### Swedish Gambling Act Amended to Manage Personal Data in Cases of Crime
The Swedish Parliament, known as the Riksdag, has announced revisions to the country’s Gambling Act of 2018, permitting license holders to handle personal data concerning legal offenses.
On November 28, a decision was made to grant “a right for license holders” to process personal data linked to various breaches of the law under specific conditions.
These conditions under the updated Gambling Act allow operators to gather personal data to identify criminal activities, monitor suspicious betting behavior, prevent match-fixing, and ensure adherence to legal standards.
License holders will be required to verify illegal activities, such as fraud or cheating, on specific accounts before they can collect personal data. This modification aims to aid Swedish authorities in uncovering match-fixing and corruption in sports through the scrutiny of irregular betting patterns.
Earlier in May, Sweden’s Conservative Coalition introduced new measures to equip authorities for tackling criminal incidents. Notably, they initiated a multi-agency platform to share data effectively for the prevention of match-fixing and sports-related corruption.
These amendments offer a legal structure for license holders, boosting data management efficiency and improving regulatory bodies’ ability to address illegal activities.
Policy documents highlight the Swedish government’s stance that the Gambling Act will likely constitute a legal obligation or legitimate interest for data processing, as outlined under GDPR Article 6.
In compliance with GDPR, data processing by operators is restricted to what is necessary for purposes such as detecting fraud and ensuring regulatory compliance.
No objections were raised against the amendments during the consultation process, and the proposal received backing from the Culture Committee, with the Legislative Council reviewing it without objection.
The updated measures defined in this amendment will be effective from February 1, 2025.
