Spelinspektionen Appeals Overturned Penalty Against Svenska Spel

Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen has appealed a court decision that overturned a SEK100 million (€9 million) penalty against Svenska Spel Sport & Casino. The fine was originally issued for failing to meet player protection requirements under the 2019 Gambling Act.

Good to know

• Spelinspektionen flagged 10 high-loss players in its original review.
• Svenska Spel claimed the penalty was disproportionate and unclear.
• The regulator says the court’s interpretation conflicts with past rulings.

The case goes back to March 2024, when the regulator issued a warning and fine to the state-owned operator’s digital division. The decision followed an investigation conducted from October to December 2021. The regulator highlighted a lack of effective intervention for players showing signs of excessive gambling.

Svenska Spel successfully appealed earlier this June. The Administrative Court ruled that while some customers showed excessive gambling patterns, the operator’s actions did not clearly breach its duty of care responsibilities in a way that justified regulatory punishment.

Svenska Spel also criticized what it described as vague definitions around duty of care in Swedish gambling rules. It argued that the financial penalty far outweighed the violations found during the investigation.

Now appealing to the Court of Appeal, Spelinspektionen says the lower court’s ruling goes against both prior decisions and the regulator’s interpretation of the law. It claims the duty of care is clearly defined and puts a responsibility on all licensees to monitor, act, and intervene when gambling behavior becomes risky.

The regulator pointed to the 10 flagged players, some of whom lost between SEK260,000 and SEK600,000 in just two months. In several cases, those losses made up a large portion of the player’s yearly income. One player was noted as being younger, increasing concern.

Spelinspektionen criticized Svenska Spel’s actions, saying the operator mainly issued warnings or generic messages, rather than taking stronger, personalized steps. “We believe Svenska Spel Sport & Casino has neither continuously followed up on the customers it has reviewed nor taken necessary and individualised measures to limit their gambling,” the regulator stated.

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