Like all other industries, the betting industry has become a major target of criminals. Recent statistics have revealed that the global online gambling and betting industry had a value of $61.5 billion in 2021. The statistics further indicated that the industry is projected to reach an estimated $114.4 billion by 2028.
Most online betting services have seen an increased number of criminal cases due to the rapid and mass adoption of these online services. Today, most money launderers are using the betting and gambling industry because the industry has lagged behind in implementing anti-money laundering and know your customer verification strategies. The most interesting thing is, most online betting service providers are not interested in knowing who their customers are, regardless of them being aware of how criminals are using the industry to launder money.
However, the betting industry has been receiving a lot of pressure recently to develop strategies to prevent money laundering, which are of great network security importance. This post will discuss the main strategies that betting companies can adopt to prevent money laundering. Read on for more information.
Risk assessment
The first thing that any company in the betting industry should do to prevent money laundering is to conduct a risk assessment. The aim of this exercise is to identify the potential risks associated with your company’s activities and then put in place measures to mitigate those risks.
It is important to note that each company will have different risks depending on various factors such as the size of the company, the countries it operates in, the products and services it offers, etc. Therefore, it is important to tailor the risk assessment process to your company’s specific needs.
Once you have identified the risks associated with your company, you should put in place measures to mitigate those risks. Some of the measures you can put in place include:
- Carrying out customer due diligence – this involves knowing your customers and understanding their financial dealings. This can be done by carrying out background checks, asking for identification documents, and verifying sources of funds.
- Enhanced due diligence – this is a more in-depth version of customer due diligence and is usually carried out on high-risk customers. In this case, you will need to carry out more extensive checks on the customer’s background and financial dealings.
- Suspicious activity reporting – this can be done by analyzing customer transactions and looking for patterns of behavior that may indicate money laundering. Suspicious activity monitoring is an important part of any AML program and should not be neglected. If any suspicious activity is detected, the relevant authorities should be notified immediately.
Implementing Know Your Customer (KYC) measures
Another strategy that betting companies can use to prevent money laundering is implementing Know Your Customer (KYC) measures. KYC involves verifying the identity of your customers and understanding their financial activities.
There are various KYC measures that you can put in place, such as:
- Asking for identification documents – this can be done by asking your customers to provide you with valid ID documents such as a passport or driver’s license. You can then verify the authenticity of these documents using an online service.
- Carrying out background checks – this involves carrying out checks on your customer’s criminal and financial history. This can be done by conducting online searches or using commercial databases.
- Checking sources of funds – this involves verifying that the funds your customers are using to gamble are from legitimate sources. This can be done by asking for proof of income or checking bank statements.
Setting up transaction limits
Betting companies can use KYC identity verification solutions to prevent money laundering to set up transaction limits. Transaction limits refer to the maximum amount of money that a customer can deposit or withdraw in a day, week, or month. Transaction limits help prevent money laundering by ensuring that large sums of money are not being moved around quickly. They also help you to monitor your customers’ activities more closely.
Implementing AML software
This is another strategy that betting companies can use to prevent money laundering. AML software refers to software designed to detect and prevent money laundering.
There are various AML software solutions available on the market, such as:
- Transaction monitoring software – this type of software monitors customer transactions for unusual or suspicious activity. If any suspicious activity is detected, the software will generate a report that your compliance team can review.
- Customer screening software – with this software, you can screen your customers against international sanctions lists and watchlists. This helps to ensure that you are not doing business with anyone on these lists.
- KYC management software – this software helps you to manage your customer KYC information in one central location. This includes storing customer documents, carrying out background checks, and checking sources of funds.
Hiring a compliance officer
Hiring a compliance officer is another strategy that betting companies can use to prevent money laundering. A compliance officer is responsible for ensuring that your company complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
The compliance officer will also be responsible for implementing and monitoring your AML program. They will carry out regular audits to ensure that your program is effective and make recommendations for improvements where necessary.
Employee training
Another strategy that betting companies can use to prevent money laundering is to provide employee training. Employees should be trained on money laundering and how to identify suspicious activity.
They should also be familiar with your company’s AML policies and procedures. This will help them to understand their role in preventing money laundering and enable them to report any suspicious activity they may come across.
Conclusion
Various strategies betting companies can use to prevent money laundering. These include carrying out KYC checks on customers, setting up transaction limits, implementing AML software, hiring a compliance officer, and providing employee training. Betting companies need to implement these strategies to protect themselves from the risks associated with money laundering.
