KYC and customer onboarding specialist HooYu has launched a new digital identity service aimed at making life easier, and more secure, for customers and companies. 

HooYu ID provides customers with a re-usable digital ID, enabling them to instantly complete age or ID verification processes, without having to go through the hassle of submitting multiple proofs and documents. 

The service cryptographically stores verified identity credentials in a convenient app on a user’s smartphone. The information is not accessible by HooYu, but can be accessed by companies to check identity details when the user grants them permission via the app. 

With the launch of the product, HooYu also revealed findings of research that showed 74% of 2,000 respondents were frustrated at having to repeatedly provide personal information to pass identity check processes. 89% also said that they found the idea of a re-usable digital identity facility appealing. 

“Some of our clients asked us about building a digital identity for their users to port between their portfolio brands, for example, large banking groups or multi-brand online gambling operators. Other clients such as mortgage lenders or law firms want us to join the dots for house buying and selling journeys where the user is asked to prove their identity to four different parties as part of one transaction,” David Pope, Marketing Director at HooYu, said.

The launch of HooYu ID comes as the UK government is preparing to roll out a digital identity trust framework and regulation, aimed at encouraging UK consumers to create and manage their digital identities. 

“The last twelve months have proved formative as government, industry and identity providers have coalesced around a set of standards in interoperable re-usable digital identity and we welcome identity providers such as HooYu as members of OIX, as together we help make digital identity a reality,” Nick Mothershaw, CEO of the Open Identity Exchange, said.

“Our approach to digital identity puts the user in control of their identity and is designed with security and privacy in mind. At the same time, relying parties that need to perform KYC on their users can rely on HooYu ID and the tried and tested range of KYC services that HooYu already performs for some of the biggest banks in the UK,” Gareth Narinesingh, Head of Digital Identity at HooYu, said.

The French National Gambling Authority (ANJ) has warned operators that they must register wagers unless there is a legitimate reason, or face being charged with deceptive commercial practice. 

Apparently, since launching an effort to boost player protection and combat problem gambing, the regulator has received several reports of operators failing to register, or limiting wagers.

Now, the ANJ has reminded gambling operators that they can only legally limit or refuse bets if there is a provable legitimate reason, such as to prevent problem or underage gambling, or combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism. 

The warning echoes that issued by the Lithuanian Gambling Supervisory Authority earlier this year, after it fined UAB Tete-a-Tete Casino for unreasonably setting betting limits on an online customer.

AYO.NEWS says:

As any gambling operator knows, balancing compliance with responsible gambling/AML/ATF regulations and customer freedoms is getting ever more difficult. Have operators really been taking advantage of customers, or are some just being overcautious?

Following a soft launch period, Dutch players now have full access to the GGPoker global poker room. 

GGPoker has confirmed it received a license from the Dutch regulator (KSA) on 1 October, and after resolving any delays at GGPoker.nl during the soft launch period, is now accepting players from the Netherlands. 

One of the first global gambling operators to receive a Dutch license, the localised site ggpoker.nl enables players to enjoy poker tournaments and cash game action, while benefiting from all the safer gambling features required by the strict local regulations. 

Commenting on the launch, Head of Europe at GGPoker, Marco Trucco, said: “The online poker landscape has changed a lot since the closure of the Dutch market, several years ago. Arguably, the biggest difference is that GGPoker is now the largest poker site in the world and the place where everyone loves to play. We’re really excited to welcome Dutch players to GGPoker to compete for the most prestigious poker achievements or just to have some fun at the tables.”

Staying with GGPoker, over the last few months, the brand has also received a Ukrainian license, and entered the Belgian market with a local site.

Details of the Republic of Ireland’s proposed new gambling laws have been revealed, including a ban on free bets and certain VIP promotions, and stricter rules on advertising.

According to the Irish Times, under the proposals, the country’s new gambling regulator will have the power to revoke and suspend licenses, freeze accounts, and block incoming payments. Furthermore, inducements, including VIP promotions, will be subject to new rules and banned altogether for some customers.

Gambling advertising will also be subject to strict new rules, likely covering the timing and frequency of adverts on television, radio, and other media. As expected, a UK-style ban on advertising that could appeal to children is also likely to be introduced. 

Additionally, all gambling companies will be required to contribute to a new social impact fund to help pay for treatment and gambling harm awareness programs. A national self-exclusion register will also be established. 

The new legislation is being put forward by Minister of State in the Department of Justice, James Browne, and Minister for Justice, Heather Humphreys. If the proposed laws are adopted, it is expected the new regulator will be running and ready to implement them by early 2022.

Sportradar Integrity Services says it detected over 1,100 suspicious sports matches since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. 

During the 18 months since the start of the pandemic, Sportradar has been using its bet monitoring system, the Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS), to detect suspicious activity in 12 different sports across more than 70 countries. According to the service, which is a unit of global sports tech company Sportradar, 655 of the suspicious matches were detected in the first nine months of 2021. 

The company published the insights yesterday, 13 October 2021, as it officially began delivering its UFDS monitoring service free of charge, to sports federations, sports leagues, and state authorities globally. 

Based on UFDS statistics, soccer is the sport most at risk of corruption, with over 500 suspicious matches detected so far this year. Around 40% of the suspicious activities related to domestic soccer competitions from third tier leagues and lower, including youth level – reflecting the fact that fixers have been shifting their attention to lower level matches. 

Andreas Krannich, Managing Director, Integrity Services at Sportradar, explained: “As our analysis shows, match-fixing is evolving, and those behind it are diversifying their approach, both in the sports and competitions they target, and the way they make approaches to athletes, such as the rise in digital approaches. To help address this, Sportradar has made a significant investment to make it possible to offer the UFDS for free to global sports organisations and leagues. The reason for this is that we are committed to supporting the sustainability of global sports and using data and technology for good.”

As esports rapidly gains popularity, it has also become a bigger target for fixers, with Sportradar recording a significant increase in the number of suspicious match reports. In total, more than 70 suspicious esports matches were detected by UFDS since April 2020, across five game titles. 

UFDS also detected suspicious activity in tennis (37 reports), basketball (19), table tennis (11), ice hockey (9), cricket (6), volleyball, handball, and beach volleyball. Geographically, so far this year, UFDS detected 382 suspicious matches in Europe, 115 in Latin America, 74 in Asia Pacific, 43 in Africa, 10 in the Middle East, and 9 in North America. 

Staying with Sportradar, yesterday we reported the company had been named Official Data Distribution and Official Betting Live Streaming Partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The Gambling Commission is investigating global fantasy football platform Sorare, after it officially launched in the UK market without holding a license. 

Through tradable digital cards, which are non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on a blockchain, Sorare enables players to genuinely own their collectibles, which can be used in its collective fantasy football experience – in which players can earn prizes

Paris-based Sorare is backed by investors including VC firms Benchmark and Accel, business angels Alexis Ohanian (Reddit co-founder) and Gary Vaynerchuk (Vaynermedia CEO), and football players Antoine Griezmann and Rio Ferdinand.

Sorare now features 200 officially licensed football clubs, and covers 37 leagues.

In an official statement, the UKGC said: “The Gambling Commission is currently carrying out enquiries into the company to establish whether Sorare.com requires an operating licence or whether the services it provides do not constitute gambling. We will not be commenting further pending the conclusion of those enquiries.”

In the meantime, the Commission has reminded players that Sorare is not currently covered by any UK regulations, including player protection rules.

AYO.NEWS says:

After the Football Index debacle, it looks like the Gambling Commission is playing it extra safe. Of course, if  Sorare is judged to be offering gambling products, it could have serious implications for certain other platforms based around sports and NFTs.