Swedish gambling regulator proposes new regulations on gambling responsibility
The new regulations would replace the Lottery Inspectorate’s regulations and general advice (LIFS 2018:2) on gambling responsibility.
Sweden.- The Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen has published proposals to replace its existing responsible gambling framework with a stricter set of binding rules covering all licensed operators.
The draft, published on June 16, would replace both the binding regulations and the non-binding general advice issued under LIFS 2018:2, the framework set by the former Lotteriinspektionen in 2018, with a new mandatory-only framework under the Swedish Gambling Act. Comments on the proposal for new regulations must reach the Gambling Inspectorate no later than August 10.
Under the proposed rules, operators must monitor specific behavioural, financial and psychological indicators to identify signs of excessive gambling. Behavioural factors include the length of gaming sessions, activity between midnight and 6 am, and patterns of increasing deposits or stakes. Financial indicators cover monthly deposit limits exceeding SEK10,000 (US$1,066) and payment rejections due to insufficient funds. Psychological and social signs also feature: efforts to recover losses, aggressive behaviour during contact with the operator, and visible signs of financial distress or mental health issues.
According to the regulator, when an operator identifies those signals and contacts the player, it must ensure the player has actually received the information. If the player fails to respond or does not provide requested details, the operator must apply access restrictions until contact is made. Players who express suicidal thoughts trigger an immediate restriction of at least six months.
The proposals also ban reverse withdrawals. Additional measures include mandatory action plans, staff training at least every two years, real-time Swedish-language support available for at least eight hours a day, automatic logout after one hour of inactivity, and a 60-round cap on autoplay in commercial online casino games.
The new rules would apply to all operators licensed under the Swedish Gambling Act and are intended to provide clearer tools for meeting the statutory duty of care to protect players from excessive gambling.
