The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) has announced Paysafe as its newest partner. Paysafe, a leading global payments platform, serves merchants and consumers across 48 currencies and more than 260 payment types.
Paysafe has nearly three decades in the online payment industry. In a press release, the SGLA said that adding Paysafe as a partner strengthens their ability to address key areas, including:
- Advocate for sensible frameworks
- Highlight the economic and entertainment value of social plus games
- Support millions of Americans who enjoy these experiences safely
Paysafe ready to promote ‘safe, responsible Social Plus games’
Paysafe is the latest company to join the SGLA alongside founding operator partners VGW, PlayStudios, Yellow Social Interactive, ARB Interactive, and B-Two Operations. These companies represent top sweepstakes brands including Chumba Casino, Luckyland Slots, Global Poker, Pulsz, Pulsz Bingo, McLuck, HelloMillions, and SpinBlitz. Major payments provider Nuvei is another SGLA partner.
Zak Cutler, President of Global Gaming at Paysafe, said the company is proud to join the SGLA and “support its work promoting safe, responsible, and innovative Social Plus games.”
“As a global payments leader, we are committed to providing secure and reliable solutions that enhance player experiences while protecting the integrity of the gaming ecosystem,” Cutler said.
Paysafe offers ‘industry perspective and significant U.S. footprint’
Paysafe is a reputable company that picked up several awards last year. The accolades included Business Fortune naming Paysafe one of the best Global Companies to Watch. It was also listed among the World’s Top Fintech Companies for the third year in a row.
Sean Ostrow, the SGLA’s managing director, noted that Paysafe’s global payments experience “strongly aligns with SGLA’s commitment to player protections and industry integrity.”
“The company’s technical capabilities, industry perspective and significant U.S. footprint will meaningfully support our work with policymakers and stakeholders,” Ostrow said.
SGLA continues push for regulatory framework over sweeps bans
The SGLA and its partners have been facing an uphill battle as of late due to states like Maine, Maryland, Indiana, Mississippi, Virginia, and Mississippi all introducing legislation that would ban sweepstakes casinos. The year opened with Sweeps Coin gameplay becoming illegal in California.
In response, Ostrow and the SGLA are trying to find common ground with state regulators. The common theme is to create a regulatory framework in which the sweepstakes industry (or, as the SGLA calls it, the social plus industry) would generate millions in annual revenue for states through player purchase taxes and operator registration fees.
Last week, Maine lawmakers deliberated over a proposed bill that would ban Sweeps Coin gameplay in the Pine Tree State. Ostrow and the SGLA voiced pushback against the bill, noting that “the law-abiding operators, including members of the SGLA, would exit the state, but it would be the illegal operators that stay.”
Meanwhile, in Indiana, five lawmakers on the House Public Policy Committee voiced hesitation about banning sweepstakes casinos — including one lawmaker saying he is “100% against” a ban.
