Connect with us

Latest News

Sweden has failed to protect the vulnerable players

Published

on

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

The Ministry of Finance has proposed that the temporary restrictions on the online gambling market, that were introduced on July 2 this year, should be extended to June 30, 2021. The proposed restrictions are a weekly deposit limit of a maximum of SEK 5,000 and that bonus offers are limited to a maximum of 100 SEK.

The Ministry of Finance claimed during the spring that the gaming on online casino was strongly increasing during the pandemic and that the government needed to protect the Swedish consumers.

The minister stated that there where an increase in problem gaming during the spring, but that statement was not based on facts. Neither The Swedish Gambling Authority nor other authorities did see that as a fact.

 

Scientific studies

This is also something that later on was proofed by scientific studies conducted.  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.554542/full

“Results:  Total gambling activity decreased by 13.29% during the first phase of the outbreak compared to forecast. Analyses of online gambling data revealed that although betting decreased substantially in synchrony with a slight increase in online casino gambling, there was no increase in likely problematic, high-intensity gambling and neither did total online gambling increase.

Conclusions: This first, preliminary study revealed no increase in Swedish gambling activity, total or specifically online, in the first phase of the covid-19 outbreak. Future research should examine whether pandemic-induced transitioning between gambling modalities and/or increased participation in gambling, leads to long-term effects on prevalence of problem gambling.”

 

Moving to the unlicensed market

Setting a deposit limit of 5,000 SEK per week does not solve the need to help people who have a gambling problem as it is always possible to gamble at different companies. Alternatively, you can play at the unlicensed companies. The effects will instead be that the individual gaming companies cannot follow the individual players’ behaviour and, if necessary, support it.

 

7 out of 10

It is an extremely worrying development in Sweden that 7 out of 10 of those who seek help for gambling problems have banned themselves from playing breaks and still continue to play. The idea of a game break is good, but there is a lack of power against the unlicensed gaming companies that target Swedish players and then the problems remain. A first step in resolving this is to prevent the possibility of paying with a number of well-known Swedish payment services at the unlicensed gaming companies. We have to close the holes! (https://www.spelfriheten.se/ Pelretin, organization for gambling addiction.)

This means that the blocking service Spelpaus (Spelpaus enables Swedish gamblers to paus them from all gambling on licensed operators https://www.spelpaus.se/ ) does not fulfil any major function as long as a number of different gaming companies without a Swedish gaming license are allowed to flourish freely. Several help seekers have also told us that these gaming companies provide the opportunity to pay with a number of well-known Swedish payment services

 

Lack of tax revenue

In 2019, the licensed companies in Sweden paid SEK 3.6 billion to the Treasury. An amount that is now steadily declining in step with the shift to the unlicensed companies.

 

Focusing on those who try to behave

No unlicensed company or person linked to unlicensed gaming activities has been fined or prosecuted since 1 January 2019, at the same time 26 fines have been issued for a total of 236.4 MSEK against the licensed gaming market.

The government’s mission should be to protect consumers and that should be their priority. On the contrary, the effects have been that they have shifted vulnerable players to the unlicensed companies. Sweden has failed to protect the vulnerable players and the extended regulations will not protect them.

Powered by WPeMatico

Continue Reading
Advertisement

AI

Scientific Games Appoints Ovie Doro as SVP of Data, Analytics & AI

Published

on

scientific-games-appoints-ovie-doro-as-svp-of-data,-analytics-&-ai

Scientific Games today named Ovie Doro as Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI, a strategic hire that accelerates the company’s investment in data science, machine learning and AI-driven insights for its global lottery business. Doro will lead the expansion of SG Analytics, Scientific Games’ enterprise analytics group, to deliver stronger product performance, personalized player experiences and measurable ROI for lottery customers across retail and digital channels.

Driving analytics-led growth for lotteries

Scientific Games says the appointment marks a step-change in how it uses data and AI to inform lottery game development, optimize player engagement and support lottery beneficiaries. As head of SG Analytics, Doro will focus on turning large volumes of market and player data into actionable intelligence for product, sales and operations teams.

“Advanced analytics is critical to how Scientific Games supports our lottery customers and drives innovation and performance for sustainable growth,” said Pat McHugh, CEO of Scientific Games. “Doro brings deep experience understanding consumer behavior and building scalable analytics and data science capabilities at global organizations, and we’re excited to have him lead this mission-critical work.”

What Doro will lead at SG Analytics

Doro’s remit will include expanding capabilities in:

  • Market and channel intelligence to identify growth opportunities across regions and channels

  • ROI and growth modeling to quantify the value of product and marketing investments

  • Data engineering and standardized reporting to speed insights to decision-makers

  • Data science, machine learning and experimentation for personalization and cross-channel optimization

  • Visualization and business intelligence to make analytics accessible to commercial teams

These priorities are designed to better connect retail and digital play, enable experimentation-driven product improvements, and provide lotteries with measurable results that support their beneficiary missions.

Proven leader in enterprise analytics and ML

Doro brings more than a decade of experience building enterprise analytics and machine learning platforms for major consumer and e-commerce companies. Most recently he served as Senior Global Director of Data Science & Machine Learning Engineering at AB InBev, where he led the AI strategy for the company’s global B2B e-commerce platform. His prior leadership roles at Walmart and Jet.com focused on customer analytics, personalization, experimentation platforms and lifecycle modeling—translating applied research into production-grade analytics systems that drive growth and retention.

“Doro’s appointment strengthens our ability to translate data into action and value for our customers,” said Carrie Galvin, Chief Transformation & Strategy Officer at Scientific Games. “His experience building analytics capabilities that deliver real-world business outcomes will help us better serve lotteries through smarter products and performance insights.”

Background and reporting

Doro holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from KTH Royal Institute of Technology. At Scientific Games, he will report to Carrie Galvin and collaborate closely with leaders across product, technology, sales and operations.

With this hire, Scientific Games positions SG Analytics to accelerate AI-driven product development, deepen personalization, and deliver clearer ROI for lotteries worldwide—strengthening the company’s role as a data-first partner to the lottery industry.

© 2026 Scientific Games, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The post Scientific Games Appoints Ovie Doro as SVP of Data, Analytics & AI appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Gambling in the USA

Scientific Games Announces Ovie Doro as Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI

Published

on

scientific-games-announces-ovie-doro-as-senior-vice-president-of-data,-analytics-&-ai

Scientific Games has named Ovie Doro (“Doro”) as Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI, strengthening the company’s investment in advanced analytics, data science and AI-driven insights to support growth and innovation across its global lottery business.

Doro will lead the expansion of the SG Analytics group, Scientific Games’ enterprise analytics practice that combines deep expertise with business intelligence tools, data and insights to support decision-making and increased performance of the company’s lottery products and services. His appointment advances the company’s industry-leading use of data and AI to help guide development of lottery games and technologies, enhance player experiences and deliver measurable, ROI-driven value for lottery customers—helping optimize performance in support of their beneficiary missions—across retail and digital channels.

“Advanced analytics is critical to how Scientific Games supports our lottery customers and drives innovation and performance for sustainable growth,” said Pat McHugh, Chief Executive Officer of Scientific Games. “Doro brings deep experience understanding consumer behavior and building scalable analytics and data science capabilities at global organizations, and we’re excited to have him lead this mission-critical work.”

Doro has more than a decade of experience in architecting and scaling enterprise analytics and machine learning platforms across global consumer and e-commerce organizations. Most recently, he served as Senior Global Director of Data Science & Machine Learning Engineering at AB InBev, where he pioneered the AI strategy for the company’s global B2B e-commerce platform, transforming it into an AI-enabled ecosystem that drove revenue growth and partner value across multiple international markets.

Doro has held senior data science leadership roles at Walmart and Jet.com, where he led teams responsible for customer analytics, experimentation platforms, personalization and lifecycle modeling. His work focused on translating applied research into production-grade analytics and machine learning systems that supported growth, retention and omnichannel engagement.

At Scientific Games, Doro will advance SG Analytics by translating data into action across market and channel intelligence, competitive and industry insights, ROI and growth modeling, data engineering, data science and machine learning, supported by standardized reporting and visualization. He will also play a central role in enabling analytics-driven product growth, personalization, experimentation and cross-channel optimization that connects retail and digital play.

Doro will report to Carrie Galvin, Chief Transformation & Strategy Officer of Scientific Games, and will work closely with leaders across product, technology, sales and operations organizations.

“Doro’s appointment strengthens our ability to translate data into action and value for our customers,” said Galvin. “His experience building analytics capabilities that deliver real-world business outcomes will help us better serve lotteries through smarter products and performance insights.”

Doro holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

© 2026 Scientific Games, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The post Scientific Games Announces Ovie Doro as Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Gamblers Connect

Gamblers Connect has officially launched its iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world

Published

on

gamblers-connect-has-officially-launched-its-ihub,-a-new-dedicated-page-created-to-be-your-ultimate-connection-to-the-igaming-world

Gamblers Connect, the award-winning iGaming media and affiliate platform, is proud to announce the official launch of the iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world.

The iHub exclusively features companies that have an official partnership or verified collaboration with Gamblers Connect, ensuring that every listing meets our editorial, commercial, and quality standards. To achieve this feat, we have successfully organized the complex web of the iGaming industry into a single, centralized location.

The sole purpose of the iHub is to function as a comprehensive database that allows anyone in iGaming, whether it is affiliates, operators, or players, to find the right solutions in one place. Unlike open directories, the iHub is a curated environment, only trusted, officially partnered companies are included, with no self-submissions or automated listings. The iHub, just as the industry itself, is built upon four essential pillars that cover every facet of the iGaming realm, including Affiliates, Game Providers, B2B Providers and Payment Solutions.

Every company featured within the iHub is manually reviewed and onboarded through an official partnership with Gamblers Connect, ensuring accuracy, relevance, and long-term value for the industry.

Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, said: “The launch of the iHub perfectly reflects our goal to be the most transparent source of information in the iGaming world. It marks a new milestone in our history, as it represents a step forward in our ongoing mission to bring clarity to the industry. By launching the iHub, we unite the four essential pillars in a transparent and centralised manner, giving our community the ultimate resources to navigate the iGaming landscape.”

The post Gamblers Connect has officially launched its iHub, a new dedicated page created to be your ultimate connection to the iGaming world appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania