SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Swedish gambling regulatory body Lotteriinspektionen will today publish its commissioned report, detailing provisions for a potential national regulated gambling framework.
Swedish MPs and industry stakeholders have eagerly awaited the report, which was commissioned by the government in 2015 for the purpose of commencing a license-based system for gambling operators.
In January, fears arose of further industry regulatory delays following the departure of Hakan Hallstedt as Director General of Lotteriinspektionen. Hallstedt been charged with leading the reform of Sweden’s national gambling framework to include secure provisions for digital services.
Swedish stakeholders will be pleased that Lotteriinspektionen has stayed on course and delivered its initial industry report.
This week, business news source Reuters reported that Lotteriinspektionen may advise the Swedish government to sell/scrap state-owned gambling operator Svenska Spel. The gambling regulator is said to detail that a gambling sector without a state-owned enterprise will be appealing to international firms’ eyeing market entry.
The report is said to take into account a large number of Swedish-founded European online betting operators such as Kindred Group, Betsson AB and Leo Vegas who have formed successful enterprises without a Swedish regulatory decree to date.
The Lotteriinspektionen report urges the government to create fair and open conditions for these operators, as they will become the highest revenue generators for charities and social initiatives benefiting from gambling taxes.
Industry stakeholders eyeing the Swedish market, will want no legislative surprises attached to the report. Following a number of mass delays to the German sports betting bill, due to its provisions failing to meet EU standards, gambling stakeholders expect Sweden to deliver legislation aligned with common market policy.
