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BOS Claims Swedish Banking Institutions Have Suspended Services Provided to Licensed Gambling Operators

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BOS Claims Swedish Banking Institutions Have Suspended Services Provided to Licensed Gambling Operators
BOS Claims Swedish Banking Institutions Have Suspended Services Provided to Licensed Gambling OperatorsReading Time: 3 minutes

 

Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary-general of the Swedish trade association Branscheforenigen för Onlinespel (BOS), has claimed that all of the country’s major banking institutions have suspended services they provide to licensed gambling operators.

BOS said that “all major Nordic banks” – including SEB, Swedbank, Nordea, Handelsbanken, DNB Nor and Danske Bank – stopped providing services to Swedish-licensed gambling operators at some point this year.

Claiming this is in violation of Swedish law, Hoffstedt has filed a complaint to the country’s Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen).

Most of these banks, Hoffstedt said, cited internal risk assessments or Sweden’s Anti-Money Laundering Act (PTL) as the reasons for account closures. The BOS secretary-general added that “in some cases the banks have not stated any reason at all”.

“As far as I am aware, no concrete justification for the dismissals and banks’ assessment has been provided in any case,” Hoffstedt said.

Hoffstedt added that gambling operators cannot function without banking services.

“Online gambling companies are, as stated above, dependent on basic financial infrastructure in the form of banking and payment services to conduct their business,” he explained. “This requires [them] to be able to store customers’ funds as well as receive deposits and make payments to customers.”

He added that the suspension of services meant that operators could no longer use Bank-ID, used to verify players’ identities. This meant they had lost access to a tool that was vital for fighting fraud and money laundering, Hoffstedt.

“Without access to the Bank-ID system, online gambling companies need to use alternative solutions to identify their customers. These solutions risk being neither as effective for companies nor as safe for users,” he explained.

Swedish Banks also provide the Swish payment service, which Hoffstedt said was also “very important” for operators.

Hoffstedt said that the banks’ decisions had worsened operating conditions for the country’s igaming licensees, as well as counteracting the goals of the Gambling Act.

He went as far as arguing that the actions were illegal.

Hoffstedt said banks have a contractual obligation to continue to provide banking services to these customers, unless there is a clear reason to break this agreement. Only in incidents where continuing to provide banking services would violate the PTL, or if the banking customer had committed misconduct, could agreements be broken, he claimed.

While Hoffstedt noted that banks may terminate agreements if they suspect a customer has connections to money laundering, he pointed out the PTL made clear that these assessments are at the customer level. They can, therefore, not be applied on a sweeping basis to a legal industry.

“Given that a large proportion of BOS members also received notice or notice of termination from the banks – all with general and overarching references to the risk of money laundering in the business – it seems obvious that the basis for the dismissals is a general business policy decision rather than a valid application of PTL,” he said.

“Under these circumstances, there is no possibility for the banks to deviate from their contractual obligation.”

BOS requested a dialogue with the Financial Supervisory Authority and said the regulator “should initiate a supervisory investigation of the banks’ handling and possibly intervene against the banks”.

SEB – one of the banks mentioned by BOS – however, argued it was not systematically ending relationships with gambling operators but rather examined the risk for every client on an individual basis.

“We always make an individual assessment of individual client relationships,“ SEB said. “When it comes to gambling companies, we generally have a cautious approach based on the raised risk level, not least connected to risks relating to money laundering and financial crime.”

Danske Bank, meanwhile, denied it had a policy specifically preventing gambling businesses from operating, but did say these businesses undergo a stricter screening process.

“Danske Bank does not exclude banking services for gambling operations as such,” Danske Bank said. “However, our assessment is that the gambling industry in general is associated with high risk and due to that we have tailored screening principles to ensure that the companies operate responsibly.

“In a case where a specific gambling client does not meet the requirements of our KYC-process or ESG-assessment, the ultimate consequence could be that we limit our offerings or refrain from enter into a business relationship.”

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Meridianbet Launches ‘Scan. Help.’ Humanitarian Initiative to Support Maternity Hospitals in Southeast Europe

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Meridianbet, a member of the Golden Matrix Group (NASDAQ: GMGI), in partnership with Meridianbet Foundation, Expanse Studios, and BC Crvena zvezda Meridianbet announces the launch of a significant humanitarian initiative, ‘Scan. Help.’, aimed at supporting maternity hospitals across Southeast Europe.

The rollout of this action to other market territories is expected in the remainder of 2024.

How It Works

For every scanned QR code and subsequent registration on the Meridian Foundation’s website, funds will be allocated towards equipping five maternity hospitals in Serbia. This innovative approach not only raises awareness but also actively involves the community in our CSR activities.

The initiative is currently ongoing with high media presence and is broadcasted during Southeast Europe’s regional basketball Finals series (ABA League). BC Red Star players wear jerseys featuring the QR code, with additional promotion through basketball arena ads, TV ads, and more, encouraging fans and supporters to participate.

A Unified Effort for Community Impact

The ‘Scan. Help.’ campaign is a collaborative effort involving Meridianbet, Meridianbet foundation, Expanse Studios, and basketball club Crvena zvezda Meridianbet, Southeast Europe’s leading basketball club, of which Meridianbet is the name sponsor. The initiative is designed to leverage our collective resources and influence to make a meaningful impact on local communities.

Multi-Stakeholder Support and Growing Participation

The ‘Scan. Help.’ campaign has received institutional support ad backing from the Ministry of Health, reinforcing the importance and legitimacy of this cause. Additionally, several companies have already expressed their desire to contribute, with provisions made for donations through the Meridian Foundation’s account. This broadening support network amplifies the initiative’s reach and potential impact.

This campaign exemplifies Meridianbet’s dedication to sustainable development and community well-being. In 2023 alone, the company has launched 225 CSR campaigns, reflecting the commitment to making a lasting impact.

The post Meridianbet Launches ‘Scan. Help.’ Humanitarian Initiative to Support Maternity Hospitals in Southeast Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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SiGMA Asia Awards 2024: Boomerang Partners Nominated for ‘Rising Star Affiliate Program’

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The fast-growing Boomerang Partners affiliate program continues gaining global recognition, earning a nomination for the prestigious ‘Rising Star Affiliate Program 2024’ category in the Asia region

With a rapidly growing network of over 5,200 affiliates across 70+ countries, the dynamic Boomerang Partners affiliate program has been recognized as a finalist for the ‘Rising Star’ category at the SiGMA Awards Asia 2024. While Asia is not currently the central focus for brand promotion, this prestigious recognition from SiGMA is a notable honor that inspires Boomerang to fortify its global footprint and industry-leading position.

In 2023 alone, Boomerang’s achievements included paying over €50 million to affiliates, creating 22 exclusive branded games, hosting 82 tournaments across 30 regions, and expanding into 31 new markets. This followed prestigious wins like ‘Casino of the Year’ at the SiGMA Balkans/CIS Awards, ‘Commission Offer of the Year’ at the AffPapa iGaming Awards, and ‘Best PPC Affiliate’ at the SiGMA Europe Awards.

This year, Boomerang Partners is highlighting innovations like a worldwide traffic tournament and has already been nominated at the AffPapa, MAC, and AskGamblers Awards – eagerly awaiting the results across these prestigious voting processes and final selections.

“We actively collaborate with SiGMA, having participated in their events and been honored with SiGMA awards in other regions previously,” said Vitalii Prokofev, CEO at Boomerang Partners. “SiGMA sets the standard with premier industry events and accolades worldwide. This nomination at their Asia awards is valuable recognition that fuels our ambition to raise our global profile further.”

Boomerang Partners invites all affiliate managers and industry enthusiasts to learn more about their award-winning program. Voting for the SiGMA Asia Awards runs until May 20th. Winners will be announced at the June 3rd ceremony during the June 2-5 event in Manila.

Support Boomerang in the ‘Rising Star’ category while voting for other favorites at SiGMA.

 

The post SiGMA Asia Awards 2024: Boomerang Partners Nominated for ‘Rising Star Affiliate Program’ appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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PopOk Gaming Unveils Exciting New Instant Game: “Dice”

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PopOK Gaming, a leading innovator in the gaming industry, is thrilled to announce the launch of its latest Instant game sensation: “Dice”.

“Dice” is a dynamic game that puts players’ instincts and strategies to the test. Participants can jump in at any moment and predict whether the resulting number will be higher or lower than their selected number. With every roll, the excitement mounts as players watch the green fields light up, indicating their path to victory.

It’s not just about luck – it’s about strategy too. Players have the opportunity to adjust their multiplier, choose their odds, and press start for a thrilling gaming experience.

Here’s how it goes down:

📈 Move the dice higher or lower on the screen.
🚀 Choose over or under.
⏳ Place your bet and hold on tight.
🎲 Launch the dice!
🏆 Win big, with potential rewards of up to x9600!

With its user-friendly interface and exciting gameplay, “Dice” promises to captivate players of all skill levels. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or new to the world of Instant games, “Dice” offers endless opportunities for fun and excitement.

Join the action today and roll the dice for your chance to win big! Visit PopOK Gaming to start playing now.

 

The post PopOk Gaming Unveils Exciting New Instant Game: “Dice” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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