy, with no market restrictions, ensuring minimal disruption to business progress and opportunities.”

The post Isle of Man experiences surge in licence applications appeared first on CasinoBeats.

This roundtable looks at some of the challenges operators will face over the coming months, and how by working closely with all stakeholders they can be overcome.

CasinoBeats speaks to Rebecca Forrest, business development executive at Amber Gaming, Leon Thomas, commercial director at Microgaming, Matej Novota, head of data and complaints at CasinoGuru, Stefan Esch Schulte, a managing director for Betsson Group, and Tom Galanis, managing director of First Look Games.

CB: The progress regarding regulated online gambling in Germany has been well documented in recent weeks, to begin with what is the potential for the market? What position within the wider European ecosystem can it realistically expect to represent?

RF: Germany has the potential to play a significant role within the European market and holds a position as one of the strongest and well-established economies in the world. Historically, it has been a complex market for online gambling.

As a result, this has often made it a deterrent to a number of operators who did not perhaps have the knowledge, experience or resource to keep abreast of changes, developments and practicalities of operating in such markets.

“In time as players and operators adapt to the new regime, the market should see growth”

Introducing a clear approach to regulation makes entrance into the German online gambling market likely more attractive to those operators who will be keen to adhere and adopt such regulations so that they are able to benefit from access to such a large market.

For others, for example those who are new entrants into the gambling space, or smaller less resourced operators, it will require consideration as to whether the costs of additional regulatory scrutiny and operating in multiple jurisdictions are worthwhile.

LT: Naturally, with measures such as the €1 max bet and €1,000 monthly deposit limit being imposed, the current dynamics will change. But what the new regime will do is enable players to access content they have not had before, as some providers have left the market, and it will enable a retail crossover that hasn’t existed for a few years. 

For Microgaming, there is potential to aggregate German retail slots via our platform, as well as to deliver our own targeted content. There’s always the potential to grow with our customers, and by taking a lead from the outset, we can continue to support the aspirations of those who still see Germany as a key market.

Once licences start being issued under the proposed new regulatory framework post-July 2021, there may also be opportunities for operators to market the games responsibly using traditional, above the line advertising. In time as players and operators adapt to the new regime, the market should see growth.

MN: Germany is a big nation with millions of people with a relatively high disposable income, so the German gambling market is definitely interesting for operators. At the same time, however, the new regulations seem to pose quite complex restrictions and technological challenges that operators will have to comply with to be able to participate. This makes the transition much more complicated and perhaps has a potential to slow things down for all involved parties.

“The German gambling market today is relatively crowded”

Germany is a big and important country, so it could theoretically become a strong player in terms of gambling regulation and join countries like UK or Malta, but the regulations must make sense and be reasonable for both players and operators.

SES: Germany has a population of 83 million which is the largest in the European Union. Breaking this further down, according to some studies, approximately 20 per cent of Germans participate in gambling and the estimated revenues for 2019 were €16.3bn.

Indeed, the gaming industry in Germany reports a year on year growth of five per cent, while the online segment alone grows by double digits. Extremely promising numbers, don’t you think?

With this fact at hand, one could argue that Germany has the right mix of features to become one of the most significant markets for operators, while for several others, Germany is already there.

The German gambling market today is relatively crowded, however at the same time not very mature when compared to traditional “gaming markets” such as the UK. It therefore still offers a lot of room for great opportunities to both grow and develop.

In the light of the current regulated European gaming market, it is difficult to predict what tomorrow could realistically look like. Over the years, we have seen several other European countries regulate and we all know that this has been an ongoing process. In Germany’s case, things are still at the very beginning! 

“The current regulatory framework is not ideal”

TG: The German market has excited many for a long time given its size and its progressively strong ARPU, but the constraints that the regulation looks set to bring has tempered that excitement, particularly for those of us operating in acquisition marketing. In all honesty, if the measures that have been implemented hold true in the long term, we will be looking at Sweden’s Big Brother.

Given the ease and ability for operators to have operated so successfully in Germany pre-regulation, it’s difficult to imagine a black market not gaining a significant foothold through a far more compelling gambling proposition for seasoned players.

The current regulatory framework is not ideal, and I believe it needs to become more pragmatic to establish itself in the European gambling market. Having said that, I believe that once it is regulated, the German gaming market will be seen as a trusted one which will be the backbone to a solid growth as customers will have confidence in licenced operators.

CB: Despite the new rules not officially entering into force until mid-2021, stakeholders were permitted to engage with the market provided they adopt the new regulatory measures from October 15. How difficult were the new regulatory measures to implement before that date?

LT: It has certainly been a massive collaborative effort touching all areas of our business, from our compliance and markets teams to account management and publishing. Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge so far has been interpreting what is required from a regulatory perspective, and because interpretations tend to vary, understanding how different operators are approaching the new measures.

Creating the necessary solutions for our customers in Germany has been a huge undertaking over the past few months, but we’ve taken it in our stride at Microgaming and remain confident about some of the more challenging technical requirements on the horizon.

MN: Well, at Casino Guru, we only received specific requests from operators a few days before the deadline, most likely when they managed to get their websites in line with regulations and started taking a look at affiliates as well.

Given our robust system and having basically all online casino listed on our website, we really couldn’t implement the requested changes in a matter of just a few days. The only think we were able to offer to these operators is not displaying them for German visitors altogether, until we figure out what needs to be done to comply with their requests and implement the required changes.

SES: Since we have an interest in seeing the market regulate, we were following all the discussions very closely from the beginning, so this did not come as a surprise. However, the implementation was still unknown until official requirements were confirmed which was just two weeks ago! 

Speaking with my peers within other operators in the past weeks, many said that they were running on full force to deliver on what is realistically doable by the deadline. In my opinion, this process, as it stands today, is highly questionable. I appreciate the fact that 16 states are involved in the process, and all hold their own different agenda.  

“I honestly have my doubts whether any other industry would have accepted such short timelines”

I honestly have my doubts whether any other industry would have accepted such short timelines.

TG: When changes are required to be made post-haste to meet short deadlines, it is incredibly difficult to facilitate from an affiliate manager’s and an affiliate’s perspective.

From an affiliate’s perspective, there has been a fair amount of confusion as to whether brands are remaining active in the market, whether they’re simply switching off new acquisition or pulling out altogether. Add this to the fairly draconian copy changes that have been required and you’ll have seen many a late shift put in last week.

RF: Licensed business who are operating in the .com markets are all too aware that the international regulatory environment is complex; each market is at a different stage and has a different approach to regulating the online gambling market. As a result, there are frequent changes, updates and nuances between jurisdictions.

The difficulty some operators have faced is where they are not kept up to date with forthcoming changes. We have experienced a refreshing response from businesses who have identified and are aware of the importance of horizon scanning to ensure proactive responses to forthcoming changes.

As such, we have supported them via access to jurisdictional insights whilst working closely with local experts to help support them with the forthcoming changes in their key markets. As a result, the majority of operators have adapted to the changes and are keen to embrace regulations in good time to support ongoing business aspirations.

The post Countrywatch: Embracing regulated igaming in Germany appeared first on CasinoBeats.

This roundtable looks at some of the challenges operators will face over the coming months, and how by working closely with all stakeholders they can be overcome.

Rebecca Forrest, business development executive at Amber Gaming, Leon Thomas, commercial director at Microgaming, Matej Novota, head of data and complaints at CasinoGuru, Stefan Esch Schulte, a managing director for Betsson Group, and Tom Galanis, managing director of First Look Games, continue the conversation.

CB: What challenges lie ahead during the coming months for those seeking to fulfil their German ambitions?

MN: From checking out the regulations, it seems to me that there is a big number of technological challenges that make participating in the regulated German market quite complicated.

Operators will have to work with game providers to ensure that the maximum bet per spin is €1 and that each spin takes at least five seconds to be completed. Similarly, implementing a site-wide €1000 limit for all players, a panic button, hourly usage statistics for all players, etc, is not something that all online gaming platforms support, as far as I know.

On top of these challenges, the market poses additional questions by the unclear situation during the transition period, and being separated into 16 states doesn’t help either.

SES: We will continue monitoring all the discussions around the development in Germany. I think one of the challenges most operators will have are the level of uncertainty that will exist until a process is finally formalised. 

“We welcome a regulated market which will thrive and be a success and not one which is so constrained”

When you look back at the process to obtain a sports betting licence earlier this year, one quickly understands how fragile such a setup can be. Being an operator, we do our utmost to deliver on the requirements and deadlines and it is in our best interest to protect the industry. The unlicensed operators will hungrily fill the gaps that online operators cannot offer, such as being able to offer live casino.

We encourage the regulator to adopt a more dyadic approach and listen to what operators are saying. We’ve been through such processes before – we know what works and what does not work.

We welcome a regulated market which will thrive and be a success and not one which is so constrained that it will eventually see the market share shift to offshore gambling operators. We have seen this happening in other jurisdictions, no one wins in such scenarios and the worse off are usually the consumers as they will play with unlicensed operators in an unprotected environment. 

TG: Clearly the biggest challenge is going to be filling the revenue stream void that a restricted German market will bring – hopefully just short term. Affiliates and operators will likely be forced to subsidise these losses in other markets whilst the changes bed in for those operators who’ve been granted a licence.

For those operators granted a licence, it will be a case of realising what structural changes are required to their business in order to make a success of it. For those hoping for success in future licensing rounds, it’s an opportunity to see whether that’s worth pursuing – not the worst position.

From an affiliate perspective, a focus on compliance is essential and I expect new interpretations of the regulations to reveal themselves in the coming months.

RF: Sports betting is already regulated within Germany through the provision of an Interstate Treaty. It is now online casino and poker operations which will be regulated through the incoming State Treaty on Gambling, which is scheduled to come into force in July 2021. Operators therefore have a transition period where they will be required to comply with specified terms.

“…the ultimate test will be making sure we are absolutely ready for July 1, 2021″

Any operator who offers or continues to actively participate within the German market without satisfying these requirements will likely be subject to enforcements and/or excluded from any future licensing process or procedure in the future. Therefore, it is imperative that operators either withdraw entirely from the market or adapt to the requirements of the transition period.

The European regulatory landscape for remote gambling is, (like the USA), complex with different countries having their own specific licensing and regulatory requirements. However, unlike the USA, each of the separate markets within Europe have their own local language requirements. This will likely be challenging for a number of operators who are not resourced for such market entry and ongoing practicalities of operating in this market.

LT: Many of the key products no longer allowed in Germany, such as live casino, progressive jackpots, and table games have previously been important to our operators. The challenge for us now is continuing to cater to that customer need within the constraints of the new regulation.

It’s something we need to work through to ensure our offering is as varied as it can be in a compliant and responsible way, and that we continue to bring German players the most engaging exclusive studio and partner content we can.

Of course, the ultimate test will be making sure we are absolutely ready for July 1, 2021. Until then, we’ll continue to monitor the situation as it evolves, staying on top of our regulatory advice and paying particular attention to customer feedback.

CB: Finally, and perhaps most crucially, what will be key to ensuring long-term sustained success in the market?

SES: Securing a long-term success in the market can be split into two key areas. It is of utmost importance that operators can rely on a clear and fair market environment where the regulator provides guaranteed conditions that are sensible and fair for everyone and protects the consumer. 

“…it will be critical that the regulator acknowledges the threat of a black market”

Once this is guaranteed, then it is up to the operator to define its image within the market and to stand for something. At the end of the day we all pretty much sell the same product with different variations, so the key to an established position must relate to a unique product image, in combination with a unique, localised customer experience.

TG: The regulation will devour margins – more so than in markets like the UK. Operators running as much in-house tech on as lean an infrastructure as possible will have the best chance of success. With that in mind, I fully expect relatively rapid consolidation in Germany.

Any investors will need to see efficient operational mergers to realise returns and this brings in to question the appeal for the market, despite its obvious size, even compared against other tipping point markets such as individual US States, Netherlands, Ukraine or Greece.

For those invested in the regulated German market, it will be critical that the regulator acknowledges the threat of a black market when it comes to progressing strict depositing and wagering limits.

RF: The key to long term success for operators in any regulatory markets, including Germany, are the same. Operators should ensure that they:

• Undertake regular front line staff training on core compliance areas in line with key responsibilities and accountabilities and assurance of implementation of systems and procedures to ensure the business remains in good health. 
• Instil a compliance culture throughout all areas of the business; this ‘tone from the top’ will ensure all areas of the business act in accordance with required procedures, frameworks and codes of conduct. 
• Design and implement robust yet pragmatic governance risk and compliance frameworks in all key areas of regulation such as anti money laundering, responsible gambling and advertising and media, amongst others.

LT: Having the adaptability to work within the regulatory regime. It would be quite easy for operators to look at the new regulations in a negative way. We need to turn this on its head and start looking at the opportunities that lie in store for operators and players. I think the online gaming appetite will persist, despite tighter regulations.

MN: In terms of operators, the first step is to comply with all the regulations that can keep evolving and making it all more difficult. Once the situation is clear and stable, it will become more about the usual stuff of marketing, customer satisfaction, and knowing the preferences of German customers in general.

In terms of success of the market itself, it’s crucial that Germany puts together a reasonable set of regulations that will not handicap licensed operators and make them lose customers to casinos operating without the official German license.

The post Countrywatch continues: Examining the keys to <br> German success appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Aimed at esports and sports fans, LOTP has entered the ‘final stages of preparation’ to launch its content via the necessary approval from the regulator. Furthermore, the sportsbook operator was supported during the licensing process by Amber Gaming to ensure that it was compliant with regulations. 

A spokesperson at LOTP said: “The Isle of Man sets that standard when it comes to licensing online gambling organisations and with its understanding of the Asian market, it was the perfect fit for our business.

“Of course, we wanted to ensure we were working to its standards from the get-go and Amber Gaming has proved vital in helping us navigate the licensing process while also making sure that we not only meet but exceed these requirements.

“With our Isle of Man licence, we can now prepare to launch LOTP in the Asian markets we have identified as offering the greatest potential and with a product that we know is meeting the highest levels of safe gaming and responsible gambling.”

Prior to launch, LOTP will integrate live fantasy and pari-mutuel games from software provider Tokigames. Back-office functionality will be provided by Pragmatic Solutions while the operator’s affiliate programme will be run and managed by Affiliate Insider.

Following its launch, LOTP will primarily target players in Asian markets, offering markets for games such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, and League of Legends, as well as traditional sports.

“We are delighted to have assisted LOTP in securing its B2C licence from the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, which sets the highest possible standards for operators to meet,” added Karen Yates, director and head of corporate governance at Amber Gaming.

“Just like the regulator, the Amber Gaming team is highly experienced  in the Asian market and we know what operators need to do in order to meet and exceed the requirements set by the Commission, which in this instance has ensured that LOTP has secured its licence in a timely manner.

“LOTP has a strong foundation on which to build a successful business in Asia and we are honoured to have played a part in its journey to date.”

The post Lord of the Pot expands Asian offering with Isle of Man regulatory license appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Together, the pair will develop a new igaming and sports betting brand that intends to target the Lithuanian market, and will be built upon Finnplay’s Titan platform.

Justinas Šliažas, chief executive officer of Amber Gaming, said of the agreement: “In selecting a partner for this important launch of our gaming business, it was very important we find a company with high standards and a strong reputation for professional compliance, delivery and support.

“Finnplay fulfilled all our technical requirements as well as having the right experience, values and strengths to support our new venture.”

Finnplay says that regional expertise in compliance and leadership were key contributing factors in the strategic alignment. The project stipulates a 2021 planned launch date for the new site. 

Erkki Nikunen, Finnplay’s chief marketing officer, noted: “Finnplay is pleased to strengthen our role as the leading igaming platform provider in the region with this new partnership with Amber Gaming. 

“With our expertise in compliance and state-of-the-art technology we will provide Amber a secure foundation on which to build their exciting new casino and sportsbook brand in Lithuania.”

Earlier this year Finnplay documented the latest stage of its European expansion, after debuting the successful launch of the Princess Casino brand in Romania. The group says that the entity demonstrated “an impressive volume of registrations and active players” during its first few weeks of operation.

The post Finnplay targets Lithuania with new brand launch appeared first on CasinoBeats.

With safer gambling and player protection also highlighted as central focal points, the presence of loot boxes within console gaming could well gain a prominent place in the spotlight, says Amber Gaming.

“We envisage the upcoming review of the Gambling Act to include prescriptive measures relating to safer gambling and player protection,” Rebecca Forrest, business development manager for Amber Gaming, begins by touching upon what could occur in the upcoming review.

“The latest Gambling Commission consultation is a sign of things to come, with the proposed threshold at which operators must conduct affordability checks looking to become more rigorous. 

“The ability to operate in Great Britain under a white label partnership could also see drastic changes, with obvious concerns at present that the system is being abused by operators who would not pass the Gambling Commission’s licensing checks to provide services themselves. 

“The most effective tools are those set voluntarily by players”

“The biggest changes that could, and should, occur may relate to what activity is considered as ‘gambling’. The use of loot boxes within games commonly used by children and young people, such as FIFA, Fortnite and Star Wars, and the potential links that these have to gambling could well see changes similar to that of the Netherlands, whereby a standard has been published to set out when they may be considered as licensable activity in an attempt to protect the young from being exposed to activity that could be a gateway to problem gambling.”

As alluded to above, measures regarding responsible gambling are also anticipated to be closely looked at, with a number of recent manoeuvres made by the region’s regulator a potential harbinger of a deeper shift.

With many tools currently available to help gamblers manage activity, Forrest continues by looking at which barriers she would deem as the most effective and helpful: “The most effective tools are those set voluntarily by players. 

“However, the player must be willing to do so, so it’s often well received when they are made aware of their recent activity, and posed with questions to make them reflect on their own actions and activity, which then makes them more willing to set their own limits. 

“Mandatory spend limits can be seen as patronising and overly restrictive and may see players going elsewhere to gamble. In terms of specific tools, loss limits are generally the most helpful, as players can set an amount that they would be willing to lose on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, to ensure that their gambling remains as a source of entertainment, rather than encroaching on their ability to afford general necessities.

“…Safer Gambling Week provides an opportunity to discuss the importance of safer gambling”

“However, there will be occasions where players do not set their own limits. In these cases, it’s vital that the operator then steps in to enforce mandatory limits to help protect the player from experiencing gambling related harm. 

“This is why it is important for operators to have customer interaction monitoring in place, and ensure there are processes to observe vulnerable customers and interact with them quickly and effectively when it comes time to step in.”

Forrest has been making the comments amid the ongoing Safer Gambling Week, which began yesterday (Thursday 19 November) and runs for a seven day period, and where attention is subsequently focused.

“Safer Gambling Week gives the industry as a whole the opportunity to initiative conversations, share ideas and reassess what we each do to support players to gamble safely,” she says.

“This includes how this is communicated both internally within our businesses but also externally with the players themselves. To us, Safer Gambling Week provides an opportunity to discuss the importance of safer gambling within our own team, and also with all of our partners to facilitate increased awareness and discussions of this vital topic. 

“In the lead up to Safer Gambling Week 2020 and for the week itself, we are offering operators the opportunity to avail of a free regulatory compliance health check, which would usually be a significant undertaking. 

“We hope that stakeholders in all areas of the industry understand the importance of safer gambling”

“This health check is completely confidential and tailored to focus on the operator’s responsible gambling and social responsibility frameworks to ensure they are fulfilling their regulatory and wider social requirements. 

“We welcome all members of the industry to take advantage of this free support and use it as the first step in their safer gambling journey. Taking part in this initiative is simple. All they have to do is complete a short survey regarding their internal policies, systems and processes to date. 

“We will then provide them with a comprehensive, bespoke report outlining areas of good health, those that require treatment and poor health including recommendations on next steps to bring the business into a state of good regulatory health.”

SGW is a cross-industry initiative to promote safer gambling in the United Kingdom and Ireland, led by trade associations the Betting and Gaming Council, The Bingo Association and the British Amusement Catering Trade Association.

With six key messages to be portrayed throughout the campaign, Forrest elaborates to detail what both stakeholders and the general public should take away from SGW: “For us, as with majority of all businesses within the industry, Safer Gambling Week is not just for this one week. This is something that must be taken very seriously 365 days of the year. 

“We hope that stakeholders in all areas of the industry understand the importance of safer gambling and the support available to implement it within their organisation. We want them to recognise the reason and rationale as to why policies, procedures and frameworks are in place and what this means in practice. 

“The main focus is to view safer gambling as a mindset, rather than just a tick box exercise”

“It is common for operators to accurately record their policies and processes to promote their safer gambling efforts, but are unable to demonstrate and evidence this taking place. Through SG Week, we hope members of the industry can share their ideas on how to overcome this in practice, such as through ongoing staff education and training.”

Adding on the necessity to continue momentum built-up during the week into 2021 and beyond: “The main focus is to view safer gambling as a mindset, rather than just a tick box exercise. Every aspect of a gambling business should be focused on transparent, fair practices that protect both the players and the company itself. 

“And this may seem like a huge undertaking to refocus the business, but through continued staff education and training, it is achievable. It is common for operators to require increased focus and attention in their ability to demonstrate and evidence this taking place in practice in addition to their existing policies and processes, but it is a necessary part of the culture. 

“To support and promote this culture throughout all areas of the business, it is essential to provide ongoing staff awareness and training tailored to Safer Gambling to reinforce these messages and keep the conversation going all year round.

“This is why we developed our own successful training academy tailored to the gaming industry, which delivers a range of eLearning courses including safer gambling and supports some of the industry’s biggest names.”

The post Talking safer gambling, player protection <br> & loot boxes, with Amber Gaming appeared first on CasinoBeats.