Sweden to Allow Licensees to Share Customer Data with SGA

Sweden is considering major changes to its gambling laws in an attempt to intensify the efforts against match-fixing in professional sports. As outlined in a new memorandum, the government wants to provide gambling operators with the ability to share personal customer data in certain cases.

Currently, the European Union’s Data Protection Regulations prevent operators from disclosing sensitive consumer data. However, this sometimes impedes investigations into criminal activities, such as the manipulation of professional sporting events.

As a result, the new efforts seek to enable licensed gambling companies to share information about consumers who are suspected of participating in match-fixing. This would allow licensees to freely share information with the Swedish regulator, Spelinspektionen/SGA, and prevent the manipulation of professional sporting events.

If approved, the new measure will come into force from December 1, 2024.

Niklas Wykman promoted the measure, saying that licensees should be able to collaborate with the Spelinspektionen and share information in order to ensure optimal efforts against the fixing of games. The minister said that the authority would need access to crucial customer information in order to properly protect the Swedish sporting sector from fraud.

Spelinspektionen Continues to Watch over the Swedish Market

In other news, the Spelinspektionen just took action against two operators that violated Sweden’s gambling laws. These were Smein Hosting and True Polygon Entertainment, which were found guilty of operating without a license.

Both violators were banned from the country as Sweden continues its war on illegal gambling and fraud. For reference, gambling companies must have a license in order to promote their products to local customers. Since both Smein Hosting and True Polygon Entertainment exhibited a disregard for the regulations, the Spelinspektionen was quick to act.

The authority’s desire to shield the gambling and sporting sectors from harm was further demonstrated by its recent Memorandum of Understanding with the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). As per the MoU, the Swedish regulator agreed to work with the largest international betting integrity monitor in the world to prevent fraud and fixed games.

In the meantime, Sweden is preparing to raise gambling taxes, which has been a very unpopular measure among industry representatives. According to Branschföreningen för Onlinespel, a Swedish online gambling association, this tax hike is nothing short of a “gift to the black market.”