The Gaming in the Nordics launch event convened on 2 July 2026 at the Better Collective headquarters in Copenhagen to assess the region’s position within the European iGaming sector. Industry executives and regulatory officials used the invitation-only gathering to review current compliance frameworks and outline upcoming legislative developments.
Morten Ronde, CEO of the Danish Online Gambling Association and partner at Nordic Legal, stated that Scandinavian pragmatism combined with early market adoption will position Nordic territories as the first to implement next-generation iGaming regulations. Anders Dorph, director of the Danish regulator Spillemyndigheden, addressed operator compliance and player monitoring protocols.
He noted that licensed Danish operators "are all very eager to be compliant. […] The industry [in Denmark] wants to be compliant. And that is a fact."
Market Health and Player Protection
Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall and Immense Group CEO Jesper Kärrbrink presented operator perspectives on regulatory requirements. Lindwall identified three conditions for a stable market with high player channelization: a competitive product, meaningful player protections, and consistent enforcement. He emphasized that gambling carries inherent risks for certain demographics, making regulated access essential.
"We are in a business where there is harm," Lindwall said. "We must admit this and reflect on this. We also need to be able to reach these players, which we can only do if they are inside of the regulated system."
The agenda also included presentations from Jesper Søgaard, co-founder and co-CEO of Better Collective; Birgitte Sand, CEO of Birgitte Sand & Associates; Pekka Ilmivalta, head of office at Nordic Legal Finland; Josh Hodgson, COO of H2 Gambling Capital; Daniel Valiollahi, acting secretary general of BOS; Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO of Mindway AI; Jeffrey Haas, chair of Blask; and Peter-Paul de Goeij, managing consultant at QuodBonum.se, who chaired the session.
Willem van Oort, founder of Gaming in the Nordics, confirmed that the organization will host a full public conference starting in 2027.