Swedish operators launch new information site to address “misconceptions”

Sweden’s online gaming association, Branschföreningen för Onlinespel (BOS), said the aim of the site is to gather facts and statistics about the licensed gaming market in Sweden in an accessible way, in order to encourage a more fact-based debate on the subject.

The portal has been launched in association with BOS, and is backed by operators Betsson Group, LeoVegas, William Hill and Kindred Group.

BOS said that knowledge of the Swedish gaming market is generally low, and that there are often “misconceptions” about how it is regulated, what its licensing requirements are and how the market develops.

Fakta om spel therefore aims to provide independent information on the market, including what its operators’ duty of care entails, recent statistics on taxes and marketing, and published research and reports, it said.

It is important that we have an open and free debate about the gaming market,” said Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general of BOS.

“The idea is that the site will be expanded over time and we would like to see more operators support Fakta om spel. We know that increased knowledge contributes to a healthier, safer and fairer gaming market by highlighting the benefits of a licensed market, but also pointing out the important challenges that the industry, authorities, politicians and suppliers need to focus on together.”

The site currently offers an overview of the Swedish market and its history, vertical-specific information on online casino, sports betting, poker and lottery, statistics relating to the market and its financial performance, and third-party reports and research on different aspects of the sector.