The Swedish National Audit Office has released a report assessing the effectiveness of the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) in regulating the country's gambling market.
The investigation highlights significant shortcomings, concluding that the current regulation has not met the expectations set by the parliament and government during the re-regulation of the gambling market in 2019.
The report points out that the Swedish Gambling Authority conducts too few inspections, lacks a comprehensive risk analysis process when selecting regulatory operators, and has failed to adequately follow up on reported deficiencies.
Furthermore, the National Audit Office notes that the current scope of the Gambling Act complicates efforts to combat illegal gambling.
The Swedish government has responded by acknowledging the findings of the report and agreeing that Spelinspektionen faces challenges in implementing effective supervision.
It is worth noting that the government has taken steps to strengthen regulatory oversight, including appointing an expert to assist the Ministry of Finance in reviewing the scope of the Gambling Act.
This review aligns with the government's broader initiatives aimed at plugging legal loopholes that allow unlicensed operators to target Swedish players.
Under current regulations, offshore operators can accept Swedish customers as long as they do not use the Swedish language or currency. The government is currently evaluating potential legislative changes to prevent this practice.
