The Swedish Online Gambling Industry Association (BOS) has sent a letter to the government, requesting that temporary limitations on internet casinos, such as deposit caps, be removed sooner than planned.
BOS argues that given the government’s announcement at a news conference that all pandemic-related general restrictions will be lifted on September 29th, online casino rules should be lifted on the same date. The restrictions were originally scheduled to be eased on November 14th.
These limitations were first put in place in July 2020 and, although initially planned to be removed at the end of the year, have been extended multiple times.
The restrictions include a SEK 5,000 deposit limit, as well as time limits on playing slot machines and casino games at licensed operators.
In the letter, BOS Secretary General Gustav Hoffstedt stated, “The government’s announcement on September 7th that most general restrictions will be lifted on September 29th this year is certainly a clearer indication that the government wants to return Sweden to a normal state.”
The Swedish Public Health Agency’s choice to no longer advise remote work is a significant factor in this discussion. This decision serves as a strong argument for temporarily regulating gambling responsibility measures, as some believe that increased time spent at home could lead to a rise in online casino gambling issues.
Hofstad also highlighted that the state-owned land-based casino, Casino Cosmopol, resumed operations on July 7th without the limitations imposed on online casinos.
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