SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Betsson has moved its online gaming services for European customers to a new holding company under the name Rizk Nordic Limited.
The brand holds a licence from and has been regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) since November 2022. Rizk domain is replacing the previous licensee BML Group.
Betsson’s updated website now reads: “For customers residing in the European Union (excluding customers residing in Sweden and sportsbook customers residing in Ireland), the operator of this website is Rizk Nordic Limited, company registration number C101569, having its registered address at Betsson Experience Centre, Ta’ Xbiex Seafront, Ta’ Xbiex, XBX1027, Malta.
“Rizk Nordic Limited is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority under licence MGA/B2C/959/2022 issued on the 7th November 2022.”
The switch is reported to be related to BML Group’s recent blacklisting by the Finnish Police Force.
Any gambling firm listed on the Finnish blacklist will no longer be capable of interacting with any bank, payment service provider or crypto company in the country, blocking the ability to receive payments from Finnish players.
For Betsson, the blacklisting is only extended to the licensee itself, rather than the whole of the business, meaning that Rizk Nordic can now take the place of BLM with the operator remaining compliant with all government injunctions under the Lottery Act.
Last year, Betsson was ordered to pay a €2.4m fine by the Helsinki Administrative Court after being accused of illegally targeting Finnish players, thus trying to grab a share of the market currently controlled by the state-owned gambling monopoly Veikkaus.
Betsson has remained firm in rejecting these accusations.
Quoted by Finnish media outlet MTV, Mikko Cantell, Chief Inspector of the Police Board’s Lottery Administration, said: “With its own activities, the Police Board is trying to ensure that banned gambling marketing has ceased, and if it were to continue, we will take measures.”
2023 developments saw Finland’s new conservative coalition government led by Petteri Orpo commit to a ‘policy programme’ which will review the state-owned assets.
The coalition’s programme intends to end the Finnish gambling current monopoly system in favour of a new licensing model by “no later than 2026” – a mandate which is yet to be finalised by relevant authorities.
