A bespoke online training platform for digital and land-based gaming professionals and operators has been launched by specialist industry consultancy SMP eGaming.
The SMP Compliance Academy was conceived, designed and written by SMP eGaming gaming professionals, chiefly compliance and regulatory specialists involved in the day-to-day operation of gaming businesses.
The new online compliance and regulatory training platform is intended to quickly establish itself as the “go to” compliance training portal for both digital and land-based gaming professionals and operators.
It was launched at SMP eGaming’s high profile first anniversary event at The Shard, London, on 6th February. The celebration brought together SMP eGaming staff and clients as well as invited guests from the international gaming industry and regulators from the Isle of Man, Jersey and Malta who were in London for ICE Totally Gaming.
SMP eGaming was established by the SMP Partners Group, headquartered in the Isle of Man, to provide objective and unbiased specialist advisory services to members of the gaming sector, building on the Group’s extensive, eight-year experience in the industry. Its research during the last year inspired the creation of The SMP Compliance Academy.
SMP eGaming Director David Hudson explained: ‘Faced with ever-increasing regulatory pressure to raise standards and the prospect of stiffer financial penalties, sanctions and possible licence revocations for non-compliance, those operating within the licensed gaming sector, whether digital or land-based, require a comprehensive compliance and regulatory training platform that can meet the mandatory requirements of their regulators and satisfy the organisation’s wider compliance training needs.
‘Having conducted significant market research over the last 12 months, SMP eGaming identified that the existing online training available in the market was, in our opinion, not fit for purpose in the current regulatory environment.
‘The result is The SMP Compliance Academy, a dedicated online compliance and regulatory training platform that has been conceived, designed and written by our gaming industry compliance and regulatory specialists with extensive and hands-on experience.’
He added: ‘The course catalogue and CPD-accredited content are designed to meet the specific needs of executives, PML holders and operators, and while initially focusing on the UK and Isle of Man we will quickly roll out new content that will cover all of the major international gaming jurisdictions. Initially we are planning to add Gibraltar, Malta, Jersey Australia and, in time, France, Italy, Denmark and the US.’
The platform, which is compatible with PC, Mac, tablet and mobile devices, can be delivered as a white label-branded platform or linked via API to a Learning Management System as an Enterprise solution and allows consistent delivery of tailored and branded content across digital and land-based teams.
Through an innovative and informative reporting and analytics suite, Compliance and HR professionals can easily and effectively manage the allocation and completion of courses across their organisations and, more importantly, can also gain real insight into the learning and development behaviours of their organisation.
Mr Hudson concluded: ‘The SMP Compliance Academy will be an essential tool for professionals throughout the gaming industry and reflects SMP eGaming’s acute awareness of the growing need to stay fully informed of regulatory and compliance requirements. It is entirely fitting that The SMP Compliance Academy was launched at our anniversary celebrations, reflecting the strong market position secured by SMP eGaming in its first 12 months and the depth of industry knowledge throughout the team.’
Photo - Members of the SMP Partners Group at The Shard in London during the launch of the SMP Compliance Academy.