The Swedish government has finally announced the detailed information regarding the country’s new gambling policy.
The first move will be the opening of a new licensing window for all those gambling and betting operators interested in doing business in Sweden.
More Responsibility
In an attempt to re-regulate this lucrative market, the country’s lawmakers have paid special attention to protecting the customers, but also on industry responsibility, monitoring of betting enterprises as well as an overall improvement in standards.
Under this new policy, the Swedish gambling industry has been divided into three separate parts:
- Open/Competitive – aimed at new online gambling and betting operators in the market
- Public interest – relating to charitable firms offering lottery and bingo products
- State Enterprise – whose role is to service brick and mortar casinos and gaming machine operators
All operators will be taxed at 18%, while the government has decided it will place no taxes on plays or winnings made by consumers.
In addition to new policy, the Swedish government has announced the introduction of a new code of conduct, which will introduce a set of new responsibility provision which all operators will have to abide by.
Protecting Players – A Duty For All Operators
The new responsibility provisions include an extensive duty to protect players, while all licensed operators will be required to offer a self-exclusion program to their customers.
Players will also be able to turn-off any kind of gaming content they want.
Player bonuses will only be offered when players register and will have to be used the first time they play. The country’s gambling regulator Lotteriinspektionen will give the green light to content that can be promoted by operators.
The Swedish government will have the power to block suspicious payment transactions and give local internet service providers (ISPs) the order to blacklist a website operating outside the law.
Presenting the government’s new policy on gambling, Minister of Civil Affairs Ardalan Shekarabi said the authorities strengthened the Lottery Inspectorate as the Game Inspectorate and gave the Authority more and more powerful tools.
The new legislation will come into effect by the end of the year, offering the increased level of protection against unlicensed operators.
