From 1 January 2025, game suppliers must have a Danish Gambling Authority license to provide games to operators with a Danish license for betting and online casinos. Applications for these licenses will be accepted starting from 1 September 2024. The Danish Gambling Authority has made guidance material and new application forms available on their website.

Application Process and Required Documentation

On the “Game Suppliers” page under “For Businesses and Associations,” applicants can find detailed information about the application process. The available materials include:

• Guidance on Supplier Licence: This document provides comprehensive instructions on obtaining a licence.
• Application for Licence as a Game Supplier (Form 2-06): The main application form required to apply for the licence.
• Appendix A – Personal Statement (Form 2-02): This appendix requires personal details and declarations from the applicant.
• Appendix B-2 – Technical Conditions (Form 2-08): Outlines the technical requirements that must be met.
• Appendix C – Declaration from Representative (Form 2-04): A declaration form for representatives of the applying entity.

Certification Requirements

According to the Danish Gambling Authority’s certification program, Spillemyndigheden mandates that game suppliers’ games, platforms, business procedures, and systems be tested and inspected by an accredited testing company. This certification is necessary before any games can be supplied to licensed gambling operators.

A new version of the certification program is being developed to delineate the responsibilities of operators and game suppliers. This revised program is expected to be available for consultation by mid-July 2024 and will come into effect on 1 January 2025. Updated standard reports will also be released on this date.

Launch of the “Games Register”

In conjunction with introducing licenses for game suppliers, the Authority will launch a new portal for managing game certificates, known as the “Games Register.” This portal is set to be operational by 1 October 2024. Game supplier applicants will receive login details to upload their information and game certificates as part of the application process.

Transition Period and Compliance

Existing game certificates and certifications under the current program will remain valid, so there will be no need for re-certification if a game or game system has already been tested and inspected. However, starting on 1 July 2025, the new certification program will be mandatory. The Danish Gambling Authority recommends that game suppliers and operators adopt the updated program as soon as possible to ensure compliance.

Source:

From 1 September you can apply for a supplier licence: See the application material, spillemyndigheden.dk, June 28, 2024.

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The Danish Gambling Authority, known as Spillemyndigheden, has released a refreshed version of its anti-money laundering (AML) guidance. This update, formulated after extensive consultations with external stakeholders, aims to support gambling operators, their employees, and other relevant parties. It complements the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority’s Guidance on Preventive Measures against Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism.

New Guidance Incorporates Extensive Revisions

The revised AML guidance includes several key changes, particularly in the areas of risk assessment, policies, procedures, controls, and customer due diligence. These changes reflect both linguistic refinements and substantive updates. To help users navigate the revisions, a version history is now part of the guidance document, detailing specific amendments made.

Additionally, Spillemyndigheden has introduced a new document specifically focused on AML inspections. This document consolidates information that was previously scattered within the AML guidance, offering a comprehensive overview of the inspection process, potential outcomes, and confidentiality issues.

Ongoing Updates and Reporting Requirements

Spillemyndigheden is committed to keeping its anti-money laundering guidance current, ensuring alignment with updates to the Anti-Money Laundering Act, national risk assessments, and best practices in the field.

In other related developments, the authority updated its reporting requirements at the end of last month. These new requirements are set to take effect in 2025, although an exact implementation date has yet to be finalized.

Earlier this year, Spillemyndigheden also issued several orders and reprimands to the gambling operator SkillOnNet for breaches of AML regulations. The company received three orders for AML violations and two additional reprimands related to whistleblowing and business procedures, following an inspection of its compliance materials.

Source: “Spillemyndigheden updates anti-money laundering guidance”. Gambling Insider. June 3, 2024.

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X, the global social network formerly known as Twitter, has received a fine worth 1.35 million euros from an Italian authority after having breached the gambling advertising ban imposed by the country’s laws.

The Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni, the government body in charge of overseeing the communications industry in Italy, had issued the fine to Twitter International Unlimited Company, which is the corporation that owns X.

The social network allegedly violated the so-called “dignity decree”, which has been in place in Italy since 2019. The respective law bans any form of advertisement, sponsorship or communication of promotional content regarding sports betting or gambling.

The Italian authority found nine violations from verified accounts on the respective social network, accounts that have advertised websites that offer gambling and sports betting services with cash winnings. The reasoning behind the fine is closely related to the blue check mark which each of the nine accounts had, that made X liable for those accounts’ activities according to the Italian authorities.

Moreover, the authority has issued an order for access inhibition for two of the aforementioned nine accounts that are still active on the social network. Another inhibition order has been adopted for all further uploaded content that would be in breach of the regulations.

More Social Networks Fined

The decision to issue a fine for X (Twitter) comes just a few weeks after the Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni fined Meta, the company which owns Facebook and Instagram. In that case the fine was worth 5.58 million euros but the reason was the same: gambling advertising.

The Italian government authority found promotional content for gambling and sports betting on 18 different social media profiles, five on Instagram and thirteen on Facebook. Another 32 sponsored video and image posts were considered aimed at promoting or advertising online casinos or sports betting websites.

Similar penalties had previously been issued to Google, Twitch and YouTube. Google received a fine worth 700,000 euros in August 2022 for advertisements that appeared on the Spike YouTube channels. However, the Italian government authority did not specify which were the gambling operators advertised on the platform.

The gambling advertising ban imposed in Italy in 2019 has been loudly contested by football clubs in the country because many of them had partnerships in place with gambling and sports betting operators. The law still permits partnerships for sports teams but only when they are focused on other markets (mainly Asia) but football clubs in Italy’s top two leagues have argued that they have still lost income due to the ban.

Source: “X hit by €1.35m penalty for Italian gambling ad ban breaches“. iGaming Business. March 15, 2024.

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Norway’s Gambling Authority founded in 2001 to supervise the administration and oversight of gaming controlled by the state and private, Lottstift, has stated that it will take a zero-tolerance approach to social media platforms promoting live streams and content revolving around online gambling.

The country has imposed a total blackout on gambling advertising. According to the Broadcasting Act, operators are not allowed to use any gambling advertising to promote their services. 

The action is exclusively reserved for Norway’s state-owned monopolies Rikstoto, with a focus on racing and Norsk Tipping, which offers betting and lottery options.

Schell.com, the popular platform that generates entertaining content via daily live streams, vlogs, and competitions, has recently broadcast a number of Norwegian influencers advertising online casino games, thus disregarding the current legislation. 

The streams that were deemed illegal were promoted on the schell.com portal and recorded on a series of live-streaming platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Kick.

The respective broadcasting platforms were sent reminders regarding the country’s Broadcasting Act which does not allow gambling promotion unless it involves one of the two available monopolies. 

In accordance with its freshly granted powers by the revised Money Gambling Act, Lottstift has asked Tiergarten Marketing Ltd, Schpell.com’s operator, to cease all of its marketing activities in the country.

Two Cease-and-Desist Warnings Issued by Lottstift

The regulatory body also sent two separate cease-and-desist written notices to Baris Entertainment AS and Viken Underholdning AS for having alleged relationships with social media influencers advertising illegal gambling offers.

The infringing businesses were given until February 20 to fully comply with the issued order to stop promoting unlicensed gambling activities. 

In case they fail to comply, the companies will face possible compulsory fines and non-compliance violation fees.

More Inspections to Follow

Lottstift has also ordered social media platforms to be more careful with their Norwegian influencer content to make sure they follow the country’s current advertising regulations.

The body’s director, Monica Alisøy Kjelsnes, stated that it was obvious that the respective live streams hosting influencers were targeting a young audience while marketing the offerings of unlicensed casinos.

Kjelsnes added that Schpell employs Norwegian influencers and that “much of their marketing takes place in Norway and is aimed at Norwegian consumers.”

The director also explained that while the biggest influencers stopped promoting gambling outside the law there are still some “who are teetering on the edge of breaking the law.”

In this regard, the authority plans on further monitoring and evaluating more inspections in the future. 
Last December, Brazil advanced a similar measure against social media influencers advertising unregulated forms of gambling.

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the gambling regulator in Malta, announced it has decided to cancel Betago Limited’s authorization. Although the announcement came Thursday, the Authority explained that it is in effect as of January 8, 2024. The latest decision comes after the MGA uncovered that the operator breached the established gambling regulations in the country. Before the cancellation of the authorization, last year, Betago’s license was suspended. This suspension effectively stopped the operator from offering its gambling services to players online.

Now, considering the latest decision, the operator has been directed to settle all outstanding fees due to the MGA. Betago was given seven days to comply with this demand, effective from the day its authorization was canceled. Not unexpectedly, the MGA also directed the operator to refund all money due to legitimate players, confirming that such actions are in accordance with Malta’s Gaming Act, Chapter 583.

“The Malta Gaming Authority has decided to cancel the authorization awarded to Betago Limited, bearing reference numbers MGA/B2C/355/2016, effective as of 08 January 2024 in terms of regulation 10 (1) (a) with direct application of reg. 9 (1) (c), (d), (i), (l) and (m) and regulation 10 (1) (b) of the Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations,“

reads a statement released by the MGA

The Operator Needs to Remove Any Reference to the MGA

To verify that the operator complied with the aforementioned requirements, the MGA confirmed that a back-end report along with the relevant bank statements must be provided within a seven-day period. This otherwise will enable the gambling regulator to ensure Betago has issued refunds to all of its players who still had funds in their accounts.

Unsurprisingly, Betago can no longer feature any reference to the MGA via its website. The gambling watchdog said the operator needs to “remove, with immediate effect, any reference to the Authority and the authorizations in accordance with article 51 of the Act.”

The tough action against Betago comes after recently, the MGA confirmed it suspended Rush Gaming’s license. Upon announcing the suspension, the Authority confirmed the operator is eligible to appeal the decision under Article 43 of the country’s Gambling Act.

Suspending the authorization awarded to Rush Gaming is effective from January 9, 2024. Per the suspension, the operator can no longer offer online gambling services. Yet, Rush Gaming needs to ensure its registered users have access to their accounts and proceed with refunds of all money due.

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A November 2023 survey conducted by the Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) in collaboration with research company Enkätfabriken provides valuable insights into Swedes’ gambling habits and awareness levels. The data sheds light on key trends and sentiments related to gambling in the country and highlights the government’s ongoing efforts to curb gambling harm.

Effective Regulation Requires Comprehensive Data

The survey results revealed some intriguing insights into the gambling habits of Swedes. According to the data, a staggering 75% of Sweden’s population had engaged in gambling activities in the past 12 months. At the time of the study, 41% of respondents had gambled in the last week, showcasing an increase compared to previous surveys in 2022 (38%) and 2021 (34%).

Relatively low-risk verticals remained the most popular, with lottery retaining its position as the most popular form of gambling. 74% of respondents who had gambled in the last 12 months revealed they had participated in lotteries, with trotting ranked second with 25%, followed by sports betting and bingo at 15%, and online casinos at 10%.

Gambling harm rates appear to be on the rise, as roughly 10% of respondents felt that they had gambled too much in the last year. The percentage of people who played to chase profits also increased, as did the number of respondents who knew someone close to them experiencing issues with excessive gambling.

The Unregulated Sector Is on the Rise

The survey revealed a worrying lack of awareness regarding black-market gambling, as 91% of respondents did not know how to determine if a website held a Swedish gaming license. Even among those who played almost daily, 59% could not identify licensed sites. Only 40% believed playing at licensed sites had an advantage, marking a 13% decrease from the 2022 survey.

Such data aligns with warnings from Sweden’s online gambling association, Branschföreningen för Onlinespel, which highlighted how misguided regulations made licensed operators less competitive compared to black market entities. The organization notes that the upcoming gambling tax increase will further exacerbate these issues and further destabilize the country’s fragile market.

The newest SGA data highlights the need for increased awareness and education on responsible gambling practices. Swedish gamblers require better ways to identify licensed sites and understand the advantages of playing on licensed platforms. Rising problem gambling rates also indicate that the government needs to rethink its policies and focus on counteracting unlicensed operators.

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The provider of world-class slot and table games popular in Western and Asian markets, Habanero, has expanded its presence on the Old Continent. 

The company with a portfolio that spans no less than 22 worldwide markets thanks to a plethora of agreements inked with big operators like Betway, Entain, Sportium, and Sisal has been granted a new business-to-business license from the Swedish Gambling Authority. 

Habanero, Authorized to Offer Its Entire Portfolio to Domestic Operators

According to the new license, Habanero is now allowed to provide its entire catalog of more than 150 HTML games including slots, video poker, and table games to operators in the area. 

The list includes successful slots like Santa’s Village, Hot Hot Fruit, and Mystic Fortune Deluxe.

Commenting on the fresh Swedish license, Habanero’s head of business development, Arcangelo Lonoce, explained that the fact that they have been awarded a Swedish license was “both gratifying and exciting,” helping their plans to scale up their operations in the respective market. 

The fresh Swedish license will also assist Habanero with its goal to sign new partnerships with fresh stakeholders in an attempt to introduce its universe of games to a larger number of players.

Lonoce called the new license “a testament to our dedication to our adaptability as well as our commitment” to explore and comply with new global regulatory landscapes.

Perfect Fit for the Swedish Market

Reevo’s head of sales, Petra Maria Poola, also commented on Habanero’s “diverse, boundary-breaking games” and their admirable fast expansion while commenting on the company’s ability to align with the continuous regulatory efforts in Sweden. 

Poola also mentioned the recent Swedish Gambling Authority’s five-year license extension granted to Videoslots, which came in spite of the penalty that was imposed on the same operator because of a series of problems related to anti-money laundering compliance.

In mid-October, Habanero launched Slime Party, a fresh slot with multipliers and free spins. The developer also obtained an MGA license and a series of approvals in a number of global regions, including Romania, Panama, and Buenos Aires.

In June, the company was granted the prestigious ISO-27001 Certification that allows it to deploy more products and get licensure in individual European markets. 

Habanero’s games work seamlessly across all types of devices and can be played in landscape and portrait modes on mobile. Players can also enjoy several games simultaneously, configure their jackpots, set up their preferred bets per game, and wait for new titles to be released every month. 

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Earlier in the week, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), announced it would launch the fourth trainer and stable staff survey as a means of identifying yard-based problems and assisting the Industry People Board. 

Now, the authority whose goal is to build “a brighter future for our sport, our horses, and our people” has announced a series of changes to the start rules in British racing. The changes were given the green light after a comprehensive review of all stalls and starting procedures over the course of an entire year. 

Late Load Requests, Now Restricted 

One of the first changes to go into effect starting January 1, 2024, regards Late Load Requests. These represent privilege requests on race day issued by trainers for their horses to be loaded out of sequence.

According to the new tweaks, Late Load Requests have been restricted to horses that have shown signs of behavioral issues inside the starting stalls in previous races in Great Britain. 

At the same time, horses having their debut will no longer be eligible for a Late Load Request unless they have undertaken an assessment prior to the race which has indicated the existence of a behavioral concern inside the starting stalls.

Additionally, the rules regarding warnings for Late Load Requests and Stalls Tests have also suffered adjustments. 

For example, once a trainer has been given three warnings for the same horse in relation to behavioral issues inside the stalls within a one-year period, the horse will be asked to complete one Stalls Test instead of the standard requirement of two. 

Any additional Late Load Request for the respective horse will not lead to any more warnings over the course of the following 12 months, as opposed to the current rules that refer to the current lifetime late load.

The goal is to lower the number of Late Load Requests while improving the safety and fairness of the Start and making sure horses that do not have any behavioral issues are not in any way disadvantaged.

Loading Process Changes

Also effective starting January 2024, the process of twitching or grabbing the ear or tail of a horse during the loading process will only be allowed for safety purposes. 

This could be anything like gently holding the ear of the horse to help relax, placating a nervous or fractious horse during the loading, or ensuring the welfare of stalls, jockeys, or horses by helping settle unruly horses in the stalls.

Provided Stewards rule these actions as going well beyond what is deemed “necessary for the purposes of safety and horse welfare,” they will have the right to issue cautions for first offenses, followed by Band A fines for subsequent offenses.

Additional changes refer to BHA starters who will no longer be allowed to carry the hunting crop during jump-starts and also the requirement that all persons assisting at the start complete the BHA Trainer Representative – Starts Training Module. 

In May, BHA announced it would strengthen its board membership with two new independent non-executive directors, Kyrsten Halley and Tara Warren.

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Kazakhstan parliament members have approved changes to the country’s Tax Code that will require operators to provide reports on the activities of local players.

Under the new rules, owners of gambling and lottery companies must submit information about the size of bets players have placed, as well as data on gambling losses and winnings. The aforementioned information must be sent online to the country’s National Tax Authority.

To make sure that gambling companies are compliant with these new rules, Kazakhstan will also require operators to adopt new tech systems that automatically send the information to the authority.

In addition to requiring operators to provide information about their customers’ losses and winnings, Kazakhstan has also introduced rules that will require national banks to provide information on the gambling transaction of local players within 10 days of the transaction.

Kazakhstan Is Updating Its Gambling Laws but Plans No Dedicated Regulatory Framework

The introduction of the new laws is in line with the ongoing gambling reforms ushered in by President Kassym Tokayev. The president seeks to address the concerning gambling harm rates among Kazakh citizens, especially among younger players.

Despite that, Tokayev has not announced further regulatory plans. For reference, the country has no clear regulatory framework like other modern gambling markets.

Vice Minister Yerzhan Erkinbayev was put in charge of the review of the country’s gambling rules. Several weeks ago, Erkinbayev published the first set of proposals, which included the raising of the legal age for gambling from 21 to 25.

Erkinbayev’s proposals also envision harsh penalties for gambling operators that violate the rules by offering gambling to underage customers.

Tokayev continues to review the Vice Minister’s recommendations, which may lead to further changes in Kazakhstan’s gambling sector.

Earlier this year, the leading esports wagering solutions supplier Oddin.gg joined forces with Olimpbet, a Kazakh sports betting operator.

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), whose purpose is to regulate gaming industry sectors by ensuring fair and transparent gaming, crime prevention, and the protection of minors and vulnerable players, has placed a Cancellation of Authorization number ‘MGA/ B2C/425/2017’ against Arabmillionaire Limited. 

The latter will need to notify its players of the new development and provide fund withdrawals to any current players, together with clear guidelines on the procedure. They will also need to send a transaction report to the MGA and settle an outstanding fee of €50,000 ($52,708) within five days from the date of receipt of their letter.

The Initial Notice, Filed in August 2022

The initial Notice of Cancellation was issued by the MGA on August 4, 2022, and offered the company 20 days to “show cause” as to why the regulator should not enforce the measure that was highlighted in the respective Notice, according to reg. 10 (2) (a) of the Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations (S.L. 583.06).

Following the issuance of the Notice, Arabmillionaire and its consultants informed the MGA of the “major restructuring exercise” it was undergoing while requesting, among other things, a freezing of its license with the intent to finish and settle all outstanding problems.

Pursuant to these submissions, and in spite of the several different breaches that constituted grounds for authorization cancellation, the MGA decided to suspend the Arabmillionaire’s license on October 12, 2022, as a means of offering the company the chance to rectify its standing with them.

The MGA, whose 2022 report reflected on a troubled year, also informed Arabmillionaire they would initiate the cancellation of its license in case it would not remedy its breaches and settle all outstanding payments to both the MGA and its registered players while providing “full assurance” that it is capable of holding the authorization and operating under its terms. 

Arabmillionaire, Given “Ample Time” to Address the Issues

Arabmillionaire chose not to appeal the MGA’s license suspension decision. In spite of being offered “ample time” to tackle the breaches, the company did not “rectify its position and cooperate” with the MGA. 

The authority also explained that all its attempts to communicate with the company following November 2022 “have been rendered futile” and that their breaches never stopped. 

The MGA stated that, in addition to the payment of the outstanding license fee mentioned in their Notice, Arabmillionaire’s license fee for the year 2023 fell due on June 13, 2023, during the operative period of the license suspension. 

Accordingly, the MGA considers Arabmillionaire owns an additional amount of €25,000 ($26,350), totaling €50,000 ($52,708) in annual license fees for license periods starting June 13, 2022 and June 13, 2023, respectively.

The MGA also reserves the right to take additional measures to recover the outstanding dues from the company provided they would fail to “rectify accordingly” and also in case they would not settle all outstanding claims from all registered players.

In June, the authority announced it would push for the implementation of fresh legislation that would protect the country’s online gaming companies from global prosecution. 

At the start of the year, the same regulator brought significant changes to its Player Protection Directive, asking licensees to monitor harm-related markers. 

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