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The next step after the privatization of “Bilprovningen”: sell Svenska Spel

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It was with a clear message that Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) last week explained why the state is selling Bilprovningen, Sweden’s largest vehicle inspection company: “There is no obvious reason why the state should own this company. The state must first and foremost regulate and control this market, but it is good if others own,” she said.

The same can be said about the state-owned company in the gambling industry, Svenska Spel.

Bilprovningen and Svenska Spel belong to a handful of state holdings that are particularly unsuitable for the state to own, in that the state companies operate in a competitive market alongside a number of normal private companies, where the state has the role of regulating both its own company but also all others.

It is never a good idea to be a player and referee in the same match. No matter how much responsibility is distributed among various functions and authorities within the state, such an arrangement is set up to erode trust in the state’s role as a neutral judge. Is it the neutral judge we listen to when government officials speak, or is it the state casino director?

Having a state-owned company operating in an otherwise competitive market is by no means a guarantee that state-owned companies will perform better than private companies. This year alone, the fines issued to Svenska Spel by the Swedish Gambling Authority add up to over one hundred million kronor (€10M), for various violations of the Gambling Act. That’s more than any other gambling company on the market.

And it’s still not the big talking point of the year when it comes to scandals in the gambling industry. The big scandal has concerned a gambling company owned by a political party. Consider if a scandal of the same dignity affects a gambling company owned by the Swedish government. Every day with the state as owner of Svenska Spel, the government is exposed to this risk, e.g. with the illegal gambling advertising when Trisslotten is scratched on TV4.

Another unfortunate consequence when the state owns and operates companies on competitive markets is that the public debate about how gambling should be regulated is short-circuited, when Svenska Spel or their representatives take the floor and tell the government and the Riksdag how things should be regulated. The order in a democracy must be the other way around: it is the Riksdag and the government that have the mandate to say what Svenska Spel should do, not Svenska Spel that should give directives to the elected politicians.

The two heaviest parties in the government base in terms of the number of seats in the Riksdag – the Moderates and the Sweden Democrats – were very clear before the last election what they intended to do with Svenska Spel in the event of an election victory: privatize the state ownership. Instead, it was said, the government should concentrate on the role that only the state can have, namely, to be a legislator and to monitor that the market participants comply with laws and regulations.

The sale of AB Bilprovningen shows that the government is prepared to go from words to action, and there is no reason to wait any longer with the privatization of Svenska Spel. In fact, the state’s role as an impartial judge is probably even more important in the gambling market than in the car inspection industry.

Of course, a sale must take place according to all rules in order to get as much paid for the company as possible. The sale can then form an important basis for important government investments in, for example, infrastructure. It would be a sale we would all win from.

Gustaf Hoffstedt

Secretary General, BOS – The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling

The post The next step after the privatization of “Bilprovningen”: sell Svenska Spel appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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QTech Games add more content muscle with Reflex Gaming portfolio

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QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for all emerging markets, has signed its latest supplier partnership with Reflex Gaming, the UK’s largest independently owned omnichannel game supplier, enabling its platform customers to access the studio’s expansive slots catalogue.

Established in 2004, Reflex Gaming’s prolific production line run of legendary games has catapulted the supplier to igaming prominence and recognition, offering a diverse array of gaming experiences across both digital and analogue markets, and driving through new innovations in gaming, including the creation of entirely new gaming categories.

Reflex Gaming creates the highest quality digital gaming content for license to many of the world’s leading casino operators, as evidenced by its steady stream of recent hit titles, including Candy Crazed Pandas DoubleMax, Big Game Fishing Christmas Catch, The Cursed Idol, and 8 Balls of Fire Blazing Bounty. All of these games and more are now available via QTech’s premier platform, which is taking the widest range of online games to international markets, with established names sitting alongside the industry’s most exciting up-and-coming providers.

This collaboration naturally broadens Reflex Gaming’s international scope, unlocking untapped regions for diversified growth, above all in Africa and Latin America.

QTech Games CEO, Philip Doftvik, said: “We’re dedicated to constantly launching more and more first-class content and product innovation that drives revenue for our partners. So, this deal with Reflex Gaming extends our impressive sequential pipeline into 2026 – and we’ve so much more to come this year! In today’s marketplace, only premium games of the highest standard separate you from the crowd. So, we look forward to sharing their wide spectrum of games with both leading and challenger operator brands in emerging markets worldwide.”

Mat Ingram, Chief Product Officer at Reflex Gaming, added: “At Reflex Gaming, we pride ourselves on working with the sector’s biggest and most commercially recognised partners, and QTech Games fits our growth plan perfectly, as we continue to expand our horizons into new territories, leveraging our brand’s values which . QTech’s platform is a gateway to global audiences, so we can’t wait to see how our highly engaging games perform across a greenfield landscape of emerging markets.”

The post QTech Games add more content muscle with Reflex Gaming portfolio appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Blokotech serves up Global Padel Tour in collaboration with SiGMA

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Blokotech, a leading innovator in iGaming software solutions, has launched its Blokotech Padel Tour, a new international sporting circuit combining padel, networking and the global iGaming community, delivered in partnership with SiGMA.
The four-stage event is hosted across four international destinations in 2026, beginning in Buenos Aires, followed by Malta and Miami, before concluding in Rome for the Grand Finale during SiGMA World. Each point on the Tour coincides with the same week as influential iGaming events – including SAGSE, SBC Miami, and SiGMA World – underscoring the tour’s positioning at the intersection of sport, business and community.
Starting next month, each tournament will follow the same format, welcoming a minimum of 24 pairs, split across two competitions: a Beginners tournament and an Advanced tournament. First- and second-place finishers in each category will receive prizes, with each event featuring music, catering, and on-site photography and video to create a premium, social experience for players and guests.
All roads lead to Rome where the Grand Finale will introduce a ranking-based qualification system. Players competing in earlier legs of the tour will earn points for participation and performance, with top-ranked pairs qualifying for the final. Additional places will also be made available via open registration.
The best prizes are reserved for the event in Rome, which include an Omega Speedmaster or IWC watch for Advanced first-place winners, Apple Watch Ultra Pro Prizes for Beginners champions, and professional padel kits plus tickets to a Padel World Tour event for second-place finishers in both categories.
Key dates for the 2026 Blokotech Padel Tour:
  • Buenos Aires – 16 March (12:00–19:00)
  • Malta – 28 April (10:00–16:00)
  • Miami – 9 June (time TBC)
  • Rome – Grand Finale – 2 November (time TBC)
Blokotech Co-Founder and CEO Salvatore Messina commented: “Padel has a deep and authentic connection to Latin America where our own roots rest as a business. Our aim with the Blokotech Padel Tour is to bring iGaming movers and shakers together for a competition inspired by community and passion. SiGMA has been the perfect partner to help us deliver global concepts synced with some of the industry;s leading events. Join us in BA where it all begins!”

Additionally, SiGMA CMO Lauranne Urban added: “Blokotech’s Padel Tour is a wonderful idea that we’ve been honoured to help bring to life. It will provide the perfect platform for sporting action, networking and industry culture. This initiative aligns with our event philosophy to deliver engaging, community-driven experiences beyond the conference floor.”

The post Blokotech serves up Global Padel Tour in collaboration with SiGMA appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Elantil integrates 155.io into online marketplace

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Just when operators were starting to think the range of content offered by Elantil couldn’t possibly get any more diverse, the pioneering platform solutions provider has pulled off one of the great early rug pulls of 2026 by integrating 155.io into its online marketplace.

Proudly supplying “betting on chaos” since 2024, 155.io is a disruptive live game company that’s already made big waves in the industry due to its incredibly unique line-up. Designed to offer real-time madness for a mobile-first world, 155.io takes creative concepts and broadcasts them from its studio to operators around the world, creating an all-new kind of immersive betting experience.

Games offered by the supplier include Rush Hour, where players bet on how much traffic will cross a zone based on real CCTV footage, Duck Racing, where eight fearless rubber duckies race down a lazy river obstacle course with players betting on the winner, and Marble Plinko, which will definitely be a familiar concept to anyone who took part in Elantil’s Marble Races at ICE this year!

Now that 155.io’s full line-up of quirky live games has been added to Elantil’s Marketplace, operators will be able to reach out to the supplier’s business development and sales partner, RPM Gaming, directly to form their own custom agreements, with Elantil handling everything else.

By doing things this way, customers have full flexibility over the length and terms of their deal, enabling them to hand-pick the best games for their target audience while also cutting out the middleman and saving on costs – both of which are hallmarks of the Elantil approach to business.

John Debono, Chief Technical Officer at Elantil, said: “As something of a disruptive presence in the industry ourselves, it goes without saying that Elantil is naturally drawn to fellow innovators in the iGaming space. 155.io certainly fits that description, and by adding their distinctive range of live games to our online marketplace, we’ll be able to offer our partners a totally unique line-up of content that will help them create greater engagement and retention with mobile-first players.”

Sam Jones, Chief Executive Officer at 155.io, said: “155.io and Elantil are both companies that have made names for themselves by doing things differently, so we’re really happy to be sharing our chaotic brand of mobile-first content with a platform provider that genuinely appreciates the importance of going against the status quo. Now that our full line-up of games is integrated into their marketplace, I’m looking forward to seeing what our real-time madness can do for Elantil operators!”  

The post Elantil integrates 155.io into online marketplace appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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