HIPTHER Agency and the #hipthers are delighted to introduce the Nordic Updates Sponsor of the upcoming GamingTECH CEE Summit taking place in Budapest, on 26-27 September, 2023!
Nordic Gambling is the only legal firm in the Nordic countries specialising in gambling related law such as licensing, compliance advice and public affairs.
Having extensive experience in the industry through successful collaborations with operators, suppliers, service providers and Government regulators, Nordic Gambling is the ideal partner to keep the CEE region posted on the latest news from the Nordics! Especially since they have been closely involved in the development of the law and regulation in a number of European jurisdictions, including Denmark and Sweden.
We caught up with Maria McDonald, Founding Partner at Nordic Gambling, to find out more about the firm that helped shape gambling regulation in the Nordics, get their expert opinion on the current status of the industry, and hear their estimations for the future.
Hi, Maria, thank you for joining us today! Can you please introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a few things about your role at Nordic Gambling?
I am a Swedish lawyer and a founding partner of Nordic Gambling. I consider myself specialized in all legal matters related to gambling, including licensing, regulatory and general compliance matters. I also have worked extensively within media, sponsorships, dispute resolution, IT and data protection.
Previous experience includes roles as Head of Legal in Unibet and General Counsel Scandinavia in Lagardère Sports. I have also previously acted as Chairman of the Danish Online Gambling Association (DOGA) and treasurer of the Swedish Branschföreningen för Onlinespel (BOS).
How did the idea for a law firm specialising in the gambling industry occur? Did the founding partner(s) have any prior experience with the industry, or did they happen to spot a gap in the legal services market?
Yes, all founding partners have previous experience from the gambling industry. In addition to my own experience as Head of Legal for a leading operator, Morten Ronde has worked in the industry for more than 20 years, including for the Danish Gambling Authority and as head of the Danish trade group Spillebranchen (Danish Online Gambling Association). Furthermore Henrik Norsk Hoffmann has specialized in gambling law, corporate and commercial law and arbitration for over 14 years and has been the lead counsel for some of the most important court cases regarding gambling in the Danish market.
The idea to start a firm in the already re-regulated Danish market was originally founded between Morten and Henrik in 2017 and when the re-regulation in Sweden started to take shape, I decided to join the exciting opportunity to also offer an office in Stockholm.
Do the Nordic countries share a common legislative framework for gambling compliance and regulation, or are there notable differences among them?
Currently the Swedish and Danish markets are re-regulated and have a lot in common. The Swedish Gambling Act used the Danish Gambling Act as a starting point and even though there are some important differences these days, the similarities are striking.
Norway and Finland are currently markets with monopolies in place but as many will be aware, the Finnish market is moving and we can anticipate a re-regulation there in a not too distant future. It will be interesting to continue to follow these developments and you can rest assured that Nordic Gambling will be looking to provide services in Finland too.
What do you consider the most important legislative step for the gambling industry in the Nordics in the last few years?
Definitely the abolishment of the monopoly in Finland and hopefully eventually also Norway.
Hipther’s GamingTECH CEE that you are sponsoring, is the leading gaming industry event for the Central and Eastern Europe region. What are the fundamental differences (if any) between the legal framework and regulations of the Nordics and CEE for gambling?
I think it is very difficult to give specific examples. The European markets for online gambling are still so fragmented. The positive news and something that is a similarity is that more and more countries are moving towards regulated markets where there is not just one, state owned, actor in the gambling field. My hope is that the gambling markets will become more and more similar with common standards on e.g. how to counter problem gambling and that we will see implementation of best practices here.
Closing, what is your advice to the participants of GamingTECH CEE Summit, in terms of their operations in the Nordic region?
Make sure you have a good understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements. Sanctions are harsh, both under monopoly markets and the re-regulated Danish and Swedish regimes. A good start is to use Nordic Gambling for your legal advice 
Outro:
Thank you very much for your time and insightful responses, Maria! We are thankful to Nordic Gambling for their continued support and for sharing their expertise with our readers.
For more information about the law firm, and to seek their legal advice, get in touch with Nordic Gambling here.
We look forward to seeing you in Budapest at GamingTECH CEE for the annual reunion of the best companies and professionals from Gaming and Technology in Central and Eastern Europe!
Join the #hipthers and Nordic Gambling in an event that will redefine the future of gaming in the CEE region! Get Your Tickets for GamingTECH CEE Now!
If you’re looking to contribute to the iGaming industry’s most established events and expand your network in the industry, Become A Hipther Event Sponsor!