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HIPTHER Agency & #hipthers are pleased to announce the Nordic Updates sponsor of the upcoming GamingTECH CEE Summit in Budapest on the 26-27 September 2023!
Nordic gambling Nordic Gambling is a legal firm that specialises in gambling law, such as licensing and compliance advice.
Nordic Gambling has extensive industry experience through successful collaborations and partnerships with operators, suppliers of services, Government regulators, and service providers. This makes them the perfect partner to keep CEE informed about the latest news coming out of the Nordics. They have played a key role in developing the laws and regulations in several European countries, such as Denmark and Sweden.
Maria McDonald, Founding partner at Nordic Gambling was interviewed to learn more about this firm, which helped shape the gambling regulations in the Nordics. We also got their expert opinion of the current state of the industry and their predictions for the future.
Maria, we are so glad you joined us today. Please introduce yourself to the readers of our site and tell them a little about your role with Nordic Gambling.
I am a Swedish attorney and the founding partner of Nordic Gambling. I consider myself to be a specialist in all legal issues relating to gambling including licensing, regulation and general compliance. I have also worked extensively in media, sponsorships and dispute resolution as well as IT, data protection, and IT.
Prior experience includes positions as Head of Legal at Unibet, and General Counsel Scandinavia at Lagardere Sports. I was also Treasurer of the Swedish Branschforeningen for Onlinespel and Chairman of the Danish Online Gambling Association.
How did you come up with the idea to create a law office that specializes in the gambling sector? Do the founding partners have prior experience in the gambling industry or did they simply spot a need for legal services?
All founding partners do have prior experience in the gambling industry. Morten Ronde, who has more than 20-years of experience in the gambling industry, is also a member of my team. Morten worked for the Danish Gambling Authority, and was the head of Spillebranchen, the Danish Online Gambling Association. Henrik Norsk Hoffmann, who has worked in the gambling industry for more than 14 years, has also been the leading counsel in some of the biggest court cases involving gambling on the Danish market.
Morten and Henrik first discussed the idea of opening a business in the newly regulated Danish market in 2017. When the Swedish reregulation began to take shape I jumped at the chance to offer an office there as well.
Are there any notable differences between the Nordic countries in terms of gambling regulation and compliance?
The Swedish and Danish markets have been re-regulated, and they share many similarities. The Swedish Gambling Act was based on the Danish Gambling Act and, even though the differences are significant today, the similarities remain.
Norway and Finland have monopolies, but many are aware that the Finnish market is changing and we can expect a reregulation in a near future. You can be sure that Nordic Gambling is looking forward to providing services in Finland.
Which of the following is the most significant legislative step that you believe has been taken in the Nordics to regulate the gambling industry over the past few years?
The monopoly should be abolished in Finland, and ideally also Norway.
Hipther’s GamingTECH CEE, which you sponsor, is the premier gaming industry event in Central and Eastern Europe. What are the main differences between the Nordics and CEE in terms of gambling laws and regulations?
It is difficult to give examples. The European online gambling markets are fragmented. Positive news is that there are more and more countries moving to regulated markets, where gambling is not monopolized by a single state-owned company. I hope that gambling markets become more similar, with standards like e.g. How to combat problem gambling, and the implementation of best practice here.
In closing, what advice would you give to participants at the GamingTECH CEE Summit in relation to their business in the Nordic region.
Be sure to understand the legal and regulatory requirements. Both under the Danish and Swedish re-regulated regimes and the Danish monopoly market, sanctions are severe. Nordic Gambling is a good place to start for legal advice
Outro:
Maria, thank you for your thoughtful and informative responses! Nordic Gambling has been a great supporter of our site and we appreciate their willingness to share their knowledge.
Nordic Gambling can be contacted here for more information and legal advice.
We are looking forward to meeting you at GamingTECH CEE in Budapest for the annual reunion with the best companies and professionals in Gaming and Technology from Central and Eastern Europe.
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