Swedish regulator to clamp down on gambling adverts

Swedish gaming regulator Lotteriinspektionen has pledged a renewed crackdown on gambling adverts in the country, after winning a landmark court case last week.

The Swedish Supreme Court enforced a ban on non-regulated gambling operators advertising in local media, after a long-running case between the gambling authority and two media companies.

Lotteriinspektionen has been trying to enforce a ban since 2013 when it initiated court proceedings against billboard advertising firm Clear Channel Sverige for promoting Unibet games.

The company appealed its case and the court gave its final ruling this week, extending the ban to all foreign operators advertising in the country.

“The court ruling confirms the prohibition is in accordance with EU-Law,” Lotteriinspektionen director general Camilla Rosenberg said.

“The decision will be in force from today and that will not change with next year’s legislation.

“What we will do with regards to that is have a strategic meeting today on how to handle this in the meantime,” Rosenberg added.

Rosenberg said the authority will continue to target media companies over the operators themselves.

In other news, operators will be able to submit applications for a Swedish gambling license as of July 2018, the authority has said, as long as the legislation process goes according to plan.

The Swedish government is on target to publish regulation in January 2019.