The Swedish Gambling Authority, or Spelinspektionen, is reported to have taken a notably strict approach in its regulatory practices, particularly concerning anti-money laundering (AML) supervision. This is in stark contrast to other regulatory bodies in Sweden, as outlined in a recent report commissioned by the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) and prepared by Nordic Legal, a law firm.
The findings highlight marked discrepancies between the oversight tactics employed by Spelinspektionen and those of other agencies with similar supervisory roles.
BOS Secretary General, Gustaf Hoffstedt, discussed the motivations behind the commissioning of this report, stressing that Spelinspektionen's methods diverge significantly from the norms associated with Swedish public authorities. "In our view, the SGA is more heavy-handed and less focused on dialogue or collaborative problem-solving compared to other Swedish authorities," he stated. Hoffstedt expressed that the licensed gambling sector in Sweden could see improvements if the Swedish Gambling Authority adopted methods more in line with those adopted by other governmental agencies.
The comparative analysis conducted by Nordic Legal addressed three key areas of assessment among regulatory bodies, including AML oversight, the use of sanction fees, and evaluations of the suitability of owners and senior managers. Spelinspektionen's practices were juxtaposed with those of the Financial Supervisory Authority (FI), the Stockholm County Administrative Board (Lst Stockholm), and the Swedish Schools Inspectorate.
Notably, while FI and Lst Stockholm are reported to utilize a risk-based approach to AML supervision—reviewing comprehensive risk assessments and sample evaluations—Spelinspektionen’s methods were deemed primarily sample-based and reliant on specific customer cases. Nordic Legal reviewed twelve AML-related decisions since 2021, resulting in the finding that eleven primarily assessed small samples of five to fifteen customer files, often disregarding the overall risk assessment and policies of the operators.
The analysis also examined the imposition of sanctions by each authority in relation to their legal maximum fees. Spelinspektionen was found to frequently enforce penalties near the statutory maximum, with seven of the nine AML-related decisions reviewed from 2022 to 2025 imposing fines that were at or above 50% of the maximum allowable. Notably, two instances reached approximately 91% and 100% of the maximum fine.
In contrast, AML sanctions from FI in large banking cases ranged between 20% and 27% of the maximum allowable fees, while Lst Stockholm generally imposed smaller fines, albeit with some significantly higher penalties for serious infractions. Earlier this month, Spelinspektionen confirmed its stance by imposing financial fines totaling SEK4 million ($401,010) on the gaming segment and SEK40 million on the sports betting division of Hillside Group.
Spelinspektionen did not provide any comments regarding the report when approached for a response.
