Sumsub

High Level Overview

I lead the development of iGaming within Sumsub. This includes developing tools to ensure seamless KYC, combating fraud and ensuring seamless license migration solutions are available to our clients.

Strategy

I lead Sumsub’s global iGaming strategy, tailoring it to client demands, business goals, imminent licensing updates, and balancing development effort with value.

ANTI-FRAUD

I create tools to analyse KYC events, betting transactions and account actions to combat bonus abuse, affiliate fraud, account takeover, money laundering, collusion, betting systems, arbitrage, XP farming, and more… 

COMPLIANCE

I keep abreast of market trends and regulatory changes, ensuring our clients have a suite of solutions to assist in migrating to new licensed markets. I also frequently attend and speak at global events to gather and share insights.

BUSINESS SUPPORT

I support diverse teams across Sumsub, from crafting articles for our blog to aiding in podcast production, enhancing our content’s reach and impact.

Bonus Abuse

I create algorithms which monitor account activity and betting patterns to automatically identify and flag bonus abuse indicators.

Anti Money Laundering

I define and leverage AI to identify actions, events and transaction which are suggestive of money laundering within iGaming.

XP Farming

With the rise of XP loyalty programmes, original games can be used to farm XP, I create tools to flag and prevent this.

Account Takeover

ATO happens for a number of reasons, and can lead to chargebacks, money laundering and chipdumping. We aim to solve this.

Collusion

I leverage my extensive experience as a poker player and my decade with PokerStars, to create pioneering collusion solutions.

Risk Scoring

I. am working on risk scoring systems consisting of day zero scorecards, user scoring, and bet scoring.

I delve into the technical and regulatory dimensions of iGaming, enhancing my expertise in identifying and mitigating exploitation and abuse, and navigating the complex regulatory and risk landscapes.

Some more information…

Background How it was Built My Scope

How does one grow a new department within a business as successful and fast-growing as Sumsub?

Navigating the challenge of expanding a new department within a thriving and fast-paced company like Sumsub demands a strategic and agile approach. Initially, it’s crucial to define clear goals and roles that align with the broader business objectives. This foundation supports the recruitment of skilled professionals who bring both expertise and a fresh perspective.

Cultivating a culture of collaboration and innovation within the team is vital, which in turn encourages the free flow of ideas and rapid problem-solving, essential in a dynamic business environment. Implementing scalable processes and solid communication channels facilitates effective coordination and allows the department to adapt quickly to changing needs.

Regularly assessing the impact of the department’s contributions against company goals ensures continuous alignment and refinement of strategies. This ongoing evaluation helps to maintain focus on high-impact activities and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and excellence, propelling both the department and Sumsub towards sustained growth and success.

Where do you decide where to start when there are so many priorities? 

Navigating the complexities of creating a strategic roadmap for Sumsub was akin to managing a high-stakes poker game with multiple variables in play. The challenge wasn’t just the multitude of priorities but also the myriad dependencies involving parallel projects, evolving client needs, technical constraints, and swiftly shifting regulations. Much like flopping a flush draw in position against a loose-aggressive villain under-the-gun, understanding the dynamics and adapting accordingly is key to navigating this landscape.

Finding the optimal strategy, or the GTO approach, required a deep dive into the sturdy, nearly impervitable KYC solutions that Sumsub is renowned for. However, the primary focus in my case needed to shift towards anti-fraud measures addressing critical issues like bonus abuse, affiliate fraud, collusion, money laundering, and account takeovers. These challenges demanded solutions that operated both at the betting analysis and account event level, which would then be seamlessly integrated and bolstered by our existing KYC frameworks.

With a clear direction in mind, I developed a six-month rolling roadmap focusing on betting analysis and risk scoring, enhanced by rigorous self-exclusion database compliance. This roadmap is meticulously designed to remain flexible, allowing us to swiftly adapt to new client demands and extract tangible value for the business, our clients, and ultimately, the end-users. This strategic approach ensures that Sumsub remains agile and responsive, crucial for maintaining our lead in a highly competitive and fast-evolving industry.

What aew my main areas of focus?

Strategic

  • Develop and executing a long-term iGaming product strategy aligned with the company’s overall goals and vision with a focus on anti-fraud and risk scoring.
  • Remain up to date on compliance changes and market trends to assist in providing all-in-one iGaming KYC and anti-fraud solutions.
  • Meet with clients to understand needs on a technical and product level and interpret these into industry-leading solutions.

Product

  • Develop and executing a long-term product strategy aligned with the company’s overall goals and vision with a focus on compliance and automation across the board.
  • Turn data insights into product features with actionable outcomes to the client.
  • Develop and maintain an iGaming product roadmap that aligns with the company’s strategic goals and vision.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design, engineering, and marketing, to bring products to market.
  • Definine and measure key product metrics to evaluate product performance and identify areas for improvement.

Business Support

  • Represent Sumsub in public forums and at industry events as a featured speaker, sharing insights and driving industry thought leadership.
  • Collaborate in producing engaging Sumsub podcast episodes and video content for our YouTube channel.
  • Supply creative content for the product marketing teams, enhancing our presence on social media, LinkedIn, and the official Sumsub blog.
  • Aid in the planning and execution of conferences, ensuring seamless organization and impactful delivery.

Reporting

  • Direct reporting to the CPO.