Swedish regulator warns licensees about offering gambling on credit

The regulator pointed to its guidelines on credit gambling outlined in Sweden’s 2018 Gambling Act, chapter 14 section 1.

This section specifies that gambling on credit does not align with Spelinspektionen’s duty of care provisions, which it outlined earlier today.

Gambling on credit is already banned in Sweden, but Spelinspektionen felt a need to point out that certain payment solutions besides the use of credit cards or loans are considered using credit.

In particular, Spelinspektionen stipulated that mobile payments in which deposits are made on mobile and the cost is added to the mobile payments invoice fall into the category of credit. This means that these types of mobile payments cannot be used for gambling purposes, though direct payments by mobile would be permitted.

It also pointed out that any payment solution such as an e-wallet would not be permitted if credit cards make up the only funding options for the solution.

The regulator also issued a reminder to licensees that gambling activities must have limited negative consequences, which features in chapter 3 section 1 of the Gambling Act, and that gambling on credit can lead to “major dangerous consequences”.

In addition, Spelinspektionen warned that licensees must not promote any form of gambling on credit in order to adhere to the Gambling Act.