SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Swedish gambling stakeholders have been left in limbo regarding the country’s path towards a regulated online gambling market following the departure of Hakan Hallstedt as Director General of Lotteriinspektionen, Sweden’s national gambling regulator.
Last Friday, Lotteriinspektionen governance confirmed that Hallstedt would not be renewing his tenure as Director General, as he had accepted a placement as Judge for the Blekinge District, which he will take up in May.
As Director General, Hallstedt had been tasked with leading the reform of Sweden’s national gambling framework to include secure provisions for online gambling services.
In November 2015, facing mounting criticism from the European Union for lack progress and stakeholder information regarding Sweden’s gambling reform, Hallstedt announced that he would head up a special committee redrafting all national legislations and business standards.
Offering a regulatory timetable Lotteriinspektionen governance detailed that an official redrafted framework would be made available to the government and industry stakeholders ahead Sweden’s next General Election, which is scheduled for 2018.
At present little is known regarding the potential provisions which will be attached to any proposed Swedish gambling framework. As Industry stakeholders await news of Hallstedt replacement , many commentators have questioned whether Lotteriinspektionen can meet any of its deadlines, in what is becoming a long drawn out process.
