Swedish regulator drops case against Apple
Swedish Gambling Authority had questioned Apple's role in promoting apps from "unlicensed operators"
The Swedish Gambling Authority (Lotteriinspektionen) has dropped its case against Apple which challenged the legality of gambling apps from “unlicensed operators” in its Sweden-facing App Store, eGaming Review has learned.
In February the US technology giant removed approximately 40 gambling apps from more than a dozen operators after a letter sent by the regulator cited a possible breach of terms and conditions due to the unlicensed and potentially “illegal” status of operators.
However, since the regulator dropped the case, and decided to take no legal action, more than half of the apps are now in the App Store and a full re-instatement is expected in the coming weeks.
General secretary of the Association of Online Gambling Operators in Sweden (BOS), Gustaf Hoffstedt, said he welcomed the news after previously criticising the regulator’s role in Apple’s decision to remove the apps.
“I am pleased that everyone now understands that it is legal according to EU law for Swedish consumers to gamble with operators holding an EU licence [and] that everyone now understands it is legal according to EU law for Apple Inc to offer apps from such operators in its App Store to Swedish costumers,” Hoffstedt told eGR.
“I am also pleased with the fact that the Swedish Gambling Authority consequently has dropped the case without taking any legal action against Apple whatsoever,” he added.
The Swedish Gambling Authority confirmed to eGR it had ended its proceedings and had yet to receive a response from Apple.
However, the regulator had no further comment to make on the news at the time of writing but has previously stressed that no formal complaint had been made against the US firm and that the decision to pull the apps was entirely Apple’s.