Swedish Gambling Regulator Faces Criticism Over Lax Oversight
The National Audit Office (NAO) of Sweden has concluded that the country's gambling regulator falls short in monitoring both licensed and unlicensed operators, with the government also sharing responsibility for the shortcomings.
The NAO suggests that the government empower Spelinspektionen with adequate supervision conditions.
According to NAO, Spelinspektionen's major shortcoming is its failure to conduct regular and thorough checks on licensed operators.
NAO also noted that the regulator does not follow up on the results of its supervisory decisions. The Audit Office stated that in the past five years, Spelinspektionen has only conducted one follow-up. This means they are in the dark about whether their corrections have been implemented and if their resources are being utilized efficiently.
To boost oversight, Hedvig Tängdén, project manager, recommends Spelinspektionen adopt a systematic risk analysis approach.
Government Held Accountable
However, the review highlights that the regulator's inefficiencies stem from its chosen priorities, which are fueled by new government assignments and other activities.
"In order to maintain the legitimacy of the system, it is important to have an effective sanction system with quick and tangible reactions to violations of the regulatory framework. However, supervision is made more difficult by the fact that the gambling law is unclear, which has opened up a grey gambling market in Sweden." The review stated.
The NAO suggests that the government empower Spelinspektionen with adequate supervision conditions. Furthermore, the government should ensure transparency and accountability by providing reliable and unbiased information on supervision scope and results.
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Spelinspektionen’s Response
Responding to the National Audit Office's review, the gambling authority acknowledged areas for improvement and noted that receiving increased funds will play a crucial role in improving Sweden's regulatory landscape.
We welcome the National Audit Office's review and since the reregulation have carried out ongoing change work and still have work to do. We can look back on six very intense years with a new framework legislation, new actors and new tasks in a completely new regulation. Several issues are still awaiting practice in court.
Spelinspektionen also noted that it is optimizing its operations by developing and streamlining processes, routines, and system support, with a focus on improved risk analysis and environmental analysis capabilities.
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