What are the basic characteristics of GLI’s work in relation to the certification of gaming in the United States?
We are bringing our expertise in different territories to the Americas (US states and Latin America jurisdictions). The idea is to help regulators understand what’s involved in ensuring that gaming operations happening online, as well as sports betting, are fair, secure, with adequate protections to players and functioning correctly. All this info sums up in the concept of what are the standards and the technical requirements that will be utilized in a jurisdiction. Sometimes, they want to develop these issues their own way, with GLI guidance. Other times, they prefer to adopt GLI standards. It’s our responsibility to help educate the industry, and let companies have a robust regulatory regime in the sports betting space.
Salim Adatia, Vice President iGaming and Canadian Services, GLI.
What specific standards for online gaming has the company generated?
We have GLI-19, which is our iGaming standard, covering general areas about gaming, and GLI-33, a more specific standard for sports betting and event wagering, including DFS and other verticals (mobile, online at desktop, kiosks). GLI-33 has been demanded by different jurisdictions in the US. Online and mobile have been the modalities of gaming for we have received the most requests of our G-33 standard. In-venue wireless betting (inside a casino) is also gaining some traction. There are general requirements and then some specific criteria for each jurisdiction. The specific solution is up to the supplier or the operator. We will not be mandating what the solution should be, in order to keep our independence. We usually guide and recommend, not order.
How is the relationship with regulators and consumers when defining standards?
We meet regulators and government bodies to receive their concerns and know about their needs. They often share what’s specifically important to them when we are assisting in the technical standard consultancy phase. Regarding different types of consumers from a variety of jurisdictions, we need to make sure that these standards are agnostic enough to cover the main concerns of regulating sports betting: protecting underage players, making sure players are exactly where they say they are, checking the platform is working correctly, among other issues.
GLI has been working together with lotteries of Buenos Aires city and Buenos Aires province. How is the company closely following the evolution of iGaming legalization in the LatAm region?
We are very interested in LatAm market, and hope that the region will continue to expand its iGaming regulation. If the regulations are clear and familiar with general standards in other jurisdictions, the easier will be for us to certificate that and to let companies quickly start their online gaming operations. We also want that some Latin American jurisdictions rely on GLI to help them identify best practices, share with them info about what other regulated jurisdictions from the continent have done to comply with standards, in order for them to adopt the same or similar standards. That way, it would be easier for us to put the product from Colombia or Buenos Aires or any other jurisdiction we have directly collaborated with.