Sweden proposes tougher online measures for remainder of 2020

Mandatory weekly deposits and caps on bonus offers are due to be rolled out across Sweden from 1 June until the end of the year, as part of the country’s new coronavirus-led online gambling restrictions.

Sweden’s Minister for Health and Social Affairs Ardalan Shekarabi has proposed that weekly deposits are limited to SEK5,000, with a SEK100 cap on bonus offers.

Speaking at a press conference, the Minister said that the lock down situation is a ‘dangerous cocktail of several circumstances that may increase the risk of gambling addiction’.

The new restrictions will also include a mandatory limit on play time, while the government is also considering imposing return-to-player restrictions.

Under the new measures, the country’s gambling regulator Spelinspektionen will be expected to monitor developments in the gaming market, taking steps to ‘substantially increase the public’s knowledge of the possibility of turning off games’.

Spelinspektionen, according to Shekarabi, should also decide upon new measures to strengthen the protection of consumers who set limits on their gambling.

In addition, the regulator will also be tasked with expanding national self-exclusion register Spelpaus to the land-based market as well as online.