According to Branschforeningen für Onlinespel (BOS), Sweden’s gambling trade association, Svenska Spel must settle its future as an enterprise of the Swedish government in 2023.
Gustaf Hoffstedt (BOS Secretary General) issued the request by publishing an opinion piece on Dagens Nyheter.
According to the trade group, Sweden’s next government must resolve Swedish gambling’s regulation makeup by 2023. This requires that there is a fundamental distinction between rule-setter and legislator.
Due to Svenska Spel’s rights, Sweden has had a fractured licensing system since 2019. It is allowed to operate on both the commercial and monopoly markets (lotteries/keno).
Hoffstedt explained that Svenska Spel is an active state in these two markets. However, it is now time to sell Svenska Spel Sport & Casino – which is the part of the company involved in commercial and competitive gambling.
Svenska Spel’s presence is considered an infraction to commercial gambling. 70 licensed operators compete for market share in the gambling industry that is open for competition against a state-owned Monopoly.
BOS reiterated that Svenska Spel’s presence in the Swedish market for gambling was not justified by the government of Sweden unless the “market itself has failed, most importantly in terms of competition”.
No one has ever claimed that the Swedish market for competitive gambling is lagging behind the other 70 operators. The competition is intense and will continue to be so, even if the state were not a casino operator or bookmaker for betting span>
Svenska Spel’s presence in Sweden is bad for Sweden’s safe gambling goals, since licensed operators are more likely to spend money advertising to fight a monopoly.
According to the trade group, a 2017 government evaluation’ did not distinguish between Svenska Spel Sport & Casino and private businesses. “Svenska Spel Sport & Casino holds the same gambling licenses as other companies.”
They follow the exact same responsible gambling rules as their competition, but they don’t do better than them. They are subject to the exact same gambling tax that all other gambling businesses.
Svenska Spel is omnipresent in the Swedish market, despite reforming Sweden’s gambling laws.
Hoffstedt, speaking ahead of 2023 warned that Sweden’s centre-right new coalition government would not be able to ignore calls for the dissolution Svenska Spel. This mandate is supported by both Democrats and Swedish Moderates.
Hoffstedt stated, “Now is the time and we have new government which together with Sweden Democrats forms the majority in Riksdag.”
The moderates, along with the Sweden Democrats, have advocated for Svenska Spel Sport & Casino’s divestment. It is reasonable to expect that the government will move from talking to doing .”
