On February 1st, 2009, the eCOGRA or the eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance has extended its independent study and monitoring services to online bingo, sports wagering and live gaming operations, positioning its vital Safe and Fair certification seal within the easy reach of majority of online gaming operators. The gamer protection and standards organization now spans all important sectors in the online gaming industry, from online casino sites and online poker sites, through affiliate gaming activities, to growing mobile gaming market, sportsbooks, live gaming studios and the growing bingo market.
Chief Executive Officer Andrew Beveridge stated that they have now launched their brand new eGAP Minimum Requirements covering all managing aspects for online bingo and sports wagering operations. This allows gaming operators in these sectors to come forward for a thorough assessment and study with a goal of getting a Safe and Fair eCOGRA seal, already featured by some 126 tiered one online casino sites and online poker sites. Beveridge said that the answer to the challenge to fulfill the industry's best practice standards and improve operational capability has been outstanding and they have currently have significant number of sports online wagering and bingo operation under scrutiny.
Beveridge added that this extension of their study, advisory and managing service means that eCOGRA now spans all of the main gaming products that are currently being featured by online gaming operators to players. They match this work through an examination of areas like live gaming studios and mobile gaming platforms and by giving monthly payout percentage and reports based on the existing live gaming data from every transaction. eCOGRA has an improving number of dedicated staff which goes around to inspect, study and advice operators on the best practice requirements leading to the awarding of the Safe and Fair seal.
The compliance inspection made by the staff of eCOGRA is comprehensive, studying all operational, financial, responsible gaming and customer relations system together with reports on the gaming software in use. Majority of the well-known gaming software providers in the gaming industry have already been examined by eCOGRA, which is recognized by different international online gaming regulators and by gaming governing bodies like the European Gaming and Betting Association, which counts most of Europe's major online gaming operators among its members. Once an organization has been accredited by the eCOGRA seal, it is now subjected to continuous study and yearly study and must follow with the eCOGRA requirements regarding with the effective and quick handling of gambler complaints through the group's Fair Gaming Advocate.
Beveridge said that over the past 6 years, they have steadily built a lot of expertise and information as a result of their involvement with more than one hundred accreditation audits on many of the most successful online gaming groups online. He added that this has improved the practical industry knowledge of their staff which includes Chartered Accountants and IT specialists recruited from some of the top auditing and technology organizations in the world and the eCOGRA accreditation makes this an important professional and gaming market guidance that are within the reach of all online gaming companies and gaming software providers.
March 11, 2009
Nancy Parker