【melbet crash game hack】NYC 2025: Proactive policies needed for effective crisis management

The gambling industry has long been subject to regulatory uncertainty, media scrutiny, and compliance challenges.

The panel discussion, titled Crisis Management for Operators: Responding to Regulatory and Legal Threats, opened with a stark reminder that dealing with public officials in any capacity can be a crisis in itself.

Christopher Soriano (pictured left), VP and chief compliance officer for Penn Entertainment, brought up the example of Tennessee’s sports betting industry, where regulatory oversight shifted suddenly from the state lottery to an entirely new governing body.

This left regulators and operators in a difficult position, having to establish rules, hire staff, and manage licensing renewals with no prior framework in place.

The solution, according to industry representatives, was swift action — dividing responsibilities, implementing immediate rule-making procedures, and focusing on operational efficiency.

Within four months, the state’s industry had stabilised, although its novelty remained a “quiet crisis” for regulators behind the scenes.

Media scrutiny creates compliance challenges

Another primary concern discussed by Soriano and the session’s other panellists — BetMGM deputy general counsel, Jeremy Kolman (pictured centre), and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP partner, Tom Lee (pictured right) — was the role of the media in amplifying industry crises.

Media partners can turn a minor compliance issue into a public relations disaster, making it imperative for gambling operators to maintain rigorous compliance structures.

According to the executives, crisis management is less about the specific issue at hand and more about the organisation’s ability to respond efficiently.

Compliance departments must be seen as partners in risk mitigation rather than obstacles, ensuring that when a potential issue arises, it is handled swiftly and transparently.

A key takeaway was the need for nimbleness in compliance operations. Given the speed at which information travels, companies must be prepared to act on imperfect information.

A proactive approach involves notifying regulators of potential breaches even before all the facts are known, signalling transparency and cooperation.

This practice, while placing operators in a challenging position, builds trust and helps mitigate reputational damage should the issue escalate in the media.

Responsible gambling’s role in crisis prevention

Responsible gambling (RG) was another dominant theme of the discussion, with all panelists agreeing that RG initiatives must be ingrained in corporate culture rather than treated as reactive measures during crises.

Companies like BetMGM and others have embraced RG as a core pillar of their business, investing in partnerships with organisations such as Kindbridge and GameSense.

These initiatives provide support to problem gamblers and offer advanced training to employees to identify and address gambling-related issues.

The evolution of RG policies was highlighted, illustrating how gambling companies must adapt to changing social and regulatory landscapes. Naturally, what sufficed in the 1970s at racetracks is no longer adequate in today’s online environment.

The industry must continuously refine its approach to problem gambling, treating it as an opportunity for improvement, rather than a regulatory burden.

The leaders stressed that failure to do so could result in existential threats as public and regulatory tolerance for gambling-related harm decreases over time.

The policy debate

One of the more contentious topics was the allocation of gambling tax revenues.

The case of Tennessee was cited, where only 5% of sports betting revenue was allocated to problem gambling initiatives, while 80% went to the state’s lottery scholarship fund.

The panelists argued that operators should work with regulators to advocate for more funding being directed towards RG efforts. However, legislative inertia often stands in the way, as regulators are politically constrained from lobbying for changes.

While some industry professionals stopped short of calling this a policy failure, they acknowledged that states with newly legalised gambling markets must address these unallocated risks.

Unlike financial compliance and fair gaming regulations, responsible gambling lacks a clear statutory mandate, often leaving operators to take their own initiative.

Soriano and the others called for stronger partnerships between regulators and the industry, to push for legislative reforms that would better allocate resources to problem gambling programmes.

The consensus was that while the industry faces significant challenges, it also has opportunities to lead in consumer protection and responsible gambling.

As gambling regulation continues to evolve, the key to crisis management lies in preparedness, adaptability, and industry-wide collaboration.

By fostering transparency, refining compliance frameworks, and prioritising responsible gambling, stakeholders can mitigate risks and build a sustainable future for the industry.