Choosing the Wrong Supplier Could Cost You Your Licence, Play'n GO Executive Warns

_{Brook Hilton and Magnus Olsson take to the stage at the NEXT Summmit in New York. (Image: Next.io)}

Operators in regulated gambling markets risk their licences if they treat supplier selection as a purely commercial decision, according to Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer at slot developer Play'n GO.

Speaking at the Next.io summit in New York with Brook Hilton, Head of Casino at PointsBet Canada, Olsson argued that as jurisdictions such as Ontario and New Jersey tighten compliance standards, suppliers have become direct extensions of an operator's regulatory standing. A poor supplier choice, he said, can damage a brand, invite regulatory action, and ultimately destabilise a licence.

The warning comes as more markets introduce stricter requirements around responsible gaming, audit transparency, and content standards placing new obligations not just on  online casino operators, but on the companies that supply them.

Supplier Selection Has Become a Regulatory Matter

Operators have historically chosen suppliers based on content performance and revenue potential. But Olsson says that logic no longer holds in highly regulated environments.

'Your suppliers in highly regulated environments become an extension of your brand and of your licence. The suppliers now move into that ecosystem and become an extension of the licence, your responsible gaming strategy, your brand and your perception in the market.'

The practical consequence, Olsson argued, is that an undisciplined approach to the game lobby can undermine an operator's ability to explain its content strategy to regulators, investors, or its own board.

'Filling the lobby with the content that is available… that lobby becomes a supermarket and it's not clear what is your player promise and what is your player experience offering.'

Red Flags: Attitude, Transparency, and Culture

When assessing potential suppliers, Olsson identified three warning signs operators should act on. The first is attitude toward regulation. Suppliers who treat regulatory requirements as obstacles rather than obligations should be avoided, he said.

'If the attitude is that regulation is an obstacle to work around, that's a red flag. Regulation is the compass.'

The second is transparency. Operators should be able to obtain certificates, audit trails, and performance data without resistance. The third, and most consequential, is culture.

'When you sign on a supplier, you're basically importing that culture into your own.'

Olsson urged operators to examine how suppliers behave in less regulated markets and to scrutinise corporate structures before entering agreements. If a supplier's practices later draw regulatory attention, it is the operator who faces the consequences: 'It will come back to bite you. It is your licence at stake, your headlines, your fines.'

Responsible Gaming as a Strategic Priority

Olsson believes operators must move responsible gaming, player protection, and regulatory adherence off the administrative checklist and onto the executive agenda.

'I would lift responsible gaming, player experience, and regulatory adherence from administrative tasks to differentiators.'

That shift should also change how operators think about their game lobbies. Rather than filling them reactively, operators should treat the lobby as a product with a defined long-term strategy.

'I would look at the lobby as a product… and make sure that product delivers on the strategy that we've decided in the management team.'

Hilton agreed that well-structured partnerships reduce operational friction, allowing businesses to focus on strategy rather than process management.

The Industry Is Moving Toward Fewer, Closer Partnerships

Looking two to three years ahead, Olsson expects the industry to consolidate around smaller groups of trusted suppliers rather than maintaining large, fragmented portfolios.

'I think operators will pick a handful of suppliers and work really close with them.'

These closer relationships would extend beyond content delivery to include regulatory planning, product strategy, and data sharing. Operators hold player behaviour data; suppliers hold game performance data. Combining the two could enable more tailored player experiences across markets.

He framed the goal as a sustainable gambling ecosystem in which financial growth and responsible gaming are not in tension.

'The suppliers are an extension of your licence and of your promise to your players. Hold us to a high standard… and those of us who deliver will build a stronger and healthier sustainable iGaming business.'