AGA updates anti-money laundering compliance guide for gaming industry

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has updated its Best Practices for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance Guide to help casinos and gaming operators strengthen compliance amid new laws, technologies, and criminal threats.

Key updates to the guide include enhanced guidance for Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols and Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) filings, as well as a new risk assessment section aligned with regulatory expectations.

The guide also expands its focus on online activity, digital wallets, and cryptocurrency, while providing broader coverage of fraud risk. Additionally, it offers updated typologies and red flags to help staff identify and deter malicious activity, and introduces a dedicated section addressing human trafficking risks linked to money laundering.

“Maintaining up-to-date AML policies is essential to safeguarding the gaming industry’s operations, employees, and customers – and to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system,” said Alex Costello, Vice President of Government Relations at the American Gaming Association. “We encourage all casino operators and suppliers to use this resource to continually refine their practices as both the industry and threat environment change.”

Since the last update in 2022, the U.S. gaming industry has grown to over 1,000 land-based casinos. Ten states have legalized sports betting, and one has legalized iGaming.

The AGA notes that the legal, state-regulated U.S. gaming industry continues to be recognised as a leader in AML compliance, working closely with regulators, law enforcement, and compliance experts to raise the bar as new technologies, regulations, and risks emerge.