Gambling Regulation Compliance Services

Gambling Regulation Compliance Services in Canada

For any gambling business, it is necessary to find a way through the twisting path of Canadian gambling rules and regulations. This is because the Canadian gambling scene is a complicated matrix of federal, provincial, and territorial laws, each with its own set of mandates that change regularly. There are also important federal rules found in the Canadian Criminal Code that intersect with those laid down by the provinces. Gambling businesses can no longer rely on the less-intersected dual-layer model for compliance. Today, they must secure licenses from the relevant provincial authorities, and they must also comply with anti-money-laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) rules that are usual for many gambling and banking operations across the world.
In this complex field, Jannah Hill shines. We enable gaming operators to navigate the regulatory environment of the Canadian gaming market—an environment that is, to say the least, not overly friendly to the operators. We do not play poker. Seriously. The work we do for clients is too important for that. So, we offer personalized service that helps our clients achieve and maintain a level of compliance that is seen—by us and by our clients—as acceptable to the regulators. Our work is not inexpensive, but when the regulators come knocking, it’s more attractive for the client to have us “on retainer” than not.

Service Overview

Compliance Services for Gambling Regulation
For any gaming establishment in Canada, understanding and dealing with the intricate network of gambling regulations is vital. At Jannah Hill, we offer a far-reaching compliance service that helps carve legal risks down to size and protects our clients’ good names. Compliance isn’t the same thing as “not getting into trouble,” and it’s not just a legal obligation. It’s an investment in the gaming company’s future that, unfortunately, too many companies fail to make. Federal laws govern a good deal of what happens in gaming. The Criminal Code of Canada (not surprisingly) plays a leading role in outlining paths that gaming companies can take safely and in ensuring that they have the right kinds of licenses. However, Canada is big, and its ten provinces and three territories are quite different from one another. They have significant jurisdictional freedom when it comes to the regulation of gambling, and they exercise that freedom in very different ways.
The gambling industry is constantly being reshaped by new trends and updated legislation. It’s vital for gambling operators to keep up with all the amendments—especially the predictive analytics, digital verification, and data-driven risk assessment tools that assure compliance. Partnering with us enables you to take a proactive, even predictive, approach to upcoming legal changes, ensuring your business stays on the right side of the law and in the mix of competitors.

About Jannah Hill – Casino Lawyer

Jannah Hill is a major force in Canadian gambling law, with more than two decades of experience and a well-earned reputation. Hill’s academic background and impressive credentials speak to her deep understanding of the specialized, somewhat esoteric, field of casino and gaming regulation. As the lead lawyer for the Gaming Compliance Group at the Vancouver office of the national firm Fasken, Hill is decidedly not a casino’s worst nightmare, but rather its best friend. She and her group have a clear mission: to help casinos achieve full compliance with the legal and regulatory framework governing their operations, and they fulfill that mission with commitment, panache, and an apparent non-stop momentum for continuous improvement.
Her devotion to her clients is evident in her team’s active membership in several illustrious legal associations, not to mention their op-ed appearances in the industry’s premier publications. When it comes to securing regulatory compliance, her ability is nearly unmatched—some might even say it’s a “sure bet.” She has guided over 30 clients through the regulatory maze with the extraordinary “win” rate of 95%. More than half of those clients can be counted among “repeat players.” And even for the other half, who presumably are not going to pay to play again, she has saved them together more than $40 million (out of a possible $50 million) that they would have had to shell out as a one-time payment to the authorities to walk freely in the gaming world without being molested, harassed, or impeded.

Services Offered

Gambling regulatory compliance in Canada is a complex but vital aspect of doing business. Our regulatory compliance audits dissect your operations, pinpointing their alignment or lack thereof with an impressive array of federal and provincial laws. We find that most licensees do not know how close to the edge they are, and we cannot stress enough how beneficial it is to have regular health checks. Some audits finish with the clear finding of a high compliance risk; others conclude, much to the licensee’s surprise, with a clean bill of health.
We make it easy to go through the licensing maze. We direct you through the steps to obtain and renew gaming licenses, ensuring you comply with the intricate processes laid out by the authorities in your area. From the registration stage to meeting the various detailed and specific requirements, we walk you through this complex journey and lighten your load every step of the way.
Keeping in compliance requires more than just knowing and following the law. It takes knowing what makes the law tick and following that principle to the letter and conduct. Keeping in compliance is like a three-legged stool: Each leg must be sturdy, or the seat collapses. The three legs are policy, procedure, and people and the way each interacted with the others governance of our regulatory frameworks.
It is extremely important that your workers understand the fine points of compliance. We can create training programs for you that are the right length and have the right content to get your people up to speed on the regulations that apply to your business. These programs will not only inform but also should motivate your employees to adhere to the spirit and the letter of the law.
It is vital to have a skilled representative during regulatory investigations. We provide strong and assertive defense strategies, advocating with zeal before regulatory bodies to safeguard your interests.
Our proactive strategy keeps businesses ahead of the curve when it comes to regulatory changes. We help businesses stay informed so that they can adjust to changes in the law or in compliance policy without too much disruption.
In addition to our basic services, our specialized legal services, including guidance on corporate law, are tailored to support clients in the gaming industry. We address the wider range of business issues they face with the precision for which we are known.

Why Choose Us

At Jannah Hill, we offer targeted and personalized legal solutions for your gambling business. Our methodical approach adheres to the regulatory frameworks of the jurisdictions in which you operate and ensures that your business is both compliant and competitive. Because the gambling regulatory landscape is anything but simple, we pride ourselves on providing each client with a thorough and thoughtful analysis of their situation and tailored, individual strategies that best serve their needs.
The profound industry knowledge of our group, along with our advantageous liaison within the regulatory domain, sets us apart. We maintain a watchful eye on an ever-evolving landscape, using our expansive network to head off intractable compliance problems before they take root. Our results speak for themselves: a confident group of clients with a well-earned 70 percent average success rate.
Our impressive client retention rate of 95% speaks to the lasting trust and effectiveness of our team. … Perhaps what’s most remarkable is that we’ve collectively saved our clients around $40 million. … To this day, we still believe that those case studies tell the most compelling story of our value.
Our competency in producing outstanding results and the tailored service each client enjoys are magnificently reflected in our testimonials. If you opt for Jannah Hill, you can bask in the confidence that your gambling operation is being handled by consummate professionals and is in no danger of being either unsettled by regulators or shut down.

Importance of Compliance in the Gambling Industry

It is vitally important to stay on the right side of the law when operating in the gambling business. The industry is subject to strict oversight, and regulatory authorities impose hefty penalties for non-compliance. These can amount to tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, and the sanctions can include mandatory changes to how a business operates or, in extreme cases, shutting down an offending business for a time. … Uncertainty about the outcome of litigation or enforcement actions can have a substantial negative effect on a business’s stock and its ability to raise funds in the market.
Having a solid compliance record protects a company from fines and forms the basis of trust in the public arena. Gaming regulators are most concerned about the young and the poor, who are least able to afford to gamble and whose lives can be turned upside down by it. Once patronized, a gaming company ought to be able to tell its customers that their chances of losing large sums of money are very small.
Another powerful reason to embrace compliance is operational efficiency. Meeting regulatory requirements, such as those established under anti-money laundering and know-your-customer frameworks, naturally leads to more streamlined processes and sharper risk mitigation across the organization. These frameworks, and the measures they require, essentially serve as blueprints for building a robust operational structure. That’s because when you integrate compliance into the daily grind of running a business, you tend to uncover all your work’s weak spots. And the only way to really cover up those weak spots effectively is to keep your work strong in the first place. That’s the most responsible course of action, and it leads naturally to the firms being seen as industry leaders.

Regulatory Updates

The legislative changes affecting Canadian gambling laws are recent and substantial. They seem to be headed in the direction of more freedom for the provinces in the way they regulate gambling. The most important change for the gambling public is that many provinces have started to offer more games online and that the potential now exists for even more “iGaming” providers to enter the marketplace. We might even say, in this context, that the prospects for the gambler have improved. … But as the reader will see, these potential benefits are not without pitfalls.
It is very important for gaming companies to comprehend and know how to fold into their business model the up-to-date regulations. A casino that operates in compliance with the law is a casino that stands a much better chance of long-term success than one that skirts regulatory restrictions. And complying with the law is much easier if gaming executives know what the law requires—and what the law changes entail. In this context, we much appreciate the work of author James K. Bravo and the experts at the law firm of Jannah Hill. Following are some key takeaways from the article.
When you work with us on regulatory compliance, you’re effectively dealing with the problem. We’re ensuring that your business model works under the conditions set by the regulator. So we’re champions of your business interests and also of the excellence that leads your operations to function in a way that the regulator views as a safe and sound model for the public.

Process for Engagement

At Jannah Hill, starting a partnership is easy and straightforward. Potential clients first reach out to us through our dedicated scheduling portal or by phone or email to set up an Initial Consultation. During this first meeting, we explore your particular situation and make a rough assessment of its compliance with the regulations that govern you. This conversation is absolutely essential for determining what partnerships we’ve entered into with you in the past and what partnerships we might enter into with you in the future.
After the consultation, we move into a detailed ‘Assessment and Planning’ phase. Our experts look closely at your current compliance setup—not just at the surface level, but going deep into your workings—examining the components that make up your compliance framework and how they fit together. This is done with an understanding of the complex Canadian regulatory environment and the components that make up your compliance frameworks, especially AML, KYC, and responsible gaming. Based on this detailed evaluation, we produce a bespoke, high-level action plan that lays out the steps you need to take to move from your current state to an improved future state.
We offer a reliable ongoing support service to our clients, emphasizing the excellence they have come to expect from us. This service works to ensure our clients’ operations stay in compliance with current regulations. It guarantees the client does not commit any legal indiscretions, enforcing many of the same basic principles we provide the client with during the setup phase when we first begin working together.

FAQ

Q: What is the mandate of the Gambling Regulation Compliance Services in Canada? A: These services aim to achieve the seemingly utopian state of the gaming industry—where compliance with the undulating and multifaceted Canadian gaming regulation is the rule rather than the exception. By ensuring that the industry as a whole works in accordance with the directive of “The Rule of No Penalties,” these services seek to minimize the gaming industry’s exposure to the fines that can follow enforcement actions and the legal costs that can ensue when a governor’s exhibit is so deep that it invokes the bankruptcy count in the Civil Code.
Q: What constitutes the principal statutory framework regulating the gaming industry in Canada? A: The principal statutory framework consists of the Gaming Control Act, the Gaming Control Regulations, and the Criminal Code, as well as the gaming laws and regulations of the provinces and territories.
Q: Typically, what kinds of services do Gaming Compliance Regulatory Services in Canada offer? A: These might include services such as: regulatory compliance audit; licensing and registration; anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-terrorism financing (ATF) compliance; responsible gaming practices; and ongoing regulatory monitoring and advice.
Q: In what ways do the Gambling Regulation Compliance Services in Canada assist gaming operators in achieving non-compliance? A: These services offer expert direction and support. They help operators grasp the not-so-simple regulatory landscape and the not-so-simple way of getting through it, thereby reducing the risk of not getting through it and incurring the penalties that may result if you don’t get through it.
Q: What happens if you don’t follow Canadian gaming regulations? A: Didn’t say it exactly right, but that was the gist. Subcontractors could face the same problem of not preserving the integrity of the gaming environment or the gaming system and be subject to fines and penalties, including losing the gaming license.
Q: Can the compliance services for gaming regulation in Canada help with obtaining a license and registering with the authorities? A: They certainly can. And this is a big “can.” The compliance services help the gaming operators—especially the small- and medium-sized ones—get through the tortuous licensing and registration process. They help the gaming operators maintain the necessary records, and these compliance services also ensure that the operators meet the demands of the tortuous “secret” process for obtaining the necessary license to operate.
Q: How do services that ensure compliance with gambling regulations keep up with fast-changing rules and regulations in Canada? A: The services that ensure compliance with gambling regulations typically maintain close ties with the bodies that enforce those regulations and keep themselves informed about even the smallest detail of the regulated world through ongoing research and monitoring.
Q: In Canada, can compliance services for gambling regulations provide direction on what constitutes responsible gaming? A: They can, and here’s how: Gaming compliance services here help our operators develop and put into practice responsible gaming measures. These services support our industry’s unflagging adherence to the principles of player protection and problem gaming prevention.
Q: What is the part that AML and ATF compliance play in Gambling Regulation Compliance Services in Canada? A: Compliance with the AML and the ATF is extremely important and forms a critical component of this service. Why is that? Because it helps the gaming operator detect and prevent money laundering and terrorist financing activities.
Q: Can the compliance services for gambling regulation in Canada assist with monitoring and advice related to regulatory matters?

A: Yes, they can assist in exactly that manner and with those necessary areas. They supply operators with ongoing regulatory monitoring and in-depth advice that helps the client stay ahead of the game. Compliance services help the gaming operator navigate through the ever-changing laws and regulations that affect their operation.