Swedish Gambling Authority voices support for immediate B2B licensing system
Regulator insists supplier licensing would have major benefits for licensed operators in letter to government
The Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) has called on the Swedish government to introduce a B2B licensing regime to reduce technical obligations on operators.
In a new report submitted to the Swedish government, the SGA argued licences should be introduced to cover the “manufacture, supply and installation of change” of gambling software and technology.
“The Game Inspectorate [SGA] sees several benefits with such a scheme being introduced as soon as possible,” wrote the SGA.
“Such a scheme should also reduce the administrative burden on licensees by moving the centre of gravity of the certification procedure to the game software companies,” the SGA added.
In November, Kindred Group CEO Henrik Tjärnström demanded a licensing system for B2B suppliers, claiming the absence of such licences had proven to be “quite detrimental” for the re-regulated Swedish market.
Kindred Group CEO Henrik Tjärnström
“We strongly urge the relevant stakeholders to look at the B2B licence situation where everyone in the value chain needs a licence to operate.
“That would give the regulator the right tools to police the market and make sure the unlicensed operators are kept at bay,” Tjärnström told EGR Intel.
The SGA was commissioned by the Swedish government in April to provide Covid-19 market data across a range of issues including public awareness of self-exclusion and measures to prevent players from circumventing new deposit limits, as well as any further regulatory changes which could be introduced.
Responding to the proposed deposit limits, the SGA suggested the ability for players to create multiple accounts would enable them to deposit more than the proposed SEK5,000 a week threshold.
The SGA added it would not be possible to introduce a register of all player deposits within the timescale envisioned by government.
“Such a register requires a comprehensive investigation and legislative changes. Such a system would include large amounts of sensitive data, both sensitive personal data and information covered by business confidentiality. A proper impact assessment is therefore needed,” the SGA concluded.
The SGA has also requested the introduction of legislation requiring banks to provide information on payments, claiming it is currently “difficult and problematic” to obtain information regarding payments to unlicensed operators.
The SGA has asked for the power to issue injunctions against companies which promote unlicensed gambling sites, as that authority currently rests solely with the police.
Under existing Swedish law, the SGA can report instances to the police, who then conduct their own investigations.
“The Games Inspectorate can, however, be assumed to have better opportunities to prioritise these investigations and proposes, therefore, that an administrative prohibition on administrative law be expeditiously introduced in licensed gambling,” the SGA wrote.
The SGA will deliver its final report to the Swedish government on 1 September, at which time it is expected that new legislation will be introduced.