EGBA issues player safety warning over Swedish deposit limits

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has attacked proposed Swedish deposit limits, claiming they are without justification and will funnel high depositing players to the black market.

In a response to the Swedish government, the pan-European trade body said the proposed deposit limit of SEK5,000 a week for online gamblers could have “unintended and detrimental effects” by harming more players than it protects.

The EGBA suggested there was no justification or evidence for the restrictions, citing recent Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) data which suggested there had been no rise in online gambling during the Covid-19 lockdown.

In addition, the EGBA claimed the new restrictions would benefit just one third of Swedish gamblers, leaving many to turn to unlicensed sites.

“Rather than one-size-fits-all restrictions, which will have no effect on the majority of customers and jeopardise consumer protection for those they seek to protect, the EGBA supports targeted measures, including tailored interventions, to protect those at risk of problem gambling at this time,” the EGBA said.

The EGBA is the latest trade body to publicly criticise the measures, alongside Swedish trade associations BOS and Sper, as well as several Swedish-facing firms.

In its own response, the SGA admitted that channelisation to licensed operators could suffer as result of the new proposals.

EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer claimed the measures were counterproductive and would make unlicensed sites with no limits more attractive to players.

“We understand that politicians seek to reassure and protect their citizens during these difficult times, but the proposed gambling restrictions could actually harm more customers than they protect,” said Haijer.

“We must remember gambling is human behaviour, consumers will always make their own choices and top-down regulation rarely works,” Haijer added.

The new proposals are due to come into force on 1 June.