Betaland CEO: Continuous AML Monitoring a Compliance and Marketing Revolution
Carmelo Mazza of Betaland explains how ongoing AML checks, regulatory change under AMLA, and the right regtech criteria are transforming compliance and business value ahead of SBC Summit 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Continuous AML monitoring replaces single onboarding checks as the new compliance standard at Betaland.
- Carmelo Mazza views the shift as both a regulatory necessity and a marketing opportunity, driven by richer customer data.
- Betaland selects regtech providers based on accuracy, breadth, and flexibility, not cost.
- Despite automation, the final suspicious activity report decision remains a human analyst's responsibility.
- SBC Summit 2026 will focus on AMLA-driven compliance and the broader impact on industry governance.
Continuous anti-money laundering (AML) monitoring is transforming both compliance practice and marketing at Betaland, according to CEO Carmelo Mazza. The move away from single onboarding checks towards ongoing, data-driven scrutiny shifts day-to-day operations, responding to new regulatory expectations under the European Union’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA)—and simultaneously creates actionable intelligence for the business.
Why continuous AML monitoring changes everything for operators
AML checks in European gaming once operated as episodic, box-ticking events at onboarding. Mazza now calls continuous monitoring 'the greatest revolution in compliance gaming has ever experienced'. For Betaland, which is licensed for sports betting in Italy, the shift means regulatory requirements are met more rigorously, but the data now captured also provides new opportunities for KYC expansion and marketing segmentation. Ongoing collection and analysis of player data enables more precise targeting of customer groups, with Mazza urging the sector to treat AML data with the same accuracy as traditional marketing sources.
"AML continuous monitoring is the greatest revolution in compliance gaming has ever experienced. It forces us to take potential legal threats seriously and gives us marketing value operators have yet to use." — Carmelo Mazza, Betaland CEO
The introduction of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), operational since July 2025, has intensified these pressures by standardising AML supervision across the European Union’s 27 member states. Operators such as Betaland must therefore upgrade compliance frameworks to align with this new regulatory landscape, which will be a core focus during SBC Summit 2026 in Lisbon.
AMLA sets the pace for compliance in Italy and beyond
Betaland's environment is shaped by Italy’s local licensing regime and by wider EU-level mandates. The new AMLA regulation brings:
- Standardisation of AML controls across EU member states
- Supervisory authority over national compliance procedures
- Heightened expectations for ongoing monitoring, not just at onboarding
For operators, this means continuous investment in technology and process, including case management systems and live transaction monitoring. Failure to adapt rapidly increases the risk of regulatory intervention. The expectation is that compliance teams will be required to update both governance and customer management to keep pace with the evolving framework imposed by AMLA.
Regtech vendor selection: accuracy, breadth, and flexibility
For real-time monitoring and reporting, Mazza singles out three criteria for partnering with regtech and fintech suppliers: accuracy, breadth, and flexibility.
- Accuracy: Data provided must be reliable and analysed first-hand, minimising errors.
- Breadth: Operators should have access to as much information as possible to enrich analysis and response.
- Flexibility: Solutions must be adaptable to changing requirements and allow ongoing refinement; otherwise the volume of data can overwhelm practical decision-making.
No single attribute suffices—providers must balance all three for a functioning compliance partnership. Cost, traditionally a deciding factor, is secondary to these standards in the context of efficient AML management.
The human element: SAR/STR decision-making
Betaland maintains that despite advances in automation, the final decision regarding suspicious activity reports (SARs) and suspicious transaction reports (STRs) remains with human analysts. Mazza emphasises that automated tools aid accuracy, but nuanced judgement about what falls outside standard analysis can only be made by a person.
"Humans are far better than automatic systems to catch what exceeds the main view... Accurate reports allow us to see everything in the photo; it is up to us to discover the reasons beyond the photo." — Carmelo Mazza, Betaland CEO
This approach echoes regulatory expectations for clear accountability and maintains oversight where automated systems may lack contextual judgement.
AML checks and player experience: calibrating friction
Balancing tightening AML controls against customer experience is a daily operational challenge. Mazza suggests most customers are already accustomed to AML verification through their interactions with banks and payment platforms. The real risk for operators is excessive intervention that creates friction, potentially impacting player satisfaction or conversion. To mitigate this, Betaland applies its 'three magic words'—accuracy, breadth, and flexibility—to target compliance controls where they add value and minimise unnecessary barriers.
SBC Summit 2026: the AML compliance agenda for the next two years
The SBC Summit 2026, set to take place in Lisbon from 29 September to 1 October, will place AML and compliance adaptation at the forefront of industry discussion. With 40,000 attendees and major exhibitors present, the event will examine:
- How AMLA shapes the compliance agenda in Europe
- The operational shift to continuous monitoring
- The impact of broad compliance change on corporate governance and customer management
Mazza expects compliance departments to face increasing pressure to align with new societal and regulatory expectations, with business legitimacy hinging on an operator’s ability to respond to these challenges. The sector must prepare for what he terms a 'deep change at all levels'.
For regulatory developments and discussions relevant to ongoing AML requirements, SBC Summit 2026 is positioned as a primary forum.
Frequently Asked Questions
How has continuous AML monitoring changed compliance for Betaland?
Continuous AML monitoring has replaced one-off onboarding checks at Betaland, demanding ongoing data analysis and enabling richer KYC and marketing segmentation under new regulations from the Anti-Money Laundering Authority.
What criteria does Betaland use to select regtech providers?
Betaland looks for accuracy, breadth, and flexibility in its regtech partners, prioritising reliable data, wide-ranging information, and solutions that allow ongoing adaptation over cost considerations.
Who makes the final decision on suspicious activity reports at Betaland?
The final decision about SAR and STR filing at Betaland always remains with a human analyst, as Mazza insists manual judgement is required to interpret data beyond automated analysis.
What role does AML data play in marketing for Betaland?
AML monitoring data at Betaland is used for precise customer targeting and KYC expansion, treated with the same accuracy as traditional marketing data to optimise business impact.
What is the regulatory context for AML checks in Italy and the EU?
Betaland operates in Italy under both national and EU-wide AMLA requirements, which standardise and intensify ongoing AML monitoring across all 27 EU member states.
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About the author
Eleanor Whitfield
Regulatory Affairs Correspondent
Eleanor Whitfield tracks gambling legislation, licensing decisions, and regulator enforcement across key markets — from the UKGC, MGA, and Germany's GGL to Spain's DGOJ and the state-by-state map in the Americas. The reporting answers three questions precisely: what changed, where, and who it affects, with jurisdictions, effective dates, and penalty figures named exactly as published. Compliance officers and operators read Eleanor Whitfield to know which rulebook moved before their next board meeting.
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