News

Wednesday, July 11, 2007Contact: Maurits Bruggink
+33.6.08 96 78 95
Nordic totes embrace trust mark for internet betting

Norsk Risktoto and Fintoto have today joined the Racing Trust Mark scheme, which is designed to promote fair trade in the racing and betting product. They join Swedish tote company ATG, who subscribed in 2006.

Ilmari Halinen, Managing Director of Fintoto explains: “We organize tote betting on 43 trotting tracks and 730 off-track betting shops. Internet betting has been added to our distribution platform 5 years ago and now represents more than one third of our total betting volume. Internet also brings its own challenge regarding the protection of our intellectual property and our license. With our subscription to the Racing Trust Mark, we aim to underline our rights ownership and promote the principle of authorized betting.”

His views are echoed by Harald Dørum, Managing Director of Norsk Rikstoto: “This is really a great initiative that will allow us to built confidence in the trade of our racing product. Racing is getting more international each day, both in terms of distribution as well as the participation at races. The Racing Trust Mark allows us to identify authorized foreign partners.”

Maurits Bruggink, IFHA Executive Director is very pleased with the new subscribers: “These new subscriptions give us further support for our actions. One of these will be the revamping of our website, www.RacingTrustMark.com, with new content regarding horseracing and international aspects of betting. It also means that both Rikstoto and Fintoto can be considered for global commingling under the IFHA initiative should they decide to join this.”

With six new subscribers during the last months, the Racing Trust Mark now applies to 30 operations in 14 countries. Further membership growth is further pursued in all continents.

For additional information, please visit www.RacingTrustMark.com

E-Mail : mbruggink@IFHAonline.org