Part 3: RAIG and the regulatory push and pull
[Affiliates] are currently one of the weakest links in the
industry’s efforts to ensure compliance with the many
and varied aspects of responsible and safer gambling
in the UK
Sarah Ramanauskas, Gambling Integrity
One of the aims of the RAIG audit is to create a
He adds: “No affiliate wants a programme to
knowledge base of best practice, making it easier close down in a lucrative market but it’s a very
for affiliates to understand what needs to be done real prospect once the fines start rolling in.
to comply with the many and varied UK regs, and
how best to do so.”
Ian Sims, chief executive at affiliate compliance
“There is a still a little confusion over what is
needed but it is much clearer than a year ago and
generally speaking it is often down to a lack of
tools provider Rightlander, points out that the investment in time to learn and understand what
organisation is still in its formative stages and is needed.”
that it “shows promise”. But he adds a note of
scepticism. “I’ve heard some affiliates say it sounds Ad bans
like a bit of a closed shop but when the premise The UK regulations aside, the clearest threat to
was first touted around, it met with a lot of verbal the gambling affiliate sector comes from the
support but no real commitment,” he says. “A lot potential proliferation of gambling advertising and
of affiliates liked the idea as long as someone else marketing bans. As was noted in the first quarter
was doing it and prepared to pay for it.” edition of Affiliate Monitor, Italy was the first to
He suggests that we will know the fate of RAIG
instigate an outright ban and both operators
in six months. “These things are always easy and affiliates are still attempting to understand
to criticise when you aren’t involved and don’t precisely what is and isn’t allowed.
understand what’s going on,” he adds.
Regardless of the fate of RAIG, there is unlikely
According to Catena Media, the effects of the
new regulations – which came fully into force
to be any relenting in the pressure that affiliates in July – were “not as severe as expected” and
find themselves under in regulated markets. And “detailed work by our compliance/legal teams
it won’t just be the largest affiliate organisations means our assets remain in a strong position there”.
that see greater scrutiny as the price of doing
As it stands, odds comparison sites are still
business, says Adam Bielinski from iGaming Nuts. allowed under the Italian regulations although
“We prefer to stay in the regulated markets,” he whether this provision will stand should any new
says. “It is easier to calculate long-term revenues Italian government, of whatever stripe, look once
and costs, which is less risky. It is easier to invest again at the rules is very much open to question.
in people and products when we know that
market will not change for a few months.”
What can’t be doubted, however, is that ad
bans are a growing threat. The latest jurisdiction
Whether this message is being fully received to announce moves is Spain though the news
across the sector is open to doubt, however. Sims from there is somewhat confusing. While the
says there has been “more engagement” from the official Ombudsman has said that his proposals
affiliates he has spoken to, adding that there is for an outright ban, first published in May, had
recognition among them that “one bad apple is a been accepted in full by the government, recent
threat to all of them”. reports suggest that the Ministry of Finance has
iGaming Business • Affiliate Monitor • October 2019
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