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Survey: Supporters of Centre Party, Finns Party and National Coalition Party are against the Government’s decision concerning Veikkaus Ltd

Published

6 years ago

July 15, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Finnish Government’s decision to make budget appropriations in order to fully compensate Veikkaus Ltd.’s beneficiaries for the decline in Veikkaus’s revenue from gambling divides the Finnish people into two, almost equal-sized opposing camps, as indicated by the survey commissioned from Bilendi Oy.

Finns are split almost exactly in half over whether or not the Finnish Government reached the right solution in deciding to make budget appropriations to fully compensate Veikkaus Ltd.’s beneficiaries for the decline in Veikkaus’s revenue from gambling in 2020.

In March this year, Veikkaus Ltd, the government-owned betting agency that holds a monopoly in Finland, shut down its gambling machines in grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants and petrol stations due to the coronavirus crisis. Additionally, sports betting has faced an exceptional situation, as many popular sports have temporarily ceased.

41% of Finns are in favour of the Government’s decision to fully compensate the beneficiaries for the decline in revenue, while 38% of them are against it. The rest cannot say how they feel about it.

These are some of the findings of a survey conducted by the market research company Bilendi Oy as part of its M3 Panel, a nationwide consumer panel, between 10 and 13 July 2020, on commission by Kasino Curt, the gambling information website (https://kasinocurt.com/). The margin of error in the survey is ±3.1 percentage points. A total of 1,000 Finnish adults responded to the survey, and the sample was weighted by age, gender and place of residence to represent the Finnish population on a national scale.

Out of all parties’ supporters, the decision by the Government headed by Prime Minister Sanna Marin arouses the most opposition among Finns Party voters, of whom just 31 percent relate favourably to it. Out of the Cabinet parties’ supporters, Centre Party voters are against the Government’s decision; merely 37 percent of them are in favour of it. Likewise, supporters of the National Coalition Party and the minor parties are against the Government’s decision.

“On the whole, the difference between the support and opposition is so small that it falls within the margin of error. However, different age groups relate very differently to the matter. The 18-24-year-olds feel most negatively about the decision, whereas among the 45-54-year-olds, as many as 47 percent consider the decision a good one,” says Janne Juntunen, Senior Client Service Manager for Bilendi Oy.

Gambling machines in grocery stores: a sign of the post-COVID-19 era?

In June, Veikkaus publicly announced it will restart the gambling machines on 15 July. Veikkaus also announced it will do so with attention to the health risks caused by COVID-19, which seems to have convinced the Finnish people.

According to Kasino Curt’s survey, 46% of Finns approve of Veikkaus’s decision to turn the gambling machines back on while 30% of them disapprove of it. The rest cannot say how they feel about it.

“The coronavirus epidemic was not mentioned in conjunction with the survey for impartiality reasons, but the respondents may have thought that the restart of Veikkaus’s gambling machines is a sign of the post-COVID-19 era,” Juntunen mentions.

Last year, Kasino Curt commissioned two similar surveys from Bilendi. The findings of these surveys indicated that more Finns support than oppose the idea of abolishing Finland’s gambling monopoly and adopting a gambling licence system and that Finns are suspicious of the Finnish MPs’ motives in gambling matters.

The results of all the three surveys are still available online at https://kasinocurt.com.

Listed below are the statements of the most recent survey and those responses that indicated agreement or disagreement with them (that is to say, the responses “Cannot say” are not included in the listing):

In March this year, Veikkaus Ltd shut down its gambling machines in grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants and petrol stations. On 15 July, Veikkaus will turn the gambling machines back on. In my opinion, the decision to restart the gambling machines is the right one. Agree 46%, disagree 30%.

The Finnish Government has decided to make budget appropriations in order to fully compensate Veikkaus Ltd.’s beneficiaries for the decline in Veikkaus’s revenue from gambling in 2020. In my opinion, this is right. (The beneficiaries are represented by a number of organisations.) Agree 41%, disagree 38%.

Compliance Updates

KSA Completes Its Investigation Into How Minors Could Still Gamble Online Despite Age Restrictions

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

ksa-completes-its-investigation-into-how-minors-could-still-gamble-online-despite-age-restrictions

The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) has completed its investigation into how minors could still gamble online despite age restrictions. The investigation shows that it is virtually impossible for minors to gamble with legal gambling providers.

Minors are not allowed to gamble in the Netherlands. When age verification is circumvented, it is primarily done via accounts belonging to adult family members and friends. However, the KSA received reports that it was possible for minors to create accounts with legal online gambling providers and launched an investigation in 2025 as a result.

The study examined the registration process at online gambling providers, with a specific focus on identity verification and bank account verification. Transaction data requested from banks allowed for a more in-depth investigation into potential shortcomings.

The investigation shows that there are virtually no serious irregularities. However, in a very limited number of cases, players were able to use another person’s bank accounts or link their own bank account to another player’s account. This could occur almost exclusively in situations where people have exactly the same initials.

Discussions with online gambling providers revealed that they did not have an immediate solution for this. The KSA notes that such a solution is now available and will engage in a technical session with the online providers to discuss what the KSA expects from the sector in this regard. The KSA will also share its recommendations with the online gambling providers at a later date, and these guidelines will be incorporated into the Wwft guidance.

Michel Groothuizen, Chairman of the Board of the Dutch Gaming Authority, said: “The KSA is deeply concerned about minors gambling. Fortunately, it appears that this hardly ever occurs among licensed providers, but we do have clear indications that it is happening nonetheless. This is likely on the illegal market. Illegal providers often apply no or low standards for age verification and advertise specifically targeting this young demographic, for example via TikTok. This is extremely harmful, and the KSA is therefore working hard to combat the illegal supply. We are also placing a stronger focus on educating minors to make them aware of the risks of gambling.”

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Aigars Jurgelans

Amusnet Announces Strategic Partnership with Concorde Casino Group

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

amusnet-announces-strategic-partnership-with-concorde-casino-group

Amusnet, a leading provider of next-generation gaming solutions, has announced a new strategic partnership with the Concorde casino group, which operates three casinos in Cyprus: Concorde Tower Casino in Nicosia, Concorde Luxury Casino in Bafra and Concorde Aria Casino in Kyrenia. This collaboration marks a significant step in Amusnet’s strategy to expand its gaming portfolio into the vibrant Cyprus Land-based casino market.

The partnership’s initial phase includes installing 16 of Amusnet’s state-of-the-art Type S 32 slot cabinets across the two locations. Manufactured to the highest standards of the global casino industry, Amusnet’s premium slot machines combine cutting-edge technology, sleek design and exceptional player engagement. The game selection features some of Amusnet’s most popular titles, including Crazy Red, Candy Palace,100 Extra Crown, Art of Gold, Extra Crown, Vampire Beast and Phoenix Star.

The partnership started with the installation of 16 of Amusnet’s state-of-the-art Type S 32 slot cabinets at the group’s first two casino locations, Concorde Tower Casino in Nicosia and Concorde Luxury Casino in Bafra. Manufactured to the highest standards of the global casino industry, Amusnet’s premium slot machines combine cutting-edge technology, sleek design and exceptional player engagement. The game selection features some of Amusnet’s most popular titles, including Crazy Red, Candy Palace, 100 Extra Crown, Art of Gold, Extra Crown, Vampire Beast and Phoenix Star. The partnership continues with the installation of 8 Type S J55 slot cabinets at the newest Concorde Aria Casino, scheduled to open in May 2026.

“Our expansion into the Cyprus Land-based market is a testament to our shared vision and commitment to quality with Concorde Casino. This partnership provides us with a strong foundation of excellence and mutual trust. The collaboration allows us to continue our mission of providing exceptional gaming experiences, seamlessly introducing the success of our online portfolio to their premium Land-based venues,” said Borislav Marinov, Head of Business Development, Land-based at Amusnet.

“At Concorde Casinos, we are always looking for ways to diversify and strengthen our product offering. In my view, Amusnet brings a product that is particularly well-suited to players who are already familiar with and enjoy online slot games, helping us connect Land-based entertainment with modern player preferences. I am impressed by Amusnet’s innovations, the quality of their products, and the high level of technical support they provide. We are pleased to have them as a partner and look forward to developing this cooperation further,” said Aigars Jurgelans, Slot Director at Concorde Casinos.

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ADI Predictstreet

DAZN Enters into Strategic Partnership with ADI Predictstreet

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

dazn-enters-into-strategic-partnership-with-adi-predictstreet

DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, and ADI Predictstreet, the new dynamic prediction market, have entered into a landmark strategic partnership to deliver a new era of interactive engagement to fans around the world.

DAZN will integrate ADI Predictstreet, the Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026, into its platform, enhancing DAZN’s ecosystem of live and on-demand sports viewing, real-time scores, news, betting, gaming and FanZone.

DAZN’s footprint provides unparalleled distribution for ADI Predictstreet’s prediction market infrastructure. Through this partnership, prediction becomes a native part of the fan experience—embedded before, during, and after live events—allowing fans to engage with market sentiment, probability, and collective insight in real time.

This collaboration brings together two FIFA partners to create a seamless ecosystem where sport and prediction converge. Embedded directly into DAZN’s live streams, ADI Predictstreet will enable interactive prompts, real-time sentiment tracking, and dynamic prediction experiences tied to the world’s biggest sporting moments.

ADI Predictstreet, powered by ADI Chain’s blockchain infrastructure, is a new forecasting market platform that is programmed and trained on FIFA’s official historic data, allowing fans to predict things such as match outcomes, tournament statistics, and breakout players throughout the competition using an educated approach.

While the FIFA World Cup 2026 will serve as a launchpad, the partnership extends across DAZN’s premium sports portfolio. ADI Predictstreet will roll out across major leagues and events, driving deeper, more continuous fan engagement.

Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group, said: “DAZN is redefining sports entertainment by making it more immersive, interactive and connected for every fan. Partnering with ADI Predictstreet allows us to embed real‑time prediction directly into the live viewing experience, turning insight and sentiment into a native part of how fans engage with the world’s biggest sporting moments. With the FIFA World Cup 2026 as a catalyst and our platform as the engine, this partnership is a major step forward in how fans experience sport.”

Dimitrios Psarrakis, CEO at Predictstreet, said: “This partnership marks a defining moment in how audiences will experience sport. By combining DAZN’s unmatched reach with ADI Predictstreet’s real-time participation layer, we are transforming fans from spectators into active participants. This is not just an evolution of engagement, it is the creation of a new category where technology, collective intelligence, and global events intersect at scale.”

Designed to reward insight and informed participation, and with community building and interactive engagement sentiment at its core, ADI Predictstreet offers supporters new ways to engage with iconic sporting moments across DAZN’s sporting portfolio, including the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Underpinning this ecosystem is ADI Chain, an institutional-grade digital infrastructure designed to support high-volume, real-time transactions with transparency, security, and scalability at its core. This foundation enables ADI Predictstreet to operate seamlessly at global scale, supporting millions of users across live environments while maintaining a trusted and robust digital framework.

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