Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s gambling inspectorate has been issued its ordinance assignment to evaluate temporary online gambling safeguards imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The assignment has been sanctioned by Ardalan Shekarabi, Minister for Social Security as a condition of Sweden ending its temporary restrictions on online casinos on 14 November. 

Since July 2020, Swedish licensed operators have been forced to impose a mandatory SEK 5,000 (€480) weekly deposit limit on online player accounts whilst restricting customer bonus incentives to SEK100 (€10).

Spelinspektionen has been ordered to undertake a review of how temporary safeguards impacted Swedish consumer engagement with online gambling operators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report will evaluate whether deposit limits and spend caps  should be applied to certain products under a new framework of safer gambling measures.

The assignment will be carried out in consultation with the Swedish Public Health Agency, The Swedish Consumer Agency and the Swedish Enforcement Agency (public debt and liabilities agency).

An initial deadline of 15 March 2022 has been set for Spelinspektionen to publish the first evaluation of its assignment, with the regulator required to submit a partial report by this date.