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On January 1, 2019, a new gaming team entered the Swedish gaming market. How did this affect players in the market and what does the future hold for Swedish online casinos?
On June 7, 2018, the Swedish Parliament voted for the Gambling Act, which repealed the Lotteries Act (1994: 1000) and the Casino Act (1999: 355). When the Lottery Inspectorate issued a statement about it on June 26, 2018, it was clear that the gaming market was undergoing major changes.
One of the biggest changes was that all casinos that wanted to operate in the Swedish gaming market had to have a valid gaming license. On the first of August 2018, it became possible to apply for a Swedish gaming license. Due to the Gambling Act coming into effect, the Lottery Inspectorate changed its name to the Gaming Inspectorate as of January 1, 2019.
Why the new gaming team?
The introduction of the new Gaming Act was mainly to bring order to the gambling market. Before the Gambling Act came into force, the Swedish state had very limited ability to control online casinos and their operations, which was a problem on several levels.
Under EU law, winnings received outside the state-owned Svenska Spel could not be taxed. Large sums went from Swedish players to casinos located in Malta and other tax havens, while Sweden was primarily left with the consequences of the gambling problem. It was clear that something had to be done to regulate the gambling market.
It is worth noting that the law concerning the restriction of gambling has led Swedish players to seek casino utan licens med trustly more often.
How the gaming law affected gaming companies and online casinos
The gaming regulations passed in 2019 meant that all gaming companies that wanted to offer their services to Swedish players had to have a valid Swedish gaming license. Regardless of where the companies are registered, they must pay tax on 18 percent of net gambling activity in Sweden. At the same time, gambling companies with a Swedish gaming license must comply with the laws and regulations that apply under Swedish gambling laws.
Here are some of the biggest changes that have occurred in casinos serving Swedish players:
- Only one bonus can be offered in the first game.
Before the gambling law went into effect, bonuses were a big lure that online casinos used in marketing to players. Now it was limited to just one welcome bonus per license. Since a gaming company could have multiple casinos under one license, this meant additional restrictions.
- Responsible Gaming Rules.
One of the most important goals of the gaming law was to bring order to the gambling addiction of Swedish players. Online casinos should have clear information about where a player can go if there is a risk of gambling addiction. This includes references to game breaks, the ability to set game limits and perform self-tests.
- Moderation in advertising.
Another important part of working to reduce gambling addiction is moderation in advertising. The Gambling Act also mentions that gaming companies without a Swedish gaming license cannot advertise in media covered by the Radio and Television Act.
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