Since the January 2024 update by Nordic Gambling's regulatory experts, further significant changes have emerged in Swedish gambling legislation. In this article, Maria McDonald, Partner at Nordic Gambling, outlines these new developments and provides a comprehensive recap of previously reported updates.
New Measures to Combat Match-Fixing
The Swedish Gambling Ordinance is set for updates which will become effective on 1 July 2024, in order to combat match-fixing. Key amendments include:
Operators will gain authority to handle and share information on suspected match-fixing with the Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA).
The SGA will actively share data with operators to prevent match fixing attempts.
Information on suspected match-fixing within Sweden or involving Swedish participants will be forwarded to the Swedish Sports Confederation and relevant sports federations.
A dedicated platform will be established by the SGA for efficient information sharing.
Operators are obliged to promptly provide relevant information on suspected match-fixing to the SGA upon request.
Closure of land-based casinos in Sweden
Casino Cosmopol, the state-owned land-based casino operator, has in the recent years shut down three of its four physical casinos. A new government memorandum proposes legislative changes that would lead to the closure of the last remaining casino in Stockholm, which would mark the end of physical casinos in Sweden. The abolition of physical casinos is set to take effect when Casino Cosmopol's current license expires on 1 January 2026.
Increased AML Measures
The Swedish government proposes enhanced AML supervision by granting the SGA the authority to demand periodic reporting on AML issues from gambling operators. If approved, these changes would obligate operators to disclose relevant operational data and customer information. A periodic reporting obligation may allow the SGA to intervene more quickly if the reporting reveals that a supervised entity is not complying with the legislation. The proposed amendments are set to be implemented on 1 July 2025.
Since before, it has also been decided to increase sanctions in cases of violations of the AML Act in order to make these correspond better to the sanctions imposed in cases of violations of the Gambling Act. The amendments come into force on 1 June 2024.
Possibility access and process personal data
As previously reported, Swedish license holders will receive the explicit right to access and process personal data about finances and health related to their players in order to counteract excessive gambling. The changes are now set to enter into force on 1 June 2024.
Gambling on Credit
As previously reported, the Swedish Government has been investigating a more extensive ban on gambling for credit. As opposed to a previous report, published in June 2023, the Government in February 2024 disclosed a suggestion to introduce a prohibition against gambling with credit cards should. The change is suggested to come into force on 1 April 2025.
Swedish Parliament Approves Increase in Gambling Excise Tax
The Swedish parliament has now approved the government's proposal to increase the excise tax on gambling from 18 to 22 per cent. The change will come into effect from 1 July 2024.