Betway hit with SEK100,000 Swedish fine over repeat bonus offer
Super Group subsidiary avoids larger fine for error in 200 percent match bonus campaign
Betway has been fined SEK100,000 (£8319.65) by the Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) for offering repeated bonuses to Swedish players as part of a marketing campaign.
Breaches occurred as part of Betway’s 200% match bonus campaign, which was first launched to customers in June 2021, but later withdrawn.
The campaign was only intended to reach a small number of eligible Betway customers, but due to an error, was incorrectly made available to all Betway customers who were registered in the firm’s database.
A total of 53 bonuses were credited to 52 players on 10 June between 11am and 14:30pm with an undisclosed number receiving repeated bonuses.
Betway notified the SGA of the error on 18 June, ceasing all marketing communications to customers. The firm disclosed to the SGA that customers concerned were not negatively affected financially and all affected individuals were made aware via email that an error had occurred.
The SGA said of the error: “Betway Limited has further removed the opportunity for employees to make a marketing campaign available for all Betway Limited’s customers from its back-office management system as well further training for all relevant employees.”
Under Swedish igaming and sports betting laws, licensed operators can only offer players a welcome bonus when they first register, but all subsequent bonuses are prohibited, something which aims to prevent gambling-related harm amongst players.
“The SGA considers that Betway Limited has provided reliable information on that the marketing campaign was a mistake and that the company has tried to minimise the damage that has occurred,” the SGA wrote in its assessment.
“The SGA finds that the violation has been limited in time and number of players. Betway has immediately, upon detection of the infringement, taken correction as well as measures to what happened should not be repeated.
“The SGA considers that Betway Limited has breached its obligations under the Swedish Gambling Act. The purpose of the regulations is to protect the players,” the SGA added.
Despite the nature of the infraction and the notifications and procedures that Betway undertook, the SGA has said the breach could not be “considered as either minor or excusable” when it directly addresses players.
“At a total assessment of the circumstances of the case, the SGA considers that the violation in this case is to be judged as less serious and that one remark may therefore be considered as an adequate intervention,” the SGA concluded.