Baltics
Court Declares Rīga’s Ban on Gambling Unconstitutional
The Constitutional Court of Latvia said on April 4 that it had deemed the restriction on the organisation of gambling throughout Rīga unconstitutional, as the municipality has not justified why gambling is prohibited in the specific areas.
The case was brought before the Constitutional Court following applications by the gambling companies Olympic Casino Latvia Ltd, Alfor Ltd and Joker Ltd. They requested an assessment of the compliance of the Rīga spatial plan with Article 105 of the Constitution, which provides for the right to property that may be restricted only following the law. Compulsory expropriation of property for public needs is only allowed in exceptional cases on the basis of a separate law against fair compensation.
The contested norm provides, however, that the organisation of gambling and the provision of gambling services are prohibited in the entire administrative territory of Rīga, except where such gambling venues are located in four- or five-star hotels.
Six years ago, the Riga City Council decided to close down 42 gambling venues in the city centre, and last September it decided to cancel 139 permits for gambling venues outside the city centre. They must close within five years.
The Constitutional Court found that the organisation of gambling is a legal commercial activity existing in conditions of free competition.
The legislator has given the municipality the competence to assess independently which areas or territories of the municipality should be subject to restrictions on the organisation of gambling. The municipality is also entitled to designate an unlimited number of areas in the spatial plan where gambling is not allowed. However, the municipality must comply with the principle of territorial assessment laid down in the authorisation granted by the legislator.
The Constitutional Court found that the municipality had failed to state reasons why the organisation of gambling was prohibited in the functional zones of the spatial plan, where commercial activities were envisaged as one of the permitted uses of the territory.
In accordance with the principle of assessment of territories laid down in the Law on Gambling, the municipality must assess, for example, in the spatial planning process, the built-up area and the location of infrastructure facilities, the population density, the interests of residents and traders and other relevant aspects which may be the basis for imposing restrictions on the organisation of gambling.
No such assessment has been carried out by the municipality prior to the establishment of restrictions on gambling throughout the territory of Riga.
The Constitutional Court held that the restriction on fundamental rights contained in the contested norm was incompatible with Article 1 and the first, second and third sentences of Article 105 of the Constitution.
Baltics
Lithuania to Ban Gambling Ads
The Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday approved restrictions on gambling advertising, set to take effect from next July.
The amendments to the Gaming Law, passed with 73 votes in favour and one abstention, will introduce a ban on gambling advertising starting in July 2025. Exceptions will apply to sports competitions and events, as well as sports sponsorships and broadcasts of sports competitions, which will have a transitional period until January 1, 2028.
Next year’s budget for the Media Support Fund earmarks an additional 4 million euros to compensate media organisations for lost advertising revenue.
Among other things, MPs backed a proposal from the parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance to have a transitional period until the end of 2027, allowing up to three betting ad spots of under 15 seconds each per hour on television, radio and online between 06:00 and 18:00 and up to two per hour between 18:00 and midnight.
For online media, betting ads without a direct link to the gaming operator’s website will be limited to 20% of advertising space from 06:00 to 18:00 and 10% until midnight.
Baltics
Genome launches SEPA instant payments, adding another valuable feature for iGaming companies
Genome (UAB Maneuver LT) has introduced SEPA Instant Transfers for all its clients. Companies can now make instant euro payments within seconds to optimize cash flow and improve operational efficiency across the Eurozone.
Additionally, SEPA Instant Transfers can be used for batch Transfers, making mass payments even more effective for companies, particularly the iGaming businesses.
“SEPA Instant Transfers enable quick payments in the Eurozone, improving cash flow and scheduling flexibility for business partners – a very crucial feature for modern-day companies that conduct operations online,” explained Genome’s CEO, Daumantas Barauskas.
SEPA Instant Transfers will be priced the same as regular SEPA Credit Transfers, ensuring users enjoy the convenience of instant transactions without any additional costs.
The feature has gone live shortly before the SiGMA Europe conference that Genome’s team will be attending. Businesses can learn more about SEPA Instant Transfers and other iGaming services Genome provides at booth #3102 or by booking a meeting.
“SEPA Instant Transfers is not the only service Genome offers iGaming companies. For one, they can streamline their financial operations with our API for mass payouts and B2C2B payments. We are currently developing the incoming payment notifications service via API (API for pay-ins). This feature will notify iGaming companies about client pay-ins in real-time. We also provide contactless physical and virtual Visa Business cards for media buying and other corporate expenses, with the added convenience of Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Garmin Pay compatibility. Additionally, a dedicated IBAN account simplifies B2B transactions, and the Genome iOS and Android apps ensure real-time financial management anytime, anywhere,” concluded Daumantas Barauskas.
Baltics
iDenfy Partners with Confindo to Enhance Security and Prevent Loan Fraud
iDenfy, an AI-powered identity verification, compliance and fraud prevention solutions provider, has partnered with Confindo, a leading provider of IT solutions specialising in customer relationship management (CRM) tools for group companies and external partners. This collaboration will help Confindo manage third-party risks and ensure proper fraud and breach prevention while building a seamless and secure verification experience.
The rise in digital transactions has made robust security measures more critical than ever. With security challenges like forged documents and synthetic identities, particularly in the financial and lending sectors, companies increasingly seek advanced solutions to protect their customers. Spending on information security and risk management products and services is expected to grow by 14.3% this year, reaching more than $215 billion. However, many companies operating in the financial sector see fraud as a top priority on the list, where even a single breach can have significant legal and reputational consequences.
Confindo, a dominant player in the consumer lending market since 2018, recognised the importance of securing its platforms against potential threats. Brands under the “Confindo” name, like Lenders, Bancovo, Comparar Prestamos mainly serve as intermediaries for consumer lending services. Consequently, the business is best known for representing over 20 banks and creditors in Lithuania and processing more than 10,000 inquiries monthly. As the business experienced a high volume of requests and new registrations, it required a new trusted Know Your Customer (KYC) vendor to help safeguard its operations, especially in this expansion stage across Europe.
According to Confindo, its recent operations in Latvia and upcoming launches in two new markets also showed a need for extra automation measures in its customer onboarding process. Before partnering with iDenfy, the IT and financial service provider aimed to build a conversion-optimised verification workflow that could remove the hassle around the application onboarding process. Among several identity verification providers, Confindo selected iDenfy for its reliable and efficient identification verification solution. The new software, already trusted by other platforms under Confindo’s management, stood out for its smooth integration with existing systems and provided a comprehensive global document base for more efficient scaling into new markets.
iDenfy’s ID verification solution is designed to automatically recognise, verify and extract information from over 3000 identity documents across 200 countries and territories. This comprehensive approach helps Confindo ensure that all possible safety measures are in place to prevent fraudulent loans, a key concern in the rapidly growing consumer lending sector.
It is worth mentioning that iDenfy is ranked as the top 1 identity verification solution in customer satisfaction on G2, boasting an average of 4.9 stars and over 70 reviews in 2024. This recognition underscores iDenfy’s commitment to providing high-quality, reliable services and prioritizes online user identification security.
“We chose iDenfy because their solution is not only trusted and tested but also perfectly aligns with our commitment to ensuring the highest level of security for our customers,” said Eitautas Bartuškevičius, CEO of Confindo.
Domantas Ciulde, CEO of iDenfy, said: “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Confindo in their mission to enhance security within the consumer lending space. By integrating our ID verification solution, we’re helping them create a safer, more reliable platform for their users across multiple countries.”
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