Sweden Answers Critiques
December
31, 2009
Sweden has come under fire recently for their
position on online gambling. Critics say that by
adding age requirements to be able to
participate in online gambling that they are
only seeking to protect their national online
gambling monopoly. Opponents say that they are
only trying to keep more money for themselves,
while Sweden says that they are simply trying to
protect their citizens.
The problems arose when Sweden put age
restrictions on games that were previously open
to all ages. Instead, now you have to be at
least 18 years of age to participate in online
gambling. The online gambling group Svenka Spel
says that they are trying to protect their
younger generation from the pitfalls that come
from starting online gambling too early, and the
rules will be enforced not just by Svenka Spel
but also though all online gambling sites that
are currently operating without licensing.
The European Union is concerned that this is
simply strengthening their monopoly within the
country, and that the guise of consumer
protection is not what it appears to be. Now 13
of the 22 online gambling games that underage
players could access they still longer can,
which is why many felt that this was about
getting more revenue not really protecting their
citizens.
Svenka Spel says that they were simply trying to
simplify regulations for online gambling and
that this was not in any way related to European
Commission pressure. They said that they were
just having problems enforcing age restrictions
on other online gambling games so they had to
make it a clear law.
