Gaming Commission & Financial Intelligence Centre Host National Workshop On Risk-Based Aml/Cft/Cpf Supervision Ahead Of 2026 Evaluation For The Gaming Sector
In a concerted effort to bolster Ghana’s anti-money laundering framework and positively position the gaming sector for the country’s upcoming 2026 Mutual Evaluation, the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), in collaboration with the Gaming Commission of Ghana, held a national capacity-building workshop in Accra on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
The one-day event, themed “Risk-Based Supervision, NRA Findings, and Targeted Financial Sanctions,” convened industry regulators, gaming operators, compliance professionals, and enforcement experts at the Accra City Hotel.
In their opening remarks, the Ag. Deputy Commissioner, Strategy & Growth of the Gaming Commission, Mr. Bashiru Amissah Donbine, and Madam Lucy Ababrese of the Financial Intelligence Centre, took turns to emphasize the urgent need for a sector-wide compliance and vigilance, with Ghana’s national risk assessment findings, placing the gaming industry at a critical junction.
Key Highlights
The workshop featured six interactive sessions covering a wide range of issues:
The first session explored the current state of Ghana’s gaming industry, player demographics, and the vulnerabilities exposed by the National Risk Assessment (NRA). Officials of the FIC challenged the gaming operators to improve their Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) practices.
The second session focused on Emerging Typologies, including the rising threat of match-fixing, sports manipulation, and proxy player identity fraud. Participants were urged to monitor betting trends in real time and report anomalies immediately.
In the third session, representatives from the Sports Betting Group Ghana Limited (operators of Betway Ghana), gave insights on identifying and responding to red flags, such as unusual betting patterns, identity inconsistencies, as well as high-frequency and high-value transactions.
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In the fourth session, participants were taken through addressing Ghana’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and Counter-Proliferation Financing (CPF) obligations under international financial regulations. It was revealed that many gaming operators lacked systems to screen player data, against United Nations or OFAC-sanctioned lists, posing significant legal and reputational risks to the country.
Participants of the workshop were also offered technical guidance on risk-based supervision, enforcement procedures, proportional sanctions, and planning inspections during the fifth session. Authorities of the Financial Intelligence Centre called on industry players to unify compliance standards and invest in automated systems.
The 6th session accorded the participants the opportunity to put across their concerns. The issues raised centered mainly on the operations of illegal gaming operators and mirror sites, unauthorised license transfers, and exploitation of third-party platforms. Mr. Bashiru Amissah Donbine reiterated that stringent measures would be taken against operators found culpable of violating the rules governing the industry.
A Call for Proactive Compliance
Addressing the forum, the Deputy Director of the Investigations, Inspection, Compliance, and Enforcement (IICE) Directorate of the Gaming Commission, Mr. Patrick Kwakye reiterated the Commission’s zero-tolerance stance on regulatory breaches. He encouraged the participants to escalate red flags and suspicious activities to the Commission via email at [email protected].
The operators were also reminded of their statutory obligation to implement enhanced due diligence measures, maintain five-year transaction records, and conduct routine risk assessments. With the virtual space and digital assets evolving rapidly, the gaming stakeholders were urged to prepare for future regulations governing cryptocurrency within gaming platforms.
Looking Ahead
The workshop concluded with a reaffirmation of the Commission’s commitment to collaborative regulation, technological innovation, and accountability. “Compliance is no longer optional. We must act swiftly and decisively to protect the integrity of Ghana’s gaming industry and safeguard national financial systems”, stated Mr. Patrick Kwakye.
