Betspin given Nordic test launch

US-backed start-up Betspin yesterday soft-launched its casino to a select group of customers in the Nordic market ahead of a full release next month, eGaming Review has learned.

Betspin, whose holding company Candid Gaming is owned by Oslo-listed US corporation Nio Inc, is powered by iGamingCloud, a new platform developed by Gaming Innovation Group.

Speaking to eGR this morning, Betspin managing director Mikko Hirvonen said yesterday’s launch was for a “select very small group” of customers ahead of a full launch on 2 February, although this group will be gradually increased over the coming weeks.

“We will initially launch in the Nordics as most of the interest has come from there, although I’m sure we’ll get some customers from other non-licensed European countries too,” Hirvonen said.

The casino will include games from third-party suppliers such as NetEnt while the operator will use the next few weeks to add-in additional features before bringing the brand to the UK.

“We are planning to do the full launch on 2 February ahead of ICE and for that we’ll have localised content for Finland, Sweden and Norway and we’ll start a marketing push as well, mainly through affiliates,” he added.

“Last but not least we will welcome UK customers sometime later that month,” he added.

The operator is also in the process of developing a sportsbook ahead of a planned launch later this year and recently appointed Betsson’s sportsbook product and research and development chief Kristoffer Zvickell to head-up the vertical.

Zvickell is expected to begin his new role on 1 March in a move which will see him join up with former Betsson colleague Philip Lam, who left the operator last year to lead the Betspin casino.

According to Hirvonen, the sportsbook “will not be a copy and paste solution” and will be made up of a mixture of third-party services and in-house trading.