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

Published

5 years ago

April 26, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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.”

crypto sports betting

Mash.fun Expands Crypto Sports Betting with Player Props, Hits $1 Million in Trading Volume

Published

9 hours ago

January 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

mash.fun-expands-crypto-sports-betting-with-player-props,-hits-$1-million-in-trading-volume

Mash.fun, the innovative crypto-powered sports trading platform, has officially launched its first player props markets, giving users a new way to trade the performance of individual athletes.

The move comes as Mash.fun celebrates a major milestone, surpassing $1 million in total traded volume.

The new player props feature enables users to speculate on metrics like the aggregate minutes of goals scored by a specific player. For instance, if a player such as Erling Haaland scores in the 61st and 82nd minutes, the market settles at 143. This approach allows traders to long or short individual player performances, offering a more precise and interactive betting experience compared to traditional match outcomes.

“Player props are a natural evolution for Mash.fun, allowing our users to engage with sports betting in a more nuanced way,” said a spokesperson for Mash.fun. “Hitting $1 million in traded volume within weeks highlights strong demand for this innovative trading model.”

Mash.fun combines the user experience of top Gen Z trading apps with sports betting, featuring unique scalar markets, leveraged positions, and dynamic crypto charts. Built on the Solana blockchain, Mash.fun merges the speed and transparency of crypto with the excitement of live sports trading.

In addition to player props, Mash.fun recently introduced Shirts markets, where users trade indices based on the aggregate shirt numbers of goalscorers, further expanding its creative and engaging market offerings.

For more information, visit Mash.fun and explore the future of crypto sports trading

The post Mash.fun Expands Crypto Sports Betting with Player Props, Hits $1 Million in Trading Volume appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

Logifuture’s Simulate Forecasts Morocco AFCON Glory After 1,000 Final Simulations

Published

9 hours ago

January 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

logifuture’s-simulate-forecasts-morocco-afcon-glory-after-1,000-final-simulations

Logifuture’s innovative Simulate sportsbook product has crunched the numbers ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026 final, running the decisive clash between Morocco and Senegal 1,000 times to predict a winner. The results point firmly toward the hosts, with Morocco emerging as favourites to lift their first AFCON title in more than 50 years.

Simulate, Logifuture’s cutting-edge virtual sports betting feature, delivers fast-paced simulations across football and basketball, offering instant results or gameplay over 10- and 30-second intervals. Players can run up to 15 simulations simultaneously, creating a constant stream of betting opportunities and immersive engagement.

AFCON Final Simulation Results: Morocco vs Senegal

According to Simulate’s data-driven modelling, Morocco won 433 of the 1,000 simulated finals (43.3%), while Senegal claimed victory 283 times (28.3%). The remaining simulations ended level after 90 minutes, highlighting the fine margins expected in the final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

Goals are predicted to be at a premium. In line with Morocco’s defensive solidity during the tournament, 67% of simulations (633 matches) finished with under 2.5 goals, reinforcing expectations of a tense, tactical contest.

Early momentum could prove decisive. Only 5% of simulations saw a team recover from a half-time deficit to win in regulation time. Given that Morocco have conceded just once during the tournament, Senegal could face an uphill battle if they fall behind early.

Draws may also shape the outcome, with 28% of simulated matches tied after 90 minutes. Morocco’s resilience under pressure was already demonstrated in their semi-final triumph over Nigeria, where they prevailed 4–2 on penalties.

Third-Place Play-Off: Nigeria vs Egypt

Logifuture’s Simulate also analysed the AFCON third-place play-off between Nigeria and Egypt, running the fixture 1,000 times. The Super Eagles emerged victorious in 467 simulations (46.7%), while Egypt won 333 times (33.3%), with the remaining matches requiring extra time.

Low-scoring outcomes dominated the simulations. Only 267 matches featured over 2.5 goals, while 467 ended with a single goal, underlining expectations of another tightly contested encounter. Goalless draws were rare, occurring in just 67 of the 1,000 simulations, suggesting a breakthrough is likely before full time.

Boosting Sportsbook Performance with Simulate

Beyond predictions, operators using Logifuture’s Simulate have reported sportsbook GGR increases of up to 5%, driven by advanced predictive modelling and enhanced player engagement. By delivering personalised betting experiences and real-time insights, Simulate helps operators optimise offers, improve retention, and drive sustainable long-term growth.

As AFCON 2026 reaches its climax, Logifuture’s Simulate continues to demonstrate how data-led virtual sports betting can enhance fan engagement while delivering measurable commercial impact for sportsbook operators.

The post Logifuture’s Simulate Forecasts Morocco AFCON Glory After 1,000 Final Simulations appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Cash Collect Mechanic

Red Papaya Launches Nova Blast Ultra: A Cosmic Slot Adventure via Microgaming

Published

11 hours ago

January 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

red-papaya-launches-nova-blast-ultra:-a-cosmic-slot-adventure-via-microgaming

Red Papaya, the vibrant flagship studio powered by Microgaming, has officially launched its latest blockbuster title: Nova Blast Ultra. Strapping players into a high-octane journey to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, this cosmic release blends high-end cinematic production with a suite of volatile mechanics.

Set against a backdrop of radiant space diamonds and blazing asteroid fields, the game promises a “white-knuckle ride” through deep space, where galactic wins shine brighter than the stars.

Interstellar Mechanics & Dazzling Rewards

Nova Blast Ultra is engineered to deliver futuristic precision and explosive potential. The game features an expansive 6,400 ways to win, ensuring constant action across the reels.

Key gameplay features include:

Nova Blast Cash & Jackpot Collection: A futuristic evolution of the popular collection mechanic. Hidden within the nebula-rich treasure zones are five static Jackpots, with the top prize reaching a stellar 2,500x the bet.
Energy Core Multipliers: Collect Energy Cores to boost your Cash Multiplier. In the base game, multipliers reach up to 5x, while the Free Spins round rockets this potential up to 10x.
Nova Blast Respins: Trigger enhanced respins that clear the board for the coveted Cash and Jackpot symbols, supercharged by Random Multiplier Energy.

Choose Your Orbit: Quantum Customization

For players seeking full control over their mission, landing Bonus symbols or filling the Quantum Meter triggers the Choose Your Nova Blast Free Spins. This feature allows players to select their own orbit, balancing the number of Free Spins against the frequency of Cash symbols.

The “space storm” intensifies during this round, where retriggers and surge respins work together to push the Cash Multiplier toward its dazzling 10x peak.

A New Standard for High-Production Slots

The high-stakes gameplay is complemented by out-of-this-world animations and a pulsating electronic soundtrack that keeps the momentum high.

Madelein Ozok, Head of Studio at Red Papaya, commented on the launch:

“Nova Blast Ultra is our most explosive slot to date. It captures the essence of Red Papaya—thrilling gameplay, big sound, and striking animations. We’ve combined creativity with deep data analytics to ensure this hits the mark with players spin after spin. We can’t wait to see it navigate its way to the top of casino lobbies.”

The post Red Papaya Launches Nova Blast Ultra: A Cosmic Slot Adventure via Microgaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.