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Finnish Gambling Landscape To Allow Offshore Online Casinos

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Despite its small population of 5,6 million and housing only two land-based casinos, Finland is the world’s fifth gambling economy. With the government owned Veikkaus granted the monopoly in Finland, the gaming industry is facing many obstacles as there is only one legal operator available at the moment. As such, many Finnish players have started to embrace foreign based online casinos. At the same time, the EU continues to address the country’s regulators, underlining that the current monopoly is a form of protectionism.

Kasinopartio: The Market Will Be Open in Few Years

Interestingly, Veikkaus reported in its Q3 2022 report that it is no longer able to compete with the growing number of international online casino operators. It now calls for reforms in the gambling landscape, which sees the casino market to open for offshore operators. The Finnish government is therefore expected to come with new regulations for the first time allowing offshore online casino operators to enter the Finnish gambling landscape. For example, a Finnish online casino site Kasinopartio.com is projecting that the opening of the Finnish casino market will be done within the next few years.

2023 Finnish Parliamentary Election

Parliamentary elections will be held in the Scandinavian country on the 2nd of April 2023 to members of parliament for the 2023-2027 term. Reforms of the gambling landscape seem inevitable with most parties in favour of adopting a licence system and thus potential opening of the online casino industry. The Left Alliance is the country’s only party opposing the gambling reforms. According to the preliminary polls, a right-wing government between the National Coalition Party and Finns Party is expected to win the elections. As most of the parties are in favour of the reform, it is not likely that the outcome of the parliamentary elections will affect the adoption of a new gambling law. After the formation of the new government, it will usually takes between 2 and 3 years for the regulation to come into effect. As per Kasinopartio, the regulation has been long waiting, which would mean the new government will tackle it straight after being formed.

Best Practices

With countries such as the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden having adopted and/or reformed their gambling landscapes in recent years, there is enough data that can be used by Finnish industry experts. Finland has announced its willingness to make use of best practices and learn the best lessons in other countries. It is now widely believed that Finland will turn its attention to Sweden and analyse which best practices could be used for the Finnish market. A survey conducted by Finnish opinion poll specialist Bilendi on behalf of the international operator Kasino Curt, has shown that more Finns (31%) support than oppose (27%) the idea of abolishing Finland’s monopoly and adopting a licence system. The interviews were conducted by Bilendi Oy’s nationwide consumer panel in the period from March 20 to 24, 2019. The error margin is set at ±3.1 percentage points.

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AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued monetary penalties totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for multiple violations of provincial gaming standards. The penalties follow an impromptu after-party that was permitted to take place in the pre-dawn hours directly on the casino’s gaming floor.

On September 27, 2024, an electronic dance music event attended by thousands of people was hosted in the theatre adjacent to the casino at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. The event was marked by widespread intoxication, disorderly behavior, and numerous criminal and medical incidents – both inside and outside the venue – including alleged assaults, drug overdoses, and acts of public indecency. Although paid duty officers were present, additional police and emergency services were required to manage the situation.

In the midst of this high-risk environment, casino management approved an unscheduled request by the performing artist to host an after-party on the active gaming floor. The artist and more than 400 guests were permitted onto the gaming floor where the artist was allowed to perform amidst operational table games and gaming machines – without any prior risk assessment or planning.

As a result, security personnel were unable to effectively control the casino floor, including witness reports that an attendee was seen climbing onto slot machines. Failure to maintain appropriate control compromises the security, safety, and integrity of the casino floor. Following the conclusion of the event, the operator failed to promptly report these incidents to the AGCO as required.

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Based on the findings of its review, the AGCO’s Registrar has issued an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. These penalties address critical failures in their operations, incident reporting, employee training, and the management of disturbances.

A gaming operator served with an OMP has 15 days to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO, said.

The post AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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IGT and Atlantic Lottery Sign Eight-Year Video Lottery Central System Technology Agreement

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International Game Technology PLC announced that its subsidiary, IGT Canada Solutions ULC (hereinafter “IGT”), signed an eight-year agreement with Atlantic Lottery to supply its IntelligenEVO video lottery central system technology across Atlantic Canada. The agreement includes the option for multiple extensions and positions the Atlantic Lottery to become the first World Lottery Association (WLA)-affiliated lottery operator to deploy IGT’s next-generation central management system in a game-to-system (G2S) distributed market.

“By leveraging IGT’s IntelligenEVO technology, Atlantic Lottery will power its video lottery network with the industry’s best-in-class central system and position itself to maximize future contributions to good causes. As an organization that prioritizes system security and exceptional player experiences, Atlantic Lottery believes that IGT’s IntelliegnEVO solution will help generate high player satisfaction and optimal network performance,” said Michael MacKinnon, Atlantic Lottery VP, Product.

“As a long-time supplier to Atlantic Lottery, IGT looks forward to helping the Lottery achieve its growth and player engagement goals with our leading-edge IntelligenEVO video lottery central system. IGT’s IntelligenEVO is a scalable technology for the WLA market that is backed by decades of experience and operator feedback, and maximizes the benefits of real-time data, cloud-based technologies and in-depth analytics,” said David Flinn, IGT SVP Canada, EMEA and LATAM, Gaming Sales.

With peak system security, network availability and responsible gaming functionalities, IntelligenEVO is a reliable, scalable solution that can meet the needs of today and in the future. The solution will accelerate time-to-market and enables the Atlantic Lottery to benefit from the system’s suite of player-focused functionality. The technology’s G2S and open API design optimizes data collection and delivery and will enable Atlantic Lottery to customize their program for evolving player needs.

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NetGaming Goes Live in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive via BetRivers Platform

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NetGaming, a fast-growing online casino content supplier, is proud to announce its launch in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive, Inc., a leading online casino and sports betting company in the United States, Canada and Latin America. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone for NetGaming as it continues to expand its footprint across regulated North American markets.

As part of the launch, Ontario players on BetRivers can now enjoy a diverse portfolio of NetGaming titles, known for their high-quality graphics, immersive gameplay, and unique themes. Standout games such as Zeus’s Thunderbolt, Bison Gold, and Fireball Inferno are among the first to go live, with additional titles set to follow soon.

This partnership is just the beginning. NetGaming plans to extend its collaboration with Rush Street Interactive into Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Mexico over the coming months.

Pallavi Deshmukh, CEO of NetGaming, commented: “We are thrilled to go live with Rush Street Interactive, a powerhouse operator with a strong presence and loyal player base. This launch marks a significant milestone in our
North American expansion strategy and underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences tailored to local player preferences across the region.”

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Richard Schwartz, CEO of Rush Street Interactive, commented: “We are pleased to partner with NetGaming to bring innovative, premium games to our players in Ontario. This collaboration aligns with our strategy to offer world-class
entertainment through engaging, action-packed online casino games. We look forward to expanding this partnership into additional regulated markets in the months ahead.”

This strategic partnership highlights both companies’ dedication to providing high- quality, innovative, and responsible entertainment to players in regulated markets.

The post NetGaming Goes Live in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive via BetRivers Platform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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