Play’n GO to Shape Global Gambling Policy at G7 Summit and Beyond

A Historic Role at the G7

Play’n GO, a Swedish online casino games developer, will make history today as the sole online supplier invited to the G7 Summit’s inaugural Global Forum on Responsible Gaming and Gambling Policy in Calgary, Canada.

Shawn Fluharty, the company’s Head of Government Affairs, will lead a session engaging global leaders, regulators, neuroscientists, and public health experts. “Positioning responsible gaming at the world’s premier policy forums is vital,” Fluharty said, aiming to align regulation with innovation.

The forum, part of a three-part series, precedes Play’n GO’s participation in the G20 Summit in South Africa and the UN General Assembly in New York.

Why Play’n GO Stands Alone

The company, known for slots like Book of Dead, has banned bonus buy games and refused to supply sweepstakes casinos, which operate outside regulatory frameworks. “Sweepstakes casinos threaten the regulated market model,” Fluharty said, citing player protection and tax revenue.

CEO Johan Tornqvist echoed this, stating, “Our commitment to regulated markets is absolute.” The firm’s advocacy, backed by Fluharty’s role as president of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, positions it to shape policies on mental wellness and youth protection.

The Stakes at the Global Forum

The G7 Forum aims to craft recommendations for international gambling policy, focusing on health, youth safeguards, and innovation. Fluharty’s session will explore gambling’s mental health impacts, drawing on studies like a 2024 UK report linking problem gambling to 1.5% of adults, per The Guardian.

Play’n GO’s push for “cohesive, global standards” responds to fragmented regulations, with 70% of online gambling occurring in unregulated markets.

The forum’s outcomes will feed into G20 discussions in Johannesburg on November 22–23, 2025, and the UN General Assembly in September.