Compliance Updates
Gambling.com Group Limited Welcomes Legalization of Online Sports Betting in North Carolina
Gambling.com Group Limited (Nasdaq: GAMB), a leading provider of player acquisition services for the regulated global online gambling industry, today noted the signing of House Bill (HB) 347 to allow legal, regulated online sports betting across North Carolina – becoming the 28th state to do so. HB 347 requires the state lottery to publish online sports betting regulations by January 8, 2024, and to authorize sports betting operators to start accepting wagers within one year from today.
The legalization of online sports betting in North Carolina is a highlight for Gambling.com Group Limited’s co-founders and Charlotte natives, Charles Gillespie and Kevin McCrystle, who during their time at UNC Chapel Hill started the business that would become Gambling.com Group Limited in 2006. With no regulated online gambling in the United States at the time, Gillespie and McCrystle left North Carolina to build a fully-licensed performance marketing business focused on online gambling with the regulated United Kingdom and Ireland markets as the group’s initial core.
In 2018, the Gambling.com Group Limited turned its focus back to the United States after the Supreme Court invalidated the federal prohibition on sports betting. In the years since, Gambling.com Group’s business in North America has grown from under $2 million in revenue in 2019 to nearly $36 million for the 2022 full-year period.
Today, the Gambling.com Group Limited has its primary United States office in Charlotte, which the Charlotte Business Journal described as one of the ‘Best Places to Work’ in 2022. In his role of Chief Operating Officer, McCrystle is now once again based in Charlotte and leads the local North Carolina team in addition to overseeing the group’s global operations, which employ over 400 full-time employees and contractors.
“Kevin and I started our journey to build the pre-eminent online gambling affiliate operator in 2006 from an idea that formed in a dorm room in Chapel Hill and which quickly led us abroad to find regulated markets where we could apply our expertise and passion,” the Chief Executive Officer for Gambling.com Group Limited, Charles Gillespie, said. “Our journey to building one of the world’s leading online gambling performance marketing companies has now come full circle with the legalization of online sports betting in North Carolina. I applaud and congratulate the state’s General Assembly leaders and Governor Cooper for making regulated online sports betting a reality. The next generation of North Carolina entrepreneurs will be able to dive straight into opportunities in this exciting industry.”
Gambling.com Group Limited stands ready to apply its proven formula in North Carolina to help residents and visitors identify, assess and access the online sportsbooks that will be regulated by the North Carolina Lottery. The group helps licensed online gambling operators acquire players through its portfolio of websites including Gambling.com, Bookies.com, RotoWire.com and the soon-to-launch Casinos.com as well as state-specific websites like BetCarolina.com, which the group launched in March of 2022 to help residents find up-to-date information on North Carolina-specific sports betting topics such as legislative updates, breaking news about the push for regulation and betting coverage of local teams as well as through the Charlotte Observer, Raleigh News & Observer and the Durham Herald-Sun via the group’s media partnership with The McClatchy Company.
“After traveling all around the world helping to expand regulated betting markets, it is amazing to finally be home in North Carolina and have access to legal online sports betting,” McCrystle said. “Our talented team in North Carolina and across the globe are well positioned to help operators and customers in the ‘Tarheel State’ succeed as the legal North American sports betting industry continues to grow and succeed.”
Performance marketing companies, or affiliates, such as Gambling.com Group Limited, are a critical tool for regulators to channel customers toward their new legal sports betting options and away from offshore sportsbooks, which are subject to minimal oversight, are not taxed and provide risks to players’ deposits and winnings. As an online resource for sports betting, affiliates help millions of customers make informed decisions on where to place their wagers and therefore must be held to stringent standards of responsibility and safety. Gambling.com Group Limited works hand-in-hand with regulated sports betting operators and is an integral part of the ecosystem in establishing and maintaining the sustainability of the legal market, which will begin to provide consumer protection for North Carolina sports bettors.
Gambling.com Group Limited believes that North Carolina will not only grow jobs in the state but will keep revenue that is currently flowing to neighboring states such as Virginia and Tennessee where sports betting has been regulated for years, not to mention offshore websites.
North Carolina’s population of nearly eleven million adults has the potential to become one of the largest sports betting markets in the United States. Legislators forecast more than $100 million in tax revenue a year within five years of sports betting launching in the state. Gambling.com Group Limited enables sportsbook operators to acquire customers without broadcasting highly-visible advertising on television, which impacts everyone, including young people. Because affiliates predominantly provide resources to motivated consumers actively seeking out information, companies like Gambling.com Group Limited are an ideal alternative to traditional advertising in the industry.
According to a recent survey conducted by BetCarolina.com, nearly 16% of North Carolina adults already bet on sports and 31% said they are either ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to bet when the state launches sports betting statewide. A quarter of those surveyed said they would bet at least monthly and nearly half said they would bet at least once a year.
Canada
AGCO issues $110,000 in penalties to BetMGM Canada for offering cash to induce new gambling customers
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has served BetMGM Canada Inc. with an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) of $110,000 for violations of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.
In two separate incidents in 2024, BetMGM engaged marketing companies who offered cash to members of the public in return for opening new BetMGM accounts. The marketing activities occurred in public forums, such as a major national trade conference. Under AGCO’s Standards, operators are responsible for the conduct of their third-party suppliers who are contracted to support the operator’s Ontario gaming business, and must require their third-parties to meet Ontario laws, regulations and standards (Standard 1.19).
Ontario is one of the first jurisdictions in the world to establish and enforce rules that strictly limit high-risk inducement advertising and marketing in the online gambling industry. Registered iGaming operators are prohibited from offering gambling inducements, bonuses and credits as part of their broad public advertising and marketing activities (Standard 2.05). These Standards exist to protect Ontarians from predatory advertising and promotional marketing practices in order to limit the risk of gambling-related harm.
A registered operator served with an OMP by the AGCO has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.
QUOTE
“Responsible gambling safeguards and the protection of Ontarians on registered gaming sites is among our key priorities. The AGCO monitors the activities of all registered operators and their third-party suppliers to ensure they are meeting our high standards and we continue to take strong action to ensure they operate within the public interest.”
Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar – AGCO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BetMGM Canada Inc. failed to comply with the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. Specifically, the licensee failed to comply with the following provisions of the Standards:
- 1.19 Operators are responsible for the actions of third parties with whom they contract for the provision of any aspect of the Operator’s business related to gaming in Ontario and must require the third party to conduct themselves in so far as they carry out activities on behalf of the operator as if they were bound by the same laws, regulations, and standards.
- 2.05 Advertising and marketing materials that communicate gambling inducements, bonuses and credits are prohibited, except on an operator’s gaming site and through direct advertising and marketing, after receiving active player consent.
Contrary to the Standards, BetMGM Canada Inc. and/or their affiliates allegedly engaged in the following activities:
| a) | On or about January 13 and 14, 2024, BetMGM representatives were alleged to have attended the National Franchise Show and were offering $100 in cash to new players for opening a new account and depositing $15. |
| b) | On or about March 11, 2024, BetMGM acknowledged that its marketing affiliate “Above the Street” had engaged in prohibited inducement marketing. The conduct resulted in 377 player sign-ups and $127,180.00 in commissions to “Above the Street”. |
| c) | On or about April 13, 2024, another BetMGM marketing affiliate “Maple Leaf Marketing” engaged in prohibited inducements and marketing to induce on-site activations and acquire new players. The conduct resulted in 94 player sign-ups and about $34,000.00 in commissions paid to “Maple Leaf Marketing”. |
4ThePlayer has officially received game certification for the Brazilian iGaming market, reinforcing its commitment to regulated markets worldwide. This milestone enables the company to bring its acclaimed player-first gaming experiences to a brand-new audience.
Approved by Gaming Associates and eCogra, these certifications allow licensed operators in Brazil, to offer 4ThePlayer’s high-quality, player-centric games through their existing platform integrations with Relax Gaming and Yggdrasil.
Certified game titles include 4 Fantastic Fish, 4K Ultra Gold, and 5 Wild Buffalo as well as their innovative and unique table games 100 Bit Dice and 1000x Busta, all top-performing, player-favorite releases. Moving forward, all 4ThePlayer games will be certified for Brazil from day one.
Beyond its existing portfolio, 4ThePlayer is committed to delivering region-tailored content, leveraging its local team in Brazil to develop engaging, culturally relevant gaming experiences set to launch later this year. The first one of these titles is 4 Fantastic Fish Amazon Adventure, the latest in their player favourite 4 Fantastic series, coming via Yggdrasil in April.
Henry McLean, Co-Founder, Commercial & Marketing Director at 4ThePlayer, expressed his enthusiasm: “We are thrilled to bring our unique, player-centric games to Brazil, a market full of energy and potential. These game certifications are a major milestone, reinforcing our dedication to regulated markets and delivering best-in-class entertainment. We look forward to collaborating with operators and creating unforgettable gaming experiences for Brazilian players.”
With this certification, 4ThePlayer continues its mission of providing exceptional, player-focused gaming worldwide, ensuring its engaging and innovative titles reach new markets and audiences.
SOFTSWISS, a leading iGaming software provider, continues its expansion in LATAM by obtaining certification for the Peruvian market for its Jackpot Aggregator, a comprehensive player engagement solution. This follows the recent certification of the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator in Brazil.
The certification was achieved through GLI, an accredited testing laboratory, ensuring that the Jackpot Aggregator meets all technical and legal requirements set by Peruvian authorities.
The online casino segment in Peru has seen steady ARPU growth, increasing from 181 dollars in 2017 to a projected 513 dollars by 2028. Similarly, online sports betting has shown consistent growth, with ARPU rising from 319 dollars to 453 dollars over the same period.
The SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator effectively caters to both segments, as it can be seamlessly integrated with sportsbooks and online casinos, even those based on third-party platforms. Also, SOFTSWISS recently announced the launch of the first Network Jackpot for Sportsbooks, a rare and effective engagement tool in the market.
Angelina Stasiuk, Head of Business Line at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, commented: “When it comes to player retention and engagement while delivering an exciting entertainment experience, the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator offers a powerful solution. It allows operators to easily configure and implement a variety of mechanics, from multi-level prizes to branded jackpots. We are excited that these effective tools are now available for the Peruvian market.”
The Jackpot Aggregator can also be seamlessly integrated with the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, which is also certified for the Peruvian market.
The SOFTSWISS team will be available to discuss sweepstakes, social casino segments and partnerships at SiGMA Americas in São Paulo, Brazil, from 7 to 10 April.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds several gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
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