Svenska Spel fine appeal filed by Swedish regulator
The Swedish Gambling Authority has confirmed plans to appeal a recent Administrative Court ruling that overturned a SEK100 million (ā¬9 million) fine issued to Svenska Spel for failing to adequately protect players from excessive gambling.
The penalty, originally imposed on March 25, 2024, cited shortcomings in Svenska Spelās responsible gambling (RG) measures.
While the court acknowledged that the players in question clearly exhibited signs of harmful gambling, it concluded on June 2 that the regulator did not sufficiently prove Svenska Spel had violated the Gambling Actās duty of care obligations.
The regulator strongly disagrees, arguing the court misinterpreted Chapter 14, Section 1 of the Gambling Act. It maintains that operators are legally required to take swift, proactive steps to monitor gambling patterns and intervene with personalized measures to prevent harm as it develops.
The case involved several customers who each lost between SEK260,000 and SEK600,000 in just two months ā sums that, in some cases, represented a major portion of their annual income. The regulator criticized Svenska Spel for responding with only warnings and informational messages rather than taking concrete actions, such as follow-up or restrictions.
The authority also voiced concern over inconsistent enforcement, stating that the courtās leniency toward Svenska Spel contrasts with how similar duty of care breaches have been judged in other cases.
