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EGBA on Finland’s Missed Opportunity For Overdue Gambling Reform

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EGBA on Finland's Missed Opportunity For Overdue Gambling Reform
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The Finnish government’s proposal to introduce payment blockings for online gambling has been approved by the country’s parliament but, with its introduction, policymakers have missed an opportunity for meaningful and overdue gambling reform in the country.

On 14 December, Finland’s parliament approved an amended version of a government proposal to introduce blocking measures for payment service providers (PSP) with the aim of restricting Finns from accessing non-Finnish gambling websites. The government justifies the PSP blockings on consumer protection grounds, but critics argue it will restrict consumer freedoms and choice.

Today, Finland is the only EU member state which still has an exclusive online gambling monopoly model, but its monopoly has come under increasing public scrutiny in recent years and increasing pressure from the demand of the country’s gamblers for more online consumer choice. The government’s proposed PSP blockings, part of a group of amendments to the country’s Lottery Act, seeks to address this by blocking Finns’ payments to and from non-Finnish gambling websites.

This week, a majority in the country’s parliament agreed on an amendment to block only those payment transactions from Finnish gamblers to non-Finnish gambling websites and not vice versa. This was after parliamentarians had raised several concerns about the proposals,[1] including concern that blocking players winnings would be unconstitutional. Following the parliament’s approval, the amended Lottery Act will now come into force from 1January 2022 and the new payment blockings will be introduced at the start of 2023.

Experience from other countries shows that PSP and other blockings do not significantly affect consumer demand and, with its introduction, EGBA believes that policymakers have missed an opportunity for meaningful and overdue gambling reform in Finland. At the same time, EGBA welcomes the growing discussion both in the country’s parliament and in wider society about the future of Finland’s gambling policy. EGBA members are established, licensed, and regulated in most EU member states and would welcome the opportunity to apply for a license, be regulated, and pay taxes in Finland – but are still prevented from doing so by the country’s current gambling laws.

“The introduction of PSP blockings is an implicit admission that many of Finland’s gamblers prefer to bet on other websites rather than that of the state-run monopoly. There are many reasons why they do so: the availability of better betting odds, and better diversity and expertise in the products offered, are to name a few. In the online world, consumers vote with their feet and that is why we will continue to encourage the government to rethink, rather than reinforce, the country’s online gambling monopoly model and advocate for the benefits of establishing a well-regulated, multi-licensing model for online gambling in Finland.” – Maarten Haijer.

Compliance Updates

Compliable Expands Licensing Offering to Europe and Latin America

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Leading licensing management solution now supports new global markets

Leading compliance software provider Compliable is now supporting licensing in European and Latin American markets, further strengthening its proposition following a successful period of growth in the United States.

With experience of working with prominent industry brands including FanDuel, Bet365 and BetFanatics in North America, Compliable’s platform can now help companies complete, manage and maintain gaming licenses across multiple global jurisdictions.

Compliable is expanding into new markets at a time of increased regulatory obligations in numerous regions as well as a heightened demand from suppliers and vendors to get licensed from a reputational point of view.

Markets in Europe as well as emerging regions in Latin America are now supported by Compliable’s software solution, which enables operators and suppliers to enter new countries more quickly and reduces the ongoing burden of regulatory requirements.

Compliable’s software platform and tools provide customers both significant time and cost savings, as employees enter key information just once in the licensing process with the information then auto-populated across multiple forms, generating error-free applications every time.

The solution cuts the time it takes to get employees licensed by 90% to less than an hour, which has led to an increase of up to 700% in the number of employees that can be onboarded.

“Following discussions with our customers and prospects, it became clear that there is a demand for our market-leading licensing management solution outside of the United States and we are pleased to now be able to streamline the licensing process for even more companies in additional jurisdictions,” the Chief Executive Officer for Compliable, Chris Oltyan, said. “Licensing compliance can slow down your ability to expand into new markets but it doesn’t have to. Using our platform to remove bottlenecks in the acquisition and management of licenses frees up time and attention so our customers can focus on their go to market plans.”

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Compliance Updates

ITIA: Croatian Official Suspended from Tennis

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The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed that Croatian tennis official Marko Stojanovic has been suspended from the sport for five years and six months after admitting to breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP).

Stojanovic, a national-level official, admitted to 15 breaches of the TACP, including manipulating data from matches in which they were an official to facilitate betting.

Stojanovic, who is accredited at national level and has officiated at ITF tournaments, co-operated fully with the ITIA investigation and accepted an agreed sanction, waiving their right to a hearing before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer. Stojanovic has also been fined $25,000, of which $18,750 is suspended.

The official’s agreed sanction began on 19 February 2024 and will end at midnight on 18 August 2029.

During the suspension, Stojanovic is prohibited from officiating at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA).

The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.

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Compliance Updates

MGA Successfully Hosts its First Sports Betting Integrity Conference

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has hosted its first Sports Betting Integrity Conference, further cementing the Authority’s dedication to fostering open dialogue, knowledge-sharing and maintaining a gaming landscape that is free from corruption and any form of unethical practices.

The event convened high-profile stakeholders integral to the sports betting integrity sector, including the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), the eSports Integrity Commission (ESIC), Genius Sports and Sportradar.

Local stakeholders included the Malta Police Force, the Malta Football Association (MFA), the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sports and the Office of the Attorney General.

Opening the conference, MGA CEO Charles Mizzi said: “As the MGA, ensuring the integrity of sports betting is not merely a regulatory obligation; it is a cornerstone of our commitment to fostering a fair and sustainable gaming environment.”

Mr Mizzi emphasised that the conference’s foremost objective was that of leading a united effort in addressing the complex challenges of maintaining integrity within sports and sports betting. As the industry continues to transform – introducing new technologies and increasingly sophisticated methods – success depends on the ability to share knowledge, experiences and best practices. Through this synergy, stakeholders can outpace those intent on corrupting the essence of sports and betting.

Such gatherings, therefore, serve as invaluable opportunities to pool resources and expertise, serving as catalysts for positive change. The Authority extends its gratitude to all attendees for their engagement and participation.

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