ATG hit with Swedish Consumer Agency injunction after marketing to self-excluders

The Swedish Consumer Agency (KO) has issued an injunction against former monopoly operator ATG over marketing to players who have self-excluded under the Spelpaus system.

In December 2019, Kindred Group reported to KO that certain marketing communications sent by ATG did not carry over 18 warnings as required by Swedish law. In this instance, KO discontinued the investigation after the operator said it had corrected the messaging.

However, KO ignited a further case against the operator in February after two incident reports were submitted concerning self-excluded players receiving direct marketing from ATG.

Over the course of the investigation, KO found that 77 marketing communications had been sent to previously self-excluded players, with a further 1,905 text messages being sent during a six-month period to players who had opted out of direct mail communications.

The operator also failed to include age warnings on communications issued on four separate occasions between December 2019 and February 2020.

In response, ATG said it had mistakenly issued the communications and reported the error to the Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) before correcting the issue. ATG also said communications to self-excluded players were to inform them about terms and conditions and did not constitute direct marketing.

ATG will receive an immediate fine of SEK3m (£255,000) from KO if the operator is found to have violated the injunction in the areas of marketing to self-excluded players and those who have opted out.

In the case of not including age warnings on communications, ATG will receive an immediate fine of SEK1.5m (£127,000) for any further violations.

ATG CCO Katarina Widman acknowledged the company had made mistakes and accepted the KO’s decision.

“We reviewed our routines in connection with the events occurring and now in all cases further strengthen the routines to ensure that the events are not repeated,” Widman said.