igaming-business-magazine-jersey-focus-2015

Jersey Focus 2015iGaminG’s newest jurisdiction on its industry-leadinG proposition

Jersey Focus 2015

116 | iGamingBusiness | Issue 90 | January/February 2015

Jersey’s legislation provides for particular advantages over older, less flexible regimes in competitor jurisdictions, writes Chris Burton, Managing Director, Vistra (Jersey) Limited, in his comprehensive introduction to iGaming Business’ Jersey Focus 2015.

The online gambling industry has evolved

from the development of the first fully

functional gambling software in the mid-

1990s - which led to the first online casinos

- into today’s transparent, regulated and

multi-billion-dollar industry. A main driver

of this evolution has been the development

of operational processes, controls and

compliance checks that have been required

by regulators as a result of the legalisation of

the industry in various jurisdictions. Today,

online gambling businesses can be seen as

main sponsors of major sports events and

advertising at such events with high visibility.

Industry growth rates are very high, and this

is only set to increase as more jurisdictions

implement legislation to regulate the industry.

Evolution of a regulatory framework• HistoryofUKandEUregulation

The 1990s saw the creation of a number

of regulatory bodies, but a significant

development was the UK passing the

Gambling Act 2005, leading to the creation

of the UK Gambling Commission in 2007.

The UK was the first major Western country

to create such a Commission to regulate

this industry. Continental Europe has been

slower to respond, but partly as a result of the

2008 global financial crisis, EU states have

recognised the opportunity to create their

own legislation, increase the transparency of

and properly regulate the industry. Using this

framework, tax authorities have been able to

collect revenues from these activities.

Initially, the UK did not impose a gambling

tax for non-resident online gambling

businesses that advertise and sell their

services to UK residents, but rather saw their

role in monitoring the jurisdictions, and the

businesses in those jurisdictions providing

this service. This was achieved through

section 331 of the Gambling Act 2005. This

provision prohibited any countries outside

of the EEA, the UK and Gibraltar from

marketing gambling services in the UK, unless

the jurisdiction obtained specific approval,

after which the jurisdiction was added to

a “White List”, which comprised, inter alia,

Malta, the Isle of Man and Alderney.

In 2009, some irregularities arose as to one

of the existing White List jurisdictions, and

Jersey’s pending application for inclusion was

suspended. This coincided with a change

in the UK Government, and the White List

remained closed pending further assessment.

As a result of this, and despite efforts on the

part of the Jersey government and industry,

Jersey was not included on the White List.

Hence, no businesses licensed in Jersey

would be able to advertise or sell services

into the UK, which at the time was the largest

regulated market in the world.

Historically, therefore, Jersey has

been at a significant disadvantage in the

eGaming space relative to its traditional

competitive jurisdictions. However, following

developments more recently, this position

has changed markedly.

• TheJerseyregulatoryenvironment

forgambling

Jersey initially sought to regulate gambling

through the Gambling (Remote Gambling

Disaster Recovery) (Jersey) Regulations

2008. However, Jersey recognised that, in

order to provide a full and flexible regime,

attractive to gaming operators, it needed to

implement completely new legislation for the

industry. To achieve this, the Jersey Gambling

Commission (Jersey) Law 2010 was passed,

leading to the creation of the Jersey Gambling

Commission (JGC). The JGC participated in

the creation of the Gambling (Jersey) Law

2012, passed in March 2013 and effective

from 1 January that year. The legislation was

specifically created to provide flexibility for

the JGC to regulate what is a rapidly changing

and challenging industry, thereby providing

an advantage over older, less flexible,

legislation in competitor jurisdictions.

As an independent entity with its own

budget, staff and responsibilities, the JGC

enjoys a significant degree of autonomy. The

JGC is approachable, flexible and supportive,

has a working relationship with the Jersey

Financial Services Authority and, perhaps

most importantly, is keen to co-operate with

prospective operators and other regulatory

bodies to ensure the eGaming industry in

Jersey has the opportunity to flourish.

• Regulation–currentposition

As other EU states began to impose gambling

taxes, the UK also turned its attention towards

how it could realise taxation revenues from

the industry. In March 2012, the Offshore

Gambling Bill was published, proposing a new

point of consumption tax of 15% to be effective

from 1 December 2014. The Bill received

Royal Assent on 14 May 2014 and became

the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act

2014. The result is that all existing businesses

advertising and selling to UK residents must

now be registered with the UK Gambling

Commission under a Remote Operating

Licence and pay a 15% gambling levy.

For Jersey, this has levelled the playing

field with competitor jurisdictions, removing

the historic disadvantage of non-inclusion

on the White List. Consequently Jersey’s

already inherently attractive regime for

eGaming can now be considered a real

alternative as a jurisdiction for delivering an

eGaming proposition.

In respect of other, less regulated

jurisdictions, Jersey can equally provide

IntroductIon to Jersey for the eGamInG Industry

Jersey Focus 2015

iGamingBusiness | Issue 90 | January/February 2015 | 117

support services to eGaming operators,

subject to being satisfied as to the legal

environment in the jurisdiction in question.

The Jersey propositionJersey is one of the world’s leading

international finance centres. Reliability,

political and economic stability, and

a sophisticated and comprehensive

infrastructure of laws have kept Jersey at

the forefront of global finance for over 50

years. Jersey has real appeal as a base for

eGaming business, both in terms of general

jurisdictional factors and industry specific

advantages. These are outlined below.

• Jurisdictionalfactors

Reputation

Jersey’s reputation as a leading financial centre

is repeatedly endorsed by international bodies.

Jersey has won numerous awards for being

the best offshore and international financial

centre. As a jurisdiction to base a business, it

has a reputation that is second to none.

Independence

Jersey has a unique constitutional position.

Although its allegiance is to the British

Crown, it is not a part of the UK and is

not represented in the British Houses of

Parliament. The island’s domestic autonomy

has been preserved via charter and

convention through 800 years of history.

Stability

Jersey has its own democratically elected

Parliament, which has consistently

maintained responsibility for domestic

affairs including fiscal matters. Jersey also

operates its own judicial system, which

is based on common law principles.

Furthermore, Jersey is debt-free, with stable

reserves and a policy of balanced budgets.

Government

The development of the economy in Jersey

has strong government backing by Locate

Jersey, the team tasked by the Economic

and Development Department of the States

of Jersey to attract new business to the

island. This department has supported the

introduction of new gambling legislation

and promoted the industry in the island.

Digital Jersey has been set up by the States

of Jersey but will eventually be funded by

industry. Digital Jersey is the body actively

promoting the technological development

of the island and securing new business

and industries. EGaming is one such area

receiving its active full support.

Legal System

Jersey’s robust, modern and sophisticated

legal framework is the source and foundation

of Jersey’s finance industry. Developments

and enhancements are continually being

made to ensure flexibility and attractiveness

to domestic and international markets.

Currency

Jersey is a sterling-based economy.

• Structuringconsiderations

Tax neutrality

Jersey offers a tax-neutral environment, with

no Capital Transfer Tax, Capital Gains Tax,

Value Added Tax (“VAT”), Withholding Taxes

or Wealth Taxes. This provides tax certainty

and allows for fiscally efficient cross-border

investment, with no tax leakage.

The absence of VAT is a key advantage

for Jersey over other jurisdictions. This

means that there is no VAT chargeable on

services such as marketing for advertising,

promotions etc. This creates a distinct

advantage over other offshore jurisdictions

that do charge as much as 18% VAT.

Regulation

Jersey remains one of the best-regulated

international finance centres, a position that

has been acknowledged by independent

assessments from some of the world’s

leading bodies including the OECD.

Jersey is fully aligned with the highest

standards of the third anti-money

laundering EU Directive and was the first

offshore finance centres to become a full

signatory to the IOSCO Multilateral Treaty,

an international benchmark for cross border

co-operation between regulators.

The Jersey authorities have signed 42

international tax agreements to date, which

assist in building good quality business with

those countries and are also a reflection

of Jersey’s commitment to comply with

international standards.

Substance

Jersey has a visible financial industry in its

capital, St. Helier, which employs a quarter of

the local workforce. In over five decades, Jersey

has developed a breadth and depth to its

range of products and services that competing

jurisdictions find difficult to match.

The wealth of experience and expertise

offered by Jersey’s highly skilled financial

service providers, combined with a world-

class infrastructure, gives an unparalleled

welcome to businesses and investors alike.

• Infrastructure

Jersey offers a comprehensive and robust

business and communication infrastructure.

Banking and Professional Infrastructure

Jersey has in total 42 banks and access to a

host of Payment Solution Providers (“PSPs”).

Jersey has access to all major accountancy

firms and 5 first tier legal practices.

Stock Exchange

Jersey has access to the Channel Islands

Securities Exchange, based in St Peter Port,

Guernsey, provides a listing facility and a

market for companies to raise capital from

international investors based on a bespoke

trading platform.

Listings on Global Exchanges

Jersey is the jurisdiction of choice for corporate

entities seeking to list – with the greatest

number of FTSE 100 companies registered

outside of the UK, being registered in Jersey.

With 108 companies listed on worldwide

stock exchanges, from London to New

York and a combined market capitalisation

of over £210 billion, Jersey is a leading

international finance centre for Listing

Vehicles (as at 30 June 2014).

World Class Data Centres

Data centres in Jersey, a highly geopolitically

stable environment, already provide Disaster

Recovery Services to many international

financial institutions. Data centres are

Jersey Focus 2015

Jersey’s legislation provides for particular advantages over older, less flexible regimes in competitor jurisdictions, writes Chris Burton, Managing Director, Vistra (Jersey) Limited, in his comprehensive introduction to iGaming Business’ Jersey Focus 2015.

The online gambling industry has evolved

from the development of the first fully

functional gambling software in the mid-

1990s - which led to the first online casinos

- into today’s transparent, regulated and

multi-billion-dollar industry. A main driver

of this evolution has been the development

of operational processes, controls and

compliance checks that have been required

by regulators as a result of the legalisation of

the industry in various jurisdictions. Today,

online gambling businesses can be seen as

main sponsors of major sports events and

advertising at such events with high visibility.

Industry growth rates are very high, and this

is only set to increase as more jurisdictions

implement legislation to regulate the industry.

Evolution of a regulatory framework• HistoryofUKandEUregulation

The 1990s saw the creation of a number

of regulatory bodies, but a significant

development was the UK passing the

Gambling Act 2005, leading to the creation

of the UK Gambling Commission in 2007.

The UK was the first major Western country

to create such a Commission to regulate

this industry. Continental Europe has been

slower to respond, but partly as a result of the

2008 global financial crisis, EU states have

recognised the opportunity to create their

own legislation, increase the transparency of

and properly regulate the industry. Using this

framework, tax authorities have been able to

collect revenues from these activities.

Initially, the UK did not impose a gambling

tax for non-resident online gambling

businesses that advertise and sell their

services to UK residents, but rather saw their

role in monitoring the jurisdictions, and the

businesses in those jurisdictions providing

this service. This was achieved through

section 331 of the Gambling Act 2005. This

provision prohibited any countries outside

of the EEA, the UK and Gibraltar from

marketing gambling services in the UK, unless

the jurisdiction obtained specific approval,

after which the jurisdiction was added to

a “White List”, which comprised, inter alia,

Malta, the Isle of Man and Alderney.

In 2009, some irregularities arose as to one

of the existing White List jurisdictions, and

Jersey’s pending application for inclusion was

suspended. This coincided with a change

in the UK Government, and the White List

remained closed pending further assessment.

As a result of this, and despite efforts on the

part of the Jersey government and industry,

Jersey was not included on the White List.

Hence, no businesses licensed in Jersey

would be able to advertise or sell services

into the UK, which at the time was the largest

regulated market in the world.

Historically, therefore, Jersey has

been at a significant disadvantage in the

eGaming space relative to its traditional

competitive jurisdictions. However, following

developments more recently, this position

has changed markedly.

• TheJerseyregulatoryenvironment

forgambling

Jersey initially sought to regulate gambling

through the Gambling (Remote Gambling

Disaster Recovery) (Jersey) Regulations

2008. However, Jersey recognised that, in

order to provide a full and flexible regime,

attractive to gaming operators, it needed to

implement completely new legislation for the

industry. To achieve this, the Jersey Gambling

Commission (Jersey) Law 2010 was passed,

leading to the creation of the Jersey Gambling

Commission (JGC). The JGC participated in

the creation of the Gambling (Jersey) Law

2012, passed in March 2013 and effective

from 1 January that year. The legislation was

specifically created to provide flexibility for

the JGC to regulate what is a rapidly changing

and challenging industry, thereby providing

an advantage over older, less flexible,

legislation in competitor jurisdictions.

As an independent entity with its own

budget, staff and responsibilities, the JGC

enjoys a significant degree of autonomy. The

JGC is approachable, flexible and supportive,

has a working relationship with the Jersey

Financial Services Authority and, perhaps

most importantly, is keen to co-operate with

prospective operators and other regulatory

bodies to ensure the eGaming industry in

Jersey has the opportunity to flourish.

• Regulation–currentposition

As other EU states began to impose gambling

taxes, the UK also turned its attention towards

how it could realise taxation revenues from

the industry. In March 2012, the Offshore

Gambling Bill was published, proposing a new

point of consumption tax of 15% to be effective

from 1 December 2014. The Bill received

Royal Assent on 14 May 2014 and became

the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act

2014. The result is that all existing businesses

advertising and selling to UK residents must

now be registered with the UK Gambling

Commission under a Remote Operating

Licence and pay a 15% gambling levy.

For Jersey, this has levelled the playing

field with competitor jurisdictions, removing

the historic disadvantage of non-inclusion

on the White List. Consequently Jersey’s

already inherently attractive regime for

eGaming can now be considered a real

alternative as a jurisdiction for delivering an

eGaming proposition.

In respect of other, less regulated

jurisdictions, Jersey can equally provide

IntroductIon to Jersey for the eGamInG Industry

Jersey Focus 2015

support services to eGaming operators,

subject to being satisfied as to the legal

environment in the jurisdiction in question.

The Jersey propositionJersey is one of the world’s leading

international finance centres. Reliability,

political and economic stability, and

a sophisticated and comprehensive

infrastructure of laws have kept Jersey at

the forefront of global finance for over 50

years. Jersey has real appeal as a base for

eGaming business, both in terms of general

jurisdictional factors and industry specific

advantages. These are outlined below.

• Jurisdictionalfactors

Reputation

Jersey’s reputation as a leading financial centre

is repeatedly endorsed by international bodies.

Jersey has won numerous awards for being

the best offshore and international financial

centre. As a jurisdiction to base a business, it

has a reputation that is second to none.

Independence

Jersey has a unique constitutional position.

Although its allegiance is to the British

Crown, it is not a part of the UK and is

not represented in the British Houses of

Parliament. The island’s domestic autonomy

has been preserved via charter and

convention through 800 years of history.

Stability

Jersey has its own democratically elected

Parliament, which has consistently

maintained responsibility for domestic

affairs including fiscal matters. Jersey also

operates its own judicial system, which

is based on common law principles.

Furthermore, Jersey is debt-free, with stable

reserves and a policy of balanced budgets.

Government

The development of the economy in Jersey

has strong government backing by Locate

Jersey, the team tasked by the Economic

and Development Department of the States

of Jersey to attract new business to the

island. This department has supported the

introduction of new gambling legislation

and promoted the industry in the island.

Digital Jersey has been set up by the States

of Jersey but will eventually be funded by

industry. Digital Jersey is the body actively

promoting the technological development

of the island and securing new business

and industries. EGaming is one such area

receiving its active full support.

Legal System

Jersey’s robust, modern and sophisticated

legal framework is the source and foundation

of Jersey’s finance industry. Developments

and enhancements are continually being

made to ensure flexibility and attractiveness

to domestic and international markets.

Currency

Jersey is a sterling-based economy.

• Structuringconsiderations

Tax neutrality

Jersey offers a tax-neutral environment, with

no Capital Transfer Tax, Capital Gains Tax,

Value Added Tax (“VAT”), Withholding Taxes

or Wealth Taxes. This provides tax certainty

and allows for fiscally efficient cross-border

investment, with no tax leakage.

The absence of VAT is a key advantage

for Jersey over other jurisdictions. This

means that there is no VAT chargeable on

services such as marketing for advertising,

promotions etc. This creates a distinct

advantage over other offshore jurisdictions

that do charge as much as 18% VAT.

Regulation

Jersey remains one of the best-regulated

international finance centres, a position that

has been acknowledged by independent

assessments from some of the world’s

leading bodies including the OECD.

Jersey is fully aligned with the highest

standards of the third anti-money

laundering EU Directive and was the first

offshore finance centres to become a full

signatory to the IOSCO Multilateral Treaty,

an international benchmark for cross border

co-operation between regulators.

The Jersey authorities have signed 42

international tax agreements to date, which

assist in building good quality business with

those countries and are also a reflection

of Jersey’s commitment to comply with

international standards.

Substance

Jersey has a visible financial industry in its

capital, St. Helier, which employs a quarter of

the local workforce. In over five decades, Jersey

has developed a breadth and depth to its

range of products and services that competing

jurisdictions find difficult to match.

The wealth of experience and expertise

offered by Jersey’s highly skilled financial

service providers, combined with a world-

class infrastructure, gives an unparalleled

welcome to businesses and investors alike.

• Infrastructure

Jersey offers a comprehensive and robust

business and communication infrastructure.

Banking and Professional Infrastructure

Jersey has in total 42 banks and access to a

host of Payment Solution Providers (“PSPs”).

Jersey has access to all major accountancy

firms and 5 first tier legal practices.

Stock Exchange

Jersey has access to the Channel Islands

Securities Exchange, based in St Peter Port,

Guernsey, provides a listing facility and a

market for companies to raise capital from

international investors based on a bespoke

trading platform.

Listings on Global Exchanges

Jersey is the jurisdiction of choice for corporate

entities seeking to list – with the greatest

number of FTSE 100 companies registered

outside of the UK, being registered in Jersey.

With 108 companies listed on worldwide

stock exchanges, from London to New

York and a combined market capitalisation

of over £210 billion, Jersey is a leading

international finance centre for Listing

Vehicles (as at 30 June 2014).

World Class Data Centres

Data centres in Jersey, a highly geopolitically

stable environment, already provide Disaster

Recovery Services to many international

financial institutions. Data centres are

Jersey Focus 2015

Chris Burton joined Vistra as the Managing Director of the Jersey office in August 2010 and currently leads the private client trust and fund administration businesses on the Island. Chris is an ACIB, holds the IOD Certificate in Company Direction has a Diploma in Financial Studies and an MBA from the University of Warwick. Vistra (Jersey) Limited, part of the Vistra Group, is a corporate services provider regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission with extensive experience in the advice, set-up and transfer of businesses and is well placed to assist with the establishment and ongoing operation of egaming businesses.

ISO27001 and PCI compliant, they include

Cloud services and DDoS protection,

alongside redundant power back up systems

providing 24/7/365 service to stringent SLA’s.

IT Infrastructure

Jersey maintains a competitive IT

marketplace with 4 major telecoms providers;

Jersey Telecom, Sure, Newtel and Airtel-

Vodafone. Jersey Telecom has significant

datacentre presence as does Sure via its

acquisition of Foreshore. Jersey Telecom has

been operating in telecommunications on the

Island for 120 years.

Jersey is promoting itself as a test-bed for

new technology with the island committing

to providing a fibre broadband network

island wide to all businesses and homes.

This is already attracting interest from world-

class technology companies and shows the

commitment of Jersey to the digital age.

Third party service providers

Finally, Jersey has access to an established

network of third-party service providers

with an interest in establishing an

integrated solution for new eGaming

businesses looking to relocate to the Island.

Included in this category are games

software testers, compliance resources, data

hosting services, merchant services, tax

advisers and other support.

• Practicalities

Proximity to London

Jersey is only a short flight away from

London, with flights to other airports in the

UK, the largest regulated eGaming market.

Other international flights are available to

Dublin, Zurich and Geneva.

Location for top executives

Jersey is a highly attractive location for

executives and owners of eGaming businesses.

With an enviable culture of safety and

privacy, high quality health and leisure

facilities, a world-class education system,

Jersey has a longstanding reputation for

attracting successful companies and

individuals to its shores.

Jersey is a location for those who want to

work in a thriving, international centre of

excellence, but who seek a life of more than

just work - in Jersey the work life balance

really is achievable.

From a personal taxation perspective,

Jersey offers fiscal advantages such as

20% income tax (negotiable for wealthy

individuals), with no Capital Gains Tax or

Inheritance Tax.

eGaminginfrastructure

The inherent attractions of Jersey as a

location to do business are augmented by

specific advantages designed to appeal

to the eGaming community. These are

summarised below:

• Flexible,uptodatelegislation

Jersey has carefully reviewed the legislative

environment for eGaming in competing

jurisdictions and has incorporated the best

elements into its local legislation. The law

has been organised into Codes that allow

the JGC significant autonomy and scope for

adapting regulations quickly; this provides

a dynamic environment enabling operators

to take advantage of emerging opportunities

without having to wait for law drafting

and due process to create a new regulatory

framework. Jason Lane, Chief Executive of

the JGC has proven to be a very proactive,

business friendly and approachable

regulator and quotes; “Jersey is new to the

marketplace in respect of online gambling,

but with robust and flexible modern

gambling legislation Jersey is a very real and

competitive alternative”.

• Verycompetitivepricing

As can be seen from the comparison

table (see Appendix 1 attached), Jersey has

no gaming duty and competitive licence

fees. Equally, the licence cost is a flat fee

and is not “tiered”, as is the case in some

competitor jurisdictions. The saving in fees

can easily enter six figures for even medium

sized operators in licensing cost alone.

• Singlelicence

The licensing regime is straightforward and

easy to comprehend, consisting of a single

licence designed to capture all commercial

gambling facilitation and permits for

ancillary business.

• LicencerequiresaJerseycompany

Jersey Companies are subject to a

compliance regime under the supervision of

the Jersey Financial Services Commission,

and requires high standards of corporate

governance. The JGC provides further

protection of the integrity and reputation of

the Island to ensure Jersey represents a top

class jurisdiction for eGaming.

• Companynotrequiredtomigrate

wholesaleoperationstoJersey

Unlike some jurisdictions, Jersey does not

have a requirement for staff or specific

services to be located in Jersey with the

exception of the data centre and a local

company to hold the licence. However, it is

possible to relocate and base whole or part

operations here and assistance is available

should this be a requirement.

• Independenttesting

This is required but not if already recently

approved by an independent testing house.

• Licencevalidfor5years (subject to

yearly fees as Appendix 1).

ConclusionThe unique cocktail of Jersey jurisdictional

factors, eGaming legal framework,

competitive license costs, tax benefits,

excellent IT infrastructure and lack of taint

from previous eGaming controversies,

combine to make Jersey a compelling location

for establishing a new eGaming business, or

moving an existing operation from another

jurisdiction. For an industry that is emerging

from the shadows and becoming increasingly

regulated, Jersey’s reputation for sound

regulation cannot be equalled.

Jersey Focus 2015

Chris Burton joined Vistra as the Managing Director of the Jersey office in August 2010 and currently leads the private client trust and fund administration businesses on the Island. Chris is an ACIB, holds the IOD Certificate in Company Direction has a Diploma in Financial Studies and an MBA from the University of Warwick. Vistra (Jersey) Limited, part of the Vistra Group, is a corporate services provider regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission with extensive experience in the advice, set-up and transfer of businesses and is well placed to assist with the establishment and ongoing operation of egaming businesses.

ISO27001 and PCI compliant, they include

Cloud services and DDoS protection,

alongside redundant power back up systems

providing 24/7/365 service to stringent SLA’s.

IT Infrastructure

Jersey maintains a competitive IT

marketplace with 4 major telecoms providers;

Jersey Telecom, Sure, Newtel and Airtel-

Vodafone. Jersey Telecom has significant

datacentre presence as does Sure via its

acquisition of Foreshore. Jersey Telecom has

been operating in telecommunications on the

Island for 120 years.

Jersey is promoting itself as a test-bed for

new technology with the island committing

to providing a fibre broadband network

island wide to all businesses and homes.

This is already attracting interest from world-

class technology companies and shows the

commitment of Jersey to the digital age.

Third party service providers

Finally, Jersey has access to an established

network of third-party service providers

with an interest in establishing an

integrated solution for new eGaming

businesses looking to relocate to the Island.

Included in this category are games

software testers, compliance resources, data

hosting services, merchant services, tax

advisers and other support.

• Practicalities

Proximity to London

Jersey is only a short flight away from

London, with flights to other airports in the

UK, the largest regulated eGaming market.

Other international flights are available to

Dublin, Zurich and Geneva.

Location for top executives

Jersey is a highly attractive location for

executives and owners of eGaming businesses.

With an enviable culture of safety and

privacy, high quality health and leisure

facilities, a world-class education system,

Jersey has a longstanding reputation for

attracting successful companies and

individuals to its shores.

Jersey is a location for those who want to

work in a thriving, international centre of

excellence, but who seek a life of more than

just work - in Jersey the work life balance

really is achievable.

From a personal taxation perspective,

Jersey offers fiscal advantages such as

20% income tax (negotiable for wealthy

individuals), with no Capital Gains Tax or

Inheritance Tax.

eGaminginfrastructure

The inherent attractions of Jersey as a

location to do business are augmented by

specific advantages designed to appeal

to the eGaming community. These are

summarised below:

• Flexible,uptodatelegislation

Jersey has carefully reviewed the legislative

environment for eGaming in competing

jurisdictions and has incorporated the best

elements into its local legislation. The law

has been organised into Codes that allow

the JGC significant autonomy and scope for

adapting regulations quickly; this provides

a dynamic environment enabling operators

to take advantage of emerging opportunities

without having to wait for law drafting

and due process to create a new regulatory

framework. Jason Lane, Chief Executive of

the JGC has proven to be a very proactive,

business friendly and approachable

regulator and quotes; “Jersey is new to the

marketplace in respect of online gambling,

but with robust and flexible modern

gambling legislation Jersey is a very real and

competitive alternative”.

• Verycompetitivepricing

As can be seen from the comparison

table (see Appendix 1 attached), Jersey has

no gaming duty and competitive licence

fees. Equally, the licence cost is a flat fee

and is not “tiered”, as is the case in some

competitor jurisdictions. The saving in fees

can easily enter six figures for even medium

sized operators in licensing cost alone.

• Singlelicence

The licensing regime is straightforward and

easy to comprehend, consisting of a single

licence designed to capture all commercial

gambling facilitation and permits for

ancillary business.

• LicencerequiresaJerseycompany

Jersey Companies are subject to a

compliance regime under the supervision of

the Jersey Financial Services Commission,

and requires high standards of corporate

governance. The JGC provides further

protection of the integrity and reputation of

the Island to ensure Jersey represents a top

class jurisdiction for eGaming.

• Companynotrequiredtomigrate

wholesaleoperationstoJersey

Unlike some jurisdictions, Jersey does not

have a requirement for staff or specific

services to be located in Jersey with the

exception of the data centre and a local

company to hold the licence. However, it is

possible to relocate and base whole or part

operations here and assistance is available

should this be a requirement.

• Independenttesting

This is required but not if already recently

approved by an independent testing house.

• Licencevalidfor5years (subject to

yearly fees as Appendix 1).

ConclusionThe unique cocktail of Jersey jurisdictional

factors, eGaming legal framework,

competitive license costs, tax benefits,

excellent IT infrastructure and lack of taint

from previous eGaming controversies,

combine to make Jersey a compelling location

for establishing a new eGaming business, or

moving an existing operation from another

jurisdiction. For an industry that is emerging

from the shadows and becoming increasingly

regulated, Jersey’s reputation for sound

regulation cannot be equalled.

Jersey Focus 2015

Stringent yet flexible regulation is one of the building blocks of Jersey’s nascent iGaming industry. We spoke to Jason Lane, chief executive of the Jersey Gambling Commission, about the regime and its potential benefits to companies.

Why did Jersey decide to move into remote gambling licensing and regulation, and when did it open its doors for business? Some time ago, the government of Jersey

decided to reform and modernise the Island’s

gambling legislation, which had become

thoroughly outdated. That process – which

created the independent Jersey Gambling

Commission in 2010 as the gambling

regulator – involved a root-and-branch review

of the relevant legislation to create a modern

and dynamic legislative framework for

regulation, and it was only natural at that stage

to consider the question of online gambling.

As a result, the Island developed a regulatory

structure for disaster recovery services for

online gambling providers as far back as

2008, with a suite of legislation covering

online gambling operations following not

long after, although in a practical sense, we

were constrained by the closed UK White List

system until that came to an end recently.

Regulating iGaming is different to offline in many ways. How did you go about getting the necessary expertise and structures in place?In reality, the regulation of iGaming involves

the same core principles and attention to

detail that terrestrial gambling requires, so

the move was not a significant conceptual

jump for the Commission, which is staffed

by experienced professionals. That said,

regulation of the iGaming sphere involves

its own set of unique implications, and

requires a new set of technical skills. To

fully understand those implications and

requirements we took legal and practical

advice from experienced specialists, and had

discussions with industry figures over a long

period. Of course, we did our own networking

with colleagues from other jurisdictions with

whom we meet regularly through forums

such as the Gambling Regulators European

Forum (of which I am currently chairman)

and the International Association of Gaming

Regulators. Those latter discussions were

invaluable – they gave us the opportunity to

learn from the experience of other jurisdictions

in the iGaming sphere, and to discuss specific

questions in a formal and an informal way.

Jersey is going up against a host of established offshore jurisdictions. What differentiates what Jersey can provide to operators and service providers?That’s a question better aimed at marketers

than regulators! It is hugely important to us

to preserve the integrity of what we do, and

that requires us to focus our efforts on our

statutory regulatory function, rather than

marketing or promotion. That said, when we

talk to prospective applicants, the points that

crop up time and time again are about the

infrastructure here – both in technical, service

and expertise terms – and the pro-business

approach of the government. The fact that

our legislation is now fully adaptive to new

business scenarios (without further political

sign-off) is also clearly advantageous.

How are your plans to attract remote gambling businesses to the island progressing?Although the Jersey Gambling Commission

does not have a specific marketing or

promotional role, that does not mean that

the marketing/promotion function is not

being considered and pursued with energy.

On the contrary, a specific body, Digital

Jersey, has been established to nurture and

promote the nascent tech and digital sector

in the Island; a government agency called

Locate Jersey travels the world promoting

the Island as a place to do business across

all sectors, including gambling, international

financial services, retail and tourism; and a

new senior ministerial post for innovation is

being established right now, demonstrating

that there is support for the economic

growth agenda at the political level.

The UK recently introduced a point-of-consumption tax. What specific advantages can you offer iGaming operators and service providers targeting this market?The reforms in the UK have effectively levelled

the playing field in terms of marketing online

gambling services, and that’s something that

we obviously welcome, having been blocked

by the discriminatory white list system that

preceded the -oint of Consumption Tax.

The changes allow Jersey to develop a new

industry servicing the iGaming sector, based

on its world-leading reputation as a financial

services hub supported by expert professional

services. It’s worth pointing out that our

financial services centre has been given very

positive assessments by the International

Monetary Fund, and that the Island is

increasingly seen as a place to do business

in terms of efficiency and infrastructure, and

offers excellent legal and business structures

for international headquartering and the

provision of Intellectual Property and other

services across groups of companies.

Q&A: Dr JAson LAne, Ceo, Jersey GAmbLinG Commission

Dr Jason Lane is Chief Executive, Jersey Gambling Commission. After working as Jersey’s Gambling Controller and Director of Regulatory Services, Jason became Chief Executive of the independent Jersey Gambling Commission on its inception in 2010. He is chairman of the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF), an active participant in the IAGR e-gaming working group and is also a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law.

Jersey Focus 2015

Stringent yet flexible regulation is one of the building blocks of Jersey’s nascent iGaming industry. We spoke to Jason Lane, chief executive of the Jersey Gambling Commission, about the regime and its potential benefits to companies.

Why did Jersey decide to move into remote gambling licensing and regulation, and when did it open its doors for business? Some time ago, the government of Jersey

decided to reform and modernise the Island’s

gambling legislation, which had become

thoroughly outdated. That process – which

created the independent Jersey Gambling

Commission in 2010 as the gambling

regulator – involved a root-and-branch review

of the relevant legislation to create a modern

and dynamic legislative framework for

regulation, and it was only natural at that stage

to consider the question of online gambling.

As a result, the Island developed a regulatory

structure for disaster recovery services for

online gambling providers as far back as

2008, with a suite of legislation covering

online gambling operations following not

long after, although in a practical sense, we

were constrained by the closed UK White List

system until that came to an end recently.

Regulating iGaming is different to offline in many ways. How did you go about getting the necessary expertise and structures in place?In reality, the regulation of iGaming involves

the same core principles and attention to

detail that terrestrial gambling requires, so

the move was not a significant conceptual

jump for the Commission, which is staffed

by experienced professionals. That said,

regulation of the iGaming sphere involves

its own set of unique implications, and

requires a new set of technical skills. To

fully understand those implications and

requirements we took legal and practical

advice from experienced specialists, and had

discussions with industry figures over a long

period. Of course, we did our own networking

with colleagues from other jurisdictions with

whom we meet regularly through forums

such as the Gambling Regulators European

Forum (of which I am currently chairman)

and the International Association of Gaming

Regulators. Those latter discussions were

invaluable – they gave us the opportunity to

learn from the experience of other jurisdictions

in the iGaming sphere, and to discuss specific

questions in a formal and an informal way.

Jersey is going up against a host of established offshore jurisdictions. What differentiates what Jersey can provide to operators and service providers?That’s a question better aimed at marketers

than regulators! It is hugely important to us

to preserve the integrity of what we do, and

that requires us to focus our efforts on our

statutory regulatory function, rather than

marketing or promotion. That said, when we

talk to prospective applicants, the points that

crop up time and time again are about the

infrastructure here – both in technical, service

and expertise terms – and the pro-business

approach of the government. The fact that

our legislation is now fully adaptive to new

business scenarios (without further political

sign-off) is also clearly advantageous.

How are your plans to attract remote gambling businesses to the island progressing?Although the Jersey Gambling Commission

does not have a specific marketing or

promotional role, that does not mean that

the marketing/promotion function is not

being considered and pursued with energy.

On the contrary, a specific body, Digital

Jersey, has been established to nurture and

promote the nascent tech and digital sector

in the Island; a government agency called

Locate Jersey travels the world promoting

the Island as a place to do business across

all sectors, including gambling, international

financial services, retail and tourism; and a

new senior ministerial post for innovation is

being established right now, demonstrating

that there is support for the economic

growth agenda at the political level.

The UK recently introduced a point-of-consumption tax. What specific advantages can you offer iGaming operators and service providers targeting this market?The reforms in the UK have effectively levelled

the playing field in terms of marketing online

gambling services, and that’s something that

we obviously welcome, having been blocked

by the discriminatory white list system that

preceded the -oint of Consumption Tax.

The changes allow Jersey to develop a new

industry servicing the iGaming sector, based

on its world-leading reputation as a financial

services hub supported by expert professional

services. It’s worth pointing out that our

financial services centre has been given very

positive assessments by the International

Monetary Fund, and that the Island is

increasingly seen as a place to do business

in terms of efficiency and infrastructure, and

offers excellent legal and business structures

for international headquartering and the

provision of Intellectual Property and other

services across groups of companies.

Q&A: Dr JAson LAne, Ceo, Jersey GAmbLinG Commission

Dr Jason Lane is Chief Executive, Jersey Gambling Commission. After working as Jersey’s Gambling Controller and Director of Regulatory Services, Jason became Chief Executive of the independent Jersey Gambling Commission on its inception in 2010. He is chairman of the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF), an active participant in the IAGR e-gaming working group and is also a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law.

Jersey Focus 2015

Jersey is already reaping the benefits of its recent repositioning as a jurisdiction and business hub for eGaming, writes Marcus Pallot from the Jersey office of law firm Carey Olsen.

In recent years, Jersey has positioned itself

as a serious player in the rapidly growing

e-Gaming market and it is bearing the fruits of

its efforts. Through its agility, its commitment

to creating a more diversified economy and its

Government’s ‘open for business’ approach,

it presents a compelling case ahead of other

online gaming jurisdictions.

Permitted forms of gambling in Jersey

were historically limited to licensed

bookmakers, horse and dog racing and

the Channel Islands Lottery. In 2008, the

States of Jersey debated the introduction of

an amended legislative framework to allow

for the structured regulation of additional

forms of gambling from within the Island, to

include e-Gaming.

This resulted in the Gambling (Remote

Gambling Disaster Recovery) (Jersey)

Regulations 2008 (the DR Regulations),

which permitted e-Gaming companies

licensed in jurisdictions other than Jersey

to place their disaster recovery and backup

systems in the island.

In 2010, the Jersey Gambling Commission

(JGC) was established with a mandate to

safeguard the customer - in particular

the young and the vulnerable - and the

reputation of the island.

In 2011, the Gambling (Remote Disaster

Recovery) (Amendment) (Jersey) Regulations

(the New Regulations) came into force,

making remote gambling itself permissible in

the island, subject to receipt of a JGC licence.

For online gambling companies wishing

to start-up or relocate, Jersey’s e-Gaming

offering is multi-faceted. Its reputation as

a leading offshore financial services centre

is longstanding and based on foundations

of excellent regulation, a sophisticated

infrastructure and world class professional

workforce that can provide all the

operational services required.

Jersey is the ideal home for new e-Gaming

businesses or those looking to relocate. It has

a favourable tax climate that is free of both

corporate and gambling tax. Licence fees with

the JGC are very low when compared to all of

the reputable e-Gaming jurisdictions and we

are fiscally separate from the UK, meaning

that generally UK VAT is not chargeable on

services provided into Jersey. In addition, the

personal income tax rate is 20%.

The island’s telecommunications systems

are tier one with secure hosting and reliable IT

services, disaster recovery services are in place

and data storage capacity has been increased

to accommodate an influx of businesses.

Jersey has a population of approximately

90,000 and is ranked as a top British offshore

destination both in terms of lifestyle and as a

financial centre. The natural environment is

breath taking and is partnered with a diverse

and cosmopolitan culture that values and

provides a high quality of life.

Jersey is well placed in terms of its

proximity and accessibility, being only 180

miles from London and with strong sea and

air routes from the UK and mainland Europe.

On top of this, the Island’s Government

is determined to encourage high-quality

commerce to its shores and has been proactive

in courting interest from investors and those

looking to relocate their e-Gaming businesses.

The Gaming Regulators’ European

Forum came to the island for its annual

conference in June 2011, which was a

considerable endorsement. A month

earlier, a consortium of Jersey lawmakers,

gambling commissioners and business

leaders, including Carey Olsen’s Marcus

Pallot, had gone to Israel, an active e-Gaming

technology centre, to meet some of the

world’s major online gambling players and

present the island’s case.

The strategy paid off when one of the

world’s largest online gaming software

supplier, Playtech, applied to the JGC for a

Remote Gambling licence, signifying a step

change for Jersey and reflecting a growing

confidence in the sector. Further instructions

have followed and Carey Olsen has acted for

e-Gaming companies in Jersey on corporate

and finance deals, demonstrating their

confidence both in Jersey and in Carey Olsen.

Carey Olsen is a multi-jurisdictional firm,

and as a result our e-Gaming legal team has

been advising clients since the inception of

this now flourishing industry. Our broad

experience means that we have a thorough

appreciation of the technical, regulatory

and operational issues affecting it, and can

provide the full range of legal services and

administrative support.

Our extensive experience means our

clients benefit from clear, well-rounded

and commercially-driven advice, whether

in the formation of e-Gaming companies,

the provision of licensing and regulatory

advice or through the on-going support of

our corporate, restructuring, IP, property

and employment practices. Jersey is also

particularly well positioned both to set up

holding companies and subsequently for their

flotation, on the main markets or otherwise.

Having advised on many of the significant

e-Gaming deals across the Channel Islands,

our specialist knowledge in this area is well

recognised in the industry.

As Jersey continues to build its international

profile and attract inward investment we

remain very confident that significant further

progress can be made in Jersey.

Jersey’s eGaminG strateGy Pays Off

Marcus Pallot’s practice area covers three main areas: insolvency; regulatory (including e-Gaming); and big ticket breach of trust civil litigation. Marcus has built his reputation as an innovator on the back of a series of successful and novel court applications. He has worked closely with both the Jersey Government and the Jersey Gambling Commission to change and modernise the Gambling Law. Marcus is Carey Olsen’s lead partner in Jersey on e-Gaming and Gambling.

Guernsey/Alderney Jersey Isle of Man

2047_EGAMING_ADVERT_V3.indd 2 12/01/2015 17:00

Jersey Focus 2015

Jersey is already reaping the benefits of its recent repositioning as a jurisdiction and business hub for eGaming, writes Marcus Pallot from the Jersey office of law firm Carey Olsen.

In recent years, Jersey has positioned itself

as a serious player in the rapidly growing

e-Gaming market and it is bearing the fruits of

its efforts. Through its agility, its commitment

to creating a more diversified economy and its

Government’s ‘open for business’ approach,

it presents a compelling case ahead of other

online gaming jurisdictions.

Permitted forms of gambling in Jersey

were historically limited to licensed

bookmakers, horse and dog racing and

the Channel Islands Lottery. In 2008, the

States of Jersey debated the introduction of

an amended legislative framework to allow

for the structured regulation of additional

forms of gambling from within the Island, to

include e-Gaming.

This resulted in the Gambling (Remote

Gambling Disaster Recovery) (Jersey)

Regulations 2008 (the DR Regulations),

which permitted e-Gaming companies

licensed in jurisdictions other than Jersey

to place their disaster recovery and backup

systems in the island.

In 2010, the Jersey Gambling Commission

(JGC) was established with a mandate to

safeguard the customer - in particular

the young and the vulnerable - and the

reputation of the island.

In 2011, the Gambling (Remote Disaster

Recovery) (Amendment) (Jersey) Regulations

(the New Regulations) came into force,

making remote gambling itself permissible in

the island, subject to receipt of a JGC licence.

For online gambling companies wishing

to start-up or relocate, Jersey’s e-Gaming

offering is multi-faceted. Its reputation as

a leading offshore financial services centre

is longstanding and based on foundations

of excellent regulation, a sophisticated

infrastructure and world class professional

workforce that can provide all the

operational services required.

Jersey is the ideal home for new e-Gaming

businesses or those looking to relocate. It has

a favourable tax climate that is free of both

corporate and gambling tax. Licence fees with

the JGC are very low when compared to all of

the reputable e-Gaming jurisdictions and we

are fiscally separate from the UK, meaning

that generally UK VAT is not chargeable on

services provided into Jersey. In addition, the

personal income tax rate is 20%.

The island’s telecommunications systems

are tier one with secure hosting and reliable IT

services, disaster recovery services are in place

and data storage capacity has been increased

to accommodate an influx of businesses.

Jersey has a population of approximately

90,000 and is ranked as a top British offshore

destination both in terms of lifestyle and as a

financial centre. The natural environment is

breath taking and is partnered with a diverse

and cosmopolitan culture that values and

provides a high quality of life.

Jersey is well placed in terms of its

proximity and accessibility, being only 180

miles from London and with strong sea and

air routes from the UK and mainland Europe.

On top of this, the Island’s Government

is determined to encourage high-quality

commerce to its shores and has been proactive

in courting interest from investors and those

looking to relocate their e-Gaming businesses.

The Gaming Regulators’ European

Forum came to the island for its annual

conference in June 2011, which was a

considerable endorsement. A month

earlier, a consortium of Jersey lawmakers,

gambling commissioners and business

leaders, including Carey Olsen’s Marcus

Pallot, had gone to Israel, an active e-Gaming

technology centre, to meet some of the

world’s major online gambling players and

present the island’s case.

The strategy paid off when one of the

world’s largest online gaming software

supplier, Playtech, applied to the JGC for a

Remote Gambling licence, signifying a step

change for Jersey and reflecting a growing

confidence in the sector. Further instructions

have followed and Carey Olsen has acted for

e-Gaming companies in Jersey on corporate

and finance deals, demonstrating their

confidence both in Jersey and in Carey Olsen.

Carey Olsen is a multi-jurisdictional firm,

and as a result our e-Gaming legal team has

been advising clients since the inception of

this now flourishing industry. Our broad

experience means that we have a thorough

appreciation of the technical, regulatory

and operational issues affecting it, and can

provide the full range of legal services and

administrative support.

Our extensive experience means our

clients benefit from clear, well-rounded

and commercially-driven advice, whether

in the formation of e-Gaming companies,

the provision of licensing and regulatory

advice or through the on-going support of

our corporate, restructuring, IP, property

and employment practices. Jersey is also

particularly well positioned both to set up

holding companies and subsequently for their

flotation, on the main markets or otherwise.

Having advised on many of the significant

e-Gaming deals across the Channel Islands,

our specialist knowledge in this area is well

recognised in the industry.

As Jersey continues to build its international

profile and attract inward investment we

remain very confident that significant further

progress can be made in Jersey.

Jersey’s eGaminG strateGy Pays Off

Marcus Pallot’s practice area covers three main areas: insolvency; regulatory (including e-Gaming); and big ticket breach of trust civil litigation. Marcus has built his reputation as an innovator on the back of a series of successful and novel court applications. He has worked closely with both the Jersey Government and the Jersey Gambling Commission to change and modernise the Gambling Law. Marcus is Carey Olsen’s lead partner in Jersey on e-Gaming and Gambling.

Guernsey/Alderney Jersey Isle of Man

2047_EGAMING_ADVERT_V3.indd 2 12/01/2015 17:00

TG_A4_iGamingBusAdvert4O.indd 1 09/01/2015 10:59

Jersey Focus 2015

Offshore jurisdictions offer the iGaming industry a number of advantages but why use one when you can gain greater advantage using multiple jurisdictions? Nigel Renouf, Business Development Manager at Sure International, examines the multiple jurisdictional approach.

It is well known within the iGaming

industry that small offshore jurisdictions

can be attractive for a number of reasons.

Some firms have chosen to move their

headquarters and major operations to an

offshore location, thus benefitting from

extremely competitive corporate tax rates,

whilst others choose to take advantage of

excellent connectivity and specific data

protection legislation to store their data in

servers located in islands such as Jersey,

Guernsey or the Isle of Man.

Whilst the advantages of locating

multiple operations in the Channel Islands

and Isle of Man have long been known

to the finance industry, the general trend

amongst iGaming operators has been to

focus on locating in just one of them. There

is however, a strong argument to be made

in favour of companies adopting a multi-

jurisdictional approach and together, the

islands of Jersey, Guernsey (Alderney) and

the Isle of Man make a strong case.

From a regulatory perspective, each island

has strong and respected regimes in both

iGaming and financial services. Whilst each

regime is technically different, there are also

many similarities, meaning that a firm used

to operating from Guernsey (Alderney), will

not be thrown any significant regulatory

surprises should they choose to also operate

from Jersey or the Isle of Man.

By choosing the optimal location mix for

staff corporate offices, gaming servers, duty

and regulation specific to your business

needs, operators can leverage a unique blend

of specific advantages only available when

each location is combined. These include

but are not limited to: geographical diversity,

financial stability, government grant support,

low gaming duty, low corporate tax, highly

regarded gaming regulation, distributed

data centre solutions, guaranteed telecoms

resilience, experienced staff, flexible working

regulation and an abundance of highly

connected corporate offices.

Regulation and infrastructureThe Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are

not part of the UK or EU. Each jurisdiction

recognises the common values underlying

their regulation of remote gaming and as

such has Memorandum of Understanding’s

(MoUs) in place with multiple iGaming

jurisdictions to provide a formal basis and

framework for cooperation, including for the

exchange of information and investigative

assistance of providers and remote gaming

services. The MoUs also address issues such

as cloud regulation, the recognition of the

use of financial institutions located in the

territory of each jurisdiction for gaming

transactions and the recognition of national

certification bodies and player liquidity.

From an infrastructure perspective,

operators will be able to provide their services

to multiple iGaming jurisdictions (providing

a MoU is in place), reducing the need to

duplicate their physical equipment in each,

significantly reducing complexity and cost.

The multiple jurisdiction approach

Individually, these offshore jurisdictions

have a great deal to offer but iGaming

businesses will find a multiple jurisdiction

approach, can be even more fruitful.

It is understandable that firms may not

wish to have both their live operations and

their DR facilities on the same, relatively

small island but why look to the UK or

EU, with all their attendant legislation and

regulations, for an alternative site? If you are a

company operating from Guernsey or the Isle

of Man today, then it makes sense to site the

backup facilities in Jersey. Similarly, if you are

setting up operations today why not consider

a blend of two or more jurisdictions?

With years of experience providing

solutions for iGaming firms in Guernsey,

Sure International has pulled on its

extensive experience to develop a unique

tri-island offering. This enables companies

to benefit from both the independent legal,

regulatory and duty environments that

the islands offer, as well as their technical

capacity and expertise.

Sure’s tri-island offshore network provides

a unique iGaming-friendly, primary and

secondary core data centre opportunity.

Sure’s sites in the Channel Islands offer

site-to-site fully resilient undersea circuits

of <2 milliseconds, enabling firms to operate

real time live-live or live-DR environments

usually only available within one geographic

location. Furthermore within Sure’s PCI-

DSS and ISO27001 accredited facilities,

we guarantee the highest levels of security

whether you are physically holding servers

in our data centres or taking advantage of

our IaaS platform.

By working across multiple jurisdictions,

iGaming companies can operate with the

minimum of effort, maximum operational

resilience and greatest efficiency.

Ultimately, when assessing the pros and

cons of working from offshore jurisdictions,

the British islands of Jersey, Guernsey and

the Isle of Man offer everything you need

in terms of regulation, legislation and

infrastructure. You may also find greater

advantage by looking beyond one island to

explore the benefits of a multiple

jurisdiction approach.

The mulTiple jurisdicTion approach

Nigel Renouf is Business Development Manager at Sure International. He is responsible for the business development of Sure’s datacentre services portfolio and delivers innovative technical solutions for firms across EMEA, APAC and offshore regions. Almost 30 years’ experience in the tech industry and over a decade working with the iGaming sector have given Nigel a deep understanding of the needs of iGaming businesses.

TG_A4_iGamingBusAdvert4O.indd 1 09/01/2015 10:59

Jersey Focus 2015

Offshore jurisdictions offer the iGaming industry a number of advantages but why use one when you can gain greater advantage using multiple jurisdictions? Nigel Renouf, Business Development Manager at Sure International, examines the multiple jurisdictional approach.

It is well known within the iGaming

industry that small offshore jurisdictions

can be attractive for a number of reasons.

Some firms have chosen to move their

headquarters and major operations to an

offshore location, thus benefitting from

extremely competitive corporate tax rates,

whilst others choose to take advantage of

excellent connectivity and specific data

protection legislation to store their data in

servers located in islands such as Jersey,

Guernsey or the Isle of Man.

Whilst the advantages of locating

multiple operations in the Channel Islands

and Isle of Man have long been known

to the finance industry, the general trend

amongst iGaming operators has been to

focus on locating in just one of them. There

is however, a strong argument to be made

in favour of companies adopting a multi-

jurisdictional approach and together, the

islands of Jersey, Guernsey (Alderney) and

the Isle of Man make a strong case.

From a regulatory perspective, each island

has strong and respected regimes in both

iGaming and financial services. Whilst each

regime is technically different, there are also

many similarities, meaning that a firm used

to operating from Guernsey (Alderney), will

not be thrown any significant regulatory

surprises should they choose to also operate

from Jersey or the Isle of Man.

By choosing the optimal location mix for

staff corporate offices, gaming servers, duty

and regulation specific to your business

needs, operators can leverage a unique blend

of specific advantages only available when

each location is combined. These include

but are not limited to: geographical diversity,

financial stability, government grant support,

low gaming duty, low corporate tax, highly

regarded gaming regulation, distributed

data centre solutions, guaranteed telecoms

resilience, experienced staff, flexible working

regulation and an abundance of highly

connected corporate offices.

Regulation and infrastructureThe Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are

not part of the UK or EU. Each jurisdiction

recognises the common values underlying

their regulation of remote gaming and as

such has Memorandum of Understanding’s

(MoUs) in place with multiple iGaming

jurisdictions to provide a formal basis and

framework for cooperation, including for the

exchange of information and investigative

assistance of providers and remote gaming

services. The MoUs also address issues such

as cloud regulation, the recognition of the

use of financial institutions located in the

territory of each jurisdiction for gaming

transactions and the recognition of national

certification bodies and player liquidity.

From an infrastructure perspective,

operators will be able to provide their services

to multiple iGaming jurisdictions (providing

a MoU is in place), reducing the need to

duplicate their physical equipment in each,

significantly reducing complexity and cost.

The multiple jurisdiction approach

Individually, these offshore jurisdictions

have a great deal to offer but iGaming

businesses will find a multiple jurisdiction

approach, can be even more fruitful.

It is understandable that firms may not

wish to have both their live operations and

their DR facilities on the same, relatively

small island but why look to the UK or

EU, with all their attendant legislation and

regulations, for an alternative site? If you are a

company operating from Guernsey or the Isle

of Man today, then it makes sense to site the

backup facilities in Jersey. Similarly, if you are

setting up operations today why not consider

a blend of two or more jurisdictions?

With years of experience providing

solutions for iGaming firms in Guernsey,

Sure International has pulled on its

extensive experience to develop a unique

tri-island offering. This enables companies

to benefit from both the independent legal,

regulatory and duty environments that

the islands offer, as well as their technical

capacity and expertise.

Sure’s tri-island offshore network provides

a unique iGaming-friendly, primary and

secondary core data centre opportunity.

Sure’s sites in the Channel Islands offer

site-to-site fully resilient undersea circuits

of <2 milliseconds, enabling firms to operate

real time live-live or live-DR environments

usually only available within one geographic

location. Furthermore within Sure’s PCI-

DSS and ISO27001 accredited facilities,

we guarantee the highest levels of security

whether you are physically holding servers

in our data centres or taking advantage of

our IaaS platform.

By working across multiple jurisdictions,

iGaming companies can operate with the

minimum of effort, maximum operational

resilience and greatest efficiency.

Ultimately, when assessing the pros and

cons of working from offshore jurisdictions,

the British islands of Jersey, Guernsey and

the Isle of Man offer everything you need

in terms of regulation, legislation and

infrastructure. You may also find greater

advantage by looking beyond one island to

explore the benefits of a multiple

jurisdiction approach.

The mulTiple jurisdicTion approach

Nigel Renouf is Business Development Manager at Sure International. He is responsible for the business development of Sure’s datacentre services portfolio and delivers innovative technical solutions for firms across EMEA, APAC and offshore regions. Almost 30 years’ experience in the tech industry and over a decade working with the iGaming sector have given Nigel a deep understanding of the needs of iGaming businesses.

Jersey Focus 2015

The island of Jersey, just ten miles from Guernsey and with a thriving financial services sector, has been slow to the iGaming table but now, with suitable legislation in place and extremely well-equipped with the full range of professional services, it is now in the perfect position to deliver all that iGaming firms need, says Linda Nicol, Managing Director of STM Fiduciaire.

Until recently, there was a received wisdom

among Jersey’s business leaders and

entrepreneurs that the island had missed

the boat when it came to iGaming. Whereas

competing jurisdictions had introduced

gaming laws and regulation early in the

millennium, Jersey held back, unsure of

what the ramifications would be should they

embrace remote gaming.

Those fears, mostly found among the

island’s traditional population, were based

on a misplaced idea that remote gaming

would lead to a rise in gambling and the

possible establishment of a casino on

the island. The result was a long delay

in establishing the legislation needed to

host an iGaming industry and the island’s

businesses could only look on with a touch

of envy as competing jurisdictions made the

most of the gaming sector’s success.

This delay, looked to have proven costly

when the UK established its white list of

jurisdictions and closed it to new entrants

in 2009. Jersey was on the outside and there

seemed no way back, even after the island’s

Gambling Commission was established

in 2010 and the required legislation for

iGaming business was brought in by the

government in 2012.

The spirit of enterpriseJersey is however nothing if not enterprising,

and neither the UK’s whitelist nor the

success of competing jurisdictions could

stop it developing its iGaming offering.

Today, having learned from the

experiences of similar locations, Jersey is

back in the game and working with some

of the world’s largest gaming companies,

drawn by excellent connectivity, technically

advanced data centres as well as a corporate

tax rate of 0%. Jersey also offers a superb

array of professional services that have been

developed over decades as the island has

forged its reputation as one of the world’s

leading international finance centres.

This background in financial services

forms the foundation of Jersey’s bid to

become the leading offshore centre for

iGaming businesses. However, it would be

a mistake to think that this is all that the

island has to offer. Jersey already hosts

companies that design and develop games

for some of the largest names in gaming,

and has a growing skills base of young,

digitally savvy workers who want to carve

careers on the island.

On top of all this, the island itself is set

to become one of the first jurisdictions

in the world to have its entire population

connected to gigabit-speed fibre-to-the-

home. Whilst this is a nice-to-have from

an iGaming perspective, it does provide

an opportunity for companies to test new

games and new ideas within a population

that enjoys virtually unrivalled connectivity.

Drive, ambition and responsibilityJersey’s ingrained entrepreneurial spirit

has brought the island back to the iGaming

table and it is companies like STM

Fiduciaire that are making the running and

developing the individual environments

that gaming companies need.

Our clients already know that scale is

not our driving force. We can develop

structures that suit large, established clients

as well as smaller startups that have the

drive and ambition to carve their own

niche in the iGaming world.

Importantly, all of our directors are licensed

by Jersey’s Gambling Commission and work

closely with its officers, as we bring new

gaming business to the island. We look for

companies that understand the importance

of taking a responsible attitude to gaming

that is in line with Jersey’s regulatory

environment. It is this, rather than the scale

of a client’s business that determines their

suitability for working with us.

Whilst a strong vision for their business and

a responsible attitude to gambling are crucial

from our point of view, companies considering

Jersey as a base for their operations need to

look for partners with whom they can have

a personal relationship and that have an

outlook that can scale with them.

The corporate structure that suits a small,

growing firm is not necessarily the one

that will suit the successful, established

company. This makes it crucial that iGaming

businesses find partners who are prepared

for success and able to adapt their offering

as the needs of the business change.

Today, Jersey is in the ideal position to host

iGaming companies with the drive to become

industry leaders. The island’s regulatory

environment, technical infrastructure and

skills base are unrivalled in the offshore

sector and with companies like STM as

potential partners, there can be little doubt

that Jersey should be on the list of any

iGaming firm that seriously wants success.

Jersey: the Ideal launchpad

Linda Nicol is Managing Director of STM Fiduciaire. She holds an MBA in Wealth Management. She is a Fellow member of the International Compliance Association and is a Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Linda has 30 years experience and brings a wealth of experience in structuring and trust & company management. Email: [email protected]

LISTED ON THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, STM HAVE BEEN PROVIDING INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURING FOR INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATE CLIENTS FOR OVER 25 YEARS. THE DIRECTORS WITHIN OUR JERSEY OFFICE ARE LICENSED BY THE JERSEY GAMBLING COMMISSION AND ARE PERFECTLY PLACED TO ADVISE ON ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR MOVE TO JERSEY.

FROM LICENSE APPLICATION TO COMPANY FORMATION, WE HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY ATTRIBUTES TO CREATE AND DEVELOP THE ENVIRONMENT TO ENABLE YOUR BUSINESS TO THRIVE.

a4-fullpage-ad-jersey.indd 1 15/01/2015 10:54

Jersey Focus 2015

The island of Jersey, just ten miles from Guernsey and with a thriving financial services sector, has been slow to the iGaming table but now, with suitable legislation in place and extremely well-equipped with the full range of professional services, it is now in the perfect position to deliver all that iGaming firms need, says Linda Nicol, Managing Director of STM Fiduciaire.

Until recently, there was a received wisdom

among Jersey’s business leaders and

entrepreneurs that the island had missed

the boat when it came to iGaming. Whereas

competing jurisdictions had introduced

gaming laws and regulation early in the

millennium, Jersey held back, unsure of

what the ramifications would be should they

embrace remote gaming.

Those fears, mostly found among the

island’s traditional population, were based

on a misplaced idea that remote gaming

would lead to a rise in gambling and the

possible establishment of a casino on

the island. The result was a long delay

in establishing the legislation needed to

host an iGaming industry and the island’s

businesses could only look on with a touch

of envy as competing jurisdictions made the

most of the gaming sector’s success.

This delay, looked to have proven costly

when the UK established its white list of

jurisdictions and closed it to new entrants

in 2009. Jersey was on the outside and there

seemed no way back, even after the island’s

Gambling Commission was established

in 2010 and the required legislation for

iGaming business was brought in by the

government in 2012.

The spirit of enterpriseJersey is however nothing if not enterprising,

and neither the UK’s whitelist nor the

success of competing jurisdictions could

stop it developing its iGaming offering.

Today, having learned from the

experiences of similar locations, Jersey is

back in the game and working with some

of the world’s largest gaming companies,

drawn by excellent connectivity, technically

advanced data centres as well as a corporate

tax rate of 0%. Jersey also offers a superb

array of professional services that have been

developed over decades as the island has

forged its reputation as one of the world’s

leading international finance centres.

This background in financial services

forms the foundation of Jersey’s bid to

become the leading offshore centre for

iGaming businesses. However, it would be

a mistake to think that this is all that the

island has to offer. Jersey already hosts

companies that design and develop games

for some of the largest names in gaming,

and has a growing skills base of young,

digitally savvy workers who want to carve

careers on the island.

On top of all this, the island itself is set

to become one of the first jurisdictions

in the world to have its entire population

connected to gigabit-speed fibre-to-the-

home. Whilst this is a nice-to-have from

an iGaming perspective, it does provide

an opportunity for companies to test new

games and new ideas within a population

that enjoys virtually unrivalled connectivity.

Drive, ambition and responsibilityJersey’s ingrained entrepreneurial spirit

has brought the island back to the iGaming

table and it is companies like STM

Fiduciaire that are making the running and

developing the individual environments

that gaming companies need.

Our clients already know that scale is

not our driving force. We can develop

structures that suit large, established clients

as well as smaller startups that have the

drive and ambition to carve their own

niche in the iGaming world.

Importantly, all of our directors are licensed

by Jersey’s Gambling Commission and work

closely with its officers, as we bring new

gaming business to the island. We look for

companies that understand the importance

of taking a responsible attitude to gaming

that is in line with Jersey’s regulatory

environment. It is this, rather than the scale

of a client’s business that determines their

suitability for working with us.

Whilst a strong vision for their business and

a responsible attitude to gambling are crucial

from our point of view, companies considering

Jersey as a base for their operations need to

look for partners with whom they can have

a personal relationship and that have an

outlook that can scale with them.

The corporate structure that suits a small,

growing firm is not necessarily the one

that will suit the successful, established

company. This makes it crucial that iGaming

businesses find partners who are prepared

for success and able to adapt their offering

as the needs of the business change.

Today, Jersey is in the ideal position to host

iGaming companies with the drive to become

industry leaders. The island’s regulatory

environment, technical infrastructure and

skills base are unrivalled in the offshore

sector and with companies like STM as

potential partners, there can be little doubt

that Jersey should be on the list of any

iGaming firm that seriously wants success.

Jersey: the Ideal launchpad

Linda Nicol is Managing Director of STM Fiduciaire. She holds an MBA in Wealth Management. She is a Fellow member of the International Compliance Association and is a Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Linda has 30 years experience and brings a wealth of experience in structuring and trust & company management. Email: [email protected]

LISTED ON THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, STM HAVE BEEN PROVIDING INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURING FOR INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATE CLIENTS FOR OVER 25 YEARS. THE DIRECTORS WITHIN OUR JERSEY OFFICE ARE LICENSED BY THE JERSEY GAMBLING COMMISSION AND ARE PERFECTLY PLACED TO ADVISE ON ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR MOVE TO JERSEY.

FROM LICENSE APPLICATION TO COMPANY FORMATION, WE HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY ATTRIBUTES TO CREATE AND DEVELOP THE ENVIRONMENT TO ENABLE YOUR BUSINESS TO THRIVE.

a4-fullpage-ad-jersey.indd 1 15/01/2015 10:54

Jersey Focus 2015

The UK recently became the latest EU country to implement dot.country regulation, requiring participants to be licensed, compliant and pay tax there. We asked Ray Davies from the Garfield Bennett Trust Company, and Jason Stratford from Twelve40, the first company to be granted a Remote Operators LIcence by the Jersey Gambling Commission, how a licence in an offshore jurisdiction such as Jersey can benefit companies navigating this market landscape.

Ray Davies: In respect of online gambling,

modern Europe is essentially broken

down into a number of evolving markets.

There are a handful of mature markets

that recognise the gambling sector and

have introduced a tax-and-regulate

environment. There are a number of

others that are supportive of gambling

but have yet to impose regulations.

There are some that deem online

gambling as unwanted but as yet not

illegal, and some that have deemed any

online gambling activity unlawful and

therefore unavailable to operators,

whether or not they have obtained a

gambling licence elsewhere.

The current European (and indeed

worldwide) landscape is therefore a mixture

of differing operating environments,

and as such differing opportunities for

on-line gaming companies.

With the above in mind, the choice

of licensing jurisdiction will typically be

dictated by the gaming company’s market

entry strategy, which in turn will be based

on a systematic jurisdictional cost benefit

analysis, including the operator’s type of

offering, the jurisdictional player liquidity

and appetite, and marketing budget.

Where an operator’s market entry

strategy includes multiple markets,

they will usually be a combination of

unregulated, unlicensed and or licensed

markets. The operator will therefore need

to select an optimum licensing jurisdiction

in which to base itself. The jurisdiction

will preferably be one where the proposed

multi-jurisdictional activity can be

efficiently headquartered and managed.

Jersey provides that optimum licensing

base with low licensing fees, 0%

corporation tax, 0% Duty and no VAT, all of

which equates to around one third of the

costs of other offshore jurisdictions. Jersey

also boasts a first-class reputation due to

its comprehensive yet business friendly

regulatory regime and flexible hosting

requirements. These are the building

blocks that would assist any eGaming

business to succeed.

It goes without saying that most market

entry strategies will incorporate one or

more mature regulated markets, and the

gaming operator would need to factor

in the costs associated with obtaining a

licence in those jurisdictions. Operators

should also consider how such mature

markets Duty policies may evolve over

time. With an offshore head licence,

an operator has the scope to carve out

jurisdictional client bases if the changing

financial environment dictates.

Jason Stratford: Our decision to obtain

a licence and base our operations in

Jersey was based on a number of factors.

Firstly, we offer services to lotteries across

the globe and as such, were looking

for a centralised location that gave us

independence and autonomy. That meant

looking outside of Europe. We also wanted

a primarily English speaking location with

an independent government and healthy

and stable financial position. Jersey

offered us all of these things. The fact it

has easy access to London and onward to

travel to the rest of the globe was another

key factor, coupled with access to a high

quality workforce.

Jersey is well known for offering a great

support infrastructure in the form of law

and accountancy firms, fiduciary services

and many of the world’s leading banks,

which has built up around one of the

world’s most highly regarded and highly

regulated offshore financial districts. On an

Island measuring just nine miles by five, it

is all quite literally on our doorstep!

The final factor that sealed it for us

was the high standard of living, the

cosmopolitan lifestyle and little or no crime.

There’s great schooling and leisure facilities

and some of the best beaches in the world

just minutes from my home, which itself is

just 10 minutes from the office. Taking all

that into consideration, it really wasn’t a

very difficult decision at all.

The regulator on the Island has been

extremely approachable and helpful

throughout our entire application process.

Right from our initial enquiry, they

provided invaluable advice and guidance,

Jersey round table: regulated markets

Jersey Focus 2015

and all in all, whilst a stringent process,

it has been smooth and straightforward,

taking just two months from submitting our

initial application to receiving our licence

certificate. The licence fee structure is also

relatively inexpensive when compared

to other jurisdictions, so that was also an

additional benefit.

It is our firm belief that we wouldn’t

find all these benefits elsewhere and there

is of course no sales tax to pay in Jersey!

But by basing our operations offshore we

are in no way attempting to avoid paying

tax where it is due, it just means we are

only paying tax on our “place of

consumption” sales. From a business

perspective, this makes complete sense.

We are simply doing everything we can

to make the business operate in the most

efficient way possible in order to make it

profitable for our shareholders. Despite

being based offshore, we have every

intention of and are fully prepared to pay

duty on our plays in any jurisdiction in

which they are due, and will be ensuring

we are fully licensed and compliant in all

jurisdictions in which we operate.

The licensing procedure here in

Jersey and the due diligence carried out,

along with the ongoing requirements

for compliance, are modeled upon and

extremely similar to those top-tier countries

around the world that carry gambling

regulations. Time will tell, but it is our firm

belief that if we can obtain and maintain

a licence in Jersey, then going through a

similar process in European countries that

are introducing “point of consumption”

taxes will be a relatively painless process,

and hopefully the fact that we have an

operator’s licence in a highly legitimate

jurisdiction will carry credibility with

regulators elsewhere and allow us an

element of reciprocity.

Ray Davies is Senior Manager, Garfield Bennett Trust Company Limited. Former Head of Operations for e-Gaming with the Isle of Man Government, Ray recently joined Garfield Bennett Trust Company Limited to head up the team providing advice and guidance to gaming operators wishing to establish in Jersey and professional support to ensure compliant on going management of the licensed entity.

Jason Stratford is a director at Twelve40. A veteran in the Internet industry, Jason has been developing complex software platforms for 20 years. He has broad industry experience ranging from Internet start-ups through to integration work with international banking providers. Jason’s most recent activity has been focused on creating scalable and resilient platforms for online applications.

Jersey Focus 2015

The UK recently became the latest EU country to implement dot.country regulation, requiring participants to be licensed, compliant and pay tax there. We asked Ray Davies from the Garfield Bennett Trust Company, and Jason Stratford from Twelve40, the first company to be granted a Remote Operators LIcence by the Jersey Gambling Commission, how a licence in an offshore jurisdiction such as Jersey can benefit companies navigating this market landscape.

Ray Davies: In respect of online gambling,

modern Europe is essentially broken

down into a number of evolving markets.

There are a handful of mature markets

that recognise the gambling sector and

have introduced a tax-and-regulate

environment. There are a number of

others that are supportive of gambling

but have yet to impose regulations.

There are some that deem online

gambling as unwanted but as yet not

illegal, and some that have deemed any

online gambling activity unlawful and

therefore unavailable to operators,

whether or not they have obtained a

gambling licence elsewhere.

The current European (and indeed

worldwide) landscape is therefore a mixture

of differing operating environments,

and as such differing opportunities for

on-line gaming companies.

With the above in mind, the choice

of licensing jurisdiction will typically be

dictated by the gaming company’s market

entry strategy, which in turn will be based

on a systematic jurisdictional cost benefit

analysis, including the operator’s type of

offering, the jurisdictional player liquidity

and appetite, and marketing budget.

Where an operator’s market entry

strategy includes multiple markets,

they will usually be a combination of

unregulated, unlicensed and or licensed

markets. The operator will therefore need

to select an optimum licensing jurisdiction

in which to base itself. The jurisdiction

will preferably be one where the proposed

multi-jurisdictional activity can be

efficiently headquartered and managed.

Jersey provides that optimum licensing

base with low licensing fees, 0%

corporation tax, 0% Duty and no VAT, all of

which equates to around one third of the

costs of other offshore jurisdictions. Jersey

also boasts a first-class reputation due to

its comprehensive yet business friendly

regulatory regime and flexible hosting

requirements. These are the building

blocks that would assist any eGaming

business to succeed.

It goes without saying that most market

entry strategies will incorporate one or

more mature regulated markets, and the

gaming operator would need to factor

in the costs associated with obtaining a

licence in those jurisdictions. Operators

should also consider how such mature

markets Duty policies may evolve over

time. With an offshore head licence,

an operator has the scope to carve out

jurisdictional client bases if the changing

financial environment dictates.

Jason Stratford: Our decision to obtain

a licence and base our operations in

Jersey was based on a number of factors.

Firstly, we offer services to lotteries across

the globe and as such, were looking

for a centralised location that gave us

independence and autonomy. That meant

looking outside of Europe. We also wanted

a primarily English speaking location with

an independent government and healthy

and stable financial position. Jersey

offered us all of these things. The fact it

has easy access to London and onward to

travel to the rest of the globe was another

key factor, coupled with access to a high

quality workforce.

Jersey is well known for offering a great

support infrastructure in the form of law

and accountancy firms, fiduciary services

and many of the world’s leading banks,

which has built up around one of the

world’s most highly regarded and highly

regulated offshore financial districts. On an

Island measuring just nine miles by five, it

is all quite literally on our doorstep!

The final factor that sealed it for us

was the high standard of living, the

cosmopolitan lifestyle and little or no crime.

There’s great schooling and leisure facilities

and some of the best beaches in the world

just minutes from my home, which itself is

just 10 minutes from the office. Taking all

that into consideration, it really wasn’t a

very difficult decision at all.

The regulator on the Island has been

extremely approachable and helpful

throughout our entire application process.

Right from our initial enquiry, they

provided invaluable advice and guidance,

Jersey round table: regulated markets

Jersey Focus 2015

and all in all, whilst a stringent process,

it has been smooth and straightforward,

taking just two months from submitting our

initial application to receiving our licence

certificate. The licence fee structure is also

relatively inexpensive when compared

to other jurisdictions, so that was also an

additional benefit.

It is our firm belief that we wouldn’t

find all these benefits elsewhere and there

is of course no sales tax to pay in Jersey!

But by basing our operations offshore we

are in no way attempting to avoid paying

tax where it is due, it just means we are

only paying tax on our “place of

consumption” sales. From a business

perspective, this makes complete sense.

We are simply doing everything we can

to make the business operate in the most

efficient way possible in order to make it

profitable for our shareholders. Despite

being based offshore, we have every

intention of and are fully prepared to pay

duty on our plays in any jurisdiction in

which they are due, and will be ensuring

we are fully licensed and compliant in all

jurisdictions in which we operate.

The licensing procedure here in

Jersey and the due diligence carried out,

along with the ongoing requirements

for compliance, are modeled upon and

extremely similar to those top-tier countries

around the world that carry gambling

regulations. Time will tell, but it is our firm

belief that if we can obtain and maintain

a licence in Jersey, then going through a

similar process in European countries that

are introducing “point of consumption”

taxes will be a relatively painless process,

and hopefully the fact that we have an

operator’s licence in a highly legitimate

jurisdiction will carry credibility with

regulators elsewhere and allow us an

element of reciprocity.

Jason Stratford is a director at Twelve40. A veteran in the Internet industry, Jason has been developing complex software platforms for 20 years. He has broad industry experience ranging from Internet start-ups through to integration work with international banking providers. Jason’s most recent activity has been focused on creating scalable and resilient platforms for online applications.

Jersey Focus 2015

Personalisation, rich content and social sharing throw the potential of the eInstants market wide open, writes Lee Bosio, Director of Jersey-based SidePlay Entertainment.

With eInstants nearing their 14th year in

the UK, this niche sector of the lottery and

gambling industry has done a lot of growing

up. The products today are worlds apart

from the humble beginnings of a ‘match 3

to win’ game mechanic and show no signs

of slowing down.

The UK has one of the most sophisticated

player bases in the world, which expects a

certain level of quality from eInstant titles.

Whilst price, prize structure and jackpot

levels remain key factors in choosing what

to purchase, engaging and memorable

content has become a significant element

in encouraging high levels of repeat play.

In a market saturated by slots and casino

content, the potential for eInstants is wide

open. Five years ago, many operators would

have been reluctant to invest valuable time

or resources to integrate eInstant titles with

their platforms, mainly due to a lack of

confidence in the product and a perception

it was the sole domain of lotteries.

Today, the perception of eInstants has

changed.They are no longer seen purely as

an online complement to a retail scratchcard,

rather as standalone ‘games’ with their own

value and potential. This has a lot to do with

changes outside the instants market.

Gaming generally has seen a significant

shift in the past 10 years from a somewhat

antisocial pastime to a much more

mainstream and social activity, players

now collaborating in common goals and

celebrating wins collectively. Sony and

Microsoft’s success in this market is not

exclusively due to great game content but the

environment they have created to give players

a reason to return and, more importantly,

spend time within their virtual space.

With an average eInstant title lasting

around 30 seconds and a high percentage

of these delivering a losing outcome, touch

points with customers are limited. But

when married with great content, extending

the amount of time spent on your site will

increase repeat play and cross promotion

whilst helping build long term brand loyalty.

In order to attract and engage with the

sought-after younger market segment,

lottery and gambling operators must look

at new ways of creating an environment on

their site above game content that players

will feel they have some ownership of.

The first steps towards personalisation

are already present on many sites, offering

a profile picture, game name and basic

player information, but this is not enough to

capture the imagination of today’s players,

who are becoming accustomed to having

much more control in mainstream gaming.

Looking forward, the start and end points

of any instant title need to be extended outside

of the core game, which can be achieved

in a number of ways taking their influence

from the social space. We have already seen

companies such as Zynga enjoy overnight

success by utilising a virtual currency model.

Lessons can be learned from this approach,

with the addition of non prize-based elements

in instant titles complementing the standard

prize payout structure. Awards, achievements

and virtual assets can all be experienced

within individual plays and stored in a player’s

profile space, adding an additional element

to winning outcomes as well as softening the

blow of a loss. Adding tools for your players

to shout about their wins on a social scale will

go a long way to positioning your brand in a

positive light, but if done correctly, even losing

would be a great experience!

Steve Hickson, a director at SidePlay

Entertainment, commented: ‘’Having been

involved in this market from the very early

days, we’ve seen a dramatic and rapid

change. Mobile technology in particular has

seen us addressing a new, more dynamic

and demanding audience. Access to new

players who can now play where, when and

how they want is making the market a much

more open and social place to be resulting in

a huge increase in plays per title.’’

Today’s titles need to stand up against

content from multiple sources including

Apple and Google Play Stores. Today’s

younger players are particularly au fait with

purchasing a game for less than the price

of a cup of coffee and guaranteeing over 10

hours of gameplay. It is no longer acceptable

to rest on the laurels of a high top prize and

good odds to guarantee player engagement.

You may get all of your customers to play

every game once but repeat play is the key to

building long-term customer loyalty.

Developers and operators now have

years of knowledge of what works in the

instants space and what doesn’t. How a dice

should roll, how a spinner should spin and

how many near wins result in a positive

experience, but this still doesn’t guarantee a

blueprint for a perfect title.

As with any market, innovation is crucial.

In the world of eInstants, the overarching

elements that will ensure future success

are personalisation, rich content and social

sharing. It won’t happen overnight, but once

we get there, the potential within this market

is thrown wide open.

Personalisation and the younger audience

Lee Bosio is Director, SidePlay Entertainment Ltd. Based in Jersey, Channel Islands, SidePlay Entertainment has been producing innovative eInstant titles for global leaders in the lottery and gambling industry for over 14 years. Their depth of knowledge and real data from over 50 million plays allows them to focus on innovation in this exciting and dynamic segment of the market.

JERSEYeGAMING

BANKING& PAYMENTSDon’t let commercial banking or payment processing hold your eGaming business back

Jersey has a world-class reputation as a leading International Finance Centre (IFC) and can help your eGaming with:

• Bank account opened in 48 hours*• Dedicated Relationship Manager• Payment Processors ready to integrate• Crypto Currency opportunities• Professional and proactive approach• Competitive fees

With commercial banking and payment processing experience, our dedicated team will be on hand to give you the service you need.

VISIT JERSEY

eGAMING AT ICE

STAND N7-452

For more information:

[email protected]

*Subject to enhanced due diligence requirements

J005049_BANK-PAYMENTS-AD-FINAL.indd 1 13/01/2015 11:57

Jersey Focus 2015

Personalisation, rich content and social sharing throw the potential of the eInstants market wide open, writes Lee Bosio, Director of Jersey-based SidePlay Entertainment.

With eInstants nearing their 14th year in

the UK, this niche sector of the lottery and

gambling industry has done a lot of growing

up. The products today are worlds apart

from the humble beginnings of a ‘match 3

to win’ game mechanic and show no signs

of slowing down.

The UK has one of the most sophisticated

player bases in the world, which expects a

certain level of quality from eInstant titles.

Whilst price, prize structure and jackpot

levels remain key factors in choosing what

to purchase, engaging and memorable

content has become a significant element

in encouraging high levels of repeat play.

In a market saturated by slots and casino

content, the potential for eInstants is wide

open. Five years ago, many operators would

have been reluctant to invest valuable time

or resources to integrate eInstant titles with

their platforms, mainly due to a lack of

confidence in the product and a perception

it was the sole domain of lotteries.

Today, the perception of eInstants has

changed.They are no longer seen purely as

an online complement to a retail scratchcard,

rather as standalone ‘games’ with their own

value and potential. This has a lot to do with

changes outside the instants market.

Gaming generally has seen a significant

shift in the past 10 years from a somewhat

antisocial pastime to a much more

mainstream and social activity, players

now collaborating in common goals and

celebrating wins collectively. Sony and

Microsoft’s success in this market is not

exclusively due to great game content but the

environment they have created to give players

a reason to return and, more importantly,

spend time within their virtual space.

With an average eInstant title lasting

around 30 seconds and a high percentage

of these delivering a losing outcome, touch

points with customers are limited. But

when married with great content, extending

the amount of time spent on your site will

increase repeat play and cross promotion

whilst helping build long term brand loyalty.

In order to attract and engage with the

sought-after younger market segment,

lottery and gambling operators must look

at new ways of creating an environment on

their site above game content that players

will feel they have some ownership of.

The first steps towards personalisation

are already present on many sites, offering

a profile picture, game name and basic

player information, but this is not enough to

capture the imagination of today’s players,

who are becoming accustomed to having

much more control in mainstream gaming.

Looking forward, the start and end points

of any instant title need to be extended outside

of the core game, which can be achieved

in a number of ways taking their influence

from the social space. We have already seen

companies such as Zynga enjoy overnight

success by utilising a virtual currency model.

Lessons can be learned from this approach,

with the addition of non prize-based elements

in instant titles complementing the standard

prize payout structure. Awards, achievements

and virtual assets can all be experienced

within individual plays and stored in a player’s

profile space, adding an additional element

to winning outcomes as well as softening the

blow of a loss. Adding tools for your players

to shout about their wins on a social scale will

go a long way to positioning your brand in a

positive light, but if done correctly, even losing

would be a great experience!

Steve Hickson, a director at SidePlay

Entertainment, commented: ‘’Having been

involved in this market from the very early

days, we’ve seen a dramatic and rapid

change. Mobile technology in particular has

seen us addressing a new, more dynamic

and demanding audience. Access to new

players who can now play where, when and

how they want is making the market a much

more open and social place to be resulting in

a huge increase in plays per title.’’

Today’s titles need to stand up against

content from multiple sources including

Apple and Google Play Stores. Today’s

younger players are particularly au fait with

purchasing a game for less than the price

of a cup of coffee and guaranteeing over 10

hours of gameplay. It is no longer acceptable

to rest on the laurels of a high top prize and

good odds to guarantee player engagement.

You may get all of your customers to play

every game once but repeat play is the key to

building long-term customer loyalty.

Developers and operators now have

years of knowledge of what works in the

instants space and what doesn’t. How a dice

should roll, how a spinner should spin and

how many near wins result in a positive

experience, but this still doesn’t guarantee a

blueprint for a perfect title.

As with any market, innovation is crucial.

In the world of eInstants, the overarching

elements that will ensure future success

are personalisation, rich content and social

sharing. It won’t happen overnight, but once

we get there, the potential within this market

is thrown wide open.

Personalisation and the younger audience

Lee Bosio is Director, SidePlay Entertainment Ltd. Based in Jersey, Channel Islands, SidePlay Entertainment has been producing innovative eInstant titles for global leaders in the lottery and gambling industry for over 14 years. Their depth of knowledge and real data from over 50 million plays allows them to focus on innovation in this exciting and dynamic segment of the market.

JERSEYeGAMING

BANKING& PAYMENTSDon’t let commercial banking or payment processing hold your eGaming business back

Jersey has a world-class reputation as a leading International Finance Centre (IFC) and can help your eGaming with:

• Bank account opened in 48 hours*• Dedicated Relationship Manager• Payment Processors ready to integrate• Crypto Currency opportunities• Professional and proactive approach• Competitive fees

With commercial banking and payment processing experience, our dedicated team will be on hand to give you the service you need.

VISIT JERSEY

eGAMING AT ICE

STAND N7-452

[email protected]

*Subject to enhanced due diligence requirements

J005049_BANK-PAYMENTS-AD-FINAL.indd 1 13/01/2015 11:57

Jersey Focus 2015

Ray Davies, former Head of eGaming Operations for the Isle of Man government, recently took up a private sector Senior Manager role with Garfield Bennett Trust Company, advising operators wishing to establish in Jersey. He explains why to iGaming Business.

Why have you chosen to move into the private sector?I have worked in the public sector in one way

or another for my entire career, and whilst I

have enjoyed my time within Government, I

have always wondered what it would be like

to cross over into the private sector. In my

role as Head of Operations for eGaming for

the Isle of Man Government, I worked very

closely with new operators considering the

Isle of Man for a gaming licence and with

various elements of the private sector, which

play a fundamental in the eGaming operator

achieving their licensing goals. Generally

however, my involvement ceased soon after

the introduction to the chosen corporate

service provider and I have always been keen

to have a greater involvement with the client

to help them successfully obtain a licence

and to grow the business in the initial years.

I take a lot of satisfaction from helping

people achieve their goals, and the senior

business development role with Garfield

Bennett Trust Company Limited (‘GBTC’)

and the wider Abaris Group provides me

with the opportunity to work closer with

clients and for longer.

Why choose Jersey for eGaming business? Historically, Jersey has been held back in

comparison to its offshore competitors by its

lack of White List access to the UK market.

Despite this, the Jersey eGaming Regulator

has had the foresight to put a very strong

regulatory and business platform in place,

in anticipation of a future opportunity to

compete in the eGaming market. With the

United Kingdom’s recent changes to the

regulatory environment that day has come.

The removal of the White List has levelled

the playing field for Jersey and its offshore

competitors and provided the environment

for Jersey to become a significant player in the

eGaming arena. Moreover, the Jersey Regulator

has fully understood the needs of business

when putting in place its charging structure.

Jersey has no Gaming duty, companies pay

0% Corporation Tax and there is no VAT on

services to the eGaming industry. This is a

significantly competitive offering and in real

terms is around a third of the cost of regulation

and operation in competitor jurisdictions. Any

eGaming business must consider Jersey, as it

is now one of the most desirable jurisdictions

from which to conduct business.

Is Jersey ready for eGaming business?Yes, as noted earlier, regulation of the

eGaming sector is nothing new in Jersey and

therefore Jersey has had the infrastructure in

place for a number of years. In addition, Jersey

has established a network of professional

service providers to support new business

development. The network includes Digital

Jersey, an accelerator for the digital economy

and digitally enabled society and Think

Gaming, which is a consultancy for online

gaming businesses. Jersey is also home to

some highly resilient and robust data centres

and has a growing base of local corporate

service providers to support the needs of

new and existing eGaming businesses. This

is where I hope to be able to help as part of

the team at Garfield Bennett Trust Company

(GBTC). At GBTC we can assist eGaming

entrepreneurs or existing businesses in all

aspects of establishing an eGaming operation.

We have key individuals experienced

in strategic thinking and development,

company formation, financial and business

planning, practical operational management,

hosting requirements and can assist in the

development of policies and procedures

necessary to comply with the regulators

requirements. GBTC also has strong working

relationships with all other businesses and

regulators required to facilitate establishment

of any size of eGaming business in Jersey.

How do you see Jersey’s future in e-Gaming? I am confident that, due to the strength of

Jersey’s offering, the future for Jersey eGaming

is very bright. Jersey has traditionally

introduced world-class regulation to other

sectors such as financial services and as a

result, has developed a reputation of being

a highly respected jurisdiction in which to

do business. I expect the eGaming sector to

follow suit and to do so quickly, as news of

Jersey’s eGaming platform spreads. I also

believe Jersey has pitched the regulatory

and business platform at exactly the right

level. The regulations are highly robust yet

business-friendly, and practical, with a cost

base that is extremely competitive. This

combined with a Regulator that is keen to

work with businesses provides a fantastic

platform for eGaming businesses to launch

and succeed. Jersey is rapidly going to become

a highly respected international player in the

global online gaming space.

Regulated by the Jersey Financial Services

Commission under the Financial Services

(Jersey) Law 1998 for the purposes of carrying

out Trust Company business and Fund

Services business.

Q&A: RAy DAvies, GARfielD Bennett tRust CompAny

Success requires a strong team in support – to help you achieve your goals.Garfield Bennett provides expert advice and management to take your iGaming venture from concept to completion.

CTV House • La Pouquelaye • St Helier • Jersey • Channel Islands JE2 3TP

Garfield-Bennett Trust Company Limited is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998.

Find out more, speak to our iGaming specialist:Ray Davies+44 (0)1534 [email protected]

PART OF

iGaminGin jersey

the power behind

every winnerneeds a team

Jersey Focus 2015

Ray Davies, former Head of eGaming Operations for the Isle of Man government, recently took up a private sector Senior Manager role with Garfield Bennett Trust Company, advising operators wishing to establish in Jersey. He explains why to iGaming Business.

Why have you chosen to move into the private sector?I have worked in the public sector in one way

or another for my entire career, and whilst I

have enjoyed my time within Government, I

have always wondered what it would be like

to cross over into the private sector. In my

role as Head of Operations for eGaming for

the Isle of Man Government, I worked very

closely with new operators considering the

Isle of Man for a gaming licence and with

various elements of the private sector, which

play a fundamental in the eGaming operator

achieving their licensing goals. Generally

however, my involvement ceased soon after

the introduction to the chosen corporate

service provider and I have always been keen

to have a greater involvement with the client

to help them successfully obtain a licence

and to grow the business in the initial years.

I take a lot of satisfaction from helping

people achieve their goals, and the senior

business development role with Garfield

Bennett Trust Company Limited (‘GBTC’)

and the wider Abaris Group provides me

with the opportunity to work closer with

clients and for longer.

Why choose Jersey for eGaming business? Historically, Jersey has been held back in

comparison to its offshore competitors by its

lack of White List access to the UK market.

Despite this, the Jersey eGaming Regulator

has had the foresight to put a very strong

regulatory and business platform in place,

in anticipation of a future opportunity to

compete in the eGaming market. With the

United Kingdom’s recent changes to the

regulatory environment that day has come.

The removal of the White List has levelled

the playing field for Jersey and its offshore

competitors and provided the environment

for Jersey to become a significant player in the

eGaming arena. Moreover, the Jersey Regulator

has fully understood the needs of business

when putting in place its charging structure.

Jersey has no Gaming duty, companies pay

0% Corporation Tax and there is no VAT on

services to the eGaming industry. This is a

significantly competitive offering and in real

terms is around a third of the cost of regulation

and operation in competitor jurisdictions. Any

eGaming business must consider Jersey, as it

is now one of the most desirable jurisdictions

from which to conduct business.

Is Jersey ready for eGaming business?Yes, as noted earlier, regulation of the

eGaming sector is nothing new in Jersey and

therefore Jersey has had the infrastructure in

place for a number of years. In addition, Jersey

has established a network of professional

service providers to support new business

development. The network includes Digital

Jersey, an accelerator for the digital economy

and digitally enabled society and Think

Gaming, which is a consultancy for online

gaming businesses. Jersey is also home to

some highly resilient and robust data centres

and has a growing base of local corporate

service providers to support the needs of

new and existing eGaming businesses. This

is where I hope to be able to help as part of

the team at Garfield Bennett Trust Company

(GBTC). At GBTC we can assist eGaming

entrepreneurs or existing businesses in all

aspects of establishing an eGaming operation.

We have key individuals experienced

in strategic thinking and development,

company formation, financial and business

planning, practical operational management,

hosting requirements and can assist in the

development of policies and procedures

necessary to comply with the regulators

requirements. GBTC also has strong working

relationships with all other businesses and

regulators required to facilitate establishment

of any size of eGaming business in Jersey.

How do you see Jersey’s future in e-Gaming? I am confident that, due to the strength of

Jersey’s offering, the future for Jersey eGaming

is very bright. Jersey has traditionally

introduced world-class regulation to other

sectors such as financial services and as a

result, has developed a reputation of being

a highly respected jurisdiction in which to

do business. I expect the eGaming sector to

follow suit and to do so quickly, as news of

Jersey’s eGaming platform spreads. I also

believe Jersey has pitched the regulatory

and business platform at exactly the right

level. The regulations are highly robust yet

business-friendly, and practical, with a cost

base that is extremely competitive. This

combined with a Regulator that is keen to

work with businesses provides a fantastic

platform for eGaming businesses to launch

and succeed. Jersey is rapidly going to become

a highly respected international player in the

global online gaming space.

Regulated by the Jersey Financial Services

Commission under the Financial Services

(Jersey) Law 1998 for the purposes of carrying

out Trust Company business and Fund

Services business.

Q&A: RAy DAvies, GARfielD Bennett tRust CompAny

Success requires a strong team in support – to help you achieve your goals.Garfield Bennett provides expert advice and management to take your iGaming venture from concept to completion.

CTV House • La Pouquelaye • St Helier • Jersey • Channel Islands JE2 3TP

Garfield-Bennett Trust Company Limited is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998.

Find out more, speak to our iGaming specialist:Ray Davies+44 (0)1534 [email protected]

PART OF

iGaminGin jersey

the power behind

every winnerneeds a team

Jersey Focus 2015

Newtel eGaming’s hybrid hosting, colocation, connectivity and IP solutions offer both existing and start-up eGaming businesses the scale, flexibility and support they need to keep the gamers gaming, and the gamblers gambling, as Gary Whipp from the bespoke hosting and connectivity provider explains.

Connectivity and reliability is at the heart

of every transaction in the egaming world

and has the power to drive or decimate

your competitive advantage.

To ensure connectivity makes a positive

rather than a negative impact on the

customer experience, egaming companies

need to ensure they are leveraging and

choosing the right partners. Newtel

understands fully the egaming

marketplace, their customers, and their

needs and objectives.

Gary Whipp, CEO at Newtel eGaming,

comments: “Bespoke eGaming solutions

from Newtel eGaming will not only

accelerate time-to-market for new

companies but also reduce the ongoing

operational costs for existing players

in the industry.

“We don’t offer a one-size-fits-all, here

at Newtel eGaming we build innovative

solutions that you want, and ones that

exactly meet your business needs.

Connectivity and hosting optimisation

don’t have to involve a large investment

of capital or lengthy transformation

programmes. Our project team believe that

together we can build and deliver scalable

and flexible ‘on-demand’ solutions, or

even on a ‘pay-as-you- go’ basis to match

changing business needs. With a constant

flow of new technology and flexible

connectivity, it is a model that can prove a

differentiator in the egaming sector.”

As Gary explains: “By taking an ‘on-

demand’ approach, companies can be

more responsive to customer demand and

connectivity requirements. Our approach

at Newtel is that we will work with you to

provide what you want not what we want

to sell you. Regardless of size, to us your

business matters and our team are here to

help you 24/7.”

Moving fast, staying sharpAutomation, standardisation and

industrialisation also help to improve

connectivity, and can be applied to a variety of

processes, for example, network management

and configuration, as well as infrastructure

assets, world-class data centres on and off

the Islands, and links from our network to

additional worldwide networks and locations.

Virtualisation, particularly when used as

part of a pre-integrated virtual datacenter

(VDC) stack, encapsulates all these main

principles, and will fast-track and maximise

the realisation of benefits. VDCs combine

server, storage and networking resources

with a software management tools in a

single optimised solution that simplifies

deployment and support and reduces total

cost of ownership

Newtel eGaming has taken this pre-

configured and pre-integrated approach

one step further, and also offer a

‘connectivity and hosting in a box’ solution

for egaming companies. “The solution

can be tailored as required to match each

individual company’s requirements, and

helps safeguard availability of both new

and established applications,” adds Gary.

Even with the greatest due diligence,

there will always be problems that threaten

the customer experience, especially in

egaming hubs where there are often limited

on-site engineering personnel, spare parts

and back-up power supplies.

Thanks to new ‘self-learning’ service

management technologies, however, the

resolution process is becoming increasingly

automated, streamlined, proactive and

continuously evolved and enhanced. “By

our team taking such an approach, we not

only minimise any potential downtime

but also cut operational costs for all of our

customers,” comments Gary.

Why you can trust Newtel eGaming to deliverAn exceptional customer experience

requires more than just 100 per cent

uptime and DDoS mitigation; eGaming

operators expect a hosting and

connectivity provider to be proven and

experienced in this market.

Together with his team, Gary and

Newtel eGaming have delivered resilient

solutions for some of the largest eGaming

players here in the Islands, including

Sportingbet, Blue Square and Betfair, as

well as working with companies that are

new to eGaming, helping them launch

in the space.

For example, by deploying a traffic

prioritisation solution that throttles or

prioritises data, throughput volumes

can be increased while also reducing

network and infrastructure requirements

by up to 90 per cent.

These and other connectivity strategies

will ensure that Newtel remains an

enabler and not an inhibitor to egaming.

As Gary confirms: “Connectivity can win

or lose customers; it can help or hinder

competitive advantage. By appointing

Newtel eGaming as your connectivity

partner, egaming companies will be able

to realise their full potential, retain

customers and grow revenues.”

Gary Whipp is CEO, Newtel eGaming. One of the UK’s leading telecoms entrepreneurs with over 20 years experience in the industry, Gary’s hands-on approach delivers solutions that eGaming customers actually want and need. Having sold his UK business to Carphone Warehouse back in the 90s, Gary relocated to Jersey and has since been at the helm of Newtel, championing change, competition and innovation in the Islands. As a founder provider delivering eGaming solutions to the Channel Islands and being passionate about eGaming, we help businesses grow as well as reducing their connectivity costs. For more information, please visit www.Newtel-eGaming.com or email [email protected].

Rock solid connectivity foR eGaminG

CARRIERS CARRIEROF CHOICE

NEWTEL ARE THE

ExceptionaleGaming

Hosting & IP

CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS

www.Newtel-eGaming.com

[email protected]+ 44 1534 506488

Nelson House David Place, St Helier,Jersey, JE2 4TD.

Proven, dependable and trusted in providing services to the eGaming industry ’s major players

Stay in the game, with a bespoke hybrid solution from Newtel eGaming , designed to deliver!

Don’t WithYourBusiness Gamble Take a sure betwith Newtel eGaming’s world classconnectivity and hosting solutions!

or dice with chance.

The Intelligence Centre provides access to a large online, digital resource containing key

pieces of iGaming Business’s past, present and future material. This resource is designed

to provide you with the tools and resources to improve your business performance.

I N T E L L I G E N C E C E N T R E

ACCESS TO THE INTELLIGENCE CENTRE INCLUDES: � All iGaming Business research reports available in a digital

format. � Exclusive content from industry partners including H2 Gambling,

PWC, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley and more.� Content that covers the entire discipline of iGaming � Access to full webinar and conference archive

� Print and digital copies of iGaming Business/iGaming Business

North America � Print and digital copies of European Gaming Lawyer Magazine � News analysis – an exclusive service designed to exploitthe

behind the scenes and facts on industry developments and

breaking news.

Email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 20 7954 3489 for more information.

Jersey Focus 2015

Newtel eGaming’s hybrid hosting, colocation, connectivity and IP solutions offer both existing and start-up eGaming businesses the scale, flexibility and support they need to keep the gamers gaming, and the gamblers gambling, as Gary Whipp from the bespoke hosting and connectivity provider explains.

Connectivity and reliability is at the heart

of every transaction in the egaming world

and has the power to drive or decimate

your competitive advantage.

To ensure connectivity makes a positive

rather than a negative impact on the

customer experience, egaming companies

need to ensure they are leveraging and

choosing the right partners. Newtel

understands fully the egaming

marketplace, their customers, and their

needs and objectives.

Gary Whipp, CEO at Newtel eGaming,

comments: “Bespoke eGaming solutions

from Newtel eGaming will not only

accelerate time-to-market for new

companies but also reduce the ongoing

operational costs for existing players

in the industry.

“We don’t offer a one-size-fits-all, here

at Newtel eGaming we build innovative

solutions that you want, and ones that

exactly meet your business needs.

Connectivity and hosting optimisation

don’t have to involve a large investment

of capital or lengthy transformation

programmes. Our project team believe that

together we can build and deliver scalable

and flexible ‘on-demand’ solutions, or

even on a ‘pay-as-you- go’ basis to match

changing business needs. With a constant

flow of new technology and flexible

connectivity, it is a model that can prove a

differentiator in the egaming sector.”

As Gary explains: “By taking an ‘on-

demand’ approach, companies can be

more responsive to customer demand and

connectivity requirements. Our approach

at Newtel is that we will work with you to

provide what you want not what we want

to sell you. Regardless of size, to us your

business matters and our team are here to

help you 24/7.”

Moving fast, staying sharpAutomation, standardisation and

industrialisation also help to improve

connectivity, and can be applied to a variety of

processes, for example, network management

and configuration, as well as infrastructure

assets, world-class data centres on and off

the Islands, and links from our network to

additional worldwide networks and locations.

Virtualisation, particularly when used as

part of a pre-integrated virtual datacenter

(VDC) stack, encapsulates all these main

principles, and will fast-track and maximise

the realisation of benefits. VDCs combine

server, storage and networking resources

with a software management tools in a

single optimised solution that simplifies

deployment and support and reduces total

cost of ownership

Newtel eGaming has taken this pre-

configured and pre-integrated approach

one step further, and also offer a

‘connectivity and hosting in a box’ solution

for egaming companies. “The solution

can be tailored as required to match each

individual company’s requirements, and

helps safeguard availability of both new

and established applications,” adds Gary.

Even with the greatest due diligence,

there will always be problems that threaten

the customer experience, especially in

egaming hubs where there are often limited

on-site engineering personnel, spare parts

and back-up power supplies.

Thanks to new ‘self-learning’ service

management technologies, however, the

resolution process is becoming increasingly

automated, streamlined, proactive and

continuously evolved and enhanced. “By

our team taking such an approach, we not

only minimise any potential downtime

but also cut operational costs for all of our

customers,” comments Gary.

Why you can trust Newtel eGaming to deliverAn exceptional customer experience

requires more than just 100 per cent

uptime and DDoS mitigation; eGaming

operators expect a hosting and

connectivity provider to be proven and

experienced in this market.

Together with his team, Gary and

Newtel eGaming have delivered resilient

solutions for some of the largest eGaming

players here in the Islands, including

Sportingbet, Blue Square and Betfair, as

well as working with companies that are

new to eGaming, helping them launch

in the space.

For example, by deploying a traffic

prioritisation solution that throttles or

prioritises data, throughput volumes

can be increased while also reducing

network and infrastructure requirements

by up to 90 per cent.

These and other connectivity strategies

will ensure that Newtel remains an

enabler and not an inhibitor to egaming.

As Gary confirms: “Connectivity can win

or lose customers; it can help or hinder

competitive advantage. By appointing

Newtel eGaming as your connectivity

partner, egaming companies will be able

to realise their full potential, retain

customers and grow revenues.”

Gary Whipp is CEO, Newtel eGaming. One of the UK’s leading telecoms entrepreneurs with over 20 years experience in the industry, Gary’s hands-on approach delivers solutions that eGaming customers actually want and need. Having sold his UK business to Carphone Warehouse back in the 90s, Gary relocated to Jersey and has since been at the helm of Newtel, championing change, competition and innovation in the Islands. As a founder provider delivering eGaming solutions to the Channel Islands and being passionate about eGaming, we help businesses grow as well as reducing their connectivity costs. For more information, please visit www.Newtel-eGaming.com or email [email protected].

Rock solid connectivity foR eGaminG

CARRIERS CARRIEROF CHOICE

NEWTEL ARE THE

ExceptionaleGaming

Hosting & IP

CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS

www.Newtel-eGaming.com

[email protected]+ 44 1534 506488

Nelson House David Place, St Helier,Jersey, JE2 4TD.

Proven, dependable and trusted in providing services to the eGaming industry ’s major players

Stay in the game, with a bespoke hybrid solution from Newtel eGaming , designed to deliver!

Don’t WithYourBusiness Gamble Take a sure betwith Newtel eGaming’s world classconnectivity and hosting solutions!

or dice with chance.

The Intelligence Centre provides access to a large online, digital resource containing key

pieces of iGaming Business’s past, present and future material. This resource is designed

to provide you with the tools and resources to improve your business performance.

I N T E L L I G E N C E C E N T R E

ACCESS TO THE INTELLIGENCE CENTRE INCLUDES: � All iGaming Business research reports available in a digital

format. � Exclusive content from industry partners including H2 Gambling,

PWC, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley and more.� Content that covers the entire discipline of iGaming � Access to full webinar and conference archive

� Print and digital copies of iGaming Business/iGaming Business

North America � Print and digital copies of European Gaming Lawyer Magazine � News analysis – an exclusive service designed to exploitthe

behind the scenes and facts on industry developments and

breaking news.

Email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 20 7954 3489 for more information.

Jersey Focus 2015

Digital Jersey runs an incubation hub for digitally focused start-ups, with more than 80 residents currently working on a variety of projects, including eGaming. Director Andy Jarrett provides an insight into the types of support and infrastructure businesses can expect should they decide to set up or relocate to Jersey.

Digital Jersey works alongside Jersey

government and industry to coordinate

activities to improve the digital ecosystem

in Jersey, including skills development,

promotion, funding mechanisms, business

incentives, regulatory environment,

infrastructure and eGovernment. Jersey’s

remote gambling laws and new licence

framework has placed eGaming high on

the Digital Jersey agenda.

We support growth in the existing

digital sector as well as attracting inward

investment, most typically these are new

technology businesses or high tech sectors

that are attracted to the island so they can

benefit from Jersey’s existing advantages

including; our competitive tax base,

excellent legal system, good infrastructure,

strong public finances, high quality

workforce and world-class finance sector.

Digital Jersey run a hub in St Helier,

an incubation zone for digitally focused

start-ups. It has in excess of 80 residents

working on a variety of projects, from

Big Data, FinTech, Cryptocurrency,

Cybersecurity, eCommerce and eGaming.

The facility provides a vibrant location

for the digital sector to work, exchange

ideas and network. We also host thought

leadership events covering a range of

subjects, and local providers deliver

workshops and clinics to help businesses

with particular aspects including,

contracts, tax and venture funding.

Digital Jersey also supports applications

to the Jersey innovation fund, which is a

government initiative to help kick start

digital businesses on the island. We act as

a network to connect entrepreneurs to

people looking to invest and as part of

this; we are launching an investors’ club to

match talent and ideas with smart money.

Recent changes in the eGaming

landscape mean that Jersey has become

particularly attractive to internationally

focused businesses and Digital Jersey

are now working with industry and

government to focus the proposition. To

this end, Digital Jersey works with the

Jersey Gambling Commission, Locate

Jersey and Jersey Financial Services

Commission to ensure that there is a

smooth process for gaming businesses

looking to relocate to Jersey to take

advantage of the many opportunities. At

the time of writing this, Jersey has already

granted two licences and has several

others in process; evidence that our

joined-up, multi agency approach is

working well.

If your company is considering a new

location, why not consider the excellent

benefits Jersey has to offer. Contact

Digital Jersey for help and guidance.

Andrew Jarrett began his career as an electronic engineer, having gained an honours degree from Manchester University. He relocated to Jersey to run the IBM business centre (a division within Itex), covering Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man, for the AS/400 platform - now known as ISeries. In 2000, Andrew became a core part of the Foreshore team in Jersey, Channel Islands. He was accountable for creating business models suitable for ‘offshoring’, leading to several of the UK top ten retailers becoming clients. He also worked closely with the Financial Services Commission to facilitate inter-jurisdictional cooperation in the event of a disaster, to enable financial services businesses from other jurisdictions to operate from Jersey for Business Continuity. As part of Digital Jersey, Andrew will be responsible for establishing and securing business development opportunities, as well as supporting on-island business growth, key off-island relationships and exploring new markets.

Digital Jersey supports egaming

23-26 JUNE 2015 AMSTERDAM

8 EVENTS CO-LOCATED IN ONE LOCATION ALL YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS IN ONE PLACE

THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE TAKING PLACE AT THE IGAMING SUPER SHOW 2015

SAVE THE DATE!

“An excellent forum to meet fellow peers in the Gaming industry. The conference sessions enhanced the fl ow of information and helped create a very open format for information exchange and networking.”

CEO, NYX Interactive

“The networking on o� er, with both existing partners and prospective ones, is always a catalyst for the ongoing development of results and to a large extent fuels the workload and business development for the months thereafter.”

James Woods, Head of Performance Marketing, bet365

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.IGAMINGSUPERSHOW.COM

AMSTERDAM

BettingTrends &Strategies

Jersey Focus 2015

Digital Jersey runs an incubation hub for digitally focused start-ups, with more than 80 residents currently working on a variety of projects, including eGaming. Director Andy Jarrett provides an insight into the types of support and infrastructure businesses can expect should they decide to set up or relocate to Jersey.

Digital Jersey works alongside Jersey

government and industry to coordinate

activities to improve the digital ecosystem

in Jersey, including skills development,

promotion, funding mechanisms, business

incentives, regulatory environment,

infrastructure and eGovernment. Jersey’s

remote gambling laws and new licence

framework has placed eGaming high on

the Digital Jersey agenda.

We support growth in the existing

digital sector as well as attracting inward

investment, most typically these are new

technology businesses or high tech sectors

that are attracted to the island so they can

benefit from Jersey’s existing advantages

including; our competitive tax base,

excellent legal system, good infrastructure,

strong public finances, high quality

workforce and world-class finance sector.

Digital Jersey run a hub in St Helier,

an incubation zone for digitally focused

start-ups. It has in excess of 80 residents

working on a variety of projects, from

Big Data, FinTech, Cryptocurrency,

Cybersecurity, eCommerce and eGaming.

The facility provides a vibrant location

for the digital sector to work, exchange

ideas and network. We also host thought

leadership events covering a range of

subjects, and local providers deliver

workshops and clinics to help businesses

with particular aspects including,

contracts, tax and venture funding.

Digital Jersey also supports applications

to the Jersey innovation fund, which is a

government initiative to help kick start

digital businesses on the island. We act as

a network to connect entrepreneurs to

people looking to invest and as part of

this; we are launching an investors’ club to

match talent and ideas with smart money.

Recent changes in the eGaming

landscape mean that Jersey has become

particularly attractive to internationally

focused businesses and Digital Jersey

are now working with industry and

government to focus the proposition. To

this end, Digital Jersey works with the

Jersey Gambling Commission, Locate

Jersey and Jersey Financial Services

Commission to ensure that there is a

smooth process for gaming businesses

looking to relocate to Jersey to take

advantage of the many opportunities. At

the time of writing this, Jersey has already

granted two licences and has several

others in process; evidence that our

joined-up, multi agency approach is

working well.

If your company is considering a new

location, why not consider the excellent

benefits Jersey has to offer. Contact

Digital Jersey for help and guidance.

Andrew Jarrett began his career as an electronic engineer, having gained an honours degree from Manchester University. He relocated to Jersey to run the IBM business centre (a division within Itex), covering Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man, for the AS/400 platform - now known as ISeries. In 2000, Andrew became a core part of the Foreshore team in Jersey, Channel Islands. He was accountable for creating business models suitable for ‘offshoring’, leading to several of the UK top ten retailers becoming clients. He also worked closely with the Financial Services Commission to facilitate inter-jurisdictional cooperation in the event of a disaster, to enable financial services businesses from other jurisdictions to operate from Jersey for Business Continuity. As part of Digital Jersey, Andrew will be responsible for establishing and securing business development opportunities, as well as supporting on-island business growth, key off-island relationships and exploring new markets.

Digital Jersey supports egaming

23-26 JUNE 2015 AMSTERDAM

8 EVENTS CO-LOCATED IN ONE LOCATION ALL YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS IN ONE PLACE

THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE TAKING PLACE AT THE IGAMING SUPER SHOW 2015

SAVE THE DATE!

“An excellent forum to meet fellow peers in the Gaming industry. The conference sessions enhanced the fl ow of information and helped create a very open format for information exchange and networking.”

CEO, NYX Interactive

“The networking on o� er, with both existing partners and prospective ones, is always a catalyst for the ongoing development of results and to a large extent fuels the workload and business development for the months thereafter.”

James Woods, Head of Performance Marketing, bet365

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.IGAMINGSUPERSHOW.COM

AMSTERDAM

BettingTrends &Strategies

JERSEYeGAMING

JERSEYYOUR NEW JURISDICTIONJersey (Channel Islands) has arrived on the global eGaming stage providing strategic advantage for companies considering their corporate structure and base location.

0% VAT 0% eGAMING DUTY0% CORPORATION TAXAs the ‘New Jurisdiction’ for your eGaming business, Jersey offers a premier, dynamic and cost-effective combination of experience and innovation through:

• Highly competitive licence costs• Free Disaster Recovery License• Independent Gambling Commission• Excellent internet connectivity• Premium location for IPO• World-class regulatory, banking,

legal and technology services VISIT JERSEY

eGAMING AT ICE

STAND N7-452

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