Swedish gambling regulator benefits from court decision

A court in Sweden ruled against two newspapers that provided links to unregulated offshore companies.

Sweden.- The Chamber of Commerce civil court from Sweden has ruled against two newspapers arguing that they cannot provide links to unregulated offshore companies on their websites.

The injunction was first imposed by Lotteriinspektionen, the Swedish gambling regulator, back in 2013, and was later appealed by newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen. The watchdog demanded the leading companies to cease their actions as offering links to foreign gaming sites, which are unlicenced in Sweden, is nor permitted.

The court said that linking to foreign gaming advertising is not protected by freedom of expression as it has a commercial nature. It also ruled that the promotion ban in the lottery law is not against European Union law.

Camilla Rosenberg, director general of Lotteriinspektionen, released a statement in which she said that it is positive that the tribunal will take a stand against promotion of lotteries without permission in Sweden. “We assume that anyone who violates the promotion ban by linking to or promoting foreign gaming sites now ends with this,” she said.