Newly reformed Sper becomes trade association for Swedish marketplace

As Sweden prepares to re-regulate its gambling market, allowing for newly licensed online betting operators, gaming ethics council Speletiska Rådet (Sper) has announced that it has reformed its body to become an industry trade association.

Previously acting as a sector ethics council, Sper focused on implementing best practices and consumer protections for Swedish state-owned gaming enterprises.

However, Sper CEO Jenny Nilzon has detailed to industry news source TotallyGaming.com that the organisations mandate has significantly increased and changed, with its members urging Sper to work on ‘wider industry issues’.

“Sper decided to meet this demand and take greater responsibility for the situation. To be able to do this, the ethical council had to be transformed into an association.”

Noting the change, Nilzon states that Sper wants to represent the entire new Swedish market, improving cooperation, communication and knowledge between decision makers and all-sector stakeholders.

Currently, Sweden has entered a crucial period in its proposed legislation of online gambling services. Last April regulatory body Lotteriinspektionen published its first draft of the new national gambling framework.

Swedish officials are review initial gambling licensing provisions and procedures, combined with a potential 18% tax on gross gaming revenues for remote operators.

As leader of Sper, Nilzon detailed the importance of trust between Sweden’s regulatory bodies and its new market entrants, which will be critical in creating a fair marketplace

“We will continue to work with ethical guidelines and prove that the industry can self-regulate itself even after the re-regulation.” Nilzon details