Compliance Updates
WFH could mean your Grand National workplace sweepstake is illegal
Traditional office sweepstake risks falling foul of gambling law if participants enter remotely
Gambling regulation expert provides guidance on how to comply with law when setting up workplace pool
The recent trend towards flexible working means many businesses are at risk of falling foul of gambling legislation, if organising the traditional office Grand National sweepstake, a leading law firm is warning.
With this weekend’s big race at Aintree attracting the interest of not just racing fans but the general public at large, it is typically one of the most popular events for an office sweepstake.
In pre-Covid times there was little risk involved in such a contest, other than perhaps an excess of workplace rivalry, especially given the event’s propensity for surprises and upsets.
However, Poppleston Allen, a leading gambling licensing law firm, says that with the shift towards hybrid working, organisers now need to be more cautious.
“While formal gambling activity is heavily regulated by the Gambling Commission, there is an exception designed to allow the general public to have a bit of fun by taking part in what is officially called a work lottery,” says Richard Bradley, associate solicitor and gambling regulation expert at Poppleston Allen.
“But what many people may not realise is that the rules are very clear in that you can only sell physical tickets and all players must work in the same office – contests running across different office locations of the same company are not allowed.
“Therefore, if the pandemic has led to staff working from other offices or largely working from home, extra care needs to be taken when running a Grand National sweepstake.
“Organisers, whether employers or employees, must make sure they do not sell any tickets via email or over the phone. Any staff member who wants to play must visit the office and buy a physical ticket. If these rules aren’t followed, organisers and players would technically be involved in illegal gambling.”
Bradley says other rules to make sure a workplace sweepstake doesn’t land anyone in hot water with the Gambling Commission include the following:
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All players must pay the same amount for a ticket;
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Horses must be decided by chance, for example, drawn out of a hat;
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No one can make a profit and all stakes must be returned as prizes, though an organiser can deduct administration costs for running the contest;
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The sweepstake can only be advertised at the work premises; and
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There must be a winner – the prize cannot be rolled over.
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Compliance Updates
NOVOMATIC Becomes the First Gaming Technology Company to Earn the ISO 20671 “Certified Brand” Status
The NOVOMATIC brand has successfully achieved certification in accordance with the international ISO 20671 standard, “Brand Evaluation – Principles and Fundamentals,” and has been awarded the prestigious “Certified Brand” seal. This makes NOVOMATIC the first gaming technology company worldwide whose brand has been comprehensively appraised on the basis of this internationally standardized evaluation model.
The certification process is based on a structured and transparent assessment framework that evaluates brand strength and long-term development potential. In line with ISO standards, key aspects of NOVOMATIC’s corporate and brand management in Austria were analysed, including innovation capability, quality standards, service orientation, market performance and the brand’s impact on customers, partners and stakeholders. The assessment also covered brand protection and market and trend analyses, as well as transparent reporting and governance processes.
“Our brand stands for clear standards and the highest level of quality. As the first gaming technology company worldwide with an ISO 20671-certified brand, we are setting a new benchmark for future-oriented brand management and reaffirming our commitment to shaping the gaming industry through innovation, quality, and sustainable brand development,” said Stefan Krenn, Member of the Executive Board of NOVOMATIC AG.
The certificate was presented during the International NOVOMATIC Marketing & Communications Summit, which was hosted this year by the NOVOMATIC subsidiary LÖWEN ENTERTAINMENT in Bingen, Germany. The event brought together marketing and communications experts from more than 30 countries and provided the ideal setting to celebrate this significant acknowledgement of NOVOMATIC’s brand management excellence.
The post NOVOMATIC Becomes the First Gaming Technology Company to Earn the ISO 20671 “Certified Brand” Status appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Compliance Updates
European Standard on Markers of Harm Now Published – EGBA Members Commit to Alignment
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) welcomes the publication of the European standard on markers of harm in gambling (EN 18144), on 31 May 2026, through the national standardisation bodies of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). EGBA and its members support the standard as an important voluntary baseline for identifying risky gambling behaviour, and its members are committed to aligning their player protection frameworks with the standard across Europe.
The standard establishes a strong baseline for consumer protection across Europe, identifying nine core behavioural markers that operators can use to recognise risky gambling patterns before they escalate:
- changes in stake volume or frequency.
- speed or intensity of play.
- deposit frequency, size, or failed deposits.
- withdrawals and cancelled withdrawals.
- player-initiated contact.
- gambling session duration or time-of-day play.
- use of multiple products.
- net losses or loss trajectories over time.
- changes to safety tools such as limits and self-exclusion.
EGBA proposed this initiative to CEN in 2022 and actively participated in its development alongside operators, national authorities, academics, and other harm prevention stakeholders. The resulting standard – the first of its kind in the gambling industry – is grounded in the latest research and received overwhelming approval from national standardisation bodies in October 2025.
EGBA members are already putting the standard into practice in Europe:
• Most members already monitor all nine behavioural indicators, with many having embedded them across all their operations.
• Members apply risk-scoring models to continuously assess player behaviour and flag emerging risk patterns.
• Members are committed to progressive alignment with the standard across all their operations.
“This is an important milestone for player protection in Europe. When widely adopted, this voluntary standard will lead to earlier identification of risky play and, ultimately, better protection for players. Our members are ahead of the curve on implementation – they are already applying many aspects of the standard and are committed to alignment across their European operations. We encourage other operators to adopt the standard and help raise the bar on player protection across Europe,“ said Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA.
As a voluntary tool, the standard complements existing national regulatory frameworks across Europe. In some jurisdictions, certain markers may not be applicable where they conflict with national law, and implementation will reflect the regulatory realities of each market. EGBA remains committed to supporting its members and the wider industry to drive implementation of the standard across Europe.
The standard (EN 18144) is now available for purchase from national standardisation bodies across Europe.
The post European Standard on Markers of Harm Now Published – EGBA Members Commit to Alignment appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Compliance Updates
Finland consults on online gambling rules with slot stake caps and autoplay ban
Finland’s Ministry of the Interior has published a draft regulation for public consultation that would set detailed product-level requirements for gambling offered by holders of Finnish gambling licences. The regulation is proposed to enter into force on 1 July 2027, as Finland prepares for its new licensing regime.
The draft introduces maximum stakes across electronic casino game categories. Electronic slot machine games and electronic bingo would be capped at EUR 20 per round, with higher limits proposed for certain electronic table games. Online poker would be subject to a maximum initial bet of EUR 1,000 per game. Where a combination game spans multiple categories, the explanatory memorandum says the applicable maximum stake would be determined by reference to the game types included in that combination.
A lower set of stake limits would apply to players under 25. For this group, the maximum stake for electronic slot machine games and electronic bingo would be EUR 10 per round, with reduced caps also proposed across several table game categories.
The draft also regulates tournament entry fees and jackpot mechanics. Table game tournaments (excluding player-versus-player poker) would be capped at EUR 1,000, player-versus-player poker tournaments at EUR 5,000, and electronic slot machine tournaments at EUR 500. It expressly permits surprise-type jackpots and winning-combination jackpots, including fixed, odds-based and progressive jackpots.
For electronic slot machine games, the proposal adds game design and player protection requirements that would effectively prohibit autoplay. Players must choose their own stake and start each round themselves, and operators may not offer or technically enable simultaneous play of two or more electronic slot machine games. Each round must last at least 2.5 seconds and players must not be allowed to shorten the draw time before the result is displayed. The draft also restricts presentation features that could imply a win is likely in future rounds or misrepresent losses, requires disclosure that in electronic games of chance player choices do not affect the draw outcome, and mandates on-screen playing-time reminders every 15 minutes with a continue-or-logout choice (with an exception for electronic casino games where players play against each other).
The consultation is open to anyone wishing to comment, with submissions due by 5 August. The regulation remains in draft form and may change before adoption.
The post Finland consults on online gambling rules with slot stake caps and autoplay ban appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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