Sweden considers extending temporary online casino restrictions

[The Buzz]

The Swedish government is considering a proposal to extend previously implemented restrictions on the country’s online gambling industry due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Back in July, a temporary ordinance introduced a SEK5,000 ($583.63) monthly cap on online casino deposits. A corresponding monthly loss limit applies to physical gambling machines. In addition, players must set limits on playing time both at online casinos and physical establishments. Also, locally licensed gambling operators are not allowed to offer online casino bonuses exceeding SEK100 ($11.67). These restrictions were set to expire at the end of June.

Last week, the Ministry of Finance issued the proposed extension of these restrictions to 14 November 2021.

Gustaf Hoffstedt, Secretary General of BOS, the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling fought back against the proposal, saying in a statement:

I have previously stated that there is nothing as lasting as a political promise of something temporary. The government seems unaware that their own expert authority, the Swedish Agency for Public Management, just over a week ago stated that the leakage from the Swedish gaming market to the unregulated gaming market is alarmingly high. The leakage for online casinos is particularly high, where as much as every fourth gaming krona is played outside the Swedish licensed market.

To extend restrictions that are disapproved by gaming consumers is to ask for continued problems for the channeling into the licensed market when it comes to online casinos. Thus, Swedish gaming consumers will lose out on the consumer protection that the Swedish Parliament has decided will apply in our country. It is provocative that the Swedish government in a rhetoric about caring for the consumer in practice does the opposite and hurts the Swedish gaming license market with its strong consumer protection

Read more here: https://www.bos.nu/en/2021/04/09/bos...-restrictions/