Baltics

Sweden and Norway in the focus with Gustaf Hoffstedt (BOS.nu) and Rolf Sims (Kindred Group) at MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit 2019

Published

6 years ago

April 23, 2019

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Gustaf Hoffstedt (General Secretary at the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling) and Rolf Sims (Public Affairs Manager for Kindred Group in Norway and Board Chairman of the newly formed Norwegian Trade Association for Online Gambling Companies) to share their views from all angles about the Swedish and Norwegian gambling industry at the second edition of MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit, also known as the Baltic and Scandinavian Gaming Summit and Awards.

MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit will take place on the 9^th of May at Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel and is gathering the gambling industry from the Baltic and Scandinavian regions for a full day of quality learning and networking with like-minded peers, regulators and representatives of the industry media.

Register here or View the Agenda!

Sweden has been at the forefront of the gambling industry news for the past 6 months and has been often cited as a “newly liberalized online gambling market”.

Spelinspektionen has been handing out new licenses at a rate of more than one a week since the new year, with no signs of a slowdown any time soon.

Prior to the new laws, Sweden’s gambling market was essentially a state monopoly. Unlicensed gambling operators were accepting Swedish customers, but without going through the proper legal channels. In 2018, foreign gambling sites accounted for 29% of Sweden’s $2.5 billion gambling market, up from 24% the previous year.

Sweden’s new gambling laws were designed to give the state more control over the market. The fact that 73 companies have already jumped on board shows the new laws are having their intended effect.

However, it’s not all pink for the enthusiast operators, just two months ago, Sweden’s Minister on Public Administration, Ardalan Shekarabi said the government will be making more stringent regulations on gambling advertisements. He also summoned representatives of the gambling industry to parliament for a discussion on this topic.

At MARE BALTICUM Gaming Summit, Gustaf Hoffstedt (General Secretary at the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling) will take part in a special IMGL MASTERCLASS™ which is titled “It’s Hot in the Nordics: IMGL Mega-Panel”, giving you the opportunity to hear first-hand the updates from the Swedish gambling industry and the outcome of the harsh measures.

About Gustaf Hoffstedt

Gustaf Hoffstedt is the Secretary-General of BOS, the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling since January 2015. Among the association’s members are all major operators and suppliers that operate with a license inside the European Union, but outside of Sweden. Prior to joining BOS, Gustaf served as a Member of the Swedish Parliament for the Moderate party, and as vice mayor and chairman of the Social board in his constituency Gotland before that.

Gustaf has fought for the abolition of the Swedish gambling monopoly and the implementation of a licensing system for more than a decade. He is pleased to see that things currently appear to be moving in the right direction.

Gustaf resides in Uppsala with his wife Caroline, who serves as vice mayor in the municipality for the Social Democratic party – the traditional rival of Gustaf’s own party. In their leisure time, they enjoy hiking in the mountains of northern Scandinavia.

When it comes to the Norwegian gambling industry, it is certainly a different situation.

This year, the online gambling operators in Norway have formed a new association to press the government to rethink its restrictive gambling policy.

The online gambling operators Betsson, ComeOn, GiG, and the Kindred Group announced the formation of the Norwegian Industry Association for Online Gambling (NBO).

The new association will urge Norway’s government to abandon its monopolistic stance in favor of a liberalized regime that would allow internationally licensed online gambling operators to apply for local licenses.

Carl Fredrik Stenstrøm, Rikstoto former commercial director and secretary-general at NBO, noted that he helped lead Rikstoto’s responsible gambling initiatives and his experience taught him that such efforts are not much use if they ignore the vast segment of the market over which the government has no control.

Stenstrøm said the regulatory regimes in Denmark and Sweden recognize that regulating “all the serious companies under one, responsible license model” is the proper way to go.

The Norwegian industry update will be part of the IMGL MASTERCLASS™ which is titled “It’s Hot in the Nordics: IMGL Mega-Panel”, giving you the opportunity to hear first-hand the of the Norwegian gambling industry and what changes are expected in the next period from Rolf Sims (Public Affairs Manager for Kindred Group in Norway and Board Chairman of the newly formed Norwegian Trade Association for Online Gambling Companies).

About Rolf Sims

Rolf Sims graduated with a law degree from the University of Oslo in 1995, specializing in intellectual property and international human rights. He has previously worked on land concessions and area planning at the Ministry of Agriculture and legislation and individual cases related to oil pollution in the North Sea at the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority.

Between 1998 and 2018 he worked as a gaming regulator, first with the Ministry of Justice and Police, and from 2001 with the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry is responsible for the regulation of all gaming in Norway except gaming connected to equestrian activities. His scope of work encompassed EU/EEA-law, all aspects of legislation connected to gaming machines, I-gaming, bingo, provisions and regulations on lotteries and sportsbetting. He has also supervised the administration of Norsk Tipping, the Norwegian state-owned gaming company, as well as the Norwegian Gaming Authority. He was particularly involved in the Norwegian Slot machine case and Ladbrokes case which questioned the compatibility of Norwegian gaming law to EU/EEA-law. Rolf also participated as the Norwegian Government`s representative in the European Commission’s Expert Group on Gambling Services, which provides the Commission with advice and expertise in relation to the preparation of policy initiatives and facilitates the exchange of regulatory experience and good practices between EEA Member States. He was also a director on the board of the Gaming Regulators European Forum. In August 2018 Rolf took up a new position as public affairs manager for Kindred Group in Norway.

In January 2019 Rolf was elected board chairman of the newly formed Norwegian Trade Association for Online Gambling Companies.

Make sure you take advantage of this unique opportunity of learning and networking with the gambling industry in the Baltic and Scandinavian region via the MARE BALTICUM Gaming platform which has been launched in 2018 and is committed to bringing together industry shareholders and government officials from the Baltic and Scandinavian region on a yearly base.

Browse the official event website here: www.marebalticumgaming.com

Baltics

Lithuania to Ban Gambling Ads

Published

14 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

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

Published

2 weeks ago

October 29, 2024

George Miller

Genome launches SEPA instant payments, adding another valuable feature for iGaming companies

Reading Time: < 1 minute

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

Published

2 months ago

September 10, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.”