Steve Toneguzzo Article Archive

Steve Toneguzzo has contributed nine articles published on the iGaming News site.

Protect Your License - Internet Gambling Operations (13 August 2002)
In June we looked at certain aspects of selecting a software supplier and concluded with regulatory matters. This month we expand upon that.

Protect Your License - Selecting a System (21 June 2002)
In April we moved on from the regulatory issues and more toward the business issues associated with operating in a regulated environment. We looked at establishing strategic direction and identifying the choice of "vehicle" to move your profit margin from A to B. Now let's look closer at that vehicle selection. What system will you choose to operate?

Protect Your License - Establishing Strategic Direction (15 April 2002)
Up to now my commentary has focused on regulatory issues. It may be both timely and appropriate, with the Global Interactive Gaming Expo and Conference on in Toronto next month, to turn attention toward the business issues. To this end, the next few months will focus on strategic direction, project planning, and related matters.

Protect Your Licence - International Regulatory Issues (11 March 2002)
Last month we considered a 10,000-foot view of the key ingredients for a "world's best practice" regulatory model for interactive gambling. However, the focus was national. This month we briefly look at some international issues that may impact the direction for the regulation of interactive gambling.

Protect Your License - A Regulatory Mode (12 February 2002)
If one intends to regulate any form of gambling, certain conditions should apply. In our team's international travels, we've been exposed to many different ways to regulate gambling. This month, I attempt to collate the best of the best into what we consider to be a view of a "world's best practice" regulatory model for interactive gambling.

Protect Your Licence - Internal Control Requirements (14 January 2002)
The technology and the operating environment are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, many areas of technological risk can quite often be effectively and simply mitigated to an acceptable level through the use of appropriate procedures. Compensating controls to mitigate business risk and reduce total reliance on technology is yet another reason why a practical and comprehensive system of internal controls and operating procedures is essential.

Protect Your License - Responsible Gambling (12 December 2001)
Using the analogy of road safety, the builder of the roads can design the roads for safety; they can provide warning signs on the road. The drivers can be trained in road safety. The standard of the car on the road can be defined (e.g. seat-belts, air-bags, etc.). In times of trouble, a quick response time from police and ambulance can be provided. Not one of these measures can be successful in isolation. The technology, the environment, the education, the help and the warnings must all be considered in a holistic approach to road safety. Similarly, the approach to responsible gambling has to be multi-faceted.

Protect Your License - Money Laundering (13 November 2001)
With all forms of e-commerce, there is either a clear end-to-end financial transaction (e.g. transfer of funds) or there is a tangible product supplied (e.g. a novel) that is traceable through a basic financial audit. To this end, over and above traditional regulatory measures, most governments are taking a self-regulatory approach to e-commerce. That is, the industry sets a code of conduct which the government sanctions and to which the industry must self regulate. There is merit in such an approach and provided the system is open to external scrutiny, there is little scope to hide or launder money. Here we are interested in the data itself and applying basic accounting principles to that data. Most accounting firms can perform such a financial audit task.

Protect Your License - Regulated Risk Management (15 October 2001)
There are many risks associated with gambling regulation (social, financial, political, technical, operational, and so on), and a well-structured system of regulation seeks to identify and set down guidelines to mitigate the risk but not be so restrictive as to suffocate the business.