WePlay Esports has joined the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), as it steps up efforts to combat manipulation of competitive events.

Announcing its membership, WePlay Esports pointed to the massive rise in popularity of esports betting during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to improve measures to tackle match fixing and keep corruption out. 

Commenting on the news General Manager of WePlay Esports media holding company, Oleh Humeniuk, said:

“We are happy to have such a formidable ally in the enforcement of fair play in WePlay Esports events. Participation in ESIC shows to both players and partners that we are taking competitive integrity very seriously and apply a zero-tolerance policy to match manipulations of any kind.”

While Commissioner at Esports Integrity Commission, Ian Smith, added:

“As a tournament operator that has been engaging with ESIC for some time, we are happy to have WePlay transition into full membership with ESIC. WePlay joins a prestigious list of tournament operators who have pledged a commitment to standardising an approach to competitive integrity in esports. WePlay’s commitment to ESIC is a reflection of the fact that WePlay values a safe, and healthy esports industry.”

Highlighting the work of ESIC was the recent investigation into the CS:GO spectator bug exploitation issue. 

AYO.NEWS says:

While it’s totally true that some of the technical aspects of esports, like remote play, have made cheating an issue, the pandemic has also seen organisations work together to come up with better ways of doing things.  And, as we’ve often said, it’s going to be much easier if esports stamps corruption out now, while the industry is still relatively young, than letting the problem fester to the level it has in traditional sports.

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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The Spanish government has told football clubs to cancel gambling sponsorship deals before the end of the season.

Despite many in the industry expecting the planned ban on football gambling sponsorships to be softened, or even dropped completely, at the eleventh hour, the Spanish government has advised all clubs to terminate their deals before the end of the season. 

According to Reuters, a letter, signed by minister of consumer affairs, Alberto Garzon, and sent on Wednesday, has informed clubs that their contracts with gambling companies will be prohibited once the controversial royal decree is approved by the cabinet and signed into law. 

In the letter, Garzon accused teams and athletes of “normalising a practice with serious health and social risks which needs to be minimised in the field of advertising.”

Seven of the 20 clubs in La Liga, Spain’s top division, currently have sponsorship deals with gambling companies, including Europa League title holders Sevilla and six-time league champions Valencia. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Though Spain’s incoming ban has been discussed at length for a year now, it seems like many clubs and gambling companies were clinging to the hope the decree would be thrown out, or at least heavily watered down, at the last minute as the financial impact on clubs was realised. 

However, the ban now looks certain to come into force, prompting clubs to search for alternative sponsors, and throwing a spanner in the works of operators’ marketing plans.

Also, with Italy already having banned all gambling advertising, and Spain about to follow suit, it will probably put more wind in the sails of those hoping to introduce similar laws in the UK and other European countries.  

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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Despite the fact regulated gambling markets haven’t yet launched in Argentina, the government has already planned a dramatic tax hike.

Though the city and province of Buenos Aires are in the process of rolling out regulating online gambling, the rest of the country still lacks any kind of framework. But, that didn’t stop Minister of Finance Martín Guzmán, pushing for online gambling tax to be more than doubled from 2% to 5% in the draft budget. 

Guzmán’s proposal is for 95% of revenue generated by online gambling tax will be shared out among the country’s provinces, with the remaining 5% invested in Arsat, the state-owned telecoms company. 

As things stand, the Argentine online gambling sector is believed to generate around $2.4B USD in annual revenue (according to Política Online), but because it is still almost entirely unregulated, it generates virtually no tax. 

The original online gambling tax was passed into law in 2016, and includes a higher tax rate of 10% for offshore gambling companies – though this is obviously unworkable. However, the authorities are promising to get tough for 2021, claiming they will be able to track online bets through mobile phone SIM cards or IP addresses, and bank and billing data. 

Staying with Argentine online gaming, in September, authorities in Buenos Aires amended the proposed online gambling framework, opening licenses to local land-based operators. Original plans had excluded them in order to “avoid monopolistic practices,” and attracted more experienced international operators. 

AYO.NEWS says:

More than doubling the tax rate before you’ve even launched your regulated online gambling markets probably isn’t the best way of attracting investment! 

It just goes to show two things are the same in almost every country right now, 1) the gambling industry is seen as a cash cow, 2) politicians are desperate to raise tax revenues because of the economic crisis of their own making. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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The Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) has confirmed it is considering allowing casinos to offer online gambling domestically. 

Though many online gambling operators are based in the Philippines, they are not permitted to offer services to Philippine residents. However, PAGCOR says it has received several requests from casino operators to allow locals to gamble online, in order to mitigate the financial impact of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. 

Local land-based casinos were ordered to close in March, and were not permitted to re-open until the end of August, but are only allowed to operate at 30% capacity and are subject to numerous other restrictions. Now, the Philippines, like other countries globally, is battling a resurgence of COVID-19 recently, and tourist numbers have plummeted, meaning operators are struggling to stay afloat. 

The regulator says its various departments are currently studying the viability of the proposals, and it is already in the process of evaluating the legalisation of streaming sabong (cockfighting) events in authorised arenas. 

Sources close to PAGCOR say that if anything is going to change it will likely happen soon. However, it is thought that the country’s president, Rodrigo Duterte, is opposed to an expansion of gambling in the country, and may block any attempts to allow casinos to offer online gambling to Philippine residents. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Will Duterte block any move to legalise online gambling for Philippine residents, or will the growing economic crisis override his moral objection to online gambling? Though Duterte isn’t exactly known for softening his stance or changing his mind, we have seen politicians in other countries change their mind on gambling for the sake of tax revenues and jobs. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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SportsTech business Stats Perform has pledged full support for the new International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) Data Standards Process. 

The London-based company, which is an Affiliate Member of the IBIA, has confirmed it will be immediately applying to the IBIA’s independent audit process, led by eCogra, to achieve the Data Standards Kitemark and demonstrate that it meets and goes beyond those standards in its betting data operations. 

In May, IBIA launched a project to create a set of standards to help ensure the integrity of sports, its data, and the associated betting markets. You can find the complete data standards here. 

Discussing the new standards Chief Betting Officer at Stats Perform, Andrew Ashenden, said:

“Implemented and monitored effectively, a global set of standards would contribute positively across the sports and betting industries from an integrity perspective. 

“At Stats Perform, we have a longstanding programme of investment in maintaining the strongest quality assurance and integrity processes across our data supply chain. We look forward to working with the IBIA on best practices going forward and to demonstrate through the independent audit process how Stats Perform is going the extra mile to ensure the reliability and credibility of its data.”

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The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has concluded its investigation into BGO Entertainment Limited, GAN PLC, and NetBet Enterprises Limited.

According to the UKGC, the three operators were investigated for failures in social responsibility and anti-money laundering procedures, which occurred between September 2018 and March 2020. 

In response to the failings, the UKGC has imposed stricter license conditions for BGO and GAN, and ordered all three to overhaul their policies and procedures to ensure they are fully compliant. 

All three operators will also be required to make payments to progress the world of the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms. 

Furthermore, the commission will also be reviewing the actions taken by the individual Personal Management License holders. 

Commenting on the investigations, executive director of the UKGC, Richard Watson, said:

“Licensees must protect consumers from harm and treat them fairly.

“Our recent investigations uncovered a variety of consumer protection and anti-money laundering failings at each of these three operators and as a result we are using a range of enforcement tools against them. 

“We will continue to crack down on failing operators through our tough and proactive compliance and enforcement work.”

AYO.NEWS says:

While the operators involved are probably breathing a sigh of relief that the sanctions weren’t harsher, these investigations once again underline just what a minefield the UK market has become for operators. 

Illustrating this, last week Stockholm-based operator Betsson announced it was immediately withdrawing eight of its nine brands from the UK, and handing back three of its four UK licenses, citing the unsustainable investments needed to remain compliant in the jurisdiction’s constantly changing regulatory environment. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.