FATF Publishes New AML Risk Indicators for Gaming and Gambling

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has published new risk indicators to help governments, regulators, and private-sector entities identify money laundering (ML), terrorist financing (TF), and proliferation financing (PF) risks across the gaming and gambling sectors.

Published on September 9, 2026, the report examines casinos, sports and novelty betting, non-casino gambling, and online video and mobile gaming. The assessment draws on responses from 80 jurisdictions, along with input from industry bodies, researchers, and private-sector stakeholders.

FATF identified the expansion of online platforms, cross-border activity, and multiple payment methods as key factors increasing financial crime exposure. Cash, e-wallets, mobile money, virtual assets, bank transfers, and third-party intermediaries can create opportunities for criminals to move or convert funds rapidly.

New Red Flags For Compliance Teams

The report provides practical indicators that can support suspicious activity detection and ongoing monitoring. These include customers operating multiple accounts under different identities, discrepancies between customer and payment information, suspicious identity documents, and frequent changes to account or payment details.

FATF also highlights screening-related risks. Customers matched to national or international sanctions lists, identified as politically exposed persons (PEPs), associated with high-risk jurisdictions, or linked to terrorist organisations and adverse media may require further examination.

Transaction behaviour is another major area of concern. Examples include structuring deposits into smaller amounts to avoid reporting thresholds, depositing funds followed by withdrawals with little or no gambling activity, using multiple payment methods or third-party accounts, and moving funds to or from sanctioned or high-risk jurisdictions.

The report also identifies complex ownership structures as a risk, particularly where nominees, trusts, foundations, or fragmented shareholdings are used to obscure beneficial ownership or bypass regulatory thresholds.

Illegal Gambling Presents Significant Risks

FATF identifies illegal and unlicensed gambling as one of the sector’s most significant risks. Offshore operators can exploit regulatory differences between jurisdictions, while weak licensing controls and complex ownership structures may allow criminal actors to gain control or influence over platforms.

The report also links gaming and gambling abuse with cyber-enabled fraud, corruption, professional money laundering networks, organised crime, and competition manipulation.

What This Means For AML Teams

For compliance teams, the findings reinforce the need for a risk-based approach that connects customer screening with transaction and behavioural monitoring. Organisations exposed to gaming, gambling, payments, or related digital services should consider whether their existing controls can detect the indicators identified by FATF.

FATF recommends stronger licensing and registration controls, greater international cooperation, improved risk awareness, and stronger public-private information sharing to address these evolving threats.