Latest News
The next step after the privatization of “Bilprovningen”: sell Svenska Spel
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.
Latest News
BetBlocker and Responsible Online Gaming Association Partner to Deliver Free Blocking Software for the United States
US charity BetBlocker and the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA), an independent association representing 90% of the legal U.S. sports betting industry, are today announcing a partnership to ensure that any American can access free, anonymous to use blocking software.
BetBlocker provides free, anonymous to use, blocking software allowing users to manage their access to online gambling services. The charity has supported over a 150k active users 2025, including over 10k US users.
Duncan Garvie, Founder of BetBlocker, offered this comment on the partnership:
“The single most effective way for BetBlocker to reach the audience that stand to benefit from our tool is via partnerships with the industry. ROGA represents a coordinated by the U.S. industry to improve responsible gaming standards throughout the sector. Having their backing for the BetBlocker project is a significant step forward for our organisation and will ensure that people who want support to structure where and when they can play online will be able to do so anonymously and for free.”
ROGA was established to raise the standard for responsible online gaming through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to evidence-based practices,” said Dr. Jennifer Shatley, Executive Director of ROGA. “Making resources like BetBlocker more visible and accessible is one way we put that mission into action. We’re equipping individuals with practical tools that support their decisions and well-being.”
BetBlocker’s app is available on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux and Fire OS and can be set-up in under two minutes. The service is committed to reducing barriers to access to blocking software to improve engagement with this effective gaming management tool. ROGA’s commitment to viewing players as individuals and customizing support to their needs’ aligns perfectly with the soon to be launched Scheduling feature that BetBlocker will provide, supporting players to create profiles to ensures their block is on when they need it.
This collaboration represents a conscious commitment by both organizations to ensure that players who need support to manage their engagement with online gaming are supported with a diverse spectrum of available support options that can be tailored to the person’s individual needs.
About the Responsible Online Gaming Association
Launched in March 2024, the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) is comprised of eight of the nation’s largest online gaming operators, committed to promoting evidence-based best practices for responsible gaming. More information about ROGA is available here.
About BetBlocker
BetBlocker, a charity registered in Delaware. It is a not-for-profit that provides the only free (to everyone) gambling blocking software and multi-site and multi-jurisdiction responsible gaming mechanisms for consumers. At no cost, the game-changing software empowers users to play responsibly, allowing them to take steps to manage their access to gaming across all devices and platforms. BetBlocker is available all over the world and captures both regulated and unregulated gaming sites and apps.
The post BetBlocker and Responsible Online Gaming Association Partner to Deliver Free Blocking Software for the United States appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BetBlocker
BetBlocker and Responsible Online Gaming Association Partner to Deliver Free Blocking Software for the United States
US charity BetBlocker and the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA), an independent association representing 90% of the legal U.S. sports betting industry, are today announcing a partnership to ensure that any American can access free, anonymous to use blocking software.
BetBlocker provides free, anonymous to use, blocking software allowing users to manage their access to online gambling services. The charity has supported over a 150k active users 2025, including over 10k US users.
Duncan Garvie, Founder of BetBlocker, offered this comment on the partnership:
“The single most effective way for BetBlocker to reach the audience that stand to benefit from our tool is via partnerships with the industry. ROGA represents a coordinated by the U.S. industry to improve responsible gaming standards throughout the sector. Having their backing for the BetBlocker project is a significant step forward for our organisation and will ensure that people who want support to structure where and when they can play online will be able to do so anonymously and for free.”
ROGA was established to raise the standard for responsible online gaming through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to evidence-based practices,” said Dr. Jennifer Shatley, Executive Director of ROGA. “Making resources like BetBlocker more visible and accessible is one way we put that mission into action. We’re equipping individuals with practical tools that support their decisions and well-being.”
BetBlocker’s app is available on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux and Fire OS and can be set-up in under two minutes. The service is committed to reducing barriers to access to blocking software to improve engagement with this effective gaming management tool. ROGA’s commitment to viewing players as individuals and customizing support to their needs’ aligns perfectly with the soon to be launched Scheduling feature that BetBlocker will provide, supporting players to create profiles to ensures their block is on when they need it.
This collaboration represents a conscious commitment by both organizations to ensure that players who need support to manage their engagement with online gaming are supported with a diverse spectrum of available support options that can be tailored to the person’s individual needs.
About the Responsible Online Gaming Association
Launched in March 2024, the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) is comprised of eight of the nation’s largest online gaming operators, committed to promoting evidence-based best practices for responsible gaming. More information about ROGA is available here.
About BetBlocker
BetBlocker, a charity registered in Delaware. It is a not-for-profit that provides the only free (to everyone) gambling blocking software and multi-site and multi-jurisdiction responsible gaming mechanisms for consumers. At no cost, the game-changing software empowers users to play responsibly, allowing them to take steps to manage their access to gaming across all devices and platforms. BetBlocker is available all over the world and captures both regulated and unregulated gaming sites and apps.
The post BetBlocker and Responsible Online Gaming Association Partner to Deliver Free Blocking Software for the United States appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
SA Gaming has announced that its game portfolio and Remote Gaming Server have officially obtained Gaming Laboratories International certifications in Brazil. This milestone underscores SA Gaming’s commitment to delivering premium gaming experiences, with a particular focus on the Brazilian market. The regulated Brazilian online gaming market, which launched on January 1, 2025, is projected to become the largest in Latin America. Under the new framework, only licensed operators are legally permitted to offer online gaming and betting services.
The National Indian Gaming Commission announced Gross Gaming Revenues of $43.9B for fiscal year 2024. This historic figure reflects a $2.0 billion increase over FY 2023, representing an overall growth of 4.6% across the Indian gaming industry. The GGR figure is calculated from independently audited financial statements from 532 independently audited gaming operations owned by 243 federally recognised tribes across 29 states. Two NIGC regions, Oklahoma City and Washington, D.C., reported double-digit growth over the previous fiscal year.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board has issued cease-and-desist letters to six unlicensed online gambling platforms attempting to target Michigan residents without state authorisation. The action underscores the MGCB’s relentless, ongoing efforts to shut down illegal gambling operations and protect Michigan consumers from financial risk, identity theft and unfair play. The targeted sites—Crypto Slots, NitroBetting, NewVegas, Las Vegas USA Casino, Grand Rush Casino and Slotgard Casino—were found to be operating in violation of Michigan laws that require licensure for internet gaming and sports betting. This enforcement action is part of the MGCB’s larger crackdown on illegal online gambling platforms.
Partnerships
Table Trac Inc announced that a new Nevada casino partner is installing the CasinoTrac CMS system, and a long-time customer is upgrading from its classic system to the latest comprehensive technology stack featuring enhanced capabilities for Loyalty, Bonusing, & Operations. Barton’s Club 93 Casino Hotel, under new ownership, GLM Gaming, as part of a significant property remodel and renovation is upgrading the slot system to CasinoTrac’s high-speed, Secure, Unified and Stable PlayerLINQ network, which drives player engagement through the programmatic, custom SlotSUITE platform while turbocharging efficiency and time on device with SelfPAY. Border Inn Casino will deploy CasinoTrac’s high-speed, Secure, Unified and Stable PlayerLINQ network, NV Tech Standard 3-compliant accounting and CTLoyalty for Patron & Club Management, powered by CasinoTrac’s bonusing, auto-tiering and reflexive rewards functions.
Caesars Entertainment Inc announced it is the first in the industry to launch IGT’s newest installment of its beloved slot title, Kitty Glitter Grand. The game is now live across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino, and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, and Ontario. It’s also available at Caesars Rewards destinations in Atlantic City, including Caesars and Harrah’s, with Tropicana set to join the lineup soon, subject to final regulatory approval. This debut marks IGT’s first simultaneous exclusive launch of a game both online and in casinos in the US. As a result, Caesars is currently the only place where fans of the Kitty Glitter franchise can experience this latest installment, whether in person or online.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – August 4-10 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Asia7 days agoMelBet Announces New Partnership with СPL 2024 Champion Saint Lucia Kings
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Alon Segev6 days agoSegev LLP Celebrates 10 Years of Business-Focused Legal Innovation
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Australia5 days ago
IGT to Showcase Localised Linked Games and Gaming Systems Advancements at 2025 Australasian Gaming Expo
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NYSE:RSI4 days ago
Rush Street Interactive to Participate at the Oppenheimer Technology, Internet & Communications Conference
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Compliance Updates6 days ago
Illinois Gaming Board Announces Enhanced, Uniformed Advertising Rules for Casinos, Video Gaming and Sports Wagering
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Brazil6 days ago
SOFTSWISS Strengthens Regulated Market Presence in LatAm with Full Product Certification in Brazil
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Australia5 days ago
Light & Wonder to Participate in the 2025 Australasian Gaming Expo
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Compliance Updates7 days ago
NCPG Celebrates Senate Action on Military Gambling Addiction Research
