Spelinspektionen may introduce more stringent ad measures

Swedish gambling authority Spelinspektionen could introduce measures that place a restriction on gambling advertising, as it also unveils a new link-up with Konsumentverket, a Swedish consumer agency.
Under the plans, responsibilities are to be split between the two bodies, with the Swedish regulator stressing that once regulations are established, it intends to impose backwards sanctions on licensees that have breached rules in the past.
It was also warned that 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.
In a statement the regulator stressed: “A violation of the requirement of moderation is typically considered to be serious. 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.”
The Spelinspektionen has not specified how much advertising it considers to be excessive, but has since called on operators to contact its partner agency to ensure that they are advertising at a moderate rate.
Patrik Gustavsson, Chief of Operations at Spelinspektionen, commented: “The clarity we achieve with the agreement benefits the supervision as we ensure that important issues do not end up between the two entities.”
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.
The Spelinspektionen is due to focus more upon bonus offers, sponsorship and product-related marketing across the country.
Andreas Prochazka, Head of Unit at the Konsumentverket, added: “Regardless of whether the consumers turn to the Konsumentverket or the Spelinspektionen with tips or notifications, they know that the case ends up right.”
The Spelinspektionen recently unveiled the signing of a memorandum of understanding with its Maltese counterpart, the Malta Gaming Authority.
The purpose of the agreement is to develop enhanced cooperation between the two, in light of the “authorities’ public policy objectives and mutually common values”.