Compliance Updates

The role of tech in compliance

Published

2 years ago

August 11, 2022

The development of tech is an important part of compliance, and Compliable is at the forefront of recent advances and how it can aid regulators. Compliable’s CEO, Chris Oltyan, discusses upcoming enhancements to the Compliable platform from a tech perspective

The gambling industry is heavily reliant on tech in product development, is tech however being underutilised from a compliance point of view and what pitfalls can be avoided by tech?

Useful technology takes time and expertise to build, and we are really seeing the first wave of solutions hitting the market now. We needed experts to know how to deal with the new realities of compliance in a fast-moving multi-jurisdictional setting, and then tech entrepreneurs to deliver solutions with those experts. After all, you can’t use tech to solve problems unless you really understand the problems you are trying to solve. The problems best suited for technology to solve are things that humans must do over and over again, in a painfully repetitive process. In particular, if you look at the evolution of most tech tools, it starts with creating a manual process to manage a task, and usually ends with a complicated spreadsheet that someone will invariably forget to update. This then leads to outsourcing to a company that will use software to keep track of all the details. Filling out forms is a great example of a place where a repetitive but high value task can cause serious issues if it is done wrong. There are always exceptions, but if 90% of things are automated it frees up the workforce to deal with the difficult stuff.

Are regulators exploring tech advancements enough and is there more the industry can do to support regulators, especially with the fast evolution of online gambling regulation in the US?

The short answer is no, but that is unfair to the regulators. Regulators are often given incredibly tight timelines to go live with igaming and sports betting, and that doesn’t afford great options for exploring the incredibly vast world of technology. Add to that the fact that few industry specific technological solutions exist and it’s no surprise that a regulator moves forward with whatever they have on hand. The industry can absolutely help regulators solve these problems. Industry associations IAGA and IAGR helped to establish the Multi-Jurisdictional Personal History Disclosure Form (MJPHD) but developing additional standards could really help the adoption of practices that would allow technology to be used more broadly in the space. I’m not even talking about getting jurisdictions to agree on standard forms or naming as finding ways for states to adopt standards around digital fingerprints could dramatically improve efficiency for the entire industry. Also, I think the industry must be sensitive to the fact that regulators are often tied to their respective legislation. Finding ways for states to have both flexibility and security is hard with new technologies, but we should be working collectively as an industry to find ways and define standards that meet everyone’s needs.

Is there a danger of relying too much on tech as legislation and regulation further advances?

There have definitely been cases where an early technology seemed like a slam dunk but ended up causing problems because it got locked into the official regulatory framework. To avoid this, adopting industry wide standards for tech implementations allows healthy competition while still providing an optimized path forward. If every regulator adopts different technologies to enforce compliance, the burden to the industry to support and accommodate every one of those platforms becomes untenable.

Compliable started off offering a module to license customer support and engineering staff, with the offering now being expanded to include business entities, executives, and board members. Where have the challenges been in building your platform?

The hardest part of developing our platform was simply all the variance in what the regulators ask for. Getting a computer to fill out forms isn’t hard. The complicated part is getting something that can recognize the hundreds of questions regulators ask, figure out the commonalities, capture that data elegantly, and intelligently use it to fill in forms so we can collect data once and then allow that to be used across a wide set of jurisdictions. Now that we have that in place it’s just rolling out new features every couple of days. There is such a clear direction we have from our customers that our roadmap pretty much plans itself, and we just try to keep up with the demand.

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What else can we expect from Compliable going forward?

Licensing compliance doesn’t stop with filling out a form and our goal is to make the entire process as easy as possible for our customers. There are so many things that a company needs to track on compliance that can dramatically impact their business so licences shouldn’t be the thing that takes up all their time. From onboarding new employees and directors, to applying for new jurisdictions, to tracking renewals, to submitting electronically to a regulator so you don’t have to print out a small forest worth of applications, we believe we can provide automation across the entire chain. Also, expect us to continue to have new jurisdictions supported on the platform within days of the forms being published, because the industry doesn’t seem to be slowing down its expansion across the US anytime soon.

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Compliance Updates

Michigan Gaming Control Board Orders MyBookie.ag to Cease Operations in the State

Published

3 days ago

January 27, 2025

Niji Narayan

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Duranbah Limited N.V., the operator of MyBookie.ag, based in Curaçao. The site offers a variety of casino-style games, such as slots, poker, and live-dealer games like blackjack, roulette, and craps. It also allows users to place bets on sporting events and horse races.

MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams stressed the agency’s dedication to safeguarding consumers and ensuring compliance with Michigan’s gaming regulations.

“Our investigation into MyBookie.ag found that their operations were accessible to Michigan citizens, which violates state laws. We are taking strong action to uphold the principles of fair and legal gaming,” Williams said.

MyBookie.ag offers numerous payment methods for deposits and the funding of players’ accounts, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal, various cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and others), and MoneyGram. However, withdrawals can only be made via Bitcoin or bank wire transfer.

The MGCB’s investigation revealed that MyBookie.ag’s operation of online casino-style games for paying customers, without a valid Michigan gambling license, breaches several state laws, including:

• Lawful Internet Gaming Act: Internet gaming is only permitted by licensed operators. Only casinos licensed under the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act and federally authorized tribal casinos within Michigan may apply for such a license.

• Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act: Operating a gambling business without an MGCB-issued license is a felony, carrying penalties of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, or both.

• Michigan Penal Code: Gambling, which involves consideration, prize, and chance, is broadly prohibited. Accepting money or anything of value with the understanding that it will be paid based on the outcome of an uncertain event is illegal.

Duranbah Limited N.V. has 14 days from receipt of the letter to cease offering gambling services to Michigan residents, as required by the cease-and-desist letter. If the company fails to comply, the MGCB is prepared to collaborate with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office for further legal actions.

Compliance Updates

MGCB Executive Director Applauds Reappointment of Board Member Deidre A. Lambert-Bounds by Governor

Published

6 days ago

January 24, 2025

Niji Narayan

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has announced the reappointment of Troy resident and Board member Deidre A. Lambert-Bounds by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. This reappointment reaffirms the governor’s confidence in Lambert-Bounds’ dedication, integrity, and invaluable contribution to the agency’s mission of ensuring a fair and transparent gaming environment.

MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams expressed deep appreciation for the governor’s decision, noting that Lambert-Bounds’ continued leadership will greatly benefit the agency.

“Board member Lambert-Bounds has consistently demonstrated exceptional commitment and insight in regulating Michigan’s gaming industry, and we are thrilled to have her continue as a vital part of our Board. This reappointment is a testament to her unwavering dedication to upholding the highest standards of integrity and fairness,” said Williams.

Reappointed for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2028, Lambert-Bounds is the president and co-owner of Ignite Social Media LLC, and the chief operating officer and co-owner of its sister company, Carusele Media. She also serves on the executive boards of the Sphinx Organization, International Women’s Forum, and the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity.

The reappointment is Lambert-Bounds’ second four-year term of serving on the MGCB, representing Independents, for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2028. She previously served from July 22, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2024, and succeeded Barbara Smith, whose term expired Dec. 31, 2020.

The MGCB is responsible for implementing, administering, and enforcing the provisions of the law related to the licensure, regulation, and operations of the three authorized Detroit casinos — MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood Casino at Greektown. The agency also licenses and regulates fantasy contests, regulates pari-mutuel horse racing and casino-style charitable gaming (millionaire parties), and audits tribal gaming compact agreements for the state’s 12 federally recognized tribes.

The Board comprises five Michigan residents appointed by the Governor, with one member designated by the Governor as the chairperson. Under the Michigan Gaming Control & Revenue Act, no more than three members may belong to the same political party.

Compliance Updates

BMM Testlabs Earns Accreditation in Maranhão, Brazil To Test Fixed Odds Betting Systems and Lottery Platforms

Published

1 week ago

January 22, 2025

George Miller

BMM Testlabs Earns Accreditation in Maranhão, Brazil To Test Fixed Odds Betting Systems and Lottery Platforms

BMM Testlabs, the world’s original gaming test lab renowned for exceptional product compliance and testing services, today announced its official accreditation to test systems and games for the Brazilian state of Maranhão.

This new accreditation allows BMM Testlabs to test fixed-odds betting systems and lottery platforms for the Maranhão market. The Company is now authorized in every Brazilian jurisdiction that has regulated at state-level online fixed-odds betting.

The Maranhão accreditation, issued by Maranhão Parcerias SA (MAPA/LOTEMA), authorizes BMM Testlabs to work with lottery operators in the state to ensure compliance and quality standards for the gaming and lottery industry through end-to-end product compliance testing for Maranhão’s standards.

Additionally, Brazil’s Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas has federally authorized BMM Testlabs to test betting systems, live gaming studios, and online games used by fixed-odds betting operators.

BMM Testlabs’ Marzia Turrini, President of iGaming & Cybersecurity, said, “We are excited and deeply honored that the State of Maranhão’s official lottery has entrusted BMM Testlabs with the responsibility of testing products for their new online fixed odds betting program, knowing that we’ll do so with the highest levels of impartiality, technical expertise, transparency, efficiency, and, most of all, integrity.”

With the Maranhão accreditation, BMM Testlabs solidifies its position as the leading independent test lab in Brazil. BMM Testlabs is accredited in all jurisdictions that have authorized fixed-odds betting for online gaming and sports betting.

BMM Testlabs brings 44 years of global leadership in product compliance across regulated markets and is trusted by games, systems, and lottery manufacturers, suppliers, developers, and regulators worldwide.

In addition to product compliance testing, BMM Testlabs provides end-to-end cybersecurity protection solutions. Through its sister company, RG24seven Virtual Training, BMM also offers compliance-grade virtual training on responsible gaming, anti-money laundering, and other important topics – presented by industry experts and available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.