2 Weeks Until the Scandinavian & Nordic Gaming Show 2026: Legal Experts Address Regulatory Change

Only 2 weeks remain until the 8th annual Scandinavian & Nordic Gaming Show (SNGS) 2026, as the Nordic gaming community prepares to meet at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 22 – 23 October. This year’s edition comes at a time when regulatory frameworks and enforcement approaches are changing across the Nordic gaming market, raising a number of important questions for operators, suppliers and other businesses active in the region. Finland is moving towards a new licensing framework, Sweden is taking a firmer approach to regulation, and Norway is stepping up enforcement. SNGS 2026 will address these developments through discussions with regulators, operators, technology providers and investors, examining how regulatory changes are affecting market access, commercial strategies and day-to-day operations. Prominent Topics on the Agenda Industry leaders will address some of the key regulatory and commercial developments affecting Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. Day 1 | Thursday, 22 October Gambling in Denmark from a Regulatory Perspective Europe’s Gaming Leaders: Who Is Really on Top? Sweden and Denmark: Two Neighbours, Two Regulatory Paths Day 2 | Friday, 23 October The Lottery Landscape and the Monopoly Debate Winning Early in Finland’s New Regime The Nordic Vision: From Channelisation Gaps to Global Leadership The Nordic Regulatory Picture According to the Region’s Legal Experts Ahead of SNGS 2026, prominent figures from the legal sector taking the stage in Copenhagen shared their perspectives on the region’s regulation and market developments. Gabriel Danyeli, Lawyer, Taylor Wessing Gabriel outlined the factors that make a European gaming market attractive to operators and how the Nordic markets compare: A gaming market is particularly attractive if it offers clear and proportionate licensing requirements, fair tax conditions and effective, yet not excessive, supervision. The Nordic markets are adopting different approaches: Denmark and Sweden have relatively clear licence-based regulatory frameworks. Norway and, until now, Finland have pursued more restrictive models. However, all Nordic countries are generally seen as having regulations that are widely accepted by the players – unlike, for example, in Germany. He then examined the reasons behind differences in player flows and channelisation across the Nordic markets: Differences in player flows and channelisation have several causes. Strong enforcement against unlicensed operators can increase channelisation. Particularly restrictive systems or a lack of appeal in the legal offers may push players towards the black market. It is therefore important to combine effective enforcement with a competitive regulated market. On the future development of Nordic regulation, Gabriel highlighted several areas where greater coordination could benefit both operators and players: Both Nordic and German regulation could benefit from better coordination in licensing, advertising, product regulations, and supervision. This would prevent operators from facing very different requirements in Germany and the Nordic markets. At the same time, effective protection against illegal offers must be ensured. Player protection measures should rely more on evidence and take individual needs into account, for example through better use of behavioural data, without making the legal market unattractive through blanket bans or excessive administrative requirements – the sorts that are, for example, also frequently criticised in the German market. Pia Ek, Attorney at Law & Partner, Bird & Bird Pia explained how differences in market structure have contributed to the varying player-flow and channelisation patterns across the Nordic markets: The divergence comes down to market architecture, not geography or culture. Sweden and Denmark opened to competitive licensing years ago, while Finland and Norway kept state monopolies. Monopoly markets are structurally more exposed when demand moves online and cross-border. Finland’s own reform documents found that the exclusive-rights system and its underlying purpose risked losing their relevance because of the sharp rise in online gambling and gambling outside the system. The system was undermined by services moving online and by the cross-border nature of gambling and gambling services, to the point that the exclusive system’s market share in digital gambling had slipped below the 50 percent mark, with unlicensed operators outside the monopoly earning revenue without paying licence fees, taxes, or bearing responsibility for the harms their activity causes. She also considered what the Nordic markets could do to improve channelisation while maintaining strong player protection: The Finnish reform’s own framing is the clearest short answer: raising channelisation and protecting players are not inherently in tension, but getting both at once requires deliberate calibration. Some flexibility on both sides needs to be accepted. Rules aimed solely at harm reduction would be maximally strict on supply and marketing, while rules aimed solely at maximising channelisation would be maximally permissive for operators. Licence terms, tax rates and the gaming authorities’ supervision should be designed to make the regulated market commercially competitive with the unregulated market, while backing licensing with real enforcement teeth. Regarding greater regulatory alignment across the Nordic markets, Pia discussed where closer cooperation could have the most immediate impact: The Nordic countries already treat each other as the natural reference group for legislative purposes. That shared legal baseline, plus the fact that harmful supply and advertising increasingly cross borders regardless of each country’s own licensing choice, in my mind points to where alignment would have the most immediate payoff, and that is coordinated action against unlicensed, cross-border operators and their marketing. This is an area where no single Nordic country’s model can fully protect its own channelisation rates. Morten Ronde, Managing Partner, Nordic Legal On the topic of player protection, Morten pointed to the responsible gaming innovations that matter most today: We are seeing a shift from reactive to proactive responsible gaming, and that is where the real opportunity lies. Key priorities include better use of behavioural data to identify risk earlier, more personalised interventions, and clearer, more effective communication with players. There is also a growing need for cross-operator collaboration and data sharing, within appropriate legal frameworks, to improve outcomes at a systemic level. Importantly, responsible gaming should not just be about minimising harm, but about creating a safer and more sustainable player experience overall. With stricter enforcement across parts of the Nordics, he outlined how regulators can curb the black market without pushing players toward it: The most effective way to combat the black market is to ensure that the regulated market remains attractive to players. Enforcement is important, but it cannot stand alone. Regulation needs to strike a careful balance, protecting consumers without making the licensed offering so restrictive that players seek alternatives. This includes competitive product offerings, reasonable limits, and clear, consistent rules. Ultimately, channelisation should be the guiding principle. If players choose the regulated market because it offers both safety and quality, the black market becomes far less relevant. Finally, having been involved in SNGS for a number of years, Morten spoke about why platforms like this are so important for the industry: Platforms like SNGS are absolutely essential. The regulatory and commercial challenges we face today are too complex to be addressed in isolation. What makes the event particularly valuable is its ability to bring together regulators, operators, advisors, and other stakeholders in a setting that encourages open and constructive dialogue. These conversations often lead to better understanding and, in some cases, better policy. In a region as interconnected as the Nordics, that kind of dialogue is not just beneficial, it is necessary. SNGS Eventus Awards 2026: Final Week for Nominations The SNGS Eventus Awards 2026 will be held on the evening of 22 October 2026, recognising individuals and organisations for their contributions to the Nordic gaming industry. Entries can be submitted until this Friday, 9 October 2026, with the shortlisted nominees announced on 14 October 2026. Nominate here. Attend, Sponsor or Exhibit SNGS 2026 still has delegate, sponsorship and exhibition opportunities available for organisations looking to showcase their brand, engage with industry stakeholders and connect with businesses across the Scandinavian and Nordic gaming markets. To secure a place, register here.