Sweden’s National Audit Office has stated that the Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen, carries out to few inspections of both licensed and unlicensed gambling operators in the local market.
Only 1 follow-up to inspection carried out in past five years
In a press release outlining the National Audit Office’s findings, since the Gambling Authority took over regulation and oversight of the market following the enactment of new laws in 2019, it has failed to provide sufficient supervision.
Director of the National Audit Office Claudia Gardberg Morner said:
Swedish Gambling Regulator Told Supervision of Market Not up to ScratchThe office noted that the regulator’s shortcomings were a result of the priorities it had set in terms of supervision. These include various government assignments and mandated activities.
Swedish Gambling Regulator Told Supervision of Market Not up to ScratchSwedish Gambling Regulator Told Supervision of Market Not up to Scratch“In that situation, it is especially important that the supervisory resources are used where they are most useful. To succeed in this, the authority needs to base its supervisory planning on a systematic risk analysis. That doesn’t happen today.”
The National Audit Office also found that the country’s gambling laws were unclear and this makes supervision of the market more difficult and has allowed a gray market to be established in Sweden. It noted that an effective sanction system is required that includes immediate consequences for violations of gambling laws.
Morner added:
Swedish Gambling Regulator Told Supervision of Market Not up to ScratchNational Audit Office Recommendations
Swedish Gambling Authority
- Create detailed and mandatory follow-up process for all inspections
- Increase the efficiency and frequency of inspections for licensed and unlicensed gambling operators
Swedish Government
-
Swedish Gambling Regulator Told Supervision of Market Not up to Scratch
- Provide the Gambling Authority with exact details of the scope of its responsibilities
- Revisit the Gambling Act to clarify cases where online gambling is covered by the act
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