The Gaming in the Nordics Launch Event, recently held at Better Collective’s headquarters in Copenhagen, highlighted the Nordic region’s leading role within Europe’s iGaming ecosystem and its potential to shape the next generation of gambling regulation.
Innovative regulation and operator compliance
During the event, Morten Ronde, CEO of the Danish Online Gambling Association and Partner at Nordic Legal, said that the combination of Scandinavian pragmatism and a willingness to embrace new initiatives early could make the Nordics the first region to implement the next wave of innovative iGaming regulation.
Anders Dorph, Director of Denmark’s gambling regulator Spillemyndigheden, shared his views on operator compliance, the influence of major technology platforms, and player monitoring. Discussing the benefits of a well-regulated market, Dorph noted that Danish-licensed operators demonstrate a strong commitment to compliance and that the local industry is genuinely motivated to operate within the established regulatory framework.
Player protection and market channelization
A panel featuring Pontus Lindwall, CEO of Betsson, and Jesper Kärrbrink, CEO of Immense Group, explored the challenges and opportunities facing Nordic markets from an operator perspective. The executives shared their views on effective regulatory practices and the key ingredients required to build a sustainable market.
Lindwall identified three essential conditions for achieving a healthy market with high channelization rates: a competitive product offering, meaningful player protection measures, and effective enforcement.
He also emphasized that gambling can be harmful for some individuals, making it crucial to keep players within the regulated system where support and safeguards are available.
“We are in a business where there is harm. We must acknowledge that and act accordingly. We also need to be able to reach those players, which is only possible if they remain inside the regulated system,” Lindwall said.
Industry leaders gather in Copenhagen
The event also featured contributions from leading industry figures, including Jesper Søgaard (Better Collective), Birgitte Sand (Birgitte Sand & Associates), Pekka Ilmivalta (Nordic Legal Finland), Josh Hodgson (H2 Gambling Capital), Daniel Valiollahi (BOS), Rasmus Kjaergaard (Mindway AI), and Jeffrey Haas (Blask). The session was chaired by Peter-Paul de Goeij, Managing Consultant at QuodBonum.se.
Gaming in the Nordics founder Willem van Oort described the launch event as a major success and praised the quality of the discussions among participants.
“I think the Gaming in the Nordics Launch Event was a fantastic success. The event brought together key decision-makers and thought leaders from across the region. What I enjoyed most was seeing genuine exchanges of ideas between speakers and participants on several occasions. We are very much looking forward to repeating the experience next year on an even larger scale,” he said.
Annual conference confirmed from 2027
While the launch event was invitation-only, the organizers confirmed that a full-scale annual Gaming in the Nordics Conference will be held every June in Copenhagen from 2027 onward, creating a permanent forum for dialogue among operators, regulators, suppliers, and other industry stakeholders.
Those interested in receiving updates about next year’s conference can subscribe to the Gaming in the Nordics mailing list through the organization’s official website: https://www.gamingin.eu/
