Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW) is teaming up with a group of social gaming operators to help establish the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA).
Former Congressman Jeff Duncan will lead the coalition, which will serve as a group that advocates for the advancement of the social games industry. Duncan serves as executive director of a group that also includes social gaming operators PLAYSTUDIOS, Yellow Social Interactive, ARB Interactive and B-Two Operations. The coalition has a portfolio of partners that also features Canadian payment processor giant Nuvei.
VGW has helped launch the SGLA as the coalition’s founding partner.
“Online social gaming is a well-established, popular form of entertainment in North America, where we’ve operated for more than a decade,” said VGW Founder and CEO Laurence Escalante. “As a pioneer and market leader, we recognize the rising interest in our sector and our responsibility to both ensure the facts about our games, operations and standards are understood and advocate for what we believe the appropriate industry frameworks should look like.”
The SGLA has four key principles that its operator partners adhere to and aim to promote.
The principles include free-to-play gaming options, responsible gameplay, protecting players and platforms and age-restricted platforms. The coalition plans to establish a presence in gaming by engaging with legislators, regulators, media and the public.
Social and sweepstakes gaming group
Last September, 10 social gaming and sweepstakes operators formed the Social and Promotional Gaming Association (SPGA). The group noticeably does not include VGW but has a membership that includes Blazesoft, Fliff and High 5 Entertainment.
The SPGA has two internal committees that focus separately on player safeguards and regulatory compliance. As legislative sessions across America move forward, the SPGA is actively opposing legislation to limit sweepstakes and social gaming operators.
VGW exits several US gaming markets
Social gaming operators have created the SGLA as social games face regulatory scrutiny and a rash of proposed legislation to limit the industry within certain states.
Regulators in states including Connecticut, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nevada and Washington have issued cease and desist orders to VGW as well as other sweepstakes operators.
Earlier this year, VGW shuttered operations of its Global Poker brand in Nevada on a roll-out basis over scrutiny of its sweepstakes offerings. Global Poker players were unable to purchase the platform’s Gold Coins starting in January with access to accounts closed on April 15.
