Swedish gaming operator Svenska Spel has been threatened with heavy fines for placing potentially illegal gaming machines in retail outlets. The machines in question, although marketed as internet terminals, are alleged to be pre-programmed gaming machines with shortcuts to Svenska Spel online.

16/05/2008

Following the departure of the company’s CEO just weeks ago, Swedish monopoly gaming operator Svenska Spel has been affected by two more defections in its ranks. Two divisional managers resigned this week, indicating their reluctance to embrace the change in managerial direction away from market competitiveness towards a more restricted offering favoured by the Swedish government and the company’s new chairwoman.

02/05/2008

Svenska Spel’s Jesper Kärrbrink announced yesterday that he is to step down from his role as CEO of the company. The announcement comes less than three weeks after the appointment of a new chair to the Svenska Spel board, and furthers speculation that the state-owned gaming operator is likely to witness a restriction in its room to manoeuvre in the Swedish market over the coming months.

22/04/2008

Ministerial rhetoric on reshaping gambling monopoly Svenska Spel into a more socially responsible operator has evidently not been communicated to Brussels, as time runs out for Sweden to answer EU concerns. The appointment of a new chairman for the operator, widely regarded as unsuitable for the role, has also raised questions about government indecision.

11/04/2008

Under fire from the EU over its gaming laws, Sweden’s prosecutors have now been advised to halt their attempts to prosecute media organisations that accept advertising from foreign bookmakers. The delay, ordered until the EU completes its infringement processes, means that many of the ongoing cases will expire before they can be tried.

13/03/2008

Svenska Spel’s new Bingo Live product has caused a stir in Sweden with accusations flying that it has gone into competition with bingo organised by the country’s sporting associations, but on totally different terms. Now Svebico, the sports body’s bingo organisation has decided to take action and has reported Svenska Spel to the Lotteriinspetionen, Sweden’s gaming authority.

22/02/2008

Swedish gambling monopoly Svenska Spel has been prolific in its announcements of overseas expansion in 2007 but as the year draws to a close it is becoming clear that many of the deals were never approved by the Swedish government and now face being unwound.

18/12/2007

Following news of rising levels of gambling addiction amongst Swedish online poker players, Svenska Spel’s expansion plans for their own internet poker product have been rebuffed by the Swedish government.

09/11/2007

Sweden’s state-owned gaming operator Svenska Spel has been censured over a controversial banner advert aimed against indirect competitor ATG, the organisation that controls horseracing in the country.

05/11/2007

Moderate Party members voted at their congress last weekend in favour of a proposal to liberalise the country’s gambling market but the Swedish Government still advocates taking a more cautious approach towards regulation.

30/10/2007

Non-profit organisation the Swedish Poker Association (SPA) has announced that it intends to sue state-owned monopoly Svenska Spel for infringement of copyright regarding the use of the Swedish Masters name. The parties have failed to reach an amicable agreement after two years of negotiation.

19/10/2007

With Sweden’s apparent crackdown on poker intensifying, representatives of Unibet and the Gothenburg based company PR Events are facing renewed charges of organizing illegal gaming, following the Swedish Open poker tournament held in Båstad last summer.

11/10/2007

The Norwegian government has announced that it is looking to ban money transfers to foreign online gambling companies but the move has been greeted with scepticism by operators and by politicians alike.

28/09/2007

The decision by the Norwegian Government to take control of all slot machines in the country, an action that was backed by an EFTA court ruling in March, has raised issues of local self-determination in the country and prompted some charities, who formerly benefited from machines, to turn their back on the controversial practice and instead look to establish a new charity lottery.

14/09/2007

Following the revelation that tax authorities are targeting affiliates in the Swedish online gaming sector, and at least one prison sentence has been handed out for evasion, Gamblingcompliance.com secured an interview with Dag Hardyson, leader of the project to track down those affiliates avoiding paying taxes.

03/09/2007

In a 19 page official response to the EU Commission’s Reasoned Opinion from June, the Swedish government has chosen to defend the Swedish gaming monopoly, despite threats from the EU commission and dissent within Sweden itself.

31/08/2007

The Swedish Skattemyndigheten (tax authorities) have turned their attention to the internet affiliate industry and are using electronic robots, spiders and detectives to scour hundreds of websites taking advertising from gambling operators. The results have been surprisingly profitable, so much so that the technology may be rolled out across other European markets.

21/08/2007

Swedish monopoly gaming operator Svenska Spel is combining psychology, artificial intelligence and behavioural science in a high tech effort to prevent its customers gambling too much but critics are questioning the value of a system that, above all, aims to keep players playing.

16/08/2007

In Sweden, the marketing activities of the monopoly gaming operator are under police examination but the focus of an inquiry to recommend changes to the country’s gambling laws is blurring as the new government becomes accustomed to the realities of power.

14/08/2007

Plans by the Swedish monopoly gaming operator to expand into Lithuania and other Baltic gaming markets have been ditched, leading observers to suggest the current Swedish government is cooling in its enthusiasm for change in the gambling sector.

09/08/2007