BOS Asks Sweden to Allow Private Casinos as Casino Cosmopol Closure Looms

The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS), a body representing 18 Swedish gambling companies, has weighed in on the proposed closure of the state-owned Casino Cosmopol in Stockholm.

BOS Wants the Government to Greenlight Private Casinos
The BOS supported the closure, agreeing with the government’s argument that governments should not operate casinos. However, since Casino Cosmopol is the last land-based property in Sweden, closing it would effectively end traditional casino gaming in the country.

Because of that, the BOS expressed its belief that the government should greenlight private land-based casinos in the country. For context, Sweden currently prohibits such properties, only allowing the state-owned Casino Cosmopol to serve as a monopoly.

Sweden, as of now, has no actual plans to allow commercial casinos operated by private companies. The BOS therefore expressed concern about this stance, saying that if Casino Cosmopol closes, Sweden will not have a single legal land-based casino.

Casinos Are Important to the Overall Gambling Ecosystem
Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general of the BOS, commented on the matter, highlighting the importance of land-based casinos. While he conceded that such properties have a very small role when it comes to turnover, he noted that they play an important part in the overall gambling ecosystem.

Additionally, Hoffstedt argued that land-based casinos attract tourists, solidifying Sweden as a tourist country. Finally, he said that the existence of legal casinos deters illegal gambling clubs.

Because of that, Hoffstedt is firm that Sweden should legalize privately owned casinos.

We propose that the government, at the same time as they close their own government casino, open up for private companies to offer land-based casinos in Sweden.

Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general, BOS
This is not the first time the BOS has disagreed with the Swedish government’s decisions. Earlier, the industry body expressed its dismay at Sweden’s gambling tax hike. Hoffstedt, who previously called the measure a “gift to the black market,” argued that it would make legal operators less competitive, allowing their offshore counterparts to thrive.

Speaking of gaming regulation in Sweden, the country’s regulator, the Spelinspektionen, recently banned Small House BV for targeting the market despite lacking a license. Earlier, the authority issued a warning and a financial penalty against Folkspel, which violated the country’s regulations by employing insufficient routines for the prevention of underage gambling.