The month in regulation: Swedish regulator gets tough on operators and the ASA overturns Sky Bet ad ban
A round-up of the latest regulatory and compliance news and insight from the online gaming sector
Swedish Gambling Authority fines eight operators over under 18 betting
Eight online gambling operators, including bet365 and GVC Holdings, have been hit with penalty fees totalling SEK41.2m (€3.9m) by the Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) for offering betting on sporting events involving players under the age of 18.
Bet365, GVC, The Stars Group, Flutter Entertainment, Gaming Innovation Group (GiG), Bethard Group, Casinostugan Limited and Polar Limited all received fines following an investigation by the Swedish gambling regulator.
Under Swedish law, licensed sports betting firms are not permitted to offer betting on sporting events where the majority of participants are under the age of 18.
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ASA overturns ban on Sky Bet request a bet ad
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) independent review panel has overturned a previously-imposed ban for a Sky Betting and Gaming ‘Request A Bet’ advert.
The ad, which featured Jeff Stelling, urged punters to “Spark your sports brain and roll all the possibilities into one bet” and featured the slogan: “How big is your sports noggin?”.
In addition, a large screen behind Stelling featured various odds and statistics as well as a graphic of brain waves emanating from his head.
The ad was banned back in March after two complainants alleged it was “irresponsible” because it implied those with a good knowledge of sports were more likely to win.
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Sky Bet’s Request A Bet advert
Kindred Group ends proposed NCF sponsorship after Norwegian regulator steps in
Kindred Group’s proposed five-year sponsorship of the Norwegian Chess Federation (NCF) has been rejected by members of the Norwegian Chess Federation Congress at a meeting earlier this month.
In total, 132 delegates voted against the five-year NOK10m (£927k) a year deal, while only 44 said yes to the proposed agreement.
NCF president Morten L. Madsen said it had been an “intense and occasionally demanding debate” for the NCF and that the decision would affect its future approach in this area.
Despite effectively ending any chance of sponsorship with the deal, Rolf Sims, public affairs manager at Kindred Group, commended the NCF board for being “extremely strong through a demanding exchange of opinions” prior to the congressional meeting.
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Picture: iStock.com/xijian
Dutch regulator outlines “cooling-off” period for prospective licensees
Operators seeking a Dutch remote gambling licence must not have actively targeted the Dutch market in the two years prior to their licence application, the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has confirmed.
The Dutch gambling regulator published a draft rule on 12 July, clarifying the conditions of the ‘cooling-off period’ built in to the Remote Gambling Act.
The clause was included in the online gaming legislation back in February but the language left some operators unsure how to interpret the rule.
The regulator said the “leniency” of the cooling-off period terms was temporary and expires 1 July 2021 – one year from the date operators will be first able to apply for licences.
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Beer & Pub Association CEO appointed as new CEO of gambling trade body
The CEO of Britain’s Beer & Pub Association, Brigid Simmonds, has been named chair of the new unified gambling industry trade body, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).
Simmonds will now work with the industry to recruit a chief executive, with a formal launch of the BGC in the Autumn.
The new trade body will replace the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and Association of British Bookmakers (ABB), which will both be wound down.
Simmonds joins the BGC after 10 years as CEO of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) where she oversaw successful campaigns to reduce beer duty and improve access for pubs to business rates relief.
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