Fraud Protection in Ukrainian Casinos: Relevant Methods in 2024

Studies show that casinos lose

up to 5% of their annual income due to fraudulent activities

Things worth operators’ attention

One-time purchase of many chips

Simultaneous bets on red and black

Too fast exchange of chips

The division of the winnings over UAH 30,000 into parts

The exchange of chips by a person who did not buy them

Attempts to produce false documents

Methods that exclude the cheating of players and dealers

Video filming and surveillance The use of software for face recognition and analysis of visitors’ behaviour The connection to monitoring systems of slot machines and tables The training of personnel for identifying suspicious activities

Other robbery schemes

The sale of goods and services at inflated prices (with financial benefits for the employees who completed the transaction)

Bonus abuse performed with the help of staff

the overestimation of the representational expenses

According to research, 43% of all detected cases of theft were identified through reports from players and staff.

Experts researched that only 14% of cases of theft are detected, and business owners will never find out about the rest of the accidents.

The gambling business is one of the most profitable market segments. Entrepreneurs put in a lot of effort to make good money on casinos. They upgrade equipment, attract customers, and invest in retaining them. All these tasks require substantial sums. However, this money pays off very well.

Like any other business, casinos face the threat of fraud. Gaminator Casino experts propose you to find out how Ukrainian gambling entrepreneurs solve the security problem. This article includes the effective protection measures that are used by offline and online gaming clubs in 2024.

Risks Faced by Gambling Entrepreneurs

Studies show that casinos lose up to 5% of their annual income as a result of fraudulent activities. The most common causes of damage are unscrupulous:

• employees;
• clients;
• business partners;
• suppliers.

Casino protection is the first thing owners should think about at the stage of business planning. Insufficient security measures can result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Financial risks are not the worst thing. Fraudsters often involve casinos in complex criminal schemes. If this happens, business owners can lose not only money, property, and reputation, but also their freedom.

Things Worth Operators’ Attention

Ukrainian entrepreneurs note that they are often faced with money laundering attempts. Trained employees of land-based casinos pay attention to several things to prevent fraud:

• one-time purchase of many chips;
• simultaneous bets on red and black (special attention should be paid to clients who repeat such moves);
• too fast exchange of chips;
• the division of the winnings over UAH 30,000 into parts (this fact indicates that a lucky casino visitor is trying to avoid the verification procedure);
• the exchange of chips by a person who did not buy them (this happens if the denominations are used as payment means);
• attempts to produce false documents.

Penalties for Money Laundering in Casinos

If law enforcement agencies establish that money was laundered in a casino, the establishment faces a fine.

The range of sanctions is diversified:

1. If the amount is determined, the penalty will be charged at a double rate from a gaming club.
2. If it is impossible to define the exact sum, a casino may be obliged to pay up to UAH 27 million.

During 2020-2021, there were no precedents in Ukraine with serious sanctions. As for other countries, the online club Casumo, which worked with a licence issued by Malta, paid 6 million pounds sterling in 2021. The fine was imposed by the UK Gambling Commission following the verification of suspicious transactions.

We offer you to learn how to manage land-based and online casinos to prevent the loss of large sums.

Relevant Security Measures for Ukrainian Offline Gaming Clubs

In 2020–2021, 9 legal land-based casinos with a Ukrainian licence were opened. The law obliges operators to adhere to several rules regarding the control of customer and employee activities, payments, and winnings.

Financial Protection

Operators of gambling establishments need to know their customers and understand whether the money used for betting is legally earned. Likewise, winnings must be strictly controlled.

The Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries of Ukraine obliged operators of land-based and online clubs to adhere to the principles of social responsibility.

To simplify this task, a unified register of persons with signs of gambling addiction has been created. They are prohibited from accessing casinos due to increased risks. The staff of gambling establishments is obliged to check whether their clients are included in this list.

The task of casino employees is to exclude unstable people, who take out loans for bets and even commit financial crimes for the sake of excitement from the game.

Detection of Foul Play

Gamers capable of causing financial harm for casinos can be divided into several categories:

1. "Mathematicians". During the session, they count cards and calculate possible combinations. There is nothing criminal in this, as long as such players do not act in collusion with the dealer. Unscrupulous croupiers give them the desired cards.
2. "Programmers". These scammers know which gaming halls have slot machines with known winning combinations. Such activity is also impossible without the participation of the staff of an establishment.
3. "Strategists". Gamblers can independently analyse and identify algorithms for making combinations in slot machines. As a rule, such strategies are meaningless if a tested random number generator is built into slot machines. If the software is of dubious quality, such players can receive large prizes.

Dishonest casino visitors rarely engage in fraudulent schemes without the complicity of casino staff. Club owners should carefully select employees and spare no expense on training them.

To exclude the cheating of players and dealers, the following methods are used:

• video filming and surveillance;
• the use of software for face recognition and analysis of visitors’ behaviour;
• the connection to monitoring systems of slot machines and tables;
• the training of personnel for identifying suspicious activities.

Prevention of Thefts in Casinos

Any business, including the gaming area, can be robbed. Thieves steal money, expensive equipment, and chips. Most often, such incidents involve casino employees who collude with criminals.

In addition to the banal robbery, there are some more sophisticated theft schemes:

• the sale of goods and services at inflated prices (with financial benefits for the employees who completed the transaction);
• bonus abuse performed with the help of staff;
• the overestimation of the representational expenses.

Often, casino theft schemes work for many years and are revealed by accident. Experts researched in this area believe that only 14% of cases of theft are detected, and business owners will never find out about the rest of the accidents.

All of these problems are associated with personnel selection errors. Experts recommend paying close attention to the biography and reputation of each employee. It is also worth sharing powers and controlling the actions of employees.

According to research, 43% of all detected cases of theft were identified through reports from players and staff. It is worth checking every alarm, including the anonymous ones. It is better to be safe.

Fight against Unfair Competition

It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs working in the gaming industry to resort to blows to the competitors’ image. Most often, this sneaky method manifests itself in the spread of rumours that undermine the reputation of casinos. Another possible option is reports of violations to law enforcement and regulatory authorities.

It is very difficult to deal with manifestations of unfair competition. Therefore, it is better to prevent them:

• build trusting relationships with players and partners;
• conduct a transparent business;
• assist law enforcement officers during inspections;
• provide the regulator with all the necessary documentation upon request;
• react to negative mentions of your company in the media and on the Internet;
• monitor changes in legislation and adapt the business to them;
• report violations of rights and freedoms to the appropriate authorities.

How Online Casinos Are Secured: The Best Methods and Tools

Since the legalisation of gambling in Ukraine, entrepreneurs have opened 37 online gambling clubs. Virtual casino owners enhance the security of business and website visitors using the latest technical means. Besides, they train staff to respond to potential promptly.

The following mechanisms are used to protect casinos and gamers:

Open Information

Players must have access to basic data on a company:

• full brand name;
• the history of a firm’s creation, its founders;
• products and services provided on a site;
• the terms of use of services;
• the licences and certificates;
• the contacts for communication and the location of the offline office.

Security Systems

Operators of casino sites connect software modules that protect them against:

• the introduction of viral and malicious software;
• hacker attacks;
• theft of personal and financial data;
• manipulations with bonuses;
• technical bugs.

Verification systems identify users, excluding access to games for underage users. The services check the accuracy of documents and financial data provided by visitors. Users whose names are in the "black lists" are automatically blocked.

Payment Services

The connection of high-quality financial systems from reliable providers is the best way to ensure the security of transactions. Software modules check each operation, detect risky payments, and send them for confirmation or rejection to an online casino’s employees.

Thanks to a well-functioning monitoring and control system, theft and money laundering schemes become impossible.

The Main Things about Preventing Fraud in Ukrainian Gambling Clubs

As of 2024, 9 land-based and 37 online casinos are operating in Ukraine. Security issues are relevant for each establishment.

• When opening a land-based casino, it is important to ensure the reliability of employees. Most dangerous schemes work when criminals act in collusion with staff.
• The law provides for the identity verification of each visitor to gaming clubs. This requirement should be observed. Make sure there are no players under the age of 21 or cheaters in your casino.
• Video cameras should be installed in gambling halls. They will help you detect unscrupulous gamblers and employees.
• It is important to run a transparent business. This is the only way to avoid problems with the law and cope with “dark” competition methods.
• Security systems and payment services should be connected to online casinos. These software modules are designed to protect the personal and financial information of owners, employees, and site visitors.

We offer three versions of the Gaminator gaming system. Each of which contains the main components necessary for the stable operation of land-based and online casinos.

The platform's catalogue contains games from well-known developers. The back office implies managing an establishment with minimum staff.

Contact Gaminator Casino managers to learn more about the launch and safe operation of gambling businesses.