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EGBA: Swedish Government Risks Driving Online Gambling into the Black Market

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The Gambling Market Inquiry, established to consider additional measures to those set out in Sweden’s Gambling Act which re-regulated the country’s online gambling market in 2019, has presented its long-anticipated report to the Ministry of Social Security.

The report proposes, among other things, further restrictions and limitations for Sweden’s licensed online gambling companies, including a new customer risk classification and additional marketing restrictions.

While there are proposals in the report which are welcome, including the introduction of gaming supplier licenses for game developers and suppliers, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is concerned that the frequency and scope of regulatory changes in Sweden jeopardises the overall success of the country’s online gambling regulation and its ability to provide Swedes with a safe, attractive and regulated online environment where they can bet.

EGBA supports well-regulated online gambling markets but the constant proposals to change Sweden’s regulation, which was established less than two years ago, is creating policy instability for the country’s licensed companies. EGBA has previously outlined its concerns about the government’s introduction of temporary deposit limits for online casino in Q2 this year, which are now set to be prolonged until next summer. Generically imposed deposit limits, despite being well-intentioned, encourage many customers, including those experiencing problematic gambling behaviour, to exit the regulated market and play on black market websites which allow them to circumvent the limits.

The risks to consumer protection from black market gambling are very real, particularly for vulnerable customers: these websites are readily available, easy to access and do not apply any limits or responsible gambling measures, e.g. self-exclusion registers such as Sweden’s Spelpaus scheme. According to a recent study, 40% of Sweden’s online casino customers, and 34% of sports betting customers, already gamble on unlicensed and black market websites or would consider doing so in future. Given the risk of black market gambling, EGBA, therefore, encourages Swedish policy makers to consider the need for a delicate regulatory balance and the potential cause and effects of further restrictions on the licensed and regulated market in Sweden.

“EGBA members, including BOS, accept their shared responsibility to protect customers, and we are continuously considering what we can do more, but, fundamentally, the best way to protect customers is to ensure they play inside the regulated market with companies who are licensed in and apply the consumer protection laws in Sweden. The cumulative effect of more restrictions on the Swedish market will be less channelling and more unregulated black market gambling. Despite being well-intentioned, this would be clearly counter-productive and will damage the safety of the consumer,” Maarten Haijer, Secretary-General of EGBA, said.

 

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America 250

IWG launches America 250 eInstant across eight US lottery markets

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The digital instant-win game rolls out in Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Instant Win Gaming (IWG) has launched America 250, a new eInstant game created to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.

IWG said the title is launching across multiple US lotteries: Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Set in Washington, D.C., the game uses Americana-themed artwork and symbols including the Statue of Liberty, bald eagle, Liberty Bell, patriotic balloons, Uncle Sam’s hat, and commemorative America 250 coins. IWG said fireworks animations run throughout gameplay.

America 250 includes several bonus features: Declaration Dollars, which has players collect pieces of the Declaration of Independence via re-spins; Scenes of America, which builds win multipliers through historical moments; and Innovation Pick-and-Click, where players uncover American inventions and collect prizes until a collect symbol appears. The game also includes a randomly triggered “All or Nothing” coin-flip feature.

Jason Lisiecki, Executive Vice President at IWG, said: “The 250th anniversary of the United States is a once-in-a-generation celebration, and America 250 gives lotteries a unique opportunity to connect with players through a theme that is instantly recognizable and deeply meaningful. The game combines iconic American imagery, engaging bonus experiences, and a visually spectacular presentation to create an entertaining experience that captures the spirit and excitement of this historic milestone.”

The post IWG launches America 250 eInstant across eight US lottery markets appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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brand campaigns

Stake releases hot air balloon football match stunt at 10,000ft

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Stake published a new campaign video on June 23 showing a small-sided football match played on a pitch suspended from a hot air balloon at 10,000ft.

The video features six extreme sports content creators—Nathan Roque, Alessio Papia, Nicolo Contrada, Yasmin Xavier, Sara Vidal, and Carol Chafauzer—playing on a 12m x 20m synthetic grass platform. Stake said the 3,000kg pitch was carried by balloon during a 60-minute flight, with participants later jumping from the platform using parachutes.

The activation sits within Stake’s “It’s All At Stake” brand platform, which the company launched ahead of this summer’s global football tournament. According to Stake, the campaign is being promoted across YouTube, Instagram and X.

Jarrod Febbraio, Director at Stake, said: “This summer sees one of the biggest cultural moments on the planet and simply showing up is no longer enough. Our ambition is to create campaigns that genuinely capture people’s attention, spark conversation and give fans something they haven’t seen before.

“At Stake, we are always looking for ways to push creative boundaries and challenge expectations around sports marketing. Whether it’s our It’s All At Stake campaign or staging a football match thousands of feet in the air, the objective is the same – creating entertainment that resonates with audiences and delivers memorable experiences around the moments they care most about.”

Stake also said the “It’s All At Stake” campaign has generated more than 200 million views across earned and social channels in the first week of the tournament.

The post Stake releases hot air balloon football match stunt at 10,000ft appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Game Aggregation

Infingame says tournaments and missions drive retention on sweepstakes platforms

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Infingame has published operational observations on what it says is driving player engagement on sweepstakes platforms, arguing that traditional online casino retention tactics don’t consistently translate to the sweepstakes model.

According to the aggregator, the strongest-performing sweepstakes products are built around progression-driven engagement, social-style competition, lightweight onboarding, and highly dynamic promotional systems. “Sweepstakes players behave very differently from traditional casino audiences,” said Jana Filagina, Head of Commercial at Infingame. “The expectation is much closer to entertainment platforms and gaming ecosystems than classic gambling products. Retention is driven by interaction quality, progression, and continuous engagement rather than purely transactional behavior.”

Infingame identified tournament ecosystems as a leading mechanic for repeat participation and session continuity, saying competitive formats outperform static reward campaigns by adding progression loops and achievement motivation. The company said operators using segmented tournament mechanics recorded higher repeat participation rates than those relying mainly on bonus-driven campaigns, and flagged “multiplier races, win races, and progression-based leaderboard systems” as particularly effective for mobile-first audiences due to short-session play patterns.

“Players want activity, not passive rewards,” Filagina said. “The strongest-performing sweepstakes platforms are creating environments where players continuously interact with missions, rankings, tournaments, and achievement systems rather than simply claiming bonuses.”

Infingame also highlighted mission-based challenge systems as a fast-growing retention lever, saying they encourage broader content exploration and higher daily return activity than standard promotional structures. Separately, the company pointed to infrastructure scalability as an operational priority, arguing that mobile-heavy, interaction-focused audiences make responsiveness and gameplay continuity central to engagement performance as operators scale across North America.

The post Infingame says tournaments and missions drive retention on sweepstakes platforms appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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