Spelinspektionen Can Now Block Payments From Unlicensed Operations

The amendment of Sweden’s Gaming Act has brought a series of important changes to the country’s gambling legislation. Among the big changes that will go into effect starting July 1, we can mention the Swedish legislature appointing a number of powers to Spelinspektionen. 

Besides the revised right to block electronic payments under suspicion of the payments being made towards unlicensed gambling operators, the gambling regulator will also be allowed to buy gambling services using a hidden identity, and store personal data to put an end to the lingering match-fixing problem in the industry, among others. Let’s take a closer look at Sweden’s fresh set of gambling rules and their potential impact on the regulated market. 

Gambling Businesses Asked to Disclose Information on Gaming Crimes

Earlier in the month, we informed you of the Swedish government urging the gambling regulator in the country to collaborate with the Financial Supervisory Authority and fight off illegal gambling. This came naturally after the government presented the parliament with a proposal with several measures that would guarantee better consumer protection and a more sustainable market on May 17, 2022. 

Now, the proposed measures that were embraced by the Minister of Social Security Ardalan Shekarabi are finally turning into reality. Among them, is the requirement for operators to contact the police and disclose any type of information that might be related to crimes tied to the gaming sector in Sweden.

In a wish to stop putting limits to effectively surveilling gambling businesses in their own natural habitat, the government has also approved legal undercover operations for surveilling operators and identifying inconsistencies with the current regulations. The newly attributed power is considered to be a proportionate rule in the current context. 

Spelinspektionen, which continues to count seven members, can therefore prepare to buy gambling services online using hidden identities and check operators’ compliance with the Gaming Act. Operators would receive notifications regarding the test purchase in the shortest time possible.

“Practical Difficulties” Stopping the Implementation of Payment Blocking 

While the original Gaming Act did allow the country’s regulator to take payment-blocking measures, none had been implemented to date, with Spelinspektionen mentioning a number of “practical difficulties” that had made practical implementation difficult. 

Accordingly, the previous payment-blocking powers have been replaced with a new set that now requires a different methodology. The new abilities that are of utter importance to the country’s channelization goals, as explained by the government, will now also involve providers of payment services when implementing them. 

This would result in a stronger grasp of the way stakes and winnings are being conveyed to operators and the way they return from the same companies. 

Spelinspektionen will be allowed to design fresh sets of regulations regarding the exact obligations of payment providers in terms of providing all the needed information for successful blocks of unlawful transactions.