Betfair Global recently failed in its attempt to overturn a financial penalty levied by the Swedish Gaming Authority, Spelinspektionen. The Swedish High Administrative Court affirmed the regulatory body’s ruling.
In 2019, Betfair was slapped with a 5.5 million Swedish Krona sanction (roughly $522,000 USD) for breaching Swedish gaming regulations by permitting underage individuals to participate in sports wagering. Betfair contested the decision, but the judicial system ultimately agreed with the regulatory authority. Although Betfair managed to slightly diminish the fine on appeal, they were still obligated to pay a substantial amount for their violation.
This scenario wasn’t exclusive to Betfair. Other gaming companies, SkillOnNet and Betway, also faced consequences and lost their appeals against Spelinspektionen. SkillOnNet was reprimanded for providing illicit incentives and operating lotteries that deviated from their licensing contract, while Betway was discovered offering unauthorized promotional offers. Both entities received significant financial penalties, with SkillOnNet facing a 14 million Krona penalty and Betway a 4.7 million Krona penalty.
These instances underscore the stringent regulatory framework in Sweden and act as a cautionary tale for other gaming providers to guarantee complete adherence to all gaming statutes and regulations.
A Betsson branch, NGG Nordic, was unsuccessful in its challenge against a penalty levied by the Swedish Gaming Inspectorate in January 2022. The initial sum of SEK 19 million was, however, lowered to SEK 14 million.
