SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Ardaland Shekarabi Sweden’s Minister of Public Administration is said to be considering leading the introduction of new national gambling framework, which will include provisions for regulating online gambling and sports betting.
Shekarabi has previously urged for a government review of Sweden’s gambling framework, in order to modernise its policies amid changing European regulations and new technology advancements.
Swedish news sources have stated that the minister has closely monitored the government’s actions with regards to monitoring remote betting operators and its management of state owned operator Svenska Spel.
It is further reported that Shekarabi will look to implement the regulations before the country’s next General Election which is scheduled for September 2018.
Sweden, one of Europe’s highest wagering betting markets, has had a conflicted relationship with the online gambling sector.
Throughout 2015 Lotteriinspektionen Sweden’s gambling regulator has urged for the introduction of tougher punishments and tighter controls on the advertising of betting products to national consumers.In April the national body urged the Sweden’s media regulators to re-draft the national advertising code in order to place anti-gambling promotion measures.
Sweden is the home of Nordic listed betting operators such as Unibet and Betsson. Sweden’s government and its online gambling framework has been criticised by the European Commission for “imposing restrictions on trade and movement of services”.
The European Union has asked the government and its gambling stakeholders to re-form its policies in order to be consistent with EU laws and business agenda.
