Sweden to fight problem gambling

Svenska Spel, the gaming regulator in Sweden, is backing five proposals to fight problem gambling in the country.

Sweden.- As problem gambling worries the country, Swedish regulator Svenska Spel is set to tackle the issue. The body has announced its support of five research projects developed to fight gambling addiction.

The proposals are worth €472k and involve one that targets gambling addiction among elite players in Swedish ice hockey. Another one aims at online gambling and another will research links between trauma and problem gambling in women.

“It is with great pleasure that we have selected projects that have the potential to contribute to increased knowledge about gambling addiction,” Sara Lindholm, Chairman of the Research Council, commented.

“At Svenska Spel we strive to offer safe games and gaming environments. To be able to develop our gaming responsibility, it is a prerequisite to support the research. Through the Research Council, we want to increase the knowledge and understanding of gambling problems,” added Scarlett Roa, Sustainability Manager Svenska Spel.

Recent sanctions

The Administrative Court in Linköping has rejected SafeEnt’s appeal after the local gaming regulator Spelinspektionen revoked its gaming licence. The regulator had found serious deficiencies in the operations of the company.

Spelinspektionen commented on Court’s decision and said that the ban on SafeEnt will stand. The regulator said that the risks that SafeEnt made its customers go through were too serious and that they don’t guarantee that they won’t happen again. Sweden’s regulator confirmed that the licence no longer stands.

One of the discoveries include customers that were able to spend large amounts of money without the company reacting properly. They were also able to play well beyond their own deposit limits. Moreover, deficiencies in money laundering and terrorist financing actions also presented systematic shortcomings. Spelinspektionen also said that when reviewing campaigns and offers, it found that SafeEnt offered bonuses on more than on occasion.