Compliance Updates
Leading Online Operators Launch Principles for Responsible Gaming
The largest online gaming operators in the country have come together to agree to the first industry-led responsible gaming standards. The 12-point pledge is a commitment to principles of responsible online gaming and are recommended as the principles for an industry benchmark.
The announcement coincides with this month’s designation as Responsible Gaming Education Month by the American Gaming Association.
The collaboration includes Bally’s Corporation, BetMGM, DraftKings, Entain, FanDuel, and MGM Resorts International.
The 12 principles are derived from four core attributes:
a)Â We participate only in legal markets that provide consumer protections.
b)Â We strive to instil responsible gaming culture throughout our respective businesses.
c)Â All forms of online gaming should be a fun activity and enjoyed as a form of entertainment.
d)Â While the vast majority of individuals can enjoy online gaming in a responsible way, some individuals need additional tools and support related to their gaming activities.
The 12 principles, set out in the appendix, include a commitment to take active steps to prevent underage and excluded individuals from participating in any form of gaming. Operators commit to providing customers with informed choices about gaming through easily understood responsible gaming tools, and all entities will continuously conduct research to track the impact of this collaboration.
Further, the principles include the adoption and effective promotion of a unified nationwide responsible gaming toll-free helpline, and socially responsible advertising which avoids imagery that might entice minors in its marketing content.
Other provisions call for “a shared responsibility approach to addressing problem gaming” and a commitment “to working with policy makers, academic experts and researchers, problem gaming treatment organizations, advocacy groups and partners” as well as customers to promote responsible gaming and address problem gaming.
The collaboration also commits to employee training and continuously monitoring operators’ respective responsible gaming programs and initiatives to ensure their compliance with applicable standards.
“Bally’s is proud to partner with all of the participating operators. We are committed to the 12-point pledge and it’s Bally’s and the industry’s responsibility to prevent underage gaming and provide education and safeguards,” said Robeson Reeves, President of Interactive at Bally’s Corporation.
According to Joshua Jessen, Chief Legal Officer at BetMGM, “Responsible gaming is at the forefront of everything we do at BetMGM. While we operate in a highly competitive industry, we are proud to stand together with our colleagues to adopt these important principles. Creating a consistent standard of responsible gaming measures across the board greatly strengthens our collective commitment to our customers, employees, and the communities where we operate. We look forward to building on our work into the future.”
DraftKings’ Senior Director of Responsible Gaming Chrissy Thurmond explained, “Essential to promoting safer play is a framework for operators to guide them in responsible gaming. DraftKings is pleased to be a part of this landmark effort that has culminated in the adoption of 12 responsible gaming principles across the participating operators â and that will benefit consumers around the United States.”
Martin Lycka, Entain’s Senior Vice-president for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling, commended the collaborators for recognizing a national need and committing their respective organizations to action. “These principles mark an important milestone, and I am delighted other leading operators have joined us in this commitment to responsible gaming in the rapidly growing U.S. markets, as responsibility sits at the heart of our business. It’s truly a first for this market and a significant step for addressing problem gaming on a consistent basis.”
He added, “We have the research, the data, the partners—all the tools to establish an effective nation-wide code of responsible gaming principles. And we hope our industry and state regulators will join us in advancing these principles,” he said. “Our patrons deserve it.”
FanDuel’s Adam Warrington, Vice President, Responsible Gaming, added, “FanDuel is committed to collaborating and partnering with every participating operator, and our entire industry, on these 12 principles of responsible online gaming. Collectively, we have the privilege and opportunity to set the standard for what it means to be a responsible operator by leading from the front and collectively enabling our customers to enjoy our products, responsibly.”
Stephen Martino, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, MGM Resorts, said, “Responsibility has long been a core value at MGM Resorts and guides our leadership in the industry, and it’s vital for responsible gaming to be reflected in everything that bears the MGM name. Having the industry come together with a unified approach and standards puts the best interests of our guests, customers, and their families at the forefront. It’s the right thing to do for our customers, our industry and our businesses.”
The six market-leading operators endorse the following statement and 12 principles for responsible online gaming:
We, the signatories, pledge to observe the following responsible gaming principles across all our online gaming related activities and to encourage all affiliated third parties, including but not be limited to content providers, social media influencers, social media accounts and brand ambassadors, to also adhere to these principles:
- We take active steps to prevent underage and excluded individuals from participating in any form of gaming within our products;
- We help patrons make informed choices about their gaming. We provide easy to read information about how to play, provide responsible gaming tools including information on how to access and use such tools; and provide other related information, including information about a toll-free helpline, as well as resources for those who are seeking support related to their gaming;
- We support the adoption and effective promotion of a unified nationwide responsible gaming toll-free helpline;
- We abide by applicable standards of socially responsible advertising, including compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and standards, and we avoid using minors in marketing content. We only use actors and company representatives in advertising and social media relating to gaming who reasonably appear to be above the legal age to gamble;
- We provide our customers with tools to play responsibly, including but not to limited to self-exclusion tools, financial and other account limits as well as customer betting histories;
- We abide by all self-exclusion rules and regulations, and provide resources to individuals who make the choice to self-exclude;
- We encourage patrons to set a budget that they can afford to and never play beyond their means, and not view gaming as a means to financial success;
- We encourage patrons to set time and financial limits on their gaming and stick to them, not to chase losses;
- We believe in a shared responsibility approach to addressing problem gaming and are committed to working with policy makers, academic experts and researchers, problem gaming treatment organizations, advocacy groups, and our partners as well as with our customers to promote responsible gaming and address problem gaming;
- We support funding for evidence-based problem and responsible gaming research;
- We provide all applicable employees with responsible gaming training upon hire and regularly thereafter, in order to embed responsible gaming culture in our businesses and
- We are committed to evaluating and continuously monitoring our respective responsible gaming programs and initiatives.
Compliance Updates
Brazilâs Ministry of Finance Appoints RĂ©gis Dudena as Secretary of Prizes and Betting
Regis Dudena, a seasoned lawyer with expertise in Public and Regulatory Law, has been appointed as the new Secretary of Prizes and Betting at the Ministry of Finance in Brazil. Dudenaâs appointment ordinance is signed by Rui Costa, Minister of the Civil House.
The new secretary had already been visiting the Ministry of Finance and getting closer to the entire group at the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, until then led by Simone Vicentini, deputy secretary.
The appointment of the lawyer is attributed to the Executive Secretary of Finance, Dario Durigan. Dario and Dudena worked together at PalĂĄcio do Planalto during Dilma Rousseffâs government.
Both worked in the Legal Affairs secretariat of the Civil House. Dudena’s name is linked to other names on the left. He has good relations with Edinho Silva (PT), mayor of Araraquara (SP).
The SPA started operating two months ago. Since then, it had been without a permanent boss. Lawyer José Francisco Manssur, special advisor to the Ministry of Finance who coordinated the regulation of sports betting from the beginning, was the most likely to take on the position. But he was exonerated under pressure from Centrão politicians.
Bets representatives welcomed the name RĂ©gis Dudena.
From the beginning, the SPA was under the responsibility of Simone Vicentini, appointed as deputy secretary. Since then, it has edited the ordinances that defined requirements for laboratory accreditation and the sectorâs regulatory policy.
Under her supervision, three laboratories have already been approved, GLI, eCogra, and BMM. Last week, the ordinance establishing the rules for payment transactions to be complied with by sports betting and online gaming operators was also published.
Compliance Updates
Arkansas Casino Seeks iGaming Approval
An Arkansas casino is seeking approval to operate an iGaming app, allowing people within the state to go online to play casino games such as slots, blackjack, craps and more.
On March 13, Carlton Saffa, Chief Market Officer for the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, wrote to Arkansas Racing Commission Chairman Alex Lieblong asking for a change in the rules to allow Internet casino gambling, which is often referred to as iGaming or iCasino platforms.
On Monday, Saffa told Gambling.com he hopes to appear before the Arkansas Racing Commission on May 6 seeking approval to offer iGaming. The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates all gambling matters in the state including horse racing and casino games.
iGaming Doesn’t Hurt Bricks-And-Mortar Casinos: Saffa
Nationwide, only a half dozen states from Michigan to Connecticut offer Internet casino gambling. Arkansas would be the first in its region with iGaming, permitting users who want to log onto a computer or download an app to play traditional casino games for money. Other states in the region already offer sports betting.
In his March 13 letter to state regulators, Saffa said estimates indicate Internet casino gambling from the Saracen Casino Resort alone would generate an additional $12 million in taxes annually for the state. Internet casino gambling, or iGaming, generally raises more tax revenue than sports betting in states that have both.
However, in some states without iGaming, casino operators have fought legalization, contending customers wonât visit a bricks-and-mortar casinos and spend money at restaurants and on other amenities including entertainment and lodging if they can log onto cellphones or computers and gamble from anywhere. In his letter to state regulators, Saffa pointed to research showing iGaming doesnât cannibalize bricks-and-mortar casinos but instead gives them âa liftâ.
State Rule Change Required
Arkansas already allows online poker, though that has not been made available to consumers, Saffa said. He said the ability to allow iGaming would require the Arkansas Racing Commission to amend a rule to include Internet casino games in addition to the currently legal online card games such as poker.
âA solution exists by amending ARC Rule 5, which already authorizes online poker, to include other types of table games and slots,â Saffa told Gambling.com on Monday. âDoing so would provide significant tax revenues to government and, just as important, ensure that operators be held accountable by the government. Given that we have seen online operators in the fantasy sports space ignore cease and desist demands from the state, merely attempting to police the matter is not a workable solution.â
Saffa recently made a similar argument on the topic of unregulated gambling, telling Gambling.com on The Edge he opposes a ban on college player props bets, saying, âSunlight is the best disinfectant.â
âPeople in Arkansas are already gambling in online casinos and those companies are not regulated or taxed by the Arkansas Racing Commission,â Saffa said Monday. âThose companies are not held to the standards the people of Arkansas set forth for operators to include that a customer must be 21.â
Compliance Updates
U.S. INTEGRITY AND ODDS ON COMPLIANCE ANNOUNCE REBRAND AS INTEGRITY COMPLIANCE 360
Following the successful completion of their merger, U.S. Integrity and Odds On Compliance Launch IC360, Establishing the One-Stop-Shop Standard for Integrity and Compliance Solutions
U.S. Integrity and Odds On Compliance announced the completion of their merger and the launch of the combined entityâs new name, Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360). The merger cements IC360 as the unequivocal global leader in delivering best-in-class integrity and compliance regtech products and services for the sports betting and gaming sector.
IC360 will leverage the combined expertise, resources, and industry knowledge of U.S. Integrity and Odds On Compliance to continue delivering innovative solutions that empower organizations to achieve and maintain the highest standards of integrity and compliance.
“The coming together of U.S. Integrity and Odds On Compliance represents a strategic alignment of values and a shared commitment to excellence,â said IC360 CEO Matt Holt, formerly CEO of U.S. Integrity. âAs IC360, we are dedicated to providing our clients with 360-degree solutions that address their unique compliance challenges, ensuring they can operate with integrity and confidence in today’s complex regulatory environment.”
The strategic unification of these two prominent organizations reflects a commitment to providing unparalleled compliance and integrity solutions in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. âOur vision is clear: to help lead our industry forward on compliance and integrity standards, empowering our partners to raise the bar. We believe the IC360 brand represents just that. This is only the beginning of an exciting chapter for Integrity Compliance 360,” commented Eric Frank, President of IC360, formerly CEO of Odds On Compliance. The merger creates a comprehensive and dynamic suite of solutions and services.
IC360âs portfolio of services includes integrity monitoring, compliance advisory, and education, along with established products like the Integrity Monitoring dashboard, a foundational product for monitoring real-time sports integrity issues, PlayBookAI, the robust online repository of sports betting laws and regulations, and ProhiBet, the pioneering solution for ensuring compliance for athletes, coaches, and staff.
âWith a comprehensive suite of services and leveraging the collective expertise of U.S. Integrity and Odds On Compliance, this is an evolution of a journey dedicated to setting industry benchmarks and creating a one-stop-shop for integrity and compliance needs,â added Scott Sadin, COO of IC360, formerly COO of U.S. Integrity. âIntegrity Compliance 360 looks forward to a future marked by continued growth, impactful partnerships, and a steadfast dedication to the highest standards of integrity and compliance.â
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