Former financial crime investigator Barry Faudemer has been appointed Chairman of the Jersey Gambling Commission. According to the BBC, his term will last for four years.
Faudemer was a Director of Enforcement at the Jersey Financial Services Commission from 2007 to 2020. He also previously headed the Joint Police and Customs Financial Crimes Unit for almost seven years.
In addition, he contributed to the development of Jersey's Financial Services Law (1998) and the Proceeds of Crime Law (1999). He established the Jersey Fraud Prevention Forum and drafted the island's Money Laundering Typology document for the Government.
Thus, Faudemer steps into the role, bringing extensive experience in gambling regulation, financial crime prevention and law enforcement.
Another interesting highlight of his career and education is that he studied "money laundering typologies and how terrorists fund their activities across the globe" at the FBI Academy in America.
In separate news, the island's Gambling Commission recently noted that the capacity of health services to deal with problem gambling is "severely under strain." In its latest annual report, the regulator noted that greater coordination with public health services is needed.
Jersey has no dedicated problem gambling treatment service, with people instead referred to mental health services, UK charities or helplines.
The Commission’s chief executive, Dr Jason Lane, said specialist support through the health service would provide better continuity of care.
In response, Health Minister Tom Binet explained that efforts are already in progress to increase awareness about how and where individuals can access mental health services for problem gambling.
Jersey has a long history of regulating online gambling, having begun developing its remote gambling framework in 2005 and becoming an early European hub for the sector