Earlier today, FUN Technologies and King.com announced that they were combining resources to form a new regulatory agency known as the Interactive Skill Games Association (ISGA).
The association, set to be run by newly announced president Harlan W. Goodson, hopes to develop a code of conduct for the skill games industry that will drive current and future members to create an honest and fair gaming environment for all players to compete in. In addition, executives from both FUN and King hope that such a display of self-regulation will help keep away the heavy hand of government enforcement.
Lorne Abony, CEO of Fun Technologies, explains:
"Through the creation of this new association, it is our goal to develop a code of conduct and best practices for the skill games industry, to which we hope member operators will voluntarily adhere without the need for government intervention."
To assist in the development of these policies, the ISGA has named Goodson, former director of the California Division of Gambling Control, as its first president. Executives such as King CEO Tony Rowland hope that Goodson’s experience with the government will help the association become an effective lobby for skill-game progression.
"Skill gaming is one of the most rapidly growing sectors of online entertainment and there is a pressing need to ensure the integrity of our games and to promote understanding of the services we offer," Rowland said. "Mr. Goodson, as a former chief state regulator, is the natural choice to lead the new trade association toward these goals."
In addition to establishing a code of conduct, the ISGA hopes to benefit its members by funding continued research into the legal ramifications of online skill-game play and by promoting the industry for legislators and regulatory agencies.