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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

EvenBet Gaming obtains Danish B2B supplier licence

Published

51 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

evenbet-gaming-obtains-danish-b2b-supplier-licence

EvenBet Gaming, a leading developer of online poker and casino software, has secured a five-year B2B supplier licence from the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden), further strengthening its position across Europe’s most established jurisdictions.

The strategic move into the Danish market aligns with EvenBet’s mission to provide its global client base with seamless access to high-potential regulated jurisdictions. By securing this licence, the company enhances its ability to support both new and existing operators in diversifying their market reach through scalable, fully compliant gaming solutions.

The licence covers a comprehensive portfolio of products, including EvenBet’s industry-leading poker software, turnkey online casino platform, and extensive content catalogue comprising roulette, baccarat, blackjack, punto banco, bingo and slots.

The approval follows a rigorous assessment process covering RNG certification, platform security, and business procedures, reinforcing EvenBet’s ongoing commitment to compliance, integrity and player protection.

With the Danish iGaming market generating approximately DKK 11 billion (€1.47 billion) in gross gaming revenue during 2024, the licence represents a significant commercial opportunity for operators seeking long-term growth within a stable and highly profitable market.

By partnering with EvenBet, operators benefit from a streamlined route to regulated markets and gain access to the company’s world-class poker infrastructure and comprehensive casino suite. This enables them to diversify their offerings and engage high-value player segments within a secure and fully compliant framework.

Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO at EvenBet Gaming, said: “Securing our Danish B2B licence is another important milestone in EvenBet’s long-term strategy. Denmark has established itself as one of the most mature and well-regulated gaming markets in Europe, making it an extremely attractive jurisdiction for both suppliers and operators.

“This approval not only reflects the strength and reliability of our technology, but also allows us to support our existing and future partners with fully compliant access to a highly valuable market.”

The post EvenBet Gaming obtains Danish B2B supplier licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Alex Pratt

Edge Marketing Institute launches G.A.M.E marketing leadership programme for B2B gaming

Published

51 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

edge-marketing-institute-launches-gam.e-marketing-leadership-programme-for-b2b-gaming

Online, on-demand course targets CMOs and senior marketers, with WorldGaming signed as exclusive media partner.

Edge Marketing Institute has launched in the gaming sector with its flagship programme, G.A.M.E (Gaming Advancement in Marketing Excellence), positioned by the company as a dedicated marketing leadership course for B2B gaming.

The company said the programme is designed to help senior marketers develop commercial leadership skills as businesses push marketing teams to contribute more directly to revenue and growth.

Founded by Paul Rees and Gerhard Sagat, Edge Marketing Institute said G.A.M.E consists of 10 senior-level modules covering strategic marketing leadership, positioning, product marketing, sales alignment, go-to-market execution, marketing measurement, brand strategy, and organisational influence.

Paul Rees, Co-Founder of Edge Marketing Institute, said: “Gaming has talented marketers throughout the industry, but too many have been forced to learn senior leadership on the job without structured development or exposure to broader marketing best practice.

“This isn’t a talent problem; it’s a structural one.

“We created Edge Marketing Institute and G.A.M.E to help marketing leaders operate with greater commercial clarity, confidence and influence, so marketing becomes a genuine driver of growth rather than simply a delivery function.”

The programme has launched with the support of WorldGaming as its exclusive media partner. Alex Pratt, Managing Director at WorldGaming, said: “As gaming continues to evolve, the role of marketing is becoming increasingly commercial and strategically important.

“Helping marketing leaders better align marketing with business growth, commercial objectives and long-term industry development is positive for the wider gaming ecosystem, which is why we’re pleased to support the launch of Edge Marketing Institute and G.A.M.E.”

The post Edge Marketing Institute launches G.A.M.E marketing leadership programme for B2B gaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BetBlocker

BetBlocker adds Syrian Arabic language support for gambling harm prevention

Published

51 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

betblocker-adds-syrian-arabic-language-support-for-gambling-harm-prevention

The charity says the rollout targets displaced Syrian communities across Europe as it works toward a partnership with a European regulatory agency.

Gambling harm prevention charity BetBlocker said today it has expanded its service to include support for Syrian Arabic speakers, aiming to improve access for displaced Syrian communities living across Europe.

The organisation said years of conflict have led to large Syrian diaspora communities across neighbouring countries and many European nations. BetBlocker added that immigrant communities can face higher risk of gambling harm, with religious, social, cultural and linguistic barriers reducing engagement with support services.

BetBlocker said the Syrian Arabic rollout was prioritised as part of work towards a partnership with a European regulatory agency, positioning it to support diaspora Syrian communities across Europe.

Founder and Trustee for BetBlocker, Duncan Garvie, said: “I’m always really happy when BetBlocker can line-up priorities for where our work for mature markets also facilitates us extending protections to populations that are under served. Our project to deliver Ukrainian as apart of the Improving Outcomes for Minority Communities fund via GambleAware in the UK was a great example of a project that met the needs of the UK funding system, while concurrently extending the support we could offer to an entirely new project.

This project offers similar opportunities. Where extending our support to Syrian Arabic both allows us to submit a more competitive tender to an EU regulator, whilst simultaneously expanding our support to a country/population that currently has very limited options for people experiencing gambling harm.

BetBlocker’s uptake in Syria is climbing rapidly at the moment, and this new launch should ensure that far more people who need support can access it.”

The post BetBlocker adds Syrian Arabic language support for gambling harm prevention appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.