Spelinspektionen, the Swedish Gaming Inspectorate, has appointed Yvonne Hejdenberg as its new Head of Communications, effective as of 1 January 2022. 

Prior to her position with Spelinspektionen, Hejdenberg garnered experience of communication, PR and brand issues from ‘several different industries’ in both the public and private sectors. 

The new appointee’s gambling industry experience comes primarily from her time spent as Head of Communications at the former Lottery Inspectorate between 2009 and 2012, and her most recent position was as Communications Manager at the Södertälje Hospital in the Stockholm Region.

“I am really happy about the opportunity to once again work with such important issues as responsible and legal play,” Hejdenberg commented on her new position.

“The Swedish gaming market has undergone a major change in a short time and the Swedish Gaming Inspectorate has a very important role in the work for a healthy and safe gaming market in Sweden. As head of communications, I will contribute to both making visible and clarifying the expert authority’s assignment.”

Hejdenberg joins the Inspectorate during a transformative period in Sweden’s betting and gaming industry, as the regulator conducts an evaluation of temporary online safeguards such as deposit limits and spending caps introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This evaluation serves as a condition for the easing of such measures, whilst the Swedish government prepares to make amendments to the 2018 Gambling Act as part of the Gambling Market Inquiry.

Meanwhile, the regulator has initiated a strategic offensive against black market operators, implementing a number of measures aimed at driving consumers towards licenced alternatives. 

This has seen action taken against several gambling businesses based in the Dutch city of Curacao, with a total of 24 enterprises from the area deemed to be illegally providing gambling services to Swedish consumers.

Welcoming the new hire to the role, Camilla Rosenberg, Spelinspektionen General Director, said: ‘Yvonne Hejdenberg has long and broad experience in the field of communication. She also has the personal qualities required to lead an organisation in change. 

“We welcome Yvonne Hejdenberg to Spelinspektionen and look forward to continuing to develop the authority’s communication work together.”