BOS Challenge Swedish Covid Restrictions

The strict deposit caps which have been imposed on online casinos in Sweden have been challenged by the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS).

They have written to the Swedish Government requesting that the online casino restrictions should be removed earlier than scheduled.

The original restrictions were imposed in July 2020 and have been extended several times since that date, even though it was originally stated that the restrictions would end by the end of that year.

The latest measures had been put in place until November 14th this year, but in a recent press conference, the Swedish Government said that all Covid related restrictions in the country would end earlier on September 29th.

The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling believe that the online casino Covid rules should end on the same date.

The main limitation for online casino play in Sweden is the deposit cap of SEK 5000, along with a time limit on play at all licensed online casino operators.

The fact that the Government announced on September 7th that most of the general restrictions will be removed from September 29th this year is, of course, an even clearer signal of the Government’s ambition to return Sweden to a normal situation. This includes the Swedish Public Health Agency’s advice to withdraw the advice to work from home, which was the main argument for the temporary regulation on gambling liability measures, as it was claimed that increased stays at home would lead to increased gambling problems with online casino gambling.

Gustaf HoffstedtGeneral Secretary of the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling

It was also pointed out by Mr Hoffstedt that the state-owned Casino Cosmopol opened again on July 7th without any of the restrictions which have been put in place for online casinos to abide by.