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Compliance Updates

Do the right thing

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Do the right thing

 

Joonas Karhu, Chief Business Officer at Bojoko.com, says that operators and affiliates in non-regulated markets should still be responsible

 

Online casino operators in regulated markets across Europe and beyond are now having to prioritise compliance and responsible gambling above all else.

This has seen many organisations create dedicated compliance teams, and invest heavily in strengthening the procedures and protocols they have in place to protect players.

They have also had to change the way they market to consumers and in particularly how they use affiliate sites to drive new players through their casino doors.

In the UK, for example, the Gambling Commission has made it clear that operators are ultimately responsible for the content published on their behalf.

This has mounted pressure on the relationship between operators and publishers; in addition, advertising watchdogs are also coming down hard on ads that are misleading.

The result is that it is becoming increasingly difficult for operators not playing by the rules; the only way to succeed in the long term is to act responsibly.

But what about those operating in grey markets in places like Eastern Europe? Do they need to change their approach even if there are no rules or regulator keeping watch?

Here at Bojoko, we believe that practicing and promoting responsible online gambling is the best way forward for all operators and affiliates, regardless of the market they are in.

There are several reasons for this:

  1. Happy and healthy players wager for longer

Players that wager within their means – even if this means setting limits on deposits/withdrawals/sessions – have a much longer lifetime value than those that don’t.

Providing players with the proper tools to help them remain in control of their play allows them to wager in a sensible and sustainable way and over a longer period of time.

It is something we believe strongly about and offer our readers tools to help them cool off or even self-exclude – we recently joined forces with gamban® to provide this.

What’s more, consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and know the difference between a reputable operator or affiliate and one that is not.

  1. Regulation is coming

While some Eastern European markets may not be regulated at present, that’s not to say they won’t be in the not too distant future.

Throughout Europe and further afield, markets that were once grey are now moving towards regulation with determination and at speed.

It is much better for operators – and affiliates – to have taken a responsible approach to their business before they are forced to do so by new rules coming into force.

It also helps with licensing if and when this becomes a requirement – regulators look more favourably on operators and publishers that have done the right thing from day one.

  1. Changing perceptions

The global online gambling industry is still grappling with a reputation issue and it is important for operators and affiliates to help change perceptions.

By taking a responsible and caring approach to players and helping them manage their wagering activity, online gambling brands can improve their reputation among consumers.

This doesn’t take a lot – all they have to do is provide the necessary tools and support, and to also rethink how they market to players and, in particular, the bonuses offered.

The more open, honest and transparent operators and affiliates can be the better.

Operators and affiliates must also work closely together to help spread responsible gambling messages and ensure players have all the information they need to make the right choices.

Doing the right thing, even if you don’t have to, may take additional effort now but it is the only way for operators in Eastern Europe to ensure success in the future.

And the best way of achieving this is to work with affiliates that understand responsible gambling and also put it at the top of their priorities.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

Compliance Updates

Twitch Ban on Crypto Casino Sponsored Streams

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Twitch Lays Out Rules & Regulations of Prohibited Gambling Content Policy 

Twitch, the popular live-streaming service for content, including music, sports, entertainment, and gaming, has officially implemented the terms and conditions of its gambling content policy. Twitch announced a new Gambling Policy Update on 20 September 2022, but it only came into effect on 18 October 2022.

According to the updated rules on the prohibition of gambling content, Twitch does not allow users to share affiliate codes, or links, to slots, dice games, or roulette sites. More specifically, Twitch live streamers are proscribed from performing the following:

  • No referral codes to slot sites are permitted in chats
  • Twitch users may not verbally direct chats to dice game sites
  • Live streamers may not include banners with links to online roulette games

According to the rules and regulations of the Prohibited Gambling Content Policy, several sites are now banned from streaming on Twitch. These include Roobet, Rollbit, Stake, and Duelbits. In addition, they may not be included as links in chat conversations either. 

In determining the permissibility of the site, Twitch contemplates multiple factors, notably the presence of safety and security measures (age verification, waiting periods, deposit limits, et al.).

Further, Twitch assesses the presence of VPNs as it pertains to the evasion of geo-blocking technology. Other factors that come into play include licensing and regulation of online gambling sites. Jurisdictions such as the US and Europe are notable for their robust customer protection policies. As such, these operators are more likely to enjoy protections from Twitch.

Significant Drop in the Slots Meta on Twitch

Reports from Big Win Board indicate that the slots meta has seen a drop in streaming activity from all prominent stake/crypto streamers. According to the report, the slots meta fell to #48 at the time of publication. That’s a significant drop from its heydays before the crackdown on crypto casinos and gambling content.

Fake streamers typically resort to view botting to accumulate views. Unfortunately, streamers have consistently exaggerated the numbers to create higher figures. Although streamers keep using view botting, the number should now be closer in reality.

Many targeted fake streamers used similar strategies to drive traffic from DLive to Twitch. To encourage viewers to view their streams, they offered giveaways. These actions could be considered a violation of Twitch’s updated terms and conditions.

The Twitch Ban Is Not A Blanket Ban on Gambling

While the Twitch ban on gambling  reads as a blanket ban on gambling, this is certainly not the case. Twitch maintains that gambling is permitted on the live streaming service, but the rules are sacrosanct. 

Live streamers who ignore the rules, or try to obviate them, may now face punitive measures. The new Prohibited Gambling Content Policy has left many Twitch users bemused, yet gambling is permitted, provided it follows several guidelines.

Twitch has not clarified the regulations pertaining to its updated gambling policy. However, the rules provide a general framework for gauging the permissibility of crypto casinos and casinos in general. According to those in the know, unregulated operators are front and center as targets of the new Twitch ban on gambling.

These operators are considered unsafe. However, since Amazon owns Twitch and the companies are based in the United States, it is safe to say that gambling websites licensed and regulated in the United States are safe to promote.

Twitch streamers are encouraged to validate whether the operator is licensed before actively promoting content online. Those who flout the rules risk a permanent ban on Twitch. Unfortunately, many such instances have already taken place, with scores of streamers potentially facing the same fate. As a case in point, when the ban went into effect on 18 October 2022, the majority of Stake streamers vanished from the platform.

While a small number tried to remain active – by flouting the regulations – they primarily view botting channels and spam. Once they were reported, they were immediately removed – a testament to Twitch’s determination to make good on its promise.

Many such examples abound, notably TrainwrecksTV – a prominent streamer on Twitch – who shifted from his typical gambling stream to Overwatch 2. Indeed, TrainwrecksTV’s meta fell out of the top 25 for the first time in many years as the streamer talked about doing podcasts or building his streaming platform.

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Compliance Updates

High 5 Casino receives MGA approval

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High 5 Casino receives MGA approval

 

Social casino enters the RMG market and launches on the company’s new Vault platform featuring Brain with Benefits technology 

High 5 Games, the world’s largest independent casino games provider, has been granted a B2C licence Type 1 by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), marking High 5 Casino’s approval to enter the real money gaming market.

The new online casino will launch on H5G’s proprietary iGaming platform, Vault, which is embedded with innovations that the company envisions will define the future of online and mobile gaming.

Vault incorporates the New York developer’s Brain with Benefits technology that monitors players in real time and at all stages of the customer lifecycle, and is set to revolutionise the whole user journey with a truly personalised experience.

The Brain, named Oracle, sits in the cloud and the machine learns player behaviour. Oracle is present and monitors:

  • Promotions and bonus management system
  • CRM and data segmentation
  • Content management
  • Player account management

The Benefits, personalised events, are then triggered automatically by Oracle’s Brain, both seamlessly and in real time, across the platform and games. These can range from small surprise game features to fully adaptive content libraries and user journeys.

This technology is based on Google’s artificial intelligence and machine learning frameworks. The technology from Google, a long-term iGaming partner of H5G, has been successfully used across High 5 Casino in the social casino world, as well as the company’s range of tentpole games, and will soon be rolled out across platform level and all games.

Vault platform is developed from H5G’s social casino, which is enjoyed by millions of players worldwide. Soon available for real money play, High 5 Casino will feature High 5 Games’ full portfolio of games, as well as a range of titles from leading third-party providers.

The Vault platform will also be made available to operators and platform providers, with the company exhibiting its technology at ICE London 2020 at Booth N1-421.

Anthony Singer, CEO of High 5 Games, said: “We’re really excited to be launching High 5 Casino into the real money gaming market. Vault with our Brain with Benefits technology is set to bring forth the next generation of online and mobile.

“Oracle the brain will be present at ICE London 2020, head to our booth to learn more about how this new technology will cleverly bring a new unprecedented gaming experience.”

High 5 Games will be demonstrating its full portfolio of products and services at Booth N1-421, between 4-6 February at ICE London 2020, London ExCeL.

 

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Compliance Updates

Wazdan set on global expansion as they enter 2020 with multiple licenses

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Wazdan set on global expansion as they enter 2020 with multiple licenses

Wazdan set their sights on worldwide expansion as they tally up their licenses and certifications, and strategise on what’s next for their international customer base.

Following on from a significant year of international expansion, the innovative slot game producer is looking to the year ahead with big ambitions on how to please their global audience of players and operators.

As of today, Wazdan games have been licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, Curacao eGaming and Romanian National Gambling Office ONJN. Not to mention, being certified and able to offer their products in Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.

With these new licenses and certifications, Wazdan have been able to further cement their place as a leading slot producer on a global scale, where brands across the world have clamoured to offer their games, and players have got to enjoy a taste of the tailorable games unique to the Wazdan brand.

This has, of course, come as a result of hard work from the team at Wazdan. The operation of the casino software developer in these countries aids in their expansion strategy into key controlled markets around the world, such as Mexico and Sweden.

2019 saw the entry of Wazdan into the Swedish market through partners Kindred, Mr Green, Hero Gaming, and others, as well as into Mexico via their partnership with Logrand.

Looking at the year ahead, Wazdan continues to hold ambitious plans. More games, more licenses and more happy customers, being the top three focusses for 2020.

Be sure to visit the team at ICE London on stand S8-202 between the 4th to 6th of February to discuss what 2020 has in store, and to discover brand new games, including Black Horse Deluxe™, Sonic Reels, and Sic Bo Dragons.

“2020 is officially in full swing, and we could not be more excited and energised to push forward into the year ahead. We closed off 2019 with our games reaching an audience wider than ever before, and we intend to spend 2020 reaching further, both in terms of international expansion and in what we can do to delight players and operators through our games. Visit us on stand S8-202 at ICE London for an enthusiastic conversation about all things gaming and innovation.” Andrzej Hyla, Head of Sales at Wazdan.

 

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