Sweden’s High Court Shuts Down Final Appeals

Imagine your gambling brand battling repeated fines, only to find the door to more appeals slammed shut.

That’s the reality for Mr Green, Spooniker, and ComeOn, whose pleas in Sweden’s highest court just failed.

Picture final fines still topping millions of kronor, punishing repeated bonus and AML breaches.

Read on to see how Sweden’s unwavering regulator sets a precedent, shaping the country’s gambling future.

Swedish Court Upholds Fines: Operators’ Appeals Denied, Reduced Penalties Stand

3 Key Points

1. Swedish Supreme Administrative Court denies further appeals by Mr Green, Spooniker, and ComeOn.
2. The final fines remain, though each had already been reduced from original amounts.
3. Spelinspektionen intensifies oversight, banning unlicensed sites and monitoring channelization rates.

The Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden has ended the appeals saga for several prominent online gambling operators. These operators—Mr Green, Spooniker, and various ComeOn brands—saw their final pleas dismissed, affirming Spelinspektionen’s unwavering enforcement stance.

In each instance, the operators faced hefty fines for alleged regulatory breaches. Those primarily related to bonus infractions and anti-money laundering (AML) shortcomings back in 2020 and 2021. While the fines already went through significant reductions in prior rulings, the Swedish court rejected any further push for leniency.

Spooniker, a sub-brand affiliated with Kindred Group, must pay SEK 30m (€2.6m). This sum stands well below the initial SEK 100m slapped in 2021. The brand came under fire for offering unauthorized bonuses and lotteries without a licence in March 2020. Efforts to challenge the penalty were unsuccessful, confirming that Spooniker must comply swiftly.

Mr Green follows a similar path. It faces a combined penalty of SEK 12m for failing in duty of care plus SEK 1.5m for AML lapses. The original figure, SEK 31.5m, was scaled down previously. However, the court has made it clear: no more appeals will be heard, and the brand must now meet its obligations without further delay.

Meanwhile, ComeOn had also tried to dodge additional fines across four sub-brands—ComeOn Sweden, Casinostugan, Hajper, and Snabbare. Each brand had been penalized for bonus rule violations. ComeOn Sweden has to pay SEK 13m (down from SEK 35m), Casinostugan owes SEK 8m (down from SEK 25m), Snabbare owes SEK 24m (slashed from SEK 65m), and Hajper owes SEK 14m (reduced from SEK 50m). Attempts to lower these amounts again failed, cementing the revised sums.

Spelinspektionen has upped the ante on unlicensed gambling, too. The regulator recently banned Cosmogames from offering services in Sweden. It discovered five websites—Spinarium.com, Spinarium3.com, Spinarium4.com, Spinarium5.com, and Spinarium.games—accessible to Swedish players without the requisite licence. This move reiterates the seriousness with which Sweden’s regulator targets rogue operators.

Additionally, ATG (AB Trav och Galopp) raised a red flag about channelisation issues in Sweden. It warns that unlicensed gambling’s share may now be as high as 30%. ATG claims the volume of unlicensed website traffic has soared tenfold since 2019, indicating a possible shortfall in controlling black market gambling. Spelinspektionen asserts that channelisation in Q3 stands between 70 and 82%, conflicting with the 82% figure it highlighted prior.

As the gambling sector evolves, Sweden’s approach remains uncompromising. The Gambling Act fosters a strictly regulated environment to ensure consumer protection and responsible gambling. Despite strong opposition from operators and disputes over fines, the Swedish authorities have largely stuck to their guns.

Sweden has turned into a challenging environment for businesses wanting to test the boundaries of what’s allowable. Brands must adjust by implementing robust compliance frameworks that respect the country’s unique regulations. Meanwhile, the court’s decisions to keep significant fines in place sets a stark reminder: repeated appeals could yield diminishing returns.

With the Supreme Administrative Court upholding previously reduced fines against Mr Green, Spooniker, and ComeOn, Sweden sends a potent message. Violators of bonus and AML rules can expect rigorous action, limited mercy, and no indefinite appeals. Coupled with the crackdown on unlicensed operators, it’s clear that Spelinspektionen is determined to safeguard regulated play. For operators, abiding by Sweden’s rules is paramount—any further breaches risk severely damaging both brand reputation and their bottom line.

The post Sweden’s High Court Shuts Down Final Appeals appeared first on Gamingo News.

Imagine your gambling brand battling repeated fines, only to find the door to more appeals slammed shut. That’s the reality for Mr Green, Spooniker, and ComeOn, whose pleas in Sweden’s highest court just failed. Picture final fines still topping millions of kronor, punishing repeated bonus and AML breaches. Read on to see how Sweden’s unwavering
The post Sweden’s High Court Shuts Down Final Appeals appeared first on Gamingo News.