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

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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.

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Play’n GO Releases its Latest Online Slot Wrappin’ Gold

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Play’n GO has released its latest online slot, Wrappin’ Gold, where a newly roused mummy pursues stolen treasures from the tomb to the heavens.

Rudely awakened from centuries of silence, the long-lost mummy of the greedy Pharaoh Khufu discovers his precious gems have been taken by Queen Cleo and her pillaging minions. With patience gone and pride wounded, Khufu sets off in relentless pursuit, ready to chase even Ra across the sky to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his.

Wrappin’ Gold leans into the playful side of ancient Egypt, blending regal swagger with mischievous grave-robber chaos. Khufu is no serene monarch in repose, but a determined figure dragged back into the world by theft and taunting. Against him stands Queen Cleo, framed as a bold instigator whose raids turn temples and tombs into the stage for a high-speed rivalry. The result is a character-led tale of possession, ego, and payback, wrapped in sun-baked mystique and divine-scale theatrics.

This 5-reel video slot centres its storytelling on pursuit and confrontation: a treasure-owner who refuses to be laughed at, a raiding queen who never stops pushing her luck and a sun god who becomes the ultimate line in the sand.

Magnus Wallentin, Games Ambassador at Play’n GO, said: “With Wrappin’ Gold, we wanted to spotlight a bold clash of personalities – Khufu’s stubborn determination against Queen Cleo’s audacious mischief – and frame it as a fast, cinematic chase that keeps the story front and centre.”

Wrappin’ Gold is a sharp, character-driven Egyptian caper where pride sparks the pursuit and the sky itself becomes the finish line.

The post Play’n GO Releases its Latest Online Slot Wrappin’ Gold appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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PRAGMATIC PLAY SETS UP SHOP WITH MR NULL’S WICKED WARES

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Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, has opened the doors to the sorcerer’s showroom in Mr Null’s Wicked Wares, where a catalogue of mystery symbols and multipliers conjure up 5,000x win potential.

The magical Mr Null watches over the grid in this 3-4-4-4-3 slot, where mystery symbols on reels 2-4 transform into random paying symbols, carrying 2x-10x multipliers. If two or more mystery symbols contribute to the same winning combination, their multiplier values combine.

Landing three scatters triggers the bonus game with seven free spins, with each scatter that hits during the feature awarding one extra spin.

Starting at 2x, win multipliers above reels 2-4 are progressive throughout the bonus game. Each subsequent winning mystery symbol increases the respective reel multiplier by +1x, applying to future mystery symbols that land on the same reel.

In select markets, players can activate a range of special bets, guaranteeing mystery symbols on each spin and increasing the minimum multiplier, or they can jump straight into Free Spins or Super Free Spins, which sees the starting multiplier increased to 5x.

Mr Null’s Wicked Wares is the latest addition to Pragmatic Play’s award-winning slots portfolio, following the release of Jelly Express and Sweet Bonanza 2500.

Sharon McHugh, Director of Public Relations at Pragmatic Play, said: Mr Null’s Wicked Wares combines mystery symbols and multipliers with an eye-catching and atmospheric theme, while the growing multiplier meters keep the momentum building during the feature. It’s a distinctive addition to our portfolio, and one we’re confident players will enjoy.”

The post PRAGMATIC PLAY SETS UP SHOP WITH MR NULL’S WICKED WARES appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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CasinoRank’s BettingRanker: Live Betting Becomes Core of Global Sports Wagering

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Live betting has become the dominant force in global sports wagering, according to a report from CasinoRank’s BettingRanker. New data shows that 47% of global online wagers were placed in-play in 2024, generating around $27.1 billion in gross win, with the share continuing to grow into 2025–2026.

BettingRanker’s analysis highlights a clear shift towards real-time wagering, with forecasts suggesting in-play betting will exceed 50% of global activity by 2028. In mature markets, this transition is already complete.

Key findings:

• In-play betting reached 47% of global wagers in 2024

• Europe (54%) and North America (53%) already exceed majority share

• Football drives 56% of total betting activity, generating $53B globally

• Mobile accounts for 58% of European gambling revenue, rising to 66% by 2028

• Operators report up to 65% of turnover coming from live betting

• Markets with strong in-play products see higher regulated participation

The growth is driven by better product design and infrastructure. Operators now offer micro-markets (next play, point or action), integrate live streaming, and deliver real-time odds updates at scale. Mobile usage plays a central role, as betting increasingly happens during live events, on the go, or alongside second-screen viewing.

At the same time, regulation is becoming stricter. Some U.S. states are moving to limit or ban in-play betting, especially micro-betting. Industry data suggests that restricting these products may push users toward offshore platforms rather than reducing demand.

Ethan Moore, Sports Analytics Specialist at BettingRanker, notes that live betting has evolved faster than regulation, raising questions about whether growth will remain within regulated markets.

The post CasinoRank’s BettingRanker: Live Betting Becomes Core of Global Sports Wagering appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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