The Swedish government has appointed Erik Eldhagen as the new state secretary responsible for gambling regulation in the country. Eldhagen will support Niklas Wykman, the minister for financial markets, as he oversees not only gambling regulation but also the financial market, state properties, and nuclear power financing. He will officially begin his new role on December 1.
Eldhagen most recently held the position of head of the international secretariat at Sveriges Riksbank. His career includes various management roles at the Ministry of Finance and an advisory position at the World Bank.
This appointment coincides with leadership changes within the Swedish gambling regulator. Johan Röhr has been named the acting director general of Spelinspektionen since November 1, after Camilla Rosenberg stepped down from the position on October 31. Röhr has served as the chief legal officer for the regulator since June 2008.
The Swedish gambling market is undergoing significant changes. In September, the Ministry of Finance released a report by Marcus Isgren that outlines amendments aimed at bolstering the regulatory framework. Proposed changes aim to close loopholes that have allowed illegal operators to target Swedish residents through English-language sites that accept euro payments. The amendments would also expand the prohibition on promoting illegal gambling, extending to payment processors and other financial services supporting unlicensed operations.
Furthermore, the memorandum suggests enhancing criminal provisions, making unlicensed gambling and its promotion illegal and subject to criminal charges. In October, the government published legislation mandating a blanket ban on using credit for gambling, further extending the existing Swedish Gambling Act, which already prohibits players from gambling with credit at licensed operators. These new regulations will take effect on April 1, 2026.
Additionally, this year marked the end of land-based casinos in Sweden, with Svenska Spel confirming the closure of its final casino in Stockholm following a parliamentary vote to end such establishments in April.
