The Swedish gambling regulator has appealed the Administrative Court in Linköping’s decision to overturn a fine against Svenska Spel, insisting that Sweden’s gambling regulation does impose “clear requirements” on licensees.
Svenska Spel was fined SEK100m (£7.7m) in March 2024 by Spelinspektionen for failing to intervene proactively to support customers who were showing signs of potential problem gambling.
Earlier this month, the Administrative Court scrapped the fine, claiming a lack of clarity in the duty of care obligations in the regulation – and what exactly they mean for operators.
But in a statement on Thursday, Spelinspektionen insisted the ruling “incorrectly assumes” that the clause contains “no specific action directives.”
The regulator noted that the clause sets out an operator’s obligation to “promptly” take “active measures to protect players from excessive gambling.”
“The licensee must also continuously monitor extensive gambling activity and take appropriate action at the same pace as the gambling occurs,” the regulator said.
“Furthermore, the licensee must independently limit gambling to prevent the harm that excessive gambling can cause.”
Spelinspektionen also said it believes the Administrative Court assessed Svenska Spel’s case “differently than other sanctioned licensees.”
The customers involved in the case lost between SEK260,000 (£20,061) and SEK600,000 (£46,292).
Spelinspektionen said Svenska Spel’s interventions “primarily” consisted of warnings and information messages, but that the operator “neither continuously followed up with the reviewed customers nor took the necessary and individualised actions to limit their gambling.”
