The Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen, recently ordered an immediate prohibition against an online gambling platform that had been targeting Swedish players without the required license.
The decision followed an investigation which concluded that the operator had intentionally directed its services at residents in Sweden.
In February, there was an investigation concerning a website that appeared to have been illegally operating in Sweden. Investigators were able to access the website from Sweden and witnessed that when they entered the website from their Swedish IP address, it automatically switched to the Swedish Language. When a new user registers, the default country of the new user’s registration process was Sweden. Thus, based on these technical features, it was determined that the website had been specifically designed to be attract people in Sweden.
The regulator has stated that its broader goal is to achieve a channelization rate of around 90%, which means that the majority of casino activity in Sweden must be carried out through licensed operators.
Spelinspektionen issued a formal warning and a financial penalty against Spribe after discovering that its gaming software appeared on websites operated by companies banned from serving Swedish players.
Spribe, whose software supplier license runs until 2028, was fined SEK 5,000 (approximately $470). According to the regulator, the company breached Swedish gambling law by allowing its products to be available through operators that do not hold a Swedish license.
The authorities concluded through its investigation that certain of Spribe’s games still could be accessed via prohibited sites, demonstrating the company had not fully complied with the appropriate policies regarding these channels. Furthermore, the regulator articulated that suppliers will not be excused from accountability for products available on illegal sites through indirect distribution channels.
Authorities are not only directly targeting illegal platforms, but are also holding technology providers accountable to ensure that their products do not enable unregulated gambling activities within the country.
