Manager–Trust & Safety & Mystery Shopping Gambling (Visa/Mastercard/Amex/Discover Programs)

The Manager of Gambling Mystery / Secret Shopping is responsible for designing and leading compliance testing programs across global online gambling, betting, and gaming platforms. This role focuses on ensuring compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML), financial crime prevention, fraud detection, licensing, responsible gambling practices, and payment card brand requirements (Visa VIRP, MasterCard BRAM, Amex/Discover HBR).The Manager will oversee mystery shopping initiatives that simulate real-world customer journeys (account creation, KYC, deposits, wagers, withdrawals) to identify risks, gaps, and compliance failures before they escalate. This is a high-visibility position requiring expertise in gambling regulation, payments compliance, and fraud risk management. The manager will lead a team of Senior Consultants and Analysts. Key Responsibilities Design and execute secret shopping programs across sports betting, online casinos, poker, esports, and lottery platforms. Build test plans that assess end-to-end flows: registration, identity verification, deposits, game play, withdrawals, and responsible gaming features. Validate compliance with global gambling regulations, AML/KYC laws, and card brand requirements (VIRP, BRAM, HBR). Review bonus offers, wagering requirements, and terms & conditions for transparency and compliance. Monitor geolocation enforcement, underage gambling prevention, and self-exclusion programs. Identify potential money laundering, fraud, and financial crime scenarios through testing. Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, and Fraud Risk teams to escalate high-risk findings and define remediation plans. Oversee integration of penetration testing or ethical hacking results into gambling system assessments where applicable. Manage and mentor Senior Consultants and Analysts, ensuring professional growth and skill development. Produce evidence-based reports with clear documentation (screenshots, transaction details, logs). Prioritize risks based on severity, potential regulatory impact, and card brand requirements. Serve as escalation lead for gambling compliance issues. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree required (Law, Business, Finance, Compliance, or related field). Advanced degree preferred. 8–10 years of progressive experience in gambling compliance, AML/financial crime, fraud detection, payments compliance, or the betting and gaming industry. Strong understanding of Visa VIRP, MasterCard BRAM, Amex/Discover HBR compliance frameworks. Deep knowledge of AML, financial crime prevention, KYC, and responsible gambling best practices. Familiarity with ethical hacking / penetration testing approaches to strengthen gambling platform resilience. Strong leadership and mentoring abilities. Excellent analytical, risk assessment, and problem-solving skills. Strong communication skills with ability to produce clear reports for regulators, auditors, and executives. Desired Attributes High ethical standards and professional integrity. Analytical thinker with attention to detail and regulatory rigor. Resilient leader who thrives in high-pressure, high-risk compliance environments. Visionary mindset for building compliance programs at scale. Success Metrics Full compliance with gambling regulatory requirements and payment card brand programs (VIRP, BRAM, HBR). Reduction in AML/fraud escalations from gambling platforms tested. Identification and remediation of financial crime vulnerabilities. High-quality, reproducible reports submitted on time with actionable insights. Strong development and retention of Senior Consultants and Analysts.