Posted in Industry December 15, 2018
Swedish Gambling Authority Awards Its First Licenses
The Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) has recently awarded its first licenses to top online casinos such as Betsson, Casumo, Bet365, and LeoVegas. This move follows the footsteps of other regulatory bodies like the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the UK Gambling Commission. The Swedish Parliament approved the law for licensing in June 2018, and since then, the authority has received over 95 applications, with more than 70 focused on online gaming. Casumo, LeoVegas, and Betsson are among the most popular and favored online casinos in Sweden. However, the licenses granted to Casumo and LeoVegas have a reduced validity of two years instead of the maximum five years due to past transgressions in other markets. The Swedish Gambling Authority aims to carefully screen applicants and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. The authority has also announced restrictions to prevent match-fixing, including the prohibition of betting on events where a majority of participants are below 18 years of age or if it’s offensive or inappropriate. Licensed operators are required to join Spelpaus.se, a self-exclusion system, and display logos promoting responsible gaming on their websites. The Swedish Gaming Authority will continue to review applications, with 18 licenses already approved as of the last update, and all approved licenses will be effective from January 1, 2019.
