Payment providers in Sweden will now be required to provide information about the payments they process to gaming authorities in an attempt to aid payment blocking for unlicensed operators.
The new law is to be implemented this week and sees authorities block payments to operators that might be found to be targeting the Swedish market without a license. When the law is implemented, payment blocking will now be used as a tool to fight unlicensed gambling.
The new law, though, will require payment providers to “provide information that is used in the transmission of bets or winnings or from a gambling operation without the necessary license” when it is needed to facilitate payment blocking. The Swedish authority, Spelinspektionen, is also permitted, under this new law, to perform test purchases of online products to ensure that they are abiding by Swedish regulatory laws.
The new laws include powers to tackle match-fixing by the Swedish National Sports Confederation, offshore gambling operators, and offer B2B permits in an attempt to tackle illegal gambling.
A report from the Minister of Finance and Chamber of Commerce director Gunnar Larsson said: “To determine if an online game is covered by the scope of the Gaming Act, it is sufficient to conjure up if it is possible for a player who is in Sweden to register and create an account,” it said. “For the application of blocking card payments, payment service providers may block payments to anyone who does not hold a Swedish gaming license.”
