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Finnish Minister Says State Should Treat Gambling Monopoly Revenues like Alcohol Profits
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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The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, the largest content hub in the iGaming industry, has secured Brazilian certification, becoming one of the first in the market to achieve this milestone.
Regulatory rules for iGaming come into effect in Brazil on 1 January 2025. According to them, platforms, aggregators, sportsbooks, and providers must undergo certification. Companies aiming to provide their services in Brazil in 2025 and beyond have been preparing for this transition throughout the year.
The SOFTSWISS team announces that its Game Aggregator is the first to fully comply with regulations, completing all necessary preparations and receiving the certificate to ensure smooth and efficient operations for its clients.
SOFTSWISS has also obtained certification for integration with the world’s largest game providers – Pragmatic Play, Evolution, and Playtech. These providers offer a diverse range of games tailored to suit the preferences of Brazilian players, from immersive live dealer experiences to engaging slots and table games, ensuring entertainment for every type of player.
According to recent Kantar research conducted in November 2024, the overall satisfaction index for the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator is 8.1 out of 10. Remarkably, half of the respondents rated the product a 10 or 9. Customer support service satisfaction scored even higher, at 8.4 out of 10.
The Game Aggregator also boasts a key advantage: consistent 99.999% uptime, which is crucial for the iGaming business.
Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS, notes: “According to our information, the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator is the first aggregator fully prepared, both technically and legally, to work in Brazil when the new regulations take effect. This is a significant achievement that the team has worked on diligently and systematically. Our work doesn’t stop here – we are actively adding new providers to help our clients expand their presence in this promising Brazilian market, which is no longer ‘the sleeping giant’. It has awakened, and SOFTSWISS is at the forefront of this exciting transformation.”
To support this high level of performance, earlier this year SOFTSWISS appointed Rubens Barrichello, the Brazilian Formula 1 legend, as a Non-Executive Director, demonstrating its strong commitment to the local market. To ensure efficient operations and promptly address ongoing matters, SOFTSWISS also has a dedicated team of local business development managers in Brazil.
SOFTSWISS team will be available to discuss partnership in Brazil and other markets at the first major iGaming event of 2025 – ICE Barcelona, taking place on 20–22 January, at stand 2G42.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator: Largest Content Hub Certified in Brazil appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Digitain, the leading provider of sportsbook and casino platform solutions, announced today that Edmond Ghulyan, the Group Chief Strategy Officer, has been promoted to CEO of Relum, the casino engine solution provider that is part of the Digitain Group of Companies.
Edmond has held several key leadership positions within the Digitain Group over the past seven years, including Chief of Centrivo Products and Group Chief Strategy Officer. He brings extensive experience in the iGaming industry, along with expertise in digital strategy, product innovation, operations, and market-product fit strategies. His comprehensive understanding of both B2B and B2C iGaming supply chains will be invaluable in further scaling Relum’s product offerings, including casino aggregation services and market expansion.
Digitain’s Group Founder, Mr. Vardges Vardanyan, commented on the promotion: “I am delighted to have Edmond lead the Relum team. With his extensive experience in product and commercial development at Digitain over the years, Edmond will support and facilitate comprehensive solutions as Relum expands its services to B2C partner operators in high-growth markets.”
Edmond Ghulyan, CEO of Relum, expressed his enthusiasm for the new role: “I am truly excited to have played my part of Digitain’s growth journey, and now Relum, a company that has consistently expanded its business solutions within the global regulated iGaming supply chain. The company’s customer-centric approach and commitment to its people in delivering complex solutions for today’s multi-jurisdictional regulated operators have always impressed me. I eagerly look forward to scaling the Relum business with new and existing partners and leading the product and sales team in the coming months.”
The post Digitain has promoted Group Chief Strategy Officer to CEO of Relum appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Zitro, a leading global gaming company, has announced the successful launch of its first Wide Area Progressive (WAP) in Argentina, with over 45 slot cabinets initially installed in five gaming halls located at the Hipódromo de Palermo. The product selected for this project is the successful game “Mighty Hammer Ultimate” on Zitro’s premium cabinet, “Altius Glare.”
This system represents the first WAP in South America. A shared jackpot called “Mega Pozo Mighty Hammer” starts at 50 million Pesos and grows progressively, making it the largest accumulated prize in the region. The official inauguration was held on December 19th during the exclusive “Noche de Palermo” event, including a live performance by the renowned Argentinian band Los Totora.
Company Directors commented: “We are very pleased to introduce Argentina’s first WAP at the Hipódromo de Palermo. This project – for which we partnered with Zitro – reiterates Casino Club’s commitment to innovation, always under the premise of offering our customers an entertainment experience that exceeds all their expectations.”
For her part, Alejandra Burato, Regional Director of Zitro for LatAm, commented: “The launch of our first WAP in Argentina is a very important milestone for Zitro, as it confirms our company as a supplier of machines for WAPs. Attending the inauguration event and seeing firsthand how our products connect with players has been a pleasure, providing a unique and different entertainment experience in the region. Additionally, I want to highlight the excellent marketing surrounding the launch, contributing to its success. Finally, I would like to thank Casino Club for their trust and collaboration, which has allowed us to present this innovative proposal in such a renowned and emblematic place as the Hipódromo de Palermo.”
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