Sweden’s Spelinspektionen proposes tougher advertising regulations

Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen has proposed new plans to restrict excessive gambling advertising, while also focusing on the formalisation of a cooperation deal with the country’s Konsumentverket consumer agency.

The new plans will split responsibilities between the two bodies, as well as formalise the forms of information exchange and consultation.

The regulator has not specified just how much advertising is considered to be excessive, but has since called upon operators to contact Konsumentverket to ensure that they are advertising at a moderate rate.

Once regulations on advertising are established, Spelinspektionen has affirmed it will impose backwards sanctions on licensees that have breached rules in the past.

Operators that are found to have breached regulations could be faced with an official warning, financial penalty or, in more extreme cases, revocation of their licence.

Konsumentverket is expected to monitor the areas of moderate marketing, alongside direct advertising to self-excluded customers, player-data collection, as well as overseeing lottery advertising.

Spelinspektionen, meanwhile, is due to focus more upon bonus offers, sponsorship and product-related marketing across the country.

“A violation of the requirement of moderation is typically considered to be serious,” the regulator said. “The sanction that may be applicable in an individual case depends on several different factors, such as how long the infringement has been going on.”

Patrik Gustavsson, Chief of Operations at Spelinspektionen, explained: “The clarity we achieve with the agreement benefits the supervision as we ensure that important issues do not end up between the two entities.

Andreas Prochazka, head of unit at the Konsumentverket, concluded: “Regardless of whether the consumers turn to the Konsumentverket or the Spelinspektionen with tips or notifications, they know that the case ends up right.”