High rollers, high risk: Can VIP strategy survive tighter compliance?
Finding the right balance between VIP acquisition and regulatory compliance has become one of the gaming industry’s most pressing challenges. During the session High Rollers, High Risk: Where VIP Strategy Meets Compliance at SiGMA Asia 2026 in Manila, industry leaders explored how operators can continue to attract and retain high-value players while navigating increasingly stringent regulatory requirements.
Held on the SiGMA Stage at the SMX Convention Center, the panel featured Oliver De Bono, Co-Founder and CCO of Quantum; Stepan Dobrovolskiy, CEO of BetBoom LATAM; Erick Su, Head of ArenaPlus at DigiPlus; and Darwin Malicsi, Senior Manager at Solaire Resort and Casino.
The discussion focused on the evolving responsibilities of VIP managers and the growing importance of affordability checks, source-of-funds verification, responsible gaming measures, and reputational risk management.
The evolving role of VIP managers
Historically, VIP groups have evaluated themselves by how well they retain an individual’s position in the game, how engaged they are with the game, and how much revenue they generate. However, this week’s panel discussed how current regulatory pressures are changing the role of these groups.
Governmental and regulatory entities currently have significant oversight of the gaming industry. Due to this increased oversight, operators will need to develop a better understanding of their customers’ finances and gambling behavior. VIP managers, therefore, will need to strike a balance between commercial goals and their compliance obligations.
Speakers at the event noted that managing high-value customers is no longer just about appreciating their loyalty. To be successful in this area of business, operators will need to develop an understanding of their players’ risk profiles and spending patterns, as well as recognize behaviour that may indicate potential issues.
Source-of-funds verification takes centre stage
A major topic throughout the discussion was the importance of source-of-funds verification.
High-value players often attract greater scrutiny from regulators and anti-money laundering teams due to the volume of their activity. Operators must therefore implement robust verification procedures that confirm the legitimacy of player funds while maintaining a positive customer experience.
Finding a balance is challenging; too much bureaucracy can frustrate honest customers, whereas insufficient due diligence could pose severe financial or reputational risks for operators. The panelists emphasized transparency as being a very significant factor in this process. Most of the time, customers are much more willing to work with operators if the operators provide a clear explanation of what they are requesting and the reasons for it.
Affordability and sustainable growth
Affordability assessments were also highlighted as an increasingly important part of VIP management.
With regulators placing greater emphasis on player protection, operators are being asked to demonstrate that customer spending remains proportionate to their financial circumstances.
The speakers suggested that rather than seeing the affordability check as a barrier, it should be integrated into a broader customer relationship strategy. If operators understand a player’s financial situation, they can use this information to make better decisions about incentives, limits, and how to continue engaging with the player.
This discussion reinforced the belief that sustainable growth provides greater long-term value than short-term revenue growth. When players gamble responsibly, they are more likely to become long-term active customers, creating stronger, more sustainable relationships.
Responsible gaming beyond compliance
Responsible gaming was presented as both a regulatory requirement and a commercial necessity.
VIP teams are often among the first to notice changes in player behaviour. Increased gambling activity, unusual deposit patterns, or sudden changes in spending habits may indicate the need for intervention.
As a result, many VIP programmes now incorporate responsible gaming triggers and escalation procedures designed to identify potential risks before they become more serious.
The panelists emphasised that early intervention benefits both players and operators. Proactive engagement helps protect customers while reducing the likelihood of regulatory investigations, enforcement actions, and negative publicity.
Protecting reputation in a regulated market
Reputation supersedes compliance as a critical issue.
With the increasing global connectivity today, situations involving VIP-level players are more likely to become public knowledge and receive heavy media exposure. Companies that do not show sufficient protection for Customers can lose Customer trust and brand credibility.
Speakers throughout the discussions indicated that all departments within a business (VIP operations, marketing, customer care, risk management) must foster a culture of compliance.
The final message conveyed was that sustainable growth [future] and not aggressive growth will be the path to success for companies involved in the VIP management business; senior executives will have the opportunity through the combination of customer satisfaction, adherence to compliance and responsible gaming practices to create a competitive advantage in a marketplace subject to increased regulatory oversight.
For more insights from the world’s leading gaming, technology, and regulatory experts, visit the SiGMA website at https://docker-test1.sigmadev.ai.
