iGB Intelligence reports iGB Market Monitor May 2018 | Page 12

• Mid-May: the bill will be reviewed by the Committee on Cultural Affairs
• June 7: parliamentary debate and vote
• August 1: licensing window opens
• 1 January 2019: market officially opens The steps from this point are thought to be
• Bonuses will only be allowed the first time the player uses an operator’ s products
• Mandatory player deposit limits
• Licensees will have to take the measures necessary to prevent and reduce problem
• Basic provision on advertising has been proposed in the law including rules on
Part 3: Sweden – a new beginning

Part 3 Sweden – a new beginning

The draft law published by the Swedish government in early April finally set the seal on one of the most long-awaited regulated market openings in Europe. Long the palest of grey markets, Sweden had been one of the best-performing markets for a number of years before the authorities finally got around to‘ making it official’. Key events in the future timeline include:

• Mid-May: the bill will be reviewed by the Committee on Cultural Affairs

• June 7: parliamentary debate and vote

• August 1: licensing window opens

• 1 January 2019: market officially opens The steps from this point are thought to be

merely a formality, and although the date for the opening of the licensing window has slipped by one month, this is not likely to cause any disruption to the long line of applicants.
With a tax rate set at 18 % – one of the lowest in the regulated space and likely attractive enough to ensure a high percentage of channelisation from grey to regulated – the prospects for the Swedish regulated market being a success are high.
At a press conference introducing the draft law, the minister with responsibility for gambling, Ardalan Shekarabi, said that the reforms introduced would ensure“ good conditions” for operators that choose to establish themselves in the country and to“ follow Swedish law and pay Swedish tax”.
“ At the same time, we have decided to introduce powerful sanctions to shut out those who do not have a licence under the future system,” he added.
These sanctions include payment blocking and measures to force internet service providers to display warning messages on unlicensed gambling sites. Shekarabi told reporters that
Sweden had benefited from the examples of other countries that had regulated.
“ One good thing about being the last on the ball is that many countries have already made this reform and we know the positive and negative consequences from, among others, Denmark, France and Italy.”
Most obviously, the Swedish authorities have taken note of the arguments that rage around online gambling tax rates. At 18 %, it is at the low end of the range displayed across Europe, below even the 20 % rate in Denmark, which is partly credited with achieving that country’ s high rate of channelisation.
Issues remaining
Still, some question marks remain over some of the detail within the bill, largely around the responsible gambling provisions and, mostly, the position of monopoly lottery operator Svenska Spel.
The Swedish regulator will have powers with regard to self-exclusion, bonusing and other responsible gambling areas. The regulator will also be able to determine which types of game can be operated by any online casino licensee. According to the legal consultancy Nordic
Gambling, the rules include:

• Bonuses will only be allowed the first time the player uses an operator’ s products

• Mandatory player deposit limits

• Licensees will have to take the measures necessary to prevent and reduce problem

gambling where this is possible

• Basic provision on advertising has been proposed in the law including rules on

moderation and not specifically targeting under-18s
iGaming Business Market Monitor • The Nordics • May 2018 9