It’s no secret that the European gambling sector is being strangled by increasing regulations. 

Operators are under increasing pressure to tighten up AML and KYC processes and comply with more stringent marketing and responsible gambling demands. Meanwhile, providers are wrestling with stringent requirements on technical compliance.

Aside from the financial burden this can impose, it also creates an additional administrative burden. Compliance teams either increase in size or are hamstrung by the additional pressure, and attention is diverted away from the sector’s primary and ostensible objective: providing entertainment for players. 

So operators are seeking to streamline the compliance process to ensure that, A: they do remain compliant, and B: they still make a healthy profit. 

One solution that BetComply brought to the market in the last 12 months is ComplyCheck, a self-assessment tool operators can use to examine their readiness for licence applications and ongoing compliance capabilities. 

Specifically tailored for some of the industry’s tightest regulatory frameworks and some of the evolving regimes such as the UK, the Netherlands and Ontario, ComplyCheck equips operators with a single, integrated solution to quickly and effectively analyse compliance. 

“It’s not another AI solution trying to automate things – it’s an easy-to-use platform allowing you to make better assessments and bring in experts where needed,” said Mike De Graaff, Chief Compliance Officer at BetComply.

De Graaff told SBC News that the tool is for many more stakeholders than just operators. 

“If you are a game provider or aggregator, wanting to actually understand technical requirements of certain markets, or check if your product is market-ready before certification, use ComplyCheck,” he said.

“If you’re an operator seeking to understand your current compliance position in areas like AML or Duty of Care/Responsible Gaming, use ComplyCheck. If you’re a licensed software supplier aiming to know your exact responsibilities, use ComplyCheck.”

The self-assessment tool is conducted via a questionnaire that turns complex regulatory requirements into simplified syntax. 

“We created, for each of them, modules where you can assess yourself in a portal, in plain English, whether you are ready, compliant or whether you have gaps,” De Graaff added. “And if you need expert advice from us, you can receive it with one click in the same portal.”

Since rolling out, there have been positive comments from those companies which have relied on ComplyCheck to complete their compliance checks. It has had a considerable impact on BetComply’s clients, removing barriers and increasing the ability for operators to remain compliant without costs spiralling out of control.

“It creates a shorter time-to-market by passing certification of games in the first instance,” De Graaff explained. “Better visibility on the state of compliance throughout the company’s layers, not just whether the compliance team knows what to do.

One company in particular is PlayNorth, which utilised ComplyCheck for its Netherlands Duty of Care assessment.

A company spokesperson told SBC News: “Using the ComplyCheck self-assessment audit tool was a game-changer for our responsible gaming frameworks. The tool’s intuitive interface and BetComply’s timely support empowered us to not only meet industry standards but also to enhance our compliance processes, providing substantial value to our operations during the audit process.”

While helping even the most experienced compliance officer to get through these increasingly laborious processes, another benefit of ComplyCheck is its ability to help more junior members of compliance teams to understand complexities and develop their skills. 

De Graaff said that this was a key aspect of the product’s development.

“It’s one of our core aims. By presenting everything in plain English, we enable all relevant team members to navigate the requirements, even if they’re not legal or technical specialists.

“Another benefit of ComplyCheck is its cost-effectiveness. Hiring consultants to perform assessments can be expensive. Many companies already have capable teams, they just need the right framework and guidance to get the job done.”

As aforementioned, there are increasing numbers of markets that are tightening their regulations and this is making life difficult for some. 

The UK’s high profile review of the Gambling Act 2005 has resulted in more stringent measures and the KOA Act in the Netherlands has been through a rocky journey since going live in October 2021. 

De Graaff noted that many of the ComplyCheck assessments have been for these two markets.

“They are highly demanding, with frequent regulatory changes and strict enforcement,” he said. “After your assessment, ComplyCheck provides proactive notifications of any relevant changes so you can stay ahead.

“We can run a full license application and compliance assessment in the same portal, making sure all areas are covered before you apply.”

There is also rising interest from operators all across the world, with Finland and New Zealand particularly in the spotlight as the two nations gear up to establish regulated markets in the next 12 months. 

ComplyCheck also has assessments for Italy, Ontario, Malta, Greece, Estonia and Denmark. 

But it won’t stop there. De Graaff noted that BetComply is an agile firm that has the ability to cover many more markets – if there is demand. 

He noted: “Our team covers the globe, ComplyCheck will soon as well. But we work based on demand, if you want a market to be added, or an area of compliance, reach out and we’ll get it live within two weeks.”