Spelinspektionen Continues Crackdown on Non-Compliant Casino Operators

Posted at: 05 Jully 2019

The Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen keeps issuing warnings and financial penalties to casino operators that violate the country’s legislation regarding the provision of online gambling services. In less than two weeks, Spelinspektionen has levied fines to 10 operators. The reasons for the penalties were violations related to irrelevant bonus offers and underage gambling.

Hillside ENC – the company running bet365 in Sweden, was slammed with a fine of SEK10 million. The same amount was levied to TSG Interactive – the company behind the PokerStars’ casinos on the territory of Sweden.

Betfair International was imposed a fine of SEK5.5 million. Bethard Group, operating fastbet, inandoubet, bethard, and scandibet has to pay a fine amounting to SEK2.5 million. The other online gambling companies that could not escape the long arm of the law were Flutter Entertainment, GVC Holdings, Casinostugan Ltd, and Polar Ltd. They have to pay a total fine of SEK41.2m.

Spelinspektionen representatives defined the violations as a serious breach of the law and explained that their aim was to protect the vulnerable part of the population against the negative consequences gambling may have. Under the current law, one must be at least 18 years of age to engage in online gambling activities.

A few days after the penalties imposed on operators allowing minors to place wagers, SkillOnNet and NGG Nordic made the headlines with the record fines they were levied. The two operators were found to be in contravention of the bonus regulations. NGG Nordic (operating Betsson) and SkillOnNet (operating PlayOJO, Mega Casino, and VegasWinner) were found guilty of organising lottery games not included in their license conditions. Consequently, they were handed financial penalties of SEK19 mln and SEK14 mln, respectively.

In a statement on the matter, Spelinspektionen announced that the tight regulations were aimed at reducing the social and economic damages excessive gambling may lead to.

An article added on July 4 to Spelinspektionen’s media coverage section says that over the last 6 months as many as 18 casino operators have violated the new law. Basically 1 per every 4 operators was not fully compliant with the Swedish legislation, which has so far resulted in warnings, financial penalties amounting to SEK 98.2m, and the Ninja casino license termination.

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