Authorities have the power to block payments to unlicensed gambling operators targeting the Swedish market.
However, payment blocking has not been an effective tool in combatting unlicensed gambling due to the lengthy court process involved.
The new law requires payment providers to provide information for payment blocking when necessary.
The law also grants regulator Spelinspektionen the authority to conduct “test purchases” to ensure operators comply with Swedish laws.
Additionally, the law empowers authorities to address match fixing with the help of personal data collected by gambling licensees.
Under the law, gambling operators must cooperate with investigations into gambling-related crimes.
Sweden is taking steps to combat illegal gambling by requiring B2B online gambling suppliers to obtain permits.
The government hopes this will decrease illegal gambling by potentially revoking permits for suppliers working with unlicensed operators targeting the Swedish market.
Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary-general of Swedish trade association Branscheförenigen för Onlinespel (BOS), supports the B2B permit system.
However, Hoffstedt also suggests that Spelinspektionen’s expectations of the permits’ effectiveness in tackling illegal gambling may be too high.
