Press Releases
Swedish online casino shutter would cause instant ‘black-market boom’, says BonusFinder MD
Government considers ‘extreme measures’ as activity rises amid COVID-19 restrictions but closures would drive more players to unlicensed sites instead of protecting them
9th April, 2020 – The Swedish government’s threat to temporarily shut down licensed online casinos would have a disastrous effect on the industry and drive thousands more players to the black market, BonusFinder.com has warned.
The minister in charge of gambling policy, Ardalan Shekarabi, this week warned that “extraordinary measures” would be implemented if operators do not take action to slow the increase in igaming activity seen in the last two weeks, as people are told to stay at home because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to new data from Sweden’s gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, there has been a 33% increase in registrations and logins to play online casino games with 17 of the 60 licensed operators in the country in the last 14 days.
Last month, Swedish market research carried out by BonusFinder.com found that almost a third of Swedish online casino players are searching for ‘unlicensed casinos’, with growing numbers turning to black-market brands due to the market’s restrictive gaming regulations, introduced in January 2019.
Instead of protecting players, a shutdown of online casino brands, however, is likely to lead to thousands more players searching for and depositing funds on unlicensed sites, as well as causing further financial damage to licensed operators, according to BonusFinder.com.
Fintan Costello, Managing Director, Bonusfinder.com, said: “The Swedish government will make a colossal mistake if it chooses to temporarily close down online casino sites in an attempt to protect players. As our research has shown, almost a third of online casino players are already looking to the black market for a more attractive offering since restrictive rules were imposed in January 2019. These latest plans would create an immediate black-market boom.
“Swedish legislation requires operators to have strict responsible gambling procedures in place, therefore the right measures are already there. The focus should instead be on ensuring these are adhered to rather than taking a knee jerk reaction to close down all legitimate brands and forcing even more players to unprotected sites.”
Gamification
GoldenRace launches V5 mobile solution with unified app and WebGL branding
GoldenRace has launched its next-generation V5 mobile solution, the supplier announced on 1 July 2026 in Malta. The company positions the release as a mobile delivery upgrade for its virtual sports and betting content, aimed at maintaining performance under high player traffic.
According to GoldenRace, V5 consolidates its previous architecture into a single application and “drastically reduces load sizes by 80–90%.” The company also said the platform is built “completely from the ground up” with a unified UI/UX designed to remain responsive across different network conditions.
On product features, GoldenRace said V5 introduces “advanced WebGL capabilities” to support high-fidelity graphics and operator-controlled branding. It also adds native gamification tools across games, including custom Tournaments, Leaderboards and Free Bets.
The company also outlined three mobile upgrades intended to reduce friction in the betting flow: a Lobby with modular layouts and a one-click toggle between scheduled and instant views; a next-generation Betslip with richer visual components and “smart organisation”; and dynamic Leaderboards with configurable funding and custom point logic.
GoldenRace said operators can switch to V5 by “changing a single line of code,” and added that a demo is available for operators evaluating the new mobile solution.
The post GoldenRace launches V5 mobile solution with unified app and WebGL branding appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
certification
PopOK Gaming secures certification for Portugal iGaming market
PopOK Gaming has obtained certification for the Portuguese iGaming market, adding Portugal to its list of regulated jurisdictions where it can offer compliant gaming content to licensed operators.
The company said the certification confirms it meets local regulatory and technical requirements and supports its strategy to expand in regulated markets.
PopOK Gaming did not disclose which regulator or test lab issued the certification, which products are covered, or the date the approval was granted.
Portugal continues to operate a ring-fenced regulated online gambling framework, with market access dependent on product approvals and operator licensing. For suppliers, local certification is typically a prerequisite to distribute content to licensed brands.
The post PopOK Gaming secures certification for Portugal iGaming market appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
API
St8 adds game round replays to its single API platform
Replay tool builds on St8’s graphical game round details and launches first with nine casino game studios.
St8 has launched game round replays, adding visual playback of completed casino game rounds to its existing single API platform. The company said the feature is designed to help operators verify outcomes faster and resolve player queries more efficiently.
The new capability builds on St8’s graphical game round details, which it said is already used by operators. With replays, support and operations teams can access a round’s visual playback to investigate gameplay disputes and respond to players with more transparency.
St8 also positioned the feature as a player engagement tool, with operators able to surface notable moments such as big wins and bonus rounds for promotional use.
Game round replays will initially support titles from AvatarUX, BGaming, Endorphina, Hacksaw, Peter & Sons, Pragmatic Play, Scatter Kings, Shady Lady, and Tequity Originals, with more providers to be added. St8 said the feature is delivered through its existing single API integration and requires no additional development work, and is intended to scale across multiple brands and regulated markets.
David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said: “Operators are under increasing pressure to deliver exceptional customer support while keeping operational costs under control. Our graphical game round details have become a trusted and widely used tool for operators, giving support teams quick access to the information they need to resolve player queries efficiently. Game round replays complement this capability by providing a visual playback of each round, helping teams resolve cases even faster and with complete confidence.
“Beyond operational efficiency, the feature also opens up new opportunities for engagement. Operators can showcase exciting gameplay moments, celebrate big wins and create richer player experiences – all through the same integration. Because game round replays are delivered through our existing single API, partners can access this functionality immediately while continuing to benefit from the simplicity and scalability that sit at the heart of the St8 platform.”
The post St8 adds game round replays to its single API platform appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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