The Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) has taken the significant step of temporarily revoking Charm Entertainment AB’s license to conduct commercial land-based casino operations, mandating an immediate halt to all licensed activities.
This action, dated October 1, 2026, will remain effective until a final decision is made or, at the latest, until April 1, 2027.
Spelinspektionen’s investigation of Charm Entertainment AB began on May 27, 2026. The investigation's primary focus was on the company’s adherence to the Swedish Gambling Act, along with related tax, accounting, and bookkeeping regulations. To this end, the regulator examined annual reports submitted by Charm for the years 2023 to 2025 and inspected documents linked to an ongoing criminal preliminary investigation currently being heard in Södertälje District Court.
Several reasons underpinned the suspension of the license. The regulator expressed that there are “probable reasons” to believe Charm no longer meets the necessary statutory requirements to hold a license.
Current and former executives of Charm have been implicated in serious offenses, including aggravated accounting crimes, which are connected to Lucky 21 Casino AB, another previously licensed casino operator. Notably, both establishments operate in close proximity and share a significant portion of their management personnel. This raised suspicions that the illicit or improper practices uncovered at Lucky 21 may have extended into operations at Charm.
Investigative findings indicated inconsistencies in Charm’s annual accounts, particularly the submission of two distinct filings for the financial year 2023, which has raised considerable doubts about the validity of their bookkeeping practices.
Spelinspektionen underscored the seriousness of the alleged crimes as well as the overlap of individuals associated with both Lucky 21 and Charm.
Due to the potential for ongoing misconduct, the regulator concluded that an immediate suspension was necessary to prevent the continuation of gambling activities that might facilitate criminal behavior or operate under inadequate accounting standards.
The license revocation is subject to appeal but can initially remain in effect for up to six months, with the possibility of a six-month extension if special circumstances warrant it.
In recent developments, Spelinspektionen previously had a fine imposed on the Malta-based online operator LeoVegas overturned. The fine was originally issued for alleged violations of Sweden’s Gambling Act regarding duty of care requirements. However, the court determined that the evidence against LeoVegas was clear-cut. This ruling, released on June 12, completely nullified the earlier regulatory sanction after a thorough examination of the evidence and legal arguments put forth by the operator.
