Part 1: The new regulations
unwelcome outcome that might
happen as a consequence of the
bonus rule is that it could affect
the degree of channelisation
that can be expected between
the grey market and the newly
regulated space.
“This bonus prohibition could
make players choose unlicensed
operators instead,” said Ola
Wiklund, founder at law firm
Wiklund, also speaking at the
same event. As it stands, the
new regulations are pitched
at persuading players to stay
onshore by offering tax-free
betting on regulated sites while
earnings from unregulated sites
have to be declared.
“But you have to declare
these incomes when you play
at unlicensed operators and I’m
not sure these customers will all
diligently declare this,” he pointed
out. “So, I’m not sure it will have the
deterrent effect it is hoped.”
A change is gonna come
All are agreed that regardless of
specifics, the nature of marketing
within the Swedish market will
change dramatically in the years
ahead. Nordic Gambling’s Morten
Ronde pointed out at the Nordic
Affiliate Conference that the
magnitude of marketing in Sweden
is already huge and that even pre-
regulation it already outstrips the
existing Danish regulated market by
some distance.
It has been, as he said, “a safe
haven” for affiliates but it is one
that is soon to disappear. “That’s
going to change, as the operators
will be liable for what their affiliates
do,” he said. “If you want to look
at the experience from Denmark,
gradually the heat has been turned
on much more on the affiliates. But
it’s not going to be the same in
Sweden, as the heat is going to be
on from day one.”
Hoffstedt similarly warned
that the Swedish regulations
are tackling head on one of the
trickiest questions faced by
gambling regulators – just what is
‘moderate’ marketing.
“The suggested regulation says
that any type of marketing shall
be moderate but we don’t know
what moderate really means,” he
said. “I guess Swedish courts will
have to decide what moderate
looks like when it comes to
marketing gambling.”
Video
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Sweden: The transition to regulation in one of Europe’s most advanced digital markets