Debate: “Svenska Spel’s Tips Company Must Be Sold by the State”

Sweden (December 26, 2022) — Sweden’s largest daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter published today the debate article “Svenska Spel’s tips company must be sold by the state” signed by Gustaf Hoffstedt, Secretary General, Online Gambling Industry Association. In the article, Hoffstedt argues that the government should sell Svenska Spel’s betting and online casino company Svenska Spel Sport & Casino.

Since 2019, Sweden has had a licensing system for gambling companies where there are two types of gambling markets; partly a commercial competitive gaming market that mainly offers online casinos and betting, partly a monopoly-protected market where Svenska Spel Sport & Casino mainly offers lotteries, for example, the popular Trisslotten.

Gustaf Hoffstedt argues in the article that the new bourgeois government should sell Svenska Spel Sport & Casino, something that both the Moderates and the Sweden Democrats have long advocated.

“I hope that the new government will deliver on the fundamental difference between being a legislator and a regulator in the gaming market and being a commercial operator. It is high time for the government to cut ties as a commercial betting and casino operator and focus on its unique role as legislator and regulator.”, says Gustaf Hoffstedt.

Read the article here

About BOS

The industry association for online games – BOS – represents gaming companies and developers of online games that target Swedish consumers. The association was founded in 2012 to represent the industry in Sweden and abroad. All our members have a Swedish gaming license where required. It is a basic requirement for membership in BOS and guarantees high quality and responsibility.

Key questions

• Game regulation
• The gaming industry
• Online game questions
• Gambling taxation
• Gaming responsibility
• The integrity of sport

Online games are the fastest-growing segment of the Swedish gaming market. It’s a huge business and one of the internet’s biggest commercial success stories.

Against this background, BOS has committed to promoting a well-regulated and non-discriminatory Swedish environment for responsible gaming companies. With this, we share the goals with the Swedish legislation:

• a healthy and safe gambling market where social protection interests and the demand for gambling are met in controlled ways
• social protection considerations must be prioritized, while the interest in a varied range of games as well as the risks of fraud and illegal gambling is taken into account

Core business

In the interest of the members, BOS activities include:

• Encourage high standards of fairness, integrity and social responsibility in the gaming industry;
• To work together with government officials, legislators, and other stakeholders to continue to develop the system within which the industry operates;
• Provide a central source of information and expertise for those seeking to understand the industry; and
• Provide a forum for the industry to share knowledge, agree on policy, share resources and adopt strategic responses to common challenges.

SOURCE: Online Gaming Industry Association (BOS).