Compliance Updates
NGCB: Addendum 3 to April 21, 2020 Policy Memorandum
Procedures for Reopening after Temporary Closure Due to COVID-19
On April 21, 2020, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (“Board”) issued a Policy Memorandum related to Procedures for Reopening after Temporary Closure Due to COVID-19. The Board is providing the following additional information to licensees regarding reopening procedures.
1. Internal Audit Procedures: On May 29, 2020, the Board issued Addendum 1 to the April 21, 2020 Policy Memorandum. This addendum granted a waiver to allow certain internal audit procedures, required pursuant to Regulation 6.090(15), for calendar year 2020 to only be performed if a licensee operates an applicable gaming or entertainment area for three consecutive full months or more during 2020. The Board is extending this waiver to allow licensees with calendar business years to reduce the required procedures for table games and slots from a semi-annual requirement to an annual requirement for calendar year 2020. This reduction would include completion of the MICS Compliance – General Walk-through – All Procedures Checklist for both table games and slots.
2. Branch Office Visits: The Internal Audit Compliance Checklist – Branch Offices Walk-Through Procedures requires that “branch offices and/or independent agents that either took possession of more than $500,000 (cash or non-cash) in deposits or collected, in total, more than $500,000 (cash or non-cash) on credit instruments during the previous fiscal year, or more than $500,000 in the fiscal year to date are visited and compliance reviewed at least every other year. Branch offices not meeting the aforementioned $500,000 criteria are visited and compliance reviewed at least once every five years.” Any branch office and/or independent agents that are scheduled to be visited in 2020, based on the preceding criteria, may either be 1) “visited” through video conferencing and online document inspection, or 2) deferred until 2021.
3. In-House Progressive Payoffs: For progressive payoff schedules that were removed from the floor due to the Governor’s Declaration of Emergency – Directive 002 dated March 18, 2020, the time period to either put a progressive payoff schedule back on the casino floor or to distribute the entire incremental amount, pursuant to Regulation 5.110(5), is being extended to October 1, 2020.
4. Extended Business Closures: Pursuant to NGC Regulation 9.010(2), a licensee that ceases gaming “for a period exceeding 1 month” must either surrender their gaming license or obtain authorization from the Board to remain closed for “longer periods.” However, under current gaming regulations, any such authorization “will not permit closing for an entire calendar quarter.”
Generally, the Board will interpret Regulation 9 to contemplate closures that are within the control of the gaming licensee. Accordingly, the Board will not include periods of mandatory closure when determining the applicability of NGC Regulation 9.010(2). Therefore, the Board will calculate the “period exceeding 1 month” to commence June 4, 2020, the date that gaming licensees were permitted to reopen. Thus, a licensee that has not resumed gaming on or before July 6, 2020 must either surrender their license or request authorization from the Board to remain closed for a Addendum 2 to April 21, 2020 Policy Memorandum
Compliance Updates
Tennessee Sports Wagering Council Takes Action Against Illegal Sportsbook
The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council through its executive director issued $50,000 in fines to Bovada.lv, an unlicensed and therefore illegal sportsbook operating in Tennessee.
Bovada failed to comply with cease and desist letters delivered to addresses in Curaçao, and Council investigators placed wagers through Bovada’s platform on three separate occasions, including as recently as October 16, 2024.
The Sports Gaming Act authorizes the Council to impose a $10,000 fine for the first offense of accepting wagers without a license, which rises to $15,000 for the second offense, and $25,000 for the third offense. Subsequent offenses may lead to the imposition of a $25,000 fine for each occurrence, an occurrence being a single wager accepted in Tennessee.
In the cease and desist letters, the Council ordered Bovada to allow all Tennessee users to withdraw any funds currently held by the unlicensed sportsbook.
“The Sports Wagering Council recommends that Tennessee users of Bovada withdraw their funds immediately. Our primary role is the protection of the public interest through a safe, regulated environment, and Tennessee sports bettors need to know that just because they can access a sports betting website or app inside Tennessee’s borders does not mean it is licensed to do business here,” Mary Beth Thomas, Executive Director of Tennessee Sports Wagering Council, said.
Legal sportsbook operators provide important bettor protections not found in the illegal market. If an individual wagers with unlicensed sportsbooks, their sensitive financial and personal information may not be protected and could even be shared with criminal enterprises. The bettor’s money could be withheld or disappear without a way to recover it.
The SWC is working closely with its network of law enforcement at the state and federal level to eradicate illegal sportsbooks such as Bovada and others.
Tennessee is the largest “online-only” sports betting market in the US, with more than $4.7 billion wagered in Tennessee last fiscal year through online sportsbooks licensed by the Council.
Compliance Updates
Delasport Ready for Brazil Expansion
Award-winning iGaming supplier Delasport has just positioned itself as the most progressive supplier to date by meeting the new Brazilian regulation requirements for Sports Betting and Online Casino. The global technology developer has taken all required measures to comply in terms of certifications, Data vault integration, payment providers, KYC, AML, and much more.
Delasport’s team of over 400 experts worldwide are advancing to deliver its renowned products and services to the Brazilian market. They have partnered with GLI (Gaming Laboratories International) – the leading certification lab approved by the Brazilian Ministry of Finance.
So far, Delasport is fully certified against GLI-33 and GLI-19 – the standards that have inspired regulators in Latin America and likely in Brazil. Additionally, the team is in the process of submitting the platform for certification against Brazilian technical standards. Delasport is also advancing rapidly through data quality testing of its integration with the SIGAP Datavault system.
Key Advantages
Operators that plan on entering the newly regulated Brazilian market will have numerous advantages if they partner with Delasport. They will be able to provide their players with personalization features like My Sportsbook, My Event Builder, My Combo, and My Casino that skyrocket revenues and retention.
Furthermore, Delasport’s KYC and AML provider is a market leader that guarantees the highest level of compliance for all operators that choose to go on this route.
Also, Delasport has already partnered with numerous PIX payment system operators and provides a real-time AI-powered Responsible Gambling system which can easily adapt to local regulations.
Another key advantage is the strong relationship with third-party casino suppliers that will soon be able to provide their exciting portfolios to this thrilling jurisdiction.
Last, but not least, operators will feel Delasport’s support from the get-go all the way to establishing themselves as a market leader. Delasport is knowledgeable of the cultural and regional differences within Brazil and can address all localization needs before they arise.
“Delasport stands on a solid foundation of experience, supplying Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 operators in highly regulated markets globally”, the company’s CCO Filippo Ferri comments. ‘This makes Delasport fully equipped to assist operators navigating complex platforms or adapting to modern jurisdictional requirements, such as Brazil’s.’
The supplier’s VP of Business Development Rosaire Galea Cavallaro adds: ‘It’s a great privilege to enter such a vast and exciting market with the confidence that we’ve gained at Delasport throughout the years. We’re looking forward to seeing our product in action in a new territory, achieving and maintaining solid margins for our partners, keeping the record of having double digit margins in sports betting and helping them scale with ease in both verticals to generate maximum revenue for their brands.’
Canada
IAGR announces Toronto as host city for 2025 conference
Hot on the heels of its most attended conference in history, the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) is excited to announce that its 2025 conference will take place in Toronto, Canada, from October 20 to 23, 2025.
The event will be held in partnership with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) at the Westin Harbour Castle, offering stunning waterfront views and a premier, downtown Toronto location.
‘Fresh off the success of our Rome conference, we’re thrilled to continue the momentum with next year’s event in Toronto,’ said Ben Haden, IAGR President.
‘The IAGR 2025 conference promises to be another unparalleled opportunity for our global community to come together, collaborate and shape the future of gaming regulation. We’re looking forward to working with AGCO to bring it all together.’
AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr, added, ‘We’re excited to welcome IAGR and its members to Toronto. This partnership provides a great opportunity to share Ontario’s innovative regulatory practices and foster meaningful discussions that drive positive change in the industry.’
Stay tuned for registration details early next year.
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