Kindred is the first licensed Belgian operator to work with the digital identification solution, which is a government-supported initiative by three major Belgian banks and two telecom providers.

The application allows customers to identify themselves via a unique 5-digit numerical code or fingerprint, replacing customer card-readers, passwords and other tokens. It is already used by more than 125,000 consumers.

“We are delighted to be the first operator to start working with itsme,” said Dennis Mariën, country manager for Kindred in Belgium. “Kindred values the best possible protection of its customers and strives to offer a safe and responsible gambling platform.

“The integration of tools such as the itsme app, which ensures reliable, correct and user-friendly identification of the customer, is a crucial part of this journey. Moreover, a comprehensive identification process will also help in the fight against fraud.”

Shares in Kindred Group plc (STO:KIND) were trading up 0.74 per cent at SEK115.00 per share in Stockholm Friday morning.