Swedish regulator supports treating gambling advertising like alcohol

The consultation was announced in June by Sweden’s Ministry of Finance and would amend the country’s 2018 Gambling Act.

In initial consultation announcement, the Ministry of Finance suggested that gambling should be marketed similarly to alcohol, in that people should not be encouraged or urged to play.

In its response, Spelinspektionen agreed with the proposal. It outlined that such limitations on gambling advertising could lead to better consumer protection and a better adherence to guidance outlined in the Gambling Act.

The regulator also said that the industry may be able to prevent “serious consequences” in terms of gambling harm if products are marketed with further moderation, and emphasised that all forms of gambling should be included in the restrictions.

Responses to the consultation must be submitted by October 14.

Sweden has launched a number of consultations on gambling recently. The Gambling Market Inquiry, which launched in November 2020, drew criticism from some bodies such as the Branscheforenigen för Onlienspel (BOS), due to its call for high-risk gambling games to be subject to new advertising restrictions.

Yesterday, Spelinspektionen released two guideline warnings to licensees, focusing on responsible gambling and gambling on credit.