Keeping the house clean: B2B providers contribution to enforcement against unregulated operators
Moderator: Maria Macdonald, Partner, Nordic Gambling, Sweden (MM) Speakers: Vanessa Hurt, Senior Regulatory Counsel, Paysafe, Austria (VH) Susan Breen, Partner, Mishcon de Reya, UK (SB) Peter-Paul de Goeij, Netherlands Online Gaming Association (PPG, Netherlands
Abstract: Platform, games, and payment services providers are key stakeholders in the gaming industry. Should they also be responsible for keeping the house clean and removing unlicensed operations? This panel will discuss two sides of the coin: legislators and regulators too have a duty to create a regulatory environment where suppliers are not tempted or forced to supply the grey market to turn a profit.
MM: This is a very hot topic, I think. Sweden’s regulated market came into force on January 1st, 2019, but only from July this year do game software providers need to have a local permit in Sweden. I for one am very interested to hear about your experiences in this field, whether it works and how governments and legislators should go about it. But if we take one step back, should service providers be regulated at all Vanessa? What is your experience? Or what is your opinion here? VH: I think it depends a bit on service providers, speaking from a pure payment service provider perspective. Romania is one of the only countries that actually requires PSPs to obtain a license from the local gambling regulator. Paysafe holds those licenses and we also hold a number of licenses and registrations in Canada and the US with regard to gambling. But generally speaking, I don’t think PSPs should be included in gambling licensing regimes. We are already regulated and licensed under Financial Services regulation, we’re still subject to strict regulatory requirements in line with common industry standards so you should not then require PSPs to additionally obtain a license from a local gambling regulator. Considering the EEA where PSPs are able to passport into, if they then require a license to service licensed gambling operators locally from every member state, it would become an unnecessary burden on them.
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