Background & Purpose

Gambling on money often leads to severe personal debt and addiction issues for vulnerable individuals in society. Stronger consumer protections are needed to ensure safer gambling practices.

Proposals & Debate

The government proposed introducing a written consent requirement for telephone sales of gambling services. Furthermore, proposals included giving licensed gambling companies access to specific personal data regarding players' finances and health to prevent excessive gambling, alongside higher financial penalties for money laundering violations.

The Decision

The Swedish parliament voted in favor of the government's proposal to establish stricter rules and higher penalties for gambling companies.

Does this affect you?

  • Gambling consumers: Receive stronger legal protection and safeguards against excessive gambling and aggressive telephone sales.
  • Licensed gambling companies: Must follow stricter rules for telemarketing, handle player data for responsible gambling, and risk higher fines for rule violations.

In Practice

  • Telemarketing of gambling requires a written acceptance from the consumer after the phone call to be valid.
  • Gambling companies with a Swedish license can access personal data about players' finances and health provided by the players themselves.
  • Companies that break money laundering laws will face significantly higher financial penalties.
  • The new regulations become fully effective in practice starting June 1, 2024.