Betting on Security: How Evolution is Saving Online Gaming

In the high-stakes world of online casinos, where milliseconds can mean millions, trust is the ultimate currency. One company has emerged as a vanguard of the multi-billion dollar industry, led by its innovation in offering and focus on security. 

Evolution is shaping the digital fortifications of this industry leader, with its Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Janis Lasmanis lending his expertise to keep ahead of the attacks.

“The dynamic nature of the online gaming industry presents unique challenges that demand innovative solutions,” he reflects.

With Janis having worked across roles in security, he has an understanding of all the elements that make up a secure perimeter for a company. 

Having begun his career as a Unix System Administrator for one of Latvia’s latest internet service providers (ISP) Tet (formerly Lattelecom), he developed a keen interest in network security and data protection. His time there was a testament to his talent, as it saw him rise to positions from Unix Server Administration to Project Management. 

“Such a wide experience allowed me to realise the importance of understanding both the technical and business aspects of security,” Janis explains.  

Yet, when the opportunity arose to join Evolution as CISO, Janis saw it as a perfect fit for his skills and aspirations. 

With Evolution’s commitment to innovation and its dynamic, fast-paced environment, he was given a platform to put into practice everything he had accrued over the years to make a significant impact. 

Now, Janis oversees the company’s information and physical security, from policy development and risk management to incident response and security compliance.

Evolution’s evolution

Evolution’s rise to eminence in the online gaming solutions market is evidence of its ability to provide security solutions to the high-value target sector of online casinos, and the trust organisations put in it to provide those services.

“Our vision is to be the world’s leading provider of online casinos, and so far, we have succeeded,” Janis explains. 

Evolution grew from a regional player providing its services to clients in some regulated markets in Europe to being a global leader in the online gaming industry.

“We have expanded our operations to multiple continents, catering to a diverse and ever-growing client base,” Janis states.

Now, gambling giants Entain and Flutter, to name a few, partner with Evolution to provide the complex interplay between cutting-edge technology and stringent security requirements they need to keep their games secure. 

TITLE: Industry insight

Comprehensive, but high-quality turn-key solutions have given Evolution its esteem in the industry. Its approach encompasses the entire innovation, development and customer B2B delivery chain in-house, a strategy that allows for tighter control over security measures at every stage of product development and deployment.

Examining Evolution’s offering

This success is not merely a product of technological innovation but is deeply rooted in the company’s unwavering commitment to security. In an industry where user trust is paramount and regulatory scrutiny is intense, Evolution’s approach to cybersecurity has become a key differentiator.

The online casino sector presents a unique set of challenges for cybersecurity professionals. Unlike many other industries, the real-time nature of online casino transactions means that security measures must operate with unprecedented speed and accuracy. 

“Any delay can lead to significant financial losses and damage to user trust,” Janis explains.

This requirement for instantaneous security decisions has pushed Evolution to the forefront of cybersecurity innovation. It has developed a proactive and comprehensive cybersecurity framework that includes real-time visibility and threat detection. 

At the heart of this cybersecurity framework lies a sophisticated interpretation of the Zero Trust Architecture. “This initiative involved a complete overhaul of our security infrastructure,” Janis explains. “Despite the increased security measures, we were able to implement the Zero Trust framework in a way that did not disrupt the user experience.”

The implementation of this architecture represents a paradigm shift, moving away from perimeter-based security to a model where trust is never assumed, and verification is constant. This is crucial for a company that has to handle tonnes of user devices logging in to its network.

It follows the growing belief that traditional security models, which often rely on securing the perimeter, are ill-equipped to handle the distributed nature of modern gaming platforms.

Evolution, understanding the complex threat landscape, therefore takes a multi-layered security approach. 

“Our perimeter security strategy is built on a multi-layered architecture that includes multiple defences at different points,” Janis notes. 

This strategy has become increasingly crucial in an era of sophisticated cyber-attacks. It ensures that if one security measure is breached, others remain in place to protect assets and maintain operational integrity.

Evolution also makes a point to have comprehensive visibility across its technology stack. 

“We implement comprehensive logging across all layers of our technology stack,” says Janis. “Logs from firewalls, servers, applications and user devices are aggregated and analysed to detect anomalies and potential security incidents.” 

This end-to-end visibility is crucial in an industry where anomalies can indicate not just security breaches but also attempts at fraud or cheating, which can severely impact the integrity of gaming operations.

In another example of Evolution’s proactive approach, the company maintains an internal red team tasked with simulating real-world attacks. This helps it identify potential vulnerabilities in its system by taking an adversarial approach. Coupled with a robust blue team defence, it creates a dynamic environment where security measures are constantly challenged and refined by lessons learned from tests, and not a costly attack.

Partners and Evolution

This comprehensive security position Evolution enjoys is both part of internal policy and the strategic partnerships it forms with key partners to secure its security ecosystem. 

Its collaboration with Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) exemplifies this approach. GLI, a provider of leading testing and certification services for the gaming industry, helps Evolution ensure regulatory compliance with international standards.

“GLI helps us ensure that our gaming solutions comply with international and regional regulatory standards,” explains Janis. “It provides certification services that validate the integrity and fairness of our games, ensuring we meet the highest standards.”

GLI’s security testing services, including penetration testing and vulnerability assessments, help Evolution identify and address potential security weaknesses across its operations. 

These rigorous assessments ensure that products continuously meet the highest security standards, and are free from vulnerabilities that malicious actors typically exploit, such as zero-day exploits. 

This partnership extends beyond mere compliance, offering Evolution expert consulting that helps it stay ahead of regulatory curves and emerging threats – two of the main concerns a cybersecurity provider for the online casino world has.

The importance of such partnerships in the online gaming industry cannot be overstated. 

As Janis points out: “Cybersecurity partnerships provide access to specialised expertise and resources, tools that may not be available in-house. This includes advanced threat intelligence, cutting-edge security technologies and expert guidance on best practices.”

 In an industry where the threat landscape is constantly evolving, these partnerships are essential for staying ahead of potential adversaries.

The cyber threat future 

As the cyber field grapples with the double-edged sword of AI, industry players are having to find ways to implement it to avert the consequences of the attacks now augmented by it. 

Being a cybersecurity solutions provider for online casinos – a sector that sees some of the highest volume of cyber attacks – this presents a challenge.

Yet Evolution recognises this. It is patiently planning for AI’s broader potential by watching developments from cybersecurity companies implementing it, while currently utilising it where it believes it could work. 

“We are leveraging AI to enhance our cybersecurity offerings by adopting a multi-faceted approach,” Janis states. 

The company’s strategy involves actively following and evaluating new technologies, ensuring hands-on experience with the latest advancements in AI and machine learning (ML).

However, Evolution’s approach to AI integration is marked by a keen awareness of the ethical considerations that come with such advanced technologies. 

“Bias and fairness are paramount concerns,” Janis acknowledges. “At Evolution, we are committed to ensuring that our AI systems are designed and implemented to prevent unfair outcomes.” 

Being a solutions provider for online casinos, taking this approach to AI bias is an encouraging thing to hear. This commitment is not just an ethos, however, it is backed by rigorous auditing and continuous monitoring of AI models to detect and mitigate any biases that could lead to discriminatory practices or unequal treatment. 

Evolution is also investing heavily in the continuous training and development of its employees, recognising that the human element remains crucial in cybersecurity.

Looking to the future, Evolution’s roadmap is ambitious yet grounded in pragmatic security considerations. As Janis highlights, AI is on the cards for Evolution: “AI and machine learning will play a crucial role in enhancing our threat detection capabilities,” he predicts.

The company also anticipates growth and expansion into new markets and jurisdictions, a strategy that brings with it new security challenges. 

“This will involve enhancing our global footprint and ensuring that our operations meet local regulatory requirements,” Janis explains.

This expansion, aided by partners like GLI and Evolution’s internal security implementations, retains a continued focus on strengthening cybersecurity postures and ensuring regulatory compliance across diverse jurisdictions.

Remaining at the forefront of security for online casinos, the company’s future plans, strong strategic partnerships and an emphasis on developing new and innovative gaming solutions while maintaining high-security standards mean that betting on Evolution’s security solutions seems a sure thing for gaming operators.

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