When a player joins a live casino table, they expect the cards to be fair, the wheel to spin true, and the presenter to run the game without bias or error. But in an environment constructed on compliance and real-time decision-making, few stop to consider the systems and processes that make this possible.
Integrity is a vital concept – one often mentioned in the industry, but rarely explained. What does it actually mean in practice? Who’s responsible for it? And why does it matter so much?
To explore these questions, iGamingFuture invited ICONIC21’s Chief Integrity Officer, Denis Makeev, to the studio.
ICONIC21 is a cutting-edge live casino game supplier that has been driving change with its fully customisable tables. For this studio, integrity is more than a principle; it’s a daily, measurable system built to ensure fairness every step of the way – from the studio floor to the player’s device.
iGF’s Head of Content, Curtis Roach, began with his first question:
iGaming integrity is a cornerstone of our industry, but what does “integrity” actually mean to you, and how do you see its role in our sector changing as we move forward?
“It’s the baseline. It means we do things right, all the time, no shortcuts. Every rule is there for a reason, and we follow it. Every system is built to be transparent. Every presenter is trained not just to look professional, but to be professional.
“But integrity goes further. It includes how we run operations, maintain our equipment, monitor studios, and enforce rules. From pit bosses making live calls to how we run ISMS protocols and audits, there’s a clear line, and we don’t cross it.
“Why?
“Because in this business, trust is not a one-time deal. You earn it every day, table by table, decision by decision. If we expect operators and players to trust us, we need to show that we trust our own process first.”
iGaming integrity is a term most often associated with the role of the operator, but what does this mean for live casino providers and why is it also such an important issue for them?
“Because everything we build is live, real-time, and high-stakes. There’s no time for excuses. One wrong move, one unclear rule, one missed check, and trust collapses.
“Integrity protects us from that. It’s what makes players come back, what makes partners stay, and what gives regulators the confidence that ICONIC21 knows what it’s doing.
“It’s all about structure. Daily monitoring of games and equipment, random spot-checks, pit bosses ensuring decisions are consistent, and regular audits that measure us against strict standards.
“When people know what the standard is, and that it doesn’t shift, they feel safer, clearer, and more motivated to do their job well.
“That applies to everyone: presenters, tech teams, operations, pit bosses, support and many other departments. Every role is tied to trust.”
What is the role of an Integrity team, and how do you see it changing going forward?
“We make sure fairness and integrity in our games are proven facts.
“We get involved from the start: when a new studio opens, when a game launches, when equipment is installed, and when presenters are trained. We monitor it all.
“If something looks suspicious, we investigate: reviewing logs, observing tables, checking equipment, supporting pit bosses, and documenting everything that seems off.
“But our role is more than just finding potential mistakes; it’s also preventing them.
“We develop procedures, consult on setups before launch, test equipment before it goes live, train teams, and introduce new methods. We also maintain a cycle of ISMS-aligned studio audits and reviews, so nothing slips through unnoticed.
“Integrity is an entire system of prevention embedded across the company.”
What should integrity look like day to day, in real terms?
“It’s the presenter who double-checks a rule instead of guessing. The pit boss who pauses a round to ensure clarity. The system that flags an unusual betting pattern before anyone else notices. The maintenance checks that keep wheels, shuffling machines, dice shakers, scanners, and cards performing flawlessly. The daily reviews that happen quietly, without being asked.
“Internally, it’s how we train, how we audit, how we maintain, and how we communicate across teams.
“At ICONIC21, integrity is a well-solidified habit. And because we build player-facing games, those habits have to be watertight.
“That’s how we earn our place: not just by being fast, but by being solid, consistent, and trusted, every hour, every table, every spin.”
Editor’s Note:
Integrity is the backbone that holds the ecosystem together – the foundations of player and operator confidence and regulatory approval.
Long championed by industry stakeholders–from the foundations of eCOGRA to the development of RTP metrics and RG tools–integrity remains the non-negotiable standard of fairness and reliability.
For ICONIC21, it means doing things right from the start without shortcuts, backed by transparent systems, rigorous training, and consistent enforcement, built into every layer of operations.
And in a real-time, live environment, this matters more because: “One wrong move, one unclear rule, one missed check, and trust collapses.”
Importantly, integrity isn’t about reacting after the fact; it’s about prevention and having the systems in place to flag problems before they arise.
Day-to-day, it manifests as decisive actions made up of frequent checks, random audits and watertight monitoring that earn trust, keep players coming back and safeguard both compliance and commercial success.
