In Finland, the NHL has designated Veikkaus as its official betting partner. The Norwegian Ministry has proposed a waiver for gambling activities from the provisions of the Right of Withdrawal Act. Meanwhile, Sweden has issued its first-ever gaming supplier licenses. In Denmark, player registration is now mandatory as a measure against betting-related offenses. Finally, Parimatch and other bookmakers could potentially face global sanctions.
NHL in Finland has chosen Veikkaus as its official betting partner
Veikkaus has forged a fresh alliance with NHL, marking a new partnership for the Finnish lottery monopoly. As per the agreement between the two entities, the company has become the authorized betting partner of the NHL in the country for the current and upcoming seasons.
Veikkaus' partnership with the NHL will enable fans in Finland to access a variety of NHL content on its platforms, including live coverage of the matches on VeikkausTV. According to Joseph Stravato, head of the league’s business development department, the partnership with Veikkaus reflects the NHL's aim to broaden its global fan base and cater to its Finnish supporters.
Veikkaus, meanwhile, hopes that the collaboration will broaden its existing ice hockey offering and enable it to present more NHL content on its channels.
Norwegian ministry suggests excluding gambling from Withdrawal Act
A draft law has been proposed by the Ministry of Children and Families to the Storting, suggesting that gambling be removed from the Right of Withdrawal Act, which handles agreements between consumers and businesses. The ministry believes that applying the act's provisions for prior details and the right to withdraw from gambling activities is difficult.
The Right of Withdrawal Act was enacted in 2014 to implement a 2011 EU directive on consumer rights into Norwegian law. The suggestion was put forward after consulting with governmental bodies, political organizations, academic institutions, gaming companies, and NGOs.
Sweden grants first-ever gaming supplier licenses
The Swedish watchdog, Spelinspektionen, has given gaming supplier licenses to several B2B organizations – Synot Games, Skill On Net, and Programutvecklarna i Norrköping AB – under a new framework. The licenses will be valid for five years initially, starting from July 1, 2023.
About 60 applications are currently being processed, and more are expected in the near future. The B2B licensing system was introduced last year to discourage illegal gambling and increase channeling, with licensing conditions for gaming software presented in November. The Ministry of Finance has approved the reform, and Spelinspektionen plans to roll out the B2B licensing framework as planned, with a SEK 120 000 license fee and a renewal fee of SEK 600 000.
Denmark mandates player registration to tackle betting crimes
Denmark's land-based betting industry will mandate player registration when placing bets starting October 1, 2023, according to an executive order from the Danish Ministry of Taxation.
The directive seeks to align land-based and online money-wagering with know-your-customer (KYC) and AML processes. Additionally, its goal is to eliminate anonymity for the purpose of improving consumer safety and fighting against money laundering operations and match-fixing.
Players under 18 or those who have self-excluded must also set a loss limit. Denmark has been increasing its efforts against money-laundering schemes since July 2022.
Parimatch and other bookmakers face potential international sanctions
UNN's Brussels correspondent has reported that Parimatch may face international sanctions in the coming months. The European Commission is expected to make a final decision in May regarding the imposition of new sanctions against several bookmakers, including Parimatch.
The Council of Europe has stated that members of the European Commission are currently preparing documents, based on the Decree of the President of Ukraine and the conclusion of the National Security and Defense Council. These documents will be put to a vote in May, which will determine whether EU nations will set sanctions on a number of bookmakers, including Parimatch, 1xBet, Betwinner, and others.
Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky enforced sanctions on over 100 Russian betting companies for a duration of 50 years. It is anticipated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will notify the relevant authorities in the US, European Union, and other countries about the sanctions and urge them to take comparable measures.
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