Every week, CasinoBeats breaks down the numbers behind some of the industry’s most fascinating stories. A pair of Premier League sponsorship agreements, end of the Finnish monopoly, DraftKings’ pursuit of Fanatics, Ksa calls for unity and Australian developments all form a part of our latest headline recap.
50
Finland is to transition to a licensing model by no later than January 1, 2026, bringing an end to the monopoly status held by Veikkaus in the country.
After years of rejecting recommendations to make such a shift, the country’s new government disclosed the plans as part of a multi-faceted programme that is designed to “build a strong and committed Finland”.
As a result of opening the region’s digital ecosystem up to competition, a move that has been much discussed throughout the year, the government has stressed a number of core ambitions.
In addition to looking to prevent and reduce gambling harms, the reform will also be tasked with reducing economic and social harms and improving channelisation. This, it is said, currently stands at 50 per cent.
150
DraftKings stressed that its proposal to acquire the US business of PointsBet represents “a significant premium to Fanatics’ offer” as the M&A race heats up.
This follows a $150m deal being agreed last month, after it was deemed that Fanatics’ overtures were the most appealing from a shareholder perspective following conversations with “all leading US-based sportsbooks regarding potential strategic relationships”.
Concluded in May, the deal would see Fanatics acquire PointsBet US, its market access, Banach Tech, and a licence for its proprietary technology. The Canadian business would remain with the group
3,297
In the first piece of Premier League news of the past seven days, Chelsea Supporters Trust wrote to club owner Todd Boehly after it emerged that the club could potentially strike a short-term front-of-shirt sponsorship with Stake.
The betting and gaming operator, which is no stranger to sporting alliances, has reportedly emerged as a frontrunner after a potential deal with Paramount Plus fell through.
The CST also posted the results of a recent poll, of 3,297 members, that was conducted regarding a potential alignment with Stake, as 77 per cent of members voted to strongly disagree or disagree with their usage as primary shirt sponsor.
2025
In addition, Aston Villa entered into a multi-year partnership with BK8 that will see the online casino and sports betting brand become a principal and front of shirt partner of the Premier League outfit.
The three-year deal will feature branding on the front of the club’s three official shirts until the end of the 2025/26 season, when a voluntary withdrawal gambling sponsorships from the front of matchday shirts will enter into effect.
In addition, a number of advertising opportunities across Villa Park assets are also included as part of the deal. These will be given to charitable organisation to display promotional messaging throughout the course of the coming season.
12
The UK Gambling Commission rolled-out a designated hub that is focused on the expectations and responsibilities of operators following a slew of financial sanctions.
The website is focused on the accountability of operators when entering into business contracts with third parties entities, including white label partners.
Requirements set out by the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice form a key facet of the hub, with these stipulating the obligations that gambling business must adhere to regarding the aforementioned relationships Furthermore, it also contains specific advice on those engaging in white label partnerships.
The UKGC has endured a busy year thus far, with a total of 12 financial sanctions handed down, to the tune of a little over £36.5m, against a range of licensed entities for a combination of social responsibility, anti-money laundering and/or marketing failings.
30
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission warned the industry that it must “operate decently as well as legally” as the regulator puts “operators on notice to minimise gambling harm”.
In what was billed as a “groundbreaking statement”, the VGCCC noted that it is undertaking a deliberate shift from “the traditional narrative of the past 30 years”.
This, it suggested, has marginalised gambling harms by only referring in the context of ‘problem gambling’ or a player’s failure to wager responsibility.
The statement, which the VGCC also argued is “a world-first among gambling regulators”, also spoke of gambling harms being “preventable”, with minimisation to “guide all our regulatory decisions, actions and expectations”.
90
René Jansen, Chair of Kansspelautoriteit, enhanced the calls for international regulatory cooperation, in addition to reflecting on four key trends emanating from Europe’s online gambling space.
Reflecting on a recent gathering of the Gambling Regulators European Forum, which took place earlier this month in Bergen, Norway, and united 90 representatives from 30 countries, Jansen utilised an opening speech to highlight common themes witnessed across the continent.
Inking his latest blog for the Authority following the GREF assembly, he noted that these represent “trends that I see despite the fact that the European map shows a patchwork of different types of legislation and regulation. After all, there is no Europe-wide legal framework for games of chance.”
364
The New South Wales government delayed a proposed hike in casino tax rates on embattled Star Entertainment Group that was due to enter into force within the next two weeks.
As financial challenges hit the Australian state, as well as the casino group, the now deferred decision was initially detailed in December to raise an additional A$364m over the next three years.
Despite being written into the budget by NSW’s previous government, the tax increase was legislated and inherited by the current incumbents as a legacy policy upon election in March.
However, the Star has maintained its previous stance by maintaining that the proposed duty increases are flawed in their design and not sustainable.
2024
Sweden is seeking to implement higher penalty fees for those that violate the country’s Money Laundering Act under fresh proposals tabled yesterday.
This adjustment would see the potential figure being imposed align with the maximum amount as that for violations of the Gambling Act, as the current figure is “many times lower”.
The proposal has been forwarded in a bid to strengthen consumer protection and better combat criminal activity, with changes to the law proposed to enter into force on April 1, 2024.
500
Liquor & Gaming NSW is stepping up a state-wide compliance initiative that is tasked with monitoring compliance with key gaming harm-minimisation measures.
After it was recently suggested that venue closures could commence across the region to combat EGM concerns, in the region of 500 inspections are to commence at pubs and clubs.
Under this second stage of the program, the liquor, wagering and gaming regulator has warned that a “zero-tolerance approach” to breaches will be taken”.
The initiative is to inspect the promotion of safer gambling cultures, protecting patrons and the wider communication for excessive gambling and the presence of associated signage across the facilities.
