Sweden's Gambling Watchdog Faces Scrutiny Over Regulatory Failures
A new report has exposed weaknesses in Sweden's gambling regulation. The National Audit Office (NAO) reviewed the first five years of the regulated market and found Spelinspektionen, the gambling authority, falling short in key areas. Critics now demand stricter rules for unlicensed operators and stronger oversight.
The NAO's investigation highlighted persistent problems within Spelinspektionen. The authority was accused of failing to conduct systematic risk analysis and neglecting follow-ups on past enforcement actions. Instead of focusing on supervision, resources were often directed toward processing licence applications.
The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) has also raised concerns. It criticised the current law, which still allows some unlicensed gambling sites to operate in Sweden. BOS is pushing for legal changes to ban these operators and enforce geoblocking to shut out Swedish consumers. In response, Spelinspektionen acknowledged the need for improvement. The authority welcomed the NAO's recommendations, which include adopting a risk-based approach to resource allocation, submitting more frequent government reports, and boosting supervisory capabilities. BOS supported the report's call to expand the Gambling Act's scope. The association believes tighter regulations would close loopholes that unlicensed operators currently exploit.
The NAO's findings put pressure on Spelinspektionen to reform its practices. Stricter enforcement and better resource management are now expected to address the gaps in oversight. Meanwhile, lawmakers may consider amending the Gambling Act to block unlicensed operators from the Swedish market.
