Sweden’s Gambling Act is due for a review to uncover additional ways in which black market operators can be stamped out of the country.
This was announced by a government press release, which informed that Marcus Isgren, Chairman and Head of the Swedish National Board of Complaints, has been tasked with drafting an amendments proposal that will see the regulatory framework expanded.
Due by 17 September, the revised texts would focus on updating specific areas of the Gambling Act, such as online games licence requirements, in order to weed out unlicensed offerings from the market and introduce more efficient customer protection controls.
“Gambling with unlicensed operators entails risks for the individual consumer, undermines gambling legislation and makes it less effective,” the press release read. “Criminals also exploit unlicensed gambling activities for money laundering and match-fixing.
“A review of the scope of application of the Gambling Act should contribute to more unlicensed operators being excluded from the Swedish gambling market, including by making the license requirement apply to more games.”
Sweden’s gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has expressed that it welcomes the announcement “very positively”.
Camilla Rosenberg, Spelinspektionen Director General, also referenced the authority’s own report from April last year, where it recommended for the government to reevaluate its cooperation with the Financial Supervisory Authority on the issue of illegal gambling.
An official statement on the planned regulatory revision was also provided by Niklas Wykman, Sweden’s Financial Markets Minister, who promised: “We will stop rogue gambling companies that exploit vulnerable consumers.
“We will do this by amending the Gambling Act so that it becomes more appropriate. This is one of the single most important measures for a safer and healthier gambling market.”
