The Swedish National Audit Office has declared that it will examine the effectiveness of the gambling regulator Spelinspektionen in overseeing the gambling industry.
The Audit Office said that the review will be carried out due to changes in the regulatory environment for the Swedish gambling market and the implementation of new rules.
On July 1, 2023, a set of new regulatory changes and requirements came into effect. These include the creation of supplier licenses and the granting of new enforcement powers to Spelinspektionen. The new regulations also require gambling companies to work with law enforcement to fight gambling crime.
The Audit Office highlighted that the aim of Swedish gambling policy is to establish a safe gambling market that both generates funds for the public good and minimizes consumer harm and criminal activity. Therefore, the Audit Office will look into whether the regulator is currently fulfilling its duties in this regard.
The Audit Office also said that they intend to release more information about the audit, as well as the release date of the report.
The Audit Office will conduct the investigation in accordance with global auditing standards.
This document suggests that it might utilize qualitative techniques, such as discussions and document reviews. The agency mentioned that it intends to use more quantitative approaches, such as data examination and statistical summaries.
The evaluation of Spelinspektionen’s effectiveness will evaluate the objectives and results of the state’s actions. The agency stated that its review will first confirm that the state is achieving a good return on its investments.
The audit office did not include an evaluation of the gambling regulator’s effectiveness in accomplishing its mission in its annual plan published in October 2022.
Sweden’s consistently low channelization rate
In June, the Swedish Online Gambling Association (BOS) published a report indicating that only 77% of consumers in the nation are directed to regulated, legal products, which BOS described as “extremely low.”
This number is significantly below the country’s goal of 90% channelization.
Sign up for the iGaming newsletter.