Spelinspektionen Applauds Changes to Gambling Regulations

Earlier this year, the regulated gambling sector in Sweden went through changes related to licensing of the providers of iGaming technology and content. The changes came into effect on July 1, 2023, requiring all suppliers of content and solutions for the online gambling industry to secure a license from the Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen.

Then, in September, a new proposal called to raise gambling tax from 18% to 22% on gross gaming revenue. This change, if greenlighted, is proposed to come into effect next year in July. Earlier this month, Spelinspektionen published a consultation response on the use of credit cards for gambling. While the regulator admitted that operators should not encourage customers to gamble with credit cards, it said that a ban isn’t needed, at least for the current moment.

Additional proposals are also going to be reviewed and may change further the gambling regulations in the European country. The proposals call for implementing higher fines for operators that violate the Money Laundering Act in the country. Under the current regulations, higher fines are imposed for gambling operators who breach the established Gambling Act.

However, under the newly proposed measures, penalties will for violations of the Money Laundering Act and Gambling Act would become on par. This is part of a wider effort of lawmakers against criminal activities related to the gambling sector.

Gambling Watchdog Welcomes the Proposed Changes

Besides increasing fines against gambling operators, further changes seek to require written approval for telephone sales of games. The aforementioned changes were already submitted to the Legislative Council for further assessment and approval. If greenlighted, the changes would be enforced effective from April 1, 2024.

“We welcome the proposals in the referral that enable further measures to strengthen the regulation of the gaming market.“

Camilla Rosenberg, director general at Spelinspektionen

The gambling regulator confirmed its support for the proposed changes, according to a Friday statement. Camilla Rosenberg, Spelinspektionen’s director general, welcomed the proposals, outlining the importance of strengthening the regulations for the legal gambling sector. “It is also gratifying that the government has now heeded the Gambling Authority’s proposal to raise the sanction ceiling for violations of the Money Laundering Act,” she added.

Back in May, Spelinspektionen confirmed it decided to extend the term of Rosenberg. This effectively enabled her to retain her current director general role through October 2026. Undoubtedly, this was a strategic move for the gambling regulator in Sweden, considering the ongoing changes to the legal gambling sector in the country.