Spelinspektionen – Sweden’s gambling inspectorate has taken direct action against a further 23 unlicensed operators deemed to be illegally targeting the country’s regulated online gambling marketplace 

The inspectorate has informed its Swedish counterpart authorities and financial institutions of 23 Curacao-based businesses and their related websites that are undertaking illegal gambling activities.

The public disclosure of illegal businesses forms part of Spelinspektionen’s new strategy against black market actors encroaching on Sweden’s regulated marketplace

Last October, the inspectorate was granted new powers to launch direct investigations and enforcement actions against illegal or non-compliant businesses.   

The new remit has allowed Spelinspektionen to directly collaborate with the national authorities of the Swedish Consumer Agency and Finansinspektionen (FCA), Sweden’s Tax Agency to bolster its enforcement actions and penalties.

Spelinspektionen has ordered Swedish authorities to impose direct IP bans and payment injunctions on the online properties of the 23 Curacao-based businesses.

The safeguarding and protection of Sweden’s regulated online gambling marketplace will be key criteria of stage-2 amendments of Sweden’s reformed Gambling Law.  

This November, the Swedish government ordered Spelinspektionen to end its temporary enforcement of online casino restrictions that have been imposed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restrictions were lifted on the condition that Spelinspektionen provide an assessment of  its mandatory SEK 5,000 (€480) weekly deposit limit on online casino to  Minister for Social Security, Ardalan Shekarabi. 

The enforcement update followed Spelinspektionen publication of its latest market report that revealed that Swedish gambling revenues had increased by 5% to SEK 6.3bn ($701m).