**Sweden Approves Gambling Act Amendments for Enhanced Data Processing**
Sweden’s Riksdag has given the green light to amendments in the Gambling Act of 2018, which now allow licensed entities to handle personal data in connection with legal violations.
Effective from November 28, these amendments permit license holders to process data specifically in situations such as identifying criminal activities, keeping an eye on suspicious betting habits, preventing match-fixing incidents, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Licensees are authorized to manage a customer’s personal data only if illegal conduct, such as fraud or cheating, is detected within their accounts.
These changes also facilitate the monitoring of individual betting accounts for abnormal activity, supporting Swedish authorities in their efforts against match-fixing and corruption in sports.
Back in May, Sweden’s Conservative Coalition government rolled out new controls and established a data-sharing network among multiple authorities to fight match-fixing and sports-related corruption. These legislative changes offer license holders a structured legal framework to better regulate and process data.
The government emphasized that the revised Gambling Act is in line with GDPR stipulations, providing a legitimate interest under Article 6, as operators are mandated to limit data processing strictly to fraud detection and compliance assurance.
The Culture Committee, during the consultation phase, expressed support for the proposal, with no disagreements reported. Additionally, the Legislative Council reviewed the proposal and raised no issues.
These amendments are set to become effective on February 1, 2025.
