Swedish regulator shows new make-up for revamped marketplace

Swedish gambling authority, Lotteriinspektionen has provided a public briefing detailing the internal and external changes the organisation will undertake to service Sweden’s full ‘Gambling Act’ re-regulation in-bound for the start of 2019.

Last week, Lotteriinspektionen Legal and Integrity policy advisor Katarina Abrahamsson presented a guidance on regulations, guidelines, transition and accreditation processes that will impact all Swedish gambling stakeholders.

Preparing to govern a new Swedish gambling marketplace, for both land-based and digital incumbents, from 1 January 2019, Lotteriinspektionen confirms that it will fully rebrand to Spelinspektionen (translation – ‘The Gambling Inspectorate’).

Monitoring a significantly expanded marketplace, Spelinspektionen will report to the Swedish Ministry of Finance, maintaining an independent board appointed by the government who holds full responsibility over the Authority’s operations and standards.

The new Spelinspektionen will be led by Director General Camilla Rosenberg, who has enhanced the organisation’s operational capacity to 50 full-time employees, with further resources anticipated.

An enlarged Swedish gambling authority will be split into four core departments – management, operations, compliance and monitoring.

Spelinspektionen operator accreditation and due-diligence procedures supported by state organisation – SWEDAC, an entity of Sweden’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Entering a crucial period for the effective re-regulation of Swedish gambling, Abrahamsson underlines ‘general conditions’ which the authority has assumed in order to meet its target January 2019 deadline.

Prior to re-regulation, the authority states that it will not hold any private consultations or individual meetings with betting industry stakeholders, nor provide general advice on interpretations of rules and standards.

“We will not be providing any form of consultation on the interpretation of rules,” said Abrahamsson. “The authority’s job is to supervise the license holder, and their ability to follow the requirements set by law and regulation.”