Latest News

Finnish Minister Says State Should Treat Gambling Monopoly Revenues like Alcohol Profits

Published

4 years ago

August 10, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Antti Kurvinen, Finland’s minister of science and culture, has proposed that revenues from the state-owned gambling monopoly, Veikkaus, be transferred to the state budget.

On Saturday Kurvinen said that the betting agency’s income is declining, and without a change so will the income of charities and other groups that benefit from its profits. Veikkaus revenues are distributed to organisations in the fields of culture, sports, science, and youth work as well as social welfare and health.

Kurvinen proposed making the change from the beginning of 2024.

“My view is that from the beginning of 2024, Veikkaus’ income should be transferred to the state budget in the same way as, for example, Alko transfers its own dividends and income to the state budget, from which they are used for good purposes,” Kurvinen said.

Kurvinen said that he has reached the same position on the matter as a working group chaired by former Bank of Finland Governor Erkki Liikanen, which last spring proposed a comprehensive reform to divert gambling revenues to general government revenue and transfer current beneficiaries to the budget framework procedure.

The need for reform is due to Veikkaus’ declining income. This is due to a drop in slot machine revenues because of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as measures taken to tackle gambling addiction.

“Without a clear change and reform, we will find ourselves in a situation where the income of Veikkaus’ beneficiaries is constantly falling. This is about the income of Finnish science, culture, youth organisations and especially sports and exercise,” Kurvinen said.

According to Kurvinen, the distribution of Veikkaus revenues through the budget would bring predictability to cash flows, which is essential for beneficiaries.

“Recent years have shown that we are in a strange situation here: the success of a Finnish gaming company determines what kind of resources there are, for example, for top Finnish sports and youth sports or for high-level Finnish research. This creates a strange, uncertain situation,” Kurvinen said.

The problem with the new way of distributing Veikkaus, revenues has been that it would make the funding of beneficiaries dependent on political decision-making.

Kurvinen does not deny that the change would increase the role of political decision-making, but said he considers that a lesser evil than the uncertainty and funding cuts that lie ahead if no reforms are made.

“In the long run, however, it would be clearer and less problematic to make political value decisions than for the success of Veikkaus’ business to be the determining factor in how many opportunities there are for young researchers in Finland or how much art is funded in Finland,” Kurvinen said.

Best Solutions for iGaming Industry in Romania 2025

Soft2Bet Nominated for Best Solutions for iGaming Industry in Romania 2025

Published

56 minutes ago

December 8, 2025

George Miller

soft2bet-nominated-for-best-solutions-for-igaming-industry-in-romania-2025

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Soft2Bet, a leading provider of iGaming turnkey solutions, has been nominated for Best Solutions for iGaming Industry in Romania 2025 by Romania Gaming Celebration 11 – Casino Inside Gala Awards. The nomination highlights Soft2Bet’s continued investment in the country and its ability to deliver highly localised and high-performing solutions for local operators and players, powered by its proprietary gamification engine, MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gaming Application).

This nomination is the latest in a series of achievements in the Romanian market, highlighting Soft2Bet’s data-driven iGaming solutions for player retention. Previously, the company was honoured as the Best iGaming Solutions Provider in Romania at the 12th Reunion of Gambling Professionals. Furthermore, its local brand, Don.ro, secured the title of Best New Launch of 2024 at the same event, and in the process showcased how its approach to creating compelling brands specifically tailored for Romanian players is highly successful.

Don.ro has rapidly established itself as one of Romania’s most recognisable online entertainment platforms. Its success is built on a highly intuitive user experience (UX), a comprehensive range of casino and sportsbook options, and strategic, locally focused marketing campaigns. In addition, Don.ro has strengthened its brand appeal and established strong trust with Romanian players thanks to its partnership with the CFR Cluj 1907 football club, in the process contributing to local sports.

Don.ro uses Soft2Bet’s advanced MEGA technology to boost player engagement with missions, challenges and personalised rewards. This proprietary technology also ensures responsible gaming. MEGA allows operators to customise player experiences, rewards and activation triggers to fit local market needs. These features increase engagement, retention and long-term value for both casino and sports betting platforms.

Yoel Zuckerberg, Chief Product Officer at Soft2Bet, stated: “Being nominated in the Best Solutions for iGaming Industry in Romania 2025 category is a clear recognition of all the work our teams have accomplished with Don.ro and confirmation of the success in Romania. Our focus is on building locally relevant experiences, powered by MEGA and supported by strong compliance and design standards. We are proud of what we are achieving in Romania and remain committed to bringing quality iCasino engagement tactics and long-term strategies to our players.”

The post Soft2Bet Nominated for Best Solutions for iGaming Industry in Romania 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Eastern Europe

HIGHLIGHT GAMES LIVE IN ROMANIA WITH FORTUNA ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Published

56 minutes ago

December 8, 2025

George Miller

highlight-games-live-in-romania-with-fortuna-entertainment-group

Reading Time: < 1 minute

London-based video virtuals and instant win games specialist Highlight Games Limited today announces that its flagship soccer products are now live online in Romania with the Fortuna Entertainment Group.

Highlight’s premium SOCCERBET games which feature genuine archive footage from some of the biggest leagues and teams in football are now available to Fortuna’s online customers in Romania via its Casa Pariurilor and Fortuna Romania brands. Available iterations of the product include Italian Football featuring Serie A, Spanish Football featuring LaLiga and English Football featuring English Premier League teams.

Steven Holmes, CEO, Highlight Games said: ‘I’m delighted to see our SOCCERBET portfolio go live with FEG in Romania. This launch represents another significant milestone in our expansion across regulated European markets, and we look forward to building on our partnership with Fortuna and bringing even more compelling content to its customers in the months ahead.’

Erik Klems, Group RNG Product Manager, Fortuna Entertainment Group added: ‘We are excited to introduce Highlight Games’ SOCCERBET products to our Romanian customers. The combination of authentic archive football footage and innovative gameplay brings something genuinely fresh to the market and perfectly complements our existing portfolio. At FEG, we are committed to offering players the best and most engaging experiences available, and this partnership with Highlight Games supports that mission. We anticipate a strong reaction from players and see great potential for continued collaboration.’

The post HIGHLIGHT GAMES LIVE IN ROMANIA WITH FORTUNA ENTERTAINMENT GROUP appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

Atlaslive Shortlisted in Three Categories at the European iGaming Awards 2026

Published

2 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Master Editor

Atlaslive has been shortlisted for three categories at the European iGaming Awards 2026: Best Customer Service Award, Best Sportsbetting Innovation, and Best iGaming Platform Supplier.

The European iGaming Awards is held annually during ICE Barcelona and brings together companies shaping the future of sportsbook and casino technology. The 2026 ceremony will take place on 19 January 2026 in Barcelona, recognising providers whose work has gained strong industry attention during the year.

Atlaslive’s shortlisting reflects a year of steady product improvement, new sportsbook features, and strengthened service operations. The company has focused on creating tools that support operator growth while keeping platform setup flexible and transparent.

“The shortlist recognizes the work our people do every day. Most improvements never make it into headlines, but together they shape the experience our partners and their players have every day. Being named in three categories tells us that this everyday work matters.”

—Anastasiia Poltavets, CMO, Atlaslive

About the European iGaming Awards

Organized by Datateam Business Media, the European iGaming Awards highlight companies that bring reliable products, thoughtful features, and stable services to the sector. Finalists are selected by a panel of industry professionals, with winners announced during the awards ceremony held alongside ICE Barcelona.

About Atlaslive

Atlaslive is a global B2B iGaming platform provider offering sportsbook and casino technology built for high-load environments. The company focuses on product quality, platform stability, and open communication with operators worldwide.

This document is provided to you for your information and discussion only. This document was based on public sources of information and was created by the Atlaslive team for marketing usage. It is not a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any gambling-related product. Nothing in this document constitutes legal or business development advice. This document has been prepared from sources Atlaslive believes to be reliable, but we do not guarantee its accuracy or completeness and do not accept liability for any loss arising from its use. Atlaslive reserves the right to remedy any errors that may be present in this document.

About Atlaslive

Atlaslive, formerly known as Atlas-IAC, underwent a rebranding campaign in May 2024. It is a B2B software development company that specializes in creating a multifunctional and automated platform to optimize the workflow of sports betting and casino operators. Key components of the Atlaslive Platform include Sportsbook, Casino, Risk Management and Anti-Fraud Tools, CRM, Bonus Engine, Business Analytics, Payment Systems, and Retail Module. Follow the company on LinkedIn to stay updated with the latest news in iGaming technology.