Scaling Secure KYC Without Compromise
Online gaming and gambling platforms are booming. Revenue in the online gambling market reached $86B in 2026, with growth estimates projecting a massive $120B annual revenue by 2029. But with that growth comes intense scrutiny. Regulatory bodies such as the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission), FinCEN, and the European Union’s GDPR enforcement agencies have turned their attention to how platforms handle personal and financial data, especially during KYC (Know Your Customer) onboarding.
Whether via a malicious file upload, or a breach exposing sensitive customer data, a single slip can cost a platform more than just a fine. It can erode player trust, damage brand reputation, and open the door to fraud and money laundering.
That’s why one mid-size but fast-growing global iGaming operator turned to OPSWAT.
Faced with thousands of daily KYC document submissions, they needed a way to deeply inspect and sanitize each file in real time without slowing down the user experience or adding manual overhead. Their goal: make onboarding secure, fast, and compliant across every market they serve.
Securing High-Value KYC Data Without Slowing Growth
As a regulated operator, the company was required to collect and verify a high volume of sensitive documents during user onboarding. These included:
- Government-issued IDs (e.g., passports, driver's licenses)
- Proof of address (utility bills, bank statements)
- Age verification documentation
- Payment method validation
KYC processes inherently involve highly sensitive personal information such as identity documents, financial records, and sometimes biometric data, which makes them a high-value target for cybercriminals. Any breach or mishandling of these files could lead to serious regulatory violations, reputational damage, or fraud.
Additionally, uploaded documents—especially PDFs and images—are a common vector for embedded malware and hidden threats. Without a secure and automated file handling process, malicious content could easily slip through traditional defenses and enter backend systems.
Compounding the challenge, the company’s legacy tools and protocols (mostly single antivirus engines and manual file review) were:
- Too slow to keep pace with growth
- Prone to human error
- Not scalable for real-time user verification
- Limited in scope and efficacy, especially for unknown (zero-day) threats
The company had to find a solution that balanced deep security inspection with fast, seamless onboarding, without compromising regulatory compliance or the player experience.
We needed real-time, automated threat prevention. Something that could scan deeply, neutralize hidden threats, and scale with us. We couldn’t afford to slow down onboarding or add more manual checks.
Director of Information Security
Deep File Analysis at Upload, Powered by OPSWAT
To meet their security, compliance, and user experience goals, the company integrated OPSWAT MetaDefender ICAP Server™ into their web-facing infrastructure and document upload portals. This solution allowed for streamlined integration across the company’s file flows using a centralized, advanced scanning platform.
This powerful deployment provided:
Multiscanning with 30+ AV Engines
MetaScan™ Multiscanning technology scanned every uploaded document using over 30 commercial antivirus engines, significantly boosting detection accuracy and resilience against evasive malware.
Deep CDR™
Beyond detection-based methods, OPSWAT can neutralize files to strip out potentially malicious active content, rendering files with zero-day exploits or embedded threats harmless.
Proactive DLP™
To help enforce internal and regulatory data policies, sensitive or out-of-policy information was automatically flagged or redacted at upload time.
Seamless Integration via ICAP
The ICAP-based architecture plugged directly into their existing load balancer and WAF infrastructure, enabling quick deployment with minimal disruption.
Flexible, Region-Specific Workflows
Custom policies could be tailored to help meet the specific use case and compliance needs of each geography the company operated in, from GDPR in the EU to FinCEN in the U.S.
By integrating OPSWAT MetaDefender ICAP Server, the platform achieved:
- 100% of uploaded KYC files scanned and sanitized before reaching internal systems
- Reduced fraud and malware risk across user-uploaded content
- Streamlined user onboarding with real-time threat prevention
- Enhanced compliance posture across multiple regulated markets
- Improved trust and reputation with regulators and players alike
The automation enabled by MetaDefender also gave their security team room to scale, eliminating manual file reviews and allowing them to focus on broader risk and fraud initiatives.
Looking Ahead: Cloud Expansion and Deeper Analysis
As the gaming platform continues to grow, it’s planning several strategic enhancements to its OPSWAT ecosystem:
- MetaDefender Core™: For API-based scanning pipelines to accelerate internal fraud investigations and secure development pipelines
- Adaptive Sandbox: Under evaluation for analyzing suspicious files submitted via third-party affiliates
- Kubernetes (EKS/AKS) Deployments: Cloud-native deployments to support scalable, multi-region growth
OPSWAT’s hybrid ICAP + API model provided the flexibility the company needed to balance immediate security needs with a futureproof architecture.
Protecting KYC Data is Critical
When it comes to handling massive quantities of sensitive data handled daily by online gaming platforms, security isn’t optional. By using OPSWAT to fortify their KYC upload pipeline, this global iGaming operator demonstrated that it’s possible to be secure, compliant, and user-friendly all at once.
Want to protect your platform and build trust from the first file upload?
