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Survey: Supporters of Centre Party, Finns Party and National Coalition Party are against the Government’s decision concerning Veikkaus Ltd
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%.
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Downtown Las Vegas casino also brings in WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam for a live Q&A on April 18.
Plaza Hotel & Casino will host WrestleMania 42 viewing parties on April 18 and April 19 in its showroom in downtown Las Vegas, adding a ticket giveaway for WWE Monday Night RAW on the second night.
The casino said all guests attending the Sunday, April 19 viewing party can enter a free raffle to win two tickets to Monday Night RAW on Monday, April 20 at T-Mobile Arena, seated in one of the venue’s premier Loge Boxes.
On Saturday, April 18, the Plaza will feature WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Rob Van Dam (RVD) as a special guest. The property said RVD—also billed as “Mr. Monday Night”—will lead a live Q&A at 1:30 p.m. ahead of the WrestleMania 42 start time at 3 p.m., and will be available for autographs and photo ops.
Both events are 21+ and run in the Plaza showroom, with doors opening at 1 p.m. and the viewing party starting at 3 p.m. The Plaza said it will offer drink specials and buckets of beer priced at $30 for domestic brands and $35 for imported.
Tickets with seat selection are priced at $40 per person (plus fees and taxes), according to the casino, with details and purchasing available via the Plaza’s website.
Relevant data as follows:
- Plaza Hotel & Casino WrestleMania viewing party details: https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/wrestlemania-viewing-party/ Primary source for ticketing, schedule, and pricing referenced in the article.
- WWE Monday Night RAW: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw Official WWE show page to support the RAW reference and event context.
- T-Mobile Arena events calendar: https://www.t-mobilearena.com/events Venue source to corroborate event location and provide broader event context.
- Plaza Hotel & Casino: https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/ Company homepage for readers seeking more information on the property hosting the viewing parties.
The post Plaza adds Monday Night RAW ticket raffle to WrestleMania 42 viewing party appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The ex-Wasserman and former Excel Esports partnerships lead joins the London-based group behind the Esports Awards and MOBIES.
The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA) has appointed Patrick Collins as Vice President of Growth, the company said on April 15, 2026. Collins will lead growth strategy, including commercial partnerships and new business development, from London.
Collins joins from boutique agency Leapfox, which he founded in early 2022. Prior to that, he led commercial partnerships at UK esports organisation Excel Esports, securing deals with brands including BT, Sony, JD Sports, Neosurf and Chupa Chups, alongside partners such as HyperX, Anda Seat, Belong Gaming Arenas and Chillblast PCs.
Earlier in his career, Collins worked at sports marketing agency Wasserman, where MEGA said he helped secure EE’s six-year partnership with Wembley Stadium and advised brands including American Express, Vodafone and PepsiCo. The company also cited experience working with Premier League football clubs and brands including Barclays, Santander, Under Armour and Puma.
“I’m pleased to officially join MEGA at such an important time for esports and gaming,” said Patrick Collins, VP of Growth at MEGA. “Having worked across traditional sport, esports, and commercial partnerships, and founding Leapfox to bridge these worlds and guide my clients, I’m looking forward to applying my experience to support MEGA and our properties as we continue to grow.”
“We’re delighted to welcome Patrick to MEGA as our new Vice President of Growth,” said Michael Ashford, Co-Founder of MEGA. “His extensive experience, including founding Leapfox, uniquely positions him to shape the future of our company. With Patrick on board, MEGA is determined to accelerate our growth, embark on transformative partnerships, and deliver world-class experiences that will define the next era of esports entertainment.”
Relevant data as follows:
- MEGA (Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance): https://themega.global/ Official company site to support the appointment and provide background on MEGA.
- Esports Awards: https://esportsawards.com/ Official site for one of the properties referenced in connection with MEGA.
- MOBIES: https://mobies.com/ Official site for the Mobile Gaming Awards referenced alongside MEGA.
The post MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Soft2Bet said it opened 2026 with five new brand launches and four sponsorship deals, alongside market planning for Q2 2026. The company shared the update from Malta on April 15, 2026 as part of its Q1 2026 results.
In Q1, Soft2Bet launched Lodur in Sweden and Zinx in Romania. In Denmark, it launched Betinia, Betoro and QuickCasino. The company said the rollouts were part of a localized approach aligned with player behavior and regulatory environments.
Soft2Bet also announced four sponsorships aimed at strengthening regional visibility. In Canada, it partnered with the Oshawa FireWolves and Rock League Curling. In Romania, it renewed its partnership with football club CFR Cluj. In Denmark, it cited brand exposure through the Betinia League and CampoBet Division.
For Q2 2026, Soft2Bet said it has submitted a license application in Alberta, Canada, and is evaluating Spain and Portugal. The company also said it plans to offer players a gamified tournament module for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, designed to extend engagement beyond traditional sportsbook formats.
Soft2Bet did not disclose revenue, active user metrics, or market-by-market performance data in the release.
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Soft2Bet: https://soft2bet.com/ Company site for background, brand portfolio, and corporate updates referenced in the release.
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Alberta iGaming (AGLC) – regulatory information: https://aglc.ca/ Official Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis information relevant to the stated Alberta license application.
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Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen): https://www.spelinspektionen.se/en/ Regulator context for the Sweden brand launch mentioned (Lodur).
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Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN):https://onjn.gov.ro Regulatory reference for Romania activity and brand launch (Zinx).
The post Soft2Bet adds five brands in Q1 2026 and lines up Alberta licensing bid appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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