Expert: More People Can Sue the Betting Companies After Sweden’s Patent and Market Appeal Court Unique Verdict

SWEDEN (December 21, 2023) — TV4 News Program ‘Nyheterna’ has told in several articles about Per, who gambled away more than seven million kroner in just a few years. During the years 2009-2014, he played for six-figure sums every month, and was rewarded with bonuses and faced with aggressive marketing.

He sued betting company Betsson in a civil case, lost, and appealed.

On Thursday, the Patent and Market Appeal Court ruled in his favor. Betsson must pay back SEK 5.8 million as well as the court costs.

“This judgment is unique. We have never had a case before in Sweden where players, individuals, who ended up in a gambling addiction have actually received back money invested in the gambling industry and gambling on the internet,” says Johanna Björkman, lawyer and TV4’s legal expert.

More people can sue the companies

She emphasizes that a reregulation of the gaming market took place in 2019 and that the judgment is therefore based on old rules. It can therefore be important for people who believe that they were met by aggressive marketing when they were involved in a gambling addiction during the time when the old law applied.

“We can imagine that there are other people who have been in the same situation, then this goal becomes indicative. The court is very clear that there is a point where these companies cannot swear to be free from having understood that there is an incredibly high risk that people will continue to play and lose amounts that are completely unreasonable in the context, even though the ability to paying back is almost out of the question,” says Johanna Björkman.

Shortly after the verdict, Betsson announced that the company will appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court.

“I assume that HD will take the case up for consideration. It contains extremely interesting dimensions. If the verdict is upheld, it will open the door for people who, during the same time and under the same conditions, have been exposed to this,” says Johanna Björkman.

Will Appeal

Betsson comments on today’s verdict in a written statement.

“We have analyzed the judgment of the Patent and Market Appeal Court. Since we do not share the court’s conclusions and question the reasoning behind them and the case also concerns fundamentally important issues of contract interpretation, we believe it is important to have the issues examined by the highest instance. We will therefore appeal the verdict.”

By: August Håkansson (august.hakansson@tv4.se)

Translation by Google

SOURCE: TV4