Svenska Spel fined for unlicensed slot machine “misunderstanding”

On Tuesday (3 September), Spelinspektionen fined Svenska Spel SEK2m (£147,856/€175,422/$194,774) and issued a warning for providing slot games without the necessary licence.

The machines relating to the fine received a licence to operate at specific bingo halls in Kinna and Hagfors in December 2018.

Svenska Spel moved the machines to locations in Skene Hagfor, where they did not have a licence to operate.

A change of address request was submitted to the regulator in September 2023 when it first contacted the operator. But changes to the law in July 2023 required additional paperwork Svenska Spel did not submit.

It received a warning and reduced fine after correcting its procedures and removing the disputed machines.

In a statement, Svenska Spel expressed regret over the incident. “Our intention was to do the right thing, but due to an administrative misunderstanding, it went wrong,” operations sales manager Thomas Engström said. “It won’t happen again.”

Another fine for Svenska Spel

In March, Spelinspektionen announced it was fining Svenska Spel a much heftier penalty of SEK100m ($9.75m) for failings relating to player duty of care.

Between October and December 2021 the operator failed to undertake sufficient measures to protect 10 high spending players from continuing their risky behaviours.

Danish regulator blocks 79 illegal sites

Elsewhere in Denmark, gambling regulator Spillemyndigheden blocked 79 illegal gambling websites on 5 August thanks to a court ruling.

Spillemyndigheden said measures would block sites that largely targeted children and young people.

In Denmark, the measure must be put to a court, meaning the process can take some time. A further 83 sites were blocked in February,

In 2024 the Danish regulator has banned 162 sites. The total number of of blocked sites since 2012 stands at 438.