Swedish Gambling Agencies Back Stricter Rules for Unlicensed Operators

Swedish gambling agencies have voiced strong support for government proposals to expand regulations targeting unlicensed gambling. They view this as a crucial step in closing loopholes that have allowed foreign companies to target Swedish consumers.

The plan, detailed in a report submitted to the Treasury this week, proposes replacing the current “direct criterion” with a new “participation Criterion.” this change would apply the law whenever a Swedish consumer participates in a game, nonetheless of language, call, or marketing efforts.

Industry representatives believe the proposal will effectively address the unlicensed market. According to ATG, one in four bets placed in Sweden occurs outside the regulated system.

ATG: “There is No Excuse Anymore”

ATG,the Swedish horse racing and sports betting operator,which has consistently advocated for stricter regulations,states that the proposals align with their demands.

ATG released a statement, “The Marcus Island investigator announced a survey of the scope of the gambling law yesterday, and the purpose was to test whether the current target criteria could be replaced with offering criteria.”

Hans Lord Skarplöth, ATG’s chief executive officer, emphasizes the urgency of this change. “It sounds like a technical story, but it’s actually about a simple problem. It’s a matter of whether we will tolerate or stop it in the Swedish market. This survey shows that it is entirely possible to introduce participation criteria.”

ATG has long maintained that existing legal standards for determining whether operators target Swedish consumers – such as posting content in Swedish or using Swedish currency – are inadequate.Companies have circumvented Swedish jurisdiction by making superficial website changes. “We have pointed out that today’s system is insufficient. We’ve been fighting early to replace the target standards,and we have called for reality,not the formal details of language or marketing. We are very happy to reflect our opinion.”

The company also welcomes the proposal to impose restrictions on payment providers. “We emphasized another important point early, and it should be impossible for a payment broker to send money to an unlicensed gambling site.”

He suggests that the introduction of a presumption rule – requiring that Swedish residents are gambling in Sweden unless proven otherwise – could be decisive. “According to the investigator, if banks and payment companies can no longer close their eyes to the problem and have to stop trading for unlicensed operators, the…