Our industry is facing some turbulent times. Previously illegal territories are opening up; others are closing down as regulators and lobbyists grapple with the debate as to whether online gaming does – or does not – contribute to a rise in underage activity, problem gambling and financial crime. In-country licensing is under scrutiny in several countries including major markets such as Germany and France.

Talking with my own team here at GB Group it is clear that many operators are holding back from making major decisions about where to go next with their international marketing and business development plans. Our advice, as always, is to make sure that you can move swiftly once any changes are announced – be that in terms of a new market opening up or an existing one closing down. With a strong focus now on the whole area of identity management processes, we strongly recommend that companies ensure their systems and processes are flexible enough to cope with any sudden changes. Technology infrastructures can be notoriously inflexible – yet with webservices there is little or no reason why operators cannot switch “off” or “on” to individual countries and players as requirements change. Germany, France, Poland and Scandinavian countries are all under scrutiny at present – not to mention the US.

Can your customer registration systems cope with the potential changes that may occur in 2010? Knowing exactly who your players are could become even more important in the next 12 months and we can help you stay on top of this as your markets - and processes - change. Contact the GB Marketing team or your own Account Manager.