Swedish gaming regulator Spelinspektionen has warned that the potential closure of Casino Cosmopol, owned by the state-controlled operator Svenska Spel and currently the only casino, could force existing players to turn to illegal gambling.
It said: “The Swedish Gaming Inspectorate agrees with the Police Authority’s assessment that it is likely that a percentage of the players who today play at the state casino will instead resort to illegal casinos. Even the Swedish Gambling Authority lacks the basis for the assessment of how large such a share may become. Today there is one presence of illegal gambling clubs in the country. However, the extent is unclear. In recent years, the Swedish Gaming Authority has acted as an expert in a handful of cases where charges have been brought. Although the number of such cases is relatively few today, it is the authority’s assessment that the law enforcement authorities in increased scope draws attention to illegal gambling.
“As the inquiry’s proposal likely involves a increase in illegal gambling, the Gambling Authority may have to add more resources to counter illegal land-based gaming activities. This can mean that the Swedish Gambling Authority needs to re-prioritise resources illegal land-based gambling.”
The Swedish Gaming Authority has also noted an increased number of applications from certain players in land-based commercial casino gaming with new slots. It said it would monitor the development of the gaming market in this part and will likely need to increase its oversight and review future needs of authorizations depending on the development of this part of the gaming market.
The Swedish Gaming Authority has no views on the proposal that state lotteries not longer must have some limitation. It explained: “It appears from the provision that the value of the winnings from a scratch lottery, numbers game or game of probability during the license period may not exceed 50 percent of the value of the stakes in the game during same time. If the restriction on state lotteries is removed, the provision should cover all lotteries so as not to change the current competitive relationship against lotteries for public purposes.”
