### Successful Appeal for Svenska Spel Sport & Casino
Svenska Spel Sport & Casino, the digital branch of the state-owned Swedish gambling company, has won an appeal against a SEK100 million ($10.5 million) penalty and a warning issued by the Swedish gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen.
The Administrative Court in Linköping delivered the verdict in favor of Svenska Spel on June 2. The case stemmed from accusations made in March of the previous year against the company’s digital branch.
Spelinspektionen initially charged Svenska Spel with numerous failures concerning the duty of care to players, a breach of the Gambling Act of 2019, according to the regulator. These failures were discovered during a scrutiny period from October to December 2021, where the regulator highlighted the operator’s inadequate measures to protect players against excessive gambling. Concerns were specifically raised regarding how Svenska Spel managed the accounts of the top 10 highest-losing customers during this period.
Ultimately, the court’s decision revoked the initial warning and penalty fee imposed by Spelinspektionen.
### Call for Clearer Regulations
In response to the court’s decision, Svenska Spel has emphasized the need for clearer regulations regarding the duty of care expected from operators. Fredrik Wastenson, CEO and business area manager of Svenska Spel Sport & Casino, stressed the importance of precise legal interpretations regarding the duty of care. He asserted that the regulatory measures should align strictly with the legality principle, which was upheld by the court’s ruling.
Despite the successful appeal, the legal proceedings might not be concluded, as Spelinspektionen retains the option to appeal the court’s decision.
### Multiple Fines for AML Breaches
On the same day as Svenska Spel’s ruling, Spelinspektionen also dealt fines to three other companies for lapses in anti-money laundering practices. Betsson Nordic received a warning and a SEK6.5 million fine, while TSG Interactive, a part of Flutter Entertainment, was fined SEK7 million. Additionally, Snabbare faced a sanction fee of SEK5.5 million.
This action is part of a broader effort by Spelinspektionen in 2025, which has seen the regulator actively issuing fines to various organizations for failing to supervise contractors properly, addressing marketing violations, and other regulatory breaches. For instance, Kindred’s subsidiary Spooniker was fined SEK10 million, and Videoslots received a SEK12 million fine due to failures in mitigating excessive gambling.
The successful appeal by Svenska Spel underscores ongoing challenges and debates surrounding the enforcement of duty of care requirements within the Swedish gambling sector.