“NMi Gaming is determined to deliver in Eastern Europe”

NMi was recently granted a Class 2 certification and auditing license in Romania. What does this mean for NMi Gaming?

As the market leading compliance testing and auditing laboratory, we were of course delighted to have been the first test lab to be awarded the Class 2 certification in Romania. This was back in April 2016, which feels like a lifetime ago, Romania has had a very busy first few months. For our customers, who partner with us, this has meant that they can be sure to be able to continue to meet their compliance requirements in this new jurisdiction.

As a modern test lab we are a multi-function, multi-skilled, multi-national partner and we hold an important place in the gaming industry, particularly in Eastern Europe, that goes well beyond testing and extends into every facet of an iGaming business. Therefore operating in Romania further supports our road-map into Eastern Europe, and addresses our customer’s needs within the Eastern European market.

Why is the Romanian gambling market set to become one of the most dynamic and lucrative in Eastern Europe? What opportunities does it offer for gambling companies? How has new legislation impacted the industry?

We see ourselves as perfectly positioned in the industry to serve the Romanian and Eastern European markets as we have been active within Romania since April 2014.

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With around 70,000 slot machines and 5,000 betting shops, Romania has a culture of sports betting and gambling

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This consumer driven environment is demonstrated by an economy that is seeing its citizens spending more money than ever before, as well as embracing the digital age at an exponential rate.

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With the lowest internet usage in the EU, at 52%, it is only a matter of time as to how much growth we're expected to see, and how many new products are developed and launched into the market

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So there is clearly opportunity to take advantage of the technically competent and upwardly mobile consumer demand for online gaming in Eastern Europe. Earlier in the year we saw compliance activities increase as deadlines were set by regulators, with the majority of temporary permits issued in Romania expiring in July and August 2016. This instigated the immediate need for operators and suppliers to pursue compliance testing and auditing certifications that met with the ONJN’s approval.

What solutions will you be bringing to the table at the Entertainment Arena Expo in Bucharest, Romania in September?

We are determined to deliver in Eastern Europe, and will be demonstrating our commitment this year as we exhibit for the first time at Entertainment Arena Expo (EAE).

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We'll be there from the 5th to the 7th September 2016. Positioned in booth #318, we are bringing along our expert team to discuss compliance testing and security audit requirements and are happy to discuss the regulatory framework for Romania with visitors

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As Gaming is not subject to the EU principle of mutual recognition, whereby if a product can be lawfully sold in one EU member state, it can automatically be sold in all others, we see that most EU countries prefer to retain control of the sector within the jurisdiction.

This brings with it challenges in some of the more highly regulated jurisdictions. However, NMi's experience working with regulators worldwide and the fact that there has been some convergence of standards across many regulated jurisdictions does mean that, at an operational level, it is possible for us to offer Transfers of Approval (ToA) across many jurisdictions worldwide.

By testing a particular game for several jurisdictions at the same time, there are savings that our customers can make as we identify where requirements are repeated. We are then able to provide a test report for each required jurisdiction, delivering significant savings as well as facilitating fast access to market.

The gambling industry is going through a period of transition. How would you describe the regulatory changes taking place in the sector and what does the future have in store? What is your role in the industry?

From a compliance perspective, we see the regulatory changes that are taking place during this time of transition impacting on our customers as they take advantage of new market opportunities. We appreciate that there is a need to respond to new markets whilst continuing to remain compliant when reacting to changes in existing ones. Our role is, of course, to ensure that they do remain compliant with the ever-increasing number of laws and rules that are applicable to them - we support them through all aspects of the journey. From the identification of changes to complicated technical standards to testing new games and products, we make the transitional period as smooth as possible and meet their ambitions to deliver new products to new markets in the shortest possible time. We are fortunate that we are the sort of organization that can move quickly and meet our customer's needs in this respect.

What trends are dominating the industry today?

We see a strong increase in the regulatory landscape, with the need to mitigate risk as an increasing factor for corporations addressing compliance issues. The complexity of gaming content is sure to continue and for regulators that means an increasing challenge in understanding what goes on "under the hood".

Our team attending the Romanian Expo understands the trends and issues that are dominating the industry today particularly within the regulatory landscape in Romania and Eastern Europe and welcome the opportunity to discuss these further with visitors to the event.