Compliance Updates
Is Norway Breaking The EEA Agreement With Their Ban Of Online Casinos?
Norway’s gambling law is far-reaching and very strict on advertising and providing online gambling. But how legal is it when applied to the rest of Europe? With casinos able to operate on a regional basis, offering services to players in each legal jurisdiction, it’s possible Norway’s law may not be legally applied when in other jurisdictions – if the EEA decides similarly to the NAV case.
Within Norway itself, Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto are the only two companies licensed to offer gambling services to Norwegian citizens. Any casinos listed on Casinotopplisten are operating in other jurisdictions outside of Norway that can freely offer gambling to any residents of a particular jurisdiction – for instance residents in Sweden can gamble at a casino licenced in Sweden for that purpose.
Legislation is ordering banks to block payments
The story in Norway is different, however – legislation goes so far as to order banks to block access to card payments for casinos and gambling establishments, even when located in another country. Given the huge scandal in court regarding social security payments to citizens visiting other countries in the EEA, could it be that the gambling law restrictions are also illegal, just like this revocation of payments was?
Complaints have been made to EEA court in the past regarding Norway’s gambling laws, but so far the country hasn’t budged. With growing pressure within the country aiming to push through changes in the law, arguing that revenue is being taken out of the country and that players will be pushed to black market casinos without proper legislation, it remains to be seen whether the government’s plans to strengthen their current model will run foul of EEA law again – as it fundamentally disagrees with it.
Further scrutiny of these laws, or any legal challenges that might succeed, stand to have a huge knock-on effect in future when it comes to Norwegian gambling legislation. There are two possible outcomes should further tightening of restrictions come in force: either the discrepancy in law and ability to apply it across non-Norwegian jurisdiction will remain in force, or the country’s laws on this issue will be declared illegal. In the NAV case, this resulted in overturning of prison sentences and refunds of incorrectly-seized funds. With estimated numbers on foreign websites offering gambling to the Norwegian market standing at between 1.7 – 2 billion NOK in 2019, the financial implications could be immense.
SOURCE Casinotopplisten.com
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Compliance Updates
Corinne Valletta Wins Chief Compliance Officer of the Year at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025
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At the Global Regulatory Awards 2025 (GRAs), Betsson Group’s General Counsel, Corinne Valletta, was named Chief Compliance Officer of the Year. The award was accepted on her behalf by Betsson Group’s Deputy General Counsel, Dario Evangelista.
Since joining Betsson Group in May 2017, Corinne has played a pivotal role in navigating the complex and constantly evolving regulatory landscape of online gaming. Her strategic leadership has guided Betsson through significant regulatory challenges while supporting the successful expansion of Betsson’s operations into several new jurisdictions.
Corinne has also been a strong advocate for policies that elevate industry-wide standards of operational excellence, protect players and achieve compliance while ensuring the continued relevance of the brands in the commercial space.
Organised by Vixio Regulatory Intelligence, the Global Regulatory Awards recognise excellence across the compliance and responsible gambling sectors, highlighting the individuals and teams who drive progress and uphold best practices in the industry.
This nomination and prestigious award reaffirm Betsson Group’s ongoing dedication to strengthening compliance, ensuring a safe, transparent and trustworthy business.
The post Corinne Valletta Wins Chief Compliance Officer of the Year at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
AML or MLR Professional of the Year
SOFTSWISS’ Eleni Panagiotopoulou Becomes Best AML Professional 2025
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SOFTSWISS, a leading iGaming software provider, proudly announces that Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Team, has been named AML or MLR Professional of the Year at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025.
The award honours individuals who make exceptional contributions to compliance and responsible gambling in a demanding, ever-changing regulatory landscape. Winners are recognised for their expertise, leadership, and dedication to maintaining the highest industry standards.
“It’s an honour to receive this award, but even more so to see AML excellence recognised on an industry stage,” said Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of AML at SOFTSWISS. “This recognition belongs to our entire team – every analyst, every partner, and every department that supports compliance as a shared responsibility. Together, we’re building not just safer systems, but a stronger and more trustworthy industry.”
Under Eleni’s leadership, the SOFTSWISS AML team has set new benchmarks for operational efficiency and compliance integrity. Over the past year, her key achievements included:
- Strengthening the AML function by expanding the team and increasing capacity for transaction monitoring and case reviews
- Driving a 75% rise in suspicious activity reports submitted, ensuring timely escalation and regulator engagement
- Implementing automated transaction-screening tools and real-time analytics to improve fraud detection accuracy
- Representing SOFTSWISS on international panels and industry forums, promoting ethical approaches to financial crime prevention
Eleni also managed updates to SOFTSWISS AML policies across multiple jurisdictions, such as Brazil, Peru, South Africa, Malta, Curacao, Serbia, and Nigeria. She helped SOFTSWISS remain fully aligned with regulatory requirements for smooth market entry worldwide.
Her industry impact is confirmed through the delivery of more than 25 hours of AML and responsible gambling training, benefiting both SOFTSWISS employees and the broader iGaming community.
Eleni’s insights on the current state of AML and Responsible Gambling can be found in the 2026 iGaming Trends Report. There, she shares how AI systems detect risky behaviour early and support safer play across regulated markets, helping operators protect their reputation and revenue.
Operators and industry professionals can download the 2026 iGaming Trends Report here.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 36,700 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS’ Eleni Panagiotopoulou Becomes Best AML Professional 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australia
VGCCC: EGM Application Improvements Consultation
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VGCCC has launched consultation on proposed reforms to the application process for Electronic Gaming Machine approvals in Victoria.
“Our Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) application process for new premises approvals under section 3.3.6 and EGM increase applications under section 3.4.17 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 is undergoing a significant uplift to align with modern expectations, recent legislative change, and our strengthened mandate to minimise gambling harm. It also intends to reduce red tape by ensuring applicants focus on priority factors that commonly determine the suitability of an application,” VGCCC said.
VGCCC is inviting feedback from all stakeholders — including, but not limited to, industry participants, councils, experts and community organisations — to provide feedback on:
• the clarity and practicality of the revised application and hearing processes
• ambiguities, redundancies or gaps in the revised application form and practice notes
• any other opportunities to improve the application and hearing process.
Consultation period closes on 19 December 2025.
The post VGCCC: EGM Application Improvements Consultation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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