In Sweden, the authority given the main mandate to straighten up the gambling industry is the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen). It’s in charge of ensuring all the gambling in the country run their operations in a manner that is legal and safe protecting Swedish nationals. The SGA works by following the provisions of certain laws in the country. These include the Lotteries Act of 1994:1000, the Casino Act of 1999:355, and the Act of arranging Gaming Machines 1982:636.
This authority is in charge of protecting the consumers while according them a gambling environment that is reliable and fair. Every company involved in this industry has to run transparent operations and also take responsibility when flaws are found.
Even though this authority began its work only recently in 2019, it’s had an impact on the industry that is felt by many involved. No gaming or gambling company can issue a lottery without getting an official permit from it. The receiver then has to be ready for the authority to supervise all the activities involved in the lottery from start to finish.
This authority is under the Swedish Ministry of Finance and everyone sitting on its board gets a go-ahead from the National Government. It’s run by the Director-General who is a sitting member of the SGA board as well. One of the main agendas that this board strives to achieve is uprooting all illegal lotteries and gambling activities in Sweden. By achieving this, the industry remains regulated and safe for all its consumers.
Main Responsibilities of the Spelinspektionen.se
The creation of this authority was out of necessity due to the increase in illegal lotteries and gambling operations within Sweden. The Government, through the Ministry of Finance, saw a need to create a task force to regulate and straighten up the industry. This authority accomplishes this by having several main responsibilities.
- Keep the Swedish government updated on all the latest developments in the world of gambling. All the research done has to cover both the local and international industries.
- Be in charge of issuing permits for all lotteries happening in the country. Every casino and premise has to get a permit for machines on their premises and even big bingo games.
- Keep both consumers and owners of gambling premises informed of all the laws involving the industry. The authority accomplishes this by carrying regular training involving all the industry stakeholders.
- Supervise the whole gambling industry in Sweden and maintain a responsible gaming environment that protects consumers and owners.
Fields Licensed by the SGA
- Bingo Games
- Lotteries running on a national level
- Casino games and Gaming machines
- Svenska Spel’s lotteries
- Sports Betting
- Restaurant Casinos
Spelinspektionen’s Strategy to Fight Unlicensed Online Casinos
The authority strives to keep the industry running smoothly with all patrons adhering to set rules and regulations. One of the main tasks remains to uproot all illegal operations which include online casinos without Spelpaus and Spelinspektionens licens. In 2019, it released details of the strategy it shall use to achieve this mandate. The rise of illegal operations within the country is a cause of concern for many hence the urgency of the matter.
Statistics show that illegal operators without proper permits are still thriving in the Swedish market and more has to be done to curb this. The current gross gaming revenue from these illegal operations stands at SEK 5.534 million. These operations attain this by targeting the whole population. You find even youngsters under the age of 18 taking part in illegal gambling and lotteries. This means every Swedish national contributes approximately SEK 548 to these illegal games, gambling, and lotteries.
Measures Taken to Achieve the Swedish Gambling Authority Strategy
- Checking every online site available to Swedish nationals to see if it’s legally permitted to operate. The authority checks if the online casino accepts money transactions and if this is done using the Swedish Kronor.
- Every site operating within the country has to have Terms and Conditions written in Swedish and meet the standards for the consumers.
- Ensure that all sites have contact information available. These contact details must have a Swedish country code.
- Every site needs to adhere to not directly advertising to Swedish customers. Those that are in violation are more likely not operating within the country.
- Come up with a team strategy by roping in the local authorities in enforcing the laws of the country. This involves the FSA (Financial Supervisory Authority) and the local police and judiciary.
Conclusion
The Swedish Gambling Authority has a long road ahead but is heading in the right direction. By regulating the industry and coming up with a strategy to uproot all illegal operations including online casinos, they protect consumers. Gambling requires utmost care and these strategies will see all consumers given a fair and secure gambling platform. This takes time to achieve as there is no singular solution. Collaborating with local authorities will see the Spelinspektionen have far more reach within the industry.
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