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Åland-Based Gaming Company Paf Becomes Main Partner of the Finnish Ski Association – One of the Most Significant Sponsorship Agreements in the Association’s History

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The Finnish Ski Association and the Åland-based gaming company Paf (Ålands Penningautomatförening) have signed a long-term partnership agreement extending through 2030. Paf will become the official main partner of the Finnish Ski Association when the new Finnish licensing system enters into force, provided that Paf is granted a licence.

“This new partnership with Paf, a domestic company with a strong set of shared values, is of great importance to us and it provides a solid foundation for long-term development. Financially, it is one of the most significant sponsorship agreements in the history of the Finnish Ski Association,” says Marleena Valtasola, Executive Director of the Finnish Ski Association.

National teams and FIS World Cup events

The agreement covers the national A-teams in cross-country skiing, nordic combined, and ski jumping, as well as the U23 and U20 national teams in cross-country skiing. In addition, Paf will be an official partner of the FIS World Cup events in Ruka and Lahti, as well as the Finnish Cup in cross-country skiing. The partnership will be implemented through concrete actions in line with the upcoming reform of Finland’s gambling legislation.

“Our new strategy clearly defines us as a high-performance sports organization, with success measured by the achievements of our athletes and stakeholders. In addition to domesticity and responsibility, a key value of this agreement is that it includes all our disciplines, the World Cup events in Ruka and Lahti, and the Finnish Cup. The long-term nature of the agreement enables us to build impactful cooperation over time,” says Marleena Valtasola.

Skiing is important to Finns

In recent years, Paf has experienced strong growth and is particularly recognized for its leadership in responsible gaming. Founded in 1966 by Save the Children, the Finnish Red Cross, and the public health organization Folkhälsan, Paf’s mission is to generate funds for the benefit of society. The company’s ambition is to become the most responsible gaming operator in the world.

“We are truly excited about this new main partnership with the Finnish Ski Association. The disciplines governed by the association are a major part of Finnish identity and deeply valued by the public, both as hobbies and as elite sports. From the perspectives of brand visibility and recognition, cross-country skiing, nordic combined and ski jumping are highly important to us. Our shared values provide an excellent foundation for building a long-lasting and successful collaboration. We aim to lead the industry in responsible gaming,” says Thomas Näsman, Manager at Paf.

According to the proposed new gaming legislation, Veikkaus’ monopoly on online betting, bingo and casino games is set to end by the end of 2026. These markets are intended to open up to competition. Gaming operators would be able to apply for licences from early 2026, with licensed services expected to launch at the beginning of 2027.

The post Åland-Based Gaming Company Paf Becomes Main Partner of the Finnish Ski Association – One of the Most Significant Sponsorship Agreements in the Association’s History appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Bet It Drives

GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives Season 2 Finale: Kelly Kehn on Opening iGaming to New Founders

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Lisbon’s streets set the pace for Season 2 of GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives—the drive-time podcast where iGaming’s most interesting voices speak freely. Hosted by Yevhen Krazhan, Chief Sales Officer at GR8 Tech, each episode captures raw insight, candid stories, and the energy you can only find on the road.

Episode 4 of the Season 2 finale puts the spotlight on Kelly Kehn, founder, board member, and startup advisor in gaming. As co-founder of Defy the Odds (DTO), she’s building a launchpad and community connecting startups, investors, and operators—with a focus on female and minority founders. Previously, she co-founded the All-In Diversity Project, held ecosystem roles at happyhour.io and SBC, and serves on boards including FUNNZ.

During the ride, Kelly opens up about:

  • Why iGaming events matter: the community, access, and acceleration you only get in the room.
  • Defy the Odds (DTO): why she and her co-founders built it, what it is, and how founders plug in.
  • Women in iGaming: real challenges and how to lower the barrier to entry; inclusion as a growth strategy.
  • Pitch ideas that paid off and common startup pitch mistakes.
  • The next possible unicorn in iGaming and what makes it possible.
  • Soundtrack to success: the song for a win, the pre-coaching track, and the one that sums up her career.
  • The boldest ideas: intention, asking for help, and doing the homework.
  • The unwritten rule of iGaming.
  • Halloween rubric: the scariest moments in life and career, and why saying the hard thing out loud matters.
  • Kelly’s Champion Rule: Be kind to yourself and to others.

“As Kelly said, ‘When we open the space to more people and more perspectives, we all win and the pie gets bigger.’ This episode was the perfect finish of our Season 2 in Lisbon,” said Krazhan.

Watch or listen to Season 2, Episode 4 with Kelly Kehn on:

Season 2 of Bet It Drives launched with Rasmus Sojmark, kept pace with Tiago Pereira and Kyrylo Korobka, and now crosses the line with Kelly Kehn in the finale. But still, don’t unbuckle yet: Season 3 is coming soon with more interesting conversations and more reasons to hit play. Follow GR8 Tech to stay in the loop.

The next chapter of iGaming belongs to champions who play smart and bold. Join GR8 Tech at SiGMA Central Europe 2025, Rome, November 3–6, booth 5028-2, and discover the Heavyweight Rulebook—built for operators ready to scale, localize, and win.

The post GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives Season 2 Finale: Kelly Kehn on Opening iGaming to New Founders appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Anna Hargrave

GambleAware Warns Outdated Gambling Advertising and Marketing Regulations are Leaving Children at Risk of Gambling Harm

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Regulations for online gambling marketing must urgently be brought into the digital age, a new report from the charity GambleAware has warned.

The report reveals that despite gambling being an age-restricted product, children are being exposed to gambling marketing online, before they reach an age at which they can critically evaluate it. This is leading to gambling being normalised and portrayed as “risk-free”, which increases the risk of them experiencing gambling harm.

Gambling harms are becoming an increasing part of children’s lives, with previous research finding that in 2024, around 85,000 children in Britain were experiencing harm from their own gambling, a figure which has doubled since 20233. GambleAware’s new report highlights how seeing gambling marketing and content, online and via social and streaming platforms, could be encouraging children to gamble and contributing to the number experiencing harm.

The new report calls out poor regulation of gambling marketing online, highlighting how more needs to be done to ensure the rules reflect the unique challenges presented by the digital age and urges a reduction in self-regulation to protect children from being exposed to age-restricted gambling content. Alongside this, GambleAware is also calling for mandatory health warnings to be put on all gambling marketing so people are aware of the risks and support available.

Specific changes to help protect children could include moves to hold online platforms to greater account and ensuring existing government programmes, such as the Online Safety Act and Online Advertising Programme, more directly address gambling marketing and content online. Alongside this, other recommendations include the alignment and strengthening of online safety regulatory powers and programmes.

GambleAware research also found strong public support from children and adults for changes to gambling marketing and advertising regulation. Around four in five children (79%) say they want more rules around gambling content and advertising on social media. Alongside this, over seven in ten adults also agree, saying they want more regulation around gambling advertising on social media (74%) and gambling related content on social media (70%).

Anna Hargrave, GambleAware Transition CEO, said: “Gambling operators invest significant resources into online marketing because it works at getting people to gamble more. This has resulted in children and young people being exposed to gambling content online before an age at which they can critically evaluate it and understand the risks that come with it.

“The current regulations covering gambling marketing and advertising online were designed before most children had easy access to the internet. Urgent action is needed to update these rules and bring them into the digital age to help keep children and young people safe from gambling harm.”

The post GambleAware Warns Outdated Gambling Advertising and Marketing Regulations are Leaving Children at Risk of Gambling Harm appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Angelina Stasiuk Head of Business Line at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator

SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator Marks Four Years of Growth and Global Expansion

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The SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, an award-winning player engagement solution, celebrates its fourth anniversary, delivering strong business results and expanding into new regulated markets.

Since its launch in 2021, the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator has become a trusted engagement and retention tool for operators worldwide. By the beginning of Q4 2025, the solution powers over 100 active brands, with more than 520 jackpot campaigns launched and 68,000+ jackpot hits. These numbers reflect growing adoption and consistent performance across regulated markets.

In early 2025, the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator obtained certifications in Brazil, Peru, and Estonia, strengthening its position in Latin America and Europe. These approvals allow operators in both markets to integrate the tool in full compliance with regulatory and technical standards.

Angelina Stasiuk, Head of Business Line at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, shares: “Four years of consistent growth show how powerful engagement mechanics can be when built on flexibility and trust. Our recent expansion into new regulated markets marks an exciting new chapter, giving regional operators access to the same reliable and engaging jackpot solutions that have already proven successful worldwide. We’re proud to see the Jackpot Aggregator evolve into a solution that brings real value to both operators and their audiences.”

The flagship Prime Network Jackpot remains the key feature of the Jackpot Aggregator. The tool unites multiple operators under a shared prize pool, driving some of the industry’s most impressive payouts. One of its campaigns paid out a record-breaking €1,368,013, while a recent win in September 2025 saw a lucky player take home €758,262.71. The growing scale of the network confirms its power to increase engagement and deliver immersive gaming experiences for players worldwide.

Rosaria Freitas, Director of Product at Kirgo Casino, comments: “Congratulations to SOFTSWISS on four years of the Jackpot Aggregator. At Kirgo, we emphasise real play, real rewards, and zero distractions. This partnership enhances what our players can win without compromising that focus. By combining our local jackpots with the Prime Network, we’re offering Kirgo players exclusive community rewards and access to major shared prizes: simple, transparent, and designed for real enjoyment value.”

The SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator continues to evolve as a cornerstone of player engagement strategy. This year, the solution introduced a major update – the Paid Participation Campaigns feature, which expands entertainment options for players and creates new revenue opportunities for operators. In this format, players contribute an entry fee to join jackpots, prize drops, multi-prizes, or even the Prime Network Jackpot. The feature also encourages closer collaboration with game providers, driving mutual promotion and long-term player engagement.

 

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 35,000 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

The post SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator Marks Four Years of Growth and Global Expansion appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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