The Swedish government may extend restrictions on iGaming deposits until November 14. The move—which would include a monthly maximum deposit of SEK5,000 (US$592)—is meant to curb problem gambling in the country, where people continue to be isolated due to Covid-19.
According to iGamingBusiness.com, the measure was first put in place last July, and were meant to last through 2020. But it’s been extended several times, most recently to June 2021.
Noting still-dangerous rates of the virus in Sweden, Minister of Social Insurance Ardalan Shekarabi said, “The current situation entails great risks for consumers in the gaming market. We therefore need to act to reduce the risks for the most vulnerable consumers.”
Aside from the monthly deposit limit, the government plan also includes mandatory limits on playing time. Operators must limit bonuses to SEK100 for both online casinos and retail gaming machines under current rules.
Swedish online industry association Branscheforenigen för Onlinespel (BOS) disagrees with the proposal, and Chairman Gustaf Hoffstedt contends that the extension will simply propel problem gamblers to offshore, unlicensed operators.
“The government seems unaware that their own expert authority, the Swedish Agency for Public Management, just over a week ago stated that the leakage from the Swedish gaming market to the unregulated gaming market is alarmingly high,” Hoffstedt said.
“The leakage for online casinos is particularly high, where as much as every fourth gaming krona is played outside the Swedish licensed market.
“To extend restrictions that are disapproved by gaming consumers is to ask for continued problems for the channeling into the licensed market when it comes to online casinos.”
