Swedish gambling regulator bans two unlicensed operators

Spelinspektionen has issued bans against True Polygon Entertainment Limited and Smein Hosting NV.

Sweden.- The national gambling regulator Spelinspektionen has issued its first bans of the new year, continuing its enforcement policy against unlicensed gambling operators. It has issued bans against True Polygon Entertainment Limited and Smein Hosting NV, accusing them of allowing Swedish players to gamble on their main sites and affiliate websites without a local licence.

Polygon Entertainment Limited, registered in Cyprus, runs CSGOBIG, while Curaçao-based Smein operates Gamdom.eu and Gamdom.com. It said that in both cases the operators did not prevent the creation of accounts from Sweden. It said they may respond if they wish to dispute the ban.

In the case of Smein, the regulator claimed that it targeted marketing at Swedish customers through affiliate partnerships and had been placed on Twitch’s blacklist in August.

Opposition to Swedish gambling tax hike

The CEO of Sweden’s Aktiebolaget Trav och Galopp (ATG) has urged the Swedish government to consider a differentiated tax rate for sports betting amid proposals to hike gambling tax. He noted that some other countries currently have different tax rates for sports betting and igaming. 

The Swedish government has proposed a four-point increase in gambling tax from 18 per cent to 22 per cent. To be implemented from July 1, 2024, the move is expected to generate an extra SEK540m (€45.5m) in annual tax revenue