Sports betting could be excluded from Swedish deposit limits

New proposals submitted to the Swedish government have suggested that horseracing and sports betting could be excluded from the previously suggested deposit limit of 5000 SEK (€500) per week.

Earlier this month, Minister of Health Ardalan Shekarabi submitted proposals for a weekly deposit limit as well as a €100 limit on welcome bonuses – a directive that has been widely criticised by industry leadership.

Responding to parliamentary developments Gustaf Hoffstedt, Secretary General of Branschföreningen för Onlinespel (BOS), said: “The new suggestion is impossible to understand from a consumer protection perspective.

“Since the first governmental suggestions were presented, we have received data from the Swedish Gambling Authority and the Swedish Tax Authority showing that online casino sales have not increased during covid-19, whereas horse betting has exploded.

“Against all rationality the Government now wants to exclude horse betting from further regulation whereas online casinos shall receive further restrictions.

“It is obvious that the Government’s actions despite its rhetoric has nothing to do with consumer protection, but rather to do with an aim to provide benefits to gambling companies that are closely connected to the Government.

“Such as horse betting company ATG with a majority of its board members appointed by the Government.The Government is aware of the alarming low channelization for online casino, and it just doesn’t seem to care. It’s a huge loss for consumer protection in Sweden.”