www.euroslot-online.com MARKET REPORT SUPPLEMENT
DAB will continue to demonstrate Ladbrokes had previously tested Swedish law has and will consider such demands, it has no
responsibility towards compulsive gamblers and through launching an internet scratch card called intention to implementing changes to Sweden’s
has e.g. participated in a congress about problem “Trippel” designed to compete with gambling laws. Moreover, the Swedish
gambling in Finland. In addition, the industry has Svenskaspel’s own scratch card “Triss”. government went on to say that it sees those
opted to place signs with the phone number of a In January 2006, an official inquiry into the aspects of Swedish law that are deemed to be
treatment hot line on all AWPs. Sweden betting market, concluded that under incompatibe with EU law, as actually being totally
AWPs in Denmark are only permitted in Swedish law there is no realistic way of stopping acceptable, in as much as they serve their stated
alcohol licensed restaurants and approved offshore online betting companies from targeting purpose of strengthen social security and
arcades. All sites must have a license to operate Swedish consumers. countering criminal activity’.
AWPs. Each single machine must be approved by On 4 April 2006 the European Commission On October 27 2007, Sweden’s governing
an authorised test institution. All machines in sent official requests for information on national party, the Moderate Party voted at its annual
operation must be linked to a central monitoring legislation restricting the supply of sport betting conference in Gävle on Saturday to come out in
system controlled by the Gaming Board. services to seven Member States - Denmark, favour of the liberalisation of the Swedish betting
Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the market; including the sale of Svenska Spel and
DATA (Source: DAB) Netherlands and Sweden. ATG.
Swedish politicians have appeared to shift It was anticipated by many, that Sweden’s
2006 2007 2008
away from maintaining the monopoly due to the Ministry of Finance would announce on 15
AWPs 24.500 26.700 27.500
pressure from the courts. Prior to the recent December 2008, a new set of measures that
Swedish General Election, the leader of the would put an end to Svenska Spel’s monopoly of
victorious Moderate Party Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Swedish betting market. Jan Nyren, the
stated that his party would consider getting rid person responsible for the new plans, was said to
SWEDEN
of the current gambling monopoly and replacing have favoured an open door licensing system,
it with a regulated betting market that allows that would see foreign betting operators enter
Swedish gambling is controlled by the state- private companies to apply for gaming licences. the Swedish market for the first time.
owned Spenska Spel whose activities include When in June 2007 the European Commission However, when the time came for the Ministry
betting at sporting events and dog racing, the formally requested France and Sweden to amend to make its announcement, it was clear that there
operation of gaming machines and the their gambling laws following consideration of was nothing new on the table, as regards the
organisation of lotteries. their replies to letters of formal notice sent in Swedish Government’s position regarding the
Changes to The Lotteries Act in 1 August April and October 2006, it was hoped this would opening of its betting market to outside
2002, enabled SvenskaSpel to embrace digital finally effect change. operators.
platforms; with customers now able to play the However, in August 2007, the Swedish Source: Niall.A.O’Connor (2008) “Sweden’s
instant scratch card games Triss, Tia, Skrap- Government surprised many observers, when it gambling industry and the long road to
Bingo and Skrap-Pyramid online. refused to bow to demands from the European liberalisation” (Bettingmarket.Com).
In November 2005 the Swedish Government Commission that it should throw open its betting
also granted Svenska Spel the right to introduce market to non-Swedish companies. In its official
online poker in conjunction with the online response, to a Commission request of June
gaming software provider Boss Media. 2007, the Swedish government said that while it
Svenska Spel’s monopoly has been challenged
a number of times in the European courts, most
notably by betting giant Ladbrokes. In June
2005, the Swedish Supreme Administrative
Court decided not to overturn a decision by the
Swedish government to reject an application
from Ladbrokes to be allowed to set up betting
operations in Sweden.
SEPTEMBER 2009
23
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