Compliance Updates
Danish Gambling Regulator Expands ROFUS System to Physical Stores
Danish Gambling Authority Spillemyndigheden has confirmed that the country’s ROFUS self-exclusion system has been extended to include betting in physical stores. The extension applies to new registrations created on and after 1 October 2023. Registrations from before 1 October 2023 will not change.
From 1 October 2023, it is mandatory for players to identify themselves with a so-called Player ID when buying bets at physical retailers, such as kiosks and betting shops. The ID must be used when a player wants to place bets in physical stores in Denmark.
The implementation of the Player ID means that ROFUS now also blocks betting in physical stores. This means that a registration with ROFUS or a renewal of an existing registration with ROFUS on or after 1 October 2023 will block:
- Online games offered by gambling operators with a Danish licence
- Physical casinos in Denmark
- Physical bets offered at a physical retailer, e.g. kiosks or betting shops in Denmark
- Direct advertising from these gambling operators
If you are registered with ROFUS before 1 October 2023 and do not renew your registration, the exclusion will remain unchanged. You will still only be blocked from online gambling offered by gambling operators with a Danish licence, physical casinos in Denmark and from receiving direct advertising from these.
The background for the expansion of ROFUS and the implementation of the Player ID is a political desire to increase consumer protection and reduce the risk of young people under the age of 18 gaining access to gambling in physical stores. In addition, there is a desire to strengthen efforts to combat match-fixing and money laundering.
The implementation of a mandatory Player ID in the physical betting market was politically agreed in November 2019.
Compliance Updates
BOS: “Of course the minister is right when stating that the state should not operate casinos”
The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) expresses itself in an op-ed, published today in Sweden’s largest newspaper Aftonbladet, about financial market minister Niklas Wykman’s statement that “It should not be a politically ordered task for a state company to operate casinos”. The minister made the statement in an op-ed in Aftonbladet due to his announcement that the government intends to close Sweden’s last land-based casino, located in central Stockholm.
In a response from BOS, Secretary General Gustaf Hoffstedt welcomes the minister’s principled statement about the inappropriateness of running state casinos. Hoffstedt also reminds the minister that the state continues to do exactly that online and that the same principled stance should also apply online.
-We welcome this principled firm stance on the part of the minister and foresee that a winding down of the state as a commercial operator in the casino market can take place during the mandate period, which extends until 2026, says Gustaf Hoffstedt.
The post BOS: “Of course the minister is right when stating that the state should not operate casinos” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Christine A. Dorchak
Greyhound Advocates Applaud Gov. Ned Lamont for Signing Bill to Outlaw Dog Racing
The largest greyhound protection group in the world thanked Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont for signing a bill to outlaw greyhound racing, calling the new law a victory for everyone who cares about dogs.
“The end of dog racing in Connecticut has finally come because of the hard work of dedicated lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Greyhound advocates everywhere applaud Governor Lamont’s enthusiastic stand against this cruel industry. Connecticut now joins 42 other states that have already rejected this outdated and inhumane form of gambling,” said GREY2K USA President and General Counsel Christine A. Dorchak.
Greyhound racing is now illegal in 43 states, and only continues to exist at two tracks in West Virginia. After dog racing gradually declined for decades, Florida voters outlawed the activity in 2018 by a vote of 69% to 31%, closing twelve operational racetracks. A bill to prohibit gambling on greyhound racing nationwide was introduced in the 117th Congress and earned the support of 105 cosponsors and more than 250 humane groups, anti-gambling organizations, and local animal shelters.
All mainstream animal protection groups oppose greyhound racing due to animal welfare concerns. At the last two remaining dog tracks in West Virginia, state records indicate that 666 greyhounds were injured in 2022 including 218 dogs that suffered broken bones and five greyhounds that died. Thousands of dogs also endure lives of confinement at West Virginia tracks, kept in cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around for long hours each day.
Leading sportsbook goes live with full multi-product offering across key market
Altenar, a leading sportsbook and iGaming software provider, has obtained a B2B licence in Greece, expanding its outreach across another established European territory.
The company, which already has an office in Athens, has secured a licence from the Hellenic Gaming Commission, boosting Altenar’s presence in the country and adding a Greek licence to its already comprehensive portfolio.
Altenar’s expertise reaches more than 50 countries where gambling is legalised and the Greek licence, which is valid for seven years, paves the way for the company to offer its services in a new jurisdiction.
Since the introduction of the new regulatory framework, online betting in Greece has emerged as a success story, with the country undergoing robust growth, as market data shows tax revenues expected to reach €540,000,000 this year and the creation of numerous job opportunities.
Marina Zacharopoulou, Compliance Manager at Altenar, said: “The process of obtaining a licence for Altenar was rigorous, albeit familiar due to our experience with similar procedures in other jurisdictions. While we encountered typical challenges along the way, we navigated them smoothly.
“Achieving a Greek licence holds special significance for Altenar, as a considerable portion of our team is Greek, making it feel like a homecoming. Personally, I believe that Greece’s historical connection to games of chance, evident in the popularity of gambling in ancient times and the presence of deities like Tyche, adds cultural resonance to our licensure.
“Securing our presence in Greece through licensure not only demonstrates our commitment to regulatory compliance but also positions us to capitalise on the country’s expanding market.”
The post Altenar celebrates Greek licence in landmark moment for business appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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