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Anger in the Industry After the Swedish Gambling Authority’s Acquittal of Infiniza

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Last Friday, Di wrote about how the Swedish Gambling Authority closed an investigation into the Malta-based casino operator Infiniza, whose online casino, according to the authority’s assessment, is not aimed at Swedes. This is after the company changed the payment operator, i.e. who manages the transfer of gambling money from bank accounts to the casino, and the criteria that determine whether someone directs gambling at Swedes are not considered fulfilled.

Actions Did The Trick For Infiniza

“In light of the measures Infiniza Limited has taken regarding the company’s marketing as well as the payment options and/or payment service providers that were the subject of the current supervisory case, the Swedish Gambling Inspectorate assesses that the company, based on what emerged in the case, ceased to provide gambling aimed at the Swedish market without necessary license”

From the Gambling Authority’s decision that Infiniza review ceases, 21/2 2024.

Gustaf Hoffstedt, general secretary of the licensed gambling operators’ association The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (Bos), is upset.

“It is offensive, and endangers the entire safety and security of the Swedish gambling license system,” he told Di about the Spelinspektionen’s decision, which he read about “with dismay” in Di.

According to Gustaf Hoffstedt, who refers to web traffic statistics that Di has taken part in, Infiniza is one of Sweden’s largest players in online casinos.

“They are estimated to have a significant operation in Sweden, in fact a large part of it is intended to receive Swedish consumers. It is of course extremely profitable, as they do not pay any Swedish gambling tax.”

The Swedish Gambling Authority’s decision has been made after Infiniza’s casinos changed their payment provider to one based in Lithuania. In the past, the Swedish-registered payment services Finshark and Zimpler reviewed by Di have been used.

“That’s exactly how it goes: if someone shines a spotlight on the fact that payment intermediaries ‘blue’ are not okay, payment intermediaries become ‘red’, then ‘green’, then ‘purple’ – and it goes on forever.”

Gustaf Hoffstedt calls for stricter legislation similar to that in the Netherlands, where it is forbidden to even accept domestic players – whereby more people play with the licensed players.

“The basic problem is the scope of the Swedish law, that is to say that unlicensed gambling companies are not explicitly prohibited from passively accepting Swedish players, provided that the company does not target them,” he says.

For several years, BOS has addressed the problem to both governments, investigators and the Gambling Authority and called for the Netherlands’ example to be followed, with the criminalization of passively accepting and enabling Swedish players.

However, the organization has cut stone in stone, and has not received a hearing for its proposal.

“The government does not want this. It claims that the channelization (the percentage of licensed gamblers, Di’s note) is good in Sweden, which unfortunately is not true, that the gambling market is stable, which is also not true, and that this is not a path that Sweden should follow.”

Marcus Aronsson, investigator at Spelinspektionen, told Di that the decision from last Friday only concerns Infiniza’s use of Zimpler, and that the just concluded case was already started in 2021.

He cannot comment on whether the payment company or companies used thereon means that Infiniza can be considered to target Swedes, nor whether a new review of the operator has been initiated after the Zimpler case.

In the decision, however, it is explicitly mentioned that the Swedish Gambling Authority can initiate a new supervisory case if Infiniza can again be considered to target the Swedish market without the necessary license.

Asia

India: Online Gaming Act to Come into Force on May 1

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The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in India (MeitY) has introduced a revised regulatory framework for the online gaming sector, adopting what it calls a “light-touch” approach that keeps most online social games outside mandatory registration or classification requirements.

Announced by MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 are set to come into force on May 1, operationalising the provisions of the PROG Act, 2025 while attempting to strike a balance between oversight and ease of doing business.

At the centre of the framework is a newly constituted Online Gaming Authority, a digital office under MeitY that brings together representatives from finance, information and broadcasting, health, sports, power, justice and external affairs signalling a cross-sectoral approach to governance in a space that cuts across policy domains.

The rules redraw the regulatory boundaries by clearly distinguishing between prohibited real-money gaming formats and permissible categories such as online social games and e-sports. Crucially, classification or “determination” of a game will not be automatic. It will be triggered only in three cases: when initiated by the authority, when a service provider applies (especially for e-sports), or when the government notifies specific categories.

Once triggered, the determination process will follow a 90 day timeline, with outcomes issued through formal orders that apply only to the specific game and publisher, rather than across similar titles.

Registration, too, has been narrowed in scope. It will apply only to notified categories involving financial risk or large-scale participation, along with all e-sports titles. As of now, no categories have been formally notified, with the provision described as enabling rather than mandatory.

Beyond classification, the framework leans heavily on compliance and user safety. Platforms will be required to implement technical and behavioural safeguards, alongside a two-tier grievance redressal system and an appellate route through the authority. Additional obligations include data retention, cybersecurity standards, financial transaction monitoring and periodic reporting extending compliance responsibilities to banks and financial institutions as well.

Structurally, the rules simplify earlier drafts by removing provisions such as a separate section on promoting e-sports and the concept of “material change,” reducing room for interpretational ambiguity. The authority itself will comprise six members, with stricter quorum norms and faster emergency response timelines cut from seven days to three.

Registration validity has been extended to up to 10 years, while suspension and cancellation processes now include a mandatory opportunity for hearing, reflecting a more formalised enforcement mechanism.

The ministry said the revisions incorporate feedback from around 2500 stakeholders, spanning industry, academia, think tanks and legal experts many of whom had flagged concerns around definitions, governance structures and regulatory clarity.

The post India: Online Gaming Act to Come into Force on May 1 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Balkans

CT Interactive Expands its Certified Portfolio in Bulgaria

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CT Interactive has strengthened its presence in Bulgaria’s regulated iGaming market by expanding its certified portfolio with 20 new titles. This strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality and engaging gaming content tailored to the Bulgarian market.

As part of the expansion, CT Interactive introduces new games to its multicurrency, multi-game progressive Diamond Tree Jackpot, including HOT 7’s X2 Diamond Tree and Wild Clover Diamond Tree. These titles are also available as original versions without the Diamond Tree feature and have already demonstrated strong player engagement and retention across multiple international markets.

The company has also added new releases to its successful Clover-themed line, including Cave of Clovers and Lucky Clover 20, the latest addition to the beloved series. These games feature vintage-inspired graphics and nostalgic design elements that enhance player engagement while maintaining the charm that has made the Clover series a favourite among players worldwide.

Additionally, CT Interactive launches Win Storm Deluxe, the highly anticipated sequel to the internationally successful Win Storm. This new release builds on the original concept and introduces Free Games, delivering an even more dynamic and exciting gameplay experience.

A selection of fresh titles is also being introduced to provide new gaming experiences for Bulgarian operators. Games such as 100x Cherry Party, 40 Hell’s Cherries, and Hell’s Cherries each offer a unique approach, enriching the portfolio and providing players with a wider variety of engaging content.

“Certification in Bulgaria is an important part of our European growth strategy. By expanding our portfolio, we are not only strengthening our market presence, but also providing Bulgarian operators with a proven successful and more diverse content offering,” said Martin Ivanov, COO of CT Interactive.

“With every new certification, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening partnerships in regulated markets and to being a provider of high-quality content that performs well for every operator,” said Kiril Kirilov, Chief Customer Success Officer at CT Interactive.

The post CT Interactive Expands its Certified Portfolio in Bulgaria appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Compliance Updates

Oklahoma Senate Rejects the Latest Sports Betting Bill

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The Oklahoma State Senate has rejected a bill last Wednesday that would have legalized sports betting for tribal nations across the state. The bill had garnered support from the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association one day earlier.

House Bill 1047 failed by a 21-27 vote. It was proposed last year by Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, and Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City.

During a debate on the state senate floor, Coleman said that prediction markets already exist in Oklahoma, but the state does not benefit from them.

“It does not create a new avenue of gambling. You can legally make a sports bet right now, and it’s unregulated and we get nothing. This bill contains a regulated alternative to legal sports betting with platforms who are very concerned about problem gaming,” Coleman said.

Critics of the bill who spoke on the floor told Coleman they did not want to contribute to sports betting addiction.

Coleman asked the Senate to reconsider the issue in the future after voting ended. A spokesperson for Coleman wrote he could return the bill to the floor in the next few days. That would require finding necessary votes within his caucus.

The measure would have granted tribes the exclusive right to implement in-person and mobile sports betting throughout Oklahoma as a supplement to the State-Tribal Gaming Act of 2004, which gives the tribes sole authority over gaming through exclusivity fees paid to the state.

Those fees would derive from 8% of sports betting earnings. But any revenue from NBA and WNBA wagers would go toward the Strong Readers Act Fund, signed into law last week.

The OKC Thunder and a supermajority of tribes in the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association announced their support for the measure last Tuesday after the parties reached an agreement to revise the bill.

But a spokesperson at the Oklahoma Governor’s Office wrote that Gov. Kevin Stitt does not support expanding the state’s tribal gaming compact.

“The Governor is not interested in expanding Democrat Gov. Brad Henry’s bad gaming compact that lacks transparency and fair market rates,” a texted statement reads.

The statement did not clarify if Stitt would have vetoed the measure.

Stitt has regularly opposed sports betting bills that would grant gaming exclusivity to tribal nations. Last year, he said exclusivity would grant the tribes a monopoly that would clash with a free market system.

Coleman, Luttrell, the governor’s office and the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the vote.

The post Oklahoma Senate Rejects the Latest Sports Betting Bill appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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