Spelinspektionen has taken broader action against the illegal gambling market in Sweden, where the watchdog is based. The regulator named Bitx Operations and Ryker as the latest companies to have targeted local players without the necessary license.
Companies without licenses are ousted from the market
Spelinspektionen prohibits third-party websites that are not licensed by the regulator from offering gambling services and products locally. The regulator said that the watchdog was focused on ensuring that such operations were stemmed and discontinued in the market.
Both companies were registered in Curacao, the regulator specified, providing details about the operations by listing the companies’ address of registration. However, the regulator issued a reminder that overseas companies may not operate legally in the market without obtaining the necessary license.
The enforcement actions signed by the regulator did not specify if any financial penalties would apply. Regardless, both entities are now expected to cease any and all operations on the territory of Sweden with immediate effect.
Both websites have been found by the regulator to have offered Swedish consumers products in the native language and utilized Swedish-language affiliates to further bolster their presence in the country.
Making the domestic market competitive once again
The bane of offshore operators has been highlighted in a recent letter by the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BoS), which called on lawmakers and the regulator to address the realities on the ground, i.e., that the offshore market continues to dominate and outcompete the domestic regulated market.
"The appointment of a broad inquiry tasked with preventing leakage to the unlicensed gambling market would undoubtedly be this Government's most important measure to protect and strengthen the legal, regulated gambling market, before Sweden goes to the polls in September next year," BoS said.
