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The next step after the privatization of “Bilprovningen”: sell Svenska Spel

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It was with a clear message that Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) last week explained why the state is selling Bilprovningen, Sweden’s largest vehicle inspection company: “There is no obvious reason why the state should own this company. The state must first and foremost regulate and control this market, but it is good if others own,” she said.

The same can be said about the state-owned company in the gambling industry, Svenska Spel.

Bilprovningen and Svenska Spel belong to a handful of state holdings that are particularly unsuitable for the state to own, in that the state companies operate in a competitive market alongside a number of normal private companies, where the state has the role of regulating both its own company but also all others.

It is never a good idea to be a player and referee in the same match. No matter how much responsibility is distributed among various functions and authorities within the state, such an arrangement is set up to erode trust in the state’s role as a neutral judge. Is it the neutral judge we listen to when government officials speak, or is it the state casino director?

Having a state-owned company operating in an otherwise competitive market is by no means a guarantee that state-owned companies will perform better than private companies. This year alone, the fines issued to Svenska Spel by the Swedish Gambling Authority add up to over one hundred million kronor (€10M), for various violations of the Gambling Act. That’s more than any other gambling company on the market.

And it’s still not the big talking point of the year when it comes to scandals in the gambling industry. The big scandal has concerned a gambling company owned by a political party. Consider if a scandal of the same dignity affects a gambling company owned by the Swedish government. Every day with the state as owner of Svenska Spel, the government is exposed to this risk, e.g. with the illegal gambling advertising when Trisslotten is scratched on TV4.

Another unfortunate consequence when the state owns and operates companies on competitive markets is that the public debate about how gambling should be regulated is short-circuited, when Svenska Spel or their representatives take the floor and tell the government and the Riksdag how things should be regulated. The order in a democracy must be the other way around: it is the Riksdag and the government that have the mandate to say what Svenska Spel should do, not Svenska Spel that should give directives to the elected politicians.

The two heaviest parties in the government base in terms of the number of seats in the Riksdag – the Moderates and the Sweden Democrats – were very clear before the last election what they intended to do with Svenska Spel in the event of an election victory: privatize the state ownership. Instead, it was said, the government should concentrate on the role that only the state can have, namely, to be a legislator and to monitor that the market participants comply with laws and regulations.

The sale of AB Bilprovningen shows that the government is prepared to go from words to action, and there is no reason to wait any longer with the privatization of Svenska Spel. In fact, the state’s role as an impartial judge is probably even more important in the gambling market than in the car inspection industry.

Of course, a sale must take place according to all rules in order to get as much paid for the company as possible. The sale can then form an important basis for important government investments in, for example, infrastructure. It would be a sale we would all win from.

Gustaf Hoffstedt

Secretary General, BOS – The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling

The post The next step after the privatization of “Bilprovningen”: sell Svenska Spel appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Record-breaking volumes at the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, powered by OpenBet technology

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OpenBet, a global leader in betting and gaming technology, powered record-breaking volumes for World Sports Betting (WSB) during the 2026 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, processing more than three times WSB’s typical daily activity with zero downtime.

The Cape Town Met is one of South Africa’s premier horseracing events, drawing intense traffic that tests platform performance. Less than a year after migrating to OpenBet’s unified technology stack, WSB demonstrated the resilience and scalability of its platform under extreme demand.

OpenBet’s Player Account Management (PAM) technology and sportsbook solution — phased in with PAM going live in February 2025 and the sportsbook in October 2025 — now underpin WSB’s enterprise-grade wagering infrastructure across both digital and retail channels. The integrated system delivers streamlined KYC, a unified wallet, accurate reporting and a robust compliance framework designed for South Africa’s regulatory environment.

Enhanced features available to WSB customers include 50-leg accumulators, partially redeemable free bets, advanced Telebet telephone betting and integrated pools betting for sports and racing through OpenBet’s advanced trading system.

“With the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, we processed more than three times the usual volume with zero downtime, showcasing the strength and scalability of our technology,” said Runa Walia Desai, Chief Customer Experience Officer at OpenBet. “This milestone also extends our footprint into Africa, reinforcing our position across six continents.”

Warren Tannous, CEO of World Sports Betting, added that OpenBet’s modular solution gives the operator the confidence to expand its sportsbook offering and support increased user engagement while maintaining performance and compliance.

The post Record-breaking volumes at the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, powered by OpenBet technology appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Choice Gaming Launches Evra Crash in Exclusive Collaboration with Patrice Evra

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Choice Gaming has officially launched Evra Crash, a new multiplayer crash game developed in exclusive collaboration with football legend Patrice Evra.

The title blends high-energy crash mechanics with football culture, delivering a synchronized, shared-table experience designed to boost player engagement and social interaction.

A Football Icon Powers the Gameplay

At the center of Evra Crash is Patrice Evra, one of football’s most recognizable personalities. His presence adds authenticity and competitive intensity to the gameplay, reinforcing the game’s energetic, community-driven concept. The partnership between Choice Gaming and Evra aims to merge competitive spirit with immersive entertainment in the fast-growing crash gaming segment.

Multiplayer Crash Experience

Unlike traditional single-session crash games, Evra Crash is built around real-time shared rounds:

  • All players join the same round simultaneously
  • Fully networked multiplayer participation
  • Visible, synchronized gameplay across users

This structure creates a social crash environment where anticipation builds collectively, increasing engagement and enhancing the thrill of each round.

Game Features & Performance Metrics

Evra Crash offers a balanced gameplay structure designed for broad player appeal:

  • RTP: 95%
  • Maximum Multiplier: 10,000x
  • Volatility: Low

The low-volatility model provides consistent entertainment while maintaining the potential for high multipliers, positioning Evra Crash as an accessible yet exciting crash title in the iGaming market.

Cross-Platform Optimization

Built for seamless performance across environments, Evra Crash is:

  • Fully mobile-optimized
  • Compatible with land-based gaming solutions
  • Designed for consistent cross-platform gameplay

Whether accessed online or in physical gaming venues, players experience uninterrupted performance and smooth gameplay integration.

The post Choice Gaming Launches Evra Crash in Exclusive Collaboration with Patrice Evra appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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EARN YOUR PLACE AMONG THE BEST AS POKERSTARS REVEALS SCHEDULE FOR PRESTIGIOUS SPRING CHAMPIONSHIP OF ONLINE POKER

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More than $45 million guaranteed across 400 tournament opportunities for all players to earn their greatness

The full schedule for poker’s first major online series of the year, PokerStars prestigious Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), has been unveiled featuring 136 events and more than $45 million guaranteed.

From March 1 to 25, players have the chance to earn their greatness once more and battle for an acclaimed SCOOP title across three weeks of elite online poker action. The 136-event schedule (with a total of 400 tournaments) offers low, medium, and high buy-in levels from $5.50 to $15,000, and a wide range of formats including No-Limit Hold’em, PLO, 8-Game, Mystery Bounties, Turbo, and Deep Stack events, making SCOOP accessible for everyone.

KEY SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

The flagship Main Events will be a schedule highlight and will award a total of $5.5 million across the NLHE Main Events on March 22, and $550,000 across the PLO Main Events on March 23.

  • $109 SCOOP NLHE Main Event Low – $1.5 million guaranteed
  • $1,050 SCOOP NLHE Main Event Med – $2 million guaranteed
  • $5,200 SCOOP NLHE Main Event High – $2 million guaranteed
  • 109 SCOOP PLO Main Event Low – $100,000 guaranteed
  • $1,050 SCOOP PLO Main Event Med – $200,000 guaranteed
  • $5,200 SCOOP PLO Main Event High – $250,000 guaranteed

Other highlights of the 18th edition of SCOOP include:

  • March 1 – $215 Sunday Million PKO – $1 million guaranteed
  • March 8 – $22 Mystery Sunday Special, $300,000 guaranteed – All-in Shoot Out for United Kingdom & Ireland players to award an Emerald Pass to the Irish Open on March 10 at 7am GMT
  • March 8 – $109 Sunday Million PKO – $1 million guaranteed
  • March 15 – $55 Mini Sunday Million PKO – $500,000 guaranteed – All-in Shoot Out for United Kingdom & Ireland players to award an Emerald Pass to the Irish Open on March 17 at 7am GMT
  • March 15 – $530 Sunday Million – $1 million guaranteed

As well as the huge prizes and trophies on offer, players can also compete in the SCOOP Leaderboards where an additional $100,000 in cash prizes will be awarded across the Low, Medium and High Player of the Series Leaderboards.

As ever, there are a number of qualification routes giving players the chance to qualify into SCOOP events for a fraction of the buy-in. Routes include satellites from just $0.55, the SCOOP Lucky Dip where $500,000 in SCOOP tickets are up for grabs and the $55 Power Path Express SCOOP Edition, on March 1st,where more than $200,000 in SCOOP Power Passes and Main Event tickets will be awarded to boost players’ grind to greatness. Finally, all players are still in time to crack open a SCOOP Prize Vault and earn a SCOOP ticket worth up to $1,050 upon opt-in.

“SCOOP is where greatness isn’t given, it’s earned. Every title represents weeks of preparation, relentless competition and beating the toughest fields in online poker. That’s what makes a SCOOP win so special,” said Steve Clarricoats, Associate Director of Poker Operations at PokerStars. “With a huge schedule and accessible buy-ins and formats, SCOOP remains the title every online player wants on their record.”

For 17 years, SCOOP has been appointment poker of the highest order and winning a SCOOP title has been a bucket list dream for poker players all over the world. More than $1.4 billion in prize pools have been awarded to players since SCOOP started in 2009, with some of the world’s best players earning coveted SCOOP trophies.

Sweden’s Simon “C. Darwin” Mattsson is the greatest player in SCOOP history having earned 14 titles, followed by fellow Swede Niklas “Lena900” Astedt and the UK’s Benny “RunGodlike” Glaser who both have 11 titles, with Benny being the most decorated player in COOP history also having a record-leading 16 WCOOP titles.

For more information about SCOOP head to the PokerStars website or PokerStars Blog.

 

The post EARN YOUR PLACE AMONG THE BEST AS POKERSTARS REVEALS SCHEDULE FOR PRESTIGIOUS SPRING CHAMPIONSHIP OF ONLINE POKER appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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