Compliance Updates
EGBA Welcomes Plans for Overhaul of Finland’s Online Gambling Monopoly
The Ministry of the Interior in Finland has announced a legislative project to reform the country’s gambling monopoly system by introducing a license system for online gambling, including casino games and betting activities. EGBA, representing Europe’s leading online gambling companies, has welcomed this announcement as a crucial milestone in addressing the shortcomings of Finland’s outdated monopoly framework for online gambling.
The legislative project aims to draft necessary proposals for the reformation of the gambling system. These proposals will cover various aspects, including the gambling activities to be included in the license system, license fees, taxation, safer gambling rules, prevention of gambling-related harm, and advertising regulation. The project will run until 31 December 2025 and aims to conclude with a legislative proposal in spring 2025.
Finland is the only EU member state still operating an exclusive monopoly regime for all online gambling activities. However, the effectiveness of this system has drawn increasing public scrutiny due to Finnish gamblers migrating to international websites that offer them greater choice and more competitive betting odds compared to the monopoly. As a result, Finland has faced a loss of significant taxable revenues from online gambling, diminished control over its online gambling market, and Finnish players utilising gambling websites that are not subject to Finnish laws.
Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, said: “This is a welcome step towards meaningful and overdue gambling reform in Finland. The introduction of multi-licensing would provide greater choice and safeguards to Finnish consumers, ensure fairer competition between operators, and enable the Finnish authorities to have greater control over their online gambling market. With these changes of the Finnish legislation, all member states of the EU will now have some form of licensing regime for online gambling. We look forward to continuing dialogue with the Finnish Government and local stakeholders as the regulatory discussions develop.”
Compliance Updates
ClearStake awarded ISO 27001 certification cementing its position as a trusted financial risk check provider
Real-time risk profiling tool provider ClearStake has been awarded ISO 27001 certification, the globally recognised standard for data protection and system security, cementing its position as a trusted provider to the gambling industry.
To qualify for the ISO 27001, ClearStake was required to actively demonstrate the successful deployment and adherence to a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS), as part of a rigorous two-stage accreditation process with an independent auditor.
A key endorsement when expanding across global markets, the certification proves ClearStake’s team is fully compliant with international data protection and security standards, which were most recently updated by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission in 2022.
Martin Burt, CEO at ClearStake, said: “At the heart of what we do at ClearStake is building a secure environment for operators to handle and process data. As such, we are delighted to receive the ISO 27001 certification, which reaffirms our position as a reliable and compliant technology provider.
“This is a vital step in our growth as a company and will give clients further assurance that we operate to the highest standards.”
Stakelogic Live has received the green light from the Hellenic Gaming Commission to provide its industry-leading live casino content in the Greek market
Stakelogic Live, the in-demand provider of innovative live casino content, is set to launch in Greece after receiving approval from the Hellenic Gaming Commission.
As a result, Stakelogic Live will now be able to provide its exciting live casino content to any online casino that is licensed in the country. This will provide Greek players with the chance to sample Stakelogic Live’s plethora of live casino games.
Stakelogic Live streams its content live from state-of-the-art studios in Malta and the Netherlands and is already licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority. Its products range from standard live casino games such as American Blackjack, European Roulette and Auto Roulette to exciting game shows like Super Stake Blackjack, Super Stake Roulette 5000x and Speed Baccarat. All of these will be available at leading Greek Operators.
The provider is well-established in key markets across Europe, working with some of the industry’s leading operators. Players at Greek casinos will also get a chance to experience the newly launched Super Wheel™ bonus feature, an exciting money-wheel bonus that is a core feature on Stakelogic Slots.
Stephan van den Oetelaar, CEO at Stakelogic said: “Securing this license from the Hellenic Gaming Commission is a huge step forward for Stakelogic Live. Stakelogic has been active in the Greek market for a couple of years now, and Greek players have reacted well to our products.
Stakelogic Live offers premium, industry-leading live casino content, and we can’t wait for Greek players to be able to enjoy it for the first time.”
Denmark’s gambling regulator, Spillemyndigheden, has issued fines totalling DKK100,000 for an individual found to be advertising illegal games across two websites.
The games in question were being offered by operators without a licence in Denmark. Neither the identity of the websites nor the individual were disclosed by Spillemyndigheden.
The regulator said the two websites linked to sites where users could gamble, even if they were registered with ROFUS, the national self-exclusion programme in Denmark. Only sites that do not hold a licence allow users registered with ROFUS to gamble.
Spillemyndigheden added that it is an offence to promote websites and operators without a licence. The regulator reported the individual to the police, which in turn ruled they had broken the law.
This led to the issuing of two fines of DKK50,000 – one for each website. This left the total fine at DKK100,000. The total was recommended by Spillemyndigheden.
The case marks the first occasion where fines have been issued for promoting how players can gamble even after registering with ROFUS.
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