The Administrative Court of Appeal in Sweden has upheld fines totaling SEK44 million against Bet365’s subsidiaries, Hillside (Gaming) and Hillside (Sports), for failing to comply with player protection regulations and deposit limit laws. Hillside (Gaming) was fined SEK4 million, and Hillside (Sports) received a substantial penalty of SEK40 million. These fines stem from findings by the Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen.
Under the Swedish Gambling Act, operators are required to consistently monitor player behavior and intervene whenever there is a potential risk of harm from gambling activities. The investigation found that Hillside overly depended on automated messages such as pop-ups, email alerts, and expenditure reminders, and delayed taking manual action and implementing rigorous restrictions despite evidence of gambling issues.
From January 2019 to April 2022, Hillside permitted clients to configure a “no limit” deposit option. The investigation focused on 10 clients with the highest losses over a two-month span in 2021, analyzing specific cases for five individuals in detail.
Hillside defended its practices, asserting that its risk identification processes were effective, that the sample analyzed was small and represented only a fraction of its overall clientele, and that there was ambiguity in regulatory guidance concerning the timing for necessary interventions.
The penalties were ultimately lower than those proposed by the regulator; the gaming subsidiary’s fine was decreed at SEK4 million, while the sports betting division’s initial fine of SEK65 million was adjusted down to SEK40 million.
