Sweden’s online gambling association criticises govt
The association that represents online gambling in Sweden says that the government is failing when it comes to illegal gambling.
Sweden.- A recent report from the local gambling regulator in Sweden has shown that between 85% and 87% of all gambling in the competitive market took place at gaming companies with a Swedish licence. The association for online gambling in Sweden, Branschföreningen för Onlinespel (BOS), believes that the government’s attempts to stop illegal gambling are failing.
BOS said that 68% to 87% is lower than Spelinspektionen’s goal for at least 90% to be channelled to licensed gambling companies. The percentage includes all competitive games, but if only online casino and sports betting are taken into account, the numbers are worrisome.
“If the state does not take vigorous measures to protect and safeguard its own re-regulation, I think the channelling will decline further,” says Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general of BOS. “Discussing marketing restrictions for licensed online casino companies and prohibiting licensed betting companies from offering popular betting objects, such as which player makes the first goal, shows that the state does not realise the seriousness,” said BOS.
The association added that the restrictions are the same as giving away the Swedish gaming market to unlicensed gaming companies. “Now the state acts as the best friend of the gray and black market and it must come to an end,” said Hoffsted.
Swedish regulated market reports millionaire sales in Q3
Preliminary information released by the Swedish Tax Agency shows that net turnover in the third quarter of 2019 amounted to €551 million. The agency said that the information will be further adjusted in the future.
The number of suspended people in spelpaus.se, the national self-suspension register, amounted to 41,703 at the end of the third quarter. This represents an increase of 11% compared to the previous quarter. At the beginning of November, the number had increased to just over 44,000.
