In this article we are joined by Tony Ure, Head of eGaming Strategy at Affinity Group, to discuss the current eGaming licensing landscape and trends shaping the industry. We dive into Tony’s extensive experience in eGaming, the Isle of Mans reputable eGaming sector as well as emerging jurisdictions to watch including Anjouan, Brazil and many more.
Could you tell us about your background and share some details about your current role at Affinity Group?
I have been in the eGaming industry for over forty years and half of those years were spent working within the land-based side of the industry. I specifically focused on growing land-based casinos in the UK and Egypt. Since then, I have spent over twenty years working with online companies, such as Ladbrokes and IGT.
In 2017 I joined as ‘Head of eGaming’ for the Isle of Man Government for five years. My role was to develop the jurisdiction’s eGaming sector and during my time there the number of licenses grew from 30 + to 90. We attracted a diverse range of operators to the island and its eGaming eco-system flourished.
Currently, I have transitioned back to the private sector, where I am ‘Head of eGaming Strategy’ at Affinity Group. Affinity Group are a leading Corporate Service Provider in the eGaming industry and have developed their reputation through assisting operators with dedicated eGaming licensing and bespoke corporate services. The company also holds invaluable expertise in compliance, and last year launched ‘Affinity Nav’ which provides bespoke compliance solutions and global eGaming licensing.
By applying my knowledge of the eGaming industry, I am guiding the company’s eGaming strategy and working to develop Affinity Nav. I provide support to our diverse portfiolo of eGaming clients and guidance to new clients seeking eGaming services. This involves keeping up with regulatory challenges and any market developments, sourcing new innovative products and payment service providers across the globe. Fortunately, having been in the industry for some time, I have an established network of trusted partners that I can rely on to provide a client with an efficient solution.
Wherever an operator wishes to go, we can support them with our global expertise on iGaming licensing to ensure they are aware of the jurisdictions current regulated landscape. As a multi-jurisdictional company, we assist clients to obtain licences in various locations across the globe including Malta, Anjouan, Vanuatu, and Tobique.
How would you describe the current state of the eGaming industry in the Isle of Man? Has there been any significant changes or developments as a result of Brexit?
I would say the Isle of Man’s eGaming industry is in a very strong position right now. This is partly due to recent developments in other jurisdictions, such as Curaçao’s shift to much stricter regulations and the evolving situation in the Philippines. The Isle of Man continues to maintain a robust regulatory environment and attracts businesses seeking stability and transparency. When looser regulatory jurisdictions begin to tighten their rules, it naturally drives businesses toward regions like the Isle of Man, where a robust and well-established regulatory framework is already in place. The Isle of Man has been home to many of the largest, global operators for many years and a key reason why the licence list keeps growing is the credibility the licence carries for start-ups and established operators. The jurisdiction has remained stable and highly compliant for gaming companies looking for regulatory clarity and security.
I believe in the Isle of Man that we have a strong “pipeline”. Brexit didn’t impact us as much as it did other regions because we’re not part of the UK; we’re a separate governing territory. However, we still share a common travel area with both Ireland and the UK, meaning that people who previously came from Europe can still easily access the Isle of Man. However immigration has become more challenging since visa requirements became more rigorous.
What would you say are “hot topics” in terms of licensing at the moment?
Curaçao has been a “hot topic” in recent years, leading many to consider moving their operations to other jurisdictions. As the regulatory and compliance requirements there became more stringent, with fees rising dramatically to over €50k, many began to think, “If I have to deal with these increased costs and regulations, I might as well relocate to a more highly regulated jurisdiction, like the Isle of Man.” When Curaçao’s regulations began to tighten, this prompted a surge in interest in other jurisdictions like Anjouan, Vanuatu, and Tobique. It sparked a “gold rush,” and as a result, Anjouan has now issued over 400 licenses.
Recently, PAGCOR in the Philippines announced that it will be cancelling all licenses by the end of this year, meaning that all existing POGO licenses will be revoked. I believe this effort was made to address and clean up the illegal and unscrupulous practices that were prevalent at the time. I’m not sure if a new license will be introduced, but we’ll have to wait and see.
In the meantime, another “hot topic” has been Ontario, Canada, with other Canadian provinces also moving forward with plans for their own licensing processes. New Zealand is set to introduce licensing in 2026, and many markets that were previously part of the grey area are now undergoing the regulatory process to formalise their frameworks. There appears to be a knock on effect in the eGaming industry, with more and more jurisdictions focusing on transparency and implementing a secure regulated framework.
The biggest focus right now is probably Brazil, which is in the process of launching its own licensing system. Everyone’s talking about it – with license fees set at £5 million and over a hundred applications already submitted. Given Brazil’s population of over 200 million, the demand for regulation is enormous, making it a highly anticipated but expensive market. However the federal government and Rio state are still in dispute over licensing powers with many government departments contributing to the arguments.
What is your opinion on emerging jurisdictions, such as Anjouan, implementing gaming licenses?
Anjouan, Vanuatu, and Tobique are emerging as alternatives to Curaçao, with a few other jurisdictions also on the sidelines. For some startups, these options are appealing because they offer lower costs, quicker licensing, with less stringent monitoring and due diligence. However, the challenge arises when a company holding for example an Anjouan license tries to work with banks, payment providers, or third-party B2B suppliers. If those partners are not satisfied with the level of diligence and rigor associated with that license, they may refuse to engage. As a result, it can be difficult to secure payment providers or casino content suppliers. Many are hesitant to work with businesses if they have concerns about the licensing or doubt how responsibly the company is being managed.
Recent changes have taken place in the Philippines regarding licensing. Could you elaborate on these changes and explain their key implications?
President Marcos brought in a ban this year on all the POGO licenses. The previous administration from 2016 promoted this licence quite heavily and I think the push to overhaul this system is driven by the need to clean up a sector that’s been plagued by bad actors and illegal operations. There was a lot of questionable activity going on, and the system was quite broken up and disparaged. As a result, I believe the goal is to shut it all down, clear out the issues, and then rebuild. Given the significant revenues involved, I expect they’ll likely launch a more rigorous regulatory process next year. Their goal is also to remove themselves from the FATF grey list, which will always be a challenge, especially when managing numerous online gaming operations. They are currently revoking work visas and permits for thousands of staff and forcing them to leave the country.
Anjouan and Vanuatu are positioning themselves to attract businesses from these regions as operators look for a new home. It’s typically customer service and development teams that were located in the Philippines, but there have been numerous problematic incidents and it’s certainly been a turbulent time for them. Several economic free zones that were offering licenses have also been banned, leading to a lot of debate over the future of those operations.
In your opinion, which license would you consider to be the most valuable and why?
In my opinion, the Isle of Man license will always be a top choice. While Anjouan and Vanuatu may be suitable for startups due to their lower costs and quicker processes, once you’re looking to grow and establish a serious business, you need something more reputable, like the Isle of Man license. It provides access to a wide network of established physical banks, payment service providers, and third-party suppliers that are essential for scaling up. It also attracts many start-ups that value its stability and the many compelling benefits available for a business. This includes 0% corporation tax and no capital gains tax. The Isle of Man Government also offer support, with grant funding available for relocation, hardware, software and marketing. Operators can also take comfort in the 100% player protection in place and benefit from a low gaming duty of between 0.1% and 1.5% of gross profit. We also license B2B suppliers , allowing them to operate in other countries, which provides them with a trusted “stamp of approval.” For this reason, I’d say the Isle of Man is one of the top Tier 1 licenses available.
We would like to thank Tony Ure for joining us in today’s article to discuss the trending topic of licensing within the global iGaming industry. We’re excited to see how this continues to evolve as we head into the new year.
