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BOS Claims Swedish Banking Institutions Have Suspended Services Provided to Licensed Gambling Operators

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Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary-general of the Swedish trade association Branscheforenigen för Onlinespel (BOS), has claimed that all of the country’s major banking institutions have suspended services they provide to licensed gambling operators.

BOS said that “all major Nordic banks” – including SEB, Swedbank, Nordea, Handelsbanken, DNB Nor and Danske Bank – stopped providing services to Swedish-licensed gambling operators at some point this year.

Claiming this is in violation of Swedish law, Hoffstedt has filed a complaint to the country’s Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen).

Most of these banks, Hoffstedt said, cited internal risk assessments or Sweden’s Anti-Money Laundering Act (PTL) as the reasons for account closures. The BOS secretary-general added that “in some cases the banks have not stated any reason at all”.

“As far as I am aware, no concrete justification for the dismissals and banks’ assessment has been provided in any case,” Hoffstedt said.

Hoffstedt added that gambling operators cannot function without banking services.

“Online gambling companies are, as stated above, dependent on basic financial infrastructure in the form of banking and payment services to conduct their business,” he explained. “This requires [them] to be able to store customers’ funds as well as receive deposits and make payments to customers.”

He added that the suspension of services meant that operators could no longer use Bank-ID, used to verify players’ identities. This meant they had lost access to a tool that was vital for fighting fraud and money laundering, Hoffstedt.

“Without access to the Bank-ID system, online gambling companies need to use alternative solutions to identify their customers. These solutions risk being neither as effective for companies nor as safe for users,” he explained.

Swedish Banks also provide the Swish payment service, which Hoffstedt said was also “very important” for operators.

Hoffstedt said that the banks’ decisions had worsened operating conditions for the country’s igaming licensees, as well as counteracting the goals of the Gambling Act.

He went as far as arguing that the actions were illegal.

Hoffstedt said banks have a contractual obligation to continue to provide banking services to these customers, unless there is a clear reason to break this agreement. Only in incidents where continuing to provide banking services would violate the PTL, or if the banking customer had committed misconduct, could agreements be broken, he claimed.

While Hoffstedt noted that banks may terminate agreements if they suspect a customer has connections to money laundering, he pointed out the PTL made clear that these assessments are at the customer level. They can, therefore, not be applied on a sweeping basis to a legal industry.

“Given that a large proportion of BOS members also received notice or notice of termination from the banks – all with general and overarching references to the risk of money laundering in the business – it seems obvious that the basis for the dismissals is a general business policy decision rather than a valid application of PTL,” he said.

“Under these circumstances, there is no possibility for the banks to deviate from their contractual obligation.”

BOS requested a dialogue with the Financial Supervisory Authority and said the regulator “should initiate a supervisory investigation of the banks’ handling and possibly intervene against the banks”.

SEB – one of the banks mentioned by BOS – however, argued it was not systematically ending relationships with gambling operators but rather examined the risk for every client on an individual basis.

“We always make an individual assessment of individual client relationships,“ SEB said. “When it comes to gambling companies, we generally have a cautious approach based on the raised risk level, not least connected to risks relating to money laundering and financial crime.”

Danske Bank, meanwhile, denied it had a policy specifically preventing gambling businesses from operating, but did say these businesses undergo a stricter screening process.

“Danske Bank does not exclude banking services for gambling operations as such,” Danske Bank said. “However, our assessment is that the gambling industry in general is associated with high risk and due to that we have tailored screening principles to ensure that the companies operate responsibly.

“In a case where a specific gambling client does not meet the requirements of our KYC-process or ESG-assessment, the ultimate consequence could be that we limit our offerings or refrain from enter into a business relationship.”

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Kaizen Gaming takes two Latin America operator awards at SBC Awards Americas 2026

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Betano owner repeats wins for Sportsbook Operator of the Year and Casino Operator of the Year at the Fort Lauderdale ceremony on 10 June.

Kaizen Gaming has won both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America” at the SBC Awards Americas 2026, repeating the double from last year. The ceremony was held on Wednesday, 10 June, during SBC Summit Americas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The operator, which owns the Betano online sports betting and gaming brand, said the awards reflect its continued performance across Latin America. The company positioned Betano as a leading regional brand, citing market presence in Brazil and other South American markets including Argentina and Peru.

Christos Tzalavras, Kaizen Gaming’s Chief Product Officer, said: “We are very happy about this distinction, especially since it recognizes our focus on providing our customers with the best possible experience, both through our Sportsbook and our Casino offerings. And of course, it’s equally important that these awards concern the Latin American region, which has totally embraced us and to which we owe a large part of our success. With the World Cup now upon us, South America is a hugely strategic region for the industry, and we remain committed to setting new standards for innovation, trust, and customer experience.”

In the same announcement, Kaizen Gaming pointed to its sports marketing footprint in the region and wider international visibility ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Betano has been named an Official Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America, and has also been announced as an Official Regional Sponsor of the Argentine National Football Team. The company is also an Official Partner of CONMEBOL, with the partnership beginning around CONMEBOL Copa America™2024 and continuing into subsequent competitions.

Kaizen Gaming also highlighted a recent acquisition aimed at product development. Earlier this year, it acquired GameplAI, a provider of AI-powered sports trading and analytics, which Kaizen said will be integrated into Betano to enhance sports trading, player markets and performance analytics.

The post Kaizen Gaming takes two Latin America operator awards at SBC Awards Americas 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Kaizen Gaming Repeats Double Latin America Operator Win at SBC Awards Americas 2026

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Dual honours with awards for both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America”

 Kaizen Gaming, one of the world’s biggest GameTech companies and owner of the Betano online sports betting and gaming brand, has been named both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America” for the second year running at the SBC Awards Americas 2026. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, 10 June, on the second day of the SBC Summit Americas at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The repeat double award wins reinforce Betano’s position as a leading force in online betting and gaming across the region. Betano is arguably considered the no 1 igaming brand, with the biggest market share in Brazil, South America’s largest market, while it is also one of the market leaders in other South American countries, including Argentina and Peru.

Kaizen Gaming continues to set new benchmarks with customer experience at the core of its offering, underpinned by its proprietary technology, elite football partnerships, and ongoing product innovation. This includes a range of player-centric features, such as increasingly sophisticated AI-powered personalisation, trending content, enhanced in-play experiences and social functionality, alongside a wide selection of engaging rewards and offers.

Christos Tzalavras, Kaizen Gaming’s Chief Product Officer commented: “We are very happy about this distinction, especially since it recognizes our focus on providing our customers with the best possible experience, both through our Sportsbook and our Casino offerings. And of course, it’s equally important that these awards concern the Latin American region, which has totally embraced us and to which we owe a large part of our success. With the World Cup now upon us, South America is a hugely strategic region for the industry, and we remain committed to setting new standards for innovation, trust, and customer experience.”

The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is a significant moment for Betanο, which has been named an Official Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America. This will see Betano provide fans with many unique and exclusive opportunities to experience the excitement of the FIFA World Cup through exclusive fan activations, while also promoting responsible play through dedicated tools and 24/7 customer support.

Betano was also recently announced an Official Regional Sponsor of the Argentine National Football Team – the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ champions. At the same time, it remains the title sponsor of both Brazil’s top domestic competitions, Brasileirão Serie A and Copa Betano do Brazil, the Presenting Partner of the Argentine Liga Profesional de Fútbol and Copa Argentina, as well as the principal and front-of-shirt partner of top flight South American clubs, including Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and Club Atlético  River Plate. Furthermore, Kaizen Gaming is an Official Partner of CONMEBOL, with the partnership starting through the CONMEBOL Copa America™2024 and since then continuing with other tournaments including the CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina 2025™ and the CONMEBOL Liga de Naciones Femenina.

Additionally, Betano has an extensive Corporate Social Responsibility footprint in the region, supporting the work of organisations like FADeC (the Argentine Federation of Sports for the Blind), Fundación Empate (which supports the inclusion and development of people with Down syndrome in Argentina), Afroesporte (which empowers Black athletes in Brazil to develop their careers) and Fundação Laço Rosa (which supports women’s fight against breast cancer in Brazil).

Earlier this year, Kaizen Gaming also underscored its focus on customer-centric technology innovation with the acquisition of GameplAI, a provider of AI-powered sports trading and analytics. The deal enables the integration of GameplAI’s technology into Betano, enhancing capabilities across sports trading, player markets and performance analytics, for users globally.

The post Kaizen Gaming Repeats Double Latin America Operator Win at SBC Awards Americas 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Ahmed Baker Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games

INCENTIVE GAMES GOES LIVE WITH BETMGM IN ONTARIO

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B2B games provider Incentive Games, through its real-money gaming division Incentive Studios, has partnered with BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, to launch four real-money titles in Ontario. BetMGM will be first to market with these titles in the province.

The partnership has seen four of Incentive Studios’ titles, Velocity, Mega Flight, Kicker and Squid Game Red Light Green Light Cashout, go live on the BetMGM platform, bringing the studio’s portfolio of crash and arcade experiences to players across the province.

As one of North America’s leading betting and gaming operators, BetMGM has built a strong reputation for delivering premium player experiences across regulated markets. Ontario remains a key market within its growth strategy, with a continued focus on high-quality content, innovation and responsible gambling.

The launch further strengthens Incentive Games’ position in North America and marks another important milestone in the company’s continued expansion across regulated gaming markets, building on its recent securing of licences in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ontario.

Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games, said, “We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with BetMGM and to see four of our real-money titles go live in Ontario. From the outset, it’s been clear that we share a strong focus on delivering engaging, high-quality player experiences, making this a natural collaboration for both teams. This launch marks an exciting milestone for Incentive Studios as we continue our expansion across regulated markets, and we look forward to growing our relationship with the BetMGM team.”

Rob Passerino, Director of Gaming, BetMGM said, “BetMGM is focused on delivering the best online casino experience possible. As crash and arcade-style games continue to see significant growth, Incentive Studios’ portfolio strengthens our ability to meet evolving player demand, especially in key markets like Ontario.”

The post INCENTIVE GAMES GOES LIVE WITH BETMGM IN ONTARIO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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