Betr Maintains Regulated Gaming Compliance Standards for Alternative Products

Betr applies its regulated online sports betting compliance framework to every new product it launches, choosing not to lower AML, KYC, or fraud standards for formats like dual-currency or sweepstakes. Head of Legal Matt Kane asserts the company’s philosophy is to start with strict controls and adjust only where product specifics require it, a stance the company will detail at the upcoming SBC Summit in Lisbon.

Applying Regulated Gaming Compliance to Emerging Betting Formats

Betr’s expansion beyond traditional online sports betting into social gaming, arcade experiences, and prediction markets led to new compliance challenges. According to Kane, the company leveraged its foundation in regulated betting—covering licensing, KYC, AML, payments, and responsible gaming—to maintain consistent risk controls. “The product classification may change, but a lot of the underlying risks don’t,” Kane said. This approach, executed by Betr’s Head of Compliance Robert Warren and team, has allowed Betr to enter new verticals without reengineering processes for every product line.

AML Controls for Dual-Currency and Sweepstakes Models

Dual-currency systems like Gold and Sweeps Coins introduce additional AML risks, including potential for rapid fund cycling and complex purchase/redemption patterns. Betr’s solution is a risk-based approach:

• Comprehensive customer identification at onboarding
• Ongoing KYC and behavioural monitoring post-onboarding
• Scrutiny focused on unusual velocity or patterns—like rapid fund cycling or activity lacking economic rationale

Kane states effective anti-money laundering should avoid unnecessary friction for genuine users while applying deeper checks only where transactional risk emerges.

Explaining the Compliance Model to Payment Partners

Alternative formats—especially sweepstakes—often meet hesitation from tier-one acquirers and card schemes, which may conflate product labels with risk. Kane notes the biggest misconception is equating non-traditional regulatory frameworks with weaker compliance, when “a sweepstakes operator can have strong KYC, AML, sanctions, fraud and transaction-monitoring controls even when the law doesn’t mandate all of them.” Betr’s approach is to educate payment partners to focus on the operator’s controls and internal discipline over product category.

“Don’t judge the risk simply by the product label – look at the operator and the controls behind it,” Kane said.

Navigating Card Scheme Approval and Chargeback Risks

Chargebacks and disputed transactions are a persistent issue for alternative gaming models, sometimes leading processors or banks to tighten authorisation. Within Betr, legal, compliance and payments teams work together, sharing data on player behaviour, financial crime indicators and authorisation rates. The goal is sustainable approvals, not blanket acceptance: “If you maximise approvals but create excessive fraud...you’ve won the wrong battle,” Kane said. Processes are refined to balance customer experience with managing risk to the acquirer.

Advocating for Risk-Based Underwriting Across the Payments Ecosystem

Kane calls for card schemes and payment networks to move beyond product-base categorisation to operator-specific risk-based underwriting. This would allow operators with robust internal controls to demonstrate their standards and build better long-term banking relationships. Companies like Betr, with their experience in regulated sectors, can help drive this shift. Kane argues, "Emerging products shouldn’t mean emerging standards of compliance."

Key Takeaways for Compliance at SBC Summit 2026

Speaking on 'AML Readiness for Emerging Game Formats' and on panels about prediction markets, Kane’s central message is that regulatory uncertainty should not justify relaxed standards. Operators across sweepstakes, DFS, or prediction markets should mirror the compliance discipline of regulated betting, regardless of product label or classification debates. This, Kane asserts, protects payment relationships, builds regulatory trust, and creates a sustainable operation.

SBC Summit 2026 in the Industry Calendar

SBC Summit 2026 runs from 29 September to 1 October in Lisbon, bringing together 40,000 industry professionals for exhibitions, learning and panel sessions. The event provides operators and vendors the opportunity to engage on topics including regulation, payments, and compliance expectations for emerging verticals.